Page 21 of Catch Me If You Can (The Mancini Way)
I woke up with that same feeling again, the feeling that Hank had been here in my room. I couldn’t explain it to myself but it was an overpowering feeling I relived that moment from the night before when he’d ran his finger down my cheek, the look in his eyes as he did it. If I didn’t know better I would swear he actually felt something there for that space in time, what that something was I don’t know. I had to get up and get moving, nine o’clock will be here any minute and I still had yet to give Durant my report, I’m sure the others had probably given him their surveillance tapes and our recorded conversations and he was probably even now chomping at the bit to give me instructions on how to use my new in to draw Hank even farther into the web I was setting for him. The more time I spent in his presence though the more convinced I became that we were barking up the wrong tree. He just didn’t fit the type and since I was now considered the brightest new star in the profiling stakes I would think they would take my word for it but somehow I didn’t think so, someone high up in the agency had made it their mission in life to destroy this man and they were willing to use the agency to do it, did I want to piss this person off so early in the game with just a hunch going with just my gut, or do I play the game and see where it takes me?
My conversation with Durant was short and straight to the point. He didn’t quite come right out and tell me to crawl into Hank’s bed if that’s what it took but the implications were there. I didn’t have time to dwell on that though as Hank would be here soon so I got up and got myself ready with butterflies in my stomach. “It’s not a date Cierra, this is your job, this guy could be one of the biggest criminals in the world why do you have to get all moony eyed and girl stupid over him?” Of all the men over the years that had come into my line of vision why did my libido have to choose him? And since I have no real experience with this nonsense how the hell was I supposed to deal with it? I couldn’t call up Gracie who was the only real female friend I had which was sad considering I’d only met her in the last year. I’d gone twenty three years of life pretty much alone, I hadn’t accumulated a lot of friends and acquaintances as I’d been too driven, too focused on one thing for much of anything else. My foster family was about the closest thing to that and we weren’t that close, not because the Taylors were horrible to me or anything like that, it’s just that by the time I’d been placed with them after two years in the system I’d already built up my shell. I’d started from the day I watched my family being buried and hadn’t stopped ever since. They’d been kind enough, an older couple Michele and Don who couldn’t have children of their own, they’d seen that I was fed and had clean clothes and a roof over my head but I’d rebuffed every attempt of theirs to get close. I’d already had a family and lost them I didn’t need another one; besides I had a job to do and no one else played a part in that.
I chose a white one piece French cut bikini with a light blue silk wrap for later and covered it with capris and a light cotton button down, I slipped my feet into a pair of flats and hoped like hell they were good enough since I hadn’t come prepared with boat shoes.
By the time my doorbell rang I was a nervous wreck.
“Hel…” I didn’t get the word out because the man standing at the door looked me up and down and then forced me back inside.
Before I could ask him just what he thought he was doing, I found myself pushed against the wall and his mouth was covering mine. I think my mind left my body. Clichéd, I know, but true all the same. He consumed me, there was no other word for it, his tongue was in my mouth and then it wasn’t and he was drawing mine out, his hands, merciful heavens his big strong hands, one was in my back pulling me closer while the other held my cheek in place while he plundered. I think I remembered how to breathe but vaguely, there was a storm brewing inside my body one that I had no control over. He didn’t kiss me, I don’t think this is what I remember a kiss to be, no, this was more like a devouring. When he was through making me long for more he took soft little nibbles of my lips that were just as potent as the heated kiss had been.
“Fuck.”
“I’m sorry?” His harsh expletive brought me back from the dream world, he didn’t answer just studied me curiously as if trying to find the answer to something. His hand came up again and he rubbed my cheek with his thumb.
‘You’re proving to be very dangerous little beauty.”
“What, what does that mean?” My heart was beating out of time, had he somehow figured out what was going on was he onto me?
“Leave it for now baby, you ready?”
I nodded my head stupefied a man had just called me baby and he was still upright, what the hell had happened to me since coming to this city? No not the city, since sitting across the table from this enigmatic man.
All the way to the pier where his boat was docked I was on pins and needles but who could blame me? That kiss was… something, I could still feel the sensation of his lips on mine, his tongue, oh boy. Maybe I should’ve paid more attention in the past because I had no idea how to swim in these waters. As if I wasn’t confused enough as it was that kiss just threw me into even more dangerous territory and what did he mean by that crack anyway how was I a danger to him?
“Why so quiet beauty?”
I turned to look at him from my seat in his high powered sports car, some European number that it would take me two lifetimes to be able to afford no doubt, the man did like his toys.
“Just trying to figure out what you meant earlier when you said I was a danger.”
“I told you to leave it alone yeah? It’s noting for you to worry about.”
“That’s easier said than done, now I’ll be worried about it all day so why not just tell me?”
“Soon, I promise for now let’s just enjoy the day ahead, I hope you like seafood I packed us a lunch.” He smoothly changed the subject.
“I love it thanks.”
“So did you find another venue for your party as yet? I can ask around for you if you’d like.”
Was it my imagination or did he say that kind of tongue in cheek?
“I’m still looking thanks but not to worry I’m sure I’ll find something soon.”
“Let me know if I can help you out if things don’t work out the way you want.”
“Thanks.” Why did I feel so crummy for deceiving him all of a sudden? He’s the one into nefarious dealings after all, and it was my job to get to the bottom of those dealings and bring him to justice if need be but suddenly it didn’t feel so right. I felt like a snake which made no sense whatsoever, I’ve never had a problem before so why should I feel this way with this particular man? I was afraid I knew the answer to that one all too well.
Mancini
She’s sweating in her seat, it’s probably not very well done of me to bait her like this but the perverse side of me could do no less. I wanted her to regret every moment she spent deceiving me, by the time I had her under me I wanted her willing to put aside everything but the need for me. I will settle for no less, because in the early hours of the morning while I’d stood watch over her bed I’d made a very lasting decision, hard or soft, the woman sitting next to me was mine, I planned to possess her completely and nothing or no one was going to stand in my way.
I didn’t question why I felt so strongly about it, didn’t have to; the instinct that had been leading me my whole adult life was screaming at me that this was it, she was my one. Why that should be I don’t know, after all I’d met less dangerous women in my time, women who weren’t out to put me in a cell and throw away the key. At least it would be something to tell the grandkids somewhere down the line.
Standing over her, wanting to touch her and feeling that pull that was ever present where she was concerned was all the answer I needed to my question of why. Why this woman? It was a cluster fuck for sure, she being who she is, but I’d be damned if I’d let the FBI take anything from me, especially her. No fucking way I haven’t fought them this hard for this long to let them rob me of what might be the most important thing to happen in my life.
“So tell me Cierra how is it that someone as gorgeous and smart as you are is still single?”