“But what if I can’t get back to Charlottesville by then?”
“Then that will be pretty damn unfortunate. Like I said, I will call you back. If you report this conversation to anyone, then be prepared for the consequences.”
Freddie hung up.
Margo clicked off her phone, and for the longest time, she just sat there. Shocked. Did Scott actually make a tape of one of their lovemaking sessions? A part of her wanted to believe that Freddie was lying. But what if he wasn’t?
“Margo?”
She blinked and met Striker’s gaze. There was nothing judgmental in the eyes staring back at her, and she appreciated that. If Scott had made a sex tape and given it to Freddie, she didn’t want to think of the possible consequences. “Yes?”
“If given the chance, I plan to kick Freddie’s ass right along with Scott’s.”
His words, filled with anger, conveyed his support, and at that moment she needed it. She felt like such an idiot for even getting mixed up with Scott.
“Don’t blame yourself,” he said, reaching across the table to take her hand in his. “Personally, I don’t believe Freddie has anything. I think he’s merely trying to play you. Get some money off you.”
Even while her life seemed to be falling apart, she still felt desire with Striker’s touch. “But what if he does have a tape? He offered to let me view it before I pay anything.”
“I think he did it just to be convincing. It’s just bait to get to you.”
Striker’s words gave her some hope and were filled with such understanding and support that a part of her wished she could curl up in his lap, lay her head on his shoulder and have a good cry. “But how can we do anything when I’m in hiding, Striker?”
A wicked grin stretched across Striker’s lips as he ran his thumbs across her knuckles. “Just leave that up to me, Margo.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
THAT NIGHT MARGO lay in bed beneath the covers, trying to put that phone call from Freddie Siskin out of her mind. It bothered her whenever she thought that Scott could stoop so low as to make a sex tape of them. More than anything, she appreciated Striker for taking control of the situation. His plan was truly ingenious, and she couldn’t wait for it to unfold.
Striker, determined to help her relax, had suggested that they have a picnic for lunch and spend some time outside by the lake. It was one of those rare days in February when the sun had come out. While he packed up the food for their meal in a basket, she’d gathered the blankets.
Freddie’s call could easily have ruined the entire day, but Striker had made sure it didn’t. While sitting on the blankets they’d spread on the ground, they’d made easy conversation, and she managed to relax.
Hours later, when they’d returned to the cabin, he watched a basketball game on television while she prepared a dinner that consisted of pork chops and gravy, wild rice, green beans, corn on the cob and iced tea. He’d told her a number of times that he had enjoyed it. After they had worked together and cleaned up the kitchen, she had gone upstairs to shower while he checked around and locked up for the night.
She heard his footsteps coming up the stairs, and more than anything, she wanted to be held in his arms tonight.
He leaned in the doorway for a minute and stared across the room at the bed and her in it. For the longest time, their gazes held and he didn’t say anything. Deciding to break the silence, she asked, “Everything looks okay?”
He nodded, pushed away from the doorway and came into the room. “Yes.”
She watched as he took off his gun and shoulder holster and then slowly crossed the room to place both on the nightstand. As usual, seeing them was a stark reminder of the danger she was in. The assassin was still out there, and until he was captured, her life remained in turmoil.
“I got a call from Stonewall.”
“Any new developments?”
“Nothing new regarding the Erickson case. But Stonewall has been in contact with Detective Ingram, and a sting for Freddie has been set up. Hopefully by this time tomorrow it will all be over.”
Margo hoped so. More than once today she had been tempted to call Scott, but she knew doing so would ruin everything. Striker had asked her to trust him enough to let him handle things and she would. More than anything, she appreciated how he’d taken charge and known whom to contact. He’d reassured her that everything would be alright. And now, thanks to Striker, Freddie would be walking into a sting operation the police had been brought in on. Whether he knew it or not, he was more than a protector to her. He’d become her hero.
“I need to shower,” he said, breaking into her thoughts.
“Alright.” He headed for the bathroom. That gave her hope they would be sharing a bed.
Margo shifted positions in bed when she heard the sound of the shower going. She had gotten so used to having Striker around that she found comfort in his presence. A part of her couldn’t help wondering how she would handle things when he was no longer her protector.
*
AFTER REMOVING HIS CLOTHES, Striker stepped under the warm spray of the shower and tilted his head back. The water drenched his face, body and skin. He drew in a deep sigh as the water washed away some of the day’s stress, but it did nothing to rid him of all those sexual thoughts he was having of Margo in that bed. She was naked beneath those covers, he was sure of it. And for her not to suggest that he sleep elsewhere meant something, didn’t it?
He cursed under his breath when he thought of that call from Freddie Siskin. Striker had meant what he’d told Margo about wanting to kick both Siskin’s and Dylan’s asses. What decent man would do something like that? Make a sex tape of his and his lover’s intimate encounters and then give it to someone to expose her if she didn’t pay up?
Although Striker didn’t know Dylan, he couldn’t see him being involved in extortion. Not only could he lose that job he thought so much of, but the bastard could end up in jail. That made Striker wonder if perhaps Siskin was once again doing something stupid without telling Dylan about it. If that was the case, it would be up to Dylan to prove his innocence if Siskin was arrested.
And Striker was sure Siskin would be caught. Everything had been coordinated with Stonewall and the police. Just like he said he would do, Freddie had called back in four hours and Margo claimed she had returned to town and agreed to meet with him the next day.
While Freddie thought he’d be meeting with Margo, it would really be an undercover police officer impersonating Margo. Since Margo and Freddie had never officially met, he wouldn’t know the impersonator wasn’t Margo. And just in case Freddie had seen a picture of Margo, the undercover police officer would be someone with similar features to Margo. The officer would be wired, and if there was any discussion of exchanging the tape for money, Freddie would be arrested. Margo’s uncle had been apprised of what was going on, just in case he also received a call from someone trying to extort money. Stonewall was coordinating things with Detective Ingram, and Striker had no doubt they had everything in hand.