Night Owl (The Complete Serial)

“P-please.” I’m so close to an orgasm, and he knows it.

“Relax, Casey, and let me worry about everything.” His hand makes calming strokes under the water while that fingertip rubs over me and inside, just a little deeper each time. One little push, a suck on my neck, and a pinch of my nipple sends me spiraling down into pleasure so unexpected it bends me forward, clutching the tub with my good hand.

Chest heaving and riding the waves of my orgasm, I can’t wait to pay him back when I’m feeling better. Right now, I just feel happy and grateful to be alive.

30

James

She sleeps undisturbed, and I sit in the chair next to my bed, watching her chest rise and fall rhythmically. I have phone calls and emails to return, my tablet resting in my lap untouched because I don’t want to work right now, especially if it takes time away from her.

She’s propped up on pillows to help with her breathing. The medication seems to be helping, but she sounds god-awful to listen to. The wheezing rattle has kept me awake and watchful the past few hours; I’m petrified she might stop breathing even though logic tells me differently.

My phone chirps with an incoming call from Eli Bennett. I instructed him to call me at any hour, day or night, with information. I get up from my vigil and head for the living room to answer the call.

“Bennett, I’ve been expecting your call.” We’re all business, hashing out details on how to proceed further. Between Casey and my company, somebody is barking up the wrong tree fucking with my most precious assets.

“I know… DC held me up, but I’m working on getting all the video feed in the neighborhood. You know traffic cameras can be very useful even after their pilot programs have run out of funding.”

“If this is from that Homeland Security business, I don’t need to know the specifics.”

“You’re right. If I told you, I’d probably have to eliminate you.” Eli Bennett laughs like his joke holds some other meaning, and I brush the dark humor back. I don’t pay him for his sarcastic humor and currently this situation has been nothing but a stalemate.

“Did anything come up so far?”

“I’m trying to rule out the neighbor.”

“Devin? The gamer nerd?” That guy did not strike me as anything more than an annoyance. “He saved her from the fire.” I later learned he rode in the front seat of the ambulance while she was in the back with the paramedic. He found me in the hospital when I was a raving lunatic to get to her.

“That would be the one. In his statement, he told the police he was playing Halo, but so far I haven’t been able to find his call sign logged in online anywhere to verify that’s what he was actually doing.”

I wasn’t going to ask how one hacked into an online server to learn those details.

“Shit.”

“Look, I’m not saying he had anything to do with it so calm down. I don’t need you going around halfcocked. However, I don’t totally buy his story, either. Dumb kid was probably smoking up and high for all we know accidentally setting the fire and too scared to admit it. I’m also going to download his phone records so I’m covering all the bases.”

“Right, okay.”

“I plan to stop by and talk to Casey later and also make sure your penthouse has an updated security system. At this point, we might as well break out all the bells and whistles, just in case.” Eli ends the call, and I’m left overthinking the just in case memo he’s left me to ponder.

I go back to the bedroom, tossing my phone on the nightstand, and sleepy eyes open. Casey greets me with a small smile. “You should be sleeping.” I sit next to her on the bed, raising my brow. She points to the clock that reads 6:47 p.m. “Hungry, then?” A mischievous look crosses her face, making me laugh. “For food?” I clarify the statement, gesturing uncertainly. “I’ll grab some menus and we can order.” I rise from the bed, and her hand catches mine.

&nb

sp; “T-thank you.” The words are a whispered garble, and her voice sounds worse than before. I wonder how much damage the fire did to her vocal cords, but we still have days to wait before we find that out.

“For you, babe, anything.” I lean down to kiss her and go back to the kitchen, hunting for food.

I’m paging through menus because I can’t cook for shit, I never had to think about cooking for myself or anyone else before Casey. A knock at the door surprises me. I’m not expecting Eli to come by yet—we just got off the phone. I open the door, and it’s one of the concierge staff with a delivery. The guy’s face is covered by the balloons and flowers he’s holding.

“Delivery for Miss Cole, sir.” I take the vase of flowers and balloons hesitantly and pull money from my wallet to give him a tip. They appear harmless, the guys downstairs are supposed to vet all deliveries anyway.

“Any idea who sent them?” Shrugging, he nods no and leaves. I shut the door and place the flowers on the dining room table not giving them a second thought. “Casey, babe, delivery for you.” Preoccupied, I go back to searching for a selection of take-out menus and watch her hobble out of the bedroom from the corner of my eye. Part of me wants to rush over and carry her to wherever she would like to go, but I know she’d balk and fight me the entire time. At least this way we can both have what we want. I get her in my apartment, safe and under the illusion of complete independence. I’m not a total jerk but I’m determined to get my way.

“J-James!” Casey’s voice screeches my name, and I rush over, dropping menus all over the floor.

“Sit, tell me.” She slides the card across the glass tabletop toward me, and I pick it up, dreading whatever this is.