“Samantha, can you state in your own words, exactly how you ended up next to your dead boyfriend and a wounded congressman.”
It takes me a good while to give all the details. I must be doing okay because my lawyer doesn’t say boo. He does take notice when I recite how the congressman admitted to murdering his wife.
When I finish, Foster tries to break apart my story but I remember everything. It’s the one thing that made me such a fucking good analyst. Plus, I didn’t lie.
He wipes the sweat off his brow after I repeat my story almost verbatim for the fifth time. Andrew Quinn raises one brow, the only clue I have he’s amused.
He stands and hands the man his card. “I think we’re through, here. Call my office if you have any more questions and schedule another meeting.”
“We’re not done, here.”
“Au contraire. My client has been more than helpful to your investigation and I’m sure you will want her agreeable to testifying in upcoming proceedings. It would be in your best interest to let her go.”
“By all means, counsellor.”
“Excellent.”
We both slide out of the chair but I wonder about Suds. He’s the one who shot a congressman. I hope his lawyer was as good as mine.
I don’t want to go but Mr. Quinn, insists.
The hotel he takes me to brings back all sorts of feelings. It’s where Suds and I first hooked up with epic, record-breaking, revenge sex. I had recently found out Will had been cheating with so many women, I had to scroll down in his messages to find them all.
Meanwhile, he’d blamed me for not wanting to have sex.
My pent-up libido exploded when it met the handsome bodyguard who made his interest known. I’d read about chemistry in romance books but the way he’d looked at me? Just thinking about him makes crazy things happen to my nipples and now my panties are getting damp.
“You okay?” Quinn sees my discomfort and I blush.
“Ah, yeah. Is it hot in here?”
“Probably the after effects of shock.”
“Mmm. No doubt.”
Slate stands in the hotel restaurant and greets us both. Then we sit for breakfast. Coffee has never tasted better.
It’s not until I see sunshine pouring through the windows I realize I’ve been up all night.
“Where is Suds? They didn’t arrest him, did they?”
Slate grins. “He’s probably telling them his life’s story, starting from infancy. I never saw a man who could say so much and impart so little information.”
“True.” It’s what got me fired.
Slate makes me recount my whole ordeal and nods when I finish. “He had us all fooled.”
“It was pretty clever. I mean, he had us chasing around in circles looking for who planted the weapon when he was behind it all along.”
Quinn asks, “Why risk everything now? We knew who the hired killer was and we had plenty of evidence Agro-grow had paid him.”
“I asked the same thing.” I shake my head. “He said I was a loose end. I think he was worried I wouldn’t let it drop and keep investigating.”
Slate chuckles. “He was probably right.”
“I might’ve been looking around a little more. Despite Bannerman’s tears, he seemed pretty anxious to get back to his girlfriend and he did inherit a fortune… I’m guessing his defense team won’t be hiring us?”
“You’re wrong. Those with the most intel always win. However, I’m not sure Patten will want to keep him on as his client. By the way, Grayson wants to have you over for dinner.”
“Wow. That’d be great.”
“And he wanted you to have this.” He hands me a check for ten-thousand dollars. “It’s a bonus. Maybe you can quit the job at the hairdresser?”
I laugh. “Maybe.”
Probably not, though. My private eye business needs the information flowing through Aunt Marion’s salon.
However, the check will make it possible to start looking for a different place to live and no more blind dates, at least for a while.
Better yet? I wonder how good a used car I can get? I only need a clunker to get around town. A private eye doesn’t need something fancy. In fact, I should find something that blends in. Tomorrow, I’ll ask around.
Shit. I need to get back to New York.
Chapter 31
Suds
I’ve had lots of fun leading the FBI in circles but it’s time to end this shit-show, especially when the jerk who fired Samantha walks in and sits down next to me. I’m guessing he finished with her and wants to check if my story matches.
My lawyer yawns, no longer amused by my stories. “We done here?”
“No, I want to hear it one more time.” When the asshole leans back in his chair and crosses his arms, I grin and give him a wink.
“Well, like I told you the first hundred times, me and Slate were in his private jet, heading to Texas. I was drinking coffee. I like it black. We was talkin’ about fishin’. Ever tried catfish? Man, y’all put some corn flour and bacon fat and fry them up? Nothing like it.”
Special Agent Foster sighs, a tic in his face twitching. “Could you please stick to the subject, Mr. Sutcliff?”
“Y’all shouldn’t get so riled up. I was just givin’ you the background. So, when Jason told us Samantha was on her way to DC. Wait. Let me explain about Jason. He’s artificial. No, he’s this Avatar thingy. Smart as hell. But not a real person. Y’ever work with it, I mean him? Damn freaky. The woman that made him says he can do a lot more but it ain’t legal so I mean, I’m not even sure how much I can say. I guess it’s okay it tracked Sam, I mean, Ms. Russo because she was kidnapped across state lines.”
“Mr. Sutcliff! I am quite aware of Jason.”
“Well, sheeeet. Y’all don’t need to get so pissy. You’re the one who asked for details, keeping me here for hours.” I turn to my lawyer, who’s unable to keep the grin off his face. “Aren’t I cooperating like he asked?”
“Indeed you are, Mr. Sutcliff.” Bobbing his head, he checks his notes.
“Does he know I was a decorated SEAL? Damn near got myself shot up in Afghanistan. You see, there was this IED in the road and none of us knew it. My pal Lucky was driving. He got PTSD. Damn, he almost lost his girl over it. Y’all know how bad that can be. We staged an intervene-“
“Sutcliff!”
“Yessir?”
“The congressman. How did you end up shooting him?”
I figure it’s time to stop messin’ with the poor SOB. “Right. Well, after Jason located her, Slate asked our pilot to divert to DC. At the airport we hopped on a helicopter. Using infrared imagery and where the bus dropped her off, Jason located her and her abductor in an abandoned building. Bannerman was a real surprise.”
I pretend to sip my cold coffee to give my story some dramatic affect then lean in and make my voice all excited-like. “The pilot lowered a rope, I slid down, and landed on the roof. After making my way onto the top floor, I found Bannerman firing repeatedly into a bedroom door. I told him to drop the weapon and when he didn’t, I shot him. Damn fool’s lucky I didn’t kill him.”
My heart stammers but outside, I’m cool as a cucumber. It was so close. If I had been a few seconds later… I’d considered taking Bannerman’s life but better he spend the rest of his days behind bars.
My lawyer, a guy named Palmer, stands, stretches, and yawns. “C’mon Suds. Time to go home.”
“But I’m just getting’ warmed up.”
I feign perfected disappointment as my guy turns to the G-man and asks, “Did you get what you need?”
The man actually looks relived. “Yes.”
Whistling as we walk out the door, I wave to Sam’s former boss. “Y’all have a real nice day.”
Palmer grabs my upper arm. “I can’t believe they didn’t arrest you for boring them to tears.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time.” I grin, pressing the down button at the elevator doors.
A town car
waits outside the front door of the federal building and drives us to Slate’s favorite hotel. It’s the same place Sam and I hooked up weeks ago. She’d just left that fucker of a boyfriend and had called me to take me up on my earlier offer.
I’d thought to have some great sex and help a gorgeous woman win back her self-esteem. Somehow, she’d gone and got under my skin and left me raw. Hell, colors I didn’t even know existed came into focus. I had no idea I was living in black and white.
The attorney and I make our way across the lobby and to the restaurant where my woman sits with Slate and Andy Quinn. I shake their hands, kiss Sam on the cheek, and sit.
“How’d it go?” Slate glances at Palmer who rolls his eyes and raises his hand to bring the waitress. “We should’ve been out hours ago.”
“Special Agent Foster is a dick.” I smile at Sam. “And I don’t mean private detective.”
“Don’t tell me he interrogated you when he finished with me?” Her pretty mouth turns down when I nod.
“Hell, I’d already recited my story at least a hundred times to the first guy. They had what they needed.”
When a pretty girl stops at our table with a carafe of coffee. I turn over the thick white mug and hold it forth. “Why thank you, pretty miss.”
She blushes and when Sam raises her brows, I shrug. Women like to know they’re pretty. It doesn’t do any harm to say so.
Judging from their empty plates and how long Foster interviewed me, I’m guessing Slate, Andy, and Sam have been waiting for hours. I’m starving but her lids are drooping. They slip fully closed, she leans back in the booth and snores.
Both Slate and Quinn smile at the little noise but when Quinn eyes me, I know I’m in trouble.
“She’s keeping you out of trouble?” He’s one of the few I won’t play poker with.
“Hell, no. She’s going to be the death of me.” I take her hand and hold it as she sleeps. I need to stay connected to validate she’s still alive and with me.
Quinn chuckles. “Slate told me about the cat caper.”
I feign to shudder. “She’s applied for a private detective’s license.”
“I hear she’s a damn fine analyst.” Again, Quinn watches for my reaction over his mug.
“The best.” I sip on my coffee, wondering how the hell I’m ever going to keep her safe.
Slate sighs. “Well, I’ve got plenty of work for her. We got another couple cases coming in. And, I’ll make damn sure there’s no field work involved.”
I let her snooze while I eat, thank the two men that helped save her, and lift her so I can carry her to our room. As much as I want to sleep with her, I don’t dare. Despite making progress with my little problem, it still isn’t solved.
After I undress, I slip under the covers of the other double bed but toss and turn. Finally, I have an idea. I grab my vest and pull out a tie wrap. After making a loop, with my wrists held behind my back, I zip them together.
Convinced I won’t be able to hurt her if woken suddenly, I crawl in next to her and spoon. It’s not the most comfortable position for my shoulder but it feels so good to have her close, I don’t care. Her chest rises and falls and with the scent of her shampoo in my lungs I enter a dreamless sleep.
In the dim light of dawn, I wake so fucking hard it’s sweet agony.
She moans and I angle my mouth to find hers. Even asleep, she responds with passion. After a few more kisses, her eyes flutter open.
For a moment they register shock, then she smiles. “You slept with me?”
“I couldn’t resist but I made sure you were safe.” I roll onto my side so she can see my hands tied behind my back. “Release me?”
“In a second.” Wearing only bra and panties, she pushes me onto my stomach, straddles my thighs, and then massages my back.
I turn my head and speak to the wall. “You like being in control?”
“I like anything with you.” Sam leans forward and kisses my cheek and my dirty mind goes all sorts of places.
“Let me free.”
She slaps my ass and I moan as her fingers dig into my butt cheeks, massaging deep into the muscles. Hell, I may have a happy ending before things even get off the ground.
“Babe. The cuffs.”
The points of her hard nipples caress up and down my back while she kisses and sucks my skin.
Shit. I turn over and my cock pops into the air, ready to pierce her.
Her eyes grow wide as she slides off her undies. When her mouth descends over my swollen length, I moan, fully at her mercy.
“Oh, fuck, Sam.” I slide a knee between her legs as she explores my tip with her tongue.
While her fingers curl around my base, she takes me in until I hit the back of her throat
“More.” At the pleasure racing through my veins, my voice comes out strangled.
I buck and she sucks at the perfect tempo. I hold back but she takes control. It’s new to me and so damn erotic when I cum, I’m fucking overwhelmed. She swallows as much as she can and the rest drips down her chin. Holding my throbbing member, she kisses the tip so sweetly, I shudder.
“Turn over.” Sam jumps up, reaches into my boot, and finds my knife.
I stretch my arms back, grab the weapon and put it on the end table. Then, I tug her to my chest with no sweet words because that part of my brain is struck stupid. The only thing working is my heart and it wants me to say those three precious words.
My mom is the only woman I ever said I love you to. Maybe that’s why the words get stuck. What if she doesn’t say it back? I’d feel real stupid and perhaps it would mess up what we got going.
Let’s get real. I had to handcuff myself to sleep with her. I probably got a few issues needing to be resolved before I go and ask her to marry me.
I grab my tie wraps still in my vest at the foot of the bed, grab her wrists, and bind them.
“Fair is fair.” I raise her arms over her head and take her mouth still tasting of me.
After kissing her until she squirms uncontrollably, I slowly work my lips down to a pressure point at her neck. When she hisses, I slowly move my mouth to her taut, pink nipples. I nip on the right one, suck hard then blow cool air across to soothe.
“Sebastian…”
Rolling the hardened tip between my fingers, I move to her other side and nibble and tease while she struggles. When she tries to lower her hands into my hair, I place them back at the headboard.
“Y’all keep those where they belong.” I pinch both her breasts and moaning, she spreads her legs.
Snickering to myself, I kiss her bellybutton, surprised to see a little ring there that wasn’t there before.
Well fuck if my tongue doesn’t enjoy running in and out of the piece of metal, tasting the tanginess of the gold.
I move down through her short curls and inhale her scent.
When I see her swollen clit my whole fucking body takes notice.
She’s dripping with desire. For me.
I grab her thighs and spread her further to get a better look. Pink flesh glistens and the point between her labia, one side slightly longer than the other.
My index finger finds its way to her folds and I slide it from front to back and then circle her opening until she arches with a little whimper.
“Not yet, darlin’.” When I curl my finger inside of her, my scalp stings as she tugs hard on my hair.
Flicking my tongue over her clit repeatedly, I press my knuckle up and in, to massage her G-spot.
“Oh, oh…” Her body goes all tight so I stop and let her fall slightly before taking her a notch higher.
With heels digging into the mattress she rides my tongue and digs her nails into my scalp.
My cock is just as hard as it was the first time, maybe more so because her pleasure is mine. She shivers, all sprung tight, boobs pointing to the ceiling, and breathing fast.
I suck and push on both sides of her sex and she cums hard in my mouth.
While she’s still
throbbing, I jump onto the bed, turn her onto her hands and knees, and enter her from behind. Holding her hips, I ride her and keep her high, banging the head board until I spill inside her.
Fully spent, we collapse, sweaty and exhausted.
I reach to the floor, find my knife, and cut her wrists ties. Then, I fall onto my back and take her onto my chest while we catch our breath.
Her eyes are closed so I tickle her lids with my tongue until she opens them. I want to see her post sex glow.
Chapter 32
Sam
I have never been loved so thoroughly and the intensity of his look makes my eyes water. How can this be happening? We barely know each other.
It was so sweet how he handcuffed his arms behind his back so he could sleep with me. It couldn’t’ve been comfortable.
I suspect we both got a lot of baggage that we bring to this relationship. I could use the ‘L’ word but what then? In the past, using the phrase has only brought me heartache and grief. Maybe, for now, I shouldn’t try to label this.
“What are you thinking in there?” Sebastian tugs playfully on a lock of my hair.
“Just how good we are together.”
“Mmm-hmm, we are.”
“And, how I need to get home.”
“Whatever for? Slate gave us a couple days off and the hotel is paid for.”
“I have work.” I pick up my phone and show him all the new emails on my website.
He grabs it and scrolls down… “You don’t have a license. You’re not a dick.”
“Why thank you very much, neither are you.” I kiss his scowl away, turn over, and snatch back my cellphone. “It says here, someone wants me to locate their Halloween costume. That sounds pretty easy, right?”
“If it were anyone else? I’d say piece of cake. You? Probably not.” He growls while I push on his chest.
“C’mon. You have to admit. It sounds like fun.” I sit up and send the woman a good time for us to meet.
“Why in God’s name does someone need to hire you to find something to wear trick or treating? How old are they? Twelve?” He nibbles my ear and when he kisses the most sensitive area of my neck, a chill runs down my spine.
Suds and Sam Page 15
