Page 9 of Calypso's Shield
Divine’s voice reaches me before I see her. “Can I help you?”
A man answers, gruff and suspicious. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same.” Divine’s voice shifts, sweet and smooth, her signature trap.
“You need to leave, Miss…” A pause, waiting for her to fill in the blank.
“Divine.”
“Miss Divine, this place isn’t safe.”
“I’m sorry, who are you?” I hear the sweet as sugar voice Divine uses to lure men toward her.
“Detective Dalton, ma’am.”
A cop? What the fuck?
Done playing hide and fuck off, I move. Slowly, carefully.
Divine has Detective Dalton’s back to me. I press the cold, unyielding steel against the back of his head and flick the safety off. His hands rise.
“It’s not safe for you, motherfucker.” I growl.
Ignoring the way his wavy blonde hair brushes his shoulders and the dress shirt he has on clinging to his solid back muscles, I keep my gun held firm in my hand.
Detective Dalton slowly turns until his strong, muscular body is facing me, and he’s staring down the barrel of my gun. Iswallow the lump forming in my throat and keep a firm grip on my gun.
Detective Dalton’s stormy blue eyes look past the barrel of my gun and land directly on me, stealing my breath. There’s a flicker of want that flashes across his face, but it’s gone before I can be sure.
“What are you doing here?” I demand.
“Following a lead on missing women.” Detective Dalton answers.
Divine tenses. I shoot her a warning look, and she snaps her mouth shut.
“Why should I believe you?” I challenge. “For all I know, you’re the sick bastard taking them.”
“You don’t,” he says evenly. “But considering you have a gun to my head with your finger on the trigger, I’d be a dumbass to lie.”
“Show me your credentials, and I’ll think about lowering my weapon.”
Detective Dalton carefully reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his ID, then hands it over. His dark, stormy eyes never leave my body, and it’s making me nervous. I’ve never had this reaction before.
I glance at his ID. Detective Farris Dalton. What a strong, unique name, matching a handsome man. I flick the safety back on and lower my weapon.
Dalton exhales and takes his ID. When his fingers brush against mine, my breath stutters, and my heart races against my chest. Clearly, he felt it too, because his eyes widen before he smooths his features and returns his wallet to his back pocket.
Divine cuts in. “What now?”
I scoff. “We,” I motion between us, “keep searching. I don’t give a damn whathedoes.”
I shove past Dalton, catching the scent of coconut and black pepper. It’s intoxicating. Annoyingly so.
I grab Divine’s arm and hurry back the way we came. Divine doesn’t say a word until we’re at the bottom of the metal stairs. I glance a few times behind me, and Detective Dalton’s eyes are on me, watching me intently.
Divine yanks her arm free. “Calypso, stop.”
I spin.
