Was I thrilled it was happening sooner? Well, hell, yes. I certainly couldn’t lie about that.
“Yeah, I can do that although I’m not sure what’s left to tell you. I think everyone will breathe a little easier when that fucker is gone. Are you coming to the damn poker game tomorrow night?”
My thoughts drifted to Alexia, still able to hear her voice in my mind. I almost begged off the game but had no excuse at this point. “Sure, why not.”
“About damn time.”
“Sue me.”
“One day I will. It’ll be worth taking my time since you’re a bestseller.”
“Very funny.”
Laughing, I shook my head as I tossed the phone. Maybe getting out of my house would be a damn good idea.
Maybe freeing the chains wrapped around my mind involving the case was an even better one. Gabe was right. We’d all breathe a little easier. A single image of her beautiful face popped into my periphery of vision. She’d certainly gotten to me in just a few minutes.
I had no clue about the woman or why she’d been dead intent on seeing me. Curiosity? There were a lot of people who wondered if I was a twisted fuck given what I wrote. No, that wasn’t her reason. Something much more tangible.
Was it remotely possible I’d run into her at the coffee shop? Maybe. But what was the point? To put to bed the gnawing I’d experienced for years? My entire purpose for joining the FBI had been about obtaining justice while putting the people responsible behind bars. A noble thought until you factored in the various possibilities that an innocent person could have their lives ripped away.
After another spin of my chair, I decided to take a chance in finding her at Moxie’s. If I did, I could solve my curiosity as to whether she knew more than she’d been willing to tell me.
I’d also be able to soothe the ache between my legs.
She was an amazingly beautiful woman and I was a man. What would it hurt to explore additional avenues of electricity?
As I grabbed my keys, I chastised myself. I was a damn writer and couldn’t come up with something better than that?
Moxie’s was crowded even at three in the afternoon. The spot was located just inside South Beach, a location I’d been to twicebefore, both after signings at the popular book seller. While the frequency didn’t make me a regular, I already had my favorite coffee.
As soon as I walked in, the aroma hit me. During my writing sprints, often lasting for ten or twelve hours, I lived on coffee and Diet Coke. However, the difference in quality was well worth the drive.
That was my excuse for going several miles out of my way to just drop in. Once inside, I scanned the crowded location, hoping to see Alexia. My luck wasn’t that good. However, I had time to wait. What else did I have to do? As I stepped to the back of the line, I took a good hard look at my life.
A confirmed bachelor with difficult hours, my buddies called me a loner. My agent, when he wasn’t pushing me to meet my deadline, called me driven. Women called me an insufferable bore with playboy tendencies. Guilty as charged on all counts.
With millions in the bank, and several pieces of real estate in my portfolio along with powerful stocks, I had nothing to complain about. Although the old saying was applicable. Money didn’t buy happiness. Why the thought of discord? Because old cases haunted me to this day.
Hence my approval of the secretive organization created and nurtured by five poker buddies. Some might call us vigilantes. When the system failed, we moved into action, eliminating the threat one way or another. We worked to bring justice to victims who’d been ignored by law enforcement and the court systems. Unfortunately, our clandestine and highly successful operations within Raven Intel had brought little peace.
Maybe because I’d seen the worst of the worst during my illustrious career. I’d had several partners over the years, including one who’d gone through the academy with me. He’d lasted all of six months before bagging out. My second had been more seasoned, a curmudgeon of a man who’d taught me the ropes before retiring. The third? A woman. By far the most organized and on point.
And we’d hated each other.
Burnout was real, bureaucracy a pain in the ass.
With the creation of Raven Intel, we were our own bosses, breaking rules as necessary. Crossing every line. Risking our lives. But I’d had a lot of fun.
At least with several cases, justice had been served.
As I moved up in the line, my thoughts continually drifted from the Wells case to Alexia. Her touch had been enigmatic. The haunted look in her eyes that had briefly turned into fire. Hell, my cock was twitching all over again.
With only one person in front of me, I finally glanced at the menu, chuckling to myself about what my order would be.
“Can I help you?” the barista asked, already prepared to make a festive concoction.
“Coffee. Black. Strong.”
