Intensity

by C. C. Koen

  “Serena, can I see you a minute?”

  Behind me appeared a guardian angel and my saving grace, Mylaynee. The stink eye she directed at B.B. promised her own brand of retribution. I drew in a long inhale and then exhaled real slow, settling my nerves a bit. Temporary reinforcements like Mylaynee helped too. Her grinding knuckles in my lower back and clearing throat renewed my focus on the job at hand. When I turned around, a door slammed in my face. Her final answer, I guess.

  Great, just freaking great.

  “How was your day?” Linc crouched down and inspected my face better than a police officer on DUI patrol. Mannequin mask in place, I chopped and diced with Master Chef proficiency. Performing under his intense scrutiny, however, caused me to sweat bullets. “Dinner will be ready soon. Grilled steak and veggies okay?”

  He tugged the knife out of my hand and pointed toward the couch. “Go put your feet up. Read one of your steamy books.” His lovey-dovey high-schoolish taunt dared, but also promised an erotic pay-off. “I’ll take care of everything.” He shoved me gently in the right direction, and for once I didn’t argue and ran out to the balcony, hopping onto one of the lounge chairs. My unpleasant thoughts vanished, replaced with sex, sex, and more sex. I loved reading—and him.

  A dose of fresh air, sunshine, and one of my favorite erotic books transformed my attitude to naughty in the time it took to read one page. My mental list included a dozen X-rated acts I wanted to perform on Linc. This story had a hot private detective who used his handcuffs in very wanton ways. As I read, the story progressed to the cold case he had been working on. An earlier conversation came to mind, spurring me to do a little probing of my own when Linc came outside to put food on the grill. “How long have you known Jax?”

  My out-of-the-blue question had him whipping around with a scowl on his face. Instead of answering, he concentrated on making perfect criss-cross marks. “Since diapers.” His response not coming until after I’d read another page.

  I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. “Did you go to school together?”

  “Yeah.” He responded with a shrug. “His dad went to college with mine. They were frat brothers and best friends. After my parents died, and what I’d gone through with Belinda, Jax got me back on my feet. He loaned me some money for her care and got me started in the nightclub business. His parents went to bat with the judge, said they’d watch out for us. It convinced him to grant custody. I’ve repaid Jax every penny, but I owe his family much more than that. I couldn’t have survived without them.”

  Huh, maybe he wasn’t such a bad guy after all. Two people close to him sang his praises. I don’t know, perhaps it took a while to get to know him, revealing the real prize underneath. Hmm, I guess time would tell.

  My rapid curiosity urged me on, and I couldn’t resist from venturing into taboo territory. “He’s an attractive guy—” Linc stiffened, shutting me up in an instant. Yeah, that hadn’t come out the way I’d wanted. Besides, it hadn’t been what I’d meant. Even so I didn’t need to call attention to him in quite that way. Sex-on-a-stick, beyond Donald Trump rich, Jax baffled me.

  Should I listen to the prickles along my neck telling me to shut the heck up?

  “Why does he…use the services?” The best wording I could come up with, omitting the “every night” at least. Once again, my determined brain continued to ignore common sense.

  On a very loud exhale, his laser beam gaze narrowed with pinpoint precision—on me. “Why you asking?”

  “Just curious.”

  He slammed the metal spatula down and shot forward, aiming for his target and marching toward my chair.

  “I…” Stunned by his reaction I stuttered, “I-I’ll drop it.” I flicked to the next page and tried to ignore his fired-up presence, which overtook half my seat, his heated thigh pressed against mine. He removed the book from my hands and set it on my lap, dog-earing the page.

  “Let’s not talk about him, okay?”

  I flipped open the novel and fake scanned the words, playing off the entire exchange. “No biggie, forget I said anything.” The disappointment in my voice came out even though I tried to contain it. I’d thought we’d made much more progress than that, and I could finally talk to him.

  My book fell out of my hands and onto the cement when he tossed me over his shoulder. Silent, determined Linc had a new target—the bedroom.

  Discussion over.

  Dinner forgotten and burned to a crisp.

  My hands full of overflowing grocery bags, I exited the elevator and entered a busier than usual hallway. Tanya and B.B. huddled together, Sal next to them, each directing their attention on me. Sal glanced at his watch and back up, casting an I’ve been looking all over for you squinty-eyed glare. “I need to talk to you. It’s important.”

  B.B. whispered in Tanya’s ear. Their uncontained snickers perturbed and scared me at the same time. Lined up on either side of Sal like mega-watt speakers, their open mouths and scrutinizing gaze flitting between Sal and me, preparing to blast to the world, “Off with her head.” Behind Sal’s back, B.B. sliced a finger across her throat and then pointed it at me, waving ba-bye and lipping the warning.

  Crap, now what?

  Sal took the bags from me and waited as I unlocked the door. “Thanks.” I entered the kitchen and flicked my hand toward the counter. “Set them there. Do you mind? I’d like to get the cold stuff in the fridge.”

  “Need help?”

  “Nope, I got it.” I motioned him toward the living room and got everything put away in record time. Seated across from one another, my stomach twisted in a thousand knots while I waited for an explanation. Unsure whether it had to do with work or something else, either way, I had an eerie feeling.

  In slow motion, he stuck a hand in his suit jacket and tossed a photo on the coffee table. “You know her?”

  I jumped up on wobbly legs and clutched my knees, a full-blown panic attack blasting me to smithereens. Sal lunged around the table and grabbed my shoulders. “Sit down. You’re going to pass out.”

  Buzzing in my ears drowned him out, my arrhythmic breathing and head-to-toe tremors locked me in a bent over position. His strong hands grasped my armpits. The unspoken support caused my legs to buckle, dropping me into the chair. He grabbed my neck and shoved it down, my head lodged between my knees. “Take slow, deep breaths. In…out…in…out. Follow mine…that’s it. Yeah, in, out, in, out, Serena.” He crouched down, his concerned gaze measuring mine. “You’re doing it. Take your time.”

  Sometime later, I composed myself. When I did, sweat dripped down the sides of my face and my T-shirt clung to me like a straitjacket. To counteract the effects, I gulped down a couple bottles of water, attempting to rejuvenate my dehydrated and shocked system. On the edge of my seat, I picked up the picture in my shaky hands and stared at my greatest heartache and embarrassment.

  “I take it you know her then.”

  “No…yes…no,” I whispered, hesitating, then faced him head on, revealing the truth. “She’s my mother.”

  “Shit.” He stood, rubbing a hand down his face. “Are you trying to stop her? Did you tell anybody?”

  I stood and paced the room, yanking on my hair, and most likely pulling it out at the roots. “Not yet.” My scared-to-death clipped answer came out followed by a sigh.

  He stepped in front of me, bringing me to a stutter-stop. “What can I do to help?”

  My jaw clenched tight, I glanced at the photo. “You tell anyone?”

  “If you mean Linc? No. You need to tell him.”

  Ignoring the directive, I opened the sliding glass doors and took a breath of fresh air. A gusty wind and torrential rain drenched the patio, the choppy waves twisting and turning, and churning along with my nerves. I massaged my temple and tried to figure out how to address this unexpected turn of events. “I need some time. Can you give me that?”

  “Serena—”

  My raised hand cut him off. “I need to hire an attorney or private
eye or something.”

  He walked over to me and set his hand on my shoulder. “Let me have Jax help.”

  “Uh uh, no way, Sal, please, don’t tell him, promise me,” I rushed out, crushing his arm in a vise grip in the process.

  “Calm down, don’t be getting yourself worked up again.”

  “It’s my problem, I’ll take care of it. How’d you find out?”

  “Come on, I taught you security procedures this week. Did you forget about the background checks?”

  “But you ran mine before. You didn’t say anything, why now?”

  He shook his head and explained the process again. “There’s different levels, remember? I ran a deeper check when you took over the accounts. The transactions on your statements didn’t make sense. They were from all over the US before and after the time you were living here. I knew it couldn’t be you making that many. You’re frugal to a fault.” He chuckled when I shot him a pointed look, shrugging it off he continued. “It bothered me, gnawed at my investigative instincts, so I kept digging.”

  Damn. I dropped into the chair and covered my face with my hands, massaging my brows in a circular motion. The extra weight from this screwed up situation and my elbows drilling into my thighs multiplied the pain in my head and jolted a nerve pinching fire through the rest of me.

  Oh, Gram. If she’d known her daughter stole my identity it would’ve broken her heart. It sure did mine. My so-called mother used my social security number to open credit cards and take out loans to the tune of fifty grand. It didn’t end there. She kept using my name, taking whatever she could. Her greed far-reaching. The ultimate cost—my childhood home.

  I’d discovered her deceit a few months before Gram’s death, when I got denied for a loan. I should’ve hired an attorney right away, but with everything going on I didn’t. And in a way, a part of me was in denial too. The fact that my own flesh and blood could do such a thing not only disgusted me, it stabbed me in the heart all over again. After the initial shock wore off, I buried myself in work and took care of Gram.

  Now though, I had no excuse. Sal finding out had been a good thing. It forced me to wake the heck up, and take steps to crawl out of the hole and despair she put me in. I pulled Sal into a hug, squeezing him so hard he blushed and tugged at his shirt collar. “Now don’t be gettin’ fresh. If you’re trying to get out of telling Linc, think again.” A strong Boston accent I hadn’t heard from him before came out of nowhere.

  “Figured me out, huh?”

  “He’s going to want to help, Serena.”

  I directed my gaze outdoors and muttered, “It’s not fair to him. He has enough to worry about.”

  “If he finds out I kept this from him—”

  “Don’t worry about it. Let me be the one to tell him, okay?”

  He nodded, and on the way out shouted a last-ditch offer. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

  Clearer weather enticed me outdoors, providing a much-needed temporary escape. I walked along the boardwalk and watched tadpoles and baby bluegills eat the insects on top. Poor, helpless bugs going about their day not realizing in mere seconds they’d be swallowed up in one fell swoop.

  Yep, knew how that felt.

  Mylaynee’s uncanny ability to fit matters into an appropriate perspective would help right about now. But she wasn’t home yet. Still working on a case, I saw her just a few minutes here and there this week. Our brief exchanges hadn’t provided many details about the job, so I had no idea what Jax had gotten her involved in. Regardless, she enjoyed the work and her happiness mattered most. I’d just ignore the fact he had any part in it or contributed to her excitement. He didn’t deserve the credit, she did. A genuine beauty inside and out, I was blessed to have her as a friend. Her unconditional love and support knew no bounds. She always had my back, and I’d do anything for her.

  I flicked a rock onto the water; it hopped once, twice, three times before sinking. Not bad. About to try again, my cell rang. Not recognizing the number I answered hesitantly. When the voice called out my name in one short clip, requesting a meeting in his office now, the stone in my hand fell, stabbing my pinky toe. Dang it. I told Sal I’d handle it.

  The entire way to his office I picked through a thousand and one reasons for not telling him. Maybe throwing myself at his mercy would work. Secrets weren’t a good way to start a relationship. That much I did know, even with my limited experience.

  Linc and Sal huddled around the desk, a map spread across the top. Jax on the phone, yelling at someone about FUBAR, whatever that meant.

  “Is something wrong?” Like a victim about to testify on the stand, I reserved the big reveal for the pivotal moment. At this time, I’d take a “don’t give away too much information” stance. All responses would be abridged and concise. Especially with probable hostile spectators in the room. I glanced between Linc and Sal, trying to gauge the already charged atmosphere. Jax pacing around the room, rustling his spiky hair similar to the yanking I’d done earlier, didn’t help reassure me any.

  “Yeah, we have a problem.”

  I bit my lip and shot a glare in Sal’s direction. Fingers pressed to my temple, I rubbed, stirring the jumbled thoughts and making it hard to articulate. “Uh, I, um, you see, I…” My hand dropped to my throat. I pinched it between my thumb and forefinger several times, forcing something coherent to come up to my tongue.

  Before it did, Linc ushered me into the lounge, closing the door behind him. “I need you to do something for me.” The worry lines on his temple were back, and I felt awful for putting them there.

  Ready to spill my guts, I spouted, “Anything.” Okay, maybe not. Apparently my cotton mouth decided to filter any testimony first to determine if it would be defensible.

  “I don’t want you to worry. I’ll take care of everything.”

  “Linc, n—”

  Not letting me finish, he grabbed my shoulders and held me still. Then the worst possible doomsday prophecy happened. One I never could have predicted. “It’s Mylaynee, Serena. The job she was doing went wrong. We’re going to get her.”

  Oh, dear God. No.

  The pulse pounding in my neck and heartbeat thumping in my ears were precursors to the red-hot fury burning in my belly. “Where is that jackass? I’m gonna kill him. Jax!” I shoved his hands off me and made a mad dash for the office. Two sure-fire arms grabbed me around the waist and lifted me off my feet, flip-flops dangling from my toes.

  “Settle down.” He urged without putting me back down.

  I twisted around a teensy-bit, as far as I could move in his locked embrace. My eyeballing didn’t do much to intimidate, but I clenched his arms and pushed, putting me nose to nose and hopefully communicating the threat loud and clear. “You tell that SOB if anything happens to her. He. Will. Pay.”

  “We’re loaded up. Gotta go,” Sal called out from the doorway and disappeared in a blur.

  Linc set me back on my feet, took hold of my face and promised, “I’ll call you as soon as I have her.”

  “Can I go?”

  “No.”

  “But—”

  “I need you here. We have a full house and without Sal and me around you’re it. Will you do that?”

  “Okay,” I said halfheartedly. “She’s not hurt, is she? You’d tell me, right?”

  He cupped my cheek, and I leaned in to it, holding my breath. “I don’t know.”

  I wrapped my arms around his chest, giving him a bear hug so gigantic it could stretch around Mylaynee no matter how far away. “Please bring her home, and be careful.”

  When he vamoosed, I booked it the heck out of there too—warp speed.

  Special request, Gram. Please watch over them.

  My car idling outside the apartment building, it didn’t take long before I sighted my target—Linc’s SUV. As I coasted along some distance apart, I glanced at the dash. Two hours until the lounge opened. Just in case, I called Fallon on my way out and told her to hold down the fort. Linc
would never know.

  He drove to the West Side and turned onto Pier Street, swerving into an alley. Crap. Abandoned years ago, this section had one decrepit building after another lining the dock.

  All three of them exited, taking off at a swift jog. Not far behind, I hoofed it too, praying they didn’t see me. At the next street, they turned out of view. That was when I picked up speed, sprinting faster than I ever had, rounding the corner in enough time to see them split apart and head in three different directions. Sal went left and Linc right, disappearing between two buildings.

  Making a quick decision, I followed Jax. His case, his business, I figured he’d take the lead. Too many turns and blocks later, I lost count and had no clue how to get back. At the end of the street, Jax opened a door and entered a dilapidated warehouse that could be used for a horror movie. Double crap.

  I got closer and ducked into a nook that might have been an exit at one time, but the graffiti-tagged particleboard and criss-crossed two-by-fours closed it off. The dimming daylight and eerie silence gave me the creeps. Okay, maybe this wasn’t such a bright idea.

  Time stood still the longer I remained in the squished space. How in the heck did police put up with stakeouts? Whatever time I’d been here drove me bat-shit crazy. Antsy and determined to find out something, I crept away from my hiding spot. As I skulked around the corner, I rammed head first into a brick wall, my body bouncing backward and then yanked forward, coming face to scar-face with a man wider than a linebacker. “Lookin’ fa’ som’on’ missy?” A jagged slash marked the entire bridge of his nose, slitting the left nostril in half. Hash marks scored his cheek, its gashes etching slots down to his jaw and extending to his earlobe.

  Note to self: do not follow Jax. Ever.

  He spun me around so fast I fell forward onto my hands and knees. Before I could dash away, he wrapped his arms around my waist and slammed a solid object into my lower back, surging an excruciating pain up my spine. I snapped my head back, ramming it into his chin. Sewer breath hit my nose as he growled, “Move, that’a way.” The gun jabbing into my kidney registered, classifying my idiocy as mistake #2: blondes didn’t do it better…they made you stupid. He clamped onto my upper arm with a fist of steel and hip checked me forward. Stuck together like glue, we shuffled in unison one foot after another, his steel-toe boots scraping my Achilles tendon. On my next step, the idiot’s knee butted into mine, buckling it. I stumbled, twisting my ankle. He wrenched my elbow and snapped me back into his chest, jamming the weapon into my ribs and launching a raging ache unlike any other I’d experienced before. Doubled over, I clutched my arms around my stomach, sucking in much-needed oxygen.