Dangerous Love

by Kara Leigh Miller

  “I do love it when you beg,” Raymond whispered, leaning in so close she could smell the scent of his aftershave, his bad breath, and his sweat. He gripped her arm and dragged her in, nodding to Amanda.

  “Let’s move this into the living room shall we. Kristy gets lonely without me,” Raymond stated.

  Another piece of Alessa’s heart shattered. Kristy. Kristy was her best friend. They’d been friends since they were kids. It occurred to Alessa, as Raymond dragged her by the arm and Amanda followed behind, that all of the people she loved were now involved in this mess, because of her. And she had no idea how to protect or save any of them. Even if she did, it was too late.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  Ethan stared at Josh incredulously, but there was no mistaking it: Josh was sure about this. Raymond obviously had help within the police department so how did they know whom they could trust? They didn’t. They could trust each other and as far as he was concerned, that was it.

  “This is the right move,” Josh insisted as they parked down the street from Alessa’s apartment building. Looking around, he could see her in his mind, walking home from work, her low heels clicking on the sidewalk. It was a nice enough neighborhood, well lit, with the buildings close together, but it wasn’t where she belonged.

  She belonged with him.

  “If you say so. But what if they aren’t even here? You charmed that reporter with your pretty boy smile. Hope you didn’t set her up for disappointment,” Ethan said, only half joking.

  “Did you just call my smile pretty?”

  Ethan shrugged and Josh laughed, feeling a small amount of tension release from his shoulders.

  Vanessa Stone stood outside the building, a large bag slung over her shoulder, her arms crossed, and one stiletto heeled foot tapping. He dated her briefly about six months ago. She covered an accident at the hospital and had interviewed him. Afterward, she’d asked him to show her where he could buy her a cup of coffee. With light blonde hair, a bubbly laugh, and pretty blue eyes, she made him want to say yes. Though they’d gone for dinner a couple of times, he just didn’t feel the connection he knew he needed to put effort into a relationship. But they’d remained friends, and she sometimes asked him for the inside scoop on hospital business. He often smiled when he read her news articles stating that an “official source” had given her information.

  “This feels like a creepy set-up, Josh. I have to say.” Vanessa always sounded bubbly when she spoke, regardless of the topic.

  “I need you to trust me,” Josh said, ignoring Ethan’s arched eyebrow. “This is my brother-in-law, Ethan.”

  The two shook hands, and Vanessa tilted her head. “Have I interviewed you?” she asked.

  “I don’t think so. I’m a pastor at the church on Kingsway,” Ethan replied.

  “That’s it. I’ve been there with my aunt a few times. You offer a nice service.”

  “Thank you.”

  She eyed Josh with a somewhat playful smile, clearly not understanding how dire this situation could be. He and Ethan had both tried Amanda’s cell phone and gotten nothing. Not even voice mail. The phone was turned off, which made friend-finder useless.

  “Kind of hard not to trust you when you bring your own priest. I don’t know if I should be impressed or worried.” She laughed, the sound like wind chimes.

  “The woman I love is in that building, along with my sister, the woman Ethan loves.” Josh aimed a thumb at Ethan. “So, yeah, I’m sure of it.”

  “So why not involve the police?”

  “Because we don’t know which ones are in his back pocket. He didn’t get this far without some friends in high places,” Josh answered, remembering the two authentically uniformed police officers that had shown up at the hospital.

  “Okay. Well, let’s put this on your shirt.” She became all business, despite the singsong voice. She pulled out a small pin with the American flag and attached it to his T-shirt.

  “It kind of stands out with my shirt,” Josh complained.

  “If he’s in there and things have gone south like you predict, he’s not going to notice a tiny pin. This gives me audio and visual.” She adjusted the pin, leaving her hand on his chest a touch too long.

  “Pretty high-tech.” Josh stepped back.

  “I snagged it from my boss so it better be worth it,” Vanessa replied.

  Josh just hoped they’d be calling in an intruder and not a homicide. His stomach twisted, tilted upside down. He started up the stairs and looked back at Ethan and Vanessa who were going to watch from her laptop in her car.

  “Once I’m inside, call the police. Make sure you guys are not in sight. You’re sure this is streaming to your boss?”

  “Yes. It was a condition of using the pin.”

  Taking a deep breath, unable to think about what he could be walking into, Josh pressed the small square that buzzed Alessa’s apartment. It rang and rang, making sweat trickle down his neck. He almost choked on the lump in his throat when her voice crackled through the speaker.

  “Hello?” Her voice was tiny and far away.

  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Alessa? It’s me, honey. Buzz me up. Let me in.”

  “Josh.” Her voice cracked, and he heard a sickening slap. His stomach seized. “Are you alone?” she asked.

  His phone rang, signaling a FaceTime call from Amanda. His heart beat erratically as he answered. He saw Alessa’s beautiful face, blood trailing in the corner of her lip, and had to bite his lip to hold in his rage.

  “He wants you to pan the area to make sure you’re alone,” she said.

  Josh turned the phone, grateful that Ethan and Vanessa had gone to the car around the block. The sidewalk was empty. The street was quiet, with a few empty cars parked on the sides. In the distance, there was a park and faint laughs and shouts could be heard from the children playing. The buzzer to let him in sounded. With his lungs refusing to pull in anymore oxygen, he let himself into the building. He took the stairs, counting them as he went up to focus himself. Eight. Nine. Ten. Breathe. Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen.

  His chest ached and his blood rushed, making him feel like he was underwater. Drowning. Sinking. He couldn’t lose another woman he loved. Twenty-eight. He couldn’t fail anyone else. Thirty. He couldn’t live without Alessa. The door was ajar. He let himself in, slowly emerging from the fog he felt trapped in. His adrenaline kicked in hard, but he clenched his fists, forcing himself to breathe. He didn’t flinch when Raymond met him in the hallway, gripping a firearm easily, the way some might casually hold a coffee. He wanted to body slam him, charge him and hurt the man. He breathed out through his nose.

  “Well. If it isn’t the good doctor,” Raymond said with a smug sneer. The man’s shirt was unbuttoned slightly, his striped sleeves rolled up his forearms. His dark hair was tousled and though it sickened him, he could see why a woman would be drawn to him. Especially when he was playing the charming politician.

  “Where’s Alessa? Alessa?” Josh called, starting to walk forward.

  Raymond stopped him by raising a hand. “Not so fast, my friend. Lock the door behind you. You won’t be going anywhere.”

  Josh used the moment to turn around and take a full breath, to steady himself. He could do this because there was no other option.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  Alessa had to swallow the bile rising in her throat. She not only walked herself right into the clutches of a madman, more than once, but she dragged the people she cared about, the people she loved along, too. Raymond’s politician smile was slipping, and she could see the strain on his face. He was floundering—trying to figure out what to do with all of them. She’d seen the traces, the little hints of insanity in him right before she’d started to uncover the truth. She should have run. She should have just quit. But no, she’d wanted to do the right thing and expose him. Now, it would cost not only her life but also Kristy, Amanda, and Josh’s.

  “For a girl with no friends, you’ve corra
lled quite the collection,” Raymond sneered.

  The gun, which she hoped had the safety on, was at his side while he eyed them. His hair was rumpled, like his shirt and pants. Josh caught her eye, and she had to bite her lip hard enough to draw blood just so she wouldn’t scream.

  “You don’t need any of them. I won’t tell anyone anything. None of them know anything. Please Raymond,” she pleaded in a voice she barely recognized. The words were heavy on her tongue. He looked at her, and his eyes sparked with amusement. Cruel amusement.

  “I don’t need anyone. You do. That’s what made you so alluring—your pathetic need to find a place, to be wanted.” He walked toward her.

  Josh sat on the couch holding Amanda’s hand. Raymond shoved him and Amanda onto the couch within seconds of Josh’s arrival. Alessa could see the fury building inside of Josh. His leg shook, and Amanda had tears trickling down her cheeks.

  “I’m sorry,” Alessa whispered. Raymond always softened when she told him how sorry she was, which should have given her a clue about his nature. She wondered if she’d ever be so naïve again.

  “Sorry? Hardly enough this time, is it sweetheart? You’ve tried to destroy me. After I offered you the world, after I offered you myself.” His voice rose with each word.

  The fact she had found him so attractive and captivating sickened her now. Especially since she had, not that long ago, craved the life he offered her, when she thought he cared.

  “You were hurting people. Taking money they needed for your campaign. You were lying to people,” she replied.

  His hand connected with her face before she finished the last word. It threw her off balance, and she stumbled at the same time Josh surged to his feet with a yell.

  Raymond whirled and pointed the gun at him. “Sit down, lover boy. Trust me, she’s not worth your time.”

  Alessa pressed her hand to her throbbing cheek and took another step closer to Kristy. “Josh, please. I’m okay.”

  Josh’s fists clenched, and Amanda sat on the edge of the couch. The smell of blood and sweat was nauseating, but Alessa had to stay focused. She’s spent months with this man, at his mercy. She knew the right things to say to calm him down. She only needed to remember them, and then have the courage to say them no matter how awful it felt to do so.

  “What’s she got on you Raymond? Hmm? Can’t be that bad right? A little bit of fraud? Some money laundering?” Josh goaded.

  What’s he doing? Alessa wondered. What little sanity Raymond possessed was hanging by a very fragile string. “Josh!” she snapped.

  “Josh, please, sit down,” Amanda whispered.

  Josh looked down at her, and then at Alessa before he walked closer to Raymond, ignoring the gun pointed at him. Alessa’s heart lodged itself firmly in her throat, making her gag. Kristy whimpered, and Alessa took a step closer.

  “Shut up!” Raymond snapped at Josh. “Enough! All of you, back to the couch. Now!” His face turned beet red with anger. Raymond did not like to be disobeyed. Alessa had learned that the hard way—repeatedly.

  “I think you’re going to want to reconsider whatever your plan is,” Josh said.

  Alessa could barely hear his voice over the buzzing in her own head. This must be some awful nightmare. There was no way the man she loved was facing off with the man who’d tried to kill her. The entire scene was surreal. Josh had a gun pointed at his chest for crying out loud.

  Raymond gave a sickeningly sweet smile. “Is that so? I think you’re wrong. Tell me, Doc, would you die for her?”

  “Yes.”

  The lack of hesitation in Josh’s voice forced air into Alessa’s lungs, and she cried out, “No!”

  “That’s good to know. Hopefully the rest of you feel the same.” Raymond’s eyes were wild and furious. “Because that’s exactly what’s going to happen. Now get over there on the couch.”

  Alessa began to untie Kristy so she could move with her.

  “Leave her there!” Raymond shouted.

  Alessa jumped back, her hands shaking.

  “You can’t shoot all of us,” Josh said.

  Alessa moved to his side, and he gripped her tightly to him. She could feel his heartbeat racing, and the back of his shirt was damp with sweat.

  “Who said anything about shooting all of you?” Raymond gave a harsh, empty laugh. “Now sit down!”

  Josh pulled Alessa down beside him on the couch so he was positioned between her and Amanda. Raymond yanked Kristy’s chair closer to the couch, jostling her and making her cry out. He moved to the tiny kitchen where Alessa could remember pouring cereal and eating it standing by the sink.

  She’d been so excited when she’d gotten the job as Raymond’s assistant. She’d thought her life was about to change. She was right, but this was not what she imagined and not how she wanted things to end. Not when her life was, truly, just beginning. Josh squeezed her hand and whispered that everything would be okay.

  Raymond rooted through his suit jacket he’d tossed on the countertop early, pulling out a small bottle of what looked like Vodka. He was going to drink? From his pants pocket, as he walked back to them, he retrieved a lighter. Alessa’s heart plummeted. It felt like it left her body in one fell swoop. Raymond yanked his tie out of his shirt pocket where it had been haphazardly shoved. He watched all of them with a cold, deadly glaze in his eyes.

  “Raymond, please,” Alessa whispered. Raymond smiled. Josh squeezed her hand.

  Raymond opened the bottle of vodka, poured a bit on her coffee table and shoved one end of the tie inside the liquid. Alessa felt numb. This wasn’t happening. He held the vodka in one hand, the tie trailing out of it and a lighter in the other.

  “Any last words?” Raymond asked, the look of victory brightening his sweat slickened face.

  Alessa couldn’t talk around the lump in her throat. Amanda said nothing. Alessa couldn’t even hear her breathing. Kristy sniffled.

  “Yes,” Josh said.

  Raymond tilted his head, once again amused.

  Josh looked at Amanda. “We’re going to be fine.” Amanda whimpered in response. He turned his head to Kristy and said, “It is nice to meet you, Kristy, though I wish it were under better circumstances.”

  Raymond gave a bark of laughter. “If things were different, doc, I’m sure you and I would’ve had a very mutually beneficial relationship.”

  Josh, ignoring Raymond’s poor attempt at a compliment, turned his face to Alessa, his eyes soft, comforting. “I love you. I would die for you. But that’s not going to happen today.”

  A sound that was half-sob and half-laugh left her throat. She leaned forward and kissed him through her tears. “I’m so sorry, Josh. So sorry.”

  “Show’s over,” Raymond said, his voice hard once again. He ran his thumb quickly across the metal wheel of the lighter, causing it to spark. The sound of the flame igniting seemed abnormally loud. Alessa couldn’t take her eyes off of the orange and yellow glow as she gripped Josh’s hand. The flame licked at Raymond’s tie as he set the bottle down on the coffee table.

  He began to walk away, the gun pointed at them as the front door blew open. Shouting ricocheted down the hall, and in an instant everything was sheer chaos. Things happened simultaneously, so fast Alessa couldn’t keep up with everything happening around her.

  Josh heaved his legs and kicked the coffee table away from them. Raymond raged, charging for Josh, who jumped up. As Raymond barreled into Josh, Alessa ducked out of the way and fell to her knees on the floor. She tried to ignore the whoosh she heard as the tie went up in flames, getting closer to the alcohol. She yanked at the knots binding Kristy’s wrists. Kristy twisted and turned, trying to help, but making it harder to release the knots.

  Amanda screamed, and police stormed the living room, followed by Ethan. Everything was a blur as Alessa tugged at the ropes without success. Then the sound of a gunshot rang through the room. Everything froze, including the blood in Alessa’s veins. The shouting sounded muffled, but it was ther
e, so many voices yelling over each other, and Alessa could see the flames and Ethan standing over them. Her vision blurred with tears when Kristy’s wrists came loose. Arms clasped them both, yanking them up and away just as the bottle of vodka exploded. Ethan screamed.

  Kristy fell. Alessa tumbled with her and those hands yanked them up again, pulled them even though Alessa fought desperately, yelling Josh’s name, Amanda’s name, Ethan’s. She didn’t want to be saved. She didn’t want to be safe if everyone she loved was left behind.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  “Josh!” Alessa lunged for him, but strong arms wrapped around her from behind, holding her back from reaching him. “No.” She twisted and turned, struggling to get out of the hold. Josh was on the floor, inches from her, unmoving. Blood pooled around his mid-section.

  Dear God, please don’t let him be dead.

  She watched, dazed, as a several EMTs rushed into the room, stretchers in hand. They kneeled around Josh, blocking him from her view. A couple of others tended to Ethan, who was on the floor, clutching his arms to his stomach. Cops surrounded Raymond, removing the gun from his hand, and hauling him to his feet.

  “Josh!” When he still didn’t answer, Alessa collapsed to her knees, sobbing and letting out a blood-curdling scream. She bucked against the arms holding her and broke free. She tried to scramble toward Josh, but was once again restrained. “No. Stop! Let go of me!”

  “Ma’am, you need to let us do our job.” The male voice behind her was firm but calm.

  Alessa fell back on her haunches and stared at the surreal scene before her. Everything was blurry from her tears, and a sharp pain shot through the back of her eyes. She cried out in pain and clutched her head in her hands. She waited for a memory to rush into her consciousness, but none came. Alessa lifted her head just in time to see the EMTs lift Josh onto a stretcher and carry him out of her apartment. Stumbling to her feet, she followed them outside and to the waiting ambulance.