Black Ice (BookStrand Publishing Romance) (11 page)

Her phone rang, startling her from her thoughts. She reached for it and glanced briefly at the screen. She didn’t know the number. “Warren.”

“You think you’re so tough, don’t you? You and your boyfriend. You think you can kick me out of the police station, which I admit is your turf, but you can't kick me away now. Pull over.”

Blake’s breath stopped in her throat. She glanced in her rearview mirror and saw bright headlights that hadn’t been there a while ago, shining back. She swallowed hard as the car behind her sped up, nearly riding her bumper.

“Leave me alone, Levi.”

“Or what? You ran out on me. I don’t appreciate that. Do you have any idea how much that pissed me off? I thought about punching your sister for simply telling me you skipped town.”

Blake struggled with what she should do. If she sped up, she could wreck and die either by hitting a tree or in the hands of a madman. But she needed to do something to get away from him.

“You never deserved me. I’m hanging up now.”

“Watch what you say to me.” The line went dead.

She glanced up at the rearview mirror as the car behind her pulled off onto a side road, leaving her alone on the main highway leading to Ryder’s house. She struggled to keep her cool as she found Ryder’s cell number and pushed “Talk”.

“James.”

“He followed me.” The words spilled out of her mouth. “He called me, threatened me, and told me to watch what I say to him.”

“Whoa. Where are you?”

“I’m almost at your house.” She turned down Ryder’s street. “I’m about to pull in your driveway.”

“Okay. Go inside, get your gun and lock the doors. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

Blake pulled in the drive and glanced around. Darkness surrounded her, the moon nowhere in sight. Shadows danced everywhere, mocking her as one lone street light shined behind her. Her heart raced in her chest. She judged the door to be thirty feet from the car. She could make it if she ran.

“Don’t hang up on me.”

“I’m not. I just left the station so it’ll be a few minutes before I get there.”

She found the key, grabbed her purse and pressed the door lock. It was stupid not to carry her spare gun in the first place, but she did and now paid for it. She also left her other gun back at the station. She ran to the door, shoved the key in the lock, and stepped inside.

“Are you inside?”

“Yeah. I’m locking the door—” Something from behind hit her square in the back, knocking her to her knees. The phone went flying into the darkness as Blake scrambled away from the attacker.

He grabbed her feet, flipped her over, and landed a solid kick to her stomach. Her mind soared as the pain seared through her body. Her gun sat on the coffee table. If she could get to the coffee table, she’d be okay. She crawled and kicked, moving around the sofa to the other side. The attacker tried to climb on top of her as he wrapped a piece of string around her neck. She fought, pushing at his hands. She wouldn’t give up.

Landing a solid blow to his stomach with her elbow, the string loosened, allowing her a much needed breath. She pulled at the gloved hands, leaning over to bite one, which gave her a few seconds of reprieve. He let her go as he howled in pain.

She pushed him off and rolled to her back, kicking at his knee caps. He fell backward, and Blake’s adrenaline shot through her. She moved toward the coffee table, grabbing the gun in the dark. She raised it just as the attacker stood up for round two. He took one step closer, and the next few moments passed in slow motion.

Blake’s finger poised on the trigger and pushed. The sound blasted into the silence, and she watched the figure fall backward with the aid of the street light shining into the house. She waited for more movement, staring at the figure until someone ran into the house, flipping on the lights.

Ryder stopped when he saw the body in the foyer. Gun drawn and pointed at the body, Blake met his eyes. Ryder had his weapon out, and she finally lowered her gun. She took a deep breath, but it didn’t help. Ryder crossed the room and knelt down to check the intruder’s pulse.

“He’s dead with one hell of a shot to his forehead.” He stood up and tucked his gun in its holster. “What happened?”

“I don’t know.” Blake dropped her gun and raised her shaky hands to her face. “I opened the door, and he knocked me to my knees. He wrapped a string around my neck. I was scared to death, and I fought him. I’d left my gun on the coffee table and I just pointed and shot.”

He stepped over the body and came toward her. He pulled her up from her spot on the floor and held her. “It’s okay.” He cupped the back of her head and held her against him. “Seth Cameron should have never been released.”

She pulled away and stared into his eyes. “Seth Cameron?”

“Yeah.” Ryder pressed his lips against her forehead. “I’m going to call it in. Why don’t you write your statement of what happened and have it ready for them by the time they get here.”

He sat her on the couch and went to make the call. Blake took out a notebook and started writing what she went through from the moment she stepped inside the house. She lay back on the couch and listened to Ryder talk.

“Okay. Thanks.” Ryder clicked the phone off and came to her. “They’re sending the team out. Do you need anything?” He knelt in front of her and brushed a piece of hair from her eyes.

She shook her head. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

Blake pushed Ryder out of her way as she ran down the hall. Sweat popped out of her pores, and she laid her head against her arm, kneeling in front of the toilet, closing her eyes.

Ryder ran a wash cloth through cool water and draped it on the back of her neck. “You thought he was Levi, didn’t you?”

She didn’t respond.

Ryder came closer, taking a seat on the side of the bathtub. “Maybe I should have shot him for you, in the parking lot?”

“You don’t need to go down for murder on my account.” She sat up and used the wash cloth to wipe her clammy face. “I wanted to shoot him. You have no idea how bad I wanted to pull the trigger.”

“What kept you from it?”

“I’m not like these people I put away. I don’t take people, no matter how evil, from their families. His mother is my mother’s best friend. He supposedly hasn’t talked with her in seven years—since right after I left. She loves him. I don’t know why, but she does. He’s her son and I pictured telling Willow he died on my account. I couldn’t do it.” She closed her eyes. “Plus you stepped in my way.”

Sirens wailed and lights flashed as the team pulled into the drive “I’m going to let them in.” Ryder stood and left the room without another word said.

* * * *

Seth Cameron had entered the house through a window Ryder and McKenna patched up. By the time Ryder cleaned up the mess and got the crew out of his house, it was nearly three in the morning. He flipped off the lights as he made his way to the bedroom where he left Blake. He didn’t bother asking her if she wanted to sleep alone, knowing she didn’t.

He entered the dimly lit room. Blake lay curled on her side in the middle of the bed wearing his shirt. He didn’t understand what had developed between them. In such a short time they went from being enemies to an old married couple. Ryder chuckled at the irony of it.

He pulled his shirt off and undid his pants, kicking them to the side. It’d been one hell of a day, and he couldn’t wait to crawl into bed. He turned to pull the blankets aside, and Blake’s eyes popped open.

“Just me.” He crawled in and lay back, pulling the blanket over his body. “Oh, I love my bed.”

She smiled, closing her eyes. “Turn out the light.”

He stared at her, at the red marks marring her neck. After they took the body away, he gave his partner Blake’s statement. Nobody debated that Seth Cameron’s death was anything but in self-defense. He and a few other co-workers tried to get her to go to the hospital for a check-up, but she refused.

Ryder rolled toward her and brushed his finger lightly against the red mark. Blake’s eyes opened, but she didn’t say anything. He traced the ugly marks before leaning down to kiss them, wishing he could erase everything that happened tonight. His hand slid to the side of her neck.

She pushed at him gently until he met her eyes. Hers filled with tears. She swatted at them, looking away as she did.

Ryder didn’t bother speaking. He moved only to turn off the light and returned to wrap his body around hers. He surrounded her as much as possible, hopefully reminding her she wasn’t alone.

She’d been alone for far too long.

Christmas came and neither Blake nor Ryder felt much like celebrating. They made plans with her family and her friends but avoided his completely. She wasn’t sure why.

Lilly greeted them with a hug when they entered and informed them dinner would be ready in twenty minutes. Her boyfriend, Mike, sat in the living room, scared out of his mind. He worked as a reporter, and cops weren’t necessarily his friends.

“Mom said Willow and Levi can’t make it to dinner.” Lilly took her seat next to her boyfriend and smiled, a bit awkwardly.“So, what’s new in the world of crime fighting?”

“Nothing we can disclose.” Blake sat next to Ryder on the couch. She didn’t know why he agreed to accompany her. Maybe because of the recent events or because he knew she didn’t want to face them alone—either way she liked his company.

He propped his arm on the back of the couch, turning his body in toward her. “What is it that you do, Lilly?”

She smiled. “I’m a pharmaceutical sales representative. I mainly cater to the hospitals in Minneapolis, but my territory is the entire state of Minnesota. I don’t do much overnight travel though.”

“That’s interesting.” Ryder’s fingers brushed against Blake’s arm.

They chatted a bit more until Lisa announced dinner was ready. Blake couldn’t wait to get the event over with and put it behind them.

“Blake, honey, you’re not eating much. Is everything okay?” Lisa’s worry showed on her face.

“I’m fine.”

Ryder slipped his arm around her, resting it casually on her chair. “We didn’t get much sleep last night. Work has got us putting in all kinds of crazy hours.”

“Do you want to lie down?” Lisa stared at her daughter. “You look pale. Are you sure you’re okay? Maybe you need to see a doctor.”

Blake shook her head. “I’m fine, Mom.”

Halfway through dinner, she developed a headache. It wasn’t an excuse to leave, but Ryder used it as such. She’d promised Betsy she’d stop by after leaving her mother’s, but she didn’t feel like doing that either. She called her friend to reschedule after the holidays.

“Are you okay?” Ryder asked as they pulled in his driveway.

“I don’t know.” She glanced out the window. “I think the case is getting to me. I want to solve it, but it seems we’re going in circles, and I haven’t got a clue what I’m supposed to be doing.”

He reached for her hand, brushing his fingers over hers. “It will get solved, but these things take time. Stop stressing over it.”

She met his eyes. “Holidays don’t help. I miss my dad. He taught me everything I know, and he’d know exactly which direction to go in with this case. I’ve thought about him more than once while working on this, and I can’t help but wonder what he would do.”

Ryder unbuckled his seatbelt. “You’re doing exactly what he’d do. Using your head. Come on, you need a break, and I’m going to take your mind off work.”

She pursed her lips. “What are you going to do?”

He grinned. “You’ll see.”

* * * *

Ryder fixed them both a cup of hot chocolate, started a fire, and put in an old Christmas movie, one he discovered she liked. He invited her to lie on the couch with him, and she surprised him by accepting the invitation.

Halfway through the movie, Blake glanced up. “Kiss me.”

He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. He didn’t know much about her, but he read the desire in her eyes. She wanted him.

“What was that about?”

She shrugged. “A lot of things.”

He didn’t bother asking any more questions. Blake curled against him, and he held her. He could take things slow. He didn’t mind her staying in his house or that she slept in his bed. She needed to feel safe and, evidently, being with him gave her that.

But they didn’t have sex.

They wouldn’t either until she was ready. He kissed the top of her head. It was a big step and something he didn’t want to rush. He liked being close to her, enjoying her company as much as anything else.. And somehow she’d developed into his friend.

She pushed up from his chest. “Are you ready to go to bed?”

“If you are.”

“I am. I want this day to be over.”

After he snuffed out the fire and locked the house up, she took his hand and led him to his bedroom. They crawled beneath the sheets and turned the lights out. He wasn’t anywhere near ready to fall asleep.

“Ryder?”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you for going with me today.” She rolled to her side and settled against him. “My family was more bearable with you there.”