SIUBlues10

Victoria slowly walked through the crowd. It was still early in the evening, but the club was nearly full. Young couples were snuggled close on the dance floor, small groups were talking and laughing loudly while others spoke in hushed whispers. Those were the ones that caught her attention. Especially when it was a small group of men. She had seen far too much smuggling and could easily picked out the dealers in her club.

She paused for a moment when she saw three men leaning closely together, one of which was darting nervous glances at the people around him. She folded her arms over her waist when she recognized the one man who appeared bored with the conversation. Dax Saum. He saw her almost in the same instant and waved her over to the table.

It was time for her to go to work.

She slowly mounted the three steps to the slightly elevated level and smiled as Dax stood, prompting the other two to do the same. “Hello Dax,” she said as she glanced at the anxious man to her right.

“Hello Tory,” Dax returned as he gently placed his hand at the small of her back, then leaned in to give her a light peck on the cheek. “You look exquisite tonight,” he complimented her on her beaded dress and skullcap which hid her hair.

“Thank you.” She glanced at the fidgety man from the corner of her eye as Dax gestured for her to have a seat. She gave the third man at the table a smile. “Hello Eric,” she greeted him and received a nod in return. She didn’t know Eric very well because he usually limited his conversation to few words, but he was always with Dax when he made contact with a prospective buyer. “Are you gentlemen having a good time?” she asked solicitously, giving the new party a long appraisal.

“Fine,” the nameless man answered as he perched on the edge of his seat.

“Where are my manners?” Dax cut in as he gestured across the table. “Tory, this is Alex Benjamin. He’s an insurance broker.”

“Oh really?” she asked with some interest as she held out her hand to shake his. “Insurance is a fascinating business. Quite beyond my abilities, I’m sure.”

She carried on polite conversation with the three men for several minutes, giving Alex Benjamin the majority of her attention. They spoke of only frivolous things, a new restaurant in town, mutual acquaintances, the weather, nothing of real substance. After a few minutes, she excused herself once more. “I’m afraid that I’m going to have to get back to work,” she told Dax apologetically when he stood with her.

Dax held out his arm for her to take and walked her back down the short staircase to the main floor. “So what do you think?” he whispered in her ear as he gave her cheek another kiss.

“Dump him,” she whispered in return as she lightly put her hand against his chest, making it appear as if they were carrying on an intimate conversation. “That guy knows less about insurance than I do. If he’s not a cop, he’ll roll over on you in a heartbeat.”

Dax smiled at her and gently caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “That was the impression that I got too. Thanks sweetheart.”

Victoria moved out of his embrace quickly when his touch lingered a bit too long. The men that she worked with knew better than to cross the line with her, but that didn’t stop many of them from trying. She crooked her finger at a waiter standing nearby and ordered a round of drinks for their table. “Enjoy your evening, Dax, but I wouldn’t stay with this guy too long.”

She gave him another smile as she sauntered away. She could feel his eyes burning into her back, but she didn’t turn around. Dax liked to play with fire and he wasn’t intimidated by the company she kept in the least, which made him a very dangerous man in her book. She preferred working with people that she knew that she could keep at arms length, but she didn’t always have the option.

She stopped to chat with several of her patrons before stepping up to the bar to order a cup of coffee from Steve, but before she caught his attention, a familiar face at the opposite end of the bar smiled back at her. She felt her heart skip lightly as he picked up two champagne flutes and circled the width of the bar to join her. “Teddy Malone.” She said his name softly as he handed her one of the glasses.

“Victoria Castle,” he returned, then lifted his glass in salute before taking a sip. “You seem a bit surprised to see me again.”

“A bit,” she returned speculatively as she ran the tip of her finger over the edge of her champagne flute.

“You shouldn’t be,” he told her as his eyes drank in every feature of her face. “A beautiful lady like you probably has all sorts of admirers.”

Her smile broadened a bit at his compliment as she began to wonder what he was really doing there. “Are you here for business again, Mr. Malone?” she asked carefully as she took a sip from her glass.

“Strictly pleasure this time,” he told her. The swift appraisal of the length of her body left little room for doubt that he was including her in that statement. “I’m in town for a couple of days and I thought that I would take in some fishing,” he added to ease some of the tension that he had created.

“You’re not going to find much biting around here unless you plan on doing some deep sea fishing,” she returned with an innocent expression even though she was well aware of the double meaning in her words. Teddy could very well be the man that she had been waiting for so she couldn’t afford to simply brush him off as she had Dax. However, she didn’t want to put herself into a situation that she couldn’t control either.

“You sound like you have some experience,” he remarked as his eyes dropped to the crimson pout of her lower lip. She was even more intoxicating than he remembered if that was possible. “I’ve always said that you need a local guide to find the best spots.”

“Well you’re in luck there, Mr. Malone,” she told him with a lift of her brow. “I just happen to know the best guides in the area. Sharky Madison comes to mind.”

His white teeth flashed in a grin as he glanced down at his drink, then back up to her eyes. “I’m sure Sharky is great, but I was thinking about more pleasant company.”

“Oh, Sharky could keep you entertained,” she countered. “He has a great sense of humor and even showers weekly.”

Nash chuckled as he leaned against the bar. “You just won’t cut me any slack, will you?”

She slowly put her glass onto the bar, moving so close to his side that she could feel the heat of his body radiating against hers. The energy between them was like static in the air and she used that to her advantage. “I like people who speak their minds, Mr. Malone. Innuendo and subterfuge only gets confusing.”

His eyes held hers for several long moments as his features became serious. “Go out with me,” he stated rather than asked.

She felt her breath increase automatically, then pulled her eyes away when she couldn’t bear the intensity of his gaze any longer. “There’s only one problem with that, Mr. Malone,” she returned as she toyed with the stem of her champagne flute. Her eyes rose back to his. “I don’t date drug dealers.”

He nodded slightly as he reached out to gently take one of her hands into his. That was the best thing and the worst thing that she could have said. “You know, technically speaking, I’m not a dealer,” he said in a teasing voice. He couldn’t tell her that he was with the SFPD, but he had charmed his way through difficult situations before. “I’m a runner. A middle man.”

“Well that makes all the difference in the world,” she said sarcastically as her gaze deliberately dropped to his mouth. He may be a player, but she knew the game well enough to be good competition.

He smiled again as he brought their joined hands up between them and reached out with his forefinger to caress the edge of her jaw. “You sound like a lady who wants to be persuaded.” He caught her eye again as he pressed his lips against her fingers. “And I’ve got all night to do just that.”

Victoria’s senses responded to his provocative suggestion, but she remained in control. She knew that she would allow him to persuade her. She had to know if he was the one.

She followed him obediently when he gave her hand a tug and walked out onto the dance floor. She wasn’t much of a dancer herself, but it soon became clear that dancing wasn’t what Teddy Malone had in mind. One hand held hers as his other slipped around her waist, then her body was pressed up against his. His eyes captured hers as their bodies began to move slowly, erotically.

Victoria tried to keep her mind focused, but Teddy’s brand of sensuality was too much for her to resist. He didn’t speak or even attempt to kiss her. He simply held her in his arms, swaying slowly to the music regardless of the tempo, his body making promises that his voice wouldn’t speak.

Victoria’s eyes closed as he put his cheek against hers. She could feel his breath at her ear and just the slightest brush of his lips against her skin. She was so tempted to do the same, but she held herself in check. Teddy Malone would be a dangerous man no matter who he proved to be. The last thing that she needed to do was risk her heart as well.

As the hour grew late, she allowed herself the luxury of brushing her fingers against the smooth, yet rough texture of his cheek as she continued to sway in his arms. The tension between them had grown into a kind of familiarity and she began to revel in the look from his eyes. She was certain that he wanted her as much as she wanted him, but she wasn’t ready to take that kind of step just yet. “It’s getting late. I think I should head home.” She tried to step out of his embrace, but he continued to hold her close. “I have a long day tomorrow,” she told him, not quite willing to give in yet.

“Why don’t you let me drive you?” he suggested, his lips hovering a fraction of an inch above hers.

She was about to turn him down, to let him know that she had her car there, but decided against it. She wasn’t sure how much time she would be afforded with him so she needed to make every second count. “All right. Just give me a moment to tell Steve that he’s locking up tonight,” she said and finally managed to slip from his embrace.

The air suddenly felt cold without his arms holding her and she welcomed the change. She hadn’t noticed how warm her skin had become. Teddy had a way of eclipsing everything and everyone around them. As she stepped up to the bar, Steve was immediately at the other side, leaning toward her to hear over the music. “I’m going home now so I need you to lock up,” she informed him.

Steve looked over her shoulder to see Teddy Malone waiting patiently several feet behind her. “Don’t tell me you’ve changed your rules about dating dealers?” he asked skeptically.

“This isn’t a time for you to start playing mother hen,” she told him, then smiled at his concern. “I’ll be all right. I may be a little late coming in tomorrow too so I’d appreciate it if you were here to open.”

He held her gaze for several long moments, then sighed heavily. “You’re the boss,” he said reluctantly. Victoria took far too many risks in his book.

She reached out quickly to grab his hand when he would have pulled away. “Thanks Steve,” she said simply, then turned when she felt a hand at her back.

“Ready?” Nash asked expectantly, then gave Steve a long look. It was plainly obvious that the bartender wasn’t at all happy with Victoria’s association with him and Nash was curious just how much influence Steve had on his boss. He hadn’t missed Victoria’s reactions either.

“Ready,” she returned succinctly, then they started out of the nightclub.

“Should I be jealous?” Nash asked once they were outside.

“Jealous?” she returned, shooting a glance up at him, then realizing that he was referring to Steve’s protective nature and laughed softly. “Not unless you’re jealous of good friends.”

“Nope. Friends I can deal with. It’s your ex-boyfriends that I’m worried about.”

Her heart leached and she wondered for an instant if he really knew who he was talking about, then she smiled again, certain that he couldn’t possibly. “You don’t have anything to worry about there either,” she lied and was relieved when he took her words on faith.

“Good,” he said as he opened up the passenger door of the Cuda for her, taking her hand as she stepped inside.

They drove with the top down and Victoria leaned her head back against the headrest to catch more of the breeze on her face. Their conversation was limited to directions to her home until they pulled into her long driveway several minutes later. Nash was out of his seat a moment later, circling the car to open her door for her and give her a hand out. “This is some place you have here,” he commented, looking at the ambling two story home with a cop’s eye. “The night club business must pay very well.”

She gave him a curious glance as he walked with her up to the front door. “Do I detect a note of suspicion from a drug runner?” she asked lightly.

“In my line of work, you’re always suspicious,” he told her with a smile. He glanced up at her door when she made no attempt to open it, then back down at her. “So what’s the verdict?” he asked.

She smiled as she willingly stepped back into his embrace. “It’s going to take more than one long dance to get you past my front door,” she said slowly. “But a day out fishing sounds like it might be fun.”

“At least I’m making some progress,” he teased as he laced his fingers together at the small of her back. “I’ll work on getting past your front door tomorrow.”

Her eyes warmed as she looked back up into his. She wasn’t sure how their evening would end and she was grateful that he wasn’t pressing her any further than she was willing to go. Her instincts were proving to be accurate about him and she could only hope that he continued to keep from disappointing her. “Good night Teddy,” she whispered softly as she toyed with the collar of his jacket.

“Good night,” he whispered in return, his lips delicately brushing hers as he spoke. It wasn’t a kiss, but the continued torment of the energy that was building between them all night. Her warm breath mingled with his own as their bodies stilled, yet pulsated at the same time.

Victoria’s hand slowly slid over his shoulder, her fingers slipping into the expertly trimmed hair at the nape of his neck as her eyes caught his again. She couldn’t deny the fact that she was attracted to him. Spending the entire night dancing with him had made that obvious to everyone. She wanted him, yet she was afraid of him and for him at the same time. Throwing caution into the wind, she removed the last fraction of space between them and tasted his lips for the first time.

Nash’s hands moved to press flat against her back and hold her firmly against him as he deepened their kiss. The flair of passion ignited between them swiftly. He couldn’t bring her close enough or hold her tight enough and he knew in that moment that his life would never be the same again.

* * *

Harvey shook his head as he wrote out the check for King’s medication. He had managed to contract a virus while staying in the kennel and now Harvey had to find some way to make sure the Great Dane got his pills four times a day for the next week. His schedule was rough enough without having to add that to his list.

He was only half way listening to the receptionist as she repeated the instructions that the vet had already given him. Then, he ignored her completely when he spotted Rachel walking through the park across the street.

“What the....” he muttered as he stepped closer to the window to make sure that he wasn’t imagining things. The receptionist continued with her spiel as he rushed back to the counter, grabbed the bag and started out the door. “Thank you, thank you,” he tried to interrupt, but she kept right on going. “I’ll figure it out,” he said with a final wave.

Delayed only by the traffic as he crossed the street, he headed in the same direction that he had seen Rachel going. He had lost her for a moment, but quickly picked her back up again as he hurried passed vendors offering lunch and desserts. When he saw that she had stopped, he hesitated for a moment as he followed the direction in which she was staring.

“Ah, no,” he mumbled, swearing softly beneath his breath when he recognized the TiaPang Building. It was corporate headquarters of none other than Chon Enterprises. He walked straight up to her then. She was so intent on the building that she didn’t even notice his approach. “I’ve heard of facing your fears before, but isn’t this pushing it a bit?” he asked sarcastically and saw her jump.

She is still as nervous as a cat, he thought. Didn’t she know that there was no need for her to face Yong Cha Chon alone? Nash had already ordered an investigation. The unit would be going after him. That made him even more curious as to why she was there.

He hadn’t wanted to admit it to himself, but the thought of her and Hyun Chon worried him a bit. There was no reason for her to keep their relationship a secret from him. It had ended years ago. And yet the fact that she had kept it quiet made him wonder how close they had actually been and if there really was a reason to worry.

“What are you doing here?” Rachel asked, sparing him only a glance as she continued to watch the front doors of TiaPang.

“That was going to be my next question,” Harvey told her. He sighed heavily when he realized that he did not have her attention. “Do you have a death wish Rach?” he asked pointedly. “You know that Chon has had people killed for bumping into him,” he exaggerated. “What do you think he’s going to do to a San Francisco police inspector if she’s caught tailing him?”

“What?” she asked in confusion, shifting slightly when he stepped into her line of vision.

“Tell me you’re not tailing Yong Cha Chon,” Harvey insisted.

“I’m not tailing Yong Cha Chon,” she repeated dutifully.

He smiled, letting out a burst of air as he shook his head. He saw that coming a mile away and he had walked right into it. Didn’t she understand that he was worried about her? She was doing the same thing that he had when he went after Evan’s killers. “Rach, you can’t take this guy on by yourself. He’d sooner shoot you dead then look at you.”

Her eyes darted up to his. That statement was more true then he knew. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she told him instead. “I’m not here to see Yong Cha Chon. I swear.”

He bit at his bottom lip as he stared at her profile for a long moment. He had hoped that she would open up to him eventually about what had actually happened between her family and the Chons, but she appeared to be pulling further and further away. “When were you planning on telling me about you and Hyun?”

“What?” Rachel asked incredulously, her eyes locking onto his for the first time. It didn’t take her long to deduce where that comment had come from. “You’ve been checking up on me,” she accused him.

“I’ve been doing my job,” he countered.

“Your job doesn’t entitle you to dig into my private life,” she shot back.

“It does when you put yourself or anyone else at risk.”

She studied his face for a long moment. There was only one place that he could have found out about her relationship with Hyun. “You talked to Officer Thompson, didn’t you?” she asked softly.

He hesitated, debating on how much he should say. In the end, he couldn’t lie to her. “He’s a detective now.”

“Damn it Harvey!” She couldn’t believe what was happening. How many people had he contacted? How many knew where she was now? How long before everything in her life changed forever? “You’ve got no idea what you’re stirring up.”

“Oh, and you do?” he shot back. “Look at yourself Rach. You’re not even taking minimum precautions by standing out here in public like this. You said yourself that Yong Cha would recognize you if he saw you again.

Rachel couldn’t stop the sharp intake of breath when she caught sight of Samuel Chon walking out of the TiaPang Building. She would have recognized him anywhere. He looked just like his father did at that age.

Harvey turned to follow the direction of her gaze and saw Samuel Chon getting into the back seat of his chauffer driven Rolls Royce. He wasn’t sure which was worse. Rachel going after Yong Cha or after the grandson that he doted on. Yong Cha wouldn’t hesitate to kill her to protect his grandson. “Oh no you don’t,” he said, grabbing her arm when she would have run back to her car to follow.

“Harvey!” She fought in vain to pull her arm free of his grip. “Let go of me!” she ordered. “You have no idea what you’re doing!” In desperation, she turned to see what direction Samuel’s car was heading. He had been stopped by the light. She could still catch him if Harvey would let her go. “He’s getting away!”

“Good!” he shot back, wrapping his arm around her waist to ensure that Samuel made a clean getaway. When the car turned the corner, disappearing from view, he couldn’t believe her reaction. For a moment, he thought she was actually going to cry. “What has gotten into you, Rach?” he asked in concern.

Rachel brought her hands up to his chest and shoved him as hard as she could. She was finally free of his grasp, but she didn’t dash off. Her eyes burned with anger as she stared him down. “Damn you Harvey Leek!”

She couldn’t have shocked him more if she had slapped him across the face. He watched her go without another word as he tried to piece together what had happened in the last few moments. He watched her pull out recklessly into traffic and knew that she was going to try to track down Samuel Chon’s car. He quickly made his way back across the street to his Cruiser when he saw a familiar face drive by. He glanced up the road where Rachel had disappeared and immediately flipped open his cell phone.

She was in even more trouble than she realized.

* * *

Victoria put her feet up on the rail of the little schooner that Nash had rented for the day as she watched him standing behind the wheel, navigating their course. He was so stunningly handsome in casual clothing and dark sunglasses with his hair blowing free in the wind that she couldn’t take her eyes from him for even a moment. He looked like he was in his element, like the sea was a part of his blood rather than the dirty world of crime.

It amazed her that she had to keep reminding herself that there was a purpose for her being there. She was usually so focused, but all she wanted to do was lose herself in him.

Nash glanced over at her as if he could feel her watching him. “Enjoying the view?” he asked playfully.

“Immensely,” she returned.

He chuckled softly. “This isn’t fair,” he complained. “I can’t look at you until we get out to open sea.”

“It’s one of the perks of being an invited guest,” she teased as she continued to stare unabashedly.

He smiled at her again, then held his hand out to her. “Come here.”

Dropping her feet to the deck, she stood as she reached out for his hand. There was an immediate charge between their bodies as he maneuvered her between himself and the steering wheel. She leaned back against his chest and his hands covered hers on the wheel, their fingers lacing together. Her eyes closed drowsily when she felt his cheek next to hers and she granted herself a moment just to enjoy the sensation.

“If I can’t look at you, at least this way I can hold you.” He placed a light kiss on her cheek and she turned her head toward him. Her every move was like a revelation to him, a new example of grace and elegance. Joe was right. She was way out of his league, but he was going to enjoy the fantasy as long as she would have him.

Once they had cleared the shipping lanes and land was far behind them, Nash began taking down the sails, preparing to drop anchor and Victoria was left to watch him again. “Is there anything that I can do?” she asked, feeling a little guilty for letting him do all of the work when she was perfectly capable of handling a schooner on her own.

“Why don’t you grab us a couple of drinks,” he suggested as he secured one of the sails. “I stocked the fridge below before we left.”

Victoria pushed her sunglasses back into her hair as she made her way down into the belly of the boat and immediately saw a miniature refrigerator to the left. She opened it up to find a selection of sodas, fruit drinks, water, beer and a bottle of Dom Perignon tucked back in the corner. She smiled as she lifted it out, then shook her head as she replaced it and pulled out two bottles of beer.

She emerged from the boat just in time to see him unhook the anchor from it’s safety catch, then his face rose to catch the warming rays of the sun. She hesitated then, leisurely looking him over from head to toe. He was by far the most striking man that she had ever met.

Deciding that it probably would be best not to be caught staring again, she walked the short distance of the deck to his side. “Do you always carry a bottle of Dom with you?” she asked as she handed him his beer.

“Thanks,” he said softly, turning to her as he glanced down at his bottle. “I just wanted to make sure that you had everything that you want,” he returned honestly, then a smile played at the corners of his mouth when she looked about to laugh herself. “What?” he asked. “Don’t tell me you don’t like Dom Perignon?”

She shook her head slowly. “I just order it to impress people. I rarely take more than a sip or two. I’d much rather have a beer in my hand.”

“Now you tell me,” he growled as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “What other secrets are you keeping from me, lady?”

She smiled up at him as she tried to see through his sunglasses to his beautiful hazel eyes. “Nothing much,” she returned.

“No?” he asked doubtfully. “Somehow I think that there is a lot more to you than meets the eye.”

“Funny,” she replied. “I was just thinking the same thing about you.”

As the morning slipped into afternoon, Nash and Victoria found shelter under one of the collapsible awnings, curling into each others arms on a lounger, their fishing poles all but forgotten. “Your favorite food,” Nash asked as they learned the miniscule details from each others lives.

“Pizza and potato chips,” she returned quickly. “Your favorite movie?” she countered.

“Um, the recent James Bond flick.”

“No way,” she said as she pulled back from him slightly. “That’s such a typical male response.”

“Well I’m sorry sweetheart, but I’ve been known to have typical male responses from time to time,” he teased, then pulled her back against his chest and gave her a light kiss on her forehead. This trip was exactly what he needed to unwind from the Corday bust and Victoria was the perfect companion. “I keep asking myself what a lady like you is doing with a average Joe like me,” he said softly and captured her gaze with his when she tipped her head back to look at him. He brought his hand up to caress her cheek.

“There’s a lot about me that you don’t know,” she began in protest, but he shook his head.

“Don’t,” he whispered, his eyes trailing over her every feature. “We both have a past. I’m only interested in this moment on.”

She yearned to give into him, to forget about everything and believe only that moment existed, but there was too much at risk. “The story of the drug dealer and the night club owner,” she teased lightly. “That sounds like something out of the twenties.”

A smile tugged at his lips in relief as he pulled back slightly. He was moving way to fast and he knew it. He was just glad that Victoria had the good sense to put on the brakes. “You certainly dress the part,” he joked in return.

“Are you making fun of my dresses?” she asked in mock anger. “I’ll have you know that I designed those dresses myself and it wasn’t easy coming up with a modern version of the twenties style.”

“You designed those yourself?” he asked with a note of surprise. “I see that baiting a hook isn’t your only talent. Those dresses are great. They were the only thing about that night club that was an image of you.”

She looked up at him warily. She was surprised by his intuitiveness. “I suppose that I should take that as a compliment.”

“You should,” he stated as he caressed her cheek with his thumb once more. “They’re elegant and stylish. Just like you. Now tell me that you love football and I’ll propose to you on the spot,” he joked.

“The Redskins look like they have the best shot at the Super Bowl this year, but my heart will always belong to the Dolphins.”

His eyebrows shot up as his mouth dropped open slightly. “Lady, you couldn’t be more perfect if you tried.”

As the afternoon became late, Nash set sail for San Francisco with Victoria standing behind his seat, her arms wrapped around his shoulders. Neither one of them could go long without touching the other. In the single afternoon, it was as if they had become an extension of the whole. Neither was complete without the other.

When they reached the mouth of the bay, Nash dropped anchor once more so that they could watch the sunset from the deck. It was the perfect ending to the perfect day.

* * *

Yong Cha Chon stared down at the plaza below. He had not been able to take his eyes away from the park since he had seen that woman waiting outside. He hadn’t realized she had been waiting out there or he would have told Samuel to leave through the back. Now she had seen him. Now there would be no stopping her.

He had looked forward to tormenting her, to planning out each detail of her punishment. Going after her captain’s daughter had only been the beginning. He was going to systematically work through her friends, using them one by one, ending with the man who shared her bed. He would have enjoyed watching her plead for his life and then her own.

His hands were clasped behind his back, the tiny cell phone resting in his palm as he waited for the call. It rang only once and, in one fluid motion, he flipped it open and brought it up to his ear. It was the man he had been waiting all afternoon to hear from.

“It’s me,” was all that he said. No apologies. No excuses for the delay.

Yong was finally able to say the words that had been screaming in his head all afternoon. “I want her dead.”

* * *