Page 16 of Unfulfilled Promises
She shook her head. “It was just me after the other girl disappeared.”
My phone vibrated, and as quietly as possible, I pulled it out and looked at the message.
James: Keep her talking. Something about this is familiar.
“Where did you learn to cook so well?” I questioned, shifting her focus again as I raised a middle finger into the air for whatever camera her nosy cousin was spying on us from.
“One of my foster moms loved to grow a garden and cook fresh, so when I asked to learn, she was eager to not have to deal with it every day and taught me everything I know.”
“It’s always delicious,” I remarked and saw her blush again.
I knew I was about to hit her with some harder questions, and I wanted her to feel at ease before I did. Carefully, I leaned over and whispered, “Keep your eyes closed, darlin’.”
She nodded, and I slowly leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on her lips, needing the connection to her before I pushed her into something that may be painful to remember. She smiled when I sat back, and just as carefully, I picked up one of her hands and sandwiched it between my own.
“Do you remember the name of anyone who lived with you and your mom at the house in Tennessee?”
She wrinkled her face, opened her eyes, and lifted her sad gaze as she answered in a small voice. “There was a man named Steve. He was . . . really mean.” She cast her eyes down with the same expression I’d seen from the other women, a sign that she’d survived the worst things imaginable.
Finally, a name . . . and someone I could kill.
“Do you remember the name of little girl who disappeared?”
“Just the ugly nickname they gave her,” Regan replied as she wiped under her eyes. “Cockroach.”
I sat silent, stunned by what she said and suddenly realizing this was all connected so much more than any of us could have ever guessed. My phone vibrated again, and I looked to see another message from James.
James:Holy fuck!
“Did the same people call you ‘mouse’?”
She nodded and wiped more tears from her cheeks. I shoved the phone into my pocket and lifted Regan’s hand, placing a kiss on the back as I spoke softly. “Do you know where the house you lived in was located?”
She shook her head, then her face grew confused and she opened her eyes, looking directly at me. “The address was six-four-eight-seven-one Avenue D.” Pausing, she asked, “How did I remember that?”
“Are you okay?” I asked, and she nodded.
“I’m a little confused how you got me to remember all that, but yeah, I’m okay.”
“It’s a technique to gain information from people who may have locked it away in a vault in their mind and are unable to retrieve it. By asking questions all over the place, it gives your brain the chance to unlock the vault and trickle information out without breaking the dam and overwhelming you.”
When Regan made her next move, I was shocked. She slowly leaned forward and placed a kiss on my lips, saying simply, “Thank you.”
“For what?” I inquired, wanting to do it again if it would get her to instigate contact with me.
“For not pushing me and . . .”
“And?”
“And I’d love to have dinner with you tonight, if the offer is still available.”
I smiled and pecked her on the cheek as I replied, “It’s always available for you, darlin’.”
She stood, and I followed her, but then Regan stepped in front of me and raised onto her tiptoes before placing her hands on my shoulders. I waited, allowing her to control the situation as she leaned closer until our lips touched.
The kiss was simple, chaste, and perfect as she slowly opened her lips and allowed our tongues to entwine with each other,feeling the need and desire building in both of us. Before it grew too intense, she slowed her actions, and I followed until she was looking up into my eyes and I had her wrapped in my arms.
“Johnson, we need you,” Lucian yelled, and I rolled my eyes so only Regan could see.
