Unleash Me, Vol. 2 (Unleash Me, Annihilate Me Series) (20 page)

“
Why haven
’
t you told me any of this before?
”

“
I
’
ve been trying to keep your mind off Kevin and Boss as much
as possible, so I kept it under wraps for a bit.
 
This just started the other day.
 
But after tonight?
 
That ends.
 
I
’
ll inform you every step of the way
of what I
’
m up to.
”

“
Have your men had any luck?
”

“
Not yet.
”

“
Your idea is feasible
—
it might work.
”

“
I think we can nail him.
 
I know you
’
re concerned, not only
about what happened to you tonight, but also about the photos he took of you
years ago.
 
If we find him, we
’
ll
shake him down.
 
If he has any
photos of you, I
’
ll make certain that he hands them over.
 
If he
’
s bluffing, I
’
ll
know.
 
Believe me, I have my ways of
getting what I want, and I know a liar when I
’
m faced with one.
”

He wasn
’
t saying it, but I could read the
undercurrent
—
if Kevin didn
’
t oblige, Tank and his team would
probably beat the shit out of Kevin until he spilled the truth.

“
How do we handle Marco?
”

“
It
’
s a long shot, but tomorrow, I
’
ll
call Floral on Fifth, introduce myself, and see if the rose was purchased with
a credit card.
 
I doubt that
’
s
the case
—
in fact, I
’
m fairly certain it isn
’
t
the case
—
but I need to look at all angles.
 
If it is Boss, we both know that he
hired someone else to do this for him.
 
And if he has, that person is dealing with cash.
 
That said, if Marco did hire someone,
hopefully Floral on Fifth has security cameras on site so we can see who
purchased the rose.
 
After all, the
note was dropped inside the box.
 
To
be certain it was inside, someone must have gone there personally to buy the
rose, and hand the note to the florist so they
’
d be sure both were
delivered to you.
 
If there are no
cameras, we
’
ll grill the florist to find out who bought it and get a
description of the person.
 
If that
description matches the description of the person who bought you that martini
tonight, at least we
’
ll have something.
”

“
But not a lot.
”

“
That depends on how well they remember him
—
and
can describe him.
 
Just give this
time, Lisa.
”

“
That
’
s just it
—
I
’
m
not sure how much time I have left.
”

“
With me and my team surrounding you, you
’
ll
be safe.
”

I
’
d never say it to him, but I couldn
’
t
help but face the truth.
 
Alex
wasn
’
t safe that night that he nearly died.
 
Neither was Jennifer
—
and
you were protecting both of them.
 
None of us is perfect
—
and none of us is
infallible.

I reached for my drink, sipped it, and then put it back
down on the coffee table.
 
“
I
’
m
exhausted,
”
I
said.
 
“
Join
me in bed?
”
 
I don
’
t
want to talk about this anymore.
 
Talking about it just makes me more afraid than I already am.
 
“
I need to get some sleep.
”

“
Of course.
”

We went into the bedroom, undressed, and got into bed where
Tank held me close against him.
 
We
didn
’
t
say anything to each other, but it was hours before I fell asleep.
 
When I finally did drift off, I knew
from Tank
’
s breathing that he was wide awake, and that told me
everything I needed to know.

He was worried as hell about what might happen to me.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Early the next morning, I woke alone in bed.
 
When I sat up, I saw Tank sitting in the
chair at the end of the bed.
 
He was
shirtless and wore only his boxer shorts, but he was awake and watching me.

“
Why are you sitting there?
”
I asked.
 
“
Why
aren
’
t
you in bed?
”

“
Couldn
’
t sleep.
 
I wanted to make sure that you could.
”

“
Oh, Tank.
 
Come
here.
 
Please get in bed with me.
”
 
I looked at the alarm clock on my
bedside table.
 
“
It
’
s
not even six yet.
”

“
Try to get some more sleep.
”

“
Only if you get back in bed with me.
 
It doesn
’
t feel right not
having you here with me.
”

“
Maybe we need to think about that,
”
he said.

“
What do you mean?
”

He got into bed, took me into his arms, and kissed the back
of my neck.
 
“
Maybe
it
’
s
time that you move in with me,
”
he said.
 
“
That
way I can keep you close.
 
And
safe.
 
I can protect you better that
way.
 
And it
’
s
not just about that
—
I love you.
 
I
’
ve
given this some thought.
 
I want to
live with you.
 
That is, of course,
if you want to live with me.
”

My eyes opened wide in surprise, and I felt my body go
tense.
 
Move in with Tank?
 
I knew that at some point that would
happen, but now?
 
It almost seemed
too soon, though I had to admit that the idea was appealing.
 
I wanted to be with this man for the
rest of my life.
 
I already knew
that.
 
I was certain that he was the
one.
 
One day, he
’
d
propose to me.
 
At some point, we
’
d
be married.
 
We
’
d
have children and grow old together.
 
I could see our future together as clearly as I could see the plot of
one of my books.
 
He was my destiny.

“
Too soon?
”
he said.

I didn
’
t answer at once.

“
There
’
s plenty of room,
”
he continued.
 
“
You know the space
—
three
bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a big kitchen, plenty of closet space, nice
views.
 
Move in with me, Lisa.
 
Be with me.
 
Live with me, and let me take care of
you.
 
If you want a different
apartment, we
’
ll find one.
 
You can have whatever you want.
 
I
’
ll sell the place, and we can find our own place.
 
Together.
”

“
What about Jennifer?
”

“
Soon, Jennifer will be married to Alex.
 
They
’
re already
engaged.
 
It
’
s just
a matter of time before she finally takes the leap.
 
She
’
s practically living with him now, as
you said to her at dinner last night.
 
After months of dating me, I think you know that I
’
m
not one who is quick to pull the trigger on something like this.
 
I meant it when I said that I
’
ve
given it a lot of thought.
 
Yes, we
’
ve
only officially been a couple for a little over a month, but we
’
ve
been an unofficial, committed couple for months longer than that.
 
I don
’
t say any of this
lightly.
 
I
’
m
asking you to move in with me.
”
 

“
And you expect me to go to sleep now?
”
I said.

“
Sure.
 
I
’
ll
just rock you in my arms until you drift off to sleep.
”

Despite all the pressure that was on me now, I couldn
’
t
help but giggle at that.
 
“
You
’
re
crazy,
”
I
said.

“
I
’
m actually serious.
”

And that was that.
 
I turned over in bed so I was facing him, and what I saw on his face was
a mixture of tension, protection, and, most of all, love.
 
I placed the palm of my hand against his
cheek and kissed him on the lips.
 
Then my eyes searched his.
 
“
Don
’
t
you think it
’
s too soon?
”

“
I don
’
t.
 
But you do
…
?
”

“
I don
’
t know what I think.
 
You just dropped this on me.
 
You have to know I wasn
’
t
expecting that this morning.
 
And
you have to admit that it would be a pretty major step in our relationship.
”

“
Fair enough.
 
I
agree
—
it
is.
 
But I want it.
 
I want to live with you, I want to be
with you, I want you all around me.
”

With those words, my mind jolted back to the note left
alongside the black rose that I received last night.
 
The scent of death is all around you.
 
Tank must have seen something close to
terror cross my face, because his brow immediately furrowed.
 
Then his lips parted in recognition of
what he
’
d said.
 
He
closed his eyes shut, and then held me close to him.
 

“
I
’
m sorry,
”
he said.
 
“
That
’
s
not what I meant.
 
I didn
’
t
mean to evoke
—”