Ultimate Fear (Book 2 Ultimate CORE) (CORE Series)

by Kristine Mason

  “According to Ian, she’d planned to, but the owner was in on the robberies and set her up. He went after her, too.” Guilt twisted his stomach. He shook his hand free from hers. “I should’ve never let her go alone. And Ian made it crystal clear he’s pissed that I was more focused on running a side investigation with you than my job with CORE.”

  “But did you explain that—”

  “I explained everything. Doesn’t matter. He’s pissed about everything right now. Rachel went into labor last night, and he doesn’t have anyone to cover for her while she’s on maternity leave. Even if Lola wasn’t hurt, he would’ve still gone off on me.”

  “What about the men who attacked her?”

  “Three of them are in the same hospital she is, and the other two are being held for robbery and assault.”

  “Holy crap.” She grinned. “Did Lola do that all by herself?”

  “She kicked their asses.” Pride lessened the guilt, but not by much. Although Lola had proven she could handle herself in the field, bottom line was, he’d fucked up and should have been there with her. He wasn’t the one who decided whether or not she was qualified or ready to work on her own, Ian was. Just because he’d been Ian’s first recruit, and his boss trusted him to run things when he was gone, didn’t mean he could do what he wanted. Like run a side investigation that took time away from his job.

  “She shot one in the leg,” he continued, “the other in the arm, broke one guy’s knee cap and managed to knock the other two unconscious long enough that they were still out by the time the police got there.”

  “Remind me not to get on her bad side,” she said with a chuckle.

  “It’s not funny, Jess. The situation could have been a lot worse.”

  “But it wasn’t.” Her smile fell. “Or…did Ian let you go?”

  “No. But I don’t think he’ll have me training any other new recruits for a while.” Which wasn’t a bad thing. He hadn’t minded working with Jake, and then Lola, but he’d been missing running his own investigations. “As for Lola—after yesterday’s performance, she’s earned her stripes and is officially finished with her training. Once she’s back to work, Ian plans to give her cases of her own.”

  “That’s great. And Rachel, did she have her baby?”

  He nodded. “Around two in the morning. Ian saw her and the baby, and said they’re doing great. I guess Owen’s all over Rachel and their baby girl. Ian said he couldn’t get within a few inches of either of them without Owen shoving hand sanitizer at him.”

  “He’s a proud papa. I can remember someone else who was like that.” Her eyes brightened with amusement. “So what did they name the baby?”

  “Emily Grace. And I wasn’t that bad,” he said, trying to remember if he was or not.

  “Yes, you were.” She twined her arms around his waist. “I’ll never forget the pride and love in your eyes when you first saw her. Or how you kissed me and told me how much you loved me.”

  Now that he remembered. He cupped her face. “I’ll always love you. Jess, I’m sorry about Sophia’s room. Let me make it right. Let me—”

  “You did make it right. Sophia’s not a ten-month-old baby anymore. She’s a seven-year-old little girl. Her room should reflect that. I yelled at you for taking away my memories, but you didn’t. I still have them, and I plan to cherish them for the rest of my life.”

  He searched her eyes and, for the first time in years, found hope in them. “And us?”

  “Just try to get rid of me.”

  “Not a chance,” he said, and hugged her close. “I tried to live without you, and it was like stumbling around in the dark. I need you.” He brushed his lips against hers.

  “I love you,” she said with a catch in her breath, then kissed him.

  As their kiss deepened, the love and relief swelling his heart washed away all of his concerns. The only thing he cared about right now was the woman in his arms. She was his light. She represented hope.

  She was the love of his life.

  POSTPARTUM

  If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you.

  —A.A. Milne from Winnie the Pooh

  Five months later…

  WHEN JESSICA SAW Dante’s car in the driveway, she quickly parked. After killing the engine, she grabbed the color swatches she’d picked up on her way home from Court, then rushed into the house. She hadn’t expected Dante to be home from his latest assignment. Since Ian was using the CORE jet, and there’d been terrible storms plaguing the South, Dante hadn’t been sure if he would be able to catch a flight out of Jackson, Mississippi, today. She was thrilled he had and couldn’t wait to tell him the good news.

  “Hi,” she said, when she found him in the kitchen, then gave him a kiss and hug. She set her purse and the color swatches on the table. “I’m glad you’re home.”

  He looked to the paint samples. “So you can give me another project?” he asked with a sigh. “There goes the weekend.”

  “Oh, stop. You like projects.” Actually, he was the one who usually initiated any of their home improvement plans. “And that’s not the only reason I’m glad you’re home, and you know it.”

  He snagged her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I know. It’s because I’m irresistible.”

  She gave him a quick kiss. “True, but try again.”

  He chuckled. “Could it have anything to do with the sentencing?”

  “You’re a brilliant investigator,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “I wish you could have been there.” Ian hadn’t hired any new agents since Lola, who’d been off on her various CORE assignments, so Dante had been extremely busy working his own investigations. While he hadn’t minded training new recruits, he’d expressed many times that he was definitely happier being out in the field alone.

  “Me, too.” After taking a seat at the kitchen table, he pulled her into his lap. “I’ve been anxious to hear how things went today. Good news?”

  “Great news. Heather Cooke was given the death penalty.” Since Heather had confessed to her crimes and had pled guilty to the charges against her, there had been no need for a trial.

  “That is great news.”

  Jessica grinned. “Yeah, and get this. After her sentencing, she addressed the Court and said that she’s made peace with God and Wayne, and is anxious to enter His Kingdom and be reunited with her husband and son. Against the advice of counsel, she waived her right to an automatic appeal.”

  His eyes widened. “Seriously? Since she waived her rights, she could be executed within the next year, maybe sooner.”

  She nodded and remembered what she’d told Heather that night at the hospital. While she wouldn’t personally have the sheer satisfaction of knowing Heather would be stuck in a twelve by seven foot cell, twenty-three hours a day for many years to come, she was glad it’d finally be over. “I should call Chloe and let her know.” She and Chloe had kept in contact since the girl had moved back to Ohio with her son and parents. True to her word, Chloe had gone through drug rehab and had stayed clean. Her son, Kaden, was doing equally well. She glanced at the refrigerator where his picture hung. The chubby baby had rolls she’d love to squeeze, along with an adorable grin and Chloe’s hazel eyes.

  “Call her later.” He kissed her cheek. “I’ve been gone all week and need time with my wife.”

  She slid off his lap. “Then let’s go upstairs,” she suggested, grabbing the color swatches from the table.

  “Picking out paint colors wasn’t what I had in mind,” he said, rubbing her rear as she walked up the steps.

  “It’ll only take a minute. The paint store is open for a couple more hours. If we decide on a color today, I can go back out and pick up a gallon this evening. We can get started first thing tomorrow morning.”

  “The room doesn’t have to be painted this weekend. It’s not like we don’t have plenty of time.”

  “I know that.” She handed him the swatches. �
��I’m just excited.”

  He gave her another kiss. “Me, too,” he said, then held the samples against the wall.

  “At the store, I thought I’d like the royal blue.” She studied the colors. “Now I’m leaning toward the robin’s egg blue. I think that would look nice with chocolate brown.”

  “We have the brown in both our room and Sophia’s.”

  “As an accent, which this would be. I also think using the same color will give the upstairs a nice flow.” She took the paint swatches from him. “Or, if you want to change it up, we could go with this shade.”

  “Dog puke brown?” He shook his head. “No thanks. I think you’re right, we’ll stick with the chocolate.”

  “Aren’t I always right?” she asked as she left the room, then went into Sophia’s room to see how the blue worked with the lilac walls.

  He came up behind her, then placed his big hands on her slightly rounded stomach. “Not always. As a matter of fact, you still haven’t paid up on the bet you lost.”

  They’d bet on the sex of their baby just before last week’s ultrasound. “You’ve been out of town,” she reminded him.

  “I’m home now,” he murmured, then dragged his lips along the side of her neck.

  Goose bumps rose along her arms. “I think I’ll pay up after the baby’s born. The ultrasound could be wrong.”

  “No way. There’s no denying we’re having a boy.”

  She rested her palms on his hands and leaned against his chest. “I still can’t believe that in four months we’re going to have a baby.” They’d had such a hard time trying for Sophia, they didn’t think they’d ever be pregnant again, and hadn’t bothered using protection. Apparently, God had His own plans. She had a few of her own, too. After the baby was born, she planned to quit her job to stay at home. She’d lost so many years with Sophia, she had no intention of missing out on a single moment with their son.

  “See what happens when a house has good feng shui?”

  She grinned. “Right. Our being pregnant has nothing to do with the amount of sex we have.”

  He nipped her earlobe. “That might’ve helped.”

  “You think?” she asked, and with her mind on the future, she swiveled in his arms. “What are we going to tell our son about Sophia?”

  A touch of sadness softened his eyes. “When he’s old enough, the truth.”

  Keeping an arm around his waist, she turned and glanced around the bedroom. “I want him to know all about his sister. I don’t want her to be a secret or anyone to be afraid to say her name.” Least of all, her. Thanks to Dante, she’d learned to celebrate her daughter’s life and embrace the memories.

  “Then we need to make sure we set that example and keep her spirit alive.”

  “And her room?” she asked.

  “As long as we live here, it’ll always be Sophia’s.”

  She smiled and rested her head against his chest. “It’s a perfect room for a little girl.” She thought about Chloe, and how her dad had joked about how his daughter’s tastes in décor had changed since she was fifteen. “If she’s still not home, I think in a few years we should redo her room again. A ten-year-old might think this room is too babyish.”

  He hugged her close and kissed the top of her head. “I love that idea. No matter how old she is, when Sophia comes home, we’ll make sure the room is ready for her.”

  When, not if.

  “We’re really full of brilliant ideas today,” she said. “Got any others?”

  He steered her out of Sophia’s room, leaving the door open behind them. They’d both agreed that the closed-door policy she’d enacted after Sophia had been abducted was no longer in effect. There was no reason for either of them to hide from the truth, from their memories and even from the pain of their loss. With or without children, they were a family. They were husband and wife. They were best friends and lovers. And she thanked God and the Universe every day for Dante and for second chances.

  “I have a few in mind,” he said, leading her into their bedroom.

  “Really? And do any of these ideas involve discussing turning the basement into a rec room, or where we’re going to hang my latest painting?”

  He slid his hand under her shirt and inched it up her waist. “Nope. I think it’s time you own up on that bet we made.”

  Desire curled in her belly. “Do I really have to give you a massage?” she asked, loving that she’d lost the bet. She could spend hours touching his body.

  “No. I’m the one who gets to give you the massage.”

  “But I lost the bet.” When they’d wagered the sex of the baby, she’d told him that if she won, she would expect a full body massage. He’d settled on the bet, saying he wanted the same thing if he won.

  He tossed her shirt on the floor. “And I agreed to the exact wager,” he said, unhooking her bra.

  She pulled his t-shirt over his head. “That means, either way, I win. That doesn’t seem fair.”

  He slipped her yoga pants and underwear over her hips, then scooped her in his arms and lay her on the bed. “I get to rub my hands all over my wife’s body for as long as I want.” He pressed his erection against her thigh. “I’d definitely say I won.”

  She ran a hand through his thick hair, then forced his mouth closer to hers. “Definitely,” she said, then kissed him with the love and passion only her husband could arouse. And as he returned the kiss, rubbing his rough hands over her body, she knew in her heart, that no matter what happened in the future, good or bad, as long as Dante was by her side, her life was complete.

  THE END

  * * *

  Look for Lola’s story December 2014…

  Ultimate Prey

  Book Three of the Ultimate CORE Trilogy

  Other CORE Titles Available by Kristine Mason

  Ultimate Kill

  Book One of the Ultimate CORE Trilogy

  When the past collides with the present, the only way to ensure the future lies in the ultimate kill…

  Naomi McCall is a woman of many secrets. Her family has been murdered and she’s been forced into hiding. No one knows her past or her real name, not even the man she loves.

  Jake Tyler, former Marine and the newest recruit to the private investigation agency, CORE, has been in love with a woman who never existed. When he learns about the lies Naomi has weaved, he’s ready to leave her—until an obsessed madman begins sending her explosive messages every hour on the hour.

  Innocent people are dying. With their deaths, Naomi’s secrets are revealed and the truth is thrust into the open. All but one. Naomi’s not sure if Jake can handle a truth that will change their lives. But she is certain of one thing—the only way to stop the killer before he takes more lives is to make herself his next victim.

  Purchase for your Kindle

  Shadow of Danger

  Book One of the CORE Shadow Trilogy

  Four women have been found dead in the outskirts of a small Wisconsin town. The only witness, clairvoyant Celeste Risinski, observes these brutal murders through violent nightmares and hellish visions. The local sheriff, who believes in Celeste’s abilities and wants to rid their peaceful community of a killer, enlists the help of an old friend, Ian Scott, owner of a private criminal investigation agency, CORE. Because of Ian’s dark history with Celeste’s family, a history she knows nothing about, he sends his top criminalist, former FBI agent John Kain to investigate.

  John doesn’t believe in Celeste’s mystic hocus-pocus, or in her visions of the murders. But just when he’s certain they’ve solved the crimes, with the use of science and evidence, more dead bodies are discovered. Could this somehow be the work of the same killer or were they dealing with a copycat? To catch a vicious murderer, the skeptical criminalist reluctantly turns to the sensual psychic for help. Yet with each step closer to finding the killer, John finds himself one step closer to losing his heart.

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  Shadow of Perception

 
Book Two of the CORE Shadow Trilogy

  What happens when negligent plastic surgeons receive a taste of their own medicine…?

  Chicago investigative reporter, Eden Risk, receives an unmarked envelope containing a postcard ordering her to watch the enclosed DVD…or someone else dies. No Police. After Eden watches the DVD, a gruesome, horrifying surgery, she turns to the private criminal investigation agency, CORE, for help. Only she hadn’t expected that help to come with a catch. Her former lover, Hudson Patterson, has been assigned to the case.

  Hudson would rather have another CORE agent handle the investigation. Two years ago, he’d screwed things up with Eden…bad. And as more DVDs arrive, Eden and Hudson find themselves not only knee-deep in a twisted investigation, but forced to deal with their past, and the love they’d tried to deny.

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  Shadow of Vengeance

  Book Three of the CORE Shadow Trilogy

  Welcome to Hell Week. You have seven days to find him…

  At Wexman University, male students will do anything to get into a top fraternity. They’ll prove their worth during Hell Week by participating in various physical, psychological and even juvenile pranks. But those shenanigans aren’t so funny when pledges start disappearing. What kind of evil has stalked this small Michigan university for the past two decades? Theories range from obscene scientific experiments to grotesque satanic killings…but they’re all wrong. The murdered boys serve a single purpose…the ultimate revenge.