Savage Seduction

by J. Woods

  “What?” Zoe asked surprised.

  “Yeah, I made an appearance. And now it’s time to disappear. I’ll call you tomorrow.” She leaned in kissing Zoe’s cheek. “You’ll make sure she gets home okay,” Zoe warned Ace.

  “Wouldn’t dream of anything else,” he smirked.

  “Check in tomorrow,” Logan informed him. He snaked an arm around Rachel’s waist, ensuring she was snuggled to his side as they disappeared into the crowd on their way out. Zoe had to admit, she was a little jealous. She would much rather be with Logan, preferably naked, in her bed, although plastered against him as he moved her around the dance floor wasn’t a shabby second. She allowed her fingers to play with the edge of his short hair, as he leaned down to press his lips to the side of her head. He pulled back and the heat from his eyes went straight to her core. “Kiss me,” she breathed. Just as he was about to do just that, someone cleared their throat beside them causing Zoe to flinch. She was so into the moment, into him, that she forgot where they were. “May I cut in?”

  “Alex? I didn’t know you were going to be here tonight.” Logan pulled her impossibly and protectively closer into him, a movement that hadn’t gone unnoticed.

  “Well it’s the hottest ticket in the city and since I’m going to be opening soon I figured I better make an appearance.” Zoe nodded her understanding. He held out his hand, “I ask again, may I cut in?”

  “Oh, um, sure I guess.” She gave Logan’s hand a quick squeeze as she made it so it looked as if she was kissing his cheek. “I won’t leave the dance floor.”

  “Damn right.” She smiled against the softness of his skin before pressing her lips to it. Alex tugged on her hand and into his arms before she could take her next breath, guiding her away from her heated moment and the man who was the center of it.

  Chapter Twelve

  Logan felt his fists ball at his sides; his jaw was going to ache tomorrow as he clenched his teeth so hard he was surprised one of them wasn’t breaking. He didn’t like seeing her dance with another man but he hated seeing her dance with Alex. He remembered what he had overheard her saying to Rachel, that she would be going out for drinks with him and it made him want to throw his fist in the other guys face. She should want him damn it because, lord, how he wanted her. When she had walked out in that purple dress today, he actually felt his heart stutter at the sight of her. She was the most beautifully sensual thing he had ever laid eyes on. And he wanted to claim her as his right then and there. He hated to admit to himself that he missed her this afternoon. The background check he had his brother do on the very guy Zoe was dancing with came up clean, including disappearing off the grid for a few years in the last decade which peaked Logan’s interest. But no matter where he or his brothers looked, no one had any dirt on an Alex Sullivan. He had a freshly thriving corporate business in Toronto with a five bedroom home right in the city, was completely unattached and a known playboy on the other side of the country. They got the same results with the guy they ran into the other night, clean, although nowhere near the success of Sullivan. And just when Logan was getting to the end of his rope with dead end leads on Zoe’s suspect¸ he called the Detective only to find he was on his way to the lab and still waiting on the partial print he’d found. Stepping over to the bar while keeping his eyes on his lady in purple, he ordered himself a glass of water downing it in one swig. He could feel himself losing the grip on his control, he either needed violence or he needed Zoe back in his arms. He had never felt so helpless when it came to a case - he almost always knew what was happening or going to happen, and now, he found himself in a sea of black unknowingness. They had no idea to what extent Zoe’s stalker would go and the fact that he was getting around not only the police protection, but Logan’s, was enough to push him over the edge. When her warmth surrounded him, she had the ability to keep his nightmares at bay, to center his control as her light shone into his darkness. He was still cursing himself for that slip when he was loving her last night; damn it but he couldn’t have stopped his admission if he tried. He smiled at the woman walking toward him, her appreciative glances should have been welcoming but he felt none of it. “Hey, handsome.”

  “Hello.”

  “Looking pretty lonely over here. Want to dance?”

  “I appreciate the offer, but my dance card is full for the night.”

  “Well whoever she is, she’s one lucky lady,” she smiled taking one last elevator inventory of him. “If you change your mind, my name is Marlene.” He took her outstretched hand giving it a gently squeeze.

  “Thank you Marlene.” He sent her off with one of his winning smiles looking back to where the only woman he wanted to dance with was dancing with someone else. His panic levels suddenly increased when he lost sight of her. Scanning the room as he moved around the perimeter of the dance floor he finally sought out the shimmer of purple being manipulatively guided toward the double doors leading to the outdoor patio. Steaming across the room he caught up to them quickly; snaking his arm around Zoe’s waist she turned to him, her reaction first of surprise before a beaming smile spread across her lips. He went in for the kiss that he had been dying to steal since she walked out of her bedroom. Keeping the PDA tame, just for added benefit to Alex he smiled down at her, “Hey baby.” She let loose the small chuckle knowing exactly what he was doing.

  “Sorry Alex, I’m going to have to steal my date back.” The other man’s eyes darkened with a rage Logan was familiar with. “Thank you for the dance Alex,” Zoe smiled. He hated the pang of jealousy he felt; he didn’t think he was capable of the emotions she evoked from him. He took a deep breath pushing down his feelings, exactly where they should be, hidden beneath anything he could pile on top of them. Unable to stop it, he pulled her away from a fuming Alex Sullivan and onto the dance floor and into his arms. Instead of taking her hand she wrapped both arms around his neck, threading her fingers through his hair and pulling his lips down to hers. His arms tightened around her waist and he felt her grin against his mouth at the feel of his growing arousal. “You started it,” she murmured.

  “Well you better stop it or I’m going to put on a show in front of all your friends.”

  “I’m thinking it’s probably worth it,” she teased.

  “God, you’re trouble.” He laughed. She made him feel so light. His smiles and laugh came freely around her and he didn’t know how he was going to let her go when she didn’t need him anymore. He inhaled the scent of her hair as she laid her head on his shoulder.

  He didn’t know how long they had remained like that, all he knew was that one song blended into the next and then the next until she lifted her head and he stared into her smiling eyes. “What is your middle name?”

  “What an odd question,” he mused. “James. Why?”

  “What? Why did you sign the flowers L.A.S. then? Thank you for them by the way.”

  “I didn’t send you flowers,” he narrowed his eyes at her.

  “You didn’t?” He watched as her face lost some of its colour.

  “When did you get flowers Zoe?”

  “Maybe an hour or two after you left. The card said ‘Can’t wait to hold you in my arms tonight. L.A.S. I thought they were from you,” she gasped.

  “We have to go,” he growled pulling her from the dance floor and toward the exit. He felt her fingers fist the material at the back of his suit jacket causing him to pull her impossibly closer into his side. His thumb rubbed up and down on her hip in an attempt to calm her frantic nerves. It was the first time she was showing any outward reaction to her fear and all he wanted to do was tell her it was going to be alright. But he knew as a professional, he couldn’t do that. He wouldn’t do that to her. She had been nothing but honest with him and he would give her no less. Hell! He wanted to throw his fist into a wall; he knew they were zoning in on a suspect but he was tired of waiting. He hated that this was happening to her. If he could, he would lock her away somewhere safe until they caught this creep but that wasn�
�t possible. They needed her visible to draw him out and as much as he hated the idea of it, he knew it was necessary.

  Their limo was waiting patiently within the long line of black cars; ushering her quickly into the safety of the car. Issuing the driver to take the most direct route to Zoe’s house he climbed in beside her, taking her hand in his. He quickly pushed aside the pang of guilt he felt at not sending her flowers. He knew she was upset this morning and although she said she was fine he knew he’d fucked up by not talking to her when she’d asked about his scar. He wasn’t ready, he was in a completely foreign space when it came to Zoe Alcott and he hadn’t the first clue how to handle her or the wants and desires she created within him that he thought were long dead. He should have sent her flowers, but roses? She was not a roses kind of woman, he knew that. She should know by now he could read her, but, he asked himself, how could she know when he wasn’t willing to talk anything but surface with her?

  “Come here,” he commanded pulling her into his side.

  “I’m alright,” she admitted. She had a core of strength that he had to admire. “I’m just trying to figure out who sent me the flowers. I mean it wasn’t a threatening note, but they signed their initials, almost the same initials as you,” she mused.

  “We’ll figure it out,” he started. “I just want you safe. And I need to figure out who sent it to you. Do you still have the card?”

  “Yes, I think I put it in my purse which is at my apartment.”

  “Okay good.” Just as they were pulling up out front her building Logan’s phone vibrated in his pocket. “Savage,” he answered.

  “Logan, we have a match on the print.” Logan knew Zoe could hear the detective on the other end no matter how low he turned down the volume so he didn’t bother, instead putting the call on speakerphone. “And, what are the results.”

  “The print comes back to a Leslie Alexander Sullivan.” Zoe’s gasp was lost among Logan’s blinding rage. That fucker had his hands on Zoe tonight and if he hadn’t intercepted them Alex would have taken her outside and who the hell knows where. “Do you know him Zoe?” Ashbrook asked obviously hearing her shock.

  “Yes,” she squeaked out. Instinctively he pulled her closer feeling the shivers run through her body. “He was at the ball we just left from.”

  “Really? We have a BOLO out for his car and I have officers scouring every nook and cranny of this goddamn city. His listed apartment is vacant. I have no idea where he was staying.”

  “He met with me about marketing for his business,” Zoe chimed in.

  “There is nothing solid about a business location here, I can confirm he has been looking at real estate but nothing locked down. Logan stick to her like glue and watch your six. Suspect may be armed and dangerous. I’ll check in when I have news.” Logan immediately hung up and pressed number three on his speed dial.

  “Hey princess, what’s up?”

  “I need your cover, suspect confirmed, Leslie Alex Sullivan.”

  “Son of a bitch! Where are you?”

  “Sitting outside Zoe’s place in a black limousine.”

  “On my way.”

  Logan put his phone back in his pocket and turned to Zoe who was staring out the window. “Zoe?” She turned to face him; he could see the sparks of panic in her eyes as she tried to cover them with a well versed mask of indifference. “Are you alright?” She nodded her head attempting a small smile. He raised an eyebrow at her, “Cut the BS, Alcott,” he demanded.

  “What do you want me to do Logan? Me curling up into a ball crying and scared isn’t going to help anyone. I’m listening to you, I get it, you’re the professional, you’re the boss. So tell me what to do.” He didn’t know if it was that moment or a thousand before but the three little words were on the tip of his tongue as he stared at the woman who held his heart and didn’t even know it. She was unlike anyone he had ever met before. She was by far one of the strongest and he’d fought alongside some of the country’s finest. Instead of making a fool of himself he grabbed her face with both hands and ravaged her lips under his. God she was sweet, the taste of her was so heady he wouldn’t ever need another drink in his life if he came home to that every day. She tasted like champagne and sensuality and Zoe. His tongue licked the seam of her mouth asking for entrance and on a sigh of pleasure she opened for him. Plunging into the warm, wet depths his fingers tangled into her long, soft as silk strands. He growled when she tried to take control of the kiss and their fight for dominance spurned his desire for her; hot sparks of fiery hunger shot through him straight to his incredibly tight pants. Just as she was about to make his night by straddling him she abruptly stopped with a yelp when a hard knock came across the window. Knowing who it was, he and his brothers had a code, three knocks, then two fast followed by one, he pulled back slightly, her heavy breathing caressing his mouth, “Just keep doing exactly what you have been doing.”

  “I can do that,” she whispered with a smile. Staring at her lips he had to steal one more before entering back into reality. Her thumb came up, wiping away the traces of her lipstick; at that point he didn’t care, he was about to tell his brother to fuck off and the driver to take a cruise around the block. He wanted her so badly and the thought of her spread out for him in the back of the limo had him almost exploding behind his zipper. He adjusted himself in an attempt to hide his arousal that refused to settle down anytime Zoe was around before opening the door. He stepped out into the night blocking her from getting out as he and his brother took inventory of the shadows and roofs. He turned to her extending his hand.

  “Max is here, we’re going to walk you into the apartment together. You don’t move from where I tell you, understand?” She nodded her head in understanding. “Good girl. Come on.”

  She placed her small fingers against his climbing out of the car. “Hi, Max.”

  “Hey, Zoe. Lookin’ good babe.”

  They both turned at the warning sound that came from Logan. Zoe smiled as did Max at his reaction. “Let’s go,” he demanded in a hard voice. Even as he turned around he saw only amusement in Zoe’s eyes, no reprimand or anger. He knew it was completely unreasonable for him to be so possessive over her, his brother was just complimenting her in his own way but it still irked him that his brother and Zoe’s relationship, no matter how new it was, was so easy going. He and Max could be polar opposites at times and it made him wonder if Max was more her type than he. He hated the doubts in his head and right now he had to concentrate on keeping her safe. Even if that meant he had to be a dick. She’d get over it. “Zoe, stay between Max and I, do not move from that space. When I step, you step, got it?”

  “Got it,” she repeated softly. He turned to look at her and she sent him a quick wink. “Lead the way, Captain.” She followed orders just as he knew she would, stepping when he stepped, stopping when he held up his free hand, his other holding his gun. Walking down the hall to her apartment Logan was about to insert the key when he noticed the wood on the frame had been scratched. Running his finger over the new scar, he held up his hand. “What is it?” Max asked in a low voice.

  “I think there’s been a breach.”

  “What?” Zoe squeaked.

  “Zoe, I need you to hang onto my belt and don’t let go unless I say so. Max make sure you’re as close as possible.” Without backup he had to take Zoe in with them, something that churned his gut. He didn’t know what they were going to find but he had a feeling it wasn’t going to be good. “Ready?” he asked his brother.

  “Ready,” he confirmed.

  Pushing open the door, the living room looked like it had been untouched, just the way they left it only a few hours ago. Keeping to the perimeter of the room, Logan could feel Zoe’s trembling fingers gripping the leather of his belt tightly. His eyes didn’t stop moving as he scanned every inch of her apartment, opening doors as he went along. With silent steps down the hall, the only room left was Zoe’s bedroom. “Did you close the door?” he asked her knowing she
had generally left it open while he’d been there. She shook her head no. Taking a silent breath he held up his fingers for his brother to see, counting down from three before he kicked in the barrier. Logan could feel the whoosh of her breath against his back as she took in her bedroom. Hundreds of red roses had been murdered and spread across the entire space. Cut up and slashed every which way, the pungent flowers covered every inch of every surface. “Roses,” she gasped, her hand flying to her chest. Logan walked over to her pillow where a note was pinned with one of her kitchen knives; I told you - you belong to me! Confident Sullivan wasn’t in the apartment, it took all he had in him not to crumple up the damning evidence he held in his hand. “Logan?” He turned toward the soft voice frozen in the doorway. Quickly dropping the piece of paper onto the mattress he moved to stand in front of her. He could see her visibly shaking and he couldn’t blame her, he’d never seen anything like it before and the anger that vibrated off each cut up flower was palpable. His thumb swiped away the one tear she let fall before she pulled herself together. He pulled her into his arms and even feeling his brother’s questioning eyes on him he bent down, pressing his lips to the top of her head.

  “Call Ashbrook,” Logan told his brother refusing to let Zoe go.

  “Already on it.”

  “Come on, I’m going to get you out of here.”

  “Where are we going?” He leaned down to whisper in her ear; without their equipment they hadn’t been able to check if the apartment had been bugged. “My place, okay?”

  “Okay,” she agreed.

  “I’ll keep you safe, Zoe.”

  “I know.” Unable to resist kissing her forehead he wrapped his arm around her, guiding her out into the hall not wanting her anywhere near the crime scene of her bedroom. Max looked up at the sound of them coming as he placed his phone back in his pocket. “Ashbrook is downstairs - I’ll talk to him, get her out of here.”