Intrigue (Elvis Presley Story)

Chapter 16

"You know I can't give you that information, Detective Presley."

Elvis hadn't really expected much help from FBI agent Holt, but he figured it was worth a shot to call in the favor. Elvis and sawyer, in particular-had helped agent Holt in his manhunt for three escaped prisoners earlier that year.

He owed Elvis a favor.

"But you know something about Fierro, don't you?"

Elvis had reasoned out that a man could erase his past in one of two ways-either he was a relocated government witness in a protection program, in which case Holt could access the information-or he was a bad guy with some very powerful, very Covent connections. The kind of connections that nobody-not a veteran cop like his father, and certainly not an innocent woman like olivia-should be messing with.

He was praying for the witness angle.

"There's some sketchy information on his background i can share." Holts  voice dropped to a hush.

Elvis held his breath and waited.

"Fierro is in the watch files with several aliases. He always uses Antonio as his first name, but Fierro is only one of a dozen surnames we've searched under. He was originally born in Europe, but I can't even tell you if he's Italian."

"You can't tell me or you don't know? Holt, I'm a bright enough boy to figure out Fierro isn't who he says he is. Can you tell me if he has a record of crimes against women? Stalking? Assault? Rape?"

"Here's what I can tell you.  Fierro's not in the witness relocation program."

Elvis swore. One word. Pithy and to the point.

"Thanks, Holt. Let me know if you find anything on Fierro."

"Will do." Holt said disconnecting the call.

Elvis leaned back in his chair and blew out a breath. So Fierro was a very, very bad guy. What the Hell was he supposed to do with information like that? Show olivia the forged birth certificate? And say what? I can't prove who you're hired man is, but since I don't like him, fire his ass. Hell. That would make a lousy argument.

Elvis believed in his gut that Tony Fierro meant trouble for olivia and her aunts. But he was a cop. A man of reason. He needed facts to prove his case.

And while he was solving life's mysteries, what the hell was he supposed to do with olivia herself? Besides keeping her safe. Beyond tapping into that clever brain of hers. Elvis wasn't a man who was easily stumped by a puzzle. But olivia Miller had his thought spinning in circles.

The warm caramel colour of her hair, which, when the curls were freed they had a delightful mind of their own.

Not unlike the woman herself.

He'd known olivia for years, but was just now discovering the real beauty of her big brown eyes, the way she was always thinking-sometimes overthinking-but always engaged in the people and things around her. The soft, brown irises spoke of intelligence that aroused him, that awoke an enticing challenge in him to explore those thoughts and match those mental dynamics by stepping up his own intellectual game.

He'd spent too many years thinking of olivia as an addition to his circle of family and friends. But over the past few months, she'd created unexpected tidal waves in his ordered, predictable world. She'd laughed off her clumsiness, picked herself up and kept moving forward. She guarded a secret well of passion and threw herself into a kiss with an abandon that was unpolished natural talent and utterly hot.

And that body. He blew out a slow, steadying breath at the way things kicked to attention south of his belt buckle just thinking of her long, lithe limbs wrapped around him. The way she cradled his hips against her warmth as her pert breasts beaded to attention and branded his chest with the evidence of her desire. If they hadn't come to their senses- remembered the time, the aunts' impending arrival, and just how hard a granite counter top could be-they would of christened that kitchen right then and there.

She'd been totally turned on, maybe more than even she realised. Her guileless enthusiasm had been a total turn-on for him, as well. Forget about the psych it was to his ego to have no doubts about how much a woman wanted him, it had been surprisingly refreshing-almost cleansing to his soul somehow-to realise that olivia miller wasn't playing any games with him. She probably didn't even know how to play the games that priscilla had used to make a fool out of him.

He'd been surprised when she'd first initiated that kiss, then curious to see how much she knew, how far she'd go. He'd invited her to repeat the experiment, thinking he'd teach her a thing or two about kissing. But somehow, he ended up as the very willing student.

There was something about her innocence, her enthusiasm, that had slipped beneath his jaded hide. He'd been so on guard against another priscilla poisoning his life that he never saw olivia coming.

Now she was was here in his thoughts, under his skin, perilously close to something Much more vulnerable and irrational-even deeper inside him. She was an undiscovered treasure who could be his for the taking.

Which was the heart of the problem. The cause for a restless nights sleep and a icy cold shower this morning.

He might be the vigilant Explorer who had discovered but with that discovery came an unexpected responsibility. Family friend. Like a daughter to his late father. He'd promised his mother he'd take care of her, for damn sake. How did he go about creating a relationship when everyone was counting on him to maintain the status quo?

What if said relationship didn't work out? Did he Risk upsetting the family vibe when they were just beginning to come out of the dark hole that had captured them all after his father's death? He'd be a marked man if he wound up hurting olivia. And after all she'd done for his family, that'd be one hell of a heap of guilt he'd have to live with if he did or said anything to cause her pain.

And what about olivia herself? If she was the kind of woman who'd settle for a weekend fling, then he'd turn in his badge. He had her pegged as one of those forever kind of woman. After priscilla, he was probably too damn cynical to really believe in forever. But olivia deserved nothing less.

He'd be smarter with his emotions the next time he tried a relationship. Maybe he could turn off that part of him and just enjoy the physical aspect of what olivia had offered. They could have some fun as he taught her about sex and intimacy.

It seemed like a logical next step-school her in the arts of desire, then walk away with no regrets. Let some other man be the lucky recipient of olivia's beautiful smiles and untapped passion.

"Hell, No." Elvis felt rage flash through his body as he envisioned the possibility of olivia wrapping herself around another man the way she embraced him.

That idea sat about as well as knowing his father's killer was still a free man.

I thought I'd give you a little insight into Elvis's mind...Hope you enjoyed this chapter! And thanks so much for reading! Xoxo