Need Me (4 page)

Desire—hot and hard for her.

Fury—at the asshole in the picture with her. At the bastard who’d taken the picture. At any man who’d touched her.

Because I should be with her.

Yeah, his reactions to her were totally off the charts, and he had to get his self-control back, pronto. He didn’t know what it was about Julianna that set him off, but he had to be very careful with her.

The light changed. He accelerated.

“I didn’t lie to you.”

Devlin could feel her stare on him.

“I didn’t have a lover. And I…I hadn’t been with my husband, not since our wedding night. I couldn’t stand the thought of him touching me. He could make me stay in that house with him, but I wasn’t going to have sex with him. Not after I-I learned what he was really like.”

He nearly slammed on the brakes. He did tighten his hold on the steering wheel. His grip was so hard he was amazed he hadn’t ripped the thing right away from the dash. “You weren’t fucking your husband?”

“We were married for two months before he died. Two of the most hellish months of my life. We had sex in the beginning of our relationship, but…” Her voice trailed away. “You were right about my wrist.” From the corner of his eye, Devlin saw her flex her wrist. “But that was only the start.”

The sonofabitch. He forced his back teeth to unclench. “He can’t hurt you anymore.”

Her mocking laughter filled the SUV. “He can’t, but someone else out there sure seems determined to destroy me.”

Yes, someone sure as hell did.

“He was having an affair with his assistant, okay?” Now her voice was even colder. “And I was glad because it meant that he would leave me the hell alone. I might have been stuck in that house with him, but he wasn’t going to be in my bed. That wasn’t happening.” She drew in a shaking breath. “And is there any more of my soul that I have to bare to you right now?”

“Not now,” he told her, his voice soft.
But soon, you’ll tell me everything.

***

It wasn’t surprising that Julianna had found a new lover. A dumb fool who’d lie for her. She’d probably batted her lashes, fed the idiot some lame-ass story about her past, and the guy had fallen for her.

She would use him, just as she used the others. Julianna was rotten, straight to her core. Others might be fooled by her—

But not me.

The SUV was a few blocks ahead. Julianna was in that vehicle—with the new lover. The lover who’d been there when Julianna’s car exploded earlier.
You should have burned, too, Julianna.
Everything had been planned out so nicely. Julianna and Holliwell both should be dead. Two more loose ends eliminated.

Only Julianna was still very much alive and breathing. The police had found the photos of her and Holliwell, and they’d done
nothing.

At the very least, Julianna should have been thrown into a jail cell. Instead, she was riding off into the night. She wasn’t going to escape, though. There would be no happy ending for her.

Soon enough, she’d be joining Jeremy in the ground.

Soon enough…

“Okay, buddy…” Lex Jensen paced in Devlin’s kitchen. A new day had dawned and streaks of sunlight spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows. “Want to tell me why you’re alibiing that woman? And, hey, do me a favor…save us both some time. Cut through the bullshit and give me the truth.”

Devlin took a slow sip of his coffee. He wasn’t particularly surprised by Lex’s early morning visit. He’d figured that Sophie would tell her lover all about that little chat in the interrogation room. Honestly, he was just surprised Lex hadn’t shown up sooner.

“You’re a suspicious SOB,” Lex continued, frowning a bit. “Hell, you even warned me off Sophie, and we both know what a dick move that was.”

Devlin’s brows shot up. “I was looking after you. You didn’t know if you could trust that woman—”

Lex snapped his fingers together. “Exactly. But you know what I didn’t do? I didn’t give her some half-assed alibi when she was suspected of murder!” His lips thinned. “You don’t usually go lust blind where a woman’s concerned. What the hell is so special about Julianna?”

And then he heard it. The faintest rustle of clothing.
Finally
, Julianna hadn’t managed to catch him completely off-guard. He shifted position, glancing around Lex, and he saw Julianna in the hallway.

He knew she must have heard Lex’s question because her cheeks were flushed. It was rather interesting to meet a woman who could still blush, and he certainly wouldn’t have pegged Julianna as that type.

“Um, hi,” Julianna said rather awkwardly.

Devlin threw a shark’s smile toward Lex. “With all the drama last night, I don’t know if you
officially
met our new client. This is Julianna.”

Lex swung toward her.

“And this is Lex Jensen.”

Julianna was dressed in jeans and a shirt. He’d pulled some strings and his doorman had managed to pick up those clothes from some shop and have them delivered first thing. She looked damn good in those jeans—they hugged her body oh-so-well. Her blonde hair slid over her shoulders as she moved forward to offer her hand to Lex.

Lex’s fingers closed around hers. “You don’t look like a killer.”

Shit. The guy had zero tact.

Lex freed her hand. “But then again, anyone
can
be a killer. It’s all about the circumstances, right? About the things that can push us over the edge.”

She put her hands behind her back and glanced at Devlin. “Your friend is a serious ray of sunshine first thing in the morning.”

Devlin laughed. He just couldn’t help it. Her words were the last thing he’d expected.

Julianna’s lips curled in the faintest of responses.

Lex didn’t laugh. If anything, the guy just appeared grimmer.

“I’m going back to the scene of the murder today,” Devlin said, trying to draw Lex’s focus. “I want to make sure I fully understand just what went down.”

Lex’s brows climbed. “There is no way the cops will let you anywhere near Ray Holliwell’s place. You know the crime scene techs are going to still be there.”

For a while, yes, they would be. But that wasn’t the scene he’d meant. “Julianna’s house.
That’s
where I’m heading.”

She wasn’t blushing then. She seemed to get a bit paler.

He stared straight at her as he said, “I want to see where Jeremy died. I want you to walk me through every moment that you remember.”

She shifted a bit, moving back with her right foot. “Why? You think you’re going to magically see something that the cops overlooked?” Julianna gave a negative shake of her head. “It’s not going to happen.”

“I want to see where he died,” Devlin said again. But, more than that, he planned to search that whole house, from top to bottom. Her case was fucked up, and he had to get a handle on it, and her, fast. “Someone tried to kill you yesterday,” he said.

“Like I need that reminder.”

He wouldn’t let his lips twitch. “Don’t you want to know why you’re in a killer’s sights? Because I’m vaguely curious.”

“Hell,” Lex muttered.

“Vaguely?” Julianna said at the same time.

“We’re going to your house.” He nodded decisively. “You’ll show me where the bastard—I mean, Jeremy—died, and then you’ll give me full access to every computer in the house.”

“The police confiscated those. Nothing you can use is there now.”

He wasn’t so sure about that. “I want to see the house, Julianna. I want to see everything.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“And while we’re checking out that scene…” Devlin glanced over at Lex. “Are you up to learning more about Holliwell?” Lex had been injured—too badly—while protecting Sophie recently. The guy should probably be at home, curled in bed with the delectable Sophie, and not out hunting killers.

“Hell, yeah, I’m up for it,” Lex said instantly, but then he stalked toward Devlin. Lowering his voice, he said, “You once warned me not to fall for a client.”

Advice that Lex had totally ignored. The guy had been addicted to Sophie from the first moment.

“Maybe you need that warning, too, bro. Just because a woman looks innocent, it doesn’t mean that she is.” He backed away and inclined his head toward Julianna. “I’ll be seeing you both again soon. And, don’t worry, I know how to let myself out.”

His footsteps faded away. Julianna stood, a bit uncertainly, a few feet from Devlin. “Your friend doesn’t like me,” she finally said.

He shook his head. Devlin drained his coffee and put down the cup. “No,” he said quietly, “he just doesn’t trust you. There’s a huge difference between the two things.”

“I’m not so sure there is.”

“Don’t worry about Lex. Sophie and I can keep him on track.” Sophie wouldn’t let the guy go after her client.

Julianna nodded. She turned to leave the room, then hesitated. “Thanks for letting me stay here last night. I appreciate your kindness, and I—”

He hurried forward and caught her arm. They needed to clear up a few things. “I’m not a kind man.” He certainly hadn’t ever been accused of that before.

She looked up at him. Unfortunately, she looked even sexier to him that day than she had before—with her hair loose, she was achingly beautiful.

No wonder Lex was warning me to be careful.
Lex would be able to read him too well, and his partner would know Devlin wanted Julianna.

Too many men probably wanted her. Did she use that desire against them? Maybe. But she wouldn’t be twisting him. He could handle desire. He could fuck her all night long. And then, if she turned out to be a killer, he could still walk away.

No problem.

Lex had let his emotions rule him. He’d fallen fast and he’d fallen hard. Devlin wouldn’t be making that mistake.

“What kind of man are you?” Julianna asked him, her head tilted just a bit as if she were trying to figure him out.

He smiled at her and his fingers rose to slide over the curve of her cheek. “I’m the kind you don’t want as an enemy.”
So don’t lie to me, baby. Don’t use me…or I’ll make you pay.

***

A prison had never been so beautiful. Julianna stared up at the mansion—a freaking huge historical home surrounded by perfectly groomed acres that stretched and stretched. Jeremy had believed in showing his wealth. Flaunting it. When he saw something he wanted, he took it.

Whether it was a family home that had been protected for generations…like the estate he’d practically stolen from its previous owners.

Or a business that he’d decided he should own, despite the protests of the men and women who’d grown the place from the ground up.

Or…
or me.

Some days, Julianna hated herself for being so blind. So trusting. She should have learned her lesson long ago. She hadn’t.

“So, are we going to hang out here all morning?” Devlin drawled.

Julianna realized she’d been staring up at the mansion for far too long. Flinching a bit, she hurried up to the door. Once, Jeremy had kept a full staff there—maids, a cook, even an honest-to-goodness butler. But he’d gotten rid of most of the staff after her first accident.

Accident, my ass.

She’d given a severance package to the last of the employees after Jeremy’s death. She just hadn’t wanted anyone there, watching her. No, worse, she hadn’t trusted them. They’d been Jeremy’s employees. Employees who’d seen what he did to her, and who’d said nothing.

She unlocked the door and stepped inside. As always, the cavernous place felt cold to her. Icy. Rather like a tomb. She crossed the marble floor of the foyer, heading toward the large staircase—a spiral staircase that curved toward the second floor.

Devlin gave a low whistle as he glanced around. “Nice place. I can see why you wouldn’t want to leave.”

His words pissed her off. There he went—making judgments about her.
And the guy lived in a penthouse!
Like he could really throw stones her way.

Julianna sucked in a deep breath. Then another. She wanted to tell him that she’d been
forced
to stay. But Julianna knew she had to play things carefully. Her life was—still literally—on the line.

Devlin approached her, and in that too big house, his steps seemed to echo. “You been staying here alone?”

“I’ve been staying at a hotel. I just come back when I need fresh clothes.” How to explain that she hated this place? That she couldn’t wait to sell it? But selling wasn’t allowed, not just yet. Jeremy’s will was being held up and Sophie had told her she had to play it cool and
not
do anything that would make her look guilty.

Or, rather, guiltier.

“Show me where you found him.”

Right. That’s why they were there. Julianna straightened her shoulders and headed into the den. She pointed to the right. “The giant blood stain is gone.” Thank goodness. “I had the carpeting replaced in here once the police were done, but Jeremy was there. He died
there.
”

“Was he face up or face down?”

She blinked. Julianna had figured he’d read all the gory details already, but perhaps he just wanted to hear her tell him about that terrible night. “He was on his stomach, but his face was turned—turned toward me. His hand was out.” As if he’d been reaching for her. She cleared her throat and pointed a bit to the left. “I was here. I mean, I woke up here.”

He paced closer to the spot she’d indicated. A positon just a few feet from Jeremy’s elaborate bar. Made of old, antique cherry wood, the bar gleamed. Jeremy had always kept that bar well stocked. And the crystal glasses that were oh-so-perfectly arranged on the bar—and on the shelves behind it—shined.

“He was dead when I woke up,” Julianna said. She’d told others that same line so many times.

But Devlin didn’t reply. Instead, he started opening the bar’s cabinet doors.

She frowned. The bar wasn’t so well stocked now. “There’s nothing here…no booze at all.” She cleared her throat. “The cops confiscated everything. I haven’t exactly been interested in restocking.”

Devlin nodded. “Did you have a lot to drink the night your husband died?”

Again, it was a question the police had asked her, too. “I-I remember having one glass of wine.” A glass for courage. That was how she’d remembered it.

Devlin tilted his head as he studied her. “Just one?”

Tell him.
If he was going to protect her, if he was going to face the danger surrounding her, then she had to tell him a little more. Not everything, of course, but more of the truth. “That night, I was telling Jeremy that I was done. That I wouldn’t stay. That he couldn’t make me stay.” Her shoulders lifted in a faint shrug. “He gave me the drink, trying to get me to calm down.”

“And…did you calm down?”

She rubbed her temples, wishing for the hundredth time that she could remember. “I have no idea. I remember he grabbed my shoulder…” Her hand fell to her shoulder. It had been bruised the next day, bruised with the perfect impression of fingertips. The cops had said that bruise proved she’d fought with her husband—and then killed him. “I don’t know what happened after that.”

Devlin just nodded.

“Do you believe me?” As soon as she said those words, Julianna wished that she could pull them back. Why did it matter if he believed her? No one else—except Sophie—did. Everybody else in town thought of her as a cold-blooded killer.

“Why were you leaving him then?” He started to pace the room. Opening drawers. Rifling through the books on the shelves. “Why that night, Julianna? What was so special about
that
night?”

I was leaving because I knew he couldn’t trap me anymore.
Her lips thinned. She had to tread very carefully now. The wrong word would incriminate her and—

“He had an office here, right? Show it to me.”

She spun on her heel. “It’s not going to do any good.” His footsteps followed her from the room. “The cops took his computers. I told you that. There’s nothing here for you to find.”

“Let me be the judge of that.”

They entered Jeremy’s study. His desk—a big, antique desk that had cost a ridiculous amount of money—sat in the center of the room.
Jeremy had loved his antiques—he loved anything that he thought showed his wealth and power.

She didn’t fully enter that room. She could
feel
Jeremy there. She could feel that bastard everywhere. A ghost that wouldn’t stop haunting her.

Devlin began opening the desk drawers. His dark head bent over the desk and for a moment—just a moment—she could see Jeremy. His hair had been dark, too. Maybe a shade lighter than Devlin’s. Shorter. Jeremy had been in that office, sitting at that desk. So cold and arrogant as he told her…

I own you now, Julianna. You’re mine, body and soul. And if you leave me, I will destroy you.

He’d had the means to carry out his threat. He’d had—

“Julianna?”

She blinked.

“What’s wrong?”

She rubbed her arms. “This is a waste of time. There’s nothing here to—”

He held up a flash drive. “I found this taped under the top desk drawer. The cops really should have been more thorough when they searched.”

Her jaw dropped. Julianna took a quick step forward, then stopped, catching herself.