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  Winston jumped in front of her. “I’d love a tour of the garden.”

  “Sounds good.” Jonathan smirked. “Deidra, be a good hostess and show Winston the garden.”

  She gritted her teeth. “Jonathan, what are you up to?”

  “Nothing.” He clapped and a waiter came by with champagne. “I welcomed Winston and Shauna and we need to be hospitable.”

  Dee marched to his side of the table and whispered in his ear, “Don’t do this. You’re trying to rub it in.”

  “Nothing wrong with me wanting him to see what he’s missing.” He tried to kiss her, and she moved away, huffing.

  Winston took Dee’s hand. “After you.”

  “I’ve lived here for three months...” She snatched away from him. “I know the way.”

  He held out his hand in front of her. “Yes, ma’am.”

  ****

  Dee showed Winston around the outrageous garden without an ounce of enthusiasm. It bothered him how distant she’d become toward him but he’d endure anything for the chance to be near her again.

  They walked through the trails that led to different areas of the garden until they came to the five-foot waterfall made of stone rocks.

  “And, this is the waterfall.” Dee tossed her hand in a lackadaisical fashion. “You won’t believe what Jonathan spent on it.” She paused when she found his gaze. “Would you stop staring at me?”

  He moved closer, sniffing her peach scent. “You used to like it when I stared at you.”

  “That was the past.”

  He took her hand, his body trembling with the shock of touching her again. “It wasn’t all that long ago.”

  “Did you tell Lydia I want her to come to the compound?”

  “Hm-mm.”

  “Well, is she coming?”

  “Not as long as I’m breathing she’s not.”

  “Since when do you decide what my sister does or doesn’t do? I miss her.”

  “Then leave with me.” He touched her hair. “I’m not bringing her here so Jonathan can do the same thing to her he’s done to you.”

  “Either you behave and I’ll show you around or we can go inside.” She pushed him away. “Which would you rather do?”

  “This.” He encased her face in his palms and kissed her, a crushing tide of emotion overtaking him.

  “No,” she mumbled against his lips, pushing him away. “I don’t get why men think they can just grab me and do what the hell they want.”

  His hands remained in the air as if he were still touching her. “You talking about Jonathan? Did he do something to you?”

  “Never mind.” She turned away.

  “What is it?” He rushed in front of her. “Did he hurt you?”

  “Leave it alone, Winston. In fact, leave me alone.”

  “Like I keep saying, I can’t do that.” He drew in a deep breath. “Every day we’re apart it’s crushing my soul.”

  Maybe it was wishful thinking but concern seemed to replace the frustration in her face.

  “Guess what?” He chuckled, smashing his palms together. “I’ve started drawing again.”

  She sat on the decorative fence in front of the waterfall. “You have?”

  “Does that make you happy?” He sat beside her. “Drawing is the only thing that’s comforting me while you’re gone. Without having that to harvest my feelings, I couldn’t have made it a day.”

  “What have you been drawing?”

  “You.” He took out his phone, searched his latest photos and handed it to her.

  She smiled, looking at the charcoal drawing of her on the screen. “It’s beautiful.”

  “I’ve missed that gleam in your eye, Dee.” He touched her cheek. “I haven’t seen it since you been here.”

  She clamped her lips together and gave him the phone. “I’m in love with Jonathan.”

  He put the phone in his pocket, struggling to keep his temper. “I’m in love with someone else too.”

  She crossed her legs, gaping. “After all this about you claiming to love me?”

  “Yeah, she’s strong and confident.” He enjoyed seeing her pretty face fighting to not show emotion. “She’s beautiful, smile can light up a room. She’s tough and don’t take shit from anyone. Wanna know who she is?”

  “No.” She rose, fixing the back of her dress. “I’m going back inside—”

  “It’s you, Dee.” He took her hand, pulling her to him. “It’s you and it’ll only be you but not this you. The real you.” He wrapped his arms around her waist.

  “Let me go.”

  “It’s enchanting out here, huh?” He looked toward the moonlight. “Out here by the waterfall, alone. Us, touching each other and holding each other—”

  “Winston.” She pushed on his chest but not with much strength. “Let me go.”

  “You want to kiss me, Dee?” He inched his mouth to hers, her eyes narrowing. “Your body’s jumping underneath my touch.”

  “You’re crazy.”

  “Yeah.” He grinned, locking his arms tighter around her. “You wanna kiss me and do a lot more, don’t you?”

  She squirmed then stopped when she stared into his eyes. “We can’t do this out here.”

  “Out here?” His attention remained on her seductive lips. “Where can we do this then?”

  “That...” She shut her eyes. “Isn’t what I meant.”

  “It’s what I meant.” He pushed her toward him, catching her lips in his. “Mm.”

  Her body relaxed as if his kiss removed any apprehension or at least gave her permission to enjoy the moment.

  “You feel so good, Dee.” He gave her mouth a short lick between another tongue kiss. “This is where you belong.” He caressed her full backside.

  She perched her hands on his shoulders. “This isn’t right.”

  “I’m the man you love, Dee, not Jonathan.” His lips quivered, desperate for another taste of her. “Whatever he’s done to you, you gotta fight it.”

  “He’s not done anything but make me happy.”

  “Happier than I did?” He rubbed his nose against hers, and she parted her mouth, displaying a grin. “Yeah, you want this.” He kissed her, her image fading as he closed his eyes, taking as much of her within his soul as he could.

  She tore her lips away. “We can’t.” She shook her head as if trying to convince herself. “I’m a part of The Circle now. Jonathan’s the only man I want.”

  He moved his hands up her back, forcing his tongue further inside her sweet mouth. “You shake every time I kiss you.” He breathed in between the mild laugh. “Yet, you love Jonathan?” He tried to kiss her again.

  “No.” She wriggled out his hold. “I won’t betray him.”

  “Dee—”

  “You’ll do and say anything to get me back.”

  “You’re damn right I will.” He grabbed her. “I love you. I’m not handing you over to Jonathan and walking away. You know something’s off with this whole thing, don’t you?”

  She shifted her gaze away. “If you really loved me, then let me be happy and trust me to find my own way.”

  He stared her dead in the eyes. “Have I ever lied to you?”

  She glanced at the waterfall. “No.”

  “Then why would I lie now?”

  “To get me back.”

  He shook his head, cupping her face in his palms. “I’m the only person here you can trust.”

  “I can’t take this anymore. Please leave.”

  “Fine.” He got out the prepaid cell phone. “I brought this for you.”

  “What?”

  “Take it.” He forced it into her hand. “You might not believe me about Jonathan but you will. Hide this and if you ever need me...” He kissed her. “Call me and I’ll be here before you hang up the phone.” He raised his chin. “I’ll never let you go.”

  She wrapped her fingers around the small phone.

  “Jonathan Wild is a very dangerous man, Dee.” He passed her, heading towa
rd the trail. “I hope you realize that before it’s too late.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “Deidra and Winston were kissing?” Jonathan glared at Deidra from across the ballroom as she danced with a guest. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” Asia said, the lights reflecting off her cocoa-brown skin. “At first she tried to discourage him but it became obvious she was enjoying herself.”

  “Is that so?” Jonathan took a deep breath, cracking his knuckles. “What else?”

  “They talked.” Asia shrugged, clasping her hands. “Something about drawing a picture of her. He’s an artist I guess.”

  “I’ve given her more than any man ever could.” Jonathan shook with rage. “She hasn’t given me an inch yet she can go out into my garden and carry on with him?” He lowered his voice before his temper got out of hand. “Deidra Quarter is mine and I’m going to prove that.” He focused on Asia. “Gather the women and tell them we’ll have the final ceremony.”

  “You mean, sex with Deidra?”

  “What do you think I mean?” His blood boiled as he watched Dee smiling and twirling. “Right now she’s making a fool of me and I can’t let that happen. I’ve given her too much leeway. I’m the leader of The Circle and she’s gonna do what I say when I say it. She’ll give herself to me.” He smirked. “With a little help from the medicine cabinet.”

  Asia smiled.

  ****

  “Once again, I had it in my mind that Dee was coming back with me...” Winston stood at Connie’s desk the next morning. “But, came up empty handed again.”

  “I’m so sorry, Winston.” Connie sipped the caramel-flavored coffee. “You can’t give up.”

  “Since I can’t protect her from Jonathan, I took her a cell phone and told her to hide it so she can call me if she’s in trouble.” He sucked his lip. “But knowing her she told Jonathan. Damn it.” He dropped his head in his palms. “Why can’t I walk away? Why am I torturing myself like this?”

  “Because you love her.” Connie turned on her computer. “How is she?”

  “The same I guess.” He sat on the corner of her desk and swung his leg. “We kissed.” He stared at the ceiling.

  “I’m not too keen on you hanging around that Shauna.” Connie scowled. “Watch your back.”

  “Oh, believe me I don’t trust her at all. She’s not the type to do something for others without an angle but she’s my only link to Dee and what’s going on over there. What if I kidnapped Dee back and undid whatever Jonathan did?”

  “That would only make things worse.”

  “I can’t just sit around worrying about this.”

  “Ever thought of talking to someone about it?” She set down her mug. “How about the department psychiatrist?”

  He shook his head and crossed his arms. “The only thing that will make things better is getting Dee back.”

  “Excuse me?” A tall, woman with pinkish-ivory skin, powder-blue eyes and features like the women in a Botticelli painting, stopped at Connie’s desk. “Are you Detective Connie Wilks?”

  “Yes, I am.” She pointed to Winston. “This is Detective Winston Lewis.”

  Winston smiled, giving the woman a onceover.

  “What can I do for you?” Connie asked.

  “My name is Tara Gross.” She looked back and forth at the detectives, her wavy auburn hair sweeping her shoulders. “I heard you were working the murder of the woman who lived at the Bay Bridge House.”

  “Yes.” Winston stood. “Why?”

  “I rarely go pointing fingers at people but you might wanna check out CeCe Babbitt.”

  Connie leaned forward with her arms on her desk. “Why?”

  “I stayed at Bay Bridge for about a year. I moved out a few months ago because of CeCe.” She pushed her hair behind her ear, showing her pearl stud.

  “Did he bother you?” Connie asked.

  “He bothered most of the women there.” Tara shivered, wiggling her petite nose. “The good-looking ones anyway and his aunt did nothing about it. Either you ended up having to move, or you’d get no peace. One night I was coming in from work and CeCe was in the parking lot.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “He’d been asking me out and I kept telling him no. He’d been following me too.”

  Winston leaned his hip against the desk.

  “What happened in the parking lot?” Connie asked.

  “He attacked me.” Tara took a deep breath. “He grabbed me and tried to kiss me. I fought him off and ran inside. When I saw him the next morning, he said nothing. He just gave me this eerie stare. I told his aunt, but she threatened me saying she’d do anything to protect her nephew.”

  “She didn’t believe you?”

  She looked at Winston. “The twisted part is I think she did but didn’t care.”

  “There’s something else going on.” Winston scratched his arm. “I can’t believe this man is doing this to women and no one’s calling the police or anything?”

  “They don’t want to rock the boat,” Tara said. “Ms. Kachel is lenient with the rent so she lets tenants get away with not paying if they’re having a hard month or whatever.”

  “Ah,” Winston said. “The women are indebted to Ms. Kachel.”

  “Most of the women who live there are single and some with kids,” Tara acknowledged. “The Bay Bridge House is the best they can afford without living in a motel. Most of the tenants there are working low wage jobs, just trying to make ends meet.”

  “We appreciate you telling us this.” Connie smiled. “If there’s anything else we need to know please don’t hesitate.”

  Tara nodded as she turned to leave and then stopped. “Have you spoken to him yet?”

  Connie sipped coffee. “Yes.”

  “So, he’s seen you?” Tara asked Connie.

  “Yes,” she answered.

  “Watch yourself, Detective. He gets fixated on every attractive woman he sees.” Tara straightened her back, squinting. “I think he killed Prisha.”

  ****

  Winston gave up after researching CeCe on Dee’s computer again. “I’ve looked CeCe up left and right.” He leaned back in the seat. “Still no record or anything suspicious.”

  Connie scrolled through files at her desk. “I was hoping maybe we’d missed something the first time we checked.”

  “Not having a record doesn’t mean you’re innocent.”

  “True.” Connie chewed the eraser of her pencil. “He doesn’t even have a parking ticket though.”

  “Think the women are blowing this out of proportion and maybe it’s like what his aunt says?” Winston swayed in the seat. “That women misunderstand him because he’s different?”

  “No way. When I met him, I got the same creepy feeling these women got.” She shivered, scowling. “It reminded me of Garfield Larose.”

  “I’m sorry again for what that bastard tried to do to you, Connie.”

  “Thank god I could fight him off. Most women aren’t so lucky.” She stared at the computer screen. “Nothing like almost being raped and killed to remind a female cop she’s still a woman.”

  “Do me a favor, don’t confront a possible suspect without backup or a partner again.”

  “Deal.”

  “I got an idea.” Winston leaned up, snapping his fingers. “Let’s put a tail on CeCe and that might lead to something.”

  Connie dropped her pencil on her mousepad. “It’s worth a shot.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Jonathan exhaled as he and the women stood around Dee’s bed, staring at her lifeless body on the satin sheets.

  “What did you give her?” Jinghua batted her droopy, Asian eyes.

  “Just a little something to relax her.” Jonathan winked. “I wish she could feel me inside her. But, I’ll settle for this. Haven’t you sensed an obstacle in our aura?”

  The women nodded.

  He poked his chest. “It’s like a hole in the heart. The Circle is powerless unless we all give one hundred per
cent.”

  Dee remained still with her eyes closed.

  “I didn’t want it to be like this.” Jonathan caressed Dee’s foot. “I wanted Deidra to enjoy me making love to her, but I’m not waiting any longer.”

  “We’ve never done this before,” Emma said.

  “Never had to do this before but Deidra’s stubborn.” Jonathan chuckled. “It’s what I like about her.”

  “What about afterwards?” The tall brunette in the back swallowed. “How is she gonna feel toward you? Toward us?”

  “She’ll never know.” Jonathan pointed to the women. “Do you understand? What happens in this bedroom tonight will never leave this room.”

  The pale, redheaded Ana stepped to the front of the women. “Is this...rape?”

  “No,” another said in a faint voice. “She gave herself to Jonathan and to us when she became a member of The Circle.”

  “But, she’s drugged,” Ana said. “This feels so—”

  “It’s not fair we did everything we were supposed to, and she gets a pass,” Asia said. “Besides, Jonathan’s a wonderful lover. It’s an honor being taken by him.”

  Jonathan smirked.

  “It is an honor.” Ana dipped her head toward Jonathan. “I meant no disrespect, Jonathan. Just wanted things to be clear.”

  “It’s not rape because deep down she wants this.” He kissed Dee’s cheek, reached his hands behind her and undid her bra. “She smells so good.” He looked at the women. “Why hadn’t I thought of this sooner instead of waiting three months?”

  Asia snickered.

  Rena entered the room. “What’s this?” She observed the scene and ran to the bed. “Jonathan? What are you doing?”

  He pulled off Dee’s dress. “I’m taking what’s mine.”

  “Don’t.” She held her arm out in front of Dee. “Stop.”

  He threw Dee’s dress on the floor and started to remove her panties.

  “Stop!” Rena grabbed Dee. “Jonathan, please.” She sobbed. “You can’t do this.”

  “I can do whatever the hell I want. She belongs to me now.”

  “No.” She got on top of Dee, hugging her. “Not like this. This is rape! You can’t do this to her.”