Blood & Lace Page 5

  Drugs? Chop shop?

  She grabbed her phone from the center console and snapped a few quick shots of the license plate numbers she could see. She didn’t have friends in LA who could run the plates, but she knew a few folks back in Boston who owed her a favor or two.

  As she glanced down at the screen to take another photo, she saw a broad-shouldered tattooed man in a dark T-shirt exiting the building. Buzzed hair, square jaw, and wide build all added up to military or former military. He reminded her of a childhood nursery rhyme about a giant who crushed men’s bones to make his bread. Her instincts screamed that he was dangerous and that it would be best if he didn’t catch her taking candids of the cars.

  Pulling away quickly, she steadied her breathing in an attempt to slow her heart rate. He was probably just checking on the cars. It was a shady section of town, after all. Surely he hadn’t seen her.

  Driving back to Eden’s home, Chloe tried out a dozen different theories on why Agent Pierce would’ve been there. What connection could that place have possibly had to Eden?

  She came up short. Nothing she could work up fit. Eden only traveled in the circles of models and celebrities—people who lived in extravagant homes like her skeezy photographer friend. There was no accounting for taste, apparently, but Chloe couldn’t even picture her sister driving through that part of town, much less stopping anywhere near the sketchy warehouse.

  After a long, hot shower, she lay in her sister’s guest bedroom trying to convince herself to be patient. To trust that Agent Pierce knew what he was doing, that he wasn’t on the wrong track or wasting valuable time that could mean the difference between life and death for Eden. He was right—she’d asked for his help. He’d assured her that he was doing his best. But she had to know if his little excursion to the underbelly of downtown Los Angles was related to Eden’s disappearance or she’d never sleep again.

  Retrieving her cell phone from the night table, she tapped the screen until Agent Pierce’s name appeared. She chose the text icon over calling and typed out the burning question that was keeping her awake.

  What’s in the warehouse?

  It was all she sent. She contemplated sending This is Chloe, by the way, but she had a feeling he’d know. Even though she doubted he’d saved her number, she also doubted he had many contacts with a Boston area code.

  Several long moments passed before a response came. When it did, it wasn’t at all what Chloe had expected.

  3539 South Bernardino. Apt 111B.

  She responded with a single question mark.

  His answer was quicker this time. One word.

  Now.

  8

  Gage paced the entire length of his apartment until he was sure he’d look down and see a path worn in the floor. Having her come there was probably a colossal mistake or a poor choice at best. But how could he strangle her if he couldn’t reach her? The insufferable woman was going to be the death of him.

  He’d known that she was watching him that evening. He could feel her eyes on him as he kept his eyes on the warehouse that had become a place of interest in the disappearance of Eden Sterling. But damned if he could locate Chloe anywhere. He figured she’d just gotten under his skin and he was imagining things. But no, she’d been there. Somewhere.

  The fact that she’d managed to stay under his radar pissed him off. She had no business being in a part of town like that. Maybe he hadn’t caught her lurking, but someone else could have. Someone a lot more dangerous than him—though right now, he was feeling pretty damn dangerous.

  He wasn’t going to yell at her. He reminded himself of that over and over until a gentle knock sounded on his door.

  He jerked it open to reveal her surprised face.

  His anger dissipated almost immediately as his breath threatened to take an unscheduled leave of absence.

  Why did she have to be so goddamned beautiful? Just to make his life more difficult? Because it was such a cakewalk already.

  He sighed and stepped out of the way for her to enter.

  “I’m surprised you even needed the address. You could’ve just followed me here like you do everywhere else.” He’d meant for it to sound harsher than it did. As it was, it damn near sounded like an invitation.

  Chloe’s face pinked with the telltale sign of her embarrassment. But she kept her chin slightly lifted in defiance.

  “You still didn’t answer my question, Agent Pierce. What’s in the warehouse? Does it have anything to do with my sister? And if it does, why didn’t you call and tell me you had a lead like you promised you would?”

  Gage walked her past his small kitchen area and gestured to the black leather couch pushed up against the living room wall. “That’s more than one question. Can I get you something to drink?”

  Chloe’s vibrant emerald eyes narrowed on him. Her unwavering stare was sharp enough to cut glass. “I’m fine, thanks.”

  Lowering himself beside her, he was careful to keep out of reaching distance for fear he’d give in to the overwhelming temptation to touch her.

  “The warehouse isn’t a warehouse. It’s a studio for a production company. One I want you to stay far away from. Understand?”

  Chloe’s face twisted into a mask of confusion. “Production of what?”

  “A certain type of film.” Gage took a breath and contemplated how to explain what he’d found in Eden’s financial records. The woman had been receiving a steady paycheck from Red Light Productions for over a month. It didn’t make sense, really. She made more than enough from her contracted modeling gigs to cover her living expenses and then some. He couldn’t find any indicators of a debt she owed anywhere. But Gage knew sometimes people did things that simply didn’t make sense.

  “Movies. Webcasts.” Gage nearly choked on the next word. “Pornography.”

  Chloe scoffed, looking even more confused than before. “Okay . . . so what does that place have to do with my sister?”

  Gage wished she’d taken him up on the offer for a drink so he could’ve gotten himself one. He rubbed his hands roughly down the legs of the navy-blue sweatpants he’d thrown on after his shower. “I don’t know yet,” he began, placing a hand up to cut off any further line of questioning. “I’m trying to figure that out.”

  “You’re keeping something from me. What led you there, Agent Pierce?”

  Gage bristled. He didn’t want her to keep calling him Agent Pierce. He wanted her to call him by his first name. Softly. While he was buried deep inside that beguiling body of hers.

  His eyes trailed briefly over the simple gray knit shorts and deep-plum tank she wore. He couldn’t fathom how she made even the plainest outfits sexy as hell. Did she sleep in that? Had she been in bed when she’d messaged him? The image of her spread out in bed thinking of him wreaked havoc on his already out-of-control mind.

  “Your sister’s bank account,” he finally answered when he’d composed himself. If she noticed his brief slip she didn’t show any sign of it. “The company that films there, Red Light Productions, has been paying her steadily for several weeks.”

  Chloe stood abruptly. “My sister doesn’t do porn. So you’re mistaken. Or her bank made some sort of error because—”

  “I didn’t say she was doing anything, Chloe. Please. Sit.”

  She remained standing. “Don’t toy with me, Agent Pierce. I want to know everything that you know.” He watched as she crossed her arms over her chest, shoving her full breasts upward, toward the revealing V cut in her shirt. “Is it possible she was just doing some sort of modeling for them? Or filming a commercial, or sponsorship or something? I mean, she’s a lingerie model, so maybe they hired her to—”

  “I don’t know,” Gage interrupted. “Like I said, I haven’t nailed down the connection yet. But I will.” He stood and took a step closer to her. “That’s why I didn’t contact you right away. I was waiting until I had a more concrete explanation to give you. All I know right now is that she received paychecks from them. For th
e past several weeks. A significant amount, but I can’t find a reason in her bank statements or on her credit report that she would’ve needed the extra money. You saw the place. Can you think of any reason your sister would’ve ventured somewhere like that?”

  Chloe lowered her gaze and shook her head. “I can’t imagine anyone going somewhere like that. To film . . . whatever it is you said.”

  “I don’t think that’s the only location Red Light has,” Gage offered in an attempt to assuage her concern. “When I looked up their financial info and tax returns, another address came up. An office suite in a much nicer section of town. I suspect the warehouse is where they shoot their . . . films.”

  He watched her throat move as she swallowed the information. He was trying so hard to feed it to her in small, easily digestible pieces, but it was a lot to handle at once. Somehow, someway, Eden Sterling was involved with a smut-film production company. One that went out of its way to conceal a great deal of their business dealings. Even with his hacking expertise, Gage wasn’t able to find out as much as he would’ve liked about who actually owned Red Light Productions.

  “So . . . what now?” Chloe’s voice was soft, as were her eyes, when she looked up at him.

  Gage was overwhelmed by the possessive need that surged in his chest. Now I take you to bed and make you forget you came anywhere near that disgusting fucking place today, was the response that teased the tip of his tongue.

  What he actually said was, “Now I dig deeper and find out who runs the company. I’ll question him or her and a few employees and see what I can find out, and try to track down a solid lead on your sister’s involvement with them.”

  He wasn’t certain, but it looked like she breathed a sigh of relief. Admitting he cared if she approved of his strategy would’ve been ridiculous, but he couldn’t deny that he enjoyed the sight of the worry lines disappearing from her forehead.

  “Okay . . . well, thank you.” Chloe moved toward the door, and Gage fought off the urge to ask her to stay. They could have a drink. Talk about something other than film production companies in shady sections of town and missing sisters. He wanted to know about her job, if she missed Boston, what she did for fun, what her favorite movies and bands were.

  He nearly shook his head to shake out the nonsense cluttering it. He didn’t respond this way to women—to anyone. With his all-consuming career there was no time to get to know anyone. Women who spent the night with him knew that was all there was to it because he explained up front that he’d never have the time to call them the next day or spend a weekend on a romantic getaway. The anniversaries he kept track of were how long a killer he’d locked up had been away or if one was coming up for parole soon. At any moment, he could be whisked away for months or even years on an undercover assignment. Didn’t really bode well for someone in a long-term relationship.

  Getting to know Chloe Sterling beyond what was necessary to find her sister would be a pointless waste of time. For both of them. So he held the door open wide as she slipped out of it.

  “Good night, Agent Pierce,” she said quietly. “Sleep well.”

  Before he could respond with a similar sentiment, she lifted on her toes and kissed him gently on the cheek.

  Gage stepped back, stunned.

  He’d received blow jobs that had affected him less.

  Her scent, the brief brush of her skin against his, the surprising softness of her mouth, all of it, overloaded each of his senses until he was barely able to mumble a good night and something about driving safe.

  It was a full minute after he’d closed the door behind her before his own drive safe comment made something click in his head. She’d followed him. He would’ve seen the burgundy Corolla if it had been casing the warehouse the way he was.

  Jogging quickly down his stairs, the warm evening breeze caressed his bare skin and he realized he had spent that entire conversation with Chloe Sterling shirtless. Had her eyes grazed over his bare chest? Did she feel the same undeniable attraction to him as he did to her? He wasn’t sure. But he wanted to be.

  Cutting through the resident parking garage he entered the visitor parking lot just in time to see Chloe approaching a sleek silver crossover SUV.

  His suspicion was correct, then. That’s why he hadn’t been able to locate her when she’d been watching him. She’d switched cars on him. Sneaky little minx that she was.

  Gage was on her within seconds.

  “Chloe.”

  His tone was firm. It was the same one he’d use to tell her to strip off her clothes in his bedroom. The one he’d use to command her to lie down on his bed and spread her beautiful legs for him.

  She startled, whirling around at the sound of his voice. “Jesus Christ, Agent Pierce. You scared me to death.” Her hand flew to her chest, but Gage didn’t apologize.

  He backed her against the SUV, which he could now see was a type of Acura, and braced his arms on either side of her body.

  “No more fucking games, Chloe. Do not, I repeat, do not follow me anywhere else. Do not switch vehicles to mislead me, or to hide from me. Keep your distance from my investigation or I swear to God I’ll . . .”

  Fuck. He didn’t know yet. He wouldn’t drop it because he couldn’t now. He was invested, and he’d assured her he would find Eden Sterling, so he would.

  He just hoped he’d be finding her alive. Partying on a yacht with a rich boyfriend. But the deeper he dove into her case, the darker it became and the less likely that seemed.

  Fear flashed in her eyes but was quickly replaced with something else. His skin heated as her gaze raked greedily over him.

  So she did feel it then.

  Gage wanted to shout out in triumph. There was a sweet, sinful relief in knowing he wasn’t the only one suffering from the lust-filled ache.

  “You’ll what, Agent Pierce?” she provoked. “Spank me? Put me in time-out? Take my birthday away?”

  Oh, he’d spank her all right. Until his damn hand burst into flames. Or her ass did. One. Maybe both.

  “You’re playing with fire,” he warned. He needed her to take him seriously. He gripped her arms with both hands. Eden’s case was taking a sinister turn and he didn’t want Chloe anywhere near that darkness. And the effect she had on him was turning his blood to lava in his veins.

  “I never did like being cold,” Chloe whispered.

  Before she could argue any further, he gave into the overwhelming need and pressed his lips to hers.

  There was a full second of shock where she seemed to freeze against him, but the instant she thawed, her hands gripped his waist and pulled him even closer.

  Gage felt her battling for control, her soft, plump lips desperately trying to lead his. But like this case, he needed to be the one calling the shots. His hands gripped her ass and he lifted her off the ground, pressing her back firmly against her vehicle as his tongue explored every inch of hers.

  When he was nearly out of breath, he lowered her gently to the ground and took a step back. She held his steady stare, waiting until he opened her door before sliding into the driver’s seat.

  “No more following me,” he said instead of good-bye. “Promise?”

  “I don’t make promises I can’t keep. You shouldn’t either.” With that, she pulled the door closed and put the SUV in drive. “Good night, Agent Pierce,” she said to herself as she drove away.

  Gage raked his hands roughly through his hair, caught somewhere between infuriated and turned the hell on. If ever someone had told him he’d be telling the most beautiful woman he’d ever met to stop following him, he’d have laughed.

  Watching Chloe disappear into the night alone, laughing was the last thing he felt like doing.

  Once he’d returned to his apartment, he retrieved his cell phone from the charger on the kitchen counter and pulled up a contact he hadn’t reached out to in over a year. He prayed the person on the other end hadn’t changed their number. Tracking them down would be as difficult as any actual ca
se if they didn’t want to be found.

  Thankfully, he received a text back almost immediately.

  Well, well. Long time no talk.

  Gage inhaled sharply. This wasn’t easy for him, and would likely break every oath he’d taken when becoming an agent, but Eden Sterling was running out of time—if she hadn’t already. And he could still taste her sister on his lips. He texted back a brief apology and began mentally wording the request he was about to make.

  Sorry I haven’t been in touch. I need your help.

  9

  Music pulsated around Chloe on all sides. The DJ somehow managed to make the bass beat perfectly in time with the bright strobe lights cutting through the pitch-black darkness of the club. She glanced down at the too-short, skintight black leather dress she’d borrowed from her sister’s closet and could practically see Agent Pierce’s disapproving face.

  He’d said not to follow him. He didn’t say she couldn’t follow up on his leads on her own.

  Well, not in so many words anyway.

  She’d spent the entire day online researching everything she could find on the production company based out of the warehouse—Red Light Productions. Truthfully, there wasn’t much. The most helpful thing she’d been able to find was an Instagram account that featured photos of several “employees” having drinks at the same nightclub.

  The Vault was an underground club that was literally underground, beneath a building that was used as a bank in the 1920s. It was a strange mix of vintage decor and new age music, and that combination—in addition to the writhing bodies packing every free inch of space—made Chloe’s head pound. The simple act of breathing felt like sucking in someone else’s stale oxygen as she made her way to the bar.

  Definitely not her scene. But possibly Eden’s, so she tried her best to look more at ease than she felt.

  Sitting on a red leather stool, she noted that the clientele was attractive, most of which appeared to have had several surgical enhancements, and she had no doubt they could be very successful in the pornography business. How she was supposed to identify who worked for Red Light specifically, she wasn’t sure. But she had the social media page pulled up on her phone and she’d hoped a familiar face or two would make an appearance.