Deadly Lies (Deadly #3)(52)

Frank shoved out of his chair and marched to the door. He grabbed the knob and yanked the door open. Not a prisoner. No one could hold him, never could. Once outside, phones rang. Voices buzzed. His shoes slapped against the tiled floor.

“Wait, Mr. Malone!” The agent, Kim Daniels, called his name. “There’s something I need to tell—”

He glanced over his shoulder, barely sparing her a glance. “I’m getting some air.” He hurried his steps, all too aware of the slight weight of his phone in his front pocket.

“Then I’ll come with you.” Ramirez appeared at the corner. That agent could move so quietly.

Frank glared at him. “The hell you are. Get out of my way. I want out of here.”

“Frank?” Max’s voice. His stepson hurried toward him. “What’s going on?”

Damn but that man favored his mother. Looking at him hurt. Because he could stare into Katie’s eyes. He’d let her down. When she’d found him in bed with Beth… didn’t mean anything to me. Shit, why, why had I done it? He still couldn’t remember why he’d crawled into her bed the first time. Couldn’t remember crawling there because he’d been so drunk. He just remembered waking and realizing that he’d screwed up.

Then the cancer had started eating away at Katie. It had touched her, and she’d never let him touch her again.

Gone.

Everything, gone.

Not Quinlan. Not yet.

“These *s have messed up the case.” Frank jerked his thumb toward the agents. “I’m getting out of here. Going back home. Maybe—maybe Quinlan will contact me there.” Fuck ’em. You can do this. Don’t let them see…

“Sir, it’s not safe for you to—” Kim began.

“I wasn’t asking.”

“They tried to kill you,” Ramirez said, his voice flat. “Until this is over, you’re not safe.”

“I’ll have a dozen guards at my house. My guards.” But he wouldn’t be calling the guards. This time, he’d do everything the kidnapper wanted. “I’ll be fine.”

But Max was still watching and staring with eyes like Katie’s. Max knew what he’d done. He knew, and Max had hated him for breaking Katie’s heart.

Sweet Katie. She’d loved him, not the money.

Always about the money.

Not for her.

“Frank…” Max stepped closer. “Is everything all right?”

No, and life hadn’t been, not for years. “You’re like her.” It slipped out. Dammit. But… “That’s good.” Too many people were twisted up, with crap for priorities.

He’d been the one to twist Quinlan. He’d shoved that boy aside when he was younger and left him alone for too long.

Not anymore. Time for atonement. “I’m getting out of here.”

Max grabbed his arm. “We will find him.”

Always hopeful. Katie had been like that, too. Until those last few days. Then she’d just given up.

Frank nodded grimly. “Right.” He would find his son.


They went back to Max’s place first. Sam knew he wanted to ditch his bloody clothes. She felt the battle-ready energy in him as the elevator rose. He didn’t speak. Neither did she.

I almost lost him.

The elevator doors opened. They walked down the hallway. He opened the door; she went inside—

And found her back pushed against the wall as Max pinned her and took her lips in a long, deep kiss.

Her hands lifted, then hesitated as she remembered the bullet wound. She didn’t want to hurt him.

“Fuck it,” Max growled as his mouth rose. “Touch me.” His hands were sliding under her shirt. Such warm, strong hands. Need tightened her body as his fingers curled around her breasts. Just a touch, and she ignited.

With him, Sam suspected that would always be the case.

“I want you.” His gaze was stark.

And she wanted him.

But Sam’s hands pushed against his body. “Easy.” Her whisper.

Jaw clenched, Max stepped back. “Fine, we don’t have to—”

Oh, yes, they did. But they had to be fast, and she had to take him.

“Get on the sofa,” Sam’s voice trembled when she gave the order. Max’s eyes narrowed a bit, but then he moved back and sprawled on the wide sofa.

Sam swallowed and began to strip. She heard the low growl that built in Max’s throat as her shirt and pants hit the carpet with a soft rustle.

Want him. Need him. She unhooked her bra and let the lace drift to the floor. The only garment she wore now was her panties. She walked toward him, and his gaze seemed to drink in her body.

She could see the thick bulge of his arousal, and she wanted his cock inside her. Driving deep. She wanted wild and hot but…

But this time it would be different.

Sam knelt on the soft carpet. Her fingers were steady as she undid his pants and lowered the zipper. His erection spilled into her hands, and she stroked him, enjoying the hiss of her name from his lips.

She leaned forward. She licked his cock, enjoying the taste. And then Sam took him into her mouth.

His hands locked on her shoulders. Not to push her away, but to bring her closer. She licked, and she sucked, and her sex moistened as she savored him.