Page 94 of Kiss of Deceit

“And now?”

My heart stuttered. “Now…I’m starting to trust you. Which scares me.”

“I’m starting to fall for you. And that scares the fuck out of me.” His lips lifted into a grin. “Yet, I can’t stay away from you.”

His words made my stomach flutter in a way I hadn’t felt in years. What was I doing with this man? I had no idea. But I couldn’t stop.

Neither of us spoke for a while as the music continued to play. Kole kept massaging me, working his hands up my calves. I couldn’t stop the moan of pleasure that escaped me. His touch was pure bliss on my battered body. My eyelids became heavy, and I let darkness take me until the bowl slipped from my grip, and I jerked. Kole reached up, and grabbed it, setting it on the coffee table.

“I’m putting you back to bed,” he said, getting to his feet. “Your bed or mine?”

“Yours.”

He crouched, carefully sliding his arms under me to lift me up. I wrapped my arms around his neck, burying my face into the crook of his neck, still half asleep. When I closed my eyes again, the face of my nightmares filled my mind. I tightened my hold on Kole as he climbed the stairs.

“I thought I saw him yesterday morning,” I admitted drowsily. “The man who hurt me. He’s still fucking with me after all this time. For a second, I thought maybe he was the killer in this town.” I scoffed. “Logically, I know how impossible that is. But…it looked just like him.”

Kole missed a step, letting out a string of curses. It only took a moment to steady himself, and he got to the second-floor landing, kicking his door open the rest of the way before gently setting me on the bed.

“Why did you used to lock it?” I asked, cracking my eyes open in time to see him pulling his shirt over his head.

“What?”

“Your door. The first night I was here, it was locked. Now you just keep it open.”

He shook his head as he climbed into bed next to me. “Habit. When I was a kid, I used to lock it to keep out my mom and the men she brought home.”

It made sense. But questions still lingered. If it was such a habit, then why hadn’t he done it again since I moved in?

He pulled the blanket over us. “Sleep, Dani. You need it.”

“Only for a few hours.” I yawned. “I have to do something tonight.”

He sighed. “Do what?”

I laughed lightly. “If you help me, it will make it much easier.”

“If you want my help, you have to tell me what it is.”

“I’ve already told you. I need to get into the police station before Susan takes it over. Harry is reopening it tomorrow. Which means I need to get it done tonight.”

“That’s all you’ll tell me?”

Natalie’s last words echoed in my head. Whatever was on her computer was important.

“For now,” I answered in a whisper. “Will you help?”

“Yes, I’ll help.” He snuggled closer, being careful not to touch my ribs. “If you go to sleep.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

dani

“It’sway too fucking cold for this,” Kole grumbled, tugging the hood of his jacket over his head. “We could still be in bed together right now.”

We trudged down the snowy sidewalk, Kole keeping my slow pace. My ribs were protesting every move I made. My teeth were chattering from the frigid temperature, and I would love to still be under the covers in bed with him, but I had to get this done. The dark night made it difficult to see anything, but I couldn’t hear anyone else. The only people I didn’t want to run into were Harry and Susan. I needed to get onto Natalie’s computer without being interrupted.

“Ten minutes,” I promised, linking my arm with his. “That’s all I need.”