Rescuing Melissa (ALPHA TEAM: Guardian Hostage Rescue Specialists)

7. Lets Play

SEVEN

Let's Play

PIERCE

The park bubbled with the noisy cries of children, squeaking and squealing as they clambered up, over, and around the playground equipment. My ears hurt listening to them.

This part of the town fared well after the severe weather from the previous day. There were a few fallen branches, but nothing serious. Even the playground equipment and surrounding grass were nearly dry. Overhead, the sky shimmered with a deep blue.

Watchful mothers parked themselves on benches, minding strollers, purses, and the ever-necessary stash of kiddie box drinks and baggies of Cheerios.

Thank God I never spawned a tiny human. They were, as a group, a waste of breath.

Ignoring the children at play, I considered my approach. I’d stolen a yippy dog, Terrier or Scottie. I didn’t know and didn’t care. He was sniffing my pocket, where I’d stashed treats to entice him. At least he wasn’t sniffing my crotch. The dog was a tool, and I’d let the little mutt go when I was through. He yipped again, and I decided to call him Yip for the day.

It had taken time to track down the little girls who’d come to my door. An Internet search for local Girl Scout troops led me right to their home page.

Idiots.

They had nothing secure on their page. I clicked right through their password protection and found and opened the file with their home addresses.

I’d been surprised they didn’t live close by. Those girls had one determined mother. I could only imagine what would push a mother to drag her daughters all over town selling cookies. But I liked it. I loved her ambition. It promised much in the days to come.

I turned my attention to the playground and the kids running amuck.

The little Brownie’s sickly-sweet laughter floated through the air. And her curls bounced every time she skipped or ran.

Her older sister, the one carrying the frown, chased little Anna. Despite the twist in that girl’s lips, she looked lovely with her long, flowing hair. Sunlight glinted off the straw-colored tresses, beckoning my fingers to comb through that perfection, to pull, to twist…to yank until her frightened eyes widened for me.

But, I wasn’t here for the girl. I wanted the mother.

Anna squealed as her sister chased her down the slide. She ran around the monkey bars, trying to get away.

Our eyes met, and my heart leaped at the flash of recognition. But then her sister caught up to Anna, tagging her, and then Anna was off at a run; her turn to chase.

Across the playground, their mother sat on a park bench with a book propped in her hands. She pretended to read, but her eyes followed every movement of her children at play.

I sauntered over, taking my time. Yip led with his nose, smelling everything and lifting his leg along the way to mark territory he would never own.

The method of my approach mattered, and I had planned every detail. I wanted this woman to join my collection very much.

She wasn’t a beautiful woman by conventional standards, but she wasn’t ugly either. Her hair glistened in the bright noonday sun, two shades darker than that of her children. Her broad nose didn’t fit the delicate features of her heart-shaped face, but the brilliance of her eyes balanced everything out.

And the way she adored her children made my heart ache, but I wanted her gaze for myself. With practice and training, she would worship me.

I stopped at the opposite end of her bench, keeping a stranger’s distance, and gave her a friendly smile when the dog licked at her shins. She didn’t recognize me. I reeled the pooch in. Yip danced at the end of the leash, eager to explore the world.

Putting my foot on the bench, I retied the laces of my shoe, then reached into my pocket, pretending my cell phone had gone off. I pressed the phone to my ear. With another easy smile, I turned my back and sat on the edge of the park bench.

The dog jumped onto the bench, barking and sniffing the air. I scratched his neck while I palmed the phone to my ear.

I twisted around to face forward, pretending I was listening hard to whoever had called. This way, I could see her reaction out of the corner of my eye.

For the next few minutes, I carried on a conversation with myself and made sure she heard every word.

“Chrissy, stop.” I shook my head and put a concerned expression on my face.

The mother didn’t move away, but she watched me with a wary eye. I didn’t blame her. If I were a woman, I’d be suspicious if a strange man sat next to me at the park, especially one with no children of his own. But I had the dog, and I relaxed his lead.

She reached out to let the mutt sniff her hand while I ignored her.

I continued my fake conversation. “No, you’ll be okay. They got the guy. He’s not getting out. Not for a long, long time.” I shifted, pulling the dog to my side. I gave a silent apology for my dog’s misbehavior. In front of us, Anna and her sister carried on their game of tag, recruiting two other children into the fray.

“Come to my classes, Chrissy. You know I’m the best. I’ll teach you everything you need to know. I’ll even give you a discount if you come tonight.”

My gaze met the mother’s beautiful blue eyes. I shifted away as if I was trying to keep my conversation private. I even covered the phone and lowered my voice, but my whisper was loud enough. She could still hear.

“Yes, you can bring your friends. Self-defense training is the most important skill a young woman can have.”

I pivoted so the mother could see more of my face. So far, there still had been no hint of recognition. You would think a man who gave an extra fifty dollars for Girl Scout cookies would leave an impression—thankless bitch.

Yip licked her palm, and now she was scratching the top of his head.

I interjected appropriate pauses into my conversation. I needed to make it look like I was listening to Chrissy on the other end, just as I made sure the woman sitting next to me heard every word I said.

“You can’t learn to defend yourself overnight. It takes hard work and dedication.”

The mother’s eyes widened, and she leaned forward the tiniest bit, cocking her head to hear—nosey, but good for me. Curiosity killed the cat, but I had no intention of taking this woman’s life. Lucky for her, I wasn’t likeHim.

I don’t remember what I said next. Chrissy wasn’t real, but the mother was, and I had her attention. By the time I finished my fake conversation with fake Chrissy, all of the mother’s unease from having a stranger share her bench would have dissipated.

Time to reel her in. I gave the dog enough leash, and Yip crawled into her lap.

Seriously, women made it too easy.

Anna came racing out from under the slide, screaming at the top of her lungs, laughing as a little boy gave chase. She made a beeline for her mother.

“Sss…safe!” My little Brownie stuck her tongue out at her pursuer. “Oh, look at the doggy!” she squealed.

“Only babies run to their mommies.” The boy pinched Anna’s arm.

“Ow!” Anna rubbed at her arm and kicked the boy. “I’m not a baby.”

Her mother yanked Anna away before the boy could retaliate.

I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction if I’d coached the little monster myself. To my delight, he reached out and pulled one of Anna’s curls.

Before her mother could react, I stood, using my height to intimate the little snot.

“Young man, that’s no way to treat a lady.”

Yip emphasized my point with a bark.

My scolding had the boy’s eyes widening.

I made sure I didn’t touch him, but I had a performance to deliver. I exchanged a look with Anna’s mother and shook my head. “Where is your mother, young man?”

My demand made the poor little boy look like he would jump out of his skin. Every time the dog barked, he flinched. His face paled, but then he fisted his chubby fingers and puffed out his tiny chest. At that moment, I respected him.

His chubby finger pointed at Anna. “She’s a cheater, and she’s a girl, not a lady.” He pressed his fists to his hips and stared at me with indignation. The little growler would grow up into an asshole.

“You pinched me.” My Brownie whined and rubbed at the pink spot on her arm.

“Now children,” the mother soothed. She gave me one of those knowing looks adults use around children. “We need to use our words and not our hands.”

I let Anna’s mother lecture the children and sat; this time a little closer. She worked the magic only a female can accomplish with children. Within a few moments, everyone was friends again.

Anna hopped off the bench. She pointed at me. “Don’t I know you, mister?”

My heart fluttered in my chest. I encouraged her with my voice, pitching it two octaves above my usual tenor. “I’m not sure.” I tried to sound unsure, non-threatening.

Anna tugged on her mom’s sleeve. “Mommy, he’s the one who gave us the fifties. The nice man. He bought the cookies!”

Anna bounced to her feet. She launched herself into my lap, hugged me, and then jumped back to the ground. I was still enough of a stranger for her to keep the physical contact brief.

“Kids?” I turned to my prey with a shrug and a disarming smile.

Theater class and the drama club had always intrigued me in high school, and I’d studied enough about acting to make this work. I lifted my finger and pointed to Anna. “Why yes, I remember you now.” I let a trace of surprise lace my words. “You’re that little Brownie who came to my door.”

Anna jumped up and down, clasping her hands in front of her chest…a very flat, pre-pubescent, and boring chest. “Yes! Yes! You bought cookies.”

“Didn’t you have a sister with you?”

Anna pointed to the playground. “Angela’s playing hopscotch.”

“Well, you tell her hello for me. I loved my cookies. I ate them all up.”

“You shouldn’t eat cookies all at once.” The expression on Anna’s face made me smile. “It makes your tummy hurt. That’s what Mommy says, and she knows everything.”

Her words had me laughing. I turned to her mother, who gave me a children-will-say-the-darndest-things expression. “I know, but I was never good at following rules.”

Anna giggled and ran to the playground. Her interest in me had run its course. She’d even ignored the dog. A moment of silence passed between her mother and me, punctuated by the mutt’s sniffing sounds.

Her mother cleared her throat. “I’m sorry about Anna. She can be precocious.” Her cheeks flushed as she stared at me.

I gave her my best Prince Charming grin and watched a spreading blush fill her cheeks. “Well, at least she listens to what you say. But, you may need to speak with her about stranger-danger.” I gestured, referring to the hug Anna gave me.

The woman gave a nervous smile, and then silence befell us again. I wondered how long it would take before she broke it.

In less than a minute, she turned toward me. “So, is Anna right? Are you the one who gave my girls extra money?”

I nodded. “I’m a sucker for Girl Scout cookies.”

“It was very generous of you.”

“Well, I remember how hard it is to sell the dang things.”

She took a moment and then made the wrong assumption. “Your daughter sells Girl Scout cookies?”

“No, my sister did.” I let her assume my sister no longer did because she’d grown up. “I thought the girls didn’t go door-to-door anymore?”

Her lips pinched. “They’re not supposed to, but I always buy a bunch extra. I like to contribute to the troop. The girls get merit badges and prizes if they reach a certain level of sales.”

She leaned back. Her attention no longer focused on her children.

“Maybe I should stop? I tire of walking the neighborhoods with them, and then I’m nervous when they knock on the doors. I mean, you never know who will answer. Or if they’ll be safe.”

I laughed. “Well, that’s why I can’t help buying them.” I leaned back, mirroring her movements, and laced my fingers behind my neck. “Some moms just let their kids go. They don’t watch over them.” My mother had failed in that sacred task.

“They want to go out on their own, but I won’t let them. I don’t want to be a mother hen, but I worry. I let them go to the doors on their own, but I watch from the street.”

“Yes, I remember my mother watching my sister.”

“Right. What does your sister do now? Is she still involved in the Girl Scouts?”

I turned to the woman, leaning an inch or two closer, and made ready to sing my sob story. I even had a tear or two ready.

“No. My sister died. She wasn’t much older than Anna when it happened.” An over-share, but I had her full attention now.

“Oh my.” Her hand flew up and covered her mouth. “I’m sorry.”

As I weaved my story, I reeled her in like an expert fisherman. She had an odd name, Henrietta. Too old for her, it reminded me of my grandmother. It would be the first thing I changed.

I turned the subject from my kid sister’s death to something more cheerful, like how incredible Thin Mints tasted and how they reminded me of my sister.

Our words danced in the air as we traded life stories. I learned more than I cared about her two little girls, the father who died fighting for freedom in the desert, and her plans. I tried not to stare at her breasts too much, but they were plump and begging to be squeezed. She pretended not to notice, just as I pretended not to stare.

With her long blonde hair, brilliant blue eyes, and rosebud lips, this woman would have made a wonderful princess a decade ago. Fortunately, I didn’t need a princess. She would fill a different role.

Henrietta would be our Fairy Godmother, and I would give her a gilded cage. Her hands would fit in the spare set of steel cuffs in my chest. I knew how I would bind her and how I would take her our first time together.

A Fairy Godmother would soothe my princesses’ fears. I shifted on the park bench, hiding my growing arousal from Henrietta’s observant eyes. She’d given me her name and sealed her fate when she brushed lint off my shoulder.

Henrietta continued to watch her precious girls play chase, but her gaze kept turning back to me.

I gave her my best smile. “It has been such a pleasure meeting you…again, but I must go. I only get so much time off from work. And, I need to get Yip home.”

Her expression fell to a frown. That made my heart leap with joy.

“It was nice chatting with you.”

What a perfect day; the longing in her voice was brilliant. I placed my hand on her knee and paid close attention to her reaction. When she didn’t pull away, I gave it a slight squeeze.

“If you still have some of those Girl Scout cookies…” I winked, and her cheeks flushed again. “You could bring them over. I wasn’t lying when I told your daughter I ate them all.”

Henrietta waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. She had yet to pull away from my hand, resting on her knee. “Well, Anna was just say—”

“She was just repeating what any good mother would tell her child.” I lifted my brows with mischief. “But, you and I are adults. We don’t have to listen to our mothers anymore. One perk of being a grownup is we can be as good or as bad as we want.”

She laughed. “Well.” She hesitated, then continued, her voice husky and sinfully seductive. “That’s true.”

I almost had her, and the anticipation had me leaning closer than I should, but I couldn’t help it. “If you can’t come over, I understand, but I would like a chance to get to know you better.” I removed my hand from her leg and smiled at her surprised expression.

“Oh, I can bring some by.” Her lashes fluttered. “I’m sorry, but I don’t remember where you live.”

I gave her the address.

“The girls get off school at three. We can stop by after that?”

I shook my head. “I’m sorry, but I work the graveyard shift at a garden center, and I’m asleep by then.”

“A nursery has a graveyard shift?”

“It’s a large operation, and most of the prep work and arranging is left to the night crew. I work in the floral department. I deliver, too.” Women were suckers for flowers.

A beautiful play of expressions paraded across her delicate features as she considered her options.

I loved it when they came willingly. It made the surprise so much more delectable when they realized they’d delivered themselves into my hands.

Henrietta glanced at me, looking through her lashes. “I could come sooner? But the girls won’t be able to give you the cookies themselves.”

I gave half a laugh. “Henrietta, as darling as your children are, I’m much more interested in getting toknowyou.”

I stressed the word ‘know.’ Henrietta knew what she was coming over for, and it wasn’t to deliver cookies.

“Lunch at ten?” My question hovered in the air between us, and my pulse quickened, waiting for her reply.

Her eyes flicked to mine. I was thrilled to see a banked heat smoldering in their depths.

How perfect of a day was this for me? A mother and a widow?

She said it had been a year since GI Dickhead’s death. It might be fun to take her in my bed before bringing her to join my princesses. She would live with the knowledge she’d given herself freely for the rest of her life.

In my head, I’d already fucked her in every way imaginable. My pants were so tight that my cock ached to be free—time to wrap this up.

“Are you offering to cook for me?” She was such an idiot.

“I’m a fabulous cook.”

She bit her lower lip, considering my offer of food and sex.

I leaned over and pecked her cheek. “I’ll expect you at ten…tomorrow? Bring Thin Mints for dessert.”

Her hand flew to her cheek, cupping the spot where my lips touched her skin. She bowed her head, and her lashes fluttered again.

Before she could consider backing out, I was off the bench, careful to turn my body to hide my arousal. “It’s a date.”

She nodded but didn’t look up. “Y-yes. Tomorrow.”

The resolve in her tone sent shudders through my spine.

Tomorrow I would add a Fairy Godmother to my collection. All that remained was collecting my Queen.