Page 49 of Hard Game

Suddenly, I don’t feel so bad about Taron. “We’ll be on our way,” I say, forcing a smile. “We need to find these bastards before they kill anyone else.”

A few days later, Elijah and I were headed to Tassa’s apartment. I’m still nervous about the whole Taron situation, but it’s been a few days now, and nothing new has been unearthed, “Someone will know Taron was coming to see me.” I look at Elijah, who’s staring dead ahead, focused on the wet road. The rain was lashing down now, and I wonder how many more crime scenes we’ll see before seeing the sun again. Too many, I suspect. I focus on the raindrops sliding down the glass like they’re competing to reach the bottom, wondering for the millionth time when Taron’s body will be discovered. I don’t have the faintest idea what Maddox did with the body—or his team did with the body, but then I’m not a criminal. Well, technically, I am because I’m an accessory to murder. Fantastic.

“I don’t think he would’ve told anyone, Diess. He was married, don’t forget.”

I chew on my inner cheek as Elijah guides the car into a vacant parking space, and I stare up at the building before us where Tassa lives. The poor woman must be in bits, and here we are, coming to ask hard questions she probably doesn’t want to answer. I should know—I’ve been through it. “What if she doesn’t want to see us?” I ask, unclipping my belt. Nerves flutter in my belly, and I swallow, wondering what Tassa will say, if she’s even willing to talk to us.

“We’ll soon find out,” Elijah says with a huff as he climbs out of the car.

We dash to the lobby but the rain soaks us through, and I wipe my hair back from my face, eagerly scanning our surroundings. It’s like Elijah’s apartment complex in the modern respect, but Elijah isn’t hanging around to compare it. He’s already jabbing the elevator call button, his brow furrowed.

“Has she made a formal statement?” I ask Elijah as we watch the elevator make its way down to us.

“Not that I’m aware of. Apparently, a friend of hers said the doctor advised against it.”

That was a few days ago, though, so maybe she can do it now. I’ll get an officer to take it if she seems able. It’s so hard asking loved ones to go through what happened in excruciating detail so soon after the event, but it’s imperative that they do because the more time that passes, the more they forget. Not that they’ll ever forget, but the little things that seem unimportant usually are, and those are the things that fade away.

We ride the elevator to Tassa’s floor and make our way to her apartment. My hands barely graze the wood when it’s thrown open, revealing no other than Maddox Moreno in just grey sweatpants and wet hair. I swallow as his gaze sweeps over Elijah before lingering on me, a smirk playing on his lips so subtle I almost missed it.

“Detective,” he says, his voice gruff. He doesn’t glance at Elijah, only me, and I feel like I’m on stage with a spotlight blinding me. “I’ve been expecting you.”

I tear my eyes away from his, my cheeks flushing at the memory of what we did a few nights ago, and find Elijah staring between us, a knowing glint in his eye. “Can we come in?”

For a second I'm not sure he’s going to let us, despite saying he’d been expecting us, but then he steps back, pushing the door away from him so we can walk into the apartment beyond. I go first, trying not to react to Maddox’s familiar scent, the one I’d buried my face into while he fucked me like a professional. I can feel him watching me even when I’ve passed him, and my stomach tightens at the attention. A man like Maddox can only bless you with his presence unless you were on the side of him that made him shoot you without a second thought.

Through the eye, for example.

I shudder and find Maddox tilting his head inquisitively like he’s trying to work out what I’m thinking. I turn my attention to the apartment, smiling at the coziness of it all before my eyes betray me and find their way back to Maddox’s body.

“Don’t you have a shirt you can put on?” I say, sick of staring at his toned stomach and, in particular, the V that leads to the place that could give so much pleasure.

He smiles with delight. “Am I bothering you, Detective?”

I narrow my eyes and shake my head. “Where’s Tassa?”

“Here,” a small voice says from across the room, and I see the petite blonde from the mall looking like a shadow of her former self. My heart sinks for her, and I wonder what to say to her, but Elijah is one step ahead.

“I’m really sorry for your loss, Tassa.”

Tassa nods vacantly and waves a hand to the sofa in the corner of the room. It has a pillow and blanket strewn haphazardly over it, and I realize it must be where Maddox is sleeping. My heart warms at the thought of him being such a good friend, of not leaving her side when she needs him the most, but then I wonder what else he’s done in her honor.

I dread to think.

“Hey,” I say, walking closer to the sofa and giving Tassa a warm smile. “I’m sorry?—”

“For my loss. I get it. What do you want, Detective?” Tassa cuts me off cooly, her eyes fixed on mine, and I take a deep breath, deciding to cut the bullshit and just say it.

“Do you know who killed Zia?”

Maddox sits on the arm of the sofa, his broad arms crossed over his chest. He still hasn’t put a shirt on.

Tassa doesn’t even flinch. “What makes you think I know that?”

Maddox studies me, and I ignore his intent gaze, concentrating on Tassa.

“Come on, Tassa, I know about the ring.”

Tassa leans forward, her eyes wide as her lips flatten. “Do you? What do you know, Detective?”

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