Behind the Lies (Montgomery Justice #2)(33)

He raised her chin.

“You’re real, Jenna. You have courage and guts. That makes you more beautiful than you realize.”

His gaze dropped to her lips. Jenna’s body stilled, wanting to deny what he said. She’d been a coward for far too long, but she couldn’t speak. He held her captive with one look. The heat generated between them entangled her, wrapping her entire being in temptation.

“I wish—” she whispered.

“So do I,” he muttered quietly. “More than you know. But it can’t be.”

She took a shuddering step away from him. Her entire body grew cold and chilled. She rubbed her arms. “I’d better go back inside. Before I do something…”

He clutched her. “Jenna.” His gaze softened. “Tomorrow we’ll find a way out of here for you.”

She wanted to throw her arms around him and hug him, but she knew if he ever held her in that way, she wouldn’t want to let him go. And she had to let him go.

“Leave,” he ordered softly as if reading her mind. He touched her shoulder. “You’re too tempting to me, and we both know giving in to temptation leads to disaster.”

She nodded and backed away. He turned, the stillness in his body almost eerie.

She’d found a man who didn’t take everything he wanted. Who did the right thing.

Zach Montgomery might be an enigma, but she believed in him. She’d seen him for who he was. But could she trust herself? She’d been fooled before.

She shuffled down the hall and checked on Sam.

She’d believed Brad, too.

A shiver quaked through her. How could Zach help her? Really? If Brad wanted to find her, all the money in the world wouldn’t stop him.

Jenna sat on the bed and wrapped her arms around her knees.

For a moment, in Zach’s presence, she’d felt hope. Hope for the first time since she’d recognized the lie her marriage had become, and the dangerous man with whom she’d entwined her life.

In the silence of this room, she couldn’t stop the beasts of uncertainty from clawing at her memory. Betrayal lurked everywhere. But in the still, small space within her heart, hope glowed bright.

Maybe this time. Maybe this time she could believe.




Brad watched the ambulance pull away from the curb. Damn it. He should have known this assignment would be a disaster. John Garrison was a SWAT captain, but he’d seen better days. He should be dead.

Instead, he was alive.

More importantly, Brad didn’t like the smell of the assignment. He knew this house.

Knew this street.

Knew this woman.

Five years ago. Five years of jobs that had grown steadily more and more risky. During the last eighteen months his client had become even more unmanageable. Brad had lost control of the situation, and now he’d screwed up. Alerted his target of the danger.

The job would be that much harder.

His phone rang.

He cursed, but knew he couldn’t avoid answering. His deadly customer had too much power. Too many connections.

He regretted the day he’d ever agreed to that first contract.

“He’s not dead,” the filtered voice accused through the phone.

“Stating the obvious, are you?”

“You’ve lost your edge, Mr. Walters.” Fingers drummed against the phone, each sound skewering Brad’s brain with irritation. “Should I remind you once again what you have to lose?”

“You didn’t tell me Garrison was dating Montgomery’s widow.”

A small gasp made Brad smile. Perhaps his employer didn’t know everything.

“I’ll get the job done,” Brad added. “And I have a bone to pick with the Montgomerys, so just back the hell off.”

He ended the call and watched as the house fire blazed on.

Brad didn’t like coincidence. The moment he’d realized who Zach Montgomery was, he should have moved. But moving attracted attention. Caused records to be created. He’d played it safe.

Too safe.

He pulled one thousand and fifty dollars from his pocket and thumbed the bills—the money Zach Montgomery had obviously left for Jenna. Proof of his lies. And a potential lead to his traitor wife. Brad needed to question Zach.

Perhaps this awkward situation would work out for the best. Zach Montgomery would care that his mother had been hurt. He’d come home. He could have a lead on Jenna.

Brad’s phone rang again. He cursed at the number and didn’t pick up.

A huge risk. And another loose end.

Brad flicked his thumb over his pinky. Yes, if Montgomery cooperated, Brad might be able to tie up his loose ends sooner than he’d expected.





* * *





Chapter Seven




* * *





ABOVE ZACH, THE stars gleamed. A hermit thrush trilled from the pines surrounding his cabin. Crickets chirped a farewell to Jenna as she left him standing alone in the night.

Zach glanced over his shoulder and sighed at the sway of her hips as she disappeared into his haven. He couldn’t deny the attraction. His entire body thrummed with want, but Jenna Walters wasn’t an affair kind of woman.

She was the forever kind.

Something he could never have. Even if he survived the next few days.