Chapter Thirty-Five
There were a few trust issues to work out between them at first. Cady could admit to tensing a few times when he touched her, a tiny corner of her mind still wondering if Asherik lurked behind those blue eyes. Especially when he did something impossibly romantic (or borderline creepy if taken the wrong way), like filling her bedroom with flowers while she slept.
Cady fretted over every slight change in behavior before she came to understand that it was a different side he was showing her. A lighter side, one he’d forgotten existed. In the days that followed, with no threat of doom and gloom, Ethan smiled more, brooded less. There were fewer lectures on safety and danger, except where he made her take precautions before coming to see him.
It was agreed that they would keep their relationship a secret from her friends and family, in order to keep from explaining his involvement with the police. David Brown faded into obscurity and Barry Wilson rented an apartment in a renovated loft in the Mission District. Cady settled back into her old life, moving back home with Ian, who watched her like a hawk at first, especially when she refused to tell him what happened while she was away.
The police were less patient with her, Detective Lucas detaining her for questioning not long after she got home. Her boss, Dylan, had been charged with murder after being found in a dead hooker’s apartment, jibbering away insanely about the voices in his head. They’d found the blonde haired, blue eyed man in Dylan’s house who resembled Ethan so closely, nearly dead from blood loss. He also spoke about hearing voices when he regained consciousness and it was decided that the pair was in on it together before Dylan cracked and tried to kill his partner.
Cady answered every question as closely to the truth as possible, but gave them very little information in the end. Yes, she was attacked by Dylan the night she ran away from home. No, she hadn’t met the blonde man before, but he certainly did look like her ex-boyfriend, David. No, she didn’t know where David was. After two hours of going around and around without breaking, Lucas let her go with a shake of the head.
For a day or two, Cady looked over her shoulder every time she was out in public. She stayed away from Ethan at first, content with a few late night phone calls while Ian was at work, convinced the police were keeping tabs on her. Not that she shared those fears with Ethan; he had enough to deal with on his own.
Writing up his report had taken up the better part of the week as he agonized over how much of her involvement to include. In the end he’d mentioned her as little as possible, completely omitting her role in the confrontation on the boat or the fact that he’d invited the demon to possess him.
Besides the report, there were other things to consider, the police manhunt being one of them. But after a few contacts, Ethan assured her it would all be taken care of. Detective Lucas would receive a visit from a very convincing government official, advising that he’d stumbled upon an ongoing federal investigation. Any search for David Brown or any of his aliases would be discouraged.
In the wake of Dylan’s arrest, Spanky’s was closed indefinitely, and she and Kelli were forced to find new employment. Kelli promptly got a job at La Colmena waiting tables, but Cady decided to hold out for something better. Crafting a resume that was mostly smoke and mirrors, she applied for every entry level office job she could find.
Wearing her most capable looking pencil skirt and vintage blouse, Cady fidgeted through four interviews, only to be told that she lacked the requisite experience. Until the fifth interview, when she struck paydirt with an insurance company looking for a new receptionist.
Cady rushed over to Ethan’s place, as quickly as she could manage (over the convoluted route she took, just in case), eager to share the good news.
“Guess what?” she asked, after delivering an exuberant kiss.
“I can’t begin to imagine,” he grinned over her enthusiastic greeting.
“I got a job today.” Cady waited for his excitement level to hitch up a notch, but he merely locked the door behind them.
“Did you?”
“Yep, at Pacific Surety. Isn’t that cool? A real job for once, with benefits and everything.”
“That’s nice.”
“Nice? It’s better than nice, it’s fantastic.” She followed him into the kitchen, frustrated when he didn’t give her the props she deserved for landing such a coup. “Maybe you don’t remember what it’s like to look for a job since you’ve been working for the Company since birth, but any job that doesn’t involve hooker heels or a hairnet is a pretty major deal.”
“You’re right, it is a big deal,” he acknowledged, bending into the fridge. “Congratulations.” He pulled out a small cake, chocolate with fresh strawberries, her favorite.
“What’s this?” she blinked in surprise.
“To celebrate your new job.”
“How did you know we’d be celebrating?”
“I might have had reason to believe you’d have some good news today.” A half shrug was given.
“You knew already, didn’t you?” Cady smacked him across the abs. Ethan didn’t so much as flinch, but she felt better for doing it all the same. “How did you know?”
“I happen to have a contact at Pacific Surety and I put in a call for you.”
“A call. As in… hire this girl or I’ll burn your house down, kind of call?”
“I wouldn’t quite put it like that, but essentially, yes.”
“Then they weren’t dazzled by my interviewing skills, were they?” Cady slumped against the counter, some of the wind going out of her sails. What had she expected? She had little to no experience as a receptionist, and not much more than her high school diploma to recommend her.
“You don’t mind do you?” Ethan approached her cautiously, hands going to her waist to pull her gently closer. “You would have gotten something sooner or later. I just wanted to help you find it sooner.”
She wasn’t mad exactly, it just took some of the shine off her accomplishment. But who was she to question a good break when it came? “Mind? Why the hell should I mind? I’ll take all the help I can get.” Cady smiled up at him, arms finding their way up to his shoulders. “Thanks for looking out for me.”
The heels gave her the added height she needed to kiss him without going up on her tiptoes, but she leaned into it all the same, her body molding to his. On and on the kiss went, taking on a life of its own, driving them both a little insane with want. Ethan lifted Cady onto the kitchen counter, hitching her skirt up high to gain better access but the narrow design defeated him. With a growl, he tore the fabric along the seam, hands skimming over bare flesh in triumph. A gasp slipped past her lips as the cold, granite countertop pressed against her heated skin, but it was quickly swallowed by his questing mouth. Her legs parted to accept him, wrapping around his waist to pull him closer as their mouths clashed together, breath mingling, tongues sliding.
After weeks of interruptions and near misses, they had yet to take things to the next level in their relationship. Despite the words of love on the yacht, Cady had started to think she would have to tie him up to get him to stay put long enough to finish what he started if it went on too much longer.
Ethan displayed no such hesitation now. His hands explored her curves, tugging her blouse free of the restrictive skirt to slip underneath and Cady followed suit, pulling his t-shirt up, breaking contact with his mouth only long enough to tug it over his head. Everything about him was hard and ready, from the perfect play of muscles along his back to the part of him that nudged closer to her core, causing ripples of exquisite friction when he pressed against her.
Sure fingers slid over her fevered skin, until they fisted in the loose fabric of her blouse, and he tore his mouth from hers. “Don’t you want some cake?” he said tightly, and she could feel the coiled restraint in him, discipline cutting through the haze of pleasure.
“Cake later. For now, let’s celebr
ate.”
Her encouragement was all he needed. His eyes never leaving hers, Ethan slipped his hands under her ass, easily lifting her from the kitchen counter to carry her toward the bedroom. Cady wrapped her legs tighter, loving the groan that escaped his lips at the simple shift.
A knock at the door froze Ethan in his tracks and Cady bit down on her lip to keep from crying out in frustration. What the hell was it now?
“Stay here,” he ordered, setting her on unsteady feet before she could object. Cady tugged her skirt down, noting that the slit down the side of her leg could be repaired without too much work, and the effect might even be pleasing if the ragged threads were trimmed away.
Ethan reappeared seconds later tugging on his shirt, his face grim. “Get into the closet,” he whispered, shoving the cake back into the fridge, but Cady didn’t budge an inch.
“Are you serious?”
“As a heart attack. It’s either in the closet or out the window.”
“I’ll take the window,” she scowled, tucking her blouse back into the skirt. Her tidy updo was hopelessly mussed, so she pulled out the tortoise shell barrette, shaking her hair free.
“I’m not kidding, Cady. Get in the closet, it’s Rikard.”
“This is stupid,” she hissed. “You’re allowed to have a girlfriend.”
“I’m really not.”
“Fine, tell him I’m your landlady, here to collect the rent. I’m not going in the closet again.” Cady strode to the door, throwing it open before he could stop her. The curly haired man she’d seen in Ethan’s apartment before stood in the hall, dressed in a runner’s get up with shiny shorts and a sleeveless T. “Oh, hello,” she smiled blandly. “Excuse me, won’t you?”
“Of course.” Rikard swallowed the surprised look in a flash, stepping aside for her to pass.
“Thank you, Mr. Wilson. I’ll see you at the beginning of next month.” With a polite smile to both men, she left without another word, walking as calmly as she could for the elevator. Ethan had insisted on the top floor again, claiming it offered more escape options. There was an advantage to his new apartment building though – there was an internet café on the ground floor, and she headed for it now, intending to wait for his friend to leave so they could finish celebrating.
Tucked into a green armchair with her mocha, Cady scrolled through her Facebook feed on the spiffy new phone Ethan had bought her when she heard the name Rikard announced by the barista. She looked up to see the man watching her intently from the counter, reaching for his coffee without breaking his gaze.
Cady looked away, focusing on her phone, all the while trying to sense his movement through her peripheral vision. She scored a great big fail in that effort, when he dropped onto the seat opposite her.
“So, you’re Barry’s landlady.”
“Ah, yes. Well, not exactly. My dad is the building manager, but I run collections for him most of the time. He manages seven of them, you know,” she lied glibly.
“No, I didn’t know. Busy fella, your father.”
“Yep, work hard, play hard, that’s my dad. Me, I enjoy a break now and then.” She held up her coffee to take a sip, pleased to note it didn’t shake the least bit. “You’re a friend of Barry’s?”
“Oh yeah, Barry and I go way back. Started out in the business together, you might say.”
“As a marketing consultant?” She knew that was Ethan’s new cover job, she’d helped him fill out the apartment application.
“That’s right.” His smile didn’t falter. “It’s a very competitive field. You’ve got to be a real killer to get anywhere.”
“I’ll bet.” Her eyes were drawn to the tattoo coiled around his bicep. Not quite like Ethan’s, but it reminded her of one of his demon tattoos, only resembling a fat lizard more than anything else. When she glanced up at his face again, he was watching her intently, and she hid half her face behind the coffee cup, taking a deep gulp. “Well, I’d better get back to it. Dad likes me to get to the bank before quitting time and I still have to make a couple of stops.”
“Can I give you a lift anywhere?”
“Oh no, I’m good, thanks. It was nice meeting you, Mister…”
“Smythe.” He offered a hand, pulling her closer once she accepted it, nearly throwing her off balance. Was he smelling her? Cady was about to pitch a fit when he let go of her hand and took a step back. “That’s a very pretty necklace. Where did you get it?”
She’s almost forgotten about the pendant; Ethan had replaced the tiny weapon in the bow and arrow design. Her fingers found it now, tracing over the cool metal. “Oh, this thing? I found it in a pawn shop over on Castro. It’s pretty cool, isn’t it? It sorta reminds me of that pin from the movie where they’re all fighting to the death.”
“Interesting connotation,” he murmured. “I won’t keep you, Miss…”
“Garrett,” she replied, not having time to think of an adequate lie. Besides, he didn’t know her first name. “Nice to meet you Mr. Smythe. You have a great day now.” With a bright smile, Cady scooted past him, well aware of her raggedy hem but grateful she could take longer strides as she got the hell out of there.
There was something creepy about that guy, and she didn’t go back upstairs as she originally intended in case he was watching her. Instead she walked to the apartment building two blocks down, climbing the stairs to the top floor and pacing there, as if she really was knocking on doors asking for the rent, to give herself time to think.
Where are you? The text came from Ethan, seconds later.
Loitering in a building down the street. Should I come over?
Unless you want me to eat all of your cake by myself.
Is everything okay? Cady sent, unable to shake the uneasy feeling she got from talking to Rikard.
It’s fine.
Of course it was fine. The man could be bleeding out his eyeballs and he’d say it was fine. Still, she headed back to his apartment building, wary, but there was no sign of Rikard or anyone else giving her a second look.
Knocking on the door, she mustered the most serious expression she could manage when he answered it. “Hello, Mr. Wilson. There seems to be a problem with your rent check.”
Ethan leaned against the doorframe, the corner of his mouth tucked up in amusement. “Oh? What would that be?”
“You didn’t give one to me.”
“Well, maybe you’d better come in and we can discuss it further.” He waggled his eyebrows playfully and she placed the flat of her hand on his chest, arching a single brow of her own.
“Mr. Wilson, are you suggesting something untoward?”
“I’m suggesting you get your ass inside here before I grope you in the hallway,” he grinned, blue eyes flashing.
“Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to do anything to get you into trouble,” she teased. “Would you like me to come back later?”
“No, thank you,” he said politely, even as he reached for her. “Something tells me you’re worth the risk.”
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