Filthy Secrets: A Steamy Romance Boxset Collection

by Nova Rain

  “Seriously? You’re asking me that?” He complained. “Didn’t I buy her a basket of roses?”

  “Right,” I said on a breath. “Well, I have reason to believe that her boyfriend was implicated in her attack outside the hotel. She’s meeting with him tonight. If I’m right, her life is in danger. Could you, um…” I paused. “Help her, by any chance?”

  “The chick who’s obsessed with me?” He pitched his voice higher, surprise written all over his face.

  “Not anymore,” I reassured him. “She’s starting to fall in love with that idiot. So? What do you say?”

  “Okay, I’ll do it,” he accepted, his tone casual. “I just need some more details about the whole thing.”

  “Phew!” I puffed air out of my cheeks, pretending to wipe sweat off my brow. “They’re meeting in his apartment. I have the address. Be careful, Chris. The guy is dangerous. You’re a lot bigger than him, but…”

  “Size doesn’t matter if your opponent is armed,” he interrupted, easing his top drawer open. To my surprise, he took a gun out of it and slammed it onto his desk. “Don’t worry. I have a license for this.”

  “I did not see that coming,” I confessed, staring into the void.

  “FYI, I’m an excellent shot,” he informed, his serious tone bothering me.

  “Chris, this isn’t a game.” I reprimanded, stepping nearer. “The guy could be a sociopath for all we know.”

  “Relax, I’m just messing with you,” he spoke, flashing me a sweet smile. “I’m a little confused. Why didn’t you go to the cops with this?”

  “And tell them what exactly?” I rolled my shoulders. “That Catherine’s boyfriend—who’s been very nice to her by the way—wants to kill her? I don’t have any evidence. He took the knife with him after he stabbed her. The police will probably laugh at me and call me ‘crazy’ or something.”

  “Still, telling them wouldn’t hurt,” Chris remarked. “They can look into it without your friend risking her neck. Or me. Do you happen to know the name of the cop assigned to Catherine’s case?”

  “Samuel Richards,” my answer came fast. “Why do you ask?”

  “Wonderful,” he commented, his smile coming back and baffling me yet again. “I went to school with his son. I still exchange Christmas cards with his family.”

  At that, he held out his phone and put it on speaker.

  “Well, well, well… If it ain’t New York’s most successful computer freak. How’s it going, Chris?”

  “Hello, detective. I’m fine, sir. And you?”

  “Same old, same old, kid.”

  “Sir…”

  “Stop ‘sir-ing’ me, boy,” The cop groaned. “How many times do I have to tell you that?”

  “Alright. I have a favor to ask. I know you’re not supposed to discuss ongoing cases, but I was wondering if you can make an exception for me.”

  “It depends on the case.”

  “Catherine Dixon. She was stabbed outside the Ritz-Carlton, two days ago. Have you talked to her boyfriend yet?”

  “Yep. His alibi checked out. He was having drinks with a couple of friends when it happened. Why?”

  “I’m just curious. Thanks a lot, Detective. Take care.”

  “Anytime, kid.”

  “So much for going to the police.” Disappointment sent my voice two octaves down.

  “I guess we’re doing this ourselves then,” Chris concluded, curling his arms around my waist.

  “It means a lot to me that you agreed to this.” I attempted a sweeter tone, looking up at him.

  “Don’t mention it,” he requested. “Just tell your friend to call you and leave her phone on when she walks into his apartment. I need to be able to hear everything that’s going on in there.”

  “I will,” I nodded, lifting my hands up to his chest. Tilting my head up, I angled my lips. I pressed myself into him, experiencing one more of his tender kisses. Chris had just proved to me that I could rely on him. This gesture deserved so much more than a hug and a kiss. My only hope was that he and Catherine would get out of this situation unscathed. Afterwards, I’d have plenty of time to come up with ways to express my gratitude.

  Chapter Twenty

  Chris

  I haven’t fired a gun in more than three years. Let’s hope I don’t have to use it.

  I’d been holding in those words since the moment I showed my gun to Rosanna, for good reason. She was already afraid for Catherine’s life. In her mind, she was going to meet some sort of psychopath who was determined to see her friend in a body bag. Sharing my rustiness with her would just add another concern to her mind.

  In my viewpoint, this was downright dangerous. I had no idea who I was up against. My girl did describe him to me. He was about six feet tall and a little skinny for his build. Unless he was a black belt in karate or kung fu, I could take him down without breaking a sweat. Nevertheless, like I told her back in my office, muscles and fighting techniques could be rendered useless. All he had to do, was bring a weapon to the fight. It didn’t have to be a gun. Even a knife would do. I would do my best to avoid the blade, but there were about a million ways for this to go south.

  Understanding that any one of my cars could draw unwanted attention, I agreed to ride in Rosanna’s blue Honda. We found Catherine waiting in her red Toyota outside of her apartment building. To my satisfaction, the brunette didn’t bother getting out to say “hi.” Instead, she started the engine and drove off. Perhaps she knew that seeing each other would not go well. There would be quite a bit of awkwardness between us; even a fool would realize that. Scam victims don’t tend to assist the people that scammed them. I was an exception to that rule.

  Just after eight-thirty that night, we were following Catherine’s car through the narrow streets of Manhattan, heading for what could be a date with destiny. More than a few scenarios flashed through my mind. In the first, everything went well. I pinned down Tanner, beat a confession out of him and he ended up in jail. This earned me Rosanna’s respect and admiration. In the second, he managed to get away by outrunning me. For a 170lb man like him, that wouldn’t be so hard. I was fast for my size, but keeping up with a scrawny guy wasn’t going to be easy. As for the third one? I wouldn’t get to see another sunrise. This cold, late-January day would be my last.

  “You haven’t said a word since we left Catherine’s place,” Rosanna’s complaint snapped me out of my thoughts as she turned left and into Tanner’s neighborhood. “Why?”

  “I’m just trying to focus.” A lie. That’s what I had to resort to. The truth would have given her a hint of my anxiety, and I didn’t want that by any means. It wasn’t a matter of pride. Neither was it a way for me to keep up my cool persona. She was human. It would only be natural for her to plunge into an abyss of panic.

  Catherine pulled over on the right side of the road, more than fifteen yards from her boyfriend’s apartment building. Rosanna parking her Honda behind her, her cell buzzed with an incoming call.

  “I’m going in.”

  “Good luck, honey.”

  “These will enable us to listen in.” I announced, taking three earbuds and a signal splitter out of the pocket of my coat. I shoved it into the socket on top of Rosanna’s device, gripping the handle with steady fingers. But, before I could get out, she leaned across and kissed me.

  “Be careful, my little mess.” She whispered, gazing up into my eyes.

  “Always.” I muttered, offering her a small smile. A cool breeze struck me in the face, knocking some leaves off a nearby elm tree, the moment I stepped on the curb. Strangely enough, parked cars were few and far between in that neighborhood. I strode along the property on my right, resisting the urge to look back. This wasn’t the time for warm glances. Besides, such a gesture would seem like a “goodbye.” I had to try to do what I’d lied to Rosanna about: Focus.

  By the time I left that single home behind, Catherine was nearing the entry door, the staircase light coming through the glass. Sadly, for m
e, our meeting was unavoidable this time. I halted just inches behind her, before she hit Tanner’s apartment buzzer.

  “Hello?”

  “Marcus, it’s me.”

  “Come on up.”

  “Here we go.” She uttered in a low voice as he buzzed us in.

  “Try to be cool, will you?” I requested, noticing the elevator in the corner. “I’ve got your back. Don’t forget that.”

  “I was really surprised when you accepted to help me out.” She confessed. “I guess you’re not such a dick after all.”

  “Put yourself in my shoes.” I urged, the elevator beginning its ascent to the fourth floor. “You’re expecting to meet someone you’re interested in, but he passes you off to his friend. He’s handsome and very attractive, but he’s not who you thought you’d meet. On top of that, the guy comes off needy and desperate. How would you react?”

  “I’m not saying what I did was right.” She maintained, her tone calm. “It was a bad thing to do; I know that. But that didn’t give you the right to talk to me like a tramp. You could have just walked away.”

  “I forget my manners whenever people try to screw with me.” I spoke in a stiff voice. “I’m sorry if I offended you.”

  “I’m sorry, too.” She hadn’t even uttered her last word, when the elevator came to halt. I jumped out, turned around and pressed my back against the wall next to the apartment’s front door.

  “Be cool,” I repeated my previous piece of advice, watching her approach strut across the hallway.

  “Hello, sweet pea,” A somewhat high-pitched male voice followed the sound of the door clicking open.

  “Hi.” Catherine forced a smile, before disappearing into the apartment.

  I wished I hadn’t seen that. Anybody with a keen eye would have sensed her discomfort.

  “You seem a little tense.” Tanner’s comment confirmed my observation. “What’s the matter?”

  “My ankle’s been killing me. I think I sprained it at work. Could you please check it?”

  Not bad. Apparently, she wanted to see for yourself whether he’d lied to her or not.

  “Let’s see,” he suggested, the sound of a chair being dragged across the floor torturing my ears. “Well, there’s no swelling. It’s nothing.”

  “Is that a fact?” Anger flooded her voice. “What do you do for a living, Marcus? And don’t tell me you’re an orthopedic, because a real orthopedic would advise me to get an x-ray.”

  The sound of a hand slapping onto skin came at the end of her phrase. In a split second, I heard a chair tumbling over and hitting the floor, along with Catherine’s agonizing scream. Clutching my fists, I spun around. I lifted my leg to waist height, catching a snarl coming from the interior of the apartment. My shoe smashed into the door, rocking it from top to bottom. A second attempt sent it flying across the kitchen. Its upper part landed on the table, breaking its surface off the hinges. Flipping up in the air, it filled my view for a fleeting moment. Catherine had crouched up on his couch, tears in her eyes as she hugged her knees. Tanner was just inches from the armrest, his hips bent.

  He whipped his head around. “What the fuck…?”

  I let out a fierce snarl and sped off towards him. He turned away from the couch and headed down the hall, our heavy footsteps stifling out Catherine’s weeping. Drawing near his bedroom door, he shortened his strides and reached for the handle. This tiny delay was just what I needed to catch up to him. A strong blow to the temple slammed him onto the wall, his cry giving me a sense of satisfaction. He dropped to the floor and rolled over on his back, cringing in agony. But I wasn’t done with him yet. A powerful kick to the ribs made him bend in two as I kneeled next to him. Digging my fingers into his scalp, I rolled his head to me. I rolled my fingers into a fist and unleashed another devastating blow. Tanner’s head rocked back and banged against the floor, Catherine’s slow footsteps not distracting me.

  “Who the fuck are you, you little prick?” I growled, pinning him down with a knee in the middle of his chest. “If you’re not a doctor, what the hell are you?”

  “I’m an actor,” Tanner gasped and spat out blood. “They paid me to date her.”

  “Who?” I cried out, pressing my knee harder.

  “I don’t know,” he clipped out, his face twisting with pain once more. “He didn’t give me his name.”

  “What’s his phone number?” I growled, bending abruptly towards him.

  “It’s on my phone,” he gasped out. “I’m only allowed to call him from payphones. I tried calling from my cell, and he threatened to end the contract.”

  “Were you the one who stabbed Catherine?” I asked, rage darkening my voice.

  “Chris…” she interjected, drawing my attention. Covering her mouth with her fingers, she held up a light-blue coat. Blood had soaked its right side, reaching almost all the way to the pocket.

  “Fuck!” I barked out, landing another blow to his jaw.

  “Rosy, call the police,” Catherine said to her friend on the phone, while I breathed in gasps. I moved around Tanner and leaned against the wall. Tilting my head back, I struggled to comprehend the mindset of a man who would do such a despicable thing. Date someone, pretend he likes her, and then take her life. For what? A thick wad of dollar bills… At times like those, I recalled why I had chosen to work with something as lifeless as a computer. Because it consisted of metal, screws, capacitors and other hardware. It didn’t have a mind of its own, much less a twisted mind.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Rosanna

  “You were right, Rosie. My blood is all over his coat.”

  I could hardly make out my friend’s words. She uttered them amid a series of sobs while Rachel and I stared at each other in disbelief. It was one thing having a theory. Watching it verify itself was a lot different. I was the one who had suggested this crazy scenario, and yet, seeing the truth in it was much too hard.

  Too impatient to wait for the elevator, I jumped up the stairs. Just after I’d cleared the second floor, I heard the sound I had been dreading all night. Catherine’s wailing sobs tore my heart to shreds. Finding myself outside Tanner’s apartment, I peeked in. Its tenant was down on the floor, moaning in pain, with Chris on his left, facing me. Blood was dripping down Tanner’s cheek, whereas my boyfriend was still breathing heavily. Catherine on the other hand was sitting on the couch, with tears having drenched her face. She raised her reddened eyes up to mine when I joined her. Her trembling lips indicated that she meant to speak.

  “I’m very sorry, girl,” I whispered, sitting down on my knees in front of her. I didn’t allow her to speak. I opened my arms, and she just leaned forward, without uttering a single word. I felt her whole body shaking in my embrace, more tears spilling from her eyes. Only God knew what had been going through her mind at the time. It had to be one, huge mess. Betrayal, fear, disappointment, and disgust had all mixed into one, threatening to destroy any notion of sanity within her. Even if she did win this battle, I doubted my friend would ever be the same again. How could she? Catherine had taken the term “bad relationship” to a whole new level. This was far beyond bad. It was a disaster of unbelievable proportions.

  “Jesus Christ!” A somewhat hoarse male voice rose above my friend’s sniffles. A glance over my shoulder told me that it belonged to Detective Richards.

  “Over here,” Chris waved him to his spot.

  “Go talk to them,” Rachel suggested. “I’ll stay with her.”

  In silence, I eased back and rose up to my feet. I had every intention of comforting my friend, but now, I had to preoccupy myself with something else.

  “Isn’t this…?”

  “Marcus Tanner,” Chris completed the cop’s sentence. “What’s left of him anyway.”

  “What the hell are you doing here, kid?” Richards grumbled as my boyfriend stood back up. “Did you decide to play cop all of a sudden? It’s…”

  Ignoring Richards’s complaints, Chris pointed down at a piece of c
lothing that looked painfully familiar. It was the coat that Catherine’s assailant wore on the night of her stabbing. I passed him by, bent down and picked it up, before handing it over to him.

  “The guy who stabbed my friend had the exact same coat on,” I interrupted him. “I bet that’s Catherine’s blood.”

  “Don’t count on it,” Richards disagreed. “I told you, the guy’s got a solid alibi.”

  “It’s just as fake as his medical diploma,” Chris continued, a hint of annoyance in his tone. “He just confessed that someone paid him off to date Ms. Dixon.”

  “Fullerton, if anyone beat me up like that, I’d confess I’d assassinated President Kennedy,” the cop groaned. “The bartender of the bar they were in will testify Tanner was there at the time of the attack.”

  “And I’ll testify that I saw this bastard stab my friend,” I emphasized, casting a nasty glare up at the police officer. “Let’s see who the jury will believe.”

  “Whoever’s pulling his strings paid for that alibi, Detective,” Chris stated, padding away from Tanner. “Anyway, I’m not going to tell you how to do your job.”

  “Don’t go anywhere, Fullerton,” Richards commanded. “I’m going to need your statement. The same goes for you, Ms. Harrison.”

  Moments afterwards, two more police officers in uniform showed up. Although I hated the idea of spending my time in a police station, I couldn’t avoid this. Besides, it was a good opportunity for me to comfort Catherine. The detective insisted that she came with us, because he wanted an additional statement. To me, his demand was unreasonable, not to mention cruel. He was right there. He could see for himself what a nervous wreck she was, but that didn’t daunt him at all.

  None of us was in a mood to talk in the police station. We all had reasons to get lost in our thoughts. Every now and then, I hugged Catherine, sensing her imminent emotional breakdown, but, other than that, I didn’t have the will to address anyone, not even Chris. I knew I wasn’t being fair to him. He deserved much more than the silent treatment, but there wasn’t much I could do. Why? Because I couldn’t help but imagine what Catherine’s life would be from here on out. Quite a few things came to mind, and not one of them was pleasant.