A Dozen Deadly Roses (25 page)

Jade stopped sipping from the glass of water she’d picked up from the table.  She wanted to hear Mac’s answer to Donnie’s question.

“Well, Donnie, a man and woman get married because they would feel empty if they didn’t have the other person in their life, to share the happy times and the sad times, the exciting times, and the ordinary days.  A man and woman get married because they’re in love and their life isn’t complete unless they’re with that one special person who loves them no matter what.  Just like a mommy and daddy love their children no matter what.”

Sadness washed over Jade.  She’d never experienced that kind of love and sharing.  She’d lived off of one night of passion and fed off of it for so long, she didn’t know how to have a relationship. 
I threw myself into being the best parent I could for Donnie and thought nothing about myself as a woman – at least until Mac dropped into my life again.  Now I think about Donnie needing a father, and I need a husband – a partner, someone to be there for me, and I can be there for him.

“Jade, are you with us?”  Mac teased.  Pulling herself from her thoughts, she forced a smile.

The server returned with several bottles of cider that he opened under Donnie’s scrutiny.

“Would you like to dance?” Mac asked her.  “It’s a shame to let this music go to waste.”

Donnie’s face lit up.  “Yeah, Mama, dance with Mr. Stryker.”  The boy turned to Mac, his face very serious.  “She dances good.  We dance together lots at home.”

Jade wanted the floor to open and swallow her.  “Donnie, I’m sure Mac doesn’t care what we do at home.”

“I think you underestimate my interest in what you do, or don’t do, at home,” he said, pushing back his chair and offering her his hand.

Jade’s heart fluttered as she felt his warmth.  His fingers closed around hers as he led her to the center of the room.

“Hopefully, I won’t faint dead away.  I’m still a little woozy from my hospital stay.”

Smoothly, he led her to the edge of the dance floor where they could still keep an eye on Donnie. Slipping his arm around her waist, he drew her close.  “Don’t worry, Jade.  You can always lean on me.”  She automatically rested her left hand on his shoulder.  She inhaled the tempting scent of his woodsy aftershave.  He was so tall, so male, so close.

She tried to relax and follow his lead, but the more she concentrated on being mellow, the more nervous she felt.

“You feel good in my arms,” Mac murmured in her ear.

“I, uh, well…”  A red heat flooded her cheeks.  “I’m sure it’s because you’re doing such a fine job of leading.”

“Why are you so tense?  You’re supposed to be enjoying yourself.  Or maybe you don’t like my company.”

“Oh no,” she answered too quickly.  “I’m having a wonderful time.  I haven’t seen Dad so happy in years.”   Mac guided her to where they could see Angus and Mona beaming at each other, whispering softly while moving in time with the music.  Donnie sat at the table watching both couples while grinning from ear to ear.

“Isn’t it funny how two people who seem to have such different styles found such happiness?” he asked.  

“I never thought Dad would give up the bottle.  It was his first and only love after my mother died.”  Jade glanced over at Donnie who now played with small firefighter action figures at the table.  “I wasn’t much older than Donnie when I started taking care of our house.  I never really got to be a kid.”

“That’s a lot of responsibility for such a young girl.  Did you resent your father for it?”

She shook her head.  “I’m sure at the time I did, but it only made me a more responsible adult.  It gave me the strength and confidence to know I could raise a child by myself.”

“Why do you have to?  Where is Donnie’s father?”

Jade took a deep breath and looked him squarely in the eye.  “I’d like to tell you about that.  Why don’t we go outside?”

By his furrowed brow and the cant of his head, Jade knew he was curious.

Reluctantly, she pulled herself away from his grasp.  “Let me ask Dad and Mona to keep an eye on Donnie.  I’ll just be a minute,” she said, over her shoulder.

Approaching her father and his bride, a wave of guilt came over Jade.  She shouldn’t be asking them to watch Donnie on their wedding night.  On the other hand, the time had come to tell Mac that he was Donnie’s father.

“Dad, I’m really sorry to ask you this, but can you keep your eye on Donnie for a little while?  I’ve got something important to discuss with Mac.”

Angus and Mona released each other on the dance floor.  It was Mona who spoke first.

“Of course we’ll watch Donnie for you!”  She gave Jade a wink.  “Maybe you and Mac will be the next ones walking down the aisle.”

Jade shook her head.  “I seriously doubt that, but I do need to talk to him.  I’m thinking we’ll be gone maybe a half-hour or so.”

Her father waved an impatient hand at her.  “Go ahead lassie, I’m thinkin’ it’s a good thing for the two of you to be alone.  Take all the time you need.  We’ll order up some of them fancy hors d'oeuvres.  Don’t give us another thought.”

Mac studied her as she returned to him.  She looked sexy as hell and yet strong at the same time.  Her life must have been a challenge.  He couldn’t wait to find out what kind of idiot would let a dynamite woman like Jade slip through his fingers…to say nothing of Donnie.  Mac realized he’d lost his heart to Jade and Donnie.  The boy’s father was never mentioned, so obviously the guy was out of the picture.  Mac’s spirits lifted with the thought.  Then another realization struck him.  Maybe Donnie’s father was dead.  Maybe Jade was struggling as he had over the loss of a mate.  If that was the case, he had to tell her there was light at the end of the tunnel.  His heart had opened again, and hers could, too.

Mac smiled, watching her move between tables of other diners.  He also noticed how the gazes of other men lingered on her shapely form.  His focus moved to her face where her lips were pursed and tight.  She looked scared.

“Dad and Mona said they’d keep an eye on Donnie.  Let’s go.”

She was really tense.  “Jade, look, it’s none of my business about Donnie’s father.  It’s just I see you doing a balancing act wanting to be a good mother and a perfect cop.  It doesn’t seem fair for you to have to do it all by yourself.”

Wordlessly she took his arm and led him outside.  The night was chilly and she shivered.  He removed his jacket and placed it over her shoulders.  She didn’t seem to notice as she walked along a pathway that led to the pool area.

“I didn’t know Donnie’s father well.  At the time, he was a loser.”

“Jade, this really isn’t-”

She held up a shaking hand.

“It happened just once…” Her voice trailed off.

Mac’s mind  flooded with intimate images of her and another man.  He had to make them go away.  He grabbed her upper arms and pulled her against his chest, his lips finding hers.

“I told you, it doesn’t matter,” he said.

“Mac, wait,” she protested.  He escalated the kiss, placing his hand behind her head to hold her still.  He needed this woman.  He didn’t want her in the arms of another man – real or imagined.

Two giggling adolescent girls approached, all bare bellies and tight jeans.  “And they say teenagers are out of control,” one of them sneered.

  “Geesh,” said the other, as they passed, “why don’t you guys get a room?”  Laughter filled the air as the girls continued down the lighted pathway.

Mac drew his head away from Jade.  “They’ve got a point, you know.”  Mac’s voice was low.  “Jade, I need you. I want you.  This is more than just a one-night stand.  Come with me to our suite.”

# # #

Jade, locked in the bathroom, couldn’t believe this was happening.  She’d come so close to telling Mac about Donnie, but instead was silenced by his vision of a happily ever after.

Mac wanted her and it wasn’t like the last time.  Then, he’d been a grieving drunk.  She’d tried to remove the devastating loss of his wife and daughter for him the only way she knew how.

At work the next day, he hadn’t even remembered her being at his house.  Her lover in the most passionate night of her life hadn’t even remembered the experience.  She’d felt foolish and ashamed, which was magnified a hundredfold five weeks later when she’d learned she was carrying his child.  That very night she’d shot and killed the gangster, and she’d never seen Mac again, until he’d shown up in roll call a few days ago.

Gnawing at her lip, she realized she had to come out of the granite-tiled lavatory sooner or later.  Squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin, she opened the door.

The lights were off and the heavy drapes were open wide.  A soft incandescence tinted the room, a glow created by the vibrant lights of the hotels and casinos below.  It took a second for Jade’s eyes to adjust.

Mac was sitting in an armchair by the window.  “I was wondering if you were ever coming out.”

“Me too.”  Moving to him, she stared at the manic lights lining Las Vegas Boulevard.

He took her hand and pressed it to his lips.  “Did you ever think that after all these years we’d be here together like this?”

She felt herself stiffen.

“What’s wrong?  Don’t you want to be here?”  A boyish smile played on his mouth.  “Tired of me already?”

“It…it’s not that, but this seems so…so sudden.”   What a liar you are, she admonished herself.  You’ve dreamt of having another night with Mac Stryker for the past four and a half years.  Now you’re faced with the opportunity and you’re scared to death.  What if it turns out like before - you give him your heart and he falls off the wagon?

“What can I do?  Or would you rather go back to the reception?”  The disappointment in his voice was palpable.

She shook her head and smiled.  “The truth is I’ve wanted us to be together since I was on probation.”  A burning heat filled her cheeks.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise.  “I had no idea.  I was a drunk.  What did you possibly see in me?”

She extricated her hand from his and her eyes locked on him.  “I saw a troubled man.  A man drowning his sorrows in alcohol.”

“I’ve come a long way since then.”

She smiled.  “Yes, you have,” she said, remembering Mona’s words that Mac was a good man waiting for the love and support of a good woman.

He stood, facing her.  Sliding his arms around her waist, he pulled her to him.  “I’ve started a new journey, and I’d like you to come with me.”  His eyes, dark with desire, bore into hers as he lowered his head and captured her lips with his.

Needing him and unwilling to filter her feelings, she surrendered to his kiss.

Mac groaned when she parted her lips, allowing him to deepen the kiss.  Bringing his hand to her face, he stroked her cheek and her chin.  His nearness was intoxicating.  He released her lips and briefly nuzzled her ear.  Then his mouth caressed her neck.

She moaned, and her head fell back, allowing him easier access to her fevered skin.  Her hands slid into his hair, holding him closer.

His lips skimmed the rapid throb of her throat.  Moving his head lower, he nestled his mouth at the edge of the neckline of her dress.

She moved her chest toward him, encouraging him.  He didn’t need any urging.  He slid his tongue between the fabric and her skin.

“Oh, Mac, more, more,” she whispered.

He moved his hands to the back of her dress and deftly pulled the tab of her zipper.  Nuzzling her upper body, he waited for the top of her gown to slide off her shoulders, but nothing happened.

He burrowed more vigorously; the dress stayed put.

She giggled.

“What’s so funny?”

“You’re out of practice.  There’s a hook and eye above the zipper.”

“Turn around,” he growled.

This was too much fun.  “No, I’ll get it,” she said, taking a step backward, her eyes never wavering from his.  She smiled at him from the sheer joy of being with him.

The pulse in his neck jumped as she reached behind her and unclasped the top of her dress.  Shrugging her shoulders, the creamy material skimmed down her arms.

“Oh, Jade,” he whispered, “You’re so beautiful.”  He scooped her in his arms and carried her to the bed where he laid her down.  She kicked off her high heels.  Gently rolling her on her side, he slipped the dress from her waist and down her legs.  He leaned across her body and kissed her again.  His hands started on her face, but soon drifted below her shoulders.

“I want to feel your skin on mine,” she breathed.

Drawing away, he pulled his shirttail from his slacks.

“Let me,” she said.  Slowly, she unbuttoned his shirt, starting at the neck and moving down.  With every button she undid she’d kiss the exposed skin.

He groaned.  “If you excite me anymore, I’m going to have the party all by myself.”

“Oh no you don’t,” she cried, hurriedly unbuckling his belt and unclasping his pants.

After she helped him undress she darted to her suitcase, grabbed a string of foil packets, and then waved them at him as she ran back to him.

“You beat me to the punch,” he said, pulling her into his arms and then kissing her.

I’m so happy, she thought, as they pressed into each other, lips to lips, chest to breasts, skin to skin.

Their lovemaking was tender, and yet, consuming.  Afterward, he sank onto her.  He sighed and kissed her temple, then shifted to his side, intertwining their legs.

“That was incredible,” he said, propping his head next to hers on the pillow.  His eyes were heavy with satisfaction.

“It was heaven-”

Suddenly the phone jangled to life.  Mac shot up and snatched the receiver from the cradle.  “Stryker,” he said.

Jade’s heart pounded as Mac’s face became a hardened serious mask.  More alarming were the questions he was shooting at the caller.

“How long has he been gone?  Where was he last seen?  Did anyone see him leave?  You’ve notified hotel security, right?”  After each question there was a slight pause for an answer, but the tightening in Mac’s jaw alerted Jade he wasn’t getting the answers he wanted.

“Mac, what’s wrong?”

“We’ll be right down,” he barked as he slammed the handset into the cradle.

Jade leapt from the bed, pulling the sheet with her.  “What is it?  What’s going on?”

Mac pulled on his clothes as he spoke.  “It’s Donnie.  He seems to be missing.  One minute he was on the dance floor with your dad and Mona, the next he was gone.”

Jade sank to the edge of the bed, the sheet slipping from her grasp, exposing her breasts.  “Oh my God.  The stalker has my son.”  Tears cascaded from her eyes as a dry heave wracked her body.

Mac moved in front of her and bent to her level.  “Get dressed.  Donnie may have just wandered off.  We’ll find him.  Hotels in Vegas have some of the best security systems in the world.  We’ll find him,” he repeated.

Mac started to stand, but Jade grabbed his arm.  “Mac, there’s something you should know.”  Her stomach lurched and she felt nauseous.  The impatience in his eyes seared.  She inhaled deeply.  “I’ve been so stupid.  I’ve made a mess of everything.  I should have told you sooner…Donnie is your son, too!”

The irritation in his gaze flashed to anger.  “What in the hell are you talking about?”

“You and I making love tonight wasn’t the first time.  We hooked up when I was on probation.  You got drunk at a party.  I drove you home.  You were so plastered you didn’t even remember it the next day.”

He grabbed her wrists yanking her to her feet.  The bed sheet slipped to the floor, leaving her totally exposed.  She shivered, not knowing if her response was to the chill in the room, the fury in his eyes, or fear for Donnie’s safety.