Why Me…: The Last Words Series Book 1 Page 6

  “No, I haven’t dated anyone since Thomas. That was enough trauma for one lifetime, thank you. Now I ride solo. Well, I guess Alice is my copilot in life. She’s all I have. I do what I can to sell an article here and there, maybe a story or two. But I find the magazines keep me busier than anyone.”

  “Yeah, but I hear they don’t pay much.” Things seemed good, but he had a feeling she needed more.

  “It’s enough. I stay busy, and I like my life.” She seemed like she was trying to convince him, but he was pretty sure she was just trying to convince herself.

  “I think you’re a wonderful writer.” He wasn’t going to say otherwise. It would do him no good. And it was mostly true if he didn’t criticize her choices.

  She got a look on her face as if she had just been caught in a lie. “You’ve read the article, haven’t you?”

  Ethan could tell she wasn’t proud of it by her posture. “The one about Starr, yes. Actually, I have. My friend showed it to me.”

  “Oh. I’m surprised you still came to dinner.” She raked her hand through her long brown hair and let it fall off of her shoulder.

  “It wasn’t that bad. If it was the truth.”

  She closed her eyes as if she were ashamed of it. “It was mostly truthful, but some things and situations were overly embellished, which wasn’t my idea at all. When I turned the piece in, my editors and the publisher hacked it into pieces. They made everything and everyone seem ten times worse. Thomas has never forgiven me. He thinks I’ve done it to get back at him for cheating.”

  “You didn’t, though?” He hated to even ask. “I have to admit that the article didn’t do him any favors.”

  “I was upset and pissed off, but I wouldn’t do that to Starr. She didn’t deserve that, you know. And my publisher used me too. I didn’t realize they would hack the story up like that. I thought I was giving her a sense of humanity. So much had already been stripped away with all of the speculations around her disappearance. But it just got worse. And I can’t shuck the blame. I should have kept my mouth shut.”

  “Well, at least you own up to it. But I get it. Just make sure that doesn’t happen with this case. And the way to do that is to keep it close to your vest.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ve already learned my lesson about showing all of my cards. Does this mean I’m in?”

  “Yeah, you’re in. Just don’t make me regret it. We’ll start with Roald Collier and figure out what, if any, connection exists between what happened with Starr and what happened to Cassie. I can’t help but wonder who is missing the little blue-eyed beauty. If she wasn’t famous before, she’s about to be.”

  Chapter 8

  Thomas

  Seeing Sarah again had put him in a bad mood for the rest of the day, but Thomas was eager to get his head back in the game. He dialed the number from his contacts and waited for an answer, hoping he wasn’t trying in vain.

  “Hello, Thomas. It’s good to know you’re still breathing.” He had missed her sultry voice, that syrupy tone that hung on the tip of her tongue like dripping honey.

  “Lana Foster. You still sound just as sexy as always.” Her voice had turned him on so much, and it was no surprise he had gotten hard just hearing it.

  “And you’re just as charming as always. As charming as the devil, I’ve always said.” Her tone had gone flat. “What is it this time? Do you need another heart to break?”

  “I’m sorry things got away from us. But you know I haven’t stopped thinking about you a single day since we last spoke.” She couldn’t beat him up too much. A missing sister did wonders where excuses were needed.

  “You could have fooled me. Last thought I had of you, I figured that little mousy fiancée of yours must have done you in.”

  Thomas tried to control his anger, but Lana had always known how to push all of his buttons. “Funny that you, of all people, would bother reading anything she had written.”

  She gave a soft laugh. “Well, it was too tempting to pass up. It’s not every day that I get to read something from a bitter hag about the man I stole from her.”

  “Well, even though we lost touch, I still know I made the right decision.” Telling her otherwise wouldn’t do him any favors.

  “You always did know how to sweet-talk me. What do you want from me, Thomas? There’s no need to work so hard. You know I like to give you what you want.”

  “I want to see you.”

  “Is this official business, Officer, or do you just want to frisk me for fun?”

  Thomas chuckled. “Fun. Lots of it. I miss you. I miss us.”

  “Well, I don’t know what to say to all that.”

  “Say yes, unless something or someone is holding you back. Or down.”

  “Hardly.” She was the kind of woman who wouldn’t let anything stop her from getting what she wanted.

  “So, what are you up to these days?” he asked, knowing the answer. “Same old?”

  Lana had been hired into Roald Collier’s company and was responsible for taking care of his girls. It was her job to keep them in line and get them to work.

  She let out a sigh. “Yes, it’s the same old for me. I’m still working for Roald, like always. And he’s still good to me, like always.”

  “I bet he is.” He had often wondered just what kind of relationship she had with the older man. He had a feeling she had given him whatever he wanted to get to the position she was in at his company.

  “Hey, I’m not sleeping with him, if that’s what you mean.” Her offended tone was clear.

  “That’s good to hear.”

  She giggled. “Why is that? Because you want to sleep with me?”

  “You know I do.”

  “Me and Roald, we’re just friends. He’s a good boss. I owe him a lot. I’ll always be faithful. You know that.”

  It wasn’t a secret that she would do anything for the man, as much as it wasn’t news to her that things hadn’t been good between Thomas and Roald Collier since Starr’s disappearance and never would be. “Yeah, well,” he said. “I won’t pick at those old wounds if you won’t. But I really hoped we’d be able to get together.”

  “When?”

  “Now? I know a nice little place with a great view. We won’t even need a reservation.” He held his breath and hoped he’d convinced her.

  “You want me to come running to you now?” She had never been a woman who did anything she didn’t want to.

  He figured he had to sweeten the deal. “Yes. I want to buy you dinner.”

  “Should I tell the guard to expect me back?”

  “Does that mean you want to spend the night with me?”

  “Maybe. I’ve missed you too.”

  It had been a while since they had stayed together, and Lana always expected breakfast. “Yeah, I’d like that. I’ll see you in thirty outside of Tula’s?”

  “Make it an hour, and don’t be late.” She ended the call, and Thomas smiled, knowing that soon, he’d have her right where he wanted her.

  The hour went by quickly, with him getting ready and driving across town. He didn’t know where they would end up, but there were plenty of hotels in the city to choose from, and as long as it had a clean bed, they’d have everything they needed.

  She showed up a tight dress that showed off her cleavage, and while he appreciated it on her, he had always hated it when his sister wore the same kind. He couldn’t forget Lana’s influence on her, and she didn’t make it any easier to forget everything that happened.

  “You look sexy,” he whispered in her ear as he gave her a hug.

  She pulled away and smoothed back her long blonde hair. “Already with the sweet-talking. You know you don’t have to do all of that flattering with me.”

  “Well, I didn’t expect you to show up here looking like that. You make me want to skip dinner and go right for dessert.”

  “That sounds like a much better plan to me,” she said, running her hand down his chest. “Tula’s is overrated anyway, and t
he Palace has much better food. You know how much I love room service.”

  “Mhm. You know, I heard they have even better breakfast.” Thomas took her hand and walked her to his car.

  Lana didn’t waste any time getting in. She did a bump of coke off her fist and wiped her nose. “You know, I’ve been hoping you’d call me.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. I was wondering what happened to you. You should have kept in touch, you know. I wanted to be there for you.” She reached over and played with his hair.

  He wasn’t interested in her charity. If she cared that much about what he’d gone through, she could have reached out at any time. But he wasn’t about to kill the mood with a fight. Lana was good for one thing, and soon, she’d be good for two.

  “Do you have any more of that?” he asked, glancing her way.

  “Maybe.” She took the vial out of her bag and put some on the back of her hand for him. “Here. Why wait to get started?”

  He knew she was feeling him out. He was a cop, after all. He gestured for her to bring her hand closer and quickly made it disappear with one deep inhale.

  He felt the rush of adrenaline and gripped the wheel as she rubbed her hand up to his thigh.

  “Do you think you could get me some?” His using drugs was only a way to persuade her to get him what he really wanted.

  “You know I can. Don’t tell me you’ve developed a bad habit.”

  “No, I just like to loosen up a bit. God knows what I’ve been through, and I could use a little pick-me-up now and then.”

  “I see. Well, in that case, I guess I could hook you up.”

  “I can get you some money before we split.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Stick with me for a while, and I can get you what you need. I’ve got my own private candy dispenser, so to speak.” She beamed with confidence, and he had to admit, it was sexy as hell to see a woman like that.

  “Must be nice living that kind of life.” He got a faraway look in his eyes and stared out at the highway. It was the kind of life his sister had wanted and strived for.

  Lana leaned in close and brushed her hand higher across his thigh before stroking his erection through his pants. “What’s really on your mind, Thomas?”

  “I was thinking about what you said when you gave me a taste.”

  “Oh yeah? What was that?”

  “Why wait to get started?” he whispered as she kissed him.

  Lana rubbed her hand against him until she was cupping his fully erect cock through his pants. She giggled and reached for his zipper, which he was more than happy to assist with.

  Before he knew it, she had her mouth on his cock. Her tongue teased his head as she wrapped her lips around it.

  Thomas kept his eyes on the road as he focused on the pleasure and let his hand roam down her body.

  She turned in her seat to give him access, and he found his way up her skirt and between her legs where the lace of her panties didn’t stop him from finding his destination.

  Lana was already wet and wanting, and he entered her, stroking her walls with two fingers.

  She moaned out, vibrating her tongue against his shaft, which had him trying hard not to ruin the moment.

  She continued to work him with her wet, warm tongue, and once she found her rhythm, he felt his cock slowly inching deeper down her throat.

  Lana’s gag reflex only added to the sensation as she pushed her limits, never coming up for air. And like a champ, she kept on until she succeeded in reaching her goal.

  He unloaded in her mouth, splashing the very back of her tongue, and she swallowed with a gulp and continued to lick and suck, squeezing his balls until every drop was gone.

  She sat back, satisfied with herself, and Thomas knew she had to feel a sense of power. She was just that kind of woman.

  “I hope you saved some for later,” she said, wiping a finger across her bottom lip.

  “Don’t you know me at all?” He had enough in him for hours, and when she laid her head on his shoulder, he knew he had her right where he wanted her.

  “Do you still get your shit from that guy? What was his name? The guy with the scar across his eyebrow?”

  “Max? Yeah. You remember him.”

  “That’s right. Damn, I can’t believe I forgot his name. It’s been too long. And so much has happened.”

  “Yeah. It really has.”

  “Does he still hang around?”

  “Not as much as he used to, but he still does when we need something. Why? You’re not asking as a cop, are you?”

  He chuckled. “No. I swear, woman, you know me better.”

  “Yeah, probably better than anyone. Or at least, I used to. You used to tell me all of your secrets. I sometimes wonder what happened to us. In a different world, we probably would have been married or something. Had a house in the country with a bunch of pretty kids.”

  “That’s not who we are, Lana. I’m okay with that. What about you?”

  “You know I’m good. Besides, I know how screwed up your head can get when you’re engaged. I can’t imagine what would have happened if you had gotten married.”

  As Thomas pulled into the hotel parking lot, he knew it was time to change the subject. “Do you have more coke?” He was going to need another bump if he was going to get through the night.

  Chapter 9

  Ethan

  Even though Ethan was glad to look into the case as a favor, he couldn’t help but think it was strange to end up in the middle of a new investigation.

  It was almost as if fate had brought him to the right place and the right time—and one step closer to finding out what happened to his fiancée.

  But as amazing as it seemed, he couldn’t help but think it was a bit too coincidental, as fate had never been on his side before. And as much as he wanted to dive in and focus on Katherine, he had to deal with the evidence at hand and figure out why someone would want Carrie Ryan murdered.

  That was what brought him to see the audio-visual specialists at TownShip, which was one of the biggest special-effects studios in the city. As he waited downstairs in the lobby for Sarah to show up, he checked his watch for the time and let out a sigh seeing she was already ten minutes late.

  Two young men approached, both wearing skinnies and gaming T-shirts. One had a beard and the other long, black hair that fell shaggy in his face. “Agent Charles?” the one with the beard said.

  “Yes. I’m sorry, but it seems my assistant hasn’t shown up yet.” He offered his hand.

  The bearded guy shook first. “Thad Townsend.”

  “Clutch Blankenship,” said the long-haired one, whose handshake was much tighter. “Don’t worry about your friend. I can have Misty tell us when she arrives.”

  Ethan was fine with that and hoped that working with Sarah wasn’t already proving to be a mistake. “I suppose I shouldn’t waste any of your time.”

  “Nah, don’t sweat it,” said Clutch with a voice like a surfer. “We’re really laidback here. It’s no bother at all. Do you want something to drink?”

  Ethan looked around at the people who worked there, and not one of them was wearing a suit, and the only one wearing a suit coat had no shirt under it and a loose tie around his neck. “No, I’m good, thanks.”

  They walked to the escalator of the sprawling two-story, and he did his best to keep up with the energetic young men.

  They brought him to a table in a room with a loud mural painted on the wall and glass acrylic furniture that looked way out of date but were probably brand new.

  Clutch put his hands up behind his head and stretched. “We can’t wait to look at that video you mentioned.”

  “It’s a bit hard to watch,” warned Ethan.

  “Oh?” Thad glanced at his friend, and they didn’t seem to take it that seriously.

  Ethan wasn’t going to persist with the warning. He needed their help, so they would have to see it anyway. It wasn’t like half of the internet hadn’t seen it al
ready. “You’ll see. I apologize in advance and warn you. It’s a very graphic murder.”

  “Dude, is it the one where that chick gets shot in the face?” asked Clutch, looking horrified.

  “Yes. I mean, I assume it’s the same one. Let’s hope.”

  Clutch snapped his fingers and gave his friend a nudge. “Damn, I was telling Thad about it earlier. It’s sick what people find entertaining. I wondered if the police would be on it.”

  Thad seemed to agree with his enthusiasm. “We usually don’t have people bring us stuff like this, but we’ll do anything to help.” He worked on the computer and prepared to transfer the clip to the program they were using.

  “I appreciate it. I just need to double-check that this hasn’t been tampered with.”

  Thad nodded. “We should be able to tell you that.”

  “What about the audio? Is there any way to single out and extract something if I need it clearer?” He had heard of it done before but needed to know if they had the capabilities.

  “Oh, sure. Is there anything in particular you want us to find?” Thad made it sound like a breeze. He seemed to be the more mature of the two if one of them had to claim the title.

  “Background noises. Another voice. Anything that seems interesting.”

  “We can peel back the layers,” said Clutch, who barely moved his lips when he talked. He was so laidback, Ethan had to wonder if he was self-medicating or just that comfortable with the world.

  Once he got it uploaded, Thad played the video. Ethan kept his eyes on them and waited as they went through the proper emotions for what they’d witnessed. He was surprised to see that Clutch was capable of showing a reaction. And the look on the young man’s face showed he had a lot of compassion for mankind.

  “It’s not fake.” Clutch was already certain, looking like he wanted to throw up. “I have an eye for these things. And that is the one I was talking about. The other clip was much shorter. I told him we needed to check it out.”

  Thad closed his eyes and shook his head as if he could shake it off. “Yeah, I got us sidetracked. He’s right, though. It’s not fake. And it’s not tampered with, or it doesn’t seem to be.”