Steal My Breath (Elixir #1) (23 page)

M
e
:
I have to cancel tonight sorry. I’ve got work.

H
e rings
. “Hey, you,” I say when I answer it. After my visit with Jolene this morning, I’m feeling weird with him. Guilty.

“What’s going on, Callie?” Uh-oh. He sounds like he has his bossy pants on today. I don’t do well when he’s wearing them.

“They’re loading me up with work at the moment. And you know I work better in complete silence. I would come over after I finish, but I think it’s going to be a really late one.”

Lie.

Liar.

All the lies.

You’re going to hell.

Silence.

“How long will this be going on?”

“God, I don’t know, Luke.” That comes out a little snappy.

“I’ve only got tonight off this week. Tim’s away for the week so I’m taking his shifts.” Code for—when the fuck am I going to see you?

“I’m sorry. I’ll try to get through as much as I can tonight.”

“They’re working you too hard,” he mutters.

“Baby, please don’t be mad. I promise this won’t last forever.”

“I’m not mad at you, Callie. Saturday, you’re mine.”
So growly.
I usually love that, but tonight all I’m feeling is guilt, guilt and more guilt.

“I’ll be there before then. Promise.”

“Coming home to you in my bed is one thing, but having time with you is another. I want both.”

“I know, Luke. So do I.”

“Did you speak to your real estate agent about moving in?”

“I left a message for her this morning. I’m just waiting to hear back.”

“Good. I’ll set up an office for you here so you’ve got your own space for when you need to work.”

My guilt intensifies. Because if he knew the truth, he’d know this has nothing to do with needing space. I don’t need space to get my work done; I need it because I would struggle to look at him tonight and not be completely honest about what I’m doing.

Oh, the tangled web we weave.

“I love you,” I say softly.

“I love you, too, sweetheart.” I hear the words he doesn’t say. He loves me, but he needs me there. If only he knew how desperately I wish I was there, rather than where I am tonight.

I exit my car after we end the call and make my way into the pub Jolene told me to visit. It’s only early and a Monday night, so it’s not too busy. I head to the bar and when I’m served, I tell the woman I’m looking for Joe. She jerks her chin towards a big, round dude who’s clearing the glasses from a table.

“Thanks,” I say and walk to where he is.

He eyes me as I approach. “What can I do for you, beautiful?”

I give him my best smile. “Jolene Hardy sent me. I’m trying to find some information on her mother and she said you’d be able to help me.”

He narrows his eyes. “Jolene Hardy is in prison.”

I nod. “I know. I spent time with her there this morning.”

“And what exactly did she think I’d be able to help you with?”

“I’m working with her to clear her name. We’re trying to establish who her mother’s enemies were at the time of her death.”

“Fuck, that list would be a mile long.”

“That’s what she said. If you had to narrow it to a handful that you thought really had it in for her, who would you say?”

He thinks about that for a few minutes. “There’s only one and he’s dead. Killed himself a few months after the murder.”

My heart sinks. I was supposed to walk out of here tonight with a list of people to look into. “Really? The way Jolene was talking, it sounded like her mother had a lot more than one.”

“She did, sweetheart, but none that had it in for her enough to kill her. You don’t kill someone for being a bitch.” He eyes me. “Pull up a seat. I’ll get you a drink and we can go over it. What’s your poison?”

“Vodka, please.”

I take a seat and wait for him. My hope is restored that perhaps if we talk it out, he’ll think of someone.

He returns with two drinks—vodka for me, beer for him. “I always did think Jolene was innocent,” he says after he sits.

“Why?”

“Her mother was strong and had this mean streak towards her daughters. Glenda learnt how to stand up to her, but Jolene never did. I just don’t see her murdering someone she couldn’t even take on verbally.”

“People snap. Maybe she reached the end of her rope that night.” I’m not sure I believe it, but it’s worth throwing out there for his thoughts.

He shakes his head. “I still don’t buy it.”

“So, if not Jolene and not one of her mother’s enemies, who?”

He shrugs. “Who had a motive?”

I’ve gone over this thought a million times. “The only person I’ve come up with is Glenda. She hated her mother just as much as Jolene.”

“Did she have an alibi for that night?”

“No, I don’t think so.” I drain my glass. “I’ll look into her some more.” I grab my handbag. “Thanks for the chat.”

“Good luck. Jolene’s lucky to have you on her side.”

I’m not feeling like she’s lucky to have me tonight. I’ve done a lot of work on this over the last couple of days and I don’t feel any closer to figuring it out.

A
fter I leave the pub
, I drive to the motel where the murder took place. It’s a cheap place with flashing neon signs outside. It definitely has the sleazy look of a place I could imagine a woman like Jolene’s mother would frequent. Marion noted that the sign-in book was no help in the investigation because clearly the murderer was smart enough to use a fake name and paid with cash. No identification was produced—they simply paid extra to book the room for a couple of hours with no questions asked.

I strike it lucky at the motel. The woman who was working the front desk the night of the murder is working tonight. I recognise her name from Marion’s file.

However, when I tell her why I’m here, she clams up. “I’ve told the police everything. And the trial’s long over. I don’t have to answer your questions.”

“No, you don’t, but if you’d been wrongly convicted of a crime, wouldn’t you want someone trying to clear you?”

“That woman was as guilty as they come. They found her at the murder scene covered in blood for God’s sake.” There is something strange about this woman. She’s not only refusing to talk to me, but she’s also refusing to look at me. And she’s fidgeting with paperwork on the counter.

“What if she was in the wrong place at the wrong time? Her mother called her and begged her to come to the motel—she was clearly in distress.”

The woman opens her mouth to speak, but a man comes out of the adjoining office and stands behind her. God, he’s huge. And scary looking. His hard eyes cause me to shrink away a little. “What’s going on here, baby?” He places his hand on her shoulder. I’m pretty sure it’s meant to look like a loving gesture to me, but from the way the woman flinches, I don’t think she’s taking it that way.

“It’s nothing. She was just leaving,” she says. Her eyes bore into mine as if she’s pleading with me to leave.

I sense it’s time to go. This woman isn’t going to give me anything, especially not while the guy stands over her. But there’s definitely something here to investigate. I intend to get to the bottom of it.

“
I
’ve got
a girl crush on Paris,” Callie says as I lean against the tree and pull her back against me. My legs stretch along either side of her and my arms loop over her shoulders.

Pressing my lips to her cheek, I say, “Why?”

“She’s amazing in all ways. She supports you, she loves the hell out of Sean; she goes out of her way to do stuff for your family and she’s out there kicking ass in her own life, too. Plus, she’s really nice to me.”

I chuckle. “I’m really nice to you. Do you have a crush on me?”

She runs her hands over my legs. “I’ve got more than a crush on you.”

“So when do I see some action in association with that crush? Your man’s starving here.” It’s been a long week without her around much. Our damn schedules just haven’t aligned this week. She slept over Wednesday and Thursday night, but I didn’t get home from work until around four each morning. Waking her up so I could have her wouldn’t have been fair when she had to go to work that day.

She tilts her face to look at me. “Poor baby, are you not coping well without me?”

“I’m just hoping like hell that your work quietens down from here on out.”

“I’ve got all weekend free, Luke. I’ve missed you, too.”

“Daddy! Come and play,” Sean yells out from across the park. Paris gives me an apologetic look. She was trying to give me some alone time with Callie.

“Come on, let’s go play ball,” Callie says as she slides her legs so she can stand. She extends her hand and pulls me up.

I grab her around the waist. “Paris is going to take Sean out for lunch after this and I’m going to take you home.”

Heat flares in her eyes. “Sounds good to me.”

“Daddy!” Sean yells again.

Callie drags me to where my son is waiting. He’s missed her this week, too.

“
F
uck
,” I groan as Callie runs her tongue along my dick. When her eyes look up at mine, I reach for her hair. “Your mouth… I fucking missed this.”

She sucks me in deep, towards her throat.

Jesus.

The woman is talented.

I steady my other hand on her head while I listen to the sounds her mouth makes.

Fuck, I’m about to blow.

I grip her hair hard.

My ass tenses and I groan again as I come. She swallows every last drop before rising from the floor. Trailing her fingers up my body and pressing kisses as she goes, she finally stands and our eyes meet.

Licking her lips, she says, “I’ve missed your cock this week.”

I pull her to me, our eyes meeting. “Are you any closer to finalising your lease?”

She bites her lip and her eyes shift away from mine. All classic Callie signs that what’s about to come out of her mouth may be censored. Not that she lies, but she’s been known to fudge the truth a little. “They still haven’t given me a date.”

I tighten my grip on her. “Bullshit.”

Her eyes find mine again and I take in the flare of surprise there. “I’m not lying to you, Luke. They’re being dicks about it.”

I shake my head. “No, there’s something more here, Callie. You’ve been acting weird all week and I want to know what’s going on.”

Her eyes dart away again.

Fuck.

She looks back at me. “Honestly, the landlord doesn’t want me to break my lease. He was okay at first but he’s turned assholey and is slowing down the communication between him and the real estate. We had someone interested but he had some questions for the landlord who took two days to get back to him. By that stage, he’d found somewhere else. It’s pissing me off.”

“Why’s he being such a dick?”

“Something about not wanting to let a good tenant go or some shit. He offered me a rent reduction to stay.” She loops her arms around me and presses hard against my body. “I just wanna get out of there and be here all the time. Promise.”

I narrow my eyes at her. “I believe you, but I also know there’s something else going on with you. And I want you to tell me now what it is. We’re not moving until you do.”

Her eyes widen a little. And then she pushes her hands against my chest. “Now you’re being dramatic. There’s nothing else besides a little work stress.”

She tries to move out of my embrace but I fight against her. “I’m not being dramatic and we both know it.” Her reaction is only reinforcing my thoughts that she’s been avoiding me this week or keeping something from me. She hasn’t seemed quite as eager to see me or quite as quick to return my calls. I need to know what’s going on.

“Yes, you are. Let me go.” When I still refuse, she raises her voice. “Luke!”

I finally let her go and rake my fingers through my hair. She bends to retrieve her T-shirt and slips it over her head. I frown. “What are you doing?”

Without looking at me, she continues retrieving her clothes and dressing. “I’m getting dressed.”

“Jesus, Callie, I can see that, but why?”

Straightening to pull her shorts up, anger flashes back at me. “You’re clearly not going to fuck me, so I may as well put my clothes back on.” Once she does her shorts up, she says, “I’m going to get a drink. Do you want something?”

“So that’s it? You’re not going to discuss this with me?”

“There’s nothing to discuss,” she snaps before stalking out of the bedroom.

I pull my shorts on and follow her. “There
is
something to discuss. Because you’re losing your damn mind over it.”

She doesn’t stop, just keeps stalking away from me. When we finally make it to the kitchen, I reach for her hand and halt her. She turns in an angry huff and stares at me.

“Where the hell did this anger come from and how the fuck did we get from a blow job to this in the space of a few minutes?” I demand.

She takes a few deep breaths. “I hate how you push the point sometimes. I told you there’s nothing, but you just kept going.”

“Because I can tell there’s something there. Why won’t you tell me what it is?”

Her phone vibrates on the table and starts ringing.

Her attention diverts to it, but I snap, “Leave it. We need to sort this out.”

It stops ringing but starts almost straight away.

She takes a step towards it.

I pull her back to me.

“Callie,” I demand. “Start talking.”

She stops and stares at me. Her eyes are heavy with conflict and I suck in a breath at what I see there.

Fuck.

Fuck!

Her phone stops ringing.

“Luke… I can’t tell yo—”

The fucking phone rings again.

I stride to the table, pick it up and snap, “What?”

Silence.

And then—“Ummm, is Callie there?”

Ice runs up my spine.

I stiffen.

I’d know this voice any-fucking-where. What I don’t know is why the fuck I’m hearing it on Callie’s phone.

I grip the phone hard as my eyes bore into Callie’s. “Why are you calling this phone, Jolene?”

Silence.

“Luke?” Her voice is a strangled mess of confusion and hesitation.

“Yes. Answer me. Why are you calling Callie?” I barely contain my anger and bewilderment.

Callie’s eyes widen in horror and she freezes. Her hand covers her mouth as she sucks in a breath.

“How do you know her?” Jolene asks.

“Answer me!” I roar into the phone.

“She’s a newspaper reporter who’s been helping me with my case.”

“What fucking case?”

“Luke…” Callie finally moves and reaches out as if she wants the phone. Her hand lands on my arm and I flinch away from her touch.

With one shake of my head, I send her a warning and she shrinks back.

“She’s helping me prove my innocence.” Jolene’s voice has also shrunk. I can hear the confusion there too. “Why is she with you? Did she come and see you to try and convince you?”

“No, she didn’t come and see me. I had no idea she was even doing this,” I snap.

Silence.

“I don’t understand. Why is she there?” Realisation hits her and she gasps. “You know her?”

I force out a harsh breath. “Yes, I fucking know her. I’ve been dating her for months.”

Silence.

All I can hear are Jolene’s heavy breaths and then she ends the call.

I don’t loosen my grip on Callie’s phone as I move it from my ear. Holding it by my side, I take a moment to gather my thoughts. Problem with that is they’re in a mess of epic proportions and I don’t know where to start.

“Luke, I can explain—”

I hold up my hand. “There is no fucking way you can even begin to explain this, Callie.” With that, I smash her phone down onto the table and stalk out of the room.

My legs are like heavy slabs of concrete as I stride out to the deck and down the back stairs. My fists clench by my side, ready to punch the first thing I find. Unfortunately for me, that happens to be a tree. However, I don’t feel the pain as it ricochets through my hand and up my arm. All I feel is the suffocating anger that has lodged itself in my chest.

I was moving away from the anger and resentment I’d been bottling up for years. Now it’s all rushing back at me. Hearing her voice cracked my wound wide open again and I don’t know what to do with this torment.

I can’t breathe.

I fight against it because I know it will destroy me if I don’t. But fuck, it’s too much. The anger keeps punching through me. My skin feels like it’s about to split open.

Just like my heart.

“Luke!” Callie’s voice floats down the stairs and I turn to find her running down them towards me.

I shake my head, swallowing like fuck.

I can’t breathe.

“Luke, you need to let me explain.” She crosses the grass and just keeps coming at me.

I can’t do this.

Not now.

I can’t fucking breathe.

She gasps as her gaze drops to my hands. “Shit, did you punch something?”

My chest rises and falls in heavy motions. “Yes.”

Because I don’t know what else to do with this anger.

“One of the reporters at work had a file and it fell open one day. It was Jolene’s case. The reporter told me she didn’t believe Jolene was guilty. I spent days going over the file, trying to tell myself to leave it, but the further I got into it, the more I started to believe in her innocence.” She gets her words out in a rush as if time is against her. “Luke, you have to believe me. I didn’t want to get involved—”

“Well, why the fuck did you? I told you about all the evidence we found, and that the lawyers and investigators we hired couldn’t prove her innocence. What made you think there was something we missed?”

“I went and spoke with Jolene.” Her eyes plead with me to hear her. “I think I believe her.”

My mind explodes with red.

No.

I clench my fists by my side.

The woman I love has been poisoned by the woman who stole everything from me.

Now she’s trying to steal Callie from me.

I grip Callie’s arms. “She’s guilty.”

She shakes her head. “I don’t think so, Luke. Will you just let me show you what I’ve found?”

I let her go. “Fuck, Callie! Will you just listen to yourself? Jolene has sucked you in, just like she sucked me in for years.”

Her face contorts with a flash of anger. “Will
you
listen to yourself? All I’m asking for is your time and for you to clear your mind for a moment so you can see for yourself.”

I stare at her for a long beat. “You think things are so black and white, Callie. They’re not. That woman broke me—
she fucking decimated me
—and I won’t give her the ability to do that again.” I jab my finger in the air at her. “You need to drop this now.”

She squares her shoulders. “And if I don’t?”

Our eyes are locked and our bodies are both tense with determination. “I won’t allow that shit in my life. It’s your choice.”

She watches me for what feels like hours, but it’s only moments. Her breathing is erratic and her stubbornness has settled over her like a blanket.

Time passes by in slow motion as she blinks. She moves out of my reach when she takes a step back. And her love packs up and goes home when she nods and says, “I can’t let an innocent woman rot in prison.”

The thing I’ll remember most is her back as she walks away from me. The vision sends chills through my bones because she has wrapped me with love for months and all I feel now is cold emptiness as she takes that love away.