Past Will Haunt (3 page)

It made her want to torment him even more, just to see it stand in sexy peaks.

“Uh…” Gabe couldn’t speak. All the blood was draining to his lower body as he checked her out in the tiny shorts.

Shit!

He was so screwed. There was no amount of running to help him forget this.

“Did you hurt yourself, boss?” she asked, crouching beside him. When her fingers touched his arm, he pulled it away like she burned him.

She grinned.

Yeah, someone was wound tighter than a two dollar watch.

“I’m good!” he blurted, trying to get up and away from Livy Spencer’s hand. Who knew what she’d touch next? If she kept caressing him, he was going to have other issues to explain, mainly his erection.

Gabe was mortified.

This couldn’t be happening. Here she was, after he’d been fantasizing about her, standing in front of him in some tight running gear. He could see each and every curve to her sexy tight body, and it was making his life hell.

This was worse than work.

His brain was going to fry.

“What are you doing here?” he blurted.

Livy grinned wickedly at him. “Well, Gabe, I’m in running gear and on a running trail. I’m betting it’s probably to run—just like you are. I know that’s crazy, but it happens.”

“But here?”

She stood and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. He was going to make her work for it.

“Yes. I love this trail.”

Yeah, that was a total lie.

There was only one reason she was on that specific trail, and it was this man. Livy had a bad case of the hots for him.

Yes, he was her boss.

Yes, he was untouchable.

But it didn't matter.

When someone told her no, she wanted it that much more. Besides, Gabriel was sexy as sin. His body was ripped, his smile was delicious, and she wanted him—
despite
—or make that because of the rules.

Livy couldn’t let it go. Her gut was telling her to make a move, and this was just the beginning. There had to be a way to break through.

She had faith.

“So, do you come here often?” she asked, trying to cover for herself.

He swallowed.

“Gabriel?”

Gabe knew he was jacking this up.

When Livy played with her hair, he wanted to touch it. He figured it would be silky, soft, and warm against his fingers. That red was kissed by the sun.

“Yes,” he muttered, getting off the ground. Already, he could feel his dick starting to twitch. She was going to be the death of him.

He knew it.

Gabe began praying she’d wave goodbye and head off in the other direction.

“Want to join me for my run?” she asked. “Lyzee usually joins me, but she’s busy this morning.”

Of course she was going to say that. Gabe knew he was three days past screwed. His luck sucked.

“Gabriel?” she asked, waving her fingers in front of his face. “Are you in there? Did you hit your head?”

Gabe swallowed. “I’m good. Sure, we can run together,” he said, somehow managing to get that out.

While his mouth said yes, his brain was begging him to run the other way. His body couldn’t handle it. She was wearing a tank top and tiny shorts. If he had to watch her bounce, he was going to have one hell of a hard on all day.

It was already starting, and he was in running shorts. She was going to notice.

Hell!

Everyone would.

Shit!

Shit!

Shit!

What the hell was he thinking? He had to save himself from this torture.

“I’m almost done, but I’ll finish the last mile with you,” he offered.

“Oh, that’s sweet, boss. If you can’t handle a hard on with me, I understand.”

“What?” he asked, his eyes going big. He prayed his body wasn’t giving away anything. Gabe almost wanted to make sure his erection wasn’t tenting his shorts. “What did you say?”

Livy stared at him. “I said, if you can’t handle a hard run with me, I understand. What did you think I said?”

God!

Now his ears were messing with him too. She was going to be the death of him. Why couldn’t Elizabeth be there? Yes, he checked her out, but she was like his sister. He could control himself with her.

With Livy?

He was dead in the water.

“That’s what I thought. We should go!”

She started the jog, setting the pace to his. “This is nice,” she offered. “It’s nice to have someone to get sweaty with.”

He looked over and down at her.

Had he heard her right?

His mind was thinking sweaty, but at the time, they were completely naked and not running in a public park.

“Yes, it is.”

“We closed our case this weekend.”

He tried to think about work. “I got your report. It was well written,” he stated. “You two did a good job. The higher ups will be pleased.”

She grinned.

Livy wanted to climb up the front of this man. He was sexy and worked up. She loved it. While Gabriel Rothschild was chilly in the office, she knew this was underneath that tough exterior. She could sense it in him.

It made her want to rattle his cage so he’d do something…or someone.

Mainly her.

“I’m a perfectionist. I like to do everything to the best of my ability. If you can’t do it right, and play hard, why bother showing up at the game?”

Gabe prayed for divine intervention. He was never coming to this park again. He could picture the woman beside him doing some really great work, naked and in his bed.

In his shower.

On his kitchen counter.

Hell!

Even his couch.

Yeah, this was a huge problem.

“How long have you done your running here?” he asked, needing to change the subject.

She lied. “A while.”

Truth be told, she heard him telling another agent that he ran the trails before work, and she wanted to see him. Livy told Lyzee what she planned on doing, and the woman found it amusing.

They had a bet going.

She placed money on her crazy man skills. She could bag the ‘Dragon Slayer’ before the month was out.

Elizabeth thought she was nuts.

Livy didn't tell her partner one thing. She was in lust for this man. It was more than a bet. Livy genuinely was attracted to him.

His smile.

His big hands.

That sexy large body of his.

Yeah, she wasn’t just out to win fifty bucks and have sex with her boss. She wanted to see what made him tick. Her gut told her that he was something special.

She had to listen.

Livy always trusted her instincts.

“I’ve never seen you here before,” he stated.

“Really? I’m not surprised. You don’t usually notice me. Maybe it’s because I’m short. Elizabeth stands out more. Everyone sees her first.”

Oh, Livy was dead wrong.

He noticed her.

Gabe could tell her what she’d worn the last week at work. He noticed every detail, down to the little pink crystals in her ears. Details were his thing, and Livy had his attention. While Elizabeth left a lasting impression, this smaller woman definitely had caught his eye.

“We’re almost to the top,” he stated. “Will you be okay by yourself?” Gabe asked.

Livy’s heart skipped.

Here was one more reason she liked him—he was a gentleman.

“If I say no, what will you do? Will you stick by my side and watch over me?”

She caught him off guard.

He didn't know what the hell to say to that. Gabe wanted nothing more than to be up close and personal with her.

He began praying for control.

“Well, Gabriel?”

“Uh.”

Livy started laughing. “I was kidding, Gabriel. I’ll miss your company on my run, but I’ll be okay alone. I enjoyed our date.”

He nearly stumbled when she said the ‘D’ word.

“What?”

Did she just say…?

Gabe wanted to weep.

When he glanced over at her, it looked like Livy wanted to laugh.

“Are you okay?” she asked once more.

He shook his head.

The look on his face was priceless. There were wrinkle lines between his eyes, and she longed to run her fingers over them. When Gabe sat at his desk working, she would be the first to admit that she stared at him.

Yeah, she had it bad.

“I don’t think this classifies as a date,” he finally stated.

“Really? Huh. I think it could be one. There’s two people of the opposite sex, we’re getting sweaty, and breathing heavy. That’s generally a good indicator that it’s a damn good date.”

His body tightened as she teased him.

Livy didn't realize that she was making his life hell.

Gabe wanted to kiss her. With each lick of her lips, he wanted to grab the redhead, pull her into his arms and…

His phone rang.

Immediately, Gabe slid to a stop. A part of him prayed she’d keep going.

“Yes, boss?” he asked, as the director came on the line. He listened, trying to not gawk at the woman beside him.

Livy touched his arm, and he nearly jumped out of his skin. That amused her.

“Yes, sir, I understand, sir.”

There was another pause.

“Yes, Director. I’ll have my two agents on it immediately. I’ll pass off some of my work and back them up until this is handled.”

Gabe watched her even as he talked to his director. His boss was barking orders, and he was still thinking about this woman’s body.

He was totally screwed.

What had she done to him?

“Yes, sir. I’ll handle it personally! I’ll call you once I’m in the office to let you know who’s handling it.”

The phone went dead.

“The big boss man?” Livy asked, sipping from her water bottle. When she offered it to him, he looked like a deer in headlights.

She was making progress. At least he didn't run for it.

“Yes. I have to go. A case came up. We have a dead woman, and I need to update the next agents out in the field. It’s a big one.”

She followed him.

“Livy,” he said. “What are you doing?” Gabe asked as he cut through the grass to the area where he parked. “Go finish your run.”

“I can’t. I’m waiting for you to give me a ride.”

He stared at her and his brain visualized something far less innocent. “What?”

“To my car.”

“I just told you, Livy, that I have to hurry up and head in. This is a huge case.”

She smiled sweetly at him. “I know what you said, Gabriel, but it’ll cut down on some time.”

He was confused.

“What are you talking about?”

Livy corked her water bottle. “You need to update the two agents who are up next on the roster, and you might as well do it in the car.”

“Huh?”

“Lyzee and I are up. We’re your team. I guess we’re going to be working incredibly close the next few days. That should be fun.”

He stared, his mouth wide open.

“Gabe? Are you okay?” she asked when he simply stared at her.

He couldn’t think. Instead, he glanced at the water bottle in her hand. “Can I have that?”

She handed it to him.

Gabe unscrewed the top and dumped it over his head.

Livy gasped.

“Why did you do that?” she asked.

“Because it’s going to be a very long week.”

His neat and tidy world was about to collapse around him.

He could see it now.

CHAPTER ONE

Georgetown

Dumbarton Street

Elizabeth LaRue was waiting for her partner to arrive on the scene. She’d gotten the call a little while ago, and she knew that time was of the essence. When Gabe sent them out, he didn't like them screwing around.

He was all business when it came to a case.

If you dallied, you were going to get his boot in your ass. The man took work way too seriously, but that was just how he rolled.

You had to respect that in a boss. Besides, their small unit was on his shoulders. Gabe was responsible for twenty agents, and that had to be daunting.

She was glad it wasn’t her.

One of the best things about him was that he was reliable. Whenever she’d work overtime with him on some case, she never had to worry about him having her back.

If anything, Gabe was a good egg.

She truly loved him…in that brother and sister kind of way. Since being wooed for his team, she had nothing but one hell of a good time. Elizabeth loved riling him up.

When he told her she was
‘too cowboy for her own good’
, she knew she was on the right track.

But there was a line.

If it was about work, you best get your shit in order and take care of business.

Already, she knew how intense this was going to be.

When Gabe called her at home, he sounded worked up, and that was never a good thing. The man was cool under pressure. There was no way that Elizabeth was going to take a slow stroll to the scene to yank his chain.

It wasn’t happening.

Right after she hung up with him, Livy called to tell her she would be there as soon as she was cleaned up.

She, too, was breathless.

Interesting.

Something was definitely going on, and she was going to get to the bottom of it before the day was out. It seemed her partner had meant what she said when she threw down the bet.

Livy was dogging the boss man.

That made her want to laugh, despite the somber mood around her. It looked like the shit was about to hit the fan, and she had a front row seat.

It was going to be entertaining.

As Elizabeth stood on the sidewalk, outside the dead woman’s home, she took in the hustle and bustle. The ME and techs were busily prepping the scene for the team’s entry. Once they went in, it was going to be all business.

She needed to be professional for the dead. Someone had stolen some woman’s life, and they needed to make this count. As a newbie Fed, all eyes would be on her. Since she was the lead investigator, she’d need to do this right.

Yes, she was a relatively new agent, and she had a lot to learn in the field, but she was good at her job.

No, make that DAMN good.

She wanted justice for those who could no longer speak for themselves. This was what she always wanted to do with her life. The minute her mother died in that car accident and her father took her away from DC, she always wanted to get back here.

Now, she was.

And she was a Fed!

There were days she still couldn’t believe it. The journey had been brutal, but she’d made it. Elizabeth knew that every day was a gift, and she couldn’t take it for granted. If she was lucky, she’d die doing what she loved best.

Burning out wasn’t an option for her.

Truth be told, all Elizabeth wanted was to make her father, Charlie LaRue, proud.

Daughter to father.

Cop to Fed.

His opinion mattered to her more than anything in the world. Back home, he was her biggest fan. When she left for Cornell, he told her one thing.

Be the best or don’t bother.

It stuck with her the entire time she scored good grades and worked her way through FBI training. She was going to be the best because she had a lot to prove. Most of the people around her saw her as a pretty face with a southern accent.

She wasn’t a redneck.

She wasn’t a hick.

What they didn't see was that she was smart and underestimated. That was a lethal combination. While the male agents were busy staring at her breasts, she was plotting their ass kicking.

Now she was making a name for herself.

Before long, everyone would know the LaRue name. Elizabeth was going to make it to the top. All she had to do was focus on work and not screw up.

That’s where she and Livy parted ways. The woman was her best friend, but she was all about the sex. Elizabeth didn't tangle with other agents.

It was dangerous and stupid.

She wouldn’t fall for it.

Now, she was going to be heading up a pretty big case, and that had to be her focus. Gabe didn’t give her too many details, but he did tell her to run the scene and stop into the office to talk to him post workup.

She knew his style.

He would give her all the information then. He liked his agents to go in with a fresh set of eyes and no pre-judgment.

Well, he was getting his way.

From the look of it, no one knew what the hell was going on. The new ME had just gone in, insisting that he see the body first. Only, that didn't last long. Already, he was outside and looked…off.

“Yo! Doc! Are you okay?” she asked, crossing to him.

When the young man looked up, he was as white as a sheet. “No, Agent, I’m not.”

He was trying to keep it business by not using her name, but she could see this wasn’t going to be a typical case.

Elizabeth waited as he took a seat on the steps in front of the brownstone apartment before she lowered her voice so only he could hear her. “What’s wrong, Chris?” she asked.

Doctor Christopher Leonard was still new to this game. He was fresh out of medical school, and still green.

Well, now she was sure he was more gray than anything else.

“It’s really bad, Elizabeth. I’ve never seen anything like that before. She’s a mess.”

She took his wrist in her hand and felt for a pulse. It was slow and thready. They had a big problem.

Her ME was going to pass out.

That had to be a damn bad sign of what was behind the doors. While she didn't know him well, she’d worked with him on a few cases. Generally, Christopher Leonard didn't get woozy. He was stoic if anything.

“Hey,” she said, crouching in front of him. Gently, she patted him on the cheek until he focused on her face. If she had to catch him, he’d never live it down. As newbies, the seasoned pros looked for any sign of weakness.

They were brutal if you passed out from a dead body. Elizabeth knew she had to do something to help him save face.

“Doc, look at me. Focus on my eyes. Come on. You can do this.”

He took a few breaths and did as she asked. He’d never seen that color blue in eyes before. They were icy but warm at the same time.

It must have been the concern.

“I’m okay. I just needed a second. I’ve never seen…I don’t think I can…Elizabeth, it’s bad.”

She reached into her blazer pocket and pulled out a candy bar. She’d grabbed it at the corner store after her run…just in case. Chris needed the sugar more than she did.

“I want you to take a few deep breaths and eat this,” she offered, holding it out.

He stared down at it. “I can’t. If I try and eat that, I’ll be sick. I’ll puke.”

“If you pass out, darlin’,” she drawled as she continued, “your team is going to bust your ass. You’re the newbie, and you gotta make them think you’re ice. Hear me?”

He nodded.

“Trust me, Doc. I’ve got your back. I won’t let you be sick. I want you to eat this. Okay?”

He took the offering and quickly unwrapped it with shaking fingers. “I hope you’re right.”

“One of the other seasoned Feds taught me this trick. If you keep a candy bar close, you can use the sugar to keep you from hitting the dirt. I always carry one just in case.”

He started eating.

“It works. I’ve done it a few times on grizzly scenes. When you think you’re going to toss, eat the candy and take a seat.”

Chris was grateful for her kindness. Staring up into her eyes, his heart thumped. The last person he wanted to see him faint was this agent.

Elizabeth LaRue made his pulse jump.

“You’re getting better,” she stated, keeping her fingers on his wrist.

Yeah, something kick started his heart, but it wasn’t the sugar.

It was her.

“Thank you, Elizabeth.”

She smiled. “No problem, Doc. It’s my pleasure. Now, why don’t you do what you do, and tell me what’s in there that has you so freaked out? I’m sure you saw it all in medical school.”

“I’ve never seen anything like it before. It’s a house of horrors.”

That said a lot.

Over the last year, Elizabeth had seen a great deal, and so had Chris Leonard. Not only did they travel in the same circles, but they hit up the same crime scenes.

He was her ME of choice.

When they were called out and into the field, she could pick her team. Each time, she picked him.

Why when he was obviously such a novice?

Well, in a way, she felt bad for him. He was a newbie, like her, but the techs were often riding his ass. The man had yet to earn his role on a team, and Elizabeth didn't like when people bullied.

He was a smart man, and she could see the potential. There was a quiet wisdom in his sensitive blue eyes. She could see compassion there, and that was a good thing. Most of the other ME’s were jaded and hardened.

Elizabeth needed someone who would work well with her, and her gut said it was him.

Honestly, Chris Leonard had crazy mad ME skills, and she was glad he was on her team.

“Details, Doc. Focus on them and don’t see her as a person. Slip into that fancy medical degree of yours and let me see it through your eyes,” she drawled.

“I don’t feel comfortable giving out speculation. Once I get her open…”

Then he paused. The revulsion was there. She could see it.

“What is it, Doc?”

“I won’t have to open her up. She’s already been cut open. He sliced her apart.”

Ewwww.

Okay, that explained why he was borderline puking. She was right. It was going to be bad.

Well, this was going to suck. Unfortunately, Elizabeth didn't have a choice in the matter. This was the job. Whether she liked it or not, the gold badge got her exclusive entrance to all the shitty clubs.

Club Death was never fun.

In fact, you had to be bat shit insane to hang out there. Only lunatics liked to party with death.

While there were other departments, like drugs, vice, and accounting, Elizabeth always wanted to be a homicide investigator. They were the hardest cases, and she liked to use her brain.

Not everyone thought she had one, and this was proof to her that her skill wasn’t some fluke. She wasn’t some backwoods hick from Salem who got lucky. They weren’t just scholarships to Cornell because she had ovaries.

She had a brain.

She had guts.

She was badass.

Well, she wanted to be. One day, she knew that would happen, but for now…she had to earn her place too. Chris wasn’t the only one struggling to fit in. She was just too stubborn to let the other agents win.

“I understand, Chris. Can I persuade you? I did give you my candy bar, and I did teach you the trick to surviving a crime scene meltdown. What if you gave me something you saw when you looked at her? It might jumpstart this for me,” she offered, tapping her head.

He smiled. “No. You’ll never be able to manipulate it out of me. There are rules, Elizabeth.”

She patted his cheek, more to make sure he wasn’t still clammy. When he stared up at her, he looked better.

“Okay, Chris. I hear you.”

He was feeling better, and he didn't think it had anything to do with the candy.

“Well, I’m going in. Can you sit here until my partner arrives? When Livy rolls up, point her in my direction, okay?”

“I can do that.”

As she walked away, he called her name.

“Elizabeth?”

“Yeah, Christopher?”

“Thanks. I owe you one.”

She smiled. “Hell no! We’re a team. We’ve got many years ahead of us, Doc. Who needs to keep score?”

He watched her head into the building, the black suit fitting her perfectly. Chris sighed.

He wanted her to keep score in the worst way.

Better yet, he wanted her to see him—
really see him
—for a change. His hand went to the spot she touched on his cheek, and it tingled.

Yeah, he wanted that more than anything.