by Jane Godman
“I don’t want—” What? I don’t want to lose you? After what he’d done, her thoughts weren’t making sense.
“Go.” Rylan leaned across her and opened the car door. “We can talk later.”
She exited the vehicle and dashed toward her apartment. It was only when she was inside, and dealing with an overenthusiastic greeting from Papadum, that she stopped to consider his words.
Rylan had destroyed her trust. What could they possibly have to talk about?
* * *
Normally, in a volatile situation, with so many unknown factors, Rylan would have been totally focused on his surroundings. Instead, as he moved from the parking lot toward the Diamond, his concentration was on the hollow ache in his chest.
These last few days with Bree had been a glimpse of everything he wanted and thought he could never have. The life he had believed was out of his reach. A woman he could love. Someone to share his hopes and dreams, to walk at his side, meeting the highs and lows with her hand in his. He had seen it all. Bright days, cozy nights. Children. Facing old age together.
He had blown it. Thrown away the future before they’d had a chance at it. The knowledge that it was all his own fault made the pain even worse.
I should have told her.
But how could he? He’d made a promise to keep his identity secret. And Rylan kept his promises.
It was at times like this that he could hear his father’s slurred, sneering words. Worthless. Weak. Never amount to anything. All true. Now, more than ever. And despite his vow to the contrary, he’d succumbed to the intensity of the attraction he felt for Bree. He had been enchanted by her, so caught up in the magic of his emotions he’d been unable to walk away. Weak? He was a living, breathing example of the word.
As he stepped onto the paved surface of the Diamond, everything appeared normal. The atmosphere was vibrant, yet laid-back, with no evidence that anything had disturbed the revelry. It looked as if he and Bree were the only people who had been affected by the gunshot.
Maintaining a careful scrutiny of the area, Rylan made his way back to the point where they had been standing. Tiny shards of glass crunched beneath his feet. He couldn’t find any trace of the bullet, but he figured it was probably embedded in the brickwork above his head. The sound had been unmistakable. Rylan, of all people, knew a gunshot when he heard one.
Turning back to view the Diamond, his gaze took in every detail of his surroundings. The place was crowded. If anyone standing on the cobbles had drawn a gun and fired up at the string of lights, there would have been witnesses.
He scanned the buildings. The renovated warehouses had been separated into individual units, and above each of the bars, cafés, offices and restaurants was a second floor. Rylan remembered that David Swanson had said his apartment was above the Yogurt Hut. He assumed there were similar dwellings above the other businesses. From where he was standing, he figured the shot must have come from a second-floor window on the opposite side of the Diamond.
Although it was impossible to pinpoint which window the shooter had used, Rylan studied each of them carefully. He had no intention of checking what was going on behind each window right there and then. That was a task for the police, and despite Bree’s reservations, he had every intention of taking this latest incident to her brother so he could investigate what had happened.
The nearest bar was called On the Rocks. There was a security guard at the door and, although Rylan couldn’t be sure the same guy had been there earlier, he was hopeful that there hadn’t been time for a shift change.
“What happened there?” Rylan pointed to the string of lights. The gap where the yellow one had been was now a conspicuous dark spot in the center of the colored string.
The guard gave him a blank look. “I guess one of the bulbs blew.”
“No, that’s not what I meant. Twenty minutes ago, I was standing under that light with my g—with my friend and it exploded,” Rylan said. “Did you see what happened?”
The guy shrugged. “If you’re looking for compensation from the city council, I can’t help. I’ve been here for the last four hours, but I haven’t seen anything unusual.”
Rylan thanked him and turned away. Although it was frustrating that the security guard hadn’t seen the incident, he’d learned enough from the encounter. He was convinced that the shot had not been random and that he and Bree were the targets. He looked again at the buildings from which the gun must have been fired, judging the distance. The shooter had been skilled enough to single out that bulb, and confident enough to know that he could hit it without risking injury to anyone in the crowd below.
That meant the shot had been intended as a scare tactic. A proficient gun handler, with enough self-assurance to fire over a crowded area, could have killed or injured them if he’d wanted to. Instead, he’d chosen to warn them.
Even so, this was an escalation. Threatening emails and moving Bree’s possessions was bad enough. A bullet took this to a whole new level. Had Bree’s stalker been triggered by seeing her with Rylan? If that was the case, they could expect more. Or worse.
Which was a good reason not to leave her alone. He wasn’t looking forward to the coming confrontation, but at least he could be honest with Bree from now on. And that would include letting her know that he wasn’t leaving her side until this shooter was behind bars.
* * *
Bree removed her hat, feeling the shards of glass that were buried in the wool crunch beneath her gloved fingers. She wondered if she should be clutching the gun instead of Papadum. Somehow, the dog made her feel safer...and the firearm was only inches away. Even so, when the door buzzer sounded, she jumped so much that Papadum let out a startled grunt.
“Sorry, big guy.” She patted his head to reassure him.
Her security included a video camera linked to the entry system. When she pressed the button, a black-and-white image of Rylan filled the screen.
“Bree? Let me in.”
She paused. Now was probably not the best time to tell him to get out of her life forever. At this moment, her feelings about his behavior took second place to that bullet. She could tell him to take a hike anytime. But right now...
I need him.
“Bree?”
She pressed the button to admit him and moved to open the door. The tension in her jaw was reflected in the set of her shoulders, and her stomach muscles tightened as though trying to disguise the fluttering sensation inside. It felt as if her brain were filled with static, firing off random thoughts. This could go one of two ways. She could greet Rylan with stony silence or wild recriminations. Until she saw him, Bree had no idea which it would be.
It didn’t help that he was just so gorgeous. As he walked toward her, Bree’s heart flipped over with an emotion that had nothing to do with anger. All she wanted to do was run to him and feel those strong arms close around her.
“You lied to me.” Silence wasn’t an option.
“If you knew how much I regret that—”
“How did you think this was going to end, Rylan? Did you think I would never find out that you’d been hired by my parents to watch over me?” She could feel her voice rising, and she forced it back under control. “Or didn’t it matter? Because it was just a brief fling—”
Rylan caught hold of her upper arms. “Don’t say that. Please, don’t even think it.”
Bree jerked out of his grip, storming into the apartment. She heard Rylan close and lock the door before he followed her. Although he was standing just behind her, she didn’t turn to face him.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen.” The gentleness in his voice almost undid her resolve. “I promised Blaine I would look after you. One last job, as a favor to him. That’s all it was. Until I met you.”
“I don’t want to hear it.” She swung around to face him. “You and me... Whatever it was, it’s over
. No amount of talking can justify what you did. Now, before you go, tell me what you found out about that gunshot.”
“Can I sit down?” He indicated one of the sofas in her open-plan living area.
Reluctantly, she nodded. Once Rylan was seated, Bree sat as far from him as she could. Papadum looked from one to the other. With his loyalties torn, the dog decided on a position on the rug mid-way between them.
I’m going to really miss the dog.
What sort of crazy, mixed-up thought was that with everything else that was going on?
“From what I’ve been able to discover, there was a single gunshot fired directly at the bulb over our heads. I spoke with a security guard at the nearest bar. He didn’t notice what happened, and he didn’t see anything else.” Rylan kept his gaze fixed on her face. “It seems we were the only targets.”
“Could the bulb simply have shattered?” Bree asked.
He shook his head. “We both know it was a shot.”
“I just hoped...”
“This has gone beyond hoping, Bree.” His expression was serious. “He won’t stop here.”
“Thank you for your professional opinion. Be sure to add it as an extra on the bill you give my parents.”
There was a flash of hurt in the depths of his eyes, and his fists clenched on his thighs as he took a moment before he answered. “I’m not charging for my services. Blaine is my friend.”
“How noble.” Her lip curled. “Am I supposed to be grateful that you came out of retirement and made me a charity case?”
She’d said she wasn’t going to talk about it. She shouldn’t talk about it. But her hurt pride wouldn’t let it go. She wanted to prod Rylan, to goad him, to wound him. To make him feel a fraction of the pain he’d caused her.
“What about the artists you are representing?” Rylan was looking down, and she flung the angry words at the top of his head. “Don’t they deserve to know you are a fraud?”
He reached into the pocket of his jeans and withdrew his cell phone. “From the day I took this job, I made it clear to your mom that I wasn’t going to waste my cover role. I promised I would help these young artists.” Flicking through web pages, he held up the screen. “I’ve made sure they all have websites, that they promote their work on social media, each of them now has a blog, and they share each other’s posts. We’ve been involved in charitable and community events, some of the group have been into schools to help the children with art lessons, we’re publishing an ebook of African American art—” He drew in a breath. “I’ve been coming into your gallery every day to watch over you, but I’ve also been keeping my promise to them.”
Bree felt a flicker of guilt. She quickly buried it. This wasn’t how it worked. She wasn’t the bad guy. She hadn’t told lies or deceived anyone. There was no point at which she deserved to have him walk into her life and make her fall for him.
“I’m glad something good has come of this.” Did she succeed in keeping the bitter note out of her voice? She wasn’t sure. “I’ll get Papadum’s things.”
“Don’t bother.” Blue eyes caught and held hers. “He’s not going anywhere...and neither am I.”
Bree blinked at him. “Pardon?”
“You are in danger. I made a promise to Blaine, and to your parents, that I’d protect you.” He sat back. “It’s going to be a lot easier now that you know about it.”
For an instant, she wanted to laugh. The temptation soon disappeared. Because just who did he think he was? Sitting there with a smug half smile on his face, on her sofa, in her apartment, telling her what was going to happen...
“Get out.” She managed to utter the words despite the rising tide of her anger.
“No.” He started to unlace his boots.
Unsure which of them was crazy, Bree stomped toward the door. “You have two minutes before I call the police.”
“Call them.” Rylan smiled. “I was planning to wait until morning to contact your brother, but I’m sure he’ll come straight over once he knows what’s happened.”
She sucked in a breath. Trey? Now? On top of everything that had happened? She didn’t think she could handle that.
She tried a different approach. “I don’t want you here.”
It was true. She was sure of it. Hurt and humiliation burned through her every time she looked at him, every time she thought of them together and knew their closeness had been based on a lie. But she’d grown used to the comfort that came with his presence. Without him, she wouldn’t feel safe. That was a long way from letting him stay.
“Right now, I have to place your personal safety above your wishes.” There was nothing of Rylan, her lover, in that statement. The man uttering those words was a stranger. A trained, emotionally detached, bodyguard. And maybe that was exactly what she needed when there was a violent stalker on her tail.
She drew herself up to her full height. “I can’t forgive what you did.”
He bowed his head, the stiffness gone from his manner. “Until this guy is caught, or unless you tell me otherwise, ours will be a professional arrangement. Nothing more.”
She regarded him for a moment or two, unsure whether to keep fighting, or be relieved that she wouldn’t have to spend the night with his gun under her pillow.
“You know where the guest room is.” She turned and headed to her own bedroom.
Chapter 7
“I can’t believe Mom and Dad hired a bodyguard without consulting me.” Trey Colton looked like he couldn’t decide whether to be angry or shocked.
Rylan had driven Bree to the sheriff’s headquarters immediately after breakfast. It had been a frosty journey. Now, they were seated in Trey’s office, and Bree had shifted her chair as far from Rylan as she could get.
“They didn’t consult me,” Bree reminded her brother. “Kind of more important, don’t you think?”
For the time being, Rylan was content to observe the dynamics between brother and sister. He could see how physically alike they were. With his light brown skin and golden-brown eyes, Trey’s coloring was similar to Bree’s. When he removed his cowboy hat, his hair was close cropped, but it was the same dark brown shade as his sister’s. Although Trey was tall and broad-shouldered, the siblings also shared the same strong runner’s physique.
There was more to it than a physical likeness. Even though they were clearly in the habit of sparring verbally, he could feel the fondness between them. And it reminded him all over again of what he didn’t have. This was normality. Family. Affection. Caring. The things that would always remain out of his reach.
Worthless. Yeah, like I needed a reminder.
“Yes.” When Trey smiled, he and Bree appeared even more alike. “I suppose you were more closely involved.” His manner became serious again. Rylan thought of what he’d heard of Trey Colton. The Bradford County Sheriff had a reputation for playing by the rules and getting the job done. “Tell me about this gunshot.”
Rylan quickly filled him in on what he knew about the ambush. “Bree needs to tell you the rest.”
“There’s more?” Trey raised a brow as he looked up from the notes he was making.
“I’ve been getting more emails. They’ve been getting more threatening.” Bree held up a hand. “I know what you’re going to say. I should have come to you sooner.”
“Damn straight.” Trey frowned. “I’ll need copies of the emails. Anything else?”
“Other things have been happening.” Bree shot a glance in Rylan’s direction. He couldn’t tell if she was annoyed at him for forcing her to tell all or including him as a coconspirator in her silence. “Someone has been moving my property.” She told him about the digital recorder, the coffee and the teacups.
Trey was silent for several seconds after she finished speaking, his eyes fixed on his notes. When he looked up, Rylan wasn’t looking at the by-the-book sheriff.
He was seeing Bree’s brother.
“I don’t suppose you’d consider going to stay at the farm until we catch this guy?” Trey didn’t sound particularly hopeful.
“No.”
Trey turned to Rylan. “Then I guess Mom and Dad did the right thing after all.”
“I’ll keep her safe.”
Bree made a sound like an enraged kitten. “Uh...still here, guys. Still not happy.”
Trey rubbed a thumb along his jaw. “Bree, if I had the resources to assign an officer to watch over you 24/7, I would. Since I don’t have that sort of manpower at my disposal, I’m glad to know Rylan is doing the job instead.”
“I don’t want preferential treatment because I’m the sheriff’s sister,” Bree said. “And especially not because I’m a Colton.”
Trey flicked a look in Rylan’s direction. It was a silent plea for help that, in other circumstances, would have made him smile. In that moment, he was too focused on Bree’s well-being to share a male bonding moment with her brother.
“Just for a second, stop trying to take stubborn to a whole new level. If someone stalking you wasn’t serious enough, think about the bigger picture. What if this is linked to the other problems the family has been experiencing?”
Bree’s trim frame stiffened at Trey’s chastising tone. Rylan might have only known her for a short time, but he knew her brother was going the wrong way about this. Bree might be quiet and reserved, but she’d spent too much of her life being told what to do by her family. When she’d broken free, she had vowed to stand on her own two feet.
“What family problems?” Rylan asked. “Both Blaine and Bree have hinted that there’s something going on. If I’m responsible for guarding Bree, I need to know if there is anything that could affect her safety.”
“We’re a big family with a lot of business interests, as well as individual personal issues. Inevitably, things go wrong sometimes. We’ve had a bad few months, and most of the things that have happened are unrelated.” Trey tented his fingers beneath his chin. “What I’m about to tell you is confidential. The body found on Wyatt’s ranch may not be the only murder victim.”
