Dangerous Betrayals

by Dover, L. P.

  My phone rang and I looked down to see Amy’s name. “Hey girl,” I answered.

  “Hey, you fixing to get on the plane?”

  I giggled. “Not yet. Reed and I are grabbing some Bojangles to take back with us before we head to the airport.” There was a small, private airfield close by.

  “Oh, yeah, that’s right,” she said, laughing. “You did tell me that last night. I’m glad you stayed around an extra couple of days. It was nice being able to be just us, you know? I really miss you.”

  “I miss you too.” Robyn had cooked spaghetti for all of us last night and we stayed there until the morning hours, playing cards and just talking. Amy loved telling Reed embarrassing stories about me. “And just so you know, Reed has been making fun of me all morning about that story you told him last night.”

  Amy gasped. “Yikes, which one?”

  I rubbed my nose. “The one about me running into the tree and breaking my nose.”

  She burst out laughing. “What? It was funny. You looked like a raccoon for two weeks.”

  “Thanks,” I grumbled, not angry with her at all. We all got a good laugh out of it. “I’m sure you’ll get plenty of opportunities to tell more embarrassing stories when you visit us.”

  She squealed. “Can’t wait. I’ll be there as soon as you two get back from vacation. Do you know where Reed’s taking you?”

  “Not yet. All I know is that it’s a tropical island. He decided he wanted to surprise me.”

  “Lucky duck. Maybe one day I’ll meet a guy who isn’t a psycho killer.”

  I’d prayed every night, thanking God for not letting anything happen to her. “You will,” I assured her. “Trust me.” Movement in the sideview mirror caught my attention. It was Reed, arms loaded with giant bags filled with boxes of chicken. “Amy, I have to go. You should see all the chicken Reed got.”

  She giggled. “I bet. Call me when you get to Wyoming. I want to make sure you get there safely.”

  “I will. Love you.”

  “Love you too, babe.”

  We hung up and I jumped out of the car to open the backseat door. Reed looked like a kid at Christmas. “The people behind me are pissed,” he said, hurrying to the car. “I bought all the breasts they had.”

  I shook my head. “Yeah, I bet they’re mad. The people love their fried chicken around here. Before I moved to Vermont, I’d eat it like twice a week.” Once we had all the bags loaded in the car, we took off. I breathed in the chicken and my mouth watered. “As soon as we get on the plane, I’m digging in.”

  Reed chuckled. “So am I.” He reached over and clasped my hand. “We have a little more time before we have to meet Ian. Is there anything else you need to do before we leave town?”

  There was something I wanted to do, and I needed to do it before we left. I didn’t plan on coming back to Belmont for a really long time. “Actually, there is,” I said, my voice low. Reed’s brows furrowed with concern and I squeezed his hand. “Do you mind stopping by the florist so we can get some flowers?”

  Understanding passed across his face and he nodded. “Of course.”

  We stopped by the flower shop that was close to the cemetery and Reed picked out two different bouquets of flowers. I recognized what they were in a heartbeat. My mother had the greenest thumb of anyone I ever knew. She loved flowers and taught me well.

  Tears burned my eyes as Reed got back in the car and handed me the flowers. “Will these be okay?”

  I nodded. “More than okay. I have to say, I think you got it just right.”

  “How’s that?” he asked.

  I gently traced a finger over the pink petals of the Camelias. “These represent love and devotion. They’re perfect for my mother. And these,” I said, breathing in the other bouquet of light blue flowers, “are Forget Me Nots. They don’t have much scent during the day, but in the evenings, they become very fragrant. They’re meaning is pretty self-explanatory.” I wiped away my tears. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen my dad. I try to hold onto his memory, but it’s hard without my mom here to remind me. I was so young when he was killed.”

  Reed caressed my cheek. “I understand. Maybe you can write down the stories your mom used to tell you. That way, you never forget them.”

  That was a good idea. “I think I will.” I pointed in the direction of the cemetery. “If you take that road, the cemetery will be on the right.”

  It only took a couple minutes to get there and I guided Reed through the winding cemetery roads until we got to my mother and father’s burial plots. “Do you want me to go with you?”

  Taking a deep breath, I shook my head. “I want to go alone if that’s okay.”

  He nodded. “I’ll wait for you here.”

  I held the flowers in my arms and opened the car door. The cemetery was such a peaceful place. There were flowers everywhere on the graves. Up ahead, I could see the Scott tombstone with hundreds of flowers surrounding it. Tears fell down my cheeks. When I got closer, I could see the individual grave markers, one for my mom and one for my dad. I set their flowers down and reached for one of the bouquets of pink carnations around my mother’s grave. There was a small card attached to it.

  Rest in peace, my dear friend. Love, Elaine England.

  Elaine England was a teacher at my old school. I peeked at some of the other notes and it was all from people who knew my mother, showing their love now that the case had been solved. I sat in the patch of grass between my mother and father’s graves.

  Hanging my head, I cried for a few minutes before I could even form the words. “I don’t know where to begin.” The wind blew and I breathed it in. “I’m sorry I haven’t been here in a long time. If you’ve been watching me, you already know what I’ve done.” I placed a hand on both my parents’ markers. “I’m kind of hoping you don’t though. No parent should have to endure what you have.” Lips trembling, I closed my eyes. “I miss you both so much. I know you’re together now which makes me happy.” I blew out a breath and opened my eyes. “Just know that I love you. Even if I don’t visit often, you’re always in my heart. I’m going to do what Reed suggested and write down everything I know about you so I don’t forget. When I have kids, I want them to know how amazing you both were.” I sat there for a few more minutes and listened to the wind blow. It was soothing and it was almost if I could feel my parents’ presence around me. Taking one last look at their graves, I stood. “I love you,” I whispered. “Always.”

  Turning on my heel, I went right back to the car and got in. Reed placed a hand on my shoulder. “You okay?”

  I met his emerald gaze and smiled. “I am now. Let’s go home.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Reed

  THREE WEEKS LATER

  Kennedy and I spent a week in Wyoming before I surprised her with the location of our two-week trip to the Turks and Caicos. Vacation was almost over, but we had a lot to celebrate, including myself. I’d just gotten off the phone with my COJ supervisor and I had some great news to share with Kennedy, but she was out in the crystal blue water, floating around and sipping on a strawberry daiquiri, looking sexy as fuck in her pink bikini while I sat on the back deck. The house I rented was located in Taylor Bay – a secluded beach with not many people – and the house was a little yellow cottage with two bedrooms and two baths that sat up on a hill. There were stairs that led straight down into the ocean. We also had our own little private pool and hot tub. You could walk out about five hundred feet in the ocean and still be in shallow water. Kennedy loved it and that was all that mattered.

  During our week back in Wyoming, Kennedy got a job at the local high school, teaching senior English. She was so excited to start in a couple of weeks. Buttercup was overjoyed to see us and never left our sides during that whole first week we were back. It killed us to leave her again, but we couldn’t bring her on vacation.

  Now that we’ve been in the Turks and Caicos for a couple of weeks, I’d never seen Kennedy so happy and full
of life. We hadn’t talked about where she was going to live yet, and I assumed it’d be with me, but I found a real-estate magazine in her luggage with houses circled.

  Kennedy finished her daiquiri and slid off her float. “You ready for another one!” I shouted.

  Shaking her head, she marched out of the water, bringing her float with her. “No, I’m ready for dinner.” That made me chuckle. I knew exactly what she’d want to. She tossed her float into the pool and walked over to me, her grin wide and pleading. “You know what I really want?”

  Grabbing her around the waist, I pulled her down on my lap and she straddled me. She was so fucking sexy and all I wanted to do was carry her into the bedroom. “Let me guess,” I said, kissing her neck, “the lobster mac and cheese balls from Cocovan?”

  She bit her lip and giggled. “I can’t help it. They’re so freaking good.”

  And they were. We’d eaten at numerous places on the island, but nothing was better than the food at Cocovan. “We can go there,” I said with a wink, “but we should probably take showers before we go.”

  She wriggled around on my lap and my dick sprung to attention. “Seems like there’s something else on your mind,” she teased.

  “Actually, there is,” I agreed, squeezing her hips. “I just got off the phone with my COJ supervisor.”

  “And?” She slid off my lap and sat down in the chair beside me.

  “And I did something I never thought I’d do so soon.” Her eyes widened and I smiled. “I retired from the Circle of Justice.”

  “What?” she gasped. “Why?”

  A smile spread across my face. “Because I want to. I’m still staying with the FBI, but I’m going to concentrate on solving cases. I won’t be in the field, no more assassin work for me. This deal with your mother could’ve been figured out a long time ago and I think my skills are better used on the computer, they think so too.”

  Tears sprung to her eyes. “I think that’s a great idea. Just think of all the people you can help.”

  I winked. “Exactly. Plus, I can work from home. And speaking of home,” I began, narrowing my gaze at her, “are you trying to find a house to buy?”

  Sheepishly, she lowered her head. “Yes. Am I not supposed to?”

  “Do you want to?” I asked. “I mean, if you want to get your own place that’s fine. I’m not going to make you live with me. I just thought …”

  Her head jerked up. “You just thought what?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know, that you were maybe going to stay with me.”

  There was a twinkle in her eyes. “I didn’t want to assume that’s what you wanted.”

  Laughing, I took her face in my hands. “I was kind of hoping you would. I should’ve made that clear from the beginning.”

  She kissed me. “Are you sure it won’t be a problem? Especially with my Harry Potter obsession? We’re going to have to fly to Vermont and get my special hot chocolate mug. I’ve been without it for a while now and it’s killing me.”

  That made me laugh even harder. “We all have our quirks, sunshine. I happen to love yours. I think they’re cute.”

  Her smile broadened. “So are yours.”

  Sliding my hands down to her waist, I tickled her. “I don’t have any.”

  She squealed. “Yes, you do.”

  Honestly curious, I stopped tickling her. “Tell me.”

  “Okay, okay,” she gave in. “Let’s see … you always eat your sides before the meat.”

  That was true. I’d done that for as long as I could remember. “The meat’s the best part. Have to save it for last. What else?”

  She giggled. “You hum when you’re in the shower. I like to listen to you.”

  “Maybe next time you should join me,” I said, tickling her again. “Anything else?”

  “There is one thing,” she said, sliding a finger down my bare chest to the top of my shorts. “There’s this look you get when you’re concentrating on something. It’s kind of a dangerously, sexy type of look. Gets me going every time.”

  My dick twitched and I groaned. “You’re killing me, sunshine.”

  Rolling her hips against me, she smiled. “Why don’t we go inside then? We can have ourselves a little bit of fun before dinner.”

  “You don’t have to tell me twice.” She wrapped her arms around my neck and I when I stood, she gripped her legs tight around my waist. I carried her to the bedroom, my cock straining against my shorts.

  When I set her down, she nodded toward the bed, biting her lip provocatively. “Lie down.”

  Entwining my hands behind my neck, I laid back on my pillows and watched her slowly take off her bathing suit, letting it fall to the floor. I wanted to feel every inch of her, inside and out; to see her back arch, pushing her breasts higher as I fucked her with my fingers. I’d never felt another woman’s body as perfect as hers.

  Climbing onto the bed, she straddled me and slowly slid her hand down my stomach. “We should probably get these off,” she said, fingering the hem of my shorts. She pulled them down my legs and I kicked them off. My cock was so hard, it fucking hurt.

  Kennedy wrapped her hand around me and I thought I’d go insane. “Fuck,” I groaned.

  Snickering, she glided her hand up and down my cock. “Feel good?”

  I bit my lip. “You have no idea.”

  Licking her lips, I knew what she was planning to do the moment she lowered her mouth to my dick. I wanted to feel her mouth on me so fucking bad. She sucked me as hard as she could and I knew I’d explode if she didn’t stop.

  Grabbing her shoulders, I lifted her and she shrieked as I flipped us over. “Couldn’t handle it, huh?” she teased.

  I bent down to suck on her perfectly taut nipples, one after the other, the tips getting larger the more I teased them. “Let’s see if you can handle this,” I countered.

  Moaning, Kennedy spread her legs wide and pushed her hips up against mine. I intentionally kept my cock as far back as possible so I could tease her.

  “I hate you right now,” she grumbled, trying to move down in search of the friction she desired.

  “Uh-uh, not yet,” I murmured. I trailed my tongue down her stomach, stopping between her legs. Right there in the middle was the sweetest taste of all, the one thing I craved. So wet and swollen.

  I groaned in anticipation because I knew the first taste would be the best. Sealing my lips around her clit, I felt her body tighten. She moved her hips against my face as I moved down a little further and fucked her with my tongue, burrowing as deep as I could.

  “Reed, please,” she begged. “I give up. I can’t handle it.”

  That made me laugh. I pushed a finger inside of her, flicking my tongue on her clit. The wetter she got, the more I wanted. Spreading her legs wider, I sat up and rubbed my cock around the wetness of her opening, and without warning, entered her.

  Gasping, she screamed out a pleasured cry and wrapped her legs around my waist. Reaching for me, she pulled me down. Taking her face in my hands, she gazed back at me with hooded eyes and lifted her mouth to kiss me. I opened her lips further with my tongue, tasting her … claiming her. She was mine.

  Moaning in my ear, she dug her nails into my back and her body clenched so tight around my dick, I was close to exploding. The tighter she got, the harder it was to keep going. Her moans grew louder, and as soon as she let go, I pumped into her hard, filling her up deep inside. It was unreal how much I craved Kennedy’s touch.

  Breathing hard, I gently pulled out of her and laid down on the bed, draping my arm across her stomach. Kennedy looked into my eyes, her lazy smile as cute as can be. “Are you sure you don’t mind me living with you?”

  I brushed the hair off her forehead. “I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want you to.” I could see a future with her, hell, I wanted it more than anything. When the time was right, I planned on asking her those four words that’d make her mine forever.

  Kennedy snuggled in closer to me and laid her
head on my chest. “I love you. I wish you knew how much.”

  I kissed the top of her head. “I love you too, sunshine.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Kennedy

  FOUR MONTHS LATER

  Christmas in Wyoming. There are only three words that come to mind when you think of it. Cold as hell. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to be anywhere else, but the frigid temperatures took some getting used to. The snow was gorgeous though. I’d never seen a white Christmas before.

  Looking in the mirror, I pulled up my black leggings and slipped into a new red sweater I’d bought just for Christmas. The outfit went perfect with my black, fluffy boots. I always wanted a pair but it never got cold enough in North Carolina.

  Reed walked in and whistled. “Don’t you look sexy.”

  “You do too,” I said, turning around to face him. He had on a pair of gray dress pants and a plaid, long-sleeve shirt with his hair gelled to perfection. “You know, I’m surprised Faith has the restaurant open on Christmas Day. I figured your family would do some sort of big shindig for the holidays.”

  He walked over to me and pulled me into his arms. “Usually, we do, but with the restaurant only being open for a month, Faith didn’t want to close it. I told her we’d stop by for dinner.”

  I shrugged. “Sounds good to me. I would’ve cooked a big meal if you wanted me to.”

  His hands slid down over my waist and he squeezed. “We can tomorrow. I’ll even help you.”

  I kissed him. “Deal. Now let’s go, I’m starving.”

  Reed helped me into my thick, black coat, and as soon as we stepped outside, the snow started to fall. There was already about five inches on the ground. It was more snow than I’d seen in my lifetime living in North Carolina. On the way to the restaurant, I couldn’t help but think about the last four months. So much had happened. I got to meet the rest of Reed’s family, his father, Glenn, and his brother, Wade and his wife and kids. Everyone was so nice. I actually felt as if I was a part of it.