“Now that the excitement has passed, I just realized how tired I am.” She flashed him a shy smile. “Thanks for a lovely day. It’s exactly what I needed.”
“I enjoyed it, too.”
He wanted to say something else, keep her there for a few more minutes. Wanted the right to kiss her, hold her close. But no matter how much both of them had enjoyed their time together, today hadn’t been a date, and he sure as hell wasn’t her boyfriend.
He nodded, backed away. “Good night.”
He came to an abrupt stop when she whispered, “Brennan?”
“Yes?”
“Would it be too out of line if I asked you to kiss me again?”
Hell yeah, it’d be out of line. And totally unprofessional and inappropriate if he complied. So then why was he walking toward her, standing in front of her?
She was easy to read. He saw the anxiety, but more than that, he saw the hope, the need. “I don’t want to frighten you again.”
“You didn’t frighten me…” Her smile was uncertain, almost shy. “You made me really nervous…and—”
“And?”
“You made me feel something I haven’t felt in a very long time. Wasn’t sure I ever would again.”
“Like what?”
A pretty, pink flush washed over her face. “You made me want.”
She left him breathless with her sweetness, her honesty and courage. Even though every masculine instinct told him to take her, hold her, devour that sweetness, Brennan held himself still. Everything, including the smallest of gestures, must be up to her. She’d had too much taken from her already. Damned if he would demand something she wasn’t ready to give.
He could, however, give her this. “I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone more than I want to kiss you.”
Her eyes lit up. “Really? Skylar told me you dated a Miss America contestant and a Miss World in the same week.”
He liked that she could tease him, that she felt comfortable with him.
When he did nothing, she bit her lip slightly, tilted her head. “So, you going to do it or not?”
“No, you are.”
Anxiety again, but it was almost immediately replaced by excitement, curiosity. Stretching up on her toes, she leaned into him, put her mouth on his, and then instantly raised her head, looking somewhat disappointed.
“That the kind of kiss you wanted?” Brennan asked.
Darn him. He knew it wasn’t, but he also wouldn’t take anything she wasn’t ready to give. After yesterday’s near fiasco, she couldn’t blame him for his caution.
Kacie wanted to growl her frustration. She’d never asked a guy to kiss her before, never had to. And now, she wanted this man’s kiss more than anything, and he expected her to do it on her own?
“Okay…let’s try it again.” She put her hands on his shoulders, her mouth on his and pressed a firm kiss onto his unsmiling lips. That was better but still not what she wanted.
Taking a breath, she wrapped her arms around him, pressed her body against his, and put her mouth back on his. Still nothing.
She spoke against his mouth. “You know it takes two to tango.”
She was so close she felt the smile curve his mouth against hers.
“You’re doing good…keep going.”
She might’ve given up if it wasn’t for the fact that she was pressed against his chest and could feel the rapid beat of his heart. He might be playing it safe, but he wasn’t unaffected.
Feeling empowered, Kacie put her mouth against his again, moved softly, caressing. He responded, but too slowly, too careful. She wasn’t about to give up, though. She pressed deeper into him and licked his lips, then took a nibble at his sensuous lower lip. A deep growl started in his chest. Progress, at last.
Continuing the assault, she nibbled, sucked, and also added the occasional tongue caress. That lasted for several seconds until, with a deeper growl, Brennan took over. His mouth opened, and he drew her into a soul-devouring, heart-stopping melding of his mouth to hers.
Kacie halted all efforts to control the kiss as she let Brennan sweep her away into the most delicious moment of her entire life.
Minutes later, he raised his head and said softly, “Good night, Kacie.”
Every part of her body throbbed with need, and though she knew she’d never wanted anyone the way she wanted Brennan Sinclair, she also knew she wasn’t ready to take this any further.
Pulling away from him, she said softly, “Good night,” and made her exit before she could change her mind.
She felt his eyes on her as she walked up the stairway. If she turned and went back down, she knew she could have more of those delicious kisses, plus other things. She didn’t have the courage to try, though…at least not yet.
Feeling as though she was dancing on air, Kacie prepared for bed. Her usual ritual of face washing and teeth brushing were done automatically as she relived those moments in Brennan’s arms. How wonderful he had tasted, and while she’d felt safe and cared for, she’d never experienced such off-the-edge excitement. It was like freefalling from an airplane but knowing that you would land safely and securely.
She pulled on a favorite pair of pajamas, short shorts, and a tank top, pulled back the covers, and settled down to sleep. By habit, she’d left the light on in the bathroom, but she was almost sure that very soon it would no longer be a necessity. Even though someone out there possibly wanted to ruin her, she actually felt safer than she’d ever felt in her life. How incredible was that?
Sliding her hand under her pillow to position it more comfortably, she paused when her fingers touched something odd. Puzzled, Kacie sat up and picked up her pillow. She squinted in the dim light. Flat, shiny, and square, it appeared to be a photograph of some kind.
Flipping the light switch at the top of her bed, she looked down again. A moan escaped her, and then she couldn’t breathe. Breath rasped from her lungs in loud, ugly gasps. A dim part of her mind told her she was hyperventilating, but she couldn’t stop, couldn’t think.
Oh God, how had—
Practically falling out of bed, Kacie stumbled to the door, opened it and was at Brennan’s door in a second. She barely managed to wait until she entered his room before she sobbed his name.
Chapter Twenty
Brennan shot out of bed and was holding Kacie before she’d finished screaming his name. She was plastered against him, but he needed to know if she were hurt. He tried pushing her away, but she refused to let him go.
“Tell me, Kacie.”
Instead of answering, she buried her head against his shoulder and let out a keening cry of grief.
Shaking her slightly, he growled, “Dammit. Tell me what’s happened.”
“P-P-Picture.”
“Picture? Where?”
“Under my pillow…can’t look at it again. Take it away…take it away.”
Since there appeared to be no immediate threat, Brennan took the time to calm her down. He sat on the edge of the bed, pulled her into his lap, and held her close. She cried silent tears for a long time as her body continued to shudder.
Several minutes later, she huffed out one last sob and raised a tear-drenched face from his chest. “He really does want to destroy me.”
“Who?”
“Harrington. He’ll never let me go.”
“The bastard is dead. And whoever is doing this will not destroy you, Kacie. I promise you that.”
She didn’t look like she believed him, but she nodded and said, “You’re right. I just don’t know what to do.”
“Okay…you ready to tell me about the photograph?”
“It was under my pillow…in my bed.”
“If I leave you here, will you be okay?”
“I—” She closed her eyes. “I don’t want you to see it.” She buried her face against his chest. “I’m so ashamed.”
He was getting a clearer picture of what the content of the photograph might be, and a gut-clenching anger built up inside him. Someon
e had photos of her time with Harrington. The bastard had drugged and raped her, starved her half to death. McCall had mentioned that everything had been recorded, but all of the DVDs had been destroyed. Had there been still shots, too?
He shook her slightly, gently. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of, Kacie. You’re smart enough to know that. And whoever is doing this, we will find him. I promise you.”
Standing, still holding her in his arms, he laid her gently on his bed. “Stay here. I’ll be back in just a second. Okay?”
She nodded, keeping her eyes closed. Unable to do anything else, Brennan pressed a comforting kiss to her forehead.
He went into her bedroom and spotted the photograph on the floor. Before picking it up, he looked under all the pillows, then under the bed. No more photos. Hopefully, this was the only one.
Taking a tissue from the box on her nightstand, Brennan picked the photo up by the edge and then looked at it.
A much younger Kacie lay spread-eagle on a bed, her limbs tied to the four corners. She was nude, and the expression on her face gave the impression she’d been satiated by her lover. Her eyes, however, were glazed, the pupils dilated, indicating she was drugged and probably not even remotely aware of what was happening.
Brennan wanted to wad up the photograph and burn it. He couldn’t. Whoever was doing this not only knew that Kacie Dane was Kendra Carson, they had physical proof. This offensive, disgusting photo was a shot across the bow.
It was only the beginning.
Kacie lay in Brennan’s arms. After he’d returned to his room, he’d asked her if she wanted him to hold her. She hadn’t been able to speak, just moved into his arms. He had eased down beside her, as if afraid of frightening her, then held her close. He hadn’t offered platitudes, false hopes, or even assurances. He’d just held her and made her feel safe again.
Amazing how just two hours ago, she’d felt so incredibly optimistic, and now she knew that this would never be over. Whoever was doing this wouldn’t stop until she was totally destroyed.
“You’ll feel better tomorrow if you can get a little sleep.”
Like midnight silk, Brennan’s deep voice spoke in the darkness, smooth and comforting.
“I know, but my mind won’t shut down. I keep trying to figure out who would do this, and why.”
“We’ll figure it out together. I’ll call Justin and Riley in the morning. Then we’ll sit down and go over each person who could even remotely be a suspect.”
“You’re angry.”
“You sound surprised.”
She raised her head to peer up at him. The lighting in the room was dim, but she was close enough to see the grim set to his mouth. The mouth that only a few hours ago had kissed her with a passion she’d never known before.
“Thank you for being here, Brennan. I know it’s your job, but—”
He squeezed her tight against him. “There’s no place on earth I’d rather be. Now go to sleep. I’ll be right here if you need me.”
That reassurance was like a warm comforting blanket allowing her to close her eyes and drift off.
Brennan held her for several more moments, making sure she was deeply asleep. He hadn’t been able to do anything while she was awake. Now that she slept, he needed to get to work.
Shifting her gently against the pillow, he watched, waiting to make sure she didn’t wake. She had to be exhausted after everything she’d gone through the last twenty-four hours. Hopefully, she’d get the rest she needed, because his gut told him she was going to need all the strength she could muster.
Rising, he grabbed his cellphone by the bed and silently went out the door. The instant it closed behind him, he punched a speed-dial button.
“Hey, man, what’s up?”
It was just after two o’clock in the morning, but Justin sounded wide awake.
“We’ve got problems.”
As Brennan relayed the events of the past couple of hours, he did a more thorough search of the apartment. When he’d checked it before, he’d been looking for an intruder or missing items. Now he was looking for things that might have been left—more threats that the asshole wanted Kacie or someone else to find.
He opened the cupboard where she kept her coffee cups and whispered, “Shit.”
“What?”
Brennan’s stomach roiled. “Another photograph. It was taped to the inside of the cabinet. Hell, there’s no telling how many this bastard has.”
“I’ll grab Riley, and we’ll be there as soon as we can.”
“Okay… I—”
“What?”
“I don’t want to tell her about this other one. And there may be more.”
“Do a thorough search. We’ll be there as soon as we can.” He paused and added, “Would you want to be kept in the dark?”
“I’ll see you soon.”
Brennan slid the phone into his jeans’ pocket and then searched for more photos as meticulously as a surgeon looking for bullet fragments in a gunshot victim. He found three more photos. One was behind a sofa cushion, another in the folds of a magazine sitting on the coffee table. The last had been rolled up and placed inside the deli tray of the refrigerator.
Sick freak.
Each photo was different. Each was a different perverted act of sexual violation. And each one had the ability to unveil Kacie’s identity and destroy her carefully rebuilt life.
After a glance at each photo, Brennan preserved them in plastic freezer bags he’d found in the pantry, just as he had the one that Kacie had found.
He returned to his bedroom. Kacie’s steady, shallow breaths told him she was still sleeping. After quietly searching his room for any more photos and finding none, he stored the photos in a folder to give to Justin and Riley. He had his doubts they’d get any fingerprints off them, but it’d be stupid not to check.
For now, he wouldn’t tell Kacie about finding more. Maybe once they got the bastard, he’d let her know before he destroyed them. But there was no way in hell he’d tell her now that there were so many different ones.
Wanting to make sure security wouldn’t buzz the intercom when Justin and Riley arrived, he called the desk and requested they be allowed up as soon as they arrived. Within fifteen minutes, he was at the door, letting them inside.
“Sorry to pull you guys out this late.” He spared a quick glance up the stairway. “Kacie’s asleep.”
“How is she?” Riley asked.
“Understandably freaked out.”
Justin followed Riley and Brennan into the living room. Kacie might be freaked out, but Brennan was something else. Justin hadn’t seen his friend this furious since the day he buried his son. While he was glad to see that much emotion in Brennan’s eyes, he couldn’t help but worry. Kacie Dane and Brennan Sinclair didn’t live in the same world, at least not anymore. Brennan had given the celebrity life up years ago because it had destroyed him. He sure as hell didn’t need to be dragged back into it.
As soon as he and Riley sat down on the sofa, Justin said, “Okay, let’s go over it again.”
“Kacie and I went out for the day. When we returned, security told us that her personal assistant, Tara Greenfield, had been up to her apartment. When we got to the door, it was unlocked, slightly open.”
Obviously struggling to keep his rage barely in check, Brennan told them everything that had happened since he and Kacie had returned from their day out.
When he was done, his jaw was even more rigid. “I want the life of every person she’s connected to turned upside down. If someone’s even looked at her sideways, I want to know—”
Justin held up his hand. “We’ve got the best researchers in the world. We can take care of that. My concern is this person’s end game.”
Brennan nodded. “If he’s capable of murder, he’s capable of anything.”
“He?” Riley asked.
Brennan shrugged. “Just a generic term—could be either gender.”
Justin didn’t agree. “I don’
t see a woman for this. Dr. Curtis was strangled. Damn hard to kill a person that way…takes a tremendous amount of strength.” He didn’t add that he knew this from personal experience.
“There are some women who are just as strong as a man,” Riley said. “Don’t discount a female just because you think we’re too weak…or too sweet.”
This wasn’t the time, but he was damn well going to figure out what his partner’s issues were when it came to women. Within seconds of meeting Kacie’s mother, Riley had pinned her as the culprit. Admittedly, the woman was a piece of work, but it just didn’t play that she would do this. Kacie was her meal ticket, and while he could see Sonia anonymously blackmailing her daughter for some big bucks, he didn’t see her involved in murder. And destroying Kacie would gain the woman nothing. Just made no sense.
“We’ll agree to disagree about this, Ingram. Right now, we’ve got more than enough suspects.”
“Like who?”
All eyes turned to Kacie, who stood at the door. She knew she probably looked like three-day-old roadkill but couldn’t bring herself to care. They were here to discuss her case. They were talking about her life. She deserved to be in on this conversation.
Brennan stood and went to her. Her indignation at him for not including her in their discussion fizzled and disappeared. His eyes, bloodshot from lack of sleep, blazed with a need to protect and comfort. Being angry would be selfish and counterproductive. If he hadn’t been here when she found that photo… She really had no clue what she would have done without him.
“Sorry to sneak up like that. I woke up, and you weren’t there.”
The instant she said the words, she regretted them. Both Justin’s and Riley’s eyes widened at the knowledge that she and Brennan had been sleeping in the same bed. She thought about explaining that Brennan had offered comfort and safety—not sex. Then she decided against explaining anything. It really wasn’t anyone’s business.
Brennan stood beside her and held out an arm. The way he did it gave her a choice of either taking his hand or going into his arms. For Kacie, there was no choice to be made.
Chance Encounter Page 14