Passionate Investigations (5 page)

She was incredibly strong—far more than she could possibly
realize. Rob swore he’d stand by her this time, no matter what. He didn’t feel
he could ever truly leave her again.

When they were dressed he brushed her stray locks behind her
ear, in a similar manner to what she did unconsciously all the time. The
serious nature of what they had shared struck him, the depth of commitment he,
at least, had just made to this woman thrilled him.

Loath to say more than was needed just now, he nevertheless
wanted to assure her he didn’t take this step lightly. “I have regular tests, I
can vouch I’m clean.”

She looked surprised for a moment, then understanding filled
her gaze. She nodded. “I’m on the Pill. I was tested after I found Miles had
been cheating on me for who knows how long. Everything has come back clean and
I’ve never had problems in the past.”

Rob kissed her tenderly, effectively ending the
conversation. He made a mental note to pick up more supplies later, but for now
he was satisfied.

“Do you feel up to going to Tanya’s right now? I can wait
out front however long you need, or we can go back to your apartment, or mine,
if you want to do it another time.”

“I’ll need to say goodbye to Dad,” Zahra said. Her voice
wobbled slightly, but there was now a firm set to her jaw.

Rob recognized the glint of determination and knew she had
decided on a path of action to take. He hoped it would help bring the truth and
perhaps closure, not more pain.

“I’m prepared to wait however long you need,” he reiterated.

Zahra wrapped her arms around his neck and held him. Rob
warmly hugged her in return, loving the feel of her body pressed against his.

They remained like that for a minute or more, just holding
each other, soaking up strength and returning it in kind. Rob would have
happily stayed like that for days if she needed, just enjoying the feel of her
with him. When she pulled back he couldn’t help but feel smug at the rumpled,
well-fucked look she presented to his eyes.

He doubted anyone else would notice much askance, but with
his extra knowledge and magical talent it was clear as if she had a sign
branded across her—“I’ve been seriously fucked recently”. His ego enjoyed the
knowledge that look was caused by him and he alone.

“One day you’ll have to tell me what you’re thinking when
you look at me that intently,” she murmured.

He held his silence but allowed a secretive grin to spread
over his face.

“Maybe,” he said.

She laughed and ran her hand through his shoulder-length
hair, sweeping it back from his face. He flicked it away, pleased she seemed to
like its length. He had received nothing but grief for it in his old job.

“Well then, you’ll have to tell me how you keep on managing
to get into the gardens here,” she compromised. He laughed and pointed in the
direction of the side gate.

“There’s a large tree next to the fence over there,” he
informed her. “It’s a bit of an effort to get back out, but it makes climbing
in easy if you can see where to go.”

“Huh,” she replied thoughtfully. Zahra leaned in and kissed
him one last time. He cupped her face and relished the small intimacy.

Parting reluctantly, he stood and watched for the second
time in six months as she made her way back across the gardens, over the small
patio area and in through the French doors. When they had closed behind her and
she’d disappeared from view Rob turned and headed toward the gate once again.

He’d known instinctively from their first meeting Zahra was
a witch he could be serious about, maybe even settle down with one day. He
already felt close to the brink with her. She incited an astounding degree of
passion within him, but more, she made him think and laugh.

Not for the first time, he cautioned himself about getting
in too deep too quickly with this witch.

He wondered if maybe it was already too late.

Zahra entered the house, feeling better than when she had
left. Even with the new turn of events, grief still remained heavy in her
heart. Mending her bridges with Rob and beginning something new with him could
not take away the fact Tanya was gone. Her sister would never again call her up
at an odd hour to insist they catch up for coffee or drop around to her
apartment after work to surprise her with takeout.

Instead of dwelling on her loss, though, Zahra could now
focus on something with a purpose. If Rob was right, if her sister had been
murdered to cover up a conspiracy, then she wouldn’t hesitate to do everything
in her power to uncover it. Justice would not return Tanya miraculously to
life, but understanding the truth behind what went on under the surface might
bring her a measure of comfort.

Stepping back into her pumps, Zahra crossed her father’s
study. She had almost passed the portrait, not giving it a second glance. At
the last moment she paused, moved back and studied the oil painting. Her mother
and father had commissioned it years ago, back when she and Tanya had been in
their teens.

Zahra couldn’t help but smile. While she had been a short,
awkward youth, even back then Tanya had been tall, slender and the picture of
poise. Zahra recalled strongly the wizard who had painted it, offering her
surreptitiously the use of his own hand scrub to clean the dirt from her
gardening off her skin. Already back then her hands had been continuously
stained, her nails broken, her curls wild from racing around outside.

The family portrait had hung in her father’s study seemingly
forever. Zahra often didn’t even notice it anymore. She still regularly felt
the aching loss of her mother, but the fresh wound of Tanya missing in her life
hit her sharply. She studied the high cheekbones, elegant stature and apparent
perfection of Tanya.

“You were wrong about Rob,” Zahra spoke in a quiet tone. She
felt no anger or resentment toward Tanya. Her sister had obviously believed
what she had alleged against the wizard. Zahra could not believe someone as
honest as Tanya could purposely slander another wizard.

“If he’s right again, if you uncovered something and were
killed…if that car accident was no accident, I swear I’ll find out and bring
those responsible to justice. I’m not going to let you down, sis, I promise.”

She studied the portrait for another moment before leaving
the study. Much of the crowd had dispersed, but there were still plenty of her
father’s Council members, coworkers of Tanya’s and other assorted dignitaries
crammed into the large house. Many murmured condolences and by the time Zahra
found her father in one of the back rooms, her smile was strained.

She knew the offers of sympathy were genuine. The shock of
Tanya’s unexpected “accident” still hadn’t dimmed for many. Zahra was just
tired of the same labels being applied to the loss of her sister. Tragic.
Sudden. Waste. And truly, what words could possibly convey the mixture of
feelings such an occurrence brought out? The overwhelming emotions had been
what caused Zahra to run out into the gardens in the first place. She reminded
herself even if Rob’s hypothesis turned out to be nothing but a paranoid
fantasy, at least it might help her work through her grief.

“Ah, there you are,” her father’s voice sounded weak.

Zahra hurried to his side, knelt beside the chair he
reclined in. “Daddy, is everything all right?”

She studied her father’s face, noting lines she’d never seen
before in his skin. He’d been pale and looking wan ever since he’d woken her up
in the middle of the night to tell her the news. His dark-blond hair was
heavily salted with gray, his chin cleanly shaven. Gray eyes held unfathomable
sadness within them.

“I just wondered where you’d gone to, that’s all,” he
replied sadly.

She took his hand in hers, trying to reassure him with her
presence.

“Now, Grant, didn’t I tell you she’d be out in the gardens?”
her father’s oldest friend, Eric Ossman, chided as he crossed the room and
handed Grant a large tumbler of scotch. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m…well, I’ve been better, obviously.” Zahra stood and her
reply became muffled as Eric hugged her. Returning the embrace, she sat on the
edge of her father’s chair after Eric let her go.

Zahra was tempted to at least suggest to her father that
there was more to Tanya’s death than they or the Enforcers had realized.
Looking at him now, though, she instantly changed her mind. She’d never seen
the usually vibrant, active wizard look so defeated, so drained. The last thing
she wanted to do was add more load for him to bear.

She’d thought maybe he could find some measure of peace, of
purpose like she had. Zahra worried now maybe it would be one straw too many
for him to carry just now. Pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, she studied him,
genuinely worried.

Able to read her clearly, her father took her hand and
attempted a smile.

“I’ve never told you anywhere near enough times I love you,
Zahra,” he spoke with a slight break in his voice. “You often drive me crazy
with your antics, but your free spirit has always lifted this family up. I know
you and Tanya were night and day, but she loved you very much, as do I. I
should make that clear more often, child, and I plan to from here on in.”

Zahra felt her heart melt, sadness crashing over her like a
wave.

“I know, Dad,” she insisted. “I’ve always known you and
Tanya love me, as I hope you know I love you both too, completely. This will
turn out all right, I promise.”

Her father looked puzzled for a moment, then clearly
dismissed the concern. He sipped his drink, his gaze turning unfocused as his
thoughts seemed to move inward once again.

“I’d feel so much happier if you were secure, Zah.”

Zahra held back her sigh with a force of effort. They’d been
over this numerous times since her breakup with Miles. It had taken multiple
arguments with both her father and Tanya to convince them Miles was not the
wizard for her. Finally Tanya had heard some of the rumors about Miles’s
wandering eyes and helped her convince her father to drop the subject.

While Zahra understood her father came from the perspective
of wanting to see her happily settled, she knew now was in no way a good time
to mention her burgeoning affair with Rob.

“I really don’t want to start an argument with you, Dad. Not
today of all days. Miles and I—”

“No, no,” her father waved a hand dismissively. “While I
admit to great disappointment in the wizard’s treatment of you that wasn’t
where I was going. I just wished you could find a wizard to be happy with, I
want to see you settled, baby. Taken care of.”

Zahra pressed another kiss to her father’s cheek. “Maybe I’ll
surprise you one of these days, Dad. Who knows, right?”

“Maybe,” her father replied absently, patting her hand, his
thoughts clearly moving inward once again.

“Do you want a drink, Zahra?” Eric asked courteously, clearly
assisting her father play host.

Zahra shook her head. “No thanks, Eric. I need to get
moving. I just didn’t want to leave without letting Dad know.”

“Is it getting late?” Grant seemed to tune back in to their
conversation once again. Really getting worried about how her sister’s death
seemed to be affecting him, Zahra held his hand.

“A little, Dad, I have a few things I need to take care of.
I thought I’d go through Tanya’s apartment and clean things up a bit. Will that
be okay?”

“Oh, yes, of course,” Grant replied. “Don’t throw anything
out just yet, but sorting things away neatly would be a great help, thank you,
baby.”

Zahra turned her gaze to Eric, her concern clear. “You’ll
stay with Dad?”

“Of course,” he assured her.

“Get some rest, Dad,” Zahra insisted. They hugged and her
father’s embrace tightened just before she moved back.

“Eric can boot everyone out a bit later,” Grant replied. “I’ll
be fine, child. Don’t worry. Promise me you’ll call, I can tell something is up
but right now I just don’t have the energy for it.”

Grinning, Zahra was forcibly reminded of all the wild
schemes she’d imagined up as a child. Each and every time her father had known
when she was about to bite off more than she could chew. He was not only a
powerful wizard, but his instincts when it came to plotting and subterfuge was
almost always spot-on.

Grant Gower could smell trouble from a mile off.

She should have realized he’d cotton on to it. A part of her
worried that he was not even remotely interested—but then realized he obviously
had far weightier concerns on his mind right now. She couldn’t blame him in the
least.

“I’ll call, Dad,” she promised.

Standing up, she hugged Eric in farewell.

“Zahra, what a delight,” a familiar, smooth tone called from
behind her. Zahra stiffened but forced herself to not react further as she
pulled away from Eric. Miles Lancaster had entered the room. He held a drink in
one hand, the other wrapped around the same buxom brunette witch he’d been with
six months ago.

Zahra hadn’t officially met the other woman, but she knew
from the copious gossip brought to her attention by “well-meaning friends” that
the sultry witch and Miles were an item now. Plastering a smile on her face,
determined to not make a scene, she greeted her ex.

“Miles, Brit, thanks for coming to support my father.”

“I never worked closely with Tanya, but her loss will be
felt through the company and also the Council. We’d all expected great things
from her in the years to come,” Miles replied somberly.

Zahra’s stomach knotted. She honestly didn’t know why, but
something about the way Miles seemed so smooth and calm on the surface rubbed
her the wrong way. She bit down on the instinct to say anything. Miles still
was a rising star, very likely one day he’d be sitting in her father’s place on
the Council.

Making an enemy of him would not be wise.

Oddly, she didn’t feel the tiniest spark of jealousy seeing
him with the other witch. While she’d been blindsided by his actions, feeling
hurt and betrayed, she knew she was far better off. Especially now she’d
reconnected with Rob.

The memory of how it felt with her mouth stretched by Rob’s
cock, the tingling of her skin everywhere he touched her filled her mind. Zahra’s
breath quickened as she relived the possessive, raw way he’d thrust his tongue
deeply inside her and made her come harder than she could have believed for
their first time. Her heart pounded as she longed to feel the tingling
connection that rose between them each time they stood near one another.

Oh yeah, she was glad she’d listened to Rob, allowed him to
explain his actions over the previous few months. She’d never doubted him, knew
he could not be responsible for leaking information. But at the same time she’d
had no proof, nothing to offer his defense.

Smiling politely at Miles, she turned back to her father.

“I’m going to go, Dad. I’ll call you later.”

Grant stood up out of his chair, clasped her shoulders and
they exchanged cheek kisses in farewell. She similarly kissed Eric and sketched
a brief wave to Brit and Miles. Leaving the room, she dodged her way around the
other assembled guests, fielding offers of condolences and excusing herself
after the briefest of exchanges.

She gave a deep sigh of relief when, only a few minutes
later, the butler let her out of the house. Zahra hadn’t realized the weight of
pressure that had been pressing down on her chest until it was released.
Looking up and down the street, she searched for Rob, realizing she had no idea
what his car looked like.

“Zahra,” she heard him call out. Swiveling around, a grin
broke out over her face as she saw him farther down the block, straddling an
enormous, black motorcycle. She watched, rapt, as the large machine rumbled as
he cruised up the street, pausing directly in front of her.

Glancing up and down the road like a teen playing hooky, she
felt excitement stir in her belly. Rob drew her into a warm embrace. Zahra
melted into it. Their lips sought each other’s out, kissing with the ease and
familiarity as if they’d been together for years. Their tongues tangled,
dipping and searching. Zahra relished the taste of him, enjoying the simple
intimacy.

“Mmm, I needed that,” Rob murmured as they moved apart.

Zahra reached out and brushed a lock of his hair out of his
face, staring at how handsome he was. “Me too, I’m so glad you came to find me.”

“I truly am sorry about what happened to Tanya. I’ve spent
most of the last few days trying to decide whether or not to bring you into
this.”

“Really? Why wouldn’t you have? She’s my sister. Surely if
anyone could help you it would be me.”

“That weighed heavily on your side,” Rob admitted as he
turned to grab something from the satchel on the bike. “But the thought of
dragging you into this mess, the possibility it might hurt your reputation to
be seen with me, or worse, leading you into danger…that made me hesitate. The
last thing I want is for this to backlash upon you.”

Touched, Zahra was about to comment until she noticed he
held out a helmet for her. After she took it he turned back and removed a
matching helmet for himself.

“I appreciate your protectiveness Rob, I truly do. But I
have to be honest, I’m eager to look into this, to discover the truth of what
happened to Tanya. It also doesn’t hurt that hopefully we’ll get some answers
and help restore your good name in the process.”

“Tanya and I had our differences in the past,” Rob replied
as he lifted the visor up and pulled the helmet over his head. “She could have
easily swept the whole issue under the rug. I’ll always be grateful she reached
out that night, that she tried to contact me and share whatever evidence she
received. She was a good witch.”