“She’s in trouble, Cole. She should be done by now.”
Cole’s head twisted, taking in the area as Aaron parked the car. “Just how dangerous is this guy?” Aaron reached back under his seat and pulled out a lockbox. Cole raised his eyebrows. “Should you be bringing that?”
He pulled out the small pistol and shoved it into his waistband, dropping his shirt over it. “If it comes down to him or her, I won’t even stop to think about it, but I have control.”
Cole’s nod was short and sharp. “Good. Use the control. There’s some things you can never come back from.”
If only Cole knew how much Aaron already knew exactly that. He’d never murdered anyone in cold blood, but there were some nights during the underground fights that he was sure he’d punched someone a little too hard, or cracked a bone. It had been him or them back then too, only this time what was at stake truly mattered. Aaron closed his eyes for just a second and breathed in deeply. He’d never gotten a chance to make those who’d hurt Anna pay. If he could do that for Lainey now, he wouldn’t hesitate.
She had to be okay. It couldn’t happen again. It wouldn’t. He wouldn’t let it.
He could feel it, the chill in the air, when they started walking down the boardwalk. A blue haze of twilight was sneaking across the water, closing in. It felt like Death’s bony fingers creeping around Lainey’s neck. Aaron shook himself, forcing the feeling away. They searched the entire crowd and couldn’t find a single trace of either Lainey or Josh. He didn’t know whether she was okay, but until he did, he wasn’t going to give in to those thoughts. His fingers grew twitchy. There was a charge in the air, sending energy into his muscles, tensing them with unreleased fear and anger. Both emotions were intensified when Cole examined the surrounding area, his eyes narrowing and brows lowered. “Not here,” he said. “He wouldn’t have done anything with her here. It’s too public.”
Aaron let his gaze roam across the wooden planks. There was a small pile of glass a short distance away, still crunching under people’s feet. It couldn’t have been there long or maintenance would have already cleaned it up. He looked at the scene again, taking in every sign. A tipped cup of liquid lay on its side, dripping onto a table next to the glass. He swiped his fingers through the mess—still cold. He expanded his scrutiny—there! A few paces forward, a man’s jacket lay on the ground, unclaimed by anyone passing by. He picked it up. A small drop of blood was spattered on the sleeve.
Josh was a dead man.
“That way.” Cole had followed him and now pointed to a narrow pathway that lead down to the beach, away from the crowd still swirling around him, despite the setting sun.
His feet couldn’t move fast enough as he tore down the uneven pavement, jacket still in hand. When he stopped at the base of the path and took in the sight before him, it slipped from his grip.
“You’re going to regret fucking with me,” Josh roared at Lainey’s body. Lainey . . .
Was she dead?
She was lying face up on the sand, arms sprawled out and her hair ruffling behind her in the breeze. She looked like an angel, marred only by the spot of dried blood sticking to her forehead.
“You motherfucker!” Aaron’s gun was in his hand, his finger on the trigger, when Josh slammed into him, knocking them both to the ground. Josh didn’t stay down long, pushing to his feet and running back up the hill even as Aaron scrambled around on the ground for his gun, intent on chasing after him.
“Aaron!” Cole’s voice rang out, but Aaron kept moving. “She needs you, Man.”
That stopped him.
Aaron turned around, his knees giving way as he dropped in the sand in front of Lainey. Cole held her up, supporting her as she coughed. There was a black smudge across one cheek and her head was still bleeding, but fuck, she was alive. He jerked her forward and she fell into his arms. “Are you okay?” he whispered, laying her down next to him, her head in his lap.
“My head hurts.” She looked around. “Is he gone?”
“Yeah, Baby. And don’t worry, he’s never coming near you again.”
“I think he drugged me . . .” her voice trailed off as her eyes fluttered shut. Aaron glared at Cole.
“Can I shoot him now?”
Cole’s expression darkened. “If you can figure out a way to avoid life in prison, I’ll help. For now, let’s get the fuck out of here, okay. Can she walk?”
Lainey pushed up on her elbows, but her eyelids were dropping and she raised a hand to her head.
“I’ll carry her.”
“Let’s just get moving before the fucker comes back.”
Aaron knelt and placed his arm under Lainey’s knees, the other wrapped around her back. He pushed to his feet, pulling her close into his body, her head resting on his chest. “See anyone coming?” he asked Cole, who was positioned flush against a wooden pole, looking back up the path.
“No. Come on.”
Lainey was so small, so fragile, in his arms. He watched her chest move up and down with every breath as he walked. She was okay. His body still crackled with energy to go and hunt Josh down, to make him pay. But there with Lainey in his arms, Aaron doubted it would bring him any true peace. Cole was right; this was where he needed to be. She opened her eyes briefly when they got to the car and smiled at him. It was like the whole world had erupted in fucking sunbeams. He sat in the Jeep, pulling her back to him again. She must have known she was being cradled in his arms, but she didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she was burying her head into his chest. Cole drove this time, taking them back to the juice bar, where Payton took the keys to Cole’s car and followed them back to Lainey’s place. Aaron didn’t take his eyes off Lainey the entire way. When they got to her home, he stood with her still wrapped in his arms and started the walk up the driveway. That piece of shit knew where she lived, and right now she was more vulnerable than ever. He wasn’t leaving.
Halfway to the front door of her apartment, Lainey opened her eyes and lifted her head, looking him straight in the eye for just a second.
“Thank you.” Her head dipped back against his chest and she snuffled. Crap, she was crying.
“Shhh. You’re almost home.” He wanted to bend down and kiss her forehead. Fuck, he wanted to kiss her on her lips, tell her that he would protect her, that he was never leaving her, but the words caught in his throat. He would protect her always, but she didn’t love him. She couldn’t. Instead he took her hand and squeezed it.
“Aaron . . .” Her eyes closed again as they reached her apartment’s front entry door. Payton used a security tag to open it and held it open. Aaron walked inside and toward the staircase, trying not to jostle Lainey as he climbed the stairs to her apartment’s front door.
“We’re nearly there, Lainey, just one more floor.”
“You came for me.”
This time he couldn’t resist bending down and touching his lips chastely to her cheek. “I always will.” She reached up and stroked his cheek with a soft hand in return. Her gaze locked with his and heat ran through him.
“Aaron?”
And the moment was broken.
“What?!”
Cole spoke again, but this time not at him. “Don’t go in there, Pay. You don’t know who’s still inside.”
Aaron spun around as fast as he could without disrupting his precious cargo. Cole’s arms were wrapped around Payton, his feet planted wide and neck corded. Aaron stared at Lainey’s apartment door.
Her wide-open apartment door.
20
Aaron
“I’m not letting him go this time. I’m gonna fucking kill him.” Aaron was pacing around Lainey’s living room, his pulse pounding in his ears. His hands balled into fists every time he looked over at Lainey, who was sleeping on the couch. If he had his way, Josh would already be dead.
“Aaron . . .”
“We’ve got to stop this, Cole. Now.”
“I know. I just don’t want any more harm to come to Lainey, to either of the
m.”
“I know, I know. I just . . .”
“You want to kill him. Trust me, I get it, but you can’t go all guns blazing. We have no proof at this point that it was even him who broke in.”
Aaron huffed. “Who the hell else could it be?”
“I don’t know,” Cole said. “But I do know that Payton’s been through enough needless violence for a lifetime in the last few months, and Lainey has too.”
Cole’s words stopped the rampage running through Aaron’s head. He stopped short and ran his hand through his hair, pushing a few damp strands off his face. “I get it. But the only way we’re going to avoid trouble is if we take care of him.”
“Take care of him?” Aaron spun around at the sound of Lainey’s voice. “You mean kill him?” He walked quickly to the couch and kneeled in front of her, taking her hand in his.
“I can’t let him get near you again.”
“We could tell the police?” She looked over at Cole. “They’d have to believe us, wouldn’t they? If all of us talked.”
Cole smiled gently at her. “Maybe. But first they’d have to get a warrant for his arrest, then find him. Assuming he gets released on a bond, he’ll be out again until arraignment, plenty of time for him to track you down and hurt you.” His face turned serious. “You need to let Aaron protect you, Lainey. Let us both protect you.”
Lainey’s eyes were drooping, her head lolling to the side. “I just want all this to be over.” Her shoulders slumped and she looked down. Aaron lifted his other hand, stroking her hair.
“That might not be possible right now. He’s going to keep at it.”
Her eyes turned hopeful. “He might not.”
“Maybe.” He nodded, but averted his eyes. He couldn’t look at her and not want to get mad at her, force her to let him protect her. Losing his temper was the last thing she needed right now. She was doing all she could to avoid the truth, but after what she’d been through that afternoon, who could blame her? “This has all taken a lot out of you. I get that.”
Lainey sat up, suddenly more alert, jerking her hand out of his grasp. “No. You have no idea. I can’t go through that again. The emotions . . .” her voice trailed off.
What did she mean by that? Damn, she still looked so defeated. “You can’t ever give up, Lainey. If I could just give you a little bit of the strength back that I see coming from you every single day . . .”
She closed her eyes and a shiver washed over her. “He dominated me, Aaron. Wormed his way in and completely took me over, before I even knew what was happening. Why didn’t I see?”
“Because he didn’t want you to.” She shot him a look, and even Payton rolled her eyes from her perch on an armchair across from them. What was he missing? “You’re just tired. Get some rest and we’ll talk again later.”
He rose to stand but she snatched his hand back into hers. “Will you stay with me?”
“Of course. I’ll stay all night, if you want me to.”
“Thank you.” She shuffled up and made room next to her on the couch. Aaron sat and immediately wrapped his arms around her again, pulling Lainey down to rest on his chest. Damn, she felt so good against him.
“You’re so good to me,” she whispered, closing her eyes again. Aaron leaned down and kissed her forehead.
“Sleep.” Her eyes fluttered, but he stayed put. There was no way in hell he was moving, even just to another room, while Josh was still out there prowling around somewhere. He looked up, catching Cole’s gaze. What were they going to do about it? Nobody had Josh’s address, at least no one he knew that was talking. Could they reach out to Cole’s friends again? No, it was too risky. Even if they asked a cop friend for an off-the-books favor, it could kickstart a process that was better avoided. Who knew if they’d even take him seriously? He could imagine it now—just another lover’s spat. If they took Josh in at all, he’d be let out eventually, and he’d be even crazier at Lainey than he already was. He’d practically be signing her death warrant. They were on their own. “We need to do something. Just us, and right now.”
Cole let out a loud sigh. “That we do. But first, there’s a few things you need to know.”
21
Lainey
Lainey’s mind felt like it was tethered to her body by only a thin string, trying to pull itself further and further away from reality until it finally snapped. The only thing that was holding her back from totally losing it right now was Aaron. His strong arms still held her, his eyes warm and understanding. But what he was telling her to do was still impossible. How could she possibly fight back, after everything that happened? She could barely stand.
Her head spun with images, half daydreams, half nightmares. The feral man with his glazed-over eyes and red-stained shirt, dancing around and taunting her, the pain of death and overwhelming grief echoing in her bones. The man morphed into Josh, keeping pace with her—and then gaining—even as she ran away from the man on the beach. Her feet sank deeper into the sand with every step, until Josh’s fingers brushed her shirt, grabbing hold. He could catch her again and throw her, smash her head against the concrete barrier. He could break into her house again and take her in the night, even rape her. She wouldn’t have the strength to fight him off, the fear overwhelming her.
She’d always absorbed a little of what people’s colors were putting out. It was just the way it worked, but at the end of the day she’d been able to wash it all away. Until now. Josh was always going to be chasing her, or it would be someone else. She wasn’t going to get away from him, no matter how much she tried.
No matter how much Aaron tried.
Somewhere on the edge of her consciousness she heard a rustle, a slight knock, almost like someone knocking over a chair. What was going on out there in the real world? She tried to force her eyes open, but her lids were heavier than cement, and they stayed closed. Lainey sank back down into her memories, jolting when another noise met her ears. Was he here again, coming for her? She’d picked up a few things the last few days, but Josh was stronger. She was just learning, and Josh was a master. As much as Aaron wanted to be her guard dog, he couldn’t be there for the rest of her life. She’d been a total fool to think that a couple of lessons, a few positions and punches, could save her from a madman. It had all been nothing but a desperate attempt to stave off her inevitable death. Lainey shivered and she felt warmth envelop her.
Aaron.
He was concerned about her, but she couldn’t let him be as involved as he wanted to be. Josh wanted her dead—if anything had been clear when she’d finally seen him for what he was, it was that. Tiny needles of ice crept their way down her spine. If she couldn’t help herself, then at least she could protect him. This was real, and her number was up.
A feminine voice met Lainey’s ears. Payton, telling the two men to shut up. A ghost of a smile fluttered across Lainey’s lips. She could always rely on Payton to put someone in their place. She had the fire inside her already, the strength that Lainey had been trying to find. She’d been happy enough before Payton had come into her life, perhaps. She loved her job and had friends, but then she’d had something different. Someone like her, someone who really understood her. They were practically sisters. They may not be related, but they were both unique, gifted, and Payton felt like family.
“Lainey, open your damn eyes. You’re thinking so hard over there you’re giving me a migraine. I know you’re awake.”
Her eyes fluttered open. Payton was sitting across from her, staring. She was concentrating hard, but a sad smile crossed her face when Lainey met her gaze. “Lainey, um, I think it’s time we talked. Really talked.” Lainey gasped, suddenly wide awake. Was Payton finally ready to tell her everything? Lainey watched her friend fall silent and her eyebrows pull together. Were they going to talk or not? She followed Payton’s gaze—straight to where it fell on Aaron.
Oh.
“Lainey? Can I talk openly?”
God. She’d been waiting so long for ans
wers—for everything. But did she want them right now? Her whole world had been tipped upside down, and the only good thing—the man who was holding her together—was sitting next to her, completely unaware. If the universe didn’t stop fucking with her that day, she really was going to lose her mind.
Fuck. Did it matter at that point if Aaron knew or not? He’d either call her crazy and ditch her, and then he’d be safe, or she’d still be in the same position she was now. Time had run out. There was no sense in wasting what little she had left playing games.
“Sure. Let’s do it.”
“Just remember—you too, Aaron,”—Lainey almost jumped at the sound of Cole’s voice. Of course he’d be nearby too, with Payton still there—“whatever you hear, it’ll be okay. Payton survived, and so will Lainey.”
He couldn’t mean . . . Cole couldn’t mean that, could he? “Payton? This is different, right? The people that were after you, who kidnapped you, they wanted to capture you because of your . . .”
Josh’s colors, the bright white obliterating everything, including his ability to hide the evil that had been underneath. Oh my God, she was a total idiot.
Lainey pulled her hand from Aaron’s grasp as a tear slid down her cheek. Damn it! She was angry. She didn’t want to be crying. She wanted to be yelling, raging, but somehow she couldn’t find the strength.
It was because of her powers. Payton had known this entire time that what happened with her hadn’t been a one-off. And she had left Lainey in the dark, stuck there like a sitting duck.
22
Aaron
“I didn’t want you involved.” Payton said to Lainey, her whisper so quiet Aaron had to strain to hear it.
Lainey (Dreamcatchers Romantic Suspense Series Book 4) Page 12