Loves Redemption (3 page)

“It was. She decided to move out, and I didn’t see her for two years, and then one day she

showed up at the help center where I was working.” Maya tried to collect herself, but not before several tears had fallen unchecked down her face.

When her gaze eyes met his, raw emotion shone starkly in her eyes. “She looked awful. It

hurt to look at her. Her hair was stringy and dirty. She was so thin, her bones looked like they were poking through her skin. She had a long red razor mark stretching across her face. I

couldn’t believe it was my Ally.” She clenched her teeth together, her nostrils flaring, as she remembered the way Allison looked. She took a drink of her coffee before she picked the story up.

“I noticed right away she was talking really fast. She couldn’t stay still, and neither did she keep eye contact with me. I knew she was high. She said she needed money, and wanted to know if I had any to spare.”

After she paused, Mark prompted her, “Did you give it to her?”

“Yes,” she admitted simply. “She told me she was staying with friends. I invited her to

come home, but she wouldn’t. She said she needed a little money to tide her over.”

“Did you see her regularly after the two of you were reunited?”

“Unfortunately no. One of the last times I saw Ally was about two months ago. She said

she wanted to clean her life up and was tired of living the way she was. That’s the last time I spoke with her.”

She wondered if she hadn’t giving in and given her money, but had instead pressed the

issue, could she have convinced Ally to give her program a chance? Unfortunately, she would never know if Ally had been serious. Considering the circumstances she died under, she doubted Ally had been ready to take that first step.

Signaling the waitress to bring the check, Mark reached in his jacket to pull out his

wallet. “This is on me, please Maya.”

She noticed for the first time how dark it was once they left the cafe. After he’d settled

her into her seat and he’d gone to the driver’s side, she turned in her seat to face him. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to go home. I’m not really up to seeing anyone tonight. I think I need some time to myself tonight to take everything in.”

After they’d driven away from the café, Mark reached a stoplight. The light cast a

crimson glow on Maya’s face, highlighting her fatigue. “Of course, just give me your address.

How will you get to work tomorrow? Do you live close to Imani House?”

“Not too far away. It takes me fifteen or twenty minutes on the loop. I live in a converted older home with two other units. My neighbor, Dalia, is also my assistant at Imani House. I can get a ride to work with her in the morning,” she told him, after giving her address.

“Why don’t you relax for a minute and close your eyes. The traffic is kind of heavy; it

may take us a while, and you should rest. It’s been an emotionally draining day for you,” he said as he turned on the radio. He immediately turned it back off.

She reached over and stalled his hand. “No, leave it on--it isn’t bothering me. Music is

soothing to me.” She adjusted her body into the soft leather seat and closed her eyes, and was asleep within minutes.

* * * *

A few minutes later Mark glanced her way when he heard her light snores. After

watching her for a few moments, he was disgusted with himself when even her snores turned

him on.

He turned his attention back to the congested highway. Rolling down his window, he

allowed the warm breeze to filter into the car. This was his favorite time of the year, the beginning of spring, when nature seemed to grant a new lease on life. It was the best time of year in San Antonio.

Having grown up and worked in San Antonio his entire life, Mark was intimately

acquainted with most communities and knew his way around. After she’d given him her home

address, he hadn’t needed directions, already being familiar with the area.

When he glanced back in her direction, he noted that she’d barely stirred from her

original position. However, instead of both hands resting under her cheek, the right one had slipped down into her lap where it rested upturned.

She looked so innocent with her hand nestled beneath her cheek and the other on her

thigh. Her pretty brown skin had a healthy glow. Her lips were slightly open; the full bottom rim beckoned his attention.

Obviously, her mental exhaustion had warred with the caffeine she’d consumed, and the

exhaustion had easily won.

Turning at the stop sign, Mark made the descent down the hill leading to her house.

Within minutes, they were headed into the tree-lined community that had been one of the first to be established in the area.

He’d hidden his surprise after she’d given him her address. The area was not only an old

established community, but was also a community known for its wealthy residents.

He’d reached her street when she began to stir. She slowly opened her eyes and softly

yawned. She placed her hand on the side of her neck, and turning her head in the opposite

direction, stretched her body.

Abruptly she turned back to him. “Oh Lord, I’m sorry. I must have dozed off. You’re on

my street! My house is the last one on your side.” She self-consciously pat her hair, fingering the thick braid back into place, as he came to a smooth halt outside the brightly lit, brick, two-story Victorian mansion.

Even in the early evening light, he could see the flowers that provided a profusion of

colors framing the walkway that led to her front porch. Abundant ferns framed the wraparound deck; the overall effect gave the mansion a warm and welcoming feel.

“You were tired, don’t worry about it. How’s your head? Does it still hurt?” he asked

solicitously, as he turned his body toward hers. In the dimly lit interior, he was barely able to make out her features. Noting the exhaustion in her eyes, he turned the engine off and removed his seat belt. “Let me walk you to your door.”

“That’s okay, I’ll be alright. It’s a short walk to the door. I’ll use my front entry, but

thank you,” she said, as she turned to open her door.

Before she was able to do so, he was there helping her climb down. Keeping his hand on

the small of her back, he walked her the short distance to her front door.

“I wasn’t aware there were any apartments in this area,” he said as they made their way

up the wide brick walkway.

“I own it. I have a hard time wasting anything, including space. So I converted it into

three separate units.” She reached into her purse and fished for her key.

“Allow me.”

He reached down to take the key from her hand. After opening the first door, they were

inside a hallway with two doors. She motioned him toward the one that was hers.

He turned around to hand her the door key. The overhead hall light starkly highlighted

her tear-streaked face. Slowly the tears traveled down her face and swiftly gathered momentum.

Without thought, he turned her into his arms.

Holding her tight, his intent was only to soothe. He spread his legs to reduce the height

difference as he embraced her with one arm, while the other cupped the back of her head.

With both of her arms hugging his waist, she continued to cry uncontrollably. When her

tears showed no sign of ceasing, Mark continued to caress the back of her head. Eventually, she went to unwind her arms from their tight hold around his waist until he reached around and

prevented her from moving.

“I’m sorry. It’s been an awful day. This is the second time today you’ve seen me like

this,” she shakily apologized.

“You don’t have anything to be embarrassed about. It’s been an emotionally draining day

for you. My God, you just identified your foster sister’s body.”

As she gazed at him with her large beautiful eyes, still shimmering with unshed tears, his

heart skipped a beat. He lifted her face and gently wiped the tears away from her smooth cheek with the rough pads of his thumbs.

She continued to look at him with her sad eyes and he leaned down to lift her chin and

softly kiss her lips. When she made no move to stop him, he continued to kiss her with light touches that barely made contact with her mouth, making his way down her cheek, tasting her salty tears.

The moment his mouth touched hers he was on fire. What had begun in innocence, a

simple desire to console, took on a life of its own. Setting out to comfort and soothe, the incredible softness of her lips sent blood rushing to his head.

Mark knew there was no way he was going to stop unless she asked. And he hoped to

hell she wouldn’t ask.

He deepened the kiss, and his tongue plunged into the moist recesses of her mouth in

search of her warm, wet tongue. He pulled her bottom lip between his and drew on the lush rim, tugging it further and further into his mouth, causing a deep ache to pool directly in his groin.

His hand traveled from her lower back to her rounded bottom to gently cup and caress the small mounds.

Her arms moved from the center of his chest to snake around to the back of his neck,

tangling her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. Mark couldn’t get close enough to her small sweet curves; the answering moan she gave him only heightened his response to her.

Gradually, the sound of a husky throat clearing made its way into his consciousness.

Slowly breaking contact with the lush fullness of her lips, he lifted his head in frustration to glance around at the intrusion. A tall woman stood outside her door in a long floral housecoat wearing a deep frown, her lips pooched out in obvious disapproval.

Mark cursed low in his throat as he discretely adjusted Maya’s clothes as well his jeans.

He leaned his forehead against hers to give himself time to gain his composure.

As Maya too gained awareness, he saw the guilt and shame cross her face, and swore

again. When he’d first kissed her, his only motivation had been to soothe, but it had quickly changed direction. He had every intention of kissing her from the first moment he set eyes on her.

But not tonight, and definitely not under these conditions.

His gaze swept over her swollen lips and downcast eyes. He didn’t want her first intimate

experience with him to be something she was ashamed of.

He turned to the unknown woman standing in the open doorway of her apartment. “If you

don’t mind, could we have a moment?”

The woman glanced at Maya with a questioning look. After being given a small nod, she

turned away and said nothing as she returned to her apartment. He turned his attention back to Maya.

“Thanks for bringing me home. I’m sure that I’ll hear from the police in the near future.”

She’d probably said the first thing that came to her mind. He understood her feelings, but

still wasn’t about to allow her to retreat from the incredible experience they’d just shared. He wouldn’t let her pretend it hadn’t happened.

“Yes you’ll hear from the police soon Maya. You’ll be hearing from me even sooner. I’m

sorry for your loss, I really am. Right now you need to go inside and get some rest. I don’t want to add to your stress. But I
will
call tomorrow to see how you are.”

With that, he kissed her softly on the corner of her mouth, his hand lightly caressing her

smooth cheek before leaving.

Maya unconsciously placed her hand on the spot Mark had kissed, her eyes glued on his

large frame until he’d climbed inside the big SUV and drove away.

When she finally let herself into her apartment, her first reaction was overwhelming

relief. She realized how tense she was, and the beginnings of a migraine were returning with a vengeance.

She kicked off her shoes and tossed her bag on the overstuffed chair in the corner, and

then made her way into the kitchen. Reaching into the cabinet, she took out a small package of her herbal tea that was touted as being designed for soothing the nerves.

Maya decided that she definitely needed her nerves soothed. With a weary sigh, she

leaned against the counter as she waited for the other shoe to drop.

“
Mazyte Sesute,
where are you, dear?” Maya’s assistant, friend and confidant called out.

Or better yet, the proverbial other shoe.

She loved Dalia, but all she wanted to do was drink her tea and curl up in the fetal

position and sleep. Weary and resigned, Maya reached for a second cup and placed it on the

small table as she waited for her.

“So, who was the gentleman that you were involved in the lip-locking with,
Sesute
?
”

Dalia came into the large airy kitchen, and with long-standing familiarity, went directly to the pantry in search of a snack to go with the tea Maya was brewing.

“That was Detective Mark Halstan with the SAPD.” Maya was well acquainted with

Dalia’s direct manner of speech, and her odd way of phrasing. Dalia had emigrated from

Lithuania as a teenager and was now well into her fifties, and yet her voice still carried the lilting tone of her youth.

“Oh Maya, was the one from the television indeed your Allison?” Motioning for Maya to

sit down, Dalia took over pouring the coffee.

“Yes, it was Ally. I wouldn’t like to ever have to relive that experience. Detective Halstan was the officer who took me to identify the body.” After filling her in on the details, Maya felt so worn out she thought she’d fall asleep at the drop of a hat.

“You are exhausted, Maya. You run your bath water, and I will clear these small dishes

away. Go on, dear, and I will bring your tea in for you to drink as you relax.”

“Thanks, Dal. I think I’ll do just that,” she told her friend with a weary smile. As she left the kitchen and walked through her house, she took pride in her surroundings. She’d inherited the house from the grandmother she’d never known. She’d also received a substantial monetary inheritance from her grandmother, which had allowed her to supply the initial funding for Imani House.