Intimate Fear

by D. C. Stone

  Giant motioned to a separate blue couch. He slid onto the velvet, facing where he had entered, and waited in silence. A few minutes after the guy disappeared, a soft touch brushed his shoulder.

  Shit! A door must have been at the back of the room for he didn’t see the dark, exotic girl approach. And girl she was. Most likely still legal age, but with small, elfin features, she resembled a young child with pert breasts, a miniature waist, and even tinier hips. She wore black boy-shorts and a matching bikini top. Glitter was painted across her revealed skin, giving the impression of her shimmering under the black lights.

  “Hi, papi. Are you looking for some company.”

  The guy had given him a test. He recognized it at once. This was the first phase, one to see his reaction, how far he’d let her push. If he were a cop, he would have to stop things before they went that extra step. At least that’s what they thought. More than familiar with the law, Dwayne knew there were certain measures they could take while undercover.

  He refused to have sex with this woman, but perhaps a bit of PG-13 action would keep the bosses happy and satisfied. Besides, from her glazed look, he doubted she’d even notice.

  Her touch left his shoulder and her form appeared in front of him. She leaned over, set her hands on the back of the couch, and set her face within inches of his. Stale smoke, the distinct scent of alcoholic drinks, and cheap perfume invaded his senses. Underneath, the smell of an unwashed body made him want to pull away.

  Fucking-a.

  “You look good enough to lick,” she purred.

  Her nose brushed along his cheek and he refused to relax. Waited and watched.

  “Do I need to go over the rules for you, sexy?” she asked.

  He cleared his throat, fighting the revulsion her touch created. While he saw the age in her eyes, her figure was all wrong.

  “Sure.”

  “First, you can get as aggressive as you like, but leave a mark, and Tom over there will tear you to shreds.”

  Dwayne glanced in the direction of her nod and saw Giant waiting, gaze glued to a monitor sticking out from the wall. He spoke low on a phone, not sparing them a glance.

  “Second, I’ll provide the protection if you don’t have it.”

  As if it would go that far. He didn’t see how to get out of this, but he would figure it out sooner or later. With any luck, sooner. Like before, he was flying by the seat of his pants here and coming up with things on the fly. Maybe not smart, but it was all he had, and he had to try.

  “And last, no kissing on the mouth,” she said.

  He grunted in acknowledgment and she slipped onto his lap, legs spread over his hips, her slight tits pressed into his face.

  The entire situation felt wrong. With this young woman in his arms, no doubt more than ten years younger than his thirty-two, thoughts of a dirty old man speared his mind. He placed trifling kisses over the small rounded parts of her cleavage, pretending like hell he was into her, excited. But he didn’t want this, and his stomach revolted with each touch.

  She moaned, and again stale cigarettes and sugar drifted down to him. Her hips scooted closer and she rotated them, grinding against him.

  His body didn’t react—of course it didn’t—and never would. In the back of his mind, an idea took shape. An out.

  He pushed into the scene, played his part, and groaned as she continued to move against his groin. With a palm on her hip, he guided her actions and took her little mound of a breast in his hand. So fucking small. So damn young. He closed his eyes and fought against the nausea surging up his throat.

  Keeping things PG-13 proved interesting when she started undoing his belt buckle. He shifted, rolled her beneath him and covered her physique with his, fighting like hell to keep to the scene. Dazed eyes stared up at him, then her gaze traveled to the ceiling above his head. He sought to run out of here, but on the same token, wanted to help these girls. She was so far gone, so drugged he doubted she was aware of even her name.

  Just hold on for a bit longer, honey. We will save you.

  He groaned again, tensed, and dropped his head next to hers. “Damn it to hell, baby.”

  “What—what’s wrong, papi?”

  “This has never happened. I can’t—I can’t get it with the program,” he mumbled like he was ashamed. That wasn’t a lie, at least.

  “You can’t what?” she asked, breathless.

  He pivoted his hips a few times in a suggestive manner and groaned again, this time holding despair in his tone. “I can’t get it up. You’re a beautiful woman, damn sexy, and so damn young and hot.” He was going to throw up. “But I’m sorry. Do you think if I give you some money we can keep this between us? It’s so embarrassing.”

  He could have sworn she sighed in relief, but it had to be impossible. Her actions from before seemed to be half-drugged. “Of course, papi. It’ll be our little secret.”

  He rose, gave her a quick grin, and kissed her on her cheek. “Thank you.” Lifting off her, he made a show of buckling his pants, his back to Tom, then reached into his front pocket and tossed down a few more bills. The young girl took the money and stuffed it under her bikini top. Eyeing Tom, she stood, smiled, and left.

  He pivoted and went to walk out of the room. A strong hand to his chest stopped him at the exit.

  He glanced up at Tom.

  “You like?” the dude asked.

  Fuck no, I don’t like. Learn how to form a damn sentence, dick.

  “Sure. Would prefer something a bit fresher, but she was real good.” He wiggled his brows, acting ten times the ass.

  Giant grinned, nodded. “Then come again tomorrow night, my friend. I’ll hook you up.”

  Dwayne smiled, clasped hands with Tom, and pushed out of the room. He worked his way through the crowd, itching for fresh air, his chest full of so much pressure it felt as if a brick sat on it. He reached the exit and burst out of the building, pulling in deep gulps of cool oxygen. The world spun faster than his body could keep up and he fought against vertigo.

  “You all right, man?” a deep voice asked from behind.

  He twirled, took a step backward. “Yeah, I’m tight, bro. She just rocked my world, if you catch my meaning.”

  “Ah…” The bouncer grinned, comprehending. “Yes, the young ones do have certain ways of composing the night better. Making a man forget who he is, no?”

  He laughed with him, his much more forced, then turned and stumbled to his car, reaching it with seconds to spare before he collapsed against the panel.

  It wasn’t just the acts of what happened inside that bothered him. No, it was more than that. The scent of that place, the dark, hungry look in the males’ eyes. It reminded him of the crap he had seen nonstop growing up. The men his birth mother brought home, the scent he used to associate with her, with family. All his history—he understood that. However, for some reason the past seemed to have reached through time and gripped him by the balls.

  His phone rang and once he was inside his car, he slipped it out of his jacket, recognized the number and flipped it open.

  “Luke.”

  “That’s what they call me. I’m at the hotel. Do you want me to stop by?” his brother asked.

  “Um…” He cleared his throat, tried again. “I’m not at the hotel. I decided to check out the club.”

  A string of curses came through the line. So loud, Dwayne had to pull the phone away from his ear. After his brother settled, he set it back and ground his teeth together.

  “I’m going to forget everything you just said, and you’re damn lucky Ma isn’t around. You’d owe her a pretty penny if she heard what kind of mouth the Marshal Service has given you,” Dwayne growled.

  “Oh cut the crap,” Luke snapped. “That was a bone-headed move and you know it. Going to the club by yourself. Have you lost your ever-loving mind? You don’t go into a situation you are unfamiliar with, without backup. Ma would kick your ass if she knew, so don’t try that threat on me.”

 
He rubbed his eyes. Luke was right, but when it came to this, he had a hard time keeping a level head. He was exhausted, hungry, and tired of fighting Brooke. Those were the reasons why he had blown up before leaving for the club, but he recognized it was not the reason he went to the club.

  “I can’t stand to think of Hailey inside alone, forced to endure this shit,” he said, tiredness weaving its way into his voice.

  Luke sighed. “I know, man. I hate the thought of her in there, too. And I know you two were close. Hell, we recognize how you look at her mom.”

  “It’s more than that.”

  “Yes, it is. Nevertheless, you gotta admit tonight you crossed that line. You can’t think straight when it comes to these two. Are you sure you can do this?”

  “Yes.” One word said too much.

  “All right, you still there?” Luke asked.

  He shook his head and remembered he was on the phone. “No, I’m in the parking lot, was about to drive back and get some shut-eye. I don’t remember the last time I had a full night’s sleep.”

  “Well, how about you start tonight? You need to recharge if you’re going to be any help to Hailey.”

  He fucking knew that. He did not need his little brother, the youngest of his siblings, pointing that out. And dammit, why in the hell was he being such a dick?

  “I can hear you arguing with yourself through the phone. What’s bothering you?” Luke asked.

  Dwayne let out a deep breath. His brothers knew about his childhood. Hell, they all were acquainted with everything about one another, each coming from their own individual nightmares. He didn’t like talking about it. Holding things back wouldn’t do either of them any good, and more than likely, Luke wouldn’t get off his back until it came out.

  “This case has brought up memories from my childhood,” he said softly.

  “What in the hell does hookers, human trafficking, and kidnapping have to do with our childhood?”

  He growled. “Not our childhood, dickhead. My childhood, before Ma and Pops. With my birth mom.”

  “Ah.” His brother was silent for a few moments. “I can see how that could fuck with you a bit.”

  He scrubbed a hand over his face and shook the exhaustion from his scrambled mind. “You can say that again. Tonight made things worse. The entire place reeked of her. And the other day”—had it been only two days ago?—“I told Brooke the entire goddamn sob story.”

  “Awe, hell. Why?”

  “I don’t know!” Frustration sang through his nerves, making him ache. Fatigue fucked with him, driving his body to shut down. “It just came out. And once my mouth opened, it’s like I had a case of verbal diarrhea with no Imodium AD around.”

  He twisted the key, held on to the wheel with one hand and leaned back, looking out the windshield but unable to focus on anything. “Then tonight I acted like a complete ass to Brooke.” He wasn’t even going to mention the young woman in the club. He didn’t feel fit to live with the city’s cockroaches right now.

  “How so?” Luke asked.

  “Long story, but let’s just say it involves me telling her I wanted inside her body, and she expressing what she really thought of that idea, of who I am, and of my thoughts all at once. And not in a good way. Basically, she opened my eyes and made me realize who I am, and I do not like what I see, or how she sees me.”

  “Fuck, D. Come on, man. You’re not married. There’s nothing wrong with what you do.”

  “Yeah…” He glanced out the window, scanning the parking lot. “Tell that to her.”

  “You wanna stay in my room for the night? Get some sleep?”

  Dwayne put the car in gear and held his foot on the brake. The idea held merit. Both he and Brooke could use some space. But it wasn’t what he wanted. “No, I need to get back and make sure she knows I’m all right. Give her an update on things and try to apologize. What room are you in?”

  “Sixth floor, number six twelve.”

  “All right.” He eased off the brake and pulled out of his space. “We’re on the tenth. Number ten-oh-one. Come by in the morning and we’ll come up with a plan over breakfast.”

  “My morning or yours?”

  He chuckled. Luke had an unhealthy appetite for being up before dawn, and that was on the days he didn’t use an alarm clock. “Mine, asshole. You show your face before eight, I’m going to kick your Mr. United States Deputy Marshal ass.”

  “Ha! I’d like to see you try, big brother. Talk with you tomorrow.”

  Laughing, he hung up the phone, concentrated on the road, and fought to find the words he would need once he got back to the room.

  Chapter Twenty

  A thousand and one thoughts swirled like intermixed colors of black and white, shading until the gray blurred his vision. He sat a few feet away, staring at the door that separated him from her. Just on the other side, through a mere three inches of wood, sat Brooke, waiting on him with hope of finding her daughter. Damn if he didn’t have anything, not one iota of a clue in understanding where Hailey was. On taking the suspicion away from where they thought her to be. And more so, a sighting of some kind. No, all he had was the cheap smell of women’s perfume attached to his skin, and the tainted feel of dirty air surrounding him. He had no answers, and more than anything, he wasn’t looking forward to the disappointment he was bound to see—again—on her sweet, angelic face. It was almost enough to have him renting another room just to avoid it.

  Instead, he pushed out of the car, crossed the dark parking lot, and strolled up to the door. He stepped inside after unlocking it with a key card. With his attention glued to the brown carpet, he refused to lift his gaze and acknowledge her. He was disgusted with what he’d had to do. All he wanted was to wash off the hovering slime of the night. Never had he been put in such a position or fell to lowness where he preyed on others to get what he needed. And it wasn’t a question of if he needed, but more so, a craving to find Hailey, bring her home, and lock both her and her mother up where he could keep them safe for the rest of time. A possessive urge in him demanded he do such, required submission, and refused to let its grip loosen. It wrapped around his neck like a noose, tightened by the second, and forced his compliance.

  A few steps inside, unable to deny it any longer, he lifted weary eyes up and found Brooke standing across the room, staring back. Her expression scrutinized him from head to toe and propelled the already heightened emotions in his chest. Just the look of her, the raw beauty and innocence she emitted, floored him. His body swayed, wanting to cross the room. A magnetic field drew him toward her. He fought it, forced his feet to stay in place and tried like hell to hold her stare. Words caught in his throat, an unspoken reminder of how he’d left things earlier. God, she was so clean. He could smell it from here, the muted scent of soap flowing in waves. Her hair fell in a soft waterfall of red behind her back. A white camisole was all but painted on her body and held twin mounds he itched to touch and taste. The alluring display of cleavage drew his attention. A dark shadow tinted the area between her breasts. She’d paired the tempting shirt with light blue velvet track pants and he clenched his fists to fight against the urge to reach…for her.

  Damn it, he wanted nothing more than to sink into her embrace, dive into her heat, and wrap himself in the clean true beauty of Brooke.

  After the words earlier, the continued denial she tossed his way, and the dirty taint he held now, there was no way he could go through with it.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, her words gentle.

  Just the sound sent a thrill of pleasure up his spine. He closed his eyes as the tingle, like an electrical shock of minor proportions, zinged through his body. He nodded and averted his gaze, refusing to watch the dismay cross her face as he let her down.

  “I couldn’t get behind the scenes tonight,” he said. “Well, I got back one level, but Hailey wasn’t there. I’m sorry. Tomorrow my brothers should be here and we’ll try again.” Was that his voice shaking like a fucking newborn chick
? Get a damn grip, dude.

  Silence spread again. The resistance proved painful, and he glanced up to catch twin auburn brows raise and lower to a scowl.

  “You’ll find her, I’m almost as sure of that as I am that she is my daughter,” she said, just as soft as earlier. But this time her words held more conviction as if she were trying to talk him into believing it. “I’m concerned about you. I hate how things were left and understand things may have been…tough tonight.” She turned her gaze away, swallowed, took a deep breath, and spoke again, fists clenched tight by her sides. “I wanted to talk to you about earlier. About things and how they have been going.”

  He shook his head before she finished and took a step forward. “Stop. There’s nothing to talk about. Not now. Especially not right after I’ve returned from a strip club and sex house. If you have ever listened to me, do it now. Please.”

  At the word sex, she snapped her gaze to him, seemed to shrink back and ran a slow, thorough path down his body and up.

  Before she could speak again, he continued. “Look, I have a plan. Again, tomorrow my brothers should be here and we’ll figure it out, get a stronger idea of what to do once they arrive.”

  Her expression cut him in his gut. He hated the smell sticking to him and went to move around her, stepping in a wide arc to pass. She reached out just before he cleared. He braced for the touch he couldn’t avoid, one he couldn’t resist. Her hand set on his chest. He squeezed his lids shut. Decadence. That’s what her one…single…touch gave.

  Goddamn it, he wasn’t good enough for this. Why hadn’t he seen it before? Had he been too damn cocky from the beds he’d been invited into not to recognize this? Without realizing it, he shrank from her touch, stepped away, and slammed against the wall.

  Discovering her expression, jaw dropped, eyes wide with pain, he cursed the night once again. Could he do nothing right? Catching on to his mood, this time she was the one to speak and move first.

  She stepped to him, set both her hands on his chest and glanced up beneath heavy lashes. His gaze was riveted to the soft curve of her cheek, the velvet sight of her skin, and the plump weight of her lips. Why? Why the hell did she have to touch him now? He didn’t want this, couldn’t take whatever comfort she offered. Not now.