“The front desk?” He prompted her because sometimes witnesses overlooked people who were working.
“I didn’t see anyone. I assume someone was on duty, but when I went by, nobody was there. It’s not unusual for the night person to step away to deliver towels or take care of something away from the desk.”
“This was your first night here?” Brandy asked. “Are you familiar with how this place operates?”
“No, but I grew up living at a B&B, so I’m pretty familiar with the way most of these places operate.” She huffed as if offended. “Sometimes duty or nature calls you away from the desk. You just put up the sign that says you’ll be right back, and you go.”
He touched her wrist again, and some of her vinegar disappeared. A thrill of power raced through his veins at how she responded to him. “Tru, think back to how you discovered the body. What made you go inside the cave?”
“It was a cave. I like to explore places. I had a flashlight on my phone, and I didn’t plan to go in very far.”
Brandy, he knew, wanted to get at what made her look there. A small, inconsequential detail could be a big clue. She clucked sympathetically. “You found the body shoved in a crevice. Did you see something that made you take a closer look?”
Tru gulped another swig of water. “I didn’t even see the body until I crouched down to look under where the cave made a kind of upside-down shelf. I, um, I thought it was tentacles from an octopus or something.” Some color drained from her face, and she grimaced. “It wasn’t.”
He wanted to take her in his arms, but Brandy would rip his arms off if he accosted a witness like that. “Was there anything else? Every detail is important.”
She looked from Brandy to him, and then she swept her gaze over Avery, Jordan, and Jed. “The graffiti. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? It was some kind of gang symbol.” She clamped her hand over her mouth and closed her eyes. After inhaling and exhaling, she slid her hand down her face and clasped her hands in front of her chest. “Am I in danger? Is that why you’re all surrounding me?”
Liam rushed to reassure her. “We have no reason to think you’re in danger. You didn’t see anything.”
Jordan opened his mouth, most likely to disagree. He and Amy had been targeted by The Eye, but they’d seen things. Tru hadn’t. His jaw snapped shut before he said anything.
Brandy backed him up. “You have nothing to worry about. We just needed to hear you tell your story. That’s all.” She took a card from her pocket and handed it to Tru. “If you think of anything else, no matter how small, call me immediately.”
Taking the card, Tru asked, “Are we done here?”
“Yeah.” Brandy stood and offered her hand. “Thank you. I know this wasn’t pleasant, and we appreciate your cooperation.”
Tru shook hands with Brandy Lockmeyer. She didn’t entirely believe everything the Feds had said—or didn’t say. They hadn’t exactly answered her question about the gangs. Now that she thought about it, gangs didn’t operate in remote places like this. They were more of a big city phenomenon, weren’t they? So what options did that leave for this circumstance?
She bade the agents a good night, and then she went upstairs. The day had left her exhausted, and she was looking forward to crashing on the comfortable bed. In a tired trance, she donned comfortable pajamas.
As she made her way from the bathroom to the lavender-scented bed, an image of Agent Jed Kinsley appeared, his translucent image standing a few feet away. Hands on hips in a casual, relaxed manner, he gazed at something on the bed with a small smile curving his sensual lips. No other impressions or feelings tickled her intuition before the still image faded. If she weren’t so tired, she might have spent time trying to figure out what was going on, but if experience told her anything, it screamed that obsessing over it was a useless endeavor. Because the image had appeared without context, she had no idea where he would be when this happened or who he would be with.
Climbing under the covers, she emptied her mind of all thoughts not related to getting comfortable. She turned out the light and curled up on her side in her favorite sleeping position. Suddenly her mind roared to life. Macabre images and random thoughts, none related to her vision, bombarded her brain, forcing it wide awake. Tru opened her eyes. She hated when her body was exhausted but her mind wouldn’t shut up and go to sleep. Turning over, she tried settling on that side, but her brain refused to be placated.
As a last-ditch effort, she started at her toes and tried to relax her body from one end to the other. It worked until she got to her head, and the horror festival in her brain launched into an extended replay of the morning’s events. This was why she hadn’t wanted to answer questions tonight. It had taken her all day to get the images of that man’s lifeless eyes and screaming mouth out of her mind. Answering those questions had brought it roaring back.
Throwing back the covers, she sat up and gripped her head in her hands. She was frustrated enough to cry, but she didn’t want to indulge. Years ago, she’d cried enough for a lifetime. Between mourning the deaths of her parents in a car accident and engaging in bouts of self-pity when her cancer had been at its worst, she’d cried enough to fill Lake Michigan. Once she’d achieved remission that second time, she’d vowed not to spend another minute feeling sorry for herself or her circumstances. Life was finite, and she was going to seize every day of this decade. Since then, she’d faced every hurdle head-on. This would be no different. With a low growl, she slid shoes onto her feet and grabbed an unused towel.
As she headed down the stairs and out the back door, she encountered several guests, each of whom she greeted with a brief nod. The sun had set an hour ago, and most of those who had gathered to watch the spectacular show had headed inside. A few couples sat on blankets and snuggled one another, and another couple leaned against the railing that marked the edge of the cliff. The cadence of their low chatter blended into the crashing of the waves below.
Tru spread her towel on the ground and sat down with her legs crossed, ready to meditate. She’d face this mental and emotional unrest, beat it into docility, and then she’d be able to sleep. She closed her eyes and silently counted backward from ten. Come on, inner peace. I don’t have all night.
“Hey, I thought you went to bed?” Agent Adair’s voice jerked her from the brink of peace. She opened her eyes. In the soft glow of the dim outdoor lights, she watched him sit on the ground next to her. He was close enough for an intimate conversation, but far enough away so that things weren’t awkward. He folded his long legs so that his position matched hers.
“I tried. My mind won’t turn off.”
He chuckled, a low laugh of commiseration. “I hate when that happens.”
She didn’t reply, but meditating with him sitting this close was out of the question. They stared over the fathomless expanse in silence. Seconds passed, and she felt the weight of each one press against the base of her skull.
Finally he spoke, his quiet tones bashing against the stress. “I remember the first time I saw the body of a victim of violent crime. His name was Donnie Laginess, and he’d been shot four times in the chest.”
She winced. This was not her forte. She didn’t even like movies or TV shows with violence. “If you’re here to question me some more, please stop now. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“But it’s preying on your mind and preventing you from sleeping. That first time, I threw up.”
“So did I.”
“You left that out of your statement.” Amusement lightened his observation.
“But not anything else,” she assure him. “So don’t feel like we have to go over it all again.”
“My point is that I couldn’t get my mind off of it either. I had to make sense of it before I could fall asleep. That’s probably where you are now.”
She rolled her eyes, mostly because she didn’t want to think about it. “What happened doesn’t make sense. Violence and murder don’t make sense. There’s already so much pain and
suffering in the world, and there’s absolutely no reason to add to the misery.”
“You’re right—it doesn’t make sense. And that’s often hard to accept.”
“What are you, an agent by day and a shrink by night? Don’t quit your day job.” She hadn’t meant to sound so harsh, but she’d been clear that she didn’t want to discuss it, and he wouldn’t shut up about it.
“I’m not a psychologist. That’s Avery’s area. Mine is computers. I read some of your blog posts. You’re a great writer.”
“Thanks.” Her reply was automatic, but her plea was heartfelt. “Listen, I’m not in the mood for conversation. I came out here to meditate so that I could go to sleep. I really don’t want to talk about anything that happened today. Aren’t you ever off the clock?”
“I’m not working right now.”
“Seems like you are.”
“I saw you come out, and I figured you were still bothered by this morning. I meant to help. You can talk to me. I know what you’re going through.” He turned to face her. “Tru, you’re not alone.”
She stared at him. In the dimness, she couldn’t quite make out his eye color, though she knew they were blue. Why on Earth would he care about her mental state? “Look, Agent Adair, I’m exhausted, and I have a headache starting. I’m not good for conversation, and I’m not in the mood to flirt with you.”
“I hadn’t planned to hit on you.” He moved, but instead of going away, he shifted to sit behind her, and he stretched his legs along her sides. Normally she’d freak if a virtual stranger tried to take such liberties, but with him it felt different. She was seized by a primal need to have him closer. She didn’t know if it came from the chemicals simmering between them or from the residual feelings her visions had left behind. She felt his fingertips slide along her shoulders and his thumb press on either side of her spine. “Tension headache?”
He’d found the exact spot that hurt the most. She groaned as he massaged circles into her tight neck muscles. “Yes.”
“You’re a rock.” With a gentle, firm authority, he pulled her so that she leaned against his chest, but he kept working the knots in her neck. “Try to relax.”
She’d been trying for the past hour. “I can’t seem to.”
“Lay your head back. I’ve got you.”
Putting herself in his hands seemed like a good idea. She chased away the voice of doubt that kept saying that seeing him in a vision or two didn’t make them friends. Closing her eyes, she breathed through the pain as he worked on a particularly vicious knot. “Agent Adair?”
“Call me Liam.” His fingertips spread along the back of her head, massaging her scalp. “I’m off duty.”
It seemed too intimate, not that the whole situation wasn’t intimate. She avoided touching him by resting her hands on her stomach. “Why are you doing this?”
“I don’t know.” A short laugh rolled from him. “I’m not much of a people person, but for some reason, I want to take care of you. Just go with it.”
His commanding tone, though soft, overrode any objection her brain might make. Some tension left her body, and she leaned against his chest. Solid against her back, it felt good—strong and reassuring. He pressed his fingers and thumbs into key spots, and with a groan, she closed her eyes.
He smelled good. That’s the first thing she noticed. It was more than the fresh ocean breeze or the pine scent from having been outside. The aroma was spicy—with a hint of vanilla and something else she couldn’t identify. The warmth of his skin penetrated through his dress shirt and her pajama top. It all combined to fill her senses and lull her into a relaxed state. She felt liquid, malleable. He stopped massaging and wrapped his arms around her middle. She snuggled into his embrace.
“Are you going to kiss me?” It seemed like the perfect circumstance under which a man would make a move. Though she was exhausted, she wouldn’t stop him if he took some liberties.
“No.” He rested his cheek against her head and inhaled deeply.
“But you want to.”
“Yes, but you’ve had rough day, and the last thing you need is some guy trying to take advantage of you.”
Normally she’d agree, but Liam made her want different things, even if it was just a one-night stand. The way he felt and his unique scent combined to awaken her libido. She shifted so that his shoulder cradled her head, and she looked up at him. “I’m on board with you taking advantage of me.”
He gazed down at her, shadows darkening his irises. “I’m not, and you weren’t ten minutes ago.” He looked away, and then he lifted his face to the night sky. “Look over there, by the horizon. See that bright star?”
Reluctantly, she set aside her awakening needs and looked in the direction he’d indicated. “Yeah.”
“That’s Antares, the belly of the scorpion. Follow it west to that big star, and that’s where the claws branch off.” He pointed to lines of stars that resembled an arrow. “There’s a little too much light to see every star, but if you follow Antares the other way, you’ll see most of the tail. It curves away from the skyline.”
She’d looked at the stars before, but she’d never learned the constellations. “Are you a Scorpio?”
“Capricorn.” He twisted his body to face the southeast, and she twisted with him. “There. It kind of looks like a triangle. And you’re a Leo, which just stopped showing last month.”
“How do you know I’m a Leo?”
“I finally read your file.”
She stiffened. How much of her life was in there? She didn’t go around sharing her private business with people. Yeah, she blogged about her adventures, but there were certain things she never mentioned. “The FBI has a file on me?”
He stroked a caress down her arm. She was wearing long sleeves, but it did the trick. “It’s just your statement from this morning, Brandy’s report from questioning you, and contact information. Your birth date was part of it. Though I’m sure the government has a more complete file on you somewhere. I wouldn’t put it past them to collect information on everybody and lock it away in a classified area.”
She laughed at his unexpected cynicism. “You’re part of the government.”
“That’s true, but I don’t have access to a lot of stuff.”
“Or proof that they’re collecting information.”
He shrugged. “That’s a matter of time. I’m still trying to figure out how to hack the CIA without them finding out. So far, they’ve caught me every time.”
She would never have guessed that he’d be a rule breaker. Craning her neck to look back at him, she settled back against his shoulder. “And you’re not in prison?”
“Not as long as I stay with the FBI. Fuckers keep sending me bonuses for finding weak points in their security. It’s a game we play.” He looked down at her. “This isn’t working.”
“What?” Her brow furrowed. She had no idea what he was talking about.
“I really want to kiss you. I thought showing you the stars would distract me, but it’s not working.” He cupped her face, and his thumb caressed a path along her bottom lip. “You should go to bed.”
If she did that, then she’d be up all night wondering what would have happened if she’d stayed. So she shifted to give him better access to her lips. “With you?”
He groaned as he gave into temptation. His lips skimmed hers, teasing with a light caress. He played for a few moments, and she enjoyed the way it felt to let him be in control. Years ago, she’d served a Master, but when things had threatened to become serious, she’d found a suitable woman and groomed her to become her replacement. When she’d walked away, she had no regrets. Her former Master had married that woman, and they were still together.
The soft glide of Liam’s lips across her lips, chin, and cheeks lulled her into a peaceful place. “Tru, I like to be in charge.” With that whispered admission, he deepened the kiss. His tongue tangled with hers, a quick duel that established his dominance as he drugged her senses. Unhurrie
d, he explored her mouth and lips before drifting away to trail sucking kisses along the edge of her jaw.
She tangled a hand in his hair in a vain attempt to hold him close, and she twisted to press her body against his. He felt so good, and she longed to know what it felt like to slide her naked body over his equally bared skin.
He broke it off suddenly, violently, and she hoped he’d suggest they head to her room. He threw his head back and gulped air, and she was forced to release her hold on his hair.
“We should go inside.” Her voice sounded heavy with pleasure, and her tone promised more. “Unless you want to finish this with an audience?”
His chuckle came out with more than a hint of regret. “We’d need a willing audience. Otherwise it’s illegal. And bad manners.” He got to his feet and pulled her with him. “Let’s get you to bed.” He snagged the towel and, with a hand perched lightly against her lower back, guided her to her room.
She slid the keycard through the scanner, opened the door, and stepped inside, but he didn’t follow. “Aren’t you coming?”
He shook his head. “You need to sleep, and I would be the biggest dick in the world—not in a good way—if I put my wants above your needs.” He brushed a light kiss across her cheek. “Goodnight, Tru. I hope to see you in the morning.”
She stared after him as he walked away, questions swirling in her head. Their encounter had seemed like a prelude to a first date, which was an unusual thing to have happen while traveling. And his admission slammed into her like a ten-ton truck—I like to be in charge. It had been a long time since she’d allowed herself to play around with a Dom.
As she drifted to sleep, Liam’s kisses still tingled on her lips.
Chapter Four
Jed pulled back the sheets on the queen bed closest to the window. Jordan lounged in the other one, two pillows supporting him in his half reclined position. He laughed softly, and Jed ignored it. His friend was on the phone with his sub. In close quarters like this, privacy wasn’t easy to come by. When they traveled, they rarely had a hotel room without at least one roommate.
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