Scream for Me (6 page)

Grunts and moans came from behind her gag. He could remove the gag, let her talk, let her scream. No one would hear her screams here.

No one ever heard the screams here.

In silence, he crossed to Lily’s side.

His fingers trailed over her cheek.

She jerked back, shuddering. More grunts. Moans.

He shook his head. “You have a lot to learn, Lily.” He bent and pressed a kiss to her temple. She tried to head butt him.

He smiled.
One free pass, Lily. Punishment will come next
. “It’s okay, I have plenty of time to teach you.”

Just as he’d taught the others.

If Lily didn’t learn her lessons, if she didn’t do exactly as she should…

She’d join the ones who’d disappointed him.

CHAPTER THREE

They’d spent hours searching the woods. Long, grueling hours of trudging through the heat. Chasing after the dogs.

They’d turned up nothing. Not even the faintest of scents had been detected by the canines. They’d searched the woods. Searched abandoned houses in the area. Old cabins. No matter where they went, they couldn’t find a trace of Lily.

Night had fallen. The heavy, thick darkness that Kyle knew meant—

“We have to stop searching for tonight,” James said as he ran a weary hand over his damp forehead. The captain had been alternating between checking in the town for Lily and combing the woods. The damn seemingly endless woods. “The men are exhausted, and the dogs are so worn out, they can’t track anymore.”

Not that there seemed to be anything to track.

Kyle figured Lily’s abductor had taken her away in a vehicle. There were no scents to track around Lily’s car. The guy
must
have taken her that way. After he’d gotten her in his car, the SOB could have just kept driving, leaving Paradox in his rearview mirror.

Lily’s face was being splashed across the TV screens in the Southeast right then. The FBI had opened a tip line for anyone who had information on her.

They were trying everything they could to find her, but so far, they were turning up nothing.

No prints had been found on her car—well, no prints other than Lily’s and her mother’s. The driver’s side door appeared to have been wiped clean. No one at Striker’s remembered seeing anything unusual the night she’d vanished.

No one could remember
anything
that would help Lily.

“We’ll be back out here at oh six hundred,” James said as he inclined his head toward Kyle.

Right, 0600. As soon as light streaked across the sky, the search would start again.

But what would happen to Lily during those dark hours?

What had already happened to her?

James turned away. He took a step and stumbled.

Kyle reached out and grabbed his arm to steady him. “You okay?”

A muscle flexed in James’s jaw. “Just a slip.”

Was it? Because Kyle had just noticed that the captain’s hands were shaking again, too. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

James shook his head. “It’s been a long day, and I’m not quite as strong as I used to be.” He gave Kyle a grim smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back and ready to go tomorrow. I’m gonna help you find Lily and the SOB who took her.”

He knew James wanted justice. But the captain’s speech was a little ragged, and Kyle couldn’t help but wonder if more than exhaustion was weighing on the man.

When James left, Kyle stared at the twisted mass of woods. Voices rumbled behind him. Engines growled as vehicles drove away.

They were all leaving.
What if she’s out there? What if we just need to search a little longer?

“We can’t find her tonight.” Cadence’s voice was low and steady. Almost soothing. He hadn’t even heard her approach. “I know you don’t want to stop the search, but it’s just for a few hours. The men can’t see.”

We don’t even know if she’s in these woods
. Cadence didn’t say the rest, but she didn’t have to.

The words hung between them.

“There’s a small motel at the edge of town,” Cadence said. “I booked us rooms there.”

He turned away from the woods and saw Cadence standing there, with darkness all around her, lit only by the light spilling from the cars’ headlights.

“We can’t do anything else out here,” she said. “Not tonight.”

She was being so careful with him. Too careful.

“Don’t,” he bit out as he stalked toward her. The others weren’t close enough to overhear, so he could lower his guard and let some of his fury out.

Cadence shook her head. “Don’t what?”

He wanted to wrap his hands around her. To pull her close.

No, I just want to touch her. To feel her
.

“Don’t handle me with your damn kid gloves, Cadence.” The words were snapped. “I’m not some victim you have to coddle.”

He’d rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt—like that had done much good. He was covered with grime and sweat and plenty of insect bites.

I fucking hate summers in the South
.

Insects were chirping all around them, and he’d had to dodge snakes in the bushes for most of the evening.

“I never thought you were a victim.” Cadence turned from him and headed for the car.

She knew he’d follow her. Wasn’t he always trailing after her?

Wasn’t he the one who
always
kept the need in check? The desire he damn well knew they both felt.

After today—after this hell—why couldn’t they turn to each other for some comfort and release? Let that desire burst free?

Replace death with pleasure.

Cadence climbed into their vehicle and pulled the door shut behind her. Not a patrol car anymore. An SUV that James had arranged for them. Cadence was in the driver’s seat.

Jaw locked tight, he jumped in the vehicle with her.

“How do you do it?” Kyle demanded as they pulled away from the scene. He couldn’t help it, he looked back. Saw the darkness staring at him.

“Do what?” Her voice was soft, but when he looked back at her, Cadence’s grip on the wheel appeared a little too tight.

“You just walk away, and don’t look back.” She’d done it, time and time again. He’d seen her do it. “I mean, you’re supposed to be the one who knows the victims so well.” A snap of anger heated his voice. “Don’t you wonder what it’s like for Lily right now? What’s happening to her? How can you just give up?”

Give up
.

The charge and the anger weren’t really for Cadence, he knew that. The rage was his own. He’d given up on Maria.

Now I’m attacking Cadence. For no reason
.

“I don’t need to wonder.” Her whispered words carried easily to his ears.

“Why the hell not?”

“Because I know.” The vehicle picked up speed and rushed down the old road.

Past Lily’s abduction spot.

They kept going. Going.

Past the spot where Maria’s car had been abandoned so many years before.

“You don’t know,” he growled. Because she couldn’t. Cadence and her fistful of degrees. She’d done case studies. Read victim profiles, but she’d never
been
a victim. “Maybe you should pray you never do.” The words were low, vicious.
Don’t do this to her. Not her
. He fought to pull in his fury. Kyle grabbed hard for his control. He took a deep breath. Exhaled.
In. Out
. The drumming of his heartbeat seemed too loud to his ears.
Don’t attack her when the rage should be aimed back at you
. “Hell, I didn’t mean it, Cadence.”

She didn’t speak.

The miles flew past in the thick darkness.

“I need sleep.” He needed a whole lot more than that, but he’d take what he could get. Some crash time on a lumpy bed, and he’d be good to go again at 0600.

He wouldn’t be such a bastard to her. Once he had rest, and the desperation driving him ebbed—

“You think you know me.” Her words were so soft, he wasn’t even sure they were real at first. “But you don’t.”

Stiffening, Kyle glanced toward her.

“And I don’t know you.”

They didn’t speak again, not until they were pulling up at the side of the little motel on the edge of town. Big rigs lined the full lot, and when they went inside to the front desk, the kid with acne on his cheeks apologetically told them, “Sorry, folks, we only have one room left.”

That so fucking figured.

But it wasn’t the first time he’d needed to share lodging with his partner. It wouldn’t be the last, either.

Only I’ve never been this close to Cadence
.

So close to what he wanted.

“Are you sure there’s nothing left?” Cadence demanded, voice sharp. “I called earlier and was told that the rooms would be held for us.”

The boy’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “You were supposed to be here sooner. It’s almost midnight. I couldn’t keep holdin’ the rooms—”

“It’s fine.” Kyle cut through the boy’s stumbling words and swiped the key from him. “Just tell me where the room is.”

“Room two-oh-seven. Corner room on the l-left.” He glanced at Cadence, grimacing. “Sorry, ma’am. Those truckers come in heavy some nights.”

He was sure they did. The bell over the door gave a small jingle as they exited the office. Kyle grabbed Cadence’s small overnight bag and his own larger one from the back of the SUV. They headed up the narrow stairs to the second floor. Voices and the whir of traffic drifted in the air.

He opened the door to room 207, then stepped back so Cadence could go in first.

She didn’t go in.

“What’s wrong?” A demon was riding him that night, forcing him to keep pushing her when he knew he should back the hell off. “You aren’t scared of staying alone with me, are you?” A deliberate challenge.

Her head tilted back so she could stare into his eyes. Despite the strength she seemed to project so well in the field, Cadence was a delicate woman, barely five foot five, and built along slender lines.

He was so much bigger, his body rougher, and he’d often thought before—

I’d have to take care with her
.

He’d imagined the two of them together many times. Harmless fantasies.

Weren’t they?

“Why would I be scared of you?” Cadence brushed by him. “I mean, sure, there’s the fact you’re acting like a jackass…”

He was. Kyle sucked in a sharp breath.
It’s this place. The memories
. He was striking out at the person closest to him.
Stop
.

“I’m trying to make allowances, seeing how personal this is for you.”

He put their bags near the small closet and went back and secured the door. Right. Like that flimsy lock would really keep anyone out.

“But don’t push me much more, Kyle.”

She stood glaring at him, in the middle of the worn motel room, her hands fisted at her hips.

His gaze slid over her. That woman was sexy.

Her left eyebrow rose. Just the one. Only Cadence did that move. “Because you are being such a jackass, you can take the floor.” Her smile held a wicked edge. “Hope you enjoy your sleep.” Then she turned away and marched into the bathroom.

He waited for it. Yes, she slammed the door.

When the shower roared on moments later, he tried real hard not to imagine Cadence naked under the blasting water.

Tried. Failed.

Unable to stop himself, he stalked toward the door.

Cadence
.

She was right. He
was
being a jackass, and he needed to cool off. Only being so close to Cadence didn’t exactly make him feel cool.

More like I’m burning alive
.

That had been the problem from the beginning. The awareness between them, an awareness Cadence was determined to ignore.

He wanted her naked. Wanted her screaming in pleasure.

The fleeting glimpses he’d caught, the hints of emotion in her eyes—
she wants me, too
.

Only she wasn’t acting on that desire, and if she didn’t act, neither could he.

His hand rose. Touched the chipped wood on the door. “Cadence.”

No response. She wouldn’t hear him over the roar of the water.

“Look, I’m sorry.”

His voice was a little louder, but there was still no response from her. Not that he blamed her.

“I want what you can’t give.”

It was for the best she couldn’t hear that.

He turned away. Cleared his throat. “I need some air.” Still talking to a woman who couldn’t hear him. Yeah, he was skirting crazy that night. “Cadence!” Much louder now. “I’ll be right back.”

He wanted something to take the edge off for him.

Maybe a trip to Striker’s would be just what he needed.

Cadence stood in the bathroom, her hands gripping the edge of the sink. The shower blasted beside her as she stared at her reflection.

Kyle’s words echoed in her ears.

I want what you can’t give
.

Her chest ached.

Story of her life.