Dangerous Betrayals

by Dover, L. P.

  Her mother’s house appeared on the screen. Placing a hand over her mouth, Kennedy sat back in the chair. I could hear the gasp that escaped her lips. Whatever date she picked, it was daytime and there were two people in her mother’s backyard, working in the flower garden. It was Kennedy and her mother. Kennedy’s silent cries hit me on a level I understood very well. There were times I wanted to search through the feed for videos of my own mother, but I could never do it. Watching Kennedy break down, it took all I had not to go in and pull her into my arms.

  I wanted Kennedy to see her mother, but I was afraid it’d fuel the fire inside of her even more. Over the past couple of weeks, I could feel her slipping away. She wasn’t the same woman she was when I met her. When I started training her, I didn’t think she’d fall so fast.

  Every day Kennedy typed in, I got to see a glimpse of the relationship she had with her mother. They spent a lot of their time in the flower garden and sitting on the back-porch swing. From what I could tell, they’d spend hours out there cordially discussing many things. Not only were they mother and daughter, they were best friends.

  Eventually, she’d type in the death date. The second I watched the numbers appear on the screen, I dreaded seeing Kennedy’s reaction. I’ve looked at that day a thousand times, hoping there’d be a clue somewhere. Body tense, Kennedy focused on the video like a hawk. She gasped when the killer came into view. It was an aerial shot so she could only see him from above. There was no way to see his face, and that was what pissed me off. He was right there and there wasn’t anything I could do. I’d watched the feed numerous times, hoping things would turn out differently.

  Kennedy fast forwarded the video until the killer ran out of the house. He was in there with her mother for an hour, that was a very long time. I could only imagine what Martha endured during those last moments of her life. The thought sickened me to the core.

  Kennedy rewound the feed and watched it again, over and over. Her sobs grew more desperate with each time. I couldn’t take it anymore. I opened the door and she jumped to her feet, her face covered in tears.

  “You gave me no choice,” she spat angrily. “You wouldn’t let me look for myself.”

  Nodding, I approached her slowly. “I know. I was afraid of how you’d take it.”

  Covering her face, she hung her head and burst out crying. It was my fault she had to go behind my back. I closed the distance between us and pulled her into my arms, holding her tight. She held onto me and sobbed against my chest, her tears soaking through my shirt.

  “I needed to see her.”

  I rubbed a hand soothingly down her back. “I know,” I murmured.

  “You haven’t found anything, have you?” Usually, I could tell anyone anything, but with Kennedy, the last thing I wanted to do was hurt her. My silence was her answer. Her grip around my waist tightened. “Why can’t we find him?”

  That was a good question. I’d never had problems like this before. “I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “The killer’s smart. He knows how to stay hidden. I’ve never had this kind of trouble.”

  She cried harder and all I could do was hold her. Nothing I could say would make her feel better. “I’m so lost,” she whispered, her voice hoarse. “I don’t know who I am anymore. I have no one.”

  Stepping back, I cupped her face in my hands. “You have me and my family, Kennedy. You’re not alone.” More tears fell down her face and I wiped them away.

  “You’re not going to let me help anymore, are you?”

  It killed me to take it away from her, but I had no choice. “For now,” I replied, letting my hands gently slide down her face. “We’re going to catch this guy, but I don’t want it to be at your expense.” I looked right into her beautiful hazel eyes. “I miss the Harry Potter loving, hot chocolate drinking Kennedy I met three weeks ago. It’s my fault this has consumed you.”

  Lips trembling, she closed her eyes. “No, it’s not. It’s mine.” She opened her eyes and more tears fell. “Are you going to send me away?”

  I shook my head. “You’re stuck with me, here. I’m still going to train you in the afternoons, but I’ll be handling the case on my own. No more hacking into my system.”

  She lowered her gaze. “I’m sorry. I never should’ve done that.”

  “How did you?” I asked.

  Sheepishly, her eyes lifted to mine. “I have a really good memory. Every morning, I watched you log in, memorizing the codes little by little.”

  That made me smile. Damn I knew she was smart. “Sneaky. You should be an FBI agent. You definitely shoot like one now.”

  Her lips pulled back slightly, but then faded quickly. “No. I couldn’t handle doing what you do. It’s hard enough trying to deal with my mother’s case. I couldn’t handle seeing what you see on a daily basis.”

  “That’s because I had to learn how to deal with it,” I said. “You’re not going to lose yourself, Kennedy. I won’t let you.” It was getting late so I nodded toward the door. “Come on. You need to get some rest.” She needed it. With all the workouts we’d done and her lack of sleep, she’d lost a few pounds.

  Kennedy nodded and took a step, but her legs gave out beneath her. I caught her and lifted her in my arms. Gasping, she held me tight around the neck. “Oh my God, I don’t know what happened.”

  “I do,” I said, carrying her out of the media room. “You’re exhausted.” Laying her head on my shoulder, she closed her eyes and her breathing slowed. When I got to her room, I gently laid her on the bed and covered her with blankets. Her hair had fallen across her face so I gently brushed it away. “See you in the morning,” I whispered. Whimpering softly, Buttercup jumped up and rested at the foot of the bed.

  I thought Kennedy was asleep, but she grabbed my wrist before I could leave her. “Don’t go,” she pleaded, her voice soft. She opened her eyes and met my gaze. “Please, Reed. I just need you to hold me.” Her grip loosened around my wrist and she lifted the covers, her expression raw and vulnerable. “Please.”

  She turned her back to me and I climbed in behind her, wrapping my arm around her waist. It felt good having her close. She needed to know I’d be there for her.

  Kennedy moved closer to me, the sound of her voice thick with sleep. “Thank you.”

  I breathed her in. “You’re welcome. I’ll always be here for you. You’re not alone.”

  A few seconds passed and I thought she had fallen asleep, but then a sigh escaped her lips. “I think that’s why I’m falling for you.” As soon as she said it, her breaths deepened and she was asleep. Whether she meant to say it or not, at least we were on the same page. I was starting to fall for her too.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Kennedy

  In my dreams, all I could see was my mother. It was a good dream. We were back in her garden, planting her favorite pansies and violas. We even talked for hours while sitting on her back-porch swing.

  When I opened my eyes, I realized it wasn’t just a dream. The disaster that I liked to call last night’s memories came back with a vengeance. I remembered everything. How I snuck into Reed’s media room and hacked into his government files, which could’ve seriously gotten me into a lot of trouble. I betrayed his trust which really hurt deep. I couldn’t blame him if he never trusted me again. I was so eaten up with all the emotions that I never really thought of the consequences.

  On the other hand, I definitely wasn’t prepared for seeing the killer at my mother’s house. No wonder Reed kept everything from me. I was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Now that I had, I felt relieved. Maybe it was because Reed was still with me, his body right up against mine with his arm around my waist. I didn’t want to move. Then again, my eyes felt like sandpaper and I had no doubt I looked like complete and utter shit. I went over the edge last night. For the past two weeks, I felt it coming. I didn’t realize I’d fall so hard so fast.

  Reed saved me last night. If he hadn’t been there, I would’ve lost my mind.

>   Reed’s arm loosened around my waist. “Good morning.”

  My heart raced. “Morning,” I said, feeling the burn in my cheeks. After last night, I didn’t know how things were going to be between us. Reed let me go and sat up, and I did the same. Buttercup was by the door, sprawled out on the floor.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  Taking a deep breath, I turned to him. There was no annoyance or anger on his face when he looked at me, only concern. After what I did, I thought he’d be furious at me. “I’m just embarrassed,” I admitted honestly. “I’m not a deceptive person, Reed. I want you to know you can trust me. I’m going to step away.”

  His lips pulled back in that sexy smile of his. “Oh, I know you are. That’s why Faith is coming to get you this morning. I think she can help you.”

  I nodded. “Sounds good. I miss having a friend.” Amy was all I had but I couldn’t be anywhere near her right now, not when there was a killer hunting me. She needed to be as far away from me as she could. With everything going on, I haven’t had the time to talk to her every day, but we still managed to text which was nice. Everyone was on high alert back in Belmont now that they knew about the killings.

  Reed’s smile faded. “I know.” His phone beeped and he pulled it out of his back pocket. “It’s from Faith,” he said, showing me his phone. “She’s on her way. You two are going to her restaurant.”

  Gasping, I jumped out of bed and grabbed some clean clothes out of the dresser. “I’m nowhere near ready. Do you think I have time to take a quick shower?”

  Reed chuckled. “You’ll be fine. I’ll talk to her while she waits.” He got up and walked over to the door. Wagging her tail excitedly, Buttercup waited for him.

  “Reed,” I called out. Stopping at the door, he turned and lifted his brows. I took a deep breath and let it out slow. “We still on for training this afternoon?”

  He grinned. “You know it.”

  Relief washed through me. “And afterwards, I’ll cook us dinner. Thought maybe we could talk? I feel like we haven’t done much of that in a while.”

  The way he stared at me made me tremble. “I’d like that,” he replied, his voice low and sounding sexy as hell. I didn’t know if getting involved with him was a good idea, but after last night, I felt like something had changed between us. I needed him. Reed turned for the door. “I’ll take Buttercup outside. See ya downstairs.”

  After taking a quick shower, I put on a pair of skinny jeans and a sleeveless white blouse with my brown sandals. If we were going to her restaurant, I wanted to look nice. There wasn’t much time since I could already hear her downstairs talking to Reed so I partially dried my hair for a quick two minutes and then put it in a side braid.

  When I walked out of my room, I stopped when I heard Reed mention my name. He and Faith were in the kitchen. I tiptoed a little closer so I could hear their conversation, but maintained a good distance so I could make it look like I wasn’t eavesdropping.

  “She’s going to be okay, Reed,” Faith whispered. “She has you.”

  Reed sighed. “I shouldn’t have let it go so far. I thought she was just having a bad day, but then it turned into two weeks. I blame myself.”

  “You can’t blame yourself, Reed. What Kennedy went through is tragic. That could mess anyone up. Not to mention, the killer’s taunting her. I’d be full of rage too.”

  “I’m going to find him,” Reed growled low. “She deserves justice. All of the victims do.”

  “And they’ll get it,” Faith agreed. “Until then, Kennedy needs to know that we’re here for her. I want her to feel like she has a family here.”

  “Thanks, Faith. I want that too.” Silence filled the air, but then I heard Faith laugh. “What’s so funny?” Reed asked her.

  “You have feelings for her, don’t you?” Faith countered.

  My heart stopped and I held my breath. I wanted to hear his answer, but stupid me dropped my phone on the floor. It echoed down the hall and I cringed. “Hey Faith,” I shouted, making it sound like I just rushed out of my room. “Sorry for taking so long.”

  Faith and Reed rushed around the corner and I smiled. Faith had a huge grin on her face, dressed in a cute yellow sundress. Reed stared at me, probably wondering if I heard what they said. By the look on his face, I had a feeling he already knew the answer. That was the one thing I’d learned last night. There was no getting away with anything while Reed was around.

  Opening her arms, Faith rushed over and hugged me. “It’s so good to see you. You’ve been so busy here lately.”

  “Yeah, well,” I said, hugging her back, “not anymore. I’m sure Reed told you.”

  Sheepishly, she bit her lip. “Kind of. Although I am impressed at your hacking skills. You fit right in with Reed. You guys are two peas in a pod.”

  Reed and I looked at each other, and I could feel the tension between us. It was electric and sexual. I refused to let myself feel it the past two weeks, but I couldn’t hold back anymore. Faith glanced at us both and giggled. “All right, it’s time to go.” She grabbed my arm and waved at Reed. “We’ll be at the restaurant if you need us.”

  I smiled at Reed and he smiled back. “Have a good day,” he said to me.

  “You too,” I replied. Buttercup was outside, running around like a mad woman. She was so happy.

  Reed chuckled. “Don’t worry about Buttercup. She can keep me company downstairs.”

  I glanced out the window at her again. “Okay, but don’t give her too many treats. I don’t want her liking you more than me.”

  He winked. “Can’t promise anything.”

  Faith gently tugged on my arm and laughed. “Come on, girlie. We have lots of work to do.” I waved at Reed, and then followed her out to her car. Before, she’d been in an old green truck, but in the driveway, was an expensive black sports car with black rims. “Where’s the green truck?” I asked.

  Grinning, Faith walked around to the driver’s side. “Dom has it. You know, when we first moved here, he sold his Bugatti and got the truck. I thought he couldn’t live without a sports car, but I was wrong. Guess I couldn’t take all the mafia out of him.”

  I stopped at the car. “Is he going to be at the restaurant?”

  She looked over at me. “Yep. You get to meet him. You’ll also get to meet Francis. He was the Corsino’s chef for years, but now he’s going to work for me.”

  “Wow,” I said, completely flabbergasted. It all seemed so surreal. I couldn’t believe I was about to meet a real live mafia leader, or in this case, the son of one. That was the kind of thing you saw in movies. From what I’d heard, Dominic had left that part of his life behind.

  Faith and I hopped in the car and headed on our way to her restaurant. “So …” Faith began, “Reed told me what happened last night.”

  I turned my attention to the window, hoping to hide my face. “Not one of my finest moments.”

  “You were bound to hit rock bottom, Kennedy. It was only a matter of time. I’m just glad it happened with Reed.”

  With a heavy sigh, I faced her. “Me too. With us not finding anything, it made me so angry. It’s been two weeks and nothing.” I closed my eyes. “All I want is to catch the fucker before he kills someone else.”

  There was a sign up ahead for the Meadow Creek Resort and Faith pulled down the road. In the distance, I could see the hotel which looked like a huge log cabin, nestled on a large pond with flower gardens all around. Beside the resort was a brand-new building with a sign out front saying Opening Soon. We parked right out front and got out.

  “Is this your restaurant?” I asked. “It’s amazing.” The structure was gorgeous; it was similar to the Meadow Creek resort, just a smaller version of it with modern stone architecture added to it. The restaurant had a full wraparound porch with rocking chairs all around. Very comfortable, but yet modern.

  Faith beamed as we walked up the stairs to the entrance. “I’ve been dreaming of this place for years.” She pointed over at
the resort. “That’s Ian and Grace’s hotel. With us being family, we figured having the restaurant here would help both businesses. We’re calling it Meadow Creek Tavern.”

  “When’s it going to open?” I asked.

  Her grin widened. “At the end of summer. Everything’s almost done except for the menu.” She winked. “That’s where I want your help. I was serious when I said I’d like some of your recipes.”

  My eyes burned. All of the ones I used were my mother’s. If she were alive, she’d be ecstatic to know her recipes were being shared. “I’m happy to help,” I replied.

  The restaurant door was open and I could see two men inside, one of whom I recognized immediately. I saw his face a lot on the news. Faith was about to walk inside, but then stopped, turning to me with a sad expression on her face. “If you want my opinion, what you did and how you feel isn’t wrong,” she confessed. “I would be the same way. In fact, I did. I did some crazy stuff back in New York. I got myself kidnapped by the Cartwrights, one of the most ruthless mafia families in the country. I’ll tell you all the sordid details another time.”

  “And she almost got herself killed in the process,” Dominic said as he walked up to her. Dressed in a simple gray T-shirt and jeans, with perfectly coifed dark brown hair and gray eyes, he had a regal air about him that’d almost make you think he was royalty.

  He kissed the side of her head and she smiled up at him. “The things we do for love.” Faith flourished a hand my way. “Dom, this is Kennedy. Kennedy, this is my about to be husband.”

  Dominic held out his hand. “Pleasure to meet you, Kennedy.”

  “Same,” I said, shaking his hand. “I’ve seen you a lot on TV.”

  Still grinning, he tilted his head back and groaned. “You can’t believe everything you hear.”

  “Actually,” Faith cut in, “you can. He was really that bad.”

  She winked at him and he kissed her. “So are you.” He stepped back and smiled at me again. “You ladies have a good day. Francis and I have to go run some errands.” I watched him go into the kitchen and exit the back door with a man who looked to be in his mid-forties with curly blond hair a handlebar moustache. I assumed it was Francis.