Abigail supposed that was true enough. But it didn’t make her feel very much better. “What about the lies? How do I just ignore that fact that the man I—er—hypothetically care about, has been keeping an enormous secret from me since the day we met?”
“You don’t,” Julia said. “You attack it head on. If the only thing that will satisfy your curiosity is knowing the truth, then you do what you have to. But fight for your man. My dad didn’t fight for my mom. She walked away. He’s left with a broken heart and so am I. Don’t let the same thing happen to you, Abigail.”
Abigail had every intention of fighting. She only wondered whether a broken heart wasn’t an unavoidable inevitability.
Chapter 23
Abigail placed the last of the brochures she’d been given into an envelope. Grateful to have the batch stuffed, she tossed the final envelope into the box Mark had provided her and stood beside the postage machine. With any luck, she’d have everything postmarked and ready to mail before Kimberly arrived for the overnight shift.
It had been nice having two days in a row off, though Abigail had spent most of it mulling over her talk with Julia. Kimberly was definitely a bimbo, as her friend had said, but she wasn’t convinced Ryan didn’t still feel something for her. Maybe it was only physical attraction, maybe it was more. If she didn’t feel her chances of Ryan choosing her were so slim, she might actually fight for him, as Julia had suggested.
But Abigail knew she wouldn’t do it. Despite whatever she might feel for Ryan, he had made his feelings for her clear. Or rather, his lack of feelings. If he wanted her, he would be the one fighting. It had made so much sense, what Julia said about knowing when it was right. But the idea that things could somehow be right between her and Ryan seemed to be nothing more than a dream. A dream that, though far-fetched as it seemed, Abigail just couldn’t seem to stop thinking about.
Julia’s world had been shattered when her mom walked away, just as Abigail’s had been when her father was shot. For years, Abigail had believed the only way she could move past it was to get some sort of justice. But what if instead, she could find a way to let it all go? What if she could be with someone, someone who took some of the pain away, who loved her with all his heart, whom she also loved with all of her heart?
The idea sounded so crazy but if she didn’t allow herself to go there she would never have any peace of mind. Could she love Ryan, Abigail asked herself as she slipped the envelopes through the sealer. Was she willing to risk the heartbreak that would follow if he didn’t love her back? What had Ryan been hiding all this time? And why oh why was he letting it keep them apart?
“That’s not how it’s going to happen,” a voice erupted down the hall.
Abigail dropped the envelope she was holding. Walking toward the desk, she poked her head around the corner.
The light was on in the file room. Coming toward it, she saw that the door had been left open a crack. She was about to put her ear to it when it swung open from the other side. Stumbling backward, she ducked behind the employee lockers.
Light filled the hallway as the door to the room was opened. A shadow indicated the presence of a figure exiting the room. Its owner moved to the end of the hall and opened the door that led to the outside.
Abigail remained in her hiding place for several drawn-out seconds. As quietly as she could manage, she opened the back door and scanned the hotel property. Everything was still except for the filter going in the pool. She saw no one at first, but then she realized that something appeared to be moving near the old wing.
Abigail took an uneasy breath. After securing one of the master keys from the front desk, she went back outside and darted across the property. Coming to the top of the hill, she took a final survey of the buildings then stepped through the entrance to the old wing.
Making her way through the dark hallway, Abigail walked softly across the carpet, to the stairs. She put her hand on the rail as voices boomed from the second floor.
“What am I doing here?”
“Shut your mouth!”
“I said I’ve got it covered! What more do you want from me?”
“Lock the door! I don’t have time for this tonight.”
The voices were deep but it was difficult to tell who they belonged to. Abigail listened as the door was shut then climbed the stairs. The vending machine, which she’d hidden behind last time, stood in the corner of the hallway. She looked to make sure the coast was clear then slipped quietly behind it.
Perhaps she should have gotten closer. But seeing as how she had no idea which room the men had disappeared into, that seemed like too big of a risk. She’d have to settle for catching the tail end of their conversation. And apparently, it wouldn’t be long before she did.
Seconds later, the door to the room opened and footsteps thundered against the floor. Their owners said nothing, but one of the men sneezed as he reached the top of the stairs. He stopped moving. Abigail realized he was standing right in front of the vending machine. Her heart pounded in her chest.
The man remained there a few more seconds then began to move again. He continued to the end of the hall and his shoes sounded against the carpeted staircase as he walked to the ground floor.
Abigail blew out a long breath when and stepped out from behind the vending machine. She got her bearings as she looked down the hall at the row of doors. Okay…what now? She could try to follow the men, but she wasn’t sure she’d get very far without being seen. Her time might be better spent searching the hotel room they’d visited.
Deciding that the room they’d been in last time seemed as good as place as any to begin, Abigail approached room 417 and put the master key through the swiper. No sooner had she gotten the door open then another set of footsteps made its way up the stairs. She got inside the room, quickly shutting the door behind her.
Heart thumping, Abigail debated the best place to hide. The closet didn’t have a door, and the bathroom was so dark she’d probably have a heart attack if she attempted to hide in there without a light on. She started to walk backward as the swiper beeped behind her. Her face hit the carpet as she dove onto the floor and scooted under one of two queen-sized beds.
The door to the room opened. Black shoes became visible as their owner entered the room.
Abigail fought to minimize the sound of her breathing. She listened as the figure who’d entered the room walked across the carpet. He or she seemed to be trying not to make a lot of noise as they walked toward the closet. The person remained on the other side of the wall for a few minutes, then came into Abigail’s eyeline and opened each of six drawers. As the person opened the last one, a curse escaped his lips.
Ryan?
Slithering forward, Abigail inched to the end of the bed. Turning on her cheek, she looked up to find Ryan standing in front of the dresser. Barely recognizable, he was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and pants. He reached into his pocket. Holding whatever it was he’d taken, he turned on the lamp beside him. The sound of static filled the room.
The screeching that emanated from the device Ryan held continued for several seconds. When it stopped, he swore loudly and slammed the rectangular object against the dresser.
Figuring there wasn’t much sense in continuing to hide, Abigail crawled out from under the bed. As she stood, her foot caught on the end of the bedspread. She fell forward, landing on the ground with a thud.
“Holy shit!” Ryan exclaimed. He turned around, smacking his forehead as their eyes locked. “Abigail, for God’s sake! Though I suppose I should probably be getting used to this by now. What the hell are you doing in here?”
“Oh no, you’re not turning this around on me again.” Getting to her feet, thundering toward him, Abigail said, “You shouldn’t even be at the hotel anymore, let alone in this building. And you have a tape recorder. Why do you have it, Ryan? What could possibly be so fascinating that you would end up back in this room again?”
“Get out of here, Abigail.”
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“What?”
“I said get out of here!” He pointed to the door.
Abigail almost went, but she forced her legs to stay in place. She wasn’t leaving, not this time, in spite of the fact that Ryan was doing his damnedest to push her away. She cared about him, whether he understood that or not. And if he was a criminal, he was the worst criminal she’d ever seen.
Arms crossed tightly over her chest, she said, “I’m not leaving. So if you want me to go, I guess you’re just going to have to carry me out of here.”
Ryan raised a thoughtful eyebrow.
Swallowing, Abigail said, “I don’t think that you’re a part of whatever’s going on around the hotel. I think you’re here for another reason—because you want to know what this is all about as badly as I do. What I don’t understand is why.”
“Assuming you were right, why would my interest matter to you?”
“Because I think there’s a very good chance that the crime gang working out of this hotel is responsible for my father’s murder. And I need to know that you didn’t have anything to do with that.”
Ryan’s eyes widened, and for the first time Abigail actually thought he looked hurt. The tension in his face slowly gave way to a blank expression. “You think I had something to do with your father’s murder?”
“No. But I do think that you know something about it.”
“Abigail, I wish that were true, but…” Ryan sighed. “Can you tell me more about your father’s shooting? Anything at all that you might have heard or that you remember?”
Again he was asking her the questions, when she was the one who needed answers. “He was closing up his restaurant for the night. A place called MacKenzie’s, that used to be at the north end of town.”
“I remember it,” Ryan said.
“My dad had just locked the doors. He must have been walking to his car, and according to Christopher Barrows, this guy wearing a hooded sweatshirt just came out of nowhere. My father was dead before the paramedics arrived.”
Abigail’s breath caught on a sob, and Ryan caught her just before she fell apart. She collapsed against him and he held her close.
Though it had been six years, she still couldn’t talk about her father’s death without breaking down. But, she found she stopped crying a lot sooner when Ryan was holding her. Wiping her eyes a moment later, she continued, “I was at a swimming competition that night. My dad never missed a race, and he was planning to close up early so he could come and watch me. He must have sent the staff home early, so he was all alone when he closed up, and…” Abigail stopped breathing as she said the words. “If it wasn’t for me, my dad would still be alive.”
“That isn’t true,” Ryan said insistently.
“How can you say that?”
“Because. Your father’s death was the result of a reprehensible, evil act. No one—certainly not you of all people—had any way of knowing what was going to happen to him.”
He kissed her forehead, and in that moment Abigail realized once and for all that there was no connection between Ryan and her father’s murder. Not unless he was the most heartless man that had ever walked the face of the earth, and she was quite sure that he wasn’t. He must have had Christopher Barrows’s business card because he’d been trying to investigate his murder. She just didn’t understand why.
“My father’s murder was never solved. And six years later, the man who watched him die is murdered, too.” Looking up at Ryan, Abigail said, “You can’t tell me that’s a coincidence.”
Ryan drew her closer as he rubbed his hand up and down her back. Abigail wanted to pull away, but instead found herself going limp against him. He was only trying to distract her, keep her from asking him questions, but she couldn’t help but find comfort in his arms. For six years, she hadn’t slept through the night. When she was with Ryan, she felt completely safe.
“My mom has never been the same,” she explained. “My older brothers are living their lives, but it’s like an enormous part of them was ripped away. A part of me was, too.”
Ryan’s palm grazed her back. “Losing someone you love isn’t something you ever get over completely. But your dad wouldn’t want this for you, Abigail. Hiding in closets, running around in dark hotel rooms in the middle of the night. Whatever you think you’re doing, your plan is extremely dangerous, and if you don’t stop you’re liable to…”
“Wind up the same way that he did?” Her bones shook. “I love my dad, Ryan. I want him to have justice—”
“At the expense of your own life?”
Abigail blinked and Ryan looked into her eyes. He could read her thoughts, and he knew somehow that she wouldn’t stop fighting for her father no matter what. Something in his eyes told her that meant he wouldn’t stop trying to keep her safe, either.
“I don’t want to die, Ryan. But you have to understand why this means everything to me, why I won’t stop until I know my father’s killer pays for taking his life. Tell me how it affects you, exactly.”
Ryan said nothing.
Unable to hold back, Abigail shouted, “Seriously? I open my heart to you and still you refuse to talk to me? Damn you, Ryan! Just tell me. I want to help you, I want—”
“I don’t need your help!”
“Well, you have me, so just what are you going to do about it?”
Seizing her by the shoulders, Ryan brought his mouth down on hers. Instinctively, as was the strange pattern that seemed to define their relationship, Abigail wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. Encased in Ryan’s warmth, she felt a rush of desire that fought to overpower her common sense. She groaned against his open mouth as he slipped his hands around her waist, and slid them over her bare skin. Her body responded as his palms caressed her middle, reminding her of the way he’d felt when he was inside of her.
“Tell me,” she pleaded, arching as his hands taunted her breasts.
Ryan didn’t answer her but instead moved his hands lower, veering toward the damp crevices between her legs. Oh, how she wanted him to touch her there. She wanted him to stroke her and make her come the way he had last time, wanted it so badly she could scream.
Abigail pushed Ryan’s sweatshirt over his head, and he freed her of her blouse and skirt. Feeling very warm in spite of the lack of clothing, she wondered if he was as anxious as she was. But as he lifted her off her feet and carried her to the bed, she realized that anxiety was the last thing Ryan Newberry was feeling.
“Sure you want to keep talking?” he said as he kissed her leg. His mouth crept upward, creating a pool of damp heat as he approached the crevice of her thigh.
“No, I…” Abigail attempted to breathe as Ryan slid her panties down her leg. Tingles spread through her body as he moved his mouth moved upward. It touched her, there, his soft lips and tongue gently brushing against her folds. Ryan stroked the most intimate part of her with his mouth, causing her to wriggle beneath him.
“Can you…are you sure you want to…”
“Kiss you”—his tongue did wicked things to her body—“here?”
“Yes, there,” Abigail said on a ragged breath. As he continued to make her vibrate with pleasure, she said, “Are you sure you want to…do that?”
“Do you have an objection?”
“No,” Abigail said breathlessly. She supposed anything Julia could do with a man, she could, too. It was just…“I just didn’t really think you’d…” She stopped speaking as her breathing became erratic. Her thighs trembled, and a powerful wave of shudders took control of her body. Her eyes rolled back in her head as an explosion of pleasure that rivaled anything she’d ever felt before overtook her. The sensation brought her over the moon, to a faraway place of absolute bliss.
“Do that?” Ryan finished with a grin. As her racing heart eased, he said, “I don’t think there are too many rules against what can be done in the bedroom.”
Damn his secrets to hell, Abigail thought. She tasted herself as he pressed a kissed to her lips. Daz
ed, she deepened the kiss and urged Ryan closer. She began unzipping his pants and brushed her fingertips over his massive bulge.
Taking the reins, she tugged off his pants and boxers. An inner drive controlled her as she moved her hands lower, beneath the smoothness of his muscled chest. All her life she’d been the good girl. Now it was like she couldn’t stop. It was as though Ryan brought out this wild inner need she hadn’t known existed.
Finding his length, Abigail wrapped her hand around it. Going on instinct, she moved her hand up and down.
“That’s a little rough,” Ryan said on a grunt.
“Oh! I’m so sorry!”
“Like this.” He guided her hand.
Her face becoming hot, Abigail shut her eyes. She followed Ryan’s movements and after a couple of seconds he let go. Her confidence returned with a bang when she realized how unbelievably hard he had become. Ryan stilled her hand. Reaching into his wallet, he got beside her. Then, after ensuring they were protected, he guided her on top of him. He kissed her collarbone and breasts, making her hot with need.
“Ride me, Abigail,” he said in a throaty voice.
Abigail’s face flushed. She lifted herself and straddled Ryan’s waist. He guided his length inside of her.
Her insides quivered as Ryan moved within her, causing her body to become even hotter than it already was. From her upright position, she controlled the pace, and she lifted her hips then lowered them, causing her partner to groan beneath her. She moved as her desire dictated, becoming lost to a craze of need, wanting Ryan more and more with each movement, with each thrust.
Ryan urged her to quicken the pace, and Abigail complied with his wishes. She moved up and down, their rhythms coming in synch. Hot, fast, and urgent. Ryan’s fingertips massaged her clit and soon she found herself shouting in delight as he brought her over the edge. Euphoria swept through her as her body came in one seismic wave of indescribable pleasure.
Ryan’s reddened face tensed then eased as he released an explosion of warmth within her. Still breathing heavily moments later, he cradled her head against his damp chest.
Dangerous Secret [The Pinnacles of Power Prequel] (BookStrand Publishing Romance) Page 20