Psychic Link (Linked Inc. Book 2) (8 page)

She should have been scared out of her wits. Worry should have clouded her mind, but the broken condom had been an accident. One that he could attest to. It wasn’t like she’d end up pregnant. She’d been trying to get pregnant for years using every procedure known to man.

“I’m sure it’s fine.”

He pulled her into his chest. “If not, we’ll deal with it. It was an accident, Cara. I would never do something like that on purpose.”

“I know.” She kissed his chest. “I think you’ve ruined me.” 

“How so?” he asked and kissed her forehead.

“Now I know what I’m missing with one-night stands.” She glanced up at him as he cupped her cheek.

“Tonight.” He shook his head as if he’d lost his train of thought. “That wasn’t a typical one-night stand. One-night stands are just sex. This…this was more.” He lay back down on the pillow.

Cara closed her eyes as the walls around her heart started to build again. He was wrong. This was a one-night stand. The only night they’d ever share, and she had only a few hours left to make it memorable for them both, so she did.

No more condom mishaps occurred, no words of love, no promises of commitment. Just pure unadulterated lust rolled through them both. Tomorrow she’d deal with the aftermath.

Chapter
11

Cara woke up in the darkness. The silence of the room was unnerving. Coop’s arm was draped across her chest. The heavy feel of his touch would comfort anyone else, not Cara. Not in that moment. Something was wrong. She could feel it deep down into her bones.

Shadows danced across the ceiling, playing tricks on her mind as her heart raced.

“Coop,” she whispered into the darkness.

Coop stirred. His hold on her tightened.

“Cooper,” she said louder, with a little nudge.

He blinked his tired eyes open. “It’s still dark out, Cara. Go back to sleep.”

“Something’s wrong,” she whispered, afraid even mumbling the words would make them true.

Coop lifted his arm and ran his hand across his face. “What is it?”

“I don’t know.” She flicked the switch on the bedside lamp. The room was empty. She and Coop sat up in the bed. The covers lay at their waists. They both glanced around the room.

“Our stuff.” Cara pointed to where their suitcases had once lain. The spot was now empty.

Coop slid his hand beneath his pillow and produced a gun she hadn’t realized he’d hidden. He slipped from the bed. The barrel of the gun pointed at the ground. He was a vision, all six feet two of tanned nakedness, giving the word commando a dual meaning.

Cara lifted the covers to her chest and pulled them from the bed as she rose. She was afraid to breathe, afraid to move. Whoever had taken their things had to have done it while they’d slept. Fear coiled in her veins, tightening like a ball made from rubber bands about to burst.

“They were here when we got back, weren’t they?” Cara asked as Cooper flicked on the light switch in the bathroom and yanked the shower curtain back.

“Yeah, and I had flipped the extra lock on the door.”

He lowered his gun as he re-entered the room. His jaw clenched tightly as anger claimed the features on his face. He stalked to the front door and yanked it open, disappearing outside and then returning.

“Anything?”

“No.” He let out a long breath. “Whoever was in here is gone.”

Cara’s body heated, and she clutched the sheet tighter. “Coop. You know what this means?”

Coop ran his hand over his neck. “Yep. Someone was in here when we got back from dinner.”

“Oh my God.” Her hand flew to cover her mouth. “They were in here when we…”

Coop stormed to the phone and picked up the receiver. He punched in some numbers and demanded security before slamming the phone back in place.

“You realize we’re both naked? No clothes and you’re going to let them in here?”

Coop grabbed the blanket from the bed and wrapped her into it like a guy wrapping a Christmas present. He told her to hold one end and twirl into him, cocooning her into the fabric. She was two seconds away from busting free. Not because of the confining weight, but from her temper, which was about to burst free.

Some no-good, low-life, son of a bitch had been in their room and witnessed everything. Every moan, every scream, every smack of their bodies as they’d had sex. Coop wasn’t going to need a gun if he found the bastard. She’d scratch out his eyes and tear off his ears to undo what he’d stolen.

She struggled against the heavy weight as he disappeared into the bathroom and walked out, with a beach towel covering the important parts that she’d gotten to know extremely well only hours before. Cara wobbled to the bedside phone. She struggled to free her arm and lifted the receiver. There was only one person on the island that could help her. She dialed the front desk. “Connect me to room 259.”

Coop held the door open for Phillip to enter with two guards trailing behind him. Phillip held her gaze as Cara spoke into the phone.

“Hi, Aunt Betty, it’s Cara. I need a favor. I need you to bring me some clothes. We’re in the honeymoon cabana.”

“What happened to your clothes, Cara?”

Cara turned away from the crowd and lowered her voice. “We were robbed. They took everything. Can you stop by the gift shop and get something for Coop to wear too?”

“Sure. What size is he?”

Cara covered the phone. “Coop, what size do you wear?”

“Thirty-six long.”

“He’s a thirty-six long. We need everything. We’re both naked as the day we were born.”

Aunt Betty’s laughter rang out, and Cara held the phone away from her ear.

“This isn’t funny, Aunt Betty. Someone violated us.”

“I know. I’m sorry. Please tell me you at least got some of his swimmers.”

Cara clenched her eyes closed, tightening the grip of the phone in her hand. “It’s not like that. Just come and hurry.” Cara glanced over her shoulder. “There are security men in the room. I’m not sure how much more I can handle before I really lose my shit.”

“Okay, okay, give me ten minutes.”

“Thank you,” Cara whispered and hung up the phone.

Cara lumbered out the front door and plopped down in a patio chair. The ocean breeze did little to cool her heated skin. Her mind raced as she remembered everything they’d done in the room.

“I want footage from every camera within a mile of this room, and I want it ready for my review.” Cooper's voice rose as he spoke. “I don’t care if I have to search every damn inch of your hotel. You can bet your ass I’m going to find out who’s responsible.”

“Agent Cruz, we’re doing the best we can.”

“It’s not good enough. Call the police and get their forensic team out here. I want the entire room dusted for prints.” His angry voice grew louder before he stomped outside and squeezed his neck.

She’d expected to wake up and deal with awkward, but nothing could have prepared her for this. Calming words eluded her. She was of no help to him. They’d get through this like everything else.

“Cara, we’re going to find this guy.” He meant what he said. She could hear the conviction in his voice.

“I know.” She rose, shifting the blanket. “I’m going to help, just like I found the missing speaker.”

“No.” Coop’s jaw ticked. “Touching people wears you out, and there are God knows how many people here, including those swingers. Do you really want to see what they’ve been up to?”

“Coop,” she said as she approached him. “We might not have a choice if the security cameras are still down.” She gestured to the room. “We might get lucky and get prints, but if the police haven’t found this person yet, chances are he’s not leaving any evidence behind.”

Coop rested his palms on where her shoulders would be if she wasn’t swaddled in the blanket. “It's just clothing, Cara. Tomorrow you go back with Aunt Betty, and I’ll stay and catch this guy.”

“It’s more than that, Coop.” She held his gaze. “That person violated me. Violated us. I can’t just walk away when I can help you catch him.”

“She’s right, and you know it, Cruz,” Aunt Betty announced as she approached. She tossed Coop one of the bags she was carrying and handed Cara the other. “Cara, go get dressed while I talk to Cruz.”

****

Coop dug through the bag and pulled a bathing suit from the bag. He ripped the tag off. “I’ll pay you back for this.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Coop turned around, slid the shorts beneath his towel, and buttoned it before dropping the towel on the table. He sorted through the shirts and picked one of the flowered shirts that looked like it had been designed for an eighty-year-old. Beggars couldn’t be choosers, and right now, he had squat. Neither of them did.

“It’s true that touching people zaps her energy. Her ability can be a pain in the ass, not to mention making her lonely, but you already knew that.”

Betty raised a brow in challenge.

Coop crossed his arms over his chest. “You know she can’t read me.”

“I know.” Aunt Betty smiled. “You two needed each other more than you even realized.”

“So you’ve said.” He dropped his arms to his side.

“Cara’s a Thornton. We never take the easy route. It’s encoded in our DNA. It was better letting her figure it out on her own. I just gave her a little shove to send her into your chaos.”

Coop ran his hand over his head. “She kicked me out of her office.”

Betty patted his shoulder. “You aren’t the first, and I’m sure you won’t be the last. But just like she could help you then, she can help you now. She’s not afraid of her gift. She just chooses to avoid using it, but when she uses it wisely, she can accomplish more.”

“And how do you suppose I do that?” Cara asked, walking out of the cabana in Daisy Duke short shorts and a tank top that hugged every one of her curves. Thank God for Aunt Betty.

Phillip followed behind Cara, interrupting their conversation. “I’ve called it in and the forensic team will be here in just a bit. It might be a good idea if you two steer clear of the crime scene. Call your banks or whatever you have to do, cancel any credit cards and deal with the missing items. Of course, the resort will work with you to replace what you need for the remainder of your stay.”

“Thanks for your help.” Cooper shook Phillip’s hand. Phillip smiled at Cara and gave a little nod of his head.

Phillip cleared his throat and held Cara’s gaze. “Cara, can I speak to you privately.”

Privately? Cara had the deer in the headlights look as she held Coop’s gaze. “Uh, sure.”

Phillip gestured toward the beach and waited for Cara to lead the way. Coop should have stopped her. Phillip shouldn’t have anything to say to her that he couldn’t say in front of the others. Coop started to follow, but Betty grabbed his arm and shook her head. “She can handle herself. You’re both just pretending, remember?”

Knots twisted in Cooper’s gut as he watched Phillip and Cara stroll toward the water’s edge.

Chapter
12

“I’m sorry all of this happened to you, and on your honeymoon.” Phillip held her gaze. Sincerity registered on his face.

“It’s not your fault.” She gave him a sad smile.

“Seeing you again, after all these years, was a shock. Seeing how smart and beautiful you are…I wish we would have stayed in touch.”

Wasn’t that how every man thought when seeing an old fling with another man? Did her marital status, even fake, make her more appealing? He could have reached out. He could have returned her calls all those years ago. She pushed the thoughts from her head. Men like Phillip realized a good thing only when it was gone. Would Coop be the same way?

“That was a long time ago. People change and grow up. I’m glad to see you’re doing well. Was there something you wanted to talk about?” Cara asked, glancing up to the cabana where Coop was talking to Aunt Betty.

“I don’t want to start any trouble between you and him, but I just wanted to tell you.” Phillip’s gaze bore into hers. “If things don’t work out, not that I wish you two ill, but you know, if you ever find yourself available or just need someone to talk to, I’m here.”

Was he serious? Cara’s mouth parted as she stared up at Phillip in disbelief. Talk about rude. Cooper would rip this guy a new asshole if she and he’d really been married. It was one thing to have a past, but he might as well have just come out and said that he was standing by as an option when things went south. Cara snapped her mouth closed and crossed her arms over her chest. “I can’t believe you just said that to me.”

Phillip held up his hands in surrender. “I didn’t mean any disrespect.”

“I’m not sure Coop will see it that way. What makes you think he and I won’t last?”

Phillip’s brows dipped. “It doesn’t take a genius to come to that conclusion. You two couldn’t be more opposite, Cara. He’s all business and you’re not. You’re a free spirit, at least you used to be. You saw things with your heart. That guy can’t possibly appreciate you, or respect what you have to offer.”

“I’m not the same girl I was when I was eighteen, and you don’t know him.” Cara balled her fists and planted them on her hips. His every word pushed her to the boiling point, until she thought she might explode.

Phillip pulled his phone from his pocket, hit a few buttons, turned it to face her. “Does this look like a man that values you?”

Cara watched the video. She didn’t need to hear the audio for the memories to come crashing back. She was on a chair in the private dining room, a blindfold around her eyes, and Cooper’s head was between her thighs. Cara’s heart somersaulted into her stomach as bile rose in her throat. This wasn’t happening. “Where did you get that?”

“I was in the security office when it happened, but don’t worry. I only recorded some so I could show you, but I deleted the original. No one but I saw what was happening. You’re lucky it was only me, Cara. If he cared, how could he put you in that predicament without being absolutely sure that you wouldn’t get hurt?”

Cara crossed her arm around her waist. She felt exposed, and it had nothing to do with the skimpy outfit she was wearing. 

Phillip ran his hands over his face. “Listen, I’m sorry it had to come out this way. Just…” He shoved his hands in his pocket. “Just know if you need me, I’ll be there. It doesn’t matter why or when. I’ll just be there.”

“Are you going to delete that?” She gestured to his phone.

He clicked a few buttons and turned an empty screen back to her. “Done. Just be careful, okay?”

“Thank you.” Cara turned and walked away. She had no destination in mind as she followed the wet sand. All she knew was she needed to calm down before she talked to Coop. She was partially to blame for what had happened between them. She’d been eager for his touch, for the rush that had consumed her from the compromising position. He couldn’t have known there was a camera. He had to have been smarter than that.

Cara wasn’t the kind of woman to go running from her problems. She wasn’t the type to not take responsibility for her actions. It wasn’t as if the video would send her into hiding or hating Coop, but she’d be hard-pressed to trust that it wouldn’t happen again. Cara ended up in a hidden alcove. She sat on one the rocks with her feet buried in the wet sand as she watched the sun start to peek over the horizon. The vibrant orange and yellow hues did nothing to chase away her thoughts. She had no idea how much time had passed as she sat lost in thought. Coop was a good man. He wouldn’t have intentionally hurt her. Deep down she knew she was right.

“There you are,” Coop called out as he rounded the rocks that hid her from the beach-goers. “The forensic team is in our room. What are you doing way down here?” Coop asked, coming to stand between her legs and laying a gentle hand on her thigh.

“I…um…I just needed a bit of time to process. That’s all.”

Coop used his finger to lift her chin so she could look at him. “Everything will be okay. This thief messed up. He stole federal property when he stole my wallet with my badge inside. I just got off the phone with my partner, and he’s on his way to help find this creep.”

“That’s great.” She gave him a smile she knew didn’t reach her eyes. She couldn’t muster more enthusiasm. Her heart ached as she looked into Coop’s eyes. Every good thing eventually has to end.

“What did Phillip want to talk about?” Coop asked, as if he knew her talk with Phillip had something to do with how she was acting.

“He…” She cleared her throat. “He wanted to tell me that there was a video of us in the private dining room. He wanted to reassure me that he deleted it and no one else saw it.”

“That’s not possible.” Coop shook his head. “I specifically asked when I made the arrangements, and after I blindfolded you, I made sure there were no cameras hanging from the walls.”

Cara placed her hand over his and squeezed. “It’s okay, Coop. I don’t blame you. I could have stopped you, but I didn’t. I wanted that to happen as much as you, if not more.”

Coop cupped her cheek, and his face softened. “It’s not okay.”

She placed her palm over his. “What are we doing, Coop? This isn’t you; it isn’t me. You’re like an addiction that’s going to be hard for me to kick when we get back to reality.”

“One problem at a time, Cara.” He lowered his lips and pressed a tender kiss to her mouth. “Let’s go check out those cameras and buy some new things.”

Laughter bubbled from her lips. “Yeah? How are we going to do that? Neither one of us has any cash or credit cards.”

He lifted her off the rock. Her body slid slowly down his before he entwined their fingers together and started back up the beach. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Cara. You thought you knew who I was because of my last name, but honey, you have no idea.”

She was beginning to realize that. “Enlighten me; how do you plan to pay for stuff when neither of us has a dime. I’m allergic to washing dishes.”

“You didn’t find it odd that your Aunt Betty sent you to my house that night with a diaper bag? How do you think she knew I needed one?”

Cara didn’t know what to believe anymore. “I never thought to ask.”

Coop glanced at her. His eyes twinkled in the sunlight. “She sent  the diaper bag and you because she knew I was in over my head.” He squeezed her fingers. “She knew I was in over my head because she’s known me for a long time. I was assigned as her partner after the academy. When she told me she was retiring to open a bar, I decided to invest as a silent partner. I own half of the bar. I figured it would be a nice distraction when I retire.”

Cara’s mouth parted before she snapped it closed. How had she not known that Aunt Betty was in business with a Cruz? After she’d witnessed the tears and the betrayal. How come she hadn’t come clean? Maybe that was why she hadn’t come clean. “I didn’t know.”

“Now you do. So being as my business partner just happens to be on the island, she’ll foot the bill for everything and anything we need. I’ll pay her back. She knows I’m good for it. Not to mention, you’re her niece. She wouldn’t have left you stranded.”

Coop led Cara into the hotel boutique. They had an array of clothes, only most of them were geared toward an older crowd. Not that she minded changing out of her aunt’s Daisy Dukes. Still. She passed on the large flowered dresses that would swallow her whole, opting instead for a few items that looked like they were meant to flow. Whoever had stolen their clothes was a perv, not even leaving their underwear behind. Bastard.

They’d both changed into clothes they could wear into the restaurant before he pulled her through it. The smell of bacon, sausage, and pancakes had her mouthwatering as he led her into the private dining room. He paused inside the empty room. The table from the night before was pushed against the wall. The place had been cleaned. Her gaze traveled the length of the walls. Coop was right. There hadn’t been any video cameras in sight. How exactly had Phillip seen it?

Coop grabbed one of the chairs and placed it where she’d sat last night. “What angle was the video coming from?”

Cara sat down in the chair, remembering the angle from the shot. She pointed toward one of the walls where a plant was hung.

Coop grabbed another chair, walked over to the wall, stood on top of it. He dug around inside the plastic plant.

“Sir, guests aren’t allowed to stand on the furniture,” one of the workers said.

He jumped down and looked behind the plant. He ran his fingers along the wall. A smile slipped on his lips. “What’s behind this wall?”

“Uh…the kitchen. Well directly behind the wall where you’re standing is the supply room and then the kitchen.”

“Take us there,” Coop demanded and took Cara’s hand.

“Sir, guests aren’t allowed in the kitchen.”

“Ma’am, I’m Special Agent Cruz with the FBI, and if you don’t take me to the supply closet, I’ll have your ass arrested for interfering with a federal investigation.”

“Coop, this doesn’t have anything to do with the thefts,” Cara whispered.

“It could.” He winked. “For all we know, that could be where the thief is stashing the goods.”

Cara placed a smile on her face as she turned to the woman. “Please, let us see the supply closet. We won’t take long, and we promise to leave your name out if anyone gets upset.”

The woman nodded. “Come with me. I’ll bring you in the back way so my manager and the other guests won’t see.”

“There’s a back way?” Coop asked as we crossed the empty room.

“Of course. The hotel has a lot of back entrances that are for employees only. Kind of an out of sight, out of mind thing. The management didn’t want housekeepers and such being in the guests’ way. So we all use the back entrances.”

The woman swiped her card key into the security lock, making the door buzz open. Cara and Coop followed behind her as she stopped at another door and swiped it again. She stepped back and let Coop and Cara enter the dark room.

Coop flipped a switch, and a low light illuminated their surroundings. Boxes filled the room labeled napkins and condiments, and there were a few empty hotel bags that were distributed to the guests’ rooms for dirty clothes. Cara peered in one as Coop moved to the adjoining wall, about where the plant from the adjoining dining room would be hung. He shoved some boxes aside and grinned.

“Ma’am, do you have a cell phone?”

“Sure.” She pulled it out and handed it to him.

Coop took a picture before his fingers flew across the screen. He handed it back to her. “Don’t delete that picture until you’re told by either Agent Howard Stallman or me. He’s en route. I emailed it to him for safekeeping.”

She nodded and shoved the phone back into her apron.

“Cara, hand me one of those plastic hotel bags.”

Cara handed it to him. Coop used the bag to scoop up something near his feet without touching it with his hands.

“What did you find?”

“Evidence.”

He grabbed another bag, picked up a few more items, and placed them in the bag. Her wallet and his, their phones, along with the black satin bra she’d worn the night before, were among the items.

“Oh my God.”

“I know.”

“Coop, you realize who did this? He deleted the video. We won’t be able to prove it.”

“We’ll prove it.” He smiled and moved out of the room, taking her hand. He pulled the door closed.

“Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask you not to tell anyone that we were in here. Do you understand?”

“Of course. You might want to hurry, though. We have a shift change in thirty minutes.”

“Which is the fastest way out without us running into anyone?”

“Follow me.”