Safe Harbor (28 page)

* * * *

The next morning, Clarisse’s nerves had stretched to the breaking point before they even left the room. She set Bart’s crate on the bed.

After they’d all had showers and dressed, Mac hung the Do Not Disturb card on the doorknob before they walked across the street to a restaurant.

When she insisted she wasn’t hungry, Sully ordered for her anyway. Sully talked with Mac about what had happened and how he planned to approach things. When their order arrived, hers a small meal of scrambled eggs and toast, Sully looked across the table at her.

“Eat,” he softly, firmly commanded. “I don’t expect you to finish it, but pick at it, at least. You’ll get sick if you don’t.”

She thought she wouldn’t be able to get through more than two or three bites, but by the time the men had finished eating, she was surprised to realize she’d finished most of hers, too.

Sully paid for their meal and they rode to the station in silence. He scanned the parking lot as they pulled in and directed Mac where to park.

“Do you see his personal car anywhere?” Sully asked Clarisse.

“No, but that doesn’t mean anything.”

“True.”

Mac walked around and opened Sully’s door, then hers. The men flanked her as they walked into the station. Mac wore his suit. Sully was also well-dressed in slacks, a dress shirt, and tie. Between the two

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of them, she felt fat and frumpish even in the nice dress Mac had purchased for her.

The detective immediately ushered them back to his office where Sully took over. Clarisse quietly sat between the two men, nervously twisting her hands together in her lap. Mac reached over and took one of her hands, gently stroked the back of her knuckles with his thumb.

She gave up trying to listen to the detective. It was all she could do not to cry. Bryan would try to kill her, hurt her men, and her life was basically over. That’s what it boiled down to.

The detective’s phone rang. He excused himself and answered, then asked the caller to hold on.

“It’s IT. They’ve got the data retrieved. They’re restoring it and printing a hard copy for me.”

Sully nodded. “Excellent.”

Clarisse burst into tears.

Sully grabbed her hand. “Detective, do you have a private room?”

“There’s an empty conference room, take a left out the door, fourth door on the right.”

Sully looked at Mac. “Take her and calm her down. Stay with her.”

Mac immediately stood, pulled Clarisse with him, and led her out of the office.

* * * *

Bryan stood at the end of the hall, talking with his cousin, Ed.

When he saw the guy walk out of Calvert’s office, holding Clarisse’s hand, it was all he could do to not beat the shit out of her and him both. The guy was big, but he knew he could take him. When the guy glanced his way, Bryan got a good look at the son of a bitch’s face.

He wouldn’t forget him.

She never looked his way, didn’t see him.

Ed noticed the direction of his gaze and forced him back into the

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break room. “Don’t do it,” he warned. “Don’t go there. You’re in enough fucking trouble if they figure out what happened to the damn files,” he whispered.

“That bitch owes me ten-k.”

“Yeah, well she didn’t break the law by taking it. Joint account.

You, however, will end up in fucking prison if they find out you tampered with evidence, which they probably will. I am
not
going to jail for you, asshole. If I were you, I’d strongly suggest getting your affairs in order, because those two guys she’s got with her look like no-nonsense kind of guys.”

“Who the fuck are they? She can’t afford an attorney.”

“I don’t know, and I don’t care. The blond one came in with her yesterday. The other guy I saw, the one still in Calvert’s office, he wasn’t here.” He got in Bryan’s face, no easy feat considering Bryan stood three inches taller.

“I always warned you your fucking temper would get you into trouble, asshole. Your first mistake was hitting her, you stupid fuck.

Your second was to leave her like nothing happened and then lie about it. Don’t give me any bullshit about she was fine when you left.

You and I both know you hit her. You should have apologized and groveled, fuckhead, and maybe she wouldn’t have pressed charges.

Go home. Get the hell out of here.”

Bryan shoved him out of his way and stormed out the back door.

He got in his car, pulled out, and parked across the street from the public lot.

And waited.

* * * *

Ed fought a battle of conscience—and a surge of adrenaline—as he watched Bryan leave. He couldn’t believe he stood up to the fuckwad.

No, what had happened in the system couldn’t be traced directly

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back to him. He used an open terminal on someone else’s desk to log in to the system. Thank God for their old and archaic computer system. It was due to be upgraded in three months. Otherwise, there’s no way he could have pulled it off. Bryan giving him a back-end access code didn’t hurt either. He’d stuck the physical file in a stack of other files heading to archives. It probably wouldn’t be found anytime soon. But he didn’t want to see Clarisse get hurt. Again.

After more deliberation, he stuck his head in Calvert’s office.

“Hey, Bryan Jackson was just here.” He looked at the dark-haired man talking with Calvert. Ex-cop immediately flashed through his mind.

The man frowned. “Is he gone?”

“Yeah.”

“Mr. Nicoletto,” Calvert said, “we’ll make sure she safely gets out of the station, but we obviously can’t give you an armed escort back to Florida.”

“Don’t say anything to her about him being here,” the man said.

“She’s upset enough as it is.”

Ed left them and walked out to his patrol car. He’d been thinking about moving to Texas, his brother said the department he worked for there was hiring. He could be close to his brother, away from Bryan.

Maybe it was time to take him up on the offer.

* * * *

Sully opened the conference room door and tilted his head to Mac, indicating he wanted him to step out for a moment. Clarisse still sniffled, a handful of used tissues piled on the table next to her.

Sully closed the door behind Mac and whispered into his ear what happened. “Keep her here until I come back for you. Don’t let her out of your sight.”

He grimly nodded. “Let the fucker try something.”

Sully returned to Detective Calvert’s office. The reconstructed file

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was brought in and they discussed the case. A half-hour later, they were able to leave. Sully’s mind raced. He needed to get her out of the station safely and without Bryan following them back to the hotel.

Bryan was on administrative leave, so he shouldn’t have access to any resources to track them.

Theoretically. Depending on how loyal his buddies were.

Calvert walked with him. “I don’t know Bryan Jackson well, but I’ve heard he’s got a vicious temper. IA’s looking into him too, now.”

“He tries to mess with us, he’ll find he’s got a fight on his hands.

How do we get out the back door?” The detective gave him instructions. He left the detective in the hallway and got Clarisse and Mac. The detective had shown him a picture of Bryan, so he knew what he looked like, but had Bryan seen him with Clarisse?

He got the keys from Mac. “Wait with her by the back door. I’ll bring the car around. Be ready to jump into the backseat with her and get down,” he whispered.

Clarisse was too out of it to pay attention, her fear in control, flight instincts ready to trigger at any second.

Sully paused at the front entrance before walking out the door. He scanned the parking lot, noticed no other cars nearby with people in them. Walking quickly, he got in the rental and pulled out of the parking lot. He drove a few blocks away from the station, noticed no one following him, then doubled-back from a different direction and pulled into the official lot. Mac and Clarisse hurried out and jumped into the backseat. Mac pushed her down while Sully quickly headed in the opposite direction of the hotel.

They were two miles from the station when he told them to sit up.

Clarisse looked near tears again. “He was there, wasn’t he? He saw us?”

Sully glanced in the rearview mirror. “I don’t think he saw us.”

“But he was there?” she asked again, near hysterics, her voice tight.

Mac pulled her close. “Honey, listen. He’s not getting you. Don’t

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worry.”

“You guys are leaving,” Sully said. “As soon as we get back to the hotel. I want you to take the long way home.”

* * * *

Two hours later, Bryan realized they’d managed to leave without him seeing. He swore and hit his steering wheel.

Fuck it.

He returned to the station and entered through the back door.

Calvert frowned when he saw him.

“What are you doing here, Jackson? You’re on leave.”

“I have a right to know what’s going on.”

“You get your ass out of here before I find something to throw you in jail for. You want to know what’s going on? Have your attorney find out.” He glared. “I don’t know what happened to the original file, but thankfully we retrieved the data. I’m sure you and your cousins had something to do with that. Believe me, once this case is handled, we will be looking into that. I personally don’t give a shit who your father is.”

Bryan fought the urge to slug the guy. He’d been a cop for ten years. This guy had only been with the department for two years after moving from Pittsburgh. A goody-two-shoes who did everything by the rules.

He turned and left. Now he had to find out where she was. He called his attorney.

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They packed fast. Clarisse’s heart raced, terrified. Mac went to use the bathroom, leaving her alone with Sully. He caught her hand and pulled her to him.

“You’ll be okay,” he said in that soft, firm voice. “Do you trust me?”

She nodded.

“Do you? Really? You didn’t trust me for the longest time.”

Sully had given her every reason to trust him. “Yes,” she whispered. “I trust you.”

“Do you love me? Honestly?”

“Do you love me?”

He smiled. “Answer my question.”

“Answer mine first.”

His face softened, looked sad. “I love you very much. I would die for you, sweetheart. I would do anything to make you happy, to keep you safe, to protect you. Now you answer
my
question. Honestly.”

She draped her arms around his neck, her heart racing. “I love you very much.”

“You understand what I’m asking of you?”

She took a deep breath. “I understand, Master.”

She didn’t miss the surprise in his face, although he tried to mask it. He kissed her, long and deep, passionately, possessively, nothing like his other kisses had felt. She closed her eyes and savored it, enjoyed the feel of his body molded against hers, something to finally take her mind off the panic threatening to wash over her.

She gave him all control, his lips first pressing, then his tongue

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carefully insisting she give up all resistance.

Sully slowly tasted and explored her, gently nibbling and nipping and giving her more than a glimpse of what the future held in store.

He eventually broke their kiss, still holding her close. He cupped his hand around the back of her neck, much the way he had Mac’s at the airport. “We’ll talk once we’re all safely home,” he said. “Nothing changes for now, okay? If you still feel like this then—and I hope you do—we’ll discuss what comes next.” Then he stroked her hair and kissed her forehead. “I love you, sweetheart. I really do. I think I fell in love with you when I first met you.”

She wanted to cry, only happy tears this time. “I love you, too.”

“Obey Mac as if he’s me. Don’t worry about titles. Let him take care of you. That’s his job.”

“Yes, Master.”

His low chuckle warmed her. For a moment it was easy to forget she felt scared witless in a hotel room in Columbus with her psycho ex-boyfriend wanting to do much more than rip a strip out of her hide.

“That’s a good girl,” he whispered. “You’re
my
good girl, aren’t you?”

She pleasantly shivered as his arms firmly held her, his fingers tightening against the back of her neck. “Yes, Master.”

She heard his breath catch, and he pressed another kiss to the top of her head. “Lean on Mac if you need to. Don’t let fear eat you alive, pet.” He chuckled and tipped her face to his. “My pet.” His eyes searched her face. “I think that will be my name for you.
My
pet.”

Clarisse shivered again. The deep, possessive tone in his voice branded her heart.

She
was
his.

She knew that she loved Mac too, but she also understood that from this moment on, she would belong to Sully first and foremost.

In any way he desired.

She also knew Mac would insist on it being that way.

He released her and stepped back. Bart whined and wagged his

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tail. Sully sat on the bed and held the little dog at eye level. “Listen to me. You help Mac take care of her, okay?”

Clarisse didn’t know whether to laugh or cry with relief.

Bart squirmed with pleasure as Sully cradled him against his chest and scratched the back of his head. As Mac emerged from the bathroom, Sully winked at Clarisse.

She couldn’t help but smile as a bolt of heat shot straight through her core.

“We ready to go?” Mac asked.

“Yeah. She’s all packed.”

Sully’s eyes held her, captivating her.

Mac glanced at Clarisse, then Sully. A knowing smile crept across his face. “Everything okay, Master?”

Sully smirked as he handed Bart back to Clarisse. “Everything’s fine, slave.” He stood and crooked his finger at Mac, then pointed at the floor in front of him.

Without hesitation, Mac knelt in front of Sully and bowed his head. Sully placed his hand on Mac’s head and tightly knotted his fingers in the man’s hair. Clarisse suspected it had to hurt, but Mac never even winced. “Slave, I’m charging you with taking care of my pet. And I don’t mean Bart.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Bring her home safely for me. I hold you personally responsible for her safety and well-being. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Master.”

Sully’s fingers relaxed in Mac’s hair. He lovingly smoothed Mac’s hair back into place and gently trailed his fingers down the other man’s cheek, over his ear.

Mac clasped Sully’s hand, kissed it, nuzzled it against his face.

“Please have a safe trip, Master. I love you.”

Clarisse wanted to drop to her knees in front of Sully, too.

“I love you too, slave.”

Clarisse needed one more bathroom trip before they left. When

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she returned, both men were smiling. Mac handed Bart to her and kissed Sully good-bye. Then Sully kissed her good-bye, another passionate kiss that curled her toes. He helped her climb into the truck cab and handed Bart to her.

Before he closed her door, he winked at her. “Be safe, pet. Obey slave.”

She smiled. “I will, Master.”