Players

by Rachel Cross

  “Would you like a cup of coffee?”

  “Yeah, sure,” he said, wary of her calm behavior.

  “Have a seat, I’ll be right back.”

  “Are you okay, Candace?” he called as she headed toward the kitchen. “You seem—changed, since we talked.”

  “I’m fine.” A distinct bite of anger tinged her voice as she returned and handed him a cup of coffee. She leaned against the kitchen counter and watched as he gingerly sipped the liquid to test the heat.

  “I did some thinking while I waited for you. I remembered what you said on the night of the break-in: how it didn’t make sense for a burglar to ransack my house, destroy my things, take nothing, and leave such a personal message behind—to do all those things to a complete stranger. And now, I get this in the mail.” She threw the plastic baggie with the torn underwear onto the sofa next to him. “I didn’t believe you because it seemed absurd. But the phone call, the run-in at the restaurant, the break-in, and now this. You were right. This is Nash, isn’t it?”

  Brice looked at the shredded remains of her underwear, and felt a familiar boiling and unfettered anger rise up inside of him.

  “Yeah. I’d bet my last dollar on it. Everything points to him.”

  “Why? Why would he do something like this? What could he possibly hope to gain from all of this crazy stuff?”

  “Fear. Intimidation. A sense of power. He’s sending you a message.”

  “What kind of message?”

  Brice set his cup aside and stood up, and started pacing the floor. She could feel his anger rolling off of him in waves.

  “Sit down, Candace. I have something to tell you, and I want you to hear me out before you say anything.” He looked at her with frosty eyes and didn’t speak until she’d done as he’d told her. “I took matters into my own hands and hired a private investigator. I did it the same night of the vandalism because I had a gut feeling, and I always go with my gut. You may not like it, but I did what I had to do, and I’d do it again.”

  He took a calming breath. “You may as well know right now that there are no limits to what I will do when it comes to your safety, and my peace of mind. You’re important to me, and I take care of what’s important to me.”

  With that said, Brice admitted everything he’d done up to that point. He told her about the private investigator, Nash’s history of harassing and intimidating women, and the telephone cell tower information that proved he was nearby on the night of the break-in. Brice told her he intended to use the information to give Nash a taste of his own medicine, and finished with telling her about Nash’s personality profile. “Nash is medically diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder. When you add in a dose of possible schizophrenic paranoia, what you have is one mentally fucked up dude.”

  Candace remained quiet for a long while, staring at Brice. The silence made him uneasy.

  “Well, Candace, what do you think?”

  “I was wondering how in the hell I got myself mixed up in this mess. And I was thinking you must be wondering the same thing, too. Am I right? Are you wondering what kind of woman ends up with a man like Andrew Nash?” Her posture was as rigid as a steel pole. Her eyes flashed in fiery defiance, and there was a hint of self-recrimination in her voice. Brice was taken aback by her anger and hostility, until he suddenly realized she thought she’d brought this all on herself.

  “Hold up. Wait a minute. Do you think I blame you for what that asshole has done? Didn’t you hear what I said? You’re not the only woman he’s harassed. Baby, you can’t blame yourself for what that idiot does. He’s a sick fuck that’s been left loose in the world too long, impersonating a normal human being. You had no way of knowing he was a nutcase. It’s not as though he had a sign painted across his forehead saying ‘Caution, Crazy Fuck Ahead.’”

  “I should have known. Lord knows there were enough signs that something wasn’t right about him. But I ignored them.”

  “So, why did you—ignore the signs?”

  • • •

  Candace closed her eyes and breathed a small sigh of resignation. It was a valid question, one she’d already asked herself a number of times. But she refused to feel ashamed or apologetic for what she’d done. She’d had her reasons for dating him. She’d followed a plan, with a set of rules that guaranteed no chance of commitment, no locals, and no sweet, nice guys. He lived an airplane flight away, and there was nothing even remotely “sweet” or “nice” about him. He fit the profile.

  But ever since she’d met Brice, she’d deviated from her strategy and had broken nearly every one of her rules. She shouldn’t have messed with the plan. She should have stuck with the assholes. When she spoke, her tone was matter-of-fact.

  “We didn’t spend a lot of time together, and there were no ‘let’s get to know each other better’ conversations between us. He wasn’t communicative, and neither was I. The attraction was purely physical, and at the time that was all that mattered. It was enough. More would have made things complicated. As I said, as a rule I don’t do nice.” She shrugged. “But I don’t do bat-shit crazy either.”

  Brice’s eyes roved over her face, and he pinned her with that familiar cold stare, his features seemingly carved in stone. When he was like this, he made her nervous because she couldn’t tell what he was thinking. And though his expression gave nothing away, she felt the weight of that stare down to her bones. It felt like judgment. For an unknown reason, it hurt. She raised her head high and squared her shoulders and waited.

  “Are you going to call the police?” he asked.

  “No. What would be the point? He’s no fool. If he didn’t leave behind one fingerprint in an entire house, you can be certain he didn’t leave anything on that package. To be honest, I don’t know what to do.” She lifted her chin and returned his stony stare. “Do you think he’s dangerous? Or is this just part of some whacked-out game to scare me because he’s pissed off?”

  “I don’t know, Candace. There’s no way of knowing what’s going on in that head of his. If you want my opinion, then yes, I think he’s dangerous. Trashing your house and sending shredded underwear in the mail reads like something straight out of a psycho crime novel. He may be doing these things just to fuck with your head, and maybe that’s as far as he’ll go. But I’m not willing to take that chance.”

  • • •

  Her stiff posture and defiant expression set off alarm bells shrieking in his head. They were a warning. She wasn’t convinced that he didn’t give a damn about how she’d ended up with Nash in the first place. She’d been in flight mode when she left his bed earlier that morning, and this sudden turn of events had only made matters worse. She was running away from what was happening with the two of them, and she would use Nash to drive the wedge in further.

  He was dammed tired of Andrew Nash’s intrusions. He’d come between them as surely as if he were standing in the same room, and his presence added to the feeling of distrust that hung heavy in the air. And yes—it’s a fucking relationship, whether she wants to acknowledge it or not.

  “I’m going to contact my guy Rick and have him post a closer watch. We don’t want him popping up unexpectedly.”

  It was time to call Blaine. Nash had gone too far, and it was time to push back. This last stunt was psychotic, plain and simple. If what Rick suspected was true, he was already preparing his next move. Whatever it was, it was guaranteed to be something far more dramatic. He’d preyed and fed on the fear of others for so long that he’d grown bold. It was time he had the wind knocked out of him.

  Chapter 25

  “We lost him,” Rick said.

  “What do you mean you lost him?” Brice was livid.

  “He’s dropped off the grid. It appears he’s been conducting counter surveillance tactics of his own. He must have picked up on one of my guys, got suspicious, and went underground. With his background in evasion techniques, if he’s gotten a whiff of a tail, it’ll be damn near impossible to reacquire him.”


  “I want him found, Rick. He’s upped his game plan. He sent Candace a pair of her own underwear, ripped up, in the mail. He’s taunting her and trying to frighten her, and I won’t stand for it. The man is a psychopath, and I don’t want him anywhere near her.”

  “Understood.”

  • • •

  Brice placed a small black-and-gold gift bag on the table and pushed it toward Candace.

  She peered inside and took out a long, black velvet box, opening it to find a gorgeous bracelet.

  “It’s really thoughtful of you Brice, but I can’t accept this.”

  “Why not? Does it break some unspoken rule in our agreement?” There was a small bite to his voice, annoyance that she was so quick to turn down his gift.

  “As a matter of fact, yes, it does. This wasn’t part of our arrangement.”

  “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe our ‘arrangement’ ever addressed it. So, technically, there’s no breach. Besides, before you get all bent out of shape, it’s more than just a gift. It’s a precaution.”

  “A precaution? What does that mean?”

  “It means we can’t take any chances with Nash on the loose. My guy lost him about a week ago, and we don’t know where he is. We both think he might be headed this way. When I dropped your anklet off to the jeweler for repair, I came up with an idea. I bought this for two reasons. One, I wanted to buy you something nice, a gift from me, and two, it might come in handy should we need a backup plan. It was custom made to match your anklet, and I had Rick fit it with a GPS tracking device. Should it become necessary, it can be activated and I can find you over a distance. I hope you’ll wear it at all times, starting now.”

  Candace held it up to the light and studied the intricate design. Brice had paid attention to detail. It was an exact replica of her ankle bracelet, made of several fine links of chain mesh, silver, and gold entwined together into a braided length. There were three little gold hearts spaced out over the length of it.

  “It’s beautiful. But don’t you think this is going a little overboard?”

  “No, I don’t. Nash’s behavior is textbook erratic. His past activities show a pattern of escalation after each incident, and the lack of repercussions has made him reckless. He’s played these kinds of games for so long he believes he’s unbeatable.” Brice paused for a moment. “According to Rick, in his current state of mind the logical progression could be an attempted abduction. Because anything is possible, I want you to be prepared. Nash has always been an asshole, but now he’s a dangerous asshole.”

  “Has he ever done anything like that before?”

  “No. Not that we know of.”

  “Then what makes you so sure he’d do something so out there now? Kidnapping is a serious offense. He could go to jail for a very long time.”

  “We’re not dealing with a rational person here, Candace. He crossed the line when he sent you that package in the mail. Rick and I think he’s more fixated with you than he’s ever been with anyone else, and he’s angry. In his mind, you must represent a failure of some sort. Like a mark on his record. You’re a strong woman, something he’s never encountered before, and he’s determined to break you. He needs to prove to himself, and you, that he’s stronger than you are. His ego won’t allow him to do otherwise.”

  “Shouldn’t we call the police? If he’s that dangerous, wouldn’t they protect me?”

  “And tell them what? The police won’t act on allegations alone; they need proof. All we have are suppositions and circumstantial evidence, nothing concrete. We’re on our own here, and we have to do what we can to protect ourselves. As long as we expect the unexpected, we’re already a step ahead. With Rick’s help and expertise, I think we’ll be okay.”

  “This is all so surreal. I’m sorry, but I just can’t imagine that Nash would do something that stupid. Harassing calls and vandalism are one thing, but kidnapping? It sounds too farfetched. I’m sure you and Rick know way more about these things than I do, but I still can’t wrap my head around the concept.” She dropped her head in acceptance as she fastened the bracelet on her wrist. “I guess I’m just going to have to trust you.”

  “Is that such a bad thing? Haven’t I earned your trust, Candace? Have I ever done anything to make you doubt me or my intentions?”

  “No. Of course not. I didn’t mean anything like that. I meant I’ll have to accept that the two of you are more experienced in things like this and you know what you’re talking about, that’s all.”

  “Are you sure? Because lately I get the feeling you’re pulling away from me. Things have been different ever since the morning you slipped out of bed without saying goodbye. You’ve barely made time for us. When we are together, you can’t look me in the eye, and even worse, you try to pick fights. Are you trying to push me away? We both know something happened that night, that things changed.”

  “That’s the problem, Brice. I don’t want things to change. I like our relationship the way it is. Why jeopardize what we have? Why can’t we just be friends who happen to enjoy sex together?”

  “Sometimes friendship has unexpected consequences,” he replied coldly. His jaw tightened and a chill slowly crept into his eyes. “Change is inevitable, Candace. You’re an intelligent woman. How could you not know this?”

  “Look, Brice, I get it. Maybe you think you’re in love. But really, how could you possibly know if you’ve never been there before? You have nothing to compare this to.”

  “I know that you matter to me.” He took her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it lightly as he stared into her eyes. “Besides my mother, no other woman has ever meant more. I’m not a child, Candace. I’m a grown man. I’m no expert, but I know what I feel. And when I’m around you, I feel happier than I’ve ever been.

  “You make me feel excited, interested, captivated, and eager to know everything about you. When we’re not together, even for a day, I miss you. I feel an ache. Here.” He pressed a hand to his chest. “I get this twisting feeling in the pit of my stomach simply at the thought that I might never see you again. A few months ago, I never imagined such a thing was even possible. I can’t lie. The idea of falling in love scares the hell out of me. It’s new territory, and the thought of losing everything I am to another person scares me. But the idea of being without you scares me more.”

  Candace gently pulled her hand from his grasp and clasped her hands together briefly, then nervously fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist.

  Brice crossed his arms. “It would seem that we’ve exchanged places since our first date. If I recall, I was content to settle for average, while you were the adamant thrill-seeker. What happened to that woman who loved the excitement of dancing on the edge and playing with fire?”

  “Nothing’s happened to her. She’s not stupid. She knows her boundaries and doesn’t work without a safety net or a fire extinguisher.”

  “Damn woman, you’re a hard nut to crack, but no matter how much you want to avoid the conversation, we are going to talk about this.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about. We had an agreement. No expectations beyond our arrangement. Having a change of heart doesn’t negate the agreement.”

  Brice leaned forward and put his hands on the table. “Am I missing something here? Was this imaginary binding contract ever signed? Because no matter what your mouth is saying, I know I’m not the only one here whose feelings have changed.”

  “Imaginary or not, changed feelings or not, it doesn’t matter. We had an agreement,” she doggedly repeated. She was getting irritated. “I knew it. I knew getting involved with you was a mistake from the start. I told you, nice guys always want more.” She crossed her arms and gave him an angry scowl. “I should have stuck with the assholes.”

  “What does that mean? I’m being penalized because I’m a nice guy? Are you saying you want to be treated like shit the rest of your life by men like Nash?”

  “Yes, maybe I do,” she nearly shouted in
defiance. “It’s what I’m used to, and I’m okay with that.”

  “That’s bullshit, Candace, and you know it. No woman in her right mind wants to be treated that way. You’re using your fear of relationships as an excuse.”

  Brice’s own irritation showed as he pinned her with an angry glare. “I’m on to you, Candace Brown, so don’t expect me to believe crap like that. I may not have ever been in love before but I’ve seen the effect a broken heart can have. I know what lengths one will go to avoid more pain. Don’t try to feed me bullshit and expect me to swallow it without question. If you want to walk away from this, you’re going to have to give me a better reason.”

  She glared back at him, her eyes filled with fury and brimming with unshed tears, her face flushed. “I don’t owe you a ‘better reason.’ This is my life, and I choose how I live it. Don’t go on about other people’s feelings and act like you know what you’re talking about, because believe me, you don’t. Standing on the outside looking in doesn’t make you an expert. It makes you a spectator. So, forgive me if I question your authority on the subject. You have no idea what it takes to get over a broken heart.”

  “You can rile all you want, but the circumstances remain the same.” His voice softened. “Neither of us are experts, but one of us has to have an open mind. Shutting down and refusing to entertain other points of view only makes us both losers. I’m trying to convince you to look beyond the pain. There’s a whole other world worth exploring, and I’m asking you to take a chance. I promise you, you won’t regret it.”

  She didn’t have to listen to this. Abruptly, Candace started gathering her things—her cell phone, keys, and purse in one hand, and the gift bag in the other. She pushed herself back from the table and stood. “You know what, Brice? It’s been a long day, and I’m tired. Would you please take me home?”