At least her kidnapper had taken her to a modern, clean cabin. It looked more like a ski chalet on the inside with high ceilings framed with thick rough wood and a large stone fireplace. Hardwood floors gleamed in sunlight pouring through large windows. A full kitchen sported new appliances and a hot tub sat on the back deck.
“Where do you want to start? I know you must have a thousand questions.” He flopped down in a large leather recliner facing the gray stone fireplace and ran his hands through his already messy hair.
This was not a man who played a game. Could this mess be real?
“I know you’re pissed at me and I’m so very sorry for that. I’m sorry even more if I’ve scared you but I swear on my grandmother’s soul this was necessary. Ask away.” He took his glasses off, hooked them to the collar of his shirt, and pressed his thumb and forefinger to the inner corners of his eyes.
A hundred questions swirled in her head, but where did she begin? So much had happened in such a small amount of time and she felt removed from it all as if she were watching from the outside. There was too much to process.
“I’m lost. We only spent a few minutes together yesterday and never even exchanged names. How did you know where to find me? Just start at the beginning. Are you really Robin Martin? What’s going on?” Through the hole in her shirt, she rubbed the gauze covering the wound on her side. Someone must have cleaned and dressed it while she was out cold.
She couldn’t believe she’d fainted. She was made of stronger stuff than that. She had to be in her line of work, damn it. She’d never even had trouble as a student in the cadaver lab in nursing school, but she’d crumpled like a damsel in an old black-and-white movie.
“Yes, I write under the pen name Robin Martin. My real name is Ryan Marks.” His face looked sincere and haggard at the same time. He wasn’t bragging, he stated a simple fact.
“Why didn’t you tell me the truth? With your picture in the back of the book, I would have believed you.”
“I can’t get involved with anyone right now. If I stayed nothing but an anonymous face it would have been the safest course for you. We think it’s because of the picture that you were targeted. Look, I didn’t want the picture added to the bio in the first place, but I let my publisher talk me into it since I recently quit my day job at the university. It’s because of that simple black-and-white picture that someone is stalking me and threatening your life.
“I knew the moment I looked at you that you were going to be trouble and I tried my damndest to stay away from you. Obviously I didn’t do very well. I couldn’t resist spending a few moments of time with the intelligent beauty with the big sexy doe eyes.
“Then, to make matters worse, I couldn’t keep my hands off you. I had every intention of stealing a quick taste and then pissing you off and sending you on your way. I was intentionally a little dominant and rough, intending to push you away. Instead, you melted in my arms like sweet butter and I took more than I planned. I fucked up and you almost paid for it.”
“Stop. Wait. Are you trying to tell me that you have a stalker and they saw us kissing and they’re jealous of me? We don’t even know each other. We didn’t even exchange names. Why would they be jealous of a nobody like me? And how do you know they’re after me and not you? Maybe they followed you to the hospital?”
She intentionally didn’t mention the whole melting topic. She wasn’t up for thinking about, let alone talking about his dominance. A bare glimpse at the memory of his hard body against hers, and those warm and tingling feelings of arousal simmered to life. It wouldn’t take much more and she’d be a puddle on the floor. Not a smart move for someone who’d been shot, and whisked away to an unknown location.
He rose from his chair and dug through one of the bags he’d carried in and pulled out a manila folder. He pulled out color photocopies and turned with a dark look that made her think he faced an execution. He hesitated before walking over with long strides and handed one to her. “I am so sorry. I didn’t want to show these to you but this is why I dragged you away from your workplace and practically kidnapped you. This is how we know you were the intended target.
“Do these two people look like strangers? Or, do they look like lovers who are so hot for each other they might not even make it home before they devour each other whole?”
Her breath caught and stuttered at the raw passion radiating from the couple in the photograph. At the sight of their close embrace and Ryan’s firm grip on her wrists, she felt faint with shock. It hadn’t been her imagination. The proof was right here in her hands. Her rapt pleasure and his need for her were so clear it made her body sizzle in places that should be dead with exhaustion.
Their embrace spoke of a familiarity with each other’s bodies and desires. She looked like a woman who wanted her man with everything she had. He looked like a man who would take his woman in ways she’d never been taken before.
She was speechless.
Looking down at the open folder, he ran a hand through his hair, and closed his eyes. Clearly upset, he hesitated before opening them and finally removing the next copy and then handing it to her.
“I don’t want to show you this one. It still makes me sick with anger and the last thing I want to do is upset you further, but your safety comes first. It’s the reason I’ve basically kidnapped you and I don’t really have a choice. I need your cooperation. As you can see, the red ink makes the stalker’s intent pretty clear. I also received another picture and a letter. The letter has your full name, birth date, and address handwritten in that same red ink. I couldn’t take any chances with your safety.” The malicious bold lettering and the bull’s eye circling her head sent a nauseous feeling rolling through her belly.
“How do they know who I am? This one looks like it was taken yesterday evening before I started my shift at work.” In the picture she could see herself walking in the door to the hospital. She was wearing the same scrubs and the new athletic shoes she’d bought yesterday. They were still on her feet now.
She sat on the arm of the chair before her wobbling legs gave way. This couldn’t be real. Could it? This kind of thing only happened in the books she read or movies she watched. It didn’t happen in real life and it certainly didn’t happen to her.
“My friend, Parker, the man you saw with me earlier, is a police detective. He’s working on this right now. The only thing we can figure out at this point is that they saw your license plate in the parking lot at Crave and somehow took it from there. Parker’s got the original photos and is going to make sure they are run through every test imaginable. I’m sorry, Lacey. I’d give anything not to have brought this into your life.
“I stopped at a large all in one store on the way here and while Parker watched over you, I ran in for a few groceries and simple changes of clothing for you. He went back to help with the investigation but will probably stop by later today. Honey, you still look exhausted. Get some more rest while I unload the car and unpack. Then I’ll fix something to eat and we’ll figure the rest of this out.”
She headed into the door he held open for her. In a daze she sat on the bed and pulled her phone out of her bag.
“I understand if you have people you want to check in with, but please don’t tell them where we are. Your safety depends on it.” He turned and left her alone, feeling like she’d fallen down a rabbit hole.
She didn’t even know where she was. How could she tell anyone anything?
Her phone buzzed in her hand. She had ten missed calls, all of them from work and Carrie, always an eye of calm in any storm.
Ignoring the messages she called her friend. Carrie answered before the first ring had finished.
“Lacey! Are you okay? What’s going on? The hospital is crawling with police.”
“I’m fine. Carrie, I think somebody might have tried to kill me.”
“Oh, honey. I wish I could be there to help you. Where are you?”
“A cabin somewhere? I don’t really know and I
’m not supposed to tell anyone.”
“That’s probably best. There’s a detective Dean Marshall who stopped by the hospital this morning. He reassured me you were safe and would be away for at least a few days. Do I need to get you anything?”
Ryan quietly came in the room and set down a couple of bags from a combination grocery clothing store and her bags from Crave. At least she knew she’d have clean underwear. She rested her hand in her forehead.
“Hang on a sec, Carrie…Ryan? If I have a friend pack a bag for me, is there any way to get it here? She has a key to my house.”
He paused in the doorway. “Have her call Detective Dean Marshall. He works closely with my best friend, Parker. Dean can give it to Parker and he can bring it up when he comes later. Tell her not to go by herself. Take Dean with her. Make sure she understands she can’t go without him. I don’t want anyone else hurt.” He turned and left her alone, leaving her to relay the message.
“I’ll call him, Lacey. Just do whatever you need to stay safe.” They said their good-byes and she lay back on the bed and disconnected.
It was real. Someone had truly tried to kill her. She didn’t know whether to be scared to know she’d been in danger or relieved to find out she hadn’t been kidnapped.
Chapter 6
Despite feeling foggy-headed after her late nap she was in a much better state of mind when she headed to the living room that evening. She found Ryan standing at the window talking on the phone and Parker sitting in the middle of the couch looking tired and rough around the edges. His clothes were wrinkled and a dusting of caramel-colored stubble covered his square jaw. His eyelids drooped as if he were well on his way to sleep.
“I’m hiding away for a few days to play catch-up on my deadlines. I don’t know how long I’ll be up here, but you can get a hold of me at anytime. I mean it. For now, just remember to not tell anyone where I’m at. Yes, I know you’re smarter than I am. You’re also much prettier but that’s not my point. Are you sure you have everything you need, sweetheart?”
Sweetheart? She knew it truly wasn’t any of her business who Ryan spoke to on the phone, but by the way he chuckled over the smart comment, it had to be someone he knew intimately.
She really wanted not to care but it was difficult. They’d only shared one kiss and he hadn’t even given her his real name until he had no choice in the matter. He could talk to whoever he wanted. She asked him to dinner and he declined. That was that.
Still she wanted to rub at the little hollow place in her chest. It was clear he cared deeply for his “sweetheart.” She couldn’t help but be a little envious of the obvious affection he felt for her.
Even if that kind of devotion wasn’t real. Or at least it never lasted. Time and time again the important people in her life had proven that harsh lesson to her. It was fiction at its finest.
And she was being petty. She hated that and it wasn’t at all like her. In the past all she wanted was to find a little piece of that passion and love and keep it for her own. But just because it wasn’t meant to last forever didn’t mean she should begrudge someone else’s happiness even if it was sure to be temporary.
Parker saw her and waved her in the room. “Hey there, Lacey. Do you remember me? We never formally met. Come and sit. How are you feeling?” He rose from the couch and went to guide her into the room. He gave an easy tug on her hand, urging her to sit at one end of the couch. He rubbed his head, paced a few steps in both directions, and returned to sit in the couch’s middle. With a tired looking smile he leaned back against the couch and crossed his hands in his lap as if unsure where to put them.
“You’re Parker? Right? The police officer?”
“Yes, ma’am. Detective Parker Ellison. Here, check my ID. We didn’t get off to very a good start, did we?” He pulled a black leather case from a pocket and handed it to her. A business card and his driver’s license appeared next. “Sorry, I left my birth certificate at home, but I can assure you I’m one of the good guys.” He winked at her and she melted right there and then.
“Did they find the person who shot at me yet?” She was still trying to process and accept the fact it actually happened but she had the wound to prove it. She might as well as go along with it.
“No, not yet, but I promise you I will. The entire department is working on this. We’ve gone over the hospital and Crave with a fine-toothed comb and will repeat the process tomorrow. I’ve got the two best computer people I know going through Ry’s email. We’ll find whoever it is.”
Quiet and steady, Parker had the words rock solid written all over him. Fighting the urge to crawl into this stranger’s lap, she longed to curl into his heat like a drowsy kitten.
Yup, her world had really been turned upside down. She’d gone from avoiding men like the plague to lusting after two separate men in less than two days.
Ryan came by, still talking on the phone to his “sweetheart” and handed her a bowl of soup. He made a second trip with a lukewarm grilled cheese sandwich then went back to watching out the dark window as he continued his conversation.
“What about Leslie? Does she have everything she needs? Are the bills and utilities paid up? Okay, okay. I’ll stop. All right, I love you, too. Bye.” A bittersweet sadness came over Ryan’s face as he disconnected the call. She wondered if whoever she was realized what a lucky woman she was.
“Hey, Lacey. Are you feeling better? The soup’s only canned but I’ll make you a real meal tomorrow.” Then he walked off, running his hand through his messy hair, totally clueless that her life had spun out of control faster than a broken top.
Then he dialed yet another number.
“Hey, beautiful. How are you? Did your package get there on time? Great. Listen, I just wanted to let you know that I had to go out of town for business and won’t be back for a few days. I’m under deadline and hiding. I know. I miss you, too. I just didn’t want you to worry. Okay, I love you, too. Give Bambi a kiss for me. Bye.”
How many women did Ryan have on the line? She guessed she should be thankful she’d discovered what kind of man he was now, before she got sucked in any deeper. What would she have done, if he had accepted her dinner invitation and later found out he had a harem of women on standby?
Obviously it was better to have suffered a little embarrassment than to revisit the misery she’d been through a few months back. As painful and humiliating as it had been, she needed the reminder that love was not permanent.
She hated that she felt so disappointed every time she remembered.
“Lacey, try your soup before it gets cold. You’ve got to be starving. I know you couldn’t have eaten anything today.” Parker’s deep, quiet voice pulled her attention from Ryan again. And that was probably a good thing.
When had she become such a sucker for handsome men? It must be the craziness invading her life because she’d never been this attracted to any man before, let alone two men at one time.
She mechanically ate her soup and sandwich and wondered if her life would ever be the same. With an odd sense of anticipation she suspected there would be no going back to her old life. She felt like she was on a roller coaster inching up the steep incline moments before that first crazy drop.
“Come on, pretty Lacey. You look beat.” Parker took her half eaten sandwich and soup from her and sat them on the coffee table. Before she knew it, she’d been swept up and into his arms with her uninjured side pressed tight against his hard chest.
“Parker!” As shocked as she was, she’d nearly squealed like a little girl at the abruptness of being lifted into the air. Had anyone carried her since she was a small child? She didn’t think so. Ages had passed since her life had been so simple.
“If I run you a bath, can you manage the rest on your own? You’ll need to watch the wound, but if you sit up I think it will be okay.”
“Actually that sounds pretty good, but you can put me down, you know. There’s nothing wrong with my legs.”
“That’s o
kay, I got you. It’s not every day I get to carry around a pretty little lady.” He carefully sat her on the bed and went into the bathroom. Dim lighting and a lovely scent leaked out of the open door. The sound of running water reminded her how grungy she felt.
What did a girl say in this kind of situation? At a loss, she had no clue where to even look for a rulebook. Let alone which page to read. She couldn’t even blame it on the shyness. Out of her element didn’t begin to cover her situation.
“Will everyone at my work be okay?” She couldn’t bear it if something happened to a coworker because of her.
“Yes. We’re certain, unfortunately, that you were the target. You and Ryan are the only ones in danger. This really is the safest place for you. He’s exhausted and stressed but as soon as he gets a few things taken care of and gets some sleep, he’ll be back to his old self. I promise you’ll be in good hands. My brother’s the best guy I know.”
He said it with a smile as he came back in the room and sat beside her but there was a thick layer of cold steel beneath his voice.
“So you and Ryan are family?”
“Yep. He’s not my brother in blood, but I couldn’t have picked a better one if I’d been given the choice. He’s the best.”
“How long have you known each other?”
“We met during the first few days of college. We know each other better than our own flesh and blood does. I could tell you some crazy stories, but I can’t scare you off just yet.” The playfulness was back in his voice as he hinted about the exploits of rowdy college boys but it seemed forced as if he remembered something much darker than college good times.
“Wild times, huh?”
“Uh, yeah. Something like that. But don’t get me wrong. Ryan lives and breathes for his little family. His mom and little sister are his everything.”
Wow, talk about a not so subtle subject change. What was up with that? How did she respond to such an obvious deflection? “That’s great. I don’t have that kind of relationship with my family.”
Lacey Temptations [Crave 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 4
