Page 5 of Summer Heatwave
“If you want to go to Mass, I’m sure that can be arranged.So can confession.God will forgive you.”To Kam’s amazement, Dylan handed her a clean white, perfectly folded handkerchief.
Who carries a handkerchief these days?Her father always had one in his back pocket.A picture popped into her mind of her mother ironing the bleached cotton squares.Just as quickly, she shoved it back into the hole where she kept all the memories of her family and resealed that mental door.
Tala dabbed at her eyes, taking a moment to regain her composure.
“I’d like to hear more about how you ended up in the United States.”There was that comforting smile again.Damn, Dylan was an excellent interrogator.He was gentle with her without being condescending or coddling.
“American men come to bar in Manila.”Tala started to shake.They were tiny tremors in the beginning but the longer she talked, the more she shook.“They act all nice.Tip good.Tell Perlah and me we prettiest girls in all city.When lady sees us talking to American men, she mad.She tell them we good girls.No touch men.Men no touch us.Virgins.”She pulled into herself, once again putting her heels on the edge of the chair, wrapping her arms around her legs, and putting her head down on her knees.The young girl was shaking so hard she could barely talk.
“Tala, would you look at me, please?”His voice had become so soothing it was almost impossible not to obey him.When she lifted her eyes to meet his, he suggested, “I’ll bet you’re thirsty.What do you like to drink?”
“Water.Water, please.”
Everyone in observation turned their heads as though to hear her better.
“I’ll bet they have soda.Can we get you a cola?Lemon-lime?”
Tala didn’t say a word, simply shook her head.
Dylan looked straight at the mirror.“Can we get Tala a drink of water?”
“Is there a vending machine around here?”Commander Gallagher instantly asked.
Kam barely withheld a wince.The voice was so close to her.She’d forgotten the Navy officers were watching the interrogation with her.
“Yes, but there’s bottled water in the refrigerator in the lounge.”She pointed.“Down the hall to the right, second door on the left.”He’d taken a few steps before she added, “Why don’t you grab one for each of us?I think we’re going to be here a while.”
He turned and looked at her over his shoulder.“Will do.”Then he gave her a panty-dropping smile that transformed the hard planes of his face into downright handsome.
Kam thought she’d been hit with a blast of hot air and unknowingly took a step back.
She watched him for a few seconds as he soundlessly walked down the hallway.His legs moved but his torso remained practically still.Most men with a body like his had thatmy body is ripped and my cock is hugeswagger.Commander Mike Gallagher walked with a quiet authority that screamed he was in charge.
Kam wondered if she could learn to walk that way.She studied him for another few seconds before he turned the corner.She’d always been attracted to men who cared about their bodies, stayed in good shape, worshiped at the altar of steel weights, and owned worn-out running shoes.Men who had a hint of bad boy and the muscles to back it up.Men like…Brody.
She shook her head as though she could cast off the memory of her ex-husband.
Tinny voices came through the speaker.Dylan had been questioning Tala and she’d missed it.She made a mental note to check the video for the few seconds her mind had wandered down the dark hole that was her past.She couldn’t go there.Not now.Not ever.
Chapter3
Mike foughta grin as he turned the corner.He was enjoying teasing the ICE Queen as he’d come to think of Special Agent Kameron Hood.He knew she was checking him out as he walked away from the interrogation room.
He’d never doubted that he was a good-looking man.Since he turned sixteen, he’d never had a problem getting laid.If he chose, he knew how to turn on the charm as quickly as he could scrape unwanted women off him.He had two ex-wives to prove the latter was true.Thankfully, he’d never had children.
Paternity with wife number two had been a close encounter of the baby kind, but Mike had always been good at math.Bethany, not so much.That had been proven by how many times she’d overdrawn their account while he was away on missions.He’d even managed to get a tiny smidgen excited when she’d proclaimed her pregnancy, until the ultrasound.When the technician announced the baby was nine weeks old, Mike’s math was better than hers.He’d only gotten home from his last mission a month before.
As he reached into the refrigerator, snagging five bottles of water, Mike scoffed.He hadn’t thought of his ex-wives in years.The last time he’d heard, Bethany was on her fourth marriage and had four kids.Jan had remarried within days of their divorce and her husband left the Navy as soon as he could.Years ago, he’d heard a rumor that they lived in Iowa.Or was it Idaho?Mike didn’t care either way.
Heading back down the hall, Mike reassured himself that he would never get married again.There were plenty of women around to satisfy him when he felt the need.Sometimes, he came back to the same watering hole two or three times.But the minute they started acting like a wife, they were gone, or he was.
As he turned the corner, he slowed his pace ever so slightly.Kam in profile was stunning in a way he’d never admired before.Her loose-fitting clothes hid an amazing body.With her arms crossed over her chest, well-defined biceps were visible in the short-sleeved black uniform.Her boots were shoulder-width apart, a gun strapped around a shapely thigh, dark auburn hair pulled back from a face that wasn’t classically beautiful but interesting without makeup.She was the epitome of a woman warrior…Wonder Woman style.
Mike’s mind immediately painted the movie version costume on her.A heart-shaped red bustier plumping her well-hidden breasts, the tiny blue skirt with slits up the front hiding yet teasing, and those fuck-me-hard red boots…damn.He was getting stiff just at the thought.
As he approached the two-way mirror, Tala’s sad story of capture and mistreatment deflated all fantasies with the ICE Queen.
“The American men promise us we work in good clubs.Good customers.Good tips.Make lots of money to send home to Papa.Same as recruiter, they handle all money.”Tala sucked in a shaky breath.
