Slave to Love (46 page)

Just a few more days and finally he’d be able to let down his guard and stop looking over his shoulder.

Maybe even let a woman into his life.

If she’d have him.

Chapter 30

Caro had always considered herself to be a strong woman, but when Captain Trujillo suggested taking a week or two off, she’d never been so grateful. The events of the past ten days had left her reeling. Not to mention the avalanche of emotions swirling inside her for Mick—emotions that needed to be dealt with. Rationally. If she still had it in her to be rational about him. Which she had a sinking feeling she didn’t.

“Thanks, Captain. I could use the down time,” she replied, holding herself straight and tall, despite the uncertainty roiling inside over her fate.

“I understand you’ve gotten several other offers of employment,” he went on, steepling his fingers over his desk.

An understatement. She’d been swamped with calls during the two days since she and Mick had succeeded in trapping the Teddie Killer—that is, Teddie Killers. She was still shocked that Smythe had been working with Mick’s father the whole time.

Overnight, Mick had become the center of a media feeding frenzy. It wasn’t every day the lead detective’s own father turned out to be the serial killer and was shot down trying to make him the next victim. Along with her. Naturally, their personal relationship, especially their explicit sexual involvement, had been splashed over every tabloid in existence, and even the legit news magazines, too.

As a result, they’d both had dozens of offers, everything from centerfold photo spreads in bondage rags, to every TV talk show in existence, to genuine offers of employment from various law enforcement agencies, mostly for undercover work.

“Yes, sir, I’ve had a few calls. None I’m taking seriously, though.”

He nodded, and paused before saying, “Perhaps you should take another look at the good ones.”

Alarm skittered through her. “What are you saying, sir? Are you firing me?”

Trujillo swiped a hand over his mouth. “No. I’m not, Officer Palmer. Thanks to you and Detective McGraw, our biggest case of the decade is closed. However, under the circumstances, it might be in your best interest to make a move. You understand how difficult it’ll be for you to work here....”

No fucking kidding. Some of the more sensational details of her and Mick’s relationship had come out in the tabloid blitz, and there were people at PPD who had a real hard time looking her in the eye. Not that she cared all that much. “Yes, sir. But—”

“You also realize there’s no way I can let both you and Detective McGraw stay in Homicide. We’ve talked about that before. And he has seniority. Even keeping you in the same building would probably be a mistake.”

Which meant she was back to Traffic. Shit. She had harbored a secret hope the Cap would suggest a different solution. Wishful thinking, obviously. “I understand.”

“So, if there’s a better situation for you somewhere else, you might want to consider it.”

“I’ll do that,” she said. You couldn’t get a more direct order than that.

Whatever. There were lots of other police departments in the LA area. Her goal all along had been to work Homicide. Not necessarily here. Not if she couldn’t be with Mick.

“Captain,” Mick said, and stepped forward from where he up until now had been standing silently behind her. “I’ll resign if—”

“No!” she cut him off vehemently. “McGraw stays. If I go, he stays. That’s the deal.”

She turned to square off against him, meeting him eye to eye. No way was she letting him throw away his career at PPD. Not after everything he’d gone through to keep it. Unlike hers, his reputation would only be enhanced by what he’d done: the dangerous, mysterious Iceman, able to seduce naïve, unsuspecting preacher’s daughter into becoming his kinky sex slave
and
catching the bad guys, all in the space of a week. Talk about juice.

Well, she may yield to his commands in bed, but not here.

“Forget it, Mick,” she told him levelly. “This is
my
choice.”

She could tell he wanted to argue by the way his jaw set. But he didn’t. Instead, he said, “If you’re sure.”

“I am.”

“She can come work for us,” Woodruff said from against the other wall, where he’d been standing. They’d all been called in together, she, Mick and Bobby, to receive notice of their upcoming formal commendations, along with one for Jeff Cody from LAPD. Woodruff was there to represent the FBI, which was also throwing in some kind of citation for the joint operation. “The Bureau can always use a good undercover operative.”

“You mean like Special Agent Adams?” she said, barely hiding a smirk. She and Lauren, now that would be an interesting team. Not.

“Yeah. Like her,” Woodruff said, his lips curving up at the corners.

Mick started to move, but Bobby stopped him.

“I’ll think about it,” she said. The FBI. Now
that
would be the ultimate Homicide unit. “Thanks.”

“The official award ceremony will be held as soon as IAB’s formal inquiry into McGraw father’s shooting is completed,” Captain Trujillo informed them. “No more than a week, I’d guess. The press will be there in force. Pass the word to Detective Cody, will you?” Mick nodded. “Let’s try to keep this thing dignified and professional, people.” He picked up a file from his desk, a signal the meeting was over.

“Yes, sir,” the three of them chorused, and filed out of the office, followed by Woodruff.

As soon as the door closed, Mick turned on Tim. “She’s
not
working for you,” he gritted out. “So just—”

She grabbed Mick around the waist and Bobby stepped between the two before they came to blows. “Baby, calm down,” she said. “Tim’s a profiler out of DC. I wouldn’t be working for him.”

“You can’t seriously be considering—”

“You heard the captain. I can’t stay at PPD.”

“But the FBI—”

“We’ll talk about this later, okay?” But the more she thought about it, the better she liked the idea. If they could work something out here in LA.

He stared at her for a moment, then the Iceman chill descended, smoothing out his angry features. “Fine.”

She never ceased to be amazed at how he did that. The same thing had happened the night of his father’s shooting. One minute he was a chaotic wreck holding her tight, the next, so completely the calm and in-control detective as he let the responding officers into the apartment, it almost scared her.

She’d been a mess right up until this meeting, awaiting her fate. Now that it was over, she’d finally regained her strength and direction. At least regarding her employability.

Her relationship with Mick was a different matter. They’d barely had a moment to themselves, let alone been able to talk about the future. It was almost as though he’d been avoiding her. Did they have a future?

Woodruff handed her a business card, under Mick’s disapproving scowl. “Call me. I’m serious about the job.” Then he walked into the waiting elevator and was swallowed up.

She looked at Mick as she slipped the card into her pocket, daring him to comment.

“So,” Bobby said into the thick, broody silence, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “What a case, eh?”

She figured he’d start whistling next, if nobody said anything, so she did. “Yeah,” she said with a sigh. “Case of a lifetime. Career-making case.”

Bobby grimaced and punched the elevator button again, now that it had safely stopped on the ground floor. “Sorry about you having to leave PPD. Rough break.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll land on my feet.”

Mick glanced at her sharply, his mouth a thin line.

They got on the small elevator and Bobby looked down at her, his eyes snagging on the silver of the slave collar she still wore beneath her suit blouse.

“You going to take that collar off her, Mick? Now that it’s all over?” he asked.

She froze at the unexpected question.

Mick reached out and grasped her by the arms, turning her to face him. His hands traveled up her shoulders to her throat and slowly he rubbed his thumbs over the braided ropes of her silver choker, warm from the heat of her body. Deliberately, he sought out the tiny padlock keeping it on her neck...keeping her with him.

“I should,” he murmured. “I should let you go.”

There was something dangerous about Mick’s expression, his stance, his harsh tone as he said the words. Something that waited to ambush her in a darkened parking garage, taking her from behind and—

She closed her eyes against the vivid image and her nostrils flared, filling with the heady, musky scent of her lover.
This was what she loved about him
. That edge of danger...

No one else would ever be able to do that for her, to take her to that place. She’d be lost without Mick. He’d taught her too well.

“Do you want to?” she whispered, gazing up at him. “Let me go?”

He’d said he loved her. Had he really meant it? Or had it all just been part of the game...

He looked at her for what seemed like forever. The elevator hit the second floor for Homicide, the doors opened and Bobby walked out leaving them alone. Still Mick didn’t move.

“No,” he finally said. “I don’t want to set you free. It excites me having you in my power, owning your sexuality. But—” He halted abruptly as the doors whooshed shut and the car lurched downward.

“But what?” she asked, her pulse beating out of control.

“What if I want more?”

Her heart stuttered. Suddenly terrified of what he would ask of her, she thought of her mother. Of her bleak shadow-existence, subjugated to her overbearing father. Caro loved Mick, but she knew she could never become that person.

At her hesitation, Mick’s mouth thinned even further. “Do you even want to stay with me?”

“Of course I do. It’s just—”

“There were a lot of men at the Tether Club who wanted you, Caro. Even Bobby and Cody.” Mick grimaced. “And Tim. You could have your pick of a hundred men. Would you rather be with someone else?”

“Would
you
?” she asked, turning the tables. Because she needed to be sure, too. “Would you like someone else? Someone who’ll give you her total submission, not just in the bedroom?”

“No,” he said with a scowl. “I like you just the way you are.”

Relief washed over her.
Thank God
. “So you’ll okay with me applying for that job with the FBI if I decide to?”

His jaw clamped. The automatic door whooshed open. “You can work anywhere you like. As long as you come home to me afterward.”

Incredible joy blossomed in her heart. That was all she needed to hear. “Every night, baby.” She slid her arms around his neck and kissed him. “You know there will never be anyone else for me but you.”

“There better not be,” he murmured, pulling her close. “Because if you left me for another man I’d have to kill you both.”

She smiled into his neck. She knew he could never hurt her. Ever. It was just his way of telling her he’d die before letting her go. Which was exactly what she wanted.

She kissed him again. “In that case,” she murmured, “maybe we’d better leave my collar on.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

He led the way out of the elevator, took her hand and headed for the parking garage.

“Wait,” she said, looking toward SIS.

“What is it?”

“I need to see Julio before we go. He left a message and sounded upset.”

Distaste swept over Mick’s face. “You know he reported me to IAB, don’t you? For the way I left you at Su’s.”

“He thought it was the right thing to do.”

He snorted. “That’s rich, coming from him.”

She stopped with her hand on the door knob. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I called him at home that morning to take care of you. His little lover boy beat him up for his trouble.” Her jaw dropped. “He knows I love you and would never hurt a hair on your head. But he still reported me. Then he goes home to a lover who beats the crap out of him every chance he gets.”