[B.S. #3] Claiming Laura (11 page)

“Well, that was a given,” Brad added with a snicker in his voice. “Did you get kicked out of bed and only have time to grab your pants? Tell me it’s not so. I don’t think we could live that down. We are known to be the best of the best, and I always though it meant everywhere. So please tell us your performance didn’t get you kicked out of bed?”

Angel and Grant were back to laughing with the fierce look on Clay’s face as he listened to Brad spout on and on.

“Stop it right now. That’s enough. It had nothing to do with any performance of mine. I’ve never had any complaints and that includes Laura. I just told her some hard facts about how dangerous she was being and she took offense to it. So I got kicked to the curb. But I was right, and that’s why I called Brad so he could help me guard her place. That’s all.”

Clay sat back down at the table. As he calmed down, he found himself grinning also. He must have been quite a sight walking through the first floor entrance with only black jeans, boots, and his hairy body covered in ink. He had noticed a few strange looks people were giving him, but thought nothing of it. As Brad had pointed out, even when he was decked out in a suit, he always had a hard biker look about him. That’s why he was surprised that a nice lady like Laura would give him the time of day. They looked like Mutt and Jeff cartoon characters together, with her stiff, button-down attire and he decked out in his leathers.

“Let’s get back to why we’re here, at least Brad. I just found out that she works at home most of the time and allows clients to actually visit her home and drop off stuff there. I think that is dangerous and unsafe for a woman that lives alone. I want Brad to stake out her place to see who’s coming and going. After he’s in place, I’m going to visit her office downtown and ask them how they can allow this to go on.”

Angel, who had quietly listening to Clay’s words, leaned up in his chair and interrupted Clay. “You can’t do that, and Brad can’t stake her house out. This is her life and if you want to remain any part of it, you better rethink your strategy. There’s no reason to think she’s in danger, and she’s not going to allow you to disrupt her whole life. She just met you, Clay. You can’t just barge in and take over. I think you should slow down. After all, you don’t own her.”

Clay stopped and listened to Angel. What he said made sense, but he wouldn’t allow her to put herself in danger. Clay looked around the table at his friends. “What would you suggest? I just leave her be and allow her to go on letting strange men into her house?”

“Why don’t you have Grant do a little digging? He could probably find out what arrangement she has with her office, and also her clients. If she’s been working there a long time, maybe they have an ongoing relationship and it’s perfectly safe for them to visit her at home. I would look into that first before going out and getting her fired from your interference.”

Grant pushed his glasses back up his nose. “I can be real quiet when looking into it. They won’t have a clue. I could get you the information by tomorrow. I agree with Angel. I think you should wait until we find out more, then take action if needed.”

“OK, OK, I’ll give it until tomorrow.” Standing up from the table, Clay started walking to the door.

“Where are you going?” Angel asked as his hand gripped the door handle.

“Just to my office. I want to go over the pictures once again before tonight. I want to refresh my memory.”

“Good, and put a shirt on before you go anyplace else. I don’t think the office would like a repeat of the fashion show again.” Brad couldn’t help razzing Clay once more.

Giving Brad a glare over his shoulder, Clay left the conference room and made his way back down the hallway to his office.

Clay sat down in his large leather chair and looked at the pictures spread over the surface of his desk. If you took the guy out of the pictures, all the women were of slight build, not overly tall, and all had long hair hanging down their backs almost to their waists. Clay recalled Laura as he last saw her in the living room. She would be the perfect match to any of the women in the photos from the back. She had the slight build and long hair. He would have to make sure she stayed away from the Playground until they caught the guy. Not that she would allow him to dictate where she could go, now that he had got his walking ticket. He would just have to worm his way back into her good graces.

She was one woman that Clay was not going to just let walk away. He didn’t know what it was about her that had him wanting to wrap her up in wool and keep her safe and near him. But Clay had enough years of going through women to know when a special one came along. It didn’t happen often and sometimes not at all. He wouldn’t let this chance escape him. He could see the change Avery made in James. James was now a more contented man with his life, and now a very possessive one with Avery. Clay wanted the same thing.

Chapter Eleven

Laura sat down with a thump on her couch after Clay had closed the door behind him. Thinking back over their words, she couldn’t believe that she had just blown her chance with him.

She should have sat down and explained to Clay that only the known and trusted clients were allowed to come to her home. Not jump down his throat at his first show of concern.

It was kind of nice having someone else worry about her. Clay was a man’s man. With his linebacker shoulders, bulging muscles, and colourful tattoos, he was just yummy. And here she had him wanting her and she threw it all away.

Wiping her hand across the tears that had escaped, Laura knew if she was going to take a chance with anyone, he would be the one.

Finally she made herself get up and went upstairs to get ready for Mr. Handover. He was a fussy client and it would keep her mind off Clay, if only for a few hours.

Hours later, after Mr. Hanover had painstakingly showed her everything he had with him, Laura’s mind returned back to Clay.

How could she get him to give her another chance without explaining her situation to him? It was too soon in their relationship to tell him her secrets. She hadn’t even told her friends and she had known them for years now.

She trusted her instincts, but knew her hormones were also playing into this equation, so she had to take her time to really get to know him.

The friend she knew that never seemed to have man trouble was Jane. Picking up the phone to call Jane, she heard the doorbell ring. Thinking it must be Mr. Hanover back with something he had forgotten to give her, she put the phone down and rushed to the door.

At the door was a deliveryman with a package for her. Thinking nothing of it, she signed and watched the deliveryman leave in a delivery van. She also took note of a black truck parked two doors down from her house on the street.

Looking at the package in her hands, she gently shook it. It struck her then, that from the wrapping on the package, it likely wasn’t from a client. Maybe it was something from Clay?

Suddenly the package in her hand exploded. The heat surrounded her and her hands felt like they were on fire. Out of nowhere a man jumped her and took her to the ground, rolling her on the sidewalk. Laura struggled with the man as they rolled around the sidewalk of her house. Finally the man stopped rolling and sat up beside her and was patting her down with both of his hands. She batted at his arms until she hit his directly with one of her hands and the pain almost made her black out. Taking a deep breath, she finally heard the man beside her as he spoke.

“Laura, stop. I’m just trying to put the fire out. I’m a friend of Clay’s.”

Laura just lay still and absorbed the pain as she tried to listen to the man. Still holding onto her with one hand, he grabbed his cell and called 911 and told them what happened. Looking down at her, he asked if she would be OK for a minute. When she nodded, he hurried into her house and came back a minute later with some clean dish towels soaked in water.

Taking the towels, he wrapped her hands in the wet cloths. Holding them on her hands he tried to explain to her again who he was. Laura by this time was in too much of a fog to understand him. The pain was pulling her down into darkness. Sirens were heard faintly in the distance and within minutes an EMS medic was beside her, unwrapping her hands and looking at them. She was sure he was saying something to her, asking her questions, but she passed out as she felt herself being lifted onto the gurney.

The next thing that she became aware of was lying in a hospital bed. Clay was beside her, seated on a chair pulled close to her bed. She didn’t know why she was here, but she was happy that Clay was with her. Maybe she hadn’t blown her only chance with him.

Smiling at him, she put one hand on the bed rail to try to raise herself, but the pain when her hand made contact had her gasping with tears coming to her eyes.

Clay, with concern etched on his face, tried to stop her from rising. He hadn’t seen her wake, his mind was filled with “What ifs.”

Licking her dry lips, she asked him in a low raspy voice, “What happened?”

Clay, after he knew she was settled and not moving, picked up a pitcher of water and poured a glass. Putting a hand behind her head, he raised it a few inches off the pillow and held the glass to her lips.

She took a sip and it felt wonderful on her dry throat. Trying again, her voice louder this time, she asked Clay, “What happened?”

Laying her head gently back on the pillow, Clay put the glass on the bed tray and made sure she was as comfortable as she could be in a hospital bed.

“Hey, baby, just relax and I will tell you what I know.” Clay couldn’t keep the worry out of his voice as he sat back in the chair and laid a protective hand on her stomach over the covers.

“I talked to Brad, who just happened to be around your house at the time. He’s the one that called 911. He told me that he saw someone deliver a package to your door. Before you went into the house, you shook it. It must have had some kind of trigger that shaking it made it explode into flames. You were very lucky that Brad was around and only your hands are burned with the fire. He grabbed you in time to roll you on the grass and smother the fire that had started burning your clothes. He also wrapped your hands in wet cloths right away, so the burns aren’t as bad as they could have been. God, I wish I had been there to help.” Clay took his other hand and placed it on her leg. Touching her made him feel better. “I know that really doesn’t help right now, but the burns could have been a lot worse, or you could have lost your life. I’m kicking myself in the ass, the way I left you unprotected.”

Laura raised her hands and inspected them. “Don’t blame yourself. There was no way of knowing. My hands hurt, but I know you’re right, it could have been worse. I would like to thank Brad for his quick thinking. What was he doing around my place anyway?” she asked Clay.

Clay looked away from her. He didn’t want to tell her that he had Brad watching her place. But he also didn’t want to try and restart their relationship with lies. “I had him watching over you.”

As she started to raise herself up on her elbow to protest, he took his hand from her stomach and grabbed her shoulder, stopping her. “I know. This is what we argued about the last time we were together. You can look after yourself. But I can’t say I’m sorry. If Brad hadn’t been there, you—well, I don’t want to think about it. Just be grateful I didn’t listen to you, and went with my gut.”

“OK, I’m grateful Brad was there and I’ll forget it for now. But I won’t have you interfering with my life or work.”

Clay gave her a look filled with disbelief and told her, “Look what just happened. If it means your safety, I will interfere. Your safety is more important than any job that you do.”

“OK, I get your point. We will just have to agree to disagree until I get out of here. Did they tell you when I can leave? I hate hospitals.” Laura knew she had to back down this time. She didn’t want Clay to be more agitated than he already was. She also knew that this man wasn’t going to see reason right now. Not now that she had been hurt.

Why was she arguing with him anyway? The subject of her safety could be revisited when they had more solid ground between them. After all, the last time they had been together, she had kicked him out of her house. Then hadn’t she been thinking about another chance with him when the package was delivered?

Now she knew that this type of man was a throwback to a different age, when men were men and they protected their women. Ones like this didn’t come along anymore. He might be bossy, but she thought he would be fair. At least she hoped so.

The little bit of conversation between her and Clay had started to wear her out, so she lay back and closed her eyes. Clay assured her that he wouldn’t leave her side, so she felt safe enough to fall asleep.

It was hard to tell how much time had passed when she awoke and became aware of Clay standing in the doorway to her hospital room, talking to two men in black trench coats. They looked like Feds to her. She had seen enough of them in the two years she was under their protection to be able to spot them now.

Shit, they finally caught up with me. Just when I think I’m safe, find Clay, and decide to start living again.
She could get depressed, but decided to get pissed off instead. She had tried to do the right thing. In doing so it had wrecked her whole life, while the General walked around scot-free. She knew life wasn’t fair, but damn, she was going to have her way this time. Clay was worth fighting for.

Putting her elbows on the bed beside her hips, she raised herself and asked Clay,
“What’s going on?”

Clay turned from the men at the door and hurried to her side, making her lie down again.

“It’s OK. Nothing to worry about. Just some friends of mine popped in.”

Clay tried to reassure her, when his mind was going a mile a minute at what his Fed friend had just told him. Could they really be talking about his Laura?

Clay was lucky that the guys sent to take her back were friends of his. They had only told him a tiny part of her story. It looked like Laura had secrets he couldn’t even imagine. It looked like Laura needed a friend on her side, and he was going to be that friend.