Page 36 of Into the Rain


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The idea excited him even more. A woman who could be his equal. It was something he’d never encountered before. Something he might never encounter again. She could be life-altering, if he let her in.

He tilted his head on the side to give him better access to her alluring lips and she stood on tiptoe, meeting him halfway. A small sound escaped her throat. A groan of pleasure. That sound turned his blood to fire in his veins. She wanted him. Possibly as much as he wanted her. Pushing his hips into hers, he ground his erection into her belly, letting her know just how much he desired her. Together, they stepped backward, until her shoulders hit the wall behind. He cradled her head in one hand, his other hand still roaming the naked skin of her back. He found the fastener to her bra and prised it open with a flick. Pushing her against the wall, he bent and lifted her thighs, so they rested on his hips. Now her core was pressed to the front of his jeans. But there were so many clothes between them. They needed to—

There was a loud knock at the front door, startling them both. He drew in a sharp breath and lowered Lacey to the floor. Keeping one arm tucked around her waist, he called out, “Who is it?” Were they destined to always be interrupted by someone at the door? Just one time, he’d like to finish what they started.

“First Class Constable Gorman, sir,” the voice called through the wood. “We’ve processed the crime scene. Would you like to hear what we’ve found?”

“Yes, yes,” Nico answered gruffly. “I’m coming.” He needed a few moments to be decent again. It wouldn’t do for one of his junior officers to see him with a raging hard-on. Although he didn’t mind the fact Lacey did that to him, he needed his professional face back on.

Lacey stepped away from him, combing her fingers through her hair and straightening her sweater after refastening her bra. He gave her one, long look, loving the pink flush in her cheeks and the way her lips were still swollen and lush. Nico took his time walking down the hallway, readjusting himself a few times, until he was happy that he was respectable. Studying the silhouettes of the figures outside, he made sure it was actually the two police officers standing on his front veranda before he unlocked the door.

“What have you got?” Nico asked.

“We found a knife in the ditch at the end of the driveway. We think the assailant might’ve dropped it when he was being chased by the…ah, birds.” The first class constable could hardly hold back his smirk. The two officers hadn’t believed Lacey’s story at first, about being rescued by a flock of birds. But when Nico invited them to take a trip up to the orchard to see how thosebirdsmight react, the cops had demurred. Nico then told them about the other instances where the large geese had defended his property; twice from marauding foxes who thought they’d make an easy meal, only to be sorely mistaken. And the first time he himself had stepped onto the property when he came to inspect it before buying it, they’d chased him back down the driveway. That story had even made Lacey giggle. It seemed First Class Constable Gorman was still dubious, however.

Lacey had followed Nico down the hallway and was now peering over his shoulder.

“That’s great news.” Nico’s heart rate-accelerated as he lifted his chin. “Let me see it,” he demanded. This was an important find, and Lacey knew it as well, if the way she leaned into him, almost shoving him forward to take a look, was anything to go by.

The first class constable beckoned his partner forward, and he held up a plastic evidence bag containing a large kitchen knife with a black plastic handle. Lacey covered her mouth and stepped back, clearly having seen enough. Nico’s mind immediately went into overdrive. It was a common knife, available in any number of shops around the state. Which would make it harder to track. But not impossible.

He didn’t allow his anticipation to rise too far. But he was hoping he already knew where that knife came from. When forensics had gone over Rania’s house after the murder, they’d reported the large carving knife seemed to be missing from a set of knives all lined up in a special wooden block on the kitchen bench. He needed to know if this was the missing knife.

“Do you think this was the weapon the attacker used on you?” He half turned to look at Lacey. Her face had gone pale, and he was suddenly sorry he’d been so brusque, but the question needed to be asked.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “It was nearly dark. I felt it against my skin, but I never really saw it close up. He was waving it around his head to ward off the geese, so… Perhaps it might be. The knife he had was certainly big. Bigger than a pocket knife, or a paring knife.”

“It’s okay.” He hugged her tightly to his chest for a fleeting second. “That’s all good information. And I’m just happy he didn’t get to use it on you.”

Other scenarios were also circling inside his head. If this was the murder weapon used to kill Rania, it could blow this case wide open. If it wasn’t, then it might prove the attack on Lacey was random after all.

“We need to get this into evidence as soon as possible,” Nico instructed. “I want it measured against the stab wounds inflicted on the murder victim. And against that wooden knife block in Karim and Rania’s house.”

“Yes, sir.” Gorman gave him an appraising look, and Nico knew the first class constable had had the same thoughts running through his head. Good. It meant Gorman would make a good cop if he was able to put that together so quickly. It also meant Nico wasn’t completely crazy. He allowed a small kernel of hope to blossom in his chest. That he might yet get his man.

* * *

“Nico, are you awake?” Lacey’s voice was soft in the dark room.

“Yes. Is everything okay?” He sat up in bed, suddenly afraid that perhaps Lacey had heard something outside that he’d missed. Had the attacker come back to finish the job? He’d been tossing and turning, uneasy about going to sleep, but knowing he needed some shut-eye to function properly. The squad car was still parked out the front of his house, however, so he wasn’t sure what he was worried about.

He glanced at the digital screen of his bedside clock. It was one-thirty-three am. He heard the shuffle of feet and the creak of his bedroom door as it opened wider. Lacey was silhouetted in the doorway from the glow of the lamp he’d left on in the living room. She was all soft curves and tousled hair. Smudge stood at her feet, slowly wagging his tail, also asking for entry. Nico had commanded his dog to sleep in Lacey’s room as her companion and guard, and Smudge was more than happy to do so. But he wasn’t about to be left out in the hallway now.

“I can’t sleep. And I just wondered…?” He heard the hesitation and unease in her voice. And he understood she was probably being haunted by replays of tonight’s attack.

He also knew what she was asking. But did he dare let her in his bed? He only wore a pair of briefs to sleep in. He was practically naked. Would he be able to keep his libido under control? And could he be held responsible if anything did happen? But he couldn’t leave her standing there, anxious and alone.

“Come here,” he replied softly, making room for her. He held the covers up so she could slip in beside him, then pulled her down so her head was on his shoulder. Her hair fell in a soft fan across his chest and he luxuriated in the feel of it. Smudge lay down beside the bed with a soft grunt.

“Thank you,” she said, her breath warm on his neck. “Sorry, I just…”

“It’s okay if you need help to get through this, Lacey. I already said I’d be there for you,” he chided softly.

“I know.” She moved slightly, snuggling deeper into the bed, resting her legs against his. He almost jumped at the feel of her bare skin; she must only be wearing sleep shorts and not her sweatpants like she normally did in the morning. Great. Add her lack of clothes, to his state of undress and he could barely think straight. The thought of all those acres of skin right there for him to explore was momentarily distracting. Her shapely calves, her firm, slightly muscular thighs…Hold that thought.He tamped down on his runaway mind. She’d been in his bed for less than a minute and already, her body was affecting him so that he couldn’t think straight.

But then, she also smelled so good. A hint of her shampoo and something else understated and musky, like the pages of a favorite book, or the smell of the air after it rained on a dusty road.

“I couldn’t get the feel of that knife against my skin out of my head,” she whispered into the dark.

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