“Gwen!” Allen shouted as he ran out of the metal building. “Stop!”
Gwen didn’t even look back. She just ran faster towards the lights she figured must be a street. A couple of cars’ headlights moved along the road and she nearly cried with relief.
A hill separated her from the road and as she came over the hill she nearly fell down with disappointment. A tall fence with razor wire at the top of it kept her from getting to the road.
With no shoes on, the rocks along the fence hurt her feet. But she kept running along the fence. There had to be an opening somewhere along it.
“Gwen!” Allen shouted, and she looked back to see he was still pretty far behind her.
She turned and gathered speed to stay away from him. If she couldn’t get out, she would hide from him.
Abandoning the fence, she cut back up the hill and ran to the closest empty building. The whole place had been abandoned. It was a series of old metal buildings.
She found this one had open rafters and there was a ladder. She propped it up against the wall and climbed until she got to the long steel beam which ran the length of the large building.
It was wide enough if she laid down on the top of it, he wouldn’t be able to see her. The ladder would give her away though and she heaved it up and laid it on the beam as well.
Her position was secure, and all she had to do was wait. She’d left the prison of the bed for the prison of a beam high up in the air, but this prison was one she could eventually make an escape from and the other one led to certain death.
Just like she knew it would, the door squeaked open. Allen’s face peered into the darkness.
“I know you’re in here. Just come on out and I won’t hurt you. I’ll even set you free, Gwen. I promise. Just come on out and let me help you.”
He moved around the room making clicking sounds with his shoes as he did. Gwen lay perfectly still on top of the beam, not even daring to glance down at him.
His loud shout rang out and made her body clench, “Gwen! God damn it! Get out here or so help me!”
After a few more steps she heard him mumbling to himself as he left the building and she could hear him going into the next one.
She had no idea what she should do. Gwen just laid there and cried silently. Helplessness flowed through her and she was left with doubt she’d ever really be able to get herself free from this man.
How am I supposed to get out of here and make sure he doesn’t get Steele?
ARSEN
The day had been perfect in Arsen’s mind. He and Steele were riding back to his apartment in his Jag. He looked over at her and found a piece of hay had lingered in her hair after their tumble in it back at the barn.
He chuckled as he pulled it out and handed it to her.
“Here you go. A little memento of our time in the barn, Baby.”
She giggled as she took it from him.
“Thanks, I’ll put it in our book.”
Arsen groaned with the mention of the book. He had thought she would take one look at all those rules and toss it away. Instead she acted as if he’d written her a love story in it.
But the day had been too perfect to start an argument over the damn rules she seemed so determined to learn how to live by. Arsen reached over and gave her cheek a stroke with the back of his hand.
“I thought we might spend the night cuddled up on the sofa watching a movie and eating popcorn. What do you think about that, Steele?”
Her eyebrows shot up.
“I think that’s really normal, Arsen. It sounds great, but I thought we were going to go see Allen. You seem to keep forgetting about him.”
“He isn’t going anywhere and I can’t seem to get my mind off you. Tomorrow I can deal with him.” Arsen ran his hand down her arm and took her hand in his.
Steele laid her head back on the leather headrest and closed her eyes.
“This seems a little too surreal, Arsen. Like the calm before the storm or something. You’re too laid back and nothing like yourself.” She opened her eyes and looked at him. “I mean, I’m absolutely loving it, don’t get me wrong. It’s just not like you to deal with this business of knowing about Allen and doing nothing about it.”
“You’re really all I can think about. I can’t explain it. I know I have a huge undertaking with getting Allen to confess and maybe I’m not in a hurry to get into that.” He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it softly. “I can’t seem to get enough of you, Baby. Sue me.”
Steele shook her head and sighed.
“Tonight then it can just be us, but first thing in the morning you have to deal with it.”
“I will. Now what movie do you want to watch? And what’s the best popcorn. I haven’t eaten the stuff in so many years I have no idea what kind to buy.” He pulled into the parking lot of a grocery store and smiled. “It’s been forever since I’ve actually went into one of these things. I have Paul pick things up for me.”
He parked and got out to open Steele’s door. She placed her hand in his as they walked into the store.
“Paul’s pretty much your right-hand man, isn’t he?” she asked.
Arsen pulled out a shopping cart and grinned.
“He is. Wow, this is so odd. I’m grocery shopping.”
Steele’s eyes rolled. “Yep, just like any normal person, Arsen. I really need to get you out more. It’s like you’re from another planet or something.”
He chuckled and pulled her to him, his arm wrapped around her shoulders and the other pushed the basket.
“We should make some s’mores in the fireplace and roast hotdogs too. What do you think about that?”
Steele grabbed a pack of hotdogs out of the refrigerated bin and tossed them into the basket.
“I think you and I should do a camp out soon.”
“I can get a tent!” His eyes went wide. “That’s what we can do when we get back home. We can get online and buy a tent and a bunch of camping supplies and go to Big Bear maybe next weekend.”
“Or just rent a cabin up there,” she said with a smile. “Arsen, camping can be rough. A lot of work.”
“I don’t care. I want to have you all alone in a tent in the woods. Now that sounds romantic.” He kissed the side of her head and an old woman who was passing them in the aisle looked at them.
“How sweet you are, young man,” she commented as she passed them.
Steele smiled back at the woman. “He is very sweet, mam.”
The woman’s eyes ran over Arsen. “You’re one lucky girl.”
“I am,” Steele agreed.
Arsen chuckled and gave her another kiss on the cheek this time.
“I’m the lucky one.”
The older woman sighed and walked on by. Steele shook her head.
“Who knew this sweet man was under all that arrogance?”
“I wouldn’t say I was arrogant, Steele. Maybe closed off, but not arrogant,” he said as he threw a bag of hotdog buns in the basket.
“You were definitely arrogant. And I’m sure you still will be when it’s called for. You’ll need to be when you talk to Allen.” Steele pulled a bag of marshmallows off the shelf and placed it in the basket, picking up the buns and putting them in a safer position so they wouldn’t be squished.
“Let’s leave Allen and all that crap out of this evening’s conversation, please.” He held up a can of chili. “Chili with the hotdogs?”
“Yes! Oh, let’s get some corn chips and cheese and make chili pies too. We can just totally pig out on this junk. Tonight only though, then back to eating right I promise,” she said as she grabbed a bag of the chips.
“Of course, Steele. Back to the rules tomorrow. If that’s what you want.” He pulled her to his side again, holding her by the waist.
They went past a couple of young women who were looking at the wine. Steele asked, “Should we pick up some wine, Arsen?”
One of the women’s head spun to look at him.
“Oh! It�
��s you!” she said in surprise. “Do you remember me?”
He blinked and shook his head. “Should I?”
The young brunette put her hand over her mouth then said, “Oh, sorry. This must be your new sub. Sorry.” She turned away.
“Who are you?” Steele said with a tense tone.
The woman didn’t turn back and Steele pulled her by the shoulder.
“I’m no one. I thought he was someone else. Sorry.” Her cheeks were red and she wouldn’t look up.
Arsen pulled at Steele. “Come on, Baby. She was mistaken. You’re embarrassing her.”
Steele allowed him to move them along, but she looked back at the woman and she knew they knew each other from the club. She looked at Arsen.
“You don’t want to admit you know her?”
“Can’t say I do know her, Steele. I have no idea what her name is. So, I don’t know her.” He went around the corner and pulled out a gallon of milk. “Since we’re going all out, I think I want to make milkshakes. You pick, vanilla or chocolate.”
“Which do you prefer, Arsen? And tell the truth,” she said as she glared at him.
“I like strawberry. If you must know. But most don’t, so you can choose.” He placed the milk in the basket and moved on.
“I happen to like strawberry too. But you didn’t get what I was saying,” she said as she took a half gallon of strawberry ice cream from the freezer.
“I got it, Steele. I’m just not doing that with you today. It’s been too good of a day to argue. I have a checkered past. You are well aware of that. Now please stow the attitude and forget about that little encounter. I just remembered why I don’t do grocery stores.”
Will my past forever haunt me?
For Love Part 9
Arsen’s Rules
By Michelle Love
ARSEN
As Arsen emerged from the bedroom, wearing a dark blue Armani suit and ready to go to work, seeking out Allen and making him confess, he smelled the wonderful scent of fresh coffee and bacon. A smile crossed his handsome face.
Then it turned quickly into a frown as he heard a man’s voice coming from the kitchen. It was Tanner Goldstein’s, and he had not been invited.
As he stepped into the kitchen, he found Steele wearing an apron over one of the new dresses he’d ordered her. She was pulling biscuits from the oven as Tanner sat at the table, drinking coffee and reading some paper he must’ve brought with him.
Neither noticed Arsen as Steele said, “He should be right out, Tanner.”
“Ummm. About that, Steele. What exactly is going on here?” Tanner put the cup of coffee down and looked at her. Waiting for her answer.
Steele fidgeted with the pan of biscuits and Arsen knew she was trying to think of what to say. He made his presence known.
“Good morning, Tanner. Did I miss a phone call or something?”
Tanner stood and shook Arsen’s hand.
“Not at all. I just got an early start this morning and thought I’d stop by. We really need to get working on our defense, Arsen.”
Steele turned and seemed nervous as she placed the food on the table. “When the doorman called up to say Tanner was here I was already getting your breakfast ready, so I invited Tanner for breakfast, Mr. Sloan. I hope you don’t mind.”
Arsen cocked his eyebrow. So she was going to act as if they weren’t together. He went along.
“Of course, it’s fine, Miss Gannon.” Arsen looked at Tanner. “I’m keeping her, Tanner. Hope you don’t mind. I’ll be using her as my intern.”
Steele’s eyes lit up. He tried hard not to smile with her obvious delight. He’d not even offered her the position, but as it flited through his mind, he blurted it out and there it was. She’d be his new intern, among other things.
He saw her smiling as she moved around the kitchen and poured them all glasses of orange juice. Arsen took a seat at the table as did Tanner.
“I’ve been visited by Anne Sinclair, Tanner. She seems to think the police are against me. What do you think I can do about that?”
The buzzer sounded off and Arsen gave Steele a nod.
“Can you answer that?”
She rushed off to answer the doorman’s call and when she came back she told him, “A Detective Fontaine is on her way up to see you, Mr. Sloan.”
He frowned and knew Steele was going to have a hard time handling the flirting the woman was most likely going to do. His voice was laced with sarcasm, “Great.”
“A new detective, I see,” Tanner said as he tapped his finger on the table top. “When were you going to let me in on that, Arsen?”
He shrugged and took a sip of his coffee and wished it was a nice glass of Scotch instead. The day was starting out pretty crappy.
“Miss Gannon, can you please meet the officer at the elevator and see her in here? Please ask her to join us for breakfast as well.”
Steele ran off to do as he’d requested and Tanner leaned in close to Arsen. “Not ready to let me in on what the hell really is going on between you two?”
“She’s my assistant. I think she’ll learn the most this way.” Arsen picked up a biscuit and began buttering it.
“What else are you teaching her, Master Sloan?” Tanner’s eyes stared into his with a penetrating gaze which told Arsen he was pulling nothing over on the man.
“None of your business. I’m breaking no laws and that’s all that matters.” Arsen stood up when Steele came back into the dining area of the large kitchen. She wore a frown as she looked at him.
The reason why, he already knew. Detective Fontaine followed behind her. A foot taller, and wearing a very nice dress herself, her long legs ran out from under a red dress and her heels were a shiny black.
Fontaine’s long blonde hair flowed over her shoulders and Arsen knew Steele was not happy about him leaving out how attractive the detective was.
Tanner stood too and offered his hand to the woman.
“I’m Mr. Sloan’s attorney, Tanner Goldstein. You are the new detective on his case, I see.”
She shook his hand and Arsen moved to pull a chair out for her.
“Good morning, Detective Fontaine. Did my assistant offer for you to join us this morning? She made a nice breakfast.”
The woman nodded and Steele put another place setting down in front of the chair Arsen had pulled out for the woman. Her arm brushed his as she moved back after setting it down and he looked at her, catching the glare she gave him.
There will most definitely be an argument later!
After the detective sat down, Arsen pulled out another chair.
“Miss Gannon, if you will please take your seat, we can get on with this.”
She sat down in the chair and his hand moved over her shoulder lightly, trying to diffuse some of her obvious anger. He sat down next to her and pressed the side of his leg to hers underneath the table where no one could see.
Fontaine’s light blue eyes went back and forth between them.
“Your assistant comes to make you breakfast, Arsen?”
Steele’s head snapped up.
“Mr. Sloan to you!”
Arsen’s eyes went wide, and he tapped the top of her hand with his.
“That’s quite alright, Miss Gannon. She can call me by my first name.”
Steele clenched her jaw and said, “I apologize, ma’am. I had no idea he allowed you to call him that.” Her eyes stayed on the table in front of her and Arsen sighed as he knew what was going to come later.
Tanner cleared his throat and said, “Have you found anything new on the case, Detective?”
She looked at Tanner and pulled a paper from her purse. Then laid it on the table.
“We’re about to go search Arsen’s playroom at Club Fierce. I’d love for you gentlemen to join us.”
“Of course, we will,” Tanner said then took a sip of coffee.
Steele’s hand ran over the top of Arsen’s leg under the table and she looked at him. With a whisper, she aske
d, “Are you okay?”
He took her hand in his under the table and gave it a squeeze. He wasn’t okay. Not even remotely, but he was trying to hang on to his fear.
Allen White was on his mind and he wanted to get to the man first thing, but those plans were going to have to be postponed. And Arsen found his appetite was gone.
Going back into the place wasn’t a thing he wanted to do. It was a place he was trying desperately to leave behind him, but it just kept coming back to haunt him, over and over again.
“I’d like to see the autopsy reports on all three victims,” Arsen said, making Tanner and the detective stop eating and look at him.
Then Tanner said, “I have the reports, Arsen.”
Arsen cocked his head at his attorney.
“And how long have you had them, Tanner?” His tone was stern and riddled with aggravation.
“A week.” Tanner took a bite of his jelly filled biscuit and Arsen had to stifle a growl.
“I’d like to have seen them. Can you tell me if there was anything unusual about them?” he asked.
“No, they all died of asphyxiation.” Tanner looked at the detective. “Isn’t that right?”
She gave a nod.
“There’s just the one common thread. Your hand prints around their necks.” Her eyes moved to Steele. “Those women seemed to like that sort of thing, Miss Gannon. Do you?”
Steele jerked her head up to look at the woman. “What I like is none of your concern.”
Fontaine’s eyes flew to Arsen’s.
“Feisty one, isn’t she? Tell me, Arsen. Are you finding her difficult to train?”
Arsen’s tone stayed flat.
“Steele needs no training. She is her own person and I respect that about her.” He gave Steele’s knee a little squeeze.
Tanner cleared his throat to ease the tension.
“So, when should we go?”
“Right now,” the detective said as she got up. “I’m finished with breakfast. Thank you for the hospitality.”
Steele got up and began to pick up the dishes. Arsen took his plate to the sink, following her.
Mallory Page 83
