With strength he didn’t know such a tiny body could possess, she pulled him down on top of her, wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, as she coaxed him to give her everything she needed.
There were inexplicable words bouncing around in his head, words that had no place invading his mind space on a one-night stand. Words like love… mine… forever.
“Oh God…”
His name was a cry on her lips as he pounded past reason straight into oblivion. “Jesus, Tori, baby… I…” There was no way he could let it end like this. “Please…” Just as he was bartering with his body to give him a few more minutes, her release gripped him so hard he lost his sense of where her body ended and his began.
He threw his head back and released a guttural moan he was sure his neighbors could have heard. Good thing he was at the end of the hall. His only next-door neighbor was his twin brother, Jay.
“Oh no,” Tori said, sitting up. “He can’t know I’m here.”
It took a minute for Mike to process her words before he realized the pounding in his head wasn’t the rush of the most intense release he’d ever experienced. It was his brother pounding on his front door, shouting his name.
“I’m gonna kill him,” he muttered, rolling off Tori and making his way into the adjoining bathroom to dispose of the condom. The only thing he wanted to do right now was roll over, pull her into his arms, and rest up for round two. Then maybe, just maybe he could convince her to spend one more night with him.
“Whatever you do, don’t tell him I’m here,” she whispered. She looked around frantically. “Oh no, my clothes… quick, go get them before you let Jay in.”
Jealousy and fury played a dangerous game, each warring for supremacy as he fought a losing battle for control. “Why do you care if my brother knows you’re here?”
“Because we’re… friends. Besides, we agreed that no one could know about this.”
Mike couldn’t believe she thought the rules still applied after everything that had gone down between them tonight. “Fine… I’ll get your goddamn clothes and you can get the hell outta here.” He walked backed into the living room, grabbed her clothes, and tossed them on the floor of the bedroom before slamming the door with enough force to rattle the frame.
“What the hell…” Mike opened the door a crack and Jay forced his way inside.
“What were you thinkin’, man?” Jay asked, getting in his face. “It wasn’t enough to go out with her? You had to bring her home and do her here, in your apartment, knowing damn well I could hear everything?”
Mike put his hand up. “Listen, you’re way off base.”
“Of all the women you could have had. Why her?”
“It wasn’t her.”
Jay turned around to see Tori standing in the hallway, wearing one of Mike’s button-down shirts. Thankfully, it brushed her knees. “What the hell—”
“Are you happy now?” Mike asked, walking into the adjoining kitchen.
“No, hell no. What are you doin’ sleepin’ with Tori?” He followed him into the kitchen and scowled when Mike reached into the overhead cabinet for a bottle of pain reliever. “You’ve been seein’ Victoria, yet you take off with someone else?”
Mike popped two pills into his mouth and reached for a bottled water inside the fridge. “Tori said she was headin’ in my direction and she wouldn’t mind givin’ me a lift…” His eyes traveled to Tori, who was standing just outside the door. “Let’s just say a few too many shots, and I made one hell of a mistake.”
Tori’s eyes flashed and her mouth fell open before she snapped it shut again. “You made a mistake?” She snorted. “Hell, you give new meanin’ to the word.” She turned on her heel and stormed down the hall.
“That was harsh,” Jay said, wincing when she slammed the bedroom door.
“It never should’ve happened.”
Tori’s hand was trembling as she leaned against the bedroom door, gripping the pewter knob. How could she have been naïve enough to believe that what happened between them actually meant something to him?
She brushed away the tears sliding down her cheeks, cursing his name as she bent to pick up her clothes. She thought if she were brave enough to admit to his brother that there was something between them, he’d be willing to do the same. But the cold, dark look in his eyes when she ousted him told her she should have stayed behind closed doors, where he clearly thought she belonged.
The cell phone she’d stuffed in her pocket earlier buzzed. Avery. She cleared her throat, trying to infuse as much enthusiasm into her voice as she could muster. “Hey, Avery, what’s up?”
“I know it’s late, but I just got an email about that charity event you have scheduled for tomorrow night. There are going to be dozens of photographers there, and I just needed to find out who you intended to take as your date.”
If things had gone as she was hoping tonight, she may have asked Mike, but obviously that wasn’t an option now. “Um, I asked Jack to go with me.”
“Ohhh, you mean that boxer you’ve been seeing?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, he’ll be perfect.”
No, Jack and every other man she knew seemed sadly imperfect, especially now that she’d shared the lieutenant’s bed and he’d proven himself more than capable of exceeding all of her expectations… at least as a lover. No matter how good-looking he was, no matter how impressive his body or his stamina between the sheets, he was still a self-centered jackass.
“Glad you approve.”
Avery laughed. “I can’t wait to see your gorgeous face plastered all over the Internet with that irresistible piece of eye candy on your arm.”
Tori would make sure the photographers took lots of candid photos of her and her date, talking, laughing, kissing, dancing, and hopefully Mike would see them and realize what a fool he’d been to let her go. A girl could dream.
“I’ll talk to you later, Avery.” She punched the button to disconnect the call and headed for the adjoining bathroom.
Tori wasted no time slipping into her clothes before splashing some cold water on her face and twisting her hair into a ponytail. The only magazine cover she could hope to make in her current state was one that featured ghastly before and after images of celebrities without make-up.
It would have been nice to walk out with her head held high, looking sexy, instead of taking the walk of shame with his cologne clinging to her damp skin like a skunk’s vile calling card.
“You can do this,” she whispered to herself as she threw the bedroom door open, thrust her shoulders back, and walked down the short hallway to the kitchen.
She walked into the room and stood on her tiptoes to brush a kiss across Jay’s cheek. “Nice to see you again, Jay.”
Jay smirked at his brother. “Yeah, you too, Tori.”
She glared at Mike. “I wish I could say the same about you.”
“Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out, baby.”
Tori wanted to say something smart in return to put him in his place. Had it been anyone else, she would have, but his words stung with the precision of an arrow piercing her heart.
It wasn’t until she’d slammed his door and stepped on to the elevator that she allowed herself to succumb to regret. Of all the men she could have slept with tonight, she had to give herself to the one man who seemed determined to convince her she was nothing special.
Chapter One
Mike Cooper stormed into his father’s office. “What the hell is so important that you had to pull me away from the weekly poker game with the guys? I was up two hundred bucks.”
“Have a seat,” Josh said, gesturing to one of the armchairs across from his desk. “I have a proposition for you.”
“What kind of proposition?”
“We have a situation.”
When Josh sighed and scraped his hands over his face, for the first time in a long time, Mike noticed his dad looked stressed and dog-tired. “Hey, what’
s goin’ on?” Mike leaned forward. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do to ease his father’s burden. This was the man who taught him how to be a man. If he needed help, of course his son intended to be there for him. “Is it Lexi… or one of the kids?”
“No, the family’s good. Work is the problem.”
Josh was the head of security for Titan Records, Luc Spencer’s label, and he was responsible for co-ordinating the security teams for all of their artists and tours, including Trey Turner, Ty McCall, Nikki Spencer, and Tori Warner.
“Okay, so let’s hear it. What’s goin’ on at work, and how can I help?”
“Derek told me you’ve been bankin’ a lot of overtime, not to mention unused vacation time. According to him, you could afford to take at least twelve weeks right about now.”
Derek was Mike’s stepfather and his boss. “Where’re you goin’ with this, Dad? I don’t wanna take any time off work. I’m in the middle—”
Josh held his hand up. “Just hear me out. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”
“Fine, let’s have it.”
“It’s about Tori.”
Every time he heard her name or saw her picture, he still felt it like a blow to the gut. He knew he’d practically kicked her out the door after their night together, but she’d retaliated by treating him like a complete stranger the dozens of times they’d seen each other since that night.
Mike stood up. “I gotta go. I’m not interested in hearin’ anything you have to say about that girl.”
“Someone’s out to get her.”
If Mike thought the mere sound of her name was enough to send him reeling, that was nothing compared to the news that she was in serious trouble. He sank back into the chair, not trusting his legs to support him. “What the hell are you talkin’ about?”
“She has a stalker.”
“Shit,” Mike muttered. He didn’t want to know the details, he didn’t even want to get involved, but if something happened to her, he would never be able to live with himself. “Okay, fill me in.”
“It’s personal, real personal.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“This person has knowledge about intimate details of her life, stuff no one could know unless…”
Mike didn’t need his father to draw him a picture. “You’re sayin’ this is someone she’s slept with?”
“Looks that way.”
“Son of a bitch.” Mike clenched his fist. There was no way he could investigate every man Tori had ever slept with without going slowly out of his mind. Just trying to get her out of his head after their one-night stand had been hard enough, but what his father was asking of him would be torture. He couldn’t do it. He wouldn’t do it. “I’m sorry, Dad. I wish I could help you, but I can’t.”
“Listen, we both know I’ve never asked you for a damned thing. You think I’d be comin’ to you with this now if I wasn’t desperate?”
Mike dropped his head into his hands. “You don’t know what you’re askin’ of me.”
“Did somethin’ happen between you and Tori? Somethin’ I don’t know about?”
His only chance of getting out of this was telling his father the truth, no matter how much it might cost him. “We slept together, okay?”
“I can’t say I’m surprised.”
Mike’s head shot up and he scowled at his father. “What’re you talkin’ about?”
“I always knew there was somethin’ between you two. Ever since…” He paused, as though he was trying to recall the exact time the shift occurred. “It was Brianna’s birthday party, wasn’t it? You two left together that night, and things have been weird between you ever since.” Josh slammed his palm down on his big mahogany desk. “Damn, I should’ve known.”
“Look, I don’t wanna talk about my sex life with you. Let’s just say, I think it’s pretty obvious that I’m not the right man for this job.”
“Really? Luc and I happen to think you’re the only man for the job.” He sighed. “Listen. The cops have been on this case for weeks, and they’re not gettin’ anywhere. They just don’t have the manpower to put someone on it twenty-four seven, and that’s what we need.”
“Doesn’t she have another tour comin’ up soon?” Mike tried to turn off the TV or radio whenever he saw or heard a tidbit about Tori, but he never quite managed to hit the button before the story aired.
“Yeah, the Down and Dirty tour. It’s gonna be crazy. Ty, Nikki, Trey, and Tori. Sixty dates in twelve weeks. Every damn city is sellin’ out minutes after the tickets go on sale.”
Mike wasn’t surprised. Four of country music’s heavy hitters on one bill. It was bound to be the hottest ticket in any town. “You’re not suggestin’ I hit the road with Tori?” He’d never survive eighty-four nights breathing the same air as that woman.
“That’s exactly what I need you to do.”
“No! Hell, no!”
“Look, I don’t know what went down between you two that night, but you must have liked her enough to take her to bed.”
What he felt for Tori went beyond like and therein lay his problem. “How am I supposed to remain impartial, Dad? I slept with the girl, and now you’re askin’ me to investigate every other guy she’s ever slept with? It’s crazy.”
“You tellin’ me you still feel somethin’ for her?”
“Yeah… contempt.” Mike didn’t expect his old man to buy his lie, but it still felt good to say it.
Josh pointed at his son. “Listen to me and listen good. I love that girl like she was my own daughter. It kills me to know there’s somebody out to get her and I can’t do a damn thing about it.”
Mike felt guilty for putting his personal feelings above Tori’s safety. He was a cop first and foremost and he’d taken an oath to serve and protect the citizens of this city, even those who’d stomped all over his heart with her designer stilettos. “When you say out to get her… What are we talkin’ about here?”
“He seems like a sexual sadist. He sends her these really graphic letters about what he wants to do to her, and he’s mentioned a…” Josh cleared his throat, “a tattoo she has.”
“She doesn’t have a tattoo.”
Josh cleared his throat, looking decidedly uncomfortable. “I guess she does now.”
That meant she’d slept with this dirtbag in the two years since she’d made love to him. That should narrow it down… some. “Does she know you’re askin’ me to consult on this case?”
“No, Luc’s gonna tell her tonight.”
“I can tell you right now, she’s not gonna like it any more than I do.”
“Son, she’s scared, really scared. Once she’s had a chance to think about it, she’ll realize there’s no one better qualified than you to take on this case.”
“Man, this is a mess.” Mike ran his hands over his cropped black hair.
“Does that mean you’ll do it?”
“I’ll have to talk to Derek about gettin’ the time off.”
Josh pushed a contract across the desk. “It’s a done deal. I’ve already got Derek’s permission.” He smirked when his son raised an eyebrow. “You know, just in case you said yes.”
Mike picked up the sheaf of papers. “What the hell is this?”
“Your proposed compensation package.”
“Seriously?” They were offering to pay him more for the next twelve weeks than he made during an entire year on the police force. He hadn’t accepted the position for the financial rewards, he’d been thinking about Tori’s safety and the debt he owed his old man, but he couldn’t deny it was a nice perk.
Josh handed him a pen. “Just sign on the dotted line.”
“The police force is okay with me doin’ this?”
Josh smiled. “You’re my son. You think I’m gonna do anything to mess with your career?”
Mike scribbled his name at the bottom of the page and tried to ignore the little voice inside his head that told him he’d just signed his life away.
&n
bsp; “No, hell, no, Luc! I don’t care what you say. I’m not workin’ with that son of a bitch!”
“What do you have against Mike? I’ve known him forever. He’s a great guy and hell of a cop.” Luc held up the bottle of scotch and waited for Tori’s consent before he poured two glasses. “We need him right now, honey. I’m not takin’ any chances this psychopath might make good on his threats while we’re out on the road.”
A wave of uneasiness skittered up Tori’s spine. The threats were getting more depraved with each letter he sent, and that last one indicated he intended to follow her wherever she went. She couldn’t imagine that anyone would be crazy enough to trail her around the continent, but she couldn’t afford to assume anything until they knew who they were dealing with. “We have a capable security team. Why can’t we just step it up for the tour?”
“Believe me, I intend to.” Luc passed her the glass. “That’s not why we need Mike. I want someone with his skills as a detective to investigate this case. I know the local cops have done the best they can, but I need someone experienced, someone objective, who can afford to make this case his sole focus for the next few months.”
Tori threw back the shot, hoping it would help ease the tension coiling in the pit of her stomach. She didn’t know which was worse: the prospect of working with that pompous ass or having to look over her shoulder every five seconds. “If you think he can be objective where I’m concerned, you’re dead wrong.”
She and Mike had seen each other plenty of times in the two years since their night together, and each time, it took everything in her to pretend he didn’t exist. How was she supposed to continue living in denial if the people around her were determined to force him into her world?
“I don’t get it. Why do you two hate each other so much? You and Jay get along great.”
“Don’t compare Jay to his worthless excuse for a brother. He’s a good guy, a good husband, father... He doesn’t shirk his responsibilities or make a fool of himself chasin’ after anything in a short skirt.”
Careless Page 3
