Page 29 of Flynn

His own eyes gleamed as he stared at her. “I have some idea. Now, I need to jump into the shower and be off.”

Bridging the distance between them, she stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. “I hope to see you later for dinner.”

Flynn waited until she had left and closed the doors before stripping out of his clothes and heading into the bathroom. He was soaped up and running the sponge over his body when he allowed the images, the memories, to come tumbling back. Inhaling sharply, he recalled the texture of her flawless skin, the feel of her wrapped around him.

Dunking his head beneath the multiple sprays, he closed his eyes and smiled. His mother had no idea the enormous favor she had done him.

*****

Maurice Daley was efficient and professional. And he was also extremely cautious and did not trust anyone. Trust was a scarce commodity in his line of business, and he did not hand it out willy-nilly. Not even his mother was afforded that privilege, and he loved her to death.

She was the woman who had given birth to him and raised him by herself in the slum of the projects downtown. He owed her a lot and paid her back by setting her up in a lavish, all-inclusive apartment building, complete with a maid.

She had protested that she did not need all that, but he had insisted, and now she was enjoying the amenities, including the pool, the gym, and the lovely park. She had even bought a foolish-looking dog she calls a Shih Tzu. Give him a Rottweiler or a mongrel anytime, and he would be happy.

He was proud of his accomplishments. People, law enforcement agencies, haters, and even so-called supporters have been trying to wrestle his kingdom away from him. Still, he has managed to stand firm and send several gruesome messages.

He was not going to stand for dissent in his camp. And he despised disloyalty of any kind. If someone was not loyal, what good was he to anyone? He mused.

But someone was troubling him. She was just a speck, but he knew specks would turn into large puddles if not attended to, and he was never one to underestimate the enemy. And she was proving herself to be one, much to his acute disappointment.

She could have been so much more. She was a beautiful woman with a neat and compact body; not much going on in the tit area, but he could look past that.

Her face and the fact that she was brilliant at her job would compensate – more than that. He had tried to woo her initially, but she had rebuffed his attempts, behaving like she was better than him.

They had the same skin color, and although his education had been mostly on the streets, he had taught himself a lot. He was conversant on several topics and was now someone to be reckoned with. He had done that; some might not agree with his tactics and methods, but that did not bother him.

He was living the American dream. He had fought and clawed his way from the projects and was someone to fear. He was certainly not going to allow some skinny-ass bitch of a prosecutor to take that away from him.

He had done his research, yet another thing he was very good at. He liked to know his enemies, everything there was to know about them. He knew her age and that she had graduated top of her class at some fancy law school.

He also knew she had lousy luck in the relationship department. Most recently, there was a terrible scandal involving a senator who turned out to be a fairy.

He smirked at that, so much for the fancy education and the seeming respectability that cloaked the man. He was nothing but a butt-screwer who had been trying to pretend otherwise. And she had fallen for it. Maybe she was not so bright after all.

But she was after him; that much was obvious. The verdict handed down by the judge had not satisfied her because she was still digging around in his life, trying to find something to take him back to trial. He was not going to allow that to happen. It was time to send the little lady a strong message.

*****

She was determined to put it behind her. He had not called her, and she told herself she was happy. She would busy herself with work; there was enough to keep her occupied.

She had a new lead on that elusive Maurice Daley, and she would dig into his life to ensure there was no loophole. She would use her investigator to carry it through. Tom Lancaster had been with the DA's office for years and was incorruptible.

He couldn't be bribed or intimidated. He was big and brawny, with a brusque manner that bordered on a cute rudeness. Most people did not like him because he had an uncanny habit of saying exactly what was on his mind.

It was for those very reasons that Ryleigh respected him. He was also thorough and was not queasy about digging deep, even when it seemed dangerous.

She was not a moron. She knew who she was dealing with. Maurice Daley was a shark dressed in expensive suits. His charming smile hid something lethal, and she had no intention of underestimating the man. She also had no intention of quietly sliding into the background.

Flynn demanded that she drop the case, but he was not her boss, and it was not as if they were in a relationship. They weren't. Last night and this morning- she shied away from thinking about it. It would not be repeated, even if she was still reeling from the act's effect. It didn't matter. She had a job and would do it, no matter what.

*****

"Hey, boss, come and take a look at this."

Putting away the phone he had been about to use to call and check on Ryleigh, Flynn made his way through the construction rubble, stepping over wires and wood shavings towards where his construction crew was tearing through a connecting wall.

"What is it?"