Aline Hunter - Make Me Shiver

“No. Aly said she hadn’t had contact with them in years.”

“Good for her. I wouldn’t have contact with them either.” The information Brady had shared wasn’t pleasant. Aly had an alcoholic father who used violence to sort out his issues and a passive mother who let her husband do whatever he wanted. Being anywhere near the McIntyre household wouldn’t be good.

“That bad?”

“Worse,” she answered and took a drink of her wine.

He didn’t say anything else when Lacey walked from the kitchen with dinner in her hands and sat the dish in the center of the table.

“I heard the two of you, you know.” She ran her hand along Mike’s shoulder as she sat in the chair between him and Candice. “If you want to discuss Aly, feel free. I’ve started to become concerned about her myself.”

Michael took Lacey’s hand, brought it to his mouth and ran his lips along the back of her knuckles. Trying not to notice the tender gesture, Candice decided to do as Lacey requested.

“Since she withdrew her savings and closed her account, we still can’t find a paper trail. There were a few leads but unless she slips up and uses her real name somewhere, it’s going to be impossible to track her down.”

“She’ll slip up.” Mike didn’t sound happy. “It’s only a matter of time.”

“If she’s anything like I’ve heard, I’m sure she will.”

Full-time submissives didn’t do well on their own. From the information Candice had gathered about Aly, the woman had to be hurting. First she was abandoned by her family for her lifestyle choice, which, all things considered, was probably a good thing. Then her stability with the Dom she’d trusted was broken when he decided he wanted change and a new life. Two strikes, back to back, had certainly hit their mark.

“How’s Brady?” Lacey smiled as she asked.

If she and her friend had been alone, Candice would have given Lacey an ear full. Damn her for bringing the sexy police officer into the conversation when she couldn’t fight back.

“I don’t know. You’d have to ask him.”

“I thought you were working together?”

“We’re sharing information, not working together.” Candice started piling food onto her plate so she could eat and avoid answering more questions.

“That’s odd.” Lacey turned to Mike. He gave her a warning look but it was too late. “You said he was working on a lead.”

“Hold up.” Candice didn’t bother reaching for her fork. “What lead?”

“Nothing.” Lacey shrugged. “I’m sure he’ll tell you if he finds anything.”

Son of a bitch. Brady was supposed to run checks on the leads she acquired, not investigate. If he got information she needed and gave it to Brian and Trevor before she did, they might take that as an indication that she wasn’t doing what she was being paid for.

“What lead?” She glared at Lacey. “Don’t backtrack now. It’s too late.”

“He’s driving to Memphis to talk to a woman who saw the fliers Brian and Trevor passed around,” Mike answered and looked at his submissive in a way that promised she was going to pay for her interference. “The description the caller provided was on the money. He wanted to hurry to the club in case Aly might be there.”

“Which club? When’s he leaving?”

“The Den, and he left about an hour ago.”

Hell no. Brady was not going to talk to his source alone. The Den was in a seedy part of Memphis, so he probably did it because he wanted to protect her.

How many times did she have to tell him she was fully capable of taking care of herself?

Candice rose from the table. “I’m going to have to cut dinner short. I’ll take a rain check.”

“Brady’s a big boy, you know.” Mike grasped Lacey’s arm when she started to rise from her seat. “He can take care of himself.”

“Let’s hope so, because when I catch up to him I’m going to tear him a new asshole,” Candice snapped, ready to rumble.

She promptly retrieved her purse and hit the door. Brady Stone was about to have her size seven boot shoved up his ass. By the time she arrived at The Den, she hoped her temper had decreased a few notches. If not, she just might take her frustrations out on his body and remind him why she was not a person to fuck with.

Not unless she commanded it.

* * *

“You’re going to pay for that.” Michael kept his grip on Lacey’s forearm as he turned in his seat and faced her. She was grinning, not the least bit afraid of what was coming. He tugged her from her seat and pulled her into his lap. She went soft against him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“If she can’t get her head out of her ass, the least I can do is try to help.”

Ballsy little woman. It was one of many reasons he loved her so much. “What have I told you about playing matchmaker?”

“I don’t know.” She wriggled her ass, reminding him of what they’d started but hadn’t had a chance to finish. “Why don’t you remind me?”

He brushed his cheek against hers and cupped her breast. “What about dinner?”

“When has that ever stopped us?”

“Good point. Hang on.” He lifted her, held her close and started walking toward the bedroom.

“When Brady calls he’s going to be pissed. How do you suppose I explain what happened?”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

“Oh I’m going to do more than that.” He carried her inside the room, strode to the bed and lowered her to the mattress. “I’m going to make sure I can tell him I’ve punished you before he calls. I can’t have him thinking you’ve made me grow soft.”

“So you’re not going to go easy on me?” She batted her eyelashes and parted her legs so he could settle between them.

Go easy? When he could have her writhing beneath him and telling she loved him over and over? Those three words were the reason she was the most important person in his life, why he couldn’t wait to make things official between them. This was the beginning of their life together, the start of a future that was as open as the sky.

Given the opportunity, he wanted to hear her scream “I love you” as often as possible.

He bent over her, ready to watch her fall apart in his arms. She lifted her head to kiss him, making his heart thump wildly inside his chest. He’d finally found what he’d longed for. The one person to complete him. He’d never give that up, no matter the price.

“Not a chance, angel.” She whimpered as he started the dance, teasing her with light brushes of his fingertips, starting with her breasts.

“I love you,” she whispered, revving him up for this particular round of play. “God, I love you so much.”

Fuck if he’d ever get tired of hearing her say that.

“I love you too.”

Looking up at him with a teasing smile, she asked, “But you won’t go easy on me?”

“No way in hell, darlin’.”

He brought a nipple between his fingers and pinched, watching as Lacey arched her back and gasped, her face turning a glorious shade of pink. Damn straight he wasn’t going easy on her. Not when he could have this.

No way in hell.

The End

Aline Hunter is the alias of multi-published author J.A. Saare, who has written stories featured in horror magazines, zombie romance anthologies and flash fiction contests. Her work has a notable dark undertone, which she credits to her love of old eighties horror films, tastes in music and choices in reading, and has been described as “full of sensual promise,” “gritty and sexy” and “a breath of fresh air.”

Currently she is penning multiple projects within the urban fantasy, erotic and contemporary, and paranormal romance categories.

Aline welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.