Chapter 1
I looked across the table at my live-in boyfriend and groaned. I couldn’t believe he was saying that to me. I wanted to punch him in his damned face. Bastard.
“You can quit calling me names anytime, love,” he said, grinning.
The fucking bastard was grinning? What the hell? Jerk off. He’s just lucky that I still loved him. I glared at him.
“Of course, you still love, lover. I’m the only one who can put up with your mood swings.”
I swung and almost connected. At the last second he grabbed my wrist and pulled me in for a kiss. I was caught so off guard that all I could do was melt into his body, mold myself to it, and resign myself to the kiss.
I lost myself in that kiss and remembered the first time we met.
We had been at a party, corny and cliché as it sounds, our eyes met and the rest of the world just melted away.
I had known him, by reputation only, and his name was Haden Delta. He was five years older than me, making him thirty years old at the time, and he looked amazing.
I smiled against his mouth as I remembered.
Haden pulled back and had a strange look on his face. “What could you possibly be thinking about at a time like this?” he demanded. “Why are you smiling?”
I laughed. “The first time we met. I remembered seeing you across the room, though I recall wondering what you were doing at a high school party,” I said.
Haden grinned. “If I remember correctly, Addyson, it was your ten year high school reunion.”
“My point, well my question, still stands. What were you doing there?”
Haden started looking around the room and I followed his gaze.
The kitchen walls were a green with a curvy design in a greenish-yellow. The fridge and stove were both stainless steel. The fridge boasted double doors and a pull out freezer. The dishwasher and two trash compactors were also stainless steel as were the two sinks.
In the middle of the room was an L-shaped breakfast bar that had a set of cabinets above. Next to the island was a large six-seater glass and wood dining table. Above it was a small black chandelier that held 3 electric candles.
The room was enclosed with half walls that showed you the rest of the larger living area.
Across from the fridge and stove was a nice sitting area that featured a stone fireplace. The fireplace was flanked by two floor ferns. Across from the fireplace was a glass and wood coffee table that sat on a rug. The rug was blue with yellow designs and a brown border. Surrounding the rug and table was a cream and wood couch flanked by two black and cream lamps at an angle and matching love seats.
On the wall closest to the kitchen was a wet-bar. Just inside the door, was a small sitting area.
On the other side of the arched entryway was the living room. In the middle of each mini-sitting area was black and cream lamp at an angle. In the middle of those two areas was a matching black and blue couch also flanked by black and cream lamps at an angle.
Across from the couch was a high definition television that sat on a short, black television stand.
“You are a wonderful decorator,” he said, finally.
I raised an eyebrow. “You are avoiding the question. What’s wrong?”
I really disliked it when he avoided a question; it usually meant that I wouldn’t like the answer. I crossed my arms and waited for him to answer the question, because I knew he would.
Haden took a breath, hopefully to answer, when my cell phone rang. Shit. Probably was work.
“Could be work, I should probably answer it,” I said.
He nodded, looking relieved.
I picked up the phone and looked at the ID, it was work. “Hello.”
“Addyson, how are you doing?” the male voice asked.
“Fine. How are you dong, Kaine?”
Kaine Paisley was one of my best friends and my boss. It made things complicated at times. “You okay?”
“Of course. What’s up?” Did I mention that even though he was only fifteen years older than me, he had decided that he was going to be my father figure.
“Need you to come in Detective March.”
I glanced at Haden and sighed. “Give me an hour. I need to grab a quick bite and a shower.”
“Good. That will give me a little time to clear a few things off my desk. Come straight to my office. The secretary will be gone, so just come on in.”
I fought to not stare at the phone. Why would he need her gone just to talk to me? “Okay. See you soon Kaine.”
“Bye.”
I hung up the phone and began to head to the stairs. I turned in the doorway. “I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, but I want to finish our conversation when I get back.”
He nodded and I left the room. I don’t know why, but I had a bad feeling about whatever both Haden and Kaine had to say.
I went up the stairs and paused to look back down. The foyer was one of my favorite places. It boasted two large windows and four smaller ones all covered in either blue or white curtains. The small door was flanked by two floor to ceiling windows. As you entered the front door, across from it was an arched entryway, from it you could see into the kitchen. The room was done in white. The floor was a white marble with black veins in it, while the walls were just white with white crown molding. You could even see a few of the doors for the second floor if you stood in the right spot, but what caught your eye as you looked up was the six candle chandelier.
As I went down the hallway, I looked out the windows and smiled. I really loved this house. The hallway was covered in a textured white wallpaper and had cherry baseboards and crown molding. The floor was covered in a cream/tan Berber carpet.
I entered the master bedroom and knew that the time it took to build this house was well worth it. It had taken six months to get the right piece of land and contractors and decorators to work with that didn’t think I was going to be a nightmare to work with. The end result was worth it.
I stripped and entered the master bath. I ran water in the tub and stepped in, sinking. I knew I had said a shower, but I could take a half an hour bath and then grab some McDonald’s.
As I sat in the tub my mind wandered as to what Kaine was up to. I wondered again why he would make sure that his secretary was gone and that there was nothing on his desk.
Guess there was only one way to find out. I got out of the tub and quickly dried off and dressed. It was a good thing that I wasn’t far from work.
