Harlequin Romantic Suspense December 2020 Box Set

by Addison Fox, Cindy Dees, Justine Davis

  She’d be damned if she was going to put herself in danger again.

  Because, once more, he’d escaped. Like a cat with nine lives. Every time they were close to taking him down, the man vanished. While Sadie understood she and Tripp had been at a disadvantage this evening with Tate’s surprise attack, they’d still been serious opponents. Two trained cops, both armed.

  Yet Tate had still escaped.

  Riley spoke once more, his voice strong and firm and full of conviction. “It’s not your fault, Sadie.”

  “I brought this. On all of us.”

  “Like Dad brought his and Mom’s murders on himself? Like Abigail brought on her father’s crimes when she came into Griffin’s life? Or maybe it’s like Flynn’s being responsible for his half brother Landon’s bad choices?”

  Riley kept going before she could even get a word in. “The RevitaYou case has blown wide open and every one of us has been doing our level best to fight it with all we’ve got. Don’t you dare go taking this on yourself.”

  “Real nice to use our parents on me.”

  Riley smiled down at her. “I’ll use whatever it takes. You’re not at fault here. None of us is. But we are all in control of what we do about it.”

  “When did you get so smart, big brother?”

  “I’ve always been smart. It’s just that no one wants to give me any credit for it. And that includes a very pregnant Charlize, who’s been texting me nonstop for the past hour for updates.”

  She wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tight. “Consider it a public service.”

  “How’s that?”

  “As your siblings, we’re honor-bound to make sure your head doesn’t get too big.”

  The laughter started down low and deep and Sadie could feel her brother shaking against her. It was only as she pulled back and looked up at him that she saw the mischief filling his eyes. “Consider it a family condition.”

  “Oh, there’s no doubt about that. Now go call Charlize,” Sadie ordered.

  A doctor came into the waiting room. “Is there a Sadie Colton here?”

  She stood abruptly, smoothing her shirt against her hips. “That’s me.”

  “Lieutenant McKellar has asked to see you. He’s been quite insistent, as a matter of fact.”

  Riley, still holding her hand, gave it a tight squeeze before releasing it. “Go on. We’ll all be right here.”

  “Thank you.” Sadie bent to kiss Riley on the cheek. “For everything.”

  * * *

  Tripp reached for the small cup of water on the rolling table that fit across his hospital bed and winced at the sharp pain that radiated down his side. He knew he was more than lucky to be alive with nothing more than some stitches and enough antibiotics to fell an elephant, but the pain irritated him all the same.

  Greer had vanished. And the shooting pain lancing through Tripp’s side seemed like one more mocking example of how he’d let the man get away.

  Again.

  He was well acquainted with slippery criminals. Hell, the majority of police work was hunting them down and doing your level best to catch them. But Greer’s ongoing vanishing act had reduced Tripp to the level of a keystone cop. He’d had the man in his hands, for Pete’s sake.

  You also nearly took a stomach full of hunting knife, the more reasonable part of him chided through the self-recrimination. A fair argument that gave little comfort.

  Or none at all.

  “Tripp.” Sadie appeared at the door, her voice gravelly and still layered with smoke when she spoke again. “You up for a bit of company?”

  She’d changed clothes, the oversize sweatshirt rolled up several times at her wrists drowning her in the heavy material. The soot that had marred her skin—the last thing he remembered seeing before he’d passed out—had been washed off and, somewhere over the past few hours, she’d taken a shower. Her strawberry-blond hair shone under the recessed lighting of his room.

  She was beautiful. And perfect. Something clenched hard and tight deep inside him at the realization that she was okay. And at the even bigger realization that she might have been killed tonight.

  Sadie took a few steps into the room but remained near the door. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m fine.”

  A small frown marred her lips, matched by the slight furrowing of the brow he’d come to adore. “I don’t believe you.”

  “I am fine. But I can admit that I’ve also felt better.”

  “You were stabbed. And you inhaled so much smoke.” She took a few steps closer. “When you fell down in the snow, I didn’t know if you’d be okay. Or if—” She broke off, a hard sob escaping from her throat.

  “Sadie, I’m fine.” His heart broke as sobs racked her shoulders, dwarfed beneath the thick cotton of her sweatshirt. “Come here. Talk to me. I promise you, I’m okay.”

  She continued crying, the tears she seemed unable to control continuing to quake through her body. But she did move closer, coming to stand beside the bed. He ignored the pain that seared through his side as he sat up, readjusting so there was room beside him on the bed. He pulled her close, into the spot he’d made, before wrapping his arms around her. “Shh, now. It’s fine.”

  She nestled into his arms, her body slowly calming. They both faced the doorway and he fitted his chin just over her head, holding her through the storm of tears. Even the pain in his side seemed to fade as he sank into the quiet with her, content to simply hold her.

  To assure himself she was safe.

  They’d made it through together. That was some sort of miracle, if he were honest with himself. Between the fire and the fight, the fact they were both here and relatively whole was…well, it really was a miracle.

  That was a concept he hadn’t thought about in a long time. Miracles. Wonder. Maybe even divine intervention. He’d stopped believing in all of it a long time ago, the reality of losing Lila and the baby too much to bear.

  Or to continue to hope.

  Yet, somehow, in the midst of all he’d experienced over the past few weeks, Sadie Colton had returned that to him. He did have hope that they’d get out of this. That Tate Greer and Wes Matthews would get their due. And that Capital X would, once and for all, be vanquished right along with the pure evil that was the RevitaYou supplement.

  A fountain of youth that killed people. Vanity might be a sin, but Tripp was determined that no one else was going to die for it. And the people who had brought the drug to life would go down with the ship.

  “Am I hurting you?” Sadie struggled to sit upright but he held on, holding her still.

  “I’m fine.”

  “You just tightened up. I thought maybe you were in a lot of pain.”

  Tripp realized that he had tightened his hold as he’d thought about Capital X and RevitaYou, and relaxed a bit. “Sorry. Occupational hazard.”

  “Of what?”

  He breathed in deep, the light, fresh scent of her adding to that unfurling hope in his heart. “Thinking about the day this whole RevitaYou thing is behind us all.”

  She laid a hand over his. “Do you think that will happen?”

  “I do. We’re close and getting closer every day. Make no mistake about it, today’s incident was because of how close we are to arresting Matthews and Greer.”

  “Maybe.”

  Tripp heard the hesitation and let it go for a minute, curious if she’d continue. When she didn’t, he prodded her for more. “Maybe? That’s all you’ve got?”

  She shifted then, gently moving out of his arms. He wanted her to stay—nearly asked her to—but it was only because he realized that he wanted her in the same place forever that he held back.

  Had he really gone there?

  What right did he have to even think that way? Sadie had her entire future in front of her. She would heal from the
pain Tate Greer had caused and she’d move on. She would and she deserved to.

  And she deserved it with someone who wasn’t damaged and broken. Like him.

  He might have found a few vestiges of hope these past few days, but he knew who he was and he knew his lot in life. Marriage and a family weren’t a part of that.

  Sadie Colton was designed for marriage and a family. It was written in every pore. Seemed to halo her, shimmering as clear as if he could reach out and touch that future himself.

  “I say maybe because Tate is still out there. So’s Wes Matthews. My family hasn’t found Brody yet, no matter how many text messages my sisters have sent him. I’d have added to their number if I hadn’t just lost my second cell phone this week.”

  She sighed heavily, the hair framing her face blowing in the light gust. “All I’m saying is that while I hear you, I’m not sure we’re going to get a neat bow wrapped around this one.”

  “Who said anything about bows?”

  “You were getting dangerously close.”

  Tripp wasn’t sure if he was offended or ready to laugh. In light of all they’d been through, maybe that was a good thing. It meant that they could still feel something. Could still render emotion and find topics to argue about. To learn from one another and debate the facts.

  For now, it would have to be enough.

  His body might want more, but his mind knew better. He needed to stay strong and resist these inconvenient feelings for Sadie. Because no matter what she thought, he knew in his bones that this would end. Sooner rather than later, in fact.

  Greer’s days of running free were numbered.

  And once that monster and his fellow villains were off the streets, life would go back to normal.

  It would.

  Because it had to.

  * * *

  Sadie felt the exhaustion down to her very marrow, yet sleep still eluded her as she struggled to get comfortable in the guest chair in his room. Tripp had finally dozed off about an hour before. She’d wanted to go say goodbye to her family, still hanging out in the waiting room, and send them home, and knew it would be an acceptable excuse to leave Tripp for a few minutes. As she’d hoped, by the time she’d returned to his room, his eyes were closed and he was snoring.

  It was a sweet sound, which really meant she’d gone around the bend for this guy. She’d groused at her brothers for years for snoring like grizzlies, yet here was Tripp, likely just as loud, and she thought it was a symphony.

  Because you’ve got it bad, Colton. B-A-D bad.

  A fact she’d struggled with earlier when she’d left his arms. It had felt so good to lay there with him, practically intertwined on the small bed. She’d felt safe and secure, and in the cocoon of his arms she could let her fantasies go. There, with the masculine, woodsy scent of him surrounding her, she could pretend this wasn’t temporary. More, she could believe that somehow they would find their way.

  Together.

  That was why she’d had to step away. Pull herself from that warm embrace and take the seat opposite his hospital bed. She’d stared at the beeping machines, the confirmation that his heart was still beating and blood still flowed in his veins. And she took heart that they’d survived yet again.

  Because she’d rather be in a world with Tripp alive.

  Beyond that truth, not much else mattered. Not her feelings for him or the increasingly urgent need she had to tell him—which was the path to disaster.

  Yes, they’d grown close over the past week.

  And yes, the feelings she’d always had for him had reawakened with the close proximity and intense experiences.

  But it couldn’t be anything else. And it was up to her to find acceptance in that.

  “Sadie.” Vikki whispered her name from the doorway and Sadie turned to find her twin standing there, her expression inscrutable. That was odd since she and Vikki always knew what the other was thinking.

  Yet Vik’s expression gave nothing away, even as Sadie sensed her sister had quite a lot to say.

  She gave one last look at the monitor, then at Tripp, before standing and following Vikki out into the hallway. “What is it, Vik? I thought you and Flynn were heading home with everyone else?”

  “We were. But—” Vikki stilled, her green eyes clouding. Their eyes were the one match they shared as twins.

  “What is it, Vikki?”

  “We were already in the car and Flynn was almost out of the parking lot when I asked him to come back.” Vikki’s arms went wide before pulling Sadie close. “I almost lost you tonight and I just—” Vikki let out a long, hard sigh. “And I love you and I needed to see you again. Hold you again.”

  Sadie clung to her sister, the bond they’d shared their entire lives even stronger than the tight grip that held them in place now. It felt good to hold her sister. To feel the solid lines of her body and know that she was alive and well and whole.

  “First the kidnapping from the safe house and now tonight.” Vikki sighed again as a shudder seemed to echo through her body. “I can’t lose you, Sadie. I just can’t.”

  “You didn’t, Vik. I’m okay. Really, I’m fine.”

  “I know.” Vikki took a step back and shook her head. “I know. I’m looking at you and I know you’re fine. And I keep telling myself that. And then I think about what might have happened and it washes through me once more.”

  Flynn let out a discreet cough before moving down the hallway. The GRPD had put two guards on the ward this time. They’d been apprised of who could come in and out, and allowed Flynn to pass. He moved up beside Vikki and wrapped an arm around her. “We’re both so glad you’re all right, Sadie.”

  “I know.”

  Although she hadn’t spent much time with Flynn since her sister had fallen in love with the Army MP while Sadie had been in the GRPD safe house, she knew he was a good man. He had the ringing endorsement of her family and she’d never seen Vikki so blissfully happy.

  But seeing them now—their mutual support and affection for each other so obvious—made Sadie’s heart happy. She knew the love Flynn felt for her sister—saw it in Vikki’s love in return—and was beyond grateful.

  It was proof that love could find its way in the darkest of times.

  “You having a party out there?” Tripp’s normally deep voice was still tinged with the husky aftereffects of smoke inhalation.

  Sadie turned back toward his room. “Are you okay?”

  He stared at her from the bed. “Sounded more interesting out there than in here.”

  Sadie walked into the room, gesturing Vikki and Flynn with her. “Do you need anything?”

  “I’d like an opinion, actually.”

  “An opinion about what?” Sadie asked.

  Vikki had already moved into motion, pouring Tripp a fresh glass of water from a pitcher on the counter. She brought it over, removing the older one that had likely grown warm.

  “Thank you.” Tripp used the controller on his bed to sit up and take the water from Vikki. After drinking deep, he eyed Flynn before setting the glass down. “I’ve got an idea.”

  “Something we can help you with?” Flynn asked.

  “I think so. I need a few days to heal and Greer has already proved he can move around undetected. I’d feel a lot better if Sadie and I got out of town.”

  “I can’t go anywhere—” Sadie started to protest.

  But Vikki had already moved closer to Tripp. “You had me at ‘out of town,’ Lieutenant.”

  “I’ve got a private place. A small cabin. Hell—” Tripp laughed, the sound hoarse “—I usually have to use my GPS to find it. It’ll be a great spot to lay low for a few days. Give us some time to analyze Greer’s moves and what he might do next.”

  “I think it’s a great idea. Inspired.” Vikki was already turning to Sadie, her excitement crushing whate
ver it was Sadie wanted to say.

  A few days out of touch from everyone…but with Tripp?

  Sly fingers of need beckoned her forward, willing her to say yes to the idea, while the more pragmatic side of her was convinced she should say no.

  A cabin so remote he needed GPS to find it?

  “I can’t just run away again. That’s what I’ve been doing for more than a month now and it hasn’t gotten me anywhere. I’m no safer now than I was before all this started.” Sadie heard the arguments coming from her own lips and knew them for the lies they were.

  Sure, on principle, she didn’t want to turn tail and run from Tate Greer. But Tate had little to do with the silky voice that continued to keep her company in her head, suggesting that she’d actually like nothing more than to run away with Tripp for a few days.

  Forever, really.

  “It’s a great idea, McKellar.” Flynn nodded. “We can feed you any information you need out of Colton Investigations’ HQ. And I’m sure Emmanuel can keep you apprised of whatever GRPD data you need.”

  “I’ve got full digital capabilities at my place,” Tripp added, reinforcing that the transition would be both easy and seamless.

  “But I—” Sadie stopped as Vikki appealed to her once more.

  “Sadie, please. Go away for a little while. Help Tripp get better, and get off the grid for a few days. You’ve both been through so much. You need time away from this mess. From the fear and the sense that there’s another shoe waiting to drop.”

  She knew she should argue. Or stall. Or demand a few days to think it over, but really, what was the point?

  Tripp McKellar had just invited her to run away with him. He might not understand what that meant to her, but really, how often was a woman offered a chance to make her dreams come true?

  CHAPTER 14

  Tripp watched Sadie putter around his cabin’s kitchen from the comfort of his well-worn couch and wondered what he’d possibly been thinking inviting her up there. Sure, there’d been copious amounts of painkillers involved, but really, the drugs hadn’t clouded his thoughts that much.