Page 65 of Nocturnes & Nightmares

“Yeah, okay. Nice to finally meet you uh … Rhett?”

“Voss is fine.”

“Voss.” He gives a sharp nod and steps aside to let me pass.

“Later, Nola.”

Her cheeks haven’t recovered when she glances up, still holding that beautiful glow of humiliation. “See ya, Voss.”

I make a mental note of how perfect she’d look beneath me, face just as flush with all the dopamine and serotonin of climax racing through her blood. My head is still spinning with those visuals when I arrive back at the door of my apartment, and I don’t immediately notice the note plastered there until it’s smacking me in the face.

You steal my pussy, I steal yours.

Slamming through the door, I search my apartment for Vince, my blood pumping with the kind of fury that has me wanting to punch my fist through the goddamn wall.

“Vince! C’mon, buddy.” I make the kissy sound that typically has him running from whatever room he’s ventured into, but there’s no sign of him. “Vince!”

Having searched the place, I race back out onto the small deck, eyes scanning the surrounding trees and yard for any sign of the rotten prick who took him. Must’ve broken into my apartment while I was preoccupied with Nola.

Like a slap in the face, it’s a reminder of why I can’t let her get under my skin. My hands ball into fists at my side, crushing the note in my palm. If anything happens to the cat, I’ll personally skin Carl alive.

Nabbing my phone from my pocket, I call Jackson, slamming the door behind me.

He answers on the third ring. “Yeah, Boss.”

“I want everything you can find, everything the police know, about The Sandman killer.”

“You get the file I sent a few weeks back?”

Yeah, his anemic file produced nothing more than what the media has reported on the asshole. Mediocre information.

“I want everything, Jackson. FBI reports, missing persons reports, everything you can get your fingers on. Capisce?”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“Good. Report back to me in the morning.”

“Ahh, c’mon, Voss. I’ve got plans tonight, man.”

“Fucking cancel. The cocksucker stole my cat. Everything you can find by morning.”

“Ten-four.”

I click off the phone, breathing hard through my nose to calm the anger. I’ve got one more call to make, and unfortunately, I don’t think Nola’s going to appreciate this one much.

The game has just been ratcheted up a notch.

21

Nola

“Please. Stop.” Hand on my hip, I shake my head and turn to finish wedging the clay, desperately trying to ignore my brother’s prying stare.

“I’m just saying. There’s something off about him. Maybe he’s a decent guy, but something isn’t right.” Jonah plops into a chair across from me and crosses his arms.

“You said you’d come over early to give me the scoop on Beth and Harv. So, why are we talking about Voss?”

“A week ago, I swung by their place, as you asked me to. While I was there, someone was inside the house.”