Suds and Sam For Hire Read online

  Suds and Sam

  For Hire

  By Stella Marie Alden

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  From the Author

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Copyright (C) 2019 Stella Marie Alden

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination and are used fictitiously.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author's permission.

  [email protected]

  This book is dedicated to my hubby, my best friend, my chef, and my editor. I love you always!

  A special thanks to my advance reading team, Michelle and Jennifer, my fans, and my personal assistant, Katherine. Thank you all for believing in me.

  Chapter 1

  Suds Sutcliff

  “Hey tough guy.” My partner’s cheery voice warms my insides.

  “Sugar? Hold on just a second.” With my cellphone to my ear, and one eye on the ski lodge door, I thank the barista for the coffee and clomp across the scarred wood floor.

  Once the top of my heavy boot is unbuckled, I ease onto the bench and make certain the room is secure.

  My current assignment, Ms. Tiera Diamond, sits by the fire. She surrounds herself with admirers and shoots me a seductive smile which I don’t return. I’ve been dodging her advances all week but she still doesn’t get the hint. If anything, my saying no to the beautiful bombshell has upped her interest.

  “How’s Utah? Have you converted yet?” Samantha’s voice in my ear brings her snarky grin to mind and I snicker.

  “Why? Need a few sister wives?”

  “Actually, now that you mention it, a couple would be great. They can do all the cooking and cleaning but only you and I get to fuck, okay?”

  “Probably cheaper to hire a maid.” I trudge over to the fireplace so I can better keep an eye on Tiera flirting with a guy old enough to be her father.

  I should warn him. The actress fucks the young ones and teases the old until they gift her with cars and diamonds.

  Sighing, I slip my feet out of my ski wear and don some lighter boots in case I need to chase after some idiot. All it takes is one jilted lover to make my job harder.

  “What’s wrong?” Sam catches my mood from the other side of the country.

  “Nothing. Just work. I should go.” I check all the exits and study the wealthy faces in the room but nothing seems amiss.

  “Is Tiera giving you a hard time?”

  Near the fireplace, my glamorous client leans her fake boobs into the billionaire’s face but no internal alarms go off. “Nah, normal shit. How’re things in Brooklyn?”

  “Quiet. I’m bored out of my gourd. I thought you said Slate had a case for me?”

  Chuckling, I make a mental note to call my boss. “He does. The holidays are barely over. Give it a day or two.”

  “Hmph. Easy for you to say. You’re in a luxury resort while I’m stuck in Bensonhurst, and it’s utterly gross outside. The clouds are puking out a mixture of sleet and freezing rain. I’d rather be skiing with you. Maybe, I should become a famous actress and hire a bodyguard.”

  “Go for it.” I grin.

  “What. You think I couldn’t?” Her voice raises above her apartment’s radiators which hiss and bang.

  The noise brings me back to a few days ago when we screwed each other into exhaustion. “You sure are pretty enough but you’d need to lose the accent.”

  “Whad do youz mean by dat?” At her laugh, my chest constricts and my cock goes hard as I picture her on her lumpy couch, legs tucked under, blond hair all mussed.

  I wish like fuck I could be with her and that thought brings Vincent to mind.

  “Damn. I miss you, Sam. Promise me, if your uncle insists on a blind date, you’ll say no.”

  She sighs and clucks her tongue. “Honey, we talked about this. His dates are harmless enough and it keeps my rent down. The last time I said no, he doubled it.”

  “I told him we’re exclusive.”

  “He’s a little old fashioned.”

  “I told him a ring is coming.”

  “I know. I can take care of myself.”

  Tiera motions me from where she sits by the fire and raises a crystal glass. “Can you get me a Chardonnay?”

  I grit my teeth. More than once I’ve explained I’m not her personal slave but let it ride… this time. Besides, it gives me the opportunity to peruse the ski lounge at a different angle. Walking over to the bartender, I grab her another wine and set it down.

  There’s no one here but the ultra-rich and privileged.

  While Sam tries to convince me not to worry about dating mobsters, I lean my butt against the stones beside the fireplace and rack my boots. I do the same for Tiera’s, then motion to her personal assistant to see they’re brought to our rooms.

  “Suds? You listening?” Samantha calls me out of Utah and back to Brooklyn but I’m thrust right back as the outside door opens and cold air rushes in.

  No need for alarm. It’s just another well-to-do couple coming in off the slopes. I should get off the phone but like an addict, I crave another small fix of my girl to get me through the night.

  “Uh… yeah. You said something about electricity.”

  “Right, the city says we need to be up to code and they need to send an inspector but no one is available until… March.”

  “Ouch.”

  “I know. However, the guy downstairs says I can run a power cord from his office. I’ll have lights so I can spackle and paint.”

  “You ever do any of that before?” I imagine Sam’s pretty face covered in drywall mud and smile.

  “No… but how hard can it be?”

  “Piece of cake, go for it.” With any luck, it’ll keep her out of trouble.

  “Already on it and by the way? I put our logo on the window. It’s an ‘S’ followed by an ampersand and another ‘S’.”

  “S and S? Seriously? You may create some confusion.” I shudder while her computer keys click.

  “Shit and a shower? Shack and Snuggle? Hmmm. Maybe I should be a little more specific but Sam and Suds Detective Agency won’t fit.”

  “Suds and Sam.”

  “Hmmm?”

  “Samantha, we agreed. No soapy pink fish.”

  She giggles. “Just messin’ with you.”

  I groan. “Not funny.”

  “It is too. Listen, before Miss Big Boobs calls you away, can I ask you to call the city to see what’s up with o
ur detective license? I’ll email you everything.”

  “Sure. Anything else? I really do need to get back on the job.”

  “No, I’m good. I love you, Suds. Miss you like mad.”

  “I love you, too. I’ll be home before you know it. Stay out of trouble.”

  “Moi?”

  “I mean it Sam. No sleuthing. We agreed, not unless I’m with you.”

  “I worked for the FBI for years. I think I can handle a few pictures of a guy cheating on his wife.”

  “Saammm…” All sorts of images flash in my head, none of them good.

  “This business is never going to get off the ground if you don’t let go a little.” Her admonishing tone is pretty damn unfair. I’m not the one reneging on our agreement.

  I grit my teeth and force a smile. “Not until I’m back. Three short weeks. Okay?”

  “Fine.” Her doorbell buzzes and in the background, her cousin Joey calls up the stairs.

  “Yo, Sammy. You got company.”

  “Got to go. Bye. Love you.” She leaves me hanging, literally.

  Chapter 2

  Samantha Russo

  I jog into the kitchen and lean over the banister. Three flights down, the hitman Frankie, holds a boneless tabby cat draped over his shoulder and waves.

  He turns to my cousin. “T’anks, I’ll see myself up if youz don’t mind.”

  Joey pokes further out of his apartment door and cranes his neck up at me with dark brows raised. “You good wid dis?”

  “Yeah, sure, sure. Come on up.” I wait at the top of my stairs while my former client puts his pet in the crook of his arm and climbs.

  Reaching my floor, Frankie shakes my hand and holds out Chloe. “I got an out of town job and my regular sitter is sick. Seeing how youz two got along so well, I figured you wouldn’t mind.”

  I fold the cat into my arms and we size each other up, nose to wet nose while Frankie waits.

  My thoughts race into the Twilight Zone. There I am, over Chloe’s dead body, trying to explain to a hitman how it wasn’t my fault.

  This will never work. “I, ah… I’ll need to get Rose and Mia to buy in. It’s their apartment, too.”

  For a moment, I congratulate myself on my quick thinking until the sides of Frankie’s mouth curl up. On anyone else, it would be a smile. On the killer, not so much.

  He catches my gaze and holds it. “I already spoke to your uncle. He says they’re good with it.”

  I glance away from his face and to the yellow tabby giving me the evil eye. “Well, I guess that settles it, but to be totally honest, I’ve never taken care of a cat before.”

  “I got all her stuff in the car.” He leans over the iron banister. “Yo, Joey!”

  “Yeah?” My cousin shouts back from the first floor.

  “My car is idling out front. Be a good kid and bring up the shit in the trunk. Not the long black bag.”

  “Sure thing. Give me a second.” Joey ducks back into his kitchen and coos at his baby. “I’ll be right back, snooky.”

  Two trips later, I got a huge bag of Freshy litter, ten cans of Healthy-Cat, and a big plastic tub with a lid.

  Looks simple enough. How hard could it be?

  “Okay. I gots to go.” The large man wipes a tear from one eye as he gets off his knees after kissing his cat.

  He clomps down the stairs and stops at the bottom. “T’anks, Joe. Cute kid.”

  When the door slams, I narrow my gaze at Chloe. “You owe me one.”

  She meows pitifully so I set up her litter, give her a mouse toy, and put her blanket in front of her. “Here, kitty, kitty.”

  As if to show me who’s boss, the yellow tabby jumps on a counter, knocks off a glass, and when it crashes onto the floor, dashes into the living room. She hisses at me, green eyes glaring from under the couch.

  I clean up the mess while eyeing her and pointing the dust pan. “I’ll give you this one because you’re getting used to the place. Do it again and you’ll end up in solitary.”

  It’s then I realize Frankie gave me no clue how long he’ll be gone, how much to feed her, and a whole lot of other shit.

  I log online, estimate her weight, and do the math. “I got this.”

  Later, I check my website and am thrilled how the Suds and Sam inbox is filling up. I open a few requests, grab a beer, and find the perfect way to make a little income while my tough guy is away.

  Dear Detectives,

  I need some pictures taken of my lousy, cheating bastard of a husband with his floozy. How much will that cost?

  Sincerely,

  Mrs. Nardo

  A regular at my aunt’s salon, the fortyish woman has been the heated topic of gossip for weeks. I’m surprised it took her this long to figure it out.

  Dear Mrs. Nardo,

  Here’s our contract. If this is agreeable, I can start immediately.

  Kind Regards,

  Sam

  After, my cell phone rings, I recognize the caller Id, and sigh. Chloe forgotten, I plop on the couch.

  Holy shit. The cat zooms between my legs, slides across the living room floor, and lands inside my bedroom.

  I tuck my feet under me, just in case the beast comes back with claws out. “Hi Dad.”

  “You need to drop this detective foolishness.”

  Here we go again. “It’s kind of late. We already signed a lease and applied for our license.”

  “You mean Sutcliff did. You didn’t sink any money into this, did you?”

  “You know I’m broke.” When my eyes roll to the ceiling, I take note of the cobwebs hanging down and grab a broom from the kitchen closet.

  “You were a damn fine FBI analyst. There’s plenty of jobs in the city if you’d only let me help.”

  “Dad. I’m thirty-four years old. I can find my own work.” Brushes upside down, I remove some stringy threads, and put the sweeper away.

  With my fair share of the housecleaning done, I grab my beer to better deal with my father who’s still ranting. “I didn’t send you to a fancy college to have you end up chasing married men with their dicks hanging out.”

  “Patten Securities…”

  “Is never going to give you real work.”

  “Slate said…”

  “Grow up.”

  “And thank-you for your support. I’m going now.” I flop back on the couch as Chloe pokes her head out my bedroom door.

  When my phone buzzes again, I put the throw pillow over my head. Everyone knows bad things happen in threes so I don’t look down, not at first.

  Eventually, I have to know and warn my feline friend. “You know what they say about curiosity and cats.”

  She yawns and shows her teeth, blinking at me from afar.

  On my screen is a picture of a fairly good-looking Italian guy about my age.

  Uncle Vinny: Friday. 7:00PM. Dress nice

  I don’t text back. Instead, I open my inbox but nothing. Someday, I’ll get back to where I was before I got fired from the FBI. I’ll make real money, have my own apartment, and never go on one of Vinny’s blind dates again.

  Chloe comes out of the bedroom, curls around my legs, and scratches around in the kitty litter. Not wanting smelly clay in the kitchen, I move the bucket to the bathroom and hope my cousins won’t step in it when they get home.

  Suddenly, something clunks in the living room and I dash out but not before Chloe laps up my spilled beer.

  “Bad cat!”

  She smiles, licks her lips, and prances sticky footprints into the bedroom while waving her ass at me.

  “Fucking awesome. That was my last one.” I clean up the mess which reminds me a lot of my life.

  After, I start researching the cheating Mr. Nardo and lose track of time until Rose and Mia pop their heads up over the banister.

  “Hey, you guys. We have a guest.” I point out the yellow monster who slinks over and purrs while nudging their calves with her head. “Don’t fall for her charm. She’s a demon cat. Takes after Fran
kie.”

  My oldest cousin’s dark brows raise. “Not The Chloe?”

  “The one and only. Frankie’s regular sitter is sick and I was deemed his next best option.” I close my browser, stand, and stretch as Mia’s eyes go wide.

  “Because you saved it from the cat-napping?”

  “Guess so.”

  Mia, more naive than her sister, picks up the monster and kisses it on the nose. “Oh you are so sweet.”

  The yellow tabby purrs loudly, a triumphant look in her emerald eyes.

  Oh, for fuck’s sake. “Just don’t leave your beer out around her. She’s a lush.”

  “Oh, poor kitty, kitty. Has Sam been mean to you?”

  Mia glares at me as Rose screeches in the bathroom. “Oh my God, what is that stink? Eww. What the hell?”

  She rushes into the kitchen, grabs a small plastic bag, and returns pinching her nose. “Don’t let it drink any more beer.”

  After twisting the poo-bag, she drops the dark mess in the garbage and she sends an angry look my way.

  I get the need to defend myself. “I didn’t let her have my beer, she knocked over my bottle when I wasn’t looking.”

  The catoholic grins at me, wiggles her butt and purrs for attention at my unsuspecting cousins. Of course, Rose and Mia find some string and fashion a toy out of a hair clip.

  Chloe may pretend to be a cat but I’m not fooled. She’s one of Satan’s minions.

  I keep an eye on her, when we unpack Chinese take-out for dinner but she’s not interested. Then, we watch some Netflix, and when I head off to bed, the cat is on our couch, no doubt dreaming of my demise.

  I fall asleep thinking of Suds. Only two days ago, we were here in my bed, making crazy love. My linens smell of him and if I shut my eyes, I can imagine him near.

  When Sebastian sleeps, he takes up most of my bed but it’s okay because I only need a little space spooned inside his chest.

  Suddenly, he’s with me, kissing the back of my neck. “Darlin’, you are so sweet.”

  His breath warms my inner ear, he nips at my lobe, and his cock pokes me from behind. Turning, I lift my arms, wrap my hands to the back of his head, and pull until his mouth is at my breast.