by Nia Arthurs
Jewel should know this already. Flinging her concerns to the wind and treating Kross like some kind of neighborhood nuisance was not the answer. Her life was at stake.
“Don’t worry. I got this from Jo.” Jewel sprang a small can from her purse. “It’s mace. I’ll carry it on me at all times.”
Finn blinked. “That’s… unexpected.”
“Joana’s a singer at Hidden Reef and the audience can get a little rowdy.” She scrunched her nose. “Long story short, she carries a can with her to fend off someone who needs a little help understanding the words ‘back off’.”
“Still...”
“Carrie’s lending me her phone. It has a tracking device so they’ll be able to reach me at any time. I’ll also have hourly check-ins and if I don’t respond they’ll contact the police.”
“It doesn’t feel right. You should stay with me.”
“Finn,” Jewel touched his arm and let her fingers linger, “I’ll be fine.”
He looked down at her dark hands and set his palm over hers. She sucked in a breath but didn’t pull away. She trusted him that much. He could feel it.
Truth was, his feelings for her were growing too. Finn refused to put a label on what that stirring meant. He just knew that seeing this woman in pain or in harm’s way would ruin him.
Her smile grew the longer he remained silent. “Are you that upset to see me leaving the guesthouse? I was only there for one night.”
Finn’s heart clenched again.
That smile of hers… he’d die protecting it.
“Hate to break up this cute moment,” Joana yelled from the car parked in front of his, “but Jewel, we gotta go!”
“Are you still staying in Belize?” Jewel asked.
“Yeah.”
“Then I’ll see you later.” She backed up a step, her alluring eyes staring directly into his.
Finn watched her until she jumped into Joana’s car and sped out of the parking lot. He wanted to follow them but, for now, he’d have to trust that Joana’s precautions were enough.
Sneaking into their gated community and hunkering outside Jewel’s new shelter would only blow his cover.
Finn drove back to the guesthouse.
There was no one behind the concierge desk.
He wearily trotted up the stairs and headed down the hallway to his room. His head was pounding like crazy and that unsettled feeling in his chest was back. Leaving Jewel in someone else’s hands drove him to madness.
She needed him. And he needed her to achieve his own goals.
Is that the only reason?
Finn pursed his lips and focused on his room door.
That was open.
He stopped in his tracks, muscles coiling and a warning bell going off in his head. The door was slightly ajar, but he was sure he’d locked it securely when he left with Jewel earlier.
Someone was inside.
Finn’s hands automatically went for the clip he normally kept under his shirt. His fingers grasped air. He’d left the gun in his vault so he didn’t scare Jewel with the sight of it.
Big mistake.
Finn cursed himself for the misstep.
He’d just have to go in alone.
Footsteps light and purposeful, he crept toward his room and eased the door open. It gave way with a foreboding creak.
Great. He’d just announced his entrance to anyone inside.
Slowly, he inched forward, his head whipping left and right. The room was dark. The bed neatly spread thanks to Jewel and her insistence that she leave the place ‘better than she found it’.
The desk and chair. Empty.
The balcony. Empty.
His eyes slid to the bathroom before moving to the closet that hid the vault where he kept his gun. Deciding quickly, he ran to the closet and thrust it open only to be hit with a shocking jolt of electricity.
Pain pulsed through his veins, doused every inch of his skin.
Finn dropped like a rock.
His eyes were the only parts of him that could move. He rolled them up and found a small object still hissing and buzzing as it siphoned electricity. A hand was attached to what he now saw was a Taser.
A man stepped out of the closet. His footsteps thudded against the floor like muted thunder. Army boots. Big and bulky. Cargo pants.
Finn struggled to lift his head, but he couldn’t even manage that.
An oily voice pierced the air. “Hello, Mr. Robinson. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
Finn struggled to identify the stranger’s face, but in the shadows of the room and from his vantage point on the floor, he couldn’t.
“W-who are you?” Finn rattled out past his trembling lips. The electricity bound around his muscles like a whip, tethering him to the floor and clattering his bones.
The man knelt, a patient, languorous movement that made Finn wonder if he had a flair for the dramatics. His knee hit the ground and he looked down.
Finn could feel his disdain like waves crashing against his body. He strained to look up, skimming past the dark shirt the intruder wore and up to his head.
His face was sharp with an exaggeratedly square jaw line and a broad forehead. A dark beard shaded the skin around his lips. His hair was cropped short, military style. Dark eyes pierced his.
“I’m the man that you’ve been looking for,” he said. “Seven years of your life. Down the drain. All because of me.” He rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. “I guess, in a way, I’m your master too.”
Rage boiled in Finn’s gut. He struggled to move, but his joints were locked solid. He was a helpless ragdoll trapped in his own body.
The man who’d killed his sister was right in front of him and he couldn’t do anything about it.
His nostrils flared as he pried his lips apart and spit the name, “Kross.”
22
Kross clicked handcuffs around his wrists and then secured the other end to the handle of the closet. His movements were sure and swift. Practiced. He’d done this before.
Still immobile, all Finn could do was convulse. The closet door bucked and clattered as his shoulders banged against it. The electricity slithering through his veins bound him tighter than the cuffs.
He’d imagined this moment so many times, but it had never gone down like this.
“Tasers are so handy, aren’t they?” Kross said conversationally. He pulled up a chair and dragged it over to Finn. “The electric charge is so powerful that it interferes with your body’s nervous system. You lose mobility, lose control.” His eyes flitted over the body of the gun and landed on him. “And you love control, don’t you, Finn?”
His teeth were chattering, but his eyes shot darts.
Kross chuckled. “I wanted to meet you so badly when I discovered our connection. You can imagine that I don’t have many fans so to see one in person is… overwhelming.”
Fans? Kross really was insane.
“You’ve got a wicked glare. Has anyone ever told you that?”
Finn trembled, since that was all he could do in this state. When he got out of these cuffs though…
“There’s a thin line between love and hate, Finn,” Kross said calmly, leaning back. “Take it from me. The two blur together. They require similar amounts of energy, passion, and devotion. Now apathy,” Kross wiggled his finger, “indifference. This is the opposite of love.”
The fire in Finn’s veins was beginning to temper.
The effect of the Taser was wearing off.
“My father was the one who taught me this.” Kross stared wistfully at the ceiling. “He wasn’t a good man, you know. Not even to me. He was constantly disappointed by my disinterest in his business, but I wasn’t the bullying type. Persuasion is my thing.”
Finn’s heart slowed as the residual effects of the shock left his system. He twisted his jaw left and right and said breathlessly, “What is this? A therapy session?”
“You’re awake!” Kross’s eyes brightened. “How do you fe
el?”
“Why don’t you come over here and let me show you?” He pulled his fingers into fists.
Kross threw his head back and laughed. The gaudy sound reverberated in the air. “You’re funny. No, no, no. If I walk over there, it will be to kill you and I’m still deciding on whether I’ll do that tonight.”
The hatred boiling in his heart overwhelmed him. Waves and waves of pain threatened to crowd his mind. Finn steeled himself against the emotions and focused on getting out of this mess alive.
Kross didn’t seem inclined on killing him right now.
He’d keep him talking and maybe things would stay that way.
Best-case scenario, he walked out of this room with Kross’s head on a stake.
Patience.
“Courtney Robinson,” Finn choked out. “She was my sister.”
“I know. Pity what happened to her, huh?”
He gritted his teeth. “She was only fifteen.”
“That one happened awhile ago, but I assure you, if she ran off with me, she was no saint. I never pressure someone who has no interest. She came willingly.”
“Bull.”
“How are you so sure?” Kross rested an elbow on his knees. “Do you know why I like younger girls, Mr. Robinson?”
“Because you’re sick?”
“It’s their curiosity, their innocence. That naivety layered with impossible amounts of confidence. They want to be known and explored. Deep inside, they want it so badly. And when their eyes are opened to the pleasure of two bodies becoming one, it’s such a beautiful thing.”
“You’re a rapist.”
Kross paused, his nose in the air. “I don’t like that word.”
“Why? Because it’s true? My sister—”
He cut a hand through the air. “Enough about your sister. She’s dead and can’t defend herself.”
Finn growled. “When I get out of these…”
“Yes, yes. Let’s pretend I heard all your empty threats. There’s a reason I’m here tonight and it does not concern the other girls.”
“What do you want?” But Finn knew the answer to that question the moment the words left his lips.
“Where is she?” Kross leaned forward so the chair creaked in the eerie quiet. His dark eyes glistened with a manic sheen as he whispered, “Where’s my Jewel?”
Finn clamped his mouth shut.
Kross smirked, his thin lips arching up. “Does she know? Does she know that you’re only using her to get access to me?”
He looked away.
Kross clucked his tongue. “Women are complicated creatures, Finn. Just ask your sister. Oops. You can’t.”
“Shut your mouth.”
“More glaring. You’ll get wrinkles you know.” Kross ran a finger across his forehead. “They’ll cost a fortune to get rid of.”
“What do you even want with Jewel?” Finn demanded. “What more can you possibly take from her?”
Kross’s gaze sharpened. “Take? I gave her everything.”
Finn scoffed.
Kross flicked his fingers and studied him. Finally, he stood to his feet, a smirk on his lips. “She didn’t tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“About our baby.”
Finn blinked as shock thudded through his chest. Baby? What baby?
Footsteps thudded through the hallway outside.
Kross’s head whipped toward the door. Finn noticed that he was distracted and scrambled to his feet. The handcuffs jangled angrily against the closet handle. The metal cut into his wrists.
He launched at Kross, going as far as he could before the cuffs yanked him back like a dog on a leash.
Kross barked out a laugh and turned for the sliding glass door leading to the balcony. “Next time, Robinson.”
Finn roared and pulled on the closet door. He heard the wood creaking, tearing. His veins bulged. Everything inside him strained to run after Kross. His heart was breaking, but the door wasn’t.
Tears glistened in his eyes. This could be his last shot. His only chance to honor his sister and bring justice to all those women who’d died at Kross’s hands.
“Finn!”
Nolan’s voice.
Finn glanced up and saw his friend standing in front of him. Frightened brown eyes locked on the handcuffs and then bounced back to his face. “What the hell?”
“Kross.” Finn croaked. “He’s out there.”
“Crap. Let me—I mean…” Nolan wrapped his hands over his head and spun to the right and left in indecision. “What do I do?”
Finn sank to his knees, hopeless, hurting. “It’s too late. He’s probably gone by now.”
“What happened in here? How’d you meet Kross?”
“He was looking for something.”
Nolan’s eyes bugged. He wore a blue T-shirt over a pair of khaki shorts. A black duffel bag was slung over his shoulder. “What?”
Finn clenched his jaw and looked his friend straight in the eyes. “His baby.”
23
Something rang in the darkness. Jewel jumped and leaned over to stare at the nightstand where the phone that Carrie had given her was vibrating on the surface.
Fear squeezed her heart tight, but she sat up and grabbed the phone to inspect it anyway.
An unknown number blared on screen.
She shook her head and dropped the phone. Whoever it was, she didn’t need to be answering anything this late at night.
Jewel dropped back into bed and stared at the ceiling. She couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face when she thought of Joana’s parents. Mr. and Mrs. Gregory had been so warm and welcoming that she’d felt at home almost instantly.
The phone chirped.
Her eyebrows slanting, Jewel reached for it again and clicked on the light so she could read the screen.
A new message.
She opened it up, curious.
UNKNOWN NUMBER: Jewel, this is Finn. Pick up.
She gasped. “Finn?”
The phone lit up with another call from the same number.
Jewel scrambled to answer. “Hello?”
“Thank God.” Finn sighed heavily. “Where are you, Jewls? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I’m at Joana’s. What’s going on?”
He didn’t answer.
“Finn?”
“Nothing. Everything’s fine. I was just checking up on you.”
“At one in the morning?”
“It just hit me that your teddy bear at home won over me last night. I want a do-over. We’ll see who’s better at cuddling.”
Jewel laughed. “That’s why you called?”
It was nice to hear Finn’s voice. To take a break from the worrying and the nail-biting, even if it was just for a second.
Pretending she was a normal girl seemed easier when she was with Finn. Jewel wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
“Were you sleeping?” he asked. His voice sounded calmer though there was still a hint of gravity in it. She got the sense that something was wrong but decided not to push.
“I was in bed, but sleeping…not so much. My head’s too full of thoughts.”
“What were you thinking about?” he asked.
She scooted to the bed and leaned against it, getting herself comfortable in the sheets. “I was thinking about what I would make at the bakery tomorrow. It’s my first time taking care of the store alone. I don’t want to let Sky down.”
“I didn’t know you could bake.”
“It’s the only thing I’m good at. You haven’t lived until you’ve tasted my johnny cakes.”
“I can’t wait.”
She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, enjoying the sound of his voice. It was gritty, a low rumble, like distant thunder.
Jewel really loved hearing Finn’s voice.
“What else?” he asked.
“I was thinking about Sky. And how she’s doing on her honeymoon. I should call her and check up, but I don’t want to worry her
. Plus, we didn’t leave things on the best of terms on Saturday.”
“I’m sure she’d love to hear from you.”
“Maybe.”
“What else?” Finn asked.
“It sounds like you’re fishing for a specific answer,” Jewel teased. “Did you want to hear me say I was thinking about you?”
“I wondered why my ears kept ringing.”
“Ears ring when someone is talking about you. That’s not the same thing.”
“Is that so?”
They settled into contented silence.
Finally, Finn spoke. “Jewel, I—uh—there’s something I need to ask you.”
“What?” She heard him hesitating and pressed. “What’s going on?”
“It’s not something I can discuss over the phone. You said you’re going to work tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll pick you up.”
“Joana’s taking me.”
“Then I’ll meet you there.”
“Why?”
No answer.
“Finn…”
He paused. “I met Kross tonight.”
She shot to a sitting position and dragged the phone closer to her ear. “What?”
“He knew we were, uh, hanging out lately. He seemed amused by it.”
“You met Kross?” Her heart thudded. Why would Kross pay Finn a visit? They had nothing to do with each other.
Then a thought dropped into her mind.
What if Kross attacked Finn because of her?
“Finn, are you alright? Did he hurt you?”
“I’m fine. Nolan arrived just in time so Kross left.”
“This is getting out of hand.” Jewel scratched her wrist. “I shouldn’t have listened to Carrie and Jo. I should have taken Juney and ran like I planned.”
“Staying put is the best thing for now.”
“I’m so sorry,” she mumbled.
“For what?”
“If you’d never met me, this never would have happened. Now you’re in Kross’s sights. If Nolan hadn’t gotten there in time, I would have…”
“You’d what?”
Jewel sighed. “I don’t know what I’d do.”
“As you can hear, I’m alive and kicking so you don’t have to apologize.”
A lump formed in her throat. “Still… I feel responsible.”