Hell Or High Water (Lost and Found, Inc.)

by Jerrie Alexander

  Kaycie’s shoulders dropped down further each time they stopped at an unfamiliar place.

  It was as if she carried the weight of the world on her back. Her only concern was her friend’s safe return. He wanted to lift that load, to lighten her burden.

  He turned the corner, slowed the car, and waited for her to react.

  “I recognize that building.” She pointed at the big-box spread out over probably half an acre. The sheer size made the first two they’d visited seem small.

  “This is where you were rescued.” He’d started to begin here first, but the other two had been on the way.

  “Yeah. I ran toward the loading docks.” With her hands folded in her lap, she closed her eyes.

  Nate parked next to the curb and let her slip into deep thought. Her body shivered as if a chill assaulted her. He wanted to drag her into his arms and hold her until she warmed. Instead, he moved across the car and held her hands between his, slowly rubbing her cold skin.

  “Turn right,” she whispered, looking over her shoulder.

  She leaned forward and scanned the area. He followed her directions, keeping one eye on her and one on the street signs.

  “This road takes us to the third property,” Nate said as he swung into an empty parking lot. “City records indicate it’s vacant. Sure looks deserted.”

  She was out of the car before the engine died. Moving fast, she tried the front door. Locked. Her eyebrows drew together. The strain on her face worried Nate.

  Her eyes widened. “I ran out the back into the trailer lot. There’s another entrance.”

  Shit. She tore off in a run, her long black hair billowing out behind her. Nate hustled to catch up. Her reaction confirmed his suspicions when he’d read the report this warehouse was unoccupied.

  When he caught her, she’d reached a side door. “We have to get inside.”

  Nate stepped around her. Peered through the glass, ensuring the place was empty. Expecting an alarm would scream bloody murder, he gave the handle a tug. The metal screeched and scraped the floor as it opened.

  She didn’t hesitate or give him time to issue a caution, she just blew right past him.

  “Damn, you could’ve let me make sure nobody else was here.”

  “This is the place.” Ignoring his frustration, she pointed overhead at an exit sign.

  “We got in too easy. I don’t like it.” His voice echoed off the open space. He moved closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. A surge of anger rushed him when her body trembled.

  Her fingers grazed the wall as they traversed the hall, further into the cavernous building. This had to dredge up the horror of that night.

  She led him to a small empty room. “In here.”

  His palms itched. His skin crawled as the need for vengeance roared through his blood. What he’d give to wrap his fingers around the neck of the bastard who’d hurt her.

  “My hands were taped.” Her shaky fingers hovered above her right ear. “And I had a gash right here.”

  She shocked him by stretching out on the floor. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He offered her his hand, but she ignored him.

  “I woke up in this very spot. What’s that smell? Bleach? Bastards cleaned up my blood.” Her hands covered the side of her head where she’d been injured. “I’ve never been so scared.”

  “But you kept it together. Hell, you rescued yourself! Be proud of that. I am.”

  “Tomas and Wayne will send a forensic team out here. I’ll bet my blood seeped into the cement. No scrubbing gets all traces. It will put more pressure on them to look closer at Walsh.”

  Nate reached down, and she grabbed a hold of his wrist. Her clammy, trembling hands worried him. Maybe reliving her time in this room wasn’t a good idea.

  The sound of car doors slamming stopped them both.

  Nate whispered, “If it’s security guards, I’ll try to bluff our way out. Be better if you give your information directly to your DPD friends.”

  “What if it’s not security?”

  “They didn’t try to sneak up on us.” Nate rested his hand on his gun when the side door opened just to be safe. “Wait here.”

  “You’re not leaving me behind,” she whispered, but the power in her tone was clear.

  “What if I’m wrong?” He stroked the backs of his fingers across her cheek. “I can’t take that chance.”

  “Police,” a male voice called out. “Step outside into the open with your hands where we can see them.”is palms itched

  She opened her mouth, but he rested his finger on her lips. “Shh.”

  The cinnamon in her eyes flared, but before Nate answered, he bent his head and kissed her.

  “Coming out,” he yelled. He leaned close to Kaycie’s ear and said, “You stay close behind me.”

  “And if it’s not the police?”

  He patted the gun on her hip. “You know how to use that thing. Don’t you?”

  Nate breathed a sigh of relief when two uniformed officers waited just outside. The youngest of the two stepped forward.

  “You folks keep coming.”

  “We’re just looking around,” Kaycie protested.

  “Do you have permission to be here?” the cop asked.

  She opened her mouth and Nate tried to cut her off.

  “Show them your PIs license.”

  Judging by the look on both cop’s faces, this was going to be a long afternoon.

  ****

  Kay sidestepped Tyrell when, half-asleep, he stumbled down her hall and swept past her with a surly grunt. Based on the frown and way his jaw twitched, his frustration level was as high as hers, and catching a few hours sleep on her couch hadn’t helped his mood.

  “Good morning,” Kay said, lifting her voice an octave and flashing a smile to his snarl.

  He lifted the coffeepot to his nose, sniffed the black liquid and poured a cup.

  God. He was going to drink it cold. “Give me that.”

  She stuck the mug in the microwave. He might’ve gone for days without sleep while in the military, but today signs of exhaustion painted his ebony skin with a gray sheen.

  “Tyrell, you need to eat. I’ll make sandwiches.”

  “Don’t worry ‘bout me. How you holding up, Little Mama?” He stopped her by dropping an arm over her shoulder. Together they watched the cup circle as the coffee heated.

  “I’m tired of waiting for the phone to ring.”

  The microwave pinged, and Tyrell retrieved his cup. Soon they all sat at the table, staring at the small throwaway cell.

  “How’d the site visits go?” Tyrell asked, finally sounding awake. “See any place they might be holding Holly?”

  “No. But we almost got arrested for trespassing. And Nate shushed me as if I were a trained Labrador retriever.” A scoff came from Nate. She continued, “Somebody noticed Nate’s car in the parking lot and called the cops.”

  “And?”

  “Let’s say they weren’t impressed with my private investigator license,” Nate muttered. “Stuck us in the back of a squad car while they contacted Kaycie’s pals downtown. Took them an hour to decide not to haul us away in cuffs.”

  Tyrell sipped his coffee. He grimaced, letting her know she’d overheated his caffeine fix. “So you have the ring, but we’re no closer to finding Holly,” Tyrell ground out the words. “I don’t do cat-and-mouse very well.”

  Nate shoved hair off his face. His eyes were clear and steady. She searched for signs of fatigue, instead found determination, confidence and a whole lot of dangerous.

  “The bastard on the other end of the throwaway has to lead us to her. Hank must be allowing him to call the shots.” Nate leaned back, folding his arms across his chest.

  “I agree. I don’t think the caller is Hank.” Kay moved the cell around in a circle with a finger, willing it to ring.

  Nate nodded. “For now, we’re at his mercy. We wait to be given instructions.”

  Tyrell ran a hand over his
shiny head and nodded his agreement. “If you don’t mind, I’ll use your shower before I head out.”

  “Go.” Kaycie removed the stale coffee from Tyrell’s hand and set it in the sink.

  A few minutes later he reappeared, dressed in jeans and his customary black shirt. “I’m heading out. Phone’s on.” He patted his pocket.

  “You want a sandwich or something before you go?”

  “No, thanks. I’ll pick something up for me and Marcus. He’ll probably run by his place for a change of clothes. Don’t expect him for a few hours.”

  She accompanied him to the door. “If this runs into tomorrow, you sleep on my bed. That couch is a killer.” She fisted her hands on her hips to indicate her word was final. Because in this case, it was.

  Nate moved close to her, apparently showing solidarity. “We’ll call if something breaks.”

  Tyrell clipped his holster on his belt, sliding his Sig home as he closed the door.

  Her apartment could’ve been a tomb. Neither she nor Nate spoke as they moved back to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and stood staring inside. Sunlight drifted through the bank of windows, shimmering across his face. She closed her eyes, and for a few seconds, the tension and stress slid away while she remembered the young man he was long ago.

  The soft touch of lips against hers sent her floating on a cloud. Had she fallen asleep on her feet? The kiss shifted to demanding and strong hands splayed across her hips, crushing her into a hard-as-steel body.

  Her eyes popped open. Knees weakened. Nate’s mouth covered hers. He leaned his head back a few inches, his blue eyes now the shade of midnight.

  This wasn’t the boy she daydreamed about.

  This was a man.

  Chapter 20

  Kaycie had closed her eyes, and she swayed slightly. She drew Nate to her like a magnet. Drove him to cover her inviting lips with his. Her gaze met his and answered his unasked question. Her brown eyes had darkened to obsidian.

  He hauled her against his body and kissed her again, teasing her lips open with his tongue. Somebody moaned, probably him. The honest sweetness that was pure Kaycie flooded his senses. She tunneled her fingers through his hair and leaned into him.

  He’d dreamed of holding her like this for years. Nurtured the pictures his mind had taken and filed them away for ready retrieval. The image of her lying beneath him, her beautiful body trembling with passion, had never faded.

  His hands traveled, molded, pressed, and refreshed his memory of every inch. The clothes separating their bare flesh drove him crazy. The need to touch her soft skin was too much. His attempt at being suave failed when his fingers shook and turned clumsy. A deep breath failed to calm him, so he gathered a handful of material on either side of the buttons on her blouse and ripped. They popped, flying across the room.

  His gaze feasted as her chest expanded, rising and falling rapidly in surprise. He one-handed the bra clasps and then slid the beige, satin straps from her shoulders.

  His heart stumbled, hurt. She was magnificent.

  “Beautiful.”

  He cupped her breasts, lifted them, supporting their weight in his hands. Her low moan powered blood to his groin. Rosy nipples begged to be touched, and he circled them with his thumbs. His insides coiled tighter as they pebbled under his touch.

  Her head tilted back, and he kissed the pulsing vein in her neck, her collarbone and the creamy flesh above her breasts. Her fists closed around the hem of his shirt and lifted. Nate stepped back far enough for her to jerk it off in one fluid motion. Small hands imprinted streaks of fire as she trailed her fingers up his rib cage to cup his face.

  He lowered his head and pulled her rigid nipple into his mouth, laved the tip with his tongue. A shiver pulsed through her as she pressed harder against him. Her encouraging soft mewl only made him tug harder.

  Nate wanted more. Needed more. His name. He wanted to hear her cry it out at the moment of release.

  “I love the way your body responds.” He moved to the other breast, tasting, savoring, and nipping with his teeth. His hands traveled, exploring, and enjoying.

  God, her scent. Woman, citrus and sexual arousal, raced through his system like a shot of exotic aphrodisiac. Her skin, soft and creamy, begged to be loved.

  She unbuckled his jeans, forced her hand deep, wrapped her fingers around him and squeezed. He stopped breathing. Jesus, he’d explode if he let her continue for long.

  “Enough,” he managed to force out.

  He grabbed her thighs and hoisted her up to straddle his hips. She squealed and followed with a laugh. She locked her legs around him and spread bites and licks across his bare shoulder. With her in his arms, he couldn’t get down that hall to her bedroom fast enough.

  He placed her on the bed, shaking his head no when she reached for him. He wanted to pounce on her, devour her, and then bury himself deep inside her body but wouldn’t. This would not be a quickie. He’d make love to her body and mind.

  “Raise up, sweetheart.” He stripped her jeans and panties off in one pull. Stood over her, staring down at her naked body, waiting for him. Only for him. “My God. You’re incredible.”

  He shucked his own jeans, and his throat closed when her gaze traversed his form. Up and down. Sultry, hooded eyes stopped on his swollen erection.

  A sexy grin lit her face. “So you do want me?”

  “Damn right, I do.” He crawled over her, nudging her thighs apart, wedging himself against her heated flesh. How long had he wanted to do this? How many nights had he closed his eyes and prayed to dream about her? “I told you I wanted to kiss every inch of your body.”

  “Oh, I remember, but I questioned your truthfulness.”

  “Never doubt me. I have a particular spot picked out and know exactly where to start.”

  He kissed her, drinking in her essence. Allowed himself the time to wallow in the lushness of her breasts, touching and tonguing each one until they were pebbled peaks. Then he worked his way down. Past her sleek hips to her legs and started back up. By the time he licked her inner thigh, her body was quivering. He switched to the other side. Closer and closer to heaven.

  “Nate, please.” Her voice, throaty and breathless, was barely a whisper.

  He parted her with his thumbs and blew softly.

  “Nate!” This time her tone was more commanding, and hearing her cry out his name sent a rush straight to his heart.

  That she was louder and full of frustration, prompted him to lick her damp skin in one long sweep. She dug her heels into the mattress and raised her hips. Then he feasted.

  Her hands wound through his hair tightly, holding him taut against her silky smooth core. Over and over he brought her to the brink. His thumb and finger found her clit and gently squeezed, and she detonated under his tongue. Her hips rose higher from the bed, thrusting her center deeper into his mouth. She cried out his name. Again and again. The sound filled the room. Filled his soul. Filled his mind with promises of forever.

  Jesus, he loved the sound of her coming.

  Memories of the past, of what they’d had, of what they’d shared, of what he’d missed flooded him. Memories he’d clung to all those long nights. Memories that were now a reality.

  His throat swelled. Heart hurt. And the word mine circulated through his mind while he kissed his way to her lips.

  “I need inside you.” He dug a condom from his billfold, held it to his teeth, and tried to rip it open. Damn his shaking hands.

  ****

  Nate’s body loomed above hers. Beautiful. Strong. Virile. All male. His muscles tensed, tendons stretched tight, his face the picture of determination as he fought with the condom package. Kay’s pounding heart raced even harder.

  “Stop. Let me.” She wrapped her fingers around him and felt the power of steel underneath the velvet soft skin. She stroked her hand up and down, marveling that he grew still larger and harder under her touch. He hissed out a warning breath and groaned.

  His gaze caught hers. Th
e hunger blazing almost incinerated her. If he stared at her with such longing much longer, she’d be nothing more than a pile of ashes.

  Overwhelming need had settled at the juncture of her thighs. She couldn’t remember wanting anything as badly as she did Nate.

  “You’re headed toward disaster if you don’t stop. And we’re nowhere near finished.” One jet-black eyebrow rose, which she figured was a warning, so she leaned over, kissed the tip of his erection and then rolled on the latex protection.

  He’d uncovered something buried deep inside her. Something that relaxed the twisting and squeezing and tightening that had kept her from trusting him.

  “I’ll hold you to that.” She needed more from him. Wanted more for him.

  “At last,” he whispered as he slid inside her. His words almost sounded reverent.

  Kay sighed as the feeling of coming home filled her lungs, squeezing her heart. His size required some adjusting, but her body quickly molded around him. The sensation of him stretching and filling her heightened her already sensitive nerve endings.

  He stayed very still, rested his weight on his elbows, his gaze locked with hers. She tilted her hips and wrapped her legs around his waist, taking him deeper.

  “Yes. At last.” Her eyes fluttered closed as he moved inside her. She met him thrust for thrust, move for move, until she couldn’t tell where she ended and he began.

  He rose up on his knees and lifted her legs over his shoulders, exposing her in the most vulnerable of ways. His hand slid between their bodies. His magic fingers found her clit.

  “Look at me. Say my name again.” He almost withdrew until she locked her gaze on his.

  “Nate,” she whispered. “Don’t stop.” She lifted her hips to encourage him.

  Sounds wrapped around her. Sounds of pleasure. Sounds of two bodies moving together. Sounds of two lovers about to shatter into a million pieces of light.

  Every nerve ending fired, directing all pleasure sensation to her core. She wanted the feeling to last forever even while an orgasm roared from deep down in her soul. Climbing to the top of the roller coaster and then racing down the tracks only to rise to the pinnacle again and again. She abandoned all reason. Soared through the clouds.