Authors: Kris Norris
“Rebecca will be waiting for you outside when you’re ready.” He shot Gage a quick look. “You’ve got a few minutes.”
“Thanks,” she replied, smiling as he left the room.
Sam touched her gently on the arm. “Are you really certain about this? I’ll call it off myself if you’re not.”
“I’ll be fine.” She gave him a shove.
“Really.”
Sam nodded, kissed her on the cheek and left. She’d expected Gage to follow behind him, but he simply stood there, hands stuffed in his pockets, face drawn tight. She could see the vein in his temple pulsing as he repeatedly clenched his jaw. She looked away, not sure what to say.
“You look thinner.”
Brooklyn
chuckled. It wasn’t what she’d expected. “I guess I’ve been distracted lately. I’m not very hungry.”
“You know how I feel about this.”
“I know.”
He nodded, shifting from one boot to the other. “Just don’t do anything…” He paused as if searching for the right word.
“Stupid?” she suggested.
“Dangerous.”
“I’ll try,” she assured him, reaching behind her to grab her coat off the counter.
“Ready?” he asked.
“You go ahead. I’d like to use the washroom quickly before I leave.”
He nodded again, turned, and left. She watched him stop once, at the doorway, and glance back at her. He looked like he was about to say something when he thought better of it and stalked off. She sighed and headed for the toilet. She walked around the corner and made for the small bathroom by the front door when she spotted a manila envelope on the table near the door. She picked it up, fingering the flap as she read the return address. Her heart sank. It was from Jack Reynolds’ office. One of his boys must have delivered it this morning while she was busy with Trevor’s briefing. The bottom dropped out of her stomach as she held the heavy papers in her hand. She closed her eyes and willed the tears to dry. Then she stuffed the damn thing in her purse. She’d deal with it later, when the threat was over. When her future was more than an endless array of days trapped in her own house.
When she’d sealed away her feelings for Gage.
So, in other words, never.
She cursed the voice in her head, pulled on her jacket and headed outside.
Gage watched Brooklyn descend the porch steps and climb into the grey sedan idling in the driveway. She never glanced at his truck, and his heart lurched as the car sped away. This was wrong. Everything instinct in his body told him this was a fatal mistake. Somehow, he knew the bastard was already prepared for their little scam, and would have a way around the security measures. That’s the only reason he’d come along. He needed to be certain she was safe. That meant being no more than a scream away.
“You ready to go?” asked Sam.
Gage looked over at him. “You say something?”
Sam shook his head. “You sure you’re up to this? That’s the third time I’ve talked to you today, and you haven’t heard a word I’ve said.”
Gage shrugged. “I was thinking.”
“About how wrong this is?” said Sam.
“This guy’s smarter than they’re giving him credit for. He’ll be waiting.”
“But so will
we
.”
Gage huffed and started down the drive. He and Sam rarely disagreed, but when they did, there wasn’t much either could say to bridge the gap. Better just to let it slide,
which is what he should’ve done with Brooklyn.
He never should’ve pushed her like that. She was like a bloody badger when cornered, and would do things just to get a point across. This time her point was directed at him. She was exerting her independence. Proving to him how strong she was. It had absolutely nothing to do with catching the bastard, and everything to do with him. It wasn’t until he heard the rumble vibrating the air he realised he’d growled.
“She’ll be safe,” insisted Sam.
“You’re damn straight, because I’m pulling her out of there the moment I feel something’s not right.”
Sam nodded and looked out the window. “Have you talked to her since the other night?” he finally asked, still looking outside.
“Not a word until the kitchen this morning.”
“You think that’s wise?”
Gage huffed. ”You heard her. It’s over.”
“She was angry. I’m sure she didn’t mean it.”
“Oh, she meant it.” Gage sighed and pounded his hands on the wheel. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Every time I try to make things better, I end up screwing it up even worse. It’s like a fucking curse.”
“Maybe you should try talking to her, instead of jumping straight to the sex?”
Gage eyed Sam, not amused by the grin the man was trying to hide. “Sex is the only thing I know how to do with her anymore. It’s the only thing I’m good at.”
“So what’s stopping you…besides me walking in on the two of you?”
Gage chuckled. “She needs romance.
Tenderness.
Passion.
Not her almost ex-husband stripping her naked and fucking her without so much as tender word.”
He shook his head. “I just can’t seem to control myself where she’s concerned.”
“If you ask me, she didn’t seem unhappy with your approach. I heard her scream all the way in the kitchen.”
Gage smiled, remembering the way she’d wailed his name so loud it’d vibrated in his chest. He could still feel the softness of her skin beneath his fingers, the taste of her velvety lips on his tongue. It was enough to drive him crazy, not to mention send him into an instant state of arousal. He could feel his cock lengthening against his stomach, pressing against the confines of his jeans. He
cursed,
glad he’d had enough sense to throw on his leather jacket. At least, he’d be able to hide the worst of it. He glanced at Sam, knowing the man already knew what he was thinking about.
“Let’s just see how today goes, and worry about the rest later. Maybe once this bastard’s behind bars I’ll be able to think more clearly.”
“If you ask me, you’re already thinking too much.
And with the wrong head.”
* * * *
Bound Treasures Bookstore – 4:30 pm
“I can’t believe I was the last person to see you before…you know.”
The woman fidgeted in her seat, her eyes sparkling in the dim light. Brooklyn had recognised her the moment she’d sat down. The same woman who’d gone on and on about her sister,
Marg
, the day Brooklyn had been attacked.
“It just seems so…creepy,” the woman added.
Brooklyn
nodded, shifting her shoulders. She’d been sitting in the same chair for over four hours, and the pain in her back had grown from a slight throbbing into a heated inferno. “Yes, I suppose it would seem that way,” she said, twirling the pen around in her hand. “Is there a book I can sign for you?”
The woman blushed slightly, folding her hands across the table. “Not really. I just wanted to come down and see how you were doing.” She left out a large huff of air. “I was so worried for you after I saw the report on the television. I still can’t believe you’re out here so soon. It sounded so serious.”
“You know reporters,” said Brooklyn, pushing her hair back from her face. “They always make the stories sound more exciting than they really are.”
She shifted again, stealing a quick look around the store. Rebecca was hovering by the front door and Troy was over by the exit leading into the adjoining mall. The other men would be patrolling outside, guarding the employee entrance and emergency exits. She sighed. The store was due to close in thirty minutes, and so far there’d been no sign of her admirer.
“Have the police caught the man who attacked you?”
Brooklyn
looked back up at the woman. “Sorry?”
The woman smiled and huddled forward. “I said
,
have they caught the fellow, yet?”
“No. Not yet. But I’m sure they’re working on it.” She whimpered softly as a sharp pain pulsed through her back. The constant twisting had taken its toll and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could stay there. She smiled at the lady and handed her a copy of her previous book. “You said your sister liked this one better. I signed it for her when I saw you walk in.”
The woman blushed and took the book, clutching it to her chest. “Oh, Ms. Matthews…”
“Brooklyn, please.”
The woman giggled.
“Brooklyn.”
She paused again, sucking in a deep breath. “I couldn’t possibly take this.”
Brooklyn
waved her hand. “Of course you could. Besides, I don’t need a dozen copies for myself.”
“But what about your family?”
Brooklyn
felt the blood drain from her face as her heart skipped a beat before slamming back into a shaky rhythm. Just the casual reference to Gage made her stomach clench and the tears gather in her eyes. She’d thought about him all day, knowing he was listening to her every word. The desk they’d set up for her was cold and smooth, similar to the one in their study, and she couldn’t help but remember the way he’d lifted her onto it.
Stroking his tongue down her body, finally settling between her thighs.
His touch had been strong, demanding, and she’d been unable to fight against the onslaught of sensations. She’d nearly cried when the orgasm had washed over her, his fingers still lodged deep inside her.
She sighed, blinking back the tears as she forced a smile. “I don’t really have any family in the area,” she said. “So please, take it for your sister.”
The woman frowned slightly. “I’m sorry to hear that.” She stood up, still clutching the book to her chest. “Thank you Ms…I mean Brooklyn.”
Brooklyn
nodded and stood up, stretching her back as she watched the woman leave. There were still a dozen people mingling around, but no one seemed ready to approach her. She sighed, turning towards the wall so she could speak without looking suspicious.
“I don’t think he’s going to show,” she whispered.
Trevor sighed into the microphone. “We’ve still got half an hour. Let’s not give up yet.”
“This is stupid,” she hissed, trying to keep her voice low. “He’s not going to walk up to the table and ask me to sign a book for him. He’s waiting for me to go somewhere else—somewhere more…vulnerable.” She paused, feeling her stomach sicken at the thoughts running through her mind. “Maybe I should go to the back of the store and hover around the washrooms for a while. That might be all it takes to bring him out.”
“Brooklyn…” Trevor’s voice stopped and she could hear Gage cursing something in the background. While she couldn’t make out any of the words, she had a pretty good idea what his message was. Trevor mumbled some words and then huffed into the mike.
“Are you sure you’re okay with that?” he asked, his voice calm despite the change in tone.
“Not really. But it seems like a wasted trip if we don’t do everything we can to catch this guy.” She stopped and bit at her bottom lip for strength. “You
will
have police covering me, right?”
“Rebecca’s already got a clear view of the hallway, and Troy’s heading for the men’s room as we speak. They’ll both be no more than a few seconds away.”
Brooklyn
tried to chuckle, but her throat clamped shut.
A few seconds.
That’s all it’d taken the guy to drug her and zap Peter with the
taser
.
Too much time in her books.
“All right,” she heard herself say. “When do you want me to go?”
“Wait another minute and then head down the hall. Rummage around in your purse for a while outside the door, like you’re looking for something. Then it’s up to you whether you want to go in or not.”
“Okay.”
Brooklyn
turned back to the table, brushing her hair back from her shoulders. She bent down beside the chair, grabbing her purse off the floor. It felt heavy and she remembered the papers she’d stuffed inside.
Divorce papers.
Her heart skipped again and her chin quivered. It was almost over, and it wasn’t the stakeout she was thinking about.
“All right, everyone’s in place,” she heard in her ear. “Start moving.”
She shook the thoughts out of her head. She needed to be ready. Prepared to defend
herself
at the slightest indication of danger. She slipped the strap of her purse over her shoulder and walked towards the back of the room, smiling at the people still milling around the store. None of them looked familiar. Blank faces with phony smiles. She skirted around a small group of women and entered the narrow hallway. It smelt sickeningly sweet, like someone had emptied an entire can of air freshener all at once. She choked back a cough and made for the last door on the right. She paused at the threshold, searching through her purse like Trevor had asked her to.
One minute.
Two…five.
She glanced at the doorknob and felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. It was just like the one in the other store. She gulped, pretending to fuss with her hair as she spoke quietly to the wall. “It’s been five minutes. What should I do?”