by L. P. Dover
There were a lot of home videos back at the house. Although, I didn’t know if I was ready to watch them. “Okay,” I agreed. “We’ll get to work tomorrow.”
Emma
Preston followed me to the café, like he’d done the day before. Nathan was already inside, sitting at the same table. He smiled like any gentleman would do when I walked in. I waved and ordered my hot chocolate before joining him.
Leaning over the table, he kissed me on the cheek. “Good morning. You look beautiful as always.”
I waved him off. “You’re just saying that because I’m cooking your dinner tonight.”
“And what are we having?” he asked, his voice low and seductive. If I was single and didn’t know of his past, I could see myself getting sucked under his spell.
“Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans. It’s my favorite.” Well, it’d had been Cameron’s favorite meal. Not that it was an iconic dinner to make him remember her, but it was a start in the right direction.
“Sounds good. Do I need to bring anything?”
I shook my head. “Just yourself. Then maybe after dinner we could take a walk on the beach?”
“I look forward to it,” he said, smiling as he glanced at his watch. “Dang it. I gotta go. We have a staff meeting this morning.”
“Fun.” I laughed. “I’ll be thinking of you as I enjoy the rest of my hot chocolate and a day out on the sand.”
He winked. “Maybe one day I’ll get to join you.”
“Maybe.”
Tossing his cup in the trash, he smiled at me once again before walking out the door.
“Hey, Emma,” a voice called out.
I turned to the voice and watched John walk toward me. “Good morning,” I greeted happily. “Are you and the band all ready for Charlotte?”
He sat down at the table and laughed. “For the most part. We’re leaving tomorrow.” He looked at the front door before continuing, “I’m not taking your boyfriend’s spot am I?”
I choked on my drink and coughed. “No, not at all. He’s not my boyfriend. Nathan’s a friend from around here.”
“Ah, I see. That explains why he was staring at you that one day.”
Frozen, I stared at him in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
He sipped his coffee and pointed at the tree just outside. “Remember the day I told you someone was staring at you, and when you turned around he was gone?”
“Yeah.” Dread settled into the pit of my gut. Glancing over at the tree, I remembered thinking it was Preston at the time. “Are you saying it was Nathan?”
He nodded. “I thought he was your boyfriend.”
My palms grew sweaty and I felt sick. Had Nathan really been watching me before our plan to out him? If so, it changed things drastically.
“Emma, you okay? You look pale.” John placed his hand on mine.
Not even finishing the rest of my drink, I got up and threw it in the trash, trying my best to plaster on a smile. “I’m sorry. I forgot I’m late for a meeting. I hate to run out on you, but I have to go. Be careful on your way to Charlotte. I’m sure I’ll see you around next week.”
“I sure hope so.”
I waved, then bolted out the door to my car. Once I was on the road, I called Preston.
“Everything okay?” he asked. “You ran out of there kind of fast.”
“No,” I choked, swallowing hard. “I think you might be right.”
“About Nathan?”
“Yeah. I ran into John in the café, and told me something that disturbed the hell out of me.”
“What is it?”
My heart raced and I felt like I was going to throw up. “Remember when I accused you of stalking me? John was the one who pointed it out to me. Can you take a guess as to who it was?”
“Fuck me,” he growled. “There’s no telling how long he’s been watching you.”
“Exactly. What if he’s seen us together?”
He sighed. “Then it’ll be even more like his scenario with Cameron.”
“And it drove him over the edge when she chose Adam over him,” I added. “If he knows I’m leading him on, he hasn’t given any indication as such.”
Preston huffed. “Let’s just hope he doesn’t. Either way, he chose you. We just have to ride it out as planned.”
Knowing Nathan had been watching me since before we’d figured everything out, scared the shit out of me. Maybe I was wrong about him. The phrase ‘looks can be deceiving’ crossed my mind.
I spent the afternoon looking through Cameron’s pictures, and watching home videos. She had been intelligent, vivacious, and naturally beautiful. One would have never thought she was being blackmailed at the time the videos were made. It was like she led a double life. If only she’d had the courage to get help before she got sucked in.
Preston could only watch for so long, before he had to walk away. I hoped that once we caught the killer he’d be able to move on, that the pain would lessen. But even then, he still had his father to worry about. Preston was a bomb ready to explode, and there was nothing I could do about it.
Mrs. Walker was downstairs cooking the meatloaf, while I braided my hair to the side, watching myself in the mirror as I turned into Cameron. Preston had said it was how she loved to wear her hair. We wore the same size clothes, which worked out perfectly. Her shirt was a little snug around my breasts, but it was her favorite—a Green Day T-shirt she had gotten at one of their concerts.
Preston stood by the window, his face a stone-cold mask. I knew it was hard for him to talk about Cameron all day. “I need to leave soon,” he murmured.
I walked up behind him and put my arms around his waist. “Where will you be?”
“Just outside. Make sure you stay in sight. If you don’t, I’ll have no choice but to come in.”
I nodded. “I can do that. I plan on staying downstairs, then going for a walk.”
Turning around, he finally looked at me for the first time since I put on Cameron’s clothes. “She loved that shirt,” he murmured. “None of her friends were into Green Day, so I went with her to the concert. It was one of the best nights I had with her.”
I remembered seeing a picture of them at the concert, wearing the exact same shirt. “You were a good brother, Preston. She and your mother would be proud of you.”
He scoffed. “Don’t know about that.”
“Well, I am, if it counts for anything,” I said, holding his face in my hands. “I love you.”
Releasing a heavy sigh, he kissed me. “I love you too. Be careful tonight.”
“I will.”
Hurrying past me, he marched down the stairs and out the front door. The house smelled amazing and when I joined Mrs. Walker in the kitchen, the food was already done. “You sure you don’t need me anymore tonight?” she asked.
I waved her off. “I’ll be fine. Go spend time with your hubby. I know your anniversary’s coming up this weekend. I’m sure I can manage on my own for the next couple of days.”
Her eyes widened. “You sure?”
Chuckling, I hugged her tight. “Yes, now go. Have a good night.” Grabbing her belongings, she strolled out the door with a smile on her face.
My phone beeped with an incoming text.
Nathan: On my way.
Me: Dinner is ready. :)
A few minutes later, he pulled into the driveway. I waited for him to get to the door before I opened it. When I did, he stood stock still, gaze roaming slowly over the length of my body. He looked like he’d seen a ghost. Perfect.
“You look . . .”
I waved him in and hugged him tight, hoping Cameron’s perfume would waft to his nose. “I know, I’m sorry. You’re all spiffed up and I look like a hobo. I was hoping to change clothes, but I didn’t have time,” I said, running a hand down my braid, feigning embarrassment.
Shaking his head, he cleared his throat and breathed me in. “No, it’s fine. Honestly, I’m shocked to see you’re a Green Day f
an.”
“Really?” I replied, letting him go. “They were one of my favorite bands growing up. I got it at a concert.”
He stared at me as if I was a completely different person. His hand lifted and he touched my braid, running his fingers over my hair. “I love it when you wear your hair like this,” he murmured.
I’d never worn my hair like that, but I didn’t correct him. “Thanks. I like it too. It stays out of my way. You ready to eat?”
My braid slid threw his fingers and I moved away, pulse racing as sweat ran down my back. He wouldn’t stop staring at me, which made me more nervous than I ever had been. I nodded toward the kitchen and he followed me. There were two place settings at the table, so I grabbed our plates and handed him one.
“Get as much as you want.” The food smelled amazing, but the bundle of nerves in my gut was working hard to make sure I wasn’t hungry. Still, I loaded up my plate and sat down at the table, where Preston could see us. “Want any lemon with your tea?” I asked him.
Taking a bite of his food, he looked at me and shook his head. “I’m good.”
There was a basket of lemons and limes on the counter, so I got up and grabbed a lime. Preston had told me how Cameron loved to put lime in her tea, that her family always made fun of her for it. I personally didn’t like the taste of anything in my tea, but I was committed to being Cameron, so I chopped it up and carried a couple of slices over to the table, squeezing them into my glass.
Nathan swallowed hard. “You put lime in your tea?”
I laughed. “I know it’s weird, but it’s good. You should try it sometime.”
“I think I’ll leave that to you,” he said with a small smile.
Throughout dinner, I tried not to notice him gawking at me, but it was hard. I kept my focus on my food and tried to pretend he wasn’t there. Unfortunately, that was hard as hell to do. “What are you going to do for summer vacation?” I hedged, attempting to take the focus away from me for a while.
He cleared his throat. “Hopefully, spend some of it with you.”
“Are you going to drive down to see me? My work schedule will be kind of hectic.”
“I don’t care. I can’t go all summer without seeing you. I’ll drive anywhere to be with you, you should know that.”
I smiled, but there was nothing that came out of my mouth. The things he said were strange, so I played along. We didn’t know each other well enough for him to drive anywhere in the world for me. I finished my food and put all the dirty dishes in the sink. The house felt like it was closing in around me, or maybe it was because Nathan was coming up behind me. I could see his reflection in the microwave.
“Want to get some fresh air?” I asked, turning around to face him. He nodded and stepped back, letting me walk past to the patio door. I breathed a sigh of relief the second I felt the wind hit my face.
Nathan came up behind me, his arms wrapped securely around my waist. I could feel his warm breath on my neck as he bent down to kiss my skin. Chills ran down my arms and I fought my instinct to recoil.
Needing my space, I attempted to start a conversation. “Where did you grow up?”
He kissed my neck again, breathing me in deeply. I knew he could smell Cameron’s perfume this close up. “Here and there, mainly in Virginia. I have a cabin up there. You should come see it. I prefer the beach though.”
I had to think about everything Preston told me about his sister. There had to be something else I could say. With him touching me, I couldn’t think straight. All I wanted was to push him off and run away. Peering out at the water, I concentrated on the waves and my breathing. Then something came to mind. “Have you ever tried to surf?”
He chuckled and I could feel the vibration against my back; he was too close. “All the time. I wasn’t very good at it though. Football was the only sport I ever excelled at.”
There was a patio chair turned over, so I stepped out of his hold to fix it. It was the perfect opportunity to gain some distance. “I tried surfing one time.”
His brows lifted and he smiled. “Oh yeah?”
“Yep, I ended up getting stung by a jellyfish. It especially sucked because I had a cheering competition not long afterward. My parents made me bathe in vinegar. I smelled like a tossed salad for a damn week. I refused to go to school, it was so bad.”
His smile faded. “How old were you?”
I looked right into his eyes. “Seventeen. I was a senior in high school.” It was all a lie, but it was during the time he was intimate with her. Surely, he’d remember. “Anything like that ever happen to you?” I added.
“No,” he murmured, placing his hands on my face. His eyes darted back and forth between mine. “It’s strange, but I feel like I’ve known you before.”
Desperation showed across his face and I took advantage of the moment. “I feel the same way,” I whispered. “I’m a firm believer in reincarnation. Maybe we were together in another life?”
Sucking in a ragged breath, his grip tightened and he moved closer. “Do you really think it’s possible?”
I wrapped my hands around his wrists and squeezed, leaning into him. “When two people are meant to be together, they always find their way back, one way or another.” Now that I truly believed in.
The smile that spread across his face made me shiver—possessive and feral. It was almost as if he was a different person. “Could it really be?” He wasted no time, moving in to press his lips to mine. When he deepened the kiss with his tongue, I tried to pull back, but his grip was too tight. Wrapping his arms around my waist, his erection pressed against my leg. “I need you, Cameron,” he whispered, sliding his hand under my shirt.
Hearing her name terrified me. “Stop,” I shouted, panic overtaking me. I pushed him off and stepped back. His chest rose and fell with rapid breaths, the air thick with his lust. “I’m not ready to go that far, not when I’m leaving in a couple of days.”
My reaction snapped him back to reality. Eyes wide, he stumbled into the railing. I had no clue if he realized he’d called me Cameron or not. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me,” he replied desperately, tearing his eyes away from mine. “I should go.”
Without another word, he charged into the house and grabbed his keys off the counter, before disappearing out the front door. I heard tires screech as he tore out of the driveway. It wasn’t long before Preston raced up to the deck, pulling me into his arms.
“You okay?”
Swallowing hard, tears fell down my cheeks. I hadn’t realized how hard it would be to play along. “No. I feel dirty. I don’t think I can do this anymore.” I felt safe in his arms and I didn’t want to let go.
“Good. I can’t stand watching that bastard touch you. It took all I had not to rip him off you and snap his neck.”
Burying my head in his chest, I cried. “He called me Cameron.”
His body tensed. “I’m gonna follow him. Will you be okay?”
Nodding, I let him go. “Go. I’ll be fine.”
He took off and I was left there, alone with the sound of the waves. My skin felt like spiders were crawling all over me and I couldn’t get away from the smell of Nathan’s cologne. I needed a shower to wash it all away.
Preston
Enraged couldn’t begin to cover the way I felt. After tonight, I would never let Emma anywhere near Cramer again. Knowing he’d called her Cameron sealed the deal. I’d have to find another way to prove his guilt.
It took a while to catch up to Nathan and when I did, I saw his truck parked in the parking lot of an abandoned warehouse. Nathan was still in his truck, with his head resting on the steering wheel. I slowed my vehicle and turned down the opposite street. It was dark with no streetlights, which worked in my favor. I found a place to park and snuck through the trees with my rifle slung across my shoulders.
At first, Nathan kept his head on the steering wheel, completely still, but then all hell broke loose. Pounding his fists against the wheel, he le
t loose a string of profanities, yelling at the top of his lungs. When he got out of the truck, he kicked his door and slammed his hands down on the hood. The look on his face was sheer panic . . . and rage. I could feel it in my blood—he was the one.
Taking a deep breath, I got into position on the ground. I could see Nathan through my scope, leaning over on the hood of his truck. I had the perfect shot. He didn’t deserve a fast death, but if it stopped him from going after Emma, I’d make the sacrifice.
I breathed in and let it out. One. I did it again. Two. Finger on the trigger, I was ready to pull, when my phone vibrated in my pocket. Fuck. I thought I could ignore it, but then it buzzed again and again. Clenching my teeth, I pulled it out of my pocket. It was Emma.
I stared at the phone, then back at Cramer, who’d gotten back into his truck already. I’d missed my chance. He drove away and I rushed back to my car. If he was going toward Emma, nothing was going to stop me from killing him. Once in my car, I tracked his route, only to find him heading away from Emma. A part of me was relieved, but the other part wanted another chance to put him down.
Pulling out my phone, I called Bryce, the only Chandler son who didn’t get on my nerves. “What’s up, Hale?” Bryce answered, his voice serious.
“I need you to do me a favor. Can you drive down and take Emma back to Charlotte? She’s not safe here.”
“What’s going on? Do you need help?” he asked.
“It’s nothing I can’t handle. I just don’t want her in the crossfire. Once she’s gone, I can do what I need to do.”
“All right, I’ll be there tomorrow night.”
“Good deal. See ya then.” We hung up and I breathed a sigh of relief. Emma was going to be furious, but if I told her to go on her own, she wouldn’t leave. She was the most stubborn woman I knew.
Emma called again and this time I answered it. “Hey.”
