He had told her before that she wasn’t ready to be a mother, but seeing her fawn over the dog so much was getting on his nerves. He’d rather see her give that kind of attention to his child. He’d always wanted a son to raise, or a little girl to pamper.
“Ew, no. I’m not sure I’m ready to get all fat and bloated. I want to be your little girl a little longer.” She ran her hand through his hair, but he wasn’t amused.
“Your body becoming a vessel for my child is a great honor you’d be doing for me, Lila. An honor you promised when we exchanged our vows. Are you going to deny me a child because you’re so cold and shallow that you’re worried about your waistline?” His eyes bored down into hers, and she shook her head, tears filling her eyes. His own mother hadn’t been maternal at all. He would have better for his own flesh and blood.
“I didn’t mean to offend you,” she said. “It’s just, I don’t want to share you with a child just yet.”
“So, it’s about what you want? Selfish.” He gripped the collar and pulled it so hard it broke. “When you’re ready to trust me, you can have this back.” He got up and tucked it into his pocket, and as she grabbed her neck, he walked away.
She was no different than the rest of them, always thinking about themselves. He’d been their savior too many times as it was, and he was determined that those days were over. He’d consider his offer to Tad as his last good deed.
10
Darek
Darek had made it to the end of the week without offending his beautiful new partner, and strangely enough, he missed Max. The guy was good for comic relief, and boy, did Darek need that in his life.
Lizzy added to his sexual tension, and while he wasn’t ready to give her up, he was going to have to get with his wife soon. He’d found his mind drifting to Lizzy in the shower and a few times during the night when Megan stopped nagging. He couldn’t help it. Lizzy was charming and sexy.
She chewed her pen as they sat at his desk. Her eyes were turned down to the paper she read, and even that was sexy to him. He tried not to watch her lips too closely, and he never minded a little teeth. “If you’re hungry, there are donuts in the breakroom.”
“Very funny. I’ll leave the donuts to you guys, thank you.” She got up and stretched. “We’re going to check out these escorts. Assuming they are home from a hard night as arm candy.”
He glanced at the sheet, and Tad Halston was the first on the list. There was no way to avoid that he knew the guy, save for lying, and that wasn’t a good idea, but he didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. “That first name rings a bell.”
“Yeah?” She pulled on her blazer and flipped her hair out, smoothing it down her back. “Do you want to tell me how you know a male escort? Is that your dirty secret? Got a little experimental or something?” She laughed when he shot her a glare.
“No, I don’t roll that way, but I’ve heard that name at least once. Not sure where, but I’ve been in the city a while, so it’s not unusual. I’ve made a few arrests. Maybe that’s it.”
A soft chuckle escaped her throat. “I would have preferred some deviant story.”
He belted out a laugh. “Sorry to disappoint.” He liked that she felt comfortable enough to joke with him, especially about sex. Most of the lady cops he’d met were too hell-bent on being serious, and if one wasn’t careful, he’d have a sexual misconduct slapped on his record, or worse, end up shit-canned.
Max came across the room with his phone to his ear and a hard grimace on his puss. Darek waited until Max said goodbye and ended the call.
“What’s up with you?” Darek asked.
“There’s a problem with the security, but I’ll try to have something when you get back. I may have to go down there and talk to hotel security myself.”
“We’re off to see the escorts,” Darek said.
“I’ll trade you.” His brows waggled, and Darek punched his arm.
“Sorry to burst your fantasy bubble, but half of them are men.” He chuckled as Max made a face and turned to leave. “See you later, bro.”
As Darek and Lizzy headed to their car, she gave him a nudge. “You and Max sure seem to be great partners. I know others who aren’t so well-matched.”
“We do all right. Never had a fight, but boy, do we disagree on things. The guy is still shaking his head at my marriage, and he was my best man.”
“Wow, there has to be a story there.”
“Her father hates me. Thinks his princess is too good for a guy like me.”
She breathed a quiet laugh. “You’re a wonderful guy, right? I mean, what’s the worst he could say about you? You’re a detective, have good morals, you stay faithful, don’t you? You’re practically a saint compared to some men today. Most have some dark, vicious past they are running from or some secret fetish. You’ve got normal written all over you.”
She slid behind the wheel of her car, and Darek sat in the passenger seat.
“Wow,” he said. “I sound like a real loser when you put it like that. Normal?” Darek shook his head. If she only knew.
“In this world, normal is good sometimes.” He glanced over, and she rolled her eyes after a moment of quiet. “Wow, don’t tell me you’re offended by normal.”
“Not at all. Normal, boring, you know. Maybe my wife is bored with me.” He hadn’t thought much about it, but maybe Megan was in the same place he was. Life had become so full of routine. He needed to spice things up a bit.
“Buy her some flowers or something, bring home some wine, light some candles.” Lizzy laughed and gave him another nudge.
By the time they got to Tad’s house, they were making small talk again. Lizzy parked the car and shut it off. “This one’s got a slim record. If you were the one who arrested him, you'd remember, right?”
“I should. I never forget a face.” There was one face that burned in his mind, beaten and bloody, with dead, still eyes.
“All right then, let’s go.” They walked up to the house, and Lizzy knocked on the door before Darek could do the honor.
Tad came to the door, and it wasn’t lost on Darek why he focused so much on Lizzy. “Yeah?” He was dressed in a nice suit, but his voice was gravelly, and he needed a shave. Other than that, the guy looked healthy enough, no sign of addiction from a visual standpoint.
“Hello, I’m Special Agent McNamara and this is Detective Blake. We’d like a moment of your time to ask a few questions about Alicia David.”
“Yeah, I heard she died,” Tad said.
“She was murdered, actually.”
“Right. Come on in.” His eyes drifted to Darek as if he wasn’t sure how to act. Darek knew the guy was going to look guilty, so he’d have to clear the air soon. And he held his breath that his sister, Hannah, wouldn’t be home. He’d never really met her, but he also didn’t know what Tad had told her.
“I’ve seen you around before, but I can’t place where,” Darek said. “I thought the name Tad rang a bell.”
“Yeah, you look familiar, too.” They left it at that as they followed him into the house.