The Siren (The Chloe Chronicals Book 2) Read online

  "Chloe?" Mom's breathy voice rings through the line and I shake my head.

  I hang my head against the steering wheel and then answer. "Yeah, Mom. What's up?" I already know why she's calling me.

  There's a click and I begin to feel giddy. Yes, that is easy. I'm about to take my phone away from my ear when I hear: "Everyone's here. How bad is it?" Dad asked.

  "Who's everyone?" My head is still pressed against the steering wheel and I will for the strength to hang up. It would be so easy to just hang up.

  "Mom and I and Janet."

  Great. Gang's all here.

  "Chloe, what are we going to do?" Janet asks and I can tell she's crying.

  "I don't know, guys. He's not talking to me. He says he just bought drugs from there and that's it. The evidence is pretty lengthy but you know I can't tell you about that." I hoped they wouldn't beg.

  "We're meeting with his lawyer tomorrow and we will let you know," Mom says and then hangs up.

  Thanks, Mom and Dad. I'm doing swell. You know, it's my brother too.

  *

  Today, there is a break in my case with the rapist. My director called me at four in the morning to let me know that he needed me in there right now.

  I rolled out of my bed after ending the call with my director and growled when I noticed how early it was. After stumbling past my dog who likes to lay in the middle of the floor, I notice that Grant is awake and watching me move around the room.

  "Good morning," he drawls as I slip into a pair of jeans. His hair is all over the place and his voice is heavy with sleep. He looks god damned delicious.

  "Good morning would be another four hours of sleep," after my sports bra is on, I grabbed a tee and my socks.

  While I sat on the bed, Grant rubbed my shoulders. "Chloe... Are you alright?"

  The way he asked me this made me feel insecure. I wondered if I were just a horrible girlfriend and that is why weren't having sex anymore or if he wanted something different from me. We haven't had sex for the past week. It's almost as if he's keeping something from me and it's scaring me. I put a lot of emotions into this and... Well, I don't know what to do.

  But... Right now is not the time to discuss that. I want to, though. I want very much to ask him what his problem is.

  "I am fine. Why?" I jumped off the bed and walked back to the closet to grab my steel toed boots. "Are you?"

  He doesn't answer me for a few minutes which only made me more nervous. I swiped on some deodorant and brushed my hair into a bun before I had the courage to say what I needed to say.

  "I am sorry..." I began and noticed that he's sitting upright on the bed. "I thought you knew that I am a horrible girlfriend. Am I not paying enough attention to you?" I choke back this feeling in the back of my throat and fight these stupid tears that are forming. Are those tears?

  Grant climbed off the bed and walked over to me as I held my head in my hands against the closet wall. "Baby, you are perfect. Don't worry about it. I will see you later," he gives me a kiss on the lips and then goes towards the bathroom.

  *

  With his last outburst at the bureau, Grant has been completely removed from my cases and they think it's because there is something going on with us. Well, isn't there? We are living together and I see him all the time. It's pretty ridiculous.

  I arrive at the bureau in enough time for Colin to grab me and stuff me in the surveillance van. Once in the van, I get to be debriefed and then decide on what actions to take.

  "The rapist hit another woman this morning. He left a ton of semen on the bed and he even licked her stomach. This rapist is getting too confident and he's making way too many mistakes," Colin tells me as I clip my wire on and then shrug out of my jacket for my bullet proof vest to be put on.

  This is what I need! Something to focus fully on and solve. This is what I'm good at. Too bad Grant doesn't understand.

  "How did we get the tip that he's going to do it again tonight?" I asked while securing my blue coat and adjusting my mic.

  "He left papers at the victim's home. Apparently, he targets the same woman twice a month and he keeps meticulous notes," Colin tells me again.

  I scan the van and notice that there are only two agents in here besides myself and Colin. "Where is everyone?" Normally we have more people than this for an operation.

  "No one answered their phone. What do you want to do, Delacruz?" Kyle, the other agent asked me. He is probably in his thirties and has never been married. Kyle would be attractive if I dug gingers.

  "Are there addresses?" The van stops and we are ushered out. The night air is cold and I instantly miss my bed and what is in it.

  "Yes, he's going to be here in twenty. What do you want to do?" An officer comes up to me and I look at the house.

  I examined the house and whether or not it is safe for someone to be in there. So many people are getting creative with their crimes and it is obvious that this woman's vine fence would be the rapist's in.

  "First," I pounded on the van and it took off, "get the victim out and I will sneak into her place. Its five, he should be here soon. We need to hurry!"

  There is no surprise that the victim is waiting for us at the front door. Immediately after she seen us, she threw open the door and looked at us all. "Are you really going to catch him? He's been doing this months... Everybody is going to think I'm a whore."

  As mean as it sounds, I really didn't have the time to discuss her feelings. This is the difficult part about being a cop. We are supposed to protect and serve but my main goal is to collect the rapist and slap a collar on him.

  Once the victim is out, I positioned the officers around the back in bushes in order to hide. Colin and I walked up the stairs to the master bedroom. I tossed my blues over to him and he hid in the closet.

  By the time I climbed into bed, I heard something on the vine. I got "comfortable" in the bed and made a light moaning noise to show that I am sleeping.

  I laid on my back and covered my face with the blanket and stilled my breath. This is the part that always got me. The nerves and excitement. It almost made me have to go to the bathroom which is an exciting feeling.

  The vine made a cracking noise and then the window opened. I kept my eyes closed just in case the blanket were to be yanked off of me. In a matter of seconds, I heard heavy breathing and footsteps.

  Something is dropped onto my legs and it felt like a duffle bag. Something is being wrapped around my feet while they were still covered in the blanket and then I felt a body climb on top of me.

  It is very hard to not start to panic. Having my feet secured has always been something that has freaked me out. I hate the feeling of being trapped and it's driving me crazy having my feet secured.

  I stilled my breath and tried to wiggle in order for this to be my casual wake up stunt.

  I let out a cry and then his body fell further onto me. The body felt lean and long but when I adjusted my hip, I sensed a little pudge on his sides.

  "Sh, baby. I know how much you missed me. Tell me how much you missed me, baby," a thick and raspy voice said above me. Have you ever heard a smoker's voice? This guy is a perfect candidate for lung cancer.

  I didn't answer but I did wiggle more and I felt the slap across my face and it stung.

  "Bitch, we go through this every time. Tell me how much you want my dick," I hear the sound of a zipper go down and his shoes come off. "Slut, I'm talking to you! Answer me and I won't beat you this time!" He ripped the blanket off of my face and I screamed. "Wait, who are you?"

  "FBI! Get off of me!" I screamed and thrust my hips out to knock him off of face. The perp didn't go far and he just fell back on me. "Bradford! Now!"

  It is obvious that the perp isn't going to function properly with me. I am able to knock him off of me for a second and then he hit me in my face again.

  "You are under arrest!" Colin stated as he stormed out of the closet and glanced at me tied to this bed. I gave him an encouraging look to finish off
with the perp.

  I tried to sit up in order to untie my legs but as I got my shoulders off the bed, he slapped me across my face again. "You son of a bitch! Get him out of here!"

  The perp turned and glanced at me one more time and gave me the face of recognition. "Chloe?"

  I examined his face in the dark and then scanned my head for voices and faces. "Ethan! Get him out of here, now!"

  Holy... that's Ethan. Oh my... What the fuck? He is the rapist? That is insane. I need to collar him and get back to the bureau to clear my mind. It's time to shut off that side of my brain. I can't afford to get sloppy.

  When I finally untied myself, I walked out of the house and to the surveillance van to leave. Ethan is being stuffed in a cop car and yelling obscene comments to me.

  "Come on!" I yelled at my crew and pointed to the van. We needed to leave here before people wake up and start to go to work. I will be so embarrassed if these people see me rubbing my face where I feel the bruises form.

  I climbed into the van and pulled off my blues. Ethan. Really? Wow, I do date winners. That's insane. He must have have changed up his game because he never is demanding in the bedroom.

  Well... Maybe a few times. I wrote it off and just considered him to be drunk, but maybe he wasn't that drunk.

  My brain hurt and I needed to go back to work. This is too much. As soon as Colin and Kyle climbed into the van we were off. I rest my head against the wall of the van and close my eyes. To my horror, I feel tears burn behind my eyelids and I hope I don't cry in front of my team.

  "Delacruz, you know him?" Colin asked as he sat next to me in the moving van. I nodded my head and took my mirror out to check my face. There were two hand marks on my cheeks. Great.

  "Do you want to spar when we get back?" I asked in hopes that by boxing I will work off my frustrations.

  Never one to back away from a challenge, I knew he wouldn't let me down. "Yeah, sure. My stuff is still in the locker room which is nice since I don't have to kick your ass with my steel toes!"

  "Keep talking. Come on, keep it up and I will slam your face into the mat so you eat it!"

  * Grant

  I arrived at the bureau at eight and walked to my office. There is a lot of excitement in the building so I bet Chloe got her perp. She didn't come home this morning, so I don't know what she's up to.

  Christine and I have been dancing around the fact that we've hooked up and then made out. I don't think that Chloe would be mad about the past since she slept with Howard, but I didn't want to give her a chance to not trust me. Of course, I haven't been able to get physical with her because I feel so fucking guilty.

  I have been fucking in love with this crazy chick forever and now I finally have her and there is no way that she's leaving. Chloe is mine and there is not a damn fucking thing that is going to abolish this. Christine is going to need to get over what happened and pretend it didn't. I know for a fact that Chloe is not stupid- she will figure this out eventually.

  The office lights were on and I seen her coat draped over the chair with her coffee cup on her bag. Once my stuff is placed on my desk, I rotate my neck around. I didn't sleep much after she left. I had some bad fucking dreams. I dreamt that she left and she is never coming back.

  I wonder where she is.

  Kyle, at least I believe that is his name, came into the office and dropped a file on her desk. "Hey, man! How are you?"

  "Good. What's happening? Why are you in workout clothes?" I noticed that he's wearing sweats and I found this crazy because people don't work out this early.

  "Because Delacruz just kicked my ass up and down the mats! She is in a mood! Right now, she and Bradford are sparring and it is so funny!"

  This is great. My kick ass girlfriend kicking other agents asses. "I want to watch!" A feeling of pride shot through me.

  We walked into the gym and I could hear Chloe talking her shit game while holding Bradford is a goose neck. I took a look at her and watched her form. She definitely can protect herself. Wait... Did Bradford hit her? She is not your girlfriend right now!

  I left the gym and went to the locker room to change. I wanted an excuse to feel her under me. It's been a few days since we had sex... It's only because I wanted to tell her my feelings for her every time we got close and it would freak her out.

  Tomorrow is my friend's wedding and I am happy to bring Chloe. She is so beautiful that I have to pinch myself when I wake up. Her scent is all over her bed and it's intoxicating. I don't know how much longer I can keep my feelings a secret especially after she told me she loved me.

  "I call next!" I yelled as I walked back into the gym to see Chloe's face in the mat. Before I knew it, she flipped Bradford over and yanked his hands above his head.

  "You're done! That is fun!" She stood up and stretched her back out while looking over me. I winked at her and she winked back. "Ready to get your ass kicked, Brandon?"

  Man, she is a little shit talker! "Let's go!"

  I walked in front of her and stuck my hand out to her and she shook it hard. Her hair is waving up in the front and she looked tired. I seen hand marks on her face but the way she is looking at me told me she is not interested in talking about it.

  She is the first one to move into me. I grabbed her arm and placed her in an arm bar. Before I could get cocky about having her in this, she dead weighted and plunged her hands down on me.

  "Ouch!" She screamed as she wiggled out of my hold. "Do you want me to kiss it and make it all better?"

  She better stop. I'm about to make her kiss something if she keeps this up. I don't care if we are at work, I will take her down and make her scream my name.

  She had her back turned to me and I took her down by her knees and I laid sideways on top of her. Chloe squirmed and slammed her knee into my shoulder.

  "That's the problem with small people! They wiggle out of everything! Be careful, Grant, she plays dirty!" Bradford said to me and distracted me from my target.

  Before I knew it, her arm is wrapped around my neck and she threw me against the mat. I am eating the mat by the time she is on me.

  "Did I hurt you?" She looked at me with laughing eyes.

  "You just wait!" I stood up and stretched out while she got a water. "What happened to your face?"

  She took a deep breath and slipped her shoes off. "Ethan."

  Take a breath. "What are you talking about?" I am trying to keep my voice leveled but I could feel the blood boil in me.

  That bitch ignored me. She kept her back towards me and now I'm getting pissed.

  "Delacruz!" The director's voice boomed through the p.a. system. "Your collar wants to talk to you now!"

  Chloe started walking away and to the locker room. Damn it. Too bad we are at work because I would totally yank her back here to talk to me.

  "Chloe!" I yelled after her as she walked away. "Come here!"

  She whipped around and gave me a bitch look. "What?" She screamed at me and came storming over. "Did you want me to tell you that my ex boyfriend, Ethan, is the fucking rapist that I have been tracking for six months? Did you want me to tell you that he tied my legs together and to the bed while he continued to slap my face?" She is yelling as she stood in front of me.

  Damn. Now I feel awful. She is shaking as she stood in front of me and the worst thing about it is that I can't comfort her at all. I want to pull her in and hold her. Smooth her hair down and kiss her until she is drunk on it.

  Man, I'm in love.

  "Baby," I whispered and she walked away from me. Before I knew it, she is changed and storming out of the gym with Colin in tow.

  I changed my clothes and then went back to the office and waited for Chloe to come back. I really hope I didn't possible her off too bad. There is no way that I could imagine this and now she is talking to him. With Bradford. Why does he get to go but I don't go?

  *Chloe

  I flashed my badge to the guard at the county jail and is escorted to Ethan's cell. This is incredibl
y surreal. I mean, we have had sex. He has been in me... all of me that is.

  Grant is probably really upset that he isn't going with me but he knows that I couldn't bring him too. If he were to be there... it would make me vulnerable.

  Christine and I went for a run yesterday and she asked me how I felt about Grant. Truth is... I'm not exactly sure. Never have I had a steady anything and now that I do... Yeah... Well, I'm terrified. My parents hate each other and Janet, is well Janet. Grant would end up hating me if I tried to get closer. However, at night time, when he thinks I'm asleep he tells me he loves me. Normally, I would be scared but I felt the warmth from it. He meant it.