As the hot water cascaded over her body, relieving the day’s stress, she let out a long sigh. With each drop of water, her muscles relaxed. Her mind cleared. Every nerve ending in her body screamed as she washed, thinking Jake’s hands were the ones on her body.
God, she wanted him. The passion waves of hot lava that coursed through her blood every time Jake kissed her were mixed with trepidation. Tommy had been the only man she’d ever made love to. According to her upbringing, he was the only man she should ever be with, how could she make love to Jake? Could she follow through with what she started? Her body said yes. Would her mind agree? Kyra offer up a little prayer, asking for courage, then laughed at the irony. The nuns’ voices echoing in her head.
*
The bell sounded at exactly seven. Kyra opened the door wearing her apron, a dish towel dangling in her hand. Jake leaned in and kissed her.
“I thought we were going out?”
Maybe he’s taking this the wrong way. Shit. “I thought it would be nice to have a quiet evening. If you want, we can still go out.”
“No, you went to all this trouble. I’m sorry.”
“I’m the one who should be sorry. You did say you wanted to go out, but I just thought…”
Embarrassed, she turned away from him and headed into the kitchen. He grabbed her arm, turned her back to face him. He wrapped one arm around her waist, lifted her chin with his free hand, and looked deeply into her eyes.
“Let’s start over. I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful. Okay?”
“Okay.” Wrapping her arms around his waist, she pushed up onto her toes, brushing her lips over his.
“Better?”
“Yes. Come into the kitchen while I put the steaks on.”
“We don’t have to eat right away.” He smiled.
“I think we do.” Phew, she definitely needed to slow things down because she could really lose control.
No matter what she said, Jake turned it around. Dinner became foreplay. Anticipation burned a path to her core. She’d never wanted anyone the way she wanted Jake tonight. Kyra got up to clear the table. She reached across Jake to take his plate and knocked over his glass of water.
“I’m so sorry.” She reached for a towel. Without thinking, she started wiping the water from his lap. His voice cracked.
“Give me the towel, Kyra,” he said, in a husky voice.
Sure her face was as red as it felt, she handed him the cloth. “I’ll be right back.”
She went to the linen closet, grabbed a big beach towel, and headed back into the kitchen.
“Here, why don’t you go into the bathroom and take off your shirt and pants. I’ll throw them in the dryer. It’s only water.”
“Ah, I love your plan. I wondered how you’d get me to disrobe and practice your wiles on me,” he joked.
“I’m a creative woman, but I think you stole my line.”
“Times have changed.”
“Not that much.” She winked.
Jake took the towel from her and headed to the bathroom. While he was changing, Kyra cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher to keep occupied. It was hard to keep her mind on the task as she thought of him undressing in the next room. Pulled from her daydream by the bell, she headed into the living room to answer the door. Not looking through the peephole before she opened it.
Surprised, she cursed herself for not using more caution. “Tom, what do you want?”
He pushed his way in. “I want my wife.” He grabbed for her, she pushed back. It was easy—he was drunk and uncoordinated.
“I’m not your wife, get out.”
“You’re still my wife. The divorce isn’t final,” he slurred.
“I said get out.” He grabbed her, pushing her up against the door, roughly grabbing her left breast.
She fought him. Laughing at her, he pushed up her skirt with one hand while he held her wrist with the other, pushing it behind her.
No match for him, she yelled, “Jake.”
“What is it…”
Jake ran across the room, the towel wrapped around his waist dropping as he came up behind Tom. He spun him around. Tommy threw a blind punch which glanced off Jake’s shoulder. Jake’s right hit its target, landing in Tom’s stomach. Doubling over, Jake finished him off with a left cross to the jaw. Tom stumbled back. Jake wrapped his right leg around Tom’s, tumbling him to the floor.
Grabbing his hand, Jake jerked Tom’s thumb backward. Tom screamed and stopped struggling.
“Kyra, grab my handcuffs off my belt.”
She ran to the bathroom, located the cuffs, ran back into the room, and handed them to Jake. He cuffed Tom. She couldn’t believe Tom could be so stupid. She watched him struggle while Jake leaned over him, whispering in his ear.
“You slut, you’re my wife. Don’t care that you’re dipping into another man’s goods?” he screamed at Jake.
Kyra knelt down on the floor by Tommy’s head. “Listen, and listen carefully, Tom, because I’m only going to say this one more time. I’m not your goods and never have been. I was your wife, but not anymore, so don’t ever come back here again.”
“How long have you been fucking him?”
Jesus, he didn’t know when to shut up. “None of your business…”
“Kyra, I think you should press charges. He’s not going to stop.”
“I don’t know, Jake. I don’t want to give him a record.”
“Kyra, he’s been stalking you and tonight he tried to rape you. You need to press charges.”
She didn’t know what to do. Afraid of making the wrong decision, she walked away from them and went into the kitchen to think. Would this get her custody of Trevor? Would this give him a permanent record? Would it ruin his career? My God, how could he be so ignorant?
Before the break-up he’d hardly touched her and she hadn’t cared. They were only going through the motions of being married. It wasn’t only the gambling that ended their marriage, it was disinterest. Disinterest in each other, in their jobs, in their lives.
Jake walked into the kitchen. “Kyra, I have him handcuffed to the post. You need to make a decision. I’m going to tell you from experience this is only the beginning with him. He’s escalating.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I know,” she whispered.
Jake walked over to her, still in his boxers. He put his arms around her, holding her close. “It’s for the best and for your safety. It should also help with the custody battle.”
“I know,” she said again as she shook in Jake’s arms.
“What do you want to do?”
With a heavy sigh, she said, “Arrest him.”
While Jake radioed for a patrol car, Kyra walked over to Tom. “I’m having you arrested for attempted rape. I can’t believe you did this.”
“You’re mine.”
Wondering if he’d feel the same way tomorrow when he sobered up, she stepped away from him to let Jake read Tom his rights.
“Ah, Jake?”
“Yes?”
“I think you should put on your pants and shirt before the patrol car gets here.”
“Good idea.” He left the room, heading to the bathroom to fetch his clothes.
It seemed like hours before the patrol car arrived, though it was only fifteen minutes. Jake talked to the officers. When they took Tom away, he cursed at her. Then he threatened it wasn’t over.
“You’ll pay for this, Kyra,” Tom yelled as the officers dragged him from her condo.
*
Jake closed the front door. Kyra sank onto her couch, crying uncontrollably. Jake walked over and gathered Kyra into his arms, cradling her as he held her tight to his chest. He didn’t say a word while she cried. He let her get it all out. The silence filled the room as she ran out of tears, rubbing her back in comfort Jake waited her out. He kissed the top of her head then rested his head on hers. He wanted to kill Tom at that moment. How dare he attack her? Jake tried to hide his feelings so not to upset Kyra anymore
than she already was.
“I’m sorry, Jake. You didn’t need this.”
“Shush, just rest.”
Pushing away from him she looked up. “Seriously…sorry. I told you I had baggage.”
“This isn’t your fault.” Jake wanted her to understand. It always amazed him the way the victims took responsibility for the actions of others.
“I’m glad you were here. I don’t know how I would’ve stopped him.” He felt her shiver against him.
He hugged her tighter. “Me too. Don’t let him in if he comes back. Call 911 right away, then me. Understand?”
“Yes.” She pushed further into him as his adrenaline evened out. Domestics were the worst calls. Kyra didn’t understand how dangerous Tom Russell had become.
Chapter Eighteen
Kyra pushed off Jake’s chest to kneel in front of him. Straddling him, she placed kisses on his cheek, nose, and lips. At his response, she parted her lips, slipping her tongue into his mouth, teasing, she bit and then gently sucked. From her position she felt him harden against her upper thighs, encouraging her. She ground her hips into his. There was a violence in her kiss as she searched for what she needed—love, acceptance, distance, and forgiveness. Desperation pushed her forward as she explored his mouth, hoping to ease the passion welled up inside her. Did she dare ask for more?
“Sit next to me,” he said hoarsely, pulling back.
Surprised when he lifted her off his lap and placed her beside him on the couch, Kyra couldn’t figure out what she’d done wrong.
“Kyra, you’re emotionally wrung out tonight. I won’t take advantage of you.”
“You’re not. I want you, Jake. I’d hoped tonight we’d see how far the night took us.”
“I had the same thoughts, but Tom ruined that. Why don’t you get some sleep? If you still insist on going to dinner with him and Trevor tomorrow, I’d like to go. I don’t think you should be alone with him right now.”
“I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Do you think he’ll get out of jail by then? I guess I’ll just have to wait to hear back from him.” Boy, he could cool down a situation—sexy man to cop in under sixty seconds.
“Don’t see him alone. If you don’t want me there, make sure you take someone else with you.”
“I will. It’s too late to call, but I need to know where Trevor is this evening. I hope he’s not with a babysitter. If he is, I need to pick him up.”
“I’ll call the station and have the arresting officer ask Tom.”
“Thanks, I’ll feel better after I speak with Trevor.”
Kyra got up from the couch, started pacing back and forth between the kitchen and the living room while Jake took out his phone to call the station. She walked back into the living room as he ended the call and sat on the couch next to him.
“Trevor’s spending the night at Tom’s parents.”
“Okay. Thanks, Jake. He’s been spending a lot of nights at his grandparents. It’s terrible. I don’t like Tom’s parents,” she rambled on, embarrassed by his rejection.
“Nothing terrible about it, some people are hard to take. It takes a lot of patience to be in a room with the Russells.”
“You know them?” He constantly surprised her.
“Not directly, but they’re pompous people. They throw their money around, expecting everyone to jump through hoops for them. I don’t trust politicians.”
“I never did either.”
“I should go.”
“Please stay awhile, I don’t want to be alone.” She looked down, picking at her cuticles. Jake reached down, took her hands in his.
“I’ll stay for as long as you like.”
It dawned on her he was still in his wet clothes. “Let’s try this again. Why don’t you give me your shirt and pants so I can dry them for you?”
“I think I’ll keep them on.”
“Afraid I’ll attack you?” she joked.
“Hmmm.”
“That’s it?”
“I’m trying really hard here, Kyra, to keep my hands to myself. You’re making it quite difficult.”
“Good.”
“Good?”
“Yes, good. I told you I really want to make love to you, Jake. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. Don’t make me beg. I don’t care about Tom. I want to put him out of my mind.”
“Kyra, I want to make love to you too. I just think we need to talk.”
“About what?”
“You.”
“I’m boring.”
“No, I find you enticing and obviously so do many others.”
She wanted to wipe the grin off his face. God, what did a girl have to do to get laid around here?
“Okay, what do you want to know?”
“Everything.”
“I hate talking about me.”
“Then talk about your son.”
“Oh, Trevor’s a wonderful kid. So full of life, and smart. This divorce is killing him. Six is a tough age. He’s too young to understand what’s going on.”
*
He watched her face light up and the pain fill her eyes as she spoke of her son. Jake wondered if she’d tell him why she was losing custody of the kid. She didn’t seem the type to abuse a child, but then again, you never knew. The job taught him everyone was capable of violence.
“Kyra.” He took her hand, looked into her eyes. “Why don’t you have custody of Trevor?”
“I have a gambling problem.” Kyra shook her hand out of Jake’s. He grabbed it back.
“Gambling, like betting on the games?”
“No, casino-type gambling.” She dropped her eyes.
“You shouldn’t have lost custody over a gambling problem.”
“You do if you’re married to a Russell in this town.”
Jake watched her checks flush, took her chin in his hands, and raised her head. “Look at me, Kyra. You made a mistake, but losing your son’s a high price to pay. Can’t you fight him?”
“I don’t have enough money to fight him. I’m saving, but I might not have enough in time.”
“What about your parents?”
Her forehead creased and her lips pursed into a thin line before she answered him.
“Kyra?”
“They won’t help.”
“Why?”
“Jake, I really don’t know you. This is all too intimate to discuss with you.”
“You’re willing to sleep with me, but not talk to me.” He hid the hurt. Didn’t understand why it hurt.
“It’s…oh, Jake. I can’t…I don’t know.”
“Kyra, talk it out. It might help.”
“Yeah, and push you out the door.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Right.”
Tom must have done a number on her, Jake thought. “Please, Kyra, talk to me.”
“Okay, here goes. Tom wanted to go to the casino, because he found our life boring. What he started, neither one of us could have ever anticipated. I started playing the slots. A little here. A little there. Next thing I knew. I couldn’t stop. At first, I was winning big. I couldn’t lose then the tide turned. I started losing. The more I lost, the more I tried to win.”
Jake listened without interrupting. Embarrassed, the white skin of her neck change colors until it matched her hair, he observed as she spoke. He knew it was hard for her to open up, but he had a knack of drawing people out.
“There’s no reason for you to be embarrassed, Kyra. People make mistakes.
“You don’t understand. It was a major mistake. I used Trevor’s college fund.”
“You can pay it back.”
“I’ve been working on it.”
“So, after nine years, Tom kicked you out over it?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“I used my pension fund and our joint 401K.”
“His retirement fund is what pushed him over the edge?”
“Yes.”
“So you know where his priorities lie.”
“Yes.” Tears washed down her face.
She got up, started pacing the room. Jake pushed himself off the couch, walked to her, and took her in his arms. He sensed there was more here she wasn’t telling him. Patience was something he’d developed over the years. He’d wait her out.
“You didn’t answer my question. Why won’t your parents help you?”
“They would if I went to Gamblers Anonymous and promised to never set foot in the casino again.”
“And you’re not willing to agree to those terms, even to gain custody of your son?”
“It’s not the terms, Jake. It’s my parents trying to control me, just as Tom tried to control me throughout our marriage. I’m sick of it,” she yelled. “You’re right, the price is too high. I didn’t know Tom was going to pull the custody thing or I would’ve agreed. By then, it was too late, the judge had ruled. Tom’s parents had already greased the right hands.”
Jake tightened his grip on her as she tried to push away. “Kyra, look at me. There’re ways to fight these people. Are you still gambling?”
“I was. I haven’t been back since last Tuesday.”
“Why?”
“I lost again. I realized the stupidity of my actions as I tried to win the money to fight Tom. You’ll never understand how much I hate myself for what I did to Trevor’s life. How I screwed it up. A child needs both his parents, especially at his age.”
“Kyra, it can be fixed. I do understand how you can blame yourself. I blamed myself for years for my sister’s death.”
“What happened?”
“She was raped, beaten, and murdered by one of my classmates. She asked for a ride that day, but I didn’t want to give her one. I had plans. Where she was going would’ve taken me out of my way. Five fucking minutes out of my way. If I’d only said yes that day, I believe she’d be alive today.”
He still blamed himself, Kyra thought. “Then it would’ve happened on another day. Do you think you can fight fate and destiny? You can’t blame yourself for someone else’s actions, Jake.” She rubbed his back, feeling guilty for her self-pity, helpless to ease his pain.
Burn in Hell_A Jake Carrington Mystery Page 12
