by Aliyah Burke
Me! He half expected that revelation to bother him but found it didn’t. It felt right. What have you done to me, Serefina?
“I see. Glad you liked her. I’m off to grab some sack time.”
“Later, man.”
He slipped up to his room and entered. It was as dark as could be and he turned on a light. All blood in his body headed towards his groin as he spotted an article of clothing on the floor and saw a body under the blankets. He had his shirt halfway up his torso before he froze.
Something didn’t feel right. He lowered his shirt and reached behind him for his weapon. At his side, his phone vibrated. He ignored it, moving closer to the bed. Grabbing the blanket, he jerked hard with one hand, gun aimed with the other. He swore hard and fast. Lying there in a pool of blood was none other than Shania Dodd.
Fuck.
His phone went off again. “What?” he snapped, making sure there was no one in the bathroom.
“Am I bothering you, Kysenzki?” Tobias asked.
“Goddamn it, Shania is dead in my room.”
Tobias released a litany of curses. “Don’t move, and for God’s sake, touch nothing.” He hung up.
Staring at her, Taber checked for a pulse, just in case. Nothing. “Damn you, Shania. What the fuck happened?”
She was a good agent. For this to happen… He didn’t want to think about it and passed the time pacing the floor until the others arrived, doing his damndest to adhere to Feeney’s order to not touch anything. The door swung open to admit Tobias and some others. He watched helpless as they took pictures and placed her on a gurney only to cover her with a sheet.
Tobias waved a hand and the people in the room moved to one side, giving them some privacy. “This doesn’t look good, Taber.”
“I know.”
“I have to put you on administrative leave until we get this sorted out.”
Shania. Upbeat. Effervescent. Never down. Lying in her own blood, stabbed numerous times. In his hotel room, his ex-lover lay dead.
“Taber!”
“I know,” he muttered, snapped back to reality. “She came to talk to me this morning.”
“I know, damn it. I sent her. Look, come give a statement, then… I don’t know, go home. Just one thing.” Tobias grabbed his arm and stared at him, his expression serious.
“What?” he asked.
“Leave this alone.” He frowned and Tobias shook his head. “I mean it, Kysenzki. You steer clear of this until you’re cleared to come back to work. Then find the fucker if we haven’t. I need your word on that.”
“I’ll leave it alone.” He boiled with rage. His fingers curled into his palms, nails digging into the skin. He itched to hit something. This was personal and it irked the hell out of him he was told to stay out of it. Stay away from it and not to seek any answers. Shania had been his friend too; she was one of their own. How was he supposed to sit this out on the sidelines?
“Let’s go then.”
Two hours later, a statement from him, and he was at the airport waiting for the plane to take him back to Texas. He did his best to focus on something else, but all he could see was Shania lying there, dead.
Chapter Six
Serefina started at the doorbell pealing through her home. Although soft and welcoming, the sound had been unexpected. With a sigh, she stared at the object before her briefly, then swung off the stool and headed for the front door, wiping her hands off on the towel which had secured a spot on her shoulder.
“Yes?” she questioned, swinging the heavy door open.
Any further thought got whisked away. Taber stood there, a bag slung over one shoulder, looking fine as hell in a black shirt, BDU’s and black boots. His hair showed proof of being run through as if he were worried and unsure. Perhaps harried would be a better word. His large truck parked beside her Xterra. Staring back at his face, she noticed the strain. He appeared exhausted.
“Come on in,” she said.
He opened the screen door and proceeded in, his inherent swagger making her think things she shouldn’t. Taber dropped his duffel and stared at her. She cocked her head and did the same. Waiting. For him to make his reason for being there known.
“I’m on administrative leave.”
Okay, not what I expected.
“And you’re here, why?”
There it was. Her answer. Need flashed in his gaze and she knew it wasn’t just a sexual one. He didn’t answer. Instead, he countered with his own question.
“Can I stay?”
Could he? She didn’t really know him. And yet in another way, she truly did. Trusting him wasn’t the issue. On some deeper level, she already knew she did.
“Of course.” She gestured with her hand. “Rooms are upstairs. I’ll be back down this hall when you want to talk.” One final glance and she walked away.
Back in her room, which had been converted to a studio, she sat back on the bench and picked up a trowel. With deliberate careful marks, she cut out symmetrical diamonds all around the top. When the last one fell free, she said, “Gonna tell me why you’re on administrative leave?”
She’d known he had been in the doorway but had ignored him the best she could until she’d finished the task at hand.
“I didn’t know you made pottery,” he uttered, stepping farther in to view.
She glanced at him and swallowed hard. He’d changed into jeans, a T-shirt and wore socks. Damn, he’s just too good-looking for my own sanity.
Focusing back on the vase before her, she picked up another tool and drew lines below the diamonds. “Now you do. Pottery relaxes me. Stop trying to throw me off.”
“The body of an agent—Shania—turned up in my hotel room. Dead. They’re searching for suspects.”
“And needed you out of the way of the case?” she asked, not believing for a second he would be the one who had killed an agent. Why a female agent was in his room, however, that made her a bit curious. Stop it, LeBenoit; we have no claim on him. She realised she wanted some claim on him.
“Yes.” He materialised beside her, drawing up another stool.
She’d never had anyone in her shop with her before. It was her place, but having him there didn’t feel all that bad. Kind of nice, actually.
“Do they know where you are?”
He captured her chin and forced an eye connection. “Do you want me to leave?”
She smiled. “Tired of being here already?”
His gaze was haunted. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. Do you feel uncomfortable with me here because of that?”
Placing the tool down, she rotated her seat until her entire body faced him, not just her head. “Taber, I don’t believe you killed a co-worker. Trust me; what makes me nervous isn’t that. So you are more than welcome to stay.”
Those amazing eyes sparkled. “Thank you for believing in me, angel. Now, let’s talk about what does make you uncomfortable.”
“Let’s not,” she retorted with a snort.
“Can we re-enact the scene from Ghost?”
She burst out laughing. “I suppose you’d be Patrick Swayze.” Taber nodded. “Do I get to be Willie and shoot you?” she asked with a sugary sweet voice.
He harrumphed. “Not quite the scene I was hoping for.”
“Sorry. I have to finish this vase. You want something to do. Whip up some lunch.”
“It’s almost four.”
Dang. Time got away from me. “Supper then.”
He brushed his lips along her cheek and left. She remained alone until she finished. With a groan, she stood and decided to apply the glaze later. After washing up, she trotted up the hall, only to be met by country music and the smell of steaks on the grill.
Country? Oy. This is the first time country music has been on at my house.
She moved closer and saw him on the back patio in front of the grill. Resting a hip on the counter, she took a moment and just stared at him through the opened sliding glass door.
A slight wind
ruffled his shoulder-length hair and what little free material there was of his shirt. He sang along with the music and she smiled at the almost boyish expression he had. He seems much more relaxed now than when he first arrived.
Almost like he sensed her eyes upon him, Taber lifted his head. In a millisecond, his expression changed from innocent and carefree to predatory.
“Almost done,” he said.
“Smells wonderful.”
She glided closer to him. Casually, he held out one arm and, when she settled along his side, he kissed her temple.
“Get your vase done?”
“Almost. I have to glaze then fire it.”
“You do beautiful work. I looked at the stuff around the house. Very impressive.”
She blushed. “Thank you.” Closing her eyes, she rested her head against him. The strong steady beat of his heart played out near her ear.
“Why’d you come here?”
“It made sense to me.”
He checked the steaks. His words made her glad. While he finished up at the grill, she set the table on her porch. It was perfect weather to eat out under the glow of the setting sun. There wasn’t much talk over dinner but afterward, he swept her up in his arms and carried her to the gliding loveseat. Pressed tightly against him, she relaxed and allowed herself to feel.
Taber kissed her, gently at first. His lips covered hers and he slowly swept through her mouth. He brought with him his own taste and the combination of steak and beer.
Her skin pebbled, her breasts felt heavy with want and her panties grew damp. She whimpered and wound her arms around him, sinking her fingers into his hair. She loved his thick, luxurious hair and could spend hours playing with it. She still had the tie she’d ripped from his hair the first time they kissed.
Without breaking contact, she altered her body so she straddled him, and her crotch settled against the ridge in his jeans. With a purr, she began to slide back and forth along his erection. He growled deeply in response. And the kiss changed. No longer gentle, it demanded. He gripped her waist before slipping up under her T-shirt. His calloused hands sent more shivers through her.
“Serefina,” he rumbled into her mouth.
Drawing back, she stared at him. “More of that talking thing?”
His brows converged and a frown turned down his lips. “Why are you so content to not talk?”
“What do we have to talk about? This isn’t anything permanent here. “
Anger flashed in those gorgeous eyes. He positioned his hands on her hips, her shirt between his skin and her own. “Do you ever wish for something more?”
Sean Forrest flitted unbidden through her mind. Disgusted with herself for even allowing Sean a thought, she forced the ex-fiancé from her mind. “Not anymore,” she stated with staunch conviction.
“You did at one time?”
She knew her smile was strained. “Of course. But now, I’m all about my career. Like you.” In the depths of his gaze, she could see something which told her he needed to just let go. With a deep breath, she moved so she sat next to him, her lust back under control, and draped her legs over his lap. “What happened?”
His fingertips trailed up and down her legs, teasing her skin and causing goosebumps to pop up as her stomach clenched with anticipation. “I can’t get the image out of my mind.”
Despite the jealousy which swamped her at the thought of another woman in his hotel room, she wanted to help. “It’s never easy to lose an agent, especially one you’ve worked with and are friends with.”
“I’ve seen lots but that… It was so personal.”
Personal. A jealous lover who knew they were together, perhaps? Damn it, she needed to focus and stay on target. This wasn’t about whom he was with. “You knew her well?”
He nodded. “She was a damn good agent. There were no defensive wounds.”
Her own mind worked fast. “So she knew her attacker or was incapacitated.”
“I counted fifteen stab wounds and that was just on her back. There were more present when they turned her.”
She sat up, legs tumbled to the floor. “She was stabbed?”
“Didn’t I say that before?”
A chill skirted up and down her spine. “Have you checked to see how the sting went?”
“No. They put me on leave.” His words were coloured with frustration at being sidelined for this.
“You need to call them.” She got up from his lap and the swing, heading inside, Taber on her heels.
“Why?”
“Just do it.” She had a bad feeling. A very bad feeling.
The moment his cell was in his hand, she dashed up the hallway to her office and headed to her computer. His loud curse didn’t surprise her at all, and yet, she’d hoped to hell she was wrong. By the time he reached the doorway, she faced it, waiting. Rage sat etched into each line of his face.
“He got away, didn’t he?” she asked, even though she knew the answer in the pit of her stomach.
“Yes.” The single word was laced with anger. “How did you know?”
“One of Thurgood’s MO’s is stabbing. Everything against him is taken so personally. I bet when they run a tox on her, they’ll not find any trace of anything. He likes to use a poison that metabolises quickly so it’s gone by the time the body has bled out or is found. I’d hazard a guess, while there were numerous wounds, none to major organs.”
He stepped closer and she fought the urge to lean back out of the way of his fury. It streamed from every pore in his body, submerging her in its wrath. “How the hell do you know all of this? And why weren’t we told?”
She bristled and got to her feet in a single motion. “I know you’re upset at what happened to your friend but don’t you dare try to put this on me. Why the hell do you think I was called in? I gave what I knew about this; what your department did with it is y’all’s deal.”
The man before her had transformed. Lightning sparked in his gaze, adding an eerie look to his countenance. A tic in his clenched jaw made her wish never to be on this side of him.
“Where would he go? And what about the two agents undercover with him?”
“I don’t know. If I did, that bastard would have been off the streets a long time ago. Part of what makes Thurgood so powerful is his ability to seemingly vanish like this.”
“But you have an idea,” he stated.
He was right. She did have an idea.
“I do.” Spinning back to her computer, she printed off the page on the screen, went to her printer and grabbed it. “Let’s get packed to go.”
He enclosed a hand about her wrist. “Why would you do this?”
“I don’t think Dillard should be on the streets any longer than necessary.”
Those eyes changed from angry to knowledgeable. “You could be risking your career going after him, especially with me.”
“Why? You’re on administrative leave. I’m on leave. They can’t tell us where to go. I feel like a vacation. You can either come with me or not. Your call.”
He arched a blond brow. “A vacation? Be careful, angel. Sounds like we’re almost a couple.”
It was true. And she’d been thinking of him like that. Not that she’d tell him or how having him call her angel made her feel like a crushing girl. But from the smirk on his face, he was way ahead of her in her line of thought.
“Then don’t come. I just thought you may want a crack at getting the one who did, or knows who did, this to your friend.” She couldn’t help the way the word ‘friend’ left her mouth, a bit snappish.
Taber stared down at the brown-skinned vixen before him. She’s jealous. Serefina LeBenoit was jealous over a woman she’d never officially met. Sure, they’d seen one another but they never spoke. Serefina may not realise it yet but he did. She was good and jealous and he’d bet there was more to it than that. Perhaps even deeper feelings. He didn’t say a word as she moved around him, steps angry and abrupt. By the time she vanished from view, he leaned
against the doorjamb with a smile on his face.
Tobias had ordered him to stay out of it. This wasn’t his battle and he was still on leave. The rage resurfaced when he thought of Shania dead. He would exact revenge on this man and it seemed, for all intents and purposes, that Serefina was his best bet on doing just that. Yeah, that’s the only reason you’re grinnin’ like a fool… Right.
He ran up to the room he’d put his bag in hours earlier and made sure he had everything. Standing partially in the closet, he bumped a large box with his shoulder and when it toppled, he reached out to halt it. A cursory glance over the top had him backing out and kneeling to place the box on the thick carpet, the colour of rich fertile earth.
A large binder sat haphazardly on the top. My Wedding Planner. He frowned and reached for it, only to hesitate briefly picking it up. It was heavy and had loose paper stuck throughout it.
An odd feeling filled him at the thought of Serefina having been married. One he didn’t much care for. After another quick glance towards the door, he opened the cover.
He almost dropped it. There was an eight-by-ten shot of Serefina—his Serefina—with none other than Special Agent Sean Forrest. Taber moved to the bed and sat on the edge, continually flipping through the pages. The entire thing was planned out to the last detail. On the back cover, there was a folded up note, taped to the cardboard. With a deep breath, he unfolded it and began to read.
My dearest, Fina;
I truly wish I had the courage to do this face to face but I can’t imagine looking at you and seeing the hurt and disappointment in those beautiful brown eyes of yours. I know you don’t want to hear it, but it’s not you, it’s me. I realised last night that I just wasn’t ready to settle down and get married. Poor timing, I know. We both have our careers and I feel one day you would have resented me for holding you back, getting you pregnant instead of supporting your desire to run stings and go undercover.
Tell people whatever you want, put all the blame on me. I hope one day you will be able to forgive this transgression. I know it may not seem like it now but I do love you, Serefina Imee LeBenoit.
