The Law of Desire (13 page)

“LAPD is dirty. The dirty cops working for the people who killed my brother might be after him. I told you that the people who killed my brother have dirty cops working for them. That’s why I had to leave without talking to the police. I’m sure those same dirty cops are the ones trying to blame David. He’s a businessman, not a criminal. It makes no sense.”

“If you don’t know who killed your brother and who might be after you, how do you know they have dirty cops on their payroll?”

“That’s what I was told…”

“By who? Who told you that?”

“David told me…That’s why he helped me. He gave me the money to leave town and he got Timmy and Tommy to let me hide out at their place.”

“And you don’t find it a little too coincidental that three people with ties to Sims are dead? That he was really the only one who knew where you were and he might have been in town when those people tried to snatch you and the McKnights were killed?”

“David wouldn’t do that…”

“The Paterson Police Department found the people in the white van and they are close to getting them to finger who hired them. So far they’re only saying it was a guy from California.”

She nibbled on her lip. This was just too much.

Did David really have something to do with Calvin’s death? Timmy and Tommy’s, too? It couldn’t be. Could it?

Her voice choked. “Why would he do that?”

“You’re saying you don’t know anything about David’s criminal activities?”

“No. He’s not…My brother always used to say that he was a schoolboy who couldn’t hang…I…”

“We’re going back to Paterson in the morning. We’re going to put you under surveillance and we’re going to find out once and for all what is going on with you, Minerva. If you’re somehow involved with this Sims guy and his criminal activity, we’ll find out.”

“Oh, my God! You really think I’m a criminal?”

“I don’t know what to think. I know innocent people don’t sneak off and steal cars in the middle of the night.”

A lump settled in her throat the size of a golf ball. Her eyes started to sting.

The murdered bodies of Calvin, Timmy and Tommy swam into her consciousness. She hadn’t even buried her brother because she had trusted David to handle it. What if he hadn’t? Was Calvin in a cheap pine box without so much as a grave marker?

She gasped and tried to bite back the sob that wouldn’t be contained. She never knew she could hurt this badly. She turned around and faced the wall.

Lawrence had barely trusted her anyway and now he never would. Two men were dead for trying to help her and she’d failed at getting away so that she could get Lawrence out of danger. He could die. The stinging in her eyes heightened and intensified.

He cannot die.

The weight of everything—the death, the distrust, the denied desire—all converged and blew wide open the hole in her heart that had just started to close after her brother’s death. The best thing she could do was try not to cry too loudly because the tears were determined to come, no matter how hard she tried to stifle them. She wouldn’t be able to hold them back for long.

“And we also need to address our condom mishap a few days ago. You could be pregnant.”

“Don’t worry,
Detective
, I won’t be bothering you if I am. You don’t have to worry about me even telling you. I would hate to burden you with sharing a child with a woman you can’t trust.”

His hands gripped her shoulders and turned her to face him. The arm cuffed to the bedpost twisted a little and she winced.

“Don’t even think about it, Minerva. If you dare have my child and think you can just not let me know, you had better think again. Do not test me on this one. I will not have a child of mine out there in the world that I can’t be a father to.”

Everything was a mess and becoming messier with each passing minute. Could her heart break any more? What if she were pregnant? Could she really raise a child with Lawrence around as a constant reminder of how she ruined what could have been an amazing thing between them?

No.

“You can threaten me all you want. But I don’t have to do anything but stay black and die. You can’t make me tell you anything. You can’t make me do anything I don’t want to do.”

His eyes narrowed and that hurtful, disgusted look suffused his entire face. “You just try it then, Minerva. Try having my child without letting me know. You’d better pray that I never find out you did, because your betrayal card is full with me already.”

She closed her eyes. “I don’t know why we’re even talking about this, let alone arguing about it. I’m not going to argue about nonexistent issues.” The thought that she might be pregnant and could possibly have a child by a man she loved who didn’t trust her was the one extra thing—on top of her pent-up guilt over her brother, the McKnights’ murder and Lawrence’s life possibly being at risk—that finally broke her down. She couldn’t hold in her feelings any longer.

She turned back around and her tears started almost immediately. The tears poured forth as if someone had opened up floodgates.

Lawrence thought he would be able to fall off to sleep with relative ease. After all, he had been right not to trust her all along. He should have felt vindicated. He should have been at ease with the knowledge that he had called it correctly. Instead, he felt like someone had stuck a knife in his heart, twisted it and left it in.

He could tell that she was trying to hold back tears, that the only thing stopping her from heart-wrenching sobs was her pride. It broke his heart to hear her cry and
that
angered him. Why should he even care? Her tears should be of no consequence to him at all. But they bothered him. His anger dissipated with each shudder of her breath, each shake of her shoulders, each soft sob.

“Minerva, stop. Don’t cry. Please.”

She kept crying.

“Look, I know you’re upset that you got caught and couldn’t get away, but crying isn’t going to get you anywhere.”

Plus, you’re breaking my heart. Stop it please, baby.

He got up and unlocked the handcuffs before pulling her into his arms. As soon as he did, she let loose a cascade of tears and the silent crying became harsh, stuttering cries so filled with anguish and pain it shattered his soul.

She buried her head in his chest and sobbed.

This was the woman who took his constant surveillance with a smirk and a smart comment. This was the woman who took Kendall’s interrogation without cracking. He hadn’t seen her break into tears then, so why was she crying now?

Feeling like a class-A jerk, he rubbed her back.

“I’m sorry…Lawrence. I just didn’t want anything to happen to you…I couldn’t take it if anything happened to you…” Her words were stilted by soft gasps of breath.

Her words sounded so heartfelt. He lifted her chin and stared in her overflowing eyes. She seemed so sincere.

“It’s okay, baby. Nothing is going to happen to me. And I’m not going to let anything happen to you, either. I promise. Now please stop crying, okay? Please.”

“I can’t because it’s all messed up now. I just wanted to do the right thing because I care about you so much. So much…I care about you more than I wanna admit. And if you died because of me, it would kill me—”

“Nothing is going to happen to me. Don’t worry yourself about that. I’m a cop. I can take care of myself. I’m a tough guy. The only thing I
can’t
handle is your tears, so stop crying.”

She didn’t stop. So he held her and listened until she had spent all her tears. Holding her in his arms felt so right it scared him. There wasn’t any question in his mind; she was “the one” for him.

W
aking up in Lawrence’s strong arms made her feel safer than a girl on the run should feel. She almost wished she could stay in his embrace forever. Forget almost, she did wish she could stay there forever,
forever-ever
. She wanted this man for her very own and knowing she couldn’t have him, because he would never be able to trust her and it was all her fault, darn near had her in tears again.

Toughen up, girlie!

She stretched and gazed up into his piercing, sexy brown eyes. They were so clear and determined, so sure. She figured the way she had bawled like a baby last night her own eyes must have been bloodshot and puffy.

“Good morning,” he said in that strong sexy voice she had come to love.

“Morning…listen…I apologize for totally spazzing out on you last night. I don’t know what came over me crying like that. Guess I must have sprung a leak.” She tried for a joke to cover her embarrassment.

Yeah and a leak isn’t the only thing sprung up in here. You’re sprung! Sprung out over this sexy detective. In love? You better hope he doesn’t figure it out.

“That’s okay. Every woman is entitled to a good cry when she feels like it, even little tough girls like you, Minerva. I’m sorry I acted like such a jerk and—”

“It’s okay. You were right to fly off. I shouldn’t have left like that. I shouldn’t have taken your car. I’m sorry—”

He brushed his lips across hers. The soft gentleness of his lips, coupled with the warm caring gaze of his eyes, was her undoing.

Why’d he have to do that? Why’d he have to kiss her and let her know how amazing he was? How perfect he would be for her if they had met under different circumstances. It wasn’t going to work between them, not that she should have allowed herself to hope things could work anyway. It wasn’t going to work and that broke her heart.

“Everything is going to be fine, baby. I promise you that. I care about you, too. And I’m not about to let anything or anyone hurt you. Not even me…” He brushed his lips across hers again and the kiss intensified within seconds.

He cared about her.

She tried to push back the ever-growing hope in her heart but she couldn’t do it. She opened herself to her feelings as surely as she opened her mouth to his. Wrapping her arms around his neck she pulled him closer and poured her heart and soul into her kiss.

The desire between them refused to be contained. It was unwieldy and followed a law of its own.

He kissed her deeply before answering. “I care about you. A lot. So much it scares me.” He covered her lips again and their tongues danced.

She let her hand roam his muscular frame and imagined she’d be able to hold on to every ripple, every bulge for the rest of her life. She let herself believe he was her man. That he would
always
be her man.

And when he touched her, she couldn’t help but melt. She was so caught up that she barely noticed her nightgown coming off. But she couldn’t help but notice when he slipped on the protection and entered her. The stroke was so sure, so strong that she had to pay attention.

“Ahhhh…” Her body shook and her legs trembled. This was what perfection felt like.

“Yes, baby…You’re mine and I’m not going to let anything happen to you.
Ever
.” He moved his hips with a slow determination that set off triggers inside her.

Triggers of desire. Triggers of passion. Triggers of emotion.

It felt like someone had placed a packet of Pop Rocks in some seltzer water and placed it in her heart. She couldn’t keep up with everything he was making her feel. The only thing she could do was hold on.

As she moved her hips to meet his thrusts, which seemed to increase in pace with each minute, she wished she could tell him how much she loved him.

“Minerva…”

The way he said her name made her heart do flipflops. He made her name sound so sexy, so desirable. He made her love her name. She’d never go by M. Athena again as long as he was around to say her name.

“Say that again…Say my name again…” She swiveled her hips and pressed her pelvis against his, trying to meld herself to him.

He smiled and lifted her leg so that it rested on his shoulder. He began a slow torturous thrusting, reaching deeper than he ever had. “Minerva…Minerva…Minerva…”

Everything inside of her exploded and she screamed. He smiled again and lifted her other leg to his shoulder. “Minerva…”

She couldn’t stop shaking. It was a good thing he was holding on to her. She didn’t think she could take much more.

“Minerva…”

“Okay…okay…Please…”

He moved quickly in and out, over and over again. “Please what, baby? What do you want me to do? Whatever you want baby, just ask me…”

Her head was spinning and her heart threatened to burst right out of her chest. Her sex tightened around him and she screamed again as he said her name and they both found release.

In the aftermath, as he held her, she made her wish. She wanted to stay there with him, just like this.

“We need to shower and hit the road, baby. We have to catch the person who’s after you.”

By the time they actually got going, it was early in the evening. They didn’t have any daylight hours, but it didn’t matter. Because the time they had spent making love and straightening up the vacation home was time she knew she would remember forever. In fact, if her time with Lawrence was about to end, she wanted to eke out as many memories as she possibly could.

The ride back felt so much calmer than the ride there had been. They talked, cracked jokes and laughed. Her guard was completely down. But in the back of her mind she knew she would regret being so lax. Her heart had never been so compromised.

“…And that’s what happens when keeping it real goes horribly wrong…” Lawrence burst out laughing at his own joke.

Pushing back the creeping fear that threatened to overtake her, she let out an exaggerated sigh at his corniness.

“Aww…you know that was funny. You know you want to laugh.”

“
Whatever.
Don’t quit your day job, dude. You certainly won’t be giving Dave Chappelle a run for his money anytime soon,” she teased.

“See how much you know! I actually got the joke from a DVD of Chappelle’s Show.”

“Well, then it must really all be in the delivery, because, you, sir, are so-oo
not
funny.” Pushing her worries to the back of her mind, she plastered a grin on her face. “Okay, check this one out. There was a family driving along the highway and they picked up this guy who was hitchhiking. He had a big black bag with him and it made the wife nervous. She asked him what was in the bag. And he said, ‘None of your damn business.’ They drove for a while and it started to
really
make her nervous.

“So she asked again, and again he replied, ‘None of your damn business.’ Finally the husband said, ‘Listen, buddy, if you don’t let us know what’s in the bag I’m gonna have to put you out.’ And the hitchhiker was like ‘Whatever, fine, put me out.’ So they stop at a gas station and put him out and wouldn’t you know it he left the big black bag in the car. Of course the couple couldn’t help it. They
had
to look.” She stopped and glanced out the window waiting for Lawrence to give her the opening for her punch line.

“What was in the bag?”

“None of your damn business!” She slapped her knee and howled out her laughter. As she turned to him, she noticed his lips twist in mock disdain as he shook his head.

“That was so corny. You have the nerve to talk about me when you are telling jokes like that? Girl, please.”

“Aww…you’re just mad because you wanted to know what was in the bag.” She chuckled at her own joke.

“Okay, let’s just agree that we both suck at telling jokes and resist the urge to try to get a laugh.”

“Maybe you, but I’m funny. I got jokes for days.”

He laughed. “That was the funniest thing you’ve said yet.”

She slapped her knee again in mock laughter. “Ah, ha, ha, ha…
not
funny.”

“So, are you ready to do what we need to do to catch Sims?”

“Do you really think that he killed my brother? I mean that’s a lot for me to believe. He helped me when he didn’t have to, Lawrence.”

“He helped you what? Leave town when you should have gone to the police? Why would he want to keep you from talking to the police? Think about it.”

“Because he knew I didn’t see anything and it didn’t make sense to put my life in danger when I had no information to share. He was trying to help me because he was my brother’s best friend.”

“And he called you recently trying to find out where you were, right?”

“Because he’s worried about me.” She didn’t want to believe that David was a murderer, a criminal. What would that say about her judgment? It would confirm her brother’s constant statements about how she wasn’t made for the ’hood and would never survive on her own without him. She’d always thought Calvin had used that just to control her and keep her close, but if what Lawrence was saying was true…

“Has he called back again?”

“I turned my cell phone off.”

“Turn it back on.”

She pulled the phone out of her purse and turned it on. She’d missed twenty calls since she had turned it off, and there were six messages. She dialed her voice mail and her heart stilled.

If David sounded angry when she spoke to him, his messages ran the gamut. He’d gone from calm and apologetic to angry and violent. The last couple of messages had gotten progressively louder and more threatening.

Lawrence pulled off the highway and into a rest stop. He took the phone from her. As he listened to the messages, his face grew increasingly angry. He gave the phone back to her and dialed his own cell phone.

“Kendall, any more information on Sims? And is the safe house ready?” He paused and rolled his eyes. “Hello,
Chief
. We’re on our way back to Paterson. We’re about a half hour away. I’m ready to catch this fool.”

He tapped the wheel as he listened to the chief of police.

She wished could hear both sides of the conversation. Could it really be possible? Was David a killer? And if he was, why didn’t he just kill her when he killed her brother? Why send her to Jersey? It made no sense.

“Well, I hope we can set up something, by tomorrow the latest. I’ll just keep her at my place until you can set it up.” He paused, shaking his head emphatically. “Nah. That’s not gonna happen. I’ll watch out for her. And I want to be close by at the safe house, too.”

He let out a hiss of air. “I’m not trying to call the shots or tell you how to do your job, Chief. I’m just hoping that you’ll let me look out for her since we’ve already built a rapport.”

Mmmm
, she thought,
is that what they’re calling it these days…

“All right, thanks.” He was about to hang up and he stopped. “Huh? That’s tonight? Oh, damn, that is tonight. Thanks for reminding me. My brother and my mother would have a fit if I missed that. I guess I’ll see you tonight. It should be safe to bring her. There’ll be so many cops and firemen in the place that no criminal in his right mind would try and roll up in there. See you later.”

Lawrence turned to her. “So it looks like you might have to spend yet another night in my glowing company, and we’re going to a surprise birthday party for my sister-in-law, Penny. It’s tonight.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean I could just go to a hotel or something. I don’t want to infringe on your family time or your personal space.”

“You won’t be. I want you to come. And I have no problem sharing my personal space with you. I’m looking forward to it actually.” A sly grin graced his face, and she had to shake her head.

“Yeah, I bet you wouldn’t have a problem with that. But what if I did?”

“What? Are you sick of me already? And here I thought you couldn’t get enough of Big Papa.”

She guffawed.

“Harsh on the ego, aren’t you?” He chuckled. “Good thing I know how you really feel.”

“So tell me, Big Papa,” she said jokingly with a sexy lilt in her voice. “How
do
I really feel?”

“You think I’m the most handsome man on the planet and the best lover in the universe. And you like me…you like me a
lot
.”

She grinned and then twisted up her lips in mock defiance before giving him a serious side-eye look. “You
a’right
.”

“That’s not what you were screaming a few hours ago, baby.”

“Well, I wouldn’t know what I was screaming…Couldn’t hear for all your moaning, groaning and yelling…”

He laughed. “Okay, you got that one right. But, anyway, back to what I was saying. I’d love for you to accompany me to the surprise party, and spending another night with you is not a hardship, baby.”

She glanced down at her outfit. She was wearing a pair of brown slacks and a sort of hip and funky brown, taupe and cream blouse with the stiletto-heeled boots she’d been wearing during her undercover stint. It turned out that they looked a lot cuter with her business casual-style clothing than she would have thought. “Am I dressed okay?”

“You look beautiful.”

“Okay, then. I’d love to go to the party.”