by Amy McKinley
Broken Circle
A Gray Ghost Novel—Book One
Amy McKinley
Broken Circle
Copyright © 2018 Amy McKinley
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, in or introduced into retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
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(p) ISBN-13: 978-0-9994280-0-9
(e) ISBN-13: 978-0-9994280-1-6
Publisher: Arrowscope Press, LLC; www.arrowscopepress.com
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Editing—Taylor Anhalt, Editor; Neila Y., Line Editor, Red Adept Editing
Proofreading—Kim H., Proofreader, Red Adept Editing
Cover Design—T.E. Black Designs; www.teblackdesigns.com
Interior Formatting—T.E. Black Designs; www.teblackdesigns.com
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Epilogue
Afterword
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Amy McKinley
Chapter 1
Secrets had the power to destroy, and Liv’s could very well detonate her marriage. Still, she had to tell someone. Keeping the news from Alex wasn’t her goal, and she would share it with him, just not yet. The elevator dinged, and Liv stepped inside, on her way to meet her best friend, Rachel, for lunch.
Her spirits lifted as she threaded her way through the crowded Manhattan sidewalk and drew nearer to the café. Weaving in and out to avoid a group of people to her left, she picked up her pace, ignoring the light bumps and jostles from the too-close pedestrians. A hard clip to her shoulder half spun her, and she stumble-stepped back.
The same man who’d bumped her shot his arm out to steady her. She blinked rapidly and dropped her gaze from his cold, tan features to where his hand tightly held her arm. A butterfly tattoo? Before she could study the mark further, he released her and strode away, the crowd swallowing him from her view.
With a shrug, Liv let the random incident slide from her thoughts. The restaurant was only a few feet away. The click of her heels echoed along the pavement. She spotted Rachel and gave a breezy wave then flashed a smile at the host as she bypassed him.
Rachel leapt up and pulled Liv in for a hug before they took their seats. The pungent smell of Stargazer lilies, which sat on the center of their table, churned her temperamental stomach. Intermittent stirrings of nausea had plagued her the past week. She motioned to the waiter and had him take the flowers away before they placed their order for salads and drinks.
Across from her, Rachel grinned. “Did you survive ‘the event of the season’?”
Last night, Liv and Alex had skipped a huge annual gala at the Radcliffs’, a well-connected family her mother had continuously thrust on her. “Nope. I needed a break from socializing and the press.”
“I don’t blame you. But really, what do you expect? Your family’s fortune—well, yours now…” Rachel reached for Liv’s hand and squeezed it for a heartbeat longer than necessary. “Hun, let’s face it. Even the Rockefellers would be jealous of you.”
“Money doesn’t buy happiness.” She would trade it all if it would bring her parents back.
“Damn close, though, I bet.” Rachel cocked her head.
Toying with the cup of coffee the waiter had delivered, Liv fished for information. “How’s work?”
“It’s going well.” Rachel tucked a piece of honey-blond hair behind her ear. “Are you asking if I got the promotion?”
“Obviously.” She grinned back. “I expect to be one of the first you tell. Alex has been very close-lipped regarding when or if you’ll get it.”
Rachel tapped Liv’s hand. “I already heard. That’s why I wanted to meet with you. You’re looking at the youngest and newest forensic DNA analyst on the New York City Police Department.”
Liv jumped to her feet, rushed around the table, and squeezed Rachel in a hug. “I’m so happy for you! But please don’t use this as an opportunity to share your experiences on the job.” She shuddered. “Some of the work you were doing kept me awake at night.”
“Sure it did.” Rachel’s small body shook with laughter. “With that handsome, hot-blooded, Venezuelan husband of yours filling up your nights?”
Heat suffused Liv’s cheeks. Rachel shook her head and stifled her amusement by taking a sip of coffee.
Liv picked at the corner of her napkin, her thoughts darkening. Rarely did they discuss Alex and the police force. As a detective who specialized in drug trafficking, Rachel refused to divulge information that would cause Liv worry. “Is…is there something going on at the office?”
“Always. What do you mean specifically?”
Taking a sip of her drink, Liv debated on how much to say. “It’s just that Alex’s attitude has been different the past couple of nights. There’s this tension rolling off him. Then the other day…”
“What happened?”
“I overheard him on the phone late one night, just a small part of his conversation, really. It was the tone and hour that got to me.” Growing up and watching her mother turn a blind eye to her husband’s indiscretions hadn’t left Liv unscathed. Alex isn’t like that. Still, that little bit of doubt lodged its way into her mind. She hoped that confiding to Rachel would help dispel her mistrust. “There’s something else. He used a different cell phone, because his was on the bedside table.”
“Did he say who he was talking to?”
She shook her head, hoping that since Rachel worked with him, she would have some insight. “No. It was the middle of the night. I fell asleep again by the time he came back to bed.” A few words had made her think he was referring to their relationship. That had cast doubt over the call being about work.
For the first time since hearing about Alex, Rachel eased back in her chair. “I’m sure it was an informant, especially if he used a different phone and took the call that late. He wouldn’t want anyone calling on a cell he’d answer unguarded. It’s easier to compartmentalize that way. Hey, don’t read into everything he does. He’s not your father. I promise I’ll tell you if there’s anything weird going on that you should hear about. Benefits of working together.”
Liv had to let go of her paranoia.
“Okay, and I know you would. Thanks.”
“The job has been really stressful, and Alex has single-handedly ousted an entire cartel and is on the way to dismantling another one. That’s huge. They’ve halted their control in three states. It’s crazy, the intuition he has. If we didn’t know any better, I’d swear he had inside experience and firsthand knowledge about the inner workings of drug trafficking and cartels.” She shook her head, her eyes taking on a faraway gleam. “So yeah, stress? He probably has it in spades.”
“Okay, that’s a relief. Well, you get what I mean.”
Rachel laughed. “I do.”
With that worry cleared up, Liv pressed her lips together, trying to contain the smile playing around the edges. “I have a surprise of my own.” Rachel perked up, and Liv blurted out, “I’m pregnant.”
“Oh my God, Liv! Have you told Alex?” Rachel rolled her eyes. “Well, of course you have.”
Dread pooled in her stomach. “Actually, I haven’t.” I need someone to be excited for me. “He doesn’t want kids, Rach.”
Rachel’s brows furrowed. “Never? Or just so soon after your first year of marriage and your parents…”
Grief stirred in her gut at the mention of her parents who had died five months ago in a freak accident. “We’ve never made it past discussing the ‘I don’t want kids’ stage. I’m hoping he’ll be happy, that his opinion will change once he gets used to the idea.”
“Shit, Liv.” Rachel shook her head. “He’ll come around. Don’t worry.”
He’d been so adamant. Liv clasped her hands tight in her lap and plastered on a smile she didn’t quite feel. “I’m sure you’re right.” The twisting in her stomach had nothing to do with morning sickness.
Chapter 2
Liv studied Alex as they dined in one of their favorite Italian restaurants. Deep shadows drooped beneath his eyes. Even though he was relaxed, fine lines were etched between his brows. For a few months, she had grieved hard, becoming an emotional zombie after learning of her parents’ demise. Her anguish must have taken a toll on him.
While he cut up his chicken in sure strokes, she observed his mannerisms and his features with her artist’s eye. His dark hair was disheveled as if he’d run his hands through it a time or two. She saw no slight narrowing of his left eye, which was his telltale sign that something was amiss. Aside from the circles and fine lines, he appeared content. So she relaxed as well—as much as she could with the looming pregnancy discussion.
She swirled a piece of chicken in the sauce before lifting it to her mouth. When she finished chewing, she broke the silence. “How’s work going?”
The clatter of his fork against the china caused her eyebrows to rise. In the back of her mind, the phone call he’d had still festered.
He scrubbed his hands over his face. “It’s going well. We’re very close to bringing in the leader of a drug-trafficking outfit. I’m worried about this one though. This guy is slippery and very dangerous. It’s taking more hours, manpower, and skill than I thought it would.”
A chill skated across her skin. She dismissed the uncomfortable sensation. Alex’s work was a world he mostly kept separate. This was due to his code of ethics, code of conduct, and desire to keep her safe.
The darker elements of his career were not something she cared for. Her only concern was that he was happy and doing what he loved, as she did. How he worked to disassemble drug rings, cartels, and gangs, she would never understand. Nor would she want to be thrust into that dangerous part of his life.
“Is that why you look so exhausted? Or is it because I’ve been a mess?”
“No, babe. It’s not you, never could be. You give me energy. But this job, it’s taking a toll. I want out.”
She set her fork down and gave him her full attention, wishing she could smooth away the visible stress he wore with a simple touch of her hands. “You told me everything was on track to move into politics with backing from my father, Joe Radcliff, and Davidson, right?” She gnawed on her lip for a second. “I’m assuming my father set up a campaign fund and all the connections you’ll need before he passed away?”
Alex’s mouth pressed into a grim line. “He did, and I’m damn grateful for it. Although, I’d prefer if your parents were here and the senator position that opened was from your dad retiring instead.”
She flinched, reached across the table, and squeezed his hand. “Me too. Even without them here, you’ve got this, right?”
Relief shone in his face as he grinned. “Yeah, I do. The governor called me. In a few months, I won’t have the worry of my job and all the long hours at the NYPD. It’s getting to be too much, and I’m ready for a change. Not much longer now.”
Unease danced on the edge of her thoughts, and her smile faltered. “Well, it’s a life with its own perils.”
Alex shook his head, his eyes shining with excitement. “No, babe. It will be nothing like what you grew up with. We’re a team. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’ll never take you for granted.”
Warmth filled her with his words. She knew it too. Not a day went by that he didn’t do something to make her feel appreciated and loved. The only dark spot that nagged at her was her pregnancy secret, which could shatter their marriage, and the phone call she’d overheard. He’d sworn there were no secrets, and she needed to make peace with it and let it go. Still, her mind clouded over, and her lips pulled down in a frown.
Alex stood, came around the table, and drew her to her feet. “Let it go, Liv,” he whispered before placing a heartbreakingly sweet kiss on her forehead.
Aware he didn’t realize her thoughts had turned back to the call, she guessed he was talking about his worry over the case and the senate position he hoped to fill. He pulled his chair around the table, settled next to her, and drew her close. In quiet murmurs, they reminisced about everything from when they met and began dating to what they would like to have for lunch tomorrow. She laughed for the first time since her parents’ death.
He did that to her—made her happy. She did the same for him. In his embrace, life was simple.
“How’s your work going, babe?” Alex asked. “I didn’t see any new gallery shows we’re scheduled to attend. Everything okay?”
This time, she smiled for real. “We have a small break for the next several months. Giselle is introducing some new artists and wants to properly promote them before the next show. We’ll go to that one.” Alex went to the shows for her, not because he enjoyed looking at art. She gave his cheek a slow caress, and her smile dropped away. Fierce emotion kindled, blazed from her heart, and manifested into words. “I love you.” Later, she could express her emotion with her body.
Alex paid their bill, and they exited the restaurant, hands interlaced, as they turned to walk back to their apartment. Goose bumps danced along Liv’s skin the moment she sensed a change in their environment. Lifting her gaze, she gasped in surprise. The cagey-looking man who’d bumped her earlier headed straight for them. Shaggy brown hair fell in disarray across his forehead, and the jeans and black shirt he wore looked as though they hadn’t been washed in a few days. Menace flashed across his face, and her veins felt as if they’d been injected with ice.
Alex tucked her behind him, obstructing her view. Lurching forward, Alex grabbed the man and shoved him against the wall. A dull crack from the man’s head crashing against the brick made her cringe.
Liv stood helplessly as heated words volleyed quietly between the two men in Spanish. A few paces behind them, she strained to hear. Over Alex’s shoulder, the man sneered at her. She tracked their every move. When the stranger lifted a hand to Alex’s arm, her eyes narrowed on the blue ink between his thumb and index finger. She could make out the detail of the sharp-angled butterfly tattoo.
As fast as the altercation happened, it ended. Alex shoved the man away. Whatever he’d said made the stranger hurry down the street. Alex stood motionless, wearing a fierce frown, as he watched him leave.
Alex returned to Liv’s side, and despite the miniscule narrowing of his left eye, he flashed a reassuring smile meant to put her at ease. “Informant. Being here, coming anywhere near you was a mistake on his part.” He slid his arm around her waist and leaned in to brush a kiss on her cheek. “Ready?”
“If you’re sure everything is okay.” Her smile wobbled a little, but she firmed it up.
“Yes, of course. Forget about that. This is our night.”
“I really don’t get how you deal with that.”
He tweaked her nose. “Walk in the park, Liv. What’s important is you’re by my side.”
Even with Alex’s reassurance that all was well, the man’s last words played through her mind as he’d made a hasty departure. His English was heavily accented, and his message was odd. “He’s waiting.”
Chapter 3
Strong arms wrapped around her middle, and she leaned into Alex’s embrace. She was a chicken. There’d been time to tell him at the restaurant, including the perfect moment when he’d sat beside her and kissed her on the forehead. She’d let it slip away.
Tilting her head back, she smiled. “Morning. Thank you for the flowers. They’re beautiful.”
He nuzzled her neck. “You’re more so.”
Desire stirred in her stomach. It would have to wait. Soon, Alex would head out the door for the day. “I wish we had a little more time this morning before your meeting.” Reaching a hand back, she threaded her fingers through his thick hair.