by Katie Reus
“Then no, I’m not asking.” He glanced around, then lowered his voice before focusing on her again. “One of my brothers has a beach house in Saint Augustine. It’s safe and not linked to either of us. We can be there in five hours.”
“You’re very bossy,” she muttered.
“Where your safety is concerned? Yeah.” His expression was like granite, hard and unforgiving.
“Wait, what about your job? You can’t just take time off when you just started.”
“It’s not an issue.” His voice was clipped.
“Sawyer—”
“Trust me. It’s not.”
She knew she should probably be annoyed by his tone and high-handed manner. She’d never put up with that from anyone before. Otherwise she wouldn’t have gotten to where she was in life. But if she was being honest, it was nice to let someone else take over right now. And not just anyone, but Sawyer. She might still have no clue where they were headed relationship-wise, but she trusted him with her life. And the idea of leaving the city was so appealing, the answer fell from her lips without pause. She just hoped he wasn’t putting his job in jeopardy. “Okay.”
Normally she analyzed stuff to death, but not with Sawyer apparently. It was like he’d brought out a different side to her.
He nodded once. “Good. I’ve got a call to make then we’ll talk to Carlito about where we’re headed.”
“I need to call Gerard too.” Everything was happening so fast and she hated that she’d have to pass off some of her appointments, but she was terrified to stay home right now.
* * *
Across the street from Zoe’s house, she blended into the shadows, careful to keep her body language neutral. She didn’t want the glee on her face to show. Not that anyone was paying attention to her right now. She looked just like any other woman out for an evening stroll, curious about the police presence in such a quiet neighborhood.
She’d only gotten to see Zoe briefly when the bitch had been talking to a uniformed police officer. It wasn’t enough. She wanted to see Zoe suffer, to see her expression of pain and fear. Just the thought made her entire body heat up with glee. A feeling similar to arousal swept through her. Her nipples pebbled against her bra and she shifted against the sidewalk, her sneakers silent on the concrete.
The more she thought about messing with Zoe, the more joy it brought her. That bitch deserved it more than she’d ever know. She just took and took and thought she could have anything she wanted. Anyone she wanted. Well, no more.
When a sexy-looking man in casual slacks, a jacket, and a police badge on a chain around his neck strode out from behind an SUV and waved at another man, her heart rate kicked up a notch. She recognized the man approaching the policeman.
Tall, muscular, dark hair, a hardness about him that was impossible to deny. He was definitely sexy, in a rough-looking sort of way. Not her type, she liked her men polished, but she could see the appeal. It was the man Zoe had been with before. Now he was here? Oh yes, he must mean something to her.
Probably here to support poor, pitiful Zoe. Too bad no one would be able to protect her for very long. It didn’t matter where Zoe went, she had a way to track her. There was nowhere she could run. And if her lover got in the way, she’d end him too. Maybe she’d hurt him anyway and make Zoe watch.
Chapter 10
Carlito sat on the edge of the seat in Letty Nieves’s kitchen. Another uniformed police officer was with him, standing near the door that led into the backyard. Zoe had given them a list of people in her life who she didn’t get along with. Since the Nieves woman lived in her neighborhood, he was starting with her.
It made it easier to pretend that he was just asking everyone in the neighborhood questions instead of subtly interrogating her. “Thanks again for agreeing to speak with us. Everyone in the neighborhood has been so helpful.”
She smiled in a way he’d seen far too often, openly flirty. “Of course, Detective.”
He bit back a sigh even though he could use this to his advantage. He’d used charm on many occasions to get suspects to loosen up. “Have you seen anyone around the neighborhood who looked out of place lately? Odd hours of the day or night?”
Letty shook her head, her dark hair swishing around her shoulders. In her thirties, she was a stunning woman, but something about her was plastic. “Not that I can think of. Well, yesterday I saw the police at Zoe’s house, but I’m sure you already know that.” There was a questioning note in her voice.
Deciding to be civil, he said, “Zoe’s helping us with an ongoing investigation.”
The woman’s smile turned brittle, but she quickly recovered. “That’s wonderful.”
“Can you tell me about the rest of your neighbors?” Sometimes it was best to ask open-ended questions. People tended to hang themselves if given enough rope and in general, people loved to hear themselves talk. He hoped that was the case with Letty Nieves. So far he didn’t have a gut feeling about her one way or another. It was too soon to tell. If she wasn’t involved, hopefully she’d seen something that could help them.
“Of course.” She clasped her hands in her lap and told him about both neighbors on either side of her, two across the street, and finally she got to Zoe. He had the feeling she’d been holding off on talking about Zoe when Letty’s face tightened just a fraction as she mentioned her. “Now, I’m sure Zoe is helping you with your little case, but she’s not the best neighbor.”
Carlito straightened at that. “How so?”
She leaned forward, almost conspiratorially. “Trash comes on Thursdays early in the morning. Before she leaves for work. And she doesn’t bring her trash can in until after she gets home.”
He blinked, waiting for more. When he realized nothing more was coming, he fought his disappointment. This woman didn’t like Zoe but it seemed to have more to do with her as a neighbor. He was sure people had killed for less, but after hearing Letty complain about every single one of her neighbors, she just seemed like an unhappy woman in general. He cleared his throat. “I see.”
“And it’s not just that. Last year she didn’t take her Christmas lights down until January tenth. Tenth. Everyone else had them down a couple days after Christmas or by the first at the latest. Zoe was apparently too busy with her job.” The woman sniffed haughtily and continued complaining about how Zoe’s gardener had once left a tool in her front yard.
Carlito resisted the urge to massage his temple. He didn’t have time to be a personal sounding board for this woman. When he’d been on patrol he’d gotten calls for the most ridiculous things; people called the police because their cable went out or because they wanted him to tell their eight-year old he’d arrest them if they didn’t go to school. Because that wasn’t going to scar them or anything. He’d thought when he became a detective it would be different, but nope. People were the same.
He smiled wanly and glanced over at the female officer standing guard. It was clear she was fighting a smile as she glanced out one of the kitchen windows to avoid his gaze.
Carlito cleared his throat again, and attempted to get back on topic. He needed to wrap up this conversation and move on to the next person on Zoe’s list. Because whoever had left that finger for her to find was incredibly dangerous and he wanted them off the streets.
* * *
Sawyer steered into the driveway of the quiet beach house, using the high beams to sweep the front yard and foliage on either side of the home. Not for Zoe’s current threat, but any threat. It was close to two in the morning and this house was unused about six months out of the year. Luckily his brother had someone who came by and cleaned bi-monthly and just checked on the place but still, he was more alert and vigilant than normal right now.
That ‘gift’ Zoe had been left was incredibly violent. Which said all it needed to about the person who’d left it. When he pulled up under the house, he inwardly cursed that they didn’t have an enclosed garage. None of the houses on the water did though, because of hurrica
nes.
As soon as he turned off the engine, Zoe jerked awake, her eyes popping open, a tinge of fear visible in them, even under the muted moonlight. Her breathing was slightly erratic but quickly evened out as she gave him a nervous half-smile. “We’re here?”
He nodded, his gaze raking over her for what felt like the hundredth time in the last few hours. She’d fallen asleep two hours into their drive and even before that she hadn’t been much for conversation. It was clear she was scared and he’d wanted her to get some rest. He was going to make sure she felt safe tonight. If she let him, he knew exactly how he was going to help her take her mind off things. “Let me grab our bags and we’ll head in. My brother texted me a couple hours ago, said we’d have the basics like milk and orange juice but later this morning we’ll go grocery shopping.”
Zoe gave him a real smile. “As long as there’s a soft bed, I don’t care about food.”
At the word bed, all he could envision was her splayed out under him, her hips lifting to his mouth the way he’d been fantasizing about. That one time against her wall wasn’t nearly enough. It had been raw and frantic and he wanted a whole lot more, especially after he’d gotten a taste of her. The woman could easily become an addiction, something he didn’t mind.
For now he shut that thought down and quickly got out of the vehicle. After retrieving both their bags from the back, he led her out of the open garage and up the stairs to the next level. Like most houses on this stretch of beach front property, they were all raised at least fourteen feet higher than sea level. The stairs led to the wraparound porch and front door. As they ascended it, a cold breeze from the ocean whipped over them.
He heard Zoe make a shivering sound behind him and hurried to unlock the front door. Once inside he disarmed the code—his parents’ anniversary date—then reset it and secured the door. “Tomorrow I’ll show you around the house and we’ll explore the beach.”
She nodded, glancing around the foyer and connected living room curiously.
“You want the tour of the house now?”
She lifted a shoulder. “Yeah, I’d kind of like to know the layout of where we’re staying in case… Well, in case of anything.”
His eyebrows raised at her line of thinking. He’d be here to protect her, but he found her awareness of her surroundings fucking hot. Nodding to their left, he said, “This is the living room.” His brother’s wife had decorated the place in soft earth tones and most of the art anywhere in the house were black and white photos of ocean life or the beach. A giant ship’s wheel hung above the fireplace, with other nautical-themed trinkets on the shelf under it. The tour of the house was as quick as possible with the living room, dining room, kitchen and office downstairs and four bedrooms upstairs. The place was huge for a beach house.
Once they reached the last bedroom, the master suite, he said, “You can take this one. It’s big with a lot of privacy and your own bathroom.”
She blinked, seemingly surprised by his offer. “Are you sure?”
He’d been hoping she’d ask him to join her but…”Yes. You’ve been through a lot. Plus I’ll hear anyone coming up the stairs. No one will make it to your room without getting through me.”
At his words, she wrapped her arms around herself and swallowed hard. Her newly straightened hair was windblown and tousled around her face from their short walk up the stairs. Right now she looked impossibly beautiful and scared. Shit. Maybe he shouldn’t have said anything.
“Not that anyone’s going to find us here.” Screw it. He’d been trying to maintain distance between them because it seemed clear that was what she wanted, but he wasn’t going to bother anymore. Not comforting her went against his nature and she clearly needed it. Besides, he hated the invisible wall she kept trying to put between them. He crossed the hardwood floor to where she hovered near an oversized trunk at the end of the king-sized bed. When he went to place his hands on her hips, to pull her close, she set a hand on his chest and shook her head.
“Don’t.”
That one word made him freeze. “Don’t what?”
“Touch me right now.” Her voice cracked on the last word before she swallowed hard again. “If you do, I’ll invite you to join me in bed and I don’t think that’s the smartest thing right now.”
“Why not?” he asked bluntly. Because getting naked with her sounded like a damn fine idea.
Her eyes widened at his question. Clearly he’d taken her off guard. She nervously cleared her throat. “Well, it’s just not. After everything that happened with you and my brother and then with me being targeted by some maniac, I don’t know. Sleeping together just doesn’t seem like a good idea right now.”
It was clear she was grasping at straws. The shit that had gone down with her brother was long-buried and had nothing to do with how he felt about Zoe. The feelings Zoe brought out in him were raw and a little primal. He just wanted to claim this woman, to taste every inch of her and then start all over again. She made him feel off-balance in the best way possible. Of course saying that out loud wouldn’t be a smart move. She was trying to keep her distance.
He’d let her. For tonight.
But tomorrow—or later today—was a different story. They were under the same roof so he had plenty of time to prove to her that he wasn’t into her for whatever bullshit reason Vincent seemed to think. The thought of using a woman that way made him sick.
He let his hands drop and nodded. “Okay.”
Her dark eyes narrowed slightly. “Okay?”
“You want me to argue?”
Her lips pulled into a thin line. “No, you just have this…look in your eyes right now.”
Sawyer raised an eyebrow. “Look?”
“It’s very mischievous.”
He snorted at her word choice. “Mischievous is for little boys. Something I am not,” he murmured.
For a moment her eyes grew heavy-lidded as they strayed over the length of his body, down to his feet, pausing right below his belt on her upsweep, before she seemed to remember herself and focused on his face. “No, you’re definitely not,” she said softly.
Those words made his dick ache. Damn it, he wanted to say more. So much more, but he didn’t. He knew if he pushed her right now he could get her naked and underneath him, begging for more. But he didn’t want her like that, not when she was so vulnerable and not when he had to push. He wanted her to come to him.
Rubbing a hand over the back of his neck, he nodded toward the doorway. “Come on, let’s get our bags and get settled in.” Then he wanted to do another sweep of the house. But he didn’t say that out loud since she was already nervous enough.
Unfortunately they’d be sleeping in separate rooms.
But come the morning, all bets were off. He was going to show Zoe all the reasons they should be together.
Chapter 11
Zoe stared at the ceiling of her room. A gauzy canopy draped over the four-poster bed but it was sheer and she could see through it. Twinkle lights lined the head of the bed and across the back part of the canopy, but she’d unplugged them, finding them distracting.
Each time the wind whistled up over the ocean, she nearly jumped out of her skin, then wanted to curse herself. She was in a new place, hiding from a deranged maniac and had a sexy man down the hall who’d made it very clear what he wanted from her. At least physically.
She grabbed a pillow and put it over her face, groaning, before tossing it off her. She could be naked and wrapped up in strong, warm arms right now. Deep down she knew she was just being a coward where Sawyer was concerned. The man was walking, talking sex appeal, but more than that he was honorable and simply put, a good man.
If he just wanted casual he wouldn’t have brought her here, protected her. Right? It didn’t make sense. She guessed he could have gotten her out of the city out of a sense of duty, but that didn’t feel right. Not when she had family to stay with. No, he’d gone the extra mile in a way most people wouldn’t have. He’d even put off
his first official week of work to bring her here. That was…pretty incredible. He hadn’t wanted to tell her either, but she’d gotten the details out of him on the drive here.
The more she thought about him, the more elusive sleep became. She was too caught up in her own thoughts, letting her past experiences mess with her potential future. God, she really was a coward.
Rolling over, she looked at the bedside clock. It was five in the morning and she wasn’t going back to sleep. Definitely time for some coffee. She doubted Sawyer would be up, not when he’d driven them to Saint Augustine and she was almost certain he’d still been up after she’d fallen asleep last night.
Wearing long, green and white striped pajama pants and a matching spaghetti strap top, she dug a cardigan out of her bag and slipped it on before leaving her room. The heat was on, but there was still a chill in the air.
The floorboards creaked beneath her when she stepped out of the room and she winced at the over-pronounced sound. A long Persian runner ran the length of the hallway and another down the wooden stairs so she kept to it so her feet wouldn’t get chilled.
She’d barely taken three steps when Sawyer appeared in the doorway to his room. Her heart jumped in her throat at his sudden appearance. When she saw the gun in his hand, her eyes widened. She knew he’d brought at least one, but seeing it put her on edge. It was just a reminder of the danger she was in.
“Hold on,” he murmured, before disappearing back into the darkness of his room. A second later he was back, sans gun. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” She nodded, her gaze straying over his bare chest. He had on loose drawstring pants that she had a feeling he was only wearing because of the situation. Something told her he was a commando kind of guy.
He placed his hands on the frame and she followed the action, drinking in the lines and striations of his muscular arms. Was he doing that intentionally, trying to distract her with his sex appeal? If so, it was working. When his hands tightened suddenly, his arm muscles flexing, she met his gaze to find him watching her intently. Hungrily.
