Deadly Deception (17 page)

She coughed as she tried to swallow, before staring at the floor again. “During the incident, he fell on top of me on the bed. He weighed so much more than me, I couldn’t—”

“She left you there! With that fucking bastard dead on top of you?”

Mallory winced at the hatred in his voice, nodding solemnly as she continued to kick at the floor. “I called for her for I don’t know how long, but I guess she’d given me all she could. I’d managed to roll him off of me and move over to the corner of the room when the cops showed up. They said a neighbour heard me screaming, heard my father raging, and called them.” Her gaze turned slightly vacant, as if she was remembering the scene in her mind. “I didn’t see her again until I had to testify in court. I wanted to, but…the lawyers thought visiting would damage my credibility.”

“Credibility? Against your own mother?” Sawyer closed his eyes against the rush of anger. God, the story just kept getting worse. He forced his eyelids open and cupped her chin, waiting for her to look him in the eyes. “I can’t believe they made a ten-year-old testify in court.”

Somehow, she held his gaze without wincing. “Her appointed lawyer hoped it would get her sent to a psychiatric facility instead of the penitentiary. The guy claimed she had some kind of personality disorder, but it didn’t hold up in court.”

“Dear God.” He shook his head, wanting nothing more than to hold her and never let go. But there had to be something about the murder that was linked to the new killings. He brushed his finger along her jaw before letting his hand drop back to his side. “What about since then? Have you ever discussed what happened with your mother?”

Her face paled. “She hasn’t spoken a word to me since.”

Fuck
. “Nothing?”

Mallory tilted her head in a way that told him everything. “I used to visit her every week. The rare times she’d actually bother to come to the window, she just sat there, staring through me. Over the years, I went less and less until I just stopped. What was the point? She couldn’t even look at me.”

Sawyer raised his hands, wrapping them gently around her shoulders. “None of this was your fault. You know that, right?”

“Wasn’t it?” She backed away, motioning for him to listen. “She never wanted kids. Never wanted to be tied to my father more than she already was. When I came along, I was just something else he could use to hurt her. When I didn’t put my toys away properly, or clean my room just right, it was another excuse for him to hit her. I grew up having my mother pay the price for me being born, for not being perfect. So yeah. I didn’t murder the bastard, but you can’t stand there and tell me I wasn’t the cause.” She lowered her head and took a shaky breath. “I know in my head that they were sick, that I was just collateral damage, but…” She met his gaze again. “It doesn’t stop the nightmares from coming or from me feeling as if I’m fighting his ghost at every turn.”

He waited for her to steady her breathing before giving her an encouraging smile. “After the way you handled yourself today, I’d say you’ve vanquished that spirit.” He moved in front of her and held out his hand. “Come on. What do you say to a warm shower and my shoulder as a pillow for the night?”

Her lips quirked into the beginnings of a smile before the bottom one trembled slightly. “You won’t let go?”

He smiled past the clenching of his heart at the broken quality to her voice. “You promise not to snore?”

The smile resurfaced. “I never snore. You, on the other hand…”

He shook his head. “Then it’s a promise.”

She took his hand, slipping in beside him and following him down the hall and through the bedroom door, tugging on his hand as he headed for the bathroom. Her eyes looked wider than normal as she glanced around the room before settling on his face. She released a long breath, as if she’d been holding it in anticipation. “I don’t want you to leave.”

Confusion raised one eyebrow as he gave her what he knew was a half-smile. “I’m pretty sure I just promised to hold you all night.”

“Not that. I mean after.”

“After?”

“When the case is over. I don’t want you to go back to Albuquerque. In fact, I don’t want to leave the house.”

Sawyer sighed and tugged her into his arms. “I don’t want to leave the house, either.” He inhaled, savouring the scent of warm woman and floral soap. “I was waiting for the right time to tell you, but I requested a transfer back here.”

She pulled away, raising her face to his. “You requested a transfer? Back here? When?”

He couldn’t contain his smile. “A couple of days ago. I wanted to know it was a viable option before mentioning it.”

“No. You wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to freak out before mentioning it.”

“That too.” He smiled at her. “And did my waiting pay off?”

Her eyes saddened for a moment, but she recovered quickly. “I told you before. I never wanted you to leave. Not then, not now.”

The weight of her statement hit home, and he realised he still hadn’t properly apologised for running off. Hell, for being a jerk.

He looked away, gathering his strength before facing her again. “I’m sorry.”

Surprise lit her expression as she stared up at him. “Sawyer, you don’t—”

“No, I do. Actually, it’s long overdue.” He tightened his hold on her hands. “I’m sorry, Mal. For rushing you, for not being the man you needed me to be. I should have begged for your forgiveness from the start, but instead, I took off, telling myself I was doing what was right…what was best. But it was a lie. The truth is, I wasn’t brave enough to face you. To face the possibility of a life without you.”

He paused, wondering what the hell she was thinking. If he was even making any sense.

He focused on her eyes, never looking away. “Leaving here allowed me to pretend there was still a chance. But the more time passed, the more I realised I’d lost any hope of getting you back. Then everything changed, and I found myself standing before you, wishing I’d never left. If I have one regret, it’s not staying to find out why you’d changed your mind. Hell, it was the least I could have done…should’ve done.”

He inched forward, praying the tears gathering in her eyes were out of love, not regret. “I can’t undo the last two years, and maybe it’s best if we don’t even try. I know I have a long way to go before earning your trust back, but if you’re willing, I’d like to spend the rest of my life trying.” He squeezed her hands once. “And maybe, when you’re ready, we could give the whole husband and wife thing another go-round.”

Mallory stared at him, her glassy eyes wide, her breath seemingly lodged in her chest. She appeared frozen until the touch of a smile curved one side of her mouth. She moved in and dropped a sweet kiss on his mouth. “I like the sound of that.”

A warm feeling spread through his chest, easing a tension he hadn’t realised had taken root. He pulled her close, wondering if they should just skip the shower and head straight to bed. After everything that had happened, he couldn’t think of a better ending than holding her close as she slept in his arms. Mallory snuggled into his chest, moulding her lithe body to his. Damn, she felt good.

She chuckled when he started to move them towards the bed and eased back, tsking as she shook a finger at him. “You said something about a warm shower, first.”

“Wouldn’t you rather just snuggle in bed?”

Love sparkled in her eyes, followed closely by desire. “Why limit myself to only one option when you’ve already promised me both?”

“You’re dangerous, you know that?”

“It’s been mentioned before.” She tugged him in the direction of the bathroom, holding his hand as they walked through the doorway and over to the shower. Her eyes never left his as she opened the door and swivelled the knobs, the patter of water echoing through the room. Her gaze drifted the length of his body, the lust in them impossible to miss, before locking on his again. She finally released his hand and smoothed her fingers down his shirt, pausing when they were fisted around the hem. The tentative smile spread into a stunning curl of her lips as she lifted his shirt over his head, allowing it to fall to the floor. Her hands skimmed over his abdomen and ribs until she palmed his chest. “And for the record, we never technically stopped being husband and wife.”

Then her lips found his, the kiss equal parts desperation and need. He wrapped his arms around her, crushing her against his chest. Her nipples poked his ribs, the hard points begging to be consumed. He tried to reach for her shirt, but she ended the kiss, shaking her head as she went to her knees. Her gaze was dark, intense, and he knew he’d give her anything just to ease the burden she insisted on carrying.

Shaking fingers thumbed the band of his pants, circling his hips until they met in the middle, the smooth feel of her nails caressing his skin. She didn’t rush, taking her time to slowly pop his button free and ease the edges of the material apart. A hushed hum of approval drifted across the short distance and she paused to draw small patterns on the inch of skin she’d revealed.

Sawyer set his jaw, willing his dick to stand down. The last thing she needed was him coming all over her hand before she’d even taken the damn thing out of his pants. But God, just thinking about her placing her soft lips around his shaft before sucking him deep made his balls tingle.

He took a deep breath, concentrating on anything but the hiss of the zipper as she lowered it, nipping at his cock through his briefs. The head pulsed, and he knew there’d be a wet mark to accentuate his condition.

Mallory moved up and down his length as she tugged on his pants, finally pulling them and his shorts over his hips. She released him just long enough to spring his cock free before licking a long line up to the tip, the breadth of her tongue lapping at the drop of pre-cum gleaming on the head. His pants dropped to the floor, and she paused to push one foot free. The remaining fabric hit the floor, the sound dulled by the throbbing of his pulse in his head. He reached for her just as she slipped her lips around his cock and took his length deep to the back of her throat.

“Fuck. Darling.” He gathered her hair in his hands, keeping it back from her face as she moved along him, the sight of her mouth wrapped around his dick just as hot as the act itself. His gaze fell to her groin and he wished he’d taken the time to strip her down.

“You know, this would be even better if I could see how wet you were.”

She glanced up at him, the edges of her mouth tightening into what he knew was a smile. She kept her gaze locked on his as she drew back until just the head was sealed inside her mouth, then she shrugged and surged towards him, sucking on him until he thought his eyes would bulge out.

“Tease. You’re not going to show me anything, are you?”

She eased him free. “Patience.”

He cursed as she nipped her way down his cock to nuzzle his balls, gently sucking each one into her mouth. Fire tingled along his spine, threatening to end her seduction before it’d truly begun. He closed his eyes, willing for some semblance of control as her tongue returned to his shaft, flicking up and down it with lazy strokes. Heat flared along his skin with every touch and he had to fight to keep from fisting her hair.

Mallory hummed again, adding another layer of sensation. The tiny vibrations skittered along his shaft, mixing with the warm feel of her mouth. He groaned and dropped his head, finally opening his eyes to gaze at her. Bright blue stared back at him, her long lashes veiling part of her eyes in shadows.

“God, you’re beautiful.” He tugged on her hair. “Come on. My turn.”

She chuckled around his cock, shaking her head as she increased her rhythm, plunging deep then quickly retreating. The increased pressure tensed the muscles in his thighs and gut, and he knew he wouldn’t last much longer. She was too good, too right.

A scratch of her nails along his stomach unhinged him, and he started thrusting, trusting her to meter his movements. She raised one hand to cup his cock, holding it perfectly for him to move freely. She didn’t try to take control, allowing him to set the pace as her other hand teased his sac.

“Damn, darling. I can’t hold back. If you don’t want it in your mouth…”

His voice degraded into a husky moan as the tingling sensation built along the small of his back, pulsing into his groin and up his shaft. Every pass of her lips brought him closer to the edge, but he held on, not wanting the moment to be over. God, he never wanted it to end. Mallory must have sensed his impending finish, and applied more pressure, hollowing her cheeks as her teeth lightly scraped the bottom length of his shaft. The slightly rough rasp was all he needed.

“Fuck, yes.”

Sawyer let his head fall back as his body tensed, his cock pulsing once before he released, his hips flexing as he emptied down her throat, each contraction sending more fire through his veins. Mallory took everything he offered, pumping his shaft when he was sure he was empty. A shudder raced through him, and he bowed over her, spent.

She purred in apparent satisfaction, still holding him in her mouth and hand until the last of his spasms subsided. Her tongue drew along his length as she slowly retreated, dropping a kiss beside the base of his cock. He managed a haggard breath as she rose from the floor, willingly moving into his embrace. Her rough panting matched his, the feel of her breath across his damp skin like pinpoints of electricity inflaming his need again.

“Wench.”

She smiled against his chest. “Talk about being long overdue.” She eased back, the tension finally gone from the fine creases across her forehead. “I’m betting the shower is more than hot by now.”

He kicked off the other leg of his pants and stared at her. “I’m ready, but you…” He tsked at her. “If you’d been a good girl, you’d be naked, too.”

“If I’d been a good girl, you wouldn’t have finished in my mouth.”

“Talk like that won’t help you get any sleep tonight.”

She shrugged. “Sleep’s highly overrated.” She lifted her shirt over her head, exposing her white cotton bra. “Now, I believe you promised me a shower.”

Sawyer growled and lunged forward, pinning her to his chest as he ravaged her mouth. She fought just enough to make him work for his prize, delving deep inside when she finally opened her lips. Heat burned between them, and he raised his hand to flick her bra open. The tiny metal clasp separated beneath his fingers as the fabric fell apart. Warm skin met his hand as he palmed her back, kneading the firm muscles.