Harper studied the envelope, wondering exactly what it contained, because it looked nothing like the three shoe boxes worth of evidence she’d stuffed into the safety deposit box months earlier.
Her mind raced. Think, Harper. What is wrong with this picture?
Marshall stood and took a step toward Riley.
“Uh, just a minute, Chief, I’ve got a few questions. If you wouldn’t mind indulging me.” Riley pulled the envelope just out of Marshall’s reach.
“Sure, Spence, but hurry it up. What do you think you need to know?”
“What’s in here, and why do you want to get your hands on it so badly?”
“I know the information in that envelope will lead us to Alex’s shooter. He’s probably named a suspect. All I ever wanted was to find the perp. Alex was like a son to me. So, when I have a look through it and have something to go on, I’ll be able to re-open the investigation.”
Harper’s mouth dropped, dumbfounded. “You’ve got to be joking. I can’t believe you just said that with a straight face, you slimy son of a bitch.”
“Now, now, sweetie, I only held you here because you weren’t very forthcoming with helping me find your brother’s shooter six months ago,” he said to Harper, but maintained eye contact with Riley. “I needed you to hand over the evidence. You know I would never hurt Olivia. She’s like a--”
“You killed Alex, you bastard!” She glared between Marshall and Riley. “You confessed everything to me yesterday! Kate, the drugs, the warehouse--”
Marshall’s laughter silenced her. “Poor girl, she’s delusional. Unfortunately, it runs in the family.”
There was no way they were going to get away with this. Harper’s blood was boiling. She’d been used by both of them. Spence and Marshall would pay, if it was the last thing she ever did.
Harper straightened her back and squared her shoulders.
“Do you seriously think that’s the only copy I’ve got, fucker?” She gestured toward the manila envelope as she glared at Marshall. “You’d be wrong. I’ve made several.” She shot a hateful glaze to Riley. “And you, you worthless piece of shit, why don’t you have a look inside. Have a look at what you’ve been a part of.” Tears welled in her eyes. “You are just as much to blame for my brother’s death as him,” she spat out at him while pointing to Marshall. “You might not have pulled the trigger putting that bullet in his head or gave him the injection that stopped his heart... But you are now in this way over your fucking head.” She turned her attention back to Marshall. “Go ahead and do whatever you want to me, asshole. Kill me if you feel you must to cover your ass. But hear this, half a dozen people have been entrusted with copies of the evidence.”
Riley’s expression remained unreadable. Marshall’s skin paled as he looked at her in disbelief.
Clearing his throat nervously, Marshall finally spoke up. “I think you’re bluffing. I don’t think you’ve got the brains in that pretty head of yours to do that.”
She shrugged. “Believe what you want. The second I don’t make contact at the next scheduled time, that evidence will be taken to various levels of law enforcement.” She smiled in bittersweet satisfaction.
The small room grew very quiet for an indeterminate period of time. The three studied one another closely.
After what seemed like hours, Harper cut the silence. She was staring directly at Riley. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
He remained rigid. Unreadable. Without blinking, his eyes stared right into her very soul. “Yeah, I do,” he said with confidence.
She glanced to Marshall and watched as recognition registered across his face.
“Well, it would appear the two of you know a lot more than you should, so therefore, you must be eliminated. The broad is no big deal.” Sweat popped out on the chief’s forehead. “But I’m really going to enjoy putting a bullet in your head, Spence.”
Riley remained calm as he set the envelope on the table beside him. Crossing his arms over his chest, he met the chief’s gaze. “What are you talking about, Wade? I got the information you wanted. What’s with all the bravado?”
“When I was told you were coming to my precinct, I checked you out, Spence. It wasn’t easy, but I found out you’re FBI. I’m gonna take you out before you try to take me down. You dumb fucker, you played right into my hands. Killing you is my sweet payback.”
An amused look crossed Riley’s face.
The three waited in silence.
“Well, Wade, if you’ve done your homework on me, then you know damn well I wouldn’t have come here without backup.”
“You’re alone, I watched you pull up. There’s no one else here, and no one is coming,” Marshall said, his voice giving away his nervousness.
Riley casually slipped off his jacket and dropped it to the floor at his feet. Then he tugged his t-shirt from the waist of his jeans, never breaking eye contact with Marshall, and pulled it over his head, revealing the single, black wire taped to his broad chest.
Marshall turned white as a sheet, the blood draining from his face as he realized he’d been set up. He cocked his revolver and pointed it at Harper. “Say goodbye, sweetheart.”
The tiny opening at the end of the barrel looked enormous as she stared at the gun. Within that dark hole she saw the end of her life. Every fine hair on her body stood on end, and her flesh turned cold as ice. Groaning in desperation as a pudgy fingertip slipped over the trigger, Harper was positive she could smell her own fear. Her only thought was of Olivia.
The door burst open. There was yelling, but Harper couldn’t make out the words through the blood pounding in her ears. She was grabbed and pulled. When the room finally stopped spinning and fell silent, she realized the chief was using her as a shield. The cold barrel of his gun pressed against her temple. She prayed he wouldn’t pull the trigger.
“Put down the weapon and release Harper, Marshall.”
The authoritative voice belonged to Riley. He stood directly in front of her, his gun drawn and aimed at the cowardly man behind her. He was all cop as he stood before her. His body was rigid, face taut, expression…lethal. The look on his handsome face frightened her.
Harper struggled against the arm around her throat. Weak and disoriented, she was barely able to stay on her feet.
“Put the weapon down, Marshall, and release Harper. No one needs to get hurt. Come peacefully, Wade.”
“No. I’ve come this far!”
Marshall’s arm tightened around her throat and she pulled at it, trying to loosen his grip. He was cutting off her air, and she could feel herself slowly slipping into unconsciousness. The room tipped and spiraled.
A shot rang out.
The sound was deafening in the small room.
Helpless to fight back, Harper felt herself falling into a pit of blackness.
Chapter 27
“Harper, honey, wake up. Jesus, I’m so sorry. Open your eyes, baby. Harper. Wake up for me, sweetheart. Come on, if not for me do it for our girls. Christ, I’m so sorry for everything.”
Harper heard Riley’s desperate, frantic pleas calling to her, but she had trouble opening her eyes to see him.
“Where am I?” she finally managed to get out. “My head hurts. What happened?”
The warmth of Riley’s lips brushed against her forehead.
“Thank God,” he murmured. “We’re in an ambulance on our way to the hospital.”
“I heard a gunshot. Was I hit?” She was confused and didn’t remember anything past the explosive sound of a gunshot.
“No, honey. You blacked out and smacked your head when you fell. You’ve got one hell of a goose egg. You’re also dehydrated. You need to be seen by a doctor. I’m sorry for what happened. It’s my fault you got hurt.”
“It’s not your fault, Riley, why are you sorry?” Man, was her head throbbing. Her eyes hurt once she forced them open. Must be one hell of a bump.
“I deceived you in front of the chief, and I haven’t been
honest with you. I don’t work for Metro PD, I’m a special agent with the FBI, and I’ve been working undercover in conjunction with the DEA to bring down a big time dealer here in Metro. Marshall. I was brought into this assignment after my team took down another crooked chief for the same thing a few months back. He happened to be Marshall’s buddy, and fortunately for us, he gave up Wade and cooperated with the investigation in return for a plea deal. It took me some time, but I managed to finally piece together that Alex was onto Marshall.”
Harper was having a hard time focusing on Riley’s face, but the sound of his voice was soothing. She knew deep down Riley wouldn’t have let harm come to her or Olivia, and would have saved her sooner, had she just been honest with him from the beginning. She knew he hadn’t betrayed her. She thought back to the phone conversation and it all suddenly clicked, ‘we had a huge fight and she took off’ he’d said.
As he’d stood in front of her while Marshall used her as a shield, behind the seriousness of his heated stare, and the contempt on his face for the man holding her hostage, for one split second, in his blue eyes she’d caught a glimpse of the man she’d fallen in love with. He was in there. She’d seen him.
Harper knew and understood whatever he had done, and however he felt he’d betrayed and deceived her, he was doing his job. A thorough job. He was a damn good cop. Her cop. A man she loved with her entire being.
“I knew you had the evidence we needed to put Marshall away. I knew you had your brother’s notes, but I had no idea you had tucked them away so well. You’re a very smart woman, Harper. And I’m a very lucky man to be with you.” His voice grew quiet, and his eyes lowered from hers. “If you’ll still have me.”
Harper ignored his attempt at subtlety and cast him a sideways glance. “Why didn’t you just ask me for the evidence?”
“I was asking.” He nuzzled the top of her head. “You weren’t listening.”
“I was screwed over once before, Riley. I wasn’t sure I could trust you. When I decided I could and that you might be able to help me, Marshall grabbed me.”
He whispered against her ear and she heard his words catch in his throat. “I will never give you a reason not to trust me.” She felt a hot tear splash onto her cold cheek. “Never.”
“I’ll hold you to that, cop,” she said softly as she slipped back into unconsciousness.
* * * *
After she’d been hydrated and thoroughly checked out by a doctor, Riley helped Harper into his car and took her home. She was looking forward to a hot shower. Together they walked into her eerily silent house.
“Where are the girls and my dogs?” Harper glanced around, expecting a more enthusiastic welcome home.
“The dogs are in the backyard. They’re fine. Melina took the girls out so you could shower and settle in before you saw them. I didn’t think they should see you like this. They’re going to be excited you’re home. I felt awful lying to them.”
“You did what you had to, Riley.”
“Go on and jump in the shower, I’m going to fix us something to eat.” Riley kissed her temple and turned her toward the bathroom.
She’d finished her shower and was standing in the hot downpour of spray when she felt a cool breeze caress her skin as Riley stepped into the tub with her.
Harper lifted her head to see him averting his gaze. She placed her finger under his stubbly chin and turned his face until his eyes finally met hers. Her heart broke as she met his deeply pained, concerned gaze. He was afraid to touch her. She could feel it. His expression was full of remorse, the anxiety of his suffering over the past few days etched heavily on his handsome features. And he desperately needed a shave.
Harper reached for him and pulled his nakedness against hers, feeling safe and protected in his comforting embrace. She wanted to take away his pain, for him to feel as secure as she did. She’d missed him terribly. Kissing his chest and neck, she rubbed her hands across the length of his back, pulling him tighter to her. His cock stiffened quickly and poked her lower belly.
Before climbing in the shower Harper had grabbed a condom package from the cupboard behind the bathroom door and placed it in the soap dish in the shower. She leaned over to collect it, and ripped it open. Slowly she rolled the latex over Riley’s shaft then glanced up, meeting his eyes. Heat and indecision flickered in their depths. Pushing his cock down between her thighs, Harper adjusted herself along Riley’s length until his hard shaft rubbed against her cleft. She shifted the two of them a little more and took him inside her body.
* * * *
Riley held Harper and slid into her slowly, not wanting to cause her any more pain. Touching her nearly drove him mad. He wanted to control himself, but needed her so badly. God, he’d missed her. He’d missed her smell, her taste, her touch, her warmth. He loved her with everything he was, and desperately needed her to know that, to feel it.
Once he’d seated himself inside her body, he withdrew equally as slow. Harper gripped his shoulders, digging her fingers into his taut muscles.
“Oh, no, you don’t.” She spoke with labored breath. “Don’t you dare hold back on me.”
Riley pulled back and gazed into her passion filled eyes. He nearly exploded inside her right then and there. He wanted nothing more than to pound himself into her, claiming her completely.
“I love you, Harper. I’ve missed you so much. I need you so bad. I don’t want to hurt you, baby, and I don’t know if I can control myself,” he murmured against her soft, parted lips.
“I love you and missed you too.” Running her hands down the muscles of his back, she cupped the cheeks of his ass and squeezed. “And you’d better love me like we both need you to, cop. I’ve been without you too long.” With that said, she pulled him against her roughly, forcibly impaling herself with his shaft.
They shuddered against one another.
The world and everything in it disappeared around them. They were lost in the sensations sweeping through them as they reaffirmed their love and intense need for each other. Nothing else mattered, except the two of them.
Riley held Harper tightly and thrust himself into her, taking her to a quick and hard release. Only then did he allow his own.
As the waves of their climaxes weakened, they held each other under the hot downpour of the shower spray until the water turned cold.
Chapter 28
Three Months Later
Riley’s arm was wrapped protectively around Harper’s shoulder as they sat in her backyard watching the girls toss tennis balls to Fred and Ginger.
Life was good.
Harper had finally received the death benefit paid out by the insurance company for both Kate and Alex.
Harper, Olivia, Riley and Zandra were working at building a family and a life together. The events of three months before were all but a very distant memory. One he knew Harper had no intention of ever giving more than a passing thought to again.
This particular day was about to be a very special occasion, Riley thought as he watched his family.
“You know, I’ve been thinking,” he said.
“Oh, yeah, what about?”
“Well, I’ve sold my house.”
“That makes sense, you spend all your time here,” she replied.
“I’d like you to sell yours too.”
“Really?” She cast him a speculative glance. “And where are we going to live?”
“I’ve got a gorgeous log home on a little hill overlooking a crystal clear lake. I want to move my wife and kids into it.” Riley looked over to gauge her reaction, hoping she’d caught his drift.
She was unreadable, yet a glimmer in her eye made his heart skip a beat. She was beautiful, and knew exactly how to get to him.
“You own the log home we docked your boat in front of?” she asked.
“Yeah. I inherited the property and had the house built a couple of years ago. I’m eager to move our family into it.”
“Actually, I’ve already sold this house
, Riley.”
He shot her a look of surprise. “When?”
“Last week. I finalized everything with Melina and her fiancé.” Harper nestled closer to him.
She’d sold her house last week. She hadn’t said anything to him about it. Odd she didn’t feel the need to share that information with him. But then he hadn’t shared that he’d sold his home either, until that moment, because he’d wanted to surprise her.
“That’s nice, they make a cute couple.”
“So you inherited the property and built that log home, huh? It’s pretty nice, from what I saw of it.”
He nodded.
“By the way, I quit the club,” she told him.
“I’m glad.” He let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
“I knew you would be. Besides, I really hated it. I’ll find something else to do.”
“Well, there’s no rush.” He kissed the top of her head and reached into his pocket.
“I’ll have to find something fast to pay my way.”
“Nonsense. I’m loaded,” he replied nonchalantly.
“Oh, being a cop pays that well, does it?”
“For a regular cop it doesn’t, but I’m FBI, remember.” He wagged his brows in fun at her. “Seriously, my dad did very well in stocks and computer software. When he and my mother passed away, my sister and I inherited everything. When my sister took sick and passed, what was hers came to Zandra and me. There’s millions, Harper, and I want you to share my life, as my wife.”
* * * *
He brought a small blue velvet box from his pants pocket and Harper sat up, away from him.
“You’re a millionaire, huh?” He’d told her that he’d received an inheritance, but she had no clue it was that large, although maybe she should have realized it. The car could be explained. On a cop’s salary, he could probably swing it. But the yacht and his brownstone, and now learning he owned that beautiful log home. Oh, and how could she forget the SUV? The one she was still driving. The one she was just borrowing.
Deceived At Every Turn Page 13
