Royce’s brow inched upward. “He killed his wife. What woman are we talking about?”
“Some chick that started writing him while he was in prison.”
“Ah,” Royce said. “Never have understood the jailhouse groupies. What’s your take on her?”
“I don’t think it’s much of a lead. She broke off contact with him some six months ago, and is even pregnant now with some other dude’s kid.”
“I’m not sure that means squat in the world we live in.”
“I’m going to check her out. But the way I see it, if Sheridan is involved, then he would probably have taken out a contract on Lauren. It’s cleaner.”
“Who says this isn’t a contract? Maybe whoever hired this guy wants Lauren played with before she’s killed. Maybe that’s why this attorney Sullivan was there today. He was watching when she got burned, eating up her fear.”
“I like it as a theory,” Luke agreed. “I’m sold on a professional for hire. This person, who I’m calling a man, but could be a woman, hasn’t made mistakes. He’s invisible, even with a camera on. He knows what he’s doing.” His cell phone rang and he answered it, his gaze going to Royce’s. “Yeah. Thanks.” He snapped the phone shut. “The snake wasn’t poisonous.”
“So, this guy’s playing with her.”
“Yeah,” Luke said. “But there’s more. The place was a regular radio shack. He’s been watching her, recording her.”
“Sonofabitch,” Royce cursed. “Don’t tell her that. She’s scared enough. I should have guessed that. I mean, he got in for the snake. He had full access.”
“We finally have a potential motive, a way the senator might fit into this,” Luke said. “Get images of Lauren undressing, or doing any number of things, and then uses them to get something from the senator.”
Royce’s jaw tensed. “Images of me with Lauren. I handed this guy ammunition, if that is even what this is about. He could be a sick bastard who’s obsessed with her, and he’s made getting to her look like child’s play.”
“Which leads me to a manpower issue. Blake’s dealing with the Rhode Island airport contract, so until he returns, I’m limited to what I can do. I need to bring one of our guys in on this. Kyle, Rick, and Daniel are free. Jesse is also free. Tommy and Daniel are both booked. Kyle dealt with the snakes and he’s a tech expert. He’s already involved.”
“Kyle,” he agreed. “I’ve known him for years. We worked together at the agency. He’ll keep his mouth shut.”
“Give me Rick, too. He can chase some of the pieces I’m putting together on the senator.”
“Do it,” Royce said. “We don’t have time to spare.”
The door to the master bedroom, which sat just off the main living room, and directly in front of Royce, squeaked open. Lauren stepped into the room, and damn if his cock didn’t twitch at the sight of her in his t-shirt and oversized sweats. The darn things were rolled up at the knees and hanging on her, and yet, he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen her look sexier.
She walked to the opposite chair and settled her hands on top. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“No,” Luke said, smiling. “Nothing private in this family.” The doorbell rang and Royce didn’t miss the subtle tension that rolled through his brother, before Luke stood up. “It’s probably Julie. I’ll let her in on my way out.”
Lauren rounded the chair and sat down. “She acts just as odd when his name comes up.”
“You noticed that,” he said.
She nodded. “Oh, yeah.”
“Hello, hello,” Julie called, appearing with a box in hand. “I left a suitcase by the door with clothes and other important girl stuff.” She hurried forward and left the rather large box on the coffee table, then gave Lauren a once over “But then who needs clothes when you can wear Royce’s?” She laughed. “You look like a kid wearing grown up clothes.” She sat down on the couch and glanced at Royce. “You are a big ol’ boy aren’t you? Better to kill snakes, I suppose.” She eyed Lauren. “Maybe you should have him pay a visit to that angry dude Alice said visited you today.”
“What angry ‘dude’?” Royce asked, his gaze colliding with Lauren’s. “And why don’t I know about him?”
“I haven’t had time to tell you.”
“Ah, hmmm,” Julie said. “I was just trying to lighten the mood. I didn’t mean to cause trouble. I”
“You have to make time, Lauren,” Royce growled. “Someone could well be trying to kill you.”
“Don’t, Royce,” Lauren said tightly. “Not now.”
“Now,” he insisted.
She inhaled and let it out. “He’s the brother of the woman I’m prosecuting for the poisoning. He got pretty nasty. He”
“Name,” Royce said.
Her jaw tensed. “Jonathan Wilkins, and you’re acting like a caveman.”
“A caveman trying to keep you alive. This escalated to way beyond a few phone calls today, Lauren. Did he threaten you?”
“No. Not really. He was just very aggressive. Family members get that way, Royce. I’m used to it.”
“Did you feel threatened?” he asked.
She hesitated. “I was on edge.”
“Did you feel threatened?”
“Damn it, yes, but I told you. I was on edge. It wasn’t long after we had our little,” she stopped herself mid-sentence. “It was right after you dropped me at work.”
He pushed to his feet. “Make time to tell me these things, Lauren. One mistake, one missed clue, could be critical. I’m going to talk to Luke. Don’t open the door to anyone.” He glanced at Julie. “Knock on Luke’s door before you leave. I don’t want you walking to your car alone.” He headed for the door, not giving her a chance to answer.
“Wow,” he heard Julie say softly, but not soft enough. “He’s a big sexy, grizzly alpha of a man, isn’t he? I know how the sexy is working out for you, but how’s the grizzly alpha thing going?”
Royce didn’t allow himself to hear the answer, he couldn’t risk the distraction, or his reaction. He pushed open the door and locked it before pulling it shut, with one focus. Protecting Lauren, so that when this was over, she could scream and shout and kick him to the curb if she so wished. All that mattered was keeping her safe and alive.
***
After spending a good hour that she should have been working talking with Julie, Lauren dived into her work, ignoring the rumble of her stomach and the throb of her arm. The Advil Julie had brought her had worked all of half an hour, so she popped some aspirin she found in Royce’s bathroom cabinet. She had to try and get some work done before she took the more powerful pain medication the doctor had given her.
She picked up the box of her work from the coffee table and walked to the large oak desk that set just off the living area, and by the kitchen door. She set it down at her feet and started pulling out her files, remarkably comfortable in her sexy grizzly alpha’s home. She smiled at Julie’s creative description, thankful for a good friend who could make a smile possible at a time like this. Lauren wasn’t sure who was more surprised, her or Julie, over just how much Lauren liked her alpha male’s alpha side.
A loud sound filled the silence of the room and Lauren jumped to her feet, her heart thundering in her ears, to scan the room. The sound clamored again and her gaze riveted to the fireplace opposite the couch, air rushing from her lungs. It was the clock above the mantel chiming. Oh yeah, she was rattled all right. She sank back to the leather chair beneath her and wished Royce would return. Alone wasn’t all that appealing right now. She unloaded her files onto the desk, deciding work would be the best distraction, but pausing at the smaller letter sized flat box Alice had told her about.
She sighed and snatched a letter opener to break the seal down the middle. Though she knew what the reports were supposed to say, she never took a verbal as final when headed into trial. She flipped open the double-sided lid and stared at the contents, her heart dropping to her stomach. A calendar page lay on to
p with today’s date marked off.
“Don’t touch it,” she whispered to herself and stood up, afraid something was going to explode or bite her or... she took off running for the door. Once she was there, she fumbled with the lock. “Damn, damn open!” It jerked towards her and she burst into the hallway, her bare feet padding on the wooden floor, as she started yelling, “Royce! Royce!”
The door down the hallway opened and Luke appeared, rushing towards her, grabbing hold of her, and pulling a gun from somewhere. “Talk to me, Lauren. What’s happening?”
“Lauren!” Royce shouted charging up the stairwell.
Lauren tore herself away from Luke and threw herself at Royce. He folded her into his big, powerful arms. “Package,” she managed to get out. “There’s a package. It was delivered to my office and Julie brought it and I opened it...”
“What’s inside?” he demanded quickly.
“A calendar page and I don’t know what else. I didn’t touch it. What does this person want from me? Why won’t they just leave me alone?”
“Where is it?” Luke asked from behind her.
Lauren turned in time to see Luke holster his gun at his ankle, under his pants. “The desk. It’s open on the desk.”
He lifted his chin at Royce. “I’ll check it out.”
“Be careful,” Lauren said. “Please be careful, Luke.”
“Careful is my middle name.”
“He’ll be okay,” Royce said, pulling her against him. “And so will you.”
Lauren melted into Royce, and for the first time in her life, she felt more secure in a man’s arms than she did on her own.
Chapter Fourteen
Thirty minutes after the discovery of the box, Lauren stood in Royce’s kitchen, staring at the twenty newspaper clippings from her various trials, all spread out on the table.
“Is there anything in all of this that rings a bell?” Royce asked. “There’s a message here. We need to try to understand what it is.”
Lauren sank down into a chair and pressed her hands to the side of her face. “Other than he’s been watching me for a long time and wants me to know, no. Nothing else comes to mind. They’re random trials over the course of years.”
“Are they all after the Sheridan trial?” Luke asked.
“Sheridan was one of my first cases,” she said. “So yes. These are all after Sheridan. As you can see, I’ve put plenty of people behind bars that probably hate me. Heck, if I get through this, there could easily be another.”
“Which is why we aren’t going to the police,” Royce said. “They won’t be much help and we don’t want to give anyone else the idea of lashing out at you.”
“Maybe this was to confuse us,” Luke said. “To give us a lot of suspects.”
“I’ve never questioned why I do what I do,” Lauren said. “Not until now. Now... I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. How do I live like this?” She laughed without humor. “This is the payment I get for putting criminals behind bars? Stalked and threatened and twisted in knots? What if I had kids or siblings or a husband? I’d be terrified they’d be in danger. Maybe my father is right. Maybe this is fool’s work.”
Royce squatted down beside her. “You're one of the brave and caring people who try to make a difference in this world. There is nothing foolish about that.”
Luke cleared his throat. “I’ll leave you two alone.”
Lauren looked at him. “Thank you for everything you are doing, Luke. I mean that. You don’t have to help me, but you are.”
He gave her a bow. “My pleasure. And for the record, I’m with Royce. You’re brave. Stay that way. Don’t give into the monsters or they’ll take over.”
“Oh, God. Julie. What if he targets Julie?”
“I already thought of that,” Luke said. “I have her being watched.”
Lauren sighed. “Oh, thank you, Luke.”
He gave her a salute and headed out of the kitchen.
“I’m going to make you something to eat,” Royce said. “Then you’re going to take a pain pill and sleep.”
“I’m too tired to be hungry.”
“You need to eat a little something.” He kissed the tip of her nose. The phone on the wall rang and he smiled. “Some of us still use our house phones.”
“I plan to rip mine out of the wall.” The phone kept ringing. “Are you going to answer it?”
“I have a machine.” He pushed to his feet. ”And feeding you is more important. I have sandwiches and not much else though, I’m afraid.” The machine beeped. “Royce, call your mother. Why don’t you ever answer your phone?” He backed up and grabbed the receiver, before saying, “I told you I never answer this phone. You have to call my cell.”
Lauren smiled weakly, feeling a punch in her gut, a bit of envy. What she wouldn’t do to have her mother alive right now. She turned back to the table, pulling one of the clippings forward, and started reading before moving to the next.
Before she knew what was happening, Royce was sitting down next to her and there were plates on the table. “I didn’t even know when you got off the phone.”
“Or when I asked you if ham and Swiss was okay,” he commented.
“I just kept reading and thinking I’d find something in one of the clippings that would set off a light bulb.” She took a bite of the sandwich and then reached for the soda Royce had apparently set in front of her as well.
“And while you’re thinking about that, you aren’t thinking about your current case.”
“So you think it’s about my current case?”
“In my experience, the obvious usually is the right choice. The rest is a distraction.”
“So what do I do?”
“You go to sleep tonight and you wake up fresh and you win this case. I’ll take you to work and I’ll have people watching you while Luke and I dig into ending this once and for all. Luke was right, Lauren. You can’t let this monster, or any for that matter, win. You do your thing, sweetheart, and I’ll do mine. We’ll get our man and you’ll get your conviction.”
Lauren felt her eyes prickle and tears well by her lashes.
“Wow,” Royce said, pulling her into his lap and thumbing away her tears. “What just happened?”
“I don’t know. I’m tired. I’m not even a crier. You and your family are so close, and so good to me.” She pressed her hand to his cheek. “No one but my mother and Julie has ever told me to fight for what I believe in and they’d fight with me. Never.”
“And never has a woman made me want to be there for her like you do, Lauren.” He kissed her, tasted her tears and her fears, and her passion, and admitted what he’d known from that first night with her. He was falling in love.
He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist, burying her face in his neck as he carried her to his bedroom. His bedroom. He laid her down on the bed and stripped her naked, kissing her, touching her, taking his time to properly make love to her. And when he finally entered her, when their eyes locked, he knew that not only was he going to fight by her side, he was going to fight to make her his woman.
Chapter Fifteen
The next morning, Royce pulled to the curb in front of Lauren’s building, making sure she was safely at work before he set off into action. Sitting outside Lauren’s building while she worked wasn’t going to end this for her.
“Remember, I have two men already in position here at the building. You have both of their numbers in auto-dial. Be aware of what’s going on but don’t let it consume you. You’re safe.” He glanced down at the deep cleavage of the emerald blouse she wore under a black suit. “From everyone but me.”
She tugged at the blouse. “Leave it to Julie to bring me the most inappropriate clothes she owns. I’ll be pinning this shut.”
“We can go get your clothes tonight on the way home.”
“Home?” she asked.
“I’ve got you with me,” he said, pulling her close and kissing her. “Don’t expect me to
let you go.”
She wiped his mouth. “Pink isn’t your color.”
He smiled and kissed her again. “Text me when you get to your office so I know you’re safe.”
She nodded and reached for the door. “Be careful.”
“Careful is my middle name.”
She smiled. “Funny. I thought it was Luke’s.” She pushed open the door and slung her briefcase over her shoulder, before heading the short distance to the glass door before disappearing inside.
He dialed Kyle. “I’m leaving.”
“I’m about to follow her onto the elevator. She’ll be fine.” He hung up, no doubt already inside the car with Lauren.
Royce dropped his phone on the seat, his gut tight. Damn, this was killing him. He was going to enjoy tracking down this bastard. His first target, the ‘dude’ who’d been nasty to Lauren the day before. Whether he was guilty of being a jerk or guilty of more, he’d know not to bother Lauren again when Royce was done with him.
Fifteen minutes later, Royce pulled into an apartment in the east side, poverty stricken section of Brooklyn and made his way to the door 4B. He knocked, and mumbled under his breath, “Come on, you son of a bitch. Answer.”
The door swung revealing a man wearing jeans and nothing more. “Yeah?”
A standoff ensued. They stared at each other, sizing each other up. Cockiness, bred from Special Forces training, oozed from his opponent. The man was a deadly weapon, but then, so was he. “Jonathan Wilkins?”
“You’re looking at him,” Wilkins said. “Who are you and what do you want?”
“The name’s Royce Walker. I’d like to talk about Lauren Reynolds.”
No reaction. “What about her?”
“You tell me.”
“I hate the bitch. What’s it to you?”
“Everything.”
“She’s trying to kill my sister,” he said coldly.
“She’s doing her job.”
“Amazing how some people get paid to kill another while others just get thrown in jail, now isn’t it?” There was no mistaking the malice to the question. “Makes a person appreciate the laws of another country. An eye for an eye. A life for a life.”