Dawn of Evil_FBI Flashback

by Morgan Kelley

Okay, he would give her to him—after—he was done with her, and only then.

  “No, she’s mine. Where is she now?”

  “She left out the back door.”

  Well, that wasn’t good. He needed to know where she was at all times. When the FBI came to his city, it was his duty to keep tabs on them.

  When a sexy woman came, it was imperative he get more information about her. She’d be his.

  He wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

  “Find her, and let me know where she is. I’m intrigued by this one. I had a call from a cop. He said she’s pretty.”

  Joey grinned wickedly at the prospect of what he could do with her.

  “I’d love to play with her for hours. All that hair and that ass. I could make her cry.”

  “Down boy. Maybe later. Follow her. Watch her, and learn everything you can about her, but be careful she doesn’t see you. She is the FBI.”

  He understood.

  “Yes, boss. On it.”

  He hung up and headed out. It looked like the pub could run itself. Joey was going to be busy. He could tell. There was something about this one…he’d never forget her.

  Never.

  One day, she’d be his too.

  When Chris returned to the table, he was surprised to see Elizabeth was gone. So, he sat down, figuring she went to the ladies’ room.

  When ten minutes passed, he got worried that something had happened. Maybe she was sick.

  He saw the waitress heading his way, and he waved her down. She had two takeout containers in her hands, and he couldn’t understand why she placed them on their table.

  They were eating there.

  Well, as soon as he figured out what the hell was up with Elizabeth.

  “Where is she?” he asked. “Did she go into the ladies’ room to be sick? Can you check on her?”

  Molly laughed.

  “Oh, she left out the back. She bailed, but at least she paid the bill,” she said, handing him the containers before she began cleaning their table.

  That whole sentence horrified him, but not for the reason the waitress was thinking.

  “WHAT? Did she leave? Alone?”

  Oh, shit!

  This was bad.

  “Yeah, she was upset. She looked like she was about to cry. I don’t know what you did, but she took off.”

  Oh, Christ!

  Chris had to find her before something bad happened to her. All he could think about was the fact that there was some sex-crazed mob man collecting sexy women, and Elizabeth would be exactly up his alley.

  Shit!

  Shit!

  Shit!

  “She didn’t go out the front, so which way?” he asked, feeling sick to his stomach.

  “She went out the back. She said something about going to a hotel,” she offered, hoping to get a tip for being helpful.

  Chris threw down some cash, grabbed the food, and headed out the front door, and to their ride.

  She was walking.

  Alone.

  And in Boston.

  Oh, Gabriel Rothschild was going to shit three tons of bricks all over him, especially since he called him and demanded she not be left alone.

  Great.

  This couldn’t get any worse.

  He hopped in and began searching for her. When he came to the large gardens not far from their hotel, he didn’t know where she could be.

  Maybe she went inside to wander—which was the worst possible thing she could do.

  Yeah, his luck, she’d be in there.

  Well, he checked.

  Running through the gardens like a madman, people were staring at him.

  Couples.

  They were in there for a romantic walk with their loved ones, and he was chasing a ghost.

  The ghost of a possible relationship. None of this bode well for him.

  He couldn't find her.

  The next place would have to be their hotel. Hopping back in the rental, he hauled ass to get there.

  This was serious.

  She wasn’t answering her phone. It was going right to voicemail.

  That meant she had shut it off.

  Crap!

  Chris ran into the hotel, got his room key, and hers, and raced up the stairs to the rooms. He checked his, dropping off his gear, and then hers, dropping off her bag next.

  Then he sat there.

  Waiting.

  Praying.

  Hoping.

  If anything happened to her, he didn’t know what he was going to do. He should never have taken that damn phone call. He was so close to telling her how he felt, and now she was in the wind.

  This couldn’t get any worse, and he knew it. This was the pinnacle of disastrous.

  Chris couldn’t help but think he’d lost his only shot at talking Elizabeth into a relationship.

  Just.

  His.

  Luck.

  He’d lost a girl that was never even his to begin with. That was the story of his life.

  When she finally arrived at the hotel, she was so upset. She held back the tears, got her key, and then wanted to head to her room. She felt the overwhelming need to weep, and she wasn’t going to hold it back.

  In the elevator, the emotions came, and she thought back to all the things he said.

  It was a mistake.

  He regretted it.

  It was going to stop.

  That was her only connection with another person. Elizabeth didn’t make friends easily, out of fear of being hurt, and here it was.

  The man she felt a connection to had just handed Elizabeth her heart.

  Could today get any worse?

  Heading out of the elevator, she wiped her eyes, stared at her feet, and avoided eye contact with anyone in the hall. She was broken, and she needed to hide.

  Tomorrow, she’d be better.

  It had just caught her off guard, and she didn’t think she needed to protect herself from Christopher Leonard.

  He was her one safe place to hide when the world got too scary or hard.

  Now she’d lost that place.

  She’d lost a lot.

  Elizabeth knew she had to regroup, but it would take time—something she didn’t have.

  As she approached Chris’s door, she rushed past it to avoid being heard. If he beat her back, she didn’t want to deal with him tonight. He was the LAST person she wanted to talk to.

  She wanted to call Charlie first.

  He’d help her through this. Her father was always there for her when her heart was broken. When her high school boyfriends tore her heart to shreds—cheating on her—he went and handled it.

  He also got her ice cream, they watched movies, and he let her cry it out.

  God!

  She needed her father.

  Once she talked to him, she’d get her emotions under control.

  It was time to hide until morning.

  Unlocking the door, she headed into the hotel room. When she turned around, there he was. Chris was sitting on the coffee table in her room.

  Waiting.

  Well, shit.

  So much for hiding.

  He jumped up and rushed to her.

  “Jesus! Are you okay?” he asked, touching her wet cheek. There were tears in her eyes, and he was worried. “Are you hurt? Do you need something?”

  “Why do you care?” she asked, stepping backward to put space between them.

  That surprised him.

  All of this had him confused. Chris didn’t know what the hell he’d done to make her upset, but it had to be huge. She’d walked around alone when a detective told her it could get her hurt.

  Elizabeth wasn’t careless.

  This…

  Yeah, something was happening.

  “Elizabeth? What’s going on?” he asked, hoping she’d help him figure it out. She was fine as they had their beer. He took a call. Now she was upset.

  What had happened in those four minutes?

  “What�
�s going on?” she asked. “You told me that you regretted what you’d done and that us sleeping together was a horrible idea. Why do you think I’m upset?”

  He stared at her.

  “Oh, Jesus!”

  He began pacing.

  Chris just realized how their conversation must have sounded to her. He’d only shared half the information.

  In his head, it didn’t sound nearly as bad, but he had all the details.

  She didn’t.

  “Elizabeth,” he said, turning to face her.

  She cut him off.

  Oh, she wasn’t done.

  “You told me I’d done something. What did I do? I’ve tried very hard to be good. I’ve tried very hard not to encroach on your life or take too much from a man who wants nothing from me.”

  He stared at her.

  “What? Wait? What are you saying? Why were you trying to be good? You can have anything you want from me. I’d give you anything, Elizabeth. Surely you know that.”

  From the look on her face, she didn’t.

  Oh, Chris was a dead man.

  This was bad.

  “I didn’t want this to happen. I didn’t want to be one more man’s regret. I told you I don’t know how to do this. I’m trying really hard and this was why I was scared. I’ve just been shoved out of your life.”

  “Oh, Elizabeth.”

  He moved back toward her, and she stepped back from him again.

  Yeah, he’d done some major damage. All he’d wanted was to date her, to woo her, to be her boyfriend, and now this.

  God.

  What a hot mess.

  “I think I’m an idiot,” he said. “No, I know I am.”

  She stared at him with tears on her lashes.

  “I would go with mean—not idiot. That’s a little more appropriate. You just broke my heart.”

  He felt horrible.

  That was the last thing he wanted to do.

  They were both young, stupid, and inexperienced with this kind of thing, and here was the proof.

  It was a mess.

  “Elizabeth, I didn’t do this right. I don’t want this stupid agreement anymore.”

  Her lip quivered.

  She fought to be tough.

  “See?”

  “Let me rephrase this. I wish instead I told you that I wanted more. I don’t want meaningless sex with you. I want a relationship. I want you to be more than a bed hop.”

  She stared at him.

  “That’s what I regret—not you—not the sex. I regret the day we were in bed and I said let’s have sex when we’re bored. That was me being a dick. I realize now that what I offered up was shitty to you and to me. You’re worth more than random sex.”

  Was she?

  Elizabeth didn’t feel that way.

  She didn’t say anything.

  “I want you to be mine. I’ve been afraid to say anything. I had this big plan to woo you, try and get you to fall for me, and I screwed it up. I’m not good at this either.”

  Clearly.

  She was crying.

  “I know we’d have to keep our relationship quiet or Gabe would never let us work together, but I don’t want a booty call. I want more. I want the chance to show you that you’re worth so much more than some secret sex and me walking away.”

  Her heart skipped.

  She fought to understand what he was saying.

  “So, you’re telling me that I’m not a mistake?” she asked, trying not to get any hope.

  It would only hurt again.

  “I’m telling you that I love you and I would really like you to consider something more than just sex. I want a relationship with you. You started as a co-worker, became my best friend, my lover, and now I want you to be my girlfriend.”

  That hung between them.

  “Say something,” he said when she didn’t make any attempt to help him off the hook.

  He was swinging.

  And he deserved it.

  Finally, he got his wish.

  “I would be a horrible girlfriend. The two guys I dated when I was younger both cheated on me. That is a good indicator where this will go.”

  He laughed at that.

  “I’d be an idiot to ever cheat on you. You’re smart, gorgeous, funny, and you have the biggest heart in the world. I wouldn’t be that stupid.”

  She was shocked.

  “I need to think about this.”

  He wasn’t surprised.

  Elizabeth was a thinker, and he’d just hurt her and then blindsided her again.

  Chris was batting a big fat zero.

  “Okay, well, how about your dinner? Thank you for paying for it. I have it right here.”

  He headed over to the couch and placed the two take-out containers side by side.

  “Want to eat? You haven’t all day. A cupcake and some coffee aren’t good nutritional choices. Had I known you had a case, I would have brought you real food this morning instead of sugar.”

  There he was being sweet again.

  Elizabeth didn’t know what to think.

  No.

  That wasn’t true.

  She’d wanted more, he was offering it, and she was hesitating.

  Why?

  Wasn’t this exactly what she’d wanted the last few weeks?

  He was a really great guy who clearly got her. He ordered her favorite beer and food, he knew her inside and out, and the sex was amazing.

  Then she thought back to those two high school boys who broke her tender heart.

  That hurt.

  It had made her into this scared woman afraid to love with her whole self.

  Could she live through that ache again? It was why she kept herself safe, never falling in love.

  Until him.

  Could Christopher Leonard fix that damage and teach her that love could happen for her?

  Yeah, probably.

  Damn it!

  He was the boy next door.

  He was sweet and kind.

  He was a gentleman.

  What girl didn’t want one of them in their life? What girl didn’t want a man who was going to worry about what food she ate, if she was cold, and if she needed him?

  She watched him open her take-out container, and then give her half of his fries. She would have taken them anyway—like she always did. Then he sat there, waiting for her.

  Her heart skipped.

  If she let him walk away, she’d be an idiot. Her father would have told her to try and let fate handle the rest.

  Well, Charlie was always right.

  Heading toward him, she pulled off her jacket and tossed it over the back of the couch. He moved over, giving her some space.

  “I didn’t get ketchup. I was too worried about you. I’ll go back if you need it.”

  And there it was.

  He was willing to drive back to a pub and get her ketchup if she needed it.

  That was what pushed him over into the boyfriend category.

  She leaned over and kissed him.

  Elizabeth gave him everything, holding nothing back. For the five months, they’d been ‘sleeping’ together, she held that little bit back in case he hurt her.

  Well, she was going to do this right.

  She didn’t hesitate anymore. She gave Chris a legitimate shot at her heart and love.

  When his arms went around her, she was against his body, continuing the kiss, and it felt right.

  Chris didn’t know what was going on, but anytime she was going to kiss him, he was, certainly, going to kiss her back.

  He wasn’t an idiot.

  This was a nerd’s nirvana.

  When she climbed into his lap, straddling his hips, he forgot about everything but her.

  It was Elizabeth.

  Only Elizabeth.

  She set his mouth free, moving to his ear and neck. When she left kisses there, his body quaked.

  “Elizabeth,” he whispered.

  “If you break my heart, I will never take yo
u back,” she vowed. “If you cheat on me, lie to me, or hurt me, I will walk away and leave you behind. That’s my one deal breaker, Christopher. Don’t test it. I can’t be with someone I can’t trust, and I don’t play that game.”

  He pushed her back and stared into her eyes. Did she actually believe he’d be that man?

  “I won’t hurt you. You mean too much to me. You mean everything to me.”

  Chris knew how lucky he was.

  Elizabeth was touching him. To every geek, this was like that miraculous moment that didn’t always happen in your life. Someone, who wasn’t a nerd like yourself, wanted you. Elizabeth never looked at him like he was less than her.

  He was always her equal, and that was a beautiful thing. Maybe the two of them could learn from each other as they made this journey.

  “Does that mean…?” he asked, not sure how to put it. Was she actually going to give him a shot at a genuine relationship with her?

  “Yes. I’m in. I wanted more than just the sex too. It started at that, but the idea that someone else might take you from me…it hurt here.”

  She touched her heart.

  He stared into her eyes with nothing but love and adoration. That action meant everything to him.

  “No one could. I’m madly in love with you. I loved you before, but then we shared ourselves and it grew.”

  She stopped him.

  “I have to be honest.”

  Uh oh.

  Was this where she broke his heart in return?

  “Okay, about what?” Chris asked.

  “I’m not the marrying type. I’m married to my job, and that will likely never change.”

  He laughed.

  “Great, because neither am I. Promise you won’t hate me if I never ask?”

  She smiled at him, and it was the all the reassurance he needed. Elizabeth didn’t lie.

  Ever.

  “I promise. Promise you won’t hate me if you start hinting and I kick you in the balls to knock some sense into you?”

  He cringed.

  “Uh, yeah, please don’t do that. I like them as is. Maybe a nice card from Hallmark.”

  She found that outrageously funny.

  Then she got serious.

  “I’m going to screw this up, Christopher. I’m going to make a huge mess of this, and someone is going to get hurt. I’m sorry—in advance.”

  He loved that she was worried, but there was no need. He was patient, and he was smitten.

  “I already made that mess. I win that one. So maybe we can learn how to be in a relationship together. We’re both smart. One of us should figure it out.”