Sin With Cuffs (2 page)

Liam went to his cruiser and climbed into the driver’s side. He slammed his door and started to breathe. Seeing her, even after all of these years, still disturbed him. He could understand as a teen, but now that he was in his thirties, he was too old to have his match lit by an old flame.

His gaze involuntarily went to her vehicle. He could see her eyes in the rearview mirror as she looked directly at him. She was probably seething.

Signs of the young girl with freckles, pale skin and innocent gaze he remembered no longer existed. She’d grown into a woman, a damn beautiful one. Her hair was longer and blonder. The braces were gone, and what he’d seen of her smile, it was bright and earth shattering. Womanly curves filled out her slender shape. The V-neck shirt she wore barely covered the deep cleavage and the jeans hugged her hips where he’d laid his hands on occasion.

Not that he gave a shit, but he no longer found her attractive.

 Writing the ticket, he got back out of his car and approached her driver’s side. Refusing to make eye contact, he handed her the paperwork. “Have a great day.”

“What’s the business card for?” she asked.

“In case you’d like to say bye when you leave town again.” He realized his tone was harsh, but he didn’t care.

“Asshole,” he heard her say as he walked back to the cruiser.

He laughed. She didn’t like him either. That was a good thing. A very, very good thing. It was better they stayed enemies.

Back in his vehicle, he squeezed the steering wheel until his knuckles ached. Old memories haunted him. He’d never forgive Holly for leaving town like she had. He’d been in love and thought they had something special, but the promises were meaningless to her. She’d disappeared without a word. After that, he’d spent some time drowning himself in beer and self-pity. A few weeks later, the old chief was hiring new blood at the station and he’d offered Liam a position. He enjoyed being a cop. The responsibility grounded him and he did well at it. When the old chief retired two years later, Liam took his spot at the helm.

Shifting the gear into drive, he pulled out onto the street, inching past Holly’s car. He didn’t even acknowledge her as he passed, although he was pretty sure it was her middle finger hanging out of the window.

CHAPTER TWO

HOLLY PULLED UP in front of her grandma’s Victorian house and took a deep breath. The crow-shaped gable still stood proud, even though green and beige paint had faded with years of wear and neglect. At one time, it was a cornerstone of beauty. The tall, brick chimneys with elaborate caps used to remind Holly of a castle. She would pretend her grandma was the Queen and Holly was the princess. Time had certainly taken its toll on the house’s splendor.

Her heart ached as she looked at the rockers on the long porch, the memories flooding her mind. Her grandma enjoyed sitting there on cool evenings and watching the world pass by. Now the house was empty. She stepped out of the car and examined the lot. The yard was mowed, but that’s about all she could say for the overgrown, untidy landscaping. She wondered what had happened to the variety of colorful flowers that bordered the house and sidewalk. Looking closer, she didn’t think there was a sidewalk remaining. Tall weeds had taken its place. Guilt pained her as she walked across broken cement and up onto the dilapidated porch that used to be a meeting place for her grandma’s card playing friends.

The “Welcome” sign hanging from the door made tears mist her eyes. Wiping away the moisture, Holly turned the knob. Of course, it was unlocked. Her grandma never locked any door or window, an open invitation for anyone and everyone in the neighborhood to visit.

The inside of the house needed as much tender loving care as the outside. Nothing appeared to have been rearranged or moved. The furniture, trinkets and pictures all remained exactly where they’d been when Holly visited. Her grandma’s knitting basket still sat next to the frayed chair. Holly would watch her grandma knit sweaters and hats for neighbors at Christmas.

Holly sat down in the worn chair and picked up the wicker basket.

Tears fell to her cheeks. Swiping them, she quickly gathered her emotions. It was too early to lose control. She had to stop at the funeral home, maintain herself through the services and sit through a reading of the will before she could allow her feelings to flow. She had no one to rely upon to help her get through this. One would think a person got used to being alone, but she never had.

When Holly was eleven, her mother, Vicki, had dropped Holly off for a so-called visit in Raven. Vicki had left Holly then drifted in and out of her life—mainly when Vicki needed money. Holly had never known her father.

Rubbing her temples, she hoped to ease the tension building. The kneading didn’t help. Nothing could dissolve her growing dread of seeing her mother again after two years. The reunion was inevitable. Her mother wouldn’t miss this for the world, not when she was sure to benefit financially.

Vicki had remarried recently. Holly had gotten the news via text message Vicki had sent the day of the ceremony. Her mother had explained that the service was a small event at the courthouse; otherwise, she would have invited Holly. She only hoped Vicki was happy because Holly doubted her mother ever knew any real joy.

Putting the basket back in its place on the floor, Holly decided it was time to venture upstairs. Grabbing her suitcases from her car, she carried them one by one up the steep, spiral staircase. Her stomach fluttered as she approached her bedroom at the end of the hall. Pushing open the door, the familiar creak somewhat assuring, she swept her gaze around the room. It remained exactly as she’d left it the night she took off in the wee hours of the morning. She felt transported back when she was young and didn’t have a care in the world except how to impress Liam Ryan. He’d occupied most of her daydreams in those days, and if she wanted to be honest, he’d never left her mind…or her heart.

The springs popped and cracked when she tossed her bags onto the bed. Laughing, she remembered how she and Liam had worn out the mattress. Her grandma would have killed Liam if she’d known he’d taken Holly’s virginity right here in her childhood bed. It’d been a memorable eighteenth birthday. She and Liam had been close a time or two on many occasions before she was “legal,” but Liam’s fear of Holly’s grandma and her shooting skills had kept his pants zipped. Holly had officially become an adult and she’d wanted nothing more than to take her love for Liam to the next level.

Holly’s skin dampened as she felt a familiar urge between her thighs. The feel of his hands on her body had long faded but the memory endured. Blowing out a breath through the corner of her mouth, she released Liam from her mind. She’d deal with him later. There was work to do that required her thoughts in order. The funeral home was expecting her.

After a quick shower, she dressed in a thin silk top and simple skirt. Unlike her grandma, Holly was a bit more cautious and locked up the house before driving the three blocks to Meyers Funeral Home.

Scott Meyers, the notorious womanizer of Raven, was waiting for her when she arrived.   She didn’t know if his “sleep with any woman in a skirt” reputation held any truth, but she’d seen him coming and going from Nancy Sulliven’s house more than Holly could count, and Nancy was a married woman at the time.

“Holly Young.” His gaze swept down her body and lingered a little longer than normal. “You’ve grown into a beautiful lady. Just like your mother back in the day.” Scott adjusted his pink tie and winked.

“Thank you, Mr. Meyers. I’m sorry if I’m running late.”

“At my age, time is only a reminder that I’m aging. I try not to pay too close attention to the ticking of the clock. The crowds that I work with don’t seem to care either.”

He motioned for her to follow him down a narrow hall and into his office. “A few years ago, your grandma had taken care of all of the particulars of her funeral service. You know how she was. A stickler for detail. All I really need from you, young lady, is a signature.” He grabbed a folder from his desk and pulled out a piece of paper.

“All I need to do is sign?” Holly was shocked. She didn’t think it was possible her grandma’s services would be this easy.

“That’s all. The services are paid and taken care of down to the very last word for the obituary for the local paper.”

Holly sat down and scanned the document that Mr. Meyers handed her. She signed on the dotted line and a tear came to her eye. She blinked the moisture away, refusing to lose it in his office. Sliding the paper toward him, she sucked in a deep breath. “I guess that’s all you need from me.”

He pushed the paper back into a folder. “By the way, how do you like being back in Raven?” he asked.

“Ask me that same question in a few weeks,” she answered.

“Your grandma would be pleased to know you’re here. You and Chief Ryan grew up together, didn’t you?”

Holly nodded. “Yes, we did.” She stood up and moved toward the door, not wanting to answer any more questions about Liam. “Thank you for your time. I’ll see you soon.”

After leaving the funeral home, Holly checked her phone. She noticed a text from her mother saying she’d be in town the following morning. Holly bit her lip. She had a lot of mental preparing to do before Vicki arrived.

* * * *

Holly ran through the woods and tried not to cry aloud as tree limbs clawed at her skin. Blood dripped from the open wounds while rocks tore at the flesh of her feet. Then blinding light…Her eyes flew open, but she stared at the ceiling unseeing for several tense seconds. The room was dark, other than a sliver of light escaping from the top of the drapes. Sitting up, she took a steely breath and laid a palm on her chest in an effort to control her fear.

It was just a nightmare.

Rubbing the fuzziness from her eyes, she glanced at the clock on her nightstand. Three-thirty A.M.

Crack!

She jumped at the sound. Listening, the silence screamed at her and she figured that’s what woke her. She’d gotten used to horns blaring, people shouting and the hustle and bustle of New York streets. Smiling, she pushed away her jitters. She sure as hell wouldn’t get any of that noise here in Raven and allowing her imagination to work overtime wasn’t productive.

 Curling back into the covers, she hoped she could fall back into the dream of a man in uniform and not a scary one.

Creak!

She flew up from the bed, the blanket wrapped around her ankles and she struggled to keep her balance while searching the darkness for an intruder. Finally managing to free herself, she tossed the cover aside in frustration as she waited.

Only calm again.

Her mind twisted in confusion, but she
knew
the noise wasn’t in her head. She’d heard something. Caught between panic and hesitation, she was uncertain what to do.

Holly couldn’t climb back into bed until she knew she was alone. Although she didn’t hear anything now, she needed to be sure.

Grabbing her phone, she used the screen lighting to brighten a path through the room. With bravery bordering on stupidity, she slowly made her way to the open doorway and into the hall. Her breathing was heavy and the thumping of her heart pounded loud in her ears. With each step, her stomach churned with growing fear, yet curiosity pulled her into the heavy shadows. She wanted to call someone, but who would come? And what if the noise was nothing more than the settling of an old house? She’d look like an idiot, and the last thing she needed to be was the laughingstock of Raven.

Pausing at the top of the stairs, she waited and listened. Only the loud ticking of the clock above the living room fireplace splintered the quiet. Her muscles relaxed—sort of. With false bravado, she lifted her chin and descended the stairs. Remembering the twelfth step in the spiral staircase had a loud creak, she overstepped the board, continuing down the last stairs and turning toward the living room.