“Well, I admit to having ulterior reasons for stopping by.” Amanda’s face flushed prettily and she tilted her head down to look at the ground, but I could still see a wicked smile spread across her lips. When she raised her eyes to meet mine again they glittered with evil intent. She placed her hand over her stomach, splaying her fingers to cover as much area as she could. My heart sank when I realized what she was about to say. “I’m expecting,” Amanda said excitedly. “Not many people know it, but Clayton and I are so excited about our little bundle of joy that’s due to arrive later this year.”
“That explains the sudden weight gain,” my mom said. She placed her hand at the small of my back to remind me that she’d always have it through any battle.
“Mom,” I said in a warning. As vapid and vain as Amanda was, I didn’t want her starving herself and harming the baby because of something my mom said. We were better than her. “You look beautiful, Amanda. Congratulations to both you and Clayton.”
Amanda had sneered at my mother’s barb but flinched at my kindness. Had I found the way to beat her after all? “Thank you,” she said cautiously. “Well, Clayton said an ordinary nursery wouldn’t do for his baby, so I’m hoping you can help me find the perfect pieces. I want the room to be elegant, classy, and timeless.”
“A child’s nursery?” my mom asked. “Honey, there’s nothing elegant or classy about changing shitty diapers, so it’s best you prepare yourself for that now. You’ve come to the right place though. Maegan has the absolute best taste and can find almost anything your heart desires. She’s also mature enough not to let the heinous way you treated her in high school interfere with conducting a business transaction. Right, Maegan?”
There was a not-so-gentle dig at Amanda and reminder that my business was more important than Amanda’s shenanigans. She was right. I wouldn’t allow Amanda to go around town telling people that I refused to help her. It would give my business a bad reputation and more ammunition for Amanda to use on me later. I’d be damned if I played another one of her games.
“Absolutely,” I said to my mom before I kissed her on the cheek. “I love you.”
“Call me later if you can tear yourself away from your man. Good luck, Amanda,” my mother said dramatically.
“What did you have in mind for the nursery, Amanda? Did you have a theme or pattern in mind?”
“Uh….” It was obvious she expected me to refuse her.
“You don’t want antique baby furniture because it doesn’t typically meet today’s safety standards and it lacks certain convenient features such as sides that lower or cribs that can convert to beds.”
“Um…”
“However, there are manufacturers that specialize in making modern furniture that resembles vintage pieces. Beautiful stuff. I can help supplement whatever design you choose with lamps and decorative pieces. Oh! I found the most amazing collection of porcelain Beatrice Potter figurines, but I think I’m going to save those for my own nursery someday.” Amanda looked at me like I had lost my mind, and before she could comment, I said, “There is more than one way to become a mother, Amanda. Surely you know this.”
“Sure,” she said, nodding her head.
Of course, I always knew that adopting kids was an option. I just didn’t think I’d find a guy who could get past it. I had this idea in my head that men only wanted kids that carried their DNA. How misguided was that? It wasn’t that Elijah told me something I didn’t know, but hearing it from him made me want to heal that wound and live my life to the fullest. I didn’t have to give up on being a mom, I just had to do it another way. I didn’t have to wait for a guy to come around and approve my plan either.
“I’m going to adopt a houseful of rowdy kids.” Visions of kids running through the house or back yard with barking dogs chasing them made me smile. Then I realized the house and yard wasn’t my current residence, but it felt like home regardless. I didn’t think I’d been inside the house with wide plank wooden floors, so why did it feel familiar. Then I realized that I had indeed recently seen those floors with my very own eyes. Huh, I didn’t see that one coming.
“Do you smell something burning?” Milo asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Smells like sulfur.” He sneered at Amanda. “I thought I saw your broom parked outside.”
“Hello, Milo,” she said.
“Should I grab a bucket of water?” he mock-whispered.
“Nah,” I told him. “I’m helping Amanda pick out furniture and decorations for…” I wasn’t sure she wanted people to know about her condition.
“Clayton and I are expecting a baby,” Amanda told him. “Maegan is giving me some guidance.”
“She is?” Milo asked.
“I am.”
“You’re a better person than I am,” Milo said. “I still want to douse her with water for the way she treated you.”
Amanda sucked on her teeth as she contemplated his words while she studied me. “She’s a better person than me too. I’d have blasted me with both barrels.”
“Too messy,” I told her. “I’ve had enough drama this week. So, back to my original question. Do you have a color theme in mind?”
“We’re waiting to find out the sex of the baby before we finalize the nursery, but I like your idea of choosing modern furniture that looks vintage and I love that chair.” She pointed over to a Victorian style chair upholstered in beige striped silk fabric. It was one of my favorite pieces too. “And the matching ottoman.” She walked over to the ottoman and ran her finger over the lid of the china teapot that sat on the sterling silver tray. “You’ve displayed it so beautifully that I want to buy the tea set and tray and I don’t drink tea.”
“Your mother does,” Milo said from behind me. “Isn’t her birthday coming up?” How Milo remembered all this stuff was beyond me.
“A few weeks,” Amanda confirmed. “I’ll take the chair, ottoman, the silver tray, and tea set.”
“Step over to the register and we’ll write it up and schedule a delivery date. Would you like to take your mother’s gift home with you today?”
“Would the chair and ottoman fit in the back of my sport utility broom?” Amanda asked, winking at Milo.
“It fit in the back of my SUV, but I have a full-sized one for hauling big things,” I told her. Amanda pulled her keychain out of her coat pocket. I took the keys from her and held them out for my brother. “Milo, will you kindly look to see if these items will fit?”
I don’t know why I was suddenly so willing to put my turbulent past with Amanda in my rearview mirror, but it felt like the right thing to do. Milo wasn’t there yet, but he accepted the keys and went outside anyway.
Amanda continued to walk around the store and comment on pieces that stood out to her, but swore she wasn’t going to buy another thing until she knew if she was having a boy or girl. I wrote down some websites for her to look at for furniture while we waited for Milo to come back in. I needed to know if I had to tack on a delivery charge if they wouldn’t fit in her SUV.
“What’s taking him so long?” I asked out loud. “He better not be slashing your tires.”
“I deserve worse,” she said wryly.
“I won’t disagree with you, but…” My words died in my throat when I saw what held him up. I smiled when Elijah looked up and met my eyes through the glass door. I opened it to let him and Milo in.
“Hi, Freckles,” Elijah said affectionately.
“Hi there.”
“I waved down some muscle when I saw that the chair and ottoman will fit in the back of her Sport Utility Broom. I may not like the Wicked Bitch of Blissville, but I have nothing against an innocent baby.”
Elijah raised a brow at Milo’s comment, but didn’t remark on it. “Where’s the chair and ottoman?”
“Uh….” Amanda stared dumbfounded at Elijah.
“Over there,” I said, pointing. He dropped a kiss on my lips as he passed me. “Let me box up the silver and china for her while you guys carry out
the furniture.”
“Who’s that?” Amanda said when we were alone again.
“His name is Elijah,” I said, never taking my eyes off my task of wrapping the teapot and teacups with bubble wrap.
“Is he your boyfriend?” Amanda asked. I glanced up expecting to see disbelief in her expression, but I only saw curiosity.
“Um….” I wasn’t sure how to answer that. First of all, I didn’t know what was going on between Elijah and me, and second, Amanda wasn’t someone I felt comfortable confiding in.
“Sorry, it’s none of my business.”
Milo and Elijah returned before I could respond. Milo handed Amanda’s keys to her and nodded his head to the door in a not-so-subtle way. Amanda grinned and reached for the box holding her silver tray and tea set. Milo grabbed it before she could and headed toward the door.
“Take care, Maegan,” Amanda said over her shoulder as she followed Milo.
“You know what it’s like when you turn on a movie toward the end and you try to figure out what the hell is going on?” Elijah asked me.
“Yeah.”
“That’s how this feels right now. I can sense the roles you’ve all played, but not what led you to this big finale moment.” He traced his finger along my jawline before he lowered his hand.
“I’ll tell you everything you want to know,” I told him.
“How about you tell me over dinner tonight? I was thinking I would make you my famous homemade pizza.”
“Famous?”
“Not really,” he answered ruefully. “It’s not all that homemade either, but it is good. How does it sound?”
“Sounds perfect.”
“What do you like on your pizza?” he asked.
“Surprise me,” I replied. “I don’t have any food allergies.”
“It’s great that I won’t kill you, but I can go a step further and create something you’d actually want to eat.”
“No anchovies,” I told him.
“Be there at six, Freckles.” He looked at me once he reached the door. “Don’t bother bringing a nightgown. I like it when you sleep naked.”
My focus and desire to stay at work disappeared in a poof after that. Luckily, the curious residents started pouring in after church to make the time go by faster.
THE CAPTAIN HADN’T BEEN JOKING when he said for us to be prepared for an early departure. Getting out of bed at five in the morning was not my idea of a good start, especially with Maegan sleeping so peacefully in bed. I wasn’t used to navigating my bedroom in the dark and stubbed my toe on the corner of the bed.
“Fuck!” I whisper-yelled, hopping on one foot while my toe throbbed like a motherfucker.
“I’m not in the mood,” Maegan drowsily mumbled from the bed. “Come back to sleep.”
“Wish I could, Freckles, but duty calls.”
“Well, tell it to call back in a few hours.” I heard the comforter rustling as Maegan turned over then she patted the bed in the dark. “Come back here.”
“Don’t tempt me.”
Maegan released a jagged sigh followed by a soft moan. “I guess I’ll have to pleasure myself then.”
My deep growl rumbled in the still of the morning. No fucking way I could ignore the need I heard in her voice. I just wouldn’t be able to take my time like I preferred. Luckily, I didn’t sacrifice another toe in the process of returning to my bed. Maegan held open the covers and I slid in beside her. My throbbing dick pulled my focus off my aching toe as I slid down her body and she parted her legs to make room for me. I much preferred to see her beautiful dips and curves but it was exciting to hear her breath hitch in delight as I trailed my fingers over her soft flesh or placed kisses on her bare pussy.
“Elijah!” Maegan threaded her fingers in my hair and raised her hips, telling me exactly where she wanted me.
If I wasn’t pressed for time, I would’ve drawn out her pleasure and teased her, but I only had thirty minutes to rock her world, shower, shave, and meet Adrian. I was willing to skip the shaving part if I ran short on time, but I wasn’t leaving that bed until I tasted Maegan’s orgasm on my tongue. Damn, my girl was responsive as hell, so it didn’t take long once I found that magic spot inside her sweet pussy while I sucked her clit into my mouth.
“Yes!” and “Elijah!” were two of my favorite words to pass through her delicious lips. I didn’t think I’d ever tire of hearing them nor the way it felt when I slid my dick inside her tight, wet clench. “Harder!” was my third favorite word and I didn’t disappoint her. Too fast, I was filling the condom and collapsing on top of her.
“I’m sorry if you’re going to be late,” she said. I didn’t need to see her to know she was smiling from ear to ear. The way her pussy clenched my softening cock said that neither of them were sorry about what just went down between us.
“No, you’re not,” I whispered. I kissed the tip of her nose then pulled out of her. “Go back to sleep, Freckles.”
“I’m wide awake now,” she protested, but the drowsiness in her voice made me smile.
“Okay, then I’ll take a nice hot breakfast before I go.”
“Wake me when it’s ready then,” she replied cheekily.
She was fast asleep again by the time I got out of the shower, but I stopped to kiss her goodbye anyway. “Have a good day, Maegan.”
She mumbled something indiscernible and snuggled deeper down in the covers. I knew there would come a day that I would whisper words of love to her instead. Yeah, the realization scared the fuck out of me, but I embraced it instead of pushing the feelings away. Scared meant that I was feeling something. It meant that I was alive instead of walking through life like an extra in a zombie movie. I’d been going through the motions of living ever since I found out that Brandy and Jack fucked around behind my back. Maegan made me realize that the life I lived wasn’t enough. Damn, I didn’t want to end up like Renzo’s uncle—old and lonely. Not when I had a chance at something amazing with a woman who was unlike any other I’d previously met.
I knew it was too soon to be having long-term thoughts about a girl I’d known for less than two weeks, but my heart, gut, and brain all agreed that she was the one. We just needed to convince her of that, and we couldn’t do it until the case was behind us. I wanted to take her on real dates and get to know her away from a crisis. I wanted to know the things that made her tick, made her mad, and made her fall apart in my arms. I had a jumpstart on the latter one, but the other ones were just as important if we were to create something special out of our mutual attraction to each other. I wanted Maegan to tell me about her battle with cancer, not hear it from someone else. That meant I needed to open up and talk about my past too. For her, I’d do it.
I expected Adrian to be waiting impatiently for me when I got to the station, but he wasn’t there yet. He showed up five minutes late but didn’t look remotely sorry. I didn’t know him well enough to tease him yet, but I suspected that he was late for the same reason that I almost was. He probably couldn’t make his lady sing as quickly as I could Maegan.
“Let’s head out, partner,” Adrian said.
He did most of the talking during the four-hour ride. He told me about the case that they referenced the day before with Adrian and the captain getting knocked out by a woman. He had me laughing hilariously when he talked about taking down the Christmas Bandits right after I was hired.
“You missed it, Markham. Gabe tackled Santa in his front lawn and I took down an elf that was as tall, if not taller, than you.” He laughed at the memories.
“What the hell did the Christmas Bandits do?” I asked.
“They kicked off their reign of terror by vandalizing Santa’s Village and hanging an effigy of Saint Nick from the flagpole.”
“Brutal,” I said.
“Then they started stealing Christmas decorations and cutting the electrical cords for exterior lights. They messed up when they hit the captain’s house and Josh’s salon though. The cap went all John McClane on thei
r asses.”
“Yippee-ki-yay and all that?” I asked.
“In glorious fashion,” Adrian said.
“The town of Blissville is spunkier than I expected.”
“The Christmas Bandits were from Goodville, not Blissville,” Adrian corrected.
“I guess it’s better than Whoville.”
“That needs to be our next theme for the department’s Christmas parade float. We were pretty lame this past year and I want to stomp the rest of the floats into dust.” Adrian banged his fist against the steering wheel excitedly. “That’s a great idea, partner.”
“Glad I could help,” I said with a chuckle.
We met Kentucky State Patrolmen Ralph Dennis and Mark Young outside of Thom Renzo’s apartment complex at ten sharp. We didn’t require a search warrant since Thom was the victim of a violent crime, not a suspect. The complex superintendent was on site to let us into the apartment since Renzo’s keys found in his car were still considered evidence.
My good mood from the morning disappeared the second we crossed the threshold into his apartment. “You can wait for us outside,” I told the super, shutting the door to prevent him from following us inside. There was no telling what we’d find.
Renzo’s apartment was the clichéd bachelor pad. Cheap furniture, expensive television and gaming system, and empty takeout cartons, bags, and boxes everywhere. His bed was unmade, clothes were strewn all over the floor, and his bathroom looked like a hurricane had blown through it.
A feeling of dread and disgust permeated my body as we began to open drawers and look for any clue to the identity of Renzo’s killer. It didn’t take us long to figure out that the killer was most likely a victim of Renzo’s sick, twisted mind. Every picture or magazine we found depicted his pleasure in seeing other’s suffering. I’m not talking about rough sex or even BDSM. The expression on the women’s faces told the story even if the article headlines didn’t. In most of the photos, the women didn’t look conscious.
The Lady is a Thief Page 19
