“Shut. Up,” she told herself through gritted teeth, then sighed. The photograph was haunting her. She recalled that blissful night she had spent in Max’s arms, his sensuality, his prowess in bed, his huge, thick cock driving her to abandon. The pain of seeing him with another woman made her stomach ache. Maximo had stepped up when Bree was abducted and was still, as far as she knew, holding Raymond Grace somewhere he couldn’t be a danger to anyone, but as for his relationship with Clem …
You are not ready for what I need, and I do not have the time to wait around. Those had been his words to her, the last time she’d seen him. Well you certainly didn’t waste time, did you, Maximo? Clem tortured herself with imagining him in bed with the Italian actress, plowing into her as hard as he could, barely remembering Clem’s name.
She had worked herself up into a state by the time Luca arrived but when she saw the heartache, the devastation on his face, she silently berated herself. She let him in and hugged him awkwardly. When did our hugs get so awkward? she asked herself, hearing the answer immediately. When he fell in love with Emory. Luca had stopped being hers a long time ago, but she’d never felt that distance until he and Emory started seeing each other.
Not the time to worry about that now, she told herself and rubbed Luca’s arm. “How are you holding up?”
Luca hesitated, seeming to struggle to contain his sorrow. Then, in a flat voice, he told her. “The blood they found. It is Emory’s. Ray killed her, Clem, she’s dead.”
Ice flooded through Clem’s veins as she took in the news. “Oh God … Luca, what are you going to do?”
Luca was dry-eyed, which surprised Clem. Instead his dark brown eyes were fierce, furious. “I’ll make sure he pays for what he did, Clem, I swear. I need your help. I need you to call Maximo Neri for me.”
Oh, God, no … “Luca, with me and Maximo—it’s complicated.”
Luca stared at her. ’You won’t help me?”
Her heart sank at the betrayal in his voice. You’re gonna have to take one for the team, Clemmie. “Of course, I will. Of course, I will, Luca; just don’t do anything you’ll regret.”
Luca looked away from her gaze. “There’s nothing I could do to Ray Grace that I’d regret,” he said softly, “except let him get away with murdering the woman I love.”
God, it was still a spike to her heart to hear Luca say that about another woman but she shook it off. Jealous of a dead woman? No way. She squeezed his shoulder.
“I’ll get you a drink and I’ll call Max.”
Luca gave her a grateful smile. “Thanks, Clemmie.”
Clem left him in the living room and walked to the kitchen. Her chef had left for the evening so the room was quiet and she snagged her phone from her purse as she poured Luca a glass of scotch.
Maximo’s voicemail kicked in and she stuttered through a greeting. She wondered if he was fucking that actress right this moment and the thought made her tongue-tied with jealousy. She cleared her throat. “Max … we’ve just heard—the blood they found at theory was Emory’s. It looks like Ray Grace told the truth—he did shoot her.”
What she was saying hit home then. “God … it’s too awful and as you can imagine, Luca is beside himself. Devastated. Angry. Max, I’m concerned what he will do if you tell him where Ray Grace is. I won’t stop him contacting you—in fact, if you could call me back as soon as you get this, I’ll put you on with him, but Max, please … Luca will kill Ray Grace and I won’t let him go to prison. Not for that scumbag. Even for Emory’s sake. She can’t suffer anymore. But Luca can. My daughter can.”
Clem sighed and took a breath. “I’m sorry about this all. I’m sorry I involved you. I’m sorry, Maximo.”
She ended the call and her emotions took over and she began to sob quietly into her hands. It wasn’t until she felt Luca’s arms around her that she felt strong enough to let her cries subside. The two of them held each other for a long time before Luca let her go.
“Come on,” he said, “let’s go sit and talk.”
Ten minutes later, Maximo called back. She handed the phone to Luca and stood, not wanting to hear Max’s voice or she might crumple. She hoped he wouldn’t tell Luca where Ray Grace was, but if he did, she couldn’t blame him. All she could do then would be to try and stop Luca from committing the worst revenge and ruining his life.
Her heart sank even further a few minutes later when Luca came to find her. His face was alive with furious excitement. “Thank you, Clemmie. I know you meant well, but listen to me: for Emory, I must do this. I’m going to finish this one way or another.”
Bree Saffran lay with her head on Jesse’s shoulder and breathed in his clean smell. They were in his apartment, a vast open-plan loft with exposed brick work and walls and walls of bookshelves stuffed with fiction and non-fiction. Most notable was his collection of science-fiction; Carl Sagan, Ursula K. Le Guin, Octavia Butler, Asimov. Bree had teased him when she first saw them. “You’re a nerd,” and he had laughed and shrugged.
“Guilty.”
But she had loved it and they had spent hours talking about their favorite books and movies.
Physically, however, they hadn’t progressed beyond kissing. Bree, still a virgin at nineteen, was nervous of making the leap, even though she was growing increasingly frustrated at herself. Jesse, ever patient, told her it was okay, he could wait, eventually they’d get there, but Bree didn’t want to wait any more.
She looked up at him now. “Jesse?”
“Yes, babe?”
She looked into those bright blue eyes and lost herself in them. She didn’t say anything else but pressed her lips to his and tightened her arms round him. Jesse caught on immediately and smoothed her hair away from her face.
“You sure?”
She nodded, sliding her trembling hands under his shirt, feeling the quiver of the muscles in his hard chest as she touched him. Jesse groaned slightly and gathered her to him, rolling her onto her back and pushing her T-shirt up, shifting down to trail his lips across her belly. Bree’s senses reeled and as Jesse slowly undressed her, she felt as if every nerve ending in her body was on fire.
With her breath catching in her throat, she freed his cock from his underwear, stroking the thick column, cupping his balls in her other hand. When she heard his gasp of pleasure, all her nervousness suddenly vanished and she hooked her legs around his hips, teasing his cock until it was engorged and throbbing.
Jesse’s hand was on her sex, stroking her clit, making her shudder and gasp. His eyes were soft with love and he smiled down at her. “You rock my world, Bree Saffran.”
Bree gazed up at him and knew she had found a home for her heart. “I love you, Jesse.”
Jesse grinned and deftly stroked a condom onto his quivering cock. “If you change your mind at any time,” he whispered, “just tell me and I’ll stop.”
Bree smiled, her eyes filled with tears. “I won’t…”
She gave a small cry as Jesse pushed into her, the sharp pain quickly gone and they began to move together, Bree finding her rhythm naturally. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and her lips sought his. When her climax came, it was nothing she had ever experienced and she gave herself over to it fully, gasping and moaning as Jesse drove her crazy with joy.
Afterward, they showered together, unable to keep their hands off each other. “Thank you,” Bree said quietly, “thank you for making it so special.”
Jesse smiled. “Bree, you have no idea how much you mean to me. I am so in love with you.”
Bree was still on a high when she drove back home that evening. I am not a virgin. She grinned to herself, repeating the mantra to herself. She felt changed, and utterly wiped out by love, but at the same time, she chuckled. You’ve turned into one of those teenagers, she laughed to herself. All lovesick notes and writing his name on your schoolbooks. Ha. No way, Bree shook her head, not Bree Saffran. She had a reputation to uphold. Badass, untouchable tomboy.
She was still smiling to hersel
f when she pulled into the driveway of her mom’s home and was surprised to see her father’s Lotus parked out front. Bree glanced at the clock; a little after one a.m.
Frowning, she went into the house, stopping in the hallway to listen, but it seemed the house was in darkness. She crept upstairs and opened her mother’s bedroom door a crack. Her mother slept, alone, on her side, her face creased with worry, even in her sleep. Bree found her father also asleep in the guestroom. What was he doing here?
She went to her own bedroom and changed into her nightclothes, shivering as she slid between cool sheets. Exhaustion, exhilaration, and concern kept her awake for a while. Then the exhaustion won out in the end and she fell asleep.
Portland
Zea couldn’t sleep. Her life had changed so absolutely in such a short time and now, she was practically living with a man she barely knew. Barely knew, but was absolutely crazy about. Flynt Newlan was asleep in the bed beside her and she studied him as he slept. He had come through for her, offering her a place to live after it became too dangerous to live in the small apartment she had rented.
Jared Podesta. Her brother-in-law—so he said. She wasn’t convinced at all of that fact now; all she knew was that he was the man who had raped her a few nights ago. Zea knew the full impact of what Jared had done hadn’t even begun to hit her yet, but Flynt had stepped up and offered her safety, peace. Love. God, who would have thought it?
“Can’t you sleep?”
She turned and saw him watching her now, his eyes tired but a smile on his face. He let his hand drift down her spine and Zea snuggled into him. “I’m trying. Just a lot on my mind.”
“Such as?”
“Jared.”
Flynt made a disgusted noise. “He’s the last person you should be worried about.”
“I know, it’s just … I want to know if he really is David’s brother. I want to know why he did what he did.”
“I want him to go to jail,” Flynt said in a rough voice. “Seeing as you won’t let me finish him.”
Zea shook her head violently. “No-one else is going to die, Flynt. I’ve had enough of that to last me a lifetime.”
He said nothing, just pulled her closer. “Then we’ll put someone on him and try to get a blood sample or something we can test. Do you think he’ll stay around?”
“He made no indication he was intending to leave Portland.” Zea thought back to that last confrontation, the one where she’d realized Jared was capable of anything.
“He wouldn’t have the brass balls to show up at the diner, though, right?”
Wrong. The next day, Jared Podesta did indeed show up and sat at the counter of the diner as if nothing had happened. Zea hadn’t seen him at first, but as she brought out an order for the overworked wait staff, she nearly dropped the plates.
“Here she is,” Jared said, a pleasant smile on his face. Zea stared at him disbelieving. Jared had seated himself between two of the diner’s regulars, two elderly men who played pinochle and drank sweet tea most of the day. Jared was obviously making himself the life and soul. Zea swallowed back a cuss word and ignored him, but made a fuss of his two companions, getting them fresh coffee.
Jared watched her with an amused look on his face but didn’t rise to her bait. Zea turned her back on him and stalked back to the kitchen. Teresa was just coming into work and she took one look at Zea’s face and groaned. “What is it? Has Flynt dumped you?”
Zea rolled her eyes. “No, it’s not Flynt.” She sighed. “Jared’s in the diner.”
Teresa frowned. “Did you tell him to back off?”
“Yup.”
Teresa shook her head. “Goddamn men. They hate not being in control, don’t they?”
The rest of the morning, Zea managed to stay in the kitchen and just before lunch she slipped out to the backdoor to grab some fresh air. She snagged her phone from her purse and called Flynt’s number. It went to voicemail. She didn’t want to tell him about Jared on voicemail, so she just said a quick hello and hung up.
She didn’t see Jared until he was next to her. Zea started and backed away. Jared put up his hands.
“Don’t be afraid, Zea; I’m not going to hurt you.”
Anger flared in her. “What the fuck are you doing, then, Jared? I told you to leave town.”
He smiled; it didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s a rare day when I let a woman tell me what to do, Zea. Besides, we have so much more to talk about.”
He reached for her but she batted his hand away. “Jared, I warned you. I will go to the police; you will be arrested for rape.”
Jared smirked. “No, I won’t be. You’ve already tried that … yes, did you think I didn’t know about you and the bad boy billionaire?” He leaned in and whispered in her ear. “Do you think I would have been stupid enough to leave my DNA, Zea?”
Her hand whipped out and connected with his face and he laughed, stepping away in case she slapped him again. “Oh, I am going to really enjoy getting to know you better.”
Zea’s anger burst. “You arrogant bastard. Do you think I’m going to spend one more minute in your sleazy company? You raped me. Rape, Jared. Are you insane to think I’ll give you any more of my time?”
He moved so quickly she didn’t have time to struggle, pinning her back against the wall. “You’re going to give me more than just your time, sweetheart. You’re going to give me everything.”
He slid a hand between her legs. Then, as she started to scream, he clamped a hand over her mouth. “Zea … my lovely Zea, you just don’t get it, do you? You belong to me; your whole life belongs to me and do you know why? Because I’m the one who can tell the world exactly who you are. I can bring down this little farce you have going on here. You forget, I know who you are … what would the world say to a woman who ran away from the horror her dead husband caused and then slept with everything that moved … including her own brother-in-law?”
His entire body weight was against her now, pinning her to the wall and Zea was having trouble breathing, staring up at Jared with horror filled eyes. He smiled. “I’m going to take my hand away now. Do you promise not to scream?”
Dumb, she nodded and he let her go. “From tonight, Zea, I expect you to move back to the apartment. Don’t worry; I won’t be moving in with you but I will require you to be there when I choose to visit.”
Zea’s heart was beating so hard against her ribs, she was sure she was going to have a heart attack. Jared looked down at her and she could see the murderous rage in his eyes, the obsession. Oh, dear God …
“Are you really David’s brother?” She whispered and he chuckled, putting his hand against her hot cheek.
“Oh, yes … if you’d like me to do a DNA test, I’m happy too. You see, there was an awful lot you didn’t know about my family, Zea, an awful lot. We have … a history of, well, let’s just say…” He leaned forward, getting in her face. “David was the good one … what he did is nothing compared to what the rest of us are capable of. Remember that, Zea.”
He kissed her roughly but swiftly, then started to walk away. Zea was frozen. Jared stopped, considered a moment, then returned to her. “And don’t think of leaving town, Zea. Because for every night you elude me, I’ll kill one of your friends in there. Then when I’ve finished them, I’ll go back to Auburn and finish what David started. The kids first.”
Again, he started to walk away, then called back over his shoulder. “Oh, and I’m going to need you to break up with your boyfriend.”
Zea, paralyzed with shock, could only watch in horror as Jared casually got into his car and drove away.
It was only after he’d gone that she realized she was crying.
Seattle
Luca and Clem told Bree about Emory the next morning. Dry-eyed but devastated, Bree nodded. “I knew it. I knew she was dead. I just sensed it. What happens now? Are they calling off the search for her body?”
“The Coast Guard is—they have finite resources and seeing as it’s been
so long … but we’re continuing the search. I have men out there, and Max Neri has offered his service too.”
Bree noticed her mom wince at the mention of Max’s name but she didn’t say anything. “Dad … I know this … Mom, I’m sorry but I have to tell him.”
“It’s okay, honey, go ahead, whatever it is.” Clem squeezed her daughter’s arm.
Bree drew in a deep breath. “She was happy, Dad. You made her happier than she’d ever been. She told me that. It might have only been a heartbeat that we had her in our lives but my God, the legacy she leaves.”
Luca nodded. “I know, kiddo. Look, the both of you, this is obviously the worst-case scenario, but we have to deal with it. I have to deal with it. Emory is dead. We can honor her bravery by living our best lives the best we can. Especially you, Bree.”
She nodded and hugged her father. “You bet I will do my best, Dad, I promise.”
Later, when Bree had gone out, Clem made Luca sit with her in the living room. “Luca, I have something to tell you, something I’ve been working on.”
She told him about the journalist, Tatiana Mendelssohn, and how Clem had called her up and spoken to her about setting up a charity for the victims of school crime, students, and teachers. “I reached out to Tatiana because of the stories she wrote; they were well-researched, empathetic, and I thought, there was no salacious intent or motivation. She didn’t write the pieces for any other reason than to tell the story of what we went through.”
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