Redemption
Page 18
Today had been the longest day this week, and I was ready to head home and crack open a cold beer. Or three. Then she walked into the precinct. The most beautiful woman I’d ever seen even though she was covered head-to-toe in dirt, her shirt and pants torn in various places, and her dark brown hair a wild rat’s nest atop her head. What struck me the most though, were her eyes. They were almost a piercing blue, like ice. And filled with fear.
Her breathing was shallow, and her glance darted hastily around the room as though searching for enemies in the shadows. Seeming to sense my stare, her eyes honed in on me. For several moments, neither of us broke eye contact. It seemed she was taking my measure, as I was hers. Instinctively, I knew that whatever brought her here would either be my downfall or my redemption.
I slowly made my way over, making sure when I reached her that I stayed out of her personal space. I knew if I invaded it too soon, she’d spook. And there was no way I was letting her out of my sight anytime soon.
“I’m Detective Webber. Is there something I can help you with?”
Her bottom lip quivered at my words as tears sprang to her eyes, but she gained control quickly, blinking them back.
“Is—is there some place private we can go?” She spoke so softly I had to strain to hear her.
I hesitated only briefly before inclining my head. “My office is this way.”
I led the way to the back of the precinct, only glancing behind me once to see if she followed. I ushered her into my office and closed the door. She took a seat in the vacant chair on the near side of the desk.
I wanted to remain close, but also wanted to put her at ease, so I made my way to the other side and sat in my own chair as opposed to the seat next to her.
“May I get you something to drink?”
She shook her head. “No, thank you.”
“Ok, how about we start with your name then.”
She cleared her throat and let out a huff of air. “My name is Katherine Marsh.”
Katherine. I savored the sound of her name inside my head.
“And, what can I help you with, Katherine?”
She looked down at her clenched fingers but remained silent.
“Katherine.” I coaxingly spoke her name again, trying to gain her trust, but not push her. “Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
She finally looked up at me, her lips bloodless and white. “I saw someone murdered tonight.”
I tried to hold back my shock, although I wasn’t sure how successful I was. “When did this murder take place? Where? Are you sure the victim is dead?”
Without thought, I pulled out the notepad I always kept with me from my inside coat pocket.
“I’d just finished my shift at La Scala, the Italian restaurant downtown, when I went out to the alley to take the trash to the dumpster. It was about 10:00 pm. I heard raised voices coming from farther down the alley. I thought I recognized one of them, so I headed in that direction. When I turned the corner, there were two men standing there arguing. I was about to announce my presence when one of the men reached out to the other man and pulled him close. At first, I thought I’d interrupted a lover’s quarrel and that one man was embracing the other in an attempt to stop the argument. Until the second man stumbled and fell to his knees that is.”
She paused in her speech and swallowed several times, hard. Tears again built in her eyes; this time, there was no stopping them as they raced down her dirt-stained cheeks.
“I stood there and watched the man topple over, holding his stomach, before I realized something was wrong. I knew I needed to move, but my feet were stuck. I must have made some type of noise, although I can’t be sure, because the standing man began turning toward me; that’s when my brain began working. I ducked out of sight behind the dumpster, held my breath, and prayed like I’d never prayed before. I heard movement and footsteps, but they sounded like they headed in the opposite direction. I waited another few minutes before peeking around the corner. The only thing I saw was the man lying on the ground. Before I could even think about what I was doing, I rushed over to check on him. He was dead.”
She barely finished the last sentence before a ragged sob escaped. She covered her face and cried as though her entire world had just come crashing down. There was nothing I hated more than seeing a woman cry. I swiftly moved around my desk and knelt before her, touching her shoulder in comfort. I rocked backward, barely catching the both of us before we toppled over, as she threw her arms around me and wept into my chest. I held her for what seemed like hours, both of us on our knees on the floor, trying to ignore the press of her breasts against my chest.
Against my will, I felt myself harden as her luscious curves pressed against me. It was then I noticed the quiet. Her sobs had died down, and she was pushing herself closer to me. I pulled back slightly, causing our cheeks to glide against each other. Before I even knew what was happening, our lips met in a fierce kiss. Her mouth opened to the coaxing of my tongue, and I didn’t waste another second. My tongue darted in and began to play with hers, tasting her. I withdrew my tongue and was about to plunder her mouth again, when she ripped herself out of my arms.
Katherine jumped to her feet, and with a hand over her mouth, a horrified expression across her face, she began backing away from me. She bumped into the door and quickly turned to flee the room. Her hand had just touched the doorknob when I finally came to my senses and clumsily stumbled to my feet. “Wait, Katherine. Don’t leave. Please.”
Like I said. Deep shit.
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Book List
Doms of Club Eden
Forever
Submission
Desire
Redemption
Protect
Betrayal
My Christmas Dom
Absolution
* * *
Love Undercover
In Too Deep
Striking Distance
Atonement
Bullet Proof
For Always
Point Blank
Saving Evie: A Love Undercover Novella
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Brooklyn Kings
The Devil I Don’t Know
The Enemy in My Bed
The Beast I Can’t Tame
Irish Devil
Irish Rogue
Irish Charmer
Irish Rebel
* * *
Other Books
Love Notes: A Dark Romance
SEALs in Love
Say Yes
Black Light: Possession
About the Author
LK Shaw is the best selling author of sexy, sinful suspense. She resides in South Carolina with her high maintenance beagle mix dog, Miss P. An avid reader since childhood, she became hooked on historical romance novels in high school. She now reads, and loves, all romance sub-genres, with dark romance and romantic suspense being her favorite. LK enjoys traveling and chocolate. Her books feature hot alpha heroes and the strong women they love.
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