Crash Into Me

by L. A. Fiore

  “Carmine DeLuca.”

  Twenty

  Kade looked out at the city. From his distance above it, it was easy to believe there wasn’t a vein of ugly that ran through it. But the city was like life; you couldn’t have beauty without the ugly. Kade was tired of wading into the muck. The taste he’d gotten in Montenegro of how sweet his life could be, he wanted that every fucking day. He was going to pursue her like he would an acquisition. It would be the biggest, most important deal he’d ever struck, but he wanted a life with Molly in Antigua. They were going to focus on life and leave death and the ugly behind.

  But first, he had to ensure her safety, and there was only one way to do that. They needed to fucking clean house. Needed to remove the threats, Enzi senior and all those who followed in his ways, and they needed to remove Jason Benjamin. His thoughts shifted to Ethan, his hands fisted in his pockets. She’d been so fucking close. It hadn’t been Enzi targeting Kade; it had been Benjamin targeting Molly. He wouldn’t get a fucking second chance.

  His cell rang. It was Molly.

  She sounded frantic when she asked, “Where’s Carmine?”

  “What’s going on?”

  “I just got a heads up from vice that Gregory Enzi senior was murdered last night.” Unease moved through Kade. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Someone is trying to make it look like Carmine did it. He has a temper. I don’t want him doing something stupid before I can stop this before it starts.”

  He knew what she meant, and the hit of emotion rocked him. “You’re going to be his alibi.”

  “I am his alibi.”

  “Molly.”

  “There’s right, and there’s wrong. I don’t give a shit if there’s blowback. He didn’t kill the man because he was with you all fucking night. Yes, I’m his goddamn alibi.”

  She was prepared to hang herself out to dry with her own to protect a known criminal, a killer, and despite her words of it being the right thing to do, she was doing it for him. God, he fucking loved her.

  “I’ll find him. Molly?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Thank you.”

  “He’s your family,” she said. “I’ll call you when I get this shit situated.”

  He found her later, after locating Carmine and practically cuffing him to his desk in his office. To say Carmine was pissed was an understatement. Molly was in her captain’s office, a man dressed in street clothes, the same one he’d seen that night at Braciole, was screaming in her face. She didn’t flinch, didn’t move. Her partner stepped in front of him; her captain put his hand on the irate officer and pushed him against the wall.

  “I can’t believe you’re alibiing that dirt bag,” The man yelled.

  “I am because he didn’t do it.” He watched Molly grow angrier, her cheeks turning pink. They did when he fucked her. This sight was almost as good. “And the fact that you’re throwing out accusations at me.” She got into his face. “My record speaks for itself. You may not approve of whom I choose to spend my time, but that’s my fucking business. And I’m not about to watch a man get railroaded when I know he couldn’t have possibly done what he’s being accused of. Stop being a fucking hothead and let us fucking do our job.”

  Another man stepped into the office and, from the body language, clearly the irate officer’s superior. “Cool the fuck down, Jimmy. Molly alibied Carmine; he’s alibied. It’s homicide’s case. Let them work it.”

  Jimmy shook off the captain, started for the door. He caught sight of Kade and his face darkened. “She’s fucking his best friend. Good alibi, Vin.”

  Kade was across the room, had the man against the wall. “You want to question my ethics and those I associate with, by all means, but you’re crossing the fucking line questioning hers.”

  “Kade,” Molly said. “Please. He’s not worth it.” He heard the pain in her voice.

  Kade released him. Jimmy hid his embarrassment with bluster, when he shouted, “Fucking cuff him. That’s assault.”

  The man who had joined the gathering last stepped out of the office, pushed his hands in his pockets and said, “I didn’t see anything.”

  Molly’s partner leaned against the wall. “Me, either.”

  “See what?” her boss said.

  “This is bullshit,” Jimmy hissed.

  The big guy moved in. “What’s bullshit is you coming down to my floor, calling out one of my detectives, based on nothing more than your fucking temper.” He pressed the guy back against the wall with nothing more than a stare. “I’m a patient man, but I’m losing it quickly. Get the fuck off my floor, and when we solve this case, I expect you to apologize to Molly.”

  Vin grabbed Jimmy and pushed him along. “Sorry, Molly,” Vin said.

  She nodded.

  “A word,” the big man said, then Kade realized he was talking to him.

  The door closed, but Molly and Zac were on the other side of it.

  The man moved behind his desk, but he didn’t sit. “Donald Darling,” he said.

  “Kade Wakefield.”

  “She’s like the daughter I never had,” Donald said. “Love her like one, too.”

  Kade nodded.

  “Don’t know much about you, and from where I’m standing, not my business to. Her stepping in, knowing the blowback from vice, means you mean a lot to her. I don’t know your relationship to Carmine and don’t want to know.” He studied him, for a second, before he added, “Don’t betray the trust she’s clearly put in you.”

  He could get pissed at being dressed down, but considering the man’s motives were about protecting Molly, how could he?

  “Never,” he replied honestly.

  Silence followed before Donald said, “That’s all I need to hear. Nice meeting you, Son,” he said, and offered his hand.

  “Likewise, Sir,” Kade said, then added, “Now there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

  A half an hour later, Molly was on him, as soon as he opened the door. “What was that about?”

  “You done for the day?” he asked.

  She glanced at her watch. “I can’t work the Enzi’s case, so, yeah, I guess I could be done for the day.”

  “Good.”

  She collected her things. He pulled her out of the station and into the car. His mouth on her before the door even closed. He dragged her onto his lap, his hand down her pants. She moaned, moved her hips into his touch, as their tongues warred. He wanted to fuck her, but that would have to wait until later. He brought her to orgasm, broke the kiss to watch her ride it, then brought his fingers to his mouth and licked her taste off.

  Their heavy breathing filled the silence. He pulled his hands through her hair, held her gaze on him. “You did that for me.”

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  “As soon as this case is over, we’re getting married, so plan fucking fast.”

  Her face went soft. “Deal.”

  Kade drove Molly to the hospital to visit Ethan, demanding she not leave until he arrived to pick her up. She and Ethan were going to watch a movie. He put a man on them, just to be safe.

  He drove to the corner, picked up Carmine, who was waiting.

  “Warehouse,” Carmine said, when he climbed in. He glanced over at Kade. “She’s going to be pissed you went behind her back.”

  Kade’s fingers dug into the steering wheel. “Benjamin took a shot at her.” Hard eyes turned to Carmine. “He doesn’t get a second chance.”

  They reached the condemned warehouse, just outside of Brooklyn, parked next to the other car in the shadows and headed inside. Zac and Darling greeted them, as soon as they entered.

  “I can’t believe I agreed to this,” Darling said.

  Carmine was ahead, unlocking the door, flipping on the lights. In the middle of the room was a man bound and gagged.

  “Fuc
king hell,” Zac hissed. “He’s a goddamn senator.”

  “He’s a corrupt goddamn senator,” Carmine clarified.

  Kade crossed the room to Laurence Breen and yanked the gag from his mouth. His enraged stare was on Zac. “You’re a fucking cop.”

  “Yeah, so is he,” Zac said, pointing to Darling. “You were once, too.”

  Kade interrupted them. “You covered up Katrina’s death. And don’t try to deny it because I have a file that will discredit any bullshit you might try to shell out. All we want to know is the identity of Jason Benjamin.”

  Kade saw fear, before the man shut it down. “I don’t know.”

  “The fear in your eyes would suggest otherwise,” Kade said, moving closer to the older man. “This Benjamin took a shot at my woman, got her friend instead. I know you know who I am, and I know you’re smart enough to know Benjamin isn’t the only one you need to fear, so I’m going to ask you again. Who the fuck is Jason Benjamin?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Kade held in his temper, strolled around the man. “You let a young woman’s murder go unsolved for thirty-one years, and worse, you fucking profited from her death, rising up the ranks in the political world and all it cost was your soul. You should be in jail, but they…” he gestured to Zac and Darling, “have agreed to let you go free. You will, of course, resign your position, and I’ll keep my file, as an incentive for you to stay on the straight and narrow. I think we’re being more than fair. Who’s Benjamin?”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him in thirty-one years.”

  “Okay,” Kade stepped back, “Carmine, he’s all yours.”

  Breen’s head snapped to DeLuca.

  “Your reputation seems to have preceded you,” Zac said.

  Carmine cracked his knuckles. “You might want to wait outside for this.”

  “Fuck. Fine, but you have to protect me.”

  It was Darling who answered, walking across the room. His large hands fisted. “Protect you? You should have protected Katrina Dent. Now fucking talk or I’ll forget I’m a goddamn captain and beat you to an inch of your fucking life.”

  Kade watched as Molly dressed. The backless silver dress rested at the small of her back, the shimmering material hugging her hips and falling to brush the floor. Her hair was up, her neck exposed. The only jewelry she wore was his ring. He walked up behind her, ran his hand up her back, around and under the soft material to her breast and pressed a kiss on her neck. Her head fell back on his shoulder, and a moan passed her lips.

  “You look exquisite,” he whispered.

  Her eyes opened, love and desire stared back. It was tempting to pull the gown off and fuck her in only those silver heels, but they’d do that later. He stepped in front of her, her eyes moving to the black leather box he held before lifting to his. “Not as exquisite as your neck, but the best I could do.”

  He opened the Harry Winston box. Ninety carats of sapphires in alternating shapes of emerald-cut and oval-cut were surrounded by sixty carats of brilliant-cut diamonds. He loved watching her, the expressions that moved over her face.

  Her voice was huskier when she whispered, “It’s the most beautiful necklace I’ve ever seen.”

  Lifting it from its resting place, he put the box on the dresser and moved around her, securing it around her neck, before kissing her shoulder.

  Her hand covered it, her eyes moving to the full-length mirror. His arms slipped around her waist. Their gazes met in the mirror. “My life really has become a fairy tale,” she whispered.

  He had some ideas on how to make that fairy tale even better, but first, they needed to hunt a ghost.

  Twenty-One

  Molly

  It felt like we were at the Academy Awards. The necklace from Kade hung heavy around my neck. It was magnificent. Camera flashes went off around us, as we walked up the red-carpeted steps of The Met, where the CyberTech launch was being held. Kade hadn’t let go of my hand, keeping me close to his side. It was where I wanted to be, so I pressed in closer.

  As soon as we entered, a waiter appeared with a tray of champagne. Kade handed me a glass before we mingled with the scientists and capitalists who had made the CyberTech discovery a success.

  Kade saw me to our table, kissed my cheek and said, “I’ll be right back.”

  I looked up at him and smiled. “Okay.”

  Glancing around the room, I felt the tingle because these were the same people from Kade’s party. My eyes moved through the crowd because I’d bet money Jason Benjamin was here.

  It was while I scanned the crowd that I noticed a few from the NYPD, dressed in tuxes, stationed around the room. A sinking sensation settled in my gut. Something was going down. Why the hell didn’t I know about it?

  I turned in my seat, caught sight of Kade. He was talking to Carmine. Unease moved through me because I had a feeling I was the only one not in the loop. Why the fuck wouldn’t they include me? I answered my own question. Kade realized the attempt on him had really been on me. He went behind my back. On one level, I understood and appreciated what he was doing. Even loved him for it, but I was a fucking detective. It was my job and my case.

  I reached for my phone. I was sure Zac was here, and damn it, if they were bringing down Jason, I was going to be in on the fucking bust. I left the table, pulled up his number and was so pissed I didn’t appreciate I wasn’t alone until I felt the barrel of a gun against my back. “Make a scene and I ruin that pretty dress.” He pulled the phone from my hand and dropped it on the floor. He nudged me with the gun and demanded, “Move.”

  My anger grew, being caught off guard, but, as the reality of my situation settled, fear crept in. I didn’t want to go with him; my feet were rooted to the floor. I wanted to make a scene, but feeling that cold steel against my back, and the thought that he could pull the trigger and, just like that, my fairy tale was over, I kept my cool, but that fear I kept buried came bursting out, the idea of never seeing Kade again, that our story ended like this, that he’d be left to pick up the pieces had my eyes burning. I wasn’t going to let that happen. I had something to fight for, to live for. I had to play along, needed to wait for the right moment, and hope like hell, there was one.

  I started to move; my feet felt like lead. I wanted so desperately to look for Kade, to get his attention, but the room was so crowded, and the man pressing the gun into my back wasn’t wasting time. And I realized, in that moment, that this was exactly what Kade had been trying to prevent. He had gone behind my back because he wanted me safe, he wanted the case closed, and he wanted a life with me. And I’d let my temper and ego walk me right into trouble. And I was in trouble because I was unarmed and alone and was sure this man was taking me to Jason Benjamin, bringing me face-to-face with the cold-blooded killer responsible for so much death.

  He took me out a side door and down a hall. There was so much activity, no one noticed us. We moved through the crowd practically unseen. And with each step that took me away from the Kade, the stronger the feeling grew that I wasn’t going to see him again. We stepped outside; he stayed to the shadows, until we reached a car. I couldn’t get in that car with him; it was blind panic now because I knew what awaited me with Jason. History was repeating itself. Like Katrina, I was more valuable to him dead. Even if I got shot, I had to get away. I was just about to make my move when a sharp crack to my skull had everything going black.

  When I came to, I was tied to a chair. I pulled at my wrists, but I was tied tight. My head was killing me, and I was pissed, but I looked around, trying to get my bearings, looking for exits, ways out. Fear rose up to meet anger. The shadows moved, right before a man stepped from them. I didn’t recognize him, but he was unraveling, the gun he held shaking in his hand.

  “It’s all going to hell,” he said, turning to me. “It wasn’t supposed to go down like this. Stir shit up, but fuck.”


  I felt the blood drain from my face. “You’re Terence Baker.”

  He stalked over to me and pressed the gun to my forehead.

  Terror raced through me leaving numbness behind. My breath caught waiting for him to pull the trigger. The only thought in my head was Kade. I closed my eyes, bringing up his face.

  He moved away from me, as he talked to himself, like he hadn’t just put a fucking gun to my head. Anger hit then, as did determination.

  “He killed him,” Terrence said, pacing again. “He fucking killed him.” He turned wild eyes on me. “He was going to kill me, too. Told me if I brought you here, he’d spare me.” I pulled at my restraints again, violently, this time, from both anger and fear. He really was serving me up to a monster. “Don’t you fucking do that,” he said, pointing the gun at me again.

  Wanting to distract him, so I could work on my restraints, I asked, “Who wants me?”

  I heard the shot, the surprised look on Terence’s face, before he dropped dead from the bullet to the head.

  My head whipped around, as I struggled to breathe, staring into the darkness, trying to see who was there. A heartbeat later, Sinclair Rothschild stepped from the shadows. “It’s no way to treat a lady. I do apologize.” Right behind him, holding the smoking gun was his man Joshua.

  I was shocked speechless. It took me a second before I was able to get words to form from my incredulous brain. “You’re Jason Benjamin?”

  “I haven’t been Jason in a long time.”

  I glanced behind him to his man, so not just his right hand, but also, his own personal hit man. And I had thought during that first interview how I’d like a man like Joshua, and now that thought brought a chill.

  I studied Sinclair, who, I could admit, I kind of hero-worshipped, the man who Zac never bought into the hype. To think this man, who had done so much good, was also responsible for so much death. I was in the presence of Katrina Dent’s murderer, Samantha, Frank and Emily’s. Remembering what Terence said, he’d killed Enzi senior, too. How many others were there?