by Morgan James
“I just... What if you find someone else? What if you get bored?” He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off. “Johnathan told me today that Gemma Malone hired your company—”
His eyes narrowed and he pulled his hand from hers, crossing his arms over his chest. “Johnathan? Is that what brought this on?”
“Well, he and I were talking today and—”
“Of course you were.” He abruptly pushed back from the table and grabbed up his plate. She winced as he set it in the sink with a little more force than necessary. “And what did Johnathan have to say?”
She hesitated, a little thrown by his reaction. “Just that your company is growing on more contracts—like the one with Gemma.”
“Mhmm...” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the counter. “He’s been around a lot lately the past few days.”
To anyone else, it would have sounded like he was merely stating an observation. But Victoria heard the faint thread of jealousy just beneath the surface. “He just wanted to... check on me.”
“Right.”
“He’s just a friend.” It sounded feeble to her own ears, and she fought the urge to look away as Blake stared back at her.
“Does he know that?”
“Of course. He’s the one who suggested I start dating again. He—”
“He just checks on you every day out of the goodness of his heart?” Victoria’s cheeks burned, but he wasn’t done. “Does he know we’ve had sex? That I was your first? I thought we were in a serious relationship—”
“We are!” she cut in as she shot up from her chair. “Blake, please—”
Those hazel eyes threatened to cut right through her. “How would you feel in my position? What if a woman came to visit me every single day, right in front of you?”
His words were like an arrow to her heart. It hurt just thinking about it, and tears welled in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I... I didn’t think.”
His gaze remained hard and impassive, and it sent a spark of fear through her. God, what if she lost him over something so ridiculous?
Blake sighed. “Come here, sweetheart.”
She threw himself into his arms and buried her head against his chest to conceal the tears creeping from the corners of her eyes. His lips brushed her ear when he spoke, his breath soft and warm. “You don’t have anything to worry about, Doc. I want you—no one else.”
“I’m so sorry. I just... I’m afraid you’ll get tired of me and leave.”
“I’m not going anywhere. But inviting a third person into a relationship is trouble,” he warned. “It’s no wonder he thinks he has a chance if you continue to cry on his shoulder.”
“I know, but he’s still my friend. He helped me work through a lot of my old fears and...” She gave a defeated sigh. “Kate told me the same thing—that I needed to be upfront with him. I tried to tell him nicely, but I didn’t want to hurt his feelings.”
“I know he’s your friend, sweetheart, and I respect that. There just have to be boundaries.” He kissed the to of her head. “You see the good in everyone. It’s one thing I love most about you, but it also worries the hell out of me.”
Her heart gave a funny little lurch in her chest. He loved that about her? She tamped down her pleasure as he continued.
“You’re too goddamn trusting.” He pulled back to examine her. “I’d do anything for you—you know that, right?”
She nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“I know this is new for you, but we need to work on your communication a little bit.” He smiled to take the sting out of his words. “You help so many people by talking them through their fears. I want you to be able to come to me when you’re worried about something.”
A wry smile twisted her mouth. “Always easier to fix someone else’s problems, right?”
“It is,” Blake agreed. “But you’re not in this alone.”
“Do you...” She leaned back and licked her lips, already dreading the next question, afraid he would see her as needy and insecure. “Do you see us, you know... dating for a while?”
“Yes.” He kissed her once, hard. “A long while.”
She nodded against his chest. “I want to make this work.”
“Me, too.” He studied her for a moment. “I appreciate everything Johnathan has done for you, but he needs to learn to respect our relationship.”
He left the rest unsaid, but his tone was heavy with disapproval, and she shivered at the possessiveness. He wouldn’t stand for having another man around. What would happen if Johnathan tried to interject again? Would Blake leave? Johnathan had been her friend for years, but what if he cared more about his own happiness than hers? What if he really was trying to coerce her into leaving Blake?
She nodded. “I’ll talk to him.”
His features softened. “Okay. Do you still want to go home tonight?”
Without a word, she laced her fingers through his then led him down the hall to his master bedroom. Stopping next to the bed, she slid her hands up his chest. “I want to be with you tonight.” She pulled him down for a kiss. “Every night, until you get tired of me.”
He let out a low growl and slipped his hands around her hips, inching her shirt up and revealing the satiny flesh of her stomach. “That’ll be a long damn time, Doc.”
VICTORIA RANG THE BELL and smoothed the front of her shirt nervously. From inside the house, she could hear the beginning of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and she rolled her eyes. No plain old chime here—no, Johnathan’s doorbell played strains of classical music.
The front door swung open to reveal the man behind the pretentious façade. Even on a Saturday, he was dressed in business slacks and a polo. Expensive leather loafers adorned his feet. For just a moment, she cataloged the differences between him and Blake. Johnathan was worried constantly about his image. He’d come from nothing, and he worked every day to make more money, be more successful, putting more time and distance between the boy he’d been and the man he’d become.
Blake was comfortable in his own skin. He didn’t care what people thought, and he forged his own way through life. Johnathan bowed to everyone, adapting to fit whatever image someone wanted him to project. Victoria doubted he really even knew who his real self was anymore. It was rather ironic, given his line of work.
“Victoria, what a lovely surprise.” Johnathan stepped backward with a smile and held the door open in welcome.
Her heart hammered in her chest as she crossed the threshold. “Thanks. How is everything?”
“Busy as ever.” He closed the door, and she fell into step as he strode toward the formal living area. Settling in a plush leather chair, he motioned for her to do the same in the one across from him. “I was actually just reviewing some files from this week. How are you holding up?”
She fidgeted in her seat. “Oh, I’m fine. Not really ready to face going back to my house yet, you know.”
He threw a sympathetic look her way, pity evident in his brown eyes. “I understand. It’s difficult to feel secure again when something like that happens. But you have an amazing support group, Victoria, people who care about you. You know I’d do anything for you.”
She did, indeed, and that was precisely the reason for her visit. Blake was right—Johnathan overstepped his bounds on a regular basis, always trying to tell her what was best. As a doctor himself, she knew that Johnathan was qualified to guide her. But he didn’t know every aspect of her life. He didn’t know how she felt—and she was slowly falling for Blake. Actually, that was a lie. She was tumbling hard, head over heels so fast it was almost a blur.
She was willing to devote herself wholly to Blake, and if that meant not seeing Johnathan even as a friend, then that’s what she would do. She wasn’t going to risk a good thing with Blake because Johnathan wanted her all to himself. She knew things between them would never progress. She had no interest in him, and it was time to let him down easy. Soon. She just couldn’t quite bring herself to
tell him yet.
“Has Mr. Andrews made an appointment with you yet?” Johnathan shook his head and Victoria sighed. “I really wish he would. I truly think he exhibits some signs of sociopathic behavior. The things he said about Rachel...” She shuddered. “I don’t trust him.”
Johnathan nodded gravely. “Have you told the police of your suspicions?”
“Yeah, and I know they’re looking into it.” She rubbed her temples. “I’m just ready for this to be over. I want justice for Monique and Kate. And Leah, if it really is the same person. I want to be able to go to and from work without having to look over my shoulder. I want to sleep in my own bed without worrying about every creak and groan in the house, thinking he’s come back to finish me off.”
Tears welled in her eyes and slipped down her cheeks. She felt Johnathan’s arm come around her shoulders as he moved beside her, and she leaned in for a moment, soaking up the comfort he offered. Johnathan was good friend, but it just wasn’t the same feeling as when she was with Blake. She pulled out of his embrace and glanced up with a tremulous smile. “Thank you. I’m okay now, it’s just been a little chaotic.”
“I understand completely.” He returned to his chair and crossed an ankle over his knee. “These last couple weeks would push anyone to the edge.”
She smiled and stared at the carpet, debating when to drop the bomb. Thankfully, he continued. “Hopefully the police have a good lead and they’ll get it figured out quickly. Are they investigating Mr. Andrews, I hope?”
She lifted her hands in a shrugging gesture. “I would assume so since he’s the only one who makes sense, but I’m not sure.”
Johnathan nodded. “It’s definitely someone who wants your attention. He called you out specifically at the murder scene. But why?”
That was the million-dollar question, wasn’t it? “This all seems to be a cry for attention, but I’m not sure why. If it is Greg, maybe it’s an obsession. He’s asked me out several times, but I’ve always turned him down because he was a patient.”
Johnathan’s eyes darkened for a moment. “Would you have gone out with him otherwise?”
Victoria shook her head. “No, I even told him that the day I ran into him at the mall. I have no feelings for him. He seemed disappointed, but I don’t know if he’s the one responsible. I would like to say yes, but... I just don’t know. He was my patient for months and I never really got that impression from him.”
“You know as well as I do that people can harbor deeply rooted feelings of possession or resentment. Maybe he bided his time until he thought he could win you over.”
“Perhaps. But then why hurt Kate?”
Johnathan puzzled that for a moment. “Maybe she was in the way somehow?”
“We were supposed to go out that night,” she admitted.
“That’s as good a reason as any. Separate the two of you, eliminate Kate so he had you all to himself.”
“I just... Something doesn’t fit.” Victoria bit her lip. “It just doesn’t feel right.”
Johnathan offered a small smile. “Well, let the police do their jobs and investigate. I’m sure they’ll turn something up. Maybe all of the evidence will point to Greg Andrews.”
“Maybe.” But like she’d told Johnathan, she seriously doubted it. There was something she was missing—something big. She could feel it.
“I know you’ve said no in the past, but I’m really hoping you’ll reconsider this time.” Victoria’s heart dropped to her toes as Johnathan glanced away, an uneasy expression on his face. “You’re more than welcome to stay here for as long as you need until they catch this guy. You’ll be safe with me.”
“Listen, Johnathan, I really appreciate everything you’ve done. You’ve been a great friend, but...” Victoria squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. “I think we need to keep our relationship professional from now on.”
Confusion lit his features for a moment. “Have I done something to upset you?”
Her heart constricted at his dejected tone. In a lot of ways, Johnathan was like a puppy, sweet and eager for approval. Despite his loyalty, he was beginning to interfere in her personal life and she cared too much for Blake to lose him now.
“You’ve given me some really great advice over the years, and I probably never would’ve confronted my fears without you. It was your idea for me to get out and date again, and I’m incredibly thankful to have a good friend like you. But I’m seeing Blake now and I need to focus on my relationship with him.”
“And he sees me as a threat?”
She nodded. “He does. He’s worried about another man—you, specifically—trying to sway my opinion.”
Johnathan threw a pitying glance her way. “Oh, Victoria, I’m so sorry.”
“Maybe you’ll meet a woman and we can double date.” She offered him a smile to temper her words.
“I’d enjoy that. I just hope you know what you’re getting into.”
She eyed him. “I know you worry about me, but Blake is really amazing. He even gave me this.” Johnathan’s eyes widened as she pulled the locket out from where it lay concealed beneath her shirt. “Remember my friend who was killed back in high school? Leah? We had matching necklaces. Mine was broken, but he had it fixed up for me and put our pictures inside.”
Blake had surprised her with the gift yesterday and the unexpected gesture had brought tears to her eyes. She’d been reluctant to hand it over to Detective Sanchez last weekend, afraid to part with the last remaining tie to Leah, even for a short period of time. After it’d been released from evidence, Blake had apparently taken it to a jeweler to be fixed. She had no idea how he’d come across their pictures, but it was as if they’d been taken yesterday. She and Leah smiled at each other from opposite sides of the locket, frozen in time. She’d thrown herself at Blake and thanked him for the wonderful gift—twice.
She smiled at the thought as she glanced down at the locket before tucking it safely away next to her heart. Her gaze rose to meet Johnathan’s unhappy expression, and she steeled herself for his words.
“Well, that’s... interesting,” he remarked.
“It was a lovely gesture,” she said defensively. “He knew how much it meant to me.”
“Exactly. And now he’s taken something important from your past and made it all about him.”
“That’s not...”
“I’ve seen a lot of woman in your shoes, Victoria. They change who they are for a man—a man who controls them and manipulates them to their advantage. This is how it starts, Victoria, you know that. First, you’re alienated from your friends and family. He’ll feed you empty promises, anything to get you to stay.”
“Blake’s not like that.” She shook her head adamantly. “He’s sweet and caring and...”
He leaned forward and took her hands in his own. “It’s a hero complex, Victoria. With everything that’s happened recently, you’ve developed an attachment to the man. I understand—”
“That’s not true.”
His eyes flashed as she pulled her hands away. “How well do you really know him? What if he’s preying on you because you’re too inexperienced to know better?”
“You’re only saying that because you’re jealous,” she shot back. “We’re friends, Johnathan—at least, I thought we were. If you cared about me at all, you’d support me in this.”
Johnathan sat back in the chair and steepled his fingers. Finally, he gave a little shake of his head. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”
“I need to go.” Tears blurred her vision as she popped up from her seat. He would clearly never see her side of things.
Seething with a combination of anger and sadness, Victoria stormed from the house and climbed into her car. She’d never been in love before, but she felt something for Blake. Whether it was lust or something more, she couldn’t quite be sure. Viewed clinically, she knew the sex influenced her opinion—but she couldn’t help it. When she was with Blake, she felt as if every nerve ending was on fire. A
nd that look in his eyes when they made love...
She was terrified to admit that she might actually be falling for him. She’d protected her heart for so long, hiding from reminders of her past. But Blake was different. It was amazing how well he understood her. He knew of her history, yet he didn’t pity her. Instead, he’d taken her bad memories and replaced them with something good. He’d shown her how to trust again, how to rely on someone other than herself.
Since their relationship had become physical, it’d added a new dimension, a new depth. But that in itself raised the question, was he there for more than just the sex? Now that he’d gotten what he wanted, would he leave? Or, worse yet, now that he had her where he wanted, would he do as Johnathan said and use that to control her? She didn’t think he could stoop to using her emotions against her, but, then again, she’d never felt this way about anyone before. It worried her. Maybe it was too much, too soon.
She shook her head to clear the thought away. No, Blake had told her that he cared about her, and he would never lie to her.
Right?
Chapter Twenty-Three
Blake scrubbed a hand over his face. He’d been staring at the blueprints for so long his eyes were starting to cross. His gaze drifted once more over the large drawing he’d picked up from the developer before he pushed away from his desk and strode to the small window.
There wasn’t much to look at since they were so far downtown. He was afforded a view of another ancient, crumbling red brick building next door and the spires of an even older church a block over. He was missing something, and it was bothering the hell out of him. Maybe some fresh air and a change of scenery would do him good. He tended to think better as he moved anyway.
He grabbed a couple manila folders from the corner of his desk and left his office, flicking the lights off as he went, then made his way up the hall to the bullpen. He tapped in the five-digit code and the door beeped, granting him entrance.
