Fear in Her Eyes (Fire & Vice Book 5)

by Nikita Slater

  He froze against her. She realized she must have unwittingly drawn blood. His hands tightened to the point of real pain. When she could no longer stand it, she whimpered and he finally released her, pushing her back until she sprawled across the couch. She curled in a ball worried, that he might really attack her. It was stupid of her to push a man like Daniel so far, but she hated the way he spoke about her parents. It wasn’t fair.

  “Fuck, Addison!” he growled. He reached for her and dragged her off the couch. “Is this what you think we’re doing? You whore yourself out so you can get something out of me? An escort to take you places? That what you want?”

  She stared blankly up at him, horror etching her features. How could he possibly think that of her? “No!” she whispered hoarsely. “Of course not!”

  He ignored her denial. “Then you better fucking make it good, because I don’t date. Give me a reason to want more than a quick fuck, Addison, because I never wanted you for anything else.”

  Tears flooded her eyes at his cruelty and before she could think about it, she swung her hand back and hit him for all she was worth. But she was standing too close to really make the hit count. It didn’t help that she couldn’t see and she was pretty sure she clipped his shoulder and only got the edge of his jaw. Still, he understood where her sentiments were. He took her hand and pulled it around her back so she couldn’t try to remedy her aim.

  He yanked her in for a kiss, trying to rekindle her former passion, but she was so upset by his cruel words that she barely noticed. She collapsed against him, tears running down her cheeks. Daniel ran his hands roughly down her body, dragging the straps of her tank top down her arms and baring her small coral pink bra. He bent his head to explore her cleavage with is lips.

  Still she lay limp in his arms, crying softly, offering no resistance, but refusing to participate. He lifted her against his body and carried her into the bedroom. He laid her down on her bed and looked down at her half naked body, clearly torn. Finally, with a growl, he flipped the quilt over her body and strode away, leaving her to cry out her misery alone. He knew if he stayed it would be rape this time, and he couldn’t do that to her.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  “Mr. King is not going to like this,” Laney announced, bringing the Lexus to a halt in one of the sketchiest neighbourhoods in the city.

  “Which part won’t my darling fiancé like?” Claudia asked innocently from the back seat, busying herself with unbuckling her seatbelt.

  “The part where I can see an actual drug deal taking place on the street corner over there,” Laney replied dryly, reaching for her cell phone.

  “Really?” Claudia and Addison asked simultaneously.

  “Uh huh,” Laney murmured, texting someone.

  “Who’s she texting?” Addison asked Claudia.

  “Tyson probably. She’s supposed to take me wherever I ask her to go, but if she disapproves then he likes to hear about it,” Claudia said, opening her door. “Which means we need to make this quick. Once back up gets here, we’re going to be whisked away to ‘safety’ and I’m going to get verbally chastised. If you don’t want Daniel hearing about this, then we’ll need to come up with a really good excuse as to why we’re in this area.”

  Addison waved her hand up the street as Claudia took her other arm. “I heard they sell good drugs around here. Do you think the guys’ll buy it?”

  Claudia laughed and opened the door to Jane McKinley’s Private Investigation business. It took a moment before they were greeted. Claudia described the small office as simple, but pleasant with a small reception area and an office in the back. After about a minute a woman approached them from the back office.

  Her voice was tough, with a touch of friendly wariness to it. “Hello. Jane McKinley,” she said, reaching out to shake Claudia’s hand.

  "Can I help you Ms. Cantore?" Jane asked, ignoring Addison who was still holding Claudia’s arm.

  How did Jane know Claudia? Addison could feel a very slight start go through Claudia and she realized that Claudia didn’t actually know Jane personally. Yet somehow Jane recognized her. The woman must be very good at her job, or very observant. It probably took a very observant person to make a good detective. Addison felt the first spark of hope that perhaps this person could help her.

  Addison could feel Claudia's sharp eyes assessing Jane in turn. "You know who I am," she commented, her voice cool. Addison smiled slightly. Claudia didn’t often play the rich bitch card, but it seemed she was about to pull it out.

  "It's my business to keep up with lines of communication in this city. You're decorating the arm of a very powerful man, running what used to be an illegal casino and you're good friends with a woman who has mob connections. It's useful in my line of work to know who's who." Jane said pointedly. "Your friend, however, I don't know."

  Claudia was about to introduce her, but Addison decided she’d had enough of being talked about instead of to. She was the reason they were there after all. "Addison Sterling. I live in Claudia's building."

  Jane reached out and took the hand in a firm grip. Addison squeezed her hand with equal pressure. Addison wondered what Jane McKinley looked like. She made a mental note to ask Claudia later. The woman was abrasive, but there was something about her that felt… vulnerable somehow. Addison couldn’t help but wonder about the other woman. How had she become a private investigator? Is seemed like it would be a really tough job.

  Jane waved the women toward two plastic chairs in her office. Claudia squeezed Addison's hand and set the two chairs up in front of the desk. She took Addison’s hand and placed it on the back of one of the chairs so Addison could seat herself. Addison smiled. She was gradually training Claudia in the proper etiquette of helping the visually impaired.

  Once the two women were settled, Jane turned her attention to Claudia. "What can I do for you? I don't usually get walk-ins. My clients are almost always referrals. This is a little unusual."

  Addison took a deep breath and said, "I apologize for just showing up here. I'm at a loss for what to do and the police are no help. It was Claudia's friend that gave us your number and Claudia insisted I come."

  Addison could feel Jane’s surprise. She probably thought Claudia was the one that needed the services of an investigator, which made sense. Claudia was beautiful, successful and she was dating the most eligible man in the city. She had also nearly been killed a few weeks earlier by an ex-boyfriend.

  "Anastasia Sitnikov?" Jane asked.

  Claudia nodded. "She sings your praises."

  "Odd, considering I only met her once and she advised me to leave the country."

  Claudia laughed lightly. "Apparently you made an impression. Plus you get under her brother's skin, which delights her to no end."

  "Lucky me," Jane said dryly and then turned to Addison. "How exactly can I help you Ms. Sterling?"

  Addison clutched her fingers tightly in her lap and kept her head slightly bent while she talked, allowing her hair to swing forward in a curtain around her body. Her mother had hammered the action into her from an early age. It made people uncomfortable when she met their eyes. She couldn’t focus, so her pupils tended to appear wild and strange.

  "I have a stalker," Addison said quickly.

  Jane didn’t say anything for a moment. Addison began to fear she was about to get the same treatment that she had at the police station. Misery and anxiety began creep in as she remembered the way they had talked to her. One particularly slimy cop had even suggested she just enjoy the attention of an admirer, like a blind woman couldn’t possibly get action any other way. She had been so disgusted she’d wanted to fling her glass of water into his smirking face.

  Jane opened the notebook in front of her and started taking notes as Addison described her situation. She was hesitant at first, but when Jane didn’t say anything to interrupt her, Addison continued.

  "I'm First Chair in the city orchestra, I play the cello. Whoever the stalker is seems to be a fan as
they always mention in the phone calls and letters that they love my music. It was fine for a while… I was a little creeped out that they somehow knew my phone number and address, but they were harmless. This has been going on for over six months, but it’s been so gradual I barely noticed it escalate. Then they started saying things like how much they loved me and how my music would live forever even when I'm not alive."

  "Well that's a red flag," Jane said frowning. Addison could feel Claudia nodding emphatically from beside her. "You said the police didn't help?"

  Addison flushed. "They said there wasn't enough evidence and maybe I was making it up for attention or misunderstanding something that was said to me by an over zealous admirer."

  "On account of you being blind.” Jane snapped in annoyance

  "Yes, exactly," Addison said, relief flooding her. Jane was going to be on her side!

  "Because not being able to see makes you stupid," Jane said harshly. "Well that certainly sounds like some of the idiots I used to work with. Stalking cases are notoriously sticky when it comes to the legal ground of cops checking into suspects who haven't actually done anything illegal yet. So they like to just leave things alone until they escalate or go away."

  "That's pretty much what they said in not so many words," Addison said twisting her fingers in her lap.

  Jane leaned forward in her chair and spoke in stern tones. "Stalkers don't go away Ms. Sterling, they escalate until they're jailed or something really bad happens."

  "Oh," said Addison, the air rushing out of her lungs.

  "That's what I said," interjected Claudia.

  Addison sat up straighter and shook her hair back a little. "So let me get this straight. Nothing can be done until the stalker gets what they want? God only knows what that is!”

  "Not exactly," said Jane. "You have me, and I'm not legally bound the way the cops are. I have resources they don't have access to."

  Addison thought about this and then said hopefully, "So you'll take my case?"

  Jane paused and then said in a professional voice. "If you can pay my fees, then yes, I'm all yours, Ms. Sterling."

  "Money isn't an issue," Claudia interjected quickly.

  Addison sent a glare toward her friend, and turned to Jane. "I can pay whatever your fees are. I just want this person found and stopped. I hate feeling so helpless all the time."

  "Then I'm happy to accept you as a client, Ms. Sterling. Ms. Cantore," Jane said, sounding entirely too pleased with herself. ”If you'll please step outside, there are a few things I’ll need to discuss with Ms. Sterling in private."

  "Of course!" Claudia said, jumping to her feet. She bent to give Addison's hand a squeeze. "I'll be right outside with Laney when you're ready to go. Take your time.”

  Addison knew Jane was going to ask her some personal questions with Claudia out of the room. She thought it would be along the lines of sexual history, so she was completely unprepared when Jane said, "Which of your parents abused you? My money’s on the mother. In cases like yours its usually the mother that wants a perfect child."

  Addison felt the blood drain from her face and she gasped.

  "I don't mean that they necessarily hit you, although it seems likely, given your mannerisms. Every time Claudia Cantore touches you, you freeze a little before forcing yourself to relax and accept a friendly overture." Jane kept talking to fill the silence while Addison gathered her thoughts. "I'm nearly certain someone during your formative years made you feel unworthy and unaccepted because of your handicap. Most likely a parent or guardian as the person's judgment would have meant something to you."

  Addison sat stiffly listening. "What exactly does this have to do with my stalker?" she asked in a chilly voice, her stubborn chin gradually hardening.

  "Could it be possible that the person who mistreated you is now stalking you? I've seen cases like that before, where the child’s parent or guardian tries to drive a person with a disability back home by scaring them until they comply."

  "That's disgusting," Addison said vehemently.

  "I agree. But it’s not implausible," Jane replied.

  Addison thought about it for a moment and tried to picture her stately parents doing such a thing. They were not good people, in fact they were awful people, but there was no way they would stoop to stalking their only daughter.

  "Not in my case,” she said firmly. “My parents don't care enough about me to want me back home. I was never anything but a burden to them, something they were always very clear about. In fact, they were completely disgusted by my move here and washed their hands of me after I struck out on my own. If they were going to try something as convoluted as you’re suggesting, they would’ve done it a long time ago. In order to stalk a person you have to care about them on some level, and I haven’t spoken to them in years,” she said bitterly.

  Addison continued thoughtfully, "That's why I'm so confused about who the stalker can be. I mean I know a lot of people, but not anyone that would want to hurt me. I don’t understand this at all. I’m surrounded by people all the time, but I rarely spend any real time with them. I see Maestro more often than anyone because he needs me to be the best so his orchestra is the best, but I know he’s not my stalker. And I’m seeing Claudia fairly often now, but she doesn’t strike me as a stalker. Although, her bodyguard is a little intense. Maybe you should check into Laney.”

  Jane laughed out loud and assured her, "I'll do whatever I can to find your stalker, Addison.”

  Addison stood with a smile and held out her hand. “You have no idea what a relief that is.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  He was on a fucking date.

  Just like she wanted. He’d agreed to take her to some opera house ball. You won’t regret it, she’d said. Yeah, he fucking regretted it. Everything except how damn good she looked in that golden dress that she borrowed from Claudia, with the low neckline kissing her barely-there cleavage. Already he couldn’t wait to drag her home and rip off the layers of whatever the fuck her skirt was made out of and fuck her until she screamed.

  He didn’t know why he was there. It wasn’t like him to pander to anyone, let alone the woman he was fucking. Maybe he wanted her to shut up about how fucked up their “relationship” was. Or maybe a part of him wanted to actually try it and see what it was like. To see what she would look like, happy that he’d finally agreed to take her somewhere. He’d never taken a woman out before.

  Well, not in the date sense anyway, he thought with dark humour.

  He watched from the shadows while she moved effortlessly through the crowd. He'd tried to stay at her side, but they'd become separated when she had twisted away for a second as a man named Mikhail had bent to say something in her ear and then glided away with another man's arm around her waist. The possession they showed for her was so natural, it was everything Daniel could do not to commit murder. The fact that he could easily do it, in a room full of people and make it look like an accident is what kept him from her side. The temptation was too great.

  He would have done it too. Except Addison was too smart. She would know it was him. While everyone was rushing to see why a perfectly healthy young man was suddenly choking to death on the floor, she would be staring around blankly in horror, knowing he had somehow engineered that death because the young man had touched Daniel’s woman.

  He caught the occasional frown crossing her features as she drifted through her acquaintances and knew she wondered about him. He could sense her frustration mounting, but she was helpless, unable to see and surrounded by a cocktail of expensive perfumes, unable to scent him either. His eyes never left her, devouring her every move. She smiled when spoken too and answered with animated ease as people approached her. Pursued his woman. Addison was so skilled at socializing that after a few moments, Daniel realized some of those people didn't even know she was visually impaired. She was dazzling them with her smile and personality.

  Something unfamiliar burned in him. Ugly emotion. He wan
ted to tear her away from the people that demanded things from his woman and slap the smile from her face.

  Fuck. That wasn't right. He knew it wasn't right. He didn't want to hurt her. Not in that way. He just wanted to capture her smile for himself and make her stop showing herself to the world. He knew he was fucked up and ugly inside, but he couldn't help himself. And he couldn't stop himself from dragging Addison down into his world. So he continued to watch from the shadows as she happily made her way around the banquet room, until she strayed close enough to the edge that he was able to capture one of her bare arms in a steely grip.

  She gasped as he dragged her back into the shadows in an uncompromising hold. He whirled her around and held her tightly in his arms, breathing in her tropical flowery scent. He knew they blended into the shadows too well for anyone to notice their tight embrace. He knew he held her too tightly, but he couldn't seem to help himself. He didn't like crowded rooms. There were too many variables. Too many things that could go wrong.

  She struggled for a second, her long, slim fingers coming up to push against his suit jacket until she caught his scent. He knew the moment she realized it was him. Her body relaxed against his, her rounded limbs pressing against his hard body, the rustle of her dress settling noisily. He wanted to gather the yards of frothy fabric and tear them from her body. She was gorgeous, as always, but he preferred to see Addison more natural, wearing her long cotton skirts, clinging T-shirts and cardigans. He hadn't thought much about her clothes before, except that they got in the way of her glorious naked skin. Now he wanted her the way she usually was. Not like this, dressed in layers of fluffy shit, whatever the fuck she called it. Dressed as she was, she fit in with the crowd around her. He hated it.