Hell Breaks Loose (Devil's Rock #2)(62)

“Can you imagine seeing a comet through one of those scopes? There’s one called Seraphina, its next orbital period lands on New Year’s eve. Only visible at an observatory, of course.”

“Maybe you can go,” he suggested.

She met his stare, almost challenging. “Maybe I will.”

Silence swelled between them, full of things that needed to be said.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” he finally said.

“Not your fault. I’m used to sleeping alone. Another body in bed with me throws me off.”

He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled all her lush curves more firmly against him. Something swelled in his chest. She wasn’t bound to some other man. Of course, she would be someday. Even if it wasn’t Charlie. A woman like Grace, with all she had to offer, wouldn’t stay single for long.

She rolled over and brought her smooth palm to his face. She held his cheek. “You’re looking stern again.”

“We have to talk about what’s going to happen.”

Her smile faded. “And what’s that?”

“You need to go home.”

From her expression, he guessed that was not what she expected him to say. “And what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to do what I broke out of prison to do.”

“You’re going to kill Sullivan,” she said flatly, but damn if her eyes weren’t full of disappointment.

He nodded once. “I have to do it.”

“You don’t have to. You’re not a killer, Reid.” She gripped his arm, her fingers pressing deep.

“He took eleven years from me. I don’t think you realize just how bad a man he—”

“And you’re not. Come with me. Let’s go to the police together.” Her hand slid up his arm to squeeze his shoulder. “We can explain everything to them . . . to my father—”

“Sullivan is powerful. He’s got other powerful people in his pocket. There’s not a chance in hell anyone is going to listen to me over him.”

She reached between them, her hands cradling his face. “I will. I’ll listen. I’ll make others listen.”

He gripped her hands and pulled them back down from his face, needing to be strong, needing to resist her pleas. “As soon as I show up with you, my ass is back in jail. And then my chance to get to him is done.”

“But he wants me dead,” she argued. “He won’t see you without proof that I’m dead.”

“The guy isn’t going to let me get close to him. I realize that now. I’m an escaped con. It’s too risky. He’s just getting me to do his dirty work for him. If I had killed you, he would have probably ratted me out once I did his bidding.”

“So what will you do, then?”

“I’ll think of a plan. One that doesn’t involve you.”

“But if you set me free, he’ll know you didn’t listen to him. He’ll be on the lookout for you.”

“I’ll deal with that. I know where he lives. I’ll—” He stopped short and shook his head. “You know what? Doesn’t matter. It’s not your problem.”

Her gaze flitted left and right and he knew she was thinking, plotting. “I’ll stay here,” she declared.

He pulled back. “What?”

“Leave me the keys. You got the bike running. Take that. I’ll give you forty-eight hours to get to him and then I’ll drive myself to the nearest sheriff station. You can tell him that you did it. That you killed me. He won’t expect you to come after him. He’ll think you’re in his pocket. His guard will be down.”

He opened his mouth to tell her that wouldn’t help him, but his mind was racing. It just might work. He shook his head. No, he was finished using her. He wouldn’t drag her into his vendetta. “No. The safest place for you is away from here.”

She waved a hand. “No one is going to show up here. I’ll be fine.”

He hesitated, staring at her face, concern for her warring with his desperate need to destroy Sullivan. “Twenty-four hours,” he finally said.

She smiled and nodded. “All right. I’ll leave here in twenty-four hours.” She slid her arms around his shoulders. “You know you’re going to have to finally tell me where you’ve been hiding the keys to the van.”

He fought to ignore the knot of uncertainty that he was doing wrong by her and murmured, “You might have to search me thoroughly.”

Her hands dipped between them and closed around his dick, her eyes rounding in wonder. “Again?” she queried.

“One more time,” he whispered, leaning forward to kiss her mouth. The last time.





Twenty-One




Grace followed Reid out into the yard. She shivered, rubbing her arms. The rain had stopped but it was still chilly, even with the sun breaking through the clouds.

He stopped in front of his bike and faced her. He stared at her for a long moment, his pale eyes catching the sunlight. There was something there, some emotion, but she couldn’t name it. A slow smile lifted the corner of his mouth and he reached for her face, brushing a thumb down her cheek. “This time tomorrow. Promise me.” He jerked a thumb toward the van. “You’ll be heading east to the nearest county sheriff.”