Castle Investigations Box Set

by Dee Bridgnorth

  When the doors opened, Manny led them down a tastefully decorated hallway. Plush carpets covered the floors, and mahogany paneling lined the halls. Brass fixtures hung from the walls, lighting their way.

  They stopped in front of a dark mahogany door, and Manny pulled a card from his pocket that opened it. Quita took in the lavish surroundings. The place was understated elegance. Lush white carpets, dark cabinets, and white paneling on the lower portion of the walls. Marble entryway floors.

  Manny directed Zach to the table, helping him climb on top, then left to rummage through one of his cabinets.

  "Can you get him some water?" Manny asked Quita.

  She joined him in the kitchen, furnished with top-of-the-line appliances, and found the glasses in a cabinet. She pressed the water feature on the refrigerator door and filled the glass up.

  "I'm going to need something stronger than water," Zach mumbled.

  "I've got some whiskey over there," Manny said, pointing to a side bar next to the table.

  "Is that wise?" she asked.

  "Takes the edge off the pain," Zach said.

  "Oh." She set the water glass on the table next to Zach and took a tumbler off the side bar, pouring two fingers of whiskey from the decanter.

  "Here," Quita said, shoving the whiskey into his hand.

  "Thanks."

  Quita went back over to the side bar and took out two more tumblers, pouring whiskey into each one and then handing one of the glasses to Chloe. "Drink this," she said. Then they both downed the whiskey in one gulp.

  She felt the burn all the way down her throat.

  Manny cleaned Zach's wound, then pressed on it. She watched as Zach winced at the pain and felt it all the way to her core. She hated that he was in pain. Hated that it was her fault.

  "Doesn't need stitches. But you bled like a stuck pig. I should be able to keep it closed with butterfly bandages. Just keep an eye on it," Manny said.

  Zach nodded and took another sip of the whiskey. He finished it and held the glass out to her. "Another, please."

  Quita jumped up to get him more whiskey and handed it to him.

  "I'm sorry," she said softly, touching him gently on his good arm, his warmth a reassuring presence after the crazy evening they'd had.

  He took her hand in his. "Stop apologizing. It's not your fault."

  "But it is. If only I'd— "

  "Just stop." His kind eyes found hers, and she was shocked at the emotion she saw brewing there. "I’m just glad you're all right."

  He lifted his hand to stroke her cheek. She leaned in for just a moment, closing her eyes. The sound of throat clearing had her eyes popping back open, and Manny met her gaze with a knowing smile.

  "You're all set, lover boy. Let me get you guys set up with a place to crash. You hungry?"

  "Starving," Zach answered.

  "I've got a frozen pizza that should do the trick. Sorry it's not much—"

  "Sounds amazing," Quita said.

  Manny showed them to their rooms. She and Chloe would stay in the guest room, while Zach would sleep on the couch.

  After a quick shower, Quita donned the sweats and t-shirt that Manny had loaned her and padded quietly into the kitchen. The pizza was ready, and Manny took it out of the oven and set it on the counter, where Zach had propped himself up with a beer in his hand.

  "That looks far better than it should for frozen pizza," Quita observed, sliding onto a stool at the bar.

  "Yeah, it's homemade frozen pizza. I probably should have mentioned that."

  "Homemade by whom?"

  "Me, of course."

  "You make homemade pizza?"

  "I do. I also make homemade enchiladas. If you stick around, I'll make you some."

  Zach cleared his throat. Manny threw back his head in laughter.

  "Chill, dude. I'm not encroaching on your territory.”

  "Oh, we're not—" Quita began, gesturing between herself and Zach. "I mean, we're just—"

  "Right." Manny waggled his eyebrows.

  Quita looked to Zach for clarification, but he just sipped his beer, a small smirk on his face. He didn't seem at all fazed by Manny's assumptions, so she decided just to drop it.

  Manny handed her a plate with a slice of pepperoni pizza on it. Quita took a bite and closed her eyes, a moan escaping her lips as she savored the heavenly tastes of tomato sauce, cheese, and the spicy tang of pepperoni, all on a crispy crust.

  "I'm Quita, by the way. We weren't formally introduced." She took another bite of the pizza. The tanginess of the oregano mixed with the creaminess of the cheese. It was delicious. "You should do this for a living," she said.

  "Thought about it. But the tech game is far more lucrative."

  "Are you a computer nerd like Zach?"

  Manny laughed. "No one is a nerd like Zach. He takes nerdiness to a whole new level."

  "I’m standing right here," Zach deadpanned.

  "I mean that as a total compliment. Zach's a legend." Manny directed the latter statement toward her.

  "Careful, you'll give me a big head," Zach said.

  "Can't get much bigger than it already is." Manny clapped him on the shoulder and put a piece of pizza in front of him.

  "How did you guys meet?" Quita asked as Chloe walked over, her hair still wet from her shower, and took a seat on the stool next to her.

  "Army," Zach said.

  Manny put a piece of pizza on a plate and put it on the bar in front of Chloe. "You want some beer?" he asked them both. They agreed, and Quita waited for either Zach or Manny to expound on how they’d met. Manny satisfied a bit of her curiosity after setting the beers in front of them and taking a huge bite of pizza.

  "We were in the same unit," Manny said, speaking the words almost solemnly, and then, with a bright smile on his face, changed the subject. "How're you holding up…?" He paused, and Quita realized that he didn't know Chloe's name.

  "Chloe," her friend supplied. "And I’m ok. Not sure how I walked into this whole mess, but this is the most excitement I've had in my entire life."

  Manny grinned at Chloe, mischief in his eyes.

  Quita continued to watch Zach. His features had tightened at the mention of his unit. Something had happened to Zach in the Army. And Quita had a feeling that whatever it was held the key to his nightmares.

  * * * *

  Quita woke with a start. Light peeked through the blackout curtains covering the window, and Quita wondered what time it was. Chloe was sleeping soundly, curled into a tiny ball on the edge of her side of the bed. She'd tossed and turned most of the night, so Quita was glad that she'd finally been able to sleep.

  For hours, Quita had lain awake, thinking about all that had happened and going through the events, wondering what she could have done differently. Her whole life, things had always seemed to just happen to her. Every time she'd tried to make things right or make a change to better herself, it had bitten her in the ass.

  Quita slipped quietly from the bed and passed by the empty couch on her way to the kitchen. Zach wasn't there. Not a big shocker. He didn't sleep much, and it was already past ten in the morning, if the clock on the cable box was correct. He'd probably been up for hours.

  Placing a pod in the coffee maker, Quita pulled the lever to get the hot nectar brewing and flowing into her cup. She crossed her arms over her chest as she waited.

  "Guess you slept well?"

  Quita whirled around to find Manny, his elbows propped up on the bar behind her. "Um, some. Chloe tossed and turned most of the night, so I think it wasn't until six or so that I finally fell heavily asleep."

  "I see you found the coffee."

  "Helped myself. I hope that’s ok."

  "Absolutely. Mi casa es su casa, and all that." Manny shot her a devastating grin.

  Quita took the mug from the coffee maker and mirrored Manny's stance against the bar.

  "How long have you known Zach?" Manny asked.

  "A couple of months."

  "
How'd you meet?"

  Quita thought back to how Zach had saved her more than once. How he'd found her broken and beaten in her home. How she hadn’t been able to let him go, begging him to stay with her. He had. He hadn't left her side the whole time she was in the hospital.

  "I ran into some trouble a few months back. Zach helped me out."

  The explanation barely scratched the surface, and Manny seemed to know that and to read between the lines. With a nod, he pulled back to leave.

  "Manny, can I ask you a question?"

  "Of course. Anything."

  "What happened to him?"

  She didn't need to elaborate on whom she was talking about or what she was referring to. Manny seemed to understand. He pulled a stool out and patted the seat next to him. She joined him, her hands wrapped tightly around her warm mug.

  "It's really his story to tell. But I can give you an idea." Manny took a sip of his coffee before launching into the story.

  "Our unit was in Afghanistan. Front lines. We sent a team out to do surveillance and to report back to us. Zach and Jake veered off by themselves. I won't go into the details—that's for him to tell you—but they went missing. The team searched for them for hours but couldn't find them. Zach and Jake were captured."

  Manny paused, rubbing his hand through his hair. Quita's heart pounded in her chest. She'd known it was bad. And she had a feeling that Manny hadn't even scratched the surface of what Zach had actually endured.

  "Three weeks, they were missing. Three damn weeks. We found Zach half dead. Jake didn't make it."

  Tears rolled down Quita's cheeks. The nightmares made sense now. If he'd been held in a godforsaken camp for three weeks, who knew what torture he'd endured?

  "He was in bad shape when we found him. His face was unrecognizable. It's amazing that he's come this far."

  "That's terrible. It breaks my heart what our servicemen endure to ensure our safety. Zach is stronger than he thinks."

  "He is. We all are, I guess."

  Manny squeezed her hand as Zach rounded the corner, stopping short when he saw the two of them sitting so close, Manny's hand on hers. Zach raised an eyebrow when he met her gaze. Manny chuckled.

  "Don't get your panties in a wad there, Harper. I'm just telling your girl here all your dirty secrets."

  Quita opened her mouth to say she wasn't his girl, but Zach spoke before she could.

  "I don't have any dirty secrets. Did you tell her about the time you had three girlfriends in three different countries?"

  Zach moved to the coffee maker to pour himself a cup of coffee, then leaned against the counter, crossing his arms across his chest. It did amazing things for his biceps. And although Quita couldn't act on the attraction she felt for Zach, she wasn't dead. She felt the pull—the tension that hovered around them when they were near each other.

  Quita thought back to the kiss they'd shared in Vegas.

  Quita closed the door to her hotel room, grateful that the mission had gone as planned. When that guard had blocked her entrance, she'd thought that she wouldn't get inside Bruno's office, but she had. A soft knock sounded on her door, and she opened it. Zach stood there, his hair rumpled and his t-shirt hugging every glorious muscle.

  "Can I come in?" he asked.

  "Of course." Quita stepped back, allowing him entry into the room.

  “I just wanted to make sure you were ok."

  Quita nodded.

  "Are you feeling better?"

  She was, but she still hurt all over. The pain was damn distracting, but not as distracting as this tasty-looking man standing in front of her. She moved closer to him.

  "I'm healing," she said.

  Zach took a couple of steps closer to her. They were just a foot apart now.

  "Can I get you anything?" he asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

  "I'm good."

  "Ok, then. So I, um, I guess I'll…I mean, if you don't need anything."

  Quita closed the distance between them, stepping right into his personal space. He didn't waste another second. Gently, his arms went around her, dragging her up against his body. He bent his head down and kissed her. Slowly at first, then with more insistence.

  Quita opened to him, longing to kiss this man who'd been her savior. The kiss grew intense, with Zach's hands roaming over her body. Quita forgot where she was. She forgot about the pain. Forgot about Tobias and Bruno. All she could do was feel this man. Everywhere.

  But then, as quickly as it had started, Zach pulled away.

  "I'm sorry," he said, pushing his hands through his hair.

  "What are you sorry for?" Quita asked, hurt and embarrassment sparking anger inside her.

  Zach must have heard the anger in her voice. He took a step closer and pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. "I wanted to kiss you. I wanted to do more than kiss you. But I won't be another man taking advantage of you."

  "Oh." Her heart was pounding out of her chest. This man said the sweetest things to her. She was a stripper. A prostitute. A nobody. And yet, he spoke to her as if she were precious.

  "I like you," he said, his mouth turning up in a breathtaking smile.

  "I like you, too."

  "Good. Then I can be patient. I'm not going anywhere."

  The memory hit her so hard that it took a moment for her to realize that Zach was trying to get her attention.

  "Earth to Quita!" he was saying, waving his hands in front of her face.

  She shook her head and met his gaze. Heat crept up her cheeks. Zach quirked a brow, a slow smirk forming on his lips. "Want to tell me what you were thinking so hard about?"

  "Nope."

  He laughed. "I was saying that we need to get ready to leave. Can you be ready by noon?"

  "Where are we going?"

  "Home. D.C."

  "I can't go to D.C. There're things I need to do."

  "Like what?" Zach asked, the irritation clear in his voice.

  "Um, I'm going to leave you two alone," Manny said, climbing off the stool and walking to his bedroom. Before he reached it, Chloe came out of the guest room, her hair slightly rumpled and her eyes puffy from sleep.

  "What did I miss?" Chloe asked.

  "Not a thing. Get your coffee. We can hang out in here while those two argue." Manny pointed to Quita and Zach. Chloe looked confused but shook it off, taking a mug from the cabinet and brewing herself a cup of joe. When she'd finished, she joined Manny in his room.

  Quita and Zach sat in silence until Chloe exited the room. Once the door to Manny's room closed, Zach took the stool next to her.

  "Look, you've been trying to do this alone, and look where it’s gotten you. Running for your life—and barefoot, at that! Beaten up. Shot at." Zach took her hands in his. "Let me help you. Let's do it my way and see what happens."

  Quita took in his concerned expression—the genuine warmth she saw. It went against everything she'd learned over the last few years, but at some point, she was going to have to trust someone again. Zach had proven to be dependable, loyal, and compassionate. What did she have to lose?

  "Ok."

  "Ok?" he asked, seemingly shocked by her relenting.

  "Ok," she said, laughing. "You're right. I can't do this alone."

  "Well, you're in luck, since I happen to work for a team that is extremely good at keeping people safe."

  Quita lifted her hand to Zach's face. "Thanks, Zach. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you."

  Their gazes met, the tension that always existed between them snapping and crackling like a live wire. Zach's eyes went to her lips, and reflexively, Quita's tongue darted out to moisten them. He leaned in, and Quita's hand moved to the back of his neck, drawing him closer.

  Laughter pealed through the air, and Quita jumped, removing her hand. Zach sat up straight, clearing his throat. The moment had passed. Chloe skipped into the room, a huge smile on her face.

  "What are you so excited about?" Quita asked, trying to keep the bitterness out of her vo
ice. Chloe didn't know that she'd just interrupted a moment between her and Zach. A moment that didn't need to happen, anyway.

  "Nothing. Just something Manny said." Chloe giggled again, and Manny exited the room, a knowing grin on his face. He shrugged.

  "We're leaving at noon. Can you be ready to go by then?" Quita asked Chloe.

  "Where are we going?"

  "D.C."

  "I can't go to D.C.”

  "But you have no place to stay here."

  Chloe looked crestfallen. "I can't leave New York. Not yet. I have a job here and, well, I just can't."

  "She can stay here," Manny said.

  "I couldn't—"

  "Of course you can. Can you cook?"

  Chloe nodded.

  "You buy groceries and cook. I'll pay for rent. Deal?"

  "That's so generous. But I can't take advantage of you like that."

  "Trust me, my motives aren't entirely pure," he said, waggling his eyebrows. But then he sobered. "But seriously, please stay. I have room. I could use the company. And God knows you could use someone in your life that gives a damn."

  Tears welled up in Chloe's eyes. She nodded again, her emotions too close to the surface to speak. "Thank you," she said quietly.

  "Are you sure, Chloe?" She looked to Zach for assurance that it was ok to leave Chloe with this total stranger. He nodded.

  "I'm sure. I'm not ready to leave the city quite yet. It's my dream. And my mom…well, I promised her before she died that I'd follow my dream. I know I've only earned two bit parts in a couple of Off-Off-Broadway productions, but I'm not ready to give up on it."

  Quita smiled and pulled Chloe into a tight hug. "I understand. Ok, then. I'll go change back into my clothes."

  "Hey, I left some things on the bed in your room that might fit you."

  "You keep women's clothes on hand?" Quita asked, amused.

  Manny shot her his movie-star grin. "I have a sister about your size. She's a little taller, but you should be able to fit well enough."

  "Thanks, Manny."

  "Anytime."

  Quita closed the door to the guest room and found some leggings and a few shirts lying on the bed. She scooped up a teal tunic-style shirt and a pair of black leggings and tugged them on. Pulling her hair into a messy bun on top of her head, she washed her face and brushed her teeth with the extra toothbrush Manny had given her the night before.