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He was smiling as he drove from the lot.
ChapterThree
“I’m evil.Wicked.Cold to the core.I murdered your partner.Set the whole scene up to look like a B&E gone wrong, and then I convinced the DA—using my wily charm, of course—to drop all the charges against me.”Naomi made sure to dramatically bat her lashes as she made her confession.“If you’re not careful, you’ll be my next victim.”
Eb quirked one brow even as he made himself more comfortable on her couch.He didn’t look particularly concerned about the danger he faced.Instead, he asked, “With all of Hudson’s money, why are you living in this shithole?”
Her teeth snapped together.“The home is a work in progress.”
His gaze swept the den.“It’s in the progress of falling apart.”
As if on cue, part of the ceiling fell down and landed with a loudplopright near her feet.
Henry rolled over, snuggling in his bed and ignoring the chaos.The way he always did.For a moment, her gaze lingered on the dog.
I am so glad you are back.Eb didn’t understand how important the dog was to her.He didn’t know about her secrets.She’d worked hard to hide as much of her life from others as she could.
But Hudson…he’d known.
That heartless bastard had absolutely known.
“I’m going through a renovation project.When the place is finished, it will be a killer bed and breakfast.”Or, hell.Her shoulders slumped.Maybe not so killer any longer.“That had been the original plan.Until news got out that?—”
“That you are, indeed, a killer?”he finished.
Her eyes narrowed on him.
Ebenezer Jones.Eb.The man, the myth, the big, bad-ass legend.Hudson had been in awe of his partner.Talked about him all the time.Practically from the moment they’d met.
He’d admired Eb.
Wanted to emulate him.
Hudson had also envied him.
And, she was about ninety-nine percent sure, Hudson had secretly hated Eb.
So much for friendship.
Her chin had lifted at Eb’s mocking words.Hardly the first time that someone had called her a killer.The last few months had been basic non-stop accusations.She’d gone from being the beaming bride one day to being the hated villain the next.No one had stood by her.There had only been accusations—whispers, at first.Then louder cries.Angry shouts.Harassing phone calls.She’d even had a few bricks tossed through her windows because…why not?
She was the villain, after all.
Then came the actual arrest.Getting locked up.Denied bail.Even as she’d screamed her innocence.Time had ticked by.
She’d discovered just how small a jail cell could be.
But the charges had been dropped.She’d been released.The nightmare was supposed to be over.
Only she’d gotten back her freedom and immediately discovered that Henry had been taken.Naomi had known that she would do anything necessary to get her dog back.Even if she’d had to use her bat and take a few swings at a bar.
“Being a killer might actually attract guests for you,” Eb mused.“I suspect there is a whole true crime crowd who would jump at the chance to stay at your B&B.”
“Pretty sure that I haven’t been convicted of anything.”She smiled sweetly at him.She was good at sweet smiles.Good at not letting anyone know when she hurt.“I believe in this country we are all presumed innocent.Since the DA isn’t trying me for any crimes, I certainly don’t qualify as a killer.”
He didn’t even blink.Just continued lounging on her old—but comfortable—brown couch, with one muscled arm extended along the top of the cushions and his long legs spread out before him.He didn’t look like a guy who’d just taken on half a bar of gang members.His thick, dark hair was barely mussed, and his strong jaw was clean shaven.His eyes—such a warm, rich topaz, shot with lots of gold and brown—remained locked on her.
I kissed him.He kissed me.Probably two mistakes.But…