by Taylor Anne
“Whatever you’re doing, it must be working, because Colton asked me yesterday if I really wanted to have my wedding here.” Maggie cleaned up the sandwich-making station after the lunch crowd. Her young energy was contagious. “I wanted to hug him right then, but he’s so not the hugging type.”
Kayla laughed. He was the hugging type, but he allowed that side to show very rarely. Ever since the night at the pier, he hadn’t made another move to hug or kiss her. One part of her was glad. They didn’t need that strife while trying to work together at the business. But a fire deep down inside of her missed his touch.
Maggie was a few years older than Kaylee, and Kayla couldn’t wait for the two girls to meet. Mags had opened up to Kayla, and they had become close over the last weeks. She reminded her a lot of her daughter. Only Kayla couldn’t imagine her daughter getting married any time soon. But it fit Mags. Of course, she and her fiancé, Alec, had been dating for over five years. They were responsible, goal oriented, and made such a cute couple.
“I’m glad Colton seems to be coming around. Only he hasn’t said anything like that to me. I don’t think he would let me know that he sees good business potential in my idea.”
“Why wouldn’t he?” Mags asked.
Kayla searched the bar until she found the man of discussion. He talked to customers as he refilled their drinks. “Because he thinks I’m too pushy.”
Maggie laughed so loud a few people turned in their direction. Colton included. “Yeah right. Because he runs this place just like your Grandpa Earl. Iron fisted, and anyone who disagrees is shown the door. He can’t handle that you are in what he considers his territory. I’ve learned that, unless it’s his idea, it doesn’t sit well with Colton.”
Kayla smiled. She liked this girl. Her good mood shifted from the inside out when Detective Hayden Sawyer and Officer Banks walked in from the back door. She immediately looked for Colton, but didn’t see him anywhere. The men approached her. She nodded in acknowledgement to them.
“Ms. Boudreaux, we need a few words with you. Outside.” Sawyer’s tone grated on her nerves.
“Maggie, I’ll be back in a few minutes.” She walked to the back door as the men followed her. Outside, Kayla squinted in the bright sunlight. “What can I do for you?”
She hadn’t heard from the police in several days. Hopefully, they had determined she was not responsible for Marcy’s death and had moved on to find the true criminal. What she couldn’t figure out was why the person responsible had sent her the engagement ring. It didn’t make sense.
Sawyer stepped closer to her. Too close for her comfort. She took a step back.
“We have another incident on our hands and need to get some information from you. Have you received anymore little presents?”
Another incident? Not another murder. Especially not one of her brides. Hell, she only had four clients right now, not counting Maggie. She couldn’t afford to lose any more of them. She certainly didn’t want any of the women turning up dead. What a horrible time for a family to deal with the death of a loved one.
“No, I have not. But tell me, Officer Sawyer, what concern is it of yours?” She refused to take this man’s bait. He was an overbearing, overconfident ass. He could take his smugness somewhere else.
The back door opened and slammed shut. Colton strode from the building to where the three stood. His gaze was locked on Kayla’s and didn’t break until he was standing right beside her. Then he pegged Sawyer with a deadly pair of eyes.
“What the hell is going on here?”
“Colton. I should’ve known you would join us. I was just telling Kayla here about the latest occurrence that we are investigating and wondered if she had received anyone else’s engagement ring. There’s been another victim.”
Kayla gasped. Nausea rolled in her stomach. “No. Not another bride. Dead?”
Sawyer shook his head. “No ma’am. This body is alive. But she was brutally beaten.”
Colton put a hand on Kayla’s back. His touch relieved some of the stress brought on by these other two men. “What makes you think this is related to the previous dead body?”
Sawyer shook his head. “Her engagement ring was missing. And the fiancé swears there was no trouble between them.” He made a few notes in a notepad then looked at Kayla. “And you were their wedding planner. Excuse me, wedding coordinator.” His sarcasm was not lost on Kayla.
“You’re an ass. And it’s not my fault. These people are my clients. Why would I want to hurt them? Without their weddings, I have no income. So you need to look elsewhere, sir.”
Sawyer’s gaze went to where Colton had his hands resting possessively on Kayla’s back. His face turned stony hard. His brittle voice spit fire when he spoke. “Seems I recall another fiancée that was murdered around here. Been a few years back, but it’s still fresh in my mind.”
Colton’s hand on her side gripped hard. His fingers dug into her ribs. His stance was rigid, his breathing was so ragged and raw, Kayla thought he might hyperventilate. Or hit someone.
“What are you talking about?” she asked.
Sawyer laughed. It sent chills through her. “Colton can explain.” Then he and Officer Banks turned and walked away.
Colton released his hold on her, but his body was tense all over. His jaw clamped so tight the muscles in his neck bulged. His eyes were dark hallows of madness. Kayla had never seen him this angry. She was almost scared to speak to him. And she certainly didn’t want to stand too close to him. Anger led to hurt. Physical pain.
“Colton?” When he didn’t answer or look at her, she stepped a few feet away from him. Her stomach knotted up. Her palms were sweating. “Colton, what did he mean?”
He turned on her. Anger and hatred filled his dark eyes. This was not the same man she had met only weeks ago. This man was tormented by demons that were unleashing themselves inside his body. In three steps, he had her cornered against the outside wall of the bar.
“He’s referring to Andrea. My fiancée who I caught in bed with Sawyer.”
Kayla sucked in a breath. That explained the hostility between the two men. “I’m sorry.”
He shook his head. “Nothing for you to be sorry about. Just be careful who you trust.”
“Colton, I trust you.” She reached a hand up to cradle his face. She did trust him and didn’t like seeing him like this. At that moment, she only wanted to ease his pain. He grabbed her hand and pulled it away from his face. The harsh action startled her.
“Do you?” He pinned both of her hands above her head. “Even after I tell you that Andrea was murdered right here on this beach?” She gasped and bit her bottom lip. “Yeah, baby, and guess who their number one suspect was.” He kissed her hard, released her, and walked back into the bar.
Kayla’s body went weak, and she slumped to the ground. Her head was spinning. Colton killed his fiancée? So, who was she to trust?
Instead of going back inside, she texted Maggie and told her she didn’t feel well and was taking the rest of the day off. She trudged up the beach to the house. Even the sand between her toes and the warm sunshine on her face couldn’t bring her out of her mood. Just when she was starting to trust Colton, and yes, have feelings for him, this happened. She didn’t know what to think about any of it.
First a dead client of hers. Then another one beaten and left for dead. And the topping, finding out Colton was engaged, and his fiancée murdered after her affair with Sawyer came out in the open. Maybe the beach wasn’t for her after all. As rough and tough as New Orleans was, she never had to deal with this kind of betrayal.
On the porch of her house, Kayla stopped. On top of the little bistro table sat a small box wrapped in white paper. Her heart sank to her toes. She grabbed the package and brought it inside with her. She knew better than to open it without contacting the police, but she threw that caution aside. Hell, the police suspected her anyway.
She opened the box and pulled out the ring and the note. A simple solitair
e diamond. Just like the latest victim’s groom-to-be described. This time the note was on a baby blue piece of paper. “Love have they waited, long have they planned. Life goes before them opening her hand.”
Kayla read the note again. What the hell did it all mean? She placed the ring and note back in the box, and slid everything in a plastic bag. Then she headed out to the police department. She raised her sunglasses to the top of her head as she walked into the dimly lit station.
“I need to speak to someone regarding the woman’s body that was found on the beach yesterday.” No use in mincing words.
“And you are?”
“Kayla Boudreaux. And I do not want to speak to Detective Sawyer. Someone else please.”
She either was expecting her, or simply knew who she was by name, because the receptionist didn’t ask any more questions. She walked Kayla to a back office.
A tall, balding man stood when Kayla entered. He extended a hand. “Ms. Boudreaux, I am Sergeant Miller. What brings you here today?”
This man was the exact opposite of Sawyer. He was nice, cordial, and exuded a confidence in his job, not his male status. She immediately liked him.
“Sergeant, I had the pleasure of speaking with Detective Sawyer again today.”
The middle-aged man laughed. “I’m sure it was anything but a pleasure. I’m sorry, it’s just that I know how Sawyer operates. The man can be brutal.”
Kayla nodded. “That’s one way to say it. Anyway, he told me about the latest victim that was beaten. He asked if I had received any more presents. At that point, I had not. However, when I got home this afternoon I found this.” She dropped the bag on his desk and waited while he examined the contents. “Sergeant, how long have you been on the force here?”
He looked up at her, adjusted his glasses on his nose, and replied, “I’ve been here for the last twenty years. Sergeant for ten.”
Kayla pulled at her left earlobe. “Today I heard some disturbing news. I was wondering if you could shed some light.”
He peered at her over the rim of his glasses. “I’ll try my best. What’s on your mind?”
She repeated the incidents from the afternoon. “I realize I am new to the area, and I don’t know everyone, but since I work so closely with Colton, I kind of need to know a little more.”
“I don’t want to divulge any personal information. That’s between you, Colton, and Sawyer. But I can give you some of the facts pertaining to that case. Things that are public knowledge.”
“That’s fair enough.” Kayla listened to the man recount the events from six years ago. Andrea’s body was found floating at the edge of the water under a pier. The cause of death was an overdose. The coroner ruled it suicide, but Sawyer insisted on a full investigation. He insinuated Colton was involved. Colton had an alibi for the time of the murder, as did Sawyer. Records showed that Sawyer swore Colton’s alibi was a lie. After an intense investigation, the suicide ruling stood. Colton resigned from the force.
Sergeant Miller stood. “I hate to cut this off, but I have a meeting I cannot be late for. Two pieces of advice for you. One, be careful who you trust on this beach. Two, talk to your grandfather about Colton.”
That she would do. “Thank you for your time.”
The week drug by. Any slower, and Kayla would’ve wished for the hustle and bustle of the city. She and Maggie made plans for the wedding. Colton hadn’t exactly agreed to it, but he also hadn’t outright said no. So in Kayla’s mind, the plan was set in motion. Her conversations with Grandpa were few. Every time she went to his room, either there were too many people around, or he was sleeping. However, she did get him to open up about a few things. A nurse porter was going to bring him by the bar later that evening, so maybe Kayla could steal a few minutes with him. She was thankful he was feeling well enough to get out.
Colton. Since his outburst the week before, he hadn’t said more than ten words to Kayla. And those words were only out of the necessity of work. She almost wanted to throw her hands up and say to hell with it all. But her vision of the changes she wanted to make at the bar, and her booming career, overpowered her urge to give up.
She was behind the bar mixing drinks when the door opened and closed. An uneasy feeling sent a chill through her chest. Reluctantly, she glanced up. Craig’s tall frame filled her vision. His cold gaze locked onto her face. The glass she held slipped from her lifeless fingers and dropped onto the rubber mat at her feet.
Then, her fear turned to rage, making her entire body shake. She tore her gaze away and glanced desperately around, but no one seemed to notice she was freaking out.
Get ahold of yourself… She took a deep, calming breath. She would not let this man get to her. She picked up the glass from the floor and set it in the sink, then grabbed a clean one and poured in a shot of vodka, while simultaneously shooting soda in from the gun. She shook off the feeling of anxiety. Her gaze tracked Craig’s movements. His perfectly fit, navy suit was out of place in the casual bar, but it did not deter him. He stalked right up to the bar.
“Do you have any idea how hard it was to find you?” His blue eyes darkened with anger.
“Apparently, not hard enough.” She hadn’t tried to hide from him, but she also didn’t encourage him to seek her out. Her friends would never give him any information as to her whereabouts.
“Kayla, we need to talk.” His brusque voice tweaked her anger.
“We don’t have anything to talk about.” She handed a tray of drinks to Maggie.
Craig stood and slurred, “Now.”
She eyed him. His good looks may have charmed her once, but she was aware of the controlling, violent man that lay beneath his well-put-together appearance. She fell for it once, but she was not the same person she was a year ago. She didn’t need his looks, money, or status to complete herself.
He didn’t want her. He only wanted someone he could control, someone who would be by his side while he climbed the business ladder. She would no longer be his pawn. No. His true self was revealed the night he got drunk and attacked her. That was the game changer for her. She was done with him. Not wanting to cause a scene inside, Kayla threw the dishrag on the counter and motioned Craig to the back door.
They walked out into the balmy night. She stood against the door while he stood a few feet away. “Kayla, I miss you. I need you to come back to me.”
She shook her head. “Never, Craig. It is over.”
He inched towards her. “Come on, sweetie. Give me one more chance.”
He was close enough for Kayla to smell the stench of alcohol on his breath. He reeked of it. Apparently, he had been drinking long before he entered the bar. Another reason she was done with him. He had a drinking problem and would not admit it.
“You need to leave. Now.” She turned to go inside. His hand slammed against the door, forcing it closed. Terror gripped her heart. She couldn’t breathe.
He grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. His forehead creased, his mouth puckered, and sweat beaded on his upper lip. His scowl was inches from her face. His rough lips crushed hers, cutting off her scream. Kayla wanted to vomit from his touch. She jerked her head away.
“I mean it, get out of here!” She tried sucking in some fresh air, but all she could do was gasp. She grabbed for the wall, trying to support herself from falling.
“No, bitch. You need to listen up. I want you, and I will have you.”
Fear wrapped around her insides. Red flashed before her eyes. Memories of the pain he inflicted on her before made her dizzy. He beat her within inches of her life. Over nothing more than a comment that he needed to stop drinking. She barely remembered the Emergency Room visit, or the days in ICU. Her doctor said that one day the memories would crash back on her. Today was that day.
She folded into herself during the days in the hospital. Weeks of meekness followed. Thankfully, she had supportive friends who had the patience to deal with her for several months until she pulled out of the depression. Once she
was free of the endangering thoughts in her mind, she was empowered. That was when she took control of her life once again. And she would never give it up. Especially not now.
Her hands flailed wildly as she tried to make contact with Craig’s face. She kicked at him, but to no avail. He simply smirked.
“Bitch.” He reached for her arms. Rage consumed him. She feared it was a repeat of the nightmare. His tight grip on her wrists cut off her circulation and hurt like hell. She twisted her arms, but his strength was too much. He pinned her back against the wall and pressed his body against hers.
Kayla froze, bracing herself for his touch. She closed her eyes, not wanting to look into his blue hell. She turned her head from side to side. Craig groaned, and his weight lifted off her. Kayla slowly opened her eyes. Colton threw Craig’s body against the wall. His frame landed next to her with a thud.
“Stop, man.” His voice was weak now that he was no longer in control.
Colton’s fists pummeled Craig’s face. Every punch elicited a painful grunt from Craig until he could barely stand. His body slumped against the wall, right next to Kayla. The odor of his sweat mixed with the alcohol on his skin turned her stomach.
Colton stepped back. He looked at Kayla. “Is this man bothering you?”
Kayla wanted to laugh. Only Colton would kick ass and ask questions later. “Yes, but he’s leaving.”
With blood oozing out of his mouth, Craig glared at Colton. “What are you, her bodyguard?”
Colton’s breathing was fast, but he didn’t look like he had exerted much effort in beating the shit out of the other man. He grabbed Craig by the shirt and pulled him close. His words were heavy and full of impact as he spoke right in the man’s face. “The lady doesn’t need a bodyguard. She’s perfectly capable of handling herself, but consider me her back up.” He shoved Craig to the ground. “It’s time for you to go. Now.”
Craig picked himself up. He cast one final look at Kayla before he staggered away. Somehow, she knew this would be the last time she saw this man. Finally.