AtHerCommand (20 page)

“Why?” Meyers muttered. “Isn’t that where you two met?”

Dalton balled his hands, itching to wipe the smirk off the
agent’s face. But he knew pain-in-the-ass Meyers was a necessary evil in the
plan to put Salvi behind bars. And to Dalton, revenging his dead partner had to
take priority over everything. But once this case was over…

“We need a new plan.” Domino spoke loud to regain their
attention. “Suzi Cho and I discussed it last night.”

“Cho’s the cop undercover at the club?” Meyers asked.

Dom nodded, poured herself a second cup of coffee and sat
down at the table. “With a contact in the D.A.’s office, Salvi will probably
find out about Suzi before too long.”

Dalton started to defend his captain’s discretion but stopped.
All it would take was the wrong person overhearing something at the cop shop
and Cho’s cover would be blown.

“Suzi agrees I have the best chance of any of us to gain
Salvi’s trust,” Domino stated. “So, here’s what we propose to do.” She took a
deep breath before continuing. “I’ll tell Salvi I think Suzi’s a cop—”

“Are you crazy?” Dalton interrupted, instinctively
protecting his friend and coworker.

Domino, earnest and unsmiling, turned to him. “Hear me out.
I’ll tell Salvi I saw you and Suzi meeting and I suspect she’s a cop. Suzi
knows it’s risky but we don’t think Salvi will hurt her with the cops
investigating the club right now.”

“I won’t let Cho be used as bait,” Dalton snapped.

“What? Are you doing her too?” Meyers sneered.

Dalton rose halfway out of his chair before he was arrested
by Dom’s hand on his arm. He was starting to feel like a jack-in-the-box.

“This was Suzi’s idea. Let me finish,” Dom ordered. When
Dalton sat back down, she continued. “I’ll offer to keep an eye on Suzi for
Salvi, to find out what the cops are up to. And after a week or so, I’ll report
overhearing a phone conversation of Suzi’s about meeting someone from the
Cabazone family.”

“Perfect,” Meyers remarked. “Those assholes are in this up
to their eyeballs.”

“Salvi won’t want the cops getting inside information from
the Cabazones so he’ll have to stop the meeting,” Domino said. “We’ll pick the
meeting place, have it wired, put agents and cops in position and take the SOB
down.”

Dalton knew it was a good plan but he couldn’t get past the
danger to Cho. “I won’t lose another friend.”

Domino gazed at him, her eyes filled with concern. “There’s
no guarantee Suzi’s cover will stay intact for much longer anyway. We can’t
afford to wait around for something to happen. It’s time to be proactive.”

Meyers nodded. “I’ll run the scenario by Lowery but I’m sure
he’ll be okay with it.”

Dalton wanted to argue but he didn’t have an alternative
strategy. “I’ll discuss it with Captain Bennett too. But don’t move ahead until
we’ve all agreed it’s the best plan.”

Dom knew for now she had to be satisfied with their answers.
With all the male ego squeezed into her kitchen, she was surprised they’d shut
up long enough to hear her out. When they got their minds off their dominant
posturing, she was certain they’d get onboard with the plan. Putting her feet
on an empty chair, Domino patted her knee. Smokey jumped on her lap.

“Since Suzi and I spent all that energy developing the
scenario,” she said, “why don’t you two flip a coin to see who’ll cook me bacon
and eggs.”

“No need to flip.” Dalton got up and walked to the
refrigerator. “I’m sure Meyers has already eaten and has things to do
elsewhere
.”

Domino suppressed a smile at Meyers’ dismissal. She’d rather
have breakfast alone with Dalton anyway. Before her partner could make a snide
comment, she spoke. “Okay then, I’ll walk Meyers to the door and be right
back.”

Ignoring the angry flush flooding the agent’s face, Dom
placed Smokey on the floor and stood. When Meyers shoved up from the table, she
led the way to the front door. Knowing her partner however, she was sure he’d
have a couple of choice words for her before he departed. So she stopped with
her hand on the doorknob and faced him.

“You know, Petracelli,” Meyers spoke in a friendly voice
that belied the fury in his eyes, “you had us all fooled at the agency. We
thought you were a cold fish.” He gestured to the kitchen. “I guess it just
took someone willing to play sick sex games with you to get past that iceberg
exterior.”

Domino, refusing to sink to his level, met his gaze without
blinking. “You believe whatever it is you need to, Meyers, to shore up your
fragile male ego.”

That wiped the fake smile off his face, she noted with
satisfaction. But the scowl that replaced it was much worse.

“If he found out, I doubt Lowery would think it’s very
professional—you screwing a cop on this case,” he warned.

The agent waited to see if his threat would hit the mark.
Dom considered how much Sam Lowery’s opinion mattered to her and the promotion
she’d been chasing. Then she thought of Dalton.

“Well,
partner
,” Domino coated the word with all the
disdain she felt for Meyers as she opened the front door, “you better run along
and tattle.”

Meyers flipped her the bird—a new low even for him—and
stalked out. Dom locked the door after him.
Damn.
She’d known the agent
was interested in her sexually and had been long before Dalton had entered the
picture. But she’d never given Meyers the slightest encouragement. Apparently
however, she was about to pay for her disinterest in the jerk.

She waited for panic to begin at the thought of her
promotion being torpedoed. But it never appeared. Somehow during this crazy
case, she’d developed a kind of fatalistic view of things. Besides, she could
count on Lowery playing fair with her. Other than that, what would be, would
be.

With a smile and a new feeling of confidence, she headed to
the kitchen. Maybe she’d whip up some pancakes to go with Dalton’s bacon and
eggs.

Chapter Twenty

Calvin slipped off Vania’s massage table, ignoring her sly
grin, and walked to the dressing area. Man, he’d thought Ilona’s hands had been
distasteful but Vania’s bony fingers made his skin crawl. He’d never disobeyed
an order before but he’d almost told his boss to stuff it when the man had
insisted Calvin return to the club to plant more misinformation.

Once behind the screen, he grabbed a towel and rubbed it
over his body to remove the massage oil and the lingering feeling of Vania’s
touch. Apparently his boss hadn’t been satisfied with Calvin feeding a false
government secret to Ilona. Given the unprecedented cooperation between the FBI
and other agencies on this project, his boss had insisted on hedging their
bets. He’d directed Calvin to pass along another piece of misinformation to
Vania. The more balls in play, his boss had said, the more home runs they’d
score.

“And the more glory for you,” Calvin grumbled, wishing he
reported to a man less focused on his own ambitions.

Well, it was done. He tossed aside his towel wrap and
stepped into his pants. Calvin had allowed Vania to wheedle the fake secret out
of him and now he had no reason to return to the club. Unbidden, the image of
Suzi came to mind. Was she working that evening? Her massage room was two doors
down and he hadn’t seen her for three days.

Calvin pulled his Cornell sweatshirt over his head. The last
time he’d seen Suzi had been before his appointment with Ilona. And he could
still see the look of pained disappointment she’d given him for choosing the
Slavic masseuse over her.

Sighing, he sat on the padded chair and put on his socks and
athletic shoes. It was pathetic how much he longed to tell Suzi the truth about
his assignment. Maybe once everything was wrapped up… Ah, he was just deluding
himself.

Shrugging into his coat, he walked around the partition.
Vania opened the door to the hallway with a feral smile. Even across the room,
her unpleasant floral cologne overwhelmed the scent of the massage oil. She’d
tried to talk him into a happy ending but Calvin had begged off, saying he was
too tired.

“Next time I see you, I make it more,” she fumbled for a
word, “pleasing, okay? More satisfying.”

“Sure,” he answered. The next time he saw her would be when
the FBI raided the club. And arresting her bony butt would definitely be
satisfying.

Stepping into the hall, he glanced at Suzi’s massage room.
The door stood ajar. Was she inside? Damn, he wanted to see her, so much it
scared the hell out of him.

Suzi rounded the corner from the supply cabinet, her arms
full of towels. Usually she stocked her room when she first arrived but she was
running behind this evening. A man with his back turned toward her stood
blocking the hallway several yards ahead.
It was Calvin.
She stopped so
abruptly she almost spilled her stacked towels. Vania, who was lounging in the
doorway to her room, shot her a triumphant look that left no doubt as to where
Calvin had spent the last hour.

Suzi fumed with atypical bitterness. Maybe if he played his
cards right, he could talk Vania and Ilona into a sexual sandwich. She was immediately
embarrassed by the bitchy thought. Calvin didn’t want her, so get over it.

Masking her jealousy, Suzi continued down the hall. “Good
evening.” She passed him on her way to her room.

“Suzi.” Calvin looked a little stunned. “How are you?”

“Fine,” Suzi lied, meeting his eyes then looking away. “Just
running a little behind. So please excuse me.”

She turned to go but he caught her arm. At his touch, she
froze and stared at his hand until he removed it.

“I was hoping we could talk,” Calvin said, his voice low to
stymie Vania’s eavesdropping. “I need to explain.”

After a hesitation, Suzi nodded. Then without waiting to see
if he followed, she walked to her massage room. Once inside, Suzi laid the
towels on the table and faced him.

“Calvin,” she jumped in before he could speak, “you come
here for massages, it doesn’t matter who gives them. Unless of course, you’re
looking for a more extensive massage than I give.” He opened his mouth to
interrupt, but she plowed on. “Maybe Ilona and Vania are more
stimulating
masseuses.”

There was anger in his gaze now and frustration too. “You
think I let them—” he began.

“I don’t think anything because it’s none of my business,”
she snapped. “You were my client. Now you’re theirs.”

“You’ve got it all wrong,” Calvin ground out.

“Yeah? How?” Suzi demanded, knowing the whole conversation
was surreal. Calvin owed her nothing, not faithfulness, not customer loyalty
and certainly not an explanation.

She watched him open his mouth and then clamp it shut. His
hands curled into fists and he made a noise like a growl.

“This is crazy,” he railed. “You’re acting jealous.”

“You’re nuts,” she shot back, poking her finger against his
hard chest. He’d hit the nail on the head, but she was pissed.

Calvin leaned toward her but she refused to back away. He
bit out the words between clenched teeth. “Nothing happened with Ilona or
Vania. No happy endings, nothing.”

“Hey, it’s a free country,” she answered with flippant
nonchalance. “You can do whatever you want.”

“All right, I will.”

He grabbed Suzi by her waist and dragged her against him.
She barely had time to gasp before he took her mouth rough and demanding. She
could taste his anger but there was also hunger, a hunger so strong it made her
heart lurch.
He needs me.
And, God help her, Suzi wanted to offer him
everything.

Sandalwood massage oil lingered on his skin, but underneath
was the hot, male scent of Calvin. His talented tongue drove into her mouth in
a sexual rhythm that had her pulse thundering in her ears. Desperate for more,
she reached for him, a solid anchor in the emotional maelstrom. At her touch,
he released her so abruptly she staggered against the massage table. Then he
stormed out of the room without a backward glance.

Confused, Suzi glared after him.
What the hell just
happened?
If he didn’t want her, why was he messing with her mind? But it
wasn’t her head that ached, she realized.
Damn him.
Suzi pressed her
hand to her chest, feeling as if he’d worked her heart over with a rubber hose.

* * * * *

Calvin stalked into his home, still cursing himself for a
fool. He should never have kissed Suzi. Now that he’d tasted her, had held her
in his arms, knowing he couldn’t have her was pure hell. Hanging his coat on a
hook, he looked around for a distraction. The light on his old answering
machine pulsed red.

Walking to the foyer table, he pushed the machine’s playback
button. The pleasant sound of his mother-in-law’s voice filled the empty condo.
“Calvin, dear, we haven’t heard from you in ages.” Estelle Miller’s concern
rang clear in her recorded words. “I hope you’re well and eating right.”

Calvin smiled at her maternal preoccupation with his dining
habits, as his mother-in-law continued. “We’d love for you to come to supper.
Maybe Sunday, if you’re in town? And if you’re seeing anyone, please bring her
too.”

Estelle and Bill Miller had shared Calvin’s bone-deep grief
when their daughter Pam had passed away. More demonstrative than Calvin’s
reserved parents, the Millers had taken their son-in-law into their hearts and
treated him as one of their own. Now, three years later, they wanted him to be
happy and often urged him to date and someday remarry.

“If you stay a hermit, how can you give us grandbabies?”
Estelle’s voice teased from the machine. “Call us.”

The recording ended and with a sigh Calvin hit the erase
button. He’d call them in the morning and maybe the next time they got
together, he’d try again to explain his disinterest in dating. He glanced down
at the wedding band he’d slipped back onto his finger on the drive home. His parents-in-law
were being kind but he wasn’t ready to take that step right now, if ever. For
Calvin, his work was his life.

Thoughts of his latest investigation led back to memories of
Suzi. Frowning, Calvin walked to his bedroom and clicked on the bedside lamp.
Stripping down to his briefs, he stepped into a threadbare pair of sweatpants
from his football days. Then he slid between the flannel sheets, trying not to
notice how large and lonely his king-sized bed seemed.

After staring at the ceiling for several minutes, Calvin
turned on his side and looked at the photo of his wife on the nightstand. Pam
had been so serene, so sweet. She would have been a great mother for those
grandchildren Estelle wanted. Calvin felt the familiar ache in his chest at the
thought of the children Pam and he would never have.

Next to Pam’s photo was an aromatherapy candle Estelle had
given him, promising it would chase away fatigue and stress. He’d never used it
but this evening he opened the nightstand drawer and fished around until he
found a matchbook. Then feeling foolish, he lit the candle, which was housed in
a safety container for worry-free burning.

Turning out his lamp, Calvin rolled onto his back once
again. The stimulating scent of jasmine filled the air, reminding him of Suzi
and their last massage session.
Damn.
No matter what he did, he was
reminded of the sexy masseuse. Well, after this evening—after the way he’d
jumped her and then left—he doubted she’d want to have anything more to do with
him. But, since dating Suzi wasn’t an option, that was a good thing, right?
Then why did he feel so bad?

With a groan, Calvin practiced the self-hypnosis he’d
learned in survival training and soon drifted in that haze between wakefulness
and sleep. Dreaming in color as he always did, Calvin saw himself steer his car
up the driveway to an ivy-covered brick colonial. It was the type of home Pam
and he had saved for, close to his office but large enough for a family.

In his dream image, the summer night was warm and filled
with the perfume of honeysuckle. And the fireflies were just emerging, little
flashes of light in the dusk. He parked the car and got out as the front door
of the house swung open.

“Daddy! Daddy!”

Two small children charged from the house, thrilled he was
home. His wife, silhouetted in the doorway, waved in greeting.

His little girl, a five-year-old charmer, and his
rough-and-tumble seven-year-old son slammed into his legs, wrapping their arms
around his calves. Laughing, Calvin crouched and gathered them into a hug. Getting
noisy, damp kisses on his cheeks for his effort, he leaned back to smile at his
children. The love in their faces took his breath away. Sparkling with
excitement, their eyes were dark and exotic…and familiar.

He looked toward the house, as his wife stepped into the
glow of the porch light. It was Suzi. And she smiled in welcome.

Calvin jerked fully awake, the shock of the dream kicking
his pulse into overdrive.
It’d been so real.
And for a few unguarded
seconds, his heart longed for what couldn’t be. Ever. He corralled his emotions
behind a mental barrier…the one that allowed him to function every day he lived
without Pam. Then Calvin blew out the candle and tried to sleep, willing
himself not to dream.

* * * * *

Domino shimmered with anticipation as she waited for her
garage door to open. Knowing she was about to see Dalton made up for the parade
of bizarre customers she’d had that evening. What was it about Saturday nights
that stirred up the crazies? If the sky wasn’t full of snow clouds, she’d check
for a full moon. But she was already forgetting the kinky appointments as she
pulled her car into her garage.

Coming home each night to the sexy detective was becoming
addicting. Nothing in her previous experiences had prepared her for the
lovemaking they shared. She’d always equated sex with being vulnerable, an idea
that had contributed to her unsuccessful past relationships. But thanks to
Dalton, she’d learned that with the right partner, sex was about mutual and
non-threatening vulnerability—and a hell of a lot of fun.

Hurrying out of her car, she unlocked the door to her house
and stepped into the mudroom. The shade covering the window in her back door
was pulled down as was, she knew, every other shade in the house. If anyone
from the club were watching her place, they couldn’t be allowed to spot Dalton.

“Honey, I’m home!” she called in a credible Ricky Ricardo
accent as she walked into her kitchen.

Dalton strolled in from the living room, his smile warm and
his eyes dancing. “If it isn’t the little woman,” he teased. “Come here and
give me a kiss.”

With a laugh, she launched herself into his arms. They
kissed as if they’d been separated for years instead of hours. He lifted her up
and she wrapped her legs around his waist. For a brief moment they came up for
air and then she kissed him again for all she was worth.

“Ouch. I think my eyeballs are scorched.”

The female voice penetrated Dom’s mind, making her gasp. She
looked over Dalton’s shoulder to see Suzi Cho standing in the doorway between
the kitchen and the living room. The female cop’s face was amused but her eyes
revealed envy.

“Did I forget to say we have company?” Dalton asked.

“Put me down,” Domino hissed, blushing and straightening her
clothes once he set her back on her feet.

“Sorry to interrupt.” Suzi walked into the kitchen and
claimed one of the chairs. “But the sooner we talk, the sooner I’ll be out of
your hair.”

“I didn’t see your car.” Dom’s mind was still muzzy with
desire. “It’s hard to miss that lime green Honda.”

“I parked on the street behind yours and cut through the
back like Bull here,” Suzi gestured to Dalton.

“‘Bull’?” Dom smiled.

“Don’t ask,” he said. “Can I get you ladies a drink?”