Tattoo My Heart Read online

  They were inside in a matter of seconds.

  His normally easygoing, laid back demeanor was colored in anger as he placed her in the chair behind his desk. He handed her the phone receiver then punched the speaker button on the phone. “Dial.”

  Sweat droplets jumped on her forehead and her fingers shook as she poked numbers until ringing tones filled the room. Her emotions jumped from angry to relieved and back again until Dorie answered. And then she was flat out terrified.

  “Hi Dorie, it’s Annessa again.”

  A few seconds of silence crossed the line and she wondered if they had been disconnected. “Is that really you, Annessa?”

  Annessa glanced at Casey and frowned. He signaled her to answer. “Yes, why?”

  “You just don’t sound like yourself.”

  “Oh.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m just a little tired. Things are taking a little longer than I thought.”

  “You just take your time. Everything is fine here. Can I do anything for you?”

  “No, thank you. I just wondered if Mr. Marcelli called again.”

  “Yes. He’s quite adamant about speaking to you when you return from Georgia.”

  A cold chill climbed every single vertebra in Annessa’s spine. The phone threatened to slip from her grasp as she looked straight into Casey’s narrowed eyes.

  “Dorie, how does he know where I am?”

  “I don’t know. I just assumed he’d spoken to you.”

  “I didn’t even tell you I’m in Georgia.”

  “Annessa, I’m getting the impression you’re in trouble. Are you okay?”

  “Of course, I just haven’t received any calls—”

  “Annessa, hang up,” Casey whispered in her ear.

  She frowned and kept talking. “But I’ll wait a few more days.”

  “Damn it, now!” he hissed.

  “I gotta go, Dorie.” She slammed down the phone and glared. “What was that all about?”

  “Dorie’s phone is bugged.”

  “How do you know?”

  “It’s the only way anyone would know where you are. Unless he tracked your alias, Dorie’s the only key.” He grabbed the phone and punched buttons. “Sheriff Casey McIntyre for Agent Nick Ramano.”

  Annessa paced while she listened to Casey’s end of the conversation, hoping he could really protect her from this maniac. She had no doubt he’d die trying and that wasn’t exactly encouraging.

  “Ness, come here.” Casey hung up the phone and patted the top of the desk beside him. “Pacing won’t do anything but make you dizzy.”

  She sat beside him. “I hate to admit it, but now’s probably as good a time as any to say you were right again.”

  “About what?”

  “Moving to Los Angeles.”

  “Yeah, well, I did try to warn you.” He tucked a piece or hair behind her ear. “There’s something else we need to talk about before we go back to the house.”

  She lifted her gaze to his and her heart began that annoying thumping thing again. His dark eyes shone with their usual heat but this time something else reflected in the depths. Something soft, tender and compassionate. Something that warned her she would never escape his hold.

  Heat invaded her cheeks as he lifted a hand and ran his knuckles down the side of her face. “You have to trust me.”

  The warmth of his touch made her breath hitch, from arousal or anxiety she didn’t know. Of course she wouldn’t argue. Yet, she heard the hidden meaning behind his words. Her heart trusted him; her brain, however, refused to cooperate.

  “That’s why I came home,” she said.

  “I’m glad you did.”

  “Even if I brought trouble?”

  He nodded and smirked. “I wouldn’t have expected any different.”

  “How many times have you rescued me?”

  “Several.”

  “You can’t give me an exact number?”

  “I lost count.” He stood and offered a hand. “Let’s go. It’s late and Agent Ramano will be here in the morning at eight.”

  Annessa rode in silence next to Casey on the short drive home, still baffled about how he could possibly fix this. Somehow this whole mess was quite a bit different from threatening a boyfriend or wiping away her tears. She’d relied on him most of her life to take care of her.

  And then he tore her in two. She released a soft moan and threw her head back against the seat.

  “I promised, Annessa,” he said from beside her.

  She rolled her head to the side and gave him a weak smile. “I know.”

  As soon as Casey parked in front of the house, she bolted from the car and inside the front door before she barely broke a sweat. For a few seconds, she stood panting with her back against the door before she noticed Dane and Vanessa snuggled on the sofa.

  Her sister frowned. “Did you run home?”

  Annessa shook her head in denial while her chest continued to heave.

  Dane cleared his throat. “Where’s Casey?”

  “Behind me,” she said finally.

  The doorknob turned and she moved back to allow the door to open.

  “She’s still nervous,” Casey mumbled as he stepped inside. “Everybody here?”

  Dane nodded. “Travis and Mav are already sleeping. Vanessa wanted to wait.”

  “The state agents will be here early.”

  Vanessa stood and pulled Annessa into a hug. “You’re safe now. Casey’s got it all under control.”

  Despite her tremendous fear, Annessa knew her sister was exactly right. Control was the name of Casey’s game and he tended to get testy when things didn’t go his way.

  “Yes, he does.” She gave her sister one last squeeze then headed for the stairs. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  It wasn’t until she reached the second floor that she mentally counted bedrooms. Four. Travis and Maverick already occupied two. Dane and Vanessa would share. That left someone out.

  “I’m not sleeping on the couch.”

  Casey’s low rumble from behind her caused renewed havoc in her nervous system. No woman with even half a brain would pass up the opportunity to share a bed with him. She’d seen him in various states of undress; the thought alone of climbing that mountain of male was enough to feed a woman’s brain full of orgasmic thoughts. And, she’d touched him – felt the extreme power behind each and every movement. He’d held her in his arms night after night, not in a sexual endeavor, but in the hold of someone who loved her unconditionally, wholeheartedly. Or so she thought.

  She stood, staring at the doorknob as if it would magically open and take the decision out of her hands.

  And then he reached around her and did just that. “Go.” His slight nudge urged her into the bedroom. The door latch clicked in the silence.

  Without another word, he pulled back the bedspread then unbuttoned his shirt and handed it to her. She swallowed hard when his skin sparkled in the lamp light.

  He pointed at the adjoining bathroom. “Go on, baby, it’s late.”

  Arousal blurred her vision and made her stupid. She knew she should throw his shirt at him and demand he sleep downstairs. The logical thing to do would be to assert herself – show him exactly who had control of this situation. But at the moment, logic could kiss her rosy red ass. Logic had no business in this bedroom; wanton desire saw to that.

  Minutes later, she stood at the opposite side of the bed, dressed only in the Seaside County Sheriff’s uniform shirt and a pair of red bikini panties.

  Casey took one look at the sexy creature beside the bed and willed himself to think of murder. Blood, guts, mangled body parts – anything other than pinning Annessa beneath him and burying his cock inside her warm body.

  Her bare legs taunted him – smooth, tanned, and just long enough to wrap his hips while he pounded her toward climax. Buckled around him, they would squeeze tight while she had no choice but to dig in and hang on for the ride. And ride her he would. Every single way po
ssible and all night for the rest of his life.

  He swallowed hard when she shifted her weight from one side of her body to the other and a flash of red from under the shirt made his cock scream. Holy fuck. No doubt silk and hopefully very, very wet.

  Not convinced he thought with the proper head, he peeled back the covers and patted the empty space beside him. With a soft, almost relieved smile, she scooted next to him, her back to his front. Her amazing ass plastered against his achy, needy dick.

  He rested his head on a pillow then draped one hand across her hip and prayed she wouldn’t move. No way would another make-out session work tonight.

  The little vixen knew exactly what she was doing when she pressed back against him. “What now?” she whispered.

  He moved her hair back from her neck and placed a kiss there. “Sleep.”

  Her body relaxed against him and his cock picked that exact moment to poke her. “Ignore it,” he growled.

  “Good luck with that.” Her light giggle gave him hope that she realized the extent of his restraint.

  In the quiet darkness, he held her while his fingers brushed the soft skin of her hip and wondered if he’d ever be able to win back what he so carelessly tossed aside.

  Regret took a familiar stab at his heart and he wished for the millionth time he’d handled things differently. He still wouldn’t have taken her to bed – that he would never change – but he would’ve trusted her enough to explain. Maybe then she wouldn’t have run. Right into hell.

  A sleepy sigh left her lips and she clasped a hand over his on her hip. “Are you hot?”

  He smiled against her hair. “Extremely.”

  “Did you turn on the ceiling fan?”

  “Baby, the heat in this room cannot be cooled with a fan.” He pushed the blankets off them until they rested at his feet.

  She lay silent for a brief moment and a fleeting sense of panic crossed his mind. Would she ask him to love her? If he denied her again, no matter how honorable his intention, the relationship they’d managed to salvage would be destroyed. Though circumstances were totally different this time, he knew her well enough to realize she wouldn’t consider his reasoning again. In Annessa’s mind, rejection was simply rejection. Cut and dry.

  “Thank you.” The two words she finally mumbled were barely audible over the beating of his heart.

  He released a slow breath and returned his hand to its former place. “You’re welcome.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  The next morning, Annessa glanced up at all six plus feet of Agent Nick Ramano and sighed. For all of two seconds, his short, mussed blond hair and baby blue eyes made her forget all about murder. It was a conspiracy. Hot cops ran in packs.

  She shifted from side to side and attempted to keep her nerves under control while Casey caught the agent up to speed.

  “Marcelli’s been under the federal microscope for quite awhile.” Agent Ramano ran a hand across his forehead. “It’s almost unbelievable he’d have business in Georgia.”

  “Sorry about that,” Annessa mumbled.

  Casey gave her hand a squeeze. “We haven’t had a visual. The warnings all point to Annessa and a package.”

  “Package?”

  Casey nodded. “Marcelli gave her a gift, a diamond bracelet. I’m assuming that’s what someone is after.”

  “I just don’t understand why he would give it to me just to turn around and threaten me to get it back.” Annessa sighed. “Why didn’t he just ask?”

  “That’s what we need to find out.”

  “And what about the murder? How is that connected to the bracelet?”

  Casey draped an arm around her shoulders and eased her against him. “One step at a time, baby.”

  Agent Ramano’s forehead wrinkled. “Are you absolutely certain you saw a murder?”

  “Unless the corpse was there for looks.”

  “Did you recognize the, uh, deceased?”

  Annessa shook her head. “I didn’t stick around.”

  “What about the shooter?”

  “No.”

  The husky timbre of Casey’s voice vibrated against her cheek as he stroked her hair. “How do you want to work this, Ramano?”

  “We’ll plant three agents on the house,” Agent Ramano told Casey, “and a tail on everyone else. I’ll take you and Annessa.”

  Casey nodded. “You’ve got a man on Marcelli?”

  Agent Double-O Sexy’s eyes darkened. “In flight to Los Angeles as we speak.”

  “Any news on the murder?”

  “Not a word. Just a body.” Annessa noticed that didn’t seem to bother him too much. “Marcelli keeps a tight hold on his organization.”

  Her stomach lurched. “So, we just stay holed up here until you catch him? What about my sister’s wedding?”

  “We don’t plan to drag out this operation.” She took that to mean he had a plan. “I don’t want you all in the same location. Splitting you up is safer.” Annessa’s confidence in Agent Ramano wavered. Sexy or not, she wasn’t too sure he had a clear understanding of Marcelli’s power.

  Casey squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll stay here with Travis. Dane and Vanessa will stay at his place when he’s not on call.” He smirked at the agent. “Mav’s shadow is in for a wild ride.”

  “The Sheriff’s Department and the Fire Department won’t be a problem. It’s off duty I’m more concerned about.”

  “You think we should stay put?”

  “No. We stand a better chance of drawing him out if you do everyday, normal things. My guys are good.”

  “Wait a minute.” Casey’s tone sharpened. “We’re not using her as bait.”

  “That’s not my intent. I only meant that the more normal the activity, the more brave the criminal. He will most likely believe we aren’t taking the threat seriously.”

  Casey nodded but she didn’t miss the venom directed at the agent as he spoke. “Just so we’re clear.”

  “Affirmative, Sheriff. We’ll need to establish a command center in your office this morning. She’ll be safe here while you’re away.”

  She dodged several testosterone-injected arrows. “Vanessa planned to stay with me. We’ll be fine with the muscle on the house.”

  In one full swoop, Casey crushed her against him, placed his lips to hers, and took her mouth in full possession. Probably to mark his territory, but who really cared? In fact, two could play his game. She opened her mouth beneath his, closed her lips around his tongue, and sucked. Hard.

  Casey’s hands tightened on her hips as she continued to hold him hostage in her mouth. Her nipples tightened in the heat between them and her libido screamed when she felt his erection against her stomach.

  Somewhere in the depths of her desire, she heard Agent Ramano snicker. “I get it.”

  Only because they had an audience, she released Casey’s tongue and silently relinquished control back to him. He lifted his lips and his heated gaze told her all she needed to know. His noble intentions were gone.

  “Don’t leave the house without an agent.”

  She lifted an eyebrow, sending her own brand of warning.

  “Please, Annessa.” His voice gentled as he poked a strand of her hair behind one ear. “Just this once humor me.”

  “Oh okay.” She pressed her lips back against to his in a brief surrender. “Just this once.”

  Casey released her and nodded at the agent. “I’ll ride with you.”

  Annessa headed inside the house, relaxed for the first time in days. About Marcelli, anyway. Her nerves however, still jumped from Casey’s touch.

  “You have got it bad.”

  She glanced at Vanessa standing in the doorway. “That’s putting it mildly.”

  Her sister grinned and closed the door. “The dresses are here.”

  “How are we going to manage a final fitting?” She followed Vanessa upstairs and into her bedroom. “I’m not sure we should bring your bridesmaids here.”

  “I’m sure everyone�
��s dress is perfect. You usually get it right the first time.”

  “It helps that everyone is about the same size.”

  Vanessa opened the closet door and gestured inside with her head. “Yours is here. Try it on.”

  Annessa stripped down to her bra and panties then slid the emerald gown over her head until the hem brushed the bottom of her knees. “What made you choose this color?”

  “It matches your eyes.”

  “Yours are the same color as mine.”

  “Yes, but I’m wearing white.” Vanessa flashed a grin. “Besides, green is Casey’s favorite color.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “You just told me.” Van winked and tweaked one thin shoulder strap. “And, it shouldn’t be hard for him to get you out of this.”

  “Who are you? You are definitely not Vanessa Dupree, the good twin.”

  “Oh stop, Ness. Sooner or later you and Casey will stop being so stubborn.”

  “How do you know we haven’t?”

  “One, you would’ve told me. Two, I didn’t hear anything from your bedroom last night.”

  “What makes you so sure you would’ve heard something?”

  Vanessa simply raised an eyebrow.

  “Fine,” she relented. “Even I don’t know if I’m noisy. But, I don’t tell you everything about my sex life.”

  “Yes you do.”

  “You’re right.” Shame on her for thinking she could get that by her sister. “I have kissed him, though.”

  “Yeah, in front of a squad of Georgia State Investigators, and it was pretty hot if I say so myself.”

  “I’ve had better.”

  “Better than Casey?”

  “No, better with Casey.”

  “I’m starting to think you don’t tell me everything. What exactly happened last night?”

  “Nothing.” The night before, however …. She swallowed so that admission wouldn’t barrel out of her mouth.

  “But you’ve decided to kick fear in the teeth?”

  “Maybe. I’m not sure sex will change that. I love Casey, Van, I just don’t know if I can trust him not to leave me again.”

  “You left too, Ness.”