The Season of Sin (Peace In The Storm Publishing Presents) (20 page)

“Shh.” Steven kissed her hand.

What the hell was that?

“Just the look in his eyes you know?” Zoë sniffled.  “I knew in my heart he was gonna kill me. He was crazy. I always had a feeling about him.”

Brianna moved a curl out of her eye. “He was a drinking buddy when you’d visit out of town right?”

“He wasn’t a drinking buddy.” Zoë dabbed her eyes.  “He was an acquaintance. I thought he was fun to hang out with at first but he became obsessive. I kept telling him I didn’t wanna be more than friends and he wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“Was that before or after you kept having drinks with him?”

She glared at Brianna.  “What do you mean?”

“Well did you continue to have drinks with Billy after you knew he wanted more than friendship?”

“Bree.”

“What, Steven? It’s a fair question and one you should’ve asked when we first got here.”

“I might’ve seen him a few times after I told him I wasn’t interested because I thought we could still be friends.”

“Zoë.” Brianna looked at her own fingernails.  “Most women who aren’t interested in a man who has made it clear he’s interested in them will not continue to hang out with him.”

“It wasn’t hanging out.  Okay so I made a mistake. Is tonight my fault?”

“No.” Steven hugged her. “Bree she’s been through enough don’t you think?”

“But how could he know you were in Albany when you don’t live here? How would he know about Jasmine’s place and that you’d be here alone?”

“I’m sure you know I was followed one night, Detective Morris.  Billy was probably the person who followed me. He’s probably been doing it all this time.”

“I guess so if someone had been following you.”

“Someone
was
following me. I didn’t make it up.”

“I didn’t say you did, did I?”

CHAPTER THIRTY

Zoë smoothed her hair down.  “I should’ve been more careful after Billy popped up at my place. Thank god Steven was there when he showed up.”

Jayce glanced at Brianna.

Steven turned so red he could’ve shit ketchup.

“Excuse me?” Brianna poked her neck out. “Steven was at your place?”

“Yeah he came to NYC last Sunday to see me.”

“Oh really?”

“Bree it’s nothing. You got a big mouth, Zoë.”

She smirked.

“Well if it was nothing Steven, why didn’t you mention it?”

Zoë swept her hair over her shoulder. “Why does he have to mention it? It’s no one’s business is it?”

 “Excuse me?”

“You act like you own Steven. What he does and with who is none of your business.”

“Ooh.” Jayce moved back.

“It might not be my business but Steven’s my partner and my friend and I wanna make sure he doesn’t get hurt.”

“You mean like you hurt him?”

“Uh-oh.” Jayce moved out of Brianna’s path.

“Excuse me sweetie but you don’t know what you’re talking about so maybe you should keep your nose out of it.”

“Jesus.” Steven pulled the bridge of his nose.

“Oh I know what happened. I know he loved you and you broke his heart because you were too selfish to commit.  I know more than that too thanks to Steven.”

“Oh?” Brianna jumped in front of her. “So what else do you think you know?”

“Cool it.” Steven pulled Brianna back.  “Zoë’s been through something terrible and I can’t believe you’re acting like this, Bree. You really wanna fight about me like a fool?”

“Enjoy it, Steve.” Jayce popped in a stick of gum. “This opportunity doesn’t come for a guy everyday.”

“I’m serious, Jayce.  Look this isn’t the time for a catfight, ladies.”

“No one’s fighting!” Brianna flung Steven out of the way.  “I just don’t like what I see here.”

“And what do you see?” Zoë swiveled her hips. 

“I see manipulation and lies. I don’t believe a word that came out of your mouth tonight, Zoë.”

“So, you ain’t nobody.”

“Oh I got your nobody!” Brianna reached for Zoë’s hair.

“Get away from me!” Zoë jumped back. “This bitch is crazy.”

“Hey!” Jayce shielded Zoë. “Bree what the hell is wrong with you?”

“Excuse us, everyone.” Steven grabbed Brianna. “We gotta talk about something.” He dragged her down the hall.

“Let go of me, Steve!”

“Shut up.” He shoved her into Jasmine’s kitchen. “What the hell is your problem, Bree?”

“So you were at her place huh?”

“So it doesn’t mean anything.”

“Bullshit.” She stomped around the table. “You two can’t keep your hands off of each other. I’m not a fool.”

“So that’s what this is about? You’re jealous?”

“No I just don’t want anyone playing you for a fool and that’s exactly what Zoë is trying to do.  Drinking buddy? Please. She’s lying about the whole thing.”

“Oh this is pathetic.”

“You and Jayce can sit there like saps while she bats her eyes and wiggles her ass all you want.” She pointed to the door. “She knew Billy more than she lets on.  If you could take your eyes off her tits long enough, you’d see that!”

“You are way outta line!”

“Am I?” She stopped by the refrigerator. 

“He was stalking her, Bree.”

“Bull.”

“He was the one who followed her that night when she came back from NYC.”

“And how do we know that? How do we know someone was even following her?”

“Why would she make it up?”

“I don’t know but I think she did.”

“Everything she says makes sense to me.”

“Oh I bet.”

“Billy tried to rape her!” He hit the counter.  “Where’s your compassion? You can’t understand that she had to do all she could to protect herself? For god sakes you’re a cop
and
a woman.”

“Please listen.  I’m not trying to be a bitch and I know you’re enamored with her and wanna believe her…”

“I’m not enamored with her.”

“Well you like her admit it.  And I don’t want you to end up regretting that. She is hiding something.”

“You got proof of that?”

“No.”

“Then don’t bring it up again unless you do.”

He left the kitchen.

A few nights later Brianna paced around Steven’s living room. Mr. Curtis, Billy’s father had come to Albany for answers about his son’s death. Brianna had taken it as an opportunity to question the man about Billy and the people he hung around. Steven didn’t know what he found harder to digest, the overcooked meatball or Brianna’s determination to “expose” Zoë. She went on about some friend of Billy’s that his father mentioned and how he might be able to settle the mystery about Billy and Zoë’s relationship. 

Not that he believed there was a mystery.

She might have wanted answers but he knew why she really pushed the issue.  Bullshit if she wasn’t jealous.  And she couldn’t deny it.

God I want her so bad.

“Well?” She stood in front of him with her hands on her hips.

He twirled his fork in the spaghetti. “Well what?”

“You’re mad I spoke to Mr. Curtis aren’t you?”

He moved his naked toes in the carpet.  “I don’t see what this has to do with Zoë.”

“Mr. Curtis says it’s all a lie. He says Billy wouldn’t stalk or harass anyone.”

“Of course he would. He’s the guy’s father.”

“Steven.” She sat on the couch. “You know you have questions about Billy and Zoë  too. Things just aren’t adding up. What hold is it that Zoë has on you? It’s like anything I say about her, you’d dispute it.”

“That’s because you’re targeting her and it’s not fair.”

“And why am I targeting her since you know so much?”

“Come on, Bree.” He slurped pasta.  “You’re gonna pretend you’re not at all jealous of her?”

“Okay I am.” She put her arm on the back of the couch.  “I’m only human, Steven.”

“At least you admit it.  But why are you jealous?”

“Huh?”

“You heard me.” He scraped his fork on the plate.

“Steven.” She cringed.  “Don’t do that.”

“I forgot how much this pisses you off.” He did it again.

“Don’t.” She took his fork.

“Tell me why you’re jealous.”

“You’re a bastard.” She twirled the fork. “I’m jealous of how you look at her.  How your eyes light up whenever someone says her name.”

“Bree.”

“Jealous of the way you held her after the shooting.  Should I go on or is that enough embarrassment for you?”

He took her hand.  “I just had to hear it.”

“It’s true isn’t it?  You have genuine feelings for Zoë don’t you?  Not just infatuation or lust either. Am I right?”

“You listen to me.” He curled his leg underneath him.  “I’ve never felt for another woman the way I feel about you.” He pressed his nose to hers. “I’m so in love with you, Bree.  You know I am.”

“She’s so beautiful though.”

He touched her face.  “Not as beautiful as you.  I could never care about Zoë the way I feel about you.”

“Steven.” She put her finger on his lips when he tried to kiss her. “I’m going to Chicago to talk to Billy’s friend. I think it’s the only way to find out the truth.”

“There’s nothing to find out.” He cleaned his fork and continued eating.

“Steven.”

“Okay so what if it turns out she knew Billy a little more than she says? Why is that our business?”

She scooted closer to him. “The point isn’t what she lied about, but why she lied in the first place. I see it in your face that you don’t completely buy her story anymore.”

“I admit I would like to know more about her. But it feels like we’re sneaking if we go asking questions behind her back.”

“I doubt she’ll be honest if we asked her to her face. If so she would have been from the beginning.” She tugged on his T-shirt. “Think you could take a picture of her on your cell and send it to me? I want a picture to take to Chicago.”

“I already have one.”

“Oh. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“Well we need one right?”

“Wait, you’re gonna come with me?”

“We’re partners right?” He wiped his mouth.  “I just hope for one thing.”

“What?”

His mind reminisced about the softness of her tits and how her dark nipples tickled the roof of his mouth when he sucked them. He wanted to rip off her clothes, throw her down and suck her titties until he lost breath.

“Steve? What were you going to say?”

“I just hope that since you’re searching for honesty, you’ll finally be honest about the way you still feel about me.” He touched the zipper of her jeans. “You have any idea how much I want you right now?”

“Oh yeah.” She got up. “I think I do.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Chicago, Illinois

Steven and Brianna arrived at Billy’s friend, Kael Thompson’s place a few days later. This had been Steven’s fifth trip to Chicago but she’d never been.  The springtime weather hadn’t hit Chicago yet so Brianna and Steven were back to turtlenecks and boots. Along with that came sinus problems and upper body cramps. Brianna’s sniffles started on the plane and by the time they hit Kael’s she couldn’t smell and could hardly hear.

She should’ve stayed her ass at home.

Kael took the spot on the couch next to his girlfriend, Antoinette. Steven handed Kael his phone with Zoë’s picture.  Brianna breathed in the cinnamon smell of the hot toddy.

She had leg cramps from the heat going on and off on the plane. She thought she’d have to chisel her coat off when she first got to Kael’s place. The fireplace seemed to burn everyone else up but hadn’t done much for her.

Antoinette folded her legs Indian-style. “You warming up, Detective Morris?”

“Not really. I guess it’s taking my body time to get use to this Chicago cold.” She pulled the blanket over her sweater. “I hadn’t realized how cold it still was here until we got ready to come.”

“My family used to take vacations up here all the time,” Steven said.  “So I knew it was gonna be cold this time of year. But I guess I’m use to it.”

Antoinette got up and fixed her sweater.  “I’m gonna turn the heat up for you, Detective Morris.”

“Yeah warm her up and fry the rest of us huh?” Kael didn’t look away from Zoë’s picture.

“She’s a guest and you’re not.” Antoinette’s socks caused her to slide a little across the hardwood floor.  “Ooh.” She held onto the shelf by the thermostat.

Steven blew into his cup. “You all right?”

“Yeah.” She slid back to the couch. “I hate hardwood floors.”

Steven blew into his hot toddy. “Is that the same woman Billy was with?”

Kael nodded.  “That’s Lisa Brewer or Zoë, or whoever you say she really is.”

Brianna warmed up with that revelation.

Kael studied the photo.  “I know one thing. If Billy attacked her, she deserved it.  He was too into her you know?  Usually I’d say Billy wouldn’t have done what he did, but he wasn’t himself after meeting her.  She’d changed him.”

“Come on.” Steven sat back. “So Zoë supposedly corrupted Billy?”

“What was their relationship like then?” Brianna put her feet in Steven’s lap. He looked at her but stayed quiet.

“Strange.  I guess wild and maybe a little dangerous.” Kael stroked his goatee. “I didn’t like her from the beginning.  Something wasn’t right. I told Billy to stay away from her but his dick was controlling him.  She was after something. I knew it and I told Billy that.  He thought she really liked him. She came to my bar, looking for a sucker and she found the perfect fool in Billy.”

Brianna stirred her toddy. “What made you think she wanted something?”

“I could tell she was trying to seduce him. She turned up the heat when Billy came around like she was trying to tempt him.”

Steven twiddled his thumbs.

“Billy was so gone he took it as flattery. All she wanted was information, nothing more. She’s a conniving bitch and you can’t trust anything she says. I’ve known women like that before and they’re always trouble.  Billy didn’t listen and look how he ended up.”

Steven’s face turned beet red. “Isn’t that an unfair judgment?”

 “No.” Kael put his arm behind Antoinette.  “She was looking to hook up with the first man who walked up to her and believe me she wasn’t looking just for company. A woman that beautiful doesn’t have to look for it.  Okay I guess it’s fair to say Billy became a little crazy over her.”