Topping the Domme (Crime and Punishment) (25 page)

“Want rid of me already?” he asked playfully.

Karina raised her gaze to his and opened her mouth to tell him no, but he shook his head grinning. “I know what you mean. How about you and I do something fun this afternoon? Maybe it will get your mind off things.”

Karina snorted. “Like what?”

“We could go to the aquarium downtown or do some shopping. I know women love to shop.”

Karina grinned. “I do love shoes.”

Brayden snorted. “Lord. Shoes. How do you ever run suspects down in those three-inch death traps you wear?”

“Hey, I can run just fine in those ‘three-inch death traps,’ as you call them, and look very good doing it too.”

He gave her a half smile that made her nipples bead. “You won’t get any arguments from me on that one.”

“Besides, I thought you liked those shoes.”

“I do…at the club.”

She raised an eyebrow, and he grinned. “Yeah, okay. I like them at work too. Happy?”

Karina laughed softly. “I’m always happy when I can get a man to confess.” Her smile faded somewhat as her mind returned to the case. “Maybe we should stay in and work on those case files—”

He pointed his finger at her. A stern look hardened his face. “No. Fun today, Karina. You need to relax, and I’m going to see to it that you do.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but his narrowed eyes made her go silent. Brayden had returned to Dom mode and there would be no changing his mind.

“Just say ‘Yes, Master’.”

She frowned. “Like hell.”

Brayden’s eyes sparked with a devilment that gave Karina the feeling she would come to regret that comment later.

Brayden pulled into the hotel parking lot and swung the car around into their spot so fast, Karina had to raise her hand and grab the dash. He stopped the car with a jerk, and she laughed.

“You’re such a show off,” she said, still giggling.

“I made you laugh. That’s all I wanted.”

She looked over at his sparkling eyes and had to swallow the sigh that threatened to escape. She never realized just how much fun Brayden could be. He made her feel comfortable and relaxed, more so than she’d been in years.

“Are you going to help me carry all this stuff in?” she asked.

He snorted. “I carried most of it through the mall, didn’t I? I swear, I think you only wanted me there to be your pack mule.”

“No, you were nice eye candy too.”

He reached over and poked her in the side, tickling her. She squealed and quickly opened the door, escaping his teasing touch. She was still chuckling when they opened the trunk to retrieve the bags. She hadn’t been the only one to shop. Brayden had bought a few things, as well. She especially liked the flannel shirt he’d bought for the Western-themed night that was coming up at the club.

The blue in the shirt really made his eyes pop. She inwardly snorted. Like he needed any help with looks.

Glancing around his shoulder, she spotted a familiar car a few spaces down. “Isn’t that Delacroix’s Jag?” she asked.

Brayden looked, and his smiled morphed into a quick frown. “Maybe. But if he wanted to talk to us, why didn’t he just call?”

Karina took the bag he handed her and shrugged. “I guess we should head in and see if he’s here.”

After retrieving all their packages, they headed inside and found Delacroix sitting in one of the leather chair flanking the stone fireplace, a Kindle in his hands.

Karina stopped and grinned at him. “Do you normally go to hotel lobbies to read?”

He looked up, but didn’t smile. “I read wherever I get the opportunity.”

“Is something wrong?” Brayden asked.

Delacroix nodded just slightly, then stood. “We’ll talk about it in your room.”

Karina’s stomach knotted. Delacroix didn’t look too happy at the moment. Did something terrible happen? Was it someone they knew this time?

Her mind shifted to her friend. She’d missed her funeral—missed her laughter. Delacroix gave her shoulder a squeeze as they entered the elevator. He probably sensed her unease, and to her surprise, she appreciated his touch. He’d grown on her unexpectedly.

They entered her suite, and Brayden closed the door behind them while Karina placed the bags on the bed.

“It’s amazing how many shoes a woman can buy, isn’t it?” Delacroix said as he set a stack of photos on the table.

“You didn’t come here to talk about shoes,” Karina replied.

She slid her hands into the pockets of her jeans and leaned against the wall that separated the living area from the bedroom.

“No, pet. I didn’t.”

“Just spit it out, Delacroix,” Brayden said.

“Our unsub is getting brazen. Josh was injured—”

“What?” Karina said as she pushed away from the wall.

“He was hit on the head from behind.”

“By the unsub?” Brayden asked.

“We believe so, yes. He was escorting Janie to her car.”

Karina’s throat went dry. “Oh. God. Please tell me he didn’t…”

Delacroix shook his head sadly. Karina started for the photos, but Delacroix crabbed her elbow and held her back. “Wait, Karina. You need to hear it first. Trust me. He was much more brutal this time.”

Tears slipped from the corner of her eyes as Delacroix moved behind her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, holding her back against him. Brayden picked up the pictures and looked through them. Each one making him go a little more pale.

“What?” Karina asked. “What did he do to her?”

“He cut her up into pieces, Kay,” Brayden whispered.

Karina sobbed and sagged against Delacroix’s chest. How could someone hurt a girl as sweet as Janie? She didn’t deserve this. None of them had.

“We’re out, Delacroix,” Brayden growled.

Karina lifted her gaze to stare at the picture he held up for Delacroix. Her eyes widened at the sight of her name written across the wall in blood. Beneath it was the word “Mine.”

Nausea rolled through her stomach as she tried to break free of Delacroix’s hold. “I’m going to be sick, Nathan. Let me go.”

He released his grip, and she rushed to the bathroom, emptying the contents of her stomach. Brayden appeared on his knees next to her, a cold rag in his hand. She took it and pressed it to her face as she took several deep breaths.

She’d never gotten sick like that before. Ever. Was it seeing her name? Was it knowing she was a target? That he was after her?

There was no hiding now. No guessing. He knew who she was, and he was coming for her.

Delacroix put his hand on her shoulder, his soft voice in her ear as he said, “Drink this, pet. You’ll feel better.”

She took the small glass of Sprite he handed her and sipped it slowly. Her stomach still rolled, and she thought for a minute that it might reject the drink, but she was able to keep it down.

“Was she alive when he did it?” she asked.

“In the beginning,” Delacroix answered softly.

Karina swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill.

“Why is he doing this?” she asked angrily. “Why did he have to do that? He couldn’t just paint my name with red paint?”

“He’s sick, pet,” Delacroix replied. “There’s no reason for what he does. He just does it.”

“And he’s apparently getting sicker by the victim,” Brayden mumbled. “Was it the scenes? Is that why he’s getting more brutal? Because he can’t get his hands on the one he really wants?”

“Maybe,” Delacroix replied. “Come on, pet. Let’s get you off the bathroom floor.”

He and Brayden stood, both helping her to her feet, but it was Brayden she turned to. It was Brayden who enfolded her in his arms as he helped her back to the kitchen.

She was coming to rely on him. Maybe too much?

As they came into the kitchen, she pushed away from him. She’d never needed anyone to comfort her before. She shouldn’t need it now. But even as she put some distance between them, she wanted nothing more than to run back.

She walked slowly to the table, sipping on her Sprite. She stared down at the top picture, the one with her name. She tried to look at it as she would look at any crime scene photo, but this one felt different.

She reached for the picture, intending to flip it over and examine the ones beneath it.

Brayden put his hand over hers. “You don’t want to look at those, Kay.”

“I don’t, but I have to. This is what I do, Brayden.”

“Stay out of this one.”

“He did this because of me. There’s no way I’m staying out of it.”

Brayden grabbed the photos from her hand and passed them to Delacroix, who stood silently off to the side.

“Hey,” she exclaimed.

“We’re going home,” Brayden said sternly.

“Are you insane?”

Anger had now replaced her sorrow, her fear. Why was Brayden pitching such a fit? They were undercover. They had deliberately put their lives in harm’s way. It’s what they did to catch the bad guy. It’s what they always did. Why was this any different?

“Are
you
?” he bellowed.

Karina actually flinched. “We baited him, Brayden. We deliberately did scenes to piss him off. What did you expect?”

“We baited him so that Delacroix could pinpoint where the anger was coming from, not so he could lay claim to you by writing your name on the damned wall. Using Janie’s blood, no less.”

“All the more reason to stay in this!”

Brayden put his hands on his hips and brought his nose close to Karina’s. She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen him this pissed, but she refused to back down and held her ground.

“All the more reason to get the hell out,” he growled.

“What is your problem?” she asked. “Why are you being so insistent about this? Would you be this way if it was Delacroix’s name on the wall?”

Delacroix snorted softly, but Karina ignored him. Brayden glared at her as he paced away. He ran his hand down his face in agitation, but wouldn’t meet her gaze.

“Brayden,” she said in frustration.

“Damn it!” he snarled. “I don’t want to lose you, all right?”

Brayden stared at Karina as her eyes went wide as saucers. Did she really not know? This wasn’t how or when he wanted to tell her. He wanted to wait until this was all over, take her somewhere warm. Maybe Fiji. Give her his mother’s ring for real this time.

“Brayden, we can increase the detail on her. The second he tries anything, we’ll catch him,” Delacroix said.

“Like you caught the guy who killed your girlfriend?” Brayden snapped, then immediately regretted it.

Delacroix’s eyes went dark, cold. “I didn’t know she was a target, jackass. I do know about Karina.”

Brayden sighed and glanced toward the floor. “I’m sorry, Nathan. That was uncalled for.”

“You’re scared. You have every right to be,” Delacroix murmured, but his look remained cold and distant. He glanced toward Karina. “And so do you. Even if you jump ship, he’s still going to come after you. That’s a given. We can protect you better if you stay here.”

She nodded. “I agree.”

“Take a look at the pictures. I know it’s not the same as being at the scene, but see if the Feds missed anything. From what I understand, you’re the best at CSI. You sometimes see things others don’t.”

Karina nodded.

Delacroix turned back to Brayden. “And you…relax.”

Brayden snorted softly. “Easier said than done.”

With a nod, Delacroix started for the door. “I’m going to send some flowers to Janie’s parents. I’ll see you guys at the club later.”

Without another backward glance, he left the suite, shutting the door behind him. Brayden felt terrible for what he’d said. He was sure all of this was bringing up enough bad memories for Delacroix. He didn’t need Brayden reminding him of his failures.

He looked over at Karina as she stared down at the picture of her name. She looked pale, scared. He wasn’t used to seeing her that way. He’d never seen Karina scared over anything. But this terrified her. He could see it in her eyes as she looked up at him.

Her lower lip began to quiver and he rushed forward, engulfing her in his arms.

“It’s gonna be okay, baby.”

“I know. I trust you.”

His arms tightened around her when she murmured those three words he knew weren’t easy for her. Trust was something she’d given up on, especially where men were concerned. But she trusted him, and he’d do everything he could to keep that trust.

“I want to kiss you right now,” she whispered. “But I just threw up and that would be so gross.”

With a chuckle, he buried his face in her neck and held her tight.

Karina strolled around the somber club. Tonight was slow. Everyone had already heard about Janie. A lot of the submissives had decided to stay home. They didn’t want to risk being the next victim.

She couldn’t blame them, really. Hell, if she wasn’t undercover, she probably wouldn’t be here, either.

She swept her gaze over every man in the room, submissive and Dom, wondering if one of them was the man they searched for. Some smiled. Some leered. Some just nodded. Most were standing in groups, talking with each other. There weren’t enough female submissives for them all, so they mostly just socialized.

A few Doms and subs had paired up and now performed scenes in the various play areas scattered about the large room. Nothing really seemed out of the ordinary, but everything felt wrong. It felt cold, quiet, dark. It was as though something deadly lurked behind every door, within every darkened corner, and something evil shone behind every pair of eyes.