Chapter Ten

Olivia was having a hard time pulling air into her lungs…which was probably a good thing since marijuana vapor hung like a thick cloud in the room. “What are you doing here, Alex?”

Alex looked chagrinned as he tried to extract a clinging Darla without actually looking at her. He gripped her shoulders and eased her away. She sucked right back against him like a magnet.

“You smell so good,” Darla cooed as she rubbed her bare breasts against his chest.

She should probably yell at her roommate or something, but the look of dismay on Alex’s face had her nearly doubling over in laughter. Of all the ways she pictured seeing Alex again, this hadn’t even been a blip on the radar.

He narrowed his eyes at her and stopped Darla’s wandering hand as it coasted south. “Help me,” he begged. He tried again to push Darla away and she suctioned right back against him. He held his arms straight out to the sides in a silent plea and Olivia took pity on him.

Wiping tears from her eyes, she cleared her throat and called out to her roommate. It took two tries, but finally Darla’s head lulled back and she glanced at Olivia over her shoulder. “Oh, hi, Liv. I was just welcoming your boyfriend to our apartment.”

Darla didn’t seem inclined to move anytime soon so Olivia marched over and pried her off. Alex swooped behind her before Darla could attack him again. Chicken. Then he grabbed her shoulders and she almost forgot to breathe. It’d been so long, too long, since he’d touched her. She thought the time apart would dull the chemistry between them but if anything, it was even stronger.

Darla started dancing again, her hands flailing in the air. Alex groaned and his head plunked against her shoulder. She grabbed his hand and they made their escape. As soon as she closed the door to her room, they looked at each other and burst out laughing. At some point, the laughter stopped and they stood a few feet apart, staring at each other. She wanted to close the distance and press her head against his chest. Her heart actually flipped. She could love this man. She probably already did. “What are you doing here, Alex?”

“I’m here for you.”

Oh my God, she did love him. She took a step forward when he added, “Your producer was worried about your safety. He called the offices and requested protection.”

She froze. Alex didn’t come to sweep her off her feet. Jonah called him. She took a step back, then another and another until she felt the cool wood of the door against her back. She’d almost made the colossal mistake of flinging herself in his arms and begging him to hold her for the rest of their lives. He was here for a job, not because he couldn’t live another day without her.

“Jake Kincaid wanted to come but—” His cell rang, cutting off his words. He glanced at the screen. “Speak of the devil.” He clicked the talk button and put it to his ear. “Hey, Kincaid. Yeah, I’m here with her now.” Alex listened to whatever Jake was saying and his eyes found hers and stayed. “With my life,” he vowed. She shivered at the intensity in his gaze. They talked for a few more minutes and then he held the phone out to her. “Jake wants to talk to you.”

She accepted the cell and jolted from the contact when their fingers met. She almost dropped it but managed to hang on and put it to her ear. “Hi, Jake.”

“Olivia, are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Jake. Everyone is overreacting. I’m not in any danger.” She glanced up at Alex. He was still watching her closely.

“You don’t know that,” Jake protested. “This person can get to you too easily. I’m worried about your safety.”

“I’m protected now that Alex is here.” She felt her cheeks heat but she didn’t look away from his penetrating gaze. She was telling Jake the truth. Physically, she felt secure with Alex. Mentally, she didn’t know if her heart would survive intact.

“I wish I could be there, but Mylonas is a hell of an agent and I trust him with my life and with yours. He’ll protect you.”

“Give my best to Violet and be sure to let me know when she has the baby.”

“I will, and thank you again for the basket of baby goodies. We appreciate it.”

They spoke for a few more minutes and then disconnected. She’d met Jake and his wife when she was a reporter in Vermont. Violet had been targeted by a serial killer and Jake protected her, falling in love in the process. Olivia nursed a slight crush on Jake when she first met him but it died a quick death when she saw how he looked at his now-wife. Her Alex crush was nothing like her Jake crush. This one was intense and all-consuming and frightening.

Alex took a step towards her and reached out a hand but he dropped it to his side. “Your, uh, your producer…Jonah?” She nodded. “He said the Vigilante has your home address and knew your daily schedule.”

“And has my unlisted cell phone number.” She told him about the two texts with the information on the burial sites. “Both calls came from an untraceable number.”

“Yeah, burner phones are the bane of a cop’s existence. Easy to acquire and impossible to trace. Just once, it’d be nice to deal with a killer who didn’t watch NCIS.”

She smiled at him and then time stood still. Their eyes locked in place.

“I’m sorry about…”

“I should have…”

They both laughed as they spoke in unison.

“Please, you go first,” Alex said softly.

Olivia shifted her gaze from his handsome face. “I heard about your injury.” She pointed to his thigh. “The shard of glass. Is it healed?”

He nodded. “It’s fine. Just another nasty scar on this battle-worn body.”

Olivia stepped closer, her hand reaching out of its own volition. “Your body is—”

A sharp rap sounded on her door, stopping her from blurting out that his body was perfection. She lowered her hand. “What do you need, Darla?”

“It’s not Darla,” a deep voice rumbled.

Alex reached for her and hooked an arm around her middle to propel her behind his back. Somehow, a gun appeared in his hand.

She patted his arm. “It’s okay. I know him.” She moved around him and opened the door. “CJ? What’s wrong? Is your dad okay?”

Carl’s son towered over her at close to seven feet. He was bald and built like a linebacker, but he was a kind, gentle soul. Even though he’d lost most of his heart when his young daughter had been killed, he still offered what was left of it to others. Right now, he looked embarrassed.

“I’m so sorry to bother you, Olivia.” He nodded to Alex, who she was happy to see had stowed his weapon. “You must be Alex.” He held out a hand and the two men shook. “My dad told me about you. We’re grateful for you being here to keep our Olivia safe.”

Her heart lurched. He was such a sweet man, as were his parents. They didn’t deserve the violence that destroyed their life.

“Mrs. Copley called. She was worried about you. She saw all of your mail on the floor in the hallway and the door was open. She was afraid something happened to you.”

Heat filled Olivia’s cheeks. She completely forgot about the letters and catalogues once she laid eyes on Alex. “I’m so sorry. I had an…issue with my roommate.”

CJ mimicked smoking a joint with a raised brow.

She laughed and nodded. “She did this once before but promised me it wouldn’t happen again. I’m going to ask her to leave.”

“Now probably wouldn’t be a good time,” he glanced across the apartment to Darla’s room and smiled sheepishly, “judging by the noise.”

Olivia dropped her head to her hands. “Oh, God.”

CJ laughed. “I’ll let Mrs. Copley know you’re okay and I’ll close the door on my way out.” He shook Alex’s hand again. “Good to meet you.” He smiled down at her. “Good night, Olivia.”

“Goodnight, CJ.”

She watched as he left the apartment and closed the door and then she threw back her head and dropped onto a chair. “That woman is a menace.”

Alex chuckled. “Can’t say I disagree with you there.” He padded in front of her and held out his hands. She looked into his eyes and then placed her palms against his, willing to follow him anywhere. He tugged her up and in the next moment, she was crushed in his embrace. She clutched him tight, tears swimming in her eyes.

“I’ve missed you.” His voice was low, gruff.

“I’ve missed you, too,” she whispered. So, so much.

His hands moved from her back to frame her face. He tilted her head up, wiped the tears with his thumbs and continued to stroke her cheeks. When his head lowered she held her breath in anticipation. She whimpered at the first brush of his lips. Or maybe he did. Then he was kissing her like he needed her to breathe. She felt both cherished and devoured. She’d been kissed before but never had she felt this overwhelming need to become one with the man. It was passionate, all-consuming, she never wanted it to end. The buzz of her cell phone took the decision away from her.

Alex slowly broke the kiss and pressed his forehead to hers. “I’ve wanted to do that for close to a year. I’ve dreamed of it.”

“Me, too,” she whispered.

He sighed heavily and stepped back so she could grab her phone. Who would be calling her this late? It was a text from Jonah. Hope U aren’t mad. Just wanted 2 keep you safe.

Olivia smiled. How could she possibly be mad? If not for Jonah, Alex wouldn’t be standing in her bedroom right now. Not mad. Thanks for caring. Jonah sent a thumbs-up icon.

She looked up to see Alex staring at her and she shivered. She held up the phone. “My boss apologizing. He didn’t tell me he called you.”

Alex chuckled. “Judging from the look of shock on your face when you saw me, I didn’t think so.”

Olivia smiled. She had been startled. And so damn happy she thought she might burst from it. “So, how long will you be in New York?”

“Until the killer is caught and you’re safe.”

Her phone rang again. She checked the display. “It’s Kendall.”

She hit the talk button. “Kendall, is everything okay?”

“Liv, I know it’s late there but I figured you’d still be up. We just found out that the Vigilante struck again.”

“Yeah, I just got home from the latest burial site.”

“This guy is a serial killer, Liv, and he’s using you to deliver his message. I don’t like it at all. Dorian and I can be on the next flight to New York.”

“That’s not necessary, Ken. The Vigilante isn’t after me, just those who got away with murder. Besides,” she glanced at Alex, “precautions have been taken.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that I think I have a, um, bodyguard.”

“What? You do? Who is it? Fire him so we can send someone from COBRA Securities.”

Alex held out his hand, having obviously been able to hear Kendall’s side of the conversation. Instead of handing him the phone, she put it on speaker. She couldn’t wait to hear Kendall’s reaction.

“Hey, Mrs. Demarchis.”

There was silence, then Kendall screeched, “Alex? Is that you? Dorian, get in here! Alex is in New York with Olivia.” There was some frantic whispering muted by Kendall’s hand over the phone. Then Dorian came on the line.

“Mylo? Are you really in New York.”

“I really am,” Alex confirmed.

“Halla-freakin-lula,” Dorian exclaimed. “Kendall’s been worried about Olivia but with you there, she can get back to attending to my every want and need.”

“Hey,” Kendall protested. “You’re supposed to attend to my every want and need.”

“I don’t have a problem with that—”

“Okay, that’s our cue to cut this conversation short,” Alex said. “We’ll keep you updated on events here but please don’t do the same. What happens in Hawaii stays in Hawaii.”

They all laughed and said their goodbyes. Olivia wasn’t sure how to broach the subject of accommodations, so she just went for it. “Are you planning on staying in a hotel?’

Alex glanced around her small bedroom dominated by a queen sized bed covered in a white down comforter and colorful throw pillows. “I don’t want to leave you alone. I was going to ask if I could crash on your couch.”

“I’d be afraid of what my nympho roommate would do to you if you fell asleep.”

They both smiled and their eyes met. The laughter stopped. She cleared her throat and glanced away. “There’s plenty of room in the bed.” She just realized how that sounded and her eyes rounded. “I didn’t mean…what I…that wasn’t…”

Alex walked over and grasped her face again, effectively stopping her babbling. “Olivia?”

“What?”

“I will take you up on the offer, but you have nothing to worry about. I just want to hold you.”

Olivia’s heart flipped again and if possible she fell even more in love with him. He brushed a kiss over her lips. “Why don’t you go ahead and get ready for bed. If you don’t mind, when you’re done, I’m going to jump in the shower and wash off some of the plane stench. I’ve spent the better part of an entire day inside a fuselage.”

Olivia nodded and walked to her dresser for a t-shirt and sleep pants. She smiled at Alex as she hurried into her tiny bathroom. She stood for a moment with her back against the door. A few days ago, she’d been lamenting her missed trip to Hawaii and now Alex Mylonas was here in her apartment and she was about to climb into bed with him. Life could be surreal sometimes.