Pretend You’re Safe

by Alexandra Ivy

  He paused to study the small structure that looked like any other hunter’s cabin in the area. It was no wonder that no one had bothered to give it a second glance.

  Determining the best way to enter, his body jerked with terror as he heard a scream pierce the air.

  “Jaci.”

  He was lurching forward when Mike grabbed his arm and grimly pulled him to a halt.

  “Rylan. We can’t go charging in there like cowboys,” the sheriff snapped. “Take a breath and think.”

  Rylan jerked away from the man’s grasp, but he forced himself to pause and consider his words.

  Mike was right.

  Payton might not have seen a weapon, but that didn’t mean Nelson didn’t have one. If they barreled into the cabin without checking it out first, they might very well put Jaci at more risk.

  Again he studied the cabin. “You go in the front,” he at last said. “I’ll go through the back window.”

  Mike gave a grudging nod. “Don’t go in before me. Got it?”

  “Yeah. I got it.”

  Staying in the shadows of the trees, Rylan circled to the north side of the cabin. Distantly he was aware of Mike crossing directly to the front door, but he never allowed his gaze to waver from the nearest window. Crouching low, he darted forward, reaching the back of the cabin with a speed that would have made his old football coach proud.

  Pressing his back against the rough logs, he cautiously peered through the window, deeply relieved that there was nothing blocking his view.

  Not that his relief stayed for long.

  Glancing around the seemingly empty bedroom, he at last caught sight of Nelson, who was kneeling in the middle of the floor. A closer glance revealed that Jaci was trapped beneath him, her hands desperately beating against the man’s chest.

  Instinctively he raised his gun, but before he could pull the trigger, the sound of Mike’s voice echoed through the house.

  “Sheriff,” he bellowed. “Come out with your hands in the air.”

  Nelson leaned down to grab Jaci by the throat, tugging her to her feet as he used her as a human shield.

  Rylan pushed at the window, not at all surprised to find that it was tightly locked. Dammit. He had to find a way to get in. Glancing over his shoulder, his gaze landed on a pile of firewood.

  Perfect.

  Relief flooded through Jaci at the sound of Mike’s voice. Thank God. She’d been found. But even as she parted her lips to call out, Nelson grabbed her by the neck, dragging her to her feet.

  She made a harsh sound of agony as he crushed her throat, pressing his chest against her back as he whispered directly in her ear.

  “I loved you, Jaci,” he hissed. “Truly loved you.”

  “You’re sick,” she struggled to choke out.

  His fingers tightened, and dark spots began to dance in front of her eyes. He was blocking her air. If she didn’t get free, she was going to pass out.

  Or die.

  “No,” he said in grating tones. “I’ve been blessed with the ability to see beneath the surface. Sometimes I use my camera to reveal the truth. And sometimes my hands. I thought you could share that with me.” He gave her a violent shake. “You worthless bitch.”

  Her knees went weak, her ears ringing as Mike stepped into the room with his gun pointed toward Nelson.

  “It’s over, Nelson,” the sheriff warned, spreading his legs as he prepared to fire his weapon. “Remove your hands from her or I’ll shoot.”

  She could feel Nelson’s rigid muscles as he realized the game was over. He had nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.

  Then she could feel the tension ease out of his body. Almost as if he’d accepted his destiny.

  “Ah. Fate has changed yet again,” he whispered into her ear. “I’d lost faith in you. I feared I would have to sacrifice you and find a new muse. But now I understand. We were meant to be together for all eternity.”

  Jaci’s eyes widened with horror as his fingers dug into her throat with lethal force.

  Oh hell.

  He’d realized he couldn’t escape and now he was determined that they would die together.

  And the worst part was that she couldn’t do anything to warn Mike what he was intending.

  Lifting her hands, she dug her nails into Nelson’s arm, but his fingers tightened as he lifted her off her feet.

  Her vision narrowed, as if she was looking through a tunnel. At the same time, she heard a loud crash, as if glass was breaking. Had Mike turned over a lamp?

  She frantically tried to focus her fuzzy vision as Nelson jerked around, his sharp motion putting a few inches of space between them.

  In that second there was another loud noise. This one was the crack of a gunshot.

  Nelson grunted, his fingers jerking until they abruptly loosened and Jaci felt herself falling.

  She hit the floor face-first, gasping for air like a fish out of water. There was the sound of footsteps, and she thought she saw Mike race past her.

  Was he handcuffing Nelson? Or was her onetime friend dead?

  God, she hoped he was dead.

  The world continued to spin dizzily around her. A part of her told her that she needed to get up. Or at least cover her half-naked torso. But a larger part wanted to lie on the hard floor and simply appreciate the sweet air filling her lungs.

  At last she heard another set of footsteps hurrying across the bedroom, then a large form was crouching beside her.

  It was too much of an effort to turn her head to see who it was. She assumed it had to be one of Mike’s deputies.

  Then gentle arms wrapped around her, and she found herself being scooped off the floor and cradled in a warm lap.

  Squinting her eyes, she tried to focus on the lean, decidedly male face that hovered just inches away.

  “Rylan,” she at last breathed, pure joy jolting through her. “You’re alive.”

  He tilted his head down to press his lips tenderly against her mouth.

  “You’re never getting rid of me, Jaci Patterson.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  The next two days were a whirl of activity.

  After spending the night in the hospital along with Rylan, who’d finally agreed to have his wound stitched up, Jaci had been taken to the sheriff’s office to give her official statement.

  Nelson was well and truly dead.

  A relief. And yet, his death ensured that there would always be questions.

  Had there been something wrong with his brain, or had it been Teresa Graham’s harsh punishment that destroyed his sanity? Maybe it was Angel’s childish cruelty that had been the snapping point.

  And how many women had he killed?

  Six? A dozen? Two dozen?

  She’d returned to her grandparents’ home along with Rylan, simply content to be alive and with the man she loved.

  Rylan, however, was determined to get her to his condo in California.

  He claimed that he needed to check on his business. And that he wanted her on the beach, where she could relax without being bothered with the endless visitors who’d been stopping by to offer their condolences for her near-death experience.

  Deep inside, however, Jaci suspected that he knew she was still having nightmares. She only had to close her eyes to once again feel Nelson’s fingers tightening around her neck. Rylan no doubt hoped a change of scenery would help ease the trauma.

  She appreciated his concern. And actually, she was pleased with the thought of spending some time in the warm sunlight.

  But a part of her was reluctant to leave her home.

  It didn’t matter that Riff and Raff were already happily settled at Elmer’s house. Or that her customers were urging her to take some time for herself.

  With a shake of her head, she left her bedroom to find Rylan pacing the floor with mounting impatience.

  She paused, drinking in the sight of his male beauty.

  Would there ever come a day when she didn’t feel a zap of excitement whene
ver her gaze caught sight of his lean face and golden eyes? She hoped not.

  As if sensing her approach, he abruptly turned, a smile curving his lips as his gaze skimmed down her new yellow sweater and the jeans that hugged her curves.

  “Are you packed?”

  She nodded. “Yes,” she said, her voice still hoarse from the damage Nelson had managed to inflict.

  Rylan crossed to loop his arms around her waist, studying her upturned face with a searching gaze.

  “You could sound more enthusiastic,” he told her.

  She wrinkled her nose. “I am.”

  “We’ll be back. I just want you to myself for a week or two. And I need to get my things organized so I can have them shipped back here.”

  Suddenly she realized why she was so reluctant.

  Deep inside she was afraid he would return to his fancy condo and his gorgeous California girlfriends and recall why he’d left Heron—and her—behind.

  “You’re sure you want to move here?” she cautiously asked.

  His brows arched, as if he was surprised by her question. “Of course. We’ll have to spend time in California, and I’ll have to do some traveling, but this is my home.”

  The absolute assurance in his voice eased her inner fears.

  “Our home,” she softly corrected.

  A slow smile curved his lips. “Our home.”

  His head lowered and Jaci parted her lips, anticipating his kiss. But before their mouths could touch, there was a loud knock on the door.

  Rylan cursed, leaning his forehead against hers. “This is why I want to get you on a plane.”

  With a chuckle she went on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his stubborn jaw, then before he could protest, she slipped out of his arms and moved across the room. Ignoring the lingering tingle of fear, she pulled open the door. She had high hopes there would come a day when the terror that Nelson had inflicted on her would fade completely.

  She smiled as she caught sight of the man who’d helped to save her life.

  “Hello, Mike.” She stepped back, motioning him forward. “Come in.”

  Dressed in his uniform, Mike took off his ball cap as he stepped over the threshold. Since Nelson had been shot in the cabin the sheriff’s office had been working nonstop to try and uncover his dark secrets. It was a grim task that was leaving its mark on her friend.

  Mike managed a weary smile. “How are you feeling?”

  “Better,” she assured him, not surprised when Rylan moved to place a possessive arm around her shoulder.

  The two men might have worked together to rescue her, but there remained an unspoken competition for top alpha.

  She rolled her eyes. Men.

  “Good,” Mike said, pausing before he heaved a sigh. “The gossip will soon be flying through town, so I wanted to come and tell you what we found firsthand. Otherwise it will be so garbled you won’t know what’s true and what’s exaggeration.”

  She pressed tight against Rylan, already prepared for the worst.

  “You found more bodies?”

  Mike nodded. They’d been digging up and down the levee now that the floodwaters had receded.

  “Two more were buried next to the Johnson farm. And one more was found at the edge of the river south of Hannibal.”

  Even prepared, Jaci flinched at the sheer horror of what they’d discovered. How could one man destroy so many innocent lives?

  “Have any been identified?” Rylan asked, dropping a light kiss on the top of her head.

  “The body we found before we knew Nelson was the killer belonged to Katie Ernst. She worked as a bartender in Kansas City.” Mike’s lips twisted with frustration. “It will take a few more days to identify the rest of them.”

  Jaci made a sound of distress. “Will we ever know how many he killed?”

  Mike gave a shake of his head. “Probably not.”

  “It seems unbelievable that none of us knew what was going on,” she said.

  Even days later she struggled to accept that the man she’d counted as a friend had been a monster.

  Rylan tightened his arm around her shoulder, surrounding her with the promise of safety.

  “A serial killer’s greatest talent is his ability to hide his madness beneath a pretense of sanity,” he said.

  “I suppose,” she said, accepting she would never fully understand Nelson or the demons he’d hidden beneath his charming smile.

  A sad silence settled in the room as each of them tried to come to terms with Nelson and the scars he’d left behind. Then there was another knock on the door.

  “Oh hell,” Rylan breathed. “I’m never going to get you out of here.”

  With a rueful shake of her head, she moved to pull open the door, her eyes widening at the sight of the two elegant women who were standing with obvious discomfort on her porch.

  They were both wearing designer dresses with ridiculous high-heel shoes. The rains might have ended, but the mud remained.

  “Hello, Mother,” Jaci said in her hoarse voice, her gaze turning toward her sister. “Payton.”

  She stepped back and the two women entered her small living room. Instantly the air was laced with icy disapproval and the hint of expensive perfume. A familiar combination.

  “Jaci.” Loreen gave a stiff nod of her head, completely ignoring the two men who were standing mere feet away. “I heard you were leaving town.”

  “Just for a few days,” Jaci said.

  “Or weeks,” Rylan intruded.

  Jaci’s lips twitched, although she kept her gaze trained on her mother.

  “Did you need something?” she asked.

  Loreen’s expression unexpectedly softened, her lips trembling with an inner emotion.

  “I wanted to tell you that I’m very relieved that you’ve fully recovered,” she at last forced herself to say.

  Jaci blinked in shock. “Thank you.”

  “And I wanted to express my gratitude for what you did for Payton,” her mother plowed on, glancing toward the woman standing at her side. “She told me you saved her life.”

  Jaci shrugged. “We worked together.”

  Her mother’s gaze snapped toward Mike, her expression once again layered in frost.

  “It shouldn’t have been necessary,” she said. “Our law enforcement should have locked Nelson away years ago.” She gave a delicate shudder. “To think that I invited him to my home. It gives me nightmares.”

  Jaci swallowed a sigh. This was the Loreen Hamilton they all knew.

  “Mother,” Payton chided in low tones.

  “Yes, well.” Loreen gave a sniff, her hand lifting to toy with the strand of pearls around her neck as her attention returned to Jaci. “I just wanted you to know that I was very concerned and that I’m glad you are no longer in danger.”

  Reeling from the fact that her mother had driven all the way out to the farm, and actually revealed that she possessed feelings for her oldest daughter, Jaci was completely unprepared for Payton to abruptly rush forward to give her a hug.

  “Thank you,” she whispered softly. Then, pulling back, she interlocked her arm with Loreen’s and steered the older woman toward the door. “We should go,” she said.

  The two women stepped back onto the porch, but before the door closed, Payton glanced over her shoulder, sending the sheriff a lingering glance.

  On cue, Mike was rushing to follow behind them. “I need to get back to the office,” he said, offering Jaci a distracted smile. “Enjoy your time on the beach.”

  Jaci watched as her guests drove away, the feeling of unreality remaining as she heard Rylan moving behind her.

  “The world truly has gone mad,” she admitted, her thoughts dwelling on that last glance between her sister and the sheriff. “Do you think there is something going on between Mike and Payton?”

  “What I think is that I don’t care,” Rylan told her, abruptly sweeping her off her feet.

  She gave a startled laugh. “Rylan, what are you doing?” />
  He leaned down to grab the purse she’d left on the table next to the door.

  “Clearly the only way I’m getting you out of here is to carry you out,” he told her.

  “But my suitcase.”

  “We’ll buy whatever you need in California.”

  He glared down at her, as if waiting for her to argue. Instead, she lifted her arms to wrap them around his neck, happiness flooding her heart.

  “I’ve waited a lot of years for you to finally sweep me off my feet, Rylan Cooper.”

  “Hold on, darling.” He carried her out the door. “This is just the beginning.”

  Please turn the page for an exciting sneak peek of Alexandra Ivy’s next romantic suspense thriller

  WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?

  coming soon from Headline Eternal!

  Prologue

  A voice in the back of Jeannie Smith’s mind whispered that she should be resigned to her ugly fate.

  She’d always known that she was going to come to a bad end. Everyone had said so. Her mother said it just before the older woman had run off with her latest lover. Her grandparents said it when they’d kicked her out of their house when she was just sixteen. And even her pimp said it when he’d caught sight of the infected track marks on her inner arms.

  A bad end was what happened to girls like her.

  And it wasn’t like she hadn’t had any warning. Since she’d started working as a whore she’d been beaten, robbed, and dumped in the gutter. It’d only gotten worse when she’d left the streets of Kansas City to become a lot lizard.

  Trolling the truck stops and rest areas along the interstate was considered the lowest of the lowest, even for whores. Which meant that it was only for the most desperate women.

  But even after all the beatings and rough sex she’d been forced to endure, nothing had taught her the true meaning of horror until the john who’d picked her tonight.

  Which was weird, really.

  He was so handsome.

  Dark skin, glossy black hair and rich brown eyes.

  The sort of dude who could have any woman he wanted.

  Of course, that might explain why she hadn’t instantly been wary when he’d urged her into the long trailer attached to his semi truck. Not even when she realized it was equipped with a freezer. It was better than doing the john against the wall of the diner. Or on the hard gravel of the lot.