Page 4 of No Mercy

She made a tisking sound. “I swear, if Mike doesn’t have those kids in bed and asleep by the time I get home he’s not getting any for a month.”

“You two still do it?” I joked, laughing.

She gave me the stink eye. “Duh! We’re not even forty yet.” She gave me a wink. “Sex doesn’t stop until after that.”

Unless you were twenty-five, like me, and you had no one. I hadn’t slept with a man since Rock. I’d like to say it was because there hadn’t been time to think about men and relationships, but that would have been a lie. I just hadn’t found a man who interested me enough into going further with him. I’d dated a few times, but that was the extent of my love-life.

Now there was Tom, a handsome accountant who’d moved here from Orlando. He seemed like a good man, he was easy to talk to, and I liked that he was laid back. So far he’d lasted the longest of all the men I’d dated, but even now I was beginning to wonder when he’d have enough of my saying ‘no’ and would walk away. Sure, he’d said he’d wait until I was ready, but I knew that men have needs. They’d expect the woman they’re being exclusive with to put out.

By the time I unloaded the glasses that I’d picked up from Jenny’s table in the kitchen and had returned to the dining room, the party at my table had gone. I rushed over to pick up the check and to see what kind of tip I’d made for my three hours of service. When I didn’t see anything other than the check my gaze scanned over the contents of the table, which was a big mess of dishes, glasses, gift wrap, and ribbons. I moved a few things aside, but soon realized that they hadn’t left a tip.

“So, what did you make?” The excitement in Jenny’s tone made me smile, even though it looked like I’d been stiffed. She rushed right over to me when she came out of the kitchen. “Where is it?” I slowly shook my head and her smile faded. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

“Calm down, mother hen, it’s okay.” Jenny was only ten years older than me, but she often looked out for me. She was my best friend. “Can’t be upset over something I never had.”

“I can’t believe those… those…” She couldn’t seem to find the words. “Old bitches!” she ended, as she began to help me clear the table.

I laughed softly, realizing that those were the exact words I’d used when a large party had stiffed her two weekends ago. I went to the register for a bag and then returned to the table to gather up the discarded gift wrap, ribbon, and napkins for the trash.

“Oh, there you are!” I glanced up to see one of the women from the table walk back into the room. “I was looking for you, thought you were in the bathroom, but here you are.”

“I’m sorry, I was in the kitchen. Is something wrong?”

She shook her head. “No, no! Just wanted to make sure you received this. We don’t usually leave such a large tip and we didn’t want the bus boys to get it.”

I heard Jenny’s gasp and glanced down at the money the woman was holding out. My jaw dropped. I stared at the crisp hundred dollar bill as if it were a snake with two heads.

The woman laughed. “Well, go ahead and take it, honey” she encouraged. “You earned it.”

I slowly took the bill from her. “Thank you so much.”

Both Jenny and I stood there in stunned silence, watching the woman leave the restaurant. As soon as the door was closed our shocked gazes locked. “I’m so glad she didn’t hear my ‘old bitches’ comment.”

“Me, too.” I tucked the money into my pocket. “I just made Sam’s birthday money.”

Jenny gave me an enthusiastic hug. “Come on, let’s hurry up and get the hell out of here.”

Chapter 3

Rock

As soon as I reached Cedar Key I rode straight to Allie’s little cottage on the beach, expecting to confront her and see my son for the first time. But when I got there the place was empty, and then I remembered that it was fucking Friday and the kid was probably in school. Allie was most likely working. I knew where she worked, but I didn’t want an audience, so I let myself into her house. It wasn’t hard, considering that the lock on her door was ancient.

The place was old and small, but built well enough to withstand the unexpected turmoil of the ocean and the constant breeze off the water. It lined up with about ten other cottages of the same shape and size, each one painted bright, tropical, island colors of yellow, greens, and oranges. All of them had white shutters and lush landscaping that offered some privacy from each other. I guessed that at one time they had probably been rentals for tourists.

I walked around inside Allie’s cozy home, my gaze touching on everything but not really taking in anything, until I walked into what was obviously my son’s bedroom. I hesitated inside the doorway, taking in the single bed and dresser and the pirate décor. The chain of the ceiling fan had a pirate swinging on a rope with a sword in his hand. Pictures of pirates that someone had colored had been framed and hung on the walls. His bedding and curtains had a pirate theme. Toys littered the floor, and I bent and scooped one up and moved on to the other bedroom.

Allie’s room was airy and bright, and made me think of a buttercup. Purples and whites dominated the color décor with the occasional splash of flowers. I recalled how much she liked flowers, especially lilacs. My gaze went to her bed, visualizing her sleeping there, looking all soft and sexy in the little number that was lying at the foot of the bed. I pulled back the floral comforter and studied her pillows. Only one had the indentation of a head. Thank fuck.

I hadn’t come here to kill anyone.

I just wanted my son.

I dropped the toy onto the bed and reached for the nightgown, bringing the silky garment up to my nose. I inhaled the light fragrance of vanilla and lavender. Fuck. My dick woke up at the familiar scent. Yeah, he remembered how fucking good it had felt sinking into Allie’s tight little body, how the aroma of her sweet innocence had surrounded us every time. Vanilla and lavender had always made me think of her, had always made me hungry.

I inhaled one more time before tossing it back onto the bed and rearranging my dick. I hadn’t come here for this. I continued my search of her house, coming to a third, tiny bedroom. Despite the fact that there was an unmade bed and some boxes, the room resembled a closet more than a bedroom. I eyed the bed, which was a single. It looked uncomfortable as hell, and I knew that my feet would hang off it. That was, if Allie let me crash here. I grinned, already thinking about her protest when I suggested it.

And she would protest.

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