The Killing Game (26 page)

“Just a reminder,” Dom said.

“What's wrong? Did you get tired of sending me bones?”

There was a surprised silence. “You're angry.”

“You bet I am.”

“What an interesting development.”

“Did you expect me to sit shivering in the dark, you son of a bitch?”

“I didn't really think about it. As I said, I only meant it to remind you of what was important in your life. I believe you may be forgetting.”

“Important? You?”

“Yes. Right now there's no one more important to you than I am.”

“Screw you.” She hung up.

The phone rang again five minutes later.

She ignored it.

It rang four times more in the next hour.

She didn't answer.

IT WAS AFTER
two in the morning when Joe came
home.

She was still sitting on the couch, holding the doll, when he walked into the living room.

He took one look at the doll and then at her expression. “Shit. What the hell happened?”

“Dom tossed it onto the driveway. Herb didn't tell you?”

He shook his head. “I was wondering why they were both at the gate when I drove in. Did he call?”

“Yes.”

He fell to his knees before her. “Bad?”

“The bastard's always bad. It's what he does.” Her voice was shaking. “He thought I wasn't paying enough attention to him. He wanted to remind me that he was still around.”

Joe gently stroked her hair back from her face. “You could hardly forget.”

“That isn't enough for him. He wants to dominate my life. He wants to
be
my life.” She looked down at the doll. “He tossed this ugliness at me so I'd remember Bonnie and Jane and all those other—”

“Shh.”

“Don't shush me. I won't have it.” She jumped to her feet. “You're treating me like the victim he wants me to be. I won't be a victim. I won't let him run my life.”

“Easy.” He rose to his feet. “I'm not the enemy here, Eve.”

“I know.” She took a step closer and buried her head in his shoulder. “Hold me.”

He carefully slid his arms around her.

“No, dammit.” She pressed against him. “
Hold
me.”

He went still. “Are we talking about what I think we are?”

“I won't think of him. I won't think of death. That's what he wants me to do. I want to
live
.”

“And you're equating sex with life?”

“Aren't they the same thing? If not, I don't know what the hell all the shouting is about.”

“Sex can be a big part of life.”

“I won't let him do this to me. I'm not going to sit around and wait for him to come knocking on the door or dictate to me. I'll do what I damn well please.”

“Your declaration of tenderness is amazing.”

“Do you think I don't know it's not fair to you? But you want it. You told me you wanted it. Have you changed your mind?”

“Hell, no.” His lips firmed. “But this isn't what I had in mind.”

“It's not what I had in mind either. But I won't have him—” Christ, what was she doing? This was
Joe
. Where were all her good intentions? Tears were suddenly running down her cheeks. “I'm sorry. Forget it. I don't know what I was thinking. Hell, I wasn't thinking. I was only feeling. Try to forgive me. I must have gone a little crazy. He made me so damn—”

The digital phone rang.

“Don't answer it. It's him. I hung up on him and he keeps calling back.”

“Turn off the phone.”

“Then he'd know he's won.”

“Are you sure it's him?”

“It's Dom. I upset him. He wasn't getting what he wanted from me.” She picked up the ringing phone and stuffed it in her purse. “He expected more of a payoff from that doll. You might as well give it to Spiro,” she said, handing it to him. “See if he can get anything from it or trace it.”

“I'll do that.” His gaze narrowed on her face. “Are you okay?”

“Other than going temporarily insane, I'm in great shape,” she said jerkily. She turned on her heel. “I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning.”

“Yes.”

The phone had stopped ringing by the time she had showered and gotten into bed. Maybe he'd given up. Thank God he didn't know the damage he'd almost done. No, that
she'd
almost done. She had to accept responsibility for her own actions. Anger and frustration were only excuses.

She reached over and turned out the light.

“You shouldn't have done that. I wanted to see you.”

Joe was standing in the doorway, a dark figure silhouetted by the light in the hall.

An unmistakably naked figure.

“No,” she whispered.

“Too late.” He came toward her. “I've been invited.”

“I told you I'd made a mistake. I said I was sorry.”

“I'm not. You caught me off guard down there and hurt my ego. But once I had time to sort things out, I realized that opportunity was knocking.”

“I didn't want to hurt your ego,” she said unevenly. “I don't want to hurt you at all, Joe. That's why this can't happen.”

“You want it to happen.”

“No.”

“Dom may have triggered it, but it must have been on your mind or it wouldn't have occurred to you.”

“Of course I've been thinking about it. You made sure of that. I'm human, dammit.”

“And I mean to make the most of it. It's been a night of revelations. You actually said you wanted to live. That's the first time I've ever heard you say that.” He lifted the blanket. “Scoot over. I'm coming in.”

His naked thigh touched hers.

She moved over. “It's a mistake, Joe.”

His hand covered her breast. “Never.”

She couldn't breathe. “Please.”

His hand was between her thighs. “Do you know I've never really kissed you?”

She arched upward as his thumb found her. “You're not kissing me now.”

“I'll get around to it. I'll get around to everyth— My God, you're ready for me. I thought I'd have to—”

Her digital phone rang.

Joe muttered a curse.

She whispered, “Turn it off.”

He started to get off the bed and then stopped. “No.” He moved back over her. “I promise you won't hear it soon.”

She cried out as he plunged deep within her.

The phone was ringing.

He moved fast, hard.

The phone . . .

He lifted her, crushing her to him as he moved deeper, faster.

Was the phone still ringing?

She no longer heard anything but the beat of his heart against her ear.

“
WHY DIDN
'
T YOU
turn off the phone?” she asked drowsily.

“Why do you think?” He kissed her breast. “I was busy. Maybe I didn't want to take the time.”

“Tell me.”

“Ego. I wanted to be more important to you than Dom. I wanted to beat him.” He kissed her nose. “You hurt my feelings a little.”

“Not enough to stop you.”

“It would have taken a major catastrophe to stop me. Dom doesn't qualify.”

“He qualifies.”

“He didn't win, did he? Therefore, he's out of the running.”

For the time being.

“Stop thinking about him.” He reached over, turned on the light, and switched off her phone. “I want to look at you.”

She was blushing. “For heaven's sake, give me a blanket, Joe.”

He shook his head. “I've wanted to see you like this for too long. Let me have my kicks.”

Not when she felt as if she were melting wherever he looked at her. “Turn off the light. Please.”

“Not until—” He saw her expression and turned off the light. “Maybe later?”

“Maybe.”

“I forgot you're not all that experienced in this sport.” He pulled her closer. “But you liked it? You like me?”

She didn't speak.

He was silent a moment. “After ten years I think I deserve the words.”

Ten years. She felt tears sting her eyes. “If I weren't afraid you'd be completely impossible, I'd tell you that you were pretty good.”

“
Pretty
good?”

“Very good.”

“More.”

“A stud, a stallion. Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves, and Casanova rolled into one. I don't know why Diane ever let you go.”

“She was a smart lady. She knew she deserved more than I could give her. It was a mistake from the beginning.”

She raised herself on one elbow to look down at him. “Why did you marry her, Joe?”

“It will scare you if I tell you.”

“The hell it will.”

Silence.

“Why, Joe?”

“For you. I married her for you.”

“What?”

“You were too isolated. I thought you needed a friend of your own sex.”

“You're kidding.”

“I told you it would scare you.”

“Men don't get married to provide—”

“I did,” he said simply.

She stared at him.

“You were my center. Everything revolved around you. It was a time in my life when I'd almost given up hope of being anything else to you. I thought I'd chosen someone who could give you the companionship you needed. Diane liked the nice things I could give her, and I honestly tried to make a go of our marriage.” He shrugged. “It didn't turn out the way I hoped.”

“That
is
scary.”

“Obsessions always are.” He put his finger on her lower lip. “As you should know, my love.”

She stiffened.

“Love,” he deliberately repeated. “Get used to it.”

“I don't have to get used to anything.”

“No, but you might as well. It will be more comfortable for both of us.” He paused. “Don't be afraid to love me, Eve. I'm not a helpless child who can be taken from you. I'm tough and mean enough to survive for another fifty years or so.”

“I'm not afraid.”

“The hell you're not.” He lowered his head, his lips barely touching her own. “But that's okay. You don't have to say you love me. I can wait.”

“I don't love you. Not the way you want me to love you.”

“I think you do.” His lips moved back and forth in a gossamer caress. “But if you don't, that's okay too.”

“It's not okay. It's all wrong. I'm damaged. No one should know that better than you. You should have someone who—”

“
You're
damaged? I'm the one who's been obsessed for the last ten years.”

“It's not the same. I can't—”

“Shh.” He moved over her again. “Don't think. Don't analyze. Let everything fall into place. Enjoy . . .”

HE WAS GONE
when she woke.

Emptiness.

Loneliness.

It was stupid. She was acting as if she'd never slept with a man before. Sex, pleasure, departure—it was the way she liked her relationships. No lingering that might interfere with her work.

“Time to get up.” Joe opened the door and came toward the bed.

“It's almost noon. I called Charlie and he's on his way back from Azora. He has the photograph.”

She sat upright. “Are you sure I'll be able to see it?”

“You can ask Spiro yourself. He's on his way here.”

“Why?”

“To pick up the doll.”

Of course. “You called him this morning?”

“As soon as I got up. I told the security guys to let him in.” He went to the closet. “Hit the shower. I'll get your clothes. What do you want to wear?”

“Anything. Jeans . . . a shirt.” She ran into the bathroom and got in the shower. Joe could not have been more cool or businesslike. It was as if last night had never happened. Not that she objected. She would have felt awkward if he'd been any other way. Last night had been too—She shook her head. She didn't want to remember how erotic those hours with Joe had been.

“Come on. You need to eat before Spiro gets here.” It was Joe standing outside the glass shower door. “Hurry.”

“I
am
hurrying.”

She opened the door, and he enveloped her in a huge bath towel and started patting her dry.

She reached for the towel. “For God's sake, I can do that.”

His gaze dropped to her breasts. “I'm enjoying it.”

Enjoy.

She felt heat move through her.

“I brought that blue plaid shirt. I like you in blue. Is that okay?”

“I guess so.” She should stop him. The lazy movement of his hands beneath the soft towel was incredibly arousing. For some crazy reason the act seemed as intimate as sex. She moistened her lips. “You never told me you liked blue.”

“I never told you a lot of things.” He bent his head and kissed the hollow of her shoulder. “But I mean to make up for lost time. Want to go back to bed and hear the story of my life?”

Yes, she wanted to go back to bed. “If you promise to tell it. I've never had much luck in getting you to confide in me.”

He chuckled. “You wouldn't this time either. We don't have any time.” He stepped back and handed her the towel. “Get dressed. I'll wait outside for you.”

“Now you tell me to get dressed. Why the hell did you come busting in here and make me—”

“I wanted to make sure you knew I wasn't going to let you make me a one-night stand.” He smiled. “You're not going to be able to focus on me for a little while, but I'm going to be around every minute of your day. Don't forget it.”

She stared at the door as it closed behind him. How was she supposed to focus on anything else
but
him? He had brought sensuality back into her life.

She was acting like some nympho. She would not be controlled by either her body or Joe Quinn. She could forget everything but what was important. It would just take will and determination.

She tossed aside the towel and began to dress.

JOE WAS SITTING
in the chair beside the bed when she came out of the bathroom. His gaze searched her face and he slowly nodded. “I was expecting that reaction. No problem.” He got to his feet. “Let's go down and get you some breakfast.”

She had been girded for battle, and it was frustrating to have him sidestep before she could even say a word. “I'm not hungry.”

“Okay, then you can watch me eat.” He held out his hand and she realized he was holding her digital phone. “But first turn your phone back on. Dom may call and you'll need to talk to him.”

Her gaze flew to his face.

“It's time to face him again,” he said quietly. “Yes, I want to protect you, but I can't protect you from someone I can't see. We have to bring him out into the open.”