vittanos willow (17 page)

spotted a loose screw in the vent.

What had started as him tightening the screw had turned into

something else entirely. Seeing the camera had made him livid. Some-

one was spying on his woman.

The only thing on his mind was getting rid of that camera—an

act she’d walked in on. He didn’t fault her line of thought, but he’d

hoped for the benefit of doubt. The devastation that had filled her

features had told him otherwise. Not right then.

Of course, upset himself, he hadn’t been thinking too clearly and

just had stepped in it with his idiotic choice of words. Then, not only

had there been hurt on her beautiful face, but also anger and betrayal.

So he had left, though vowing to himself to find out how many

there were in her home and who had placed them there. Also, Osten

would
gain CJ’s trust back.

Walking out of his bathroom clad in nothing but a towel, Osten

headed over to his breakfast bar where the camera was. It mocked him,

laughed at him, challenged him.

Leaning against the edge, he let his dark eyes move over the ob-

ject. He had already checked it for prints and the only ones on it were

his own. Nevertheless, he just had to figure out who was doing this to

Chantoya.

This person was no idiot. He or she was smart enough not to

leave prints and the camera’s signal was untraceable right now.

It was bouncing around through so many places he couldn’t pin

point where it ended. Hell, his friend had said the signal might have

ended before it really did and the perp just continued to let it bounce to

throw people off track, should he or she get discovered.

“I have to get into her apartment and find out if there are any

more.” Pushing away from the bar, Osten headed for his bedroom and

got dressed. His body never relaxed; all he saw was CJ in danger.

Chantoya was his and whatever threatened her had to deal with him.

Zipping up his leather jacket, Osten shut the door to his apart-

ment behind him. “Come hell or high water, CJ, I will protect you.

Whether you like it or not.” Then he jogged down the steps and climbed

into his car. He had something to do.

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Aliyah Burke

CJ ate lunch in the cafeteria. It was her day to help watch out in

the lunchroom. Her appetite was less than healthy and she merely

picked at her salad. Every now and then she would shake her head at a

student who was trying to start some trouble, but otherwise she spent

the hour keeping to herself.

Apparently her face screamed of her desire to be left alone, for

even Abigail steered clear of her. As the bell rang, CJ stood, tossed her

food away, and headed back to her classroom.

The day muddled along, and she found herself swallowing back

tears that continuously threatened to fall. As the final bell of the day

rang, CJ sent a forced smile to her students. Gathering her stuff, she

walked out of the building and into the cold afternoon.

Her light gaze picked out a familiar vehicle that waited in the

parking lot. Ignoring the lurch her heart gave, CJ looked away and

headed for her own mode of transportation. Unlocking the door, she

climbed in and locked the doors behind her.

“What the hell are you doing here, Osten Scoleri?” Her words

were low as she started her engine.

Determined not to give him another look, she put her car in gear

and drove out of the lot. Instead of going home, CJ headed for a park.

She pulled into a spot and shut off the engine. For a moment, she just

sat in silence.

With a sigh, she grabbed her coat and got out. Locking the ve-

hicle, she began to walk along the path. She passed schoolchildren,

couples, dog walkers. Each step she took giving her more and more

time to sort out her muddled feelings.

Time seemed to lose all meaning as she wandered throughout

the park. Finding a nice quiet and secluded place, Chantoya sat down

on the bench. The cold wood seemed to immediately chill her body

about five to ten degrees. A few ducks swam aimlessly around in the

small pond before her.

Pulling the collar of her coat up higher around her face, CJ re-

leased a huge sigh.
Finally, a moment to relax!
Readjusting herself, soon

CJ was resting her chin on her knees as her legs were drawn up to her

chest, gloved hands latched across her shins.

She held that position as her body slowly became acclimated to

the chill in the wintry air. The vapor from her breathing rose up and

around her and entertained her blissfully blank mind for a short while.

Another large sigh left her and her eyes drifted shut. Suddenly,

she was so tired, she just wanted to sleep. CJ fought to stay awake,

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115

knowing it wasn’t the smartest idea to fall asleep outside, especially

when one was tucked away from everyone’s eyes.

Her body felt extremely heavy. Eyelids were very hard to keep

open. They were only slightly jarred open when her hands fell away

from her legs as they slid off the bench and hit the ground.

“Damn,” she slurred and struggled to remain sitting. “What the

hell is wrong with me?”

Rolling her head on her neck, CJ took several deep breaths of the

cold air, hoping it would wake her up a bit. It barely helped. Squeezing

her eyes shut and forcing them open, she began the walk back to her

vehicle. “It was a good idea when I left the car to walk this far,” she

mumbled. “But now…I don’t feel like I am going to make it back.”

She wobbled a bit as she fought to find her stride. Ten steps later

and CJ knew there was no way in hell she was going to make it back to

her vehicle. Slumping against a tree, CJ pulled her cell phone out of her

coat and pressed a few buttons. Her normally husky voice was barely

discernable to the person on the other end of the line; and when she

hung up the phone, CJ lost the battle to stay awake.

CJ slowly opened her eyes. The vision was a little hazy; but as

her eyes began to focus, she noticed she was in her own room. Yawn-

ing, she managed to climb out of her bed.

She realized she had on no shoes but otherwise she was fully

dressed. Hushed voices and the smell of chicken reached her nose.

Instead of going toward the voices, she headed for the bathroom where

she splashed cold water on her face.

Feeling better, CJ headed up the hall and found both Ross and

Dezarae in her kitchen. They were speaking softly between one another,

but the friction between them was apparent. “What’s going on?” CJ

asked in a low voice.

Discussion halted as both people looked over at her. Pinned by

both brown and gray eyes, CJ froze. Her own danced between them and

she questioned again, “What’s the matter with the two of you?”

Dezarae stepped toward her after only casting one more glare

toward her husband. “How are you feeling?”

“Okay. A little queasy, but okay,” Chantoya admitted. “Hey,

Ross.” She walked over and kissed her friend on the cheek. “Thanks for

coming to get me.”

Dezarae’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t remember anything? The

hospital?”

116

Aliyah Burke

With a frown, CJ sat down in the chair that Ross pulled out.

“No. I don’t remember anything like that. Why was I at the hospital?”

She closed her eyes. “Am I okay?”

“You were sleeping when we got there, CJ.” Dez sat down be-

side her and put a hand on her arm. Her dark eyes continually roamed

over her friends face. “Your voice was so quiet on the phone; I didn’t

know what was going on. Ross ended up driving me to the park. You

never answered our shouts.”

“Sweetie, calm down,” Ross’s thick drawl broke in.

Dez swallowed and took a deep breath. “You were slumped

over against a tree when we got there, so Ross carried you to the ve-

hicles and he drove to the hospital. You did wake up for a little while,

but then went back to sleep.” Her normally gentle eyes grew hard.

“There was Rohypnol in your system.”

“A rufie?” Chantoya was totally confused. “Are you sure? Who

the hell would want to drug me?”

Ross spoke up. “That’s what we want to know. There was a de-

tective who asked you some questions and you told him the same thing,

you didn’t know. What did you do after work today?” He lowered his

strong frame into a vacant chair.

Shaking her head in amazement and complete mystification, CJ

began tearing up a paper napkin that was on the table. “I finished work

and went to the park. That’s it.” Looking into Ross’s probing gaze, she

reiterated, “I didn’t do anything else.”

His gray eyes narrowed. “Anything seem unusual to you? I

mean aside from that camera.” Ross stood in a quick motion and began

scanning the room they were in. “Have you checked for more cam-

eras?”

CJ felt her heart jump. “I didn’t think Osten had time to plant

more than the one I caught him with.”

“Baby Boy didn’t plant anything. He found it,” Ross immediate-

ly said.

Shoving back from the table, Chantoya couldn’t contain her scoff

of disbelief. “Y’all are friends; of course you’d say that.”

Ross spun around and pinned his eyes on her. “Yes we are

friends, brothers even. Which is why I can say with utmost certainty he

didn’t plant it. If he says he found it, then he found it.”

CJ was a little unnerved by the look on Ross’s face. “Whatever,”

she said, trying to go for nonchalance.

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117

Dezarae stepped in before her husband could say another word.

“Let’s just deal with the issue of how she got drugged.”

Ross nodded, knowing his wife had the right idea. His sharp

gaze watched CJ as she slumped back down in the chair, exhaustion

filling her face. “Perhaps you should get some sleep,” he suggested. He

remained standing by the kitchen entrance. “We can focus on this again

tomorrow.

“I am feeling a bit out of it still.” CJ heaved a huge sigh and got

up again. “Thanks for everything, both of you.” She leaned down and

pressed another kiss to Dez’s cheek.

“I’m staying the night.” Dezarae crossed her arms and dared ei-

ther of them to defy her.

Halting, CJ looked down at her before nodding. “Okay—”

“You go to bed, I know where everything is.” Dez stood and

gently shoved her friend towards her room.

As CJ waved over her shoulder and shuffled back down the hall

to her bed, she caught the fevered whispers between the couple in her

apartment. Dez demanded he keep his mouth shut about the whole

incident to Osten, and Ross obviously disagreed.

She felt her body fading even as she brushed her teeth and

washed her face. CJ groaned in pleasure as she sank into her bed and

pulled the warm comforter over her body. Tomorrow was time enough

to worry about what happened; right now, it was all about the sleep.

The whiskey sour sat untouched on the table. The call to drink it,

to drown his feelings, was strong. Why couldn’t he just let it go? Why?

“Because I was supposed to have had her by now!” he shouted

to the room.

He slammed his hand down on the table. “Damn it, Chantoya.

Why didn’t you go straight home? You always go straight home on

Mondays. What the hell were you thinking? You could have killed

yourself.” A quick movement and he downed his drink at once.

“And that,” he growled in a low tone, “would really upset me.”

He went into his private screening room and watched as CJ

climbed into bed. His eyes moved to another monitor and watched as

the man in the apartment left. So it was just his Chantoya and that other

woman.

118

Aliyah Burke

The desire to go back over there was strong. He had gone, but

when he hadn’t seen her vehicle he just remained in his car. His anger

had erupted when he’d seen her SUV pull in and a man climb out of the

driver’s seat. It was a different man than that bastard she had slept

with.

His anger had evaporated the moment he opened the back door

and assisted her out. Another black woman had come over to help

escort Chantoya inside. That was when it had hit him why she hadn’t

been home. Something had gone wrong with his plan.

A fleeting concern for her wellbeing had crossed his mind. Very

fleeting for he had been driving away before someone decided he didn’t

look like he belonged there.

“Jesus, Ross, she could have died!” Osten hollered as he bent his

fork.

“I know.” Ross agreed.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Osten’s deep voice dropped

to a low, menacing tone.

“We don’t know. All I know is what we were told there was a

trace of Rohypnol in her blood.” Ross took a drink of his water.

Osten’s body was rigid. There was a monster out there who

wanted to hurt his Chantoya. Closing his eyes, he slowly opened them

and Ross saw the relentless face of the SEAL he trusted at his back

during any op.

“Is she okay, Ross?” Behind the deadness of his gaze there sat