Deadly Fear (Deadly #1)(72)

A tear slipped from Sam’s left eye. “How do you know… for sure?”

She caught her hand. Squeezed tight. “Because I did.”

Sam’s lips trembled, and a sob shook her chest.

“Don’t make my mistakes,” Monica whispered. “Don’t close out life because you’re afraid—” Of living. Because you think you should have died, and you don’t deserve any second chances. Christ. Don’t miss out on life.

Because you were afraid.

“I see that water… every time I close my eyes.” Sam’s eyes squeezed shut. “Stop him.”

“I will.” She’d find the bastard. One way or another. Even if she had to be the bait to lure him in.…

Come and get me, *. Come and get me.


Monica slammed the SUV’s door, pressed the lock button automatically, and heard the blip-blip as the vehicle secured. The light above her flickered, flashing too bright, then too dim.

New lodgings. Hyde had been insistent on a location transfer for her, Luke, and Kenton after Sam’s attack. They were staying in a worn-down hotel, this one situated far off the main highway. Another dump.

But this dump only allowed access to the rooms from the lobby. One elevator. One flight of stairs, and, thanks to Hyde’s quick work, one video camera set up to monitor the entrance area at all times.

Lights glowed from half of the rooms in the three-floor hotel. The humming of an air conditioner reached her ears. Monica hurried her steps. She wanted to get inside, download the info that she’d requested from SSD, and see what she could track down through the database of—

Monica froze. She’d heard something. A whisper of sound. A rustle.

Not the wind. There was no wind on this hot southern night. No wind.

Something else. Someone else.

Her gun was in her hands in less than two seconds. She turned slowly, sweeping the lot with her eyes. Too many trees near the edges of the pavement. Too many places to hide.

Was this place really supposed to be safer?

“Is someone there?” She kept her voice loud and even, because she would not give the prick the satisfaction of thinking she was afraid.

Silence.

Then lights, bright lights came, shining right at her. Monica squinted, but didn’t lower her gun.

Darkness. She blinked, trying to adjust her eyes.

A door slammed.

“Monica!” Luke’s fierce voice. Then he was there, running for her, catching her in his arms and holding her tight. “Christ, I was worried he’d get to you first. I went to the hospital, you were already gone, and I thought—”

She couldn’t help but stay stiff in his arms. Too much between them now. “He?” She interrupted.

“The * Watchman or whatever the hell they’re calling him.” His fingers tightened. “Let’s get inside. Now.”

“Luke, are you all right?”

“No,” he snapped. He let her go, just a bit, and took out his own weapon. “He jumped me. Right after you left Pete’s, he caught me in the alley—”

What? Her heart slammed into her throat. “He attacked you?” And Luke had gotten away? “Luke, what did—”

“Inside.”

Right. They shoved open the doors of the hotel and lowered their guns just as the night clerk glanced up.

Monica nodded to him and hurried past. He already knew who they were, and he also knew that the SSD agents were the only ones allowed on the third floor. That whole floor had been reserved for them as another of Hyde’s security measures.

Luke flashed his ID as they passed the clerk. The guy’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

They didn’t speak during the elevator ride. Monica glanced at Luke from the corner of her eye. He’d been attacked. She’d left him, and he’d been hurt.

Could have been killed. Then what would I have done?

She pressed her lips together to control the tremble that threatened to shake her mouth. He looked pale, the lines bracketing his mouth deeper, his jaw too tense. Her hand rose, her fingers feathering over the hard planes of his face.

The elevator chimed, and the doors slid open on their floor.

Monica dropped her hand and hurried out. She fished in her pocket for her room key. The thud of Luke’s steps told her he was following her.

She shoved her keycard in the hole. The light flashed green. When the lock snicked open, she twisted the handle and went inside.

Luke crowded in right behind her.

“Luke, tell me what happened.”

“Bastard hit me with something.” His hand lifted, his fingertips touched the back of his head. “Knocked me out.”

Could have killed him. Her knees shook.

He kicked the door closed. Turned the dead bolt. “It’s not me he wants. The * was just dicking around with me.”

“We need to take you to a doctor, get you checked out—”

“He’s f*cking coming after you.”

She blinked. “Then let him.” Better her than Luke.

He grabbed her, locking his fingers over her arms and pulling her against him. “Hell, no.” Then his mouth crashed onto hers. Need, lust, hunger, and fury.

She tasted it all in his kiss, knew he tasted the same on her lips. Oh, God, she wanted him.

Monica tore her mouth from his. “No, you’re hurt. We need a doctor—”