Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 61427 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 307(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61427 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 307(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
“I said I did it for you,” she whispered.
Patrick didn’t speak, but she could swear the pressure of his gun eased up. His dark eyes searched her face. For what seemed like hours. She grew uncomfortable, scared, panicked, under that intense scrutiny. When she couldn’t stand it anymore, she said, “Why are you looking at me?”
“I’m trying to figure out if you’re telling me the truth.”
Her heart raced. “I am.”
“How?” he asked. “How was that for me, you banging another guy?”
She edged closer to him, flinching when the gun dug into her side again. “I missed you so much,” she confessed. “I was so worried, Patrick. I didn’t know where you were, if you were okay… And then this cop showed up, pretending to be my neighbor. I knew right away what he was up to.”
“You did?”
“Of course. I would never go to bed with another man unless I had a good reason. You know that.”
He looked deep into her eyes, a hesitant smile lifting one corner of his mouth. “You got close to him to get information? To protect me?”
“I got close to him so he wouldn’t get close to finding you,” she replied. “I had to be sure he wasn’t making headway locating you.”
Patrick hesitated, then released a sigh. “I would have done the same thing, babe.”
“Really?” She gave him a pleading look. “Do you forgive me, Patrick? I was only trying to help.”
He lowered the gun and slid closer to her, stroking her cheek with his cold fingers. “Of course I forgive you. I love you, Marley. I’ve been thinking of nothing but you the last three months.”
“Why didn’t you tell me the truth? You know I would have stood by you, no matter what you did for a living.”
He lowered his eyes and shrugged. “I know. I’m sorry. I should have trusted you.”
“Yes,” she agreed in a petulant voice.
“Well, I trust you now.” He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “And I promise I’ll spend the rest of my life making this up to you.”
He stuck the gun in the waistband of his jeans, every last iota of rage and resentment draining from his face, replaced with pure, delusional joy. Oh, God, he was insane. He seriously believed she was telling the truth. That she’d gotten close to Caleb to find out what the cops were doing.
So she could protect Patrick.
Choking back her disbelief, she said, “Can I really go with you?”
He gave her a warm smile, reminding her of the day she’d met him in the hospital, how charming he’d been. “I want you by my side, sweet pea, and I always will.” He wavered for a moment. “What about your dad? And Sam? Can you leave them? I know how much your family means to you.”
Then why are you holding them hostage? she wanted to scream.
Her nerves began to unravel like an old sweater, and she had to force herself to stay in character. “You mean more,” she said simply.
His entire face lit up, and all of a sudden he was the man she’d been going to marry. Preppy, handsome, easygoing smile.
“We should go then,” he said, urgency lining his tone. “How did you get away from the cops?”
She fed him the story she and Caleb had concocted. “I insisted I wanted to go into work. An agent followed me to the hospital, and then I switched clothes with Gwen and snuck out.”
Patrick sounded surprised. “Gwen helped you?”
“Of course.” Marley smiled. “She knows how much I still love you.”
“God, sweet pea, I missed you so much,” Patrick burst out, taking a step toward her.
His gaze dropped to her mouth and something in his expression shifted. To her dismay, she saw a spark of lust there. Horror gripped her insides as he dipped his head. He was going to kiss her.
There was no way she would be able to kiss him back. The very thought of placing her lips on his repulsed her.
Faking a smile, she pressed her index finger to his mouth and laughed. “Hold that thought. We need to go, remember?” She put on a concerned look. “But first I want to make sure Dad and Sam are okay, and say goodbye to them. Is that okay?”
The reverent expression on his face told he would give her the moon if she asked.
“Okay, you can say your goodbyes,” he conceded. “Let’s get this show on the road before I go crazy with impatience. I want to start our life together, Marley.”
She looked him square in the eye and said, “Me, too.”
CHAPTER 15
CALEB CROUCHED BEHIND the tall hedges of the house three doors down from the Kincaid bungalow. Fear continued to slither up and down his spine like a hungry snake, cold and relentless. He’d been in this state since the moment he’d agreed to let Marley go and meet Patrick.