Dead Man Living (7 page)

* * * *

After his second plate of biscuits and gravy, Joe sat back in his chair and rubbed his stomach. “Thank you. That was some of the best I’ve ever tasted. Brian’s gonna be sorry he slept through it.”

Beth grinned at him. She could tell by his hearty appetite that he’d enjoyed it. She rose from the table and picked up her plate before reaching for Joe’s.

“No. This is my house. You cooked, I’ll clean up,” he said with a hand on her arm.

Beth stilled. What? A man was going to help with the dishes? She wondered whether it was something he only did in the beginning of a relationship, or if he would always offer.

She slowly sat back down and watched as he started clearing the table. It was a strange sight for her. The men in her family had never helped with household chores. And Kenny? Forget it.

As she watched him rinse the dishes in the sink, she couldn’t help but notice his amazing butt. Yeah, she was a butt girl all the way. Well, butts and heavily veined forearms, which Joe had in spades.

Suddenly, she watched Joe’s head jerk back as his eyes closed. Beth jumped out of her chair and went to help him. She knew it was either some sort of seizure or he was having another vision.

“Joe,” she whispered. She didn’t know what to do. What was the protocol when someone was in the midst of a trance-like state? “Joe?”

He began flailing his arms, as he started to fall to the floor. Beth wrapped her arms around him and tried to keep him from hurting himself. His weight was no match for hers and they both went down in a tangle of arms and legs.

“Brian!” she yelled.

As soon as they hit the floor, Joe’s arms wrapped around her and he buried his face in her hair. “No, no,” he said repeatedly.

“What’s going…? Ah, fuck. Another one?” Brian dropped to the floor, wearing nothing but his underwear.

“Different,” Joe panted. “I have to get Beth away from here.”

“Why? Where did this one happen?” Beth asked, brushing Joe’s hair away from his forehead.

“Here, but I don’t know when. How can I protect you when I don’t know when he’s coming?”

Joe pulled Beth closer. Despite sitting on the hard floor, Beth felt safe like this. “I guess that means Billy’s not giving up.”

“No, I don’t think he will until he’s caught. Do you know of someplace safe I can take you?”

“Yeah, right here. I can’t think of anywhere to go that wouldn’t put other people in danger.”

“Sorry, but that’s not an option.” Joe sat up when Brian came back with a glass of water.

Oh, maybe she had Joe’s intentions all wrong. Crestfallen, she answered, “I could always just go back to my apartment. I’m sure the police would keep a look-out.”

Joe looked at her like she was crazy. “I think you must’ve misunderstood. I mean we can’t stay here. Well, I could, but I won’t take the chance of leaving you alone with Billy still out there.”

“How’s he gonna do it? What did you see?” Brian asked.

“Fire,” Joe answered.

Chapter Eight

Joe stared at Beth. “I can keep Billy away from you, but I can’t stop a fire.”

Beth closed her eyes, still feeling his comforting arm around her. She knew if she stayed, Joe would not only lose his home, but possibly his life. “If we leave, you’ll have another vision, won’t you?”

Joe didn’t answer for several seconds. “Yeah, probably.”

This had to stop. She knew from working with Lavette how crazy Billy was. She’d learned from Joe how her friend had been murdered. It all made sense, in a sick and twisted way. The reason Lavette had finally left her husband was because he’d put her in the hospital and the staff had called Beth. She’d begged the woman to take out a restraining order on her husband and move to the shelter where she’d be safe, and Lavette had trusted her.
Shit.
She couldn’t handle someone else getting hurt.

Brian sat on the floor behind Joe and made room for him between his spread legs. He eased Joe back to rest against him and gently stroked Joe’s chest with his palm. “So if the fire was here and we leave, the vision won’t come to fruition?”

Joe let out a frustrated growl and stood, leaving Beth and Brian on the floor. “I don’t know anymore. Every time I think I have a handle on the visions, they change.”

“Maybe that’s because we’re reacting to them instead of using them,” Beth offered.

“What’re you thinking?” Joe asked.

“It’s time to play your visions to our advantage,” Beth proclaimed.

“How’re we going to do that?” Joe asked.

“First of all, I can’t think of a worse way to die than fire, so we get the hell out of here. I hope that by tomorrow, Billy will realise we’re not here anymore and your house will be safe. Once you get your next vision, we use it by setting a trap for Billy.”

Joe reached for Beth’s hand. “It’s a good idea, but even if I get another vision with an exact location, there’s no way I’m using you as bait.”

“What choice do you have?” Beth asked.

“We’ll figure something out using either me or Brian.” 

“Do you think he’d be fooled? If it doesn’t work, we’re right back to square one. Better to just let me do it,” Beth protested.

“No,” Brian declared. “That’s not an option. Hell, I’ll put a dress on and pretend to be you if I have to.”

Beth glanced from Brian to Joe and tried not to laugh. She knew Brian was trying to lighten the moment, so she decided to play along. “I don’t think I have anything in your size,” she said with a straight face.

“That’s okay, I’ve got something in my closet that I’ve saved for a special occasion,” Brian replied, pursing his lips.

“We’ll find someone with better legs. I’ll make sure of it.” Joe held out his hands to help Beth and Brian up. “Come on. Let’s go check into a hotel.”

* * * *

As Joe drove down the boulevard, he checked his rear-view mirror to make sure Brian was behind him.

“Something wrong?” Beth asked.

“I don’t know. I can’t shake the feeling that we’re being followed,” Joe told her.

“Brian’s back there.”

“That’s not what I mean. Do me a favour and call him. Tell him to check his tail.” Joe tightened his grip on the steering wheel. The skin covering his skull felt like it was starting to shrink. Fuck.

“Joe wants you to make sure we’re not being followed,” Beth told Brian.

“Tell him it’s getting ready to happen again,” Joe blurted out. “I have to pull over.”

Beth put the phone on speaker. “Did you hear that?”

“Yeah,” Brian answered. “Pull into the gas station on the right.”

Joe grabbed a handful of his hair and gave it a strong yank in an effort to help him stay in the moment. “It’s too soon. No way can he already have another plan,” he panted.

Beth dropped the phone and scooted across the seat. She took over the steering wheel. “Put on the break, Joe.”

Everything faded to the background as the flashing images took over his field of vision. Joe slammed on the brake and released the wheel, letting Beth take over.
Billy. Rage. Oh, Christ, there was so much anger. The women’s shelter. Beth in a suit, walking into the building. An office. Billy with a gun.
“No!” Joe screamed.

“It’s okay,” Beth soothed, wrapping her arms around him.

Joe fell forward, striking his forehead on the steering wheel.

The truck door opened and Brian was right there. “Joe.” He rubbed Joe’s back. “Come on, snap out of it.”

Joe turned his head and stared at Brian. “He won’t stop. Killing Beth is all he thinks about.” He went on to tell Brian and Beth about his vision.

“Okay,” Brian finally said. “So let’s use it.”

* * * *

While Beth took a shower, Joe undressed and stretched out on the king size bed. Not bad for a hotel, he thought, plumping up pillows and putting them behind his head. He reached for his phone and called Brian. “Hey.”

“How’re you feeling?” Brian asked.

“Drained, but I’m stretched out on the bed, and Beth’s taking a shower, so I guess I could be worse. What about you? Did you talk to Cap?”

“Sure did. He said he’d give us a few guys to help with the plan, and I talked to Detective Montgomery, and she’s psyched to help us catch this bastard.” Brian cleared his throat. “Okay, business out of the way. I can’t stop thinking about last night.”

Joe thought of the erotic shower they’d taken together that had led to their first fuck. It had been everything he’d fantasised it would be. “I’m hoping there’ll be many more of those in our future. Which reminds me, Beth wants the three of us to go out on an actual date as soon as Billy’s behind bars.”

“I’d like that,” Brian agreed.

“I just want you to know that I never want to hurt either of you.”

“It’s cool, Joe. I learned the hard way that love comes when you least expect it, and there’s not much you can do but follow your heart. I like Beth, I really do. She complements everything good in you.”

“So do you,” Joe added. His feelings for Brian ran deep and solid, but Brian was right, he hadn’t expected to fall so hard, so fast, for Beth. Now that he had, he couldn’t imagine life without her calm smile, gentle touch and positive outlook. “There’s something you don’t know about Beth. I thought I’d wait for her to tell you, but I think you should know going into this. Her husband abused her for several years before he was killed in a car wreck.”

“That’s why she’s so passionate about getting other women away from their abusers,” Brian seemed to surmise.

“Yeah, and that’s what has her in Billy’s crosshairs at the moment. The thing is there are no promises that another ex-husband or boyfriend won’t do the same thing somewhere down the line. One thing I know for sure is her job is extremely important to her.”

“Good thing she’ll have the two of us watching her back.”

Joe smiled at Brian’s response. “Exactly.”

“By the way, I think Cap’s missing you, too. He still doesn’t understand these visions of yours, but every time I call in, he asks about you.”

“No way. Cap always sounds uncomfortable when I call.”

“That’s because you never call with good news. How would you react?”

Joe thought of the times he’d called the station. Each conversation had been about a murder that had either taken place or one that was about to happen. “Yeah, I guess I can see that.”

“Okay, I’m gonna get off here and find me something to eat. I’ll be over at nine tomorrow.”

“You could come over now if you wanted,” Joe reminded Brian.

“I know, but I’m not quite ready for that next step with Beth. She cared enough about you to let me have you with me last night, so I’m returning the favour.” Brian chuckled. “It’s okay. You can do without me for one night.”

“Sure, I can, but that doesn’t mean I want to.” Joe grinned. Despite the crazy shit with Billy, he was truly happy for the first time in a long time. “See you in the morning.” Joe was about to hang up when Brian spoke again.

“I’ve missed you, Joe,” Brian said, his voice full of emotion.

“Yeah, same goes.” Joe hung up as the bed dipped.

“Brian?” Beth inquired.

“He’ll be here at nine in the morning. We figured we’d give Billy a little time before we bait the trap,” Joe said with a grin. He reached out and pulled Beth on top of him. Her naked skin felt warm and soft against his. “Mmm, a guy could get used to this.”

Beth licked a trail up his chest, across the heavy five o’clock shadow of his jaw to settle on his mouth. Opening for Beth’s questing tongue, Joe gave as good as he got.

A fire was lit between them and neither had any intentions of dousing the flames. When Beth began to move, her wet pussy rubbed against the head of his cock. A loud moan escaped him at the erotic caress.

She was definitely as ready as he was. Although he might’ve preferred to start slow and lick every inch of her body before their passion ignited, he knew he was beyond that point.

Reaching over, he grabbed the box of protection from the table and shook one out. When Beth broke the kiss and straddled his lap, Joe held up the small foil packet.

With a smile, Beth sat back on his upper thighs and watched while he sheathed himself. She began to lick her lips as he rolled the condom down his length.

Control was definitely not his friend at that point. “Ride me,” he growled.

Rising up, Beth took him in hand and slowly impaled herself on his erection. “Oh, so good, sweetheart.” He grasped her hips in his hands and helped her raise and lower herself in a steady rhythm.

He felt his chest tighten at the mere sight of this woman taking and giving pleasure. A flush rose up her creamy skin as her breathing increased.

“That’s it, give yourself to me,” he grunted, thrusting up to meet her downward motion. He released her hips and palmed her breasts, pinching her blush coloured nipples.

“Aahh,” she moaned as her head fell back. Joe felt her body tremble under his hands as she slipped over the edge into ecstasy.

When her body started to relax, Joe flipped them over and buried himself to the hilt.
She’s an angel looking up at me
, he thought as he started a more punishing rhythm. “Hang on, sweetheart.”

He knew at that moment he’d never find a more perfect scenario than Beth and Brian in his life, both loving him and being loved by him. He would swear to anyone who questioned him that his heart swelled twice the size at that moment. The feeling of completeness sent him into a mind-numbing climax.

Coming down, he propped himself on his elbows and took Beth’s mouth in a deep kiss. “I think I’m falling in love with you,” he whispered against her lips. “And I pray that you can find a place for Brian in your heart and in our bed.”

Her aura changed before his eyes. The wisps of red that had threaded through her aura were more prominent, twice as thick and at least three times as many. “Me too,” she said.

“I know.” He grinned. “I can see it all around you.”

Chapter Nine

Brian knocked at nine sharp. On Joe’s orders, Beth looked through the peephole before letting him in. “Hi,” she greeted, opening the door.