Everything was working according to plan. Townsend had been a diversion. Rudy was out of the picture, for now. That meant the only one he had to worry about was Zander. If things came to that point, the man would take out anyone standing in the way, but it would be with regret. Lawmen didn’t kill other lawmen—or brothers of the uniform. In the end, no doubt, this would get messy, but he liked messy. Liked knowing he could take another human’s life.
Wynn deserved to be his prey.
They all deserved it.
He could barely contain the anger as he thought back to another life. A time when he was happy until he lost the love of his life. How the doctors had told her they couldn’t help her because she didn’t have insurance. How much she suffered the last week of her life, incapable of breathing and eventually dying in his arms from an asthma attack. He fisted his hands, wanting to punch something, anything. He couldn’t bear looking at all these women who reminded him so much of his Katy.
The bitch, Wynn, would get what she deserved, just like the others all paid. Their beauty died just like his Katy’s had five years ago.
He smiled and dropped his cigarette, grinding it out with the toe of his boot. Yes, soon…very soon he’d show her his demons…
Backing up, he started to move toward his car when the feathering of headlights splashed the house. The car stopped on the lane, a little distance from the house. Did someone know he was here? Impossible. His car was well hidden, and it was dark outside. So, who could this be?
Pulling on the night goggles. He waited and watched.
From afar he saw the silhouette move in slowly. From the broad shoulders and height, he deduced that it was a man. But why was he sneaking toward Wynn’s house? A possessive feeling came over the man. No, this wouldn’t work. He couldn’t take the risk of anyone ruining his plans…
CHAPTER 20
FUCK! HE WASN’T going to come out of this situation unscathed. Zander knew he needed to sleep, but he couldn’t resist watching Wynn resting peacefully. She looked like an angel. Laying on her side, her cheek was pressed against her hands clasped in a prayer-like pose against the pillow. Her knees were tucked up against her naked chest and her satin smooth bottom was exposed. He had to smile at the vixen.
Every once in a while, she would whimper something inaudible and wiggle her tight bottom as if she were nestling in a cloud. That unaware move on her part was comparable to her reaching down and grasping his balls in a delicate clutch. Having her here in his bed, sleeping with him, seemed right. He liked being here, having her close. She could easily be a great bed partner. He reached down and took a tendril of her hair and rolled it around his finger.
He roved his gaze along her arms, visually taking in each feminine dip and curve of her lush body. He had feelings for her—strong, powerful, overwhelming feelings that he’d never felt, and he wasn’t sure how to respond.
Bending to kiss Wynn on the temple, she let out a soft whimper. It swarmed his body with emotion. Was she real? Could she possibly be as sweet as she seemed? Could she be happy here, with him, not just temporarily, but forever? The questions tumbled through his head until he finally fell asleep.
~~~**~~~
Wynn felt a nuzzle on her cheek and she blinked her eyes open, meeting the sexy, warm gaze of her lover. For a second, she worried about morning breath and how her wild hair must look, but when he smiled, she forgot everything but the dimples that bracketed his mouth.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” he cooed. He smelled of Irish Spring soap and his hair was damp.
“Morning.” She sunk deeper into the cocoon of the covers, wishing he’d settle back in and hold her.
“I have to get up, but you rest for as long as you’d like. I’ll be leaving in about an hour.”
She lifted her head and positioned herself on her elbow, holding the sheet against her naked breasts. “I should get up too. I told Lanie I would check on her this morning. Do you care if I jump into the shower?”
“Now I wish I would have waited to take mine. Maybe we can try out my shower together another time?” He winked.
Feeling her cheeks flush, she’d like to take him up on his offer right now, but both had a long day ahead of them. She didn’t want to take him away from his duties and she had some shopping to do for the nursery.
She still had no clue what she would do when Rory came back, and it made her sullen. Maybe he’d change his mind. A woman could only hope.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I plan to see you tonight, tomorrow night, and hopefully every other night thereafter.”
Her heart swelled, and her stomach twisted. She felt guilty that she had a secret and she couldn’t share it with him.
In the shower, surrounded by his masculine soap and shampoo, she daydreamed of what it would be like if this was their home together. They could make love every night. Take showers together each morning, then share breakfast before they each went off on their way for the day. She allowed her mind to travel further, into a place where she hadn’t really pondered much. Children. Of course, she wanted one or two if God willing, but all the years before she hadn’t felt like any time was right.
Wetting the washcloth, she soaped it with the bar and ran the soft cloth over her arms and chest. She was sore in places that she didn’t even know she had until touched by Zander. Last night he’d brought her upstairs and loved her long and hard, and then a second time slow and passionately. Their worries had melted away, but in the light of the day, they were back and she had decisions to make. Whatever tomorrow would bring, yesterday’s and today’s memories would keep her warm on a cold night.
Wynn couldn’t stay in Crooked Creek if Zander would be in trouble’s way. Rory had wrapped himself into danger’s arms and dragged her along with him. Several times she’d wanted to tell Zander, was so close to telling him, but something always stopped that from happening. Would he understand?
It was a lure to go and tell him all her secrets. Just throw caution to the wind and take whatever comes her way. Eventually, if she left, it would all come to the surface.
Dried and dressed, she stepped into the kitchen which was a welcoming place with Zander standing at the counter sipping coffee. His button down was open showing off his broad chest and the waist of his jeans set low on slender hips. His hair was dried, but it was wavy and thick. The entire house was warm and welcoming. The huge log house with exposed oak beams and red brick. Oak flooring and the huge fireplace that covered one small wall. The place was spic and span and she wondered if he had a cleaning lady who came in to take care of the place. No way a man who worked all the time could manage to keep the place clean as well as taking care of the horses.
Susie-Q got up from the rug in front of the fireplace and greeted Wynn and she rewarded the dog with a scratch behind each ear before going to stand at the counter.
“Coffee?” Zander asked.
“Mm. Yes, please.” When he handed her the cup, she took a sip of the strong coffee and savored the taste. The next thing she knew, he took the cup back, pulled her into his arms and kissed her fully until her vagina contracted. “W-what’s that for?” she said on an exhale of breath.
“A beautiful woman deserves a proper good morning. And you, my dear, are the most beautiful creature I’ve ever had in my mist.” He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifted her and deposited her on the counter. The cold granite seeped through her jeans, but his warmth took up the slack. He bent his head and suckled one breast through the material of her shirt. She giggled and tried to resist, but she’d let this man do anything. “You smell so damn good,” he nuzzled his face between her cotton covered breasts.
“I smell like you.”
“Nope. Much better.” He grabbed the hem of her shirt and lifted, his eyes widening at her bare breasts. “You’re not wearing a bra.”
“During your haste last night, you ripped the material.”
“I’m sorry. Hope it wasn’t your favorite.”
“It was worth it. I�
��ve never had a man remove my undergarments with his teeth. That’s a memory I’ll cherish.” She smiled.
He groaned and lowered his head, taking one nipple into his mouth and suckling. Cradling his head, she watched him adore her breasts with attention, thinking this was one of the sexiest things she’d ever witnessed. Her inner thighs were already trembling in anticipation of where his mouth would worship next, but a knock on the door made both of them stiffen.
“Expecting someone?” she whispered.
“No.” He dropped her shirt into place, kissed her on the nose and gently helped her down to her feet. She turned and watched him stroll across the living room to the door. Several hushed words were exchanged until Zander stepped back and Agent Gaines stepped in giving the space his quick perusal before nailing Wynn with a skeptical glare. She didn’t think the man liked her much, or maybe he didn’t like anyone. She wondered why he was back and what bad news he brought with him? She hoped he wasn’t here to arrest her.
“Good morning, Miss Makelti.” He dipped his head. “When you weren’t next door I thought I’d ask Agent Cade where I could find you.”
She rounded the counter and crossed her arms over her chest, hoping to ease up the fast pace of her heart. “Why did you need to see me?”
“I’m afraid I have bad news, ma’am. Rory Salvano’s body was found by two fishermen near the water.”
She felt the wind swoosh out of her lungs. Blindly, she stepped over to the couch and dropped down. Zander was beside her within seconds and sitting next to her, his comforting hand on her leg. “You okay?”
“I-I don’t know.” She looked up at the agent. “Who did this?”
“It appears he was strangled,” Agent Gaines said matter of factly.
“Let me get this straight. Salvano was found near the water here, in Crooked Creek?” Zander asked.
“Yes.”
“Who would do this?”
“That’s what we’re hoping to find out, ma’am,” Gaines answered.
“It had to be the men he was working with,” Wynn muttered.
“I’ll need to ask you a few questions, Miss Makelti. Where were you last night?”
Zander stood. “She was here, with me all night.”
Agent Gaines’s gaze narrowed. “Salvano was attacked by someone with great strength.”
“Where are you headed, Gaines?” Zander asked.
The man shrugged. “How convenient Salvano would end up dead here in Crooked Creek.”
“Not for him. I think we both know I wouldn’t be stupid enough to kill a man and leave his body close to my own house. You would have never found him if I’d had anything to do with his death,” Zander said point blank.”
Wynn shivered at the words. “I need to tell you something. I knew Rory was coming,” she admitted.
Both Agent Gaines and Zander swiveled, catching her in questioning expressions. “You knew he was coming?” he asked.
“So, let me get this straight, you were expecting Salvano to come last night?” Agent Gaines asked.
“I didn’t know he was coming last night, but I knew he’d be here soon.”
“Agent Gaines, let’s cut the bullshit.” Zander crossed his arms and he looked like a warrior readying for battle. “Tell me why you’re really here. One of us would be in handcuffs if you believed we had something to do with Salvano’s death.”
The other man hesitated then shrugged his shoulder. “We’ve had agents trailing Salvano for several days now. When he showed up here last week, my agents stayed on him, hoping he’d lead us to the men he’s working with. Unfortunately, the agent lost the trail in New York.”
“You’re leaving out the fact that you’ve been watching Wynn. That’s why my sister, Kiersten, showed up in Crooked Creek. You thought she could find out information without throwing off any red flags. However, she told me everything.”
Agent Gaines seemed shocked, but he recovered quickly. “Is that why Agent Cade resigned from the bureau?”
“You asked her to go against her family.” Zander’s jaw was tight.
Wynn couldn’t wrap her brain around what was happening. “Zander, you knew Rory had been here?”
“Yeah. Kiersten already told me. You gave him the counterfeit money, didn’t you?” Although his voice was firm, his eyes were kind.
She nodded. “He said if I didn’t, the criminals would come after me, and you.” Once the words were out it was like air deflating from a balloon, so by the time Agent Gaines left, she was nothing but frazzled nerves and shock.
Zander stood across the room, his muscular arms crossed over his chest as if he was facing a wind storm.
“You knew, and you still slept with me?”
“And you slept with me, keeping his visit a secret,” he responded.
“Why? Were you hoping I’d talk? Reveal his whereabouts?”
“No.” He dropped his arms. “I slept with you because I care for you. Now I need to know, do you have feelings for me? Were you thinking of going back to Salvano? Is that what you meant when you said you were unsure of your past?” he asked, his voice showing no signs of his internal state.
“No, I didn’t want him, or to be near him.” She stood, took several steps that brought them closer, but she stopped. “What he and I shared was over…and very much over now.” Tears stung the backs of her eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me? Don’t you trust me?” The rawness in his voice was the first slip that he was angry.
“I wanted to…I really did. Several times I started to, but…” Any excuse seemed flimsy.
“I couldn’t tell you what I knew. Kiersten went out on a line to tell me.” He sighed. “He came for the money and you?”
“Yes. I’m sorry. I didn’t want either of us to be in harm’s way. He threatened us. He said the men wanting the goods would come after us. Rory told me he would be back in a week to get me, after he took care of business in New York. If I complied, you would be safe.”
Zander’s hands clutched into fists. “It’s a good thing he’s dead or I might have wrung his neck,” he said through tight lips.
“This is all my fault. I should have turned him in. Again, I’ve allowed him to convince me of something foolish. Maybe if I had said something he wouldn’t be dead now. He had problems, but no one deserves to die.” She sucked in a sob.
Zander came to her and he dragged her into his arms, wrapping her in a rock-hard embrace. “Listen, he chose his path and he could have easily put you in danger. His criminal activity would have caught up to him eventually and it’s a good thing you left him when you did. But don’t hold yourself accountable for his choices.”
“I won’t, but my choices weren’t much better,” she mumbled against his chest. She took a step back and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I-I need to go, Zander. I need to wrap my head around all that has happened.”
“Wynn…”
“I don’t know what to think. I need time.”
CHAPTER 21
ZANDER SWIPED HIS hand down his whiskered jaw, standing along the edge of the bush line, examining the broken branches of a bush. Carefully, he spread the branches and noticed how the undergrowth was flattened and mushed. Someone had been standing here, watching Wynn’s house. A mixture of anger and vulnerability rushed through him. What if she hadn’t come to his house? Would she be…
He couldn’t complete the thought.
He let the branches fall back into place and stepped around to bend closer to the underbrush, looking for any evidence or clue as to who was here. It could have been Rory watching Wynn’s house, but Zander didn’t believe the man would have wasted time in watching when he would have wanted to get the hell out of dodge. Zander wasn’t sure that Wynn would have complied, but a tugging in his soul made him question if she would have gone with the bastard. Zander was angry with himself. He’d known about Rory coming, and had known that his sister was asked to come to watch Wynn because of her connection to Crooked Creek, but he’d kept
the information from Wynn. He’d known she would be safe because Kiersten had been watching her, and it made it easier not to mention what he already knew.
Zander didn’t give a damn right now about the counterfeit money or the people Rory had been dealing with. Most law enforcement agents received death threats during the span of their career, and most of the time they were a fool’s ignorance. Zander knew the bastards from New York wouldn’t step foot in the small town. Why? Because they wouldn’t take the risk. But would they have sent someone to take care of Rory? Possibly. It didn’t fit though.
Crooked Creek had a serial killer on their hands and no one, especially Wynn, was safe. Zander’s instincts warned him that the killer had been here, right here in this spot, waiting for the availability to make Wynn his next victim.
“What’d you find?” Kiersten asked from a few feet away.
“Nothing. Again, this bastard is clean in everything he does.” Zander shook his head in irritation.
“Maybe if I’d stayed out here we could have caught him. I thought Wynn was safe at your place—”
“This isn’t your fault,” he assured her.
She tugged her coat tighter around her waist. “Well, now I can take a vacation.”
“You shouldn’t have resigned from the bureau.”
“I didn’t have much choice. Anyway, what’s your theory?”
“I think the killer was standing here, watching Wynn’s house. He saw Rory pull in and, afraid he’d disturb his plans, the killer decided he was a risk. Maybe Rory saw the man. Could identify him. I guess we’ll never know.”
Wanted by the Lawman Page 17
