I smirk at her. “Data you’ve collected?”
Her face turns a shade of red I’ve only seen when a woman is about to come beneath me … or on top of me.
“Yes, and I’m aware I’m a nerd. I should get back to studying. I have research to do for a paper.”
She reopens her laptop, and I remain still, staring at her flustered face. It’s perfection–flawless. Her dark curls are in this messy ball on top of her head, but as she sits below me, I can see how shiny they are.
I want to pull the holder out, so when the waves fall, my itching fingers can go to work, combing through the soft strands. That’s not the only part of her my fingers would like to explore.
I believe every fucking part of her might be perfect, and she already thinks I’m the biggest dick in the universe.
Sadie
Why won’t he stop staring at me?
He has me all kinds of nervous, and I don’t like it one bit. I swear I think I hear him groan, so I glance up.
Yep, he’s still staring at me, and I’m wondering if he’s not the brightest. Few words have left his mouth since I set eyes on him, and they were dumb words.
But damn, he gets extra IQ points for how attractive he is. His jet hair is long in a bad boy way, but not so much that he looks like a rocker.
I realize I’m checking him out and glance back to my computer screen. “Uh, I try to only drink water, but thank you. I should get back to studying.”
“Look, I came to apologize for saying that about your sister being sick. The way it sounded isn’t how I meant it, and I think you have a great body, so you don’t need anything labeled diet.”
He pinches the space above his nose. “Christ, Jersey, just shut the fuck up,” he mumbles before treading away.
Who is Jersey? And why am I disappointed he left?
Adrian
My phone vibrates, so I pull it from my pocket.
Victoria.
“Juice Box.”
“Hi, are you still at the hospital?”
“Yes, right down the hallway.”
“Come see me. I miss you.”
“Damn, I miss you, too. I’ll be right there.”
I hurry to her room, and once the cop on guard checks with her, he lets me in. Like this morning, I’m rushing to her side. My hands cradle her face, and I kiss her forehead.
When I pull back, she’s smiling, but her eyes are full of tears. “What’s wrong, baby. Talk to me.”
“Your face is beat up, and you know about my job, yet you’re still here.” Her last words are chocked out as she fights back her emotions.
“Yeah, I know you’re a cop.”
“How?”
“When I hadn’t heard from you this morning and couldn’t reach you, I had one of my connections do some checking. I found out a woman was brought here that fit your description, so I had to come see if it was you.”
“Connections?”
“I have a lot of them, Victoria. I own a hotel and casino in this city. I deal with a lot of people on a daily basis, and a lot of them end up indebted to me.”
“Oh, I guess that makes sense.” Taking hold of both of my hands, she places them in her lap. “I have a confession to make, and I pray you will forgive me for it.”
The confession she should be making is that she’s figured out I’m a fucking asshole. I’m an asshole who loves her and refuses to give her up. I’ll continue to lie and deceive her, and swallow the guilt for it, so she doesn’t leave me.
I realized today that I would be miserable if she did. She’s the one. Victoria Hart is why my heart was crushed so many years ago. It happened because I was supposed to end up with her.
Victoria
I stare at Adrian’s face, trying to find the words that might make my confession seem less awful than it is. He looks rough.
His hair is disheveled, and his nose is swollen. There is dried blood on his face and all over his blue shirt and khaki pants. He looks exhausted and worried, too, all because of me. I have to get this over with.
“My name is Victoria Hart, not Stuart. I’m a detective, Adrian, who’s been working undercover at Submission.”
His expression doesn’t change as he gazes at me in silence for far too long. “Why?” he finally asks.
“I busted a woman for prostitution. It wasn’t her first offense, so she was going to be sent away. She told me she had information on something much bigger than what she was being arrested for, so I listened.
“I broke a lot of rules that day. I let her go right there on the street in exchange for telling me that a prostitution business was being operated inside of Submission. She was an ex-server of yours.”
“How long were you going to keep this from me?” he asks, still void of emotion, and I wish he would show something–anything.
“I was going to tell you soon. I didn’t know how, Adrian. You really pursued me, and then I started falling for you, but I was still trying to discover if anything illegal was going on.
“It wasn’t long before I was certain you weren’t pimping girls out, especially after talking to Simon the night of Rick’s party, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell you the truth.
“I worried I had already lost you, so I didn’t want to drive in the last nail.” I move a hand to his cheek, and hold it there snugly.
“I know you’re not doing anything wrong, and it’s why I agreed to quit my job at Submission. I witnessed firsthand what a kind soul you have. I just didn’t know how to tell you I was a cop.”
“How you feel about me … is it genuine?”
Of course, that is what’s important for him to know. Why didn’t I start with that? “Absolutely. I meant all of it. Every smile, every laugh, every moan … all real.”
His hand covers mine that is over his cheek.
“Mmm … don’t make me picture you moaning when you’re in this predicament.”
I can’t help but grin. “That’s what you’re thinking about?” Pulling my hand down, he kisses the inside of my palm.
“I have to ask you something. What is your relationship with Reggie? He told me he’s your partner.”
Peering at the door, I chew on the inside of my cheek.
“He wants more than a friendship.”
“What do you want, Victoria?”
“I want you,” I say before I lean up and kiss his lips. I was reassured of that the second he answered my text and walked through my door tonight. The tiny shred of doubt I was having because of Reg disappeared then.
“Reggie’s only a friend and my partner at work, but I’m afraid he’s going to cut ties with me if I don’t agree to more.” I glance back to Adrian. “I don’t want to lose his friendship.”
“I’m sorry he’s putting you in this position. He’ll have to accept what is because I’m not giving you up, Juice Box.” Adrian’s lips press to my palm again, but he never takes his eyes off of mine. We gaze at each other for at least a minute.
“You forgive me?”
“Yes, and other than the good times we’ve shared, I want to put the past behind us. You’re no longer employed by me. You’re my girlfriend, who happens to be a cop.”
I grin at him, and it’s the wide, toothy kind since I couldn’t be happier at the moment. He is going to forgive me.
“You have to stay out of danger, though. I don’t believe I can take another day like this one,” Adrian says, glowering.
“I’m sorry. I’ve never been seriously hurt from my job before, so hopefully this is my one and only incident.”
“I would like you to come stay with me until you’re well. I can provide nursing care and be with you more often.”
That sounds similar to living together, and that freaks me out, but his gaze is backed with so much concern. “Please, Victoria, don’t overthink this. Do it for me.”
Chapter Three
One Week Later
Victoria
Me: I’m sorry, but you don’t get to decide this.
&n
bsp; My fingers stop texting, and I blow out a long breath.
Adrian: You are not well enough to be working. The doctor said at least two weeks.
Me: YOUR doctor. Mine cleared me, and that is all my boss cares about.
Adrian: Your independence makes you a real pain in my ass!
Me: You and I both know the real reason you’re upset I’m returning to work, and I told you there is nothing to worry about, so bite me.
Adrian: Biting your ass is what I’m going to do. It obviously doesn’t know who it belongs to!
This has become a childish conversation, so I drop my phone into my purse and head out the door to face the real reason for my morning fight with Adrian.
It’s partly my fault. I shouldn’t have waited until fifteen minutes before I was leaving his penthouse last night to tell him I was moving back home and returning to work this morning.
I knew this was going to be his response, so I was trying to delay it as long as possible.
“Good morning,” I say as I open the door to Reggie’s old, silver Lexus.
“Good morning.” He studies my face, and it’s unnerving.
“What?”
“I’m seeing if you look well enough for work. I was surprised when I got your call last night. I thought you would take more time off, especially since you’re shacked up with Mr. Cassano.”
No. He. Didn’t.
Flinging open the car door, I jump out and begin stomping back to my apartment. I’ll take the damn bus once Reg leaves. Men suck.
In seconds, he’s in front of me and grabbing my shoulders. “Vic, stop.”
“Get the hell off of me. You couldn’t wait even five minutes to get your jab in.”
He grips both my shoulders tighter and ducks his head to see my face or to ensure I see his. “Victoria, I’m sorry. I’m just …”
I stop resisting him and make eye contact. We stare at each other, and I feel the emotion from him. My throat moves, and it’s as if I’ve swallowed his heartache in the form of syrup. It’s sticky, clinging to me. I hate that I can feel his pain.
“You’re what, Reggie?” I murmur, not truly wanting to hear his answer. Before I can react, his lips crash to mine, but I shove him off forcefully. “What are you doing?”
“Victoria, let me show you what you mean to me. You might feel it, too.”
He grabs hold of my face, but I turn my head in his palms, so he can’t kiss me again.
“I’m in a relationship with Adrian, Reggie.”
His hands fall in a dramatic gesture. He turns away from me and paces the sidewalk, ruffling his short, black curls that have a shimmer to them from the sun.
“I knew you cared about him, but you didn’t tell me it was that serious.”
“I’ve been staying with him all week. What did you think it was?”
He spins around and glares at me. “You’re the one who kept downplaying it, telling me you were only staying since he hired nursing care for you.”
Shit, he’s right. I did downplay it. I didn’t want to hurt him by telling him I was exactly where I wanted to be. In my dream world, I had hoped he would pick me up today, and we would be the way we used to be. It’s where we pretended we had never been intimate.
“OK, you’re right.” I hold fingers to my temple. My head is hurting again, likely from the pressure of the blood pounding through it.
“It is serious. You can’t kiss me or try to persuade me to be with you. I–I’ve chosen him.”
“Let’s go.” Unsure of what to do, I stand still, staring into his sad eyes, so he makes the first move and treads toward his car.
Once he’s in, I turn and walk toward it. Is he going to try to make this work, or is he going to go straight to Bishop’s office and request a new partner?
Adrian
My hardened jaw shifts from left to right as I stare at the classic car photos on my wall. I think about how far Victoria and I have come since that first day she entered my office, but I still don’t feel I have a grasp on our relationship.
What will enable me to break down her walls? Her surrender is the reassurance I need to know she’s committed to me.
Victoria needs to hear three words. What if Reggie says them first? What if he fights for her today? I’ll fucking hurt him. The knock on my door brings me back to the moment.
“Come in,” I say. My younger brother, Xavier, enters. It’s been a while since we’ve talked.
“Zev, hi.”
“Hey, Ace.”
I lift my forearm to take a glance at my watch.
“It’s before five p.m., and you’re up. I’m impressed.” I smirk at him, and he rolls his eyes.
“I’m out of bed before five almost every day, and I guess you forgot that I don’t get to bed before five a.m. most days.”
He fools with the pieces of his hair he has messy in the front, and glances around my office.
“I forgot how big this space is.”
“What do you need, Zev?”
“Two hundred grand.”
I laugh but only for a second because I see from his expression that he’s dead serious. “For what?”
“I would rather you not ask that.”
“Well, that’s not an option.”
His hazel eyes look away from me as he drags his teeth over his bottom lip. “Noah Sanders is running up a pretty big tab at Caged.”
“If you’re using the money for that, then it’s not a tab.”
“I’m only needing some cash to float until I get him to pay up. He’s coming to the club almost every night after leaving the Royal lounge, and his idea of what he’s entitled to and mine are different.”
“If those lines are blurred, then you didn’t make them clear enough to begin with,” I say curtly.
“Alright, bro. I get it.” Zev slides a hand over his dark hair, further messing it up.
“You better remind him soon that those dues he pays each month are for him to play in Royal only.” Turning to my laptop, I type in Mr. Sander’s name on the keyboard. I scroll through the history of his purchases.
“I can tell you where his money is going. He’s renting the submission rooms a few nights a week. He pays that bill, so that means he’s using you, bro.”
“You know, it’s kind of hard to balance how much to do for him to gain his trust.” Zev’s brow furrows. “I’m trying to show him I’m his friend. I’m doing everything in my power to ensure we nail the bastard and avoid prison.”
“I’ll get the funds moved.”
“Thank you,” he says, releasing a breath as if he’s relieved we can drop this. He strolls over to the minibar and pours himself a drink.
“So, how is Victoria?”
“Stubborn as hell.”
He chuckles. “That isn’t how I meant, but OK. You know, you’re never going to break her. Women like that don’t give in. Hell, they barely let you bend them over the sofa.”
“Thank you, philosopher Xavier.”
Barely glancing over, he points at me before he puts the top back onto the decanter. “Seriously, it’s why I don’t even bother with the ones who have brains and ambition. They want to be in control, and that’s not happening.”
“I’ve hit a point in my life where I’m bored with the women who submit so easily and have no damn voice, but Victoria takes it too far the other direction.
“She’s independent to a damn fault. It’s one of the only faults I can find, so she’s absolutely worth the challenge.”
He sips his drink and licks his lips.
“I told you, Ace, women like her don’t break.”
“And I’ll accept it if she only bends.”
Victoria
“What the hell is this?” Bishop asks, waving in front of his face the doctor’s note I handed him.
“It’s my release.”
“It’s been a week. What did you do? Did you threaten the doctor to get him to sign it?” My eyes dart around the room. “Detective Hart, did you threaten the doc
tor?”
I sigh and glance to Bishop. “No, I didn’t threaten him.” I have to look away before I spill the rest. “I only mentioned the day I saw him checking out of the Bellagio at two in the afternoon on a Tuesday.”
I grin. “Oh, did I mention he wasn’t alone, and it wasn’t his wife who was with him?”
“You’re impossible. Fine, you can return to work, but your ass doesn’t leave that chair at your desk. Do you understand me?”
I throw my head back and gaze at the ceiling, feeling the pain from that not so wise move.
“But I hate paperwork. It’s so boring.” I want to continue, but I’m whining like my coworker, Tucker, so I shut up.
“Too bad. You’re behind on it, and you shouldn’t have went to interview that girl alone in the first place. Had Reggie been with you, you might not have gotten hurt, and that young woman might still be alive.”
I slowly lower my head to scowl at him.
He rubs his forehead. “Victoria, I’m sorry. I don’t believe that, so I don’t know why I said it. If Noah Sanders wanted Molly Pennington dead, he would’ve gotten to her one way or another. I’m pissed we don’t have enough evidence from the crime scene to link him to her murder or your assault.”
“You said it because my behavior annoys you like it annoys everyone else.” I leave his office without another look or word.
On my way to my desk, I glance over at Reggie. His eyes are glued to mine, attempting to read my distraught emotions.
I know him well enough to say that he’s dying to hear the details of my conversation with Bishop, but he doesn’t ask. He’s too pissed at me.
My phone vibrates, so I pull it from my pocket.
Adrian: I still want to bite your ass, but I’m sorry about last night and this morning.
Consumed Page 2
