Past Will Haunt (23 page)

“Oh! That’s horrible.”

“Well, he needed a date. I got dressed up, put on some sexy clothes and heels, and he paraded me around in front of the douchebags he graduated with. While we were dancing, he asked me to kiss him. It was part of the act. Nothing more. It was like kissing my brother. That’s it.”

She thought about it.

“Are we okay?” Elizabeth asked.

“No.”

“Livy…”

She couldn’t say anything more. Instead, her partner rushed her, throwing her arms around her in a hug.

“You are a good person, Elizabeth. This is proof. He needed you, and you came through. I’m glad he had you there to be by his side. I’m not mad.”

She was glad.

“Good. Can we stop the inquisition now?”

“One more question, and I’m good.”

“Sure. Why the hell not? It’s not like we’re not standing in a dead woman’s home. I’m sure this is absolutely vital.”

She ignored her. “Do you swear to me that you have no feelings like you want in his pants?”

She stared at her. “I’m not some sex maniac. I have control. Gabe is like my brother. I love him, but I’m not hot for him. He’s too much like…” She tried to find an example.

“You?”

Yes, yes, that was accurate.

“Yeah, so you should see a shrink. You’re getting ready to jump the male version of me. Who’s the sicko now?”

Livy laughed right before she blurted out the truth. “I think I love him.”

“Oh, Jesus. Livy, you haven’t had sex with him yet. Aren’t you moving a little too fast?”

“Yes, but that’s me. I work on impulse. You’re the controlled one. When I see him, my heart spins. When I smell him, I want to faint. I just can’t stop thinking about him.”

“I noticed. Uh, talk and dig. I have a flight to catch. As much as I love you, I have to find this killer. It’s kind of our job.”

“I think he’s the one.”

She stared at her. “You’re scary. People who randomly make that decision are insane.”

Livy laughed. “When you know, you just know, right?”

She thought about it. “I guess.”

“I need a promise.”

Elizabeth shrugged. “Sure. What is it?”

“When you finally find him, and I know you will, promise me that you won’t hold back. Promise me that you’ll fall in love, get married, and never look back.”

She wanted to laugh, but Livy was dead serious.

“I promise that if ‘Mr. Perfect’ rolls into my life, asks me to be his wife, and have his little babies, I’ll jump in, okay?”

“Pinkie swear?”

“How are we best friends? You’re such a freaking girl. I’m embarrassed to know you.”

Livy laughed and hugged her. “I’m going to ask Gabe to marry me. I know it.”

“As crazy as that sounds, I hope I’m there to see it happen. I want to watch his head explode from the spontaneity. That will be like a big fat holiday bonus.”

She laughed. “Can you drop me off at my place? I’m not feeling so good.”

Elizabeth laughed. “I warned you. When you puke on him, you’re going to hate yourself and regret that greasy meat fest.”

She laughed. “It’s not the food. I just realized he’s the one. Now I have to convince him.”

Elizabeth dropped her arm over her partner’s shoulders. “You’ll figure it out. I have faith in you. Remember, if I’m a bridesmaid, no pink, no sequins, and I don’t want a bow on my ass.”

“How could I ever get married without you?”

They didn't need to answer. They both knew the truth.

       
         
* * *
  B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x   * * *

J. Edgar Hoover

Building

Wednesday Afternoon

When she rolled into the parking lot, Elizabeth got that feeling that she was being watched. She didn't know why, but the hairs on the back of her neck were standing up.

It creeped her out.

Looking around, she scanned all the parked agent vehicles, but the lot was empty.

It was…odd.

Instead of sticking around, Elizabeth opted to get inside where it was safe. She didn't know why her gut was warning her, but it was better safe than sorry.

The last thing she needed was to get abducted from the middle of the FBI parking lot. No one would ever let her live it down.

That was if she survived.

Rushing toward the building, Elizabeth kept her hand on the butt of her Glock. Yeah, she wasn’t taking any chances. She was smarter than that.

Across the parking lot, the Denali pulled into its reserved space. Ethan Blackhawk was driving, and his partner was checking out the scenery.

By scenery, he meant the smoking hot woman heading inside.

“Holy shit, Ethan, I just saw the woman I’m going to marry.”

Blackhawk laughed. “Is it the same one we saw at the gas station two days ago? Or the one at the taco stand? You swore you were going to marry them too.”

“No, this was different. She had all this black curly hair and smoking hot body. You didn't see her?”

He laughed. “I was worried about not hitting any other cars. Besides, women are a dime a dozen.”

His partner stared at him like he was insane. “We have to chase her down. I need more information.”

“No thank you.”

“You scare me.”

“Why?” he asked.

“Do you have a dick? Is it functioning?”

“Well, that’s personal, and you haven’t bought me dinner yet to find out. I don’t kiss and tell.”

Jay Melrose laughed. “I’ll take that as a mind your own business. Wait! Are you gay? You can tell me. Your secret is safe.”

Blackhawk started laughing. “No, I’m very heterosexual. Trust me. I’m very much into the opposite sex. Do you think all of us Natives are into kinky shit? Well, we’re not. I like my sex straight with a side of no long term commitment.”

“Hey! Don’t get too defensive. There’s nothing wrong with being gay. You love who you love. I learned that a long time ago.”

“Again, I’m not into men.”

Jay shrugged. “Whatever you say. All I know is that I’m going in there after her.”

“You realize how big that building is, right? You’ll never find her.”

“I’m going to make it my mission. Want to be my wing man?”

He shook his head. “Sorry. I want to get home, shower, and work on some profiles.”

“You need to get laid.”

“Jay, I’m not a monk. I hook up with the ladies, but not while I’m focused on a case.”

“You could get any babe out there. I see how they check you out.”

He didn't see it. Honestly, Ethan didn't think he was anything special. He came into life with a huge disadvantage. He was Indian, and he didn't think he was worthy of any non-Native women. Truth be told, the women they ran into wanted something higher class. He came from the slums of a reservation, and he couldn’t ever bring them back to meet his ‘family’.

Blackhawk knew the truth.

He and Jay had different lives. They wouldn’t ever sync up. Not when it came to women.

“You go ahead,” he said to Jay. “I’ll catch you tomorrow. I’m going home.”

Jay jumped out. “Call me if you need me. Wait! If I don’t answer, it’s because I’m marrying the woman of my dreams.”

He laughed. “If you run, you might catch her at the elevator.”

Jay didn't hesitate. “I’m going to find my wife.”

Blackhawk watched him run across the parking lot. He laughed. “Yeah, good luck, Jay. Ahhhh, if it were only that easy. I’m pretty sure women don’t marry someone they just met.”

Actually, they didn't do impulsive things like that in his world.

With that, he drove away.

       
         
* * *
  B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x   * * *

All the way up in the elevator, Elizabeth had to keep from punching some horny dickwad in the face. In three floors, he managed to hit on her five times.

It was cheesy.

It was so very wrong.

What the hell was in the air in DC? Was everyone trying to pair up and get laid? She didn't get it. Apparently, she missed the memo.

When the agent asked her out, promising to be the best husband ever, she wanted to jump to her death. When she was finally out of the elevator, she headed toward Gabe’s office.

It must have scared the man, because he raced the other way.

Good.

She was safe.

It wasn’t that she was afraid of him, but she was worried she’d beat the hell out of him, and then get fired. Elizabeth knew she lacked in the patience department.

Just as she was approaching the boss man’s office, a hand shot out and yanked her into the coffee area.

It scared the shit out of her.

If Elizabeth’s reflexes weren’t as fast as they were, she would have knocked Gabe on his ass.

“Are you insane?” she hissed. “You don’t do that to an armed person. You could have gotten hurt. Do you know how much trouble I would have been in had I shot you?”

Gabe didn't care. He had other things to worry about. “Where’s Livy?”

“I dropped her off at her place. She’s getting ready for your date.”

He looked relieved.

“I need a favor.”

“What? You better not ask me to call off the date for you. She’ll kill us both.”

“No! Sniff me.”

“WHAT?”

“You heard me. I ran home and showered, but I need to know if I overdid it on the man stuff. I don’t want to repel her. I’m trying to do the opposite.”

She stared at him like he lost his mind. “You want me to smell you? At work? Here?”

“Yes.”

“I hope you two get married. You’re both insane and deserve each other.”

It was his turn to look shocked. “Wait! Marriage. What? I haven’t even…”

She laughed. “Yep. Perfect together.”

He tried to ignore everything she was saying, but the words set something off in him. Livy would be the perfect wife. She was sweet, sexy, and a Fed.

Crap!

Yeah, that was a bad idea.

“You realize that in one year I’ve had to play your girlfriend, let you kiss me, play grab ass in a room full of your peers, and now sniff you. If this doesn’t make me your best friend, then you have some twisted fetishes. Get help.”

Gabe sighed. “Lyzee, you are my best friend, now sniff me!”

She started laughing. “Why, Gabe Rothschild, you do know how to turn a girl on.”

“Just smell me and tell me if I overdid it, okay? You can bust my ass later. I have a date.”

“The things I do for love,” she muttered. Moving closer, and thanks to her height, she could easily reach his neck. Giving him a sniff, she smiled. “You smell like a rainforest. She’s going to dig it.”

He relaxed.

“Lose the suit. You look like you don’t know how to relax.”

“I don’t.”

“Yes, you do. What about when you come to my place to watch the game? You’re not wearing a suit, Gabe.”

“You’re different.”

“What?”

“You’re not a girl.”

She stared at him. “Seriously? After everything, you’re going to have the balls to say that to me. Have you seen my breasts?” she asked pointing to them. “They aren’t built-in airbags in case I trip.”

He shrugged. “I’ve seen them, but it’s rude to talk about your best friend’s gear.”

She snorted. “Well, for future reference, in case it’s ever questioned again, I have all the working girl parts, and I get real bitchy when men do stupid shit. That’s proof enough.”

“I mean, I don’t look at you and see sex. I see…”

“Oh, I can’t wait to hear this. Let’s take another shot at my already dinged up ego.”

“Shut up, Lyzee. I see my sister. I see someone I confide in. You and I are too much alike to ever do ‘
IT’
.”

She laughed. That was exactly what she felt, and had told Livy, but he was still going to get tormented.