Lethal Temptation

by Kaylea Cross

  “Wait, when are you coming back? Shannon!”

  She took savage satisfaction in ignoring him as he called her back. She kept walking, head held high even as hurt and rage scalded her insides.

  Once she got to her car, she sat in it for a while, not trusting herself to drive just yet, swamped by a sense of disillusionment. How could she have gotten herself into this situation? How could she have yet again given her heart to a man who didn’t want it?

  She replayed this most recent visit over in her mind, then backtracked through the entirety of their relationship. Every phone call and email and letter. Every visit, every word he’d said to her. And the combination of lust and pride on his face when they sat face to face.

  He’d said the blonde and the others didn’t matter. That she was the only one he cared about. She wanted it to be true. She needed it to be true.

  She kept coming back to the way his eyes had lit up with that weird, almost fanatical gleam when she’d told him he didn’t know what she’d done for him.

  What have you done for me, baby?

  “Oh my God,” she whispered, goosebumps breaking out all over her as sudden understanding dawned.

  He was testing her. Waiting to see if she really loved him.

  He wanted her to prove it to him.

  The pulse in her throat throbbed, everything suddenly becoming clear. This was a test of loyalty. He wanted to see how far she’d go to prove her love and devotion to him. Once she did, he would be hers forever.

  Her hands shook slightly, elation humming in her bones as she drove out of the parking lot. The other night she’d only planned to set fire to the house to terrorize Avery, force her to lose her home during restoration and reconstruction—if there’d been anything left to save by the time the fire department got there.

  She’d been toying with Avery so far, fucking with her, unsure what to do next. Now Shannon realized what she had to do.

  She would kill Avery, and prove beyond a doubt to Mike she was the one he was meant to be with. It was the only way to win him back.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Today had pretty much sucked so far.

  Avery muttered to herself as she set aside one file and took out another to finish up. What she really wanted to be doing was finding out who the hell this Shannon Torbert was, and why the psycho had targeted her. Instead, as soon as she finished one thing that landed on her desk, another came in. All. Day. Long.

  Avery prided herself on being focused and hardworking in her job, but right now she was distracted, unable to concentrate properly. She wanted to put her stalker behind bars and get her life back to normal, and she also wanted to be with Mason. When that was done, she planned to talk to Nina about him, but didn’t know whether she should since he was Tate’s best friend and it put Nina in an awkward position.

  She was all tangled up inside, veering from wanting to jump his bones as soon as she saw him tonight, and wanting to pull back to protect herself from hurt later on. The thing was, she’d come to the realization that it couldn’t just be physical for her. Her feelings were definitely involved at this point. So if things didn’t work out she was going to be hurt regardless.

  She needed to talk to Mason about it, not Nina, no matter how scared she was of being disappointed.

  Her phone buzzed with a new text message. Her heart jumped when she saw Mason’s name on the screen. What do we need from the store for dinner? I’ll go grab it.

  “Good, because I’m not nearly done here yet.” She listed the handful of ingredients for him, glad to be spared a stop at the store. Thanks for this. I’ll be home just after six.

  No problem. Drive safe. Looking forward to being alone with you.

  Oh, my. She started to respond, then deleted it. The phone slipped. She caught it before it fell, and cursed when she saw she’d accidentally sent him a heart eyes emoji.

  “Hell.” So much for playing it cool.

  Embarrassed, she set her phone down on her desk, trying and failing to ignore the twinge in her chest. Ah, damn. How the hell was she supposed to pull back from him or keep her distance when he did and said things like this?

  After another hour she gave up all pretense of caring about her remaining workload and called her contact in Billings. He hadn’t been able to look into Avery’s suspect yet. She wound up trying to dig up info about the woman on her own.

  Two more hours and a lot of dead ends later, she headed outside to her car, frustrated and pissed off. Thankfully her car was right where she’d left it, and was fully intact, including the tires. She drove home through the light rain pattering her windshield, the sky a dark, dull gray.

  Mason’s Jeep was parked on his side of the driveway. Just seeing it helped lift her mood.

  Butterflies danced in her belly at the thought of seeing him in just a few moments. On the drive home she’d made up her mind to just roll with it for now and talk to him about their status later, once they’d taken the edge off in bed. There was no way she would be able to concentrate on such a serious conversation before then, and the truth was, she dreaded things not going the way she hoped when they did talk, so she wanted to delay it.

  She opened her front door and stopped, surprised to find him on a ladder installing something overhead. “Hey.”

  He smiled down at her, making her insides all gooey. “Hey. How was your day?” He went back to work with the screwdriver.

  “Good.” She got preoccupied with watching the way his arm muscles flexed as he turned the screwdriver. Lord, the man was built, and she couldn’t wait to feel him on top of her again. Or behind her. Yum. “Is that the security camera?”

  “Part of it. I’ve already installed a couple cameras on the front and back of the house. This one works with your doorbell so you’ll be able to see whoever’s at your door by checking your phone, and the camera’s hidden.” He tightened the screw and eased back to study his handiwork. “That should do it.”

  Avery shook her head. “Mason, thank you, I—” She stopped, inhaling something rich and aromatic. Definitely Italian spices. “Did you cook?”

  He chuckled as he climbed down the ladder. “Yeah. Told you I could. Did you forget?” He tucked the screwdriver in his back jeans pocket and walked to her, then closed his hands around her hips in a possessive hold that made her shiver with longing.

  “I think so.” God, she couldn’t think around him.

  His blue eyes held a knowing gleam. “Maybe you’ve got something else on your mind?”

  “Apparently.”

  He grinned. “Good, me too,” he murmured, and covered her mouth with his.

  Avery dropped her keys and bag to wind her arms around his neck, plastering herself to his body. Mine, mine, her mind chanted, her body suddenly greedy. She’d gone so long without this.

  Mason sucked at her lower lip, nipped it gently and pulled back. “Save that thought. Dinner’s ready.”

  She couldn’t help but grin. “I can’t believe you cooked for me.”

  He gave her a funny look as he steered her into the kitchen with a hand on her waist. “Why not?”

  “Because I was going to cook for you. And you’ve been busy all day with business stuff, and the cameras.”

  He stopped in the middle of the kitchen and turned to face her, two-hundred-plus pounds of deliciously sexy male. “Because you take priority for me, and I want you safe.”

  Oh, hell… She stared at him, not knowing how to respond.

  He caught her hand, tugged it. “Let’s eat, I’m starving.”

  She stood there while he plated up two servings of spaghetti and meatballs, and followed him to the table he’d already set. With freaking candles. “Mason,” she murmured, touched but floundering. She didn’t know what to do with all this. “What are you doing to me?”

  His expression turned serious. “Showing you you’re worth it.”

  It felt like a giant fist had just clamped around her heart. Mason seemed to be showing her he was serious about her
.

  “This is my mom’s recipe,” he added. “One of the first things I learned to make of hers before I moved out,” he added, setting her plate down for her and pulling out her chair as if they were in a fancy restaurant. “Hope you’ll like it.”

  Avery had to swallow the lump in her throat before picking up her fork. “I already love it, thank you.”

  His eyes warmed as he smiled at her. “You’re welcome.”

  They chatted about their days while they ate, but Avery couldn’t really concentrate. “This is incredible. You stuffed the meatballs.” He’d even picked her up a bottle of her favorite wine.

  “Yeah, you roll a little bit of mozzarella and parmesan into the middle of them. Glad you like it.”

  She liked everything about this. A great, home cooked meal and a romantic table set for just the two of them. Anticipation charging the space between them. She could see he wasn’t like her ex, but just how far was she willing to take this when there was still so much uncertainty?

  Suddenly, she couldn’t take it anymore. The anticipation was killing her, and not in a good way. She set her fork down and rubbed her palms over her thighs. “We need to talk about how this is going to go.”

  He paused to look up at her, his fork spearing a meatball on his plate. “This. You mean us?”

  “Yes. I don’t want things to be awkward later. I mean, you live here now, this is a small town, and you’re also Tate’s best friend. So it’s not like we can avoid each other forever if things don’t work out.”

  He didn’t look away. “Define ‘things.’”

  The urge to backtrack was tempting, but she had to get this out. Had to be honest and real with him before one or both of them got hurt. “I’m not okay with this just being physical. I thought I could do it, but I can’t.” Not with you.

  He stared at her, his eyebrows pulling together. “What does that mean?”

  She sighed and screwed up her courage even though her insides were quaking at the very real possibility of rejection looming before her. “My life before you showed up? I knew how to do that. I was an expert at it, and was prepared to do it forever. And then you came along, and now I don’t know what the hell to do with all this.” She gestured between them with her hands, unsure how to put her feelings into words.

  “Good, because I don’t either.”

  His quiet response surprised her. “You don’t?”

  He shook his head, set down his fork and reached for her hand, curling his long fingers around it. “But I want to learn how.”

  Her heart rolled over in her chest and landed with a little thud.

  “If it makes you feel any better, I’m in uncharted territory with you.”

  A lopsided smile spread across her face. “Yeah, that kind of does make me feel better, actually.” A familiar ringtone filled the air. She checked her phone without thinking, because she was on call. She was always on call. And when she saw her partner’s name, a spurt of disappointment hit her that she had to answer and interrupt this conversation. “It’s Tate. Hang on a sec.” She pulled it out of her pocket and answered.

  “We’ve got a situation,” he said.

  She sat up straighter. “Why, what’s wrong?”

  “There’s been a domestic disturbance reported. Ray has barricaded himself in his trailer, threatening to kill himself if the police won’t leave him alone. He’ll only deal with you and me, apparently.”

  “What the hell did he do now?” she asked. Mason had only gotten his freshly-painted Jeep back this morning.

  “Got into a brawl with some family members at their house, and took off. Good chance he’s drunk.”

  “And armed,” Avery muttered, getting to her feet. Mason was right with her, following her to the front door. “I’ll pick you up in a few minutes,” she said to Tate, since he was on her way. Disconnecting, she turned to Mason. “Sorry, duty calls. Ray’s barricaded in his trailer, threatening to kill himself and will only talk to me and Tate.”

  Concern knit his brow. “Want me to—”

  She laid her fingers across his lips and smiled. “No, you can’t. But I’d love it if you were still here when I get back.” She kissed him, hope making her heart feel lighter than it had in years. They would finish their talk later, in bed. Once both of them were too tired to move. “And that’ll be as soon as humanly possible, because I want you so damn much…”

  Surprise lit his eyes, a grin curving his mouth. “Guess I’ll make dinner for you a lot from now on.”

  Snickering, she kissed him. “See you.”

  He took her head in his hands, deepened the kiss for a few dizzy seconds. “Hurry back, and be safe.”

  “I will.”

  She drove to Tate’s, thinking about Mason’s parting words. It felt incredible to know he cared about her so much. Doug had never told her to be safe before a shift. He’d hated that she’d become a cop after they were married, and never let her forget it.

  Tate was waiting for her outside his house. He hopped in the passenger seat and slammed the door shut. “No updates. They’re waiting for us up there now.”

  She turned the vehicle around and headed toward the hills above them. “What the hell’s Ray’s problem now? Still about the property?” He still wouldn’t admit to tagging Mason’s Jeep.

  “I’m guessing so. His sister’s on scene, waiting to talk to us.”

  The rain was coming down in a steady shower now, making the beams of her headlights glisten on the wet pavement. When they arrived on scene at Ray’s trailer, three squad cars were there. Four officers, and a civilian woman in her fifties who turned out to be Ray’s little sister.

  Avery and Tate spoke to her, getting the intel they needed. As expected, an argument about the land sale had erupted in the middle of a family birthday party.

  “He was irate,” the sister told them, shaking her head. “He’d been drinking, of course, and he just got out of hand. No one could settle him down, not even me. He started throwing punches at my brothers, and my nephew when he stepped in to break it up. It was chaos.”

  “And then he left?” Avery asked.

  “Yeah, he just got in his truck and took off, yelling about how we’d all be sorry when he was dead. I ran out to my car and followed him here. I pleaded with him to let me in but he refused, crying and threatening to shoot himself.”

  The woman was understandably agitated, her concern for her brother real. Avery walked her over to one of the patrol cars. “Sit in here where it’s warm and dry while we go talk to him.”

  The woman—Catherine—grabbed Avery’s arm. “Please. Please don’t let him hurt himself. He’s a good man underneath all this.”

  “I know. We’ll do everything we can to make sure he’s safe.”

  Joining Tate, they went to the trailer’s front door while the other officers stood back near their patrol cars. “Ray,” Tate called out. “This is Detective Tate Baldwin. My partner Avery’s here with me. You wanted to talk to us?”

  An anguished sound came from within the darkened trailer. “I can’t talk to no one.” It sounded like he was still crying. “Not after what I done.”

  Avery stepped closer to the door. “Ray, it’s Detective Dahl. Will you please come out and talk with us? It’s not that bad. No one’s hurt bad enough to need medical attention, and your family isn’t going to press charges. They’re worried about you. So please, just come out so we can make sure you’re okay.”

  Silence answered.

  Avery looked at Tate, contemplating their next move. Then muffled footsteps shuffled toward them. She and Tate both drew their weapons and held them pointing at the ground, waiting on either side of the door.

  A lock scraped, then the door cracked open. Illuminated by the patrol car headlights, Ray stared out at them from red-rimmed eyes. “I ain’t armed,” he muttered, and pushed the door open.

  Seeing that his hands were empty, Avery relaxed a bit but still didn’t lower her weapon all the way. “Come outside, Ray.”
>
  He did, standing under his tiny porch with his head hanging low while rain dripped off the eaves.

  “Why did you want us specifically, Ray?” Avery asked. Given the history between him, Tate and Mason, it was best she do the talking here.

  “Because.” Ray pulled in a shuddering breath, sniffed, and raised his head to look at them. First her, then Tate. “I owe you an apology,” he said to Tate. “Wanted to give it in person.”

  Okay, this was…not what Avery had expected. At all.

  “I was so worked up about the land being sold, I never realized what a shit I’ve been until tonight,” Ray continued, his expression woeful. “That land’s as good as sold, ain’t it?”

  Tate nodded. “Seems that way.”

  Ray nodded too, then dropped his gaze to his boots. “I’m still mad as hell at you and your buddy for buying it. But you done it fair and square, so I want to say I’m sorry for my actions before. And for tonight.” He swallowed, his shoulders hitching. “I was drunk and wasn’t thinkin’. My f-family’s all I got left, and I…” He covered his eyes with a hand, silent sobs shaking him.

  Avery couldn’t stand it. Maybe her feelings for Mason were making her soft. “Your sister’s still here, Ray. Did you want to see her?”

  His head snapped up, his eyes searching the yard. “Catherine? She stayed?”

  “Yeah, she’s real worried about you.”

  He pressed his lips together, fat tears rolling down his cheeks. “I want to see her.”

  It was about the best ending they could have hoped for. Catherine ended up taking her brother home with her. Ray was still calling out apologies as she put him in her car.

  “That went well,” Tate said as they got into Avery’s.

  “Tell me about it.” She glanced at the dashboard clock. It was almost ten now. “How quick do you think we can get the paperwork done and go home?”

  He raised an eyebrow at her. “Why, you in a hurry to get there?”

  “Yes.” She had Mason waiting for her, and that was more than reason enough to hurry.

  By the time she arrived home ninety minutes later the rain had stopped, and the house was dark. She stepped inside the front door, disappointment hitting her when a quiet stillness settled around her. There were no lights on. Had Mason gone to bed?