LOVE ABOVE LAW

by Alvarez, Sandy

  Her response is simple and delivered with a beautiful smile. "Okay." Leaning down, I kiss her forehead. "I'll see you later, beautiful."

  A few hours later, Kai and I are on the road heading to meet with the family of the young woman killed. Hopefully, they can give us some clues as to the people the victim knew and could have been with the night or morning of her murder. We spent the morning going over all the details collected so far on the other two homicide cases involving similarities to this one. It's not hard to miss them either. All three women are within the same age range in their early twenties. The resemblance they have to one another is uncanny; all three women are brown haired, green-eyed, tan complexion, and have the same body build. They have yet to determine our third victim's timeline for the day, which is where we are heading now. What we do know about the other two cases is that their bodies were found in the downtown Seattle area within a few blocks of each other three nights apart.

  "Heard Leyna bagged the job," Kai remarks.

  "Yeah, she's excited," I tell him.

  "You finally on board with her working there?"

  "As long as the men keep their hands to themselves." I tell Kai, then start thinking about the barely there little red dresses Dare's female employees wear.

  Kai laughs. "She'll be fine."

  We roll up to a small brick home located in a modest middle-class neighborhood forty minutes outside of Seattle. Getting out of the car, we make our way up the sidewalk leading to the front porch of the home. We knock a few times before an older gray-haired gentleman answers the door. "Can I help you?"

  "Yes, sir. Kai and I show our badges. "I'm agent Taylor and this Agent Kekoa. You mind answering a few questions for us?" The man's eyes dart between Kai and me. I take in his appearance. Even though he seems to be holding it together stress mares his face and his eyes are bloodshot. Stepping to the side, he invites us into his home. We follow him into the living room of the house where a few other family members are sitting.

  "You mind telling me why the FBI is here to investigate my daughter's murder?" he demands.

  "FBI?" the petite brown-haired woman questions.

  "Agents this is my wife, Rachael," he takes a seat on the couch next to her.

  "You mind?" I asked making a gesture to sit in a chair nearby. He nods. "Bethany was found on government property. For those reasons and a few others is why the FBI is heading the investigation." He looks to his wife.

  "What do you need to know?" he asks.

  "We got the basics from your original statement yesterday. To start, can you provide us with a list of friends? Whoever she was with last night?" I ask them. Mr. Miller shakes his head. "Her mother and I don't know that answer. She was twenty-three with a life of her own. She lived in a small two-bedroom apartment with her roommate close to the college campus over in Seattle," her father explains.

  "She went out with a few girlfriends," a girl whom is a younger version of the mother sitting on the other end of the couch speaks up.

  "Did Bethany tell you this herself?" I ask her.

  She sniffles. "She's my sister. We talk about everything." She starts to sob. Kai reaches down and plucks a tissue from the box sitting on the coffee table and hands it to her. "I talked with her that morning because I was nervous about my swim meet later that day. She has this way of calming my nerves." She tries to control her breathing so she can continue to speak. "Her roommate's sister is getting married, so they were going to a club for the bachelorette party."

  Okay. This is a good start—information like this I can work with. "Did she tell you the name of the club?"

  "I can't." I give her a moment to think about it. Her red-rimmed eyes meet mine. "It started with an F."

  "Fusion?" Kai asks.

  "That it—Fusion." Her voice breaks with emotion. "Why? I don't understand why someone would kill her." Her mother pulls her into her side, and her body begins trembling. "She's my sister, and they took her away from me. What am I supposed to do without her.?" Uncontrollable sobs pour from the young girl. Mr. Miller stands ushering us toward the kitchen area of the open plan home. He pauses and picks up a framed picture from the bookshelf against the wall.

  "She's beautiful, isn't she?" I look down at the image of the striking young woman he's showing me. He looks over his shoulder at the women in his life—his family. "All I ask is you find the motherfucker who did this before he gets the chance to do it again. No family should have to go through this kind of pain."

  By the end of the workday, my brain is fried, and all I can think about is getting home to Leyna. Hours were spent tracking down some of Bethany's friends, including her roommate. It turns out they'd all been drinking, and Bethany decided she'd had enough for the night, so she called a cab. Her roommate didn't show up to their apartment until after 2:00 am the next morning and didn't even realize she wasn't in her room until hours later when the police came knocking on her door. Whatever happened to safety in numbers; arrive together—leave together. Inserting the key, I unlock the front door letting myself in. Not finding Leyna in the kitchen or reading in the living room I go in search of her. Lightly knocking on her door, I wait for her to answer. "Lex?" she calls out.

  "Yeah, beautiful, it's me." I put her at ease.

  "I'll be ready soon." She puts a smile on my face when I hear the excitement in her tone.

  A short time later, I had showered the workday off, slapped on some cologne and put on my black tailored suit. I'm standing in front of the large balcony doors looking out at the city lights when the sound of heels tapping across the hardwood floor grabs my attention, and I turn around.

  She renders me speechless.

  The black lace cocktail dress she's wearing hugs her body like it was made for her.

  "You like it?" she asks pulling her arms from her sides. With a flick of my finger, I motion for her to spin around. Obliging, Leyna twirls. She's so fucking perfect. Crooking my finger, I keep silent as I ask her to come to me. Without hesitation, she crosses the distance between us stopping a foot from me. Taking a step forward, I take her face in the palms of my hands. "I had planned on saying all this later during dinner, but I can't wait that long. I've waited—waited until I felt you were ready. If I'm honest with myself, I waited until I was ready too." Her hands slip beneath my suit jacket coming to rest on my sides. "I want there to be an us—you and me. I want people to know you are with me—that you're my woman. I want you to be mine Leyna Martinez."

  Leyna smiles up at me. "Okay." I smile back. I'm fucking crazy in love with this woman.

  "I'm going to kiss you now, beautiful," I confess.

  "About time." She doesn't even finish the last syllable before my mouth crashes down on hers.

  18

  Leyna

  "Hi. You must be Leyna," a girl with red curly hair chirps the moment I step foot into Rumors. She looks to be around my age and about two inches taller. Like me, she's also on the curvier side. Without a shy bone in her body, she strolls up to me, links her arm with mine and leads me toward the back of the club. "My name is Dana. Dare said you'd be with me today while I show you the ropes." I can already tell I'm going to like this girl, so I give her a warm smile.

  "It's nice to meet you, Dana. I'm excited to get started." That's the truth. I've been looking forward to starting my first day here.

  "Come on," Dana ushers me along through a pair of double doors and down a long hallway. "We have our own dressing room." Passing by a door on the right, Dana nods her head in its direction. "That's the dressing room for the floor waitresses."

  "Wait, we don't share with them?"

  "No. Dare gives the VIP waitresses their own."

  I stop, abruptly halting both mine and Dana's movements. "Um, shouldn't I get ready with the other girls?"

  Smiling, she shakes her head, the movement causing her red curls to bounce. "Nope. Dare said you'd be working VIP with me."

  "Is that normal for him to start a new girl out as VIP—with no experience?"
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  "No, he usually requires us to be here at least a year before you're considered, and that's only if there is a spot available. I waited two years before I was offered a position. It was worth the wait though. The pay is double, and one of the perks is we get our own dressing room."

  "Dana, I have zero experience being a waitress. Are you sure Dare said I was working VIP? There has to be a mistake," I insist. "And won't the other girls be offended a newbie walked in and scored the position?"

  "Nope. No mistake. There will probably be a couple girls a little butthurt about it, but they know not to open their mouth. The boss has spoken."

  "I don't want to step on any toes."

  "Dare made himself clear. I for one couldn't be more thrilled to have you. He also mentioned you had the pleasure of meeting Courtney the other day."

  "I did. She wasn't very, pleasant." I choose my words wisely not knowing if Dana and Courtney are friends.

  "Pleasant? Leyna, that girl is a straight up bitch. Dare did the right thing by canning her ass. She was an embarrassment to work with. Rumors is not the kind of club you see college kids at." Dana shakes her head. "Rumors caters to high power businessmen. I'm talking about investment bankers and music executives—millionaires and billionaires. Courtney would come to work high on God knows what. She's a fumbling mess. The last straw was when she spilled a drink on one of our members. I had to explain to the man that Courtney had the flu and was taking medication. I only lied to keep Dare from losing one of his most loyal customers."

  "You seem to really respect Dare," I say more like a statement. It's clear she holds him with high regard.

  "I do. Everyone that works here does. Dare respects his employees, and he doesn't allow anyone to disrespect us women. We have had a couple of incidents with touching, but Dare doesn't play. He'll kick anyone who touches us out. I've worked in one other club before Rumors and lasted less than a week there because the owner allowed his clientele to grope the waitresses. I walked out of that job and came straight here. I had just turned twenty-one and had no experience, but Dare took me on anyway. The rest is history. Just don't mistake his generosity for weakness. I've seen what happens to someone who crosses him. Let's say; it's a mistake."

  "I'm grateful for this job. I don't plan on screwing up. Trust me."

  "I think you're going to do great, Leyna. Come on, let's get changed so I can show you around."

  Making our way to the end of the hall, Dana leads me into what I assume is our dressing room. "How many VIP waitresses work here?"

  "Three. There's us, and then there's Maggie. Dare closes Rumors on Sundays and Mondays. We work Tuesday through Saturday. Normally you won't have to come in until five in the evenings. The doors open at six and we close at three in the morning. Since you're only part-time, you'll clock out at eleven. Maggie will take over for you."

  "I think I can handle that."

  "Dare mentioned you'd be going to school."

  "I am. I start in the fall. I want to be a teacher," I smile.

  "A teacher? That's great."

  "Yeah. I'm excited."

  Over the next hour, Dana walks me through Rumors and introduces me to the staff. So far everyone I've met has been friendly. Dana took me upstairs to the VIP lounge where I'll be spending most of my time. She explained the VIP area was more chill. The lower level floor is where most of the action takes place. "The lower level of Rumors is for those looking to mingle. Upstairs is where Dare's VIP's like to discuss business. Our only job is to serve them drinks. Always smile, be polite and most importantly be discreet. You'll hear things up here, but it's best to pretend you never did."

  "What kinds of things," I question. Dana looks at me with a lifted brow but says nothing. I'm going to assume she's practicing what she preaches.

  "Got it," I nod. "Not our business."

  The rest of the afternoon flies by. Dana and I ended up going to lunch together and when we arrived back at Rumors a few more of the staff had arrived. She introduced me to Zach, Byron, and Ace. The three men are bouncers here at Rumors. Once introductions are made, Dana and I make our way to the back to begin getting ready since we only have an hour before the club opens.

  It's nearing the end of my first shift and even though my feet are killing me because I'm not used to standing in four-inch heels for hours; I can honestly say I like my job. Dare showed up just before the club opened and has been a constant presence since. He's not the kind of boss who sits in his office all night. It's clear he takes running Rumors seriously. Dare spends his time equally between the floor and the VIP section. He also makes sure to greet every one of his VIP guests.

  I've just finished serving table two and made my way back to Dana who is standing off to the side against the wall when she leans over and whispers in my ear. "There is a seriously intense looking guy at table five who hasn't taken his eyes off you. The man has been here fifteen minutes and hasn't touched his drink because his only focus is you."

  I glance over at table five and smile when I see who Dana is talking about. "That's Lex." I also notice Kai sitting with him.

  "Wait a minute, you know him?"

  "Yeah, we live together."

  "Just live together?"

  "Well, we actually just became a couple."

  "Hmm," Dana hums. "I can tell. That man looks like he wants to eat you alive, Leyna." When I chance another glance at Lex, I see Dana's assumption is right. His eyes are drinking in every last inch of me. From the tips of my black four-inch heels all the way up to my breasts that look as if they're about to spill out of the short red halter dress I'm wearing; I should say uniform since my dress is the same as all the other waitresses. Only theirs are black whereas mine and Dana's are red.

  "Oh, look," Dana nods toward the stairs where a woman with long jet-black hair and wearing the same red dress as Dana and I, makes her way up the stairs. "Maggie is here." Peering down at my watch I see it's already eleven o'clock. When I look back up, I notice Dare standing at the end of the stairs, and he gestures for me to come to him.

  I turn to Dana, "I guess that's it for me today. Thanks for being so kind and showing me how to do everything."

  "No problem, girl. I'll see you tomorrow."

  After saying my goodbyes to Dana, I look over my shoulder and watch as Lex stands. He says something to Kai before taking his wallet from his back pocket and tossing a few bills on the table. Instead of waiting for him, I continue down the stairs toward Dare. "You did good tonight, Leyna. I'll see you back here tomorrow."

  "Thanks, Dare," I smile then make my way to the back of the club to the dressing room to change. As I'm walking down the dimly lit hall, the same feeling of uneasiness I had the other day shopping at the market crawls its way up my spine, only when I look behind me, I take in the empty hallway. This is ridiculous. I'm letting what's happened to me in the past with Santino spook me. Shaking those thoughts away, I step inside the dressing room and close the door. Walking over to the small closet where my leggings and sweater hang, I reach behind me and unzip my dress. Pulling my arms free, I slide the material over my hips. It's in that moment I hear a growl come from behind me. Quickly looking over my shoulder, I see Lex. With my back to him, he has a clear view of my backside. I stand frozen for a moment, taking in his dilated pupils along with the flare of his nostrils. Meeting his gaze, I lick my lips and continue to remove my dress. I'm left standing there wearing nothing but a black strapless bra and a black lace thong. Turning my head away from Lex, I go about getting dressed; all while allowing him to drink his fill. The only noise in the room is the unmistakable sound of his heavy breathing. Once dressed, I grab my purse and face him.

  "Time to go home, beautiful."

  The ride back to the apartment is intense. Neither Lex nor I say a word. No words need to be spoken. We both know what's coming the moment we get home—the place between my legs tingles at the thought of having his hands on my body.

  Reaching over the console, Lex places his hand on the inside o
f my thigh. My skin heats as his palm begins making its slow trek up until he reaches my pussy. Without shame, I part my legs slightly to give him better access. Using his index finger, Lex starts to stroke the outer edge of my sex through the thin material of my leggings, causing a whimper to escape my lips. I become so lost in his touch I don't realize we have parked, and the car has been cut off.

  Without a sound, Lex climbs out of the car, walks around to the passenger side and opens the door. "Let's go," he says, his tone husky. Taking his offered hand, I climb out. The ride in the elevator is pure torture. With Lex holding my hand and his thumb moving in lazy circles over my wrist, I have no doubt he can feel how fast my heart is beating. I'm nervous but excited for what's to come. For once in my life, I have no doubts about giving myself to a man; giving him something I have held onto for twenty-three years. I know with everything I am, even if things don't work out between Lex and me, I won't regret giving him my virginity.

  Unlocking the door, we step inside the apartment. Lex tosses his keys on the table beside us. He takes my purse from my shoulder and places it next to his keys. The next thing I know I'm in his arms and his mouth is on mine. My mouth opens, granting him access. His taste is addictive; it fuels my need to have his body cover every inch of mine. Never in my life has a man affected me the way Alexander Taylor does. Reaching up I thread my finger through his hair and tug him closer. Knowing what I need, Lex grabs hold of my butt and lifts. I wrap my legs around his waist, and he carries me through the living room, down the hall, and to his bedroom; the one I sleep in. Still, in his arms, we drop down to the bed. With his body melding into mine, I feel the outline of his hard cock press against my heated pussy. I tear my lips away from his and let out a throaty groan when he thrusts his hips into me. "Lex—I need."

  "I know what you need, baby," he mummers into the shell of my ear. "You gonna let me take care of you, Leyna?"