He pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes and with a raspy voice said, “You are so beautiful.” He pushed his lips to hers once more and held them firmly there. He gave into his desire to pull her into a deeper, lustful kiss.
While gently placing her back against a nearby brick wall, another sensual surprise awaited him when he parted her lips and pushed his tongue inside; their lustful kiss became a seductive, tangled dance. Matthew’s hardness poked at his trouser’s zipper, demanding to be freed as he pushed his hard body against hers, eliminating any space between them.
“I’ve had you on my mind all week,” Justina whispered as their lips parted.
“You’ve been on my mind too, Justina,” Matthew groaned between the soft kisses to her neck.
He gently stroked her back with his hand and wanted to explore her body with them, but fought the urge.
She wanted him and he knew it. Her soft caresses to his neck told him all he needed to know, but he also sensed her doubt, her fear. He, too, experienced a desire to pull back, not out of fear, but out of respect for her. God, he wanted her. There was no doubt about it, but not here. Not now, this was not the right time, not yet.
Matthew kissed her passionately once more and then gently released his strong grip. He continued to hold her in his arms as he whispered, “This feels really good, Justina, but…”
Justina touched his lips with her finger. “You don’t have to say anymore. I understand.”
He looked straight into her eyes and touched her face. “I want to see you again.”
She looked away. “I want to see you again, too, but I’m involved with Nick.”
“You have nothing to feel guilty where Nick is concerned, but I won’t push you. I want you to call me when you’re ready to see me again or if you need anything.”
He leaned down and kissed her as he took his coat and whispered in her ear, “You should go in first so no one becomes suspicious.” Matthew rubbed her arm, “And because you are freezing.”
Justina pulled out of his arms and they stared at each other. She suddenly leaned over and kissed him once more with fervent passion. “I don’t understand what you’re doing to me. I’ve never been so bold before; I’m sorry.”
Matthew winked at her and whispered hoarsely, “I’m pleased with your boldness.”
She let out a deep breath as she removed his jacket from off her shoulders and then walked away from him and back inside the banquet hall.
***
As Matthew approached Justina’s table, he tried walking past without being noticed, but to no avail. Roger invited him to sit down. He caught Justina’s eye on him and he could sense she was not sure what to do, and she was blushing. He could not help noticing Roger and Joyce giving him strange looks, he ignored them and turned toward Justina, smiling. “Justina, this evening is going well; you are a fine hostess.”
“Thank you, Matthew, I’m actually enjoying myself.”
Matthew smiled once more at her before turning to Roger and Joyce, who were still giving him strange looks. They talked a few more minutes. As he was turning to leave, he turned back to Justina. “Justina, you owe me a dance.”
“Perhaps another time, ask me again soon.”
He nodded his head and walked to his table. It was nearly empty as most everyone was on the dance floor except for Jim and Caroline.
Jim looked up at Matthew, who stood by his chair and nearly choked as he chuckled, “Did you enjoy the fresh air?”
“Oh, I don’t think he stepped out for the air.” Caroline laid her head on Jim’s shoulder to smother a laugh.
“The fresh air was just what I needed,” Matthew shot back at them. Why are they laughing at me? He questioned himself in his mind. He narrowed his eyes at them as they continued to snicker and stare at him.
“I really do like that shade of lipstick you’re wearing tonight, brother,” Caroline said through the snickers.
Jim could not hold back his amusement, and bellowed with laughter.
Matthew took a napkin and rubbed his face. Sure enough, there was lipstick on the napkin.
***
Justina took a deep gulp of champagne, avoiding Joyce and Roger’s suspicious glances toward her. She could do nothing to alert Matthew to the several smudges of lipstick smeared across his face, neck, and lips.
“Did you see the lipstick on his face?” Joyce asked with laughter.
Roger nodded and grinned, “Oh yeah, and the best part is he doesn’t even realize it’s there.”
Justina finished off her last glass of champagne and stood. She pointed to the stage, “I need to say goodbye and, ah, thank everyone for being here.” She turned to walk away when Joyce motioned for her to stop.
“You might want to retouch your lipstick, Jussie!”
She quickly pulled out her compact mirror and looked into it. She moaned when she saw her lipstick was indeed smudged. She reapplied more as Roger and Joyce laughed. She drew in deep breaths and frowned at them, then childishly stuck her tongue out at them, which caused them to laugh again. She shook her head as she turned and walked toward the stage. If they did not know for sure the lipstick on Matthew’s face belonged to her, they did now.
After Justina had finished with thanking everyone for attending, she stepped off the stage and felt a hand touch her shoulder. “You promised me a dance.”
Justina held her hand up in protest, “I don’t recall making a promise to you, Mr. Kingston.”
“If you walk away and leave me standing here, you will bruise my reputation.”
“We can’t have that now, can we?” Justina spoke softly as she took his hand.
Matthew led her to the dance floor, pulled her close to him, and softly whispered in her ear, “You smell so good.”
“I… As do you.”
Their eyes met, causing Justina’s heart to race, as she danced with the handsome man.
“You look beautiful tonight.”
“And you are so strikingly handsome in the tux.”
Their eyes met and locked together for an instant. As they stared into each other’s eyes, each one sensed the passion building between them.
Justina closed her eyes and pushed her body into his to break the mesmerizing, intense moment.
As they maneuvered their bodies closer to one another, he leaned into her ear and breathed the perfect words into them. “I want to see you again and it has nothing to do with putting a notch on my belt. I like you and I want to get to know you better.”
Justina groaned, “I’m involved with someone else.”
“You’re questioning that involvement; if you weren’t, you wouldn’t allow me to get so close.”
“Oh, you really are arrogant, aren’t you?”
“I’ve never denied it, but you are shaking, Justina, I know I’m having an effect on you and you should know you have one on me too.”
She laid her head on his shoulder. “Nick wouldn’t understand and he’d be so mad.”
“So don’t tell him. Just keep it between us until you have made your mind up about him.”
Electricity flowed through Justina’s body as Matthew brushed his lips across her earlobe.
“I don’t want to be a cheater or a liar.”
“No one would see you as a liar or cheater; you have the right to explore other options.” He gently pushed his body so close to hers that there was now no distance between their bodies.
Justina groaned under the sensual connection.
Matthew, too, moaned with desire as he ground his body against hers.
“Uh, um, Matthew.”
He pushed his lips to hers and connected into a lustful, heated kiss, which caused their lips to join in a seductive dance of their own.
After the pleasurable embrace and kiss had ended, Matthew placed one last gentle kiss onto her face.
“I’m going to leave you for now. Let you think about what you want.”
He slipped a pi
ece of paper into her hand.
As Justina watched him walk back to his table, she saw his family display shocked curious looks at them. She glanced at the note as she approached her own table, and her breath caught in her throat. It was his phone number.
Chapter Eighteen
Several weeks had passed since the party and Justina had been busy at work, but the Valentine’s weekend was still heavy on her mind.
Justina recalled the argument she and Nick had. It still angered her. When she thought of the trip she had taken with him to New Orleans the following day, her anger somehow subsided. In its place, passion came strutting alongside her, reminding her how she could not resist Nick, no matter how angry she was at him.
Justina had wanted to talk to him about their relationship, but he was too busy with his friends; he did manage to find time to seduce her, and take her to his bed.
Justina felt her pulse rising at the sensual memory and laughed to herself. It had not really taken much for her to be seduced into lovemaking with Nick. He could persuade her into sex with little effort, just about anywhere they might find themselves together. His private plane was not an exception. She blushed at the thought of now being a member of the mile high club.
Justina’s mind took her back to her encounter with Matthew at the Valentine’s dinner. Her face flushed with desire as his handsome face flashed in her mind. Her body trembled at the memory of Matthew holding her in his arms and kissing her passionately. Thoughts and fantasies flooded her mind about the few moments she had spent with him, and how it might be if she ever experienced intimate, private moments with him in bed. She shuddered with heated desire at such a prospect. What the hell is wrong with me? I’m acting like a crazy woman, desiring two men at once.
The desire to call him was overwhelming, but Justina kept finding reasons why it would be a bad idea. Justina took a deep breath as she stood and shoved the phone into her bag. She quickly prepared for her meeting with the Cliftons.
Justina was impressed with the feast Lauren Lawton had prepared for them, which was set up in the boardroom. There was a huge table full of fruits, vegetables, and small bite-size sandwiches at one end of the table. At the other end of the table, there were several drinks and dessert choices.
Justina, Maggie, and Joyce spent the remainder of the day with Zack and Paula Clifton at the Dallas Aquarium and the Dallas Arboretum.
After leaving the group in the afternoon, Justina drove to her penthouse where she had a business teleconference. After finishing, she stepped out of the penthouse elevator and into the parking garage. Footsteps behind her caused her to turn and look, but when seeing no one there, Justina continued walking to her car. After she had driven away, a man wearing a beige hat and trench coat came walking out of the shadows and stood there, watching her drive away.
Chapter Nineteen
This morning, Jim posed as a sales representative and met Carol Wilson, Reynolds Johnson’s sister, at her home. Jim learned Reynolds Johnson had taken care of her and her children after the death of her husband Mark, who was also employed by the Cabaras.
Carol informed Jim that Nick and Marcus came by each month with an insurance check. Jim had a feeling the “insurance check” was nothing more than a payoff for Reynolds’ silence and his agreement to take the blame for Elizabeth’s murder in exchange for Carol’s protection. Later, when Jim discussed this with Matthew and Roger, they all agreed this was the key to getting Reynolds to open up to them.
“I have our next meeting with Reynolds after the Easter break,” Jim stated as the men stood and completed their meeting.
After Roger had left them, Jim and Matthew discussed Matthew’s planned meeting with Gerald that afternoon.
“I’ve got less than an hour.” Matthew stuffed some papers into his briefcase along with his camera, then reached into his desk drawer and pulled out his handgun and put it in his side holster.
“I am going to tag along with you on this one. You’ll need backup in the event someone catches you snapping pictures of the Cabaras or that Joey character,” Jim said with concern.
Matthew shook his head, “You don’t have to worry, Jimmy. I’m going for a couple of snapshots of this fellow, that’s all.”
Matthew stood and grabbed his briefcase, “Come on. Walk with me to the garage.” Matthew waited for Jim to grab his briefcase and suit coat. As they approached Matthew’s car, he saw Jim’s concern. He threw his briefcase into the car and turned to Jim. “I’ll be fine, Jimbo.”
“Call me as soon as you’re finished, all right?”
Matthew grinned as he stepped into his car, “I will call you, Jimmy. Scouts honor.” He slammed his car door shut and sped out of the garage. Matthew drove downtown to the corner of the bus station where he picked up Gerald. He next proceeded to Isabella’s Cafe and parked his car on the opposite side of the road from the cafe. “I need you to be sharp now, let’s not miss this guy.”
“Chill out, Matthew, I’m not going to stir you wrong. My source is good,” Gerald answered.
They had just gotten comfortable when a stretch limousine drove past and stopped in front of the cafe. Matthew grabbed his camera and began snapping pictures of the Cabara men and the women with them.
Gerald laughed, “I don’t think these women are the wives.”
The Cabara men began kissing and groping the women while standing on the steps of the cafe. Matthew quickly pulled out pictures of Marcus and Robert’s wives. Gerald was right.
“Who’s the broad with Nick?”
Gerard shrugged, “She’s definitely not Nick’s wife. She’s just another bimbo wanting to be seen.”
Matthew raised an eyebrow up in interest and looked at Gerald. “Nick’s wife, I thought he was divorced from Cindy Thomasine?”
“No, not divorced. They don’t work that way. You never divorce the Cabaras. If a woman wants out of a Cabara marriage, she’s killed, period.”
Matthew felt the hair on his neck stand up, “Where is the wife?”
“She’s at home with their kid, I guess. Just like Marcus and Robert’s wives, they are dutiful wives, standing behind their men through everything, and not disagreeing or disapproving of anything they do. Moreover, they like it that way, so long as the men give them the credit cards, the jewelry, and the rest of the ritzy shit. Give them those things and they’re satisfied.”
Matthew wondered what Justina’s reaction would be if she knew Nicky boy had a wife. From their conversation at her company party, she apparently had no idea about Nick’s other life. He shrugged his shoulders as he thought about Justina. Why should he be thinking of her? She had not even bothered calling him. He thought about calling her, but he did not want to make her feel pressured and quite honestly, it was not his style. Matthew did not have time to think about her long. He noticed another vehicle stopping in front of the cafe.
“Is that Max?” Matthew asked Gerald.
“No, that’s just one of their middle men, Joey.”
Matthew pointed his camera toward the men. He was surprised to see his brother Michael through the camera lens. “Huh, did you say this man’s name is Joey?”
“Yes, that’s right, Joey. He’s been a Cabara bitch for years now, stuff like deliveries and collections here and there.”
“Has he ever killed anyone for them that you are aware of?” Matthew questioned.
“Not to my knowledge.”
Matthew tried hard to hide his shock and disappointment as he snapped pictures of his brother standing next to the Cabaras with a strange woman at his side who had her hands all over him. “Have you ever seen this ‘Max’?”
“My link to the organization says no one other than the Cabaras has seen Max up close and personal. It’s as if Max is a ghost or shadow. I don’t understand, my connection said he overheard Marcus telling Nick that Max would be meeting with them tonight.”
They watched the Cabaras and Michael walk into the ca
fe with the women. Matthew sat there another two hours, and no one who fit the description of Max ever showed up, so they decided to call it night.
Matthew was driving home with a lot on his mind; his fears were true. Michael was into more than even Matthew realized. He had a bad feeling about the whole situation. He picked up the phone and called the one person he knew he could trust, Jim.
***
The following morning, Matthew met with Jim and Roger; he could not hide his disappointment. “I thought things were all right too.” He leaned back in his chair. “He, Sara, and Daniel were at Mom’s and Dad’s last weekend and they seemed to be getting along, but you know how that is; it could just be an act.”
“You’re right, they seemed happy, they were polite to each other, and even Daniel seemed content,” Jim noted.
“Do you think he’s on drugs or has a gambling problem again?” Roger asked.
“I don’t know. I had no idea my little brother was involved with this scum.”
“Where do you want to go from here?” Jim asked with concern in his voice.
“He’s your brother and we’re all family, I’m willing to take this slow and handle it with ease for the family’s sake,” Roger said in a calm, steady voice.
Jim suggested, “I think Easter would be a good time for you to talk to Michael about the situation. We’ll all be at the lodge, then at Mom’s and Dad’s that weekend.”
Matthew swallowed hard at the thought of confronting Michael but nodded his agreement.
Chapter Twenty
Justina met the Clifton’s for breakfast. Afterwards they met up with Joyce, Roger, and Maggie then they visited the Dallas Museum of Art and the Dallas Museum of Nature and Science. The remainder of the day was spent at West End.
Justina noticed a tall man wearing a beige hat following them for a while which made her a bit nervous, but she said nothing as they continued their day.
As Justina stepped off the elevator the next morning and began walking to her car, she had a strange feeling she was being watched but brushed it away. She kept walking to her car, but she thought she heard footsteps, so she walked faster to her car and hurried inside. She looked around the garage but saw no one.