When We Break

by Cheryl Phipps

  Pulling out of his arms, she pushed the matted strands of hair from her face. "What do you expect when you sneak up on me? I was enjoying myself, relaxing and. . ."

  He stood looking at her, clearly trying hard not to laugh. She saw herself reflected in his glasses and realized what a mess she looked. Talia burst out laughing, and Nick followed suit.

  "I suppose I look like a drowned rat?" Talia asked, suddenly self-conscious.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Nick liked this playful side of her. There would have been little fun in her life over the last few years, and she deserved to be happy. He was proud of her strength and determination. Most women, not trained for this work, would have cringed at being actively involved in a case like this, but if he had a child taken from him, wouldn’t he do the same as Talia?

  Even with her hair a mess and no makeup, she was still beautiful, and she filled out the bathing suit just right. She was lean and attractively muscular, with an iron-flat stomach from all her workouts.

  “I can think of better analogies,’ he told her, “but I think you might hit me. Although, that was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. Did it take you long to perfect the technique?’ He skirted up the beach when she did reach out to try and slap him.

  “Don’t be so rude when you made me look like this.”

  She chased him, and as he was running backward, he failed to notice a piece of driftwood and fell on his backside.

  “Aha!’ She pounced on him. “I believe this is payback.” She sat on his chest with her hair across one bare shoulder, dripping cold water onto his heated body, causing a sudden change in the mood.

  The brown bathing suit made her look almost naked. The exertion and her leaning-over position managed to force her generous breasts up so that they spilled dangerously over the edges. Nick looked into her eyes and could see the recognition of his lust reflected there. Her hands splayed across his naked chest, and she lightly brushed away the sand that had stuck to his skin. She ran her fingers down each jutting rib as his breathing became more rapid.

  Sucking the air through his teeth, he lifted his head, attempting to taste those moistened lips, but her eyes focused and she reared back as if stung. He tried vainly to hold her to him, but she shrugged his hands from her and, getting up, walked back up the beach to her sarong, which she hurriedly wrapped around herself. Picking up the towel, she walked back to the cottage without a backward glance.

  He called out to her knowing, deep down, that she wouldn’t respond. Talia was a bundle of contradictions, but he wouldn’t push her right now. There would come a day, though, he promised himself. Adjusting his bathers, he plunged into the cold water to cool the intense physical attraction she seemed to arouse in him continually.

  ~~~

  By the time he’d changed back into his clothes, Emma had arrived from their base set-up in the village, which she and Jack alternated between them. Not wanting to have Talia overhear their discussion, Nick decided to have their daily catch-up on the patio outside. They drank orange juice and studied papers strewn across the table, discussing how the job was going. Not well at all, according to Emma.

  “Nick, I have to talk to you about Talia. I know you don’t want to hear anything against her, but I don’t understand why you’re letting her stay. It makes no sense. This is a criminal investigation, not some halfway house for any stray women you feel attracted to.”

  “I felt an obligation to her from the first time I saw her, and yesterday I found out why.” He had to tell his partners the whole story, even though a part of him wanted to keep Talia’s secret, to make sure no one knew she was alive. But he had a case to close and a team to ensure stayed safe.

  Emma, predictably, was less than impressed. “This is not you talking, Nick. You’ve never let anyone get in the way of doing a job properly. If you didn’t have a ridiculous crush, you would have sent her on her way from the start.”

  If Emma had been a man, he would have punched her. “I don’t have a crush on her. She needs to get her daughter back and thinks she can do it alone. But we know - especially you, Emma - that Randall won’t be easy to deceive. We’re her only hope. Why do you have such a problem with Talia?’

  “I think you mistake my concern over the case as dislike, when, in fact, I have no thoughts on her one way or the other except a deep mistrust for the way she’s manipulated you.”

  “What the hell are you talking about? I’m not being manipulated, and I sincerely doubt Talia is capable of such a thing.”

  Emma shook her head. “There you go again. Don’t be an idiot, Nick. All women are capable of it. Some are just better at concealing it than others.”

  “I guess you would know more about that than me,’ he teased her, trying to lighten the mood.

  “Are you implying I manipulated you when we were together?’

  “Are you going to deny it?’

  Emma was angry now. “If trying to get on cases with your workaholic husband just so you can spend a bit of time with him is manipulating, then yes, I openly admit it, but you didn’t agree, and we know who won there.”

  Nick was immediately sorry he’d tried to make a joke about their failed relationship. He put an arm around her shoulders. “No one won. It was never a competition for me. I don’t know precisely where it went wrong, but I’m positive it wasn’t your fault. I didn’t mean for it to end the way it did, and as I’ve said a thousand times, I’m deeply sorry.” He pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head. “You have to know you’ll always be important to me.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  They didn’t notice Talia in the doorway, and she made a hasty retreat before they saw her. Going back to her room, she closed the door and threw herself on the bed. For one crazy moment on the beach, wrapped in his heated embrace, his lips turned her body to liquid, and the temptation to surrender to that passion was overwhelming.

  She’d wanted to believe, against her better judgment, that he felt the same way about her, and although she wasn’t ready for a romance, she’d felt safe enough to tell Nick about her life with Randall. She hadn’t expected to catch Nick and Emma with their arms around each other. So much for them being over! She hadn’t heard the entire conversation, but knowing they were talking about her was a slap in the face. She felt betrayed that he’d chosen to discuss her with Emma, of all people. Was she ever going to learn not to trust people?

  After showering, Talia sat at the window, contemplating her earlier decision. She would take that trip into town now. She’d contact Kirk and check if he was okay with her staying with him because she couldn’t stay here. Not when she couldn’t trust herself to stay away from a man who made her lose her focus so easily, a man who wasn’t free. Her mind made up, she jumped up and grabbed her handbag.

  Darn! Her sandals were still on the beach, and that was where they’d have to stay indefinitely. She had no intention of coming across any of the others and be forced to explain what she intended to do. Fortunately, she had a pair of sneakers, which would have to suffice.

  Nick and Emma were nowhere in sight as she left the house and ran up the driveway to the road. The bus stop wasn’t too far away and was conveniently hidden by the next curve in the street. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to wait too long. Nervously pacing while she waited, Talia tensed every time a car came from either direction. It was a relief to eventually board and sink low into her seat, her cap covering part of her face.

  The ride into town was just long enough for her to calm herself and feel nearly normal again. Although, as Nick had said, what anyone’s idea of being normal was these days, who knew. However, she was pretty confident it was nothing like the relationship he wanted to have with her. Three was definitely a crowd.

  To make her feel worse, she knew Randall would have loved the idea. He’d not only fooled around on her, scarcely caring whether she knew or not, but had made suggestions that had sickened her. Nick and she didn’t even have a proper relationship, and yet h
e was still fooling around with his ex.

  None of which should matter, and she needed to get off this seesaw of thoughts before it drove her crazy. Her plan was made, and she wouldn’t think of Nick unless it was in the sense of him doing his job as a detective working to solve a crime.

  After strolling down the pretty main street, casually glancing in the shops’ windows to make sure she wasn’t being followed, her steps led her to a quiet side road.

  Kirk pulled open the door at her first knock, looking mad as hell.

  “What the hell are you doing here, Talia? Randall arrived on the island this morning,” he hissed. Pulling her inside, he shut and locked the door.

  “Is Chloe with him?’ she couldn’t help her excitement, and he sighed.

  “I’m waiting to have it confirmed, but it doesn’t explain what you’re doing here.”

  “I had to come. I don’t feel safe there at the cottage,” she blurted. “I think I should stay somewhere else.”

  He glowered. “You’re not safe anywhere if Randall finds out you’re on the island.”

  “Not him—the detectives.”

  His anger changed to concern. “What have they said?’

  “Nothing much, but they want me gone. They’re focusing on the case, and I don’t know if that’s going to conflict with me getting Chloe back.”

  Kirk raised an eyebrow. “Talia, nothing’s changed on that score, but they’ll do the best they can.”

  “I know, but it might not be enough, and I won’t take the risk. Whatever is going down is happening very soon. I need to get my daughter out before it does.”

  “That’ll ruin their chances of nailing Randall. Is that what you want?”

  She rubbed her face with her hands. “I don’t care about that—at least, not as much as I do about Chloe.”

  “But if they get him, then Chloe would also be safe,” he reasoned

  “You don’t know that. Not for certain. Randall’s capable of anything, whether he’s in custody or not.”

  “There aren’t any certainties with any of this, as I’ve tried to explain. But it sounds like you’ve made up your mind, so I think you should stay here, and we’ll try to get your daughter out in the next day or two.”

  He didn’t look happy about the scenario, but she was grateful anyway.

  “What about the detectives? We don’t want them to come looking for me.”

  “Go back today and tell them you’ve had a change of heart. Say you’re staying in town, and you’ll be out of their way. After everything you’ve told me that should please them.”

  “That sounds plausible, but I’ll be back here tonight.”

  He nodded resignedly. “One more thing? I know Nick very well, but who else is on the case, and what do they look like?”

  Talia gave him a description of each person, but as she described Emma, Kirk looked unusually ruffled.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “I hadn’t expected Emma to be here. She’s not who I’d choose to be involved in this case, especially being Nick’s ex.”

  Talia snorted. “Tell me about it. Apart from being rude, she’s not fond of me, and the feeling is mutual.”

  Kirk gave her a long look. “Another reason to get you out of there.”

  Talia nodded with relief. She understood how hard this was on Kirk, who owed his loyalty to Nick, but decided to help her as well. She wasn’t sure what she’d done to deserve it but was incredibly grateful to have him on her side.

  “When we get Chloe, you’ll stay to help Nick, won’t you?”

  “Does that matter to you?” he asked softly.

  “Yes. I feel bad about deceiving Nick, and I know you do too. Also, he didn’t say anything about me being married to Randall. It would be fair to assume I had to be involved with all the illegalities. The fact that he didn’t, at least not for long, means I want him to be safe and to be the one who catches Randall.”

  “Sounds as if you like the man.”

  “I do,” she admitted reluctantly, “You both saved my life, and if he weren’t involved with his ex, I’d have more respect for him. She scares me.”

  “He’s a good man. I know him well, and I’m certain there’s no way he’s involved with Emma. That woman’s got some big issues that I suspect Nick knows about.” Kirk coughed awkwardly. “You could do a lot worse than a man like him if everything turns out okay.”

  “Are you saying that after putting the case before my child, there might be a chance for him and I to get together?” She couldn’t keep the sarcasm and disbelief from her voice. “You sound like Nick.”

  He grimaced. “Optimism is a good place to start. You’re a smart, strong woman who’s endured a couple of years from hell. You’re young enough to still have a wonderful life, so don’t cut yourself off from any possibilities for the sake of it.”

  The weird and poorly timed conversation suddenly didn’t annoy her as much as it had. Kirk might be an ex-con who had trouble showing his emotions, but he was the most honest person she’d ever met. When he’d understood what losing her daughter had cost her, he’d forced her to wean herself off the painkillers. Kirk badgered her through a rigorous fitness training schedule and taught her martial arts so she would be ready in mind and body to fight Randall for the one thing that mattered to her. He’d saved her life, making sure she had the best of care, and he hadn’t even known her.

  A stranger who had the misfortune to owe a cop a favor, he’d been her lifeline back to good health and sanity. It had been hard at first to open up about her past, and it had taken several weeks before she’d told him everything. He, on the other hand, was a closed book until now. “I’ve never heard you talk so much. Don’t tell me you’re going soft?”

  “I’m just a retired crook with too much time on his hands.” He smiled fondly at her. “You’d better go before they miss you and send out a search party.”

  Talia gave him a hug, which, this time, he returned stiffly. Leaving him to his plans, she walked quickly back to the main road and the bus stop. Unfortunately, she failed to observe the man at the bar across the street, studying her.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Nick was cleaning his gun when Jack arrived back from town. He’d dropped off Emma, and now his partner stood in the doorway, nervously looking around.

  “If you’re looking for Talia, she’s in her room.”

  “No, it’s you I need to talk to.” He took a deep breath. “I realize you’re taking responsibility for Talia personally, but there’s something not right here.”

  Nick had been expecting something of this nature, and he forced himself to stay calm. “I gather you’ve been discussing this with Emma.”

  “It was unavoidable, but Emma has her own concerns. I’m more worried about Talia’s mental stability than anything else.”

  “What do you mean by that?” Nick snapped the pieces together with a little more force than required.

  Jack grimaced. “Don’t play games with me. I’d have to be deaf not to have heard her at night. Those screams could wake the dead.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Talia says she’s getting help, and I believe her.”

  His partner hesitated. “Tell me why you believe her when you would run a check on anyone else, and I know for certain you’ve done no such thing with her.”

  Nick put his assembled gun gently on the table before he answered. “Are you questioning my ability to act impartially?”

  “That’s not my intention.”

  “It certainly sounded like it. I’m in charge here, Jack, and if you have a problem with that, I can easily get you reassigned.”

  “You wouldn’t do that. Whatever you think about me, you have to admit we always work well together. I’ve been with you from the beginning, and you won’t get anyone else who knows as much about this case as I do, so cut me a bit of slack here,” Jack pleaded.

  Nick wished for the hundredth time that he hadn’t given up smoking two years ago. He could have murde
red for a cigarette right about now. Jack was making complete sense, but Nick didn’t have to like it.

  “I agree, you have a right to know everything. The truth is that I did a lot of digging into Talia’s past before she turned up here, and when you read her file, you’ll appreciate the sensitive nature of what it entails. The file will be couriered to the base addressed to you. It needs to be kept under wraps and away from everybody else.”

  Jack nodded solemnly. “Is Emma allowed to be privy to the file?”

  Nick couldn’t ignore the connection any longer. “You and Emma are quite close these days, aren’t you?”

  “We have spent a lot of time together on this case.” Jack mumbled.

  “Right, that’s the only reason you’re always talking about her. All right, let Emma read the file. Now get lost before I change my mind.”

  Jack left hurriedly, and Nick was glad until he realized that now there was only him and Talia in the house. He should have made Jack stay, but he’d had enough of him and Emma second-guessing him.

  Talia’s life had more twists than he’d imagined when the case fell in his lap. It had been hard being the only one apart from Kirk knowing everything about her, and Nick was glad to have no more secrets from his partners. Still, someone was leaking information otherwise Randall wouldn’t be able to keep eluding them, and although he trusted those two, who knew if someone else would be careless with the knowledge and let something slip.

  Thank goodness Talia was staying in her room. She wouldn’t meet his eyes, and he knew there was nothing he could say, at this stage, to make her change her mind about him, and he hated that. He’d killed people, was calm under pressure, led teams who didn’t get on, and he was good at his job. But it all counted for nothing when she was near, and how she made him feel was driving him to distraction.

  ~~~

  The bus pulled into her stop, and Talia got off, still deep in thought about how she was going to explain things to Nick. Aware of a car pulling in behind her once the bus left, she stole a glance over her shoulder. Something about the tinted windows struck a chord, and her heart began to race. She hefted her bag over one shoulder and walked swiftly along the curb since the island only had footpaths in the township.