Toni blinked hard. “Right. But that still doesn’t account for social media. There were no videos, which is quite odd, because everyone now has a phone. No posts about it on Facebook, no YouTube, no Twitter.” She wanted an explanation.
But Jericho was cool, seemingly unbothered by her points.
“I can’t account for that. We have no control over people and their phones, just like we have no control over the local media. We might be a great hotel, but that’s where our power starts and stops. The most we did was ask the media to be thoughtful. Now, my turn,” Jericho said, raising a finger to silence her. “How did you find out about the story? Who told you?”
Cardinal rule. “I don’t reveal my sources.” She took another sip of her drink and felt herself relax a little more. “But I can tell you that I received four reports from the NOPD and coroner’s office. They arrived on my desk in a FEDEX package. After checking to make sure that they were real, I asked my editor for the story.”
“So, someone just mailed the information to you?” Jericho ran a finger over his lips. “Out of the blue?” His eyes narrowed, finding that as hard to believe as the fact that no one had caught the suicides on their phones.
“That’s how most stories come to us. This one isn’t any different.” Toni quickly asked her next question before he got her off track again, which seemed to be something that he did very easily. “Did any of the staff know the women or come into contact with them?”
“No. They killed themselves on the first night that they arrived here. The doorman met them at the door. The clerk checked them in. The bell hop took up their bags to their rooms. That was it. No food ordered. No drinks down at the bar, no interaction.”
Toni turned back to Jules. “Can I get another one of these…please?” She put the empty glass down and covered her mouth with the napkin to burp silently. “What do you put in these things?”
“Trade secret,” Jules said, taking the glass. “I’ll have another to you in a jiffy.” He winked at Jericho.
“Thanks,” Toni said, feeling like she was on the cusp of finding out something if she could just ask the right questions. “What about the witnesses? Did you all speak with them?” she asked Jericho.
“No, the police spoke with them and took their statements. We were also interviewed by the police, as you can imagine. They reviewed our video surveillance and took evidence into custody. I can tell you that they’ve done a very thorough investigation on all my staff. Beyond that, the matter was then out of our hands.”
“Do you remember the name of the detective who interviewed you?” Toni scribbled in her pad and waited.
“No,” Jericho answered sternly. “I can’t remember his name. I’m sure it’s on the reports that were delivered to you.” As Jules placed a refilled drink in front of Toni, Jericho pulled at his tie knot. “My turn. Do you have any family from New Orleans or Louisiana?”
Toni frowned. “What does that have to do with anything?” she asked taken aback. Taking another big sip of her drink, she felt the heat run through her chest. It was such an exhilarating feeling until she barely noticed how testy Jericho was becoming.
“I just wondered,” Jericho said, looking at her glass. “Trying to break the ice.” Or your concentration, he thought to himself.
It was nice to know that he cared to break the ice at all. From his earlier demeanor, she thought Jericho might very well hate her. “If you must know,” her eye lashes flapped like wings as her body moved into a state of bliss, “My biological family was from here, but they gave me up when I was very young, and my adopted parents took me back with them to live in New York. I have no idea what their names were or are and truthfully, I don’t care. I don’t need people who don’t need me.” She paused abruptly.
Why did she just offer that? It was so unprofessional.
Raising a hand, she shook her head to stop him. He was getting way too familiar. “No more questions about me, okay.”
“Okay,” Jericho agreed softly, seeing that the subject of family was a source of contention for her.
“Thank you,” she said with a huff. She glanced up at him and tapped her fingers on the bar, trying to get back on track. His eyes were a warmer gold now, like the sun setting over the coastline. It was the strangest thing she had ever seen before.
“I was originally supposed to be in room 325. Why did you change it? I mean, don’t get me wrong, the Presidential suite is very, very nice, but why were you trying to keep me from the room I was supposed to originally be in?”
“I wasn’t trying to keep you away from it. It should not have been available in the first place. Considering its recent history, I took it off the reservation list.” Jericho could see that the drink was working on her. Perfect. “When I saw that you had been given the room and considering it’s a Friday night with no rooms to spare, I gave you what we had available. The Presidential just happened to be what we had.”
“That was very nice of you.” Toni wasn’t done, even if she was starting to feel extremely tired. “Well, if no one is in the room where the suicides took place, can I have some time in it alone to get a better idea of how the women died?”
“No, not alone,” Jericho said abruptly. He heard himself, then, sounding far too controlling. Giving her an easy smile, he tried again. “I’ll be happy to accompany you there though.”
That was better.
Toni nodded in appreciation. Finally, she was getting something she wanted. “And when can we do that? Tonight, maybe?”
Not on your life, Jericho said to himself.
He looked out of the door that led to Bourbon Street and all the hordes of people passing by, enjoying their Friday night. It wasn’t a good idea to go to that room tonight, especially with the beginning of a full moon. “As I said before, I am pressed for time tonight. However, I’ll make accommodations for you during the day. It’s the best that I can do.”
“If that’s your best, I’ll take it,” she said, closing her pad. The words she had scribbled on the paper were starting to get blurry. Blinking hard, she glared at Jericho’s beautiful face and wondered if he was as exhausted as she was. “Well, that’s it for tonight. I’m sure I’ll have more questions later, but that helps me get a good start.”
“Happy that I could help you,” Jericho said, holding his questions for later as well.
For a moment, the soft jazz band played across the room on the make-shift stage, the low murmur of people laughing and talking filled the room, and there was a settled peace between them.
Toni sat sipping her drink and thinking about the story, while Jericho scanned the small club for anything or anyone out of place.
Finally, the silence was broken.
“These things sneak up on you, huh,” Toni said, voice pitched high. It wasn’t like her to not be able to handle her liquor, but two of those special martinis had her at a stopping point.
In the background, Jules chuckled at her outburst.
Jericho turned to her with widening eyes and a playful grin. “They do,” he answered, pushing his own drink away. “Why don’t I escort you up to your room, and we can pick this up tomorrow after you’ve had time to rest?”
“You’ll be here tomorrow?” Toni asked surprised. “I thought you said your father ran this place?”
“He won’t be back tomorrow. So, I’ll be here. We can talk more then.”
Finishing her drink off, she reached for her purse to pay her tab when Jericho spoke up.
“Please, Toni, your money is no good here…ever,” Jericho said, putting his hand over hers.
“Okay.” Her voice trailed off as she burped. “Well, on that note, thank you both for your time.”
“It was my pleasure,” Jules said in his same hospitable voice. He took her glass and slipped it under the bar. “Come back and visit me. I’ll fix you something even better next time.”
“I’m not sure anything gets better than that,” Toni said with a chuckle.
But Jericho co
uld think of a few things…
***
Following Toni out of the dark bar, down the long, empty corridor and back out to the well-lit lobby of patrons milling around with late-evening cocktails, Jericho walked with her to the bank of gold elevators in silence.
His mind was racing as was his raging libido. It was cruel of her to make him watch her wide, supple hips sway with every hard step in her tight, little black dress. It was crueler still to make him inhale her intoxicating scent that seemed to burn his nostrils and flare his desire further. She was driving him mad – her quiet seduction toying with his inner beast with every clink of her stiletto heels.
Had this been another time in history, he would have simply taken her, but cooler heads had to prevail. A man could barely breathe without permission in this new century, let alone take a woman because of her allure.
There would be no taking…
There would be no release…
He had to suffer her and the temptation that she offered with a certain amount of grace and gentleness.
Still, in his mind, he had already devoured her whole.
As they waited for the elevator to descend, employees and patrons passed by and spoke to both of them, most employees finding it quite odd that the manager was escorting the beautiful woman up into the hotel alone.
That was new…
Toni barely said a word to him or anyone else, so enthralled in her own thoughts, but her eyes spoke volumes. She was curious – about him, about this and about it all.
With fading impatience, Jericho, however, greeted each person who passed, until finally the slow elevator opened for them.
ALAS…
Once inside, he looked over at her and realized that the special drink was working faster than he had anticipated. Her cool, brown eyes were heavy and focused on the golden buttons on the wall. Her head bobbed back and forth as though she might pass out at any moment.
“Pardon me for asking, but are you okay?” Jericho asked, genuinely concerned. He cleared his throat. “Those drinks are quite strong. Normally, I recommend only having one as a night cap.”
She smirked and bit her plump lower lip. “Funny. You didn’t recommend one this time, did you?” Toni ran a hand through her long black locks that cascaded over her shoulders and closed her eyes, trying to stop the elevator from spinning.
Jericho opened his mouth to speak but was at a lost for the right words.
Rolling her neck, she pushed her backside up against the brass railing and glanced down at her shoes. “I’ll be fine. Really,” she said, dragging her gaze up to meet him.
In an instant, she wished that she had not done that. Jericho’s stance – virile and authoritative – was too much for this tight space. When he inclined his head, showing the column of his long thick neck, a strange urge to kiss his skin made her mouth water.
Just what the holy hell was this? No man had ever affected her in such a way before.
It was then that she realized that they were alone in the elevator – no boundaries, no buffer, and that same intoxicating cologne from earlier was working on her again.
Shit. She had no place to run, except into his arms, and that was not an option.
He caught her wanton gaze and quickly looked away, tempering his sudden erection with his mind.
BUT…
If she continued to tease him with those bedroom eyes and soft, brown skin, he might just do something that he would regret.
As if in utter defiance, her smoldering eyes locked on him, refusing to give him leave of his enticement.
Jericho balled up his fist and looked away. She was awakening the animal in him with each and every second, and if this fucking door didn’t open, he’d have no choice but to devour her.
However, Toni took his turned gaze as something else.
“Geesh, am I that ugly to you?” she asked, rolling her eyes. She had never been rejected before, but he turned it into a real art form, like she was the proverbial plague.
Jericho kept his eyes forward, focused on the gold doors, as his nostrils flared. He could smell her desire creeping into his soul. She was making it hard for him to breathe – hard to focus – hard to not take her as he had fantasized about all day.
“Quite the contrary. You are far more beautiful than I…” He stopped himself abruptly. “You’re very beautiful, Ms. St. John.” He glanced downward and made his hands relax.
His compliment was not lost on her. She may have been drunk, but she knew an advance when she heard one. “More beautiful than you what?” she asked, words slurring.
Moving closer to him, she stepped into his private space and felt the heat coming from his body. It warmed her like a fire, made her want more.
As he turned and looked down at her, his eyes were blazing like white hot fire again.
“You are more beautiful than I ever imagined you would be?” he said, swallowing hard. His Adam’s apple bobbed in this throat.
Black lashes swept down toward her cheeks. “You say that like you were expecting me, Jericho.”
Please don’t say my name like that, he begged silently. Her voice was crooning, singing to his insatiable lust for her. His mouth longed to be on her, to taste her and fill her tight little spot until she creamed over on him.
SHIT! He balled his fists again.
Just then the doors to the elevator opened, and they arrived at their floor.
FINALLY.
Stepping out of the doors into the corridor and fresh air, he motioned for her to get off. “After you.” But please hurry, he thought to himself. The faster he got her to her room, the safer they both would be.
They walked quietly down the red-carpeted hall past the other guest rooms marked with white doors and gold-plated numbers until they arrived at the double door entrance of the Presidential Suite.
Reaching down into her small clutch purse, Toni searched for her room keys until she finally huffed in defeated frustration. Her absent mind had struck again. This time it wasn’t her cell phone; it was her keys.
“Shit, I think I left my keys at the bar.” Rolling her eyes, she looked back down the long hall. She was getting drunker by the moment and was unsure if she could make it all the way downstairs again.
“No, I grabbed them for you.” Moving over her, his long arm slipped the key into the reader. He pushed down on the latch and opened the door.
Toni peered into the dark hotel room and back up at him. It was hard to decide what to do now. Invite him in? Bid him good evening? Fuck him right there in the hall?
Normally, she was great at being a prude, but tonight with him, all bets were off.
Jericho could feel her indecision and spoke for her, before she offered something he could not refuse. “Good night, Ms. St. John.”
It was the hardest thing he had ever been forced to say, and the hardest thing she had ever been forced to hear.
Toni’s eyes narrowed on him, angry that he had chosen for her.
She should have gone inside, should have listened to that little voice warning her in the back of her mind, but Toni moved breathlessly closer to him, because that’s where gravity pulled her.
There was something happening to her, something beyond understanding. Every nerve ending in her body was firing at once causing her womb to clench tight and her nipples to pearl. Her mind went careening off again into what it would be like to be his lover.
He. Was. Irresistible.
Running her hands up his warm, hard chest, she looked up into his eyes and smiled. “Aren’t you going to kiss me goodnight, at least?”
Jericho inclined his head. Should he, or shouldn’t he? Was it just the cocktail talking or was she truly as attracted to him as he was to her?
“That’s not very professional,” he said despite himself. Sweat beads formed on his head. He stammered over his own words. “I would not want to do anything that might be considered inappropriate.”
Toni found him brutally handsome now that he was so vulnerable.
She could smell it on him – fear. He was scared he would lose control. “Do you really care about being professional?” she asked, heart thudding in her chest.
“No,” Jericho muttered.
“Then, don’t be,” she whispered. “Not tonight.” Her heavy breasts pushed up against him.
Jericho tried to fight it, but her pheromones were driving him insane.
“Alright, if that’s how you want it.” Slipping a hand around her waist, he pulled her to his chest and gently inserted his tongue into her warm, inviting mouth.
He speared through her sharp little words straight to the core of her.
She tasted like heaven. Her velvety tongue, her lush lips, her saliva…it all carried a sweet succulent taste that he savored.
Holding her tight, he sank into her nectar, kissing her deeply, passionately, wantonly, emptying his desire into this warm embrace.
She smelled sweeter, the closer he got. She felt warmer, the tighter he held her. She felt right, the longer he stayed. This small kiss was a small death all in its own.
Sucking on her lush lips, he felt himself harden, his erection pushing and prodding between them, begging to be released from behind the fine fabric of his tailored pants.
As she pushed her hips against him, he felt his member throb.
Snatching back, he gasped and opened his eyes. “If you continue, Toni, I won’t be able to stop myself,” he warned.
Toni ignored his pleas and pulled him in to kiss him deeper. She toyed with his bottom lip. “Who says that I want you to stop?” she asked with a hand still cradling the back of his head.
Pleasure suffused him. “Are you sure you want to?” he asked, body aching to have her.
“Yes,” she said, eyes rolling to the back of her head as the hallway spun out of control.
Squeezing her tight, he kissed her one final time before he felt her legs go limp and her head fling backward.
Quickly, he caught her before collapsed.
Alas, the drink had served its purpose and rendered her unconscious. By morning, she would be hightailing it out of New Orleans before she could figure out why.
“I guess I had that one coming,” he said, moving the strands of hair from her beautiful face.
Warlocks_The Creole Coven Page 3
