Tri Me (Primrose, Minnesota, Book 4) (17 page)

His control slipped when she closed around him and sucked him inside her warm, wet heat. He began a slow, steady rhythm within the hold of her tight vise and hoped to hell he could hold on until she was ready.

“Too slow.” In one fluid motion, she locked her ankles at the base of his spine, squeezed him with her legs, and forced him inside to the hilt. His balls crowded the base of his dick.

He quickened his movement. “Please tell me you’re close.”

“Doesn’t matter. Just do it.”

“It matters.” He reached between their slick bodies to rub her clit once again. “Ladies first.”

She simply arched her body and whimpered under his touch.

He shifted slightly to one side and stroked directly beneath the area his fingertip teased. Her body pulsed around him and he knew he had her.

“Let me have it, Alex,” he demanded.

She ground her hips against him as he drove in one last time and then released a breathy moan, one that strangled his cock in two. He kicked control in the ass. As soon as she contracted around him, he let go and released deep inside her, branding her, binding her to him forever. Whether she agreed or not.

With his heart pounding like jungle drums and his dick worshipping the ground she walked on, he placed several small kisses along her forehead, then left her body to lay beside her. He rolled her to face away from him, and positioned her back to his chest, his arms securely locking her into place.

“Sleep, angel,” he told her. “No worries tonight.”

“Not a one,” she mumbled.

The next morning, Jackson occupied a chair at the RSI conference table, surrounded by the smell of freshly-brewed coffee, and pissed off that he sat where he did. Any way he looked at it, there wasn’t a positive to be found; not being in bed, wrapped in Alex’s arms angered him, as did the continued chase of the lunatic who threatened her.

He glanced around the table at his team. Good, loyal men. All of them willing to put their lives on the line in the name of justice. And, with the exception of two, all of them
whooped,
as Ryker so eloquently put it. He smirked. Didn’t bother him in the least.

“Something funny, Stewart?”

He lifted his coffee cup and glanced at Ryker over the rim. “No, just a fond memory.”

“No need to share. We all know where you slept last night.” He turned to Jake. “Did your backgrounds show anything?”

The other man opened a green file folder. “Mario Russo. No arrests. Car salesman and accounts manager. Age thirty-two with an ex-wife and three children who live in Atlanta, Georgia. Mrs. Cunningham confirms he checked his phone in before he left for the day. He was with his girlfriend during the time the call was made from that phone.”

Jackson swallowed a swig of coffee and then placed his mug back on the table. “Any connection to Alex at all?”

“Although it doesn’t matter, they both volunteered their contact list. Neither stored Alex’s number in their phones.” Jake flipped pages. “Katie Roberts is more interesting.”

Mace leaned forward. “Yeah? Any priors?”

“Two arrests at age eighteen – one for soliciting prostitution and the other for breaking and entering. Never been married, but engaged four times. All of them wealthy, and cancellations were not her idea. She’s forty-five thousand dollars in debt and about to lose her car. Unfortunately, none of this ties her to Alex. According to Primrose PD, they’ve got a tail on her just in case.”

Jackson’s thoughts flashed back to the surveillance camera. “How is she built?”

“Nothing like the perp.”

Ryker looked at Mace. “Did you come up with anything useful?”

“No.” He opened his own file. “Mrs. Cunningham vouched for both my suspects. Hailey Michaels has been happily married for five years and is currently pregnant with number three. She probably won’t scale a brick wall for awhile. She’s home every night with the husband and kids.” He released a hard sigh. “Lindsey Jordan works full time and attends night school. She’s on the heavy side, and single without a documentable boyfriend in the last six months.”

Jackson ran his hand through his hair. “At least we’ve eliminated four suspects.”

Ryker stood and poured himself a cup of coffee. “What about the wife?”

“Her maiden name is Jamison.” Jackson leaned back in his chair and buckled his hands behind his head. “I only found a sealed juvenile record.”

Jake frowned. “Arrest record?”

“Don’t know. Sealed means stay out. She’s got a clean slate otherwise. On the other hand, Sebastian was easy. He emigrated from Greece with his family as a teenager.”

Mace took a long swallow of his coffee. “How did he acquire the business?”

“He went to work there at age eighteen as a lot porter. Owned it by the time he was twenty seven. Now he’s fifty years old.”

Jake cocked his head to the side. “Any ex-wives?”

“Two. Both remarried. He’s been married to twenty-five-year-old Jennifer for about seven months.”

“Ah.” Mace smirked. “Trophy wife.”

“I haven’t found any evidence of extra-marital affairs on either side, and nothing links them to Alex except that she is listed as the attorney of record for Luxury Imports and Sebastian. Strictly a business association on the surface.”

Jackson held his breath, hoping that none of them would ask. Then Ryker just had to go there.

“Did you scratch the surface?”

“What the hell does that mean, Adams?”

“Look at the facts, Stewart. Alex is intelligent and extremely easy on the eyes. Would you blame the guy?”

The room grew quiet.

“No,” he said finally, “but I don’t question Alex’s integrity.”

“And now we know you spend quite a bit of time with her.”

“Yeah.” He smirked. “I can pretty well vouch for her whereabouts.”

“Have you questioned Mrs. Sebastian?”

Jackson shook his head. “Haven’t had a chance."

“Any more ideas about our suspect?”

“My money’s still on Jennifer.” Mace said.

“Logical choice.” Ryker gave a slight nod. “Except the initials on the lipstick holder don’t match.”

“We don’t have clear-cut Intel to prove that item has anything to do with this case,” Jake reminded them.

“We don’t,” Jackson agreed, “but it doesn’t belong to Alex. What are the odds a random person would have dropped it there?”

“Slim to none.” Ryker took another swallow from his cup. “What about the card?”

“Alex didn’t leave it behind. She knows Marnie’s address as well as her own.”

“No prints on the gas can, the lipstick holder, or the business card.” Ryker shook his head. “Our suspect is either experienced or watches a lot of television.”

“The only thing familiar about each incident is aggression.” Jake smirked. “I got that from Bri. Anyway, our perp is stupid enough to leave evidence behind but smart enough not to get caught.”

“And,” Mace interjected, “we know the culprit is female, we’ve seen her on camera. We just don’t have a suspect that matches her build.”

Jackson exhaled loudly. “We’re missing something, I just don’t know what.”

“I know a guy.” Ryker set his mug on the table. “We’ll dig deeper.”

“I’m in.” Jackson stood and started for the door. “Meanwhile, I’ll keep Alex on lockdown. The less accessible we make her, the more likely she is to receive another call.”

When he rolled to a stop in front of the house an hour later, he reached to turn off the ignition, immediately suspicious when Alex walked out the front door. Alone.

Dressed in a black short skirt and jacket, she carried her briefcase and gave him a sexy wink as she swayed to his truck, opened the passenger door, and climbed in. Obviously, she was on a mission.

He managed to untangle his tongue enough to speak. “I’m thinking you want to go somewhere.”

“You’re thinking correctly.”

“Where might that be?”

“Luxury Imports.”

Jackson smirked. “No way in hell.”

She reached over, turned the key to restart the engine, and then fastened her seatbelt. “You’re welcome to tag along.”

Jackson fought the urge to beat his head against the steering wheel. “You can’t get there unless I take you.”

“Wanna bet?”

The challenge in her eyes told him what a rookie mistake he had just made. “Be reasonable. You know that our chief suspects are linked to that place.”

“I said you could come along.”

He prepared for another argument and then stopped himself. Who was he kidding? She was going to win this argument and they both knew it. “What is so important that you have to go there right now?”

“I have papers for Lucas to sign. And, as you know, court documents are time sensitive.”

“Where’s Storm?”

She turned to look out the rear window. “Back there.”

He put the truck in gear and pulled slowly back down the driveway, looking in the rearview mirror to assure himself that Storm would follow. He wasn’t surprised when his cell rang.

“Stewart.”

Storm sounded just as tired as he. Must’ve been a helluva fight before he arrived. “You get the orders?”

“Luxury Imports.”

The silence was telling. “Your call, man. I’m on your six.”

Storm disconnected and Jackson lowered his phone.

“He’s a man of few words,” she said from beside him.

“Yes.”

“Maybe I’ll buy a new car while I’m there.”

“Not a good time for that. Besides, you don’t need one right now.”

It was hard enough to keep up with her now. If she had her own wheels again, he’d be in big trouble.

“Excuse me?” Fire flashed in the depths of her narrowed her eyes. “Perhaps I didn’t hear you correctly. You don’t want me to have a car?”

He shifted his weight. “I know you need a car, but right now I can take you wherever you need to go. You shouldn’t be alone.” He reached over and took her hand. “I don’t want to take away your independence. I happen to think it’s extremely sexy.”

She gave him a look he couldn’t quite interpret but seemed to be content with his response.

“Call ahead and put Sebastian on alert that we’re headed there. Ask him to see us immediately.”

“I don’t have my phone.”

“What? Why?”

She shrugged. “It’s bugged. I haven’t used it much.”

“Here.” He handed his cell phone to her, relieved when her phone call connected.

When he drove onto the lot of Luxury Imports, he parked by the front door. Storm drove by and signaled that he was headed to the back.

“Straight to Sebastian’s office, then we’re out of here,” he told her as he pulled her inside the front door.

As he expected, they waltzed right past the receptionist and Mrs. Cunningham greeted them personally to escort them directly to Sebastian’s office.

Alex stopped just outside. “You’ll need to wait in the hall. Attorney/client privilege.”

“Nice try, but I’m not leaving you alone.”

The executive stood from his desk. “Under the circumstances, I think that’s best, Alex.”

“As long as you’re agreeable, Lucas.”

Jackson gave her a smug smile as she opened her briefcase and took out a pile of papers. “I have good news. Katie Roberts agreed to drop the suit. I need your signature so I can file for a dismissal.”

“Excellent! I’m so glad to have this ugly ordeal behind me.”

“I know you are.” She handed him the papers. “I’m going to visit the ladies room while you sign.”

“Of course.” Sebastian gestured with a hand. “It’s right across the hall.”

Jackson started toward the door. “I’ll go with you.”

“It’s the
ladies
room, Jackson. It will only take a minute.”

He realized that he might be just a little paranoid when Ryker’s taunts assaulted his brain. She would only go a few steps away. Within screaming distance.

“Fine. I’ll stay here.” He watched her go inside and close the door.

“Is Alex still in danger?”

Sebastian’s question directed his attention off the ladies room door. “Unfortunately, yes. We’ve investigated all our leads and I think we’re close to finding a suspect.” He glanced at the still-closed door and then back at Sebastian. “There’s just one thing that concerns me. I’d like to ask you some questions about your wife.”

“Of course. How can I help you?”

Jackson sat down and put his elbows on his knees. “When we pulled her background, we found a sealed juvenile record. Do you know if she’s ever been arrested?”

“No, never. She’s very caught up in appearances.”

“What about emotional or mental problems?”

Sebastian sat back in his chair and rubbed his chin. “No. Jennifer was adopted as a child into a very loving, wealthy family.”