The D.C. Incident (7 page)

The fact that the lead detective had been one of Rafe’s Delta Force squad allowed him to keep her away from the police station. Stew rustled up a uniform from one of the waiters and guarded the door to the bathroom while Rafe got her out of her bloody clothes. Caleb held her while Rafe scrubbed at the human remains clinging to her skin. Between the two of them they washed her hair in the sink. Rafe watched the clumps of flesh swirling down the drain in horror. When he got Nicki dry and in clean clothes, he wrapped her in a blanket and sunk down in an oversized chair that Grayson commandeered from the Director’s office. He didn’t know who was clinging hardest to whom, him or Nicki.

After a cup of coffee laced with Irish whisky, Nicki managed to stop shaking. When he was convinced that she was rational, Rafe allowed Lt. Corrigan and his captain to question her.

Nicki went over the tragedy starting with the facts she uncovered about Representative Freeman. Rafe and Caleb and Grayson managed to keep from interrupting. None of them could hide their shock at the magnitude of the scandal. Rafe understood now why Nicki was so fierce about chasing down her leads. And why she was so excited about finding proof. He closed his eyes at the irony of the situation. Nicki was right. The Freemans could never have survived the scandal. He was astonished at her persistence and her stunning instincts. But overshadowing his pride and respect for what she’d accomplished was the realization that she could have been killed. All things considered, it was a miracle she wasn’t.

At that moment, Nicki lifted her head and met Rafe’s gaze.

“It’s my fault. It is, isn’t it? If I hadn’t kept looking, hadn’t run down the evidence… this… wouldn’t have happened. They wouldn’t be dead.”

Rafe put his finger against her lips.

“Stop, Nicki, now. Your work, your insights and your persistence were all extraordinary, breathtaking. You saved this country from a despicable man, a hideous scandal. The only people who are responsible for the deaths of Stephen and Cherise Freeman are the two of them. Period. End of discussion.”

He hesitated for a long moment. Exchanging a glance with Caleb and Grayson, Rafe cleared his throat and he sat Nicki up so that he could hold her gaze.

“However, my darling, you
are
responsible for nearly getting yourself killed. Caleb, Grayson and I were forty feet away. If you had reached out to any one of us before you went in that room, we would have been there with you.”

Nicki flushed and burrowed against his shoulder.

Rafe pulled her closer. “At the risk of repeating myself, you and I are much overdue for a lengthy discussion.”

~~~

Three days later, Rafe folded the Washington Post with a satisfied smile. For the first time since Cherise Freeman killed her husband and shot herself there was a new headline story above the fold. This story described in graphic detail how Senator Donald Michaels had taken a multimillion dollar bribe from a known terrorist. The picture accompanying the shocking story captured Michaels with his head down, his hands cuffed behind his back being led into the Washington city jail.

Rafe took out a Sharpie and scribbled a note across the top of the folded newspaper. He handed it to Caleb.

“Take this down to the station and make sure that they hand-deliver it to Michaels.”

Caleb read Rafe’s note and nodded.

“Damn straight, Boss.”

Rafe heard his friend laughing as he strode to the door.

Scribbled on top of the damning photograph of the Senator was this message:

“Payback’s a bitch. NOW we are settled. R.B.”

~~~

For the first couple of days following the disaster, Rafe kept Nicki a virtual prisoner at their retreat center. He cared for her like she was the most precious creature in the world. Masseuses, reflexologists, estheticians pampered and treated her to a three day healing spa adventure. Every food she loved and craved was there without her asking. In an extreme departure from their usual hardcore lovemaking, Rafe insisted she was too fragile for sex. He refused to do more than cuddle her and lay beside her ensuring that the only thing she do was rest and sleep. Surprisingly, Nicki agreed.

On the afternoon of the third day, Rafe joined her in the bedroom and tossed down a pile of maps and brochures all describing the delights of Thailand, specifically, Bangkok.

When she looked puzzled, Rafe pulled out a dossier for her to read. She shuddered when she saw the name of the client on the tab. This was a bad man, a very bad man.

“Ever been to Thailand, Darling?”

She frowned remembering. “Yes, but I was ten. It was one of my father’s business trips. All I wanted to see were elephants.”

Rafe chuckled. “We’re going after a hell of a lot more than elephants, Darling.”

Nicki sat up hoping he meant that he was allowing her to participate in another mission. “We?”

Rafe sighed. “Against my better judgment, I’m going to send you to Bangkok under cover.”

Nicki gave him an impish grin. “Oh, goodie! Does that mean I get to let out my ‘inner slut’?”

Rafe drawled, “You may dress like a slut, Darling, but that inner slut of yours is mine—mine alone.”

He swept the pile of papers to the floor and motioned her to stand. She looked surprised then stood before him her hugging her robe closed.

A rakish smiled tugged at his lips.

“And now, Darling, we are going to begin our discussion of your lone ranger behavior.”

At her questioning frown, he smiled and ordered.

“Nicki? Take off your clothes. You won’t be needing them for the rest of the day—and night.”

~~~

Want more of Rafe, Nicki, Caleb, Grayson and the rest of the

HOT

International Security Agents?

Watch for

The BangkokAffair

A full length novel in

Taylor Lee’s

Sizzling International Romantic Suspense Series

Coming May 2013

Afterword

Thank you for reading
The D.C. Incident
.
I hope you enjoyed reading it as much I enjoyed writing it.

If you loved Nicki, Rafe, Caleb, and the rest of the sexy ISA Team, watch for my full length novel “
The Bangkok Affair
to be released Spring 2013. AND if you haven’t read
The Moscow Affair
, the first book in the series, get it now!!

If you enjoyed
The D. C. Incident
, do me a huge favor. Go back to
www.Amazon.com
, and please leave an honest review. Authors live and die by their reviews. The few extra seconds it takes really helps us authors out. Thank you!

Other Works by Taylor Lee

The Moscow Affair

What is as hot and riveting as
The D. C. Incident?
B
e sure to check out the first book in the series, Taylor Lee’s best-selling International Sizzling Romantic Suspense,

Praise for The Moscow Affair…

“A dangerously elegant man, a beautiful feisty young woman, take on the evils of the international sex trade while exploring a passionately erotic world of their own.”

~J. Johnson

“From the Russian Mafia to the Human Trafficking Arena, this book captures the reader with the power and immediacy of today’s riveting headlines. Throw in a dynamite love story and you have Sizzling Romantic Suspense at its best.”

~KDR

“A spellbinding suspense filled international adventure coupled with a sizzling SEXY romance. Yum!”

~Sneaky Romance Reader

“Her father’s sins; her lover’s crime; their dangerous past comes back to threaten her. Only their cunning and bravery overcome the evil men out to wreak their revenge.”

~Action Junkie

To purchase
The Moscow Affair
, simply click
here
.

~~~

Trial by Fire

Riveting Sequel to Playing with Fire

The #1 Hot New Release in Romantic Suspense
AND
Hard Boiled Mysteries

Praise for
Trial by Fire
…

Riveting Sequel to Bestselling Sizzling Romantic Suspense
“Playing with Fire”
.

“A bad-assed cop who flaunts every regulation finds himself the # 1 suspect in a vicious murder.”

~J John

“The sexiest, most outrageous hero I’ve read in a long time. Snappy laugh out loud dialogue, a vicious killer who makes Hannibal Lecter seem tame, and a Sizzling HOT romance makes this wildly exciting murder mystery a true page-turner.”

~
Erotica Rocs

“A riveting mystery thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. Pulse pounding action and steamy romance. A cast of unforgettable characters that will capture your heart.”

~Action Junkie

To purchase
Trial by Fire
, simply click
here
.

~~~

Playing With Fire

The #1 Hot New Release in Romantic Suspense AND Hard Boiled Mysteries

Praise for
Playing with Fire
…

“A bad-assed cop who flaunts every regulation falls for the beautiful rookie firefighter only to discover she is his #1 suspect in a double murder.”

~KDR

“A rookie firefighter escapes an abusive past only to find herself accused of setting the fire that kills her husband and his mistress. A heroine that will tug at your heartstrings and a hero that is as outrageous as he is irresistible.”

~RomanceReads

“Cops AND Firefighters? An alpha–male lovers delight. A SEXY kick-ass hero and a beautiful, vulnerable woman in a life and death face-off can’t resist their voracious appetite for each other. This is one SIZZLING romantic suspense!”

~Erotica Rocs

To purchase
Playing With Fire
, simply click
here
.

~~~

Fire and Ice

Riveting Novella Sequel to Trial byFire

Praise for
Fire and Ice
…

Riveting Novella Sequel to Bestselling Sizzling Romantic Suspense
“Trial by Fire”
.

“They call her the Ice Princess; blond, beautiful and cold as Ice. But a sexy police commander sees beneath her cold shell. He turns up the heat and proves that Fire does melt Ice.”

~J John