“Or I might leave my leftovers here with you and that way I can visit tomorrow.”
Zoe shot Tony a quizzical look and he gave a sexy grin. They were enjoying the low-key banter and relaxed flirting. She then handed him a paper plate and a roll of paper towels. “Beer, soft drink, or water?”
“Beer, whatever you have as long as it’s cold.”
Zoe returned from the kitchen and handed him a bottle, sitting beside him on the sofa and began tearing into the pizza closest to her.
Zoe surprised him. She was relaxed and giggled as she attacked the pizza with gusto. He had expected to be served a slice on a china plate with a knife and fork.
Two pies had been demolished and Zoe seemed to have had her fill. Tony finished his last piece and prepared to discuss his findings and recommendations.
“So I checked out the two doors and ten windows. They have the most basic locks. Standard issue, any burglar with beginner’s skills could open one in about fifteen seconds.”
Zoe nodded solemnly. The relaxed and giddy woman was gone and had been replaced by her serious twin.
“So I suggest that you upgrade the locks on the windows and we can put a jam device on your patio door. On the front door we will add three dead bolts and I would like to install a heavier door. I could kick in that door with one good shot.”
“Why three deadbolts?”
“We are going old school.” Tony briefly sketched a door, placing a dead bolt about a quarter of the way down from the top, then below the existing lock and then another, a quarter of the way from the floor. “Looks like overkill, I know that, but I can guarantee nobody can shove or kick through this design.”
“Then do it.”
“With the hardware upgrades you are talking in the neighborhood of this amount,” Tony leaned closer to show the math on his clipboard.
Zoe didn’t move away from Tony. “That seems reasonable. What about the cost of installation. I don’t see that figure?”
“The installation can be paid for in pizza or home cooking.”
“I didn’t know that I was getting such personalized service. We will see what I can come up with, but let me warn you, I am not much of a cook. So, how soon can you start?”
“Tomorrow, but I also want to talk about an alarm system. Give me a day or two. I know a guy who can come out to firm up my numbers.”
“I’ll get my checkbook.”
“Hold off on the check. I will be able to give you the bill tomorrow and then we can settle up.”
Nodding Zoe said, “If you have the time, I was hoping you would give me some safety pointers for when I’m driving and walking to the door from my SUV. I really feel exposed in the parking area.” The worried look returned. “Oh God, I sound so helpless. I just hate this.”
Thirty minutes later, Zoe appeared more confident. Tony had demonstrated a few simple self-defense techniques. He went over what to look for in parking lots and when walking alone.
Tony mentioned as an afterthought, “I can pick up a can of pepper spray for you. Be warned, you can spray yourself and not the target.”
“I’ve heard that. I don’t think that’s for me. I mean what good is it if I am disabled and can’t see?”
“I’m glad that you are going to install these upgrades, you have a lot of nice stuff in here and I’d hate for you to get robbed.”
“A lot of it is new. I didn’t want things from my old house. I thought new town, new life, and new stuff.” She smiled ruefully. I wanted comfort, a sofa I could lie on and my old things were too formal and uncomfortable.
“I’m living on hand-me-downs from my family right now.” Tony smiled also.
“Well I came away with some furniture in my settlement but it was tainted and really not my style so I gave most of it away. My friend, Anna, and I celebrated when my divorce was final and I burned all of the photos and souvenirs from the marriage in the fire pit.”
“You’re shitting me.” Tony laughed.
“Nope. Anna and her husband had taken me out for a very nice dinner and I came up with the idea over dessert.” She blushed.
“Was there alcohol involved?”
“Copious amounts. My neighbor came over to supervise, he was a firefighter so you see, I was acting responsibly.” She giggled.
“I don’t think that I ever want to make you mad.”
“No, really I’m not like that. I just had had enough.”
“Hey, it sounds like you were done with that life so I get it. A clean break. I will remember to be careful if you are holding a lighter or matches.”
“I think it was a onetime thing.”
“But it sparked something inside of you.”
“Oh God, now we are doing bad puns. Tony you are on fire.”
“Bet you were fired up with the idea.”
They both laughed.
When the laughter calmed, Tony finally asked the question that had been bugging him all afternoon. “Zoe can you think of anyone that would want to hurt you?”
“No. I have wracked my brain trying to come up with anyone. I settled everything with the divorce before I left Denver so I am at a loss.”
She had shared a few vague stories about her life, not giving away specific information. Tony reasoned that in this day and age, it was a smart strategy, until she knew him better. Everybody has a past, perhaps he could catch something she had overlooked. It was clear that this was not the time to press the issue. He would save that for another day.
She started clearing the pizza boxes. He followed her to the small kitchen with the plates and empties. She put the pizza box on the counter and turned right into his chest.
He caged her between his arms. He stared into her blue eyes for a beat before he moved quickly to capture her lips in a hungry kiss. He lifted one hand to cradle her head and deepen the angle of the kiss. Her lips opened instantly as his impatient tongue demanded entrance. Zoe’s arms looped around his neck pulling him closer.
His body tightened with hunger. Zoe was pressed against him. Her tongue was twisting with his, exploring, stroking. He lifted her onto the counter with her legs spread wide, giving him better access to her neck and her body. He kissed her throat, licking and giving her neck light nips. As he followed the sensitive tendon from behind her ear to her collar bone, a low moan escaped her lips. His hands rose to Zoe’s breasts and he began stroking and kneading their fullness. Pulling the neckline of her t-shirt lower, he continued kissing the flesh above the cup of the bra. Zoe pulled her shirt above her breasts and arched her back giving him more access. A low murmur of, “Oh God, yes,” escaped. He tore the shirt over her head and dropped it beside her. She held his head to her breasts. He nipped at a hard nipple through the lace, then sucked it deeply. He then pulled the lace cup down and freed her right breast. As his hot lips met the sensitive bud, he felt her breath catch. He continued rolling her nipple with his tongue as she shifted her hand to his shoulders and held on.
Zoe was making low moaning noises in her throat.
He wanted to strip her body of the constricting lace bra. At this moment, he would do anything to taste more of her.
Tony felt a vibration at his side and then the tell-tale hum of his cell. “Shit,” Tony whispered as he rested his forehead briefly against Zoe’s. He pulled the phone from the holder on his belt. “It’s my brother, I have to take this.” Stepping away from her soft body, he lifted the phone to his ear. “Yeah?” He walked back into the living room, listening to the caller.
Tony disconnected the call and walked back to the kitchen to find Zoe in the middle of finishing the clean-up. She had straightened her bra and put her shirt on. “Geno’s timing sucks. I was enjoying myself.” He added, “I need to go, I’m doing a job for my brother tonight.”
“Oh sure, of course.” Zoe followed Tony to the front door, there was a dazed look on her face. He hoped that was a reaction to his kisses and talented hands on her body.
Tony pulled from his front pocket several bus
iness cards and handed them to Zoe. “This is my brother’s info. I wrote my cell on the back so you have no excuse, not to call. If I don’t answer, call Geno.” It wasn’t a suggestion, it was an order.
“I will, I promise. I’ll put one by all of the phones. “
Tony swooped in to kiss her lips again. He held her tightly and said, “I plan on continuing this soon, make no mistake. Now lock up after me. If anything causes a blip on your radar I expect a call. Do you hear me?”
Chapter Five
Waking from a good night’s sleep, Zoe’s work called to ask her to come in early to cover the front counter in the adult section. While in the shower she did a review of her day and quickly organized her schedule. Surely it was too early to call Tony with the update, but she could text him. Yeah, that felt right.
She quickly sent the text: Called into work unexpectedly will be free after 3. Hope this doesn’t screw up your plans. I’ll call during my break. Hitting “Send” she sighed, admitting that she was a little lost on what to think about last night. It’s flattering that he finds me sexy, except a purely sexual relationship isn’t right for me. I don’t know if I am ready for more. Why does this stuff have to be so confusing?
She had just turned on the water at her kitchen sink to rinse her cup and plate, when her front door exploded with the screech of metal hinges being wrenched from the wall. She let out a yelp of surprise as two men burst through open space where the front door had been. She was frozen in place, her heart pounding so hard that it felt like it was going to explode. She snapped out of the shock and reached for the wall phone, hitting the red emergency button before the intruders saw her.
Immediately the dispatcher answered, “9-1-1, what is your emergency?” Backing away from the kitchen she tried to shrink in to the doorway outcropping, Zoe stammered, “Help.” She couldn’t grasp what was unfolding in her home.
A meaty hand grabbed her arm and twisted Zoe to face the stranger. She struggled against his strong grip and swung the receiver, hoping to hit the man in the face. She connected with his jaw with so much force that he dropped her arm. Zoe commanded her body to run to other end of the kitchen to escape. She took a few steps, but was whisked off her feet by a solid arm around her waist. The air was pushed from her lungs. The moment her feet touched the floor, she twisted to face her attacker, she raked at his face with her short nails. When she connected, he threw her backward against the counter. Losing her footing from the force of the impact, Zoe hit her head on the upper cabinet and again on the counter’s edge. Unconscious, she slid to the floor with her blood pooling on the tile floor.
****
Tony stretched and cursed at his muscles’ stiffness. He managed to catch three hours sleep and woke to several missed texts and calls. I must have been exhausted to have slept through all of the rings and beeps from the phone. After leaving Zoe’s last night, he covered a stakeout for his brother. He was hoping to get photos of a local businessman’s less than savory meetings with a known drug dealer. Checking the texts first, he saw that Zoe had changed her schedule. Tony replayed their kisses many times during his stakeout. Checking the call log he saw a call from a number he didn’t recognize and another from Geno. He decided to jump in the shower before returning Geno’s call. Hopefully it help get rid of the lingering grogginess. He had sent a detailed e-mail surmising his surveillance shift before going to sleep so Geno’s questions could wait a few minutes.
Feeling refreshed after his shower, Tony grabbed his phone and listened to his messages. The third call was from the Columbus Police Department asking him to call the given number as soon as possible regarding an incident. That was puzzling. Tony stored the number in his memo pad and waited for the fourth call from Geno.
“Damn it, Tony, call me as soon as you get this message. The C.P.D. responded to a break-in at an apartment in the Willows complex this morning and my buddy Steve saw my card on the vic’s counter and gave me a call. Do you know a Zoe Crawford? She was injured during a home invasion and was taken to the hospital. Who is this woman? I’m on my way to the hospital now. CALL ME!”
Tony hit the end button and felt rage surge through his body. He should have stayed with Zoe last night and passed on the surveillance job. She would have fought him, but he could have camped in the parking lot. Now she was hurt and alone in the hospital. Pulling on his jeans from the night before, he found a clean shirt, grabbed his wallet, keys and dialed Geno as he headed out to his truck.
The drive to Columbus Community Hospital was short. The traffic lights seemed to be synchronized with his fast pace. Luckily, Geno had many contacts within the police department and an old friend was first on the scene of the break-in. He was feeding Geno information and updates.
Tony put the phone on speaker as Geno related the most recent update. “The apartment door had been compromised. Dispatch received a call at 0817 and no clear words were heard. When the number could not be reached on a call-back, a cruiser was dispatched for a welfare check. A female was found unconscious with a head injury.” Tony’s anger spiked as he gripped the wheel so hard that his knuckles pushed hard against his skin. He parked in the first open space in the hospital lot, then jogged to the E.R. desk, ignoring the twinge of pain shooting through his leg. He knew the drill. He would claim to be Zoe’s boyfriend and her only family locally. Recognizing the woman sitting at the desk as the mother of a high school buddy, he quickly convinced Mrs. Moore to check on Zoe’s status.
Geno approached. “Christ, you look like shit. What the fuck is happening, Tony?”
Running a hand through his hair, Tony realized he probably did look worse for wear. His hair was loose and he had not shaved in a two days, definitely the thug look. It didn’t matter, he wanted to see Zoe and was impatiently waiting for the clerk’s return with an update.
Just as he was ready to walk through the “Authorized Personnel Only” doors, permission or not, Mrs. Moore returned with a satisfied look on her face. “Your girlfriend is stable and because I know you, I got permission for you to go back.”
Thanking Mrs. Moore, Tony headed through the doors. The rooms circled the nurses’ station. Tony headed to his left. Immediately he was cut off by a short blonde in scrubs. “I suppose you want to see the woman that was brought in with a head injury?”
Tony nodded. “Yes. Her name is Zoe Crawford.”
“Hope you weren’t the one who beat her up.” She stared at Tony, taking his measure and judging. “No, you may look dangerous, but I bet you are more of a lover.” Laughing at her own bad joke, she turned abruptly. “Follow me,” she barked as she led Tony to room four.
Walking into the small room, he couldn’t get enough air into his lungs and dizziness overtook his body for a few moments. He gripped the wall until his world righted. Zoe was hooked up to a heart monitor and some other machines. She was so pale and there were smudges of blood on her neck and exposed shoulder. He pulled the cushioned wooden chair to her bedside and dug her hand from under the blanket, grasping it in both of his. It seemed so small and cold.
He struggled for a moment, his voice sounding hoarse to his ears when he spoke to her. “Hey Zoe, its Tony. I’m here and you’re going to be fine. Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Finally, Zoe started to stir. First her hand flexed in his and soon she was shaking her head slowly as if she recognized his voice.
“Hey, honey. You’re in the hospital and you are safe. Just calm down, it’s gonna be okay.”
She blinked her eyes a few times and gave a puzzled look. “Tony?”
“Yeah, I’m here so you’re not alone. I’m watching over you.”
“Hurts.”
“I’ll call the nurse, just stay still.”
Zoe closed her eyes and appeared to fall back asleep.
Tony hit the call button and the blonde nurse appeared immediately. “Zoe woke up for a minute.” The nurse began checking the screens on the monitors. Zoe said that ‘she hurts’.” He watched the
nurse intently.
“I’m going to need more room, can you move back a little?” the blonde asked.
“Ah, sure.” He didn’t want to leave Zoe’s side. His brain knew that the staff needed to do their checks but his instincts were screaming for him to stay by her side. “Hey babe, it’s going to be fine.” He stood slowly and moved the chair to the side wall.
The nurse began to gently stroke Zoe’s hand. “Ms. Crawford, can you hear me? Open your eyes. Zoe, open your eyes. You are in Columbus Community Hospital. You have been injured. Can you open your eyes?”
Zoe made a soft moaning sound and her eyes fluttered open.
“Good job, Ms. Crawford. Can you tell me your first name?”
“Zoe,” came out in whisper.
“Hi Zoe, I’m Carrie and you are in the hospital. I’m going to ask you some questions now. I need you to answer, Okay?”
Zoe’s turned her head to scan the room and flinched. “All right.”
“What year is it?”
“Two thousand-twelve.” After a brief pause, she then shut her eyes. “Head hurts. Hurts more with eyes open.” There was a plaintive note in her voice that broke Tony’s heart.
“You are doing fine. The doctor will be in to see you soon and then we will find you a room.”
“A room? No, I want to go home.”
Tony returned to her bedside so he could tweak her foot which was moving back and forth under the blanket. “Baby, we’ll go home when you feel better. They need to watch you to make sure that everything is okay.”
Zoe opened her eyes, and then turned her head to look at Tony. “I don’t know why this is happening.” She swallowed a few times and Carrie handed her the glass of water from her bedside tray. “I’m scared.”
“I’m here and I won’t let anything happen to you.”
The nurse turned her attention to Tony. “The police are waiting to see you, but I told them to stay outside in the waiting room. I figure that will hold them off until the doctor examines her.”
A Change for the Good Page 4
