by Linda Verji
“Oh yeah!” Kelly laughed. “I’d forgotten about that.”
“Lucky you.” Spencer gave a fake tremble. “I still get nightmares about that day.”
“They’ll be happy to know they scared you. And yeah, they’re okay with us working together.” With a smile, she added, “Though Sin told me to make you give me a pay-raise since the state didn’t give me anything for sending me to jail.”
“Sorry.” Spencer winced. “Are you mad about that?”
“Not really.” Her eyes dancing with amusement, Kelly leaned over to bump her shoulder against his. “You’re paying me well enough to make up for it.”
Spencer chuckled even as warmth ballooned within him. This night was just getting better and better. Who would’ve thought that one day, he and Kelly would be able to joke about her incarceration?
Still smiling, he asked, “How did you three even become friends anyway?”
“Trust me, it wasn’t intentional.” Kelly chuckled. “On my first day there, I ended up in the same cell as A.J…”
A.J. was quiet and gave off very fierce ‘keep off’ signals. The moment Kelly had tried to initiate a conversation the other woman had glared at her so hard that Kelly had had to take a step back.
Spencer frowned. “Weren’t you scared?”
Though he’d only met Kelly’s friends once, one look at A.J. and a background check had told him that she was the one he needed to be most careful of. She wasn’t the kind of woman you messed with.
“Of course I was scared,” Kelly said. “I really thought she was going to stab me in my sleep.”
“You should’ve applied to change your cell.”
“I didn’t get the chance to.” She paused to take a bite of her food before continuing, “Later the same day, we went for dinner and I ended up seated to Sin. She was much friendlier than A.J. and took it upon herself to give me a breakdown of the inmate’s social hierarchy…”
At the bottom of the stack were women who’d been incarcerated for crimes against children. Even though they were criminals, most inmates mothering-instincts were alive and well. Do something to a kid and you risked getting victimized. Barely step above the child-abusers were the snitches. You never tell the cops what another criminal is up to. Never.
Above the snitches were the ‘wives’. This was a position reserved for the weaker members of their population i.e. the shy, scared or young. Prisoners like Sin made up the next tier. They were the ones who made no waves and did their best to just finish their sentence without any trouble. Above the ‘no-waves’ were the soldiers – members of gangs, significant others of gang members, robbers, murderers, etc.
And at the top of them all was Wanda Barring.
“Wanda Barring?” Spencer frowned. Where had he heard that name? A second later, it came to him. “The lady who went in for murdering her boyfriend and his boyfriend?”
“Yup! That Wanda.” Kelly made a face. “She ran our prison like she was the president.”
During dinner, Wanda had sent one of her minions to Kelly with an apple.
Nice of her, right? Wrong!
Sin had whispered to Kelly that the apple was Wanda’s way of converting her to one of her minions. If Kelly ate the apple, she was now one of Wanda’s subordinates. If she didn’t eat it, she’d be the target of beat-downs and bullying from Wanda’s people.
Sin had advised Kelly to just eat it. It was the only way to leave this place in one piece and with your pretty face intact. Besides, it wasn’t so bad being one of Wanda’s people. She occasionally asked you to do errands for her, some quite degrading, but nothing one couldn’t live with.
It all sounded very kosher and peaceful. Unfortunately, Kelly had never been one to serve others. Also, she wasn’t that pretty anyway. What was a few more bumps? She tossed the apple to the floor, and it went rolling right up to Wanda’s table.
The silence that gripped the mess was chillier than a winter morning in Alaska. The other inmates stared at the two in obvious shock and a healthy dose of anticipation. Everyone – everyone – ate Wanda’s apple. Wanda stood up. Her expression stormy, she stomped to Kelly and Sin’s table. Sin was trembling so hard, Kelly could feel the vibrations coming off her. Kelly probably should’ve been trembling too; Wanda was at least double her size and a couple of inches taller than her. But Kelly had fought bigger, and won. Boldly, she stood to meet her attacker face-to-face.
Forcefully, Wanda grabbed Kelly by the collar, lifted her to her toes and cocked her elbow as if to punch her. Kelly craned her head backwards to evade the punch and cocked her own fist ready to pound Wanda’s stomach. Fortunately or unfortunately, neither of the two women got to throw a punch. One second Wanda had Kelly by the collar and the next, she was on the floor, the victim of a surprise kick to the head.
Shocked, Kelly turned to see who’d felled Wanda. It was A.J.
“I don’t like bullies,” the lady had pronounced with quiet steel in her voice.
Kelly barely had time to process those words because right then, the mess descended into chaos and fighting as Wanda and her minions came for Kelly and A.J. Despite her fear and love of her pretty face, Sin had somehow ended up fighting with the two.
“Damn!” Horror pulsed through Spencer as visions of Kelly being hit flashed in his thoughts. He dragged in a shaky breath. “That sounds like a war-zone.”
“It was, but it was kind of funny too.” Kelly burst into laughter. “I can still remember how Sin threw herself over Wanda’s back, screaming like a banshee as she pulled her hair.”
Spencer didn’t know how she could laugh. Most women would’ve been scarred for life by that experience. He’d always known that Kelly was strong but even he was shocked that she’d jumped into that fight so enthusiastically.
“It was just the three of you against a whole battalion?” He stared at her in wide-eyed dismay. “How did you even expect to win?”
“We didn’t.” Kelly shrugged as if it was okay to get into a fight you didn’t expect to win. “But lucky for us, one of Wanda’s minions recognized me. No… recognized who my father was.”
Spencer smiled. “Ah! Jesse comes to the rescue again.”
“Spectacularly.” Kelly grinned. “Let’s just say it’s good to have a father who treats cons on the side.”
As it turned out, Jesse had patched up quite a few of these ladies and their boyfriends or relatives. Just like that Kelly, Sin and A.J. became The Untouchables. They weren’t ‘big dogs’ but they certainly weren’t minions either. It’s like they’d formed their own tier-free group that was separate from the general population’s pyramid. After that everyone just gave them their space.
“The Untouchables.” Spencer tested the name on his tongue. He smiled. “I like that.”
“Sin came up with the name then spread it around,” Kelly said. “She’s the outgoing one.”
Kelly spent the rest of dinner telling Spencer about her friends and her time in prison. He listened, but on the inside he was grinning. Kelly might not know it, but her being so willing to share a part of her that had been off-limits for so long was a sign that she was comfortable with him. He would’ve preferred that she trust him, but comfortable was okay too.
Minutes later, they were done with their meal. Despite Spencer’s protests and offers to help, Kelly ended up in the kitchen washing the dishes while he stayed in the living room watching the news. Somehow, he ended up falling asleep.
He didn’t know how long he was asleep, but a strange fluttering against his upper chest pulled him out into wakefulness. Thinking the fluttering was just a dream, he kept his eyes closed.
Then he felt her breath against his face as she whispered, “Who ties their tie this tight?”
Slowly, he opened his eyes only to find Kelly kneeling next to him. Her gaze was focused on his upper chest and her fingers were around the knot of his necktie. She was so close, he could smell her sweet womanly scent. So close, he could feel her warmth. So close, her mouth was just
a breath away. She was too damn close. His breath caught and the blood in his veins froze in its tracks.
Something about his sudden awareness must’ve drawn her attention because her gaze flew to his. Surprise flashed in her eyes then nervousness. He wanted to ask her what she was doing so close to him, but he couldn’t seem to push words past his suddenly dry lips.
“I… uh…” Kelly stuttered. “I was just trying to loosen your…um…”
Then she bit her bottom lip. And that’s when his common sense flew out the window. Without conscious thought, he leaned forward, curved his hand around her nape and brought her face closer to his.
CHAPTER 9
Kelly saw the kiss coming but she was powerless to stop it. Her brain kept screaming for her to shoot to her feet and run as far away from Spencer as she could, yet her body refused to move. Her eyes wide, she watched him come closer and closer and closer… Their lips met.
His lips were just as firm as she expected, but his kiss was surprisingly soft and almost tender. Warm desire coursed through Kelly and before she could stop herself, she’d closed her eyes and relaxed into the kiss. She sighed, the parting of her lips allowing Spencer access into the interior of her mouth. His tongue darted in, met hers and stroked. Any chance of reason disappeared then.
Kelly sunk deeper into the kiss. She kissed him back, let her lips dance against his and reveled in his taste. In all her dreams, she’d never imagined that Spencer would taste this good or that he’d be such an amazing kisser. His kisses were as hungry as they were breathtaking. As hot as they were fierce. He thrust his tongue against hers and suckled her lips repeatedly, leaving her gasping in pleasure.
When his hand cupped her cheek, Kelly rubbed her face into his palm, eager for more of his touch. There was no thinking here, just feeling. With his lips and tongue, he aroused a wealth of emotions that left her reeling in need. His hand moved to her arm then dragged her upwards and into his arms. Kelly was so lost in a maze of sensuality that she obediently followed his urgings to sit on his thigh.
His muscles rippled beneath her, sending a sharp ache straight to her core. With a moan, she shifted slightly and straight into his groin. Then she felt it – thick, long and pressing firmly against her thigh.
It was feeling that blatant evidence of his arousal that finally did it. It yanked her out of the kiss and off him so fast that she didn’t even realize that she’d moved. One moment she was on his lap and the next she was on her feet. Her breathing quick and uneven, she stared down at him. He stared right at her, and for a long moment neither of them spoke.
Kelly broke the silence. “I have to go.”
He didn’t protest when she grabbed her purse from the couch. He didn’t stop her when she made for the door like she was being chased by the devil. All he did was watch her. It was only once she was in the elevator that she could breathe again. Dragging in long breaths, she leant against the wall.
What had just happened?
What the hell had just happened?
Had she really kissed Spencer? The guy who’d sent her to jail. Yes, yes she had. And it had been a damn good kiss. Was she sick? She pressed the back of her hand to her forehead and found it as cold as ever. Nope, she wasn’t sick. Then that left only one explanation. She was crazy? Completely and irrevocably insane! Someone get her a straitjacket.
By the time she got home, she was still in a daze. Sin immediately noticed. “What’s wrong?”
Kelly, who was sitting on the couch, staring into space, didn’t answer.
“Kelly!” Her friend jabbed her elbow into her side.
“Hmm?” Kelly turned her wide-eyed gaze to her friend.
“What’s up?” Sin asked, concern etched in her pretty face. “You’ve been out of it since you came from work.”
“Have I?”
Sin nodded.
For a second, just a second, Kelly considered telling her friend what had happened, then she changed her mind. There was no good way to confess what she and Spencer had been up to without revealing how she was the biggest hypocrite in the world. After how frequently and loudly she’d badmouthed Spencer, she should’ve been the last person kissing him.
She sighed. “Nothing’s wrong.”
“Something’s wrong!” Sin insisted.
“No.” Kelly shook her head. “I’m just thinking about a complicated case at work.”
Sin’s eyes narrowed in disbelief. “What case?”
“Um... it’s a case about… about a woman who sent her workmate abusive messages,” Kelly pulled up one of their current cases.
Fortunately, her explanation of what the case entailed was enough to distract Sin. Unfortunately, it couldn’t do the same for Kelly. Her thoughts were determined to stay on Spencer. Their kiss kept replaying in her dreams the whole night as if taunting and tempting her.
The next morning, she woke up bleary-eyed after a night spent tossing and turning. Guilt and annoyance battled for control within her as she prepared for work. How could she have betrayed her father like that? Though she wanted to curse Spencer for daring to kiss her, she knew this was as much her fault as it was his. He’d given her enough time to run from the kiss. And when she’d ended it, he hadn’t forced her to come back for more or stopped her from leaving. She groaned when she recalled how enthusiastically she’d responded to his kiss, how eagerly she’d fallen into his taste. She must’ve lost her marbles.
Yeah, that was it. Temporary insanity.
Her brain wasn’t working right when she’d kissed him, and she knew why. Spencer had saved her and even been hurt in the process. After that who could blame her for letting her guard down? That kiss was empathy and gratefulness at work. Nothing more. That’s right. It was just a thank you kiss. Since that’s all it was, there was no reason to continue agonizing over it or over-analyzing. All she needed to do was pretend that it’d never happened. That would be easy, right?
Wrong!
As soon as she stepped out of the elevator and saw Spencer standing by the reception desk talking to Marie, memories of the kiss flooded in. Her heart skipped a beat and her pulse began to gallop like it was being paid to run. She didn’t even have time to compose herself because right then both Marie and Spencer turned towards her.
“Good morning, Kelly,” Marie greeted.
“Morning,” Kelly managed to return even as her gaze riveted on Spencer. He didn’t greet her but his eyes lowered to her mouth, and she could tell that he was thinking about that kiss too. Heat raced through her whole body to center in her lower stomach. Fortunately, Angelina chose that moment to walk into the reception.
“What are you all doing out here?” Angelina asked right before she noticed the sling that Spencer was still spotting. She frowned. “What happened to you?”
Spencer glanced at his arm. “Accident.”
“Accident?” Angelina’s eyes widened with horror. “Where? How? Are you okay?”
It was obvious that Angelina was genuinely concerned. She insisted on getting all the details about the accident and even brought up the possibility of suing the city to pay Spencer’s hospital bills.
“She must be really worried,” Marie commented as she and Kelly watched Angelina and Spencer disappear into his office. “But then again, it’s expected. Love doesn’t disappear just because you broke up.”
Kelly turned surprised eyes to the receptionist. “Love?”
“Yeah, didn’t you know?” Marie leaned forward to whisper. “Those two used to date.”
No, she didn’t know that. Minutes later, Kelly had all the pertinent information; Spencer used to date Angelina, Angelina cheated on him, he broke up with her. Technically, the information should’ve been useless to Kelly. However, she couldn’t stop thinking about Spencer and Angelina as she headed to her desk. From how Marie had described it, Spencer had been head-over-heels for Angelina and had a hard time letting her go. Love that deep was hard to forget.
Did he still have feelings for Angelina? Kelly wondere
d. Maybe Angelina’s concern wasn’t innocent. Maybe she had feelings for Spencer too.
Stop. Kelly gave herself a mental slap. Their feelings were none of her business.
Still, she couldn’t help keeping an eye on them during their team’s meeting. Every time Spencer leaned towards Angelina to tell her something, a hot ball of… something… bubbled within Kelly. Every time Angelina smiled at Spencer, Kelly had to press her palm to her lap to keep from snatching Angelina’s hair.
What the hell is wrong with me? Kelly pressed the back of her hand to her forehead to make sure she hadn’t caught some kind of bug. Her actions drew Spencer’s eyes to her. His gaze met hers then lowered to her lips. He was thinking about their kiss, wasn’t he? Fresh heat pulsed through Kelly and she had to lick her suddenly dry lips. Spencer’s eyes darkened perceptibly before they slipped away from her leaving her still throbbing with... something.
By the time the meeting ended, Kelly was a jittery bundle of messy emotions. She couldn’t sit still at her desk. Before she knew it, she was on her feet and on her way to Spencer’s office. After a short rap of her knuckles on the door, she entered the room.
“Kelly?” Spencer looked up from his computer. “What can I help you with?”
It was only then that she realized that she didn’t even know what she was doing here. “I… uh… I wanted… uh…” She stumbled over her words.
Spencer saved her. “Are you here for Xavier Lee’s file?”
“Yes. Yes.” She nodded enthusiastically. “That’s what I’m here for.”
“I already emailed you the soft copy.” He picked a green file off his desk and held it out to her. “But you can have this too. Make Duke a copy.”
“Sure.” She crossed the room to take the file.
The moment their fingers brushed, immediate electricity raced through her. Her eyes wide with surprise, Kelly jerked her hand away and took a step back.
But Spencer, it seemed, hadn’t felt that strange electricity. His tone was calm and unaffected as he asked, “Anything else?”
She wanted to say ‘no, there’s nothing else’ and immediately leave the room, but she couldn’t get her feet to move. Seriously, had he really not felt that ping? Wasn’t he feeling a little shaky on the inside like her? And what about his chest? Wasn’t there something sitting on it and restricting his breathing like it was doing to hers?
