Abducted Heart (Z-Series) (6 page)

“I saw you enter and thought, this is going to be my lucky night.” She flashed him a glimpse of her nipple from beneath the barely-there bikini top. “Can I interest you in a lap dance in one of our private rooms?”

“I came in to get some information.” Lynch removed the picture of Brent from the back pocket of his jeans and handed it to the woman. “Do you recognize this guy?”

“Yeah, I've seen him in here a time or two. I think he's one of Janette's customers.”

“Who's Janette?”

“She's the brunette on the main stage.”

Lynch glanced back at the two women, surprised that both performers seemed to be watching him as they touched each other.

He returned his attention to the exotic dancer next to him. “So, what does two-hundred and fifty bucks get you in here?”

She shrugged. “That depends on if this is an offer or a shakedown?”

“I'm not a cop.” Lynch laughed. “The guy in the picture stole my credit card, and I wanted to know what it bought me.”

“Well,” she said, moving closer to him, “Janette will do just about anything for money. Two-hundred fifty dollars could buy a lot of blow for her.”

“I see. I appreciate your candor.”

“Okay, then help this girl out and take me up on that lap dance.”

“I would but I have people waiting outside.” Lynch reached for his wallet, extracted two twenties and tucked it into the strap of her bra, then winked and started for the door.

There was no harm in lying to the woman.

Lynch's brush with Casey earlier had him certain no other women would do. Yet being with
her
again wasn't going to happen.

Outside, he looked left to right, feeling nostalgic for the first time since he'd been back in New Orleans. Ten years was too long not to visit. During his teen years, he'd spent a lot of time on the French Quarter, though his mother would have grounded him for life had she known.

His father's drunken ways had shaped him—made him angry and he'd acted out. Alex Jackson had helped rein him in again. That summer, he'd met Casey, and his whole world seemed to look up. She was everything and then some. Made him want to give her the best. Too bad her father disapproved and didn't care if he knew it. The man had come right out and said he'd make sure Casey came to her senses. She obviously did once he was gone.

Christ
. Why was he reliving this again?

She had decided he wasn't what she wanted. He could deal with that now.

He stepped out the door and walked toward the pub, a place known for its delicious sandwiches and specialty ales. While he was here in the Crescent City, he'd get a taste of what he'd been missing.

Except for Casey
.

Now that he'd finally come home, he wasn't going to stay away for a long period of time. He'd faced his fears and overcome them. His mother would be happy to know visiting her was going to be something he planned to work in at least once a year.

Lynch entered the restaurant, skimming the crowd for Zack and Casey. They were nowhere in sight.

Maybe they were in the back.

He stalked down the hall to the non-smoking section but the two weren't there either.

Lynch's heart escalated.

He retraced his steps back to the street, glancing around, hoping the two had decided to go to another eatery on Bourbon.

He didn't see them.

Where were they?

What was he thinking, leaving the two alone? Brent could have followed them here.

Did the two get ambushed by him, or did Brent have an accomplice?

No
. Zack was a highly skilled operative. No one got the jump on him unless they'd held a gun to his back.

Lynch walked on, looking in the doors of the businesses he passed. A soft, familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

He glanced into the window and blew out a relieved breath. Then did a double-take at the sign on the door.

A seer. Psychic. Tarot reader
. Why would Casey and Zack go inside such a place?

Lynch entered the shop and was met by a pair of amber eyes that instantly unnerved him. Her intense stare, along with the strong smell of burning incense, made it hard to breathe.

“I thought you two were going to wait for me in the pub.” He glanced at Casey, who seemed even paler than before. “What's going on?”

“I was drawn to her when she walked by,” the woman pointing to Casey said. “Bad Juju surrounds her. Danger. But you already know that.” She stared at Lynch, daring him to deny what she said. He couldn't. But did he want Casey to know that?

“You two have a bond.” The young woman's words drew his full attention. “A painful past neither of you can get over.”

She pointed to Casey again. “You have a secret. One you don't want him to know. Something so painful you're afraid to even think about it.”

Lynch turned to Casey, who seemed whiter, if that were possible.

She looked up at him, tears forming in her exquisite eyes.

“I see betrayal. Someone who has promised to protect you,” the brunette said to Casey, her gaze drifting to Lynch for a moment, then moving back to her. “It will be hard to forgive.”

“I think we should go,” Lynch said, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with this whole thing. He'd never believed in this voodoo shit and he wasn't about to start now.

“You doubt me. I understand that. It's hard to believe in anything you can't see with your own eyes.” Her gaze connected to his again. “But you need to stay close to this woman or something bad will happen. You and I both know this. What has come to light is only the tip of what you will learn if you keep digging.”

Lynch knew once they left, Casey was going to have questions, ones he wasn't sure he was ready to divulge. “You,” she said, pointing to Zack, “have encountered something that will become very important to you if you are willing to see it.”

Zack looked at Lynch and grinned. He could tell he, too, thought the woman was a charlatan. “Right,” his friend said, giving her a wink.

“You doubt me, too, but you'll see I'm right in time.”

“I've had enough of this. Let's go.” Lynch touched Casey's shoulder.

As she rose, the woman reached out and grabbed her hand and held it tight, her eyes literally rolling back in her head. She began to shake uncontrollably. Just as abruptly, she let go, and her eyes landed on Lynch, and she smiled.

The look brought goose bumps to his arms.

When he pulled himself together, he took Casey's hand and tugged her toward the door, still trying to get a handle on what had happened.

He'd never felt anything like that before—as if she had taken a glimpse inside his soul. That alone made him feel uncomfortable since not even his mother knew his deepest feelings—especially about Casey.

“Remember the angel,” the seer said, then smiled at him again. “Don't forget.”

“Sure, okay.” Lynch opened the door and allowed Casey and Zack to leave, then with one final look over his shoulder at the woman, he stepped out and closed the door behind him. He forced a lump down in his throat, then asked, “Do you want to get something to eat?”

Casey nodded. “I'm sorry we scared you. We walked by her shop, and she stopped us.”

“It's all right. I don't want you to give anything that woman said another thought. She wanted to pull you in so you'd come back for a paid reading. That's how those people work.”

“Okay.” Her voice trembled, and Lynch's gut clenched. He knew that woman's words shook her, and hell, they'd affected him as well. But right now wasn't the time to dwell on her reading.

Later, after he'd had time to think about what she said, he'd evaluate any truth to it.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Casey opened her eyes, sensing something wasn't quite right. She sat up in bed and glanced at the window. A ray of morning light filtered in from the space between her brocade curtains.

She turned toward the door, surprised to find Lynch asleep in the chair off to the corner. His presence brought back the psychic's words from last night.

She's in danger, but you already know that
.

What had she meant by Lynch knowing? What the heck was he keeping from her? If she had to hound him all day, she was going to find out.

While he slept, Casey studied his features, amazed at how handsome he'd become. Not that he wasn't at nineteen, but his face hadn't been as defined as it was now. He had a mysterious edge to him as well—one that intrigued her.

Her body surged to life, and she forced down the lump forming in her throat. Simply looking at the man made her think of things she shouldn't. Especially since it'd been over eight months since she'd had sex. Hell, even when she had, it had been far from satisfying. Lynch was the only man who had ever given her pleasure.

Her gaze moved over him, hovering at his delicious mouth. Were his lips as hard and demanding as they'd once been?

Casey sucked in a breath, angry that her body craved the one man who hurt her more than anything.

She turned away. Why was she doing this to herself? She needed to remember that he left her. Broke her heart in two. He didn't deserve her admiration.

When she glanced back, she found him watching her, his eyes dark with something she hadn't seen in years—desire.

Casey licked her dry lips, her gaze glued to his. She couldn't move, couldn't look away. More than anything, she wanted to throw herself into his arms and forget about everything else.

When he rose from the chair and started toward her, Casey held her breath. How many times had she dreamed of this? Wanted Lynch in the worst way?

His hand brushed her cheek, and Casey's world tilted. She cupped her hand over his, intending to say something, but found words impossible.

He took hold of her hand and pulled her up, his free hand working around her back to draw her flush to him, the feel of his hard pecs causing the air to whoosh from her lungs.

He dipped his head and slanted his lips over hers in a kiss that sent her spiraling toward the heavens. Her arms circled his neck, her nipples drawing up tight against his chest, exciting her more. Casey opened her mouth to his tongue, her own working around his in a frenzy of passion. At that moment, she yearned for Lynch more than she'd wanted anything. Even breath.

She moaned and gave into the wonderful sensations, remembering how incredible their lovemaking had always been. Except now it was forbidden, which made it even more of a turn-on.

Lynch's mouth left hers and worked down the column of her throat, the flesh coming alive.

Casey let her hands roam over his powerful shoulders, marveling at how the muscles flexed beneath them. Lynch Rendell was the perfect specimen of man. Always had been. For her.

When his hand worked under the strap of her nightgown to gently caress her breast, Casey threw her head back, amazed how her body responded to his caress. No one had ever made her feel so alive, so not in control of herself. All she could think was having him inside her, quenching a thirst that ten years of unsatisfying sex had caused.

A loud squelching sound sent Casey's heart thumping even more wildly against her ribcage.

Lynch pulled away, looking stunned. “Shit! That's the alarm system. Somebody's trying to break in.”

He scrambled from the bed and raced for the door. “You stay here,” he said over his shoulder as he disappeared from the room.

Casey reached for her robe, her body still humming from Lynch's touch. Was it the kidnappers again? Why would they try to break in when she told the person on the phone she didn't have the money?

This whole thing made no sense unless it wasn't the cash they were after.

Pure dread raced over her body.
She's in danger
echoed like a foghorn in her brain.

But why try to kidnap her? Who would pay the ransom?

Daddy
.

Anyone who had lived in New Orleans for any length of time knew of her father's wealth. He was in the society pages almost monthly. But why bother abducting Brent first? Why not just take her?

Casey's head started to throb. She was giving herself a damned headache, trying to figure this whole mess out. Maybe there was no explanation for it. Maybe the kidnapper was stupid, or thought she'd gain a larger ransom and had changed his plans.

She heard footsteps on the stairs and slipped on her robe. Perhaps Lynch had an idea as to what was going on because Casey only had more questions than answers.

*

Lynch met Zack on the ground floor. The man looked winded.

“You see anything?”

“I caught a glimpse of a man running away from the house. I took off after him, but lost him in a backyard three houses down.”

“Anything stand out about the guy?”

The phone started to ring, then stopped. Lynch assumed that Casey answered it in her room. “That's probably the security company. I hope Casey doesn't tell them we had an intruder. We'll have half the city's police department breathing down our necks.”

“What the hell's going on here, Lynch? This is no ordinary kidnapping. You and I both know that.”

Lynch glanced at the staircase, relieved that Casey wasn't standing above.

“I found life insurance policies in Casey's name with double indemnity causes equaling a million dollars at Brent's office.”

Zack whistled. “So, you're saying this whole thing was a staged abduction. That your ex-step-brother is trying to kill Casey?”

“That's what I'm thinking, but I don't want her to know. He clearly never expected her to call me.”

“Do you think he knows you're here?”

Lynch rubbed the stubble on his chin. “I'm not sure. Why try and break in again if he did?”

“Good point. What's our next move?”

“The bank. I want to find out where all that money was going. It could be the key to everything. We do know he was spending money at a strip club on who knows what, but that was chump change compared to what these transactions were. While we wait for the bank to open, I'm going to change the damned locks on this house. I should have done that. I don't know what I was thinking.”