Killer Love (18 page)

***

Jade stood and took the afghan with her. She needed to put some space between them. “Look, I’m fine. I still don’t know what you’re doing here, but you can go now.”

He stood with her. “I hate to leave you like this. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m sure. Honestly. I just need to sleep. I haven’t done a lot of that lately.”

“Join the club.” He moved closer to her and once more took her chin in his hand, looking at her injured jaw. “That thing’s getting bigger by the second. Looks like you’ve been sparring with Holyfield.”

The flesh on her cheeks warmed with humiliation and she wanted to move away from his scrutiny, but she stayed where she was. No way would she let him know how his words affected her. “Yeah,” she gave an embarrassed laugh and her fingers instinctively went to the scar on her neck. “I guess I’ll have to put off entering that beauty pageant I had my eye on.”

Her lame joke brought a smile to his lips. A little lopsided grin where only the corner of his mouth turned up.

His fingers followed the line of her neck and touched hers where they covered the scar. The light touch sent a shiver snaking across her flesh. “You are beautiful,” he murmured.

For a moment, she was held in the golden grip of his eyes. She wasn’t able to breathe but suddenly, it didn’t matter. There was only him and the sensation of his fingers on hers. Her skin tingled and burned in anticipation.

His touch slipped from her fingers to the pulse at the base of her throat. It began to beat a wild rhythm and she knew then that she was breathing after all.

The afghan dropped from her shoulders but she barely noticed. She didn’t know which one of them moved, maybe both of them had. They were inches apart, so close she could feel the heat coming from him. The dark stubble on his jaw mesmerized her. His eyes fastened on her mouth and she knew he was going to kiss her. Her lips actually ached for his touch.

Everything in the room seemed to fade away, yet at the same time was more distinct. The ticking of the clock filled her ears. The lights blazed brighter and cool air wafted over her skin. Yet, she still burned.

His hands left her neck to caress her shoulders, then slide along her back, leaving a trail of flames in their path. His touch settled on her hips. The naked desire in his eyes held her captive and she knew her eyes mirrored that same desire.

As if in slow motion, his head dipped and her heart tumbled madly in her chest. This was insanity. While she had a smidgen of coherency left, she knew she had to stop whatever was happening.

She stepped back abruptly and the spell was broken. He blinked and almost imperceptibly shook his head. She saw relief in his eyes and knew she’d done the right thing. Both of them had come close to making a huge mistake.

He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” she asked.

She bent on the pretext of retrieving the afghan, but she really just wanted to hide the color in her cheeks. Every move seemed awkward, the flutter in her stomach making her feel disoriented.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I should have been here. Should have helped you.”

“How could you have helped? You had no idea.”

“No. But if I had stayed, I could have stopped it.”

“Stayed? What do you mean?”

His eyes fell away from hers and he shoved his hands in his pockets. “I was outside earlier. Watching your apartment.”

“You were what?” Her breath hitched in her throat as she realized what he was telling her. “You were spying on me?”

“I’m sorry.”

He didn’t trust her. He wanted to catch her at something...wanted to prove her guilty...of what, she wasn’t sure. Slow tendrils of anger and hurt burned through her, replacing the desire. She shook her head and gave a short, bitter laugh. “It’s too bad you left when you did. Bryce was here with me. You probably just missed him by seconds.” As soon as the words were out, she realized how childish she sounded, but she couldn’t help it. Seconds ago, he’d looked at her with passion and only moments before that, he’d been staking out her apartment.

“Look. I’ve got a job to do.” He shook his head and brushed a hand through his hair. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but I know you’re not being completely honest with me.”

“Yeah, and I’m sure you’re just the epitome of truth and honesty.” She sucked in a breath, holding back tears. “I don’t know what the hell you’re up to, but you need to make up your mind whether you trust me or not. Use that cop instinct I’ve heard so much about and make a decision. If you decide you don’t trust me, then follow me all you want but keep your fucking distance. If you continue to harass me, I’ll let the Marshals know you’re here and you can explain your sick little theories to them.”

He studied her silently. She could see a myriad of expressions come and go on his face. Then he shrugged. “Do what you have to do.”

“Get out.” She went to the door and swung it open. “Leave now.”

He walked to the door but instead of leaving, he took out a pen and a business card, scribbling something on the back. “Here.” He extended the card toward her, but she didn’t take it. “This has my cell number and the number at the hotel. I want you to call if you hear anything...or if you need anything.”

She gave a humorless laugh and said tightly, “Call...or just yell out my window?”

He seemed to wince at the blow, but didn’t comment. “Please take it and I’ll leave.”

She snatched the card from his hand and averted her face, not looking at him as he walked out the door. She didn’t want him to see...didn’t want him to know he’d made her cry.

Chapter Eleven

Luke used his credit card to scrape the dried blood from the floor of the hallway, then slipped it into his hotel key envelope. Later today, he’d send the sample to Wayne to have tested against DiMarco’s.

DNA testing sometimes took up to four weeks but Wayne could push it through in three to four days if he made it a priority. Luke would have to convince him of the likelihood the blood belonged to DiMarco. Something he wasn’t even sure about himself.

He mentally replayed the scene in her apartment.

You almost kissed her. What the hell were you thinking?

He’d also told her she was beautiful. Sure, that was true, but did he have to say it out loud? Where was his head?

He knew where his head was. Lost in her. She’d smelled so good...looked so tempting in that damned robe. She’d acted so tough, yet seemed so vulnerable. No doubt about it, she’d gotten under his skin.

Face it, you’re in trouble
. Never had a woman affected him like Jade DiMarco. He knew he should stay away from her. But the more he told himself she could be involved with DiMarco, the more he wanted to prove she wasn’t. The more he told himself she could be dangerous, the more he wanted to protect her. The more he told himself that making love to her would be a fatal error, the more his body ached for her.

The most difficult part of all was that she touched him on more than just a physical level. He was drawn to her deep in his soul. He almost hoped to discover she
was
involved with DiMarco. That might be the only thing that would keep him away from her.

He’d been with a few women since the divorce. But they were women who knew the score, women who wanted the same things he did. A good time, good sex, no strings attached. Even Delia’s and his relationship had been purely sexual. They both knew nothing would come of it.

With Jade, it would be different. With Jade, it would be scary as hell.

****

Silver disco balls swung from the ceiling. Flashing strobes sent multi colored beams of light through the bar. Smoke blanketed the room like the aftermath of an atomic explosion. Nearly naked bodies packed the dance floor, moving to the beat of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin.”

Bryce grinned behind the phony mustache and beard. He’d bet no one in here had been anything
remotely
like a virgin in a very long time.

He sipped his club soda and grimaced. He’d prefer scotch but he needed to keep a clear head. Tonight was going to be a very special night.

He wasn’t concerned about getting caught. He felt confident he could move freely around the city without fear of detection. He was certain the authorities didn’t expect him to stick so close to home. Besides, the disguise he wore was virtually foolproof.

With lifts in his shoes, he’d added a few inches to his 6-foot height and dyed his hair black to match the fake whiskers. Gold tinted John Lennon glasses completed the ultra cool, urban look. His own mother wouldn’t recognize him.

Of course, the bitch had been dead for twenty years.

A woman heading toward him caught his attention. She wore a low cut, red sequined blouse, ridiculously high heels and a short white skirt. He was pretty certain she was a hooker but that was okay. The ‘who’ didn’t matter nearly as much as the ‘where’. The strategic location of the sacrificial lamb was what would get Jade’s attention. That was his sole purpose, after all. Wherever she happened to be, and he would know her exact location before long, he had to get her attention. He had to make sure she remembered his power. Because in spite of what she’d done to him, he still had power.

The prostitute slid onto the barstool next to him. Body odor and a sour smell he couldn’t identify rolled off her like a malodorous fog. Good lord, how did she ever get any business? He didn’t think he could get close enough to kill her, let alone fuck her. He damn sure couldn’t imagine someone actually
paying
to have sex with her.

“Hey sugar, wanna buy me a drink?”

“Sorry.” Bryce stood and quickly scanned the bar. His gaze fell on a woman he’d noticed earlier. “I’m with someone.” He walked away before she could reply.

When he stopped at the young woman’s table, she looked up at him uncertainly. She was around thirty and pretty in a wholesome way. Slightly plump, heart shaped face, pink fuzzy sweater, glossy brown hair with eyes the exact same shade. Not bad.

He’d watched her for a while and hadn’t seen her speak to anyone. Odds were, she was alone. A half empty frozen margarita sat on the table in front of her.

“Hello.” He smiled his most charming smile. “Can I buy you a drink?”

“Oh, no. No, thank you. One is pretty much my limit.” She blushed and gave an apologetic smile.

He glanced over his shoulder and his voice took on a cajoling tone. “I was wondering if you could do me a big favor. There’s a woman at the bar that won’t take no for an answer. I hate to hurt her feelings but she’s just not my type. I told her I was with someone. Then I looked around for the prettiest woman in the bar. That’s when I spotted you. So here I am. How about it? Can I sit here just until she gives up? Please?”

A look of wariness came into her eyes. She probably wasn’t often told she was the prettiest woman anywhere.

“You can sit, but you don’t have to feed me a line of crap.”

He slid into the chair next to her and shook his head. “It wasn’t a line of crap. Most of the women in here are phony, vulgar. You’re very pretty and you don’t need all the artifice they use. You’re naturally pretty.” He leaned back in his chair and winked. “And that’s the best kind of pretty.”

Her smile beamed at him. He had her now. Let the games begin.

“So, tell me,” he said. “What’s a girl like you doing in a place like this all by yourself? Where’s your husband? Boyfriend?”

She shook her head and the smile disappeared. “I don’t have either. I was supposed to meet someone here but he didn’t show up. I was just getting ready to leave.”

“Well then, I’m glad I came over. I would hate to have missed out on meeting you. I’m Luke, by the way.”

“Sarah.”

A waitress came over and took their drink orders. Bryce asked for a club soda with a twist of lime. Sarah ordered another frozen margarita.

A slow song played and he reached his hand out to her. “Would you like to dance?”

She looked at him as if he’d asked if she wanted to lick the inside of a toilet “No.” She shook her heard vigorously. “I can’t dance. But thanks anyway.”

“That’s okay. To tell you the truth, I’m a terrible dancer. I just thought it would be nice...you know...with you. I figured it would give me a chance to be close to you.” He ducked his head with what he hoped was just the right touch of shyness. It had the desired effect.

Sarah reached out and placed her hand over his. “How’s this?” she asked softly. Her cheeks were now the same shade as her sweater. Perhaps he’d been hasty in his earlier ‘virgin’ assessment.

“Very nice.” He squeezed her hand, ever so gently.

The waitress brought their drinks and Sarah took a sip of hers. “So, what do you do for a living?”

“I work for a company that procures rare gemstones for clients.” He sipped his club soda and smiled. “We’re mostly in the market for jade.”

“Really? Fascinating. But I didn’t know jade was rare.”

“Oh, yes. Genuine jade is very rare. Too many people believe the color of a stone qualifies it as jade, but that’s not true. The real thing is rare and very difficult to find.”

Her eyes widened and she nodded solemnly. This was too much fun. She was his. No doubt about it.

“I’m a teacher. Boring, I know.”

“No, not at all. A beautiful woman with a noble profession. Quite intriguing actually. What grade do you teach?”

A sparkle entered her eyes and for the first time, he thought she really
was
beautiful. “I teach special needs students.”

An image burned behind Bryce’s eyes. Dustin...his small body almost lost in the wheelchair where he spent every waking moment. Where he’d struggled, trapped and terrified, the night he lost his life. Bryce’s grip on his glass tightened. “What did you say?”

“Special needs. I work with handicapped children. They’re such a blessing. Just absolutely unbelievable. They’re my life.”

“That’s great.” His voice rang in his ears, sounding high pitched and uneven. He had to get away from her. “Listen, I shouldn’t keep you any longer. I know you were trying to leave before. I don’t want to hold you up.”

“No. I’m actually finally having a...”