Cat 'N Mouse (26 page)

Uninhibitedly she traced her tongue along his jaw, leading a seductive path to his lips, where she offered her mouth to him as food unto the gods. She teased his bottom lip, again, biting ever so gently, then slipping her tongue into his mouth and she heard him mumble something to the effect of, mercy, and she continued her assault on his senses.

Her hair was all over the place in one tangled mess on his chest as he combed his hand through pushing it back from her face. He watched her as her head moved further down, working the magic of her tongue and he let her, allowing her to do whatever she wished. He was everything she had ever wanted. Strong, yet gentle with every touch, kind and giving, giving of himself.

She wasn’t at all experienced as far as men were concerned. A lot of men had passed through her life, but only Damien and Sam had ended up in her bed. When she told him this, he smiled, encouraging her. He whispered in her ear telling her what he liked, telling her what he wanted more of and she was ready to please, showing him what an exceptional student she was.

Burying everything in the back of her mind, the stalker, Robyn laying on the pavement, her father, she focused on Sam, letting it all fade away. This had to do with pleasure, his. Her tongue slowed its journey at the scar on his thigh; kissing, tasting and playfully biting, laughing when he shuddered.

Sorrow no longer burned in his eyes. It was all-consuming passion. Passion that burned for her. She watched his face when her mouth found its intended target, savoring its sweetness and he cried out her name. He pulled her up against him and kissed her before he settled her on him. She rode him as he held on to her waist, keeping them joined together. Nothing mattered but the soft moans and cries that filled the room. He held her and she came apart in his arms as her body shook with spasm after spasm, as a growl rumbled from his throat.

The music stopped and their breath mingled in the aftermath of their lovemaking. He was quiet, then shifted and she thought he was getting up, leaving her.

“Are you okay?” she asked, somewhere close to dreamland as her arm tightened around his waist. She didn’t want him to leave, wanting to hold on to the closeness they’d just shared. She was being clingy, but she couldn’t take it if he walked away from her. He was too quiet and uncertainty crept in her voice. “Sam?”

“I’m not going any where.”

•  •  •

“You close to a computer?” Jamie asked when Sam answered his cellphone on the nightstand.

“Gimmie a minute.” He got out of bed and Alexandria rolled over to the spot he’d just vacated. She liked contact when she slept, whether it was fingers laced together or legs entwined. He didn’t mind at all.

Her hair was a mass of black curls splayed across the white pillow. Her lips were slightly swollen and a smile tugged at the corner. He was in love with her and wasn’t sure when it happened. It just had. When she kicked off the covers, he wanted to crawl back into the bed. Business first, he told himself and shrugged into the robe that had found its way to the floor.

Grabbing Alexandria’s laptop on the desk in the bedroom, he moved out to the private balcony. The heat hit him when he opened the double doors off the living room and closed it behind him.

“Sam, ya there?”

“Yeah,” Sam said, placing the computer on the patio table, turning it on and waiting for it to boot up. It was going to be another hot day.

“I just sent you an email.”

Yawning, he signed into his email account. “Got it.”

“It’s a big file. I zipped it. When you unzip it you should have thirteen documents.”

“Got it.”

Sam rubbed his right shoulder as he scrolled through the files. He looked to see the source of the irritation and nearly fell off the chair. Teeth marks? She had bitten him. He was in awe. She had actually bitten him.

“Start with the police report. Oh, by the way, do you know someone by the name of Matt Landrin?”

“Ahh, yeah,” Sam said dragging his eyes from the teeth marks and focused on the computer. “I’m staying at his place.” There was a tone in Jamie’s voice that made him sit up straight. “Why?”

“He also requested a copy of the police report on Prescott’s dead wife a few years back. There’s a note on the file to notify him if anyone else requests the file.”

Matt must have a lot of clout to be attaching himself to case files. It occurred to Sam that he didn’t really know Matt anymore. What else was he capable of?

“How did you find out about Matt?”

“Friends in high places. I picked up a tail coming into work this morning. Can’t say for sure if it was because of this. I left him in a ditch though.”

Sam laughed, wondering who in their right mind would want to follow Jamie. Obviously someone who didn’t know what he was capable of.

“Watch your back,” Jamie said.

“Will do.”

Sam hung up with Jamie, setting the computer on his lap to go through the information on Warren Prescott. He didn’t want to jump to any conclusion until he’d been through all the documents. He opened the one with the police report. It was a PDF attachment and he had to select the 150-font size to read the report without squinting.

Sienna Prescott’s death was ruled accidental. The autopsy report showed the cause of death was a broken neck as a result of the fall over the banister. The toxicology report showed there was enough prescription drugs in her system, coupled with the alcohol were enough to put down an elephant. Therefore, it was concluded that she stumbled over the banister on her way up the stairs.

Alexandria and Sienna were the only ones at home. Although the report did indicated that Alexandria had mentioned that a man was in the house, but the police couldn’t be sure when they questioned her later. Was it her father? She didn’t know. The report said he was out of town. Yet it wasn’t confirmed. Where was Mimi? Or Colt. Sam looked up from the report, rubbing his eyes.

The officer on scene was a Jon Landrin, Matt’s father, and that stopped Sam cold. He had never met Matt’s father. All he knew was that Matt’s parents were divorced and his father lived in Florida. It could be a coincidence, Sam told himself, except he didn’t believe in them.

Prescott was impressive. A self-made millionaire who came up from the streets, a pioneer in his field of mergers and acquisitions they called him. Some pioneer…he bought struggling companies and ripped them apart, throwing people out of work.

Sam came across an article about Sienna and her then impending marriage to Prescott. The next article talked about her divorce from her first husband, which was only finalized days earlier, before her marriage to Prescott.

Prescott saw Sienna and wanted her. He pursued her even though she belonged to someone else. They had an affair while she was still married to her husband and became pregnant with Alexandria. The whole thing was a made for TV movie and the press ate it up. There were pictures of them everywhere, right along with Sienna’s jilted husband.

The more Sam read, the more his dislike for Prescott grew. He switched over to the police report again as he reached for the phone and dialed Matt’s number.

“Prescott killed his wife, didn’t he?” Sam said when Matt answered the phone.

“What are you talking about?” He heard the sleep in Matt’s voice, but an edge was definitely present as well.

“You really want to play the ‘what are you talking about’ game with me?”

Silence.

“Let me break it down for you. Prescott was in the house the night his wife died.”

“We don’t know that.”

“But your father did. He was the first officer on the scene. Did your father cover it up? How much money did Prescott give him?”

“How’s that different from what you did in the Monica Beck’s case?”

Sam had not expected that from Matt with all they’d been through. Yeah, he had screwed up, but he didn’t need to have it thrown back in his face.

“You kept your mouth shut and tried to pin a murder rap on her husband.”

“I never tried to pin a murder rap on anyone. The evidence pointed to him at the time. As for your accusation of money, I’ve never taken a dime from anyone. I took care of my business, remember? Let’s stick to the topic. I’m talking about Prescott and his wife.

“She was pumped up on pills and booze the night she fell. Her death was ruled an accident. As a matter of fact it was going to be suicide, but Prescott didn’t want it that way.”

“How convenient.”

“What do you want, O’Malley.”

“Alexandria saw him push her. I’m sure of it.”

“She was a confused child,” Matt said.

“Is that what your father told you? Is that how you justified working for Prescott?”

“My father was not involved in anything. He died a decorated cop. I won’t tarnish his name.”

“You have to tell Alexandria.”

Last night was the first night she’d actually slept through the night since he moved into her condo. Most nights he would hear her in her room or see the night-light under her door.

“There’s nothing to tell. It’s ancient history.”

“The guy that’s stalking her has triggered the memory she had suppressed from that night of her mother’s murder. She can’t see the killer’s face but it’s only a matter of time.” Then something else occurred to Sam. “Prescott knows it’s only a matter of time before she remembers. He’s trying to frighten her into moving back to the estate. I guess if she’s at the estate then she won’t remember.”

His analysis was greeted by stone silence, but he didn’t care. That night a frightened little girl saw her mother die right in front of her and everyone wanted it covered up. She needed closure and he was going to give it to her. Why? Because someone had to.

“If your father wasn’t involved, why did you have the case file flagged?”

Sam turned when he heard the balcony door open. Alexandria stood at the door in one of his black T-shirts catching her at mid-thigh. Her hair fell in tangles around her. She was beautiful, soft, sexy and she bites. Most men would have to buy an adult magazine to see a picture like this first thing in the morning.

“Sam?”

•  •  •

Alexandria stepped out on the balcony feeling the hot summer breeze against her bare legs. She’d pulled on Sam’s T-shirt wanting to feel him close then decided to go and find him. She thought perhaps he had left the bed because he had regretted what had happened between them just like the last time.

Bracing herself for the rejection when she spotted him, she stepped out on the balcony planting a smile on her face. Relief washed over her when she found him working and he looked up at her with a welcoming smile.

“We’ll talk later,” he said to the person on the phone ending the call.

“Who was that?”

“Matt calling to see how you’re doing.”

“You’re up early.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and he put the computer on the table closing the screen. Pulling her down across his lap, his soft lips caressed hers. She wasn’t sure what mood he would be in this morning, but there were no regrets in the air. A smile spread across her face.

“I want to show you something to see if you can identify it.”

She groaned. “You promised you wouldn’t talk about the stalker until we left the hotel.”

“No, it’s not about that.” Sam pushed the robe off his left shoulder and her mouth dropped opened. The color rose up in her cheeks.

“Is that what I think it is? I didn’t. Did I?” She buried her head between his shoulder and neck.

“Well, I didn’t bite myself. Although,” he turned her face toward him. “I’ve never been bitten before. At least not by the female species anyway.” He kissed her. “It’s kind of sexy.”

“If it’s any consolation, I’ve never bitten anyone before.”

“The way I see it, you’re racking up all sorts of violations and it’s not even seven o’clock.”

“What other crimes have I committed besides assault with a deadly bite, Detective O’Malley?”

“Stealing. It’s a crime.” Sam tugged at the T-shirt and said in between kisses, “I may have to arrest you, but first I have to search you to ensure you’re not carrying any concealed weapon.”

“I can assure you, I’m not concealing anything,” Alexandria said against his lips. She pulled back, looking into his eyes. They were playful, no tension. She had never seen this side of him before. He was always so serious. She’d glimpsed it, but this morning he was like an open book with his emotions.

“I don’t believe you.” Sam kissed her neck and she giggled. His hand crept up under the T-shirt feeling hot against her skin.

“I’m not wearing anything underneath it.” She pulled away, giving him full access to the T-shirt. “See for yourself.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “I will if you don’t mind.” He tugged at the hem of the shirt and she lifted her arms as he pulled the garment over her head. Shaking her hair free, she met his gaze, feeling the warm wind against her bare skin.

Sam became serious and she wondered if it was regret in those beautiful dark eyes. Then he smiled, a slow sexy smile, showing perfect white teeth.

No regrets.

“Come on,” Sam picked her up, throwing her playfully over his shoulder. She squealed with laughter kicking her legs in the air hanging on to him, her arms wrapped around his waist.

“So this is how cavemen carried their women?” She giggled.

“We still have four hours before check out. I can also show you how cavemen make love to their women.

T
hree hours later as Alexandria packed, she thought about Robyn. When she’d called the hospital to check on Robyn, Dennis had told her she was asleep and hung up. Dennis said he would tell Robyn she called, but she didn’t believe him. With everything that had happened, she knew she would lose her friendship with Robyn.

What about Robyn’s Nest? If Dennis had his way, and he might, she wouldn’t set foot back into the building again. She would lose Robyn, the Foundation and Sam. Once Sam caught the stalker, he would leave.

It didn’t matter which way she looked at it. She would suffer a loss, the story of her life. The poor little rich girl was once again feeling sorry for herself, she thought with bitterness.