“That might be difficult, Sean.” Tony smoothed a wrinkle from the upholstery.
“Make it work,” Sean’s voice lowered to a dangerous timbre. “I want it at pier thirteen on Friday. If it’s not, it’ll be your ass. Do you understand?”
Apprehension skittered down Nicole's spine. Brody's accusations looked all too real now.
The slam of a car door forced them into abrupt silence. Sean’s angry mask melted into a neutral expression while Tony looked cagey. The doorbell rang and the bodyguard tensed. His focus shot to the window.
“It’s Vasquez.” He shuffled toward the door.
The detective brushed past, careful not to get too close to the bodyguard. Her dark features split into a grin as she sank onto the couch. She sat on the cushion closest to Sean’s chair. “Did I come at a bad time?”
Sean sank into the overstuffed chair again. “Not at all. It’s always good to see you, Eva.”
“I have some information that might interest you.” The detective fluffed her loose, curly hair and smiled. “Brody Dunn found himself on the wrong end of a gun last night.”
The breath stilled in Nicole’s lungs and she thought her heart might shatter into a million pieces. The sharp sting of tears formed in her eyes and her legs trembled. No. He couldn’t be dead, not Brody. Please, not Brody. She clapped a hand over her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut.
Tony cleared his throat, but didn’t comment. The bastard did look smug though.
Sean clapped his hands and a smile lit his features. “It’s about time the bastard got what he deserves.”
Vasquez’s laugh was pitchy and sounded a bit nervous. “It was only a flesh wound.”
Nicole breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment, she believed she’d lost him. Not that she’d forgiven him, but the idea of him dead had affected her more than she thought possible.
Tony came into full view. He rested a hand on the back of the couch, just behind Vasquez. His clouded eye struggled to focus and he looked interested all of the sudden. “He’s still alive?”
“Yes, we found him this morning.” The detective scooted to the edge of the cushion. “We took him downtown, but didn’t have enough to keep him.”
Nicole’s knees were weak and shivery. He’d been shot, but they’d arrested him anyway? She peered around the banister to get a better look at the cop.
Sean’s fingers dimpled the arms of the chair. “Why not?”
The detective shifted on the cushion. “Something unexpected came up.”
“What?” The tone of Sean’s voice cooled Nicole’s blood.
Vasquez wasn’t ruffled at all. She turned to throw a glare at Tony. “For starters, he’s alive.”
Tony opened his mouth to protest, but Vasquez cut him off. “I didn’t get to him first. He told the officer that Tony shot him. He also had a lot to say about what happened at the pawn shop.”
Sean groaned. “What else?”
Tony moved from foot to foot, but kept quiet. He shot nervous glances at Sean.
“He thinks Nicole Riley’s life is in danger. He said she was attacked by Tony and Aaron James a few nights ago on the beach.”
“Is that why you’re here?” Sean asked with a sly smile. “You wanted to check on Nicole’s wellbeing? She’s asleep upstairs. Should I wake her?”
The detective’s expression darkened for just a moment. Her eyes turned toward the stairs and Nicole shrank back.
“Not exactly. Brody claims Tony carried out your order to kill Jim Evans last night. He said Tony had help from Aaron James. Too bad for Brody, there aren’t any witnesses. Jimbo didn’t have video in the place.”
“Too bad for him.” Sean’s voice was full of contempt. “The little shit’s lucky I don’t kill him myself.”
A chill spread across Nicole’s skin and left her with goosebumps.
Tony’s cloudy eye rolled in its socket. His worried gaze fell on Sean. “Boss, I swear…”
“Shut up! This is strike two, Anthony.” Sean’s voice was so low, it almost sounded like a growl.
Tony fell silent. His complexion was pasty and he swiped at the sweat on his brow. Not for the first time during this conversation did Nicole wish she had a clearer view of Sean’s face.
Vasquez said, “You left DNA at a crime scene, you fat idiot. Ira Johansen had your skin beneath his nails.”
Sean appeared livid. “I trust you took care of it?”
She continued with a cheeky smile, “Don’t worry, the lab misplaced their results. All they have now is the stuff you planted.”
Sean relaxed a bit. "Well done, Eva."
“There’s still a matter of alibis,” Vasquez reminded as she caressed his hand. “I need one for both men in case Brody manages to weasel his way out of Jim's death.”
There went all hopes of Vasquez hauling Tony downtown. He’d killed a man and shot Brody for god’s sake, but apparently justice wasn’t a priority for this detective.
Sean rolled his shoulders. “Let’s say that I have no idea what Aaron James was doing. Tony was at the club taking an inventory of the liquor until about five a.m. And should anyone ask, I was at home, with Nicole.”
“That’s your official statement?” Vasquez asked with a skeptical raise of the brow.
“Yes. Tweak it as you see fit. I’ll deal with Aaron’s incompetence myself.”
Nicole’s anger surged, but was matched by betrayal. She was almost sick listening to Sean make excuses for Tony and he had pretty much admitted he knew Aaron was on the beach. In her mind, that pretty much confirmed that he’d been the lone wolf that she and Molly had seen up on the dune. And she’d been nothing more than an alibi.
Tony shifted from foot to foot. “I’ll take care of Brody.”
Sean glared up at him. “No, you won’t.”
Tony opened his mouth to speak, but Sean cut him off with a snarl. “You’ve proved you’re not up for the challenge.”
Vasquez had the solution. “I’ll take care of Brody.”
Sean clasped her hand in his. “I knew I could count on you, Eva. There’s a syringe on the bar. It’s a unique mixture I had the boys at the lab whip up.”
“What is it?”
Sean stood and retrieved it. He studied the liquid inside. “A very strong batch of BST. I tried a tiny bit out on Nicole. It works fast, so give it to him then get the hell away from him.”
“You gave it to the girl?” She went to the bar and held it up to the light.
Nicole strained to hear their conversation. With their constant moving and the rustle of clothing, some of the words were drowned out.
“Just a very small dose. I told her it was wolfsbane, and she passed out before it could take full effect.” Sean laughed. “I thought I’d killed her.”
Vasquez tucked the syringe into her jacket pocket. “You need to get rid of the bitch. I can’t imagine screwing her is worth putting your entire operation at risk.”
Tony made a rude noise and the first hint of a smile touched his features.
“Be sure to give Brody the entire dose. I don’t want any fuck ups.” Sean’s scowl melted into an eerie smile. “I want him dead.”
“One other thing,” Vasquez said in an offhand manner.
Nicole paused on the top stair. Her bare toes digging into the carpet.
“Someone else witnessed the attack on the beach.”
Tony cleared his throat. “I’ll shut them up, give me a name.”
Sean didn’t sound so aloof now. “Who?”
“Molly McNeely told me everything. She also said you gave Nicole drugs. I took her statement, but I never turned it in. Unless she tries to follow-up, no one will ever know.”
Nicole squeezed her eyes shut. Molly hadn’t listened when she told her she’d take care of everything. But she hadn’t taken care of it, had she? If anything, things were worse than ever.
Nicole grew fearful they’d spot her or hear the heartbeat thundering in her chest. She pressed her back against the shadowy wall
.
Vasquez leaned forward and brushed her fingers against Sean’s arm. Nicole recognized intimacy in that quick touch. Had they been lovers at one time? Were they still?
“Why don’t you leave town for a while? At least until this has run its course?” Vasquez’s voice rose and fell with emotion. “I’m afraid we’ve backed Brody into a corner, Sean. I don’t know what he’s going to do next.”
“Just get him out of the way. I’ll handle everything else.”
Vasquez rested a hand against his chest. Her fingers stroked across the material of his shirt. “I can’t tamper with evidence anymore. This is my career we’re talking about.”
“I’ll take care of you. No matter what.” Sean stroked her cheek with his thumb. “Can I count on you to follow through on Thursday night?”
Vasquez rubbed hands over her arms. “Yes, of course.” Her words didn’t sound too convincing.
“That’s the last I’ll ask of you, I promise.”
The trio stared at each other in silence for a few seconds. Vasquez sidled closer to Sean and gripped the hand closest to her. “I miss you, Sean. When can we be together again?”
Tony grunted with what sounded like disgust.
“Soon, Angel.”
“You said we’d be together by now. But you’ve been spending all your time with that slut.”
Humor lit Sean’s eyes. “Are you jealous?”
“Of course not!” The detective’s words lacked conviction.
Sean walked Vasquez toward the door. Her arm was hooked in his and she smiled up at him. It was hard to tell from Nicole’s vantage point, but it looked like he caressed her hand. He opened the door and they stepped onto the patio. Their legs moved close, almost to the point of twining together. Nicole bent forward and peered around the banister.
Vasquez stood on tiptoe and Sean’s hand cupped her oval face. Their lips joined in a quick kiss.
Nicole’s stomach burned with anger at her own stupidity.
Vasquez’s voice carried from the patio, “I won’t let you down, Sean.”
“I’m counting on you, Eva. I’m taking the title of pack leader Thursday night. Brody can’t be there, understand?”
Pack leader? Nicole’s brain whirred with unanswered questions. Sean shut the door behind the detective. He returned to the couch, but this time he faced the stairs.
Tony edged closer. He didn’t sit but leaned against the arm. “Give me one more chance to take care of Brody. His luck is running out.” There was a sense of urgency in his voice. His need to redeem himself was evident.
Sean rubbed his chin. “You’ll get a chance if Eva fails.”
“Eva,” Tony growled the name. “Why do you let her talk to you like that?”
“We need her on our side. She knows enough to hurt us.”
Tony muttered under his breath, but nodded with obedience. “What about Nicole? Won’t she be in the way?”
Nicole squeezed her eyes shut and backed away from the stairs. She had to warn Brody that more trouble was headed his way. In her haste, she brushed against a framed picture on the wall. It fell and scraped along the wall on its way down the stairs.
Fingers of fear trailed down her spine. She had to get out of the house and warn Brody. She hurried toward the bedroom then dashed into the adjoining bathroom. She twisted the faucet. She doubted Sean would think she’d been in here the entire time, but she had to try.
Nicole threw the curtain to the small window aside. Crap, the window was the louver type. There would be no escape out it.
The bathroom door imploded. Nicole screamed.
Sean had taken his shirt off somewhere between the living room and bathroom.
“Hello, Angel.” Though his voice was soft, there was a threatening quality to it.
She reached for the towel rack, wrenching it from the wall. Sean grasped her wrist and the hollow piece of metal fell from her hand.
“Sean, I—” She twisted out of his grasp. His fingers curled around her shoulders and pulled her toward him. His mouth closed over hers. She put her hands against his smooth chest and pushed. He didn’t budge.
“I don’t feel well. I think I had too much wine.” The lie slipped from her lips, but he looked unconvinced.
He kissed her neck. His hand was rough against her breast.
“Sean, stop.” The porcelain sink pressed against her back. She tried to twist away, but his arms were like iron bands. The look on his face wasn’t gentle, but it wasn’t hostile either.
He drew back, eyes half closed, a grimace twisted his lips. One might think it was desire that pushed him forward, but Nicole knew it was something else. Not need, but something much darker and sinister.
Fear boiled up from her belly. “Sean?”
“I know you heard us.” His teeth grazed the tender lobe of her ear.
Sean pressed against her and his fingers curled around her hips. She shut her eyes and tried to squirm away. But Sean kept her tight in his grasp. A wave of cold fear spread through her.
His cheeks were flushed and anger danced behind his eyes. His hands became a heavy weight upon her shoulders.
“I was looking for you. You had company so I decided to wash my face and make myself presentable."
A wolfish grin parted his lips and allowed her to view his teeth. They’d begun to lengthen. His gray eyes were pools of deviant light. “What did you hear?”
“Nothing really,” Nicole struggled to make her voice calm.
He ran his hands up and down her sides then stopped at her hips. They flexed at her hips and the nails dimpled the fabric and her flesh.
“I don’t believe you.” One of his hands came up to entwine in her hair. He jerked her head back to expose the soft underside of her throat. Nicole’s eyes squinted and her roots screamed with pain. His tongue lashed at her skin.
His teeth grazed her chin and a strangled sob escaped her. She stood still, afraid to move.
“I can't believe you chose Brody over me. I could have given you so much, Nicole."
“Get. Off. Me.”
“Aaron was right. You’re a worthless whore.”
Tears ran down her face. “Why are you doing this?”
His body shuddered and she imagined his inner beast struggling to break free. Repulsion and fear made her insides quiver. She remembered Amy Dahl and her torn, battered body. Her knees went weak at the image, but Sean’s rough hands kept her supported.
She tried to harness all the strength she had because she knew she had to fight for herself. No one was coming to rescue her this time. And she was done being a victim. She’d be damned if she was just going to give up and allow him to treat her this way. She brought a hand up, but he caught it mid swing. She swung the other.
A shock of crimson leaked from his nose. His eyes went wild then his hand closed around her throat. He slammed her against the nearest wall. His body pitched forward as it twisted and snapped against hers. Nicole screamed. There was nowhere for her to go to get away from him. Sean’s bulk blocked the door.
Silvery white hair sprouted all over his body, the scent of wet dog filled the bathroom. A puddle of pink slime squished between her toes as he changed. Scream after scream echoed off the tiled walls.
Sean, not yet in full wolf form, fastened a clawed hand around her throat. His grip tightened, lifting her off her feet. His lips drew back from his muzzle to reveal sharp, canine teeth. A growl rumbled up his throat. A strangled scream escaped hers.
Nicole thrashed, kicked and pried at his hands. He slammed her against the wall again. Black dots and starbursts floated across her vision. Her voice was a strangled gurgle. “Please…”
Terror pushed her into uncharted territory. Her body tingled and the muscles flexed. It made sense to transform into the same shape as her attacker. The strange sensations were over just as quick as they began. Again her body failed her.
Her hands weakened then dropped away. Her head lolled against the wall.
Sean whined. His f
ingers flexed and he dropped her. She stumbled against him. He reached for her and this time she didn’t flinch. His claws traced the curve of her jaw and moved across her lips. His wolfish eyes roved over her. His ears twitched and his nostrils flared.
Nicole forced herself to maintain eye contact with the monster in the bathroom. She didn’t dare scream, not after his reaction to the first ones. He might silence her for good this time.
Already his body was beginning to return to normal. He leaned forward and she squeezed her eyes shut for fear he’d eat her face. Sean kissed her on the forehead. “My angel.”
In a surprise move, he jerked the bathroom door open. The door shimmied on its hinges as it slammed behind him. Moments later, the front door slammed and the roar of an engine had the neighbor’s dog barking.
Nicole sank onto the tile floor and hid her face with trembling hands. She picked up the bar of soap on the floor next to her and turned it over in her hands before throwing it across the room.
Chapter Twenty
Brody surveyed the lot for Vasquez's dark sedan. It was parked in its usual spot. Now that his hopes that she’d be absent were dashed, he needed to come up with a new plan.
He slipped in through the back door and waved to the few officers who greeted him. It was best to get this over with as fast as possible. The light was on in the forensics lab and he made a beeline for it.
The woman in a pristine white coat didn’t bother to look up from the microscope.
“Don’t touch anything.” She adjusted the focus wheel and continued to examine the specimen. “I haven’t gotten the results back on the saliva yet.”
“Hiya, Perry.”
Recognition twisted her features into a worried frown.
Back in the day, he and Vasquez entrusted their most important cases to Perry. She was in her mid-thirties, around Vasquez’s age. And just like his ex-partner, her attitude toward him had changed.
“You shouldn’t be here. Eva said no one was supposed to talk to you.” She cast a quick glance at the window that faced the conference room. Few paid attention to the lab or what was going on inside. Perry’s fingers curled around a pair of scissors. “What do you want?”
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