Grace (16 page)

Max knew he had a ‘you're lying to me’ look on his face.

He stood there tall, masculine and full of authority. She could only imagine how horrible it must be to be interrogated by him.

"Well?” he asked.

"I went to the tunnel."

Max stayed silent a moment, then it hit him. “Where Jessy was found?” He moved toward her.

Grace didn't answer. She just stood in place.

"Of all the stupid things...” he began to yell.

Grace covered her ears, then turned away from him.

He reached for her, and she slapped his hand away, moving forward, but Max wouldn't allow it.

"What if he had been following you? What if he took you or killed you right there, then what? Are you crazy?” he hollered at her and with each word, it was obvious she lost more of her control, her composure, everything.

She turned on him, fists at her side.

"Felix showed up. He had a feeling I would go there.” She probably hoped that would put Max's mind at ease, but instead the statement bothered him more. Anger took over.

"Oh, how wonderful of him. Now he shows up unexpected, reading your mind and being a good partner.” The sarcasm was apparent in Max's voice.

"He is my partner and he made a mistake, Max, just drop it already."

"Bullshit! He should have been there, Grace. He was your backup. He knew the circumstances after the undercover operation and should have stayed with you. What the hell kind of partner is he?” Max took a step toward her.

"He was going to come back with me, order a pizza. He cares!” she yelled at him, looking frustrated and angry, as well.

"The old ‘order a pizza together’ line. You nearly fell for that?"

"Get out! Just leave me alone and get out!"

Max didn't move. Instead, he egged her on knowing she was about to burst and he wouldn't let her go through this alone. He was angry as hell. Had been worried sick all afternoon wondering if the killer found her, took her, instead she was stupid enough to go to the tunnel. To the crime scene alone in the middle of a deserted woods? Then her worthless partner shows up out of nowhere wanting to order a pizza and be with her?

Bullshit!

The guy had ulterior motives, and Max was aware of the talk about Grace through the departments. She was a knockout with a fantastic personality. Her reputation as a top-notch detective just added to her appeal. Guys talked shit all the time.

"No! I'm not leaving you."

"Leave me alone, Max. I don't need you. I don't want you here, just leave!” She walked out of the kitchen and headed toward the stairs.

"I'm not leaving you, Grace. I'm staying right here.” He pointed his finger at the floor.

"Suit yourself!” She headed to her room.

Hoping to hear the front door open then close, Grace listened closely but she heard nothing.

Her head pounded, so she took some Ibuprofen with a glass of water from the bathroom. Her mind traveled over her fight with Max. He was jealous of Felix and the thought upset her. Felix had been acting funny, but he wasn't interested in Grace sexually.

No way!

He never made a move, flirted, or came on to her in any way. Why would he start now? The pounding in her head increased. She officially had a migraine and the thought of just chopping her head off to get rid of the pain entered then exited her mind.

As she changed her clothes, she realized how very tired she was. She sat on the bed.
Maybe if I just lie down a while, my headache will go way.

She lay back, thinking she would just rest a few minutes, then go back downstairs and get Max to leave, but before she knew it, she was fast asleep.

A short while later, Max went upstairs to check on Grace. He saw her sleeping on the bed and covered her with a blanket, then headed back downstairs to make some phone calls.

He went into the kitchen to see if Grace had anything to make for dinner. He was sure she hadn't been taking care of herself. Even he had missed a few meals and was grabbing fast food or crappy foods just to settle his growling stomach. He could use a decent meal and Grace needed him. At least he wanted her to need him.

He pulled together some ingredients and defrosted some chicken cutlets she had in the freezer.

He walked around Grace's home, looking at pictures of what he assumed were family and friends.

There was a graduation picture he guessed was from college, but she was posing with Nicholas O'Connor, his daughter and probably Nicholas's wife. He wondered about Grace's parents.

He walked through the living room and found a collage of pictures on one wall. Max nearly missed the picture of Grace with Commander Franklin. They held one another and it looked like they were dancing.

The other pictures were goofy poses with Grace and O'Connor's daughter and some of Grace in a casino with friends. He was still shocked that Grace was a detective out in Vegas Metro for years.

His cell phone rang.

"Hey, Tommy, what's going on?"

"We may have an old case connected to our current one."

"What do you mean?"

"Louie was looking over old, unsolved case files and about two years ago, a young college student went missing. Just disappeared out of the blue. Anyway, it had the same MO. It appeared her apartment was intact. Dresser drawers were opened, clothes scattered around as if she left in a hurry.

"Some fingerprints were found that didn't belong to the victim who two days later was found raped and murdered."

"The only similarity is the apartment appearing like she left in a hurry? No name to the prints? Anything else?” Max asked.

"She was brunette and her injuries were consistent with Mary Chloe's. Now I just spoke with forensics and Detective Jeffreys. They found a hair follicle on the desk in Mary's office. The killer may have removed his mask, placing it on the desk while he sexually assaulted Mary Chloe."

"That hair follicle is at the lab?"

"Yeah. I tried to put a rush on it, but you know how that goes."

"We'll run the information by the commander. See if he feels it's enough to reopen the case. As soon as we get our hands on this Master guy, we'll get his prints and DNA."

"Sounds good. Where are you now?"

"I'll be by the precinct later."

Tommy laughed. “Say hello to Grace."

Max smiled, then closed the phone and re-clipped it to the waist of his pants. He paused a moment when he heard noises coming from upstairs.

As she pounded against the walls around her, Grace cried. Nine years old again, she was scared and all alone. Visions of her parents being murdered before her eyes dominated her thoughts.

She could hear when the man responsible locked the chains and left her there to die. She was crying, her belly ached and she was hungry. Then her vision changed. She was inside the tunnel and the Master was there in the darkness. She could feel his evil presence and knew he wanted her.

When he grabbed for her throat, she screamed. She fought against him, fighting for her life when she heard a voice she recognized. The voice belonged to Max and he pleaded for her to wake up.

Grace opened her eyes as Max held her against him, trying to stop her from hitting him.

"Grace, it's all right. I'm here."

She continued to cry. Her fists were clenched and filled with Max's shirt. Then she looked at his face and noticed his lip was slightly bleeding. She immediately let go of his shirt. Then she reached out but didn't make contact.

"Did I?” Grace didn't complete her question as Max consoled her. She had fought him hard.

"It's all right, Grace. Everything is fine. Just lay back and rest."

As Max inched his body closer, Grace took in her surroundings and was fully aware that Max was in her bedroom. She swallowed hard and as if he had read her thoughts, he smiled then gently pushed a strand of damp hair away from her eyes.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. What are you still doing here?” Grace asked and thought about trying to get up, but Max was so close, his arms on either side of her.

He had stayed despite her refusal and her demands for him to leave her alone. Did he really care?

For a moment, they stared at one another.

Grace wondered if Max was equally aware of the attraction, the need and sexual desire. She wondered if Max knew what he did to her. She could feel the warmth of his body against her side and the strength of his arms. His cologne, his manliness filled the air around her. Even that was embracing.

Grace couldn't help but question whether falling for Max would be a mistake.

Pondering these thoughts, Grace laid her head back against the pillow. Max represented so much and her need for him had to stem from the losses and the heartache in her life.

God, Freud would have a field day with me.

Her father would have liked Max. Grace covered her face with her hands a moment in an attempt to hide the falling tears. She was grateful Max stayed silent as if knowing it wasn't the time to ask questions.

She was fully aware of her need for him. Physically, he was a large man, and his presence could fill a room, never mind arouse her femininity. Her body called out for his touch, his attention. It was clear she wanted to be with him, to fall into the safety of his embrace and the comfort he could provide.

Max lowered his body down next to Grace on the bed, holding her close, as if waiting for her breathing to go back to normal.

Running his hands through Grace's hair, he kissed her forehead softly.

Grace leaned her head against Max's shoulder.

"Grace.... Do you want to talk about it?” Max continued to caress her hair.

She was silent a moment.

"No."

"You're not alone, Grace. I'm here, aren't I?"

She stayed silent. She didn't want to admit her fears. The words echoed in her head three times before she could say them out loud.

"I'm alone when I close my eyes ... when I dream,” she whispered.

He apparently heard the slight whimper in her shaking voice. He reached down, cupping Grace's chin in his hand as he spoke softly to her.

"I'll stay here with you. You don't have to be alone.” He looked deeply into her glossy green eyes.

"I bet you would,” she replied sarcastically, then tried to pull away.

She was fighting him every step of the way, but Max was up for the challenge.

He held her face, made her look into his eyes, force her to see she had no reason to distrust him. Then he placed his lips very close to hers.

"I told you once before, don't attempt to put up any barriers with me, darling. I will knock every single one of them down."

As his lips softly covered hers, his hand glided against her cheek and ear.

As Max continued to take command of Grace's mouth, he rolled halfway across her.

Grace held onto Max, loving the way he made her feel, enjoying the weight of his large, athletic body against her hipbones, her stomach. She felt the instant warmth between her legs as her heartbeat sped up.

She needed this man, one she hardly knew and the emotion from her desire and the realization of just how much she needed him got the best of her.

Max felt the wetness against his mouth and cheeks.

Grace was crying. Slowly he broke the kiss.

"Am I scaring you?” He shifted his weight off of Grace.

She shook her head from side to side as more tears emerged following the same pathway as those before them.

Max's heart ached with the overwhelming desire to make Grace happy.

The other night, Max wanted her in the kitchen. He wanted to strip the leather dress from her body and release all that sexual tension between them. But now ... now he felt something stronger, more intense and deeper than just sex alone. He wanted to protect Grace. He wanted to take care of her, to make love to her and as badly as his body ached for her, he had to be sure she felt the same way.

He bent his head toward Grace and lightly kissed her forehead. “Why are you crying? Do you want me to stop?” Gently Max wiped away the tears and kissed Grace softly on the tip of her nose.

She tried to speak, but it was obvious she had difficulty getting the words out. Grace slowly moved her hands against Max's cheeks. As she traced his lips with one finger, Max captured it in his mouth. His desire and want surely must have showed.

A small sound escaped her parted lips.

He released her finger and his palm went on her waist.

"Tell me that you want me as much as I want you, Grace. Tell me that you feel it, too. Tell me,” he whispered with their lips inches apart.

Grace pulled him against her. “I need you. I hardly know you. I thought I hated you ... and here I am needing you."

Max watched another tear run down her cheek and pool near her collarbone. Then he gently kissed her.

"I'm here, Grace, and I'm not going anywhere.” He rolled to his side to remove his badge and gun from his hip, reaching to the bedside table to set them down. He slowly straddled her hips.

Grace felt the nervousness and excitement combined. It had been so long since she allowed herself to feel anything. She couldn't help but wonder if she would fail at making love. Something so simple yet so intense and deep. Could she allow herself to release the fear, give into the need of Max's touch? Her body shook.

One at a time, Max took each of her hands and lightly kissed her palms, then her wrists. They stared into one another's eyes. Her body felt numb, her mind traveled in a chaos of thoughts and negativity despite her body's natural reaction to Max's touch. He placed them back down against the soft, champagne-colored sheets on either side of her head with his palms against hers. Then he smiled down at Grace.

Inhaling deeply, he glanced over her body as if contemplating his next move. It was brief and Grace waited with much anticipation. She suddenly felt feminine and desirable.

She sensed the fluttering and excitement from Max's touch and his lustful stare. She attempted to shift her hips but the weight of Max's body prevented her from doing so.