Deadly Fallout (Red Stone Security Series Book 10) (15 page)

Sawyer’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Thanks. I’ll let Zoe know. Any news?”

The other man sighed. “Nothing solid. Klein’s wife gave me a list of possible women her ex either had an affair with or was possibly still having one with. She hadn’t talked to him in months and isn’t sure he was sleeping with all of them, but she had her suspicions. It’s pretty extensive for one guy.” He sounded disgusted.

“You want Zoe to look at it?” Maybe she knew one or more of the women, which might not mean anything at all, but it could be a help if there was some connection to Zoe and Klein that intersected somewhere.

“Yeah, I’ve just emailed it to her but wanted to give you guys a head’s up in case she wasn’t checking often. You sure you guys are doing good?”

“Yeah, locked down tight. Security system’s top of the line and I’m armed.”

After a few more minutes of small talk, they disconnected and he relayed the message to Zoe.

She slid off her seat, barely concealed hope in her eyes. “I’m going to grab my phone and check my email.”

“I’ll head up with you. Once you’ve read it, we can use the hot tub on the upper deck.” Because even if someone was using a high-powered rifle with night vision—from a boat on the ocean—they were still safe on the upper deck. He’d already scouted it out and the layout gave them privacy from the beach. His brother had had the house built that way, so they could still use the hot tub in the winter and be blocked from the ocean wind. Of course the two heaters in the hot tub alcove would keep them warm too.

Her eyes glinted with lust as she nodded. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

He might hate that the situation was so bad Zoe was forced into hiding, but he was glad things between them had moved so fast. He didn’t plan on slowing down either. He wanted everything from Zoe and convincing her that he was in this for the long-term was going to involve a lot of naked time together if he had anything to say about it.

Chapter 13

Zoe slid into the hot tub, embracing the heat as it enveloped her. Sawyer had been right, this was a great idea. The alarm on the house was set and unless someone used a grappling hook, they weren’t getting to the upper deck. Even though it was on the second floor, it was technically three stories up because the first level was on stilts so she wasn’t worried about someone climbing up to attack them.

Since Sawyer wasn’t either, she was letting herself relax. As much as she could anyway. The day spent with Sawyer had been therapeutic.

“What are you thinking?” Sawyer asked, stepping into the water and sitting next to her. He’d slid his gun under one of the towels, keeping it close just in case.

Which was fine with her. She shifted and turned sideways, putting her feet in his lap, thinking that they would be naked in a few minutes. She wasn’t even sure why they’d bothered with bathing suits. “That this is a weird kind of vacation but there’s nowhere else I want to be right now.”

He gave her one of those boyish grins that made butterflies take off inside her. Sawyer was all man, with a rugged face, sharp lines and striations showcasing all his muscles, but sometimes when he smiled he looked a decade younger. The man was sexy and adorable at the same time. “I agree.”

“You sure you’re not going to get in trouble at work for this?” She held up her hands when he frowned, his expression darkening. He’d already reassured her, but she still felt bad that she’d pulled him away from a new job. “I’m just making sure. Taking a management position with Red Stone is a big deal.”

He sighed but nodded. “Trust me, it’s fine. I explained everything to Porter Caldwell and he was more than happy to let me off to help you.”

“Happy?” Zoe had met all the Caldwell brothers and they were pretty intense. So was Sawyer, but still, she couldn’t imagine Porter being ‘happy’ to let Sawyer take time off so soon after starting.

Sawyer nodded. “Apparently you helped out Red Stone not too long ago when one of their agents was kidnapped. Got them access to the hospital’s security feeds without involving law enforcement?”

“Oh, right.” She hadn’t forgotten, but she hadn’t realized Porter Caldwell had known about it. Though she should have. “I had to go on a date with someone for that,” she muttered, remembering how annoyed she’d been at the time. And relieved when everything had worked out.

Sawyer laughed. “I take it everything ended up okay?”

She nodded. “Yep. The woman doesn’t work for Red Stone anymore and as far as I know, she actually freed herself from the kidnapper, but things definitely worked out since she’s now blissfully married to an honest to goodness billionaire.” Her brother had gone to their wedding over the summer.

Sawyer let out a low whistle.

“I know, right?”

Sawyer started massaging one of her feet, his knuckles rubbing over her arch, his eyes going heavy-lidded as he watched her. “So, you don’t mind breaking the rules just a little bit, huh?”

Grinning, she started to answer when Sawyer stilled and dropped her foot. He turned, going for his gun when she heard, then
saw
the problem.

Viola was standing in the doorway to the bedroom, a gun pointed directly at Sawyer’s chest.

Zoe’s heart felt as if it stopped as she watched the other woman step out onto the deck, her normally sleek black hair a tangled mess around her pretty face. Her blue eyes were glassy and her black jacket and jogging pants were shredded in places.
What. The. Hell.

“Don’t move a muscle!” Viola snapped, her hands shaking. She couldn’t know Sawyer had a weapon hidden, or Zoe didn’t think the woman did.

Zoe felt frozen, unable to look away from the barrel of the gun. As a surgeon, she’d seen firsthand exactly how deadly they could be, what a bullet could do to someone’s insides. And right now a maniac was pointing one at the man she’d fallen for. Her stomach roiled.

“No one’s moving,” Sawyer said, his voice incredibly calm.

That was what tugged Zoe out of her frozen state. She cleared her throat and focused on Viola’s rage-filled face. “Viola, what’s going on?” Somehow, her voice didn’t shake.

The woman’s gaze and weapon trained on Zoe. “It’s all your fault he’s dead!”

Next to her Sawyer stiffened a fraction, but he didn’t make any sudden moves. Zoe swallowed hard, trying to remain calm. “Who is dead?”

“Braddock, you idiot.” Her voice and hands shook again, making Zoe tense.

“I didn’t kill him.”

Viola’s jaw clenched. “I know that. I did, but it’s your fault. He was happy with me, had even left his wife, but the second he strolls back into town he had to see you. It was always about you,” she spat, her eyes glittering with surprising tears.

Zoe stared at the woman in confusion and terror. It sounded a lot like her stalker had had a stalker of his own. And Viola was clearly certifiable. Zoe was terrified but knew she needed to keep Viola talking, anything to keep the woman focused on her and not Sawyer. “Why did you get a job at Gerard’s practice?” Because Viola had started working there after Zoe had. That couldn’t be a coincidence.

Next to Zoe, Sawyer shifted a fraction. It was subtle, the movement barely discernible over the bubbles of the jets.

Her blue eyes narrowed angrily. “To keep an eye on you. I knew you were after Braddock but I thought maybe you’d moved on when you quit at the hospital, when you realized you couldn’t have him. That he was
mine
.”

Zoe forced her expression to remain bland, not to reveal her ‘what the hell’ face to Viola. That was when it hit her. What she’d just read in that email from Carlito. “Your first name is Courtney.” There had been a Courtney
V
Rice in the list of names Detective Duarte had sent her. Viola Rice. It was too much of a coincidence that a woman with the same last name of Rice was on that list. Zoe wished she’d figured that out sooner, but it probably wouldn’t have done her any good because Viola had somehow gotten into this house past the security system undetected. Zoe couldn’t figure out how.

When Viola didn’t respond, Zoe continued. “Do you need medical help?” Zoe motioned to the scrapes and cuts visible where her clothes were ripped. Had she gotten cut with glass?

Viola snorted. “Don’t act like you care. Get up. Both of you!” She whipped her gaze to Sawyer, but kept the weapon trained on Zoe.

A surreal iciness filled Zoe’s veins as she looked at Sawyer. He nodded and slowly stood with her.

“What do you plan to do with us?” Sawyer asked, his movements glacially slow as he stepped onto where he’d been sitting.

Zoe couldn’t tell if he was going to go for the weapon or if he was just moving slowly because he didn’t want to startle Viola.

“Maybe a murder-suicide.” She laughed, the eerie sound bouncing off the walls of the small alcove, the wind whistling over the ocean creepy background music.

“No one will ever believe that,” Zoe said, stepping up onto the seat too.

“And you’re never going to do anything with the safety on,” Sawyer said, derision in his voice.

Viola frowned and turned the gun to the side to inspect it. That was all the distraction Sawyer needed.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as he dove for the towel covering his gun. Instinct kicked in as Zoe jumped in the opposite direction over the hot tub ledge. Staying separated would make it harder for Viola to shoot them both.

Viola screamed and swiveled toward Zoe, gun raised. There was nowhere to go.

Pop. Pop. Pop.

Bracing for the pain, Zoe cringed, all the muscles in her body pulling taut as she landed on the wooden deck with a thud. Viola just stood there, staring eerily at Zoe.

Her heart beat out of control. Had she been shot? Too stunned to move, she flinched when the gun tumbled from Viola’s fingers, rolling along the ground before hitting the water with a splash. That was when Zoe saw the hole in the woman’s forehead. Eyes wide but not seeing anything, Viola fell to her knees before falling onto her face. The other two shots she’d heard must have hit her in the chest, but it was impossible to tell with all that black clothing.

Just like that, the slow motion seemed to speed up like a video fast-forwarding.

“Zoe!” Sawyer was around the big hot tub before Zoe had fully stood, gathering her into his arms. He held her shoulders and raked a gaze over her body from head to toe, inspecting her for a wound that wasn’t there.

She had a dozen questions, like how the hell that maniac had gotten into the house or even found them, but she didn’t care about
any
of them right now. Sawyer was alive and so was she. If only she could stop shaking. Her teeth chattered out of control and she was vaguely aware that shock was seeping into her system.

Oh, God.
They’d almost died. If it hadn’t been for Sawyer, she’d definitely be dead.
Sobbing, she buried her face against his chest, letting him comfort her as she soaked up all his strength. Her nightmare was over.

Chapter 14

One week later

Sawyer glanced up from snagging one of Tanice’s sugar cookies, then paused when he saw Vincent entering the kitchen. Tension seemed to follow, but Sawyer just ignored it.

Zoe had sent him into the kitchen to grab another bottle of champagne and it had been impossible not to eat another cookie before leaving. She might hate to cook but her mom sure could—and had promised him years of home cooked meals. As if he needed a reason to stay with Zoe. He nearly snorted at the thought.

Vincent opened the refrigerator and grabbed another bottle of champagne, but kept his gaze on Sawyer. “I think we’re going to need two.”

Sawyer nodded. Things were still awkward between him and Vincent but after he’d saved Zoe’s life the other man had seemed to realize he wasn’t going anywhere. Which was good, because he wasn’t and he didn’t want strife with his future brother-in-law. Not that he’d actually asked Zoe to marry him yet, or even told her he loved her, but it was coming. He felt it in his bones.

Vincent shut the door but didn’t make a move to leave the room. “Listen, I was a dick—back in California and at Zoe’s house—and I’m fucking sorry.”

“Your mom make you apologize?”

Vincent let out a bark of laughter and shook his head. “No, but she would if she knew what I’d done.” He scrubbed a hand over his buzzed hair. “Seriously, man, I really am sorry. It’s obvious Zoe cares about you or she’d have never brought you to meet the family and I just want her to be happy.”

“I do too.” More than his next breath.

“Yeah, I kinda figured that.” He paused, watching Sawyer intently. “So how serious are you two?”

Sawyer picked up the champagne bottle he’d left on the counter and two cookies for good measure. He didn’t need to tell Vincent anything, but he was Zoe’s brother and despite their history, a good man at his core. Besides, as a fellow SEAL, even if they hadn’t been in the same class, they’d always be part of the same brotherhood. And Sawyer didn’t want any tension between them so he went for honesty. “I don’t know about her, but she’s it for me.” Though he hoped she felt the same way about him.

After what had happened in Saint Augustine, he was grateful to be able to hold Zoe in his arms, to see her every day. The fact that a woman had managed to break into the beach house—using a small, high stained-glass window from one of the downstairs guest bathrooms as her point of entrance—still gave him nightmares. He’d checked the entire house multiple times and he’d known that window hadn’t been linked to the security system—because no one should have been able to get through the damn thing. But Viola Rice had clawed her way through it, not caring that she’d sliced herself up to get to Zoe. And the police had eventually figured out that she’d tracked Zoe using a locator program on her phone. Fucking technology.