Magnolia and Moonlight

by Iris Abbott

  Marcus twisted the knob. It gave under pressure. The door was not locked. He knew it was too much to hope that Maggie was careless with the time and worried them for nothing. Marcus knew her better than that.

  He touched the gun at his back. Satisfied he was ready, Marcus stepped into the darkened duplex, silently shut the door, and shrank into the shadows of the darkened foyer. His eyes darted to a figure who sat on the edge of the couch. He immediately recognized Maggie’s form.

  A masked man approached her, waving a pistol in the air, and ranting about double-crossers. He stiffened his wobbly knees and weak legs. His raspy breath was unusually loud to his ears. He opened his mouth to yell an insult and draw the man’s attention away from Maggie.

  Before he could make a sound, Maggie’s body tensed. She lowered her head, sprang from the couch, and charged. No feinting, no hesitation. She hit the gun-waving intruder straight in the fat gut.

  “Oomph!”

  She made a solid hit. Caught by surprise, the man lost his balance, and the two of them tumbled over, hit the coffee table, and spilled onto the floor. The sharp retort of a gunshot rocked him back a step. The gun clattered against hardwood and skittered across the floor.

  Marcus frantically searched Maggie’s body. He saw no spreading bloom of blood and heard no screeches of pain. The shot must have gone wide.

  The pair continued to wrestle and roll around on the floor. Marcus did not have a clear shot of the bad guy. He held his breath and resisted the urge to rush into the fray. Maggie broke loose and crab-walked backward. The stranger rose above her and raised a fist as if to punch her.

  Marcus shook off the stupor and raised his gun. “Hit her and you’re dead,” he promised in a cold, hard voice meant to freeze anything that moved.

  Startled, the attacker took his eyes off Maggie and turned his way. His falling blow missed Maggie. The man froze and stared at Marcus in shock.

  Maggie took advantage. She drew up her legs, and using the power in her thigh muscles, kicked the intruder in the gut. The man flew through the air and landed on his back on top of the already toppled coffee table.

  A pained groan echoed through the room. The man clutched his belly and writhed around the floor. He made no move to get up.

  Marcus did not take his eyes off the perp, nor did he lower his weapon. In his peripheral vision, he saw Maggie rise to her feet and rush to his side.

  “Breach! Breach!” he heard a muffled voice command. The door behind him flew open and banged against the wall.

  Marcus pushed Maggie behind him.

  “Barrett Security! Freeze!”

  Marcus recognized Jeremy’s voice and relaxed. “Perp’s on the floor.”

  “There was a second guy,” Maggie informed the group. “The other one left already, and he’s got the money!” she announced in a strained voice. “That son of a bitch tore up my home! He better not get away!”

  “Perp two is on the run. I’m going after him!” Marcus declared.

  Josh stalked past him with his weapon drawn. “I got a bead on this one. He’s not going anywhere. Do what you gotta do, man.”

  First, he tucked his gun at his back and advanced on Maggie. He wrapped her in his arms and hugged her hard enough to lift her feet off the floor. He claimed her lips in a burning kiss that was way too short. “Don’t ever scare me like that again,” he ordered. “That gunshot took a decade or more off my life.”

  He smoothed his hands over her front and down her sides. He did not see any blood, but he needed peace of mind.

  “I’m fine,” she promised. “But the other guy is getting away.”

  Jeremy cleared his throat. “How? Your sister verified that you and Marcus were the only two people to enter the place, and no one left.”

  “That’s true.” Maggie shrugged and jerked her thumb toward the intruder still sprawled on the floor. “That one was a lot more talkative than the other one. He told me he stayed behind to have a little ‘fun’ with me before he took off.” She glared at the stranger.

  “Luckily for me, they used a zip tie to restrain me, and I paid attention in self-defense class. I was able to flex my wrists and get loose. Ambushed that sucker, ‘cause he didn’t think I’d fight back.”

  Blood roared in his ears. His blood pressure spiked. Marcus saw red. He took three huge steps forward, drew back his leg, and kicked the fucker where he knew it would hurt the most.

  The other man grabbed his bruised genitals and screamed in agonizing pain. Maggie’s face swam into his vision. “Doesn’t count,” he gritted out in case she was worried about his temper and show of violence. “Don’t you dare feel sorry for that piece of trash. He’s a bully who wanted to hurt you.”

  Maggie scoffed. “I’m no dummy.” She smirked. “I already got my licks in, or I would do a follow-up.” She glanced at his feet. “I hope those boots are steel-toed.”

  “Close enough,” he grinned.

  “Evidently, there was money hidden in the wall of Lily’s room.” She shrugged. “Who knew?”

  “Bank robbery,” Marcus supplied. “Ben figured it out. So, what about the other guy?”

  “Don’t know, but he disappeared somewhere upstairs several minutes before you showed up.”

  “Easton!” Jeremy hollered from upstairs. “Get up here, dude! You’re gonna want to see this!”

  He gave Maggie her keys. “Go to your sister. She’s worried sick about you. Lock yourself in with her and call 9-1-1 to report the break-in and being held against your will.” He brushed his lips across hers for a quick goodbye.

  Maggie sprinted out of the still-open front door. He watched her throw open the driver’s side door of her car and practically dive inside. She slammed the door, shutting out him and the rest of the world.

  His head fell back. He pressed a palm to his heart. “Thank God,” he uttered.

  “I got this one,” Josh reminded him he wasn’t alone and still had a job to do. “Go!”

  Marcus stormed up the stairs and followed the sound of Jeremy’s voice to Maggie’s room. “Unbelievable! Look at this shit.”

  He ended up in her closet. “There’s a trap door and tunnel in the back. It must lead to the unit next door, and it’s got to be the escape route.” Jeremy filled him in on his find.

  “Son of a bitch! That explains how they got in the duplex without getting caught by the cameras. They didn’t need to use a door or window. They walked through the walls. Un-freaking-believable!”

  Marcus retrieved his gun from its holster, shoved Maggie’s clothes out of the way, and pushed his way inside. The short tunnel ended in another closet of a room similar to Maggie’s. Marcus stepped into the neighboring duplex, tightened his hold on his weapon, and quickly surveyed the area.

  He felt Jeremy at his back. The two men stealthily spread out and advanced further into the room. A rustle of noise from down the hall snagged his attention. Marcus held up a finger, warning Jeremy to be still. He pointed to his ear, silently instructing the other man to listen.

  Jeremy turned his head, nodded, and pointed a finger to the partially closed door that led out of the bedroom. Marcus returned the nod and took the lead. He hugged the wall of the bedroom and crept around the corner. He held his gun in front of him, ready to defend himself if need be.

  His gaze landed on the broad back of a man about to descend the stairs. “Freeze!” Marcus demanded in an authoritative voice he used when he meant business.

  The stranger whipped around. His eyes widened to the point they looked like they were about to bulge out of his head. He carried a large black duffle bag slung over his shoulder. He dropped the bag down his arm and hugged it to his chest.

  He sensed the other man was going to make a run for it a second before he bolted down the stairs. Marcus gave chase. The thief had a head start, but Marcus refused to let that deter him. He tucked his gun into its spot at his back, launched himself onto the rail, and slid downward.

  Marcus caught up to the intruder halfway dow
n. Taking a page from Maggie’s book, he stretched out his legs and aimed his body to the side. His feet hit their target square in the middle of the perp’s back.

  The culprit lost his balance, tumbled down the stairs, and settled in a moaning heap at the bottom. Marcus managed to land on his feet. He yanked the duffel bag away and tossed it over his shoulder to Jeremy, who strode down the stairs at a normal pace.

  Marcus leaned down until he was nose to nose with the other man. “Busted!” He fisted the thief’s collar and lifted him off the floor. The man kicked his dangling feet and flailed his arms, but Marcus did not loosen his grip.

  Jeremy moved next to him. Marcus flashed him an evil grin. “You got a zip tie on you?”

  “Of course,” Jeremy dropped the bag to the floor and yanked the requested fastener out of one of his many pockets.

  Marcus shoved the offender to the floor and put a knee to his back. He was none too gentle when he restrained the man’s hand’s behind him and lifted him to his feet. He whipped his head around at the sound of Jeremy’s long whistle.

  Jeremy had unzipped the duffle bag. The top folded back to reveal stacks of cold, hard cash. “Jackpot!”

  Despite the tenseness of the situation, Marcus threw back his head and laughed. “Hey, Jeremy? Know that first-time meeting the family thing we talked about?”

  Jeremy nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Well, I’m here to tell you that yours had nothing on mine.” He smirked and hauled his prisoner outside to wait for law enforcement.

  FOURTEEN

  They arched against each other, fueling their passion to new heights. When release came, it happened for both. A shared pleasure, a perfect combination of give and take.

  The two of them collapsed into a puddle of sated flesh. Marcus rolled to the side. Maggie leaned against his chest. A sigh of contentment slipped past her lips.

  Their eyes met. She saw her heart reflected in his gaze. Her pulse quickened, nothing new when Marcus was near. Maggie brushed her lips across his mouth.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared in my life. Not even during the assault with Caleb.” She shuddered.

  Marcus wrapped his arms around her and cradled Maggie against his chest. He gently rocked her back and forth. She never felt more loved or safer. It was time to let him know how she felt.

  She pulled away from Marcus. Using both hands, she cupped his face and stared deep into his eyes. “The thing about tonight that haunted me the most was possibly dying before I got a chance to tell you how I feel.”

  She dropped one hand to her chest and rubbed the spot over her heart. “I love you with all my heart, all the way down to the bottom of my soul. Your strength doesn’t scare me, not anymore. You’re one of the good guys, always have been always will be.”

  Maggie sucked in her bottom lip and gently nipped on it. She held her breath, waiting to see if Marcus would reciprocate her feelings. She told herself it would not matter if he did not. She had never been a good liar, especially to herself.

  “You’re everything beautiful. My moon, stars, and all the light in between. I love you too!”

  He traced a finger over her lips. “When your sister told me that you were inside the duplex and might be in danger, it felt like the bottom dropped out of my world.”

  She kissed the side of his neck. “Thanks for coming to the rescue.”

  “Always, though, you didn’t really need my help. I’m proud of the way you defended yourself.” He held back his shoulders and thrust out his chest. He intently stared at her with eyes that gleamed.

  Maggie beamed at the praise he heaped on her.

  “Not only did you keep your head, you remembered how to get yourself free from the restraints!” He shook his head. “The way you took down perp number one was masterful,” he praised. “You didn’t hesitate, and you were able to use your strengths to your advantage. I couldn’t have done better myself.”

  Maggie felt taller, stronger. Her lungs expanded to their fullest, and she took deep, satisfying breaths. Her sister and flower friends told her they were proud of her often enough. The same compliment from Marcus, however, seemed to mean more. It probably had to do with the friction between them and the brief separation after the negative words they exchanged at the hospital.

  She smugly grinned. “You aren’t so bad either. You managed to take out bad guy number two and recover the stolen money.”

  Marcus stroked his hand over her arm. “So, what are you going to do with the reward money?”

  The bank’s insurance company offered twenty-five cents on the dollar for recovered cash. There was a separate law enforcement reward for the capture of the two bank robbers. The total prize was almost thirty-five thousand dollars.

  Maggie was giddy with excitement. “It was nice of Barrett Security and you and Jeremy to forfeit your part since technically you’re the ones who stopped the guy with the money.”

  Marcus held his hands up in the air. “As a general policy, Barrett Security doesn’t take reward money. Besides, you were the one who was held against your will, terrorized, and had your home destroyed.”

  “Yeah,” Maggie twisted her mouth. “The landlord wasn’t too thrilled about that call. I feel sorry for the guy. It wasn’t his fault any more than ours.”

  “It’s why he has insurance,” Marcus grunted.

  She shrugged. “Either way, Lily, Holly, and I are out of a place to live. Those assholes did so much damage in some areas, it’s not really habitable. The landlord’s waiting for the insurance money before he even starts repairs, and those could take weeks. Our lease ends in a couple of months. Pretty sure we’re not going back.”

  “You have a place to live,” he reminded her, “right here with me.”

  She kissed him. “I didn’t forget your offer, but I have no intention of imposing.”

  Marcus narrowed his eyes. “Please. Holding you in my arms, seeing your beautiful face every night, that’s anything but an imposition,” he emphatically stated.

  She rained kisses on the side of his neck and jawline. “Oh, that’s sweet, but now that Savannah’s here, we can move into our grandmother’s old house any day.”

  “I’m not sweet,” he scoffed. “What I am is hot for you.”

  “The house you and your sister inherited is big enough for Lily and Holly. That is if your sister doesn’t want to live alone,” Marcus suggested.

  “Savannah and I talked it over. I already invited them. They’re thinking about it.”

  She rubbed her face. “This is the second home Holly’s lost due to other people’s crazy. She’s stressing out big time.”

  “Your friends will figure it out. Tonight is about us. Forget her for now.” He rolled on top of Maggie, pinning her beneath him.

  She felt the nudge of his growing erection against her side. “You’re a hard man to say no to.” She twined her arms around his neck and used her mouth to show him how much she loved him.

  ****

  Two days later, Marcus walked into an Alabama sheriff’s department. Nathan McBride came out to the front desk to meet him. The two men shook hands. “Wasn’t expecting to hear from you this soon.” Marcus twisted his mouth in disbelief.

  Nathan shrugged. “Couldn’t believe it myself. You put the man on my radar, and days later, I’ve got a woman who wants to press assault charges against him. Knew it would be of interest to you but didn’t expect you to fly back over here.”

  “Caleb Glass hurt Maggie and got away with it. I want to see him get his just desserts.” He clenched his hands into fists.

  Marcus reached into his wallet and pulled out two cards. “I’ve got a lawyer and a private investigator on deck willing to go to bat for the victim. Maggie didn’t have anyone to help her when she went up against Glass and his family money. That’s not the way it should happen. Both professions are at the top of their game, and they are willing to work pro bono.”

  Nathan took the cards and tucked them away in a pocket. “I’ll make
sure she gets them today, and I’ll urge her to reach out to both.”

  He gave the deputy a chin lift. “Appreciate it.”

  The deputy pointed toward a short hallway to the left. “You know, we just brought Glass in for questioning. He’s in interrogation room one, waiting for an attorney.” Nathan rubbed his chin. “I’m due for a break.”

  The lawman turned on his heels and stalked off in the opposite direction of the interrogation rooms. Despite the thrum of energy that zapped through him, Marcus did his best loose-limbed stroll through the busy office. He must have done a pretty good impression of someone who belonged, because nobody stopped Marcus to question his presence.

  He entered the hallway and noted that all the doors were open but the first one. Marcus turned the knob and sauntered inside. He leaned a hip against the exit and crossed his arms over his chest. His hard gaze landed on the other occupant of the room.

  Marcus immediately recognized the weaselly face of Caleb Glass. He shook his head, not understanding what Maggie ever saw in the guy. His fingers itched to smack the smug smirk off the other man’s face. He tucked his fingers under his armpits to resist the urge to strike out physically.

  The guy lounged back in his chair with his legs propped up on the table and crossed at his feet. “Hey, you’re not my lawyer.”

  Marcus flashed his most menacing glare, uncrossed his arms, and slammed his flattened palms against the scarred table. “What I am is your worst nightmare.”

  That snapped the little shit out of his self-satisfied stupor. His feet hit the floor. He threw his hands up in the air. “Hey, man, I don’t even know you.”

  “Magnolia Rains,” was all Marcus said. When the smug son of a bitch got what he finally deserved, Marcus wanted him to know why.

  “That’s a name I haven’t heard in a while. A fine piece of ass, I miss that one.”

  Marcus figured Glass was trying to provoke him into an assault that would put him in a sympathetic light instead of the glaring spotlight of scrutiny currently focused on him. It was not so easy to goad Marcus into a mistake or sway him from his purpose. “Your reign of terror over women is about to end. That’s all you need to know. Hope your lawyer’s a good one because there’s one who makes sharks look tame, and a private investigator wily as a fox, working together to take you down.”