Page 42 of Defending Love
The desperation and desire in her tone was as erotic as the sweet taste of her pussy. I sat back as we both fumbled with the small buttons. She splayed her fingers over my chest. It was as I was about to remove the sleeves from my shoulders that the doorbell rang.
Dani’s wide eyes met mine. “Who is it?”
Chapter
Sixteen
Dani
* * *
Like the shattering of crystal, our bubble broke. The doorbell’s ring reverberated throughout the villa as I tried to make sense of what was happening. My heartbeat raced as the symbolic crash littered the floor with glass shards. Undeterred by the possible danger, Eli stood, his massive body a barrier between me and the door. My scrambled thoughts came together.
Someone was outside.
Somebody wanted inside.
Goose bumps prickled my flesh at the newest revelation.
I was naked—completely nude.
Quickly, I searched for my clothes, finding my shorts and panties on the floor and my tank top hanging off the coffee table. As I scrambled to cover myself, Eli buttoned his shirt, tucking it into his pants.
“Go upstairs,” he ordered in a hushed tone.
“I want…” I wasn’t certain what I wanted.
“Fuck.” His green stare searching the room. “My gun.”
“It’s in the kitchen,” I replied as I pulled the sweatshirt over my head and reached for the photo album.
Eli went to the kitchen for his gun as the second ring of the doorbell ricocheted throughout the villa. “Dani, go upstairs now.”
I grabbed the photo album and the stack of journals as I hurried up the steps. I knew from earlier that at the top of the landing, I’d be hidden from the first floor. Once I reached that area, I stopped, hugging the meager possessions to my chest as my pulse echoed in my ears. Straining, I tried to hear what was happening on the first floor.
“Mr. Rhodes,” an unfamiliar male voice said.
“I’m Elijah Rhodes.”
“I’m Special Agent Timmons, and this is Special Agent Wilson with the FBI. We have some questions for you.”
“Do you have a badge?” Eli asked.
“Of course.” Pause. “Sir, my partner and I would like to come inside.”
“Do you have a warrant?”
“No, sir. We have a few questions. May we come inside?”
“Absolutely not. What is this about?”
My hands trembled as I bit my lower lip, and my cyclone of thoughts swirled out of control.
“The murder of Derek Sinclair.”
I covered my lips to mute an audible gasp.
“Do you have new evidence?” Eli asked.
