Pitch considered before hiding his face in the pillow and groaning. “I can’t lose you over this, Candy,” he confessed once he looked up at her.
She scooted closer to rub his shoulder. “Who said anything about losing? We can just slow things down a little, okay?”
Pitch looked even less appeased, evident in the low, feral sound that started in his chest.
“This is about you figuring out how to keep your sanity while you honor your father,” Candace kissed his cheek. “When we met, you were just starting to do that. You need time and space for it.” She brushed her thumb across the sleek brows that cast his eyes into such sinful allure.
“We’ll survive this, Vic. Slowing down won’t hurt,” she blinked, not caring for the glint in his unfathomable obsidians. “Vic?”
“I could lose you to some other guy, by slowing down.”
“You won’t.”
“Fuck that Candy, have you seen yourself?” The glint in his eyes seemed even more mutinous.
“I have actually and I’m quite extraordinary.”
Laughter followed her playful boast and then there was mutual sobering.
“Space,” Pitch said.
Candace smiled gleefully. “Just moving me off your plate for a while.”
“My plate isn’t where I want you,” he dragged her beneath him and greedily nuzzled her neck. Several minutes of erotic tussling ensued. Pitch was kissing his way down her body when the phone rang.
It was ignored.
His head disappeared beneath the covers where he had his way with her bellybutton. The phone kept ringing and would not be ignored. Pitch fought his way out of the covers when he sensed Candace reaching for it.
“Don’t you dare,” he said, just as her fingers touched the rose blush receiver.
Candace responded with a saucy look and saucier wink. “They’ll just keep calling.”
“I’ll have your ass if you pick up that phone.”
“Promises, promises,” her breathless laughter flooded the bedroom when he tickled her ruthlessly.
Despite her elation, Candace managed to snatch the phone from its hook. “Yes?!” She giggled out the greeting. “Oh!” She cleared her throat and swatted Pitch’s head beneath the covers as she inched closer to the headboard. “Yes Roman, he’s here.”
What The Fuck? Pitch mouthed when he pushed out of the tangled sheets.
Candace shook her head, eyes wide as she offered him the phone and drew the covers up to her chest when he took it.
“Yeah Ro, what’s up...? What?... Jesus...yeah...yeah, on my way,” he set the phone down, fingers tapping out a tune on the receiver until he looked at Candace.
“Giselle’s missing,” he said.
~52~
“Are we sure we’ve checked everywhere? All her spots? Her co-workers at the library, folks who know her from the restaurant where her mother works in Harlem?”
“We’ve covered it all Rome,” Lorenz Reyes leaned back in his chair and rubbed both fists into his eyes.
Roman took a swipe at the notes on his desk and sent them flying along with the maps and other material he and his crew had spent half the day and much of the night reviewing. The pages covered Giselle Tesano’s movements prior to her disappearance.
“There’s gotta be somethin’ here, goddammit!” he raged, “She couldn’t just disappear.”
“Sure she could, Rome,” Gavis Eamon spoke through the stretch he gave on the sofa across Roman’s home office. “It’s New York and it happens all the time. I’m sorry, man,” he paired the apology with an equally regretful smile.
Roman kicked at the papers strewn around the base of his desk.
“Are we sure Gabe didn’t fuck up?” Haywood Lloyd chimed in softly.
Roman was ready to say no. Realized he couldn’t. There was no telling with Gabe, though something told him the man’s worry as well as his love was true.
“Giselle wouldn’t leave Brogue,” Roman said instead.
With that, the group re-launched their conversation into the whereabouts of the young mother. The phone rang, its shrill sound causing them all to jump when it pierced the room.
“Cory,” Roman greeted Detective Cory Weaver. “Say, thanks for getting back to me, Cor. I um, I’m sorry, but now’s not the best time. I’m dealing with some family stuff right now. Can I call you back?”
“Does your family stuff have to do with the guy you’re looking for? Kreel?”
“No. Why?” Roman’s tone was wearier still when he sat heavily to the edge of his desk.
“It looks like we found him, Rome and um...there’s something else you need to see.”
“Cory?” Roman fought to press through the chills slamming his body. “Why-?”
