Taken by You (Killer Next Door #2)

by Carlie Sexton

  “Kate, please don’t shut me out. Let me help you understand. I don’t want to lose you. You mean the world to me.”

  The walls seemed to be closing in on her. She couldn’t take one more thing happening without falling apart. Her emotions were all over the place. “I’m not in a very understanding mood right now. There’s too much happening between my dad dying, Roger looking for me, and now this. I’ve got to go. I’ll call you or email you when I’m ready.”

  “Okay, I’ll wait to hear from you,” Neil said. “Keep in mind I’m the man who loves you and would do anything for you.” The love in Neil’s voice calmed Kate’s heart slightly.

  “Good night, Neil.”

  “Good night, baby.”

  Kate crawled under the covers. It was all so overwhelming. All she wanted to do was sleep, needing her brain to shut down for a while. She set the alarm, knowing she had a busy day planned with her aunt and the rest of the family. Hopefully, things would look better in the morning, but at the moment, she felt dismal.

  ***

  Neil

  Neil set his phone down. Putting his elbows on his knees, he rested his head in his hands. How had this happened? Why had he hidden the fact Kate looked so much like Elizabeth? His instincts had told him she wouldn’t understand, and he was right. It was hard to comprehend there was another woman in this world who looked so much like Elizabeth. And what were the odds he would have found her and fallen in love with her? He’d completely given himself to her, heart, mind, body, and soul. He’d fight to keep her in his life. He would make her understand—if only he could understand himself.

  He didn’t blame Kate for questioning his feelings. This was beyond strange. It was one of the reasons he hadn’t introduced her to his family yet, even though she’d hinted she was ready to meet them. Thanksgiving was coming and there’d be no way around it. He had to prepare his family to meet her. His dad would most likely think she was a stand-in for Elizabeth. But, once they got to know her, they would realize they had completely different personalities. Elizabeth was the hard-hitting lawyer type. Driven…ambitious. Kate had a softer side. Even though she wanted to be independent, he could see her enjoying being a stay-at-home mom, putting him and their family first.

  He needed to drown his sorrows. Mac was the only person who knew about the situation, being his best friend. Hopefully he could provide a helpful perspective on everything.

  He called him, and thankfully Mac picked up after the second ring.

  “Mac, what are you up to tonight?”

  “Hey, man, I was going to call you. Cassie and I just called it quits. What’s going on with you?”

  “Oh, man, I’m sorry to hear that. Kate just found out she looks like Elizabeth and she’s upset. I thought we could go out and get a drink.”

  “You hadn’t told her yet? She moved in, right? Did she find a picture?”

  “Yeah, I’ll explain everything when I see you.”

  “Okay, I’ll pick you up. Sounds like you shouldn’t be driving tonight.”

  “Good. See you soon!”

  “Be there in about half an hour.”

  Neil figured he would get started before Mac arrived. He poured himself a scotch and sat back on the sofa. Damn it. I have to fix this.

  He got up when he heard the knock on the door. He knew it was Mac. After opening it, he ushered Mac inside.

  “I already started with the scotch. Want me to pour you a drink?”

  Mac nodded. “That sounds good.”

  Neil strode over to the liquor cabinet and grabbed another glass. “So, what happened with Cassie?”

  “Well, she gave me an ultimatum about getting married. We’ve been together for two years and she said it was time. She gave me a choice: either we get married or break up.”

  Neil handed Mac his drink. They both sat on the sectional. “So you opted to break up?”

  “Well, I didn’t say anything at first. It seemed to come out of left field, but she’s obviously been waiting for me to propose. My silence really pissed her off and she stormed out, saying she never wanted to see me again.”

  Neil raised his eyebrows, leaning back into the cushion. “So I take it you don’t want to marry her?”

  “No, there are too many differences between us. I knew in my heart she’s not the one for me. It just seemed she was shallow and too into my money. I want someone down-to-earth. Someone who cares about more than just herself. It dawned on me when she brought up marriage that I really didn’t feel loved by her nor did I feel love toward her.” He shrugged. “We had fun together, but a marriage needs more. Do you know what I mean?”

  “Man, that sucks. It’d break my heart if I felt that way about Kate. If anything, she doesn’t want me to support her. She wants to be independent. I never in a million years would think she was with me for my money.”

  “That’s good. Don’t let go of her,” Mac said, finishing off his drink. Neil poured him another one.

  It looked like they would be staying in since neither would make a good designated driver tonight. Neil poured himself another drink as well.

  Neil had always appreciated his friendship with Mac. Even before Mac lost his parents, he’d always been the kind of guy who was committed to friends, no matter what. He was part of the family. He never saw Neil as the wealthy attorney from old money, but rather just as Neil—his friend to vacation with, shoot hoops with, and commiserate about women with. He’d just always been there. It would be good to see him happy with the right woman, someone who appreciated a kind-hearted, funny guy.

  “So…” Mac began. “Tell me happened with Kate.”

  Neil sighed. “I dropped her off at the airport this morning to go to her dad’s funeral. He died about a week ago. She looked in the glove compartment for tissues and found more than I bargained for. I forgot I had a small photo album in there with pictures of Elizabeth and me. Kate took the album without me knowing. When she decided to look at it on the plane, she naturally was shocked. Now she needs space to think about things.”

  “Shit. You should’ve told her.”

  “Yeah, I know, but I never found the right time. So much has been going on with that crazy lunatic who’s stalking her. Then her dad died. I just didn’t want to upset her with this right now.”

  “I can understand that. Maybe if you explain it to her, she’ll see your point of view. You could send her an email.”

  “That’s a good idea. I’ll definitely email her tonight.”

  “What’s your back-up plan if that doesn’t work?”

  “I have no idea,” Neil said, taking a sip of scotch. “All I can do right now is drown my sorrows with a drink and hope my email does the trick.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Roger

  Roger was very satisfied with himself. All of the pieces were coming together. He and his beloved Kate would be reunited soon. Seeing her at the airport was like striking gold. He wasn’t happy about the guy, but he knew how to deal with unwanted men in the picture. That had become his specialty.

  He realized Charlie was now the key to finding Kate. Paulina and Jacob, both being exhausted from their journey, were safely ensconced in his flat, resting, while he “ran errands.” When he arrived at Charlie’s office around four o’clock and noted her car in the parking lot, he waited for her to emerge from the building. Surely following Charlie home would lead him to Kate. He knew there was more than one way to hook a fish.

  When Charlie walked out of the building an hour later, she didn’t see Roger because he’d strategically parked out on the street. He was right behind her when she pulled out of the parking lot, and despite knowing Kate had taken a trip, his heartbeat increased rapidly as he anticipated finding out where his beloved lived. He knew he was close to getting her back. It excited him to think he was this close to knowing where Kate was living now. Visions of her naked body drifted through his mind. Soon baby, so soon.

  After fifteen minutes, Charlie pulled into a small complex of townh
ouses called Astor Place. She opened her garage door and pulled right in. Roger was a little confused when he didn’t see Kate’s car parked in the garage, and guessed the other car must be Mitch’s. Where was Kate’s? Didn’t she live with Charlie anymore? Maybe she moved in with that guy who dropped her off. One phone call to Rose would get him that guy’s name and address, but what would be his reason for needing the address? He thought for a moment, and praised his brilliant mind when the perfect excuse came to him. He knew exactly what to say and would call her right now.

  “Hey, Rose. How are you? It’s Roger.”

  “Hi, baby,” she said, her voice high with excitement. “Did you pick up your son yet?”

  “Yeah, I sure did. He and his mom are taking a nap right now. They’re both exhausted. It was a long flight.”

  “I can only imagine. It’s good they’re resting. It will probably take them a couple of days to adjust to the time change.”

  “You’re probably right.”

  “So where will they be living after they get adjusted to being back in the States?”

  “They’re going to live with me for now. Paulina and I haven’t discussed anything other than that. She needs a job before they can live on their own.”

  “I see.”

  “Listen, I need your help with something. Earlier today, I had a fender bender. I hit a parked car. I left a note, but the driver hasn’t called me yet. I want to be a good guy and pay for the damages. I have his license plate number. Do you think you could get his name and address for me so I can contact him?”

  “That’s so thoughtful of you. Most people wouldn’t even bother to leave a note. Of course, I can get you the information.”

  “Thanks, Rose. I was worried the note fell off of the car and that’s why he didn’t call me yet. How soon can you get it for me?”

  “I can do it tomorrow when I go to work.”

  “That’ll be perfect. I wish I could see you tonight, but with Jacob just arriving in town, I need to spend time with him. I’m hoping to see you over the weekend. Are you free Saturday night?”

  “Yeah, why don’t you come over about seven o’clock and I’ll cook dinner for you?”

  “Great. I’ll talk to you tomorrow when you call.”

  “Okay, talk to you tomorrow.”

  Roger hung up. He would have the address tomorrow. Between Charlie and this mystery man, he would have Kate in his sights very soon. She’d soon be in his bed where she belonged.

  Rose had turned out to be a handy asset after all. Perhaps he’d keep her around a bit longer. He might need more information from her. It was easier to control Rose than Paulina, who always seemed to give him a hard time. Rose even seemed to accept Paulina and Jacob would be living with him. Somehow, it didn’t bother her. Maybe Rose was dense or just over confident. He wasn’t sure and didn’t care.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Kate

  When the alarm sounded and it was time for Kate to get up, she knew she wasn’t looking forward to today, but she hoped going through the motions would lead to closure in her relationship, or lack thereof, with her father. She’d learned in therapy that rituals were an important piece of the healing process. She desperately wanted to heal and feel whole again, but not be reliant on Neil or anyone else to feel that way. She couldn’t return to how things were when she was grieving David’s death. She wanted to lead the life she was meant to live.

  Her thoughts turned to Neil and her disbelief regarding what she’d learned yesterday. It all seemed like a dream, but she knew it wasn’t. What was she going to do? Could she get past this and believe him? One thing she’d realize was her life had improved dramatically in every aspect since she met him. He’d changed things. She was no longer afraid to live. She felt like she deserved to love and be loved again, and she had him to thank for that. He’d touched her in a way no one else could, but perhaps she still needed to feel whole without him.

  After showering, putting on her makeup, and getting dressed, Kate made her way downstairs, where she found John going over the DVD he’d made. Hearing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” again choked her up. No doubt that song would conjure feelings of deep sadness for a long time. Throughout her childhood, she’d fantasized about having a father who cared about her, and now she was left to grieve what she’d never been allowed to have. She stood there frozen, unable to move. How had things gone so terribly wrong with her dad? All she could do was speculate since she really didn’t know the man. Maybe over the next couple of days she could get to know him through the memories of other people who had known him well.

  Her cousin finally noticed her standing there. “Good morning, Kate. I was just tweaking the DVD.” John hit a few keys on his computer. “I think your dad would’ve really liked this. I chose the Hawaiian version because he loved Hawaii so much. It seemed like he was his happiest when he and your mom lived there with you and Eric.”

  “I’m sure he would love it,” she said. “You’ve done a great job. The pictures are really wonderful.”

  “Thanks. Coffee is ready if you’d like some. What would you like for breakfast?”

  “I’ll just have cereal. Aunt Donna’s going to be here in a few minutes and I need to be ready. She wants me to go to the funeral home with her for last-minute arrangements.”

  John opened the cabinet with the cereal. “Help yourself. We have a bunch to choose from.”

  Kate ate her cereal, hoping she’d be done before Aunt Donna arrived. Her aunt was a stickler about being on time. During Kate’s last bite, Aunt Donna walked through the door. “Are you ready?” she called.

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, then let’s go.”

  Kate hurried downstairs. After taking care of the final details at the funeral home, they met with the minister who was performing the ceremony. He hadn’t met her dad, so he asked questions to prepare his opening comments. The florist was next, to follow up on the casket spray. Kate felt a little overwhelmed. She was relieved her aunt was a take-charge type of person and had made all of the big decisions already. They only had a few details to handle the day before the funeral.

  “How about some lunch?” Aunt Donna asked when they’d finished at their last stop.

  “Sounds great,” Kate said.

  Despite the circumstances, it was great to spend time with her aunt; her presence alone offered Kate much-needed solace.

  They pulled into Red Lobster, which was a favorite place for them. It was a little bit after two o’clock so the parking lot wasn’t very full. Once they were seated, Kate began to relax a little. She’d felt so tense all morning.

  “So, are you just upset over your father, or is there something more going on? You’ve been awfully quiet,” Aunt Donna said.

  “Of course I’m sad about Dad passing away, but there’s something else too. Actually, I have a couple of things on my mind.”

  The waitress brought a basket of warm biscuits to the table. “Are you ladies ready or do you need another minute?”

  “I’m ready,” Aunt Donna said, glancing at her niece. “How about you, dear?”

  Kate nodded. “I’ll have the coconut shrimp.”

  “I’ll have the tilapia,” her aunt said, closing the menu and handing it to the waitress.

  The waitress smiled, took Kate’s menu, and walked away.

  “So where were we?” Donna said. “You were telling me you had a couple of things on your mind. I’m happy to listen if you need to talk.”

  Kate smiled at the woman who she’d always turned to in difficult times. She removed the album from her purse. “I found this in Neil’s car before I got on the plane. It’s full of pictures of him and his wife.”

  “You’re not upset with him because he kept pictures of her, are you?”

  Kate slid the album over to her aunt. “Just take a look and tell me what you see.”

  Her aunt opened the album and looked carefully. She put her hand to her chest. “Oh, my,” she said in her sweet voice. “Wow, the
re’s quite a resemblance between you two, my dear.”

  “Yeah, it has me questioning everything about our relationship. I’m not sure he loves me for me, as opposed to my similarity to his dead wife.”

  “I can understand how you would feel that way. But just because you look alike doesn’t mean you’re anything like her. In fact, identical twins usually don’t have identical personalities. He might’ve been drawn to you for your looks to begin with, but I can assure you it’s not why he’s with you.”

  “You think so?”

  “Sweetheart, you’re a wonderful young woman and I’m sure he can see just how special you are. I guess the question you need to answer is whether or not he’s the one for you. Men aren’t complicated. Most of them really just need food and sex to be happy.”

  Kate chuckled. “I love how you can always break things down for me to their simplest terms.”

  “I do seem to have a knack for that. Women are the complicated ones in a relationship. Could it be that things are going really well and you’re scared? I’d hate for you to throw something away that could be wonderful because of fear. I’ve learned firsthand that being in love can be overwhelming.”

  “I guess I’m scared of getting hurt. I hadn’t really thought of that until just now.”

  “You went through a lot when David died. But now you have another chance at love. If it’s not going to work out, it should be for a really good reason. How does he treat you?”

  “He treats me like I’m the most precious thing in the world to him. He’s kind and tender. He listens when I talk and he shares his life with me. He takes care of me and keeps me safe. He’s an amazing man.”

  “Those are the things that are important. Those are the things to focus on, Kate, not what his physical type is.”

  Kate nodded. “You’re right. I seem to have a type too.”

  “Do you love him?”