“The book you wrote highlights doubt about the killer. Yes, I know the characters were fictional and maybe I’m the only person alive who noticed there was a blip of uncertainty in the book’s conclusion, but I know what I read. I’m right. Aren’t I?”

  His hesitation was all I needed. Without thinking, I reached across the table, placing my hand on his. As soon as I did, a combination of sensations washed from my fingertips to every muscle and tendon, moving with lightning speed into my core. The heat between my legs was a flourish of electric vibrations and desire that crossed one too many lines yet was completely undeniable.

  I sensed that he was experiencing the same thing by the hardening of his features and the way his eyes narrowed. The connection was brief, but long enough I was thoroughly embarrassed by my reaction. As soon as I curled my fingers, slowly pulling my hand away, he reversed the hold, taking my fingers into his.

  We shared a moment, a brief but undeniable chemistry that surprised us both. I was suddenly transfixed by the soulful look in his eyes even more than his powerful hold. He was studying me the same way he’d done on that fateful morning so long ago.

  Fearful I’d fall apart.

  I hadn’t then and I had no intention of doing so now.

  “What are you asking of me, Alexia?” There was a stern hint to his tone, the different inflection creating another wave of warmth between my legs. While being attracted to him was one thing, being enthused by his more dominating characteristics was as unexpected as it was concerning.

  I’d all but ruled that my life would remain passion free.

  What few men I’d dated had tainted my view of men in general.

  While it took some effort, I shoved the thoughts aside. “I know you kept your notes on the case. I’m only asking you to go through them with me. Maybe you’re right and I need to satisfy some morbid curiosity. I don’t have the ability to do so. You were there. You lived the case just like I did. Not the attorney. Not the judge. No one else but you. As you said, I want to satisfy the nagging I’ve fought since hearing about the date of the execution.”

  “It’s a lot of what-ifs with thirteen-year-old evidence, most of which is locked away in a storage facility maintained and operated by the FBI, an organization I stopped working with years ago. Plus, I’m no longer that man.”

  “What kind of man are you?”

  He sipped his drink, even more thoughtful than before. “The kind who doesn’t play nicely with rules any longer.”

  Why did I find his answer sexy as hell?

  “Maybe that’s what I need in a partner. What if I’m right and the bastard starts killing again?”

  Only then did I realize his hand was still wrapped around mine, the hold possessive. Yet as he leaned over, his earlier look of amusement had shifted into an expression of knowing.

  As if the man could see right through me.

  “A partner, huh? What aren’t you telling me, Alexia? And don’t lie to me. One of my finest attributes that came in handy during my time with the FBI is knowing the difference between truths and falsehoods.”

  My slight hesitation coupled with turning my head away caused a stronger, even more possessive reaction. With his other hand, he gripped my chin, requiring me to look him directly in the eyes.

  “Talk to me. Did something happen?”

  The moment was lost in a sea of uncertainty, fear mixing with desire. “I think it’s happening again. I think the Python Killer is on the hunt.”

  “And why do you believe this to be true?”

  I finally pulled my hand away, trying to work up some magical courage that didn’t seem to exist. Yet I could tell by the look in Maverick’s eyes that I could trust him more than I could anyone else in my life.

  Including myself.

  “There’s a missing attorney.” The words were barely audible and difficult to say.

  He studied me for a full thirty seconds. “Let me guess. Your instinct is suggesting the work of the Python Killer.”

  When I nodded, he took a deep breath.

  “That’s not the only reason. If you want my help, I need to know everything.”

  “Also because of a phone call, a man claiming to be the real killer. “

  “What?”

  Nodding, I tried to look away but he wouldn’t let me, grabbing my chin with enough force I whimpered. “He called on my personal cellphone the other today right after I saw the news about the execution date. Don’t worry, I’m fine.” Although I was anything but fine.

  “Jesus Christ. What the hell did he say to you? Tell me, Alexia.” His hand was fisted.

  Shocked he was so furious, only when I pressed my hand against his chest did some tension slip away. “It was very brief.”

  “I need every detail.”

  I closed my eyes, wishing I hadn’t heard the words. But I had. “He said there was nothing like the hunting of women. No gourmet food. No expensive liquor. No sensual perfume. And no raw, unbridled sexual experience that could hold a candle to the hunt, the capture, and… the kill.”

  “And?” Using his thumb, he lifted my chin while lowering his head, his heated breath skipping across my skin.

  “Then he called me by my real name and said we’d meet again.”

  CHAPTER 5

  Alexia

  “I’m sorry.” Maverick’s gruff voice powered through the aura of fear I’d wrapped around myself.

  “You have nothing to feel sorry about. I all but demanded you listen to me. I feel a little silly now.” I gripped the glass of wine while staring out the set of living room doors, taking some sense of solace from the sight of the waves gently rolling against the shore.

  “I should have warned you how graphic the pictures were.”

  “I should have warned you how graphic the interior of the cabin was all those years ago,” I told him.

  A single eyebrow arched on his chiseled face. “Maybe so. I’m not going to lie that the visions haunted me for weeks.”

  “Years for me.” They still did from time to time, although I’d gotten used to the carnage. If anyone truly ever did.

  The air crackled between us, creating an overwhelming sense of anxiety, the sensations a complete shift from before, yet still a powerful draw.

  Oddly enough, the unexpected tether was strong enough I knew exactly what he was thinking. About the phone call. Granted, I’d dropped a bombshell when I’d announced the Python Killer had contacted me.

  “Fuck the bastard, whoever he is. I don’t give a shit if he’s trying to snag his fifteen minutes of fame. I won’t allow it.” Maverick’s anger could be read easily in every body movement, every scattered breath he took.

  And the wild look in his darkened eyes, the glimmer exposing a portion of his charred soul.

  “What if it was from him?” Him. I’d used the pronoun for so long instead of the name Samuel Wells that doing so seemed more accurate.

  His features softened and he took a few seconds to roll his thumb across my chin. The close contact was everything I needed, fulfilling a desire that had formed so many years before. “You need to face the likelihood that some bastard found your name and was just a sick fuck wanting to terrify you.”

  He was right of course. “I know.”

  I sensed he wasn’t ready to get into the what-ifs at this point. Not that I could blame him. With his lips now only a few centimeters away, I had the strong urge to drag him even closer, hungering for an emotional reaction that I shouldn’t crave. He’d been my protector. That’s the way I should continue remembering him.

  But with the churning sense of desire, it was becoming impossible. His chest heaved to the same beat as mine, doing nothing more than adding to the sense of suffocation. “But if there’s even a single percentage chance someone is trying to hurt you, I won’t allow him to get close.”

  I backed away, breaking the intense spell. “You’re no longer my protector.”

  “Maybe not. But I can arrange to make that happen.” He backed away, immediately grabbing his phone.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I have a couple buddies on the force. They’ll ensure you’re protected.”

  “You’re going to have the cops follow me around twenty-four/seven?”

  “You bet.”

  My headshake was more vehement than I’d intended, but necessary. “No. I’m not trying to announce to the world that I was Maria Rivera. That was the past and I’ve worked very hard to put it all behind me.”

  “But you are Maria Rivera.”

  “Not any longer.”

  He took a step closer, cocking his handsome head. “You are to Samuel Wells and everyone involved with the case.”

  Looking away, I cringed deep inside. “I’m probably overreacting. What I don’t want is to draw any attention to what I went through. I have too many important, viable cases on my desk. Can you understand that?”

  I’d be damned if Maverick didn’t act like he was going to ignore my request. The man was as stubborn as they came.

  “I’m serious. I have a weapon in my purse and know how to use it.” My statement brought a smile to his face.

  “Tough lady.”

  “Smart lady who never intends on being a victim again. Now, forget what I said. Or at least classify it as a moment of terror winning over common sense. Okay? Promise me.”

  His deep breath was arduous and he took a few seconds to rake his hand through his hair, disheveling every sexy strand on his head. “Then you will follow my instructions to the letter. Do you understand me?”

  Along with a hard salute, I even winked. “Aye, aye, sir.”

  Every grumble was adorable. “I need to make a couple calls to check on the execution and to see if there’s any sudden interest in the case.”

  “Okay.”

  He started to walk away. “You need to pay attention to your surroundings. I don’t think I need to tell you that, but I will.”

  “I know.”

  The connection we shared was even more evident, strong in the sense that we were now both stymied as to what to say. He nodded to my half glass of wine. “Just make yourself at home. I won’t be very long.”

  “Just remember what I said. Don’t go back on your promise.”

  “I might not be many things, Alexia, but I pride myself on being an honorable man.”

  As soon as he walked past, I realized I’d been holding my breath. Just glancing at him over my shoulder allowed an almost wave of desire. Sighing, I took another sip of wine to counter my ridiculous emotions. This wasn’t a date. This was a man allowing a crazy woman to search for answers. Even though they might be right there where they’d been for years.

  I loathed the self-doubt.

  Protection.

  At least I clung to being more protected than I’d been in a very long time. Since the last time he’d been close. All those years ago.

  I hadn’t been prepared for the look in Maverick’s eyes after I’d told him the truth. While he’d listened as I’d described the less than thirty second phone call, I’d easily been able to see the building fury by how clenched his jaw had become and how he’d fisted his hand.

  After that, he’d gone quiet, inviting me to head to his house.

  Now, I stood in the opening of a doorway leading to an incredible deck with the most spectacular view of Miami Beach. A glass of wine was in my hand with my nerves frayed yet in some crazy way, I was secure, even excited. How crazy was that?

  The sun had issued a sparkling blanket over the ocean water, shimmering in the pastel hues anointing the horizon. With the water creating ripples in the sand, I could easily remain mesmerized, pretending as if I belonged here.

  Which I didn’t.

  Maverick was simply being kind, fulfilling my request of scouring what information he’d kept about the case and nothing more. Now that I’d spouted off my belief, the idea seemed ridiculous. I was an attorney, for God’s sake. Just as I’d told him, I’d worked long and hard to get where I was, fighting panic attacks and setbacks along the way. Surrendering to the panic of possibly being followed was ridiculous.

  But the treacherous feeling remained.

  One phone call had wrecked my world. No, that had started the moment I’d opened the cover to Gone Before Dawn. I’d been asking for trouble. Now, here I was in the house of a stranger, discussing what might be considered insanity.

  Whatever happened, Maverick had thought enough of my story to bring me to his house and from what I’d seen, mission central. We’d taken a few minutes going over the evidence he’d procured before leaving the FBI, coupled with personal notes and photographs. Within ten minutes, immersing myself in the life had become too much.

  I’d explored on my own, marveling in the incredible architecture, exquisite furniture and artwork that was befitting of his wealth and power within the publishing industry.

  I hadn’t lied to him. I’d read four books written by the incredible author, devouring them in a week even with my busy schedule.

  He had a brilliant mind, one that added creativity to cunningness. The combination was masterful both in prose and in his past life as serving as a member of law enforcement.

  I’d once heard you could take a cop away from the business, but the skills, training, and desire to catch the bad guy never left. That’s the expression he’d worn as soon as I’d mentioned the call.

  Just being able to enjoy the peaceful few minutes was amazing, a gift that I rarely offered myself. I was busy all the time, although I knew the reason why. Any idle time allowed for monsters to find cracks in my thick armor. Even now, just closing my eyes briefly was a mistake, huge enough I was jarred into being tense all over. Fuck the Python Killer. Fuck the system.

  I fisted my mouth to keep from screaming.

  His presence was established before he even walked into the living room by the scent of his aftershave wafting softly in the light breeze rolling across the water. Cedarwood with hints of exotic spice and a touch of citrus, fresh yet woodsy. As he approached, I realized I was indulging in his fragrance, taking deep breaths. Perhaps from uncertainty of what he’d say or maybe the extended reaction of my body to his.

  When he stopped only a few feet away, I took the opportunity to walk out onto the deck, leaning over the railing. This wasn’t a date, merely a mingling of information and memories of a case long thought put to bed.

  Yet I needed the breath of fresh air to clear my head.

  As I leaned over the railing, I hated the feeling of being so lost and alone. As he’d done before, he stood watching me before joining me on the deck. He was taller than I’d remembered, his long legs filling out a pair of jeans like no other man I’d known.

  He’d tossed his jacket over the couch as soon as he’d walked in, saying nothing while he headed for a decorative bar. His silence had spoken volumes, a man uncertain how to handle and process what I’d shared with him. No one else knew. Not my mother. Not my best friend.

  Certainly not my boss.

  Where there’d been tension before, now it was different, as if we’d crossed the getting to know you phase and drifted into something entirely forbidden.

  “Samuel Wells’ execution date has been established. From what I’ve been told, there will be no interference by the governor, which was expected.”

  “You’re not telling me something.”

  He brought his drink to his lips, holding the glass close without drinking. “You tell me. You’re the attorney.” Another challenge, forcing me to piece together the loose fragments.

  I thought about what he was insinuating. “Samuel’s attorney has no plans on filing an appeal. He will die as scheduled.”

  “Correct. In cases of this nature, there’s usually an attempt made, which should indicate the attorney didn’t want to waste his or her time.”

  “Because of the assurances of guilt.”

  As he tipped his head in my direction, a slow and steady crawl of sensations drifted all the way to my toes. With the bright shimmer of the moon, I noticed a distinct difference in the way he was looking at me. As if I wasn’t just a victim, but a woman in his eyes.

  “So you’re suggesting I should drop the idea. You’re thinking a copycat found my number somehow and is now tormenting me for his own fifteen minutes of fame.”

  “That’s exactly what I might be told by some colleagues.”

  I inched closer. “But you believe me.”

  “It’s not what I believe as much as following my instinct. How many people know about your name change? You insinuated if people at your place of employment knew it would be detrimental to your career.”

  “My boss knows. She’s been a good friend over the years. Hell, she recruited me during college. I interned with her. However, none of the other attorneys in the firm know. What I endured isn’t a secret, but since I was a minor, my stepdad made certain no one knew so I could try and return to some sense of a normal life. My parents even sent me to boarding school to finish out high school. My best friend knows. She’s kept me sane over the years.”

  “That’s one of my points.”

  “Then I’ll play devil’s advocate.” He was right in that I was an attorney. Logic and evidence had to outweigh any fears or even the phone call. I scooted even closer. “If Samuel Wells is innocent, why wouldn’t he be screaming to the hilt about his innocence?”

  “That’s the question that needs to be answered. I’ve enlisted the help of several friends of mine, people who are more connected to the database I mentioned. If there are any similar points, I’ll know within twenty-four hours.”

  “Then what? What can I do?”

  He laughed and took a sip of his drink. “You’re going to do nothing except take extra precautions. Keep the weapon in your purse. Keep your doors locked. Don’t take walks at night.”

  “I brought this case to you, Maverick. I’m not going to suddenly back away.”

  “First of all. This isn’t a case. This is merely checking on a few possible loose ends. Second, you’re going to do exactly as I tell you.”