“But what?”
“I think your friend Goldie is terribly jealous of you.”
Bee chuckled. It was a soft, feminine sound that got his dick hard. She’d already made him the happiest man in the world. Up until now, he had lived a conventional life, moving through his days and, yeah, his nights, seeking out the company of countless women who never made him want more than an hour or two of mindless rutting. Over the years, it had become disheartening to be surrounded by gold digging women who saw him as their ticket to the socially elite.
Then he’d come upon his beautiful damsel in distress that night. Sure, he hadn’t realized she was trans in those first moments when he’d come to her aid against those drunks in the alley. But he found that he was glad things turned out that way. He was able to experience her without any preconceptions. She had just been an incredibly beautiful woman who had been in a bad spot and needed assistance. She had needed protection, and he had been glad he could help.
But he’d figured it out soon enough and, yeah, he’d been surprised—but even more surprised to realize that it didn’t matter. He didn’t give a single fuck. Something about Queen Bee had reached deep inside his soul and claimed him when he’d slipped that shoe onto her lovely foot, and he had easily ventured from his usual path.
This was the first time someone had loved Terry for him. Besides that, Bee needed him. And he needed to be needed…but for the right reasons and not just for his bank account. And then there was the sex. The pleasure he’d found with her was addicting. Hell, his cock was ready to go again just by thinking about all that she had to offer. He wouldn’t embarrass her by touching her the way he wanted to touch her while they were at the coffee shop. But the look in his eyes made it clear what she’d be in for the minute they were alone again.
“Darling,” she purred as she crossed and uncrossed her shapely legs. “You’re insatiable.” She ran a fingernail down his arm and covered his hand with hers. “Mmm… Are you ready for your Queen, man of mine?”
“Fuck, yeah,” he bit out.
She couldn’t resist teasing him just a little. “You sure about that?”
He took a deep breath, letting it out as a low growl before responding. “I could hammer nails, baby.”
The eye contact between them was electric. “You’re so hard,” she whispered.
“So. Hard.”
The server arrived to take their order, effectively breaking the moment as they silently agreed to do their best to behave until they were once again alone.
“You know,” she said as she redirected the conversation back to their previous topic, “I would be more concerned if Goldie wasn’t jealous.”
“What do you mean?”
“All T-girls are envious of each other. Just consider it part of the culture, dear. It’s no different than women being jealous of each other. My God, we all know how vicious they can be.” Bee shuddered to emphasize her point. “Why in the world would we be any different? We’re women too, after all. All too often, bitchy and catty go with the territory, darling, on both ends of the spectrum.”
“Well…I guess I never thought about it like that. I guess it’s harmless enough since you two are friends. But you don’t think she’d do anything to try and hurt you, do you?”
Bee leaned in and winked, her whisper wafting against his skin like a soft touch. “Not if the bitch wants to live.”
He laughed out loud, drawing envious looks from several nearby customers. He loved her sense of humor. The banter that went back and forth between the drag queens at Shady Ladies was nothing short of hilarious, and Bee could banter with the best of them. It was no different than the cutthroat business he was in. Bee was real, not like the sycophants he’d been subjected to all of his life. He wondered sometimes if having old money meant being born with a silver spoon up your ass rather than in your mouth. Fuck all of them and what they thought about him marrying Bee.
He wasn’t naïve. He knew there would be bigots who would probably stop doing business with him. He was a shrewd businessman and he had big plans that would ensure he and his soon-to-be wife would never suffer financially because of the intolerance of others. Terry didn’t get where he was in this life by being a nice guy.
“I love your sense of humor, darling. You bring me so much joy.” He couldn’t help the smile that lit his face when he saw for himself the pleasure she took from his words.
“Well, you know me, darling. What you see is what you get.”
His face grew solemn as he tightened his grip on her hand. “That’s the reason I love you. Well, one reason out of about a million.” He felt a stillness overtake him; the calm before the storm, perhaps. Yes…Terry Ransom hadn’t gotten where he had in life by being a nice guy, and he wasn’t about to start now. If anyone messed with his woman, he’d fuck them up. “Perhaps there’s a dark side to me you aren’t aware of.” He held her gaze as she studied him. “How would you feel about that?”
Bee straightened in her seat and met him head on. “Let’s get one thing straight. You may have college degrees in Business, but the streets have a curriculum all their own. Now, granted, darling, the people you work with are no less vicious, but I know who my enemies are. My people take pride in not being fake. I’m well aware that there’s more than one facet of your personality. You’re a man of many layers and I look forward to discovering each and every one of them. You know how much I respect you; how much I adore you.” Bee arched a brow and pursed her lips. “I’m also aware that your lawyers will be demanding I sign a prenup.”
“My lawyers do what I tell them to do, and I have no interest in making you sign a prenup.”
“Actually, I want to. I want you to know beyond a doubt that all I want is you. I’m in it for love. Yes, there are things I want like any other woman; a sex change first and foremost, but I wouldn’t marry a man to get it. I’m an independent woman and I was taking care of myself long before you came along.” She held his gaze like the queen she was and was shocked when she saw the corners of his eyes crinkle as he smiled.
“You expected me to be angry when you said that, didn’t you?” he said softly as he reached out to cradle her jaw. “How could I ever be mad at the only person in this world who has ever been real with me? We can talk about those details later if you insist, but you’ll get no pressure from me about such things. I love you, Bee.”
“And, I love you, darling.”
“One more question,” he said as he dropped his hand and leaned back in his seat to simply enjoy the beautiful view.
“Right,” she laughed. “You’re always full of questions about the lifestyle.”
“Well, I don’t understand something. Shouldn’t the community be standing together rather than giving way to unnecessary cat fights?”
He looked so sincere and she couldn’t help but love him for it. She smiled indulgently at him as she chose her words. “Oh, I suppose in a perfect world, yes, we should all have slumber parties and braid each other’s hair. But it’s not always that way. But regardless of our personal dynamics and drama, we have a tight bond. We’ve got each other’s backs in spite of the pettiness.”
“Well, okay, then. At least you have that, because in my world the bonds are stocks and bonds. The moment you believe you’ve bonded with a colleague is the moment you feel the proverbial knife in your back.”
“That’s so sad,” she murmured as she stroked a fingertip along his chiseled jawline and stroked a long, glistening fingernail over his bottom lip. “That isn’t really true for you anymore, though, is it? Because you’ve got me now.”
Chapter Forty Six
Brian Reed was slouching in the front seat of his car, chewing on a red licorice stick like he didn’t have a worry in the world. Following Queen Bee to the coffee shop had been a breeze. Between her checking the mirror and being scared of wrecking that new trophy-wife-hey-look-at-me Cadillac she was driving, she hadn’t even noticed him following her.
He was a man with a plan
. Confidence thrummed in his veins with renewed fervor. He grabbed his phone and pulled up Black Rose’s website. Everything was the same except for a few new comments from clueless fans who thought he walked on water. That’s what I should do, make my own website for my fans. He pondered the idea and grinned at the prospect of giving Black Rose a little not-so-friendly competition. It would be interesting to see who could get the most followers. Of course, Black Rose had had years to acquire his audience so it wouldn’t be fair to think Brian would have as many right away. But wouldn’t it be something if he could outdo the great and mighty Black Rose? He rolled his eyes at the thought of just how delusional the guy probably was. Talk about ego.
Brian knew his followers would embrace him because of his natural talent for killing, not because he was some fucking Robin Hood coming to the rescue of Louisville, Kentucky. He rolled his eyes again.
Subject’s on the move. He lowered his body a little more, pulling the baseball cap down enough to hide his identity and still see them. He watched as the man stepped in toward Queen Bee, pressing her back against the Cadillac as he kissed her and let his hands wander possessively over her body. It seemed like they were really in love. Brian felt a momentary twinge, knowing that he wasn’t capable of falling in love. His heart was too black for that sort of thing, at least in the traditional sense.
There was only one person he could bond with on any level, only one person who understood him: Teegan. All he had to do was convince her that he was the better pick. Of course it would take time and a little conditioning. But even if her loyalty to him was derived from a deeply ingrained, meticulously crafted case of Stockholm syndrome, he wouldn’t care because she would still belong to him.
Yes…killing Queen Bee would get him noticed by that stupid, socially elite family of serial killers, but Teegan would be his key to finally being a fully formed human being. He’d never been able to figure out what that meant on his own, but he knew it was something he wanted desperately that had always eluded him. But he wasn’t worried. Teegan would show him. She would know what to do.
He pulled into traffic, staying far enough behind Queen Bee to not be noticed. Even though she didn’t strike him as the most perceptive creature in the world, he still wasn’t taking any chances. He was glad that boyfriend of hers was finally loosening his grip after the close call she’d had in that alley a while back. And why not? Her boyfriend had no way of knowing that the love of his life was going to be killed by the infamous Mummy Man. And even that was okay as far as Mummy Man was concerned. After he was through with her, she’d be famous. Fuck, she’d be more than famous; she’d be immortal. In a way, she’d live forever.
Her lover was probably one of those modern men who would be stupid enough to believe he shouldn’t be too controlling. That belief would be his undoing. A real man knew control was the best insurance policy, and Mummy Man’s insurance policy was paid in full. He was ready to collect.
He clenched the steering wheel and blew out a long, slow breath as he followed her taillights. He already had the itch again but knew better than to rush things. All he had to do was bide his time.
Chapter Forty Seven
“So you want me to blog about how great I think your dad is. Hmm, so how’s your mom going to feel about that? You know, come to think of it, I kinda like her. Turning her into ‘Mommy Dearest’ wasn’t really what I had in mind.”
“Teegan. You’re fucking hilarious. I guess that makes me Mommy’s Dearest. I’m not asking you to write it in a ‘fan-girl’ way. I’m asking you to write it from a reporter’s perspective.”
“That, I can do. Just think,” she sighed dramatically, “I get to stay alive one more day.”
Thomas grinned and kissed her cheek. “Get to writing, beautiful. We’re luring a killer out of hiding.”
“Yeah, maybe I’ll get a Pulitzer,” she muttered. “Now, close the door so I can concentrate,” she said over her shoulder, then she pursed her lips and positioned her fingers over the keyboard.
“Yes, dear.”
“Oh, please.” She could hear his laughter as he strode down the hall.
Teegan knew a man’s stomach wasn’t really the way to his heart, but his cock and his ego were always a sure thing. Since cock was absolutely out of the question in this instance, Mummy Man’s ego would have to suffice. She wouldn’t fuck anyone but her husband anyway. Bruised ego…yeah, she could do that. A slow smile curved her lips as her blog post took shape in her mind. She narrowed her eyes as her fingers tapped out their staccato rhythm and her words quickly filled the screen.
Many of my readers are aware that criminology has always intrigued me. My favorite tv shows are all those morbid crime dramas about serial killers. I have to admit that even though I’ve studied every facet of the criminal mind, I still can’t get enough of serial killers. Let’s face it, there’s so much to learn about them. I’ve written previous blogs about nature versus nurture, trophies and why killers keep them, and I’ve even profiled a few fans of serial killers. However I’ve never touched on the nobler side of the serial killer experience: what I call Robin Hood syndrome, or what the professionals call a vigilante serial killer.
When a serial killer has a mission, such as cleaning up the streets of our city, are we more forgiving of him or her? Truth be told, I have to admit that, yeah, I am.
Now before you pick up stones and begin heaving them at me, let me explain my reasoning. As a woman, over the last few months I have been warned to lock my doors and windows, to not go anywhere alone, and to be wary of helping anyone who looks like they may need help loading groceries in the trunk of their car. Why? Because we’ve got some sick fuck out there called Mummy Man who believes wrapping women up like mummies and suffocating them is okay. I’m sorry, people, but that shit pisses me off. It’s killing for killing’s sake and it’s pitiful.
On the other hand, we have a Black Rose in our midst who is cleaning up the streets. I believe a hero is a hero, even if he is a particularly dark one. I also believe I’m not the only one who breathes a sigh of relief whenever a killer with no conscience is taken off our streets, regardless of how it happens or who’s involved. So, yeah, if I have to choose between Black Rose or Mummy Man, I’m going to be Team Black Rose every time.
Give us a break, Mummy Man, and turn yourself in. Or, better yet, just go away.
This is your girl Teegan signing out.
Teegan was trembling by the time she finished the post. She was yanking the chain of a madman. She could feel her mind spiraling out of control. The room was closing in on her and she couldn’t breathe.
I don’t need Mummy Man to suffocate me. I’m doing a damn good job of it all by myself.
Chapter Forty Eight
The next morning, Charles gently placed his hand on his wife’s shoulder as she sat at her makeup table. It was one of his favorite moments of the day, when he would watch her brush her hair. Before they greeted the demands of the day, he savored the simple pleasure of watching the brush move through the silky strands before they fell back into place. She placed the brush on the table, sighed, and was soon staring off into space.
“What’s wrong, Melanie?”
It was one of the things she loved about him: straight and to the point. She never had to guess what he was thinking. But he could assume his poker face at a moment’s notice when necessary. She’d always admired how he could endure the scrutiny of an FBI agent and never break a sweat. She, on the other hand, was more of an open book and she supposed that was one of the reasons he protected her so intensely. Her love for her family was what enabled her to withstand the pressure of their criminal lifestyle. She looked up at his reflection in the mirror. “We’re putting our daughter-in-law in a dangerous situation.”
He took her hand and led her to the bed. He sat on the edge of the bed and patted the space next to him. She sat down next to him, looking up at him with earnest eyes.
“Look, I’m a cold bastard, I know that,” he said. “Bu
t that icy edge of mine has never been directed toward my family. And she’s family now.”
Melanie took a deep breath. “You’re right. You’ve always kept us safe. I expect you to keep her safe, too.”
“You have my word. The only reason I even asked her to help draw him out is that she has unique resources to accomplish that. She has a huge online following. I’ve looked at her blog and I have to admit, I’m impressed. She’s a good writer.”
“I’m starting to hate all blogs.” Melanie wasn’t as impressed as her husband was. She didn’t doubt Teegan’s writing talent, but she didn’t care for Teegan being in danger because of it.
“I’ve had one for years. It’s a way to communicate directly with the community, with no filters. And it’s a two-way street. There are people who feed us information who would never contact the FBI. I know it’s hard to believe, but what people think about what we’re doing matters. We need to stay in the public’s good graces. Let Mummy Man be Public Enemy Number One. Mummy Man,” he guffawed. “It sounds like a superhero villain.”
She could almost taste her husband’s disgust with the killer. “I know, but I just worry that it could backfire. Building you up could be taken as a blow to his ego.”
“That’s what I’m counting on.”
“What?! If he goes on a killing spree to prove a point, it’ll be our fault.”
“He’s already on a killing spree. Melanie, he can blame us all he wants because he’s a deranged, sick fucker. But we’re not going to blame ourselves for what he does.”
“Tell my heart that. Every time I think of those poor girls...”
In an effort to lighten the mood, he pulled her close and chuckled softly. “Thomas said she was scared to do a write-up that would build me up into some kind of hero because she didn’t want to piss you off.”
“Well, at least she has enough respect for me to care about how I feel. Most of your fangirls are shameless hussies, you know. ‘Oh my gawd, you’re my hero, Black Rose. I love you. Can I send you my panties?’” she taunted in a dimwitted bimbo voice.
Mommy's Dearest (Black Rose Book 3) Page 16
