Cold Case Lovin'

Part 6 - Cole

Casey had taken my explanation surprisingly well. I’d woken up on the floor with a stiff neck and my jaw throbbing like a bitch. I’d walked out of the room to find her sitting at my desk, the tray completely devoid of any evidence of food and a look of deep concentration – and confusion – on her face.

I’d pulled up a chair and began my explanation of how I’d ended up having to shoot her just to protect her. I told her about the English spy agent who’d taken a fancy to wanting her dead and had had a whole troop of spies camped outside her apartment 24/7.

She’d looked distressed over the fact that she’d failed to notice that she was being watched. She lowered her head and her hair fell forward to conceal her features.

                “Case.”

She didn’t look up. She kept right on staring at her lap. I sighed and that’s when I heard the first sob.

I got up then walked around the desk to her. I crouched by her side then gently tilted her face up to meet mine.

                “Babe, don’t worry. No one else knows why. This will stay between you and me. No one else will know. Besides you could always look at the bright side.” I offered her my most lopsided grin then continued before she could comment, “Even though your family may think you’re dead they won’t be anytime soon from unnatural causes. Your relationship with that spineless turd may be over but then again it was doomed from the beginning and,” I held up a finger to indicated I wasn’t done yet “and I know for sure you didn’t love him. Not even a little.”

A healthy blush crept up her cheeks at that and her eyes flashed angrily but she didn’t argue.

                “And finally, you can be whoever you want to be now. Casey Maria Clint is dead and you can create a fake identity and devote you everything to your job now.” I chuckled darkly at her horrified expression. I shifted then and reached for a box of tissues I kept in my desk. I took out a piece then gently wiped her tearstained cheeks with it.

Her eyes met mine and held. I stopped breathing and so did she. I suddenly occurred to me just how close her lips were to mine and I wondered absently if she would pull away if I just …

A knock sounded at the door, interrupting the dangerous direction my thoughts were taking. The relief in her eyes was almost tangible and it stung my pride more than just a little bit. Ok, it stung a whole lot.

I handed the tissue to her then stormed over to wrench the door open. I froze when I saw who was standing in the doorway.

Eric Tyransky was one of the most intimidating persons in this whole agency. Not only because he was the founder and the head of operations but because of the aura of pure danger that seemed to bleed out of his pores.  He was built rather compact compared to most of the agents in this place, being 6’3” and a head shorted than most men – and women – he’d employed. Completely the package with penetrating grey eyes set in a face that drove most women crazy with lust and you had one of the deadliest Mofos on the planet.

                “Hello Casey. Colt.” He said, my name sounding almost as an afterthought as he stepped past me into the room. I tried to stem the deadly rage that erupted within me that quickly melted into jealousy at Casey’s reaction to him. Her head snapped up, her eyes going large and rounded. The desire there wasn’t hard to miss. Her cheeks darkened and I had an almost uncontrollable urge to strangle them both.

I ground my teeth in silent frustration as I contemplated how to murder him. I hated the way he knew he attracted females almost as much as I hated the fact that Casey wasn’t immune to his ‘lady-killer’ charm.