Love’s Bounty (6 page)

“Only five bundles.”

“Five hundred dollars worth of heroin, maybe a little more if the guy sold it on the streets in Bangor, less, if he planned on using some of it himself,” Ayden said. With the fish he was hoping to land, this small amount was hardly worth making a fuss over. But the Cutler police were no doubt slapping themselves on the back. It was probably the most action they’d seen in years.

“You think we got some turf war going on? Some dealer stepping on another’s toes?” the chief asked.

“Not sure.” Ayden hoped that wasn’t the case. He didn’t want anything to blow the deal with Jameson. “You talked to the guy yet?”

“It’s a woman. And no, we waited for you.”

* * * *

“So, Miss Tilling, tell us again what happened.”

“Do I need a lawyer?”

“You’re welcome to call one, if you’d like.”

“But I didn’t do anything. The drugs aren’t mine. I don’t know how they got in my truck. I was just headed back to Delmont to dump the refuse. I’m a landscaper, and I have a job here in Cutler. I’ve told you all that.”

Ayden paced the little room, watching Deirdre through the window. He had all he could do not to storm into the interrogation room and pull her into his arms. Over the past half hour, she seemed to be shrinking into herself. She’d told the same story a half dozen times, never once wavering about her innocence.

Did he believe her? Or was his opinion colored by their evening together? He scrubbed his hands over his face. This is why you never got involved with women when you were on a case.

“I demand to see her,” a man’s voice bellowed.

The commotion in the hallway happened only seconds before the door of the interrogation room flew open. Shawn Jameson shook off the officer trying unsuccessfully to detain him.

“Mr. Jameson … what are you doing here?” The chief stood up so fast he toppled the chair. It fell with a thunderous clatter.

“This woman is an employee of mine.” He put his arm around Deirdre’s shoulder.

“Shawn, I…” She looked up at him as if her savior had just arrived riding a white horse.

“Don’t say another word, Deirdre. My lawyer is on his way.”

“An employee? We weren’t aware. I don’t think the lawyer is necessary, Mr. Jameson.” The chief sputtered out the words. “We haven’t charged her with anything yet.”

“And yet you continue to interrogate an innocent woman?”

What the fuck?
Ayden sat down hard in the closest chair, feeling like he’d just been kicked in the gut.

* * * *

Ayden leaned over the steering wheel of the Saab in the back lot of the precinct. Dark had descended hours ago, and night hadn’t been far behind. He’d been trapped in the little room for an hour, watching the chief fawn over Jameson. But that had been only half the show.

Jameson’s blustery lawyer showed up, shouting and pontificating, and the Cutler police’s big arrest had turned into a circus act, with Deirdre sitting center ring. In the end, they’d charged her with only a misdemeanor possession, no intent to traffic, no court date or jail time. A simple fine that could be paid through the mail.

Poor Deirdre.

Who was he kidding? She had pulled the wool over his eyes and led him around by his dick. All fluttery lashes and innocent smiles. “Innocent, my ass.” Ayden slammed back into the seat, banging his head against the leather. “Jameson came to your rescue and offered to post bail a little too quickly for my taste, Deirdre, m’dear. Methinks you’re more than his landscaper.”

He started the engine and backed out of the lot.

“And to top it off, I’m beginning to wonder if the chief’s on his payroll as well. Obviously someone tipped Jameson off about the arrest.” He looked in the rearview mirror. No headlights behind him. He would take a circuitous route back to the 7-Eleven just to be sure.

For the last forty-five minutes, Ayden had been grilling the chief about the citizens of Cutler. He hadn’t let on that Jameson was the suspected drug trafficker the DEA was after, but he’d steered the conversation in his directions several times. The chief assured him he knew Jameson only as a legitimate real estate mogul. It was his business to know the townspeople of Cutler. And Jameson was just that, a citizen who had purchased the rundown estate up on the hill.

Ayden wasn’t sure he believed the story. Not after the way Lafflin had tripped all over himself to make Jameson happy and cut Deirdre loose. It bothered him more than he wanted to acknowledge, when Deirdre walked out of the interrogation room huddled against Jameson. He had no idea where the woman was now.

“Probably cozied up with Jameson at the estate.” Ayden was such a fool.

He floored the pedal of the Saab, racing through the darkness, trying to outrun the prickly unease that had settled itself on the back of his neck.

The night had turned cold, and the thin sports jacket did nothing to keep the chill from penetrating straight to Ayden’s bones as he ran through the house lots back to his condo. The timer had tripped the lights as usual, and Ayden hoped whoever was watching him believed he’d been tucked in since late this afternoon when he’d parked the Jag out front. Slipping through the glass slider, he headed straight for the fridge and a cold brew. He flipped a couple CDs in the stereo just as the knock came at the front door.

Chapter 5

Ayden wasn’t in the mood to make small talk with Ryan and Dave. Maybe he’d be able to beg off their Monday night football routine. He wanted time to figure out the events of the afternoon and reassess the players and their relationships.

“Hey, guys…” The rest of the words stuck in his throat as he swung the door wide. “Deirdre? What the—?”

“
Austin, I’m sorry to bother you, I didn’t know where else to go.” She shuffled her weight between her feet, rubbing her hands up her bare arms. “Can I come in?”

“Jeez, yeah, of course.” Ayden stepped aside.

He did a quick scan of the lot. Was he being set up? Deirdre’s sudden appearance at his condo seemed to suggest it. Red flags had been popping up all day, now this. Ayden needed to stay alert. He said a silent prayer that his cover hadn’t been blown. That would mean the end of his career. In the DEA, two strikes, you’re out.

He couldn’t help but wonder if Deirdre was some sort of decoy. He shoved aside the pang of sympathy he felt for the pitiful woman dragging herself over his threshold. Ayden shut the door and closed off his heart. This woman would not get to him a second time.

But his resolve melted the moment he turned and saw her stoic expression crumble before him.

“I don’t … know … what to do … I didn’t … know where … they took my truck…” Deirdre’s words came out on hiccuping sobs. The tears she’d held at bay all afternoon ran in rivulets down her cheeks.

Gathering her in his arms, Ayden held her a moment, then led her to the couch. She buried her head on his chest, her fist latching onto his shirt, and she cried, hard, wracking sobs that shook her whole body. She continued to mutter incoherently, gripping onto him as if he were her only salvation.

“Shh, it’s okay, Deirdre. You’re safe with me.” But Ayden wondered how true that was.

* * * *

She hadn’t known where else to go. The police had confiscated her truck. She wouldn’t get it back until tomorrow, perhaps the next day. Something about processing it for evidence.

Deirdre hadn’t asked how Shawn had known she’d been arrested or why he’d thought to call his lawyer. But she’d been unbelievably grateful when they’d shown up at the police station. Shawn’s lawyer struck some kind of a deal with the Cutler police about the heroin possession. There was a fine or something, but she hadn’t been able to wrap her head around any of it. So nothing was clear. Tomorrow, when her brain wasn’t so muddled with the fog of disbelief, she’d figure all this out. Until then, she needed a place to gather herself together until she found the strength to call Emilio or Rachel for a ride back home.

Why she’d sought out
Austin after the way he’d treated her today was still a mystery. Nothing was making sense. Shawn had offered a ride back to Delmont, but she was too embarrassed by the arrest to accept it. Deirdre hadn’t wanted to wait at the police station, so she walked out the front door, called the only cab in town and come straight to the condo.

“Deirdre, here, drink this while I finish up the spaghetti. You’re still shaking.”
Austin leaned over the bar and handed her one of the glasses of scotch he’d just poured.

She attempted to smile, but her mouth, like every other muscle in her body, only trembled. Deirdre sat on the bar stool and sipped the scotch, hoping the liquid warming its way to her belly would take away the chill. Despite the heavy wool sweater
Austin had pulled over her head, Deirdre was cold straight to the core. She knew it had nothing to do with the night air.

“What did Mark have to say when you called him?”
Austin asked. He stood at the stove absently sipping the liquor and occasionally stirring the two pots.

“He thought it could’ve been one of the kids as well. It’s the only thing that makes any sense in this whole mess. I dump the refuse from my jobs at the school, and they use it as mulch on their farm project. Most of the time I leave the one-ton right there on school grounds.” Deirdre shrugged before continuing. “They could’ve planned to pick up the drugs tonight while the truck was parked. Everyone knows I don’t bother to lock the equipment. There’s never been a reason.” She sipped absently at the scotch. “Mark’s pulled the kids from the job. They won’t be going back to the Jameson estate. He’s figuring, with the arrest, we’ll likely lose the job, anyway. Hadn’t thought that far ahead, but he’s probably right.” Deirdre thought about all the things she’d intended to do with the extra money. She knew better than to make plans. It only caused heartache.

Deirdre looked at
Austin. “It’ll be for the best,” she said. “But it makes me feel like shit. I suppose I should call Shawn before I go traipsing up there tomorrow. How’d this happen?” Tipping her head back, Deirdre downed the scotch. She knew it wasn’t the answer, but the numbing wash of alcohol would be a welcome relief from the overwhelming sense of doom beginning to envelope her.

Austin said nothing. He seemed focused on something else.

She couldn’t stand the uncomfortable silence hanging between them. He probably thought she was guilty. “Mark’s not going to inform the Delmont authorities just yet. Hopefully, no one will find out about the arrest for a couple of days. Tomorrow, he and the principal will question all the kids, try to figure out if any of them might be involved.” Deirdre scrubbed her hands over her face. “What I still can’t figure out for the life of me is where they got the drugs in the first place, or how they found their way into my truck.”

“Anyone else had the truck?” he asked, but didn’t look away from the pans.

Hope flared. “Rachel had it over the weekend to haul some yard waste, but other than that, it’s been at the school or with me at Jameson’s.” Shaking her head, Deirdre slammed her palm on the bar. “Heroin, for chrissake! High school kids can’t be into that kind of crap, can they?”

Austin didn’t respond.

She sat in silence watching him strain spaghetti onto two plates and ladle the heated sauce from the jar over the pasta. Her stomach grumbled. It felt like she hadn’t eaten in days. She was suddenly ravenous.

“So, it was Jameson’s lawyer who sweet-talked the police?” he asked quietly and set the two plates on the bar before settling on the stool next to hers.

“Thanks. I didn’t realize how hungry I was.” Deirdre twirled her fork on the plate. “Yeah, I guess. Shawn was there, then this guy, and suddenly the police are tripping all over themselves to get us all out of there.”

“Why didn’t you go home with him?’

“Who, Shawn?” Tilting her head, her brows winged together. “
Austin, I hardly know the man. The truth is, I never met him before Saturday, and that was only by luck. I started talking to him about the property and landscaping, and the next thing I knew, he offered me a shitload of money to do his fall cleanup.”

Ayden didn’t want to sound anxious, but he was beginning to believe her story. “How’d you end up at his party?”

“A friend of a friend sort of thing. Rach, the woman I was working with today, thought I needed to stop pining over my ex; Emilio agreed, and he extended the invitation. But how the hell he knows Shawn is beyond me. Anyway, the party led to the job, which got me arrested and … what the hell have I gotten myself into,
Austin?” The fork clattered on her plate as the tears started all over again.

“Deirdre, don’t.” Ayden turned on the stool, pulling Deirdre into his arms. Her sadness ripped at his heart. He wanted so badly to believe her. “Hey, it’s going to be okay.” He lifted her chin, only intending to wipe away the tears, but her satin skin invited more. He kissed the salty drops, and his lips found their way to her luscious mouth.

Ayden’s fingers wound their way into her hair, slipping the band free and releasing the silken tresses to tumble over his forearms.
Stop now, Ayden, ol’ boy.
His body didn’t listen, and he deepened the kiss, tasting the bite of the scotch mixed with the tangy sauce. Deirdre’s breath feathered over his cheek, and its warmth set his blood boiling. He wanted her. It was a bad idea to bed this woman, but he couldn’t seem to keep her at arm’s length.

Then their hands were everywhere at once. Buttons popped as she pulled at his shirt. They pinged on the counter and dropped to the floor. He pulled the sweater over her head with the flimsy tank and filled his hands with her breasts. Her nipples pinched into tight little points beneath the no-nonsense sports bra.

“We shouldn’t be doing this.” Deirdre gasped the words out. “But damn,
Austin, I want you. All of you. Just like the other night. I can’t get enough of you.” She fumbled with his belt. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you.”

This was such a bad idea, but his body was already committed. His dick pressed painfully against his zipper. “No, we hardly know each other. We should stop now.” He lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her ass pressed pleasantly against his cock.

“Maybe, just once. Let off a little steam,” she said before nipping his neck, her fingers working the clasp of his pants.

“Once, yeah.”

Ayden made it as far as the stairs, before her hand worked its way into his boxers and closed around his cock. He laid her down. He’d been thinking about this for two days; he couldn’t wait any longer.

“This, I want this, buried in me deep and hard.” She massaged up the length of his rigid cock and back down again, settling her hand firmly around his balls. The strength of her touch and the silk of his boxers nearly drove him over the edge.

“You better stop doing that, or I’m not going to make it.” His mouth nipped at the satin mound of flesh he’d released from her bra. Without losing contact with her body, he stripped first his pants, then hers. Her pussy lips glistened with moisture, and his mouth watered to suck her slick folds, but she pulled him down and captured his mouth with hers. She bit his bottom lip and then plunged her tongue into his mouth to dance with his. Her nails dug into his back, and her body moved restlessly under him. She ran her calf up his leg, her thigh pressing against his ass.

“Do it here,
Austin. Right here on the stairs. I want you now.” She gasped the words against his ear, the warmth of her breath sent shivers of need down his back.

He couldn’t have waited if he wanted to. His erection was so hard, it hurt. His balls were snugged tight against his body. He rubbed the mushroom head of his cock over her clit before guiding it between her lips. She gasped, and he circled again before driving into her. She arched her back to meet him, and he filled her in one swift motion.

Her moans of desire worked him into a mindless rush of want. He drove into her with a wild frenzy, releasing all the pent-up frustration two days of fantasizing had created. It was a frantic coupling. Skin slapped against skin as his hips pistoned. She moved her body in the same riotous rhythm, pulsing in time with him. Her liquid heat surrounded him, and her internal muscles contracted, pulling him impossibly deeper into her body. He hoped she was reaching her own climax, he had lost all control the moment he entered her.

“You are tight, baby. You feel so good. I’m going to come.” He pushed into her another time, before pulling free and wrapping his hand around his slick cock. He pumped himself through his fist, releasing a feral growl with the orgasm convulsing through him. His seed poured onto her belly.

Deirdre watched
Austin ejaculate on her torso. His face was pinched in ecstasy, his voice hoarse as the rumble of pleasure thundered out of him. He milked himself dry before falling on the stairs next to her.

Retrieving his boxers, he gently wiped the cum from her stomach.

“Why’d you do that?” Deirdre shouldn’t ask, but she wondered if something about her repulsed
Austin. Even in her limited experience with the opposite sex, no man had ever done that before. She didn’t know if she was turned on or hurt.

“Deirdre, it was too quick. I couldn’t wait to get you upstairs to get protection.”
Austin smiled impishly. “I would have liked nothing better than to pump your honeyed pussy with my cum, but I didn’t want to presume anything about your birth control.” He nipped at her mouth. “You said it’s been a couple months since you’ve been with someone. I just didn’t know, so I took the safe way out.”

She wrapped her arms around him, kissing him with a loud smack on the lips. Her heart tripped over itself, pleased he’d been thinking about her.

“I think we should take this party upstairs and try this all over again, a little slower,” she said. His cock shuddered to life against her thigh.

Austin stood, pulling her with him. Her pants and underwear were caught around one ankle, her breasts hung below the cotton bra. She knew her hair was mussed where
Austin had raked his fingers through it. She smelled of their mingled sweat, her own arousal, and the musky odor of
Austin’s ejaculate. Deirdre felt wanton and sexy as hell.

He pulled the bra over her head, dropping it on the stairs with the rest of their clothes. “Much better.” He dipped his head to suck on one of her nipples as he cupped the other breast. “Damn, you taste good, woman. You’d best move, or we’re going to have a repeat performance right here.” He turned her around, pressing gently on her shoulders. “Since you know the way, why don’t you go first. I like the view from back here.”

Deirdre sashayed up the stairs, imagining how her pubic hairs glistened in the hall light. Moisture dampened her thighs at the thought of his eyes on her. As if reading her mind,
Austin moaned and nipped her ass. She was beginning to enjoy his company more than she would’ve imagined.

At the top of the stairs, he scooped her into his arms, carrying her toward the bed they’d shared, when was that? Two days ago? After all she’d been through today, it seemed longer, and yet at the same time, after what they’d just done, it felt as if this was simply a continuation of their night together.