by Imogen Wells
There’s a black 2012 plate BMW 3 series in the drive, which I assume belongs to Noah. I’m hoping he’s home because I really want to have a nice little chat with him.
As we walk up the path, I look around and see the curtain in the downstairs window of the house next door moving. Nosy neighbours are always good when you need information.
I knock the door as Jay looks through the window to the right, then the left. No one answers and there doesn’t seem to be any sign that someone is home.
“Anything?” I ask him as he joins me back at the front door.
“I can’t see jack shit through the net curtains.” He reaches forward and lifts the letterbox before peering through it. “Oh shit! You might want to have a look at this, Seb,” he says moving out the way so I can look.
You know that feeling in your gut that tells you this is not going to be good? Yeah, I have it in spades right now. Leaning down, I take a deep breath and lift the letterbox. “Fuck!” I drop it, not needing to see any more. “Call Rick and find out what he wants us to do?”
“On it,” Jay answers, pulling his phone free from his jacket.
“I’m going to take a look round back.” I tell him as he waits for Rick to answer.
I leave Jay at the front door and head round the side of the house, coming to a stop when I see the side gate is open. I slow my pace as I step through the gate, careful not to touch anything and keeping close to the wall.
When I reach the end of the building, I take a peek round the corner, and when I see nothing, I step round. I look through the first window into the kitchen, but it’s empty. Reaching the back door, it’s already ajar, and using my elbow I give a gentle little push on it, opening it wider.
“Boo!”
I spin at the voice, fist raised and almost lay Jay out. “You fucking idiot.” Jay is clutching his sides and bent double in laughter. “Fuck you, Jay.”
“Sorry. I just couldn’t help it,” he says, still laughing.
“Did you get hold of Rick?”
“Yeah, man. He wants you to call it in.”
“Great. Our only lead is dead, and now I have to spend the next few hours explaining why we are here in the first place.” I make the call to Rick’s contact at the station, and Ray tells me he’ll be coming himself to cut through some of the red tape. “Jay, go speak to the curtain twitcher next door. She saw us arriving, so it’s likely she saw something yesterday too. I’m going to have a quick look around before the police get here.”
Once Jay has gone, I make quick work of checking the house, but there is nothing here. Even the office holds nothing but a computer, which I can’t touch, and an empty filing cabinet. Not what you’d expect for the director of a company.
When I get back to the front, Jay is just walking back down the path, shaking his head.
“She tell you anything?”
“Only that she doesn’t know the guy very well, lives alone, but he does have one guy that comes round regularly,” he finishes with a raised brow.
“Let me guess, our mystery guy from yesterday?”
“Her description wasn’t great, but it sounded like him, yeah. She said she heard raised voices but couldn’t make out what they were shouting about, but that’s it.”
A car pulls up, and this day just keeps getting fucking better.
“Fuck my life,” I whisper beneath my breath as Jasper Williams steps from the car.
“This is fucked up, Seb. What if he knows who we are? And where the fuck is Ray?”
“Nothing we can do about it now. Once we get away from here, I’ll talk to Rick. For now, just follow my lead, Jason,” I say, giving him a heads-up by using his alias.
“Afternoon, gentlemen. I’m Detective Williams, and you are?” He seems surprised to see us, which is odd if Ray sent him. He offers Jay his hand first, then turns to me and it takes everything in me not to squeeze his fingers till they snap. “So, what’s going on here?” I find it hard to believe he doesn’t know whose house this is, and I’m going to watch his face very closely when he sees Noah.
“We knocked a few times, but when we didn’t get any answer, I looked through the letterbox, and well… Maybe you want to take a look for yourself,” I tell him with a grimace. To be fair, it’s not a fake grimace. I’ve seen some shit in my life, but I wasn’t prepared to see a guy with a bullet hole between his eyes, holding his own tongue. The message is pretty clear; should have kept his mouth shut.
He eyes us both as though this is some kind of trap, but walks to the door, us following behind, and lifts the letterbox, taking another look at both of us before leaning down and looking into the house.
I watch from the side as his eyes widen, and he inhales a small breath before composing himself and standing upright.
“Looks like you were right to be worried. Do you know the man?”
“Only that his name is Noah. We met at a bar, got chatting, you know how it is. He offered us some work, told us to come by.”
“And what bar was this?”
I need to tread very carefully here because I know who he is, but I don’t know if he knows who I am or my connection to Jamie. “Tempest. You know the one on—”
“I know the one, thank you.” Jay and I exchange glances at the obvious bite in his words. “I can see the back door is open, and I assume you two had nothing to do with that?” he asks accusingly.
“Nope. Haven’t touched a thing, except the letterbox, of course. We saw him sitting there and called the police straightaway,” Jay says.
I’d love nothing more than to call him out on knowing exactly who Noah is, but I can’t risk jeopardising the job or Jamie. This whole thing has me second guessing taking Jamie with me tomorrow night, but Rick was right about her being safer with us.
“You two need to stay here while I go inside. I’ll need to talk to you both again once forensics get here.” And with that he disappears round the side of the house to the back door.
“This is not good, man,” Jay says as soon as Jasper is out of earshot. “Of all the fucking detectives that could have turned up, it had to be this one.”
Another car pulls up just as I’m about to send a text to Rick, and Ray and another guy step from the car. I walk towards them as Ray takes in the car they pulled up behind. Jasper’s car.
Keeping my voice low, I say, “Good to see you, but there’s a detective already here.” Ray frowns, and now I’m even more suspicious of Jasper because I get the impression he’s not meant to be here.
“So I see.” Ray sends the other guy to go find Jasper, while I quickly fill him in on what I discovered earlier that led us here, leaving Jamie out of it for now. I need to talk to Rick right now. I’m beginning to feel like there is some connection between this job and whoever is threatening Dom.
“Ray, I can’t tell you anymore just now, not until I’ve spoken to Rick. Give me two minutes to make a call.” Ray nods, and I leave Jay with him while I call Rick.
I walk across the road to the car, so I can’t be overheard as Rick answers.
“Seb, what’s going on?”
I quickly explain about Noah and his connection to not only Tempest but also to Jasper and Jamie. Then I tell him my suspicions about there being a connection between the two jobs, and my concerns about taking Jamie tomorrow in case Jasper is there and sees us.
“Fucking wonderful. I might just kill Dom myself when I finally get hold of the bastard. For now, bring Ray in on what’s happening with Dom, but keep the details minimal.”
“Okay. But I don’t like this, Rick. We are missing something. Something really fucking important.” I end the call and walk back to Ray, who is now standing with the guy he arrived with and Jasper. As I get closer, I realise that Ray and Jasper’s conversation isn’t of the friendly chit-chat variety.
“Get back to the station and do the damn job I asked you to,” Ray tells Jasper. Jasper’s eyes flash with anger, the right one has a small tic, but he doesn’t say anything just walks past
me and gets in his car.
“Problem?” I ask, stepping round next to Jay.
Ray turns as his gaze follows Jasper driving away. “I don’t know yet.” He frowns, then turns to me. “So, what you got for me?”
Ray sends the other detective with Forensics, who just arrived, and I give him a brief overview of Dom’s case, without mentioning any names, except those of Jasper and Noah.
“So, what you’re telling me is you’ve seen Jasper at Tempest with the dead guy?” he states, pointing to the house, and I nod. “And let me guess, now you think there’s a connection to Tempest and the Morgan case?” I’m not at all surprised Ray caught on to who the other case was and made the same assumption as me. He’s a bloody good DI, and that’s why Rick trusts him.
“Yes. There are too many coincidences for there not to be,” I tell him. “What was Jasper even doing here if you were coming yourself?”
“That’s a very good bloody question because I certainly didn’t send him.”
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that Jasper was here of his own accord, but what isn’t clear is why.
“Him being here does pose another problem for the Tempest case, though.”
“Go on,” Ray says.
“Jay and I are going there tomorrow night for the VIP event and Jamie is coming with us.” I see the surprise on his face, but continue anyway, “The fact he’s seen us here could mean he’ll put two and two together.”
He considers my words before saying, “I think that’s a risk you’ll have to take. It’s possible that he’ll put two and two together and come up with nothing.”
“How so?” I ask.
“Has he ever seen you with Miss Morgan before?”
“Not that I know of, no.”
“So, you turning up with her can easily be explained away as nothing more than a coincidence as you frequent the same clubs and bars, and that just leaves him to assume you were here for work as you told him. Obviously, that depends on exactly what his involvement in all of this is.”
“That’s one hell of a risk, Ray. It could blow this job, not to mention putting Jamie in more danger.”
“Yeah, but what’s the alternative? You can’t afford to lose this opportunity at Tempest, and if Miss Morgan has to come with you, then you don’t have a choice.”
Jay looks at me with a shrug, and I concede. “Let’s just hope you’re right, Ray.”
Before we go, I give Ray a description of the guy we saw yesterday asking for directions, and I tell him to talk the old lady next door.
Back in the car, I call Rick, suggesting a meeting, and he readily agrees.
Thirty-Three
Jamie
Cam and I are online shopping for a dress I can wear tomorrow night when there’s a knock on the door.
“Expecting someone?” Cam asks.
I shake my head as I get up to answer it, and as I reach the door, I look through the spyhole. A smile breaks out across my face when I see who it is, and I quickly open the door.
“Blue. Come in.” I step back to allow him entry, and as he passes the threshold, Jamison lets out a small cry. Cam comes into the hall, seeing Ryder she steps forward, kissing him before taking the baby and soothing him in that quiet, effortless way only a mother can.
“What are you doing here? Seb said Jay would drop me back,” Cam says as she takes Jamison to the lounge.
“Rick called.” Blue gives me a side hug, kissing the top of my head. “Told me to meet him here. I assume from your surprise you know nothing about it?”
I shake my head as we walk through to the lounge. Cam is already settled and feeding Jamison, and I leave her to it and set off to the kitchen to make drinks.
While I’m in the kitchen, I hear the front door opening as several voices flood into the house before Seb comes in carrying several pizza boxes and a bag that smells like it contains Chinese.
“Hey. What’s going on?” Seb doesn’t answer, just dumps the boxes and bag on the counter, and then purposely strides toward me, with a predatory glint in his eyes. “What are yo—” I don’t get to finish my question as I’m lifted off the ground and placed on the counter behind me, knocking a cup into the sink. Seb is oblivious as his eyes scan mine, grasping my face and crashing his lips to mine.
All conscious thought leaves my brain, and all I can do is let myself fall. Seb breaks the kiss, and I’m left gasping for air and wanting more of him as he trails his lips down my jaw, along my neck, over my pulse point before he nips at my ear and whispers, “God, I want to fuck you so bad right now.” He lifts his head, seemingly searching for something, and when his eyes land on the utility room, he scoops me up. I try to protest, but he shuts me up with another mind-numbing kiss as we enter the room.
The world fades around me as I’m faintly aware of being placed on top of something, and the fact we currently have a house full of people is all forgotten a second later as his hands grasp my arse and yank me forward, flush with the hard ridge of his cock. Electricity licks at my skin, and my core aches with need as my hands find purpose gripping Seb’s t-shirt.
This feeling of wanting, needing, him is something I’ve never experienced before, and I don’t have the mental capacity to analyse it now. Instead, I allow my body to lead me as I tear at his clothes, ripping his t-shirt up and off, and then I make quick work of getting his jeans undone and shove them down past his hips, freeing his cock as he’s sans boxers, and my pussy literally weeps at the sight.
Seb wraps an arm around me, lifting me just enough for us to work my leggings and underwear down, pulling one leg free completely and wasting no time impaling me on his cock. The force of his thrust is so hard I can’t help the cry that leaves me as my nails dig into the flesh of his back. He quickly shushes me before swallowing all the little noises that slip from me unrestrained and unbidden with his mouth as he drives into me again and again. Breaking the kiss, I drop my hands to the top behind me, deepening the angle, and Seb’s grip on hips tightens as he continues to slam into me. It’s hard and dirty, and so very wrong with our friends mere feet away, and my body screams out for more. My skin is on fire, heart racing, and as the first licks of an orgasm begin to flicker in my belly, my breaths become pants.
“Oh god. Ah, fuck,” my whispered pleas echo around the room, each one a beat of my heart, a stamp that Seb is leaving on my skin, my soul, and I’m powerless to stop any of it. And in this moment, on the tightrope of pleasure and suspended in bliss, I realise that I don’t want to stop it because Seb is my safe reckless. He is the ying to my yang, the light to my dark, and everything in between, and I let go.
“Oh fuck, ye—” A hand covers my mouth, silencing my cries as I come and white dots appear in my vision from the intensity of it. Seb grunts out his own release alongside me, feeling every throb of his cock as he spills inside me.
Seb removes his hand, replacing it with his mouth, sucking my bottom lip into his mouth as he pulls back. In the dim light of the room, I can see his eyes are like liquid gold and molten caramel entwined together, and I can see my own forest greens reflected back in them.
He kisses me again, whispering against my lips, “I think I might love you. Just a little bit.” And I gasp at hearing him say my words from last night back to me. He opens his mouth to say more when a voice in the kitchen breaks the moment.
“Shit,” he says as he slips out of me, but he leans back in, lips brushing mine as he says, “Don’t freak out on me, Firefly.” His eyes bore into mine, and I give a little nod. He kisses me again, and as his words finally etch themselves into my mind, I deepen the kiss, wanting his addictive taste more than ever. He breaks the kiss on a groan, and I realise he’s almost hard again. “Come on, they are looking for us, and it won’t take them long to find us,” he says as he pulls his jeans up.
I shove my leg back in my underwear and leggings, jumping down and pulling them up before I try to smooth down my hair, but realising it’s a waste of time, I pull the hairband from my wr
ist and shove it up into a messy bun.
Obviously, tying my hair up isn’t going to fool anyone. They’ll take one look at the pair of us and know straightaway, but honestly, I don’t care.
When we are both dressed, I listen at the door for any sign someone is in the kitchen, not hearing anything, Seb places his hands on my hips as I slowly open the door, and when I don’t see anyone, I step out.
I quickly move to the kettle and continue making the drinks I was making before I was kidnapped. Hell, I’m down for more of that because my kidnapper is fucking hot!
Seb moves up behind me, skimming his hands up my sides and whispering dirty words in my ear. Voices in the other room draw my attention as I hear our names mentioned before footsteps come down the hall.
“And where did you two disappear to, huh?” Seb chuckles in my ear at the sarcasm and knowing tone in Jay’s voice behind us.
Turning my head, I say, “What do you mean? We’ve been here the whole time.” I try to keep a straight face and casual voice, and I did quite well, until Seb opened his mouth.
“Jamie thought she saw a snake in the utility room.” Laughter bursts from me in a very unladylike snort, and Seb chuckles into my neck, tickling me and making me laugh even more.
“Oh, really,” Jay deadpans.
“Yeah…but it’s okay, it was a lot smaller than I thought,” I manage to stutter out as Jay joins me in laughter.
“Hey!” Seb exclaims just before a sharp slap lands on my arse, and I let out a yelp. Spinning me round to face him, he says, “I could be offended by that if I hadn’t just had you coming on my dick so hard you saw stars.” His hand rubs over my still smarting arse, and I lick my lips as lust spirals up my spine.
Jay coughs behind us, and I shove Seb away, turning back around to the teas and coffees. Jay grabs a beer from the fridge for him and Seb, and I carry the teas and coffees through to the others.
