I started slowly rolling my hips and sliding in and out of her incredible pussy, stopping when I needed to and then beginning again. She kept whispering gentle loving encouragement and rubbing my shoulders and my back. We made love slowly like that for a long time and finally I sensed her getting close. She was breathing hard and moaning quietly, pushing her hips up against me and arching her back. I couldn’t think clearly, but I also couldn’t look away from her. She was so beautiful. Finally her muscles tensed and she cried out and went still, squeezing her eyes shut and then opening them and giving me a look that guaranteed that she owned me.

I couldn’t hold back anymore. I needed to come desperately and I started thrusting faster and harder feeling the pressure rapidly build. Then there was the tingling and I let go with a gasp. It was absolutely gut wrenching and there was something primal about it as I exploded inside of her, claiming her and marking her as mine. I collapsed on top of her with my heart hammering in my chest and blood rushing in my ears. Exhausted euphoria overtook us both and we fell asleep still joined together.

2:00 AM

We met at the top of the stairs like we had all agreed upon. Everyone was there, everyone but Bruce and Bruno that is.

“Where’s the Diva?” Lily asked.

“He must still be asleep,” Gab answered. “We’ll go without him.”

“Where’s Bruno?” Adam asked.

“We left him in the room,” Braden replied.

“Okay, Caitlin, show us the way, honey,” Jess said and Caitlin started down the stairs, with the rest of us following as quietly as possible.

A couple of times we thought we heard something, so we froze and waited, but it turned out to be nothing. After what felt like an hour, we finally made it to the hallway where Gerard’s study was. We kept watch as Caitlin tried the door. It was unlocked, and she opened it a crack. It was dark inside, and I let out a breath. I had been worried that Gerard would be in there doing something. Caitlin pushed the door open and we all slipped inside.

Shining our lights ahead of us we headed for the alcove. And there it was, the painting. I took a step forward and almost tripped over something in the dark. I shone my light down onto the floor and froze.

“Hit the lights somebody,” I ordered. There was some scrambling as everyone felt around for a switch, and then suddenly the room was illuminated and I squinted, letting my eyes adjust.

“Oh my God!” Beth exclaimed.

“Ew!” Caitlin added. It was Gerard and he was very obviously dead with a bullet hole in the center of his forehead.

“Step back,” a strange voice commanded. Looking up I saw that greasy paparazzo that was always covering these fundraisers. Instead of a camera, though, he was holding a gun.

“You!” Beth said sounding surprised.

“Me, and you have very bad timing.”

“This guy is a photographer from the tabloids,” I explained. “I assume he heard us talking about the painting that night and he wants to steal it for himself.”

“Yeah, both Elaine and I heard you talking, but whereas she was just interested in a scoop, I had a bigger interest. That painting was supposed to be mine a long time ago.”

“What do you mean yours?” Caitlin asked sounding petulant.

“Mine. Paul distracted everyone the night the old man died, and I went in and got it. He was supposed to find a buyer for us. The money was going to go to setting me up with my own gallery. I should have known that unfaithful bastard would double cross me.”

“Wait, you’re not saying you were the one that Gerard was seeing?” Beth asked, sounding shocked.

“Ew,” Caitlin added again.

“I don’t have time for this. I’m taking that painting and I’m getting out of here, and I’m taking her with me,” he grabbed Caitlin. There was a moment of silence while we all just stared.

“Okay,” I said and shrugged.

“No! Not okay,” Beth said scowling at me. “Take the painting but leave…”

Before she could finish the lights went out again and a shimmering figure seemed to glide across the room. Just then a ferocious sounding growl came from somewhere, and our thief yelped out in what sounded like pain and terror. Holy shit! This place was haunted!

There was a clattering sound and a thud as he hit the ground and let go of the gun. Then there was more scrambling, and the lights came on again. I don’t know what in the hell I expected to see, a ghost I guess? What I actually did see was Bruce, still in his Charlie Chan outfit, and Bruno with his teeth buried in the photographers ankle. Braden had grabbed the gun and Adam was already calling 911.

Chapter Seventeen

Beth

June

Mark stood with his arm around my waist, out by the pool at my parents’ place. We were laughing at something funny that Adam had just said while watching Braden BBQing up our dinner. Mark and I had been dating for over a month now, and we were very happy together. Braden had gotten comfortable with it, and so had my younger brother, Drew, who had finally graduated from law school and would be joining the Justice Project after taking the summer off to study for the bar exam.

My parents were absolutely thrilled to find out we were a couple, and my father seemed very interested in talking Mark into a political career someday, since at the moment at least, neither one of his sons seemed interested. There was other good news too, Cameron had finally popped the question, and he and Jess would be getting married that fall. Adam and Lily were considering starting a family soon, and I had a feeling that Braden and Gabrielle wouldn’t be far behind. Perhaps the most unexpected news was that Caitlin would be joining our staff soon as a legal secretary. Liz was training her diligently and Liz was a miracle worker. So it seemed that Caitlin would finally have some friends. She also had her painting back, and would be lending it to the art museum.