Page 21 of The Naughty One
“The thought of anything happening to you.” His voice was muffled and his arms tightened aroundher.
“It’s okay, baby; nothing’s going to happen to me.” Romy made him look at her and she stroked his face, wondering how she could ever have wondered even slightly if this man would hurt her. He was such a good man, God. How had she gotten so lucky this time? “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Gaius. I just didn’t want to upset you. That’s clearly want he wants, to drive a wedge betweenus.”
Blue pressed his lips to hers. “Romy … that won’t ever happen. I won’t let it. I’m in love with you. The thought of anyone hurting you killsme.”
It was Romy’s turn to cry now. “I love you too, Doc,” she smiled through her tears and he kissed her passionately. Romy pressed her body to his. “Take me to bed, Dr.Allende.”
He undressed her slowly, kissing each piece of exposed skin until her whole body vibrated with longing. Naked, she wrapped her legs around him and took him in, his cock thrusting deep into her cunt in long, measured strokes. His lips moved with hers, tender and loving as they made love. Blue’s eyes were intense onhers.
“Let’s tell our family, tell them we’re in love. I’m shocked they didn’t guess.” He began to smile as Romy moaned with pleasure as he buried himself deeper inside. “I want to tell the world about the woman I love, the brilliant, beautiful Romy … I promise you. I’ll keep you safe and loved. So, soloved…”
Romy cried out his name as she came, her back arching up, her thighs tightening as he came inside her, his lips at her throat. “Yes,” she said, as they caught their breath, “Yes, Blue …yes…”
In the morning,Romy was changing into her scrubs when Mac came to find her. “You look different,” he remarked. “Glowing. You’re not knocked up, areyou?”
“No, definitely not,” she rolled her eyes in amusement. “What’s going on today? It’s like a ghost town.” Virtually none of the regular staff had been present when she’d walked into thehospital.
Mac’s smile faded. “You haven’t heard? Another massacre. Four women found in the grounds of the Gasworks. All stabbed. They were brought to the ER, but they were all D.O.A. Everyone is cleaning up that mess and/or doing paperwork and/or talking to police. Again. I’m so sick ofpolice.”
“Oh God, not again.” Romy felt sick. She followed Mac out of the locker room as he headed forrounds.
“And get this,” he went on. “None of them knew each other. Police think they were all picked for some reason and then left together. One of them had her femur smashed like YasminLevant.”
Romy stopped. “What did yousay?”
“Left femur smashed.Why?”
A curl of horror was beginning to form inside of her, a doubt, a horrific idea. Murders in New York and now Seattle … smashed femur …no, you’re being paranoid and ridiculous, Sasse.“Can I see therecords?”
Mac shrugged. “Sure.” They walked down to the ER, Romy assuring Mac she’d smooth things over with Blue if they were late for rounds. Romy picked up the files from the desk and read through them. There were multiple stab wounds, and all of the women were dark haired and dark eyed, with oliveskin.
“Huh.”
She looked up at Mac, who was studying the files with an odd expression his face. “What?”
“I just noticed. Their names. Roberta, Ornella, Margaret, Ynez.Their initials spell yourname.”
Romy felt like she’d been hit in the chest by a sledgehammer. No, it had to be a coincidence. She turned to the computer and brought up the case files for Yasmin Levant and the other women who had died with her. Reading through the names, she looked at Mac, whose eyes were now troubled. Drawing in a deep breath, Romy logged on the Internet and Googled the murders in New York. “OhGod…”
All of the victims had names whose initials spelled her first name. Mac put his hand on her shoulder. “You know, Roms, this really could becoincidence—”
“It isn’t.” Romy began to tremble. “I need to talk to thepolice.”
Mac looked alarmed. “You don’t know who it is, doyou?”
Romy nodded grimly. “I do. I have to findBlue.”
Upstairs, Blue looked up, but his smile faded when he saw her face. He stood up and walked over to her immediately, reaching for her. “What is it,sweetheart?”
Romy drew in a deep breath. “It’s Dacre. He’s in Seattle. He’s coming forme.”
Chapter10
Artemis tried notto feel too excited as she made her way through the icy streets of Seattle to the coffee house. She and Dan had met up a few times but this day was the first time when she was a free agent. Glen had moved out over the weekend, and although they had both been sad, even cried a little, Artemis had never felt so convinced they were doing the rightthing.
And now she was going to see Dan, the man who had been haunting her dreams for weeks now. She’d repeatedly told herself it was just a friendship, but she couldn’t mistake the look in Dan’s eyes when he was with her, and she was sure it was reflected in hers. Desire. A bond. She had never felt so comfortable with a man in her life, so at ease and relaxed—at the same time, every time she was with him, all she wanted to do was rip his clothes off and kiss him until she couldn’tbreathe.
She felt some guilt—after all, she and Glen had only just split—but then again, they’d lived separate lives for so many years. It was time to move on, and today was a big step forward doing just that. Today Dan was bringing his teenage daughter to meet her. He had asked Artemis if she wouldn’t mind, his face going red, and Artemis knew she was being assessed for … something. God, she hoped she would pass the test, and it wasn’t helping her nerves but as soon as she pushed open the door to the coffee house, Dan and his female mini-me both grinned at her and Artemisrelaxed.
