“I just wanted to make sure you knew that the morning after…and the night before, never has anything to do with the FBI, the case, or work.”
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, and he gave her another kiss. He guided her to the door, hopeful that he could remember that this was temporary. Still, it was hard to remember when everything, from the night before, to sitting in the diner eating breakfast, felt right.
· · · · ·
His heart smacked against his ribs as he looked around the corner. Anger and arousal filled him, and he did not like it. A true Dom wouldn’t lose control by just looking at a woman. No emotion could have power over him. Drawing in a few deep breaths, he watched the detective and his newest slut walk out of the diner and down the street. It really had been luck that he had found them there, watched them from the street. The night before told him that the bastard would bring her home. Carino always got women to spread their legs like the sluts they were.
He tried to follow them, but he couldn’t keep up without drawing Carino’s attention. They turned a corner that he knew would lead them to a parking garage, probably where Carino had parked. He waited and was irritated when he watched the detective’s car zoom out of the garage some moments later. The car sped off in the opposite direction of the HPD. Of course. The slut had left her car behind at the club.
He shivered, his body hot and cold at the same time. Sweat beaded his upper lip as he tried to warm himself up, but he couldn’t seem to. He needed to kill again, needed to feel the power of draining life from a woman’s body and releasing her to hell where she belong.
He needed to hunt.
Chapter Eight
“You’re going over the lists again?” Micah asked as he poured himself a coffee. He held it up as an offer to Rome, and he waved it away. His nerves were already a tangled mess. Adding more caffeine would just make it worse.
“Yeah. We might pick up on someone we didn’t before, someone connected to the feds in some way, or having some connection to be able to find out where and when the FBI was showing up. Plus, we’re going to go over some of the patrol cops around here.”
Micah nodded as he settled in his chair behind his desk. “That sounds like a good idea.”
“But?”
Micah shrugged. “This is a ‘needle in the haystack’ kind of thing. Another thing you’ll want to do is look at the patterns in their lives.”
“We did that. Nothing connects.”
“When I was bounty hunting, one of the things I was good at was looking into people’s backgrounds.”
The interested look in his friend’s eyes told Rome he wanted to help. He could let Micah help a little, but he couldn’t let him put his life on the line.
“No. Other than allowing us to use your club for a sting, I don’t want you near this.”
Micah chuckled. “Oh, I don’t want to help. But you need to go back through their personal lives. Since this is all sexually charged, and all of the women went to the same clubs, you might want to look more into not only who they were involved with, but what particular type. I’m pretty sure the local cops didn’t. And from what you said, the first FBI agent fucked the investigation up. I can almost promise you some of those steps were missed.”
Rome nodded, mentally adding up everything they had to go over. More than likely Maria had already done it. Knowing her, she already had a long list of things she needed to check and recheck. He couldn’t stop the smile when he thought of her looking flushed and happy in bed this morning. She hadn’t expected him to tease her. All it made him want to do was tease her more. He had a feeling that there hadn’t been a lot of light and happy moments in Agent Callahan’s life.
“How was it between you two?”
Rome came out of his musing and looked up at Micah. “What?”
“You practically ran out of here last night. Everyone was talking about it.”
That caught his attention. “Everyone?”
“You know, the regulars. You don’t normally act like that. You have a reputation for being pretty ice cold in your seduction. Of course you drew some notice when you practically beat your chest like a caveman and dragged her out of here last night.
He said nothing, just stared at his friend.
“I have to say, I am a little confused. You told me it was all just undercover work.”
Rome could tell by his friend’s tone that he was screwing with him. “You don’t say.”
Micah nodded then sipped his coffee. “So, I guess your reaction was all part of the ruse?”
Rome said nothing, just kept staring at him.
“Of course, it was good because there are at least half a dozen men interested in her now. And that’ll help with the investigation. They want to know if she lived up to your expectations.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It isn’t like you get too attached to your subs. A lot of these guys are waiting to see how interested you are in her and when she’ll be available. You know a good sub is hard to come by.”
He felt his eye start to twitch. Just the idea that they were thinking they had a chance at her had his temper soaring. It was irrational and stupid. And, he was sure most people would point out, not very Dom-like.
“And?”
“Well, I’m sure they’re just waiting to pick up your leftovers. Especially Ashton. He really has a thing for her. He was trying to pump Dee for info last night.”
The idea of that slime touching Maria had Rome grinding his teeth. “If one of them even thinks of touching her, I’ll break his fucking hands.”
Micah chuckled again. “You’re easy.”
Irritated with his friend and with himself, Rome stood and started pacing. He didn’t know why he was acting like an idiot. He was becoming obsessed. Yes, they had shared something extraordinary, but it wasn’t like he hadn’t had that connection before with a sub.
As soon as he thought it, he mentally chastised himself. There was nothing normal about what had happened the night before. They had only played a little, and he was already hooked on her. It was a bad thing when he hadn’t even gotten a complete submission from her. Hell, they had barely touched the surface. But somehow he felt more linked to her than any other sub before.
“Earth to Romeo.”
He shook himself out of his stupor and found Micah staring at him. Rome wanted to cringe at the knowing expression on Micah’s face.
“What?” he asked. Hell, he could hear his defensive tone.
“You might want to tone it down a bit.”
Rome rolled his shoulders. “You said yourself it caught people’s attention. That’s the plan.”
But even now his gut was churning. He didn’t like the idea of men even thinking of her that way. It was the plan. It was reckless and probably a little stupid, but it just might work. Hell, it was working. Being involved with him, the man who was hunting the serial killer, would make an even more enticing catch. How many times had she said that?
“But if you aren’t careful, you might end up with too many suspects.”
“Especially that damned Ashton. Why do you let him be a member?”
“He paid his dues, and he never gives us a problem.”
“Other than fucking with his subs’ brains. You know he’s an asshole.”
Micah nodded. “But he isn’t that dangerous. Unless you have some kind of information?”
Rome shrugged. “He’s gone after my subs after we split ways.”
“As have a lot of the men in here. You’re going to have to come up with something better than that.” Micah studied him for a moment. “You’ve never shown any possessiveness before. Not like this.”
“I said leave it alone, Ross. If there isn’t anything else, I need to get back to the station. I’ve been running some names through the system, might pick up on something.”
“I’ll leave it alone as long as you remember, while you might be tied up, figuratively, with Agent Callahan, keep your
mind on the job. I’m damned sick of losing people I know and care about.”
Rome nodded and walked out of the room. As he jogged down the stairs, he made a mental note to run Ashton’s name again. He didn’t trust the bastard, and it had more to do with that than Ashton’s interest in Maria. They had run his name before, but he decided it would be best to try it one more time. With Maria on the line, he didn’t want to take any chances.
· · · · ·
“So, how was your night?” May asked. A twinkle in May’s eyes told Maria that the woman had heard about her leaving with Rome.
Maria couldn’t think of anything to say to the question. They had just sat down at a booth, and she hadn’t even had a drink of her soda.
“Uh…” Her mind was blank. Again, she was no good at girl talk. How much did they tell one another?
“Jeez, May, have a heart. Not every woman wants to spill info about their sex life over appetizers.” Dee rolled her eyes. “You have to understand she grew up with a horde of men and doesn’t know how to act around girls.”
Maria shrugged. “I mainly grew up with my dad. Well, and the other FBI agents.”
“Your mom?” May asked.
“She died when I was twelve.”
May’s eyes softened. “Oh, I lost my mom, too, right about the same age.”
She didn’t offer Maria sympathy, which was best. Talking about her mother, especially the way she died, was something she tried to avoid.
“So it was just you and your dad?” Dee asked.
Maria nodded. “I was homeschooled a lot of the time because I went with him on cases.”
There was a long beat of silence and then May opened her mouth. But before she could ask another question, Chris Dupree, the owner of the restaurant, stepped up to the table with their plates. He was a beautiful man with skin the color of rich cocoa.
“Three Kalua Pork Plates,” he said, the sound of New Orleans lacing his words. He flashed a smile that was complete with dimples. “I can promise you it’s Mo’ Better.”
“Thank you,” she said as she breathed in the smoky scent of the meat.
“Did you get those schedules done for next week?” May asked as she picked up her fork.
“I’m working on it.”
“You better get it done today, or we might have to have another talk.”
He chuckled. “Do you remember who owns this restaurant?”
“Do you remember who runs it?” May asked without looking up from her food.
His big, booming laugh echoed through the restaurant. “That’s definitely the truth.”
When he kept standing there staring at her, Maria didn’t know what to say. May leaned over. “He won’t leave until you try it and tell him it’s the best you’ve ever had.”
She scooped up a huge forkful and took a bite. The moment she did, she hummed. The smoky taste, along with the juiciness of the meat, was wonderful. After she swallowed, she said, “It’s the best I’ve ever had.”
“I bet it’s the only Kalua pork you’ve ever had,” Chris said.
“Oh, leave her alone. Besides, your soon-to-be ball and chain is here,” May said as she tilted her head toward the door.
Chris glanced over his shoulder, and if a man’s face could light up anymore, Maria’d never seen it. She felt a small twinge that felt like jealousy. A slightly pregnant blonde was slowly making her way over in their direction.
“I’ll see y’all later.”
He turned and left and met the woman halfway across the room. He slipped his arm around her waist then led her to the back of the restaurant.
“That’s his wife?”
“Soon-to-be wife. They’re getting married next month. And they know who you are,” Dee said casually.
Maria sat back and frowned at the two women. “That wasn’t approved.”
“Oh, pooh. The problem is while Chris and Cynthia aren’t owners, they’re very close to us. We thought it best they know what was going on. They won’t be around the club at all right now. Ever since Samantha was killed, Chris has pretty much told Cynthia she couldn’t go. They really don’t play there much anymore,” May said.
“Do you two?”
“I work there of course, so I’m there a lot of nights.” There was something in Dee’s tone that told Maria that she wasn’t being completely truthful.
May took a sip of her drink and then smiled. “Micah has a secret room.”
Maria looked at Dee and had to swallow a laugh. The woman worked at a BDSM club, and she was blushing about a secret room. “It isn’t a secret room, like most people don’t know about it.”
Maria sighed. “What kind of secret room?”
Dee’s eyes widened. “Oh, nothing like that. It’s more like a studio apartment. When they first opened the club, Micah slept there a lot of nights. Most nights, from what he told me.”
“And now they go back there and play.”
“May.” Dee closed her eyes. “Good lord, you don’t have a filter on that mouth.”
Her friend waved it away. “Our agent here was wondering if she was wrong about you and Micah.”
Dee’s eyes popped open. “Is that true?”
Maria looked from one woman to another. “No. We checked all of you out. But, I would say that if people knew it was there, it could be a place to hide.”
“Ah, well, hard to get in there. Only Cynthia and I have been in there, other than when Dee and Micah get it on at work.”
Dee looked ready to kill her friend, so Maria changed the subject. “I want to talk about the four women.”
Both of their expressions sobered. Maria regretted it, regretted that she was the one who had to do this. She had really enjoyed the short interlude, but truthfully, she understood what was at stake. They had to catch this son of a bitch before he killed again.
“No problem. But I’m pretty sure the police and the FBI have been over that,” May said.
“What I want is things that might not be covered in that. I know they may have talked to people about their boyfriends, their Doms…anyone they were involved with. But can either of you think of anyone who had issues with them?”
May made a face. “Only one who had an issue with Angie, the second victim, was me. She had a thing for Evan. But I threw Kai at her for a while, and she was satisfied.”
“The last time I saw her was up at Ala Moana beach. She was pissed. Oh, man was she pissed,” Dee said.
“Can you remember about what?”
“Ticket. She said she got a ticket for speeding, then a fine because her tags had expired. She got in a little scuffle with the police officer, too.”
“You know, Devon had an issue, something with a neighbor. She’d made a complaint about the guy who lived above her.”
“Was she afraid of him?”
May laughed and a few of the patrons’ heads turned in their direction. “Sorry, but you didn’t know her. She was small, but she was a black belt.”
That caught Maria off guard. “I don’t remember that being in the report.”
May shrugged. “She didn’t hide it. I know most everyone knew she used to compete. She was damned good. That is always why it struck me as odd that she was one of the victims. It made me…”
Maria leaned forward, she couldn’t help it. “What?”
“It isn’t that important,” May said, waving it away.
“No, everything is important. You might even think it isn’t that important, but it is. So tell me.”
May shrugged. “I figured that the only way she would have been attacked and not prepared was if she knew the guy. She had to have known him.”
“I wouldn’t want to meet up with her in a dark alley, and I know how to protect myself,” Dee said.
Knowing the woman had been on the run from her family for ten years, Maria could just imagine. “So, they both had issues with the police right before that. And we know that Devon could take care of herself in a fight. One way or another, she was surprised.”<
br />
Maria pulled out her notepad and made a few marks. May leaned over and frowned. “What the heck is that?”
“Shorthand. Or a kind of shorthand. My father made it up. We were the only two who knew it.”
“Oh.”
“So do you know if Lisa had issues with the police before this?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Do you, Dee? Did she mention it?”
Dee shook her head. “She was really a loner. She hooked up, don’t get me wrong, but she didn’t share a lot about her background. Unless it interfered with work, she didn’t tell me anything.”
“Do you think it could be the same policeman?” May asked.
Maria thought about it but dismissed it. “Probably not. If it was, it would have been picked up on way before this. But it is a connection outside of the club. Coincidences, no matter how small, are always important.”
She finished her notes then set them aside. She looked down at the plate that was still half full of food. “If I keep eating like this, I’ll have to go on a fast when I get back to DC.”
“Do you like living there?” May asked.
Maria shrugged. “It’s where work is.”
“So you don’t have someone you live with there, a roommate?”
Maria swallowed the bite of pork. “Nope.”
Dee sighed, aggravation easy to hear. “What May is trying to ask is if you have a significant other?”
Maria frowned. “No.”
“Oh.”
Dee rolled her eyes. “May is a little protective of Rome, just so you know. Probably because he has a crush on her.”
“He had a crush on me,” May said, turning her attention to Maria. “I would say that he definitely doesn’t anymore.”
Maria wanted to disappear. Just looking at May, she knew the kind of woman Rome usually was attracted to. Petite, exotically beautiful…not something anyone in his or her right mind would call Maria. She pushed that aside. She couldn’t think about what Rome liked or didn’t like, not right now. Sure they had a night that blew her mind. Hell, her body was getting hot just thinking about it. But it was probably pretty stereotypical for him.
“Are you asking if my intentions are honorable?” Maria asked, hoping that her tone was filled with just enough amusement that she hit the right note.
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