Page 20 of Forensics of a Fable

“I’m going home, ordering takeout, and pouring myself a glass of wine,” Olivia groaned. “Maybe watch some trash TV, so I don’t have to think anymore.”

“Replace the TV with a book, and I’m right there with you,” Bel said as her phone vibrated on her desk. She leaned over, and seeing it was a text from her father, she swiped on the notification.

Dad

“There’s a steakhouse a few blocks from the station. Want to get dinner?”

No. No, she did not want to get dinner. She wanted to take a long shower where she simply stood under blistering hot water until it ran cold before putting on oversized pajamas.

“Sure. Meet you there?”

Dad

“On my way.”

Bel sighed, slipping the phone into her pocket. Her dad wasn’t often in town, and she should make the most of his visit. Maybe she could leave her car at the station and make him drive her to work in the morning so she could drink that glass of wine Gold’s comment had her dreaming of. With her dad watching over her, she could finally let herself relax.

“See you tomorrow.” Olivia gave her an exhausted smile, and Bel waved goodbye as she strolled down the quaint street to the steakhouse. She arrived before her father, so she got them a table and ordered a glass of wine while she waited.

“Hi, sweetheart.” Her dad kissed her cheek as he joined her. “Have you been waiting long?” She lifted her wineglass, showingit was still mostly full, and he nodded. “Good. Cerberus went outside and had dinner. He made me go for a long walk, too. He knows I’m a sucker, so he roped me into all sorts of fun today.”

“He’s an expert at getting his way.” Bel laughed.

“I’m glad you have the dog. I like that someone’s keeping an eye on you, and he’s great company.”

“I prefer his company to most others,” she said, and when her dad raised his eyebrows teasingly, she shook her head. “Obviously not you, Dad. You know I love you.”

“You should buy a bigger place so I can visit more.”

“With what money?” Bel deadpanned.

“Hello, Detective,” a deep male voice interrupted from behind her, and unlike Abel’s unwelcomed interruption earlier, Bel knew that whiskey-smooth tone. It was the one she craved. The one she missed.

Her dad readied to rebuff yet another unwanted disturbance, but when his eyes fell on Eamon’s hovering form, he froze. Bel unsuccessfully tried to stifle a smirk at her father’s reaction. Thankfully, he wasn’t watching her, but she was well aware of Eamon’s intoxicating effect on people. Pure, unadulterated beauty captured in the chiseled body of a predator, he struck both fear and longing in all he met, and how she longed for him.

“Dad,” Bel said, refusing to turn around and let their intruder see the evidence of how his presence set her soul on fire. “This is Eamon Stone, and Eamon, this is my father, Reese.”

“Mr. Emerson.” Eamon leaned across the table, not bothering to move from behind her, which caused his solid abs to brush against her shoulder as he took her dad’s hand in a firm but eager handshake. “A pleasure to meet the father of such an exquisite creature.” He leaned back, broad hands gripping Bel’s chair as Reese’s eyes widened at the man’s greeting.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Stone,” her dad said, the words sounding like a question. “How do you two know each other?”He addressed Eamon, but Bel could feel his question’s ulterior motive. She had never mentioned Eamon to him, yet the familiarity with which the formidable man stood above her, his fists gripping her chair with a sense of both possession and intimacy, spoke volumes.

“I was the prime suspect in her last murder case,” Eamon answered, and Bel’s arm whipped around to smack his stomach. He chuckled softly at her annoyance and finally stepped from behind her so she could accept the subtle wink he threw in her direction.

Her breath caught in her throat for the briefest of moments when she saw him. He was dressed in an entirely black suit, tailored perfectly for his immense frame, and absent a tie, he had left the top few buttons of his dress shirt undone to reveal a perfect swath of pale, smooth skin. Having witnessed him shirtless countless times, she knew what lay hidden underneath the inviting fabric, and she swallowed a large sip of ice water in the hopes it would cool her flushed cheeks before her father noticed.

“Since he’s standing here free, he obviously wasn’t the killer,” Bel retorted with a bite to cover up the desire curling through her. This man was perfection regardless of his outfit, but this midnight black suit had her mind descending to dangerous depths, and she balled her hands into fists to keep from reaching out and touching him.

Eamon studied her as if they were the only two people in the restaurant, and Bel shifted uncomfortably. If her father was any other man, it wouldn’t bother her, but he was far too observant and had undoubtedly noticed Eamon’s reaction to her.

“No, no, I wasn’t.” Eamon tore his eyes from her and pinned Reese with his intensity. “Isobel would never forgive me such a sin, and your daughter is someone I hold in high regard. Imust applaud you, Mr. Emerson. You raised an intelligent and tenacious woman; one I respect beyond measure.”

Bel and her father stared at him, Reese’s mouth hanging open in shock, and she half expected the beautiful blond to laugh and admit his words were a joke, but his expression was painfully serious. He meant every word, and she wasn’t sure if that made her happy or terrified. She was in danger of falling off the ledge with this man, of surrendering fully to his darkness, and if that happened, she would never be the same. Beauty could not love a beast and emerge unscathed.

“Would…” Her father cleared his voice. “Would you care to join us, Mr. Stone? We’ve yet to order.”

“I don’t wish to intrude,” Eamon said with false politeness. He often invaded Bel’s space without concern, and while it should make her hate him, it had the opposite effect. She wanted him to intrude, to consume, to own. She just refused to admit it.

“I’m always eager to meet my daughter’s friends.” Reese spoke the word friend with an odd tone that Bel understood meant Eamon was about to be interrogated by the man who taught her everything she knew about suspect questioning, and suddenly his joining them seemed like a bad idea for multiple reasons, her thundering heart included.

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