Deadly Betrayal

by L A Dobbs

  “You? You had everything important. Talent and someone who loved you and cared about you and a way out. I never had any of that. And thanks to you and your manager, I still don’t.”

  “Erin.” Jan held up her hands in front of her, her tone low. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea you wrote that song. If I did, I never would’ve let Lou put his name on it. I’ll make sure it’s corrected now, I promise. In fact, why don’t we go to the studio, and we’ll get it changed this afternoon.”

  “No.” Erin sniffed then leaned forward, closing in on Jan, the blade clutched in her hand. “It’s too late now. Things have gone too far.”

  The sound of a car door thudding shut in the distance made Jan’s breath catch. Was someone here?

  “They haven’t, really. We’ll just pretend like this never happened, and you can go away, California maybe. That’s the heart of the recording industry these days. I’ll help you get started.”

  “I don’t need your kind of help.” The cool blade of the knife bit into the sensitive skin of Jan’s neck as Erin pressed in closer. “Your help is like a slap in the face.”

  “Please. We can talk about this, work things out. Just put the knife down, and we can—”

  Erin snorted and stepped back, looking at the knife in her hand as if for the first time. “You know what? Yeah, you can help me. Open the door.”

  Jan fumbled behind her for the handle and turned it fast, letting a rush of cold air into the steamy space. She shivered and stepped backward into the bedroom.

  “Good. Now get the phone.” Erin followed her out of the bathroom. “And don’t even think about trying anything.”

  “Okay.” She grabbed the cordless receiver from its base. “Who do you want me to call?”

  “The studio. Your producer. Tell him I wrote that song, not Lou.”

  Jan nodded and hit the speed dial button on the phone. Several minutes later, she’d relayed the information to her producer and ended the call. “Done.”

  “Good. Now the world will know why I did it.”

  Icy terror slithered out from the ball of tension lodged in Jan’s gut, her voice shaky with fear. “Did what?”

  Erin’s wide grin brimmed with maniacal menace. “Killed you.”

  26

  Weapon at the ready, Dino sidled down the side of Jan’s house, heading for the back door. One look at the malfunctioning security cameras—dangling from their wires and useless—and he knew things were worse than he’d originally thought.

  Of course no one at Rockford Security would have noticed the cameras were offline. The stalker was caught. The case was closed. No one was monitoring them.

  In his experience, stalkers usually fell into one of two categories—killers and suicides. There was a third category—stalkers who would kill even if it meant sacrificing their own lives—but it was rare. Rare enough he didn’t even want to contemplate it at the moment. And while he didn’t know enough about Erin McCabe to know where she fell, either way, Jan was in trouble. His heart pounded in time with his footsteps as he crept around the back corner of the house and spun fast, arms extended and finger on the trigger.

  Nothing.

  At the patio doors, he scanned the keypad on the wall. The word Disarmed flashed in green digital letters.

  Fuck.

  He tried the handle and found the door unlocked. Both grateful and alarmed, he slid the door open slowly and stepped inside then closed it behind him. He did a quick search of the downstairs. Empty. He started up the stairs, his back pressed against the wall. The closer he got to the second-floor landing, voices drifted in around him.

  Jan—her tone tight with terror—and Erin, her sticky-sweet voice setting his already frazzled nerves on edge. As he inched higher up the steps, he couldn’t stop berating himself for his stupidity. Why hadn’t he suspected her from the start? He should’ve known, should’ve guessed. That’s why Blake paid him the big bucks, because he was always one step ahead.

  Always on top of things, always in control.

  Except with Jan, he’d surrendered to his feelings for her, his love for her, and now her life was in danger. Because of him.

  He reached the second-floor landing and double-checked that his Glock was cocked and ready. The voices down the hall grew louder, coming from the direction of Jan’s bedroom.

  Now the world will know why I did it.

  Did what?

  Killed you.

  Dino froze. On the one hand, he was glad. Glad to know Jan was still alive. On the other hand, she wouldn’t be for long if he didn’t intercede. After a deep breath, he stalked down the hallway, sticking to the shadows as much as possible in case Erin decided to bolt, until he stood right outside Jan’s bedroom door. Through a small crack, he peered inside and spotted the two women—Jan with her back against the far wall, Erin leaning over her, a large knife held high, ready to strike.

  “Freeze!” Dino kicked the door open and headed inside, Glock first. “Drop the knife, Erin.”

  Both women looked at him, and Erin stepped to the side, exposing Jan. Inside the oversized white terry cloth robe, she looked so small and vulnerable, and he swore that if they both made it out of this alive, he’d never let her go again. He’d keep her safe forever.

  “Dino,” Erin said, drawing his attention. “I should’ve known you’d show up. Always her knight in shining armor, huh? Pathetic.”

  “I’m her bodyguard.” He aimed the barrel of the gun for the area around her heart. “Hardly pathetic. Now drop the knife, and we’ll end this safely for everybody.”

  “Huh.” Erin shook her head and narrowed her gaze on him. “I think I misjudged you.”

  He raised a brow at her. He couldn’t care less what she thought about him, but the more he kept her distracted, the more time he’d have to get that knife away from her. “Yeah? How?”

  Erin chuckled. “I just always thought you were so tough, so macho. All those tackles in football and all those buff muscles. But you’re nothing but a little bitch, aren’t you?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Yeah. How does it feel to play lapdog to a woman who outranks you in every way that matters?” She gave him a hard little grin. “Bet that puts a damper on things.” Her gaze dropped suggestively to his crotch before returning to his eyes. “Or maybe you like the submission.”

  “What I like or don’t like in the bedroom is none of your business.” The time it took her to make her horrid little speech had allowed him to creep closer to her. Close enough to ambush her if necessary. All it would take was one well-timed strike and…

  “Did you call the cops already?” Erin asked.

  “Yes. They should be here any minute.” He glanced at Jan again, doing a quick visual search for any injuries. “You okay, sweetheart?”

  “I’m fine,” she said, the words squeaking out in a rush. “Stacy needs help too.”

  “Stacy’s fine,” he said, his gaze darting back to Erin. “She’s downstairs.”

  “Wow. I’m impressed. My research said you were good, but I thought it would take you at least a day to find her.”

  “You have no idea who you’re dealing with, lady.” He raised the barrel of the gun from her chest to the spot between her eyes.

  “Neither do you.” Erin inched closer to him, the knife clutched in front of her now.

  “Dino, please be careful.” Jan sobbed. “I love you.”

  Warmth infused his bloodstream, despite the situation. Jan loved him. He’d die now, a happy man. “I love you too, sweetheart.”

  “Aw, isn’t that sweet?” Erin made a gagging motion with her finger. “I think I’m going to puke.”

  “Give me the weapon.” He waggled the fingers of his free hand toward her. “Last chance.”

  Erin gave him a disparaging look and shook her head. “Fuck you and your chances. I’ve got nothing left to lose now.”

  His pulse stuttered at her words.

  The third category.

  Erin fell into that third c
ategory—killer and suicide.

  Desperate and determined and unafraid to die.

  Worst category ever.

  He’d hoped to end this with no bloodshed or life lost, but with Erin’s words, he knew now that wouldn’t be possible. Someone would bleed tonight.

  He just prayed it wouldn’t be Jan.

  For Dino, the next few minutes seemed to pass in a blur of action and adrenaline. He acted on pure emotion and instinct, and time seemed to slow down and speed up all at the same time.

  Erin attacked at the same time that he lunged for her.

  Jan screamed.

  They both tumbled to the ground in a mass of flying limbs as he struggled for the knife while she struggled to stab him. Erin knocked the gun out of his hand, and it skidded out of reach.

  She was stronger than he’d expected, and she fought back like a woman possessed—slashing that damned knife at him every chance she got. He dodged her attempts to slash him and even managed to restrain her wrist once, squeezing it so tightly it must have done some damage, but still she came at him, her once-beautiful face distorted by rage.

  The knife bit into his skin countless times as they tussled, but still he battled on. He couldn’t leave Jan unprotected, refused to allow Erin to win. He just wished Blake would show up with the damned cavalry already.

  As if in answer to his prayer, sirens wailed in the distance, and Dino relaxed his hold on Erin for just a moment. Maybe he could still reason with her. After all, she hadn’t always been crazy, right? They’d gone to high school together once upon a time. He didn’t really remember much about her from back then, but still… “Listen, the police are coming. Give me the knife and surrender, and maybe I can get them to reduce your sentence.”

  “Why?”

  “Why what?”

  “Why would you help me? For me?” Erin looked from him to Jan then back again. “Or her?”

  He hesitated, and she sneered.

  “Wrong answer.” She swooped in with the blade and sliced across his abdomen. Nothing deep, but enough that blood oozed and covered the front of his shirt. He grunted and attempted to toss her off of him, but she wasn’t budging. Not without a serious fight.

  “Dino,” Jan cried out, reaching for him. “Oh my God. You’re hurt.”

  “Aw, she cares.” Erin turned her head slightly and smiled. Wrenching from Dino’s grasp, she straddled his thighs. Light glinted off the shiny metal blade as she arced it high in the air. Her triumphant squeal echoed off the walls, then she slashed the knife down toward his chest.

  Jan’s stomach twisted, her throat constricting around the coppery smell of blood. Sirens wailed in the distance, but Jan couldn’t hear anything except the pounding of her own heart.

  Her brain could barely process what was happening in front of her eyes. Dino had been stabbed and was bleeding right in front of her. Erin was so much smaller than Dino but appeared to have herculean strength—the strength of a crazy person hell bent on getting what she wanted.

  Namely Jan and Dino dead.

  “Dino,” Jan cried out, reaching for him. “Oh my God. You’re hurt.”

  “Aw, she cares.” Erin turned her head slightly and smiled. An ugly, twisted smile.

  Time slowed to a crawl.

  Erin wrenched from Dino’s grasp and straddled his thighs. Jan’s heart plummeted as Erin raised the knife high in the air, directly over Dino’s chest.

  Jan’s eyes flicked from Erin to the Glock lying beside her on the floor. Every nerve in her body rebelled against picking the vile thing up, but she couldn’t let Dino get hurt. She’d do anything for him … even die.

  She lunged for the gun, the grip still warm from Dino’s hand. She had only a split second. Her aim had to be precise. With the way Dino and Erin were intertwined, it would be so easy to hit Dino by mistake. She steadied her breath, just like she’d been taught, aimed, and pulled the trigger.

  The sound of the gunshot registered in her ears, and then Dino turned his head toward her, face pale and eyes wide with surprise.

  Dino whipped his head around at the sound of the gunshot. Jan stood pressed against the wall, the gun in her shaking hands.

  He whipped his head around again toward another sound. The sound of Erin screeching as she clutched her bloody hand, pulling it tightly to her chest and rolling on the floor in agony.

  "You bitch, you shot me!"

  Erin had dropped the knife on the floor, and Dino rolled over, shoving it away from Erin. Jan threw the gun on the ground like it was a poisonous snake and ran to him.

  The cut on his abdomen ached like a son of a bitch as footsteps pounded up the stairs and cops flooded into the room. Guns blazing, they secured the area and tried to restrain a violently twisting, spitting, and cursing Erin.

  Slowly, he started to get up. But Jan was at his side, crouching down next to him.

  “Dino.” Jan ran her hands over him, tears streaking down her cheeks. “Are you all right? You’re bleeding.”

  “I’m fine.” He cupped her cheeks and forced her to meet his gaze. “Are you all right?”

  “Yes.” Her bravado crumbled, and she collapsed against him. “Oh God, Dino. I was so afraid.”

  "Me too. She was a maniac with that knife. But you shot her. You saved me. And you hate guns. Are you sure you’re okay?"

  "Yeah, I’m okay." Jan glanced over at Erin. "I didn’t think. I saw her about to stab you, and I couldn’t let her hurt you. I couldn’t bear losing you. I’d do anything for you."

  He held her close and rocked her against him, not caring about his wounds or his blood smearing over both of them or the chaos around them. Jan was here, in his arms, safe and secure, and that was all that mattered. “Me too, sweetheart. Me too. If I lost you, I don’t know what I would do. I can’t live without you. Not again.”

  “You don’t have to.” She pulled back from him and stroked the hair off his damp forehead. “I’m so sorry about our fight earlier. About not trusting you. I swear I will never doubt you again. I love you, Dino.”

  “I love you too. And I hope you’ll give me another cha—”

  He never got to finish his sentence, because she kissed him.

  Despite everything, he wrapped his arms tightly around her and pulled her close. He’d let her walk away from him earlier today, and it had nearly cost him everything. He never intended to let her walk away from him again. He’d spend every waking moment showing her just how precious she was to him, just how much he loved her. Fifteen years they’d waited for their second chance. He didn’t want to wait anymore.

  A clearing throat finally broke them apart, and Dino looked up to see Blake staring down at them with a raised brow and a knowing grin. “Looks like I arrived in the nick of time.”

  “Yeah.” Dino took his extended hand and stood then helped Jan to her feet. He winced as he straightened. “Medics here too?”

  “Downstairs.” Blake’s icy gaze darted between the two of them. “Anything serious?”

  “Nah. Just a scratch,” Dino said, wrapping his arm around Jan’s shoulders and heading for the door. He cocked his head in the now-quiet Erin’s direction. “Watch out for that one. She’s stronger than she looks.”

  Blake smiled and winked, hiking his chin toward Jan. “So is that one.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Dino tucked Jan in tighter to his side, his heart damned near bursting with respect and love for the woman who’d changed everything the day she’d walked back into his life. “I know.”

  27

  Two weeks later, Dino sat beside Jan in the lobby of the rehab facility. They’d gotten Stacy readmitted the afternoon of the attack at Jan’s house, and today was the first day Stacy was allowed to have visitors now that she’d finished her mandatory initial detox phase.

  The place was busy today. Lots of patients milled about the lobby or walked outside with their family members or friends in the lush plaza gardens. Beside him, he felt Jan tense, and he squeezed her tighter to his side. “She’s doing fine.
I talked to the nurse on the phone a couple of days ago. She’ll be good as new before you know it.”

  “I know.” Jan patted him on the stomach then pulled back when he winced. “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” He shifted slightly and took her hand, lacing his fingers with hers before resting them on his thigh. “Guess I don’t heal as fast now that I’m old.”

  Jan scrunched her nose. “You’re a year older than me. Which means you are not old.”

  “Maybe we’re both old?” He raised a provocative brow at her.

  “Maybe you’d like me to smack you now.” She raised her hand for a mock slap, and he ducked accordingly.

  “Hey, my greatest goal in life is to grow old with you, so I’m the world’s happiest man.”

  She relaxed against him, her expression going from stern to soft affection in a heartbeat. “It is?”

  “Yep.” He studied her face for any sign of strain or trauma. He’d been worried about her after she’d shot Erin. He knew some people didn’t handle shooting another person very well, but Jan was strong. Stronger than he’d ever imagined, and she’d come through the shooting and the whole stalker ordeal relatively unfazed. Not to mention that she was apparently a good shot, which he was incredibly grateful for, especially since she could have easily shot him if she’d missed. He kissed her gently then took her chin in his fingers. “It is.”

  The double doors across from them cha-chinked open, and a nurse walked out with Stacy. She looked tired and thinner than she should be, but overall a million times better than the last time he’d seen her. The drab gray scrubs they had her dressed in matched all the other patients in the place and only served to highlight her paleness and lack of makeup. Her long blond hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail at the back of her neck. Dino couldn’t ever remember seeing her without her hair and makeup done. Without it, she looked younger, more vulnerable.

  As they approached, he and Jan stood then waited while the nurse whispered something to Stacy before walking away. Stacy nodded then took a deep breath, watching them both with a wary gaze as she stepped before them. She gave them a small one-handed wave. “Uh, hi.”