Released: MC Secret Baby Romance (New Adult Contemporary Biker Romance) (58 page)

“Sorry about that, had to make a call. So tell me again, you’ve never heard from this person before?”

“No. This was the first time.”

“And he spoke of a debt that your brother owed?”

“Yes.”

“Any distinguishing characteristics?”

“Like what?” Samantha was becoming agitated and eager to get home.

“Like an accent? Or maybe even a stutter or speech impairment?”

“No, nothing like that.”

She sipped on her drink and tried to catch a peek around him to see Julie.

“Oh don’t worry about them,” Cooper said as he followed her gaze. “They’re just arguing over football.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah… Brooke never keeps his mouth shut once the beautiful game comes up in conversation.”

For most of the day Cooper had done his best not to think about her, but then she had to turn up at the station with that cute, tearful face of hers. He tried to act as professional as possible, even when he wanted to wrap his arms around her and kiss the tears off her cheeks.

As he pretended to scribble on his pad he looked into her hazel eyes and felt as though he was swooning. All she’d have to do was look at him the right way and he’d be all hers. Of course
,
she’d shown no interest in him at all and it irked him. He’d never had to work hard to impress a woman. All he had to do was stand there with his broad, muscular frame and cheeky face and they’d be all smiles and batting eyelashes. Samantha though, she was different.

“Are you finished?” her words interrupted his thoughts as she nodded to the pad on his desk. “I need to get home.”

“Oh sorry. Yeah
,
I think we’re all done here. If he calls again you phone me right away.”

“But that’s it? What if he turns up at my apartment?”

“We’ll have a car stationed at the entrance to your building. Don’t worry, no one will be getting anywhere near you.”

Samantha’s shoulders slumped in relief.

“Thank God,” she smiled. “But anyway…. I better get goin’.”

“How about I drive you home?” he didn’t mean to sound so forward but the words tumbled out before he could stop them.

“Actually
,
that would be great. Thanks,” that smile again, the one that gave him butterflies.

On the walk to the parking lot
,
they remained silent until they reached the car. Once inside the warmth of the vehicle with the doors slamming shut, Samantha began to relax. Without realizing, she found herself looking at his hand as it rested on the steering wheel. There was no wedding band so maybe he was single. She shook away the thought and looked out the window as they pulled out onto the busy street. She felt ashamed for thinking such a thing at such a terrible time.

Meanwhile
,
Cooper was sensing some tension from her and he glanced over to see her perfect profile framed in the window. He wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked, but turned back to the road instead.

“You must have so much on your mind?” he asked to make conversation.

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” she started to chew on her coat sleeve as her wide eyes stayed fixed on the sidewalk.

“And your parents, how are they coping?”

“Not well,” Samantha’s voice became croaky as she held in the tears. “My Mom keeps calling me up at all hours of the night wanting answers. She keeps wanting to know what she could have done differently. Thinks it’s all her fault. My Dad though, he’s just quiet. Hasn’t said a thing.”

Cooper then pulled the car into a nearby space as they reached Samantha’s apartment. Without thinking
,
he placed a hand on her knee and looked into her eyes.

“We’ll catch him. I promise.”

Samantha didn’t flinch at his touch but rather felt comforted by his warmth and the protection of his strong fingers. Without knowing what to say she nodded and then pulled open the door.

“Phone me anytime,” Cooper called after her as she closed the door and walked away.

She turned around one last time to make sure he was still looking at her. Then she smiled and waved before disappearing inside. Cooper couldn’t stop the wide grin that was spreading across his face.

Chapter Six

Three long days and nights had passed since the terror of that anonymous call. Samantha had been on edge just staring at the telephone as though it could hurt her at any moment. Although the caller seemed so frightful and mysterious, it did answer one thing. Anthony was in drug debt and maybe that’s why he’d been killed. In fact
,
it was the most likely train of thought and that’s what the detectives were also running with.

There weren’t many things that had calmed her mind since the passing of her brother. At times when insomnia became too much of a burden
,
she’d pad through to the kitchen and make herself a hot chocolate or pour a glass of wine. Those precious few minutes would take her away from all the mental torture just long enough to ground herself. Other times Julie would be there with a big hug, and she’d feel her troubles dissolve as the two shared stories from their childhood.

Yet there was another small indulgence that she’d been enjoying too. Cooper wasn’t far from her thoughts and she’d be lying if she said she hadn’t imagined him as she lay awake, staring at the ceiling.

She was only human after all and the man was gorgeous. There was a problem though; he knew how hot he was and guys like that were always arrogant and aloof. But then again, Samantha liked an arrogant alpha male.

As she sat on the sofa with Julie beside her and a tub of ice cream between them, she felt her thoughts slide away to sexy ideas of what the detective would look like in uniform.

“What are you thinking about
,
you devil?” Julie nudged her in the arm.

“Eh? What?”

“You’ve got a weird smirk on your face.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Er…. I know a dirty daydream when I see one.”

They both laughed.

“It’s that detective again isn’t it?”

“Maybe,” Samantha blushed. “But anyway, I saw you and that Brooke in a heated discussion. What was all that about? I meant to ask you about it.”

“Oh God, forget about it. Nothing.”

“Sure about that?”

“Positive.”

And they resumed eating their ice cream with the canned laughter of a sitcom between them. But Julie wasn’t falling for Samantha’s dismissive words and she kept making furtive glances over the sofa.

“I don’t…. think I believe you,” she said with a cheeky glint in her eyes. “I bet you’d love to get inside a pair of Detective Cooper’s handcuffs.”

“Jules!” Samantha flung a cushion at her. “How dare you?” she burst out laughing. “Ok you’re right. I do like to look at him. Haha. It’s just physical attraction. He isn’t my type
.
”

“Yeah right,” Julie rolled her eyes with a mouthful of ice cream. “Uh huh, you like him a hell of a lot. I mean not your type? Handsome, kind, hardworking….that isn’t your type?”

“Ok, ok.....what is not to like! Oh God Jules his body. It’s just so….holy shit,” they both giggled like school girls and it was the first real deep belly laugh Samantha had in weeks.

“I knew it!”

They were both shrieking in laughter, but their fun was soon put to a stop by the sound of knocking on the front door.

“Who is it?” Samantha called expecting it to be one of her neighbors, but the person wasn’t speaking. Again, a knock sounded three times. The manner was cold and precise with the sound of the wood piercing the air.

“I wonder who that could be?”

Samantha dropped her spoon and jumped up to investigate. She reached a few steps into the hallway when the knock sounded again. Except on the third rap
,
it reached a frightening crescendo as the knocks turned to bangs. They were frantic and angry and the girls screamed as they ran to each other.

“Quick! Dial 911!”

Julie sprinted for the phone while Samantha clutched at her face in horror.

“Who are you?” she screamed.

The banging stopped for a moment with only the sound of her heavy breathing filling the space around her. Then somewhere behind her Julie was heard talking into the phone, desperately pleading for help.

“I said who are you?” Samantha tried to get a response one last time as she edged her way to the door.

She was eager to see who it was and as she leaned against the door, her eye against the peephole, she felt her heart begin to thud. A man in a ski mask stood with a machete held up high over his head as if ready to rain down a fatal blow. He knew she was there, could tell by the way the peephole clouded over with her movement. He looked up into the glass, his eyes gazing menacingly into the door.

“It’s the boogeyman,” his voice was singing.

Samantha held her breath in fear and felt Julie’s hand rest on her shoulder as she stood by her side.

“The cops are on their way,” Julie whispered.

It was the last thing she heard before she felt the sharp pain across her face as the door was kicked in.

Chapter Seven

When Samantha awoke she felt a terrible pain radiating through her skull. There was the taste of copper in her mouth and she winced at the sourness that was running over her teeth. Her nose, though miraculously not broken, was bleeding as a result of the door hitting it and she grimaced in pain as she got her bearings.

“Pssst…..”

The voice was coming from her left. She turned to see Julie tied up beside her with sheer terror in her eyes.

“Jules!”

“Shhhhh…” He’s still here.

“What’s going on?” Samantha began to cry as she suddenly felt the despair of the situation.

She wriggled her wrists behind her but there was no use in trying to free herself, the rope was wound so tightly around her it burned her skin with the slightest of friction.

“You were knocked out,” Julies explained. “Then he tied us both up. He’s been ransacking the place ever since. God knows where the cops are.”

Sounds were coming from the bedroom signaling he was pulling all her belongings apart.

“He must be looking for money,” Samantha bit her lip. “But he won’t find anything.”

Suddenly the noises stopped and footsteps were heard approaching. The girls felt their blood pressure rise the closer they got and before they knew it, he was standing in front of them. The machete was still clutched in his gloved hand, the blade dangling by his side as a sinister warning.

Samantha tried to look into his face but flinched at the sight of the ski mask. Who knew what monster was hiding behind it. He noticed her expression and approached her slowly, step by step creaking until his face was up close to hers. His hot and sour breath was pushing out the mask and making its way to Samantha’s face.

She turned her head to escape his stare but he grabbed her by the chin and pulled her back, his bony fingers hurting her delicate face.

“Just tell me where the money is and I’ll let you live,” he snarled.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she sobbed. “I haven’t seen Anthony in months. I don’t know anything about any money.”

The intruder lost his patience and slapped her hard across the face.

“Bitch don’t lie to me!”

“I’m not lying,” she cried harder as a red welt began to protrude from her fair skin. “I don’t know anything but you can take what you want. Take it all I don’t care just don’t hurt us!”

“Oh…. It’s like that is it? So you’re in the mood for bargaining?”

The two girls looked at each other confused.

“I mean…. What would you two girls like to do for me? What would it take?”

Again the girls exchanged panicked glances as they tried to decipher his question.

“Why so quiet all of a sudden?” he leaned back into Samantha’s face. “I thought we were getting on?”

“You’re a real sick fuck!” Julie spat. “You get away from her!”

Her anger was uncontrollable and she wriggled furiously in her seat to try and escape.

“Ooh! We have an angry little madam over here,” the intruder laughed.

He swapped targets and moved towards Julie with fire in his eyes. Reaching out a tentative finger he stroked the side of her face, his leather glove squeaking as he moved.

“No! Leave her alone,” Samantha pleaded to no avail.

The intruder acted as though he never heard her and proceeded to get closer to Julie with his whole body pressed up against her side.

“You’re real pretty you know that? I mean not as pretty as your friend over there but still…. I wouldn’t say no.”

Julie recoiled at his words and tried to move her head away from him but he was always inching closer, trying his best to intimidate her. He began to trace his finger from her face and down her neck as she struggled. When his finger reached her chest, the bulky, gloved finger reaching inside her top, she was shaking so much the wooden chair was clattering against the floorboards.