Two Years Later

by Jones, Lisa Renee

  “This is good news then in some ways, right?” I ask. “We know what we’re dealing with.”

  “This doesn’t make Debbie any less crazy,” Savage says. “This just means that Moore knew how to manipulate that crazy.”

  “I want Cat to get out of town,” Reese says. “Go to my family ranch and stay off the radar.”

  “While I’d feel the same way,” Royce says. “I don’t want to make a sudden move that somehow triggers a retreat that would be temporary and keeps us from taking these two down. Give it twenty-four hours. If between us and Reid we have nothing, then yes. We’ll get her off the radar with protection.”

  Reese’s jaw clenches and I can tell he’s not pleased. “What about the photo?”

  “We’ll run it for prints,” Royce says, “but my gut is that it’s simply meant to pressure you into settling. Reid’s already told her you’ll settle. He just needs to drag this out and make them think they have a chance. That’s what I told him, but I also said that I’d confirm once I talked to you.”

  “When was the last time you talked to Reid?” Reese asks before I can.

  “Right before we got on the elevator. She’s still in his office.” He narrows his eyes on Reese and I have this sense that he gets how on edge Reese is and as a friend, he knows very well how abnormal that is. “Why don’t we let you two have some time to deal with this your way? Give me until five. I’ll stop back by, but I’ll call if we get a big breakthrough.”

  Lauren rounds the island, hugs me, and Reese walks everyone to the door. I wait for him in the kitchen and when he doesn’t return timely, I exit to the living room to find him standing at the window, staring out over the city. I walk to him and squeeze between him and the window. “Talk to me.”

  His fingers tangle into my hair. “Talking before fucking is overrated.” His mouth closes down on mine.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Cat

  We’re still in front of the window, and Reese isn’t just kissing me. He’s devouring me, his tongue licking into my mouth, one hand caressing my breast while the other drags my skirt up my hips. His hand cups my backside, fingers stroking along the seam, dipping low until he’s teasing my sex from behind. I moan into his mouth, our lips parting as he cups both cheeks and lifts me. My shoes don’t make the ride, and I wrap my legs around his waist.

  He carries me to the couch and I lower my legs, sliding down his body, and he drags my dress over my head, tossing it as he shrugs out of his jacket. I reach for his tie and pull it away, my fingers already working his buttons and he impatiently pulls it over his head, tossing it aside. He cups my face. “You know what I need.”

  “Yes,” I whisper because I know this man. I know when he’s about to explode when he is at a rare limit and needs me.

  He kisses me and my hands slide down his zipper, over the hard ridge of his erection, stroking him even as I unzip him. His cellphone rings. I pull back. “Your phone.”

  He tangles fingers in my hair. “Ask me if I care right now, Cat.”

  “But it could be-”

  He kisses me, a deep thrust of tongue while managing to unhook my bra and cup my breast. I moan as he pinches my nipple. “I don’t care right now,” he murmurs, before kneeling and linking his fingers in the silk strings at my hips to drag my panties down. “Step.”

  I obediently do as he says, and then his hands are on my hips, his breath warm on my belly moments before he licks my clit. I bite my lips and reach for his hair, but his damn phone rings again. “Reese.”

  He stands up and grabs his phone from his pocket and without looking at it, he tosses it across the room. He shoves his pants and underwear down and then he’s pulling me close, rotating us. He sits down and pulls me on top of him. His erection presses to my stomach and my hand covers it. He drags my mouth to his. “This, I care about. This is what I need. You, Cat.” He kisses me, a deep drugging kiss, lifting me somewhere in the middle of it until I’m sliding down the hard, so very hard, length of him, and he’s stretching me, filling me. I take all of him and there is no lingering or holding back in either of us. It’s like a band breaks, and we are wild.

  We move together, rocking together, touching each other. His hands are rough in that way I like them rough, his hand cupping my breast, pinching my nipples, plucking at them. Mine are on his arms, his chest. My teeth scrape his shoulder, my lips reaching for his lips again. He catches my hair and holds my mouth a breath from his. “I need you to go to the ranch.”

  “What? How can you think of that right now?”

  “I need you to do this.” He kisses me and his fingers slide down my butt and press inside me, filling me from both directions. “Reese,” I breathe out, but he’s rocking us, and sensations are rocking me. I can’t breathe for how much I need him right now. I can’t think for the way he’s everywhere and yet I want more. He kisses me desperately, drinking me in, and I am just as desperate and I’m not sure if I’m moving or he’s moving me but his fingers and his cock, and oh God. I’m right there. I’m so right there and I tumble into orgasm. I quake, trembling and incapable of anything but feeling the ripple of pure pleasure overtake my body. Reese’s grip on my back firms and his fingers slip from inside me, setting on my backside and he shudders into release. And then we’re both collapsing, him into the cushion, the hard muscles of his body easing while I melt into him.

  His phone rings somewhere in the distance and still, he ignores it. He rolls me to my side, and follows, reaching for the tissue, but he doesn’t let me go. He pulls out and then wraps his leg around mine, his hand settling on my hip. “I need to know you’re safe.”

  “I need to know you’re safe. We have men protecting me and I’m a control freak. I will worry constantly, but I – I don’t want to affect your trial. I’ll go if Royce says that I need to go.”

  “Promise me.”

  “Yes. I promise, but-” I look away with a thought I don’t even want to vocalize.

  He cups my face and pulls my gaze to his. “But what, Cat?”

  “If she goes public and I’m gone, everyone will assume you cheated and I left. I don’t think that’s good for your reputation.”

  “I’m not worried about my reputation, but I’m worried about you and us. But you’re right. It would look bad and you have to endure that when you come back.”

  My hand goes to his cheek. “We’re better together.”

  “We are better together. You’re right, but it’s my instinct to get you to shelter.”

  “You’re my shelter. My safe place. Don’t take that from me.” I kiss him and his phone rings again.

  He groans. “I better answer the damn thing.” He stands up and in all his naked, hard perfection, he walks across the room and picks up his phone, and eyes the number, his brow furrowing. “Dana. What’s happening?” He listens a minute while I pull on my bra and panties. “Yes,” he says to something. “I’ll have a car bring you here.” He disconnects and looks at me. “She wants to talk.” He eyes his caller ID. “She called four times total, one of which I don’t remember because I was distracted by better things.”

  “Any idea what it’s about?”

  He crosses and sets his phone on the table, pulling on his underwear and pants. “No, and as you know, no attorney wants that kind of call in the middle of a trial.”

  “What does your gut say?”

  “It’s a problem.”

  In other words, he’s afraid she’s going to confess and he doesn’t defend guilty people.

  ***

  Reid

  Debbie doesn’t leave and I let her simmer while Gabe camps out on my couch, watching the conference room feed with me, on the couch in my office. We’ve just heard about the photo sent to the judge being the reason court recessed, via Royce Walker, when Connie appears in my doorway and announces, “She’s demanding to see you and not nicely. Now?”

  “Yes. Now,” I say of my plan I’ve cooked up with Connie. “Te
ll her I’m in a meeting and offer her coffee. Try to get her to talk.”

  “It’s going to be hard to be nice to that woman, but I get it. Good cop, bad cop, and all that stuff.”

  “You’ll rock her world, Connie,” Gabe encourages.

  She frowns. “I’d rather the right man rock mine. Hers has apparently been rocked quite well. At least that’s the story her belly tells.”

  She turns and exits the office.

  Gabe laughs. “One day a man is going to rock her world and you’re going to be fucked. She’ll focus on him, not her job and no one else can tolerate you. Not even me.”

  I ignore him as is my way with Gabe, and I refocus on my computer screen where the feed from the conference room where Debbie waits is being fed. Connie enters. “Where is he?” Debbie demands, still standing, and ready to attack.

  “He’s in a meeting,” she says. “I slipped him a note that you wanted to talk. Can I get you water or coffee?”

  “I need to talk to Reese.”

  “He’ll be here. You okay?”

  She bristles. “Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

  “You’re obviously upset.”

  “Your boss is an ass.”

  “I know,” she says and points to a chair. “Let’s sit. You’ll feel better. Are you sure you don’t want water?”

  “No. I’m fine. I’ll just have to pee again. It’s constant.” She sits down.

  “I hear that,” Connie says. “I don’t have a man or kids.”

  “Why not? You’re beautiful.” Her eyes go wide. “You and Reid?”

  “Oh God no,” she says just a little too fiercely. “He’s pretty to look at, but he’s a beast.”

  “And yet you work for him?”

  “He’s fair and I get him like most don’t. He likes people to be frank. Tell him what you want. When you play games with a man like Reid you piss him off or challenge him to win, and he will win. He’s a beast. That wasn’t a joke. And this case is for a friend. He’s making no money. He wants it over.” The receptionist does as we’ve planned and pokes her head in on schedule. “I need you, Connie.”

  “I’ll be right there,” Connie says and lowers her voice. “I gotta go. I’ll check on Reid, but be sure to tell him what you want.”

  “I did. I want a million dollars. No less. I’m not taking less.”

  Connie grimaces. “Oh. Well, he won’t do that. Try lower.” She stands and heads for the door.

  Debbie’s face reddens and anger pinches her face. “She’s ready for me,” I say.

  “That she is,” Gabe agrees.

  I stand and head that direction, passing Connie as she returns. “She’s all yours.”

  I nod and make my way to the conference room. The minute I’m inside and shut the door, Debbie gives me what I want. “Tell Reese I want a million dollars by Monday morning or the morning news will be about him and his love child he’s denied.” She rubs her belly. “And sure you can take that threat to the police, but I’ll sing like a songbird in jail.” She smirks. “Good luck finding a way to cheat me.”

  She thinks she’s smart. She’s not. She’s bluffing and I don’t get bluffed, especially by the woman making my sister’s life hell. “Then you must know already that giving birth in jail and giving up your baby won’t be that bad,” I say. “There will be lots of women in jail with you, who want to comfort you all up close and personal. Take the thirty thousand or go to jail. You have until tomorrow morning or I’ll take the video of your threat to the police.”

  She stares me down, and to her credit she doesn’t blink. She laughs. “You underestimate me, pretty boy.” And then she rounds the table and heads for the door.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Reese

  Despite a preference to return to the couch and remain naked with Cat pressed close, I dress, sans the tie and jacket while calling Royce to pick up Dana. I then call my team and tell them to head over sooner than later. I’ve barely tied my damn shoes when Reid calls, “Gabe and I are on the way over. I’ll send you an electronic file to watch before we get there.”

  “My client and staff are on their way here, so be warned,” I say. “My client is in some kind of freak out.”

  “Then you better watch fast. I sent it to Royce, too.”

  I disconnect and Cat is standing in front of me, now dressed in sweats and a tee. “What was that?”

  “Reid and Gabe are headed here. They sent us a video of Debbie to watch.”

  “A video?” she swallows hard. “Okay. I am not looking forward to that.”

  I pull her to me and kiss her. “They would have warned me if it was going to upset you. Let’s hope it’s her confession or a bribe.”

  “Right. Yes. Let’s watch.”

  I grab my MacBook from my briefcase and Cat and I go in the kitchen to set it up on the island. A few minutes later we’re watching Debbie dare us to arrest her. When the video ends, both of us stand there a minute. “First thought?” I ask.

  “Bitch.” She eyes me. “What’s yours?”

  “Bitch. Second thought?”

  “If you pay her off she will never go away. Just get her arrested. I’ll write about it and we’ll just weather the storm. She only holds us captive if we let her.”

  I turn to face her. “I’m not ruling that out as an option but let’s hear everyone’s input then make a decision.”

  “Agreed.”

  The doorbell rings and I grab Cat and pull her to me, kissing her soundly on the lips before I release her and walk to the door. I open it to find Gabe and Reid standing there, looking like fire and ice, as I call them, in damn near the same body. Gabe being the fire because he’s always chasing women and money, and Reid the ice because he’s as cold a bastard as they come.

  “We’re in the kitchen.”

  I leave them there and start walking, they follow and end up on the opposite side of the island from me and Cat. “Royce wants me to call her back and tell her we’ll make a deal to drag this out and get ammunition on her and this asshole attorney working with her,” Reid says. “I think the bitch is ready to blow. I told Royce I can’t promise him more than a week.”

  “Agreed,” Gabe says. “She’s not going to back down or take the thirty grand and go away. I think you have to wait her and a DNA test out. If she goes public, and you don’t care, you get your redemption. Call your agent, Cat, and cash in on this.”

  “My issue is not the publicity,” I say. “I want Cat safe. I want Debbie committed if that’s what it takes. You did a damn good job of helping us get there. Drag her along. Get me more. Get us everything we can use to get her behind bars or in a hospital. That makes Cat safe.”

  “She’ll insist on talking to you,” Reid says.

  Cat’s hands go to mine, instead of her pulling away. She doesn’t like the idea. That’s what she’s telling me. “That’s a deal breaker,” I say. “Tell her that. I’ve already told you that. It won’t change.”

  The doorbell rings. “That will be my client.”

  “I’ll get it,” Cat says, hurrying away.

  I lower my voice. “I want to get Cat out of town but she feels like it will make me look guilty if she leaves, and Debbie goes public.”

  “It will,” Reid says. “And then you, your wife, and your marriage have to survive that added speculation. I don’t think Cat’s in danger, as long as Debbie thinks she might get paid.”

  “This is getting to Cat. I hate what it’s doing to her. She doesn’t deserve this, and I love her too damn much to want to hurt her. She’s affected by how your father treated your mother.”

  Reid, who has always been withdrawn and cold, surprises me by saying, “Cat knows the difference between you and our father. We all do or we wouldn’t be here helping. We’d be here pulling her out, even if she hated us for it.” He presses his hands to the counter. “I know you play things straight and even, but she’s playing dirty. Play dirty.”

  “He
’s right,” Gabe says. “It’s time to play dirty.”

  “What does that mean?” I ask.

  “What does she not want to get out of this? What or who does she want to protect?” Reid asks.

  “If she had a secret,” I reply. “She wouldn’t be coming at us this hard.”

  “In my world,” Reid says. “When you have a secret, you come at the other person harder and con them. And she’s conning you. Get Royce to find her trigger, the thing that will shut her down because getting her arrested comes with a price and exposure for Cat.”

  I inhale and Royce joins us. “I heard. I don’t think she has a weakness, but her partner in crime, the lawyer does. I already have one of my men working on where you hit him and how. You control him. He controls Debbie. We hope.”

  We hope. That is not the confident statement I want and worse, it’s the only thing I have right now.

  ***

  Cat

  My stomach is queasy again, but I fight through it because the minute I see Dana standing at our door, I know she’s shaken, her eyes bloodshot, her cheek flushed. And now, minutes later, she’s been standing at a portion of the window that creates a half moon around our front room. I step to her side. “What can I do for you right now?”

  “Make this end, but we both know you can’t.”

  “I can help you get to that end.”

  “I’m here,” Reese says entering the room, and I can hear the footsteps and voices of the other men near the front door, apparently leaving.

  Dana spins around and looks at Reese. “I was motivated to make Reginald feel secure,” she says, of her boyfriend. “I did. I fucked his brains out. I talked dirty to him when I wanted to hit him and scream at him. I made him feel like I was still in this with him.”