Tattoo My Heart (Heroes of Seaside Point, Book 1) (10 page)

“Then who?”

She took a deep breath and shoved fear from her body.
Please, oh please, don’t let Vanessa see right through me this time
. “A client. Thanking me for services.”

Vanessa moved the vase to the sink and turned on the water. “They’re beautiful.”

“Who delivered them?”

Her sister shrugged. “I don’t know. They were left on the counter with the card tucked inside.” Vanessa set the vase back on the counter and widened her eyes. “Is this a male client?”

She managed a giggle to cover her nerves. “No.” She pointed at the warm cookies on the baking sheet. “Are you going to share?”

“Of course.”

Annessa breathed a sigh of relief that her sister was easily distracted and plucked the cookie from Vanessa’s grasp. “Oh God, Van,” she mumbled as she chewed the gooey dessert, “these are to-die-for.”

“What did you think of the building?”

She swallowed as her muscles tensed again. “I didn’t go. Casey distracted me and then he got a call. We decided to get together tonight.”

“Ah.” Vanessa nodded, apparently satisfied with that explanation. “Travis won’t complete his shift until tomorrow evening.”

She broke another cookie in two and stretched the chocolate between both pieces. “Um, will you be home tonight?”

“No.” Vanessa gave her a wicked smile, one that told her she didn’t want to ask particulars.

“Well then.” She stuffed one piece of cookie in her mouth, chewed and swallowed, grossly relieved of the opportunity to change the subject. “It looks like I have some free time. Shall we talk weddings?”

***

Later that evening, Casey stood behind the bushes in the front yard of the Dupree house and watched the slight warm breeze flip Annessa’s hair over her shoulder while she crammed a key into the front door lock. Still dressed in the short skirt and hooker heels from earlier, she worked the key back and forth and then mumbled a few choice words when it fell from her grip and clanged against the cement porch.

Although he thoroughly enjoyed the view when she bent, he frowned when she retrieved the key ring and started the whole process over. Something just wasn’t right.

He stepped from behind the bushes and cautiously approached the bottom step. “Annessa?”

Her blood-curdling scream pierced his eardrums as she spun to face him, the notorious vial aimed in defense. On instinct, he raised his arms to cover his face and peered over his elbows.

“Casey!” She lowered the tube and clutched her chest. “You scared me!”

He climbed the remaining steps and pried the keys and pepper spray from her hands. “What’s your obsession with locking this door?”

Again, Annessa used her teeth to worry her bottom lip. “I guess I’ve been in the big city too long.”

He reached forward and took her hands in his. “You’re shaking.”

“You scared me,” she repeated.

“Enough.” He squeezed both her hands between his, careful not to wrench them in half as he led her to the porch swing and pushed her to sit. He sat next to her, determined to get answers. “Tell me what’s going on, Annessa.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re home, for one. Out of the blue. No explanation in tow.”

“I can’t come home without an invitation?”

“Sure.” He placed her hand on top of his thigh and covered it with his own. “That’s just not your usual m.o.”

“I needed a break. Things were getting a little tense.”

He nodded and chose his response carefully. “Normally you call.”

Her hand tightened on his thigh. “Yeah, well this time I didn’t,” she snapped.

“You don’t use your cell much.”

“The battery is still dead.”

“I clocked you doing eighty five miles an hour on the way back to town this afternoon.”

“Then obviously you were driving faster,” she countered.

Casey tampered his impatience. Stubborn woman. He moved his hand to tip her chin with one finger and gave her a hard stare. “We don’t have secrets, Ness. Tell me what the hell you ran from.”

As soon as Casey’s dark chocolate gaze met hers, Annessa knew there was absolutely no way to distract him. Zip. Nada. None. And damn it, the very clear concern within the depths crumbled her very carefully placed walls.

“I think I’m being followed.”

“You think?”

“Okay, I know.”

A muscle ticked at the base of his jaw, a sure sign that he waited for her to elaborate. With the absolute truth.

“Two weeks ago, I directed Anthony Marcelli’s daughter’s wedding. The account was originally Dorie’s but she asked me to fill in at the last minute.”

Casey continued to sit silent, the only motion between them the gentle sway of the aged swing.

“You know who Marcelli is, right?”

“I’ve heard.”

Annessa snorted. Who hadn’t heard of the notorious international businessman? Of course, rumored mob ties probably had something to do with his popularity.

“The guest list turned up one person short.”

He cleared his throat, obviously now convinced her suspicion may be warranted. “Explain.”

“I witnessed a murder.” Her mind flashed back to what was supposed to be a routine assignment. Attend the wedding, keep the party organized, pacify the family and then leave.

She threw her head into her hands and groaned. “If the best man had managed to keep his pants zipped, I would’ve never been in the dark hallway. And if his conquest had not been the third bridesmaid, I wouldn’t have even bothered interrupting the rendezvous. Unfortunately, I found them in time to redress and walk the aisle. Except in the process, she left her bouquet behind. In the three seconds it took me to retrieve the flowers I spotted three men in a side room, one of them sprawled on the floor, another tucked a gun into the side of his waistcoat, and one frisked the body.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive.”

“Did anyone speak to you?”

“No. I don’t even know if they saw me. I ran from the scene, out the front door of the church, and straight to Seaside.”

Annessa couldn’t stop her body’s uncontrollable tremble.

“Have you seen anyone unfamiliar here?”

“Maybe. There were two men in the diner I didn’t recognize.”

“Can you describe them?”

“Not very well. I just remember one being bald. They left right after I ordered.” Her knee bounced with anxiety.

“Anything else?”

“After I met Vanessa for lunch the other day, I saw a brown sedan parked near Seaside Drug.” She hesitated, still wary of filling in the blanks.

“Go on,” he prompted.

“I ducked into the drugstore and left out the back. That’s when I tripped and fell in the alley.”

“There’s more.”

“Verity swears I dodged a bullet.”

“You didn’t see anyone?”

“No, I was too focused on getting to the bakery. I swear that same car followed me after you changed my tire. Then, I received a bouquet of flowers this afternoon with this.” She handed him the card from her pocket and braced herself for a major reprimand.

He pressed one hand over her knee to still the movement and she knew from experience he exercised amazing self control. “Are they from Foster’s?”

“I don’t think so.” The thought that they hadn’t been delivered by the hometown florist made her shake even harder. “Alice Foster would’ve delivered them personally just to be a busybody.”

“Was the card delivered with them?”

“Vanessa took the delivery. She said the vase was left on the front counter with the card tucked inside.”

He slid the card inside his shirt pocket. “What did you tell her?”

“She thought they were from you.”

“Me?”

Even terrified she was unable to resist the urge to poke him. “Somehow she got the crazy idea we had sex. I told her she was totally insane for thinking such a thing.”

“Good.” His eyes flashed in the evening light and she knew she might as well have tempted a hungry lion. “Because if we had sex, I would have loved you so long and hard that you wouldn’t have been able to walk into your sister’s bakery.”

Her jaw fell open and a million snappy retorts lined up on her tongue. Yet, she couldn’t voice any of them and the reason was very simple. She wanted him to pin her against the swing with his naked, muscled body and do exactly as he said. Quite frankly, she couldn’t care less if she could even walk into the house.

Obviously amused by her reaction, he snickered. “You’re safe here, Ness.”

“No I’m not, Casey. And neither are my brother and sister. What was I thinking, coming here?”

As if he could make it all better, he gathered her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. “You came because this is home.”

She couldn’t argue with his reasoning. Only, there was more. Seaside Point was home, but she didn’t just run here. She ran to Casey.

“Now what?” she whispered.

“We call the state police.”

“No!” She scrambled from his arms and stood to pace. “I don’t want to involve them. I covered my tracks pretty well. I booked my flight and rented the car with an alias.”

“How?”

“Fake ID.” He raised an eyebrow and she gave him a half smile. “Don’t ask.”

“Anyone in Los Angeles know where you’re from?”

“No, not even Dorie.”

“I don’t like this idea. The sooner we notify the authorities, the less danger you’re in.”

“I told you, I don’t even know if they saw me. Casey, please let’s just make sure before we involve my family.”

“Call Dorie. Tell her you’ve decided to take a leave of absence. You can call from the sheriff’s department.”

She nodded. “Good idea, except I’ve already done that.”

“Was she agreeable?”

“Yes, but I didn’t give her any details.”

“Which phone did you use?”

“The pay phone at Johnson’s.”

“Until I know you’re safe, we’re stuck like glue. Understood?”

“Whatever you say, Sheriff.”

Casey stood and placed a hand to the small of her back. “You have anything else to say before I have to lock you up for whatever criminal activity you haven’t confessed?”

She smirked. “Vanessa’s the good twin.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Evil twins have more fun.”

His deep, husky laugh chased her fear into submission while he shuffled her into the house and closed the door behind them. “I should call Travis.”

“No.”

“Dane? Maverick? Anybody?”

“No. Besides, they’re all working.”

“Not Dane.”

“Okay, but he’s with Vanessa and I don’t want anything or anyone to hurt her.”

She sat down on the sofa and he took the spot next to her. “I’m not sure murder is first on this goon’s mind, Ness.”

“Why?”

“If Marcelli is what everyone believes, you would’ve never made it out of that church. A professional hit man wouldn’t break a sweat taking you out.”

“They why follow me?”

“Nothing else happened at the wedding?”

“Just murder, Casey. And I didn’t actually see the act.”

“I’m sorry.” He placed a light kiss on the end of her nose. “I’m just trying to figure out why someone would chase you down.”

“Can we change the subject for awhile?”

He nodded. “There is something I want to discuss.”

She took one look at the heat in his gaze and knew exactly what was on his mind. “On second thought, let’s talk about murder.”

“I want to talk about that kiss this afternoon.”

“Temporary insanity,” she mumbled.

“Uh-huh. That was the hottest damn kiss I’ve ever had in my life.”

“Oh please. You’ve kissed a lot of women.” Unfortunately, she knew that to be true. No way could he deny it.

Instead, he took her hand and braided their fingers. “I’m being honest.”

“Really?”

A slow, sexy grin split his lips and her skin warmed when he squeezed her hand. “Makes me hard just thinking about it.”

She glanced down at his groin and knew immediately he spoke the truth. His erection couldn’t hide in the confines of his pants and obviously didn’t intend to. She brushed her bottom lip with her tongue.

Casey gave her hand another squeeze and then pulled her against him. “Don’t pull your weapon unless you intend to use it, honey.”

A small whimper was the only thing that left her lips before he took her mouth in pure possession. His lips moved over hers in smooth torture before his tongue separated them to slip inside. Her nipples tightened against the sheer masculine force of his chest pressed against them.

Suddenly she felt him push her back against the soft couch pillows and that magnificent body rested atop hers. With shaking fingers, she reached between them and worked the buttons loose from his uniform shirt until it hung open. Her fingers wasted no time in exploring the glorious skin beneath – the smooth skin of his chest, his hardened nipples, sharp edges of toned stomach muscles and then the sexy, v-cut obliques leading lower to his groin. She slipped her index finger beneath his waistband to graze the very tip of his erection.