Grounds for Seduction (Seattle Steam)

by Shelli Stevens

  Rolling onto her side, Madison watched him pace across the room. His expression became unreadable as he spoke to someone on his cell phone. He hadn’t put on any clothes, which she didn’t mind because it gave her the chance to admire his exquisite body. He was all sinewy muscle and strength. He seemed perfect. Her protector and lover.

  He turned just then. His expression softened as he looked at her and mouthed, “Good morning,” while still listening to the caller.

  She mouthed a greeting back, and her smile widened.

  She got up out of their makeshift bed and went to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. When she came back out, Gabe had his travel bag out and had begun packing up his things. She took in the scene and glanced back at him.

  “What’s going on?”

  “We’re going back to Seattle. Go ahead and pack up your stuff when you get the chance.”

  “Going back? But why—”

  Her question was cut off as he hauled her into his arms and dropped a long, deep kiss on her mouth. When he raised his head, she’d almost forgotten what she’d just asked.

  “They’ve got him, Maddie.”

  She blinked and shook her head.

  “They just brought the Espresso Bandit into custody.”

  Her breath caught in her throat. “Are…are you sure?”

  “Yes.” He went back to packing. “And they want you to identify him in a lineup at four. So we need to haul ass.”

  Her knees weakened and she sat on the couch. She should be elated—and she was. But the elation collided with the knowledge that the intimacy of the past days would end.

  “Maddie?” Gabe’s expression had turned to one of concern.

  “No, I’m fine.” She shook her head. “It’s just strange. I almost didn’t think they were going to get him. It’s weird knowing I don’t have to be afraid anymore.”

  “Of course they got him.” He sat beside her. “And everything can go back to normal now.”

  Her eyes widened at his words, and he laughed, realizing his mistake.

  “Okay, not everything.”

  “I was going to say…”

  “Maddie, I’m not going anywhere.” He squeezed her hand.

  She tightened her fingers around his and nodded. “Thank you. Let me just throw my things together and we can head out.”

  …

  On the drive home, Madison thought about what would happen next. Of course, she’d reopen Ooo La Latté and hope that business would be good. Then there was the move back into her apartment to be made. No more waking up next to Gabe. The thought sent an empty feeling through her and built on the unease already present.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She wasn’t surprised he’d picked up on her fluctuating mood.

  “I’m not sure. Something just feels off,” she admitted.

  “Are you worried about identifying him?”

  “I don’t know.” She shrugged and glanced out the window. “The whole thing feels surreal.”

  “Understandable. I’ll be with you the whole time, mi vida. You don’t have to worry about a thing.” He went quiet for a moment. “We’re running a little early. Do you want to grab some lunch?”

  “Think we could swing by my apartment? I’m all out of clean clothes, and I wouldn’t mind grabbing a shower.”

  “Sure we can. I’ll fix you something to eat while you’re getting ready.” He gave her a knowing smile. “You do have some type of food in those cupboards, right?”

  “Give me some credit. I’ve got crackers and Top Ramen.” Her nose crinkled. “But…I’m not sure how old they are. Does Top Ramen expire?”

  He laughed. “I’ll figure out something.”

  They pulled up at her apartment building a short while later. Gabe carried her suitcase as he followed her into the lobby.

  “Want to take the stairs instead of the elevator?” Madison asked him. When he gave her an incredulous look, she explained defensively, “Fine, I just thought we could use the exercise.”

  “I’ve got your twenty-pound suitcase in my hand. And besides, haven’t I given you enough of a workout all week?”

  Madison didn’t think she was still capable of blushing, but her cheeks definitely felt warmer at his teasing smile.

  “Point taken.”

  They took the elevator up to her floor and walked down the deserted hall to her apartment. She unlocked the door and stepped inside.

  When she looked around, she saw what Gabe must have seen the first time he’d come in. It was a total mess. Even in the short time they’d lived together, she’d gotten used to what an organized home could look like. It was so much nicer to return to. She made a mental note to try to change her messy habits. And maybe even go to the store and buy some groceries that could actually go bad.

  Madison shrugged off her sweater and tossed it onto the chair. She’d start the cleaning thing tomorrow.

  “All right, I’m going to take that shower now. You’re good for making us lunch?”

  “I’m good,” he verified and proceeded to explore the cupboards in her kitchen.

  “Thanks, I’ll be out in fifteen.”

  Standing under the onslaught of warm water, Madison smiled. She really was so fortunate to have Gabe. It was amazing how things had worked out between them.

  She lathered her hair with shampoo and started singing at the top of her lungs, an old Rolling Stones song. She giggled, letting the freedom of not having to worry anymore roll over her.

  Ten minutes later, she wrapped a towel around herself and walked into the bedroom. She searched her wardrobe, bypassing the expensive brand-name clothes and picking her oldest and most comfortable pair of jeans. She slipped on a concert T-shirt she’d picked up from some rock band years ago, realizing she’d never even worn it once. Gabe would probably have a good laugh when he saw her. Speaking of which, it was awfully quiet in the other room.

  “Gabe?” she called out as she slipped on her sandals.

  There was no answer. Madison left her room to find him. He wasn’t in the kitchen. She looked toward the living room and then the hallway. Slowly, her gaze moved back to the living room, her mind registering what she’d just seen. Her body went numb and the room started to spin.

  “You know,” the man said conversationally from her couch. “You pretty much defiled that Rolling Stones song. Has anybody ever told you that you can’t sing?”

  Chapter Twenty

  When she didn’t respond, the man she knew only as the Espresso Bandit went on. “I’m going to have to kill you for that, you know.”

  “You’re going to kill me because I can’t sing?” When Madison could finally speak, her voice trembled.

  “Well, no.” He laughed and kept the gun trained on her. “Don’t get me wrong, I am going to kill you. But not because of your singing.”

  “I see.” Madison nodded. Not good. This was really not good. Where in the hell was Gabe? The hair on the back of her neck rose. She forced the question out. “What did you do with him?”

  “Him?” The man raised an eyebrow. “Oh, your boyfriend? Nothing. He left about ten minutes ago.”

  Madison’s stomach clenched like she’d been punched. Gabe had left her. He couldn’t have. But deep down inside, she knew the truth. He’d left her. The words looped in her head, keeping her from focusing on the situation at hand. Why? Why had Gabe left? She couldn’t come up with one logical reason.

  “Don’t look so devastated. This will all be over soon.”

  His words snapped Madison from her terror and shock. All thoughts of Gabe vanished, and it became all too clear. If she was going to survive this, she was going to have to do it herself. Because nobody else was going to save her.

  Her blood ran cold as he lifted the gun.

  “Hey, wait a minute.” She put her hands up to stop him, her heart pounding as sweat broke out on the back of her neck. “There’s no need to kill me. You could go across the border to Canada. I’ll forget all about you
and pretend this conversation never took place. I hear it’s lovely up there. Ever been to Whistler?”

  “I was thinking about it, actually.” The man looked thoughtful. “But everything changed when that one guy ended up blind. The police are such sticklers about that kind of thing. They’d find me and extradite me.”

  Madison swallowed hard as she looked around the room for a weapon. She spotted one by the couch. Trying to be casual, she walked slowly toward him.

  He stepped in front of her. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  The man obviously thought he had a sense of humor, so she tried to play on it. “If you’re going to do this, shoot me on the couch, it’ll leave less of a mess. My parents pay for this place, and if you ruin the rug, they won’t get their deposit back.”

  “I like the way you think.” He gestured with the gun. “Go ahead and sit down.”

  “Thanks.” She sat, not believing her good luck. Or how stupid he was.

  “So, before you kill me, why don’t you do the tell-all part. You know, where you brag about all the things you got away with, only you couldn’t tell anyone because it was all illegal.”

  Her amazement grew when he actually moved to sit beside her. He seemed to be struggling a bit with his right arm, probably because Gabe had shot him there.

  “What’s to tell?” He shrugged. “I robbed twelve coffee shops to pay off a gambling debt.”

  Madison’s fear mixed with anger now as she reached her hand as inconspicuously as possible down the side of the couch. “I’m going to die because of a gambling debt? Couldn’t it at least been for something nobler? Like to pay for someone’s cancer treatment?”

  The man laughed, genuinely amused. “Noble? This isn’t a fairy tale, darling. Your knight isn’t going to ride in on a white horse to save you.”

  Apparently not. She’d realized that five minutes ago. Her hand closed around the object she sought.

  “Please, you don’t want to do this.”

  “Oh, Madison.” Disappointment registered on his face. “I had so much more respect for you. Don’t beg for your life now.”

  “Beg for my life?” She forced a laugh. “I wasn’t begging for my life. I was giving you one last chance.”

  She swung the five-pound dumbbell up and into the side of his head. He fell backward from the impact with a curse, and she ran toward the door. By the time she had it open, he was swearing and struggling to come after her.

  She screamed and ran down the hallway, knowing no one would hear her. This was an intimate complex; she only had one neighbor on this floor, and he was in Jamaica for the month.

  Her apartment door smashed open and fear clogged thick in her chest. The elevator was right in front of her, but like hell was she going to push the button and stand there and wait for it. She ran for the stairs just as he fired the first shot.

  She screamed again, waiting for pain, but none came. Images of an old Oprah episode flashed through her head. If someone shot at you, you weren’t supposed to run in a straight line. If you ran from side to side, you were less of a target.

  She started weaving from one side of the hallway to the other, even as more shots were fired. There was no pain, and she knew it was working, especially when he started to swear louder at her.

  She reached the stairwell and swung open the door. Looking down the five floors of stairs, she knew she would be dead if she tried to outrun him.

  When the door shut behind her, she hid behind it. She would be in his blind spot when he opened the door. Her heart pounded double from the adrenalin rush, even as her senses became a great deal sharper.

  The door swung open and the man ran through. Without hesitation she jumped him, using surprise and her weight to catch him off-guard. He stumbled toward the railing and lost his balance, going halfway over.

  He grabbed her T-shirt, halting his fall and jerking her forward. She toppled over the railing after him, just managing to grab onto the bars before she fell. The man’s grasp on her shirt loosened, and he slid down her leg, still clutching her calf until they both dangled over the edge.

  Madison screamed. The shrill sound resonated in the stairwell as she tried to kick him free. All that kept him from falling to his death was his grasp on her leg. She had both arms wrapped around the railing but slipped a little more with each passing second.

  God, we’re both going to die!

  He must have lost his grip on her leg, because he slid further down her leg and only held onto her ankle. There was a pop, followed by a fierce throbbing. Her scream turned into a mix of terror and pain. Oh God, whatever had happened to her foot wasn’t good.

  She heard another snap and all the weight on her foot disappeared. The man’s horrified screams rang in her ears until there was a thud and all went quiet again. She glanced down, seeing her sandal was gone. The leather must’ve broken. Farther down, the man’s body lay like a sack of potatoes, her broken sandal clutched in his hand.

  She swallowed hard and closed her eyes against the horrific image.

  “Help…” Her fingers slipped a little more from the railing.

  No! I’m not going to die after everything else I’ve just survived.

  Sweat broke out on her brow, and raw frustration ate in her gut. Her fingers closed tighter over the railing, and she gave a grunt of determination, swinging her leg toward the stairs. Her ankle burned as it connected with the railing. She didn’t make it up the first try. The second, she did. Slowly, she managed to pull herself up and onto the stairs.

  Only after she knew she was safe and no longer in danger did she let herself fall apart.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Madison was curled up into a ball, shaking and crying when the police finally arrived.

  Gabe pushed past them all, coming to kneel beside her.

  “God, Maddie! Maddie, mi vida, I am so sorry.” He tried to pull her into his arms.

  An onslaught of emotions poured through her, anger being the strongest of them. She pushed him away and shook her head.

  “Maddie, will you let me explain? I got a phone call. I came as soon as I figured it out—”

  “No,” she rasped. “I can’t see you now.”

  Finally, another officer interceded and pulled Gabe away from her. He leaned close and said something into his ear. Gabe’s mouth tightened, but he finally turned and walked away.

  “Ma’am.” The officer came and knelt beside her. “Is there someone we can call for you?”

  With the distance between her and Gabe, she managed to compose herself enough to nod. “My mom. My family.”

  “All right.” He put a gentle hand under her elbow and helped her stand. “I have a daughter your age, you know. I wouldn’t want her to be alone at a time like this. Let’s go back into your apartment, and you can sit down and wait for her.”

  She followed him, almost in a trance. Her head still swirled with the horrific images of what had happened. When he turned her toward the couch, she shook her head.

  “Not there. I don’t ever want to see that couch again.” She moved instead into her bedroom and fell down onto the bed. “When my family comes, please send them to me.”

  “I will, Miss Phillips,” the officer replied quickly. “You just let me know if you need anything.”

  “Thank you.”

  …

  Gabe paced the hallway, fists clenched, jaw tight, worry and guilt tearing at his gut.

  “How is she?” he demanded of his superior when he came out of her apartment.

  “Pretty much in shock,” the man replied stroking his jaw. “She has some strong feelings against something that happened on the couch.”

  Gabe’s eyes snapped shut as another wave of guilt and self-disgust washed over him. “It’s my fault.”

  “You’re not to blame, Martinez. Hell, Danica fell for it, too. She’s the one who gave him your number when he called in. In any case, you got us back here as soon as you figured it out. Things could have turned out a lot worse.
”

  “I should have realized it wasn’t Valentino calling from the precinct this morning. But he confirmed all the information. He sounded so authentic.” Gabe shook his head grimly. “And then he called me again to get me out of the apartment, so he could have her alone. Shit. How? How can this not be my fault?”

  “Valentino’s a rookie. Half the precinct still doesn’t know who he is. He had his ID stolen on Monday, and I’m sure it’s safe to say the Bandit probably stole it.” The older man’s tone gentled. “Why don’t you take the rest of the evening off, Martinez. We’ll wrap things up and direct the M.E. when he gets here.”

  “I don’t want to leave her,” Gabe argued fiercely, jerking away from the hand his boss had put on his shoulder.

  “I know you don’t. But your presence seems to be causing further distress to Ms. Phillips. I understand how you’re feeling, but please, just go with me on this one. I’m sure she’ll come around.”

  Gabe’s jaw flexed, and finally he gave a terse nod. “All right. Thank you, sir.”

  He turned to walk down the stairs before realizing that the area had been taped off around the body. His gaze hardened on the crumpled figure of the dead man. If Maddie hadn’t completed the job, Gabe would have killed the man himself.

  Maddie…his chest tightened and he fought the urge to go back and find her, and to hell with his orders. God, would she ever forgive him?

  …

  “Can I bring you some tea, darling?”

  Madison looked up at her mother almost in surprise. Her family had arrived an hour ago and stayed by her side while the police questioned her. She had finally gone numb from it all and tonelessly relayed answers to the questions they threw at her.

  The older officer was nice. He’d been the one to make Gabe leave. The thought of Gabe made some flicker of emotion penetrate her numbed mind, but she quickly pushed it aside.

  “I’m sorry, what did you say?” Madison asked as her mother continued to stare at her.

  “Tea, Madison,” her mother asked again gently. “I was wondering if you’d care for some.”

  “Sure.”

  She didn’t drink tea. Her mother knew that. She was a coffee lover, but right now, it seemed completely trivial and easier just to accept the tea.