by Cynthia Eden
Her gun wasn’t aimed at Chance or at Dev. She was pointing straight at Finn.
And he’d sure been ready to bet that Finn was guilty too, but now…what if they were looking at the wrong man? What if someone else had just wanted them to think Finn was guilty?
Finn was another longtime part of Sophie’s life. A friend, a confidant. By making him look guilty, that man would be removed from Sophie’s world, perhaps tossed permanently in jail.
And the ADA already said he wouldn’t rest until Ethan was locked up.
Ethan, the other constant in Sophie’s life. “I think we need to find Ethan Barclay,” Dev announced. A gut instinct.
“Hell,” Faith said. “That guy always means trouble.” Her breath expelled on a long sigh. “This case is just getting worse.”
Yes, it was.
***
Gunfire. Sophie had ducked as soon as she heard that thunder, and now she crouched in Lex’s car, her heart racing. She didn’t hear anything outside. She didn’t hear Lex at all.
Not Lex. He can’t be hit. Not Lex.
Her fingers fumbled as she looked for a weapon. She shoved her hand under the passenger seat and she felt the rounded edge of a handle. She pulled that handle, yanking it hard, and Sophie saw that she’d grabbed a screw driver. Yes!
Her car door opened. The vehicle’s interior light flashed on and she looked up, hoping desperately for—“Lex?”
It wasn’t Lex.
ADA Clark Eastbridge stood there. He smiled at her. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.”
No, she wasn’t. “Where’s Lex?”
Clark offered her his hand. “Someone was waiting in the dark. They shot at him, and he gave chase. But it’s okay. I’ll take care of you until he gets back.”
She stared at his offered hand. She’d tucked the screwdriver up the sleeve of her sweatshirt, instinctively hiding it when the car door opened. She didn’t see a gun in either of Clark’s hands. But maybe he’d hidden his weapon, too. How hard would it have been to tuck a gun in the back of his pants? Or to hide it under his jacket? “Why are you here?”
“Sophie.” Now anger pulsed in his voice. “We need to get out of here. I told Lex I’d watch out for you. Come on.” Then he stopped waiting for her to take his hand. He locked his fingers around her left wrist and pulled her out of the car. She didn’t fight him, not then. What would have been the point? She had to wait for a perfect moment.
He kept his hold on her and headed back toward his vehicle. “I had a few more questions about the shooting Lex witnessed today.” He was speaking quickly and guiding her to his SUV—a vehicle that still appeared to be running. Its bright lights were on. Why the brights? “I was here to talk with him, but the shooter must have come to eliminate him—and maybe you, too. Lex raced after him…”
He’d said that before. He spoke in that easy, confident voice that he used in the courtrooms. So sincere. So charming.
But she was scared and cold and she didn’t see Lex. “Clark…” Her voice didn’t tremble. That was good. “Did you ever get a hit on the traffic camera that was outside of the courthouse? Did you get the video of the vehicle that nearly ran Lex and me down?”
A vehicle that sure had looked a lot like this one.
“No.” His sigh was long. Almost sad. “I’m sorry, Sophie, but it turned out there was some kind of glitch that day. No video was recorded.”
Right.
He opened the SUV passenger door for her. Because she hadn’t fought him, because she’d been so docile—maybe that was why he let her hand go. As soon as he did, though, she seized that moment and raced back toward Lex’s car—toward the driver’s side of his car.
“Sophie, no!” Clark called out. “The shooter—”
Lex was lying facedown on the ground. He didn’t seem to be moving at all. She immediately dropped to her knees beside him. “Lex!” She touched his back and her fingers were instantly soaked in his blood. “Lex, no!”
Footsteps thundered toward her. “You should’ve just gotten in my vehicle.”
Her head whipped back toward him.
Clark towered over her. “But maybe it’s better this way. Now you can see that he’s gone.”
Lex wasn’t gone. Her left hand was on his back, in his blood, but she could feel him breathing. He was still alive. Could Clark not see that small movement in the dark? The bright lights didn’t hit over here. Maybe he didn’t know…
You screwed up. Lex is still alive. And I won’t let you kill him.
“He wasn’t right for you, Sophie. He didn’t believe in you. Never understood you.”
Lex understood her perfectly.
“I’ve waited so long for you.” Clark’s fingers brushed over the back of her head in a caress that sent her stomach rolling with revulsion. “I first saw you years ago. Beautiful Sophie with the haunted eyes. I knew the first time I saw you that you would be mine.”
She would never be.
Sophie kept her head bent. She began pulling the screwdriver from her sleeve.
“You were walking with Ethan Barclay. You’d been crying. I could see the tears on your cheeks, and I wanted to take your pain away.”
She had no idea what he was talking about.
“So I started learning about you. Everything I could. Watching you. I loved to watch you. Did you know that sometimes, I’d even sneak into your house? It was so easy to get inside. That way, I could be close to you.”
She felt Lex’s muscles tense beneath her hand. When he’d been shot, had he fallen against the car? Or hit his head when he collided with the ground? She knew he’d been unconscious moments before, but that growing tenseness told her that he was becoming very aware again. She could feel him, almost as if he were readying for an attack.
Lex can’t attack now. He’s hurt! And Clark still had the gun.
“I watched you as often as I could back then. I even saw you that night on the bridge. You were climbing up there, and I was afraid you’d jump.”
OhmyGod.
“I knew then just how much you needed me. I was there to take your pain away.”
She shook her head.
But he kept talking. Clark said, “Since I knew my way in your house, it was easy enough to get in the night I killed your parents.”
The world stopped spinning. He’d just said the words so casually. So calmly.
“Evil people should be stopped.” He sounded as if he were speaking to a jury. Convincing them of just how just he was. “They should be punished. That’s what I do, Sophie. I’m a prosecutor. I punish the criminals. Even way back then, I knew what I was meant to be. My first year of law school…” His voice actually warmed. “I killed them on a school break. No one ever had any clue.”
The screwdriver was in her hand.
“I got nervous. I’ll admit that.” His hand stilled on her hair. “I left the gun. Stupid mistake. A mistake that could have cost me everything. But you covered for me, didn’t you, Sophie? I rushed back to the scene, determined to get rid of all the evidence I’d left. I mean, hell, it was my first kill. I got nervous. I just didn’t expect all of that blood.”
No, based on the emotion in his voice, he’d gotten excited. Not nervous.
“But I saw you when I went back.”
Because, apparently, he’d made a habit of getting in and out of my home—for how long? Dear God, for how long? Had she ever been safe from him?
“You threw the gun into the river for me. I followed you that night. You went back to that same bridge. You were so beautiful. I knew that you appreciated what I’d done for you. You felt the connection, too.”
I feel that you’re insane.
Her muscles bunched as she prepared to lunge at him and attack. She had to move fast, before Lex launched at the guy.
“You’re such a dumbass, ADA Eastbridge…”
Those low, growling words came from right behind Clark. And that rough voice—she knew that voice. It was Ethan’s voice.
Eth
an was striding forward from the darkness.
“She didn’t hide the gun for you. She did that for me. Sophie thought she was protecting me. Why the hell would she do it for you? She had no fucking clue who you were.”
Clark’s hand fell away from her, and, snarling, he whirled to face Ethan. As he did, Sophie saw him yank a gun out from under his jacket.
“No!” Sophie cried.
“You’re just some obsessed asshole—” Ethan shouted.
Sophie knew Clark was going to shoot him. She lunged to her feet and she drove her screwdriver into Clark’s back as hard as she could. He bellowed and whirled as grabbed for her. She heard his gun explode and a white-hot pain lanced over her arm.
The bastard had shot her.
“Sophie!” That roar was Ethan’s.
Clark yanked her closer against him. He put his gun under her chin.
“You attacked me.” He seemed confused. Why would he be confused? Didn’t he get that he was the bad guy?
She didn’t like bad guys, not anymore.
She ignored the burn in her arm.
“Sophie, I’m so disappointed,” Clark murmured. “After all I did for you! I mean, I even put Daniel in the ground. For you. I made sure Griffin couldn’t talk—”
“You killed him,” she whispered.
He nodded. “And then I ran to the scene, joining in the hunt for…me.”
Such a twisted bastard.
“I’m a really fantastic shot,” Clark said, raising his voice. “But even a piss poor shooter would still kill this close.”
“Let her go!” Ethan yelled.
Clark shoved the tip of the gun deeper into the underside of her chin. He tugged her around a bit, moving so that they both faced Ethan. “You have your weapon, Ethan. Instead of pointing it at me, point it at yourself. Lift it up, and put it right to your temple.”
Insane. She clawed at his hand, but he didn’t so much as flinch. Was her screwdriver still in his back?
Ethan wasn’t moving. She could see his still form.
“Put the gun to your head or I will shoot her right now!” Clark yelled.
That yell had her flinching.
And it had Ethan lifting the gun. “No,” Sophie whispered. What the hell was he doing? She couldn’t see his gaze, not in the dark. It looked as if he were staring right at her. He couldn’t do this. Couldn’t!
“You love Sophie, don’t you, Ethan?” Clark never moved his weapon.
Ethan didn’t speak.
“Let’s see how much. Either you pull your trigger or I will pull mine.”
No!
“Pull your trigger…” Clark shouted. “Or I pull mine!”
“No!” Sophie yelled. “No, don’t you do it, Ethan! He’s not going to kill me!” She was supposed to buy that this crazy freak had been secretly stalking her for years and now he was going to kill her in a blink? Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. He was just trying to play some kind of head game with Ethan.
No, he’s trying to get rid of Ethan. He’s trying to get rid of everyone in his way. Lex, Ethan…
Ethan had his gun pointed at his temple.
“If you do it,” Sophie shouted, “I will kick your ass!” She fully believed Clark wouldn’t kill her—okay, she thought he wouldn’t kill her right then. So that meant she could fight him. If he had the chance, though, hell, yes, she thought Clark would kill Ethan—and he’d finish Lex. I won’t give him the chance.
“I knew you were trouble, Clark,” Ethan said. He didn’t sound frightened. He sounded pissed. “The first time your rich ass came into my neighborhood. You wanted drugs, and I told you I didn’t run that shit. But you saw something else that got you addicted, didn’t you? You saw Sophie.”
“Sophie was meant to be mine! She never loved another man, barely let any other lovers get close. She held herself back, for me!”
Ah, and now she knew just how to break free. “Newsflash, there, ADA Eastbridge. Lex got close.”
His hold slackened.
“Want to know just how close?” She made her voice go velvety, husky. Seductive. “So close that I love him.” Sophie drove her elbow back into his stomach and when he grunted, she lurched forward.
“Run, Sophie!” Ethan bellowed.
No way. She wasn’t going to run and leave Lex. She needed a weapon, she needed—
“And I…love…her…” Lex snarled.
Lex.
She looked back. In the dark, he’d risen. He grabbed Clark and threw him against the side of the car. The screwdriver hit the ground with a clatter. She lunged for it, but when she looked up, Clark was trying to aim his gun right at Lex.
“Stop it!” Sophie screamed. “Don’t you hurt him! Don’t!” She would stab that bastard right in the heart.
She didn’t have to.
Lex knocked the gun out of Clark’s grasp. She knew he broke Clark’s wrist because she heard the crunch of bones. Then Lex pounded his fist into Clark’s face again and again. Clark attempted to fight back, but he was no match for Lex’s fury. No match for him at all.
Sophie stepped forward, but hard arms wrapped around her. “Let him finish the bastard,” Ethan whispered in her ear. “Then you’ll never have to fear Clark again.”
Lex was in a killing fury. His wounds didn’t seem to slow him down at all. His hands struck in a blinding rush, and the thud of flesh on flesh—the crunching of bones—had her shuddering. Lex wasn’t stopping.
And she couldn’t watch him murder a man. “He isn’t you,” she told Ethan.
His arms fell away. Sophie hurried to Lex. She reached out, touching his shoulder. “No more.”
At her touch, Lex stilled instantly.
Clark slid down the side of the car, then fell, slamming face first into the cement.
Lex turned. He stared down at her. His eyes glittered.
“I’m okay,” she told him. “He’s done.”
Lex’s hand—bloody—reached out to touch her. But right before his fingers slid against her skin, his hand clenched into a fist. “I…love you.” His voice was so rough.
“I love you, too.” Saying the words wasn’t hard. In fact, it just might have been the easiest thing she’d ever done in her life. She threw her body against his, holding on tightly to Lex. “I love you.”
His arms closed around her.
Clark. Clark did this. The ADA! She couldn’t wrap her mind around that, couldn’t understand it all, not yet. In that moment, it didn’t even matter. Lex was alive. She was alive—that was all that mattered.
Sirens wailed—seemingly far off.
“Someone called the cavalry.” Ethan’s voice was mild. “That usually happens when shots are fired. Tell you what…how about I kill this asshole before the boys in blue come rushing to the scene? Trust me, this ending will be better for everyone. Lex can still be your hero, you can sleep peacefully at night, and I’ll feel one hell of a lot better about the world in general.”
She shook her head, but didn’t let Lex go.
Killing like that…there had been enough death. She didn’t want it. “He killed my parents. He killed Griffin.”
“There’s not going to be any evidence to tie the guy to those crimes,” Ethan argued. “He’s slick. Hell, he’ll just toss out some insanity defense and get away with it all. So what if he actually is insane? He’s been hooked on you for years. You think he’s ever just going to let you walk away from him?”
She couldn’t kill.
Lex seemed to stumble against her. Her hold tightened on him. “Help me, Ethan! Clark shot him.” She’d thought he was all right. The way he’d fought, but…
Lex was sagging. Slumping.
Ethan hurried forward. “Shit. When you’ve got bullets in you…” He slid his shoulder under Lex’s right arm. Sophie put her body under Lex’s left arm to help brace him up. “Maybe let me do the ass kicking?”
Lex grunted. “You were…busy…about to shoot…self…”
“I saw you moving behind him. I knew yo
u just needed me to keep him distracted.” They were shuffling forward. Moving toward the flash of blue lights. “I did my part, buddy. You’re welcome.”
Sophie glanced back. The men weren’t even looking at Clark. Was he still breathing?
“Now do yours…”
Wait, had Ethan just said those words? They’d been so low she thought she’d imagined them. They shuffled forward more. The cop cars raced toward them. The first vehicle braked with a screech that hurt Sophie’s ears. The driver’s side door opened and—
“What happened?” Faith Chestang shouted. “Seriously…let me handle this shit sometime! Don’t always fight on your own!”
Then she was running forward.
And there was a rustle behind Sophie. The whisper of clothing?
“Mine…” Such a low, furious growl. “Or…no one’s…”
Clark wasn’t dead, and, apparently, he still had a whole lot of twisted rage left in him.
Lex shoved Sophie to the side. Ethan shouted her name and the guy jumped on her. What?
And—
Clark ran toward them. He had the screw driver in his hand. The screwdriver that had fallen when Lex was fighting him. Clark had that screwdriver raised and was charging forward.
But he didn’t get very far. Because Lex fired at him. Just shot with cold precision. Once, twice. The bullets sank into Clark’s chest, hitting perfectly in the heart.
“No one owns Sophie,” Lex said. His arm lowered when Clark hit the ground.
Ethan rose, moving off Sophie. “And now it’s over.”
“Damn, damn…” Faith ran forward. She kicked the screwdriver away from Clark’s still form. “The ADA just went batshit.”
No, he’d been batshit for a very long time. He’d just been good at hiding his dark side. Sophie was on the ground, the cement biting into her hands. Lex walked toward her, his steps slow, but not staggering. Had he really been that weak before? When he’d suddenly needed both her and Ethan at his side?