Burning For Claire (The O'Connell Family Book 2) (7 page)

“Damn, do you think they’re after Sam?”

“Could be. Then again, the detectives here think it might have been Sam who did it.”

“That’s bullshit. It’s not her,” I roared.

“I know that, but that doesn’t mean they do. Besides, like you said, she’s out of town with O’Connell.”

“Yes, which means I’m going to have to make the call I don’t want to make. I’m going to wait to come in. I need to get changed and get back to Claire.”

“So, what do you mean there was a fire?”

“Someone burned down her salon, trying to take us with it.”

“Oh, shit man! I thought you were talking about a small kitchen fire.”

“Nope. It was full on explosion.”

Eli asked a very good question. “Do you think this is all because of Samantha and her parents?”

“I don’t know. They’d had to have been following me to know anything about my relationship with Claire.”

“Or they decided to teach Rick a lesson for taking Samantha,” Eli suggested.

“That’s true, but they could’ve easily just kidnapped her and took her in Sam’s place,” I countered hating that it could have been possible.

“Good point,” he remarked.

“I have to meet with the arson investigators today. After that we can meet,” I said.

“Sounds like a plan. What time do you want to meet?”

“I’d say about two,” I said.

“Okay, that works for me,” Cole answered.

I hung up with him as soon as I pulled up to the apartment. When I got to my door, I noticed it was unlocked and slightly ajar. I unholstered my gun and slowly crept into the quite apartment. Everything was torn upside down. It looked like someone who came here was really pissed off and looking for something. I moved from room to room quietly, avoiding all the debris. If I didn’t know better it looked like Sam was having a lazy, crabby day.

I tiptoed around, and I realized whoever was here had already left. I reholstered my weapon and called Eli back.

“You might have been right,” I said as Cole answered the phone.

“Why? What happened?” he asked fearfully.

“My apartment was broken into and ransacked. They were looking for something. I think they were looking for her or a way to find her.”

“Well, get the hell out of there and get down here,” he replied frantically. I closed the door, but since the lock was broken I needed to get moving. I put a chair there to keep it closed for the time being.

“I will, but I have to call Claire. I need to make sure she’s okay.”

“Good. This is getting crazy. I have a feeling it’s one of the buyers from the Middle East. They were seen entering the airport in Greece, but we lost their whereabouts,” Eli said.

“We’ll see.”

I hung up and searched for my clothes. I just grabbed a clean shirt and walked into the bathroom. I didn’t shower, but I grabbed a cloth and washed up. I was going to shower at the O’Connell’s. I didn’t think it was safe enough here for that.

After I rinsed my face, I called the O’Connell residence, “May I speak with Mr. O’Connell, please.” The housekeeper asked me to wait while she called him to the phone.

“O’Connell, here,” Richard answered.

“This is Travis. How is she?”

“She’s been upset since you left.”

“For real?” I was shocked that she fell apart. She didn’t look like she was going to break when I left.

“Yes. The tears haven’t stopped.” He didn’t sound too happy with me at the moment like it was my fault.

“Damn it. I just found out that I probably won’t be coming back to the house until really late. We’ve got a serious problem…the Lakes were killed today.”

“No…shit. Does Samantha know?”

“No, not yet. I was going to call her later, but now I’ve got a bigger problem. Someone broke into our place here.”

Richard decided to take a load off my shoulders and said, “I’m going to call Rick myself and tell him so he could break it to her. I think it needs to come from him.”

“Me, too. He’s there to comfort her.”

“What if they come back to the apartment, and you’re still there?” he asked with concern.

“Hopefully, I can get a team in here to sweep it before they do.”

“You get the fuck out of there before they come back. Claire hasn’t stopped crying, and she knows you’re coming back. Don’t let anything happen to yourself or I’ll kill you,” Richard threatened.

“I’m leaving right now,” I said with a chuckle. I hung up the phone just as I grabbed my gym bag and filled it with clothes. Once it was in my hands, I had a strange feeling so I looked out the window and noticed there was a black van on the corner with a clear view of the apartment. That is when I saw movement from the van. The side door slid open and a masked man had a grenade launcher on his shoulder aimed right at me.
Shit.
I ran out the door just as I heard the shattered glass followed by a loud explosion at my back.

I was lying flat on my stomach just outside the apartment door. I felt the wind get knocked out of me when I hit the ground, but I still managed to grab my phone and make the call.

I groaned into the phone. “A bomb has just gone off in my apartment, I need all available vehicles here. They used a grenade launcher.” I paused as I tried to get up. I was hurting bad. “Shit. I don’t know if I should rush…everyone…out…” I choked out as I started to inhale the smoke. I heard screeching tires for the second time today.

“Are you hurt?”

“I just got the wind knocked out of me and feeling a little dizzy, but other than that I’m good,” I groaned.

“They’re on their way to you. Get somewhere safe.” I clicked my phone off as I tried to get out of the building. There was only two other apartments in the building, but I managed to notice that they ran outside ahead of me. I could hear the squad cars in the distance, or so I thought, I had a buzzing in my ears.

I turned back to my apartment and felt like I was suffering from déjà vu.

The cops were there and so was the same damn fire chief as yesterday. As he and the medics came up to me, he said, “Mr. Williams, there is something you’re not telling me.”

I nearly growled at the damn man. I had a rough day and wasn’t into the whole interrogation that I knew was coming.

“There’s a lot I’m not telling you, but I will say this is getting to become a serious problem. I have a ringing in my ears, so let’s save the talking for a few minutes.”

“They’re going to take you to the hospital to be looked over. Then we can talk,” the fire chief said.

“No. I’ll just go down to the station with you. I don’t need a hospital,” I replied with all the irritation I was feeling.

“At least let the medics take a look.” His ass actually sounded concerned, but then again, it could be because my hearing was off.

“Fine, but keep your eyes open. If anyone looks suspicious you better duck and run,” I said seriously.

“I will.”

They looked me over, and it was clear that I suffered a concussion and some minor bruising. To me it was nothing Claire couldn’t fix. I just wanted this to go away. They wanted me to go in, but I refused. I didn’t expect this to come to a head like this, but until this was over I needed to keep my woman safe.

I was taken in a squad car to the police station. My head was throbbing like a bitch. All I wanted at the moment was to get some sleep, but I knew it wasn’t going to come for a while.

The fire chief said, “Mr. Williams, please follow us in here.” We walked into an interrogation room with two damn detectives. One was green and eager and an older cop who was looking to prove something. My head was fuzzy, and I wasn’t feeling up to dealing with these asses. Going to the hospital was sounding like a better idea by the moment. I should have taken up the offer when I had the chance.

The older cop started the questioning. “I’m Detective Anderson. So Mr. Brady Williams, do you want to tell me why is it that in a matter of a few hours you’ve been involved in two explosions?”

“No. I don’t,” I responded. 

“That’s not the right way to start off, Mr. Williams. If you play ball things will go smoother for you,” he snarled.

“There is nothing I can tell you that I haven’t already,” I said. I was getting a little pissed with their damn tactics. “It seems someone doesn’t like me and instead of treating me like a victim, you’re acting as though I’m a criminal.”

“Stop acting suspicious, and we won’t be treating you like a perp,” the young one hissed.

I just laughed. Someone was just trying to land a good collar.

“You think this is funny?” growled the rookie cop.

“No. I think all of you are. I was just reminded of a scene in The Usual Suspects. It’s a scene where the cops keep trying to get questions answered, but are too damn cocky to get them,” I mumbled and laughed to myself as I thought about the character,
Fenster
his “flip ya” line. I could never remember the actual line, but it always made me laugh.

“You’ve got a smart mouth. No wonder someone’s trying to blow you up,” the older detective snarled.

Just then the door opened and in walked my buddy and brother-in-law, Detective Cole.

“Cole, we’re in the middle of an interrogation,” the rookie Kline said.

“No, you’re not. This is Federal Agent Travis Williams, and you’re lucky if he doesn’t have you’re badges for this.” He helped me stand which I didn’t realized I needed until he had a hand on my bicep.

“Man, you look like shit, Travis. Let’s go, so I can get you back to your woman.”

“Don’t let her know about me yet,” I mumbled as I passed out.

“Daddy, there’s something you’re not telling me,” I accused. I hadn’t heard from Travis all day, and I was starting to worry. I’d been a mess. I didn’t understand the power he held over me until he wasn’t around. I thought it was just his sex appeal that had me lusting hard or the fact that he saved me, but it was more than that. I felt ill, thinking the worst had happened. I didn’t have his number so I couldn’t call him, and my father refused to let me call Rick so I could get it.

“Pumpkin, he called earlier, but there was more stuff going on than he was aware of. I just got off the phone with Rick. It seems that Sam’s parents were killed. Since he’s working the case he needed to handle it.”

“But he could have at least checked in by now. I’m sure there’s something wrong,” I whined. I felt it, something was seriously wrong.

It was then that the house phone rang. I picked it up before they could reach it. “Hello?”

“Hello, my pixie, how are you?” He sounded funny, almost drunk.

“What’s going on? Where are you?” I asked anxiously.

“I’m still working?” he said in question form, like he wasn’t sure. Something was going on, and I didn’t like it.

“Travis, do you need anything, Hun?”
I heard a woman’s sultry voice ask
sweetly with the sound of a television playing in the background
.             

“Oh, yeah, working my ass. No wonder you couldn’t call me all day. Do me a favor and stay away with whatever broad you’re with.” I slammed down the phone. I couldn’t believe it. Was it because I didn’t want to give it up, he went somewhere else, or maybe he already had someone else to begin with.

“He’s with some woman,” I whimpered as I fled the room.

I heard the phone ring, but I didn’t care if it was him or not. I wasn’t going to be anyone’s fool. I lost so much already. I was in my old bedroom, trying to fight my tears, when my parents walked into my room without knocking.

“What the hell? No privacy,” I hissed.

My dad wasn’t going to let me get away with being upset and pissed. “Sweetheart, you’re jumping the gun here. He called and he’s with a woman, but she also happens to be his sister.”

“Sister?” I asked hopefully.

“Yes, he’s with Detective Eli Cole. Eli married his younger sister seven years ago, and she’s just trying to take care of him. He’s working a bit longer, then he’s coming back tomorrow,” my mom said with her gentle smile.

“He’s probably lying,” I retorted.

My dad looked at me like I was being silly and asked, “Why?”

“Because he waited all day to call,” I raged.

“Claire, sweetheart, the man’s had a really bad day, and you’ll see when he gets here tomorrow.”

“Why is he waiting until tomorrow? Why wouldn’t he just tell me himself?” I ruminated.

“Because he’s working on a serious issue, besides you hung up on him,” he answered angrily.

I started to whine like a child. “But he told me he was working?”

My parents were getting frustrated with me. My mom answered, “Claire, he works with Cole. Plus, Cole is helping with your salon fire.”

I felt foolish. I wasn’t the usual naïve, silly girl that this man was turning me into. I’d never been one to question a man’s reasons for not seeing or calling me on time. Not that Travis gave me a time, but after all that happened I thought he would call to check on me. Needy, that’s the word I was thinking of. He was making me needy. I growled to myself.

I was so drained. I just wanted to sleep. “Mom, Dad, can I be alone?”

“Sweetie, we’ve all been down the road you’re going through. New relationships are never easy. Just remember communication is key, even if it’s a vase to his head,” she snorted as she looked to my father and then back to me.

“No, you did not,” I said as I looked at my mom. She couldn’t have done that; she was too mature to throw something at my dad.

My dad confirmed it. “You’re mother wasn’t always in love with me. I had to convince her.”

“You’re so full of shit. I wanted you from the start, you were just a bossy ass.”

“Come, woman. Let’s leave our girl to her thoughts.” My father turned to me and said, “Don’t throw anything at him, tomorrow. Trust me, he has his reasons.”

“Fine. I promise I won’t,” I said.

They left me to my thoughts, which were all about him. I had a million and one issues to deal with, and I couldn’t focus on any of them. I’d lost everything, but I was too busy being jealous to care.

It was the following morning when I started getting ready, my worry had changed to anger. I still hadn’t heard from Travis, and I was really pissed. It’s no wonder he didn’t do so well in relationships. I just finished my shower and got dressed when someone barged through my door again. I stayed in my room all night with everyone entering the room to see how I was doing. I was about to tell the person to go away, but this time it was him. I stopped in the middle of braiding my hair.

Standing in front of the door he just slammed shut, he looked at me angrily and growled, “Claire, don’t ever hang up on me again.”

I didn’t know what to say as I stared at a banged-up Travis. He walked up to me the angry look from his face fading.

“Get up,” he ordered in a husky tone that brooked no opposition, not that I really wanted to please him at the moment, but I got up.

I stood up next to my vanity only to be taken in his arms and kissed senseless. He pulled away and looked at me seriously for a moment before letting what was on his chest loose.

“I’m going to be honest with you. This thing between you and me is more than some boyfriend/girlfriend kind of shit. Why? Because I’m not a boy and because I want you to be with you more than you can imagine. We’ll be getting married as soon as I can get rid of these psychos, and you get the arrangements together. I don’t want to hear any issues about it being too soon because after the past two days, I’ve learned that life is too fucking short to wait for what you want.”

I wasn’t ready to let him control me. I wasn’t a pushover. After my fit yesterday, I wanted to show that I didn’t need him. “What makes you think I want to marry you?”

“What makes you think you have a choice?” he retorted.

“I promised my dad that I wouldn’t throw anything at you. Don’t make me a liar,” I grumbled, giving him a dare me glare.

“Now, why is it that you wanted to throw something at my head? Could it be because you missed me, and you were jealous? As it happens, I know it’s so. Whether you feel more than jealousy I can’t say, but all I know is that you’re mine, and your ass is going to stay that way until I take my last breath.”

“If you didn’t look like you’d been through a war zone, I’d let you have it. But since you look and smell like you’ve been charred, I’ll let this nonsense you’re spewing slide for today,” I responded, still trying to hold my own.

“It isn’t nonsense, my pixie,” he drawled.

I mentally shook off my instant desire from his voice and got to why he looked like a slice of burned bacon. “Whatever. Just tell me why you look worse than you did when you left.”

“Did your father tell you that I called yesterday?” Travis asked.

“Yes, he did.”

“I wanted to talk to you, but I had to get off the phone right away.”

“What happened?” He looked at me like he’d rather not say, but I wasn’t going to let up, and he needed to learn that about me. I didn’t get to the success I managed at my young age without perseverance. “Don’t even think for one moment I’m going to let you get away with not telling something.”

Rubbing his hands through his hair, he took a deep breath then added, “I think the fire to the shop could have been related to Samantha’s case.”

“What?!” I was confused and a bit pissed.

“I’m not sure, yet, but since I left here I found out that my apartment was ransacked, Sam’s parents were murdered. Then as I was getting cleaned up my apartment was blown up with a grenade. I’m sorry, but maybe they saw me with you or Rick with Sam.”

“They blew up your apartment? With you in it?” I yelped.

“Yes,” he sighed.

“Oh, no,” I cried out. I knew there was something wrong. It wasn’t another woman, but rather, someone trying to kill him. I was visibly shaken.

He took me in his arms and held me tight. “Babe, it’s okay. I’m here. I’m a little sore, but otherwise, I feel fine.”11

“Do you need anything? Is there anything I can do?”

He smiled wickedly at me before, he added, “Baby, I could think of several things I need from you…but not today. I know it’s early, but I just want to sleep.”

“So you’re going to the guest room?” I asked hesitantly.

“Nope, you and I are sleeping here. I already told your father I wasn’t letting you out of my sight and it looks like you had a restless night as well.”

I ignored that he said I looked tired and changed the subject. “Is your sister here?”

“Not yet. Melanie and her husband will be here along with their three children tomorrow morning. After all that happened Eli and I thought they would be safer here. Besides your father’s security staff we have extra cops patrolling the area. Let me go shower then we’ll go to bed. I just need a nap before we go downstairs for dinner.”

He took a shower and I smile knowing he was naked in the shower. I wanted to go in there and join him, but I wasn’t experienced enough to do that. Once he came out in a towel. He grabbed the bag that I didn’t even notice was by the door and pulled out a pair of boxers. I didn’t look, not because I didn’t want to see cock, but because I really wanted to see it. He just smiled as he climbed into bed and wrapped himself around me. “I missed you, my pixie.”