Legal Heat (34 page)

“I’ll send someone to her house. I need a name and address.”

“Martha Saunders. I think she lives at—”

James cut her off. “Your client is Martha Saunders?”

Katy frowned and nodded. “Do you know her?”

With a heavy sigh, James leaned back in his chair and stared at the report Joanna had just prepared. She had just identified Jimmy Rider’s new girlfriend—a laboratory technician named Martha Saunders.

Chapter Nineteen

“This is it.” Katy’s heart sank when Mark pulled up in front of her house. Steven’s Volvo sat in the driveway and music blared through the windows. Nine o’clock and the kids were still awake…and at the wrong house.

Katy sighed. Another confrontation with Steven. For a split second she thought about asking Mark to take her to his apartment. But Melissa and Justin were inside and except for their brief visits to the hospital, she had hardly seen them in the last six days.

“Thanks for taking me to the hospital to get the dressing checked, although I didn’t appreciate it when you tried to convince them I needed to stay overnight. Maybe I’ll see you—”

“Now.” Mark turned off his vehicle. “I’m not leaving until I know you’re safely tucked up in bed.”

Katy pushed open the car door. “Please, Mark. I have family issues to deal with and I just want to be alone.”

“Not this time.” He stepped out of the vehicle and made his way around to help her out. “You aren’t getting rid of me that easily.”

She hesitated only for second and decided not to press the issue. She needed to save her energy for the imminent fight with Steven. She stalked up the path and threw open the door. “Steven!”

Moments later, Steven appeared, wearing only a pair of pajama pants. “Hi, babe—” He cut himself off when he caught sight of Mark in the doorway and his lips pulled back in a snarl. “What’s he doing here?”

She steeled herself to stay on the offensive. “What are
you
doing here? You’re supposed to have the kids at your place.”

His face softened. “I’ve moved back in to look after you. I called Ted and he said you’d been at the office, so we’ve been waiting for you to come home and make dinner. We’re starved. All we’ve had to eat is popcorn.” He looked back over his shoulder and yelled down the hallway, “Kids, your mom is home. Finally.”

Justin and Melissa came barreling into the hallway and threw themselves at her with such force she staggered backward and into Mark, standing directly behind her. He put his hands on her shoulders to steady her while she hugged her children and blinked back the tears. God, she’d missed them.

“Get your hands off my wife,” Steven bellowed.

Everyone froze. The kids clutched her clothes and looked wide-eyed at their father, his face taut and his eyes narrowed in anger. Pushed past the limit. She knew the signs. She shouldn’t have let Mark come in.

“Melissa. Justin. Go upstairs.” For the first time ever, they obeyed her at once.

Not wanting to agitate Steven any further, she stepped away from Mark. “I am not your wife. Not anymore. Why can’t you understand that?”

Steven glared. “I’m not having a discussion about our relationship with him in my house. He’s the one who turned my sweet, innocent Kate into some kind of whore.”

She didn’t even see Mark move.

One second Steven snarled in front of her. The next, he staggered back, his head snapping to the side as Mark’s fist connected with his jaw.

“Steven! Mark!”

Is that what he did to Jimmy?
She pushed the betraying thought out of her mind.

“My God, Kate. He’s crazy. I think he’s broken my jaw.” Steven rubbed his face and righted himself.

“If I broke your jaw, you wouldn’t be able to speak. Maybe I should give it another try. It would be a definite improvement.”

Katy shivered at the icy menace in Mark’s voice.

Although shaken, Steven appeared to be fine. She suspected Mark had held back. With the power she sensed coiled in his tight, muscular body, she had no doubt he could have broken more than Steven’s jaw if he had wanted.

Kill him, even
.

No.
She had made her decision. She would not doubt him again.

“You’ve just asked for a whole lot of trouble.” Steven shook his fist in Mark’s direction. “I’m calling the police.”

Mark snorted a laugh. “Ask for Detective Hunter. You met him before at the hospital. I’m sure he’ll be more than pleased to help you out. He can explain the defense of provocation to you.”

Steven stormed past them toward the door. “You’ve gone off the deep end, Kate. Look who you’re associating with. You need stability in your life. You’ve become a bad influence on the kids. A bad mother.” He threw on his jacket and stomped out the door, oblivious to his state of semi-undress. “I’m not giving up on you, even though you gave up on me. You’re mine, Kate. Mine.”

“Kids in bed?”

Katy nodded. “They liked you. You impressed them with your ability to play video games and make sandwiches at the same time.”

A shadow of longing crossed his face, but in an instant it was gone. “They’re good kids.”

Katy leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks for making dinner and helping out this evening. I’ve never been so exhausted in my life.”

Mark wrapped his arms around her waist. “You should be in bed. I’ll tuck you in before I leave.”

Katy stiffened and pulled away.

“What’s wrong, sugar?”

She worried her bottom lip and looked up at him. “I need to ask you something.”

“Go ahead.”

Katy took a deep breath. “Jimmy Rider. Ted told me someone…beat him to death.”

He studied her for a long moment before dropping his arms. “You think it was me,” he said quietly. Disappointment creased his face.

Katy’s heart pounded but she pressed on. “No. But after you told me about your past…” She choked on her words. “I had to ask.”

Mark tightened his jaw. “You think I’m still that person?” The pain in his voice sliced through her like a knife. She took a step toward him, but this time he stepped away. “I shouldn’t have told you, but I didn’t want there to be any secrets between us. Looks like even that wasn’t enough to earn your trust.”

Katy’s stomach clenched. “Mark…I—”

“I didn’t touch Jimmy. I couldn’t find him. Even if I had, he might have suffered a few broken bones at the most.” He grabbed his coat from the kitchen chair. Katy stepped in front of him, blocking his path to the door.

“I didn’t believe Ted,” she said in a firm voice. “If I did, I would never have let you spend time with my children. And I’m glad you told me about your past. My relationship with Steven was built on a foundation of lies. I appreciate your honesty more than you could know.”

“If you didn’t believe Ted, why did you ask?”

Katy took a deep breath. “I wanted to hear it from you. I didn’t want to have any doubts. I love you, Mark, and I never thought I’d feel this way…ever.”

He didn’t speak for the longest time. Finally he nodded toward the stairwell. “You should get some rest. I’ll see you upstairs and then I’ll go.”

Nausea gripped Katy so hard she almost couldn’t move. She opened her mouth, hoping to resolve the situation, but one look at Mark’s taut, impassive face and she knew there was nothing she could say to make it better.

He followed her up the stairs and into her bedroom. As with the home office, she’d redecorated after Steven left. The dark, wooden sleigh bed had been replaced with an airy, wrought iron frame. Freshly painted mauve walls matched the silk bedspread, and a light purple curtain brushed the newly polished wood floors. The scent of lilies from her garden drifted in the open window. Her sanctuary.

“Okay, into bed with you.”

“Will you stay?” As hard as it was to ask, it would be harder to let him go.

He shook his head. “The last few days have been rough…for both of us. It’s probably best if we get some sleep.” The firm rejection stung but the slight note of hesitation in his voice gave her hope.

She reached behind him and locked the door.

“What are you doing?” His low, husky voice told her he had some idea.

She crossed the room and stood beside the bed. Gritting her teeth, she removed her clothing, piece by piece, until she stood naked before him. She pushed away every negative thought she’d ever had about herself, every snide remark Steven had ever made and she lifted her eyes to his.

His eyes raked over her body, returning to her face with a hunger that matched her own. Still he didn’t move. If not for the rapid rise and fall of his chest, he could have been one of the beautiful Greek statutes she had seen in the British Museum. But not with those eyes. Dark now, almost black, and carnal.

Go to him. Fight for him.

Trembling, Katy closed the distance between them until she stood only a foot away. “I meant what I said, and if you don’t feel the same way, I’ll understand. But right now, I want to show you how I feel.”

“You don’t understand what you’re saying.” His deep, low voice soothed away her tremors.

Guiding his hands to her hips, she leaned up and brushed her lips over his. “I know exactly what I’m saying.”

He tightened his arms and returned the kiss with fervor.

“Please,” she whispered. “Please don’t leave.”

Mark clenched his jaw as he looked down at the beautiful woman trembling in his arms. Her lack of trust had stung, but not enough to turn him away. Instead, the three words she had uttered had almost been his undoing. He had seized on her declaration as an excuse to run away—from the one woman he had been waiting for his entire life. The woman Claire had known she could never be.

Now or never. His future shivered in his arms. She had the courage to bare herself to him. How could he show any less faith in what he knew sparked between them? She had awakened a fierce hunger inside him that only she could satisfy. A yearning like nothing he had ever felt before. Had Claire felt this way about him? Was her descent into addiction truly an attempt to fill the void of unreciprocated love, or was it, as James had always maintained, something else—something that had nothing to do with him?

He rested his chin on Katy’s head and looked around the room at the pictures covering the walls. Happy family pictures. Children’s artwork. Vacations. Walks in the park. He ached with longing. He had never thought himself capable of the love needed to build a family, but now he wasn’t so sure.

“I’m not going anywhere.” His voice was rough and hoarse with need. He lifted her and placed her gently on the thick duvet. After stripping off his clothes, he stretched out beside her, propping his head with his elbow and breathing in the comforting scents of lavender and lilies. Of her.

He brushed his fingers down her chest, circling her nipples with his thumbs, delighted when they peaked under his touch. With slow, deliberate strokes, he caressed every part of her body, memorizing every sensitive crease and every inch of her silky skin. When he feathered kisses over her taut abdomen, she moaned softly and ruffled her fingers through his hair.

Mine.

He would never tire of her body or her heated response to his touch.

So beautiful.

He kissed his way up her body and captured her lush lips, drawing them into a soft and gentle kiss.

So sweet.

A cool breeze fluttered the curtains and Katy shivered.

“I’ll close the window.” Mark pushed himself up, but Katy held him back.

“It’s got a tricky catch. I’ve had years of practice.”

She slid off the bed and reached up to release the latch. The window rumbled down with soft thud.

“Stay there.” Mark left the bed and closed the distance between them. He wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her into the warmth of his chest.

“You stood like that in the wine cellar.” He nuzzled her neck, and growled in satisfaction when she tilted her head to give him better access. “It’s burned into my brain. Your sexy ass, your long legs, your body stretched up…”

She whimpered softly and his voice thickened. “Do you know what I imagined, sugar, when you were reaching for that Meursault? Do you know how close I was to shoving your skirt over your hips and taking you right there?”

A thin whine escaped her lips. She tried to turn in his arms but he held her firm.

“I want you like that,” he growled. “Up against the wall. Fully available for my pleasure. Just like I imagined.”

Her low throaty groan was all the consent he needed. He snaked his hands along her arms and positioned her palms against the wall, not so high she would lose her balance, but high enough to make her slightly uncomfortable and aware of her vulnerability.

“Good girl,” he whispered against her ear. “But I remember your legs were wider.” He gently kicked her legs apart and she responded with a soft moan.

“You like that, sugar, don’t you? A little rough. I saw that hidden wild side in the cellar when you tried to seduce me.”