Games We Play (27 page)

“I got it. There’s nothing to worry about, so what if thinking about him makes my knees shake and to run back and hurl the last of the food in my stomach.”

“That a girl. Pete’s calling a meeting for something he called personal work not official business. Do you know what that means?” Billie held onto Sasha’s arm as they left the bathroom together.

“Yeah, he usually says that when he’s holding a dinner party and we all have to show up or forfeit a day off.”

“I guess I’m in.”

Pete wasn’t hosting a dinner party but it was close to it. The bureau was honoring him for his closing rate at an event this Saturday, four days from today, and they were all invited.

Noah asked the dreaded question. “Invited or mandatory?” 

Pete gave a grin that gave his answer. “I’ll leave that up to you all to figure out and when I make you come into work during the weekend you’ll understand why. Our new recruit will always be there where you can all meet him before his start date Monday.”

Sasha spoke up to avoid having her thoughts linger on Jim again. “What’s the new guy’s name? You haven’t told us much about him.”

“His name is Justin Renard and he’s transferring over from a private group.”

Noah’s interest was peaked. “Private like black ops?”

“Private like private. I know you all have some work to get done.” With a wave of his hand Pete shooed everyone out of his office.

Nick stopped Sasha in the hallway and waited until the rest of the group went ahead. “You ran out pretty fast before.”

“I was feeling sick and tossed up my tuna sandwich.”

“I told you to avoid eating from those vending machines.”

Sasha gripped the lapels of his jacket. “Kiss me.” At his hesitance she groaned and explained, “I washed my mouth out after tossing up my food.”

Nicholas smiled before he kissed her on the lips.  Sasha abruptly pulled away and he knew she wasn’t thrilled with him. “And for the record I wouldn’t hesitate to kiss you no matter what.”

“Oh come here.” Nick brought her mouth back to his and gave her a better kissed than the quick peck across the lips. This time he took his time and kissed her deep, his hands on her hips guiding her back to the wall. They were interrupted before his hands moved anymore south.

“Eww, no one wants to see that.” Noah covered his eyes with his hand.

Sasha pulled away first, slapping Nicholas’ hands from going around her butt. “No one told you to watch Noah.”

“All right, let go of each other. He’s my partner for this case Pete gave me this morning. Sasha, hands off.” Noah said as he pulled Nicholas away.

“You know Noah that sounded a little gay but I can’t blame you for wanting him, I just request that you share at least on the weekends and at least once during the week.” Sasha followed them down the hall and gave Nick another kiss before leaving to find Billie.

It was the night of Pete’s event and Nick made up his mind tonight he was going to get his way. Sasha was standing in their bedroom sorting through what she called her fancy clothes. He wrapped his hands around her waist. “I have a request.” He knew just how to get her attention for this request he was using all his tricks. His hand slid between the opening of her robe, she hadn’t put anything on yet and her breasts were bare against his hand.

She arched her back into his chest. “I don’t think we have enough time for the way you like to get frisky.” It was true, he liked to take his time with her and they had only an hour before Pete expected them at his table.

“We’ll have all the time we need after but that’s not what I was asking for.”

“Really? What do you want?”

She jumped a good three inches from the floor when his hands moved lower between her legs. “Wear the dress.”

“You have got to be kidding—”

Nick covered her mouth with his and together they stumbled back toward the bed. They had enough time after all.

By the time they left the house she was wearing the little black dress he loved so much.

Noah was the first one they ran into at the gathering. “Holy moly, that’s a nice dress.”

“Thanks.” Sasha was trying very hard not t
o feel self conscious. Back in M
aple Oaks it was easier to face the crowd because she was playing a role, tonight she was herself and these were her teammates who had never seen her out of pants before. She felt under a microscope.

“A
real
nice dress. I didn’t know you had so many womanly curves.”

“Noah, if you don’t stop staring at me so hard I’m going to kick your ass in this same dress.”

“There’s the Madden I remember, hey sue a guy for appreciating.”

Wayne and his wife Cara were the only ones at the table when they joined them.

After they exchanged hellos Nick asked, “Pete’s not here yet?”

Wayne shook his head. “He probably hasn’t made it to the table yet but the guy is never late.”

Billie came rushing over to the table five minutes later. “I’m not late am I?” she sunk into the seat next to Sasha and tried to catch her breath.

“You’re good.” Gage reassured her.

Sasha excused herself. “The bathroom calls.” She was halfway to her destination when her cellphone rang from inside her purse. Hopefully it was Pete, she thought. Guests were still arriving and there was still a good amount of time before the ceremony started but usually he’d be the first to arrive not the last. The whole situation left her with an uneasy feeling or it could be the nausea she was still wrestling with since that episode in the office last week. “Madden speaking.”

“Hi, Sasha.”

A
part of her wasn’t surprised to hear from Jim. There was no way he was going to escape and go away quietly, there was still too much unfinished business with her
ruining
his kill plan. “I’m in a room full of FBI agents.”

“Yes but you’re not going to say a word because if you do the old guy you consider a father is going to get cut from ear to ear. Do I have your attention?”

Sasha moved farther away from the crowd in the ballroom and toward back exit she spotted. “What do you want?” she forced a smile at the elderly couple she passed along the way and tried not to let them see her shaking hands. She didn’t doubt Jim had Pete, he was late for a reason and kidnapping would be the only thing to keep him away from his own party.

“I want to kill you and throw you six feet deep with your lying fucking sister but I can’t do that with every cop gunning for my ass. You’re going to help me escape them.”

“What? How? You’ve been doing pretty good these last few days.” They hadn’t been able to find one lead after Jim ditched the doctor’s car and clothes at a gas station in Texas.

“Through the back r
oads. But I want out of the country and your badge is going to get me into the plane with no trouble.” Jim rattled off the address of where he was keeping Pete. “If you tell anyone or show up with anyone I’m going to kill him and escape again because you know I can and the first chance I get I will hurt you.”

“I get it. I don’t need to hear the same threats over and over you coward. Give me ten minutes.” Sasha was already running through the parking lot by the time she hung up.

Stopped at a red light she reached under the car seat and pulled her gun free and strapped it to her leg. Jim wasn’t getting on any plane or living to see the sun rise in twelve hours. This had to end and it had to end with him dead or else he’d never stop hurting the people she loves.

The address he gave her ended up being another house in the process of being bu
ilt. Jim knew how to zone in on
them and squat. Unlike the house he had her in last time this one was nearly done and had electricity. The porch light we
nt on as she shut off the car.

In the backseat was one of Nick’s suit jackets and she made sure to put it on before leaving the car. The porch remained empty except for the light. “Come on, you know I’m here. Where’s Pete?”

Jim stepped out the front door. “He’s close. You alone?”

“Just like we agreed. I want to see Pete and make sure he’s ok and then you play it your way.”

“Fair enough. Come in.”

Now this was the part she was dreading, the memories were still too fresh and her legs froze. She didn’t want to step into the shadows and face the unknown. There was no telling what he ha
d inside waiting for her. Was
Pete already dead? Some other trap she couldn’t stop in time? She forced her feet to move because if Pete did need her help she had to do everything in her power
to give it.

Jim moved through the living room into the open kitchen where Pete was still breathing but knocked out and tied to a chair. “There’s your precious boss. How’d your father feel if he knew you replaced him?”

Sasha rushed forward and checked to make sure Pete’s pulse was strong. “Shut up. You don’t know anything about my parents. My father hated you and he was sure right in doing so.”

“And that’s why he’s dead.”

Sasha slowly stood back up right and faced the monster. “What?”

“You always knew it wasn’t an accident, are you really telling me after everything that’s happened you haven’t considered me a suspect? I hope they don’t pay you too much because you suck at this. Your self righteous parents were my first kill.”

Sasha couldn’t breathe at the thought the whole time the killer was close, in and out of her and Carolyn’s life for the last twenty years. “Why?” her whole life she always wanted to know why her parents had been taken so soon. It was a question that would plague her thoughts every night as a child as she lay alone.

“Why else? They were in the way and kept trying to break me and Caro up. I couldn’t have that so I stole that huge truck and hit them head on. It was the most fun I’ve ever had and knew I wanted to kill again. I miss it so much. You robbed me from finishing my work. I was finally going to experience a new level of bliss and you robbed me of completing the cycle.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake shut up! You’re insane!” Sasha pushed Pete’s chair over and pulled out her gun in the same breath.

Jim leapt out of the way behind the center island, the bullet narrowly missing his leg. “You’re going to regret that!” he too was carrying a gun and aimed for the fuse box. The blast knocked all the lights off and there was nothing but pitch black darkness.

Sasha silently cursed and moved closer to Pete. He was too exposed and she had to move him behind something safe. First she untied the rope so the chair wouldn’t alert Jim, and then she dragged Pete’s body into the closet. Thankfully he wasn’t too heavy. They always joked around the office the heaviest thing Pete had was his brain because the rest of him was skin and bones.

She moved away from the closet on her hands and knees.

Jim fired a shot her way and she thanked her blessing she got Pete out of the way in time and ditched her heels. Still relying on her knees and one hand, the other was ready to shoot clutching her gun, she kept making her way in the darkness to the living room.

Jim shot again and that one came too close. With no
t
muc
h choice she
returned fire and prayed one of the bullets hit his insane brain.

Jim laughed and she used that moment to jump to another spot in the house. “You’re out, aren’t you Sasha? You’re making this too easy.”

He shot again and fragments of a split table landed in her leg. It took e
verything she had not to cry
and alert him of her location. She clenched her jaw tight and waited for the worst of the pain to ease.

Someone grabbed her arm and hauled her off the floor. “Shh.” The man whispered in her ear. Sasha had no idea who he was and how he got there but he wasn’t Jim and that’s all she needed to know. Step by step he guided her to hide behind the staircase. She couldn’t see her own hand in front of her face but he moved with ease like he knew the house.

The next round of bullets came from an automatic rifle and ended quickly. As the smoke cleared a flashlight went on and Sasha saw her backup was wearing night vision goggles. “Who are you?” she needed to know because as fun as comic books were superheroes didn’t exist.

He extended his hand and helped her back up. “Justin Renard.”

“The new guy Pete told us about. You just happen to be following me?”

“Actually, yes. I was looking for a parking spot at the hotel when I saw you running toward your car. I was taught a long time ago if a woman is running in heels it’s se
rious so I followed you and hu
ng back in case you needed some backup. When the gunfire started I decided to join in.” Justin spoke in a lazy drawl and raspy voice all wom
e
n took a liking to.

“And you just carry flashlights, night goggles, and rifles to every black tie event?”  Sasha wasn’t sure if it was the pain or the fact she knew without a doubt Jim was dead but this guy was amusing the hell out of her, she even smiled at him.

“I was a boy scout and we like to be prepared.”