Chapter 16
Sterling
So, I did what I do best and took charge.
I had to stop after a few minutes or I wouldn’t be able to.
As it was, my dick was standing at half mast—after one fucking kiss.
Normally, kissing is a means to an end. I’m not a total asshole, I know that foreplay is necessary— and I consider myself pretty good at it.
I have had no complaints from previous partners.
Being controlling has its perks for my partners.
For instance, I feel powerful when I can make them squirm in pleasure, when I can keep them on the edge and make them mindless.
There is no greater high than being able to pull and control the pleasure strings.
Part of the game is kissing. This was different though.
I wanted to consume her, I needed to feel her.
It was like this internal need to mark my territory.
If I had gone on much longer we would have ended up on the kitchen floor.
I needed to regroup. It was best that I stepped away tonight. Remaining in control is how I had gotten so far in life, and I wouldn’t lose it now. A part of me, one that I didn’t want to analyze too much, liked this chase and wanted to savor it. Wanted to prolong it a little.
While my anatomy wasn’t getting the message my brain was completely on board with this plan. I also needed to get a handle on this situation. Shooting Carter a text, I asked him to call me. I figured he was awake- it was only 11:00 PM. In seconds my phone buzzed.
“You summoned,” Carter sarcastically said as soon as I had the phone up to my ear. Carter was our ace in the hole. A total techie with hacking abilities beyond our imagination, and an addiction to the gym.
If he wasn’t in front of a computer, he was taking out his frustrations on some poor punching bag or weight machine.
He was an unstoppable force with the ability to hack and track.
He spent some time doing special ops shit for the government.
Things that he won’t share with us and is a bit of an enigma.
“She is getting text messages now,” I get straight to the point. Is there anyway you can look into them?
“I’m almost done with her background check, but I can get started on tracing the email and text messages.
By all accounts she seems fairly average.
She has her business and a small circle of friends and family.
Your girl hasn’t been in any kind of trouble— other than the one and only speeding ticket that she got 5 years ago,” Carter chuckles.
He keeps going. “Her social media is filled with posts about friends, family, restaurants, and places that she has travelled with. It all seems pretty low risk. Other than sharing her location when she posts, I don’t see anything too controversial. I’ll look into her clients last.”
“Got it. That isn’t very helpful though,” I point out, stating the obvious. If she had someone trolling her on her socials or had some drama come up from the past, we may be able to follow the trail of breadcrumbs. However, with little to go on, this was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
“You are right, maybe her client list will give us something to work with. Even her finances seem pretty standard. She brings in a bit more money then she spends. Has a small savings account, a credit card, mortgage, student loans. It doesn’t look like she has any kind of gambling habits or addictions.
Well, unless you count her kindle subscription, coffee purchases, and farmers market runs as an addiction,” he chuckles again.
I’m irritated that he now knows more about her than I do. That isn’t supposed to be how this works. Mine. My mind yells. Rubbing my head to quiet the caveman inside, I try to focus on the task at hand.
“Focus Carter, can you get on the text and email situation tonight? I can get a list of her clients past and current to you in the morning. She is asleep now,” I explain to him.
“Did you tire her out already, I figured you hadn’t even got started yet,” he ribs me in a lighthearted way. I am not in a lighthearted mood.
“Listen asshole, it isn’t like that,” I start to explain. “We haven’t—we aren’t, we aren’t there yet,” I finally get out.
“Ohhhh, wow— man, never thought I’d see the day,” he states as if in awe. “I always figured you would be a lone wolf forever.”
“Shut up, okay—I don’t need this shit from you either. I’ve already had enough from Holt. I’ll get it out of the way right now. She is different okay, I’ve decided to just go with it,” I explain plainly. My hope is to end this conversation.
“Jesus, don’t get yourself all worked up about it,” he responds. But his tone shifts and I know he is moving on, for now anyway. I sigh silently in relief. “Look, text me the number that the text came through from. I can see if I can get anything from that tonight.”
Realizing that she left her phone on the kitchen counter, I text him the number while he is still on the line.
“I may need that phone and it would be helpful for me to have her laptop. I’ll come by.
In the morning and see what I can do. If you and Holt need help putting up the cameras or putting in new locks, I can be an extra set of hands too,” he offers almost apologetically.
I know Carter though, he isn’t done. Part of tomorrow is going to be him observing my interactions with Meg. Then he will have ammunition to really give me hell later.
“See you tomorrow,” I say and then hang up before he has a chance to respond. He has given me enough information for the night anyway. I set the phone back on the counter, knowing she will be searching for it at some point.
I check the front door one more time and the door to the deck.
They are locked. I notice that the house has strings of twinkle lights that are along the fireplace mantle and other shelves sprinkled around.
They must be on a timer. It is cute. Cute.
Listen to me. What the hell, I’m losing my mind.
Heading into the bedroom that I have taken up as my temporary residence, I unzip my duffle bag.
I pull out a pair of sweatpants. Normally, I sleep in nothing.
I figured I would need to work my way up to that here.
Chuckling to myself, I imagine the look on her face if I walked around her house in nothing. She may have a coronary. While it was tempting to see that reaction in person, this situation probably required a bit more finesse.
I shut the door for a second to strip down and pull on my sweats.
I forgo a shirt. I want to be somewhat comfortable.
Once I finish, I open the door again. I want to be able to hear anything if something were to happen.
I doubt tonight would be the night. A different vehicle is in the carport, and there has been a lot of traffic in and out.
Shaking my head I pull back the flannel plaid sheet and slide in.
I have had to sleep in worse places. As far as security details go, this one is turning out to be the most interesting one yet.