Creed 2: Black Widow

by Phoenix Daniels

  “And?” Taylor urged.

  “Oh, and when I got there, she was dead.”

  Taylor’s mouth flew open. Bella could tell that she was stunned, not in the least bit sad, but shocked. Taylor had no sympathy for the woman who had solicited her murder.

  “Damn, Kara’s dead,” Victor mused.

  “Not just dead but decapitated,” Bella clarified.

  In silence, Taylor walked over to the bar and fixed her own drink “So, you were thinking that we had something to do with cutting off a woman’s head?”

  “Naw, but I had to ask.”

  Bella walked over to the sofa and sat. She knocked back the rest of her cognac and pointed her glass in Taylor’s direction, indicating that she wanted a refill. Taylor looked at Bella as if she’d grown a third eye. She grabbed the glass from her hand a stood over her.

  “What’s gotten into you?” Taylor asked since Bella wasn’t known to drink anything stronger than wine.

  Bella blew out a harsh breath and leaned back on the sofa. “It’s this case,” she grumbled. “This fucking case is just getting bigger and bigger. Collier’s dead. Kara’s dead. And, now, I’m chasing some mystery bitch without one clue as to who the hell she is.”

  Taylor turned to sit next to Bella on the sofa, but Bella pushed Taylor by the butt, prohibiting her from sitting. Taylor turned to Bella with a questioning glare.

  “Heffa, fix my drink,” Bella blurted.

  Victor laughed and grabbed the glass from Taylor’s hand. “I got it.”

  Taylor narrowed her eyes, daring Bella to stop her, as she made another attempt to sit.

  “What’s next?” Victor asked.

  “Well, the first thing I gotta do is find this mystery woman. Until I find her, I’m dead in the water. Governor, I need to speak with your wife.”

  “Stop calling her that!” Taylor snapped.

  “Sorry,” Bella muttered. “But I do need to speak with Rosemary. Is she here?”

  “No, she’s hiding out at my brother’s.”

  “Which brother?” Bella asked, reciting a silent prayer that the brother that Victor was referring to wasn’t Lucas.

  “Lucas,” Taylor practically hummed.

  Bella shot Taylor a glare that clearly said, “Shut the fuck up.”

  Victor, ignoring the exchange between the friends, handed Bella her refilled glass. “I’ll give him a call. When do you wanna stop by?”

  “Tomorrow morning around 10. Where does he live?”

  “Not far. He’s on Lake Shore Drive. I’ll let him know that you’re coming by.”

  “Thank you, Governor.”

  “Bella, please call me Victor. We should be past formalities by this point.”

  Bella nodded in agreement and lifted the glass to her lips. Her plan was to knock back the potent brown liquid, but she was starting to feel the effects of the first drink. So, she sipped instead.

  Victor walked over to the sofa and kissed Taylor’s forehead. “I’m gonna leave you ladies to it. I have some work to do.”

  Taylor watched Victor with loving eyes as he left the room. Once they were alone, she turned to Bella and asked, “What is your deal?”

  “What?”

  “Girl, as soon as I mentioned Lucas, you got mad tense. What did that man do to you?”

  Bella grimaced. “He didn’t do anything to me. I don’t even know the man.”

  “Come on, bitch. Stop playing with me.”

  “Ugh! Taylor, please, can we just drink and stop talking about your brother-in-law. I’m not interested in him or any other man right now. I got too much on my plate.”

  Taylor glowered at Bella and let out an irritated huff. “You know what, Bella? I’m tired of this shit!” Taylor exclaimed.

  Bella squinted at her friend, trying desperately to figure out why Taylor’s demeanor had changed all of a sudden.

  “What are you talking about? Tired of what shit?” When Taylor shook her head without responding, Bella pushed. “What shit, Taylor?”

  “After all of these years, you have been the most closed-off friend that I’ve ever had. I have never met a person who barricades their feelings like you do.”

  “Taylor, what are you talking about?” Bella asked even though she knew exactly what Taylor was talking about.

  Undoubtedly, agitated, Taylor rolled her eyes. “Bella, stop!” she snapped.

  Bella inhaled a deep breath and leaned back on the sofa. Taylor was right. She was closed off. There were so many things that Bella didn’t share with her friend. It wasn’t because she didn’t trust her. If she had to admit it, Bella was simply embarrassed. She hadn’t made the best choices in her life.

  “And the fucked up thing is, you expect me to open up to you.”

  “I’m sorry,” Bella apologized. “I know that I haven’t exactly been an open book.”

  “Why? Are we not friends?”

  “Of course, we are, Tay. It’s just—”

  “What? It’s just what?”

  Bella closed her eyes tight and inhaled a deep breath. She ran her fingers through her hair and opened her eyes to look at Taylor. “Dean is gay,” she blurted out before she could change her mind.

  Taylor’s brows wrinkled with confusion.

  “Dean? Your ex-husband, Dean?”

  “Yes.”

  “Wait. What?”

  Taylor was as shocked as Bella expected.

  “Apparently, he wasn’t sure that he was gay until he married me,” Bella snorted.

  Admittedly, Dean being gay had been a major blow to her ego.

  “Oh, Bella, I’m so sorry. I had no idea,” Taylor consoled softly.

  “Nobody knows,” Bella admitted.

  “Damn, Bell. Are you sure? I mean you guys were married for like three years.”

  “Am I sure? Of course, I’m sure. He told me. Apparently, he’d been privately fighting this battle with his sexuality for years. He thought that he could make himself normal,” Bella told her, using air quotes on normal for emphasis.

  Taylor placed her hand over Bella’s. “I am so sorry. That’s fucked up.”

  “Yeah, but, I’m okay with it now. After the way his parents treated him, I can understand why he tried so hard to be straight.”

  “What happened?”

  Bella shook her head in disgust, thinking about Dean’s parents and the way they abandoned their only son. “Girl, they disowned him. His dad told Dean that he was dead to him and they no longer had a son.”

  Taylor sighed. Like Bella, she had come from a loving family. She probably couldn’t imagine a parent that would turn their back on their child. Bella, herself, couldn’t believe how Dean’s parents had mistreated someone as sweet and loving as their only son. Before they found out he was gay, both would often be caught describing him as the perfect son. Once upon a time, she’d loved Dean’s mom and dad, but as of late, Bella couldn’t stand the sight of them.

  “That is sooo messed up. His parents are going to hell. How is Dean taking it?”

  “He’s hurt, of course. But he’s okay. He’s living his truth.”

  “Good. Dean is a sweetheart, and it seemed like you guys were made for each other. I always wondered why you guys divorced.”

  “We do belong together,” Bella sighed. “He’s my best friend, Tay.”

  Taylor smiled and pulled Bella into a hug. Bella, not really used to a lot of physical contact from someone other than her family, waited for the awkward feeling that she got whenever people touched her. When it didn’t come, she wrapped her arms around Taylor and hugged her tight.

  CHAPTER TEN

  LUCAS

  Lucas hurried to the door. When he’d gotten the call from Victor the night before, telling him that the sexy detective was coming to his home, he immediately called his assistant to let her know that he wouldn’t be in the office.

  Lucas had come in contact with plenty of beautiful women over the years, but the thought of seeing Bella Devereaux had made him hop out of bed like
a kid on Christmas morning. For the life of him, Lucas couldn’t understand why he got so excited about the prospect of spending time with her. He checked the hall mirror and fixed his hair.

  “You’re behaving like a fucking teenager,” Lucas muttered out loud to himself. He opened the door and peered out at Bella.

  Damn, she’s hot!

  Even dressed in standard attire, consisting of blue jeans and a T-shirt, she was extraordinary. Her ink-black hair was pulled into a ponytail, and her exquisite skin reminded Lucas of a Caribbean sunset. He was fighting an inner battle to stay focused on Bella’s face because the sight of her nipples stretching the thin fabric of her form-fitting T-shirt made his cock push against his zipper.

  “Good morning, Detective.”

  “Good morning. I need to have a word with your houseguest.”

  Lucas wasn’t convinced by Bella’s dispassionate tone. The fire in her eyes and her body language was betraying her. She could pretend to be uninterested, but Lucas knew the truth. Bella Devereaux wanted him maybe just as bad as he wanted her…maybe even more.

  Lucas grinned and stepped out of her path, allowing her entrance to his apartment.

  “Come on in. Rosemary will be up soon.”

  Bella seemed surprised that Rosemary was still asleep, but Lucas wasn’t. Rosemary had been through a lot. She was physically and emotionally drained.

  “She normally gets up around eleven,” Lucas offered. “Come. Follow me. I’ll pour you some coffee.”

  “No, thank you. I’m fine.” Bella stood close to the door as if she was afraid to step further into Lucas’ domain.

  Lucas chuckled at her reluctance. The woman was definitely stubborn. Lucas placed his hand on the small of her back and nudged her gently in the direction of his kitchen. “Come on, Bella. I’m not gonna bite.”

  Lucas could sense Bella’s hesitation as he led her toward the kitchen. Once inside, he directed her to the island and walked over to the coffee maker. He grabbed a cup from the cupboard and turned to Bella.

  “How do you take it?”

  “Black,” was her simple response.

  For now, maybe.

  Lucas filled her cup with coffee and turned to Bella with a smirk. “You should try a little cream. I bet you’d like it.”

  The corners of Bella’s mouth reluctantly curled into a smile. It was actually the first time that he’d seen her smile. As her face softened, it had an indescribable effect on him.

  Lucas filled his own cup and joined Bella. He handed her the cup of black coffee and sat on a stool across from her. He watched curiously as she sipped, wondering why she was dead set against seeing him socially. He wondered if she truly wasn’t attracted to him or if she only dated black men. Lucas could only hope that she was open to diversity, especially when it came to relationships.

  “Why won’t you have dinner with me?” Lucas was done with wondering.

  Bella blinked up at him, obviously not expecting such a question to be thrown at her. “What?”

  “You heard me, Bella Devereaux. I asked why won’t you have dinner with me.”

  Bella placed her cup on the countertop and pressed her palms flat on the table. “Lucas, I’ve told you already. I’m not interested in going out with you.”

  “Why?”

  Bella recoiled slightly. Maybe she thought that her stating her lack of interest would be the end of their conversation. She was wrong. “Why?” she parroted.

  She was stalling, and it amused Lucas. “Why?” he repeated in a cool tone.

  “I’m just not.”

  “Is it because I’m a white guy?”

  Bella's eyes widened at Lucas’ bold assumption. She stood from the table in feigned offense. But Lucas knew very well that she wasn’t offended. She was nervous. He stood and walked around the island, closing in on her before she could flee the kitchen. He knew that he was invading her personal space, but that was the point. He heard her breath hitch. Her chest was heaving, and he could practically see her heart pounding behind the snug T-shirt. Bella was anything but uninterested. Her erect nipples alone told Lucas so.

  Lucas, no longer restraining himself, did what he’d wanted to do ever since he’d laid eyes on her. He slipped his fingers through the dark tresses of her hair, pressed his fingers to her scalp and guided her head until she was looking him in the eye. He placed his lips within an inch of hers and asked, “Why do you lie? Is it an attempt to deceive me or you?”

  Bella’s lips quivered as if she were attempting to speak, but Lucas wasn’t about to allow her to rebuff his advances. She would erase the progress that he felt he had made. Before she could utter a single word, Lucas pushed his lips to hers. He placed his hand on the small of her back as the other massaged her scalp. Bella parted her lips, allowing him entry. Her lips were soft. And, goddamn, her softness melted against his hardness. Her kiss was sweet indeed but filled with a hint of desperation. Bella Devereaux needed to be fucked like there was no tomorrow. There was a hunger in her that needed to be fed. Her entire body longed to be worshiped. And Lucas was just the man for that job. He would be sure to manage every inch of her inside and out, from head to toe.

  Bella clutched his shoulders and moaned into his mouth, sending radiant vibrations directly to his throbbing cock. Lucas was painfully erect, and all he could think about was being balls-deep in Bella’s heat. He gripped her by the ass and pulled her into his hard-on. She needed to know what she was doing to him. He could feel her heartbeat and he knew that if he could feel hers, she could feel his racing heart too. Lucas was all too ready to toss her on the counter and lick her sweet pussy until she begged for his cock. And he had decided that he was going to do just that, but the sound of the refrigerator opening caused Bella to freeze.

  Fuck!

  Bella ripped her lips from his, and Lucas had never felt such loss. They turned toward the noise.

  Rosemary was standing in front of the fridge holding a pitcher of orange juice, donning a Cheshire cat grin. “Good morning,” she recited in a sugary tone.

  Bella’s entire demeanor changed. She stepped out of Lucas’ hold and rubbed her clothes roughly as if she were trying to wipe him away. Lucas turned back to Rosemary. If his eyes were bullets, she’d be fucking dead.

  “You’re outta here,” Lucas informed.

  “Don’t be silly,” Rosemary chucked. “You know I have nowhere else to go.”

  “I don’t care,” Lucas barked.

  “She’s right. Besides, I need her to stay close. She’s the only witness I have.”

  Lucas growled and left the kitchen. He needed desperately to adjust his cock, which was stretching the fuck out of his slacks. He would have his time with Bella. And the next time, there would be no interruptions.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  TAYLOR

  Taylor sat patiently in the outer office of the commander. She had been medically deemed fit for duty, and it was to be her first day back on the job. She hadn’t so much as stepped foot into a police station since she’d been shot, but she felt as though she was physically and mentally prepared to hit the streets. But, as soon as Taylor did step one foot into the station, she was summoned to the commander’s office. And, there, she’d been waiting for thirty-five minutes.

  Taylor was in the latter stages of boredom as she sat in the hard chair and peeled the nail polish from her nail, when, mercifully, the commander poked his head out of his office and told her that she could enter.

  Taylor hopped out of her seat and entered the commander’s office. She wouldn’t sit unless instructed, so she stood in front of his desk. The commander smiled and held his hand out toward the chair facing his desk, gesturing for her to sit.

  “Please, accept my apology for making you wait so long. I was on the phone with headquarters trying to figure out what to do with you.”

  Taylor was confused. “What to do with me?” she asked.

  “Please, Officer Montgomery, have a seat.”

  Taylor sat and waited for
him to explain. Commander Evans was a newly-promoted commander. So, she’d never met him before. However, she had heard good things about him. He was said to be tough but fair. She’d heard that he was a good cop back in his day and a good supervisor. He’d moved up the ranks pretty fast based on his work ethic alone. And, in his late thirties or maybe early forties, he was pretty young to be such a high-ranking boss.

  “Well, Officer Montgomery, you do realize that we can’t put you back on the street, right?”

  “No, sir. I hadn’t realized that at all. Why not?”

  “Realistically, putting you back on the street would be a disaster.”

  Taylor inhaled a deep breath but said nothing. She would wait for him to explain because she wasn’t about to ask him why again.”

  “You see, Officer, from what I hear, you’re engaged to the governor of Illinois. You’ve already had some run-ins with the press, and the powers that be fear that the media would prohibit you and your fellow officers from doing your jobs without distraction.”

  Taylor was no idiot. She knew that the press would be an issue. She just figured that they’d be done with her whenever the next good story came along.

  “Putting you back on the street would be a public relations nightmare. The press would be all over you. Imagine everything you do and say being caught on camera.”

  Shit, he had a point. Taylor wasn’t exactly the warm and fuzzy police.

  “Okay, so, what did headquarters decide to do with me?”

  “They told me to figure it out,” Commander Evans said with a chuckle. “They really have no clue what to do with you.”

  Wow!

  One would think that she was a leper.

  “So, here’s the thing, Officer. Since I’m newly-appointed, I don’t have a secretary. I’m offering you the job. Whaddaya say?”

  Taylor leaned back in her chair. Although the secretary to the commander was a coveted position for some, Taylor hadn’t joined the police department to be a secretary. But, alas, she ultimately had no other choice. It was either that or working in call back, doing police reports over the phone.