Live Wire (Ramsey Security #2)

"Don't backtrack," he says, tugging me down until I'm pinned under him. "We're making babies, woman. Just accept that and allow me to practice my technique."

I giggle when his teeth nip at my earlobe. "Practice away"

We roll around in bed as our bodies discover new ways to find pleasure. After he claims to have worn me out, we dress before stumbling into the kitchen for an early lunch. Ruth sees us and only gives a friendly hello. I feel strange, as if I need to apologize to her for keeping Brad busy through breakfast. Is this what happens when someone falls in love? Do they feel too much about everything? After a lifetime of feeling only enough to survive, I'm learning I can no longer hide. My heart is broken wide open, and no pain or pleasure remains off limits.





28


Saskia

Selling My Heart for the Man I Love

The next few days, I remain glued to Brad. We watch his ghost shows and a few paranormal movies. I tend to laugh at the scared reactions of the characters while he really gets spooked by the plots. We eat popcorn a lot once he realizes how much I enjoy it. Brad gets me anything that makes me happy.

If I like the brisket sandwiches at Firehouse Subs, he buys me one every day. I help him too. Like when we run to the local strip mall to pick up food, I convince him to watch a horror movie in the theater. He worries about crowds while I'm more worried about cult freaks. We both find no one bothers us.

The stalker's activities around the property stop as soon as we install the cameras. No more drones fly by at night. No one creeps around the property leaving gruesome gifts. I almost wonder if the guy from New York was the last cult member, and the threat is over.

Despite the feeling of safety, I do everything I can to avoid a girls' night request by Minka. Well everything except saying a flat out "no." As usual, she gets her way, and I grudgingly leave Brad's side.

We don't go to a bar to drink and scare men. Instead, we visit Rafael's apartment while he stays with Brad. Harlow and Troy's girlfriend Darla join us for booze and Chinese food. We talk about our hair first. Then we try to care about current events. When this conversation goes nowhere, and hints about babies makes everyone uncomfortable, we talk work.

"I've been thinking of the chicken and the egg question with the cult," Minka mumbles with a lemon slice in her mouth. "What came first? Was there a cult that just happened to worship a demon the show used or did a cult form after they watched the show?"

"I doubt people are going to form a cult based on a show," Harlow says. "When a show is popular, people obsess over the sexy characters, and the bad boys who might be redeemed. I saw that show a few times, and the demon was barely mentioned in any of those episodes. It was all about Brad's character being conflicted about being part demon and trying to use his powers for good while crazy people tried to kill him and raise his demon father."

"So the cult came first, and they focused on Brad because of the show," I say, sitting next to Minka who spits out the lemon slice so she can try a lime one.

Darla wrings her hands while pretending to be comfortable with the talk of cults. "Writers use names of angels and demons that are supposed to be real. So the writers on the show used the name of a demon these weirdoes worshipped."

"Good, so we figured out that part," Harlow says, standing up and walking out of the room.

"I can't believe she's ditching us already. That woman just ain't much of a host," Minka says to Darla who smiles.

A few minutes later, Harlow pushes a rolling dry erase board into the living room. "We can use this to work on the case. Rafael did it on his last one."

"Look at Nancy Drew over here," Minka says, crawling onto the floor. "Okay, so we know the cult existed before the show. What next?"

Darla rests a pillow on her lap as if for protection before asking, "How did they grab Brad?"

"Someone roofied him at a party," Minka says.

Harlow frowns. "Didn't the cops try to figure out who it was?"

"Yeah. They thought the chick he went to he party with did it. Don't be jealous, Saskia. She's dead and not even that hot. You know for a blonde bombshell model type."

We all look at Darla who used to model swimsuits. She lowers her gaze and ignores us.

Minka spits out the lime slice and looks over the files Rafael left conspicuously nearby before leaving.

"They had security video from the party. The SUV the cops found when Brad escaped was at the party too. The camera caught a hooded figure but no face shot. Based on the guy's size, we can assume he was probably Dennis Stein."

I listen to Harlow and Minka talk and try to imagine the scenario playing out in my head.

"So the girl drugged him and handed him over to Stein. What happened to her?"

"Suicide apparently," Minka says.

"She likely wasn't part of the cult and was only paid to drug him. Once she realized what she did, she killed herself."

Tapping my beer bottle, I mutter, "Or someone helped. Faking suicide is pretty easy."

Harlow frowns, but Minka nods at my comment. "Unbelievably easy. My first kill was a fake suicide."