Sensual Confessions - Brenda Jackson [58]
It was only when Luke pushed passed Blade that Detective Adams recognized him and put his gun back in his holster and straightened his jacket. “I would suggest you knock the next time,” Adams said, offering Luke his hand.
Luke grinned as he shook hands with the man. “It wasn’t my idea to burst in like that. That’s my cousin Blade. He’s sort of a hothead at times. And this is my brother Reese.”
Sam sat back down in her chair, trying to get her heart rate back to normal, as she stared across the room at Blade. She’d known he was with Luke when Mac had called, because Mac had mentioned it. But considering everything, she hadn’t expected him to come.
Her gaze moved past him to Reese. She’d only seen him a few times since the wedding, and she thought there was no mistaking him and Luke for brothers, since they favored each other quite a bit. Like Luke, Reese was a very handsome man.
But no one, she thought, letting her gaze shift back to Blade, was more handsome than the man staring back at her, even when he was mad. And yes, he was mad, but she couldn’t tell if he was angry at her or the situation that she found herself in.
“I was just asking Ms. Di Meglio a few questions so I can decide how to proceed, since she prefers that I not alert the police yet. So for now, I’m working this case privately.”
“Why don’t you want the police involved?” Blade asked her, as if he had every right to know.
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him it was none of his business what she did, but for some reason she couldn’t do that. “I prefer that my parents not know about this,” she said. “And for now, until we find out if there is a legitimate threat, I want as few people to know about it as possible.”
He nodded and then leaned against a wall. There was a knock on the door and Priscilla brought in more chairs and left, closing the door behind her.
Everyone sat except for Blade. It seemed he preferred standing, bracing himself against the wall, directly in her line of vision. She tried focusing her eyes on Detective Adams instead of on him.
“Now then, we can continue,” Detective Adams said. “And before we do I need to make sure you’re comfortable with everyone here.”
She drew in a deep breath. Although Blade was probably the last person she should have felt comfortable with, considering their history, she said, “Yes, I’m fine.”
“All right then. I was asking if you have any idea who could have sent you those flowers with the card.”
She shook her head. “I have no idea.”
“And just how long have you been getting the flowers?” he then asked.
“About six weeks. They were delivered once a week, every Wednesday.”
“Uh, they arrived a day early this week,” Detective Adams said, as if making an observation.
Sam glanced over at Blade. The card had been passed around and now he was reading it. She could feel the anger raging in him. It was hard to believe his rage was directed toward her assailant and not her.
“So why didn’t you contact the police when the flowers started coming?”
She shifted her gaze from Blade back to Detective Adams, who was watching her closely. “I saw no reason to.”
“And why not?”
She frowned. The man was asking a lot of questions and she had to remind herself that he was merely doing his job. She met his inquisitive gaze. “Because I thought I knew who was sending them.”
“And who did you think was sending them?”
“Really, Detective Adams,” she said, giving him an exasperated look. “Do you need to know all that?”
“If you want me to help you stay alive.”
“Yes, but—”
“I’m the one she thought was sending her the flowers,” Blade said, in a voice that was deep and controlled.
Sam glanced over at him, as did everyone else in the room, including Detective Adams. He studied Blade and it was easy to tell he was sizing him up, seeing him in a whole new light. Now as a possible suspect.
“But you didn’t send them?” the detective asked, his penetrating stare trained directly on Blade.
Blade stared right back. His eyes were just as unwavering. “No, I didn’t send them.”
“And