Kat Martin - Against the Night

He kissed her again, long and deep, but the desire was fading, replaced by a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. The tears in her eyes slipped onto her cheeks.

Johnnie must have felt the wetness because he broke off the kiss and jerked away. “All right, that’s it!”

Hard fingers dug into her shoulders. Her head came up as he backed her against the wall and she stared into his dark, angry face.

“Who the hell are you?” he demanded. “And don’t even think of telling me your name is Angel Fontaine.”

She shook her head, misery sweeping over her. She had failed Rachael, failed herself.

“I’m so s-sorry. I thought…thought I could do it. I didn’t mean to lead you on, I just…” Fresh tears welled and the sob locked in her throat finally escaped.

Johnnie blew out a breath and eased her back into his arms. “It’s all right. I had a feeling this wasn’t going to work.” He held her a moment, giving her time to compose herself, then moved away.

“I was going to tell you my name,” she said, brushing away a drop of wetness with the tip of her finger. “I didn’t mean to deceive you. I just…”

“You just what?”

“There’s something about you… I don’t know, I just… When I get around you, I can’t seem to think straight.”

A corner of his mouth edged up and some of his anger faded. “Go on, let’s hear it.”

She swallowed. “My name is Amy Brewer. I’m not…not a stripper. I’m…I’m a kindergarten teacher.”

Johnnie groaned.

“The part about my sister is true. After Rachael disappeared, I flew out here from Grand Rapids. Babs—that’s my roommate, Barbara McClure—she and Rachael worked together at the Kitty Cat Club. They were friends. Babs got me the job at the club. She helped me deal with my…my inhibitions and learn to dance—which wasn’t all that easy. Eventually, I got the hang of it. And then I saw you and I found out you were an investigator and we sort of came up with this plan.”

“This plan being for you to sell yourself to me in exchange for my services.”

Fresh tears welled. She wiped them away. “I guess so. It sounded like a good idea at the time, considering…”

“Considering what?”

She looked him in the face. “Considering what happened in that room.”

Johnnie’s eyes seemed to darken. There was no mistaking what she meant. She was attracted to him or she wouldn’t be sitting in his living room.

“Anything else?”

“There’s more, but it isn’t important now.”

“Why don’t you let me decide that?” He led her over to the sofa, as modern as the rest of the apartment, which had high, open ceilings, a sleek dark brown sofa and chairs, and everything perfectly in place. He was, after all, an ex-soldier.

He picked up her wineglass and handed it back to her, grabbed his beer, and sat down beside her on the sofa.

“Okay, tell me the rest.”

Amy took a fortifying sip. “Once I started my sister’s old job, I began to dig around. That’s the reason I came to L.A., to try to come up with information that might help me find her. There’s a man my sister dated before she disappeared. His name is Kyle Bennett. He’s supposed to be a movie producer. Tomorrow afternoon, I’m going over to his house for—”

“No way. I know Kyle Bennett and the guy is a scumbag. He’s about as much a movie producer as I am.”

“I kind of figured that, but it isn’t the point. The point is, my sister came to Los Angeles to try to get into the movie business.”

“Gee, there’s a good idea.”

“I know, but that’s what she wanted to do. So she might have believed Kyle Bennett could help her. If she was involved with him, maybe he had some part in her disappearance.”

“Fine, I’ll talk to him.”

“He isn’t going to tell you anything. He’ll be a lot more likely to open up to me than he will be to you.”

“You’re a schoolteacher, remember? Not a cop. There is no way you should involve yourself in something like this.”

“It isn’t as bad as it sounds. Babs knows Kyle’s address and what time I should be back. If I don’t get home when I’m supposed to, she’s going to call the police.”

He just shook his head. “No way, no how.”

She set the wineglass very carefully down on the coffee table and stood up.

“You’ve been very nice, Johnnie. Especially considering the way I’ve behaved. Now I’d appreciate it if you would take me back to the club.”

“Shit.”

“I’m doing this. I’m going to find out what happened to my sister.”

He set down his beer and slowly stood up from the sofa. He was a big man, powerfully built, intimidating just standing there in front of her. She forced herself not to back away.

Johnnie looked down at her and his breath whispered out on a sigh. “All right. I’ll help you.”

Amy opened her mouth to tell him she had changed her mind about paying him with sex, but he cut her off.

“No strings,” he added. “I’ll do some digging, see what I can come up with. I’ll do what I can to find out what happened to your sister.”

She started shaking her head.

“What now?”

“I need to be involved in this. I owe it to Rachael. I can’t just sit back and do nothing.”

“Were you listening to what I said? You aren’t a cop. You aren’t trained for this kind of work.”

“I’m keeping my appointment tomorrow with Kyle Bennett. I might find out something important.”

His jaw clenched and unclenched. He must have noticed the mutinous set of her chin because he simply nodded. “Fine. You’re probably right about getting him to talk. But if I’m going to help you, we do things my way. Is that understood?”

He was an investigator. He knew what he was doing. She gave him the first sincere smile she had felt all evening. “Understood.”

“One last thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Sooner or later, I’m taking you to bed, but it won’t be because you owe me. It’ll be because the time is right and you want me as much as I want you.”

Her stomach contracted. Just looking at him made her want him but she knew he was right. Her mind wasn’t ready even if her body was more than willing. She didn’t reply. God only knew what she might say if she did.

“We’ll talk more tomorrow,” he said. “Right now, it’s time for me to take you home. I think we both know what will happen if we stay here much longer.”

Ignoring a rush of embarrassment, Amy nodded and let him guide her out the door. Of all the endings she could have imagined for the evening, this wasn’t one of them.

She wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed.

Five

Johnnie backed the Mustang out of the garage and headed down the hill. A freakin’ schoolteacher. Jesus, just his luck.

At least his instincts hadn’t been wrong.

He shifted in the seat, trying to get comfortable. He’d had a hard-on nonstop since the first time he had seen Angel at the club.

Not Angel, he corrected himself. Amy. Amy Brewer. Kindergarten teacher.

Christ, how much worse could it get?

“Nice car,” she said, drawing his attention back to the moment.

“Four-hundred-twelve horses under the hood of this little beauty.”

As they passed beneath a streetlight, he caught her soft smile. “When I was in high school, my dad had a Stingray. It was old, but it was hot. He was a mechanic, great with cars. Once in a while, he’d let me drive it.”

“You like cars?”

“I do…yes. I love speed. I like to go fast—when it’s safe. I like the sound a car makes when you step on the gas. I guess I picked it up from my dad.”

His lips faintly curved. The lady was just full of surprises. “So, your dad still around?” If he was, the guy had to be crazy to let his daughter get involved in something as dangerous as this.