Instead, he rushed toward the pleasure.
With her breathy gasps, and his need filling him, they both tumbled. Tori called his name, and Julian answered.
It was what would always happen.
As they came together, the explosion pulled them under. There was no sound, no sight, and no speaking. They simply fell in each other’s arms.
It was perfect.
It was comforting.
It was them.
When the colors stopped swirling, and their breathing returned to normal, Julian lifted his head. There was so much he longed to say, but nothing would explain his feelings quite like the simple truth. “I love you.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
All the emotions she struggled to keep buried were uncovered. His lovemaking and tender words unearthed them. Only this man could directly affect her heart.
“Let them go,” he said softly, rolling to his side.
Tori went with them.
In that moment, alone in their room, she set them free. He knew her so well, and this was why she woke him. Tori needed this.
She wasn’t sure why the tears came, but they did.
All she knew was that the man beside her would help her navigate the emotional onslaught that was assaulting her heart.
“Julian.”
He kissed her on the forehead. “I have you, Victoria Rose. I’ll always have you. No matter how dark the day, I’ll find you and drag you back into the light.”
And she didn't doubt that for one single second.
* * * L i t t l e m o o n * * *
Wednesday Morning
Lantern Inn
She slowly came awake.
Nyx had no clue where she was. All she recalled, from the previous night, was that she was trying to escape the voice in her head and life.
Now she wasn’t in the water.
She was in a rumpled bed.
A part of her was afraid to look over. She could hear soft breathing, and she wasn’t sure what to expect.
As she stared down her body, she wasn’t in her clothes. No, she was in someone’s t-shirt.
Who had undressed her?
Where was she?
Then she caught his scent and the feel of his arm under her pillow. There was the warm, welcoming touch of his flesh against flesh, and silence in her head.
Since being hijacked by Trey Christensen, only one person she’d come across could offer her that peace.
Shit!
She was in bed with Beau!
She wanted to ask a million questions, and when she looked over, he was watching her. His stormy blue eyes were tracking her every movement.
She felt like prey.
“I brought you back to my motel room,” he stated, clearing up some of the confusion. “You cried yourself to sleep.”
There was no emotion in his voice.
“Thank you,” she whispered, not sure if she meant it or not. She had wanted the silence, and touching him had given her just that.
“Do you remember what happened?” Beau asked quietly.
“Yes.”
She wanted to die, and he wouldn’t let her.
It was as simple as that.
“Good.”
“Why?” she asked. “Why did you do it?”
Beau had many reasons as to why he dove in. He didn't understand them, so he chose to ignore it for now. This was shaky ground, and he needed to see if she was suicidal or driven there by his brother in her head.
He needed to watch and wait.
“I brought you here because you were cold, wet, and you lost your keys in the water. I didn't want to kick in your door. This seemed like the best option.”
His answer confused her. That wasn’t what she wanted to know.
“No, why did you save me? I didn't want to live.”
His eyes held no emotion.
“You don’t understand what you’ve done. I was gone. I was free.”
Oh, he was well aware, but before the day was done, Beau would understand. She was going to tell him what was going on in that head of hers. Beau was emotionally invested now. His brother had picked her to play messenger, and that meant something. Not only that, but he’d breathed life back into her body.
That was special.
It was a bond.
At least it was in his book.
There was no way he was dumping her on the curb and walking away. He had to know what she was thinking. Beau needed to know why she was so easily going to hand over her life.
“I understand when someone is doing something wrong, and that’s why I stepped in.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
Gently, he brushed a strand of black hair from her face. All night he’d watched her. He was afraid to sleep. There was no doubt in his mind that she’d run, and he wasn’t going to get lucky a second time if she tried to hurt herself.
He knew what he needed to do.
It looked like she had earned a shadow.
“Why did you do it, Nyx?” he asked.
She stared at him unsure what to say. Nyx didn't miss that he was shirtless. His body was amazing, and she wanted to take the time to read each of the tattoos he’d placed there.
Only, she knew she couldn’t.
Instead, she tried to move away.
The second she stopped touching him, the shouts in her head became frantic. She covered her ears as the silence exploded.
Trey had returned and with a vengeance.
He’d been lurking silently just waiting to strike. The man in her head was back, and he was angry that she tried to stop him from talking to his family.
Beau watched her.
The second she moved away, her whole demeanor changed. Pain filled her face and deep lines of stress etched her brow. She struggled to stand, but he knew he needed to see what was happening to her.
Gently, he tugged her back toward him. When she fell against his body, there was a gasp in relief.
Nyx looked up at him. “It stopped. Your brother stopped screaming in my head.”
He grabbed his phone from the bed stand as he kept her against him. “We’re going to talk.”
She was confused.
This man somehow made the shouting abate. Her head was silent. It was barely a whisper in her mind, and she wanted to celebrate.
No, she wanted to weep.
“We’re going to stay right here until you tell me what’s going on,” he demanded. “Are we clear, Nyx?”
She didn't know what to say.
Everything was so damn confusing. How was he silencing her demons?
Why did his simple touch stop the madness?
She stared at him. “Beau…”
He shook his head. “No. You’re going to explain everything, and we’re going to go from there. You have a lot to tell me, Nyx.”
“But…”
“I have all day, and now so do you.”
He dialed his phone as she leaned against his body. Before they left that bed, she was going to tell him everything. It took a lot to get him angry, but now he was.
She tried to leave this life, and deep inside him, he knew they’d dodged a bullet.
Nyx Nightingale was meant to be there.
She was meant to live.
Beau couldn’t let her die.
There was one simple reason that he couldn’t ignore.
He was pretty sure that she was meant to be his.
CHAPTER Eight
When they woke, the morning light was streaming into their room, softly cascading across their bodies. It was the best way to wake up.
Julian Littlemoon wouldn’t trade it for the world. He’d have to be crazy. After all, Tori was curled around Julian’s naked body, lounging against him. It was pretty damn amazing.
When his phone rang, she reached for it before moving back against his body. She wasn’t ready to abandon her sexy Native nest.
She wanted to enjoy it for as long as she could.
“It’s
Christina,” she said, hitting speaker as she placed the phone on his chest.
“Bosses, I have the information that you requested,” she stated. “I ran the psychic, and I came up with some interesting dirt. I think you’re going to find it fascinating.”
Julian couldn’t wait to hear this. He was beyond curious when it came to the woman. Nyx Nightingale was part of this, and he needed to know her role.
“Let us have it,” he said, running his fingers up and down Tori’s bare back.
“She’s totally legit. I know you never thought I’d say that, but I can’t even find one complaint against her. Usually, you’ll have people post nasty things online about fake psychics stealing their money, but she doesn’t have a single one. When she gets a customer, they get their money’s worth.”
Yeah, they knew why.
Nyx Nightingale was the real deal. They’d seen her in action last night. She wasn’t running a con or grift. She was communing with the dead--just like Tori did.
“We suspected as much,” Julian stated, not telling Christina about what the woman said to them about Tori and Beau’s brother. It was no one’s business but theirs. While they loved their work family, this was Tori’s story to tell. It was her past, and he wasn’t going to out her.
It wasn’t happening.
“What else did you dig up on her?” Tori asked.
“Not much when it comes to her business. She’s spotless. The girl doesn’t even have a single parking ticket to her name.”
They bought that too.
“But…”
That had their attention.
“What did you find?” Tori asked, sitting up. Julian followed suit, pulling the sheet around both their naked bodies.
“I found some newspaper articles about her past. They’re incredibly disturbing. They made my skin crawl.”
Julian lifted a brow. “Are we talking Charlie Manson disturbing?” He knew it had to be something bad if Christina was freaked out.
Christina didn't even laugh.
That said it all.
“No. Her parents are dead.”
Tori didn't want to ask, but she had to. “She didn't kill them, did she?”
“No, but she watched them die. It appears that the Nightingales’ were victims of a horrible B&E gone wrong. Two men entered the house with the intent to rob it.”
They knew where this was going.
They both worked in law enforcement.
“During the home invasion both of her parents were killed.”
“And?” Julian asked.
“The son was killed in his bed.”
They knew she was hesitating, and that meant there was something ugly coming. Christina didn't have that bouncy effervescence like she normally did.
“Their only daughter was taken. When she escaped them, she was in pretty bad shape.”
Julian glanced over at Tori. “How bad was she?”
“She was a minor, so the details aren’t out there, but I called in a favor and got the dirt. She was sexually assaulted, and they tried to kill her. They left her in an abandoned building to die of starvation and thirst.”
They were both sick to their stomachs.
“How old was she?” Julian asked.
“Sixteen.”
Kane’s voice came over the line, “We couldn’t find anything else on her. We’re assuming she went into the system, and then here she is today. There are no college records, and everything about her is spotless. For someone who had such a horrible trauma, she’s kept her life on the straight and narrow.”
They all knew how odd that was. When a child experienced that kind of devastation, there was always something there to leave a permanent scar. She’d been raped and watched her family die. That could lead to a life of chaos, but with Nyx Nightingale, she’d stayed clean.
That alone earned their respect.
“Want me to keep digging?” Christina asked.
Julian had more work, but not regarding that woman. “I do need more searches, but I want them run on the guests here. Let’s leave Ms. Nightingale alone. She’s in the clear.”
That’s what his gut told him. Plus, she’d earned her privacy. Julian didn't want to dig into her life.
“That we can do, bosses. Who do you want me to research?”
Tori continued, “We have Allene and Brandon Bunchen here as guests. They seem harmless, but they were more than happy to point out AngelCake wineries having a similar wine. We know that someone stole the formula, but it’s odd that someone brought it up.”
There was scribbling on the other end.
“Okay, who else?”
“I ran into a Mitch Pettigrew and Roman Remington. They’re a married gay couple and seem on the up and up, but we’re not taking any chances.”
“Got it,” stated Kane.
“Last are Cara Wirth and her husband Gino. They’re from New York, and she works as a matchmaker.”
Christina giggled.
“Yeah, she wanted to find me a new husband,” Tori teased. “Julian was not amused.”
He laughed. “No, he wasn’t. I happen to be fond of my wife, and the baby she’s carrying. I’m crazy like that. Marriages shouldn’t be recyclable.”
Kane snorted. “Is she dead? Did Tori kick her ass around the room? Did you take pictures?”
“No, but next time, I just might. Get me all you have on those six people. As we start wandering around, we’ll have more.” Tori didn't doubt they’d be running many people before the week was up.
“Speaking of research,” Julian began, “are we any closer to the missing girls?”
“I wish, boss. You’d be surprised how many missing children there are in that area over a twenty-year period. Plus, you don’t have names, so narrowing it down is going to take days. Unless…”
They knew what she was asking.
If they wanted to get closer to finding the missing girls, they needed to ask their friendly ghost.
Julian didn't look amused.
“I’ll get you the names. I can’t promise it’ll be their full names, but I’ll do what I can,” Tori replied.
“Thanks, boss!”
Julian was curious how the office was doing. After all, it was his baby too. “How’s everything going there?” he asked.
There was some hesitation.
Neither of them missed it.
“Well, Lena just got in. She looks like she spent the night rocking it out, but she’s awake and her feisty self. Beckett and your sister rolled in twenty minutes ago, and they’re just starting to go through the case files. We’re having a meeting in a little while.”
“And my brother?” Julian asked.
“I can’t answer that since he’s not here yet.”
That didn't sit well with them.
“If he doesn’t show, call me. I’ll call Vivian and see if he’s around.”
They didn't say anything else. This was a family thing, and while they were close, Justin was Julian’s brother. They knew the man would want to handle it.
They were keeping out of it.
“Just hold down the fort for now, guys. You’re doing a really great job.”
“Watch your backs out there,” Kane said. “Who knows what you’re up against?”
They were well aware.
The second they hung up the phone, it rang again. Apparently, it was a busy morning, and they were popular. A part of Julian was hoping it was his brother.
When it wasn’t, he sighed. “It’s Beau,” stated Julian, tossing her the phone as he headed toward the shower. He’d let Tori handle it while he tried to figure out what to do about his twin.
The second she answered the phone, she heard it in his voice. “What’s wrong?”
Julian stopped at the bathroom door. He didn't look away from his wife. She looked concerned.
Something had to be up.
“Okay, Beau, we’ll cover for you. Don’t stress it. I want you to stay put and make sure you’re both safe. We tota
lly understand. Great job.”
When she hung up the phone, her eyes showed her concern. “Julian, we have a problem.”
They usually did, but most of the time, it didn't affect his wife like this.
“What happened?”
“After we left last night, Nyx tried to end her life. Beau stayed, and he saved her.”
She told him the rest.
“Jesus. That can’t be good.”
“He’s got her at his motel room. He’s afraid to leave her side because she’s struggling. Trey is slowly killing her.” Saying those words were foreign to her, and they squeezed her heart. Trey, in life, would never cause anyone pain.
Now in death…
It was a hard pill to swallow.
Julian didn't know what to do. They needed Beau on the inside digging around, but they also didn't want Nyx Nightingale to die. She’d given Tori peace of mind, and they knew her past. They needed to protect her too--apparently from herself and a dead man.
Who knew?
Their lives were getting weirder and weirder.
“We’re going to have to dig for him,” he stated. “I hope you’re ready to subtly interrogate everyone downstairs at breakfast.”
Tori was always ready for an interrogation. “Let’s get showered and down there.”
He was right behind her. They had work to do, and it was all on them now.
Julian only hoped they could pull it off. They should be good as long as nothing disastrous happened.
What were the chances?
* * * L i t t l e m o o n * * *
Darkwood Monastery
One Hour Later
Downstairs in the main area, the winery had set up tables for their guests to have breakfast. Everything was cooked with one of the house wines, and there were even bottles adorning the tables.
She was amazed that people would start drinking this early in the day.
Tori wanted to laugh. Who, in their right mind, had wine with breakfast?
What kind of world was she living in?
Instead of eating anything flambéed or sautéed in booze, both she and Julian opted to have Raisin Bran and coffee.
Truth Is Found Page 14
