by BJ Wane
“What’s it going to take to get you to trust us?” he asked her point blank.
Haley blinked at him, wondering where the anger was coming from. Her mind was still reeling from Sheriff Norton asking her when her ex, Tim Carlisle, was up for parole. As best as she could recall, he still had eighteen months before his first parole hearing and, since her attorney hadn’t notified her of his release, she assumed he was still imprisoned in Florida. Even though Gary had assured her he was going to check on him as a precautionary move in light of the threats against Piper, just talking about Tim had left her edgy and uncertain. She was struggling to keep from reverting back to that fearful twenty-four year old who nearly had a break down after testifying against the man who had beaten her so badly in a fit of drunken rage, she had to spend two weeks in the hospital. It had been six years since she had been too young and too stupid not to see the signs that she had married a man who was a ticking time bomb, but she had come a long way since then and refused to take any steps back. She admitted she was edgy since finding what remained of that poor tortured rabbit and was now worried even more for Piper, but why that bothered Ian, she had no clue.
“I do trust you. If I gave you the impression I don’t, I apologize,” she answered stiffly.
“Don’t apologize, just don’t back away from me. That just pisses me off.”
Haley hadn’t realized she did that, then again, the urge to distance herself from anyone threatening was an automatic move for her, and Ian definitely looked threatening when he got out of the car and moved towards her. “I’m…” At his scowl, she stopped from apologizing again and said instead, “I didn’t realize I did. Force of habit, I guess. I know your anger is because you’re worried about Piper.” Switching her gaze to Piper, she demanded, “What are you doing here? Didn’t they tell you about the threat in that note?”
“Yes,” Piper bit out, her chin jutting, determination and frustration etched on her face. “And I’m not going to let that bastard control my life any more than he already has.”
“Just be careful today, Piper,” Gary told her as he joined them on the sidewalk in front of his office. “I have my hands full with the extra tourists the holidays always bring in. It’s a big county and I have a lot of territory to cover, but I’ll try to spend most of my time close to Hope.” Turning to Brody and Ian, he added, “I’ve instructed my deputies to be vigilant, but we’re looking for a stranger in a crowd of strangers, so I’m counting on you two to stick close to both of them.”
Because Brody knew Gary’s anger stemmed from concern, he didn’t take umbrage at his glare or tone. He was right, it was going to be difficult spotting anything or anyone that could be construed as a possible threat against Piper, but he simply couldn’t try to talk her out of spending the day having fun with her friends after the stress she had been under this past week.
By that evening, Brody was struggling to keep his temper in check and berating himself for giving in to a pair of pleading green eyes. Piper had spent the afternoon distancing herself emotionally not only from him, but Haley also, a hint of desperation in her actions and on her face as she participated in one activity after another until he was exhausted keeping up with her.
Hope City Park expanded over thirty acres on the lake and was filled with several hundred residents and tourists for the Fourth of July activities. An air conditioned club house held rows of tables laden with food both from the local restaurants as well as the townsfolk. The four of them had filled their plates, found an empty table and indulged themselves with fried chicken, corn on the cob, coleslaw, beans, and an assortment of salads and desserts, all the typical fanfare of summer cuisine. That was over five hours ago and Piper hadn’t stopped since. Piper and Haley had joined in the three legged sack race, despite Haley’s attempts to try to talk her out of including her before she enrolled them in the row boat races, tug of war competition, air golf in which they tossed brightly colored golf balls through small metal hoops dangling from tree limbs and the egg spoon race, which Piper came in last. It was hot and humid and when she talked them into a water balloon fight, it was the first time that afternoon the three of them didn’t complain.
Through it all, Brody sensed Piper’s gaiety was forced, that she was making a concentrated effort to forget about the threats against her and carry on as she usually did at these events, and Brody had tried to be understanding and patient, but when she squealed in delight and ran to greet a man Brody had never seen before, throwing her arms and legs around him so he had no choice but to grab her ass and hold on to her, Brody found himself just a hair trigger away from losing both his patience and his temper. And when she crushed her mouth to his, those lips he constantly imagined wrapped around his cock, he literally saw red.
Ian’s hand latched onto his arm in a tight grip and was the only thing that stopped him from pulling her off the stranger. “What?” he snapped at his friend.
Ian simply raised a brow, replying smoothly, “She’s obviously in no danger, so let it go. You’re the one who’s walked away from her more than once, so you have no right to butt into this happy reunion.”
“Who is he?” Brody asked Haley who was looking like she wanted to be anywhere but here right now.
“Cole Mason. He’s a wilderness guide and he and Piper have been friends for a few years.” When both men simply looked at her patiently, waiting for more, she rolled her eyes and added reluctantly, “Okay, the past year, year and a half, they’ve been more than friends whenever his work brings him this way. He’s a nice guy and wouldn’t hurt Piper.” Haley knew Piper, and she knew the false bravado and devil may care attitude she had shown all afternoon hid her anxiety, was a desperate attempt to put the events of the past week aside, at least temporarily, and she suspected her enthusiastic greeting to Cole was an attempt to put Brody aside as well. From the thunderous look on Brody’s face as he watched them, Haley didn’t think he was going to be as indulgent of her over Cole as he had been all day over her insistence on being so blatantly out in the open.
“Come on Haley,” Ian said as he took her hand. “I’m ready for some pie.” Ian decided to let Brody come to terms with his jealousy on his own and he had had about enough of this small town gathering. He couldn’t deny he had enjoyed watching the girls as they participated in the fun and games, but one could only take so much friendly chit chat with the neighbors without itching for a good, bare knuckled go around with someone who wasn’t so friendly and concerned about both Piper and Haley.
“You just had watermelon,” Haley sputtered on a laugh as he pulled her through the crowd, leaving Brody scowling after them. “You just going to leave him alone?”
“Yep, he made his bed, he can damn well lie in it alone.” The best part of the day had been watching Haley relax around him, drop that defensive guard she didn’t realize she carried with her like a shield. She had smiled, laughed and looked so damn sexy in a simple sundress and then had revealed a skimpy bikini that she wore underneath it when she stripped off the dress to jump in the lake that his cock had been semi erect all day. Hell, he found her sexier in a bra than he did all these young women bouncing around braless, and that was just plain wrong in his thinking. Still, he wasn’t about to let his own misgivings about his attraction to Haley mar what little time they had left here. Any day now, their boss was going to pull them away from Hope, and Piper, and order them to Atlantic City to back up Carlos, and he was going to make sure Haley knew she had a friend in him whenever she needed one, which was all either of them could be since he doubted she’d be agreeable to a few nights in the sack.
“Okay, I could use a piece of pie, especially if they have lemon meringue.”
Sweet and tart, he thought that described her as well as her favorite pie. He was aiming for chocolate anything. If he couldn’t indulge in one craving, he’d have to settle for another.
Piper was well aware of Brody glaring a hole in her back as she kissed Cole, but she didn’t care. She had decided this m
orning, before learning of the latest threat against her that she was going to resume her life like normal as much as possible. She was through begging Brody for the only thing she wanted from him and the one thing he had always denied her. When she finally admitted to herself that she wanted more from him than sex, and realized how futile that was, it rekindled her determination to take back at least some semblance of control over the life she had made for herself here. And that life included Cole.
At five ten, she fit against him perfectly and his blond hair and blue eyed good looks made him as easy on the eyes as his easy going, laid back demeanor was for what they both wanted from their relationship of friends with benefits. They were a perfect match for each other, so why was she disappointed in this kiss? Why didn’t her pussy clutch in anticipation of feeling his cock filling her again, especially since she hadn’t seen him in three months? And, why was she comparing his mouth, his body, the way his hands clutched her ass with Brody’s mouth, body and hands and finding Cole’s lacking? Frustrated, more than irritated with herself, she ground her pelvis against his rigid cock, unmindful of where they were, seeking the same response she got every time she was near Brody, but to no avail.
She barely noticed when he released her and her feet slid to the ground. When he looked down at her questioningly, she simply shrugged and quipped, “So sue me, I’m happy to see you.”
“It looks like someone else isn’t too happy to see me, and I don’t even know him.” Cole looked over her shoulder and refused to back down from the other man’s steely eyed glare. “Can I help you,” he asked politely, but he had a feeling he was going to be seeking another playmate for the night.
Piper turned and frowned up at Brody, wondering what he was so pissed about. She hadn’t run off and she hadn’t begged him to fuck her, so he ought to be happy, she thought derisively. “Brody, this is Cole, a good, very good friend of mine,” she emphasized. “Cole, Brody is with the FBI and here because he’s under the delusion by adopted father isn’t dead and is going to show up here any time now.” She didn’t elaborate by telling him what had happened to make them think that, and had no intention of telling him later. Tonight, she was putting all that away and was going to enjoy herself.
Cole held out his hand and Brody took it briefly, seething over her emphasis of how good a friend this man was to her. Just because he had no hold on her, had refused to stake any type of claim on her and had turned down what she so freely offered and was now seeking elsewhere, didn’t mean jack shit apparently. It had only taken seeing her small body wrapped around another man she was obviously fond of to jerk him to his senses and to say the hell with doing what he thought was right by her.
“Cole, it’s good to meet you.” Turning to Piper, he stated firmly, “I think we should head back to your cabin before it gets much darker. It’ll be safer.” It hadn’t escaped his notice that she hadn’t told Cole about her troubles.
Cole frowned with concern at Piper. “Why wouldn’t you be safe?”
The band that had been tuning up in the nearby pavilion took that moment to start playing and Piper took that opportunity to thwart both men. Grabbing Cole’s hand, she said, “I’m not ready to go yet, Brody. Come on Cole, I’ll explain while we dance.”
Brody swore she wasn’t going to be able to sit for a week when he got through smacking that ass she was gyrating against Cole. His temper had gone from simmering to boiling and he was about two seconds away from acting like a Neanderthal by pulling her away from him, tossing her over his shoulder and carting her back to his lair to ravish her, after he whipped her butt for torturing him. Funny, he thought with no humor, she had no trouble dancing when she had a partner, a partner who held her close and enjoyed moving his hips in time with hers as he stared down at her with lust written all over his face. When he found himself wondering if her pussy was as wet for this guy as it got for him, he knew how they were going to spend the rest of this night was a foregone conclusion.
“Couldn’t lure her away from him, mmm?” Ian asked as he stepped next to him and grinned at the couple Brody was shooting daggers at.
“No, but I can damn well drag her away from him. Where’s Haley?”
“Went home real quick to get the blankets she forgot earlier to sit on when the fireworks start. Her place is just two blocks over so she should be right back.”
Brody frowned, something nagging at him. “Why didn’t you go with her? It may not be safe.”
“I offered, but she refused, rather adamantly. Said she needed a little space, which, given her past, I need to respect.” But he hadn’t liked it. There were people everywhere between the park and Main Street and it was still light enough that anything untoward would catch someone’s attention, but, like Brody, he had a sixth sense when something wasn’t right. “Ah, hell, maybe I better catch up with her and walk her back.”
“I’m sure she’s fine, but just in case whoever’s after Piper decides to switch gears.” Brody knew anything was possible when dealing with a possible psychopath.
Ian had reached the exit of the park when Sheriff Norton met him, anxiety etched on his face. “Where’s Haley?”
Ian’s gut tightened, foreboding creeping through him at the fury on Gary’s face. “Headed home. I’m going to catch up with her now. What’s wrong?”
“We had it wrong all along. Come on, I’ll explain on the way.”
They set off at a jog, both knowing they could get to Haley’s shop and apartment faster on foot than going back for a car. “Give, now,” Ian demanded.
“It’s her ex. I got suspicious about that note thinking the threat could be aimed at either of them, so I made a call to Florida. Found out the bastard was released early due to overcrowding, wasn’t considered a violent criminal, so they just turned him loose two weeks ago without informing Haley’s attorney.”
Ian picked up his speed as he just now connected the dots. They should have caught that the vandalism and the sabotaged tires and now the mutilated rabbit could have been threats aimed at either woman. It was only Piper’s missing two days that remained in question, her disappearance involving her and her alone. They reached Haley’s shop just as they heard her scream from upstairs. Ian kicked in the front door and raced up the stairs, intent on releasing the furious adrenaline rushing through him on the man that had already caused her so much harm.
Haley was taken completely off guard by a hard arm wrapping around her throat when she entered her apartment. Instant fear enveloped her as her breath was choked off, but hearing Tim’s voice snarling in her ear had her fear turning to bone melting terror.
“I tried warning you, bitch, but you just wouldn’t listen. I got rid of those slutty clothes in your shop, but you went and replaced them. I thought your friend would stay away from you once she realized how dangerous being around you was, but she doesn’t take a hint any better than you do.”
Suddenly, Tim loosened his arm and Haley bent over gasping for air, her mind reeling not only with his presence here in the town she considered her sanctuary but with the revelations that this had all been about her and not Piper, the danger she had inadvertently put her friend in this past week. Tim didn’t give her time to recover her breath though, let alone her thoughts as he spun her around and backhanded her so hard she landed in a heap on the floor, a position she swore she’d never find herself in again. Humiliation, fear and determination not to be his victim again brought out her anger and she found herself rolling to her feet and facing him head on despite the throbbing in her cheek and her shortness of breath.
“You son of a bitch. You will not touch me again.” Her bravado took him by surprise and she used that split second to try to dash by him to the door. She made it to the top of the stairs before he grabbed her by the hair, making her cry out. Spinning her around, she prepared to duck at the last minute in an attempt to avoid the next blow when the sound of someone pounding up the stairs and roaring out in fury kept them both immobile in surprise.
Ian sa
w Haley’s swelling face first, the tight grip Carlisle had on her hair second and the calm look of trust she gave him third. “Move, Haley,” was all he said as he charged the other man, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and literally threw him against the wall. Keeping the future in mind, he let the idiot charge him and willingly took a solid jab to his chin and a weak one to his gut before taking him down easily and giving free rein to his rage as he landed a fist in his face, the sound of crunching bone when his nose broke not nearly satisfying enough. Another blow dislocated his jaw, but before he could land a third, Gary pulled him off with a stern warning. “Back off, now, or you’ll be sharing a cell with him.”
“Works for me.” Ian knew he had crossed a line, one he hadn’t ever crossed in his fifteen years of taking out the bad guys. At thirty seven, he should have better control, but hearing Haley cry out in pain and fear and then seeing her stoic countenance despite the bruising around her neck already forming and the swelling of her cheek that had to hurt, he had simply seen red and reacted.
“Well it doesn’t work for me,” Gary argued as he handcuffed Haley’s ex and hauled him cursing to his feet. “Save it,” he told Carlisle coldly. “When assaulting a federal agent is added to your parole violations, you’ll be an old man before you get out again.”
Carlisle couldn’t speak due to his fractured jaw, but the look he sent Haley was filled with venom. Stepping up to him, she stated quietly, “You don’t scare me anymore, Tim. Only a weak man needs to skulk around in the dark. You never did have the balls to hold on to me.”
“Well done,” Ian told her when Gary escorted Tim out after asking him to call Brody and fill him in.
“Except I lied. He did scare me, a lot.”
“Only a fool wouldn’t be afraid when confronted with a madman, Haley, and you’ve proven you’re not a fool. Where’s your kitchen. We need to get some ice on that cheek.” While she wrapped ice in a towel, Ian called Brody and filled him in, noting the edge to his tone didn’t let up at learning they had caught their stalker. “We can question him in the morning about Piper’s disappearance, but I’m guessing we have two separate cases here.”