Page 95 of Tell Me Your Desires
Anya brought her eyes up to Max’s and smiled. “I’m completely focused on what I have to do, Max.” Derek bumped Anya, rubbing himself in a figure eight around her legs. She bent down and scooped him up, not caring one bit about the cat hairs that would soon be all over her blouse. “Would you mind pulling the car out and waiting for me? I’m just going to make sure this guy’s feeder and water fountain are full, then I’ll be right out.”
“Yeah, sure.” Max frowned. “Not that anything is going to happen to you, but where does he go if, you know…”
Anya looked at Derek. “Well, I would hope that Jaime would take him. But if she’s not ready, then…” She grinned at Max. “I hope your wife isn’t allergic.”
“Shit. Be extra careful, yeah? I like the cat, but she’d love him more than me, and I’m already on the verge of sleeping on the couch most nights.” He scratched Derek’s ear with a smirk. “I’ll see you out there.”
Anya waited until Max closed the door behind him, then kissed Derek’s head. “You have plenty of food and water, but he doesn’t need to see me be all mushy with you.”
“Meow.”
“I’m going to be fine. I’m just nervous because it’s been a while since I’ve done anything like this.”
“Mew. Meow.”
“Yeah, I don’t believe me, either.” Anya closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “What happened to our nice, quiet life, Derek?”
“Meow.”
“Hmm. You’re right. It wasn’t nice and quiet; I just didn’t know. But I’m going to get justice for those women and for Jaime. No matter what it takes.”
“Mew, meow. Meow.”
Anya smiled against Derek’s silky, black fur. “I love you, too.” After one more squeeze and kiss, she set Derek down on the counter. “Be good.”
She walked away before she could change her mind about everything and took a short detour to a small office located off the living room. Anya rarely came into this room and often thought about turning it into something she might get more use out of. But as she used the biometrics to get into the safe that was hidden in the wall, Anya wondered if she subconsciously knew that one day this office and its contents would be needed.
“Meow?”
Anya clipped the holster onto her waistband and secured the 9mm in it before covering it with her shirt. “Yes, I know what I’m doing.Yourjob is to hold the fort down until I get home. Got it, buck-o?”
“Meow.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
“Well,shit, Lady A. I sure as hell didn’t expect to see you here tonight.”
Anya’s stomach churned at the sound of Frank’s voice. He may not have been a part of the murders, but Anya was sure he was complicit in the trafficking. To Anya, Frank was no better than Sapphyre and Sonny.
“Don’t get too excited, Frank,” Anya said, using her best Lady A voice. “I’m only here to collect my belongings.”
Frank moved faster than Anya had ever seen him move. Before she knew it, he was in front of her, a frown marring his face. His angry, red face reminded Anya of a Pug. Or maybe that was his snorting.
“You’re quitting on me?!”
“I can’t believe you’re surprised. Haven’t you seen the news? My lover—a cop—was shot right in front of me. And while you may have forgotten her,I’mstill grieving Maisie. I don’t know what’s going on around here, but I’m out. Hell, I can’t even drive here by myself because I’m under some ‘protection order’, whatever that means.” Anya rolled her eyes for good measure. “The only reason I was able to get at least anhourto myself here is because there’s security. But, yes, I’m quitting. This istoo much stress. Maybe the younger girls can handle this shit, but not me.” She gestured at his face and stepped closer. “So, you can get all red and snorty, but you don’t intimidate me. And you’re not changing my mind.”
Anya walked away from him, subtly observing her surroundings. The light above Sapphyre’s door remained on, which was a plus for Anya. She just needed quality time with Teddy, and she was confident she could turn him against his sister. Anya glanced at the surveillance camera strategically placed in front of her chamber door, but was careful not to linger too long in case Teddy was watching.
Given that very real possibility, Anya knew her chamber’s interior wouldn’t have the security of cameras, so she would have to rely on the one around her neck and hope Teddy wasn’t savvy enough to have any detection equipment with him.I should have thought this through more, Anya thought as she closed the chamber doors behind her. But her thoughts had been consumed by Jaime. Would Jaime survive? Who shot Jaime? How would Anya get justice—or revenge—for Jaime? And finally, how could Anya give Jaime closure for the pain she had been carrying for far too long?
Obviously, Anya wanted justice for the women who lost their lives over the years because of these two killers. That was the agent in her. Hell, that was the human and psychologist in Anya. That innate need to ensure people like Ruby and Teddy pay for their heinous crimes. But it was the woman in Anya who wanted to punish them… badly. Anya absently ran her fingers over the chains that hung from the ceiling as she walked past them. What she wouldn’t do to have Sapphyre chained up there, a whip in her hands. Only this wouldn’t be fun or sexy. No, Lady A would make it hurt. She would make Sapphyre bleed.
There was a stutter in Anya’s step when she realized she hadn’t thought of doing the same to Teddy. Oh, she wanted himto pay, no doubt. But not by her hand. He killed Maisie, yes. He brutalized women she cared about. And he deserved every bit of retribution that came his way. But the difference was, he didn’t try to kill the woman she loved.Loved.
When had that happened? When had she allowed herself to fall in love with Jaime?Allowed. Anya nearly scoffed at herself. No oneallowslove. It happens, and people can either open their hearts to it or try to deny it, but it won’t wait for anyone to be ready. Whatever happened tonight, Anya made Jaime a promise that she intended to keep. They needed more time to explore what they had begun.So, be careful. Don’t make Jaime mourn another love lost.
Anya took a deep breath. With the hidden camera around her neck, she avoided standing in front of the mirror, unwilling to let Kate or her team see how nervous she truly felt. Still, nervous or not, Anya didn’t have time to wallow in her anxiety. Her window to get Teddy to talk was growing shorter with every minute that passed. Now, if she could just stop thinking of what had happened the last time she was on a mission like this…Yeah, except the last timeyouwere in the surveillance van, not in the thick of it, she foolishly reminded herself.
