Heat (Tortured Heroes Book 2)

by Jayne Blue

  Ken laughed back. “God help us all. But yeah. We’re off the clock, if you want to be, Mitch. I can’t force you to keep seeing me. But you might want to think about it anyway. It wouldn’t be the worst decision you ever made.”

  No, I thought. The worst decision I’d ever made was letting Stella walk out of my hospital room. The truth of that slammed into me with the weight of an anvil. I missed her. Seeing her up on that dais next to Huck gutted me and I hadn’t expected it. I tried not to stare at her. But she’d found me in about a half a second flat. It caused her pain that made me ache. Maybe it would have been better for the both of us if I’d just stayed home. I owed it to Brian to be there though.

  “You wanna go somewhere and get a beer?” Ken asked.

  “What, like a date?”

  Ken smiled and shook his head. “You could do worse. No, asshole. This is me being a friend. You get it? All the frayed ends of your life just kind of converged an hour ago. I just want to make sure you have the support you need so you don’t jump off this bridge. Plus, you’re not a half-bad guy to watch a ball game with. The Yankees play the Tigers today, I think.”

  “You know, I appreciate the offer, Ken,” I said as he made the turn off toward my own private peninsula. “But I’m really okay. And I think I may just follow your advice and turn this mandatory suspension into a week or two vacation. I haven’t seen my sister in almost a year. Her kids are growing like weeds and they still have a little bit of time before they start school again. Maybe I’ll fly out to Denver and teach them how to fish before the summer’s over.”

  “That, my friend, sounds like a perfect plan. Give me a call when you get out there.”

  I nodded as Ken pulled up my gravel driveway. He smiled and reached over to shake my hand as I got out of his car. I stood and waved as he backed out. Then I turned and walked back up to my empty house.

  I hadn’t made it into the kitchen when my phone buzzed again. God help me, my heart lurched for a second before I checked the caller ID. I still wanted it to be Stella. Even if it was just her checking in to tell me she’d made it through the day in one piece just like I did. A number came up that I didn’t recognize with a Cleveland area code.

  “This is Gates,” I answered.

  “Mitchell Gates?” a female voice came on after a series of clicks.

  “Yes?”

  “This is Trina from Armor Security. I have you listed as the emergency contact for one of our customers, Stella Terry. Is that right?”

  Liquid heat seemed to fill my chest, the air grew thick. “Yes. Stella has a home security system. Is there a problem?” God, I’d all but forgotten. When Stella was staying with me, I had her landlord install a home security system for whenever it was safe for her to go back.

  “Her silent alarm tripped a few minutes ago. The override code was entered within sixty seconds, but she has instructions on her account that a call should be placed to you anytime the alarm goes off.”

  “Yeah. I’m with Northpointe PD. I set it up that way.”

  “Thank you, sir, would you like us to call local police to check on the premises?”

  It was probably nothing. Stella would have been weary like I was when she finally got home. It might have just taken her extra time to realize the alarm went off and get to it. Still, the hairs rose on the back of my neck. Where Stella was concerned, I wouldn’t take any chances.

  “I’ll handle that,” I said. “I can call it in myself. Thanks for calling, Trina. Have a good day.”

  “Yes sir. Thank you for choosing Armor Security.”

  Seven minutes give or take a few seconds. That’s how long it would take to get from my place to hers. With lights and sirens, probably five. I slid behind the wheel of my Ford Edge and peeled out the driveway. As soon as I hit Secor Dr., I pulled the bubble light out of my glove box and turned it on. I kept a radio under the seat. Reaching for it, I turned it to Channel 7 to keep the call off the scanners. In light of my suspension, I was about to break four or five departmental rules. All fireable offenses. But as I pressed my foot on the gas, my pulse accelerated with it. Something was wrong. I felt it in my marrow.

  “Central dispatch? This is Detective Mitch Gates.”

  “Go ahead, Detective.”

  “Can you send a squad car out to 5232 Drummond. It’s Stella Terry’s house.”

  “What’s the problem?”

  “Maybe nothing. I just got a call from her alarm company.”

  Static crunched over the airwaves. “Unit 235 can respond in about five minutes.”

  I turned on Holly Boulevard. I was about a minute out myself. “That’s good. I’ll meet them there.”

  I clicked off with the dispatcher and pressed the gas harder. An asshole in a rusted-out pickup didn’t see the flashing light, weaved in front of me, nearly running me off the road. Next tune-up, I was getting a damn siren installed for the good it did me now. I flipped him off and made the turn down Drummond, forgetting about the first speed bump. Pain shot up my spine as I hit it going almost forty. But I screeched to a halt in Stella’s drive and got out, not bothering to shut the car door.

  I didn’t call out to her. Something didn’t feel right. Her garage door was still open. I could see the utility door slightly ajar. Stella was religious about her air conditioning. It wasn’t like her to shut just the screen door.

  The smart, calm thing to do would have been to wait for backup. But I heard a crash and breaking glass. I drew my weapon and carefully opened the screen door, praying it wouldn’t squeak.

  I cleared the utility room and moved into her kitchen. Her dining room was ahead of me and the landing to the upstairs was coming up on my right. I froze as my foot pressed against a creaky floorboard. Pressing my back against the cupboards, I edged closer to the landing. I could see the dining room, but her wooden China hutch made a blind spot leading into the living room.

  Stella screamed. My blood turned to ice. Adrenaline shot through me. Gun drawn, I leaped over the landing stairs.

  Stella was face down on the living room carpet. I blinked twice. The Russian meathead had a knee into her back. No, not my Russian meathead, but another one that could have been his twin. He pulled her hair up and would have sliced her throat with the hunting knife he held in his right hand a second later.

  “Drop it asshole,” I shouted.

  I shouldn’t have. For as big as he was, the guy moved fast. I swear he let out a growl that made him sound like a damn grizzly bear. I saw a flash of metal and threw my body to the right just as he drew down. Plaster exploded next to my head.

  “You should drop it,” he said, his thick accent telling me I’d guessed right about where he came from.

  “Mitch!” Stella screamed. The Russian still had a fistful of her hair and hauled her to her feet. He kept the knife to her throat and pointed his 9 at me.

  “Listen, Sergei,” I said. “You need to check with your boss. She’s not your mark.”

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Stella’s Sunday paper unfolded on the kitchen table. I reached back and grabbed it. At Stan’s and Stella’s lawyer’s insistence, they did a feature story today about the State Police identity theft ring. Stella’s picture was plastered all over it. It was supposed to help keep her safe. Son of a bitch.

  “Look!” I said. “You speak English? Read it.”

  “Mitch?” Stella pleaded with me. The terror in her eyes twisted my heart.

  Stay calm, baby. I willed my thoughts to her. Then realized I needed to follow my own advice. My pulse quickened. My finger twitched against the trigger. I wanted to blow this asshole’s bald head open like a watermelon. It would be so easy. Rage swirled through me. Of all things, I heard Ken fucking-Bardwell’s voice in my head. Slow. Easy. Let anger go. One false move and he’d slit her throat.

  He must have seen something in my eyes, because with a simple flick of his wrist, he pointed his gun at Stella’s head and smiled at me. He held her neck in an armbar now; the knife dropped to the grou
nd.

  “Let her go, you fucker.” My voice hissed through my teeth. “I told you, you’ve got the wrong girl.”

  “I don’t give a shit,” he said. “Boss wants her cut up. But this will have to do.”

  White rage blinded me. But Stella, my brave girl. She bit down hard on his forearm. God. It could have ended differently. For the rest of my life, I’d have nightmares that it had. But through my blinding rage, I saw him shift his weight, his attention drawn to the pain as Stella bit down.

  I squeezed the trigger.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Mitch

  Just a tiny black hole in his wrinkled forehead. His eyes widened in shock as he staggered backward. Stella had the presence of mind to drop to her knees.His gun fell to the ground with a thud as he took three sideways steps and dropped to the ground, dead before he hit.

  I went to her, kicking his gun across the floor and far out of reach. Stella ran into my arms and held me so tight it knocked the wind out of me. We sank against the wall and I gathered her into my lap.

  “It’s all right,” I said, smoothing the hair away from her face. She didn’t cry. She just trembled against me then cupped my face in her hands and kissed me hard. She was calm while I fell apart.

  “God. Baby. I’m sorry. I never should have let you leave.” So close. If I’d been a millisecond slower. If she hadn’t bit the guy. If I hadn’t thought to install the security system. I could have lost her forever.

  “No,” she said. With her hands cupping my face, Stella kissed me. Slow and deep, then desperate. My own need rose with hers. I could have lost her. Forever. She was everything. I’d been stupid. We both had. I didn’t care about all the reasons we shouldn’t be together. I didn’t care that she’d be better off without me. In that span of seconds, I saw what my life would be like without her in it. Bleak and empty. She was everything. She was mine. I would never let her go again.

  “I love you,” I said, wishing I’d told her so many times before this.

  “I love you too,” she sobbed against me. “Oh, Mitch. I’m stupid. I’ve been so stupid. It’s you. It’s only ever been you for such a long time.”

  “Don’t make me live without you. Whatever it takes. I swear to God, Stella, I’ll do it. I’ll quit. They’re probably going to can me anyway. I’ll sell insurance.”

  Stella reared back; her eyes went wide. Then a slow smile lifted the corners of her mouth and she let out a lilting laugh that melted me. She kissed me again. Over and over.

  It felt like it had taken forever. But probably less than a minute passed since I walked in through her garage. My body stiffened as Stella’s front door shook from pounding on the other side.

  “Miss Terry?” A familiar female voice made me smile.

  “Wait here,” I said. “I called in a squad car. That’s probably them.”

  Holstering my weapon, I went to her front door. Lori Walling and Pete Smalls stood on the front porch. Lori raised her fist to knock again. I swung it wide and let them in. Lori’s eyes widened as she looked from me, to the dead Russian, to Stella, and back to me again. Pete, cool and calm, turned sideways and spoke into the radio clipped to his shoulder.

  I went back to Stella as Lori secured the scene.

  Stella was already on her feet. Her face white, sweat broke out on her brow. She might have finally toppled over but I got my good arm around her.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked, running her hands across my chest, feeling every muscle as if she needed to convince herself that I was here and I was whole. I wanted to do the same with her.

  “Did he hurt you?” I realized it was the first time I’d asked her. God, my body went rigid. If he had … if I hadn’t gotten there in time.

  Stella shook her head. “No. God. But almost. If you hadn’t gotten here.”

  That’s when Stella lost it. She pulled herself together long enough to give a statement when Detectives Linley and Chapman arrived. Before long, her front yard turned into a circus and I just wanted to get her away.

  I’ll forever be grateful to Linley and Chapman. They cleared Stella to leave in record time so I could get her away from there before the news crews arrived.

  “Will you come home with me?” I asked her. We stood in her backyard. “They’re going to be a while processing the scene in there. And tomorrow I’m going to have to give a detailed statement to the review board. It might go badly, but you’re okay and that’s all that matters.”

  I said other things. Tried to be calm. But Stella quietly went to pieces right there in her backyard. She slid her arms around me, looked up at me with those luminous gray eyes, and smiled.

  “Yes, Mitch. Take me home.” Three simple words, but they held hope and promise that made my heart soar.

  I don’t remember how we got from her house to mine. I barely remember walking in. But we found ourselves in the backyard again. I folded my arms around Stella and pulled her close as we watched the sunset. When the breeze kicked up, rustling through the branches of the weeping willow, Stella walked toward it. She smiled at me and sat on the swing.

  Beautiful. Pure. Like a painting. Her platinum hair swayed as she kicked off her shoes and started to swing. I watched her for a moment, marveling at her ability to let it all go. She’d always been like that. It’s what drew me to her. Where I turned to stone, Stella was light and laughter. She was the sun. She was my everything.

  “Were you serious about selling insurance?” she said; the sultry vibration of her voice skittered over me.

  I went to her. “Yes,” I said simply. “I want you. Nothing else matters.”

  She planted her feet and stopped swinging for a moment. “I love you. I like saying it. I never realized how badly I’ve needed to. But Mitch, I love all of you. Yes, I’m afraid. What you do is dangerous. But it’s who you are. And it’s one of the reasons I love you. Plus, this city needs you doing what you’re doing. It won’t always be easy, but we’ll figure it out together.”

  “I love you too. What about Fort Myers?”

  Stella cocked her head and smiled. “You know, I never officially said no to Collingwood Elementary. That front-page article about me got their attention. And I think I like the river a hell of a lot more than the beach.”

  My heart melted and I went to her. When Stella swung toward me, I caught her, gripping her lightly by her calves. Her eyes flashed with dark lust as she wrapped her legs around my hips, pulling me toward her.

  Her legs were bare and she still had on the pink skirt that went with the suit she wore today at the ceremony. I slid my hands up her thighs, pushing the skirt out of the way. Stella gasped as my fingers found her silk panties. I hooked a finger under them and found her wet and ready, like her body was born for mine. And maybe it was.

  I slid my thumb over her slick folds and felt her open for me, just like a flower. Stella gasped as I entered her with two fingers. I held the swing steady with one hand as Stella trembled. I worked her, feeling that tiny bud grow hard for me. I was rock hard myself. It took everything in me to show restraint while I brought her to the edge of her own pleasure. I laughed to myself. Restraint. Ken would be proud.

  Stella leaned back in the swing. Her thighs trembled as she struggled to keep them wrapped around me. I withdrew my fingers and brought them to my lips. She tasted like sweet nectar. Her eyes glowed with lust as I unfastened my belt and let my pants drop. I was huge and hard, and pulsing for her.

  Stella spread her legs even wider as I came to her. Then she kicked backward, letting the swing fall. I pushed her when she swung back. Once. Twice. Then I couldn’t stand it for another second. I caught her by the hips. She gasped as she held tight, wrapping her legs around my waist again. Then I plunged my cock deep inside her, sheathing it all the way to the root.

  Stella threw her head back and moaned. She was slick heat and heaven. Her walls pulsed around me. I held her at an angle while she gripped the swing’s ropes to keep herself in position. I pounded into her. Wi
th each thrust, she seemed to open even wider for me.

  I fucked my Stella hard and deep. Each stroke a claiming. Each cry of pleasure a promise. She was mine. I was hers. Forever and always. I was home and so was she. And neither of us ever had to be alone again.

  Stella cried out my name as her body gave into the explosive orgasm I gave her. Then I couldn’t hold back another second. I poured myself inside her as she quivered to receive it.

  My Stella. My home. My love.

  Epilogue

  Stella

  Seven months later …

  The first day of spring. New beginnings. It was fitting that this last bit of business had to happen today. I stood at the bottom of the courthouse steps and checked my phone for the dozenth time. A hand tapped me on the shoulder and I jumped.

  “Stan!” I went in for a hug as he held his arms out to me. “You’re late.”

  He shrugged, his face grim. “You know, you don’t have to be here for this. He’d understand if you changed your mind.”

  A breeze kicked up and I tucked a stray hair behind my ear. I looked up at the Northpointe City Courthouse. Stan was right, but this was too important.

  “Did you talk to him this morning?” I asked, letting out a breath. “How was he?”

  Stan shrugged. “I won’t lie, he’s nervous. And he ought to be. I’ve given him as many pointers as I can about how to get through this, but you know Mitch. He doesn’t always listen.”

  “Well, I love you for being here for him. I’m more worried about the judge though. Can you promise me you won’t let Pierce anywhere near Mitch today? I mean, I know he technically has a right to be here, this is happening in his courthouse and everything, but I just hope he has the decency to stay away. He’s won. He got what he wanted. The whole town knows what Mitch did.”

  I felt a gentle hand on my back and whirled around. “Huck!” I nearly squealed it. I went up on my tiptoes, teetering on my three-inch white pumps. Huck lifted me off my feet and whirled me around.