Deadly Fallout (Red Stone Security Series Book 10) (6 page)

Sawyer only knew the basics at this point. That Klein had been found dead at his home, his throat cut. Zoe’s fingerprint had been on the knife, but nowhere else at the scene. “So what happened?” he asked, not bothering to wait until he was alone with Blue. He figured Zoe’s mom needed details now too.

“Someone called in an anonymous tip that Klein had been murdered late last night. They gave a description of a woman leaving his place who looked a lot like Zoe. Since she’d just filed a restraining order against him last night…well, Klein had powerful friends so there’s a push to get this solved. Since she was a viable suspect, the techs ran her prints from the hospital against the single print on the knife and it’s a match. Luckily there’s no DNA of hers at the scene and her alibi is airtight. And the single print is…interesting.”

Sawyer didn’t respond, but he understood the man’s meaning. One single print and no DNA at a crime scene? Unlikely. Someone planted that print.

“The time stamps on the security of her arriving at Alex and Mina’s and witness statements from both of them are hugely helpful. The State’s Attorney won’t be pursuing criminal charges and we’re now hunting for the real killer.”

Sawyer had a lot of questions, like had they started looking for who’d called in that anonymous tip, but he wasn’t in law enforcement and Duarte likely wouldn’t tell him anyway. The important thing was, Zoe wasn’t a suspect. “So she’s free to go back to her life?”

Duarte nodded at him, then looked at Zoe. “Yes, but someone planted that knife and called in a tip that someone who looked like you was seen leaving Klein’s residence. And since you can’t think of anyone other than the deceased who would have done something like that, the killer’s still out there. Framing you could have been an opportunity because Klein has enemies and you were an easy person to blame, or…his murder might have been an attempt to hurt you. You need to be careful.”

“I will be,” Zoe said, her arm wrapped around her mother’s shoulders as she faced the detective.

After speaking to Blue and Mina for a few more minutes, the detective left the room. Zoe was still talking quietly to her mom and Sawyer felt suddenly awkward. He didn’t want to leave Zoe but he knew she probably wanted to be with just her friends and family right now.

Sawyer cleared his throat and looked at Zoe. “I spoke to your boss and he was really understanding, but you probably want to call him and let him know you’re okay.”

“I will, thank you. Thank
all
of you,” she looked around the room, tears welling in her eyes. “This is all so awful, I just can’t…” She shook her head and wiped away the wetness tracking down her cheeks. Then she took a deep breath. “Dinner at my place tonight. All of you are invited. You too, Sawyer,” she said, giving him a watery smile.

He just nodded as she continued.

“I’m sure Vincent will be back by this afternoon so I’ll call—”

“I’ll take care of calling your brother and sisters,” Tanice said firmly. “And I’ll make sure they don’t hassle you for keeping us in the dark.” She gave her daughter a firm squeeze around her middle, never taking her arm from around her daughter.

Zoe’s eyes widened. “You will?”

“Yes. Sawyer explained why you felt the need to keep this a secret from us and I—” Her voice broke as she pulled Zoe into another hug, murmuring how thankful she was that Zoe was okay.

As Zoe hugged her mom, she gave Sawyer a grateful smile over Tanice’s shoulder. The sight did strange things to his insides, just like when she’d given him that bright smile this morning. In that moment he realized just how easily he could fall for this woman if he wasn’t careful.

Chapter 5

Zoe slipped into her room and shut the door behind her with a quiet click. She twisted the lock in case someone tried to come in because right now she needed just a couple minutes to herself. Voices and music from the living room and her back porch were a steady hum of activity.

She was so damn grateful to be here and surrounded by people she cared about and who cared about her in return, but today’s events were finally crashing in on her and mental exhaustion crept through her veins, weighing her down. That third glass of wine probably wasn’t helping her emotional state either.

When she heard running water coming from her bathroom, she straightened, that familiar tension punching through her—until Sawyer walked out.

He looked surprised, then almost sheepish to see her. He ran a big hand over his dark hair, his arm muscles flexing slightly with the movement. Her gaze trailed down the length of all those sinewy muscles. “There was a long line for your guest bathroom and I’ve had a couple beers. Figured I could sneak in here unnoticed and your mom said it’d be fine.”

She stepped further into her room. It was weird having him in here, but she also kind of liked it and found herself thinking how good he’d look splayed out on her king sized bed. That thought was a jolt to her system. The man was gorgeous, but she hadn’t thought lusting after someone would even be on her radar right now. “After what you did today, you don’t have to apologize for anything, ever. My mom thinks you’re a saint. Whatever you did to keep her sane at the police station, thank you.” She sat on the end of her bed and fidgeted with the light blue and brown comforter. It still felt surreal that she’d been freaking arrested this morning and was now celebrating with friends and family since she was free and clear.

Half-smiling, he stepped closer, moving with that predator-like grace that made her entire body alert with awareness. Not only had he stepped up today and just taken over, calling everyone necessary, he’d been so sweet to her mom. It wasn’t like he’d had to stay at the police station. Sure, he was insanely sexy, something she was finding impossible to ignore tonight. He had on dark slacks and a dark green sweater that made his piercing eyes pop even more against his tanned skin. The sweater sleeves were pushed up his forearms, showcasing muscles she wanted to trace with her fingers and lips. Looks aside, the man clearly had an honorable streak—and that was the sexiest thing of all.

He sat next to her, reaching out a hand as if to squeeze her leg, but pulled back at the last second and placed it on the comforter instead. There wasn’t much space between them and she swore she could feel his body heat. His scent was purely masculine, subtle and made her think of springtime. Being this close to him sent a shiver of pure delight down her spine.

“How’re you holding up?” he asked quietly.

“Great!” she said a little too brightly, then winced. “Okay, how fake did that sound?”

Sawyer’s chuckle made butterflies take flight in her belly. “Pretty bad. It’s okay to
not
be fine.”

“I know, I just don’t want anyone to worry.”

“Well, you don’t ever have to fake it with me,” he said quietly.

God, this man. Her gaze dipped to his lips almost against her will. When he made a rumbling, sort of growling sound, her eyes snapped up to meet his. Pure fire simmered beneath the surface of his gaze as he watched her.

She sucked in a breath at the visible lust. Oh yeah, no denying that. Any other night under any other circumstances she’d have over analyzed this to death, like she always did, but not now. Not when her stalker was dead and she felt like she could get back to living her life, to feeling normal again. But she didn’t want normal and boring. She wanted a taste of Sawyer.

Without thinking, she leaned forward and brushed her lips over his, softly. He stiffened slightly and she wanted to die of embarrassment. Maybe she’d made a mistake, misread the—

Sawyer crushed his mouth over hers, moaning into her mouth like a starving man.

She clutched his shoulders and suddenly found herself flat on her back on the bed, one of his thighs between her legs as they kissed. He was huge and she loved the sensation of being pinned down by all that raw strength. Kissing seemed like such a dull description for the way he was devouring her. She felt like she was a teenager again, making out for the first time, and that was insanely hot.

He tasted like coffee and chocolate, rich and sweet and she arched into him, sliding one hand down his back. She wanted to touch every inch of him. He held the back of her head in a solid grip as his other hand grasped her hip. He wasn’t making a move to do anything else other than kiss.

Normal Zoe wouldn’t make the first move, especially not with a man she’d only had a couple conversations with. Normal Zoe wouldn’t even think about sleeping with someone she hadn’t gone on at least half a dozen dates with, probably more. And by then she usually lost interest.

Normal Zoe could take a hike right now.

She slid her hands up the front of Sawyer’s shirt, shoving at it, wanting to see and feel all of him. Every muscular inch he was trying to hide under his clothes. She felt almost crazed with the need.

When he pulled his head back, breathing hard, he stared down at her. “How much have you had to drink?”

“Not enough to regret this.”

He started to respond, but she was having none of it. Reaching down, she grasped the edge of her fitted purple sweater and tugged it over her head. Before she’d pulled it all the way up Sawyer made a sexy-as-sin growling sound.

“Fuck,” he murmured, his gaze tracking over her exposed chest and torso. “I was going to say this is too fast.”

“You sure about that?” she murmured.

“I don’t want to take advantage,” he continued, his voice strained as he sat up, staring down at her as if he didn’t know where he wanted to start.

Reaching behind her back, she unsnapped her black bra and let it slide down her arms as she sat half up. “Then let me take advantage of you.” She had no idea where the bold words came from, but she felt as if she was on fire right now. New Zoe celebrated. A burning heat simmered inside her and was only growing hotter. The only thing that could ease her ache was Sawyer.

He made another strangled sound before his head suddenly dipped toward her breasts. She gripped his head, urging him on. He sucked on one hard nipple, palming the other with a surprising gentleness. The way his tongue laved over her sensitive bud had her arching into him, demanding more. She hummed with energy, as if she could crawl right out of her skin for how good he felt.

Gently, he pressed his teeth around her nipple and flicked his tongue over it, back and forth, as he rubbed his thumb over her other one. The dual sensations were making her crazy, heat building in between her legs like—

Knock, knock.
“Zoe?” She froze at the sound of Vincent’s voice.

Sawyer’s head snapped up. “Is the door locked?” he whispered, not worry on his face, but clear discomfort.

She nodded at Sawyer as she called out, “I’ll be out in just a sec, V.”

“Okay, just making sure you’re good. A couple people are asking about you, but take your time.” He sounded so sweet and sincere, she had to smother a laugh. He wouldn’t be telling her to take her time if he knew what she was doing in here.

Sawyer made an almost inaudible groan and laid his head against her breast bone. “We don’t have enough time to do everything I plan to do to you anyway,” he whispered.

She slid her fingers through his dark hair and bit back a groan of her own. Her entire body was primed for an orgasm but there was no way in hell they could finish what they’d started. She had guests anyway and just couldn’t stay in here ravishing Sawyer, no matter how much she wanted that. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t disappointed. It was probably better this way though. Things might have gotten awkward—wait, what had Sawyer said? “Are you still planning on…doing those things?”

His head lifted and his eyes connected with hers, the intent in them clear. “Oh yeah.”

A shiver rolled through her and she fought the sudden urge to kick everyone out of her house so she could find out exactly what he had planned. After the number her ex had done on her, she hadn’t dated much in years—not that what she and Sawyer were going to do would be considered a date. Work had also prevented much of a social life so tonight she was going to make up for all those times she worked instead of having fun.

* * *

“Are you sure you don’t want anything to drink?” Mallory Tate asked, twisting her slender fingers together in her lap.

“I’m good, but thank you,” Detective Carlito Duarte said, briefly scanning her sparse living room. There weren’t many personal touches and he knew she hadn’t been living in the waterfront condo more than a month. “You’ve already been eliminated as a suspect so you can relax. I just want to know more details about your husband.”

“
Ex
-husband.” Then she seemed to remember herself and cleared her throat.

It was late Friday night but the woman had been willing to talk to him. Not that Carlito had given her much of a choice. He’d told her he could meet her now or bring her down to the police station for questioning. Since she’d already been questioned while her alibi was being confirmed he knew she had no desire to go back to the station.

“Sorry,
ex
. So tell me a little more about him. What he was like as a husband.” Often it was better to let people just talk instead of giving them specific questions, especially in a situation like this. She was more likely to be honest this way.

“He was…” She looked behind him, her pretty face tensing for a moment before she met Carlito’s gaze again. “I’m sorry, it’s hard to believe he’s dead.”