Hunter's Way (41 page)
“Do it now!”
“Okay… okay. Calm down, Grayson.” Tori lowered her weapon, hands outstretched. “Look, I’m putting it down. Don’t hurt her.”
“No, Tori. Don’t… please,” Sam whispered.
“Shut up!”
Grayson pulled Sam roughly against him, his eyes never leaving Tori as she bent and laid her weapon on the wooden floor.
He grinned, loosening his hold on Sam. “Stupid bitch.” He raised his gun, pointing it at Tori. “Say good-bye.”
Sam screamed at the sound of gunfire, then hit the floor as Grayson was knocked back against the wall, his hand going to his shoulder as blood seeped through his fingers. Tori dove for her gun, dropping it once as it slid from her sweaty hands. Adams fired again, his shot missing badly as he collapsed. Grayson raised his gun just as Tori found hers. She fired four times, each shot jerking Grayson’s body as he was slammed against the wall. His eyes finally went blank as he slid unceremoniously to the floor.
“Tori?”
“I’m okay. You?”
“Yeah.”
Tori stared, meeting her eyes, and nodded. She was shaking so badly, her weapon fell from her hands. Then Sam was there, warm hands stroking her face, arms pulling her close.
“I was afraid,” Tori whispered. “I was afraid he was going to hurt you.”
“I know. I know, sweetheart. It’s over.”
Tori closed her eyes for a second, chasing out old memories. When she opened them, Sam was still there, love and compassion looking back at her.
“Hell of a day,” Tori murmured.
“Yes. Hell of a day.” Sam squeezed her arm, thankful to finally hear cars approaching, doors slamming, feet running. “Backup.”
Tori nodded. “Adams?”
Sam shook her head. “No.”
Tori finally looked at Adams, his lifeless eyes staring past them. Then Sikes was there, bending to Adams, fingers held against his neck, searching for a pulse. He stood up slowly, his eyes finding Tori’s. Then he smiled.
“Just checking out a hunch, huh?”
Tori shrugged. “I hate it when I’m right.”
“Sure you do.”
Chapter Fifty
Sam lazily rolled her head, her eyes adjusting to the bright sunshine. She must have fallen asleep again. The rocking of the boat did that to her. She shielded her eyes, looking for Tori. What she saw stole her breath away. Tori was standing in only a sports bra and shorts, the sun nearly swallowing her as she casually tossed in her line then absently reeled it back again.
As if sensing her watching, Tori turned her head slowly, a smile slashing across her features.
“How was your nap?”
Sam sat up and stretched. “My third nap of the day was great, thanks.” She walked over, slipping her arms around Tori’s bare torso. “You’ve been doing this all day. Catch dinner yet?”
Tori laughed. “No. It’s too hot to catch anything. You’ll have to settle for burgers.”
Ah. The fishing was just therapy. Sam nodded, understanding. They had two days to themselves, two days to recover. Then, interviews scheduled with Internal Affairs. They weren’t worried. It was just a formality, Detective Travis had assured them. Just putting all the pieces in place so they could close the case. She didn’t want to think about it, but Charlotte Grayson’s face kept creeping into her mind. She’d looked so helpless, so frightened when they’d found her chained to the bed right next to three other bodies. Sam knew it would take years for Charlotte Grayson to recover, if she ever did.
The ringing of her cell phone interrupted her thoughts and she moved back to her lounge chair, lazily reached for the phone, frowning slightly when she saw caller ID. Robert. She thought of just letting it go to voice mail. It would be easier. But this had to end. She answered as businesslike as possible.
“Kennedy.”
“Samantha?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, Robert.” Her eyes flicked to Tori, noticing the slight straightening of her shoulders, but nothing else to indicate that she was listening. Sam smiled, knowing without a doubt that Tori hung on her every word.
“Are you okay? I heard there was a shooting.”
“Yes. But I’m fine.”
“I’ve been worried. You haven’t called. I was thinking maybe we could get dinner,” he said hopefully.
“Robert, no. I’m not going to have dinner with you.” She rubbed her eyes, slowly shaking her head.
“But Samantha, you-”
“Robert, listen to me. It’s over. Why can’t you accept that?”
“I love you. Why can’t you accept that?”
“Oh, Robert. I don’t want to hurt you. I really don’t.”
Shit.
“But… there’s someone else in my life. Someone that I’ve fallen in love with. I know you won’t understand, but you’ve got to accept this.”
“What are you saying?”
Sam glanced at Tori, meeting her eyes. “Tori… Tori and I have… well… we’ve…”
“Tori? Your partner? You’re not… oh my God.”
“Yes.”
“Samantha, please, you can’t be serious. She’s a fucking dyke, for God’s sake!”
“I’m in love with her, Robert. I’m sorry. I know you don’t understand this. But she’s what I want. She’s who I want to spend the rest of my life with.”
“I can’t believe this! What the hell happened?”
“Robert, it wasn’t good with us and you know it. I didn’t know why, not until I met Tori. I’ve been living a lie for so long. I won’t live like that any longer. I know who I am and who I love,” she said quietly, her eyes never leaving Tori’s. “You’ve got to let this go, Robert.”
“You expect me to believe that you’re… a fucking dyke?”
Sam bristled. “You know what? I don’t really care what you believe. Let it go, Robert. It’s over.”
“But… no, I don’t believe that. Samantha, please, come to your senses. What has she done to you? You can’t possibly-”
Sam tilted her head, then pulled the phone away from her ear, staring at it as his monologue continued. Without warning, she leaned back, tossing the phone overboard, listening with pleasure at the splash it created in the lake.
Tori lifted an eyebrow, then turned back to her fishing, tossing the line into the lake once again.
Sam nearly laughed at Tori’s indifference. No doubt Tori had been listening to all she said. She got up, walking slowly to Tori, slipping her arms around her from behind. She kissed Tori’s back, squeezing gently. Right now, she didn’t want to think about Robert… or the case. It was their time. Right now, she just wanted to think about them.
Tori turned in her arms, bringing Sam close, burying her head at Sam’s neck. Sam sighed, loving the sensations that washed over her each and every time Tori touched her. She felt the familiar stir-rings of desire, desire that ignited with just the lightest of touches.
Tori squeezed her eyes shut, wondering again, for the hundredth time, what she’d done to deserve this. This beautiful woman loved her, cared about her. This woman, who brought so much joy into her life-really, really loved her.
“Sam?”
“Hmm?”
“Can we make love?” Tori whispered. “I… I need that right now.”
Sam shivered, Tori’s breath tickling her ear. She pulled back, gently placing her lips against Tori’s. The woman had been so quiet, ever since the shooting at Belle’s. She knew that Adams’s death affected Tori more than she let on. She was blaming herself, Sam knew.
“We can make love all day, all night,” Sam murmured. “It would never be enough.”
Tori captured her hands, bringing them up to Tori’s breast, holding them there. Her eyes turned serious and Sam waited, wondering at the sadness in them.
“Sam… Sam, I want to give you something.”
Sam nodded. “Okay.”
“But you have to promise me something first.”
Sam nodded again.
“You have to be gentle with it. It’s very… it’s very fragile, but it’s a gift I’ve never given anyone before.”
Sam felt tears gather as she saw the love in Tori’s eyes. She nodded.
“I want you to have… my heart, Sam. I… I love you. You’re my light in this dark world, you make everything seem okay, no matter what.” Then Tori tilted her head, smiling slightly at the tears she saw. “Oh, Sam. Don’t cry.”
“I’m sorry.” Sam wound her arms tight around Tori. “It’s just… God, I love you so much. I sometimes feel like I’m just going to explode with it.”
Tori nodded. “I know… me, too. So, back to my original question.”
Sam grinned and pulled Tori with her into the cabin.
“Yes.”
About the Author
Gerri lives in the Piney Woods of East Texas with her partner, Diane, and their two labs, Zach and Max. The resident cats Sierra, Tori and now Jordan round out the household. Hobbies include any outdoor activity, from tending the orchard and vegetable garden to hiking in the woods with camera and binoculars. For more, visit Gerri’s Web site at: www.gerrihill.com.
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