(Dream Man 03) Law Man (17 page)

I felt myself moving and then I was in Mitch’s arms. I wound mine around his neck, pressed my face in his throat and sobbed silently against his skin as he carried me through my apartment. I vaguely heard the police tape tearing off the doorframe and we were in the breezeway. Then we were in Mitch’s apartment.

“Oh fuck,” I heard Bray whisper. “That doesn’t look like it went too well.”

I didn’t lift my head and Mitch didn’t pause in walking as I heard him issue orders.

“Go get LaTanya,” Mitch said to Bray. “Mara’ll need stuff for a while. Tell her she needs to be careful about what she touches; she only touches what she’s bringin’ over. Nothin’ else. Can you do that for Mara?”

“Absolutely,” Bradon replied.

Then Mitch was moving funny and I vaguely noticed he was no longer standing but sitting. I was folded in his lap, his arms tight around me. This didn’t register except that I burrowed deeper and held on tighter, pressing my face hard into his neck.

One of his hands started stroking my back. I felt his head tilt down and his lips at my ear.

“It’s okay, baby, everything’s gonna be okay,” he whispered there.

“I wah… worked so hard,” I stammered back.

“I know,” Mitch replied gently.

“I wah… worked so hard to be eh… eh… everything they weren’t. To have duh… decent things around me,” I stuttered into his skin. “Wah… wah… why do they hate me so much? What did I ever do to them except bah… bah… breathe?”

Mitch didn’t respond but he kept his head tilted to me, I could feel his cheek pressed against my hair and I felt his hand moving, warm and soothing on my back. After a while it penetrated that this felt nice and when it did, my tears started to subside.

Mitch heard it and repeated, “Everything’s gonna be okay, Mara.”

I nodded against his neck not believing him for a second.

In a cautious voice, he asked, “Do you have renter’s insurance?”

I blinked at his neck. Then I pulled my face out of it, his head came up and my watery eyes went to his.

“Pardon?”

“Renter’s insurance, baby, do you have it?”

Oh my God! I did! I totally did! I had maximum protection! The insurance guy was in fits of ecstasy when I signed on the dotted line. He said no one opted for my policy. He even told me that although it went against the grain, he advised I didn’t need that much protection. I didn’t care. It was my experience if something bad could happen, it would and I was always planning for that day.

And that day had come.

Relief swept through me so strong, I pulled back from Mitch but only so I could do the exact same thing I did the night before. I placed a hand on either side of his handsome head and pulled his face to me as I leaned and kissed him hard and quick on his mouth.

Then I yanked back and threw both my arms up in the air, smiling big and saying loudly, “I do! I have maximum protection!” I dropped my arms, wrapped my hands around his neck and bent my forehead to touch his, closing my eyes hard and I breathed, “Thank God. I forgot. Thank
God.
” I opened my eyes and looked into his. “I’m covered. We’re covered. Thank
God!
”

I watched close up as his fathomless, dark brown eyes smiled. Then I felt close up as his attractive deep voice rumbled, “That’s good, honey.”

Then I realized I was in Detective Mitch Lawson’s lap, my hands curled around his neck and not only had I just kissed him (again), I had my forehead on his.

I jerked back and one second later I found myself on my back in what was a bed,
Mitch’s
bed, and Mitch’s torso was pinning me to it.

Oh boy.

“Mitch,” I breathed, staring up at him with what I knew were wide eyes.

“You’re on a wicked roller coaster ride, sweetheart, I get that, it sucks and I’m sorry. But I saw it comin’ over you, you were about to close down on me and I’m tellin’ you I’m not gonna let you do that. Not after what you just saw and not after how you reacted and especially not how you came right outta that cocoon and gave me you. For ten minutes I had the real Mara in my arms, her light shining unfiltered all around me. I liked it and I’m not givin’ it back so don’t fuckin’ think you can take it from me.”

My heart started beating double time and I whispered, “Mitch, I can’t –”

“You can, I know you can because you just did,” he cut me off, lifted his hand to frame one side of my face, his thumb sweeping across the wetness still on my cheek. “I do not want to freak you more than you’re freaked and I’ll preface this by sayin’ that whatever is goin’ down I’m in this for the long haul, for you, for those kids, you have my promise on that, sweetheart. But my guess is it wasn’t the Trailer Trash Twins who did that to your place.”

I gasped at this news and he kept talking.

“Someone was lookin’ for somethin’, Mara, somethin’ they want really badly. That wasn’t vandalism. That was desperation.”

And that was when my heart stopped beating double time because it stopped beating altogether.

Finally I forced out a, “What?”

Mitch didn’t repeat himself. Instead he stated, “Seems I’m gonna have to start diggin’ a little deeper into your cousin Bill.”

Oh no. Oh shit. Oh no!

“Was that…” I swallowed, “was that the Russian mob?”

He shook his head. “The Russian mob don’t act desperate. I don’t know what that was and I don’t know who but I’m gonna find out.”

Oh boy. The way he said that made me believe he was going to do it and stop at nothing in order
to
do it.

“Mitch –”

He kept talking over me. “And while I do that, Mara, I’m keepin’ you safe. I’m keepin’ those kids safe and you don’t have a choice in that, sweetheart. That’s just the way it’s gonna be.”

Oh boy.
The way he said
that
made me believe he was going to do it and stop at nothing to do it.

“I think –” I started.

“No thinking. No discussion. Nothing. Mara, I told you that’s the way it’s gonna be, I mean
that’s the way it’s gonna be.
”

He stared down at me. I stared up at him. Then I closed my eyes tight and saw flashes of the destruction of my apartment so I opened them fast.

Then I asked quietly, “Do you think we’re, um… unsafe?”

“I don’t give a fuck if you are or you aren’t. You’re gonna be,” he promised.

I stared up at him. He stared down at me.

Then I made a decision because it wasn’t just me I had to protect from the forces outside I had no control over. Forces that could do that to my home which meant they might be forces that could do worse things, such as hurt Billy, Billie or me. And I couldn’t put me protecting myself against all things Detective Mitch Lawson before the safety of Billy and Billie.

So before I could chicken out, I whispered, “Okay.”

Mitch stared down at me. Then his eyes roamed my face while his thumb did another sweep of my cheek.

When they captured mine, they were warm, a whoosh swooped through my belly and he whispered back, “Okay.”

Chapter Thirteen

Scawed

Something made me open my eyes; I stared into the dark and was instantly disoriented. This was because I didn’t know where I was.

Then I remembered.

My mind reeled back to LaTanya and Bradon, with the addition of Brent
and
Derek, all coming over with some of my clothes, makeup and toiletries, doing the best they could with the hand they were dealt. Mitch, by this time, wisely had started plying me with wine. LaTanya, Derek and Brent gave me hugs and hung out for a glass of wine and to ascertain I wasn’t going to have a nervous breakdown. Then Mitch talked me into getting ready for bed at the same time declaring in Mitch Firm Voice that I was sleeping in his while he slept on the couch. The very thought of this freaked me out though I tried not to let it show and I did this by arguing feebly with him.

My arguments were weak because I’d witnessed the devastation of my apartment, sobbed in his arms and agreed to temporarily move in with the man I was secretly in love with at the same time trying to get out of my life and I’d had two glasses of wine. I was in no shape for anything but bed. Even arguing with Mitch which I had proven I could do even exhausted. And anyway, I rarely won an argument with Mitch so what was the point further exhausting myself by going whole hog?

Not to mention the fact that LaTanya and Derek, Bray and Brent were watching Mitch and my byplay with undisguised fascination. This, of course, freaked me out more.

So I gave in and went to Mitch’s master bath, did my before sleep prep of face cleansing, teeth brushing and moisturizing and then I went to Mitch’s room, sucked in a calming breath and crawled into his huge, very cool bed.

Mitch’s bedroom was much like his living room and, after perusal, the rest of his apartment which included kickass stools around his bar and an absolutely gorgeous and utterly unique wood and steel dining room table. His bedroom furniture was made of wood so dark it was nearly black; it was handsome, heavy and fabulous. He had a tall bureau and a midnight blue club chair with ottoman in front of it, floor lamp and table at the side all in the corner of his bedroom that screamed at you to curl up, relax for long hours and read.

His bed was the best part about the room. A sleigh bed with rolled footboard and high, rolled headboard it had wine-colored sheets and a fluffy comforter covered in stripes that had a background of a mushroom with multi-width lines of wine, midnight blue, forest green, black and warm brown.

The whole bed was awesome (though, he really needed the Spring Deluxe, his mattresses were okay but they weren’t Spring Deluxe). In fact, the whole apartment was awesome.

If I didn’t know Mitch I would think firstly, he was on the take and secondly, he was gay.

But I didn’t reckon gay guys kissed women like that and I couldn’t imagine that Mitch was on the take.

As I lay in his bed in the dark in the middle of the night, I tensed because I felt, weirdly, something was not right

I stayed quiet and still and listened. Then I went solid as the door to Mitch’s bedroom opened.

Shit!

“Mara?” It was Mitch.

I moved, pushing up to sitting and twisted toward the light. I turned it on and Mitch was standing in the doorway, Billie held to his chest, her little girl arms wrapped tight around his neck, her little girl legs wrapped tight around his waist and she was visibly trembling.

My eyes moved to Mitch. “What’s the matter? Is she sick?”

Mitch moved into the room. “Nope. Scared,” he answered, walked to the bed and sat on its edge, arranging Billie in his lap but I watched with troubled eyes as she fought this, it seemed, because it threatened to disconnect her hold on Mitch and she only settled when he did. Then his eyes captured mine. “Not a little, Mara. A lot,” he said quietly.

He didn’t have to tell me that. I saw it and it was freaking me out.

“Baby,” I whispered to Billie, scooting across the bed toward them. When I got close, I did what I could to wind my body around Mitch’s and Billie’s, lifted my hand and stroked her back. I dipped my head to hers. “What’s the matter, sweetie?”

“I’m scawed,” she whispered, not pronouncing her “r” which was something she’d done when she was little but conquered more recently.

“What are you scared of, honey?” Mitch asked gently.

Billie didn’t answer, she just burrowed deeper into him and I saw his arms grow tighter.

“Billie, honey, I’m here, your Auntie Mara’s here, we’re right here. You’re safe. What are you scared of?” Mitch whispered.

“Bad man coming to get Daddy, coming to get Billy, coming to get me,” Billie replied, her voice trembling.

I tipped my head back and my eyes sought Mitch’s only to see his eyes were already on me.

“What bad man, Billie?” I asked my cousin, my eyes not leaving Mitch.

“Bad man that’s after Daddy,” she answered, her voice small and still trembling.

Crap.

I mouthed, “Russian mob?” to Mitch and he shook his head, not in the negative, in an “I don’t know.”

Mitch hitched her up higher and tighter and her arms tensed so she wouldn’t lose purchase. I bit my lip because she was so scared, I could see it and feel it.

Then Mitch said, “No bad man is going to hurt you or Bud, okay? You’re safe here, Billie. Your Aunt Mara and I are gonna look out for you. Yeah?”

“Why aren’t we at Auntie Mara’s?” she asked and I looked back at her.

“You’re having a sleepover with me,” Mitch semi-lied.

“It’s not because the bad man is over there?” she asked.

“No bad man is over there, Billie,” Mitch whispered. “You and your brother and aunt are just stayin’ with me for awhile.”

“But I left my teddy over there. I can’t sleep without my teddy,” she stated.

“Tomorrow, we’ll get your teddy. He’ll be here after you get home from school,” Mitch assured her and I hoped Target had a steady supply.

“Okay,” she whispered and burrowed closer.

Mitch held her close and I stroked her back for awhile. When she seemed to start relaxing, I said gently, “All right, baby, let’s get you back to bed and I’ll stay there with you. Will that make you feel better?”

“Can I sleep in here with you and Mitch?” Billie asked in a small, needy voice.

Me and Mitch?

My eyes shot back to his face but his neck was bent to talk to Billie.

“How about you sleep in here with your aunt?” he asked which caused an instant response from Billie, her arms tightened, her back arched to get maximum contact with Mitch’s powerful frame and her voice rose when she spoke again.

“You’re bigger!”

“Honey,” Mitch muttered.

“I wanna sleep in here with you and Auntie Mara!” she cried out against his skin.

“Billie, baby, you’re safe in here with your aunt and I’ll be right out –” Mitch started, his voice soothing but Billie was having none of it.

“You’re bigger! The bad man will be scared of you!”

Oh crap. What did I do with this? She couldn’t sleep with Mitch and I couldn’t sleep with Mitch.

Mitch lifted his head to look at me.

I moved closer to Billie. “Okay, sweetie, listen to me. You can stay here with me and Mitch’ll be right out in the living –”

Suddenly and violently, she twisted.

Her hand coming out and latching onto my hair, tugging so hard it hurt and her face was red and mottled when she screamed at me, “
The bad man is coming to get me! Me and Billy!
The bad man will be scawed of Mitch! He’ll be scawed! He’ll be scawed
of Mitch!
”

Good God.

In the face of her little girl terror, I gave in instantly. “All right, baby, all right, we’ll all sleep in here. No one’s going anywhere. We’ll all stay right here.”

She stared into my face then it seemed she collapsed, her hand leaving my hair, her head falling on Mitch’s shoulder, her arm drifting listless down his side.

“Thank you,” she mumbled.

I lifted a hand to cup her face and her eyes closed with relief. My eyes moved to Mitch. I didn’t know what to say or do. I didn’t know if I could sleep beside Mitch but I was pretty certain I couldn’t. I didn’t know what Mitch was thinking. What I did know was that Billie’s behavior scared the hell out of me.

“Do you mind?” I whispered to Mitch and he just stared at me.

After awhile he said, “No.”

“Thanks.” I was still whispering.

Mitch got off the bed and I pulled the bedclothes back. He shifted them in, rolled Billie between us then rolled back to turn out the light. Since it was dark, I heard them moving to get settled and I reached out a hand to feel Billie was turned into Mitch, still holding on. I stroked her back for awhile then when I heard Billie’s breathing turn heavy and her little body relaxed, I pulled away to lay on my back and stare at the dark ceiling.

That was when I whispered, “Mitch, you awake?”

“Yeah,” Mitch replied.

“Sorry about this.”

There was silence.

“Really, um… sorry,” I said quietly.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“She was really scared and I, uh… didn’t know what to do.”

“Mara, don’t worry about it.”

“I feel badly,” I told him softly. “You’re being so nice and –”

I felt the bed move then I saw the shadow of Mitch’s frame looming over Billie’s body toward me then I felt Mitch’s fingers on the side of my face, his thumb on my lips.

“There are far worse things than needin’ to sleep in this bed with you and a scared outta her brain six year old. Like I said, sweetheart, don’t worry about it. Yeah?”

“Okay,” I whispered against his thumb.

“Go to sleep.”

“Okay.”

His thumb swept my lips then his shadow disappeared as he lay back down. Billie moved, nestling into him, still breathing heavily and I hoped that meant she didn’t wake up.

I lay in the dark and stared at the ceiling.

I did this awhile.

Then I called, “Mitch?”

This got me a rumbly, sleepy, “Yeah?”

“Sorry, were you asleep?”

“Not yet.”

I bit my lip.

“You want somethin’?” he asked.

“Um…”

“Mara, honey, we both got work tomorrow –”

I cut him off on a whispered, “She was freaking scared.”

“Yeah.”

“Not right scared,” I went on.

“Yeah.”

“What do you –?”

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

I bit my lip again. Then I said, “Okay.”

“Go to sleep, honey. Everything’s all right right now. That’s all you gotta think about.”

“Okay.”

“’Night, baby.”

“Goodnight Mitch.”

* * * * *

Mitch

Mara moved in the bed, curling into Billie at the same time curling into Mitch. He woke as he felt her move into him.

He was on his back and one beautiful adolescent female and one beautiful adult female were pressed into his side, both their arms thrown over his gut, Billie’s head at his ribs, Mara’s head settling on his shoulder.

Not for the first time he noticed that Mara’s hair smelled unbelievably fucking great.

He stared at the dark ceiling thinking about Mara and her boundaries.

Then he grinned at the dark ceiling.

Then he thought about Mara’s long, shapely bare legs which he remembered seeing in shorts on a variety of occasions during the summers. He’d also seen them on a variety of occasions in a bikini when he’d been at the bar in the clubhouse or on his way into or out of the gym to work out and she’d been lounging by the pool outside. And he’d seen them the morning before when she’d been in a short robe and that cute nightie. The nightie she was wearing right now. The nightie that clung to a lot of really fucking great places and showed most of her equally fucking great legs which went on for-fucking-ever.

Summer was coming.

His grin grew into a smile.

Then he fell asleep.