Mmm. Nice.
The person with the smoke shifted, and their face came into view.
What the fuck? It was that asshole, Thomas.
He took another swig then another, downing the whole glass before heading outside, realizing only as the cool air hit him that he was still naked.
He didn’t care. When Thomas opened his mouth to say, “What the fuck?” it seemed only natural to snarl. Then he gave chase to the running man.
Dominick woke curled around Anika. Content. Warm. A good place to be, considering his strange dream. He’d dreamt that he hunted, his prey fleet of foot, but not as fast as him.
Anika stirred, and he slid his hand from her bare hip to her mound. He palmed her, and she uttered a soft sigh and rolled her hips against him.
“You awake?” he whispered against her hair.
“Barely.”
“I’ve got something to help with that.” He parted her thighs, slipping his finger in enough to stroke her, finding her wet already.
She moaned as he replaced his hand with his cock, his arm around her waist, keeping her spooned against him as he rocked and thrust gently into her. When he felt himself getting close, his finger went to her clit and rubbed it. Rubbed until he felt that sweet pussy of hers clenching around him, drawing his own orgasm.
He held her as they cooled from their climax. Happy to spend the day in bed with her, but she wiggled.
“I need to shower.”
“Sounds like an excellent plan.”
She shot him a look over her bare shoulder as she sat up. “It’s not big enough for two.”
“Then I’ll watch,” was his reply, along with a wicked grin.
She blushed.
Fuck he was head over heels for this girl.
He watched her bathe. Then licked her until she came again. But when he would have dragged her back to bed, she shook her head.
“I can’t. I work one to nine, which means I need to do my laundry this morning.”
“I’ll give you a hand.”
“What? No.”
But he wasn’t taking no for an answer. “Is that your basket?” He pointed.
“Yeah.”
“Where’s your machine?”
“I don’t have one. I use a laundromat.”
He grimaced. “Not today, you’re not. We’re going to my house.”
“I am pretty sure your mom doesn’t want me using her washer.”
“Why not?”
“Because of the wear and tear on her machine along with electricity costs.” She rolled her eyes as if it were obvious.
She didn’t know his mom very well. “One, she really wouldn’t give a shit. And two, if it makes you feel better, you can pay her the coins you would have used at the store.”
“If you don’t want to come to the laundromat, that’s fine. I don’t mind doing it alone.”
He leaned close. “Never said I minded. If you really insist, we’ll go to your laundromat, but my place might have cookies or brownies.”
“Don’t you have to work?” she asked.
“No.” Then he added, “I might have gotten fired.”
Her mouth rounded. “This is because of Thomas, isn’t it?”
“Kind of. Apparently, he complained to the head office, and when the manager asked me not to threaten him again, I kind of said I couldn’t make that promise.”
Actually, his exact words were: “If that motherfucker shows up again to harass Anika, you might find his body in a dumpster with the garbage.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’ll find another job.”
A knock at the door had her frowning. He tensed.
“I take it you’re not expecting anyone?” he asked.
She shook her head.
“I’ll answer.”
She put her hand on his arm. “What if it’s Thomas?”
The fear in her made him bristle. “It better not be that fucker.” He flung open the door to find two cops standing on her doorstep.
“Can I help you?” Dominick asked, shirtless but wearing his pants. The female cop eyed him with cold appraisal, but the young guy smiled and winked.
“We’re looking for Anika Mandelson.”
“That’s me. Can I help you?” Dominick could hear the dread in her voice.
“Do you know a Thomas Fitzpatrick?”
“Yeah. He’s my ex-husband.” Her lips turned down. “What has he complained about now?”
“When was the last time you saw him?”
“Last night. He showed up here asking for money.” She left out the part where Dominick arrived to find the fucker threatening her.
“And?” the cop with the badge that said Ramirez asked.
Anika’s lips pursed. “There’s nothing else to say. I said no. He left.”
“What time did he leave?”
She shrugged and glanced at Dominick. “You arrived as he was going. Was that nine or ten?”
“Closer to ten,” he supplied. “He left when I showed up.”
“You are?” the female cop asked.
He puffed out his chest as he said, “Dominick Hubbard. Her boyfriend.” He snaked an arm around her waist to draw her close.
Anika didn’t protest. “What’s this about, officers?”
“Mr. Fitzpatrick was attacked last night. Badly. He’s currently in intensive care.”
“What?” Then her eyes widened as she exclaimed, “It wasn’t me.” When Ramirez shifted her gaze to Dominick, Anika quickly added, “And it wasn’t Dom. We stayed in all night.”
“Can you provide proof?”
Dom leered slightly as he said, “How many recently used condoms would you accept as evidence?” Which reminded him. He’d forgotten one this morning—something to worry about later.
The cop pursed her lips. “Do you own a cat?”
“A cat?” She wrinkled her nose. “No. I’m more of a dog person, but Thomas took Jackson in the divorce.”
“Are you sure, Ms. Mandelson? Because Mr. Fitzpatrick was quite adamant that you and your boyfriend released some kind of large cat from your apartment and it attacked him.”
“Hold on a fucking second. That asshole tangled with an alley cat and got a few scratches, and you’re blaming Anika?” Dominick couldn’t hide his incredulity.
“It was larger than a domestic. The tears in his flesh are consistent with his claim that a panther attacked him.”
Anika laughed. “Oh my God. You can’t be serious. I don’t know what Thomas’s done this time, but I assure you, I don’t keep exotic animals in my place.”
“Then you won’t mind if we have a look?”
She shook her head and stepped aside. “Be my guest.”
Usually, Dominick would have advised against inviting questioning cops inside, but she had nothing to hide in this case.
The cops paced through the apartment, which didn’t take long. Dominick and Anika remained in the kitchen, waiting for the coffee to brew, which was when he saw the bottle of catnip spray by the counter.
Empty. Because he’d drunk it. Weird. He blamed a shift in his taste buds from his time overseas. He dumped it into the garbage as he got them both a cup of coffee ready.