Cold & Deadly (Cold Justice: Crossfire #1)(31)

The fact the FBI had started asking questions about Van Stamos’s last movements was concerning when there were three people still on the list left to kill. Perhaps they weren’t as dumb as they seemed.

“Are you sure he’s dead?”

“No.” Caroline undid her pants to reveal a matching lace thong. Hot as fuck. “But even if he’s not, he’s not going to be asking questions anytime soon.”

“You said two agents. Who was he with?”

Caroline shrugged. “Some woman. Didn’t get her card or her name.”

Stupid bitch.

Caroline had proved very useful, first as a fuck-buddy, and then with information that mobsters were running drugs out of the back of the bar where she worked. Bernie had let her stick around, spending more and more time here. Getting comfortable. Too comfortable.

“Ricky got pretty spooked when he found out they were Feds.” Caroline laughed.

Ricky was the manager of the bar. If the guy had a brain it was so small and so far up his ass it would probably be mistaken for his tonsils.

“He and the boys were going to move the coke tonight. Idiots. They should have cleared it all out last week after the other Fed blew his brains out.”

At Bernie’s request, Caroline had called Van down to the bar with the lure of information about the drugs. Then she’d slipped something into his beer.

Caroline’s glance turned sly. “Did I mention I came over last Tuesday night but you weren’t around?”

So Bernie’s CCTV camera had shown.

“I had a business meeting out of town.”

Caroline snorted. “Sure. You asked me to drug the guy but you never told me why. And then he turns up dead the next day…”

This was how shakedowns began.

Caroline held her hands high. “But I didn’t ask any questions.”

“I like women who don’t ask any questions.” Bernie ran a finger down the center of Caroline’s chest, hooked the black lacy pushup bra, and pulled her closer. A long, deep kiss had Caroline rubbing her whole body against Bernie’s.

Bernie pulled back. “How about I run you a nice hot bath so you can soak your poor aching feet. You did good tonight. I want to show you how grateful I am.”

Caroline’s smile was wide and sultry. “Only as long as you promise to join me.” She pouted prettily.

“I was planning to.”

Bernie arranged olives and a plate of cheese and crackers on a tray. Poured two glasses of Bollinger, adding a little something extra to Caroline’s glass.

Inside the en-suite of the master bathroom the mirrors had steamed up. Bernie turned the lights low.

Bubbles frothed everywhere as Caroline lay back against one side of the enormous tub. Bernie put the tray on the side. Within arm’s reach.

“Oh, my god, I could get used to this.” Caroline took the drink Bernie handed her. Then Bernie stripped, slowly, making it good and hot how women like Caroline liked it. Caroline watched with lust dancing in her eyes.

Bernie climbed in and straddled the naked woman. Their skin was slippery against one another.

Bernie picked up the other glass, and they chinked glasses and drank the lot in one go, laughing. Bernie poured more Champagne and dribbled liquid over Caroline’s shoulders and breasts. Licking it off was exactly the sort of attention Caroline craved. Bernie’s fingers dove lower, between shaved lips that were as hungry as Caroline’s mouth.

It didn’t take long to get her off. They both knew how the other liked it. Rough, fast, unrelenting.

“This is so good. I think I could do this all night.” Caroline sounded drunk now.

Bernie started over, giving her another orgasm before pulling her to lie stretched out on top. She jerked suddenly.

“Relax. I’ve got you.”

It took a few minutes for Caroline to go completely slack, her thighs floating in the water.

“So good,” she murmured as her mouth slid beneath the surface.

She struggled when she inhaled, but Bernie wrapped strong arms around her chest and pinned her legs. It wasn’t too hard to hold her securely beneath the bubbles.

After five minutes, Bernie got out of the tub and dried off.

Killing was the easy part. Getting rid of the body was always the challenge.

*

A steady “beep, beep” brought him slowly back to life. Dominic groaned and tried to raise his hand to his aching head, but someone gripped his wrist. He cracked open an eyelid and saw his boss standing there.

“Why don’t I get the good-looking nurse?” His voice bounced around in his throat.

“Some people think I’m good-looking.” Savage’s piercing gaze was intent on his face. “Rip out the IV and I’ll beat you with it.”

“Didn’t know you cared.” He huffed out a soft laugh and winced as pain radiated from his nose along his cheekbones. “I thought you were in DC? What happened?”

Savage pressed a button, presumably calling for the nurse. “You were in a car accident so I came straight back.”

“Car accident?” He had a vague recollection of loud noises and lots of pain.

“Tell me what you remember.”

Every time Dominic inhaled, he tasted blood. Nausea swirled in his stomach but the last thing he wanted to do was vomit in front of his boss. “Can’t this wait?”