I See You (24 page)

I catch Gerry tense beside me. Even he’s taken a dislike to the egotistical manner in which he conducts himself. “Her name is Nina, and she will be happy to do almost anything for you if it’s accompanied with a please.”

Frank’s eyes widen on Gerry, who glares back. I smile inwardly at Gerry’s back-up when he takes a protective step towards me and rests his hand on my shoulder.

Quickly butting in to avoid a war, I force a smile at Frank and his crony. “I’ll make sure these are situated in every establishment in the area, sir. If you could be so kind as to email us the case specifics,” I tell him, jotting down the office email address and handing it to him. “And I’ll be sure to alert your office should we receive any response.”

He drops his eyes from Gerry to me and covers his face with a sickly smile. He doesn’t thank me, just nods once before turning and leaving with his shadow in tow.

“City pricks,” Gerry utters as we watch them get into their car and pull off the lot.

I can’t help but chuckle to myself when, as though answering all the evils of the world, Gerry snaps open a variety Dunkin’ Donuts box and takes a bite out of a sugarcoated one. “They need to learn to chill the hell out!” he grumbles to himself.

“And eat a donut,” I whisper.

The lasagna is baking in the oven, the salad and bread is prepared, and the wine is chilling in the fridge. The table is laid with a thin white lace cloth and pink candles, and I’ve created a short playlist of love songs ready to go on Spotify. I’m not sure why, but I want to make an effort tonight. So, forgoing my usual jeans and tee for a knee length, rose-colored skirt and a floaty cream blouse, I also trade my usual cotton briefs and bra for new lacy underwear and an all-over wax. I smile to myself as I add a layer of sheer gloss to my lips and some mascara to highlight my lashes.

It’s not often I wear cosmetics, even at work. I find it intimidating, like it’s inviting a man to look at me, as though I’m dressing myself for him. However, tonight I want to look nice for Devon. I know he thinks me . . .
pretty
without it, but a little help never goes amiss.

Nodding to myself in the mirror, pleased with what looks back at me, I reach for my favorite perfume. I frown when it isn’t on my dresser, and pull the dresser from the wall slightly to see if it’s fallen behind.

“Huh?” I purse my lips, thinking where it could be.
Bathroom—where you last used it
. I search the small space but neither is it in the bathroom cabinet or set on the vanity. Before I can give it another thought, the doorbell rings and my heart flutters with excitement.

Slipping my heels on, I practically run down the stairs two at a time, but when I fling open the door, instead of Devon, Luke is standing on the porch.

“Oh.”

He lifts a brow. “I know I’m not the pizza guy, but I did expect a warmer welcome.”

I laugh and shake my head. “I’m sorry. I was expecting someone else.”

His eyes slowly roam over me and his brow puckers slightly when they reach back up to my face. “So I see.”

I blink at his strange reaction then shake it off and open the door wider. “I’m sorry, I’m being rude. Come in.”

Accepting my offer, he steps into the hallway. His head rotates towards the kitchen and when he spots the decorated table he looks at me. “I apologize. You’re busy.”

“Oh, no. It’s okay. Would you like a drink?”

He regards me for a moment then nods. “That would be good. Thank you.”

“Wine, coffee . . . ?” I ask as he follows me through to the kitchen.

“Just water, thanks.”

He looks uncomfortable as he takes the glass from me. “Is it okay if we sit?”

I frown, suddenly anxious from the tone of his voice and the expression that’s troubling his usually strong features. “Sure.” I nod then take a seat opposite him.

Placing his glass on the table, he takes a deep breath and clears his throat. “So, you know I was going back to Kansas to visit your neighbor?”

“Yes.”

He grasps at his forehead with exasperation and pauses, sighs and looks back at me. “It would appear Mr. Ilavich never moved out.”

My eyes widen with hope and I smile at him. “Oh, that’s good, isn’t it? Maybe he saw something . . .”

“Nina,” Luke halts me, his hand covering mine on the table. “I found Mr. Ilavich’s body in his basement.”

“What?” I stutter, pulling back and knocking the glass over. I quickly grab a towel to mop up the mess but Luke grips my arm and tells me to sit down. I take in a deep breath and nod, assuring him that I’m okay.

“The basement? What was he doing down there?” It’s a stupid question because I already know the answer, but my mind is a little slow on the uptake; a lot slower than the vomit stirring in my belly.

“It looks like he’s been dead a long time. Probably since the night of your attack going by the extensive decomposed state of his body.”

“Oh my God.” My hand slaps over my mouth involuntarily, and a small whimper climbs up my throat. “But, Teddy, his Chihuahua . . . surely he would have alerted someone . . . ?”

“I’m afraid his dog was also found at the scene.”

I rush over to the sink when the vomit refuses to be confined to the tightness of my stomach, and bend over, throwing my guts up. Luke appears behind me, sweeping my hair into a bunch in his hand. His other hand settles on my back and strokes up and down smoothly when a sob wrenches from me. “It’s okay, Nina,” he soothes when I heave again. “I’m going to get this bastard. I promise.”

“What the hell is going on?” I hear Devon’s angry shout and turn just in time to see him pull Luke off me and floor him in one single punch.

T
HE BASTARD GOES DOWN IN
one hit. I want to tear him to bits for touching what’s mine. How dare he? How fucking dare he?

“Devon!”

Nina’s soft fingers wrap around my forearm but I can’t look away from the asshole on the floor as he rolls over and stares up at me, his hand cradling his chin.

“What the fuck?”

“Devon,” Nina tries again. “What are you doing?”

Turning to her, I stare at her in confusion. “He was hurting you!”

Her face crumples for a moment but she shakes her head. “No, he wasn’t. I was being sick. Sheriff Logan was holding my hair out of the way.”

Sheriff Logan?

I look from Nina back to the Sheriff when he climbs up off the floor. Fuck! I have completely fucked up.

“And you are?” he practically growls.

“Devon Trent, Nina’s boyfriend.”

He lifts both brows and looks at Nina. “Is this true?”

I’m a bit pissed that the bloke she works for hasn’t a clue that Nina is in a relationship. That means that she hasn’t mentioned me at work.

She nods quickly. “Yes.” She looks between us both her eyes wide appearing anxious but steps towards me. “I’m sorry, Luke . . .”
Luke?
“Devon is very . . . protective.” The way she smiles at me dampens my anger and I reach out and touch her chin.

“That’s because you’re worth protecting.”

I forget the Sheriff is here, but I drop my hand when he coughs. He’s studying me, but I suppose with his job, he studies everyone so I don’t get too hyped up about it.

“You live where, Devon?”

I point out of the kitchen window. “Next door.”

He turns to look where I’m pointing and nods. “Right. And how long have you lived there? I didn’t realize Mr. Brochovich had passed.”

“A few months.”

He’s contemplative, his brow furrowed deeply. I shiver. It feels like he can see straight through to my soul, but eventually he snaps out of it and looks back at Nina. “I’ll leave you to enjoy your night and we’ll talk tomorrow.”

She nods and smiles. “Okay. Thanks, Luke.”

He smiles at her and gives me a polite nod before letting himself out. Nina is looking at me with wide eyes but the way she’s sucking on her lip, I know she’s amused. “I can’t believe you did that.” She laughs. “You just laid out a cop!”

“I didn’t know he was the law! It looked like he was trying to force your face through the waste disposal.” I reach out and take her hand in mine when I see how pale she is. “Are you okay? You said you were being sick.”

She nods and sighs. “Yeah. Luke went out to my old house.” My body tenses and I struggle to hide it from her but she seems to miss it because she carries on. “He found my old neighbor dead in his basement.”

“What?”

She blinks at the tone of my voice. This is news to me. What the hell is wrong with Noah? He has taken so many risks, and to kill the neighbor was stupid.

“Yeah. I mean, he wasn’t very nice but he didn’t deserve that.”

She shudders, and I place my arm around her shoulders and pull her in for a hug. Her sobs are heavy and relentless, and she clings to me as though I can save her from the hell Noah put her in. I’m glad I’m no longer involved with him. He’s a monster. The evidence of what’s inside him is displayed so horrifically over every inch of Nina’s skin, the mental scars too severe for her to show.

“I’m sorry, Nina. I’m so sorry.”

She shakes her head and looks up at me, her red eyes full of a gentleness I have never witnessed in another person. Reaching up, she places her palm softly on my cheek. “Don’t be sorry, Devon. You have nothing to be sorry for. You’ve helped me so much. You could never understand how much.”

“But I haven’t done anything.”

Smiling, she kisses my jaw. “You have made me feel like a woman again. A desired woman, a beautiful woman. And that was something I never expected to feel again. You’ve given me confidence. Believe it or not, since you moved here, my life has leapt forward. Before, I wouldn’t even leave the house, yet now, I have a boyfriend, a job, and more than that, I have hope for the future.”

Sliding my hands through her soft waves, I touch the tip of my nose to hers. “A future with me in it, I hope.”

“I hope so too,” she whispers as she rises onto her tiptoes and her full lips press against mine. I want to sigh in satisfaction, my whole body roaring with life just from the feel of her in my arms.

Her beautiful wide eyes blink at me and her hands slowly slide down the front of my shirt. When she reaches the waistband of my pants, her fingers fumble with my belt.

“I want to taste you,” she whispers as she unbuttons and pulls down my fly then takes my hard cock in her fist. Her lips are burning a trail down my throat, and when she reaches the opening of my shirt, she slowly lowers herself to her knees before me. Her warm lips slip over the head of my cock and I hold back a groan. I try to take my mind elsewhere so I don’t come in seconds but her lusty pulls keep me devoted to the moment when her greedy mouth slurps over me like I’m her favorite flavor lollipop. She drags me in deeper until the tip of my throbbing cock hits the back of her throat. Her hand grasps my balls and gently massages them. Her suction increases and she’s swirling her tongue over the tip with every up pull. She’s making desperate little moans over me and it’s causing vibrations over the sensitive tip.

I grasp a handful of her hair for leverage, to stop myself from falling to my knees with pleasure when she speeds up the motion, taking me all the way down her throat. The hot flood of sensation races up my spine as my balls draw tight and my cum spurts out in the back of her throat.