The O'Malley Brides (11 page)

Tess smiled and turned her head
away.  “Not right now.  I do not
know if you will be abl
e to behave and I would not want
to make matters worse.”

“Good idea,” Bridget replied as she picked up her bag.  “Self-control isn’t my strong point,” she agreed.  “Stay in touch
,
Tess.  You’re very i
mportant to my family and I’ll
miss you,” she told her candidly.

“I will,” Tess promised as she picked up the ringing phone.

Two hours later Bridget was back.  Tess was not at her desk so Bridget walked to Dell’s door, knocked softly and walked in. 
Winston was on the phone so she swiftly placed
a pretty square box on his desk as he scowled darkly at her.  Brid
get smiled, mouthed the words, "I’m sorry"
and made an X over her heart before she backed out of the room, closing the door gently.

Dell eyed the pink box suspiciously as he finished his conversation.  Whatever could she be doing now?  I
t
would not have surprised him to find a frog or something equally inappropriate inside.  Carefully he pulled off the top and his golden brown eyes widened.  The small heart-
shaped cake truly astounded
him.  Decorated with pink icing, little candy hearts were sprinkled all over it.  A little pennant flag rose ou
t of the center with the words "Forgive Me"
on it.  Dell pondered as he stuck his finger into the frosting and licked it off.  What a strange con
trary creature Ms. O’Malley was,
horrible one minute and endearing the next.  He would have to think about this.

Rebecca answered the phone just as Tess was getting ready to hang up.  Slightly out of breath she plopped down on the sofa.  “Hello?’

“Rebecca, I almost hung up.  Are you busy?” Tess asked.

“No, I’m just a little out of breath.  I have been trying to find something and not having much luck.  How are you
,
Tess?”

“I am fine.  It is
you I am worried about. 
No
baby yet I see?”

“No,” Rebecca laughed.  “Mason says it’s a girl so we have to expect her to be fashionably late, but tomorrow is D-day.  I have been trying to wait for Maggie and Nick to get back, but the doctor says if I don’t go into labor by tomorrow, they will induce it.  
I’m not looking forward to that part, but unless I want to still look
like
the great pumpkin at Christmas, I don’t have much choice,” she laughed.

“So you are feeling okay?” Tess asked
,
concerned.

“I’m just frustrated right this minute.  Mason has been stuck to me like glue.  I swear it’s a wonder I get to go to the bathroom alone,” she sighed. 

“Is there anything I can do?  I can come over and help you search for whatever it is you are missing?” Tess offered.

“No, I don’t think that will work.  I have to find this object when Mason is not around and I have a very limited window of opportunity right now.  If I don’t find it before that baby is born, I
will have about six weeks give or take a few days to locate it.  I might have to take you up on your offer then.” Rebecca moaned.

“Are you okay?  Are you having pains?” Tess asked.

“No
,
Mason just came in so I guess I’m done looking for the time being.  Anyway, thanks for calling Tess.  Come see us at the hospital okay?”

“I will
,
Rebecca.  Good luck, I will be praying for you both.”

“Keep that thought,”
Rebecca
laughed. 
“I might need a whole
lot more of those in six weeks. Talk
to you later
,
Tess.”

Tess hung the phone up and began to gather her things.  I
t
had been a very strange day.  Rory had not made an appearance
,
so she had been on edge all day for nothing.  Maybe he would no
longer want
a woman who ran from him. 

Dell had been very quiet all day but when Tess walked into his office after knocking qui
ckly, he had been eating a good-
sized cake with a fork.  Pink icing coated his upper lip and he had a strange smile on his face. 

“Are you almost ready to leave
,
Dell?” Tess asked. 
“I have to catch my bus and it is
starting to rain.  I hate it when it gets dark so early.”

“Sure, give me a couple of minutes and I’ll give you a ride. 
I h
ate to see you walking in this weather,” Dell responded, shoving the cake back in the box.  He was a little embarrassed that he hadn’t offered Tess a piece instead of diving into it like a starving fool.  In truth
,
Dell was very health-
conscious.  As a rule he usually stayed away from junk foods,
especially
sweets.  Bridget couldn’t have picked a more tempting peace offering.  He had been unable to resist the luscious confection. 

Dell took his fork to the break room
and washed it while Tess turned off the copier and
got her coat and purse.  After locking the door they headed out behind the office to the parking lot.  Tess was nervous, half expecting Rory to appear, but he did not.  There were a couple of cars down the alley that she did not recognize but then she
did not usually walk back here.  M
ost of the time she walked the few blocks to Maggie’s house.  Now she was headed in another direction.  The Rose and Thistle was on the other side of the city, too far to walk, especially in poor weather. 

Dell opened the passenger car door for her, noticing her tight lipped expression.

“Is everything okay,” he asked.  You look a little nervous.  I can assure you I am a gentleman and you’re perfectly safe with me.”

“I am fine
,
Dell.  Do you think you could lower the interior lights?  I have a little
headache
.” Tess pleaded, watching the dark vehicle pull out of the alley behind them.  “I think instead of
taking me home, it would be bet
t
er
if you dropped me off at the bus station.  I just
remembered
something I have to do.”

“Sure Tess, but I don’t mind taking you.  I’m not in a hurry to get home so if you need to run an errand or two it’s not a problem.”

“No really
, thank you for offering but the bus station is best I think,” Tess replied absently
,
still watching the vehicle behind them.  It never got really close enough for her to see who was driving, but she was not taking any chances.  Molly had taken a risk, giving Tess a place to stay and keeping it a secret.  If the car was following them, she had to do what she could to stay hidden. 

Molly had given her specific instructions.  The pub was closed on Monday’s except for
deliveries
and they came late in the morning so Tess should be able to get in and out without a problem.  She had a key to the upstairs back door.  The stairway was enclosed and wasn’t used for anything else, so as long as she approached fr
om the left and did not cross the plate glass window in the front, no one would notice her. 

Dell turned into the circle in front of the bus station.  It was dark and beginning to rain
more heavily
.  Tess hit the door lock and opened her door the moment he came to a stop. 

“Are you sure about this?” he asked
, concern
in his voice.  “I really don’t mind taking you all the way home.”

“No, I have to go now.  See you tomorrow,” Tess whispered as she darted out into the rain.

There were several busses lined up to move out and Tess
scooted between two of them, quickly getting
on the first bus with an open door.  She did not even care where it was going, figuring she could backtrack if she had too.  The dark car was several cars back and she was pretty sure Rory, if it was Rory, had not seen her.  S
itting low in a
seat nearest the window
, she peeked
through the tinted glass. 

Tess watched Dell pull away when the traffic was clear and the other vehicle cruised slowly past the station and followed.  Breathing a sigh of relief she relaxed in her seat, feeling a little foolish as she noticed the strange looks she was getting from a couple of the other passengers. 
Closing her eyes she tried to slow her rapidly beating heart.  What the hell was she doing in this predi
cament anyway?  It was not as though
she was afraid of
Rory;
she knew he would never hurt her
.  W
el
l not really
,
although it
certainly
had not been pleasant when he
spanked her.  No
,
it was more about the other things he had done to her.  She could still see the look in his eyes when he had held her so completely in his arms and forced her to climax. His blue eyes had been totally focused on her, as if daring her to object as he mastered her body.  Tess knew he had a dominate nature, in fact that was part of his charm in her opinion.  She wanted, needed a strong man in her life, there was no point in lying to herself.  As much as it galled her to admit
it
,
she was
helplessly excited when he was anywhere in her vicinity.  A man that was so attuned to her every mood, every action was
unsettling.  Rory was not a cruel
man, he just demanded
obedience
and he would have it.  It had not occurred to her that he would be that way in the bedroom. 
Looking back
,
Tess realized it should have.  The man was a mountain, with a will of steel.  Of course he would expect complete subm
ission, demand it.  He was goal-
orientated, never letting up until he accomplished his objective and she was now that objective. 
Giving a shiver, Tess focused
on her
location and realized she would only be a few miserable, wet, dark blocks from the pub.  Walking after dark was not her idea of a good time but it would be better than returning to the bus station and starting over.  Signaling her stop
,
she walked to the exit and stepped of
f
the bus, l
ooking both ways at a basically
deserted street.  About a block away
,
she could see a lone man huddled under a street lamp.  Turning in the other direction
,
she walked quickly away, the sound of her heels clicking on the sidewalk. 

Rory followed the
vehicle for about three miles until it turned into the
parking lot of an upscale
apartment complex.  Pulling up directly behind it
,
he was out of his car and at the driver’s side door before Dell even had it open.

Startled, Dell unfolded his tall body out and stood.
 
“Can I help you with something?”

“
O’Malley,
Detective
O’Malley,” Rory answered flipping open his badge.  “I
need to ask you a few questions.
”
  Bending
,
he quickly examined the interior of the vehicle
:
no Tess
.

“What seems to be the problem
,
Detective
?  I can assure you I am a very competent driver.  Are you any relation to Bridget O’Malley?  I had the
questionable pleasure of meeting her this morning,” Dell continued, pushing his thick black glasses back into place.

“Yes, Bridget is my youngest sister,” Rory answered, ignoring the unflattering reference.  “I believe you had a young woman
in your car earlier this evening, a Ms. Theresa Martinez.  Would you mind telling me where she is now?”

“Is Ms. Martinez in some sort of trouble with the authorities, Detective?” Dell asked cautiously. 

“Not at all,
Mr.
…?”
Rory
answered smoothly.

“Winston, De
lbert Bertram
Winston
IV.
I am only inquiring because I am quit fond of Ms. Martinez and would offer her assistance if it was called for,” Dell replied standing at his full height and squaring his shoulders.

“Quit
e
fond?” Rory
questioned
a rough edge to his voice. 
The kid had balls
,
he’d give him that.  “Lighten up kid, I also am quit
e
fond of Ms. Martinez,” he drawled, “and no
,
she isn’t in trouble with the law, however she is in serious trouble with me.”