A Single Glance (Irresistible Attraction #1)(53)

He’s playing me. Thinking I’ll try to bribe him for nothing. What a fucking prick.

“Is that his wife?” he asks me, and I tell him the truth. “His fiancée.”

“Aria Talvery,” he comments.

“You know a lot of names for being new around here.”

“It’s my job,” he answers defensively.

“Is it?” I rock back on my shoes as I slip my hands into my pockets. My warm breath turns to fog in the air. “You know everyone’s name who you pull over then?” I ask him.

“Not unless their name is in the file of the case I’m working on.”

“A case?” I ask him as the cold air runs over my skin, seeping through my muscles and deep down into the marrow of my bones. I feel the shards of ice everywhere, but I don’t show it. “It’s the first time I’m hearing about a case.”

“A house burned down, killing over a dozen men, explosives.”

“Aria’s family home,” I remark, acknowledging him with a nod. “What a tragedy.”

“It was arson, and one of a string of violent crimes that leads back to you and your brothers.”

With the sound of the car door opening behind me, indicating Carter is helping Aria into the backseat, my patience is gone.

“If you have questions, you can ask my lawyer.”

“I don’t have any for you,” he tells me and I huff a humorless laugh before responding, “Then why come to pay this visit?”

“I wanted to see her reaction; if she was remorseful at all.”

“Aria?” The shock is apparent in my tone and my expression, because I didn’t hide it in the least. I shouldn’t be speaking her name. I shouldn’t even engage with this fucker. And that’s the only reason I’m silent when he adds, “Knowing she’s sleeping with her father’s killer…”

He shakes his head, although his eyes never leave mine.

“Is that all then?” I ask him.

A moment passes, and with it comes a gust of cold wind. Each day’s been more bitter than the last and with a snowstorm coming, the worst is yet to come.

“That’s all,” he says and then his eyes drift to my windshield before he adds, “And pay your parking tickets. Wouldn’t want that to be what gets you.”

All I give him is a short wave, right before snatching a small piece of paper off the windshield. It’s not a parking ticket, it’s a thick piece of yellow paper folded in half. It’s been here for a while, partially covered by the snow. And knowing that, I look back to see if Walsh is watching. His eyes are on Carter, not me. Thank fuck.

I don’t know who the fuck left it, but I’m not going to figure that out while under the watchful eyes of Officer Walsh.

Lacking any emotion at all, I bid the man farewell. “Have a good night, Officer.”

With my back to Walsh I share a glance with Carter, who’s waiting by the backseat door on the driver’s side, one hand on the handle, his other hand in his pocket.

“You too,” the officer calls out in the bitterly cold air, already making his way back to his car.

It’s silent when I close the door. Aria tries to speak, but I hear Carter shush her, telling her to wait for the officer to leave. Peeking at her in the rearview mirror, worry clouds her tired eyes.

“Everything’s fine,” Carter reassures her and she lays her cheek, bright red from the frigid air, onto his shoulder.

My gaze moves from the cop car, reversing out of the spot, to the note. The sound of the thick paper opening is all I pay attention to as Officer Walsh drives away, leaving us alone in the parking lot.

A sharp ringing in my ear accompanies my slow breaths and the freezing sensation that takes over when I glance at the note, a script font I recognize as Marcus’s.

How the fuck did he leave a note? And when? I read his message and then read it again. The psychopath speaks in riddles.



You took my pawn. I have another.

The game hasn’t stopped. It’s only changed slightly.

Just remember, the king can only hope to be a pawn when his queen is gone.



Every hair on my body stands on end after reading the note, knowing he was here. How the fuck did I not see him?

“What’s wrong?” Carter asks me as I reach for my phone, needing to tell Seth and everyone else what happened and get security footage immediately.

But Seth’s already texted me.

And I sit there motionless in my seat, reading what he wrote as Carter bites out my name, demanding an answer I don’t have to give.



We found the sister.

She’s alive.

Marcus has her.





Bethany





I can’t stop reading. When I do, I have to face reality and I’m not ready to face the consequences of my decisions yet. I’d rather get lost in the pages.

Every time they kiss, I think of Jase Cross.

I think I love him.

I love my enemy.

Why couldn’t I be like the characters in this book? Why couldn’t I be like Emmy and fall for the boy who loves her just as much and the only thing they have keeping them apart, is whether or not they’re both still breathing?

Why did I have to fall for a villain? Maybe that’s what I deserve. Deep down inside though, I don’t think I even deserve him.