Bailey: Independence #1 (16 page)

“No…no, you sent me a text…” came the breathless, fear edged words.

“It wasn’t me. You should have called me...”

“I don’t have your number,” she said quickly, her head shaking again. “No. The text said…”

“I know what it said,” he slid a palm into his pocket and pulled her phone free. “It wasn’t me, Bailey.” He thought about her words. He was an idiot. He’d gotten all her information straight from her personnel file. He hadn’t bothered to share any of his with her, so how could she have called him?

“It wasn’t you,” she repeated shakily, her breaths coming way too fast.

“Stop, Bailey. Close your mouth,” Gabriel ordered, his palms going to her shoulders, biting just enough to get her attention and lift her to her toes. “Look at me, Bailey. I phoned the Lieutenant when I found your phone and the text. There are police outside, watching people, just in case. I knew Heather would watch out for you until I got here. You were always safe here. Especially since you didn’t exactly follow the instructions, did you, pet?”

“I was angry at you. I was going to tell you to…to…” she swallowed at the single arched brow he offered. And that damn silence. That annoying patience that made her pussy clench like it was on fire. “To kiss off and leave me alone since you didn’t have time for me all week like you said.”

“Ahhh…” He gradually let her feet touch the floor, one palm caressing along her cheek. He let one finger trail around the thin leather collar. “And this? You’re definitely sending me a mixed message, pet,” his thumb slipped beneath it gently, lifting it from her skin and continuing to trail down her throat. He liked the sharply drawn in breath, the closed eyes and soft pant coming from between a pair of full, barely parted lips.

Bailey wasn’t sure what to say. All the places in her brain for words seemed to vanish when he was near. Her nipples came to alert and thrust a few inches below the low front of her dress; the parts between her thighs felt so thick and swollen it was annoying to have worn the panties.

“When I ask questions, sub, I expect answers.” Gabriel slid one palm beneath her breast, his eyes sharpening at what he felt beneath her dress. He was about to ask when the Lieutenant appeared in the entry way between the bar and the club. He stepped back and sighed resolutely. “Lieutenant.”

“Mr. Garrett,” Natalie Templeton let her eyes travel over Bailey and then onto Gabriel Garrett. “Are you alright, Miss O’Conner?”

“Yes, thank you,” Bailey blinked and straightened up, her gaze on the dark haired woman. “I didn’t know.”

“I’m sure that was the intention,” she sighed and shook her head. “We haven’t found anything unusual…hell, I’m not sure what’s usual around here. Let’s say I haven’t found any dead bodies,” she swore softly when Bailey gulped. “Sorry. I’m sure the fact that you didn’t explicitly follow the orders in the text helped keep you safe. Until we find out what’s going on, you might want to verify…” she struggled for the right words that wouldn’t offend.

“I don’t intend to allow her to follow any instructions from now on unless they’re verbal and from me in person, Lieutenant,” Gabriel told her smoothly. “Regardless of what you’re thinking or what you might believe, I don’t want Bailey harmed or put in danger. How’s that for clarifying things?”

“I don’t know anyone who would do this,” Bailey said with a shake of her head. “I don’t know who sent the costume or the text tonight. I don’t know why they picked me.”

“Mr. Garrett sent me a copy of the text and with your permission, we’re going to access the records and see if we get lucky,” she shrugged. “We probably won’t, but…we have to start somewhere and tracking the text is where we begin.”

“Of course. Please. I don’t have…have secret texts or…or…I don’t have my phone,” she said in a rush, stopping when Gabriel pulled her phone from his jacket pocket and handed it to the Lieutenant. “Oh. Thank you.”

“After last Friday, you didn’t think this might be a set up?” Natalie chose her words carefully, her fingers went over the small keyboard before dropping the phone into her jacket pocket.

“No! No, I didn’t because he…there were his initials at the end of the message. I thought...” She pushed off the wall and paced, the taps on her heels echoing on the tiled flooring. “I wasn’t going to. I was angry. I was going to send a text back.” She exhaled deeply. “Obviously I didn’t do any of that, but took the ride in the town car and came up here.”

“I’ve spoken with the driver. A different company, paid in cash and no one remembers the person who made the arrangements. I’m getting faxes out to all the leasing companies, advising them to take identification for all cash rentals until further notice. Some will follow orders…some will ignore us.” Natalie watched Bailey closely. “Do you want me to give you a ride home, Miss O’Conner? I sent the driver away, just in case.”

“I’ll be taking Bailey home with me, Lieutenant. She won’t be staying at her apartment this weekend.” Gabriel definitely did not appreciate the lieutenant trying to interfere. “I can promise you, she’ll be safe within the grounds of my home. And you’ve seen our security at the office.”

“Miss O’Conner?” Natalie spoke as if Gabriel hadn’t said a word. She saw his jaw tense and really didn’t care.

“I’ll be fine, Lieutenant, but thank you.”

“I’d like to speak with Miss O’Conner alone.” Natalie met the stone gaze, saw a tenderness in the touch he gave the redhead with the back of his knuckles on her cheek and thought of her own husband and his gestures. They weren’t that dissimilar at all and that puzzled her.

Gabriel nodded curtly and went down the corridor to the club, well out of hearing.

“Why were you going to refuse the instructions, Bailey?”

Dark lashes crinkled in a frown.

“Because he made me angry,” she said grudgingly. “Because he was out with that…that model and didn’t bother to call and tell me. Because I was pissed off,” she sighed resolutely. “Men make you nuts.”

“I hear we do the same to them,” Natalie said with a chuckle, relieved that her suspicions weren’t accurate at all. Bailey O’Conner was not cowering or abused. She might not grasp the lifestyle choice, but it was very obvious the man cared about her. “Is that why the dress is red instead of black?”

Bailey rolled her eyes. “I had intentions of telling him to…well...it sounded really good in my head on the drive up here. Then he shows up and he’s so damn sexy and cute and…” She sighed. “Protective. Gabriel would never hurt me, Lieutenant. I can tell you’re not…this whole choice is something you don’t understand the dynamics of…and I’m only just learning so I wouldn’t be a good person to explain things,” she sighed. “And he talks to me and listens to me and…and he smells good…and he just gets to me.”

“I understand. Believe me,” Natalie glanced at the ring Tre had slid on her finger and sighed in agreement. “I’m going to see if the uniforms outside have come up with anything. I have your number and if I need signatures or anything, I’ll contact you through Garrett until I get your phone back to you.”

“Please. Anything I can do at all,” Bailey wrapped the shawl a little tighter around her shoulders. “I...I really hope no one’s been hurt because of me.”

“It isn’t because of you,” Natalie said emphatically as they drew closer to an impatient looking Gabriel.

“It is. It should have been me dead. Someone died because they looked like me! If it happens tonight, it’s because I didn’t wear black!” She was about to speak again when a very strong, forceful palm circled the nape of her neck and drew her against him. “Gabriel!” The shrill little squeak bounced off the walls.

His mouth moved next to her temple, his voice low and menacing.

“Just so we’re clear, Bailey. If I even think for a second that you’re considering using yourself as bait for this lunatic, you’ll find yourself stripped naked and folded over the spanking table in manacles. Are we clear?”

“Yes, sir,” came the immediate response.

“Huh.” Natalie looked from him to Bailey. “I’m impressed. I seriously need to learn that technique.”

Gabriel straightened and gave her a calculated glance up and down.

“I think you’d fit quite well into the role, Lieutenant.” He told her sincerely.

“Now I don’t know whether to be offended or complimented,” she said with a laugh, her head shaking. “You have my number. And I appreciate you keeping her safe. Because her comment bothers me, too. Good night.”

Chapter Sixteen

Gabriel watched her stride through the club, barely a glance or concern for herself as she moved with authority and control. He turned slowly to find those wide green eyes waiting, her teeth nibbling on her lower lip.

“Do you have any idea how very furious I am right now?”

“I didn’t do anything,” she whispered in return. “Nothing that deserves…nothing to make you angry.”

“Believe me, I’m well aware of that, Bailey. You are not to act on any instructions you get in the near future that arrive on paper, in text or in email. Is that understood?” He accepted the nod she offered quickly. He stepped back, his eyes taking in the dress she wore in its entirety. His cock lurched and his brain told him it was a good thing he wasn’t feeling the least bit tired. Because it was going to be one long assed night.

“I’m not taking the blame for not knowing it wasn’t you,” she said after clearing her throat a couple times. When he hadn’t moved, just kept staring at her, she turned and headed toward the entrance without looking back at him.

Gabriel followed behind her, grabbing her hand just before she stepped through the double doors. His mouth was open and he was about to let her know exactly what was going to happen when the bright, blaring lights and dozens of police and reporters zoomed in on them both.

He heard Bailey’s gasp and felt her stumble back against him. One hand rose to cover her lips, her head shaking numbly as she watched a gurney with a body shaped form and a sheet stained with blood loaded into the back of a police wagon.

“Oh, god, no…”

“Get her the hell out of here, Garrett!” Natalie Templeton shouted from behind the police tape. She pointed to a uniform who was immediately at her side. Her words were clipped and to the point, the uniform nodding crisply before striding up to Gabriel.

“I’m to escort you and the lady to your vehicle, sir.” The younger man waited for a direction and followed behind him. He pulled Bailey against him and headed to the side street where he’d left his car.

“Thank you and please, thank the Lieutenant for us.” Gabriel bundled Bailey into the car, buckled her belt and closed the door, blocking out the noise and bright lights.

“Someone died,” her voice shook, the words quivering as she curled to the side, away from him and against the cold in the glass. Bailey pressed her cheek to the window and squeezed them tight.

“It wasn’t your fault. There wasn’t a damn thing you could have done.” He stopped up short, turning in the seat and pulling her from the corner. “Look at me, Bailey,” he ordered firmly. Repeating it when she kept her eyes closed. “Look. At. Me.”

“Maybe if…if I’d known…If I’d thought or realized that you’d never…I could have called the lieutenant…” A yelp left her lips when his hands tightened on her shoulders.

“This isn’t about you. It isn’t even about me. It’s about some sick fuck out there getting off killing women and using us to do it,” Gabriel ground the words down hard, letting them echo in the car. “If not us, then someone else would be his targets.”

“I want to go home,” she said quietly. “Please. Just take me home.”

“You’re staying the weekend with me,” he let her go even when every part of him was screaming to pull her onto his lap and just hold her. “The grounds are gated and I have a top of the line alarm.”

“I don’t have any clothes.”

“We’ll get them in the morning, Bailey. Tonight you won’t need them.”

“It’s safe there?” She asked after they’d been on the highway a few minutes. “At your house?”

“You’re safe with me, Bailey. I promised you that.” He hated the fear in her whisper and wanted nothing more than to pound his fists into whoever was causing it.

“This is different,” she said quietly, her head shaking. “It makes no sense.”

“Murder rarely makes sense to the ones being stalked, Bailey.”

“Why me? You didn’t know me,” she pushed, pulling the heavy shawl tighter around her. “You didn’t know anything about me.”

“Someone sent you to my club, pet. Someone wanted to make a connection.”

Bailey considered this for a long time, the warm silence insufficient to stop the shiver as her brain put the pieces together. Heavy, high gates opened slowly when he stopped near a keypad and entered a code. She watched as they cruised slowly along a driveway shrouded by tall, thick pines.

“You don’t live far from the office,” she took in the almost normal, although large home stretched out in front of her. She couldn’t tell what it was made of, but saw the bottom was stone. Round, oblong and thin stones built into it.

“That was one of the draws when it went on the market a year ago.” Gabriel hadn’t liked her silence. He swore he could feel her thinking.

“If I had died, they would have accused you,” she said before opening the door and stepping from the vehicle. She really didn’t expect an answer. “And if the police had released you, they would have gone after someone else.”