Fear for Me (42 page)

“I tried to tell you yes.”

All of the breath left his lungs. He surged up. Wrapped his arms around her and held her carefully, so carefully.

Her hold on him was tight and hard—and so perfect.

“How is this going to work?” Lauren whispered. “With your job, how?”

He pulled away, just a few inches, so he could stare down at her. “I’m not a marshal anymore.”

“What?”

“I’m officially retired.” He gave her a smile. “I’m going to open a security business in town.” Giving up the job had been easy for him.

Wherever she was, that was where he needed to be.

“What happens now?” Lauren asked.

Her eyes were shining. Her lips waiting. Love…it was right there for him to see and touch and taste.

“Now we live.” He put his mouth to hers and knew their life together was truly beginning.

“It was a beautiful service.”

Lauren turned to see FBI Special Agent Cadence Hollow heading toward her. Kyle had flown back to Virginia, but Cadence had stayed a little longer.

Cadence had been checking in on Lauren, and helping Paul find the last of the victims.

When the police had searched Greg’s home, they’d discovered journals, diaries—dozens of them. All talking about his kills.

He’d planted a tree over each body. A special tree for his special girls. Love could be twisted for some.

Anthony’s hand brushed lightly over Lauren’s arm.

And love could be dark and dangerous and
perfect
for others.

“Your sister’s at peace now,” Cadence continued quietly. “You got justice for her.”

Lauren glanced at the flowers on the ground, the spot that would mark her sister’s resting place. A perfect spot right next to their parents. The service had been a long time coming, and now…
I still miss her just as much.

“What happened to him?” Lauren asked the profiler. “What made Greg turn out…”

Like this?

“We talked to some of his old neighbors. As a kid, he was caught killing a lady’s cat. Skinning a dog.”

Lauren shuddered.

“The behavior stopped after his parents sent him to a group therapy home, so they thought everything was back to normal for him.”

Anthony wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close against him.

Cadence’s stare moved between them. “Sometimes, it’s hard to stay what turns one man into a killer but makes another the hero. The protector. Both have the same capacity within them for good and evil.”

Some were just evil, hiding behind good.

“From his journal entries, we learned that Greg and Jon actually met at the therapy group. Their parents were trying to get them help, but it just didn’t work.” The wind lifted her hair, and Cadence brushed it back. “He helped Jon get out of prison. A week before the escape, Greg was at Angola, supposedly for a consult. We think he found a way to talk with Jon then.”

“Do you believe some people are born evil?” Lauren asked.

“Yes.” Her voice was flat. “After all I’ve seen…” There were ghosts in Cadence’s eyes, shadows of terrible memories. “I do.” Cadence straightened her shoulders and offered Lauren her hand. “I’ll be leaving tonight. Got a call about another case.”

“There’s always another one,” Anthony murmured.

Always another monster waiting in the wings.

Cadence nodded. “But at least we took two down.” She shook Anthony’s hand. “Enjoy your happiness. Few people ever get to be truly happy.” Her eyes were sincere. “I envy you that happiness.”

She turned away and walked slowly from the cemetery.

Goose bumps rose on Lauren’s arms as she watched Cadence leave. The woman spent her days in the minds of killers—why?

I prosecute to give victims their justice. I do it because of Jenny.

What had made Cadence so determined to go after real-life monsters?

“Are you ready to go?” Anthony asked as she turned to face him.

A line of stubble darkened his hard jaw, making him look even sexier than normal.

Her sexy
ex-
marshal. “I’m ready.”

Ready to walk away from the past and start looking toward the future.

The future that waited, with him.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you so much to the wonderful Amazon Montlake team! Working with you is a pleasure!

And to my amazing readers—thank you (from the bottom of my heart!) for all of your support. Thank you for the e-mails and messages that you have sent to me. Your support is truly incredible.

Don’t miss the next chilling romantic suspense from Cynthia Eden!

SCREAM FOR ME

A NOVEL OF THE NIGHT HUNTER

Available spring 2014 on
Amazon.com

His prey stumbled through the dark parking lot, teetering in her high heels, swaying as she tried to brace her body against the old sedan. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her slender shoulders were slumped.

Voices and laughter drifted in the night. The last few bar patrons slowly staggered away.

They didn’t acknowledge the woman. They were too busy
trying
to stay upright.

He was the only one who watched her.

She wasn’t drunk. That wasn’t why she swayed. The woman was bone tired. Lily Adams had worked a double shift, staying far later at Striker’s than she normally did. She had to be so very weary.

She shouldn’t work so hard. If she wasn’t careful, little Lily was going to work herself straight into an early grave.

She finally got the car door unlocked. Lily slid into her sedan. Cranked the engine. It sputtered, then died. Lily tried again, obviously used to this routine.

It was a routine he’d watched before.

A few minutes later, after a few more false starts, her car backed out of the lot.

He waited a beat, then followed her.

When she turned on the old, long stretch of highway that would take her back to the little ranch house she had off of County Road 12, he was close. So close. His headlights were turned off, and sweet Lily Adams had no clue she was being hunted.

The hunt was always so much fun. Not the best part, of course, but still…

He enjoyed it. The hunt built the anticipation. Let him know of the pleasures to come.

He kept track of the miles as they passed. It was important to keep track because he’d planned this so perfectly.

Up ahead, her car began to slow. To sputter.
Right on time.

When the sedan stopped completely, he smiled and flashed on his lights.

The road was instantly bright, the headlights falling straight on Lily and her car. She hadn’t gotten out of the vehicle. Sometimes, they did. When their cars stopped, they would jump out. They tried to lift the hood, tried to see what was wrong.

Tried to fix what couldn’t be fixed.

But Lily wasn’t moving.

He parked behind her. Took a breath. Let the anticipation build even more. Then he slid from his vehicle and headed toward her.

Lily’s windows were rolled up. Were her doors locked? He didn’t pull on the handle to find out. Not yet. He knew better than to be too eager.

“Ma’am?” He shone his flashlight into her window. “Are you having some trouble?”

She turned toward him, her eyes wide and worried. Fear was on her face.

She had a cell phone to her ear.

His back teeth locked. She needed to ditch that phone.

“Do you need some help?” he asked her, making sure his voice had just the right amount of concern. He knew she couldn’t see him clearly, not with his cap pulled low and the light aimed at her, not him. It was too dark for her to see his face.

Lily Adams didn’t like the dark. It was why she tried to avoid the late shifts at Striker’s. She would hate being out on the road all alone.

Hate it. Fear it.

“I’m fine!” Lily called out, and she didn’t roll down her window. Good, cautious girl.

He liked girls like Lily. They were the ones who followed orders so well.

“Help is coming,” she told him with a little nod.

Poor Lily. Help wouldn’t get there in time.

He deliberately angled the light so it fell on his own body. Not his face. Just his body. “Help’s right here, ma’am.”

The flashlight glinted off his badge.

His knuckles rapped lightly on the window. “Now, roll this down so we can talk.”

Lily hesitated. He saw her eyes dart to the rearview mirror. Probably trying to make out his patrol car.

He’d left his bright lights on, so she wouldn’t be able to clearly see his car.

This wasn’t his first time. He knew better than to make any mistakes.

The window slid down with a faint grinding sound.

He didn’t smile, but he sure wanted to.

“What seems to be the trouble?” he asked as he leaned toward her. With the window down, her scent wrapped around him. Strawberries. Beer.

“I don’t know, Officer. My car just stopped.” She still had her phone clutched tightly in her right hand. Was someone on the other end?

He let a worried frown pull his brows low. “Why don’t you step out of the vehicle and we’ll take a look, okay? If I can’t get it working for you, then I can always give you a ride home.”

She nodded, her full lips quivering a little. Lily was scared.

“It’s not safe for you to be alone out here,” he chastised her. “You never know what’s waiting in the dark.”

Lily put down her phone.

No one had been on the phone. Her line about help coming had been a bluff.

She reached for the door handle, then her hand froze. Lily tilted back her head. “I don’t recognize you.”

Why would she? She hadn’t
seen
him, just heard his voice—heard what he wanted her to hear.

“I thought I knew most of the cops in this area.”

Lily was going to make things difficult. He’d thought she would be easy prey. For the most part, she had been.

He adjusted the flashlight, making sure it fell right on her face. “Have you been drinking?” his voice snapped. “Ma’am, I smell alcohol on you. Step from the vehicle,
now
.”

“No! I—” She shoved open the car door and rushed out. “I work at a sports bar, Striker’s. Some beer spilled on me earlier, and I—”

He grabbed her. Shoved one hand over her mouth even as the other yanked her tightly against him. His flashlight fell to the ground with a clatter. “I know just what you’ve been doing, Lily.”

Her screams were muffled against his hand.

She tried to fight him, but Lily was small, petite. Weak. He lifted her up, carried her easily, and in seconds, he’d dumped her in his trunk.

Her cries rose from the trunk. Loud. Desperate.

It was two a.m. They were in the middle of fucking nowhere. Who did she really think would hear her screams?

He whistled as he walked back to pick up his flashlight.

Then he shut her door. Left her purse and phone behind.

When he climbed back into his car, Lily was still screaming. He wasn’t ready to enjoy her screams, not yet. He turned on the radio.

And drove away.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Photo by Nicholas Roussos, 2011

A Southern girl with a penchant for both horror movies and happy endings,
USA Today
best-selling author Cynthia Eden has written more than two dozen tales of paranormal romance and romantic suspense. Her books have received starred reviews from
Publishers Weekly
, and her novel
Deadly Fear
was named a RITA finalist for best romantic suspense. She currently lives in Alabama.