Tattoo My Heart (Heroes of Seaside Point, Book 1) (16 page)

Casey nodded. “You’ve got a man on Marcelli?”

Agent Double-O Sexy’s eyes darkened. “In flight to Los Angeles as we speak.”

“Any news on the murder?”

“Not a word. Just a body.” Annessa noticed that didn’t seem to bother him too much. “Marcelli keeps a tight hold on his organization.”

Her stomach lurched. “So, we just stay holed up here until you catch him? What about my sister’s wedding?”

“We don’t plan to drag out this operation.” She took that to mean he had a plan. “I don’t want you all in the same location. Splitting you up is safer.” Annessa’s confidence in Agent Ramano wavered. Sexy or not, she wasn’t too sure he had a clear understanding of Marcelli’s power.

Casey squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll stay here with Travis. Dane and Vanessa will stay at his place when he’s not on call.” He smirked at the agent. “Mav’s shadow is in for a wild ride.”

“The Sheriff’s Department and the Fire Department won’t be a problem. It’s off duty I’m more concerned about.”

“You think we should stay put?”

“No. We stand a better chance of drawing him out if you do everyday, normal things. My guys are good.”

“Wait a minute.” Casey’s tone sharpened. “We’re not using her as bait.”

“That’s not my intent. I only meant that the more normal the activity, the more brave the criminal. He will most likely believe we aren’t taking the threat seriously.”

Casey nodded but she didn’t miss the venom directed at the agent as he spoke. “Just so we’re clear.”

“Affirmative, Sheriff. We’ll need to establish a command center in your office this morning. She’ll be safe here while you’re away.”

She dodged several testosterone-injected arrows. “Vanessa planned to stay with me. We’ll be fine with the muscle on the house.”

In one full swoop, Casey crushed her against him, placed his lips to hers, and took her mouth in full possession. Probably to mark his territory, but who really cared? In fact, two could play his game. She opened her mouth beneath his, closed her lips around his tongue, and sucked. Hard.

Casey’s hands tightened on her hips as she continued to hold him hostage in her mouth. Her nipples tightened in the heat between them and her libido screamed when she felt his erection against her stomach.

Somewhere in the depths of her desire, she heard Agent Ramano snicker. “I get it.”

Only because they had an audience, she released Casey’s tongue and silently relinquished control back to him. He lifted his lips and his heated gaze told her all she needed to know. His noble intentions were gone.

“Don’t leave the house without an agent.”

She lifted an eyebrow, sending her own brand of warning.

“Please, Annessa.” His voice gentled as he poked a strand of her hair behind one ear. “Just this once humor me.”

“Oh okay.” She pressed her lips back against to his in a brief surrender. “Just this once.”

Casey released her and nodded at the agent. “I’ll ride with you.”

Annessa headed inside the house, relaxed for the first time in days. About Marcelli, anyway. Her nerves however, still jumped from Casey’s touch.

“You have got it bad.”

She glanced at Vanessa standing in the doorway. “That’s putting it mildly.”

Her sister grinned and closed the door. “The dresses are here.”

“How are we going to manage a final fitting?” She followed Vanessa upstairs and into her bedroom. “I’m not sure we should bring your bridesmaids here.”

“I’m sure everyone’s dress is perfect. You usually get it right the first time.”

“It helps that everyone is about the same size.”

Vanessa opened the closet door and gestured inside with her head. “Yours is here. Try it on.”

Annessa stripped down to her bra and panties then slid the emerald gown over her head until the hem brushed the bottom of her knees. “What made you choose this color?”

“It matches your eyes.”

“Yours are the same color as mine.”

“Yes, but I’m wearing white.” Vanessa flashed a grin. “Besides, green is Casey’s favorite color.”

“How do you know that?”

“You just told me.” Van winked and tweaked one thin shoulder strap. “And, it shouldn’t be hard for him to get you out of this.”

“Who
are
you? You are definitely not Vanessa Dupree, the good twin.”

“Oh stop, Ness. Sooner or later you and Casey will stop being so stubborn.”

“How do you know we haven’t?”

“One, you would’ve told me. Two, I didn’t hear anything from your bedroom last night.”

“What makes you so sure you would’ve heard something?”

Vanessa simply raised an eyebrow.

“Fine,” she relented. “Even I don’t know if I’m noisy. But, I don’t tell you everything about my sex life.”

“Yes you do.”

“You’re right.” Shame on her for thinking she could get that by her sister. “I have kissed him, though.”

“Yeah, in front of a squad of Georgia State Investigators, and it was pretty hot if I say so myself.”

“I’ve had better.”

“Better than Casey?”

“No, better
with
Casey.”

“I’m starting to think you don’t tell me everything. What exactly happened last night?”

“Nothing.”
The night before, however
…. She swallowed so that admission wouldn’t barrel out of her mouth.

“But you’ve decided to kick fear in the teeth?”

“Maybe. I’m not sure sex will change that. I love Casey, Van, I just don’t know if I can trust him not to leave me again.”

“You left too, Ness.”

Annessa raised her dress back up and over her head. “Do you think I screwed up?”

“No, I think you did the only thing you knew. You ran to avoid the pain.”

“I didn’t expect things to turn out like they did.”

“No,” her sister said softly. “You expected Casey to give in as usual.” She took the dress and hung it back in the closet. “If it makes any difference, I think he beats himself up on a daily basis.”

“He apologized.”

“Of course.” Vanessa nodded. “But you need more.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Give yourself time.” Vanessa shut the closet door. “There’s something else I wanted to talk about.”

Relieved to change the subject, Annessa plopped down on the bed and waited for her sister to elaborate.

“Something’s up with Travis,” Vanessa continued.

“Like what?”

“Well, last week I dropped by the station to see Dane and Travis was locked in his office on the phone.”

“He’s the captain. Maybe it was a business call.”

“At one o’clock in the morning?”

Annessa bit her tongue to keep from asking why Vanessa was even at the Seaside Fire Department at that hour. Especially since she already knew the answer.

“Okay, maybe not,” she said instead. “Did you hear the conversation?”

“Not word for word, but I’m pretty sure there was a female on the other end.”

“Really? How could you tell?”

“He told someone he couldn’t wait.”

“For what?”

“I have no idea.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know that either.”

“Gee, Van,” she drawled, “you’re just full of information.”

“I know it doesn’t sound like much but I’m still curious.”

“He hasn’t been serious about anyone in awhile.”

“No. That’s why I’m suspicious.”

“Did you ask Dane?”

“Are you kidding? If I asked Dane anything, he’d run and tell Travis and I wouldn’t have even half a chance to figure out what’s going on.”

“Casey hasn’t mentioned anything to me.”

“You know how it works.” Vanessa waved a hand in the air. “We don’t have a chance with the four Musketeers.”

“He needs someone.” She released a sigh. “We, well mostly me,
I’ve
kept his attention focused on me far too long.”

“He’s sacrificed a lot for us,” Vanessa agreed.

“Without one single complaint.”

“And now, I’ve done it again.”

“Maybe, but this time he would’ve killed you for not coming to him.”

“Don’t remind me,” she groaned.

“Sorry.” Vanessa hopped off the bed. “C’mon, let’s go make a pitcher of margaritas and a pan of double fudge brownies.”

Tension slid from Annessa’s body as she followed her sister downstairs. “God, I’m glad you can read my mind.”

***

Parked safely out of view, he snickered under his breath as he watched the men in black swarm the house, encouraged he’d kept them all on their toes. Obviously they’d taken his warnings seriously.

He took another long pull from the cigarette between his lips and then blew several smoke rights into the air
. “
It’s only a matter of time
.”

His accomplice slammed his palm against the steering wheel
. “
The hell you say
!
He’s called in the state police
!
What the fuck do we do now
?”

“
Wait
.”

“
I don’t think so. I say we cut our loss and get out of here
.”

“
We wait
,”
he repeated
.

“
You honestly believe we can get past all those agents
?
You really are full of yourself
.”

“
I came to do a job and I intend to finish it
.”
He inhaled another drag of nicotine
. “
Sooner or later, someone will screw up
.”

“
I hope it’s sooner
,”
his partner mumbled
. “
For your benefit
.”

“
And yours
.
We’ll both end up six feet under if we go back empty handed
.”

“
Get your head on straight, man
!
If we stay here we’ll either get caught or killed. Is she worth it
?”

He looked at his partner and sneered
. “
Failure is not an option. If we keep a cool head, no one gets hurt or killed
.”

***

After several brownies and several more margaritas, Annessa slept most of the afternoon and evening away, awakened when the bedroom door opened.

Still fuzzy from sleep, she rolled over to see Casey enter and place a sack on the bureau before he approached the side of the bed and bent to place a soft kiss on her lips.

You taste like limes,” he said as he lifted his head and shifted to lie next to her.

“Vanessa and I made brownies and margaritas.”

“Ah.” His chest rumbled with the force of his laugh. “Did you sleep it off?”

“Yes.” She burrowed deeper into him. “You’re home early.”

“I didn’t want to leave you alone in the dark. I know your obsession with pepper spray.”

She settled her head against his chest, his tight muscles providing the comfort she sought. “Are you tired?”

“No. Are you?”

“No.” His fingers drew lazy circles on her shoulder while his breath moved the hair on top of her head. She moved her hands until her palms lay flat against his back and then kneaded the tense muscles.

With a hard sigh, he eased her back from his embrace. “Annessa, I can’t sleep in this bed again while you’re pressed against me without making love to you.”

His admission didn’t surprise her. As gallant as he had been last night, she couldn’t miss his reaction. The length of him resting against the silk barrier between her legs had made her achy and hungry. So much so that she wanted to rip off his pants and ride the wild stallion until morning. No, he wasn’t the only one who couldn’t wait any longer.

She pressed closer, draped her arms around his neck, and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “So don’t.”

His voice was a hoarse whisper as he spoke. “I bought something.”

“Condoms?”

“What? No!”

“We didn’t discuss birth control.”

“Are you on something?”

She nodded and watched something between anger and surprise cross his handsome features.

“You didn’t tell me that before.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“I think you’re hiding some very naughty fantasies, sweetheart.”

If he only knew
. “Maybe.”

“Does Travis know?”

“Really, Casey? I’m twenty four years old. It’s none of his business.”

“I’ve never had sex without a condom.”

Neither have I
. “You don’t have anything to worry about with me.”

“I didn’t buy condoms.”