“I know that look.” Michel pointed to Luke’s face. “I can see your wheels cranking. What’s up?”
“I have a really bad feeling right now,” Luke shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
“What about?” Riyu questioned.
“The parking lot can only be accessed by cops,” Luke offered before leaning inward. “No one can get in and out without an access code and Jacob’s code wasn’t entered as leaving the lot.”
“But CSI said that was the crime scene,” Michel tilted his head while playing the devil’s advocate.
Luke arched a brow. “I get that, which means someone was waiting for him to exit the building. And that someone needed an access code to get in.”
“Or it could be a cop…”Riyu added.
A strange tension-filled silence fell over them. The thought of a cop being the Ojo killer was enough to make anyone sick.
“What if his death was random?” Keegan offered. “Jacobs getting killed could have been a total coincidence and nothing to do with our case.”
The four men nodded in agreement. “But it’s worth a look,” Riyu said before sipping from his beer. “We know Jacobs found something because he wouldn’t be leaving the station house until the wee hours of the morning. So where was he going?”
“Yeah and it’s too much of a coincidence that the power died after his death,” Michel nodded. “When the power goes out the last search gets deleted because it hasn’t had time to be archived. The dumbass who came up with the system should be shot.”
Luke chuckled. “Technology can only go so far, my friend.”
Luke loved speaking with his brother and friends. They usually gave his mind such clarity but not this time. This time their little chat left him angry, frustrated and with a bitter taste in his mouth.
With a sigh, he closed his file before reaching for his beer.
“Guys, I should go.” Riyu glanced at his watch. “You know where to find me.” he nodded in Luke’s direction.
“Thanks, Bro.” Luke stood to hug his friend.
“How is she doing?” Michel wanted to know after Riyu’s departure.
Luke emptied his bottle. “Not so good. The killer wants her and now she feels guilty.”
Keegan patted his brother’s shoulder. “I get that. I’ll keep my ears to the ground for you.”
“I’ll look into Jacobs.” Michel pressed his lips into a tight line. “Just in case.”
Luke smiled. “Thanks.”
Silence.
“She’s pretty.” Keegan grinned, Michel laughed but Luke growled. “You’re human, Luke.”
“I’m a cop,” Luke fired.
“That’s my queue.” Michel chuckled. “I can tell when you two are going to get into it. Call me later.”
After the others had left Keegan challenged Luke to a wrestling match. Luke knew it was his brother's way to try and take his mind off things. But no matter how much he tried, he just couldn't stop thinking of the case with a little bit of Priety mixed in. With his brain on other things, Keegain managed to slip away from Luke over and over.
“Come on man, concentrate!” Keegan called while reaching in to smack Luke against the right arm then the left. Luke growled, bent forward and attacked, catching his brother around the waist and throwing him. Keegan flipped, landed on his feet and attacked.
“Remember Jason Michaels?” Keegan asked as the two tussled on the ground for supremacy.
“Yeah,” Luke got out through clenched teeth.
“He's doing five to fifteen for drugs,” Keegan explained and grunted when Luke flipped him and pinned him to the ground. Luke stopped and backed off to grab a towel.
“What?” He extended a hand to help his brother off the ground. “What do you mean he's in prison?”
Keegan accepted the hand and grabbed a towel. Luke watched as his brother rubbed the towel over his face before answering, “I had to serve a warrant over at this warehouse in Salzman County. When we rushed it, we picked him up. I couldn't believe it, man. We grew up with this Cat. He was the one voted most likely to succeed.”
Luke nodded and sat down on the bench at the side and straightened his legs before him. His mind drifted back to their childhood days when Luke, Keegan and Jason would play hockey on the lake by the cottage. Now, since they grew up, they decided to choose different sides of the law.
“Remember when he fell through the ice up at Bobcaygeon?” Luke questioned. A smile crossed Keegan's sweaty face.
“Yeah. I thought you were gonna go in after him.”
Luke remembered looking around and not seeing Jason but a gaping hole where the kid was only moments before. He didn’t think twice about it but skated to the hole, fell to his stomach and stuck his arm and half his body in trying to find his friend. Keegan saw what was happening and dove for Luke's legs. Luke remembered how the water bit him like a slap in the face. He couldn't open his eyes to look where his friend was because the cold was stinging his eyes as though someone poured soap into them.
Later on that week when their parents returned from a trip to Jordan, both Luke and Keegan were grounded for skating on the lake before it was ready and Jason was in the hospital with a kick ass case of hypothermia.
“Mom and Dad were pissed.” Keegan chuckled and Luke grunted.
“Now that, big brother, is the understatement of a lifetime. Sometimes I don't see why they cared really.” Luke let out on one breath. “They were never there and it was like you raised me.”
Keegan nodded and Luke continued, “Man, I was your idea of birth control wasn’t I?”
Keegan chuckled. “That’s one way to put it.”
“Fine, then I must have ruined your sex life back then something awful.”
“Yeah you did,” Keegan said soberly. “But you were my brother. I'd rather have you over any of those girls any day.”
Silence flowed through the room like unseen magic.
* * * *
Priety fell asleep listening to the muffled voices downstairs. She couldn’t hear what they were saying but the lullaby of Luke’s voice lulled her sweetly. With a defeated breath, she gave in and her eyes drifted shut.
Not long afterward, however, she was awake again with a sense of panic. Yanking the sheets from her body, she tore through the house, shoved open Luke’s door and dove under his sheets to cling to him. If it was any other situation she would have burst out laughing at the sheer hilarity of what happened. She was reminded of cartoon characters diving beneath a sheet.
“Priety?” His confused voice broke through her paranoia. “Priety? Baby?”
She felt herself shiver against him but she hung on to him. His arms wrapped around her and her racing heart slowed down slightly only to begin racing again.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “I’m right here.”
“Luke…” was all she got out before panting to breathe. “I think I’m having a panic attack.”
It felt as though her world was spinning around her and the only constant she had was Luke's arms around her. Her breathing got shallow and her head began throbbing out of control. Her heart hammered and the thought of having a heart attack swam to the forefront of her mind. She panicked even more.
She heard a humming sound in her ear, and a tightening in her chest caused her to grunt in pain as one hand left Luke to grab her chest.
Priety was relieved that he seemed to know what to do to calm her down. He began caressing her back gently while whispering against her ear. Her breathing began returning to normal. When she was calm again she lifted her head from against his chest. “Luke?”
“Yes?” his voice was low like the beginning of a thunder storm.
“You have that look in your eyes again.” She licked her lips. “I think you should kiss me.”
“I think I should carry you back to bed.”
“I can walk.”
Pushing away from him, she tested her legs to see if they would hold her before walking out his door. She felt like a foo
l because she tried again and once more he pushed her away. Maybe she should just give up; he wasn’t interested in her that way.
Maybe…
Her thoughts died when Luke’s large hand caught her by the hip and pushed her against the wall. She didn’t have time to complain because his lips devoured hers.
* * * *
Luke couldn’t help it. Her soft lips beneath his were all he could think about. When her arms wrapped around his bare back, Luke growled and ripped his mouth back.
“I’m sorry,” he chocked out quickly but recaptured her lips before scooping her up into his arms. He didn’t let the link they had break as he drank from her lips and heard his heart hammer in his ears. He was slowly losing control and there was nothing he could do to stop it; a runaway train tearing through his mind, causing him to flinch but kiss her harder.
Lowering her to his bed, his gaze locked with hers. “I didn’t want to touch you until this was over…”
“Shh,” Priety pressed her right index finger to his lips. “I want you.”
“You do?” Luke smiled teasingly at her before leaning in to steal a kiss. “I haven't heard a woman say that to me, and meant it in years.”
“I mean it, Luke. Please....”
“How much?”
Priety smiled impishly and rolled them over so she was on top. As she straddled him she began undoing her pajama top slowly; painfully leisurely; unclasping each button as though she hadn’t a care in the world. She writhe her hips against the growing bulge beneath her. She watched with pleasure as Luke’s eyes rolled into his head before he clutched her hips.
When she was fully naked, she watched as Luke’s eyes darkened. He sat up and kissed her between her breasts before slowly rolling his fingertips over her nipples. He flicked his tongue out to taste her.
“Luke…” Preity whimpered as sweet fire roared through her body uncontrollably.
Luke felt her moving sensually against him and joy flowed through his veins. No woman could fake the passion he heard in her voice each time she said his name. He shoved her long hair over one shoulder and nipped her neck when she reached down and squeezed him intimately.
“Priety,” he sucked in some air as she pushed him back against the bed. Luke felt himself slipping into her and when she stopped his eyes widened in shock. He tried to stop but Priety pushed her hips downward hard and shrieked in pain.
Grabbing her hips, Luke felt like the biggest jerk on the face of the planet. He felt as though he could cry. How had he not known? He should have seen it in her eyes; in the way her body jerked innocently against his. The way her touch was hesitant and unsure, he should have known. “Priety! Oh God, Priety.” Luke tried to scoop her into his arms to cuddle her but she pushed against his arms and shoved him against the bed.
“Don’t stop.” She sighed.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because it wasn't important.”
“But why...”
“Can we argue about this later? We're kinda in the middle of something here!”
Luke looked into her face, trying to gauge what she was feeling and the lost look in her eyes told him everything. She was no longer in pain, and as she rolled her hips against him, he got his proof. With a smile, he pulled her closer to his body, wrapping his arms around her and brought his lips up against her throat.
He felt her tighten around him and tried to hold back but she made him feel like a teenager during his first time all over again. He pushed against her. “Priety!” he managed through clenched teeth as his whole body tightened then shuddered with release.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Luke cuddled her against him.
“Is it really that important?” Priety shivered sweetly.
Luke pushed himself up on his elbow and looked into her eyes. “You gave me the most precious gift…you were a virgin…how can you not…Priety, look at me.”
“I can’t.” Tears streamed down her face.
“I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“That’s not it, Luke.”
Arching a brow, Luke was puzzled. “Then why are you crying?”
“You’re being so gentle with me…”
Luke leaned in and kissed her before climbing from the bed with her in his arms. He silently carried her into the bathroom and stepped into the shower with her. Turning on the water, he held her close while the water poured down around them.
The knowledge rushed through his body like a wildfire and he shook against her; there was no way he could ever let Priety go.
* * * *
“Well, Detective. I see you’re a hard man to learn. All right. Let’s up the anty. Since you cops can’t even seem to catch a cold, I’ll make your chances better. I’ll kill two girls per night until I get what I want. Don’t these women’s lives mean anything to you?”
Chapter Eleven
“We’re going where?” The shock in his voice caused her to stop fighting with the pin she was trying to use to keep her hair up. She faced him and took a deep breath.
“It’s Holi. It’s a celebration in my culture. I don’t expect you to understand but I’ve been doing it ever since I was a child with my parents and they’d expect me to be there—killer or no. I can’t miss it.”
“I kinda figured that.” Luke pouted and Priety reached up to press a kiss to his sexy lips. “And I don’t want you to miss something as important as a cultural holiday. What does Holi mean anyways?”
“Roughly, it means burning.”
“Sounds like herpes… that’s not something I would celebrate.”
Priety laughed. “No,” she told him. “There are many stories about what Holi signifies but they all end the same way—good triumphing over evil. Love over hate—fun stuff.”
“Good over evil, huh? Sounds like my kinda party,” Luke told her. Priety had turned back to the mirror to fuss with the pin and her hair once more. She watched as he moved in behind her and took the pin. He pressed it between his luscious lips before picking up another and began fixing her hair. That stunned her to no end. No other man had ever been that gentle with her before—not even her beloved father. She had tears in her eyes as she watched his concentration. He removed the pin from his lips and had his tongue stuck out one corner of his mouth slightly stressing his concentration. She knew he was thinking hard; she often times did the same thing when she really wanted to figure something out.
“Tell me more about this triumph over evil story,” he said.
She blinked back her tears and met his gaze in the mirror. The smile he gave her took her breath away. She thought it again, Luke Stanton was a beautiful man with beautiful brown eyes, a strong set of cheekbones, full lips with a proud chin.
“Well, one story is there was a demon-king named Hiranyakashipu who…”
“Wait. Hira-what now?”
“Hir-any-aka-shi-pu,” Priety enunciated slowly. “He won over the kingdom of earth and ordered everybody to worship him and not the gods. But his son Prahlad refused to pray to his father and continued to worship the almighty Lord Vishnu, a Hindu god who is considered to be the preserver of the universe. Hiranyakashipu tried many times to kill Prahlad for his outright defiance but Lord Vishnu saved him every time. One of Hiranyakashipu’s sisters named Holika had powers to walk through fire unharmed. So, Hiranyakashipu ordered her to kill Prahlad by walking through the fire with him. However, Lord Vishnu came to his help and Prahlad was saved while Holika died.”
She saw his brow shoot up in confusion and she knew a question would leave his lips.
“Wait a minute. I thought she could walk through fire without getting hurt. How comes she died?”
“Ah, that, my dear Luke, is the bare bodkin of it all. There was a loop hole, you see.” She beamed, rather proud of her feigned Indian accent.
Luke moaned. “There’s always a loop hole.”
“You see, Holika didn't know that her powers were only effective if she entered the fire alone. “
“I guess she
should have read the fine print. Those are always the killers.”
She smiled at his joke. “Even today, bonfires are lit on the night of Holi in memory of the event and burning of the wicked Aunt Holika.”
“Sad,” Luke whispered. He was finished with her hair by the end of the story. He had done a marvelous job.
“Yeah,” Priety answered. “There’s also a story about Radha and Krishna and Kamadeva.”
“Kam-who-now?”
“The Hindu god of love. I should tell you the story some day for they say he rides a parrot.”
“A parrot, eh? Sounds manly.” Luke smirked. “Okay, so what do we need to do about this, Holi thing?”
“Well, we dance through the streets, eat yummy food and throw color powder at each other.”
She laughed as one of Luke’s brows arched again.
“Say what?”
Priety grinned and took his hand. She knew he was allowing her to drag him after her, otherwise there was no way she’d be able to move Luke.
* * * *
As the day wore on, they found their way into the heart of the Holi celebrations. She squealed as Luke grabbed a handful of colored powder and tossed it at her. She tried ducking but it smacked her right in the forehead. His laughter as he got splashed with powder from behind caused her heart to soar with emotion. She didn’t cry because she didn’t have time. He took her in his arms and twirled her around to the beat of the Indian drums.
Those drums, that released those absolutely breath-taking sounds, that tantalized the soul, were absolutely breath-taking. The pounding filled the air and caused one to sway at their will; the drums, the most powerful instrument in the world.
She allowed her soul to whisper to his and to answer whatever waves he was sending back to her. He’d shocked her; he never once complained at being at the celebrations. Some other men would have complained and caused a scene about getting hit with colored powder, but not Luke. He had integrated himself into something that was from her very essence of being; her beliefs. From time to time he would pull her to him when someone passed a little too close to her. She could tell even though he was having fun he was still on alert, afraid they would harm her.
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