“Never.” His grip on my arm tightened.
Where in the hell was John?!
Hadn’t he noticed the lights?
The noise?
“Drop the gun,” Patrick ordered.
Marcy looked at me.
“It’s okay.” As little as I did know about Patrick, my gut told me the last thing he wanted was to kill me. Not now, at least. Not before he tried winning my love again.
Marcy set the rifle down and Patrick kicked it away with his foot.
“Smart move. Now, get out of the way or I really will kill her.”
Torn, Marcy just stood there. “Please, don’t hurt her!”
“Then get the hell out of my way!” he hollered.
Flinching, she stood aside.
Patrick maneuvered us out into the darkness. It was then that I noticed the squad car door was open and John was slumped over in the front seat.
Gasping, I froze. Was he dead? “Did you kill him?”
“What does it look like?”
I felt sick to my stomach. What a monster! “How did he not see you?”
“Oh, he saw me. He just couldn’t outwit me.”
A sob threatened to choke me. “Why did you have to kill him, though?”
“He put his nose into our business. Nobody is ever going to come between us.”
“My God… You barely know me! How can you think that we’re supposed to be together? We’re strangers!”
He turned me around to face him. The lovestruck psycho smiled at me as if I was the answer to all of his dreams. “Love doesn’t always make sense, Sophia. It’s not anything one can truly control.” He touched my hair lovingly. “You know, the first time I saw you, I just knew you were the one.”
“I’m not the one, Patrick!” I snapped.
His smile faltered. “Yes. Yes you are. The psychic confirmed what I’d already been feeling. We are meant to be together, whether you believe it or not. Don’t worry. In time, you’ll see it, too.”
I was about to argue this when Marcy struck him from behind with the rifle. Gasping in pain, he fell to his knees.
“Come on!” she screamed, grabbing my hand.
We ran toward the woods just as Patrick started firing his gun in our direction. The shots were followed by the sound of sirens in the distance. As the cops drew nearer, we hunched down, hiding behind a fallen oak tree.
“Look, there’s where he parked,” Marcy pointed toward the other side of the woods, where a pair of headlights had popped on. We watched as the car began to move through the woods, away from the sirens, until it eventually disappeared into the darkness.
10
Sophia
Patrick managed to evade the cops, and John… well, he died from a gunshot wound to the head. I felt so horrible, especially learning that he’d been recently engaged and in the process of building a house.
Patrick’s fingerprints were lifted from several places and he was later identified as Patrick James Lovell. The creep was from Michigan and apparently had a history of harassing and stalking people. One of them, a woman named Leah, who eerily resembled me, disappeared over two years ago. Unfortunately, there hadn’t been enough evidence to convict him of any crime, so Patrick wasn’t convicted. Since the incident with Leah, he’d somehow kept his nose clean and no other reports had been filed against him.
Until now.
There was an APB out for him and a warrant for his arrest. Deputy Billings vehemently assured us that Patrick wouldn’t get away with his crimes.
“Don’t worry. He killed a cop,” Mitch said a few weeks later while we were making a late dinner at his place. It was Halloween and we’d decided to skip the parties and just stay home. “So, they won’t rest until they get this guy for murdering one of their own.”
“I can’t believe he killed John without batting an eye. It was like he’d shot a bird or something. No guilt or remorse at all.” I swallowed hard, trying not to think about that horrible night.
“He’s psychotic. I just keep thinking about what he might have done if he’d gotten you out of there. Thank goodness Marcy did what she did,” he murmured, sliding his hands around my waist.
I thought about how hard she must have swung the gun to knock him down the way she had. She was a small, petite woman who I knew I’d never underestimate again. “I’m just glad he didn’t kill her in the cabin.”
Mitch, stirred the pasta into the water and put the spoon down. “Your .22 wasn’t even loaded at the time, right?”
I swirled the wine around in my glass and stared into liquid. “Not at that point. The funny thing is, she hates guns but ended up saving me with one anyway.”
His eyes softened as he stared down into mine. “Thank God.”
“Did I tell you that I closed all my social media accounts?” I knew Patrick would continue stalking me online if I kept them.”
He looked relieved as he leaned up against the counter, his arms folded over his very broad chest. “Good. We already have too many social media junkies living in Summit Lake anyway. I’ve seen both men and women invest more of their time and attention toward the digital world than their loved ones sitting across from them. It’s ridiculous. Another reason why I stay away from all of that stuff.”
“What about promoting your restaurant. You don’t have a Facebook page?”
“Of course.” He smiled. “But I pay someone to do it for me.”
“Ah.”
He closed the short distance between us and cupped my cheek. My stomach erupted in butterflies as he brushed the pad of his thumb across my skin tenderly. “These past few weeks have been… unforgettable. I don’t remember ever being so happy.”
“I feel the same way.” I closed my eyes, enjoying the warmth of his hand.
“When we’re not together, I miss the hell out of you. When we are together, there never seems to be a dull moment. I feel like every day with you is special. Something… new. But, I also feel like we’ve known each other for years. Does that make any sense?”
I nodded and opened my eyes. There was already such an astounding level of comfort between us. The kind that usually took time to grow. “Maybe it’s because we have so much in common?”
I’d learned that not only did he love to fish, but was an avid deep-sea fisherman. He re-introduced me to kayaking and playing pool, which I hadn’t done in quite a few years. He also had a passion for reading, which really surprised me. I’d never met a guy who enjoyed spending an afternoon immersed in a book. The weekend before, we downloaded the same thriller—a new release by a popular author we both loved. It had been so satisfying, sitting next to him by the fireplace, our eyes glued to our e-readers. He read a little faster, but would stop and wait when there was a jaw-dropping moment, just to see my reaction. The man was definitely amazing and sometimes I had to pinch myself just to see if I was dreaming.
“Maybe. I just know that I’ve fallen pretty hard for you, Sophia.” His beautiful blue eyes searched mine, hope and devotion coloring their depths.
His words made my heart sing. I was already so in love with him, but had been too afraid to admit how much he meant to me. Not only that, but my self-confidence was still pretty shaky after being cheated on by my shitty ex. Hell, I’d almost been holding my breath, waiting for Mitch to get bored and move on. He was so damn handsome and sexy, it was hard to believe he wouldn’t. Not to mention, the guy had rocked my world in the bedroom. We’d started having sex after our third date and he made every previous guy I’d ever been with seem… clueless.
“You have?” I asked.
“Yeah, but not like in a psychotic way,” he added quickly. “Like… you-know-who...”
I laughed dryly. “No, I would never compare you to him.”
He almost looked relieved. As if he’d really been worried. “So, what about you? What are your thoughts? Would you like to keep things casual?” he asked.
“Casual?” I smiled and decided to go for it. The way he was staring at me gave
me an unexpected spark of confidence. “For me, this has been anything but casual. I… love being with you. I can’t see myself with anyone else… right now,” I added, suddenly paranoid that I might be trapping him into a corner he didn’t want to be in.
His eyes burned into mine with an intensity that took my breath away. “I can’t seem to see myself with anyone else… ever. I love you, Sophia. I know it’s probably too soon… but—”
“I love you, too.” Overwhelmed with joy, I grabbed the sides of his face and planted my lips against his.
Chuckling against my mouth, he turned the kiss into something deeper, and soon our clothes were off and the food on the stove began to burn, setting off the fire alarm. Laughing, he quickly turned it off and we opened the windows, letting the smoke out.
“Good thing the neighbors aren’t close. We’d have some explaining to do to the fire department,” he joked a few minutes later while we ate Denver Omelets.
“We’d just tell them what a lousy cook I was.”
“Hey, you’re getting better,” he replied. “Last week there was still enough water left in the pot for the noodles.”
I chuckled. I had a bad habit of forgetting about boiling water and had ruined a pot or two. “You mean the spaghetti mush I’d made?” The noodles had ended up almost unrecognizable.
“It wasn’t that bad. Besides”—he squeezed my shoulder—“I’m not with you for your cooking skills. Although,” he said as he smiled devilishly, “you certainly know how to heat me up in the kitchen.”
“Look at the pot calling the kettle black. How is a girl supposed to concentrate on dinner when a mouthwatering beefcake is staring her in the face,” I flirted back.
Laughing, he started kissing me again and that’s when my phone chimed. Recognizing Marcy’s ringtone, I grabbed my cell and read her text.
Marcy: Having a bad night. Are you working?
Me: No. What’s wrong?
Marcy: I need your advice on some things. Can you meet me at your place?
Worried, I told her that I would.
Me: Is it about Robbie?
Marcy: Yeah and other stuff. I’ll explain later.
Me: Okay.
I put my phone down and told Mitch I had to leave. “It’s Marcy. Something is up. I’m sorry. I know we were planning on binging on G.O.T. together…”
He gave me a reassuring smile. “Hey, go to your friend. She needs you and that’s way more important than any Vikings on Netflix.”
“Thank you for being so understanding.”
“Of course.”
I stood up and brought my plate to the sink. “I hope Marcy is okay. She was supposed to go to a Halloween party with Robbie tonight.”
“Maybe they just had a little fight? Let me know how things go.”
“I will.”
He walked over to me. “Afterward, maybe I could even swing by and spend the night at your place?”
I looked up at him. “I’d like that.”
“Me too.” He turned on the sink and began cleaning the dishes. “Tell Marcy I said hello, and if she needs someone to whoop an asshole’s ass for making her sad, I’m just the guy to do it,” he said, only half-joking.
I chuckled. “I will definitely let her know you’ve got her back.”
“Good.” He stole another kiss and told me he loved me again.
Not remembering having ever felt so happy, I smiled. “I love you, too, Mitch.”
11
Sophia
When I reached the cabin, Marcy hadn’t yet arrived. I went inside, kicked off my shoes, and pulled a bottle of wine from the refrigerator. Something told me she needed it. Just as I was uncorking it, I noticed her car pulling up the gravel driveway.
Intending to meet her at the doorway with a full glass, I quickly filled it. A few seconds later, I heard the knock and opened the door. When I noticed who was standing on my porch, all of the blood rushed to my head.
Patrick.
The eyeglasses were gone and he no longer had a moustache. Oddly enough, he looked younger and less menacing. His new appearance was obviously very deceptive.
He held a bouquet of red roses in one hand and a revolver in the other.
“Hi, Sophia.” His eyes took in the wine glass. He grinned. “Wow, is that for me? You shouldn’t have.”
Horrified, I dropped the glass and tried slamming the door in his face. He quickly blocked it with his foot.
“For God’s sake. I just want to talk,” he said angrily.
I needed the rifle.
It was under my bed.
I turned to make a run for it, but slipped on the spilled wine and shattered glass. I fell forward, landing hard on the wooden floor.
“You silly goose. You’re going to hurt yourself,” he said, amused.
I scrambled up to my feet, desperate to escape, but he grabbed my elbow and jerked me around to face him.
He stared at me with regret. “I see you’re still upset about everything. I really hoped maybe by now you’d have cooled down.”
Cooled down?
After everything that had happened?
I suddenly remembered that he’d shown up in Marcy’s car.
Had he also texted me too?
“Where is Marcy? What have you done with her?” Frightened for my friend, I searched his face for answers, praying she was safe.
“She’s fine. For now. But, if you don’t cooperate with me, that can change in a heartbeat.”
My mind started racing with what he might have done with her. “I swear to God, if you’ve hurt her in any way, I’ll kill you.”
He put his finger to my lips. “Hush now, my sweet.”
I slapped his hand away. “I’m serious. What have you done with her?”
He sighed. “She’s fine. Just taking a little nap somewhere. I promise, I’ll let her go once you and I have worked out our differences.”
What in the hell did that mean? He’d drugged her? “Taking a little nap? Where?”
“Just like I said, someplace safe. Now, listen closely. You and I are going to take a ride.” His eyes hardened. “And if you try anything funny, you won’t see her again. I mean it.”
In the last couple of weeks, Mitch had taught me a couple of defense moves. I wanted so badly to use them, but getting physical wasn’t going to save my best friend. The only thing I could do was play along with Patrick. I needed to find out where she was before I tried escaping again.
“Fine. But only if you promise to let her go.”
He relaxed. “I will. I swear.”
I let out a ragged sigh. “So, what exactly do you want?”
“Just for you to take a little ride with me.”
I knew it was a bad idea, but what other choice did I have?
I’d have more with the rifle…
I nodded. “Fine. Let me just grab a jacket.”
“Okay.”
I turned to go toward my bedroom when he stopped me.
“I bet you have plenty of jackets in the closet right here.” He opened up the one next to him. “See.”
Dammit.
“Yeah, I suppose one of them will work.” I grabbed a gray wool one from a hanger. “Actually, I should probably use the bathroom first. Before we go.”
He sighed. “Fine. Go ahead.”
I headed to the bathroom, with him following behind me. At the last second, I made a quick beeline for my bedroom.
“Sophia…” he warned.
I raced over to my bed and tried reaching for the gun underneath, but it was missing.
Patrick leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. “Missing something?”
He knew.
The bastard must have been in my cabin.
I stood up and glared at him. “You were in here earlier.”
He nodded. “Yeah. Actually, I’ve been in here a few times. Funny that you didn’t notice your pillowcase had been changed in the last week. Or that you were missing some pantie
s from your dirty laundry.” His eyes drifted over to the hamper next to my closet.
Thinking back, I had noticed some items missing.
Sick pervert.
“You know, now that we’re in your bedroom, I have a better idea.” His eyes drifted below my neck. “I want you to change into that sexy little black nightie I found in your lingerie drawer.”
I told him where to go with that idea.
He looked amused. “Are you telling me that you’d rather see Marcy dead than wear something that covers more than a bikini? After everything she’s done for you?”
“No. I’m telling you to go to hell,” I snapped.
“Tsk. Tsk.”
“You said you wanted to talk. So, let’s go and do that, Patrick,” I said, trying to reason with him.
“At least you’re finally changing your tune.”
I forced a smile to my face. “Yes. I mean, it’s too early in our relationship for anything else.”
He grinned. “Our relationship. I like that.”
“Please. Let’s just go and take that drive you were talking about.”
“Speaking of relationships,” he said, his eyes narrowing, “you seem to have taken one up with the guy from the restaurant, haven’t you?”
I swallowed. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You know exactly what I mean.”
“There’s nothing going on between us.”
He moved closer. “Other than sex?”
“We… we haven’t,” I lied, stepping backward.
Patrick laughed harshly. “Oh, but you have. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”
He’d been spying on us?
The idea of him watching us have sex made me ill.
He pointed the gun at me. “I have to admit, it pissed the hell out of me. I wanted to murder you both. Especially Mitch.”
From the look in his eyes, he might still be considering it. There was a coldness in them that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I raised my hands. “I’m… sorry. He’s been trying to comfort me.”
Wicked Love Page 34
