Harry stepped in front of her, shielding her as they entered the apartment. He quickly stepped into each room.
‘No-one here. Anything missing.’
Tinsley, on edge, glanced around the kitchen then went into the living room. ‘Fuck,’ she said and with a resigned sigh, she pulled her cellphone from her pocket. Harry looked confused and she raised a hand, signaling she would explain in a minute.
‘Charlie? My apartment’s been broken into and guess what’s missing? Yep, that’s right. Okay. Okay, see you in a few.’
She ended the call and looked at Harry. ‘It’s a long story, but Charlie’s on his way over and I’ll explain them.’
Harry shook his head. ‘What’s going on? What was taken?’
She sighed. ‘My laptop, Harry. My laptop with possibly a way to trace where Lila went. Jesus.’ She sat down heavily on her couch.
‘What’s the big deal about that?’ He sat down beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders.
She put her head in her hands. ‘Harry…whoever took my laptop broke in to take it. That person does not have good intentions for Lila. That person could be the one who wants to kill her.’
I know where you are now, my darling Lila. Soon, so soon, we will be together and I will show you how much I love you – again. My knife will sink into your flesh once again and you will smile and thank me for the gift I am giving you. I will watch as you fight the loss of control as your rich ruby blood covers us both, as all the breath leaves your lungs and the light in your lovely eyes starts to dim and flicker.
But first, Lila, first I need to make another pay for their treachery, for keeping you from me. Someone you love will pay the ultimate price, my love.
Watch. Despair. It will be your turn soon…
San Juan Island, Washington State
Lila stretched her body like a cat, and turned to face her sleeping partner. Noah Applebaum is in my bed, she said to herself a little smugly. She gently touched her fingertips to his cheek, felt the beginnings of stubble. She loved the feel of his sculpted cheekbones, the short, thick dark hair at his temples, the way his ears were slightly too big. Thank god for them, she grinned to herself, or you would be too perfect, Doctor.
On cue, Noah opened those clear green eyes of his and smiled. ‘Wasn’t a dream, then?’
‘Wasn’t a dream.’
He cupped her face with his big hand. ‘Just checking you’re real.’
She chuckled. ‘I have the very real morning breath to prove it.’
‘I don’t care.’
She giggled as he tickled her. ‘You will, I was too, um, occupied last night to brush my teeth.’
‘In that case, I apologize for not brushing mine either but I don’t apologize for distracting you.’
Lila stretched again and he ran a leisurely hand down her body, settling on the small bump. He traced the still pink scars that crisscrossed her navel, made more vivid by the pressure of the pregnancy. ‘Do you know the sex yet?’
She shook her head. ‘No, I’m old-fashioned like that, I wanted to wait but do you want to know? Because we can go find out.’
Noah considered, his hand gently stroking the bump in which his first child slept. ‘I’m not sure…can I think about it?’
‘Of course, I want you to feel you are making as many decisions as me. God, this is difficult for me to get a handle on.’ She pulled herself into a sitting position, grinning as Noah eyed her breasts lasciviously. ‘Yesterday I was alone. Now the man I’ve been dreaming of for months is in my bed and we’re talking about our child.’ She shook her head. ‘Crazy.’
‘You’ve been dreaming about me?’
She touched his face. ‘I thought about you every day, every minute. I know it’s crazy, but I spent three years with Richard and yet in those few weeks when we spent time talking when I was in hospital, I learned more and shared more with you than with anyone. Even Charlie. It was just…right.’
Noah sat up and took her in his arms. ‘Screw the morning breath,’ he said, ‘that deserves a kiss.’
Eventually they made it out of bed and into the shower. They tried to make love, giggling and splashing, but Lila’s bump kept getting in the way.
‘The acrobatics will just have to wait until the little one is born.’
They made breakfast together, Lila scrambling eggs, Noah grinning as she whipped them. ‘Your sweet little ass jiggles when you do that.’
She grinned and exaggerated the movement then pointed at the pan he was holding, ‘Your pancakes are burning.’
‘You better bet they are,’ he muttered, but he turned back to the stove.
They sat out in her favorite place on the deck, eating breakfast.
‘It’s so peaceful here,’ Noah said, ‘I kept waking up last night because of the quiet. How’d you find this place?’
‘Realtor,’ Lila suddenly looked downcast. ‘It’s small but its location made it perfect for a hermit like me. Rich…left me some money and I hated to do it but I had to use some of it to buy this place.’
‘Hey, you had to do what you had to do.’
Lila sighed. ‘The thing is, Noah, Richard and I had ended our engagement a few days before he was murdered. We both knew it hadn’t been working, even before I was stabbed, but because we were such good friends, and the family was excited, I think we made a silent agreement to go through with the wedding. One of the many reasons I know it wasn’t Richard who tried to kill me is that there wasn’t a sly or vindictive bone in his body. If he had really wanted out, he would have talked to me.’
‘You miss him?’
‘Of course, but I miss him as my friend, not my lover.’ She looked a little nervous as she answered his question but he smiled.
‘Lila, he was your fiancé for three years. Do you think I wouldn’t expect you to talk about him?’
Lila half-smiled. ‘Thank you. The reason I took the job in town was that even though I used Rich’s money to buy this house, I refuse to use his money to pay for the baby.’
Noah nodded. ‘That’s fair but you don’t need to worry about that anymore.’
Lila looked uncomfortable. ‘I really get a reputation as a gold-digger.’
Noah laughed. ‘You will not but, hey, does this make me your third rich man?’
She groaned as he laughed. ‘Oh, that sounds terrible!’
Noah leaned over and kissed her. ‘Listen, I have an idea…’
Lila was still shaking her head. ‘God, what now?’
He laughed again. ‘In honor of your spectacularly successful gold-digging career – ‘
‘Stop it!’ but she was laughing hysterically now, and his eyes were twinkling with merriment.
‘I think we should call our first born…Kanye.’
Crying with laughter, Lila flicked a piece of pancake at him. ‘That’s it; you’re not naming our child.’
‘And your name from now on will be ‘GD’,’ he ducked to avoid a whole pancake.
‘Stop, I can’t breathe,’ she said, gasping. She put her hand on her chest, breathing hard. Noah sat back, grinning.’
‘Well, it’s ridiculous; anyone who spent even a minute with you would know you’re no parasite. Believe me, I know those types of people, men and women. I’ve dated a few.’
‘Men and women?’ She was joking now but Noah, his grin widening, nodded.
‘Yes. Does that bother you?’
Lila was taken aback. ‘You’re bisexual?’
‘No, I was messing with you. But that’s my point. You don’t know until you know someone what they are like, what they do. If people want to paint you as something, they will until they know you. And anyway….fuck ‘em.’
She was looking at him, her eyes both wondering and curious. ‘Noah Applebaum, I really have never met anyone like you.’
‘Right back atcha, shorty.’
‘I’m tall.’
‘I’m a doctor and five-five isn’t tall.’
‘That’s heightism and just when I was being so
understanding about your taste for cock,’ she stuck her nose in the air for a moment. ‘Seriously though, it wouldn’t have bothered me if you were bisexual.’
Noah shrugged. ‘Wouldn’t bother me either. But I only have eyes for one person.’
She blew him a kiss then checked her watch. ‘I have to be at the bookstore by ten.’
‘And I,’ he said regretfully, ‘have to go back to the city, at least for today. I’d like to come back tonight, if that’s okay?’
She smiled. ‘Bring a big, full suitcase of your stuff. Make yourself at home.’
Noah leaned over and kissed her, then leaned his forehead against hers. ‘You and me and Kanye make three.’
She giggled. ‘Not Kanye. You insist on that, I’m calling you ‘Applebum’.’
‘Like I haven’t heard that before.’
They drove into town together then, kissing her goodbye, Noah stroked her face. ‘Until tonight, then.’
She got out of his car. ‘Hurry back to me.’
‘I will. You and little K look after yourselves.’
‘Hahaha, get lost, Applebum.’
She watched as he drove down to the harbor where the ferries connected to the mainland. Again, she marveled at the change in her life within one day. She smiled to herself. A new day, a new life.
She unlocked the bookstore and went to work.
Manhattan
Charlie Sherman walked into the precinct on Monday morning and went straight to his captain. The man listened as Charlie outlined his concerns about Riley Kinsayle but Charlie could see he wasn’t taking him seriously.
‘Charlie, what happened between you two? It’s been months that you’ve had this distance and now you come to me with this idea that Riley Kinsayle – that goofy man-child - could be obsessed enough with Lila Tierney to want to kill her? Even though he’s shown no sign of psychopathy…ever?’
‘I know it sounds crazy but listen…why else would he be so desperate to find her? They’re not that close.’
‘Maybe he thought he was doing something nice for you?’
‘I wouldn’t risk exposing Lila because I got beat up a little. Riley knows that.’
The captain shook his head. ‘No, I’m sorry, Charlie. You got beef with Riley, you two work on it – outside this precinct. I mean it. Any trouble, I’ll suspend both of you.’
Charlie was fuming by the time he went back to his desk, even snapping at his friend Joe Deacon, who came to give him a message. Joe held his hands up and backed off immediately.
Riley never showed up to work. At half past five, Charlie called his cell phone for the twentieth time. The captain, who had been keeping an eye on the desk-bound Charlie, came to the door of his office. ‘Still nothing?’
Charlie shook his head. The captain sighed. ‘Okay, well, why don’t we send a unit over to his apartment, check it out?’
‘I want to go.’
The captain rolled his eyes, knowing it wasn’t worth arguing. ‘Okay, take a patrol, but you stay behind them, Sherman, agreed?’
‘Agreed.’
He rode in the back of the cruiser as they weaved their way towards Riley’s apartment in Queen’s. As they parked outside, Charlie looked up at the building. There were no lights in Riley’s window.
‘Guys, stay vigilant. If he is in trouble, we don’t want to make it worse.’
The two patrolmen, whose names he didn’t know, went in first. They knocked at Riley’s second floor apartment door but there was no answer. Charlie nodded at the door. ‘He’s a cop and he might be hurt or…’
‘Understood.’
The burlier of the two kicked the door in. ‘Riley? Riley Kinsayle? It’s Charlie, dude, yell if you’re hurt.’
No answer. Charlie flicked the overhead light on. Riley’s apartment was clean, tidy, no sign of any disturbance. On the table, a laptop was open and switched on.
Charlie sighed. ‘Jesus, Riley.’ It was Tinsley’s laptop. Charlie shook his head, and then looked up sharply. ‘You guys hear that?’
The other men shook their heads and Charlie nodded towards a closed door, flicking the catch of his holster and drawing his pistol. The other men followed suit and led the way. As the first cop entered the room, he yelled that it was clear, and switched a light on.
‘Holy motherfuck,’ Charlie heard him hiss, ‘Sherman, come take a look at this.’
Charlie followed the other cop into what he saw was Riley’s bedroom. The bed was made, and it wasn’t until he was fully in that he saw what the cop had seen. He sucked in a deep breath as if the shock was palpable. Riley’s bedroom wall was covered in photographs. Every one of them a different scene, a different day. They only had one thing in common.
Every single of one of them was of Lila…
Breathe Me Part Three
Manhattan
‘Oh my god.’ The words were hissed from between Charlie Sherman’s lips as he stood in Riley’s apartment. Endless images of
Lila assaulted his vision, photographs obviously taken without her knowledge over what looked to be the last few years, since she’d been in New York. Richard was in some of them, and as Charlie looked closer, he saw hazy images taken of the couple through windows. Intruding on private moments.
‘Sherman, take a look at this.’ One of the cops accompanying Charlie motioned at the wall and Charlie shifted to see what he indicating.
‘Fuck.’ Angry now. Photos of Lila in the hospital bed, barely alive, tubes in her arms, down her throat, spots of blood on her skin. Charlie shook his head.
‘How did I not see this?’
‘Kinsayle’s long gone,’ the other cop was rifling through Riley’s closet. ‘Looks like he packed in a hurry.’
‘Dammit, Riley,’ Charlie turned and stalked from the room, calling back to the other, ‘don’t touch anything else, get C.S.I. down here.’
Charlie went straight back to his captain and told him what had happened. This time, the other man took him seriously.
‘Okay. Do we know where Lila Tierney is?’
Charlie gave a quick nod. ‘But I don’t want her scared. Let me go to her, explain what’s happening.’
‘Fine, I’ll clear it. Charlie, if you find Riley…take him alive, if you can. No matter what he’s done, if he’s done anything, he’s still a cop. Due process etc.’
Charlie nodded. ‘Duly noted.’
Charlie drove straight to the airport and caught the next flight to Seattle. On the plane, he rubbed his face trying to figure out the story. Lila moves to New York, Charlie with her. He gets Riley as a partner and because he is always around Lila, Riley and Lila spend a lot of time in each other’s company and innocent, joking flirtation occurs. But maybe it wasn’t a joke to Riley….maybe he became infatuated, believed himself in love and when she had met Richard, jealousy reared its hideous and destructive head and Riley’s obsession began.
Charlie narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. Riley had played the waiting game, waiting for Lila to see the rich fuck for who he really was, waiting for them to break up but a few days before the wedding was actually going to take place, Riley snapped. Followed Lila to that wedding boutique and stabbed her viciously. If I can’t have you, no-one can…
Charlie snorted, shaking his head. Oldest play in the book. Crime of passion. And now they were looking for mild-mannered, jovial Riley Kinsayle.
Charlie closed his eyes, exhausted. The sooner he got to Lila, the sooner he would be there for her, being the best friend she always leaned on. He couldn’t wait.
Washington State
Lila smoothed her cotton blouse over the ever-growing bump and grinned. ‘I’m sure I just felt her kick.’
Noah, propped up on his elbow beside her, smiled. ‘Her?’
‘I just have a feeling.’
Noah chuckled and slid his big hand over her belly, and waited. Nothing. ‘I think you imagined it.’
‘Maybe but won’t it be exciting when we know for sure?’
‘It will.’ N
oah glanced at his watch and groaned. ‘God, I have to get to work.’
It was still dark outside. Noah’s attending position at one of Seattle’s most prominent hospitals meant a long commute every day to the city and now, as Lila saw the dark shadows under his eyes, she frowned. ‘Baby…you know, I could always move to the city again, save you having to travel every day.’
‘You’d be more exposed in the city,’ he said, kissing her softly on the lips. ‘I don’t mind travelling. Besides, I love this place, it’s a haven.’
She stroked the hair at his temples. ‘We could keep this place for the weekends. I hate that you’re exhausting yourself for my benefit.’
‘For your safety,’ he corrected, smiling. ‘And for your peace of mind.’
Lila lay back on the bed, thinking. What was she so frightened of? It wasn’t even her attacker finding her – it was the Carnegies. If they should find out about the baby before she had a chance to explain…god. She looked at Noah now.
‘Noah, I think I need to reach out to Richard’s family and let them know that…we’re together at least. If they know I'm in a new relationship, maybe I can fudge the dates of my pregnancy. God that sounds bad – I just don’t want them to get hurt, is all.’
Noah nodded. ‘I get it, Lila, I really do. And this is all so new, you, me, us and the little bean. Tallulah.’
Lila laughed. ‘No way, Jose. Anyway, I’m going to do that, get in contact, start rebuilding bridges. Then, how about we stay at your place in the week, come back here for weekends?’
Noah considered then smiled. ‘Does sound tempting,’ he admitted, stroking her face, ‘and think of all that time on travelling I could save…what could we do to fill that time?’
She grinned back at him, then moving, she straddled him, taking his already-stiffening cock in her hands. ‘I wonder.’
Noah’s hand roamed all over her body, cupping her breasts and stroking her rounded belly. ‘Have I told you how beautiful you are, lately?’
She chuckled. ‘Way too often. I’m getting a big head.’
His Sweet Torment: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance Page 91
