I'll Never Let You Go (Morgans of Nashville) (32 page)

Tears fell down her cheeks.

“And I’ll make Gail scream. She’ll be begging me to kill her.”

“Please, don’t.”

“Where’s your cell?”

He would kill Gail and Charlie. He would make them suffer. In so many ways, he was worse than Philip. “In the front hallway, by the door in my purse.”

He would have to leave the room to find her purse. With him out of the room, she twisted her left hand in the cuffs, scraping skin against metal. Skin burned and tore as her wrist rose a fraction.

Before she could free herself, Tyler returned. “We’re calling Alex Morgan.”

“Leave him alone, please.”

“Alex has another strike against him. He’s too damn smart. He could be the one person to put the pieces together, and I can’t have that.”

“I’m not going to call him.”

Tyler held up the display on his phone, a photo of Gail, tied up and crying. “She and the dog are in the trunk of my car. Right outside.”

“She has nothing to do with this. Charlie doesn’t deserve this.”

“I like Charlie. She’s a good dog. Loyal.” He dialed Alex’s number. “I’m going to hold the phone up to your mouth. You warn him and I promise you’ll die after you watch me butcher Gail and Charlie.”

Tears streamed down her face.

“Do we have a deal?”

She nodded.

“Good.” He hit Send and held the phone to her mouth.

Alex answered on the second ring. “Leah.”

She cleared her throat. “Alex, can you come back by the house?”

“Is something wrong?” Tension rippled in his voice.

“No.” She cleared her throat again as she stared into Tyler’s dark gaze. “I need to see you. It’s important.”

“Sure.” He paused for a moment. “I’ll be right over.”

A warning scream rattled silent in her throat, begging for release. But before she could voice the warning, Tyler ended the call.

 

 

Alex heard the fear ripping in Leah’s voice. Her tone had been clipped, and there’d been an edge. He grabbed his jacket and pushing past the pain burning through his muscles hurried out of his office toward his car.

On the road, his mind grappled with the facts at hand. Logical to assume it was Philip. All the signs pointed to his return. But had he returned, killed his cousin, and reclaimed his possessions? Possibly, but why the four-year gap? Why leave Leah alone when he’d savagely attacked her and left her for dead four years ago? It didn’t make sense.

Alex called the officer on duty in front of Leah’s house. The phone rang six times, but with no answer, the call went to voice mail. Swearing, he dialed Deke’s number. “Leah is in trouble. She just called me, but something’s wrong. I’m en route.”

“I’m calling for backup.”

“Have them come in quiet and stop short of entering Leah’s block. They need to keep their distance. I’m afraid the sight of cops might get Leah killed. I’ll go in alone.”

“And then you’ll get killed.”

“Not today.”

“If this is Philip, killing you will be top of his list. I’m on my way.”

“Deke, no.”

“Yes, Alex. I’ll park down the block. But I’m coming.”

Alex rang off and punched the accelerator. Ten minutes later, he pulled into Leah’s driveway. Her car was parked at the top. Ignoring the pain in his ribs, he moved toward the marked police car and found the officer unconscious.

He climbed the front steps. Blood pumped in his veins. His muscles burned. He tested the doorknob and found it unlocked. Gun drawn, he opened the door slowly and moved inside, seeing Leah immediately. She was sitting in a chair, her hands tied together. Standing behind her was Tyler Radcliff. He had a knife in his hand and was tracing her jawline with it.

“Radcliff.” Shock quickly gave way to understanding. He was the common denominator that connected several sections of the puzzle.

“He killed Deidre,” Leah said. “And he’s going to kill us and make it look like Philip did it.”

Tyler traced the knife along Leah’s neck. “Put the gun down, Agent,” Tyler said. “Or I’ll slice her throat.”

Leah’s watery gaze sharpened. “Don’t, Alex. He’ll kill you, and then he’s going to kill Gail and Charlie.”

“Where are they?” Alex asked.

“Somewhere safe,” Tyler said.

“Where are they?” Alex demanded.

“In his trunk,” Leah said.

“You should be worried about yourself, Leah. Not them.” Tyler gently twisted the tip of the knife below Leah’s eye. “The gun, Alex.”

Alex lowered his body to a crouch and put the gun on the floor.

“Now toss me the backup gun. All cops carry one.”

Alex stilled and then slowly removed the gun from his ankle holster.

“Kick the guns toward me.”

Alex’s jaw tightened. Tyler sliced a deep nick into Leah’s neck. Blood flowed down her white skin. He complied. “Why am I here?”

“Because you butted into Philip’s marriage when you didn’t have a right. To keep this looking real, I have to act like the outraged Philip would.”

“This was all about killing Deidre, wasn’t it? She left you and you couldn’t take it.”

“We promised each other forever. I kept my word. She lied.”

“I guess you just weren’t man enough to keep her. I mean, what kind of man stalks a woman? Keys her car. Plants listening devices in her house. Fuck, you’re pathetic.”

“Shut up!” He grabbed a handful of Leah’s hair and twisted. She gritted her teeth but didn’t scream.

“Hiding behind a woman.”

Tyler jerked Leah to her feet and pressed the knife to her side. “I should gut her like a fish.”

“You don’t have the balls,” Alex said. “You know once she’s gone, I’m going to kill you very slowly. You’re defenseless without her.”

Tyler snarled and then shoved Leah hard, sending her falling to the floor before he lunged at Alex. Tyler was a large man but quick and just as Alex braced for a blow, the man slammed into him. Alex grunted, his bruised and battered body screaming in pain.

Alex drew his arm around to hit Tyler but the man pounded a fist into his ribs. Agony cut through him. Hissing in a breath, he punched Tyler in the jaw and the blow slowed him only for an instant before he hit Alex again.

Leah scrambled to her side and then to her feet just as Tyler slammed his fist again into Alex’s bruised ribs. Alex grunted in pain.

Leah ran to a side table, picked up a lamp and hit Tyler hard on the back of the head. The blow didn’t knock him out but it got his attention. He turned, his face dark with rage and his fists balled.

Alex, his body riddled with agony, grabbed his knife from his pocket and flipped it open. In that split second, Alex lunged, stabbing Tyler in the throat. Blood sprayed on him and Leah as he stumbled toward her. Tyler, his gaze locked on Leah, dropped to his knees.

Leah stood frozen as she stared down at Tyler’s body. Alex reached for his phone and called for backup. He moved toward Tyler and rolled him on his back. The knife had cut through his jugular and he was bleeding out.

Tyler looked up at Leah. He raised a hand toward her, but the loss of blood was too fast and violent. “Whore,” he mouthed.

“Go to hell,” she said.

His hand dropped and his eyes closed.

Seconds later, Deke came through the front door, gun drawn. His gaze swept the scene as Alex rose and moved toward Leah. He reached out to touch her, but she drew inward, as if she were afraid to trust him or herself.

Her gaze settled on Tyler and the pool of blood swelling around his head. “He’s been planning this for months.”

He took her chilled hands in his. “I know. I know. It’s okay. You’re safe.”

She tightened her fingers around his and looked at him, tears streaming down her cheeks, mingling with the blood from the nick on her cheek. “Alex, he said Philip did die in that car accident.”

Deke took Alex’s knife from him and urged the two toward a squad car.

Alex opened the car door for Leah and had her sit down. He limped around to the other side of the car and carefully lowered into the seat beside her. “He was clever. Made us all believe Philip could be alive.”

“He hated Deidre so much. The look in his eyes reminded me so much of Philip that last night. Love, hate, rage. I saw them all in his eyes.”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “It’s okay, Leah. They’re both gone. No one can hurt you anymore.”

She met his gaze. Pain telegraphed from the watery depths. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to call you. I knew what he wanted to do to you, and I still called. He said he’d kill Gail.”

“I’m not so easy to kill.”

Gingerly she touched his bruised ribs. “He said she and Charlie are in the trunk of his car.”

Alex knocked on the window and a uniformed officer crossed to him. “Tell Deke to find Radcliff’s car. He’s locked a woman inside.”

The officer nodded. “Right away.”

The cop and several others fanned out and moved down the street. Minutes later, he returned. “We found them.”

She held her breath. “He’s killed them.”

“No, ma’am,” the officer said. “They are alive. Drugged but alive. We’ve called for paramedics.”

Leah studied the officer’s face. “You’re sure they’re fine?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“They’re okay,” Alex said.

She faced him. “I’m so sorry to have pulled you into this mess.”

He cupped her face. “You didn’t pull me into anything. I’m here with you because this is exactly where I want to be.”

Epilogue

 

The half marathon drew record crowds. Runners from around the region and the country had shown up to race on what was one of the prettiest spring days Leah could have imagined. She had been nervous and jittery when the starting horn had blared, and for the first mile, her pace had been too quick. Finally, her nerves had settled and she’d fallen into a steady pace. By the time she’d crossed the finish line, her muscles ached and sweat drenched her body. A glance up at the clock revealed . . . well, not a so-fast run time, but she didn’t care. She’d finished the race. She’d made it.

Her shorts and jogging top did a poor job of hiding the scars on her arms and legs, and, overheated as she was, they looked all the more angry. She’d caught several people glancing in her direction, silent questions sparking in their gaze. But she didn’t try to hide her scars. She’d survived Philip. And Tyler. She’d come through the fire and, as far as she was concerned, a few scars didn’t really matter much.

When Alex and Deke had searched Tyler’s home, they’d found his plans for killing Deidre. He’d pieced together his plan with meticulous detail. Deidre had thought she could outsmart her past and move forward, but Tyler had been quicker. He brought Philip back to life, in a manner of speaking, and begun his plan of terror.

A shiver ran through her as she thought about the pure evil that had blackened Philip’s and Tyler’s hearts.

The sound of Charlie barking had her turning to see Alex and the forty-pound black dog approaching. Dark sunglasses concealed his eyes and his expression was stoic.

Alex wore jeans and a button-down. He’d rolled up the sleeves, revealing muscled forearms with thick, coarse hair. A thick, black watch wrapped around his wrist. He walked up to her. “Good job, Dr. Carson.”

His sunglasses tossed back her reflection, but just knowing he was looking at her made her stomach flutter. “Not the most memorable finish.”

“I’ll never forget it.” He leaned in to kiss her.

“I’m sweaty.”

“I don’t care.” He kissed her on the mouth, cupping her face in his hand. “Salty. And sweet.”

Charlie barked and jumped, pulling Leah’s attention to the dog. She knelt and rubbed her between her ears. “She wasn’t too much trouble?”

“She’s fine. And pretty smart.”

Alex had once told her he wasn’t a dog person, but he’d proven very patient and good with Charlie. “So what do you say we get out of here?”

She rose and kissed him on the lips. “Sounds like a great plan.”

Please turn the page for an exciting sneak peek of Mary Burton’s newest romantic-suspense thriller,

 

VULNERABLE
,

 

coming soon from Kensington Publishing!

 

Elisa pressed up against a tree, her round curves scraping against the bark. Her eyes warmed with heat and longing, as if she couldn’t believe anyone wanted her with such intensity.

“I can’t believe I’m blowing off study group to do this,” she breathed. “You make agreeing so easy.”

It was easy to trace a calculated hand up Elisa’s arm and over breasts that weren’t very remarkable. “You’re so hot.”

As dark sexual sensations sent tension shuddering over Elisa’s plain square face, faint thoughts of reason chased after it, tugging her lips into a frown. “I must be insane to follow a stranger into the woods. A few conversations in the coffee shop don’t make us friends.”

“Are you really looking for a friend or do you want something hot and dangerous?” A slow, practiced, sexy smile always made them forget their worries.

“Hot and dangerous,” Elisa breathed.

“You’re so beautiful. You have an energy that’s so hard to resist.”

There were so many Elisas in the world. They were desperate for touch. Desperate for a life with a thrilling excitement that reached beyond work and weighty goals. Desperate to be seen.

Their desperation made them so ripe for the picking. So easy to pluck out of their everyday, safe lives. So easy to convince that a walk on the wild side was their chance to create a new incarnation. To believe this was her chance to prove she was cool. Reckless. Could take chances. Be spontaneous.

A kiss at the hollow of Elisa’s neck had her moaning and closing her eyes. She was drunk with desire. Her head tipped back against the tree, and the brush of a hand over her breasts hardened her nipples into jutting peaks.

“Do you want me to squeeze them?” The warm whisper brushed Elisa’s ear. “Do you want me to suck them?”

“Yes.” The word exploded free, as if she now had no control of her own mind.

“Show me. Show me.”

With trembling hands, Elisa reached for the buttons of her shirt and frantically unbuttoned them. In her haste, one button popped and skittered to the ground. She peeled back the cotton folds of her very sensible cotton shirt and revealed a pink lacy bra cupping unremarkable C-cup breasts. A large pink bow frantically clung to the stretch of lace banding under Elisa’s cleavage, looking as awkward as she did at her little table in the coffee shop.

“Very nice.” Forceful hands pinched a nipple hard enough to make Elisa wince.

Elisa’s eyes opened, the pain slicing at the edges of the mindless desire clouding reason. A whimper tumbled over her lips, but she didn’t complain. Her kind never complained or made waves when anyone paid the slightest attention for fear harsh words would chase away what little attention they received.

A gentle kiss on the stinging, reddened nipple nudged away the clouds of worry. “Nice. So hot.”

“Really? I’m hot?” A pathetic hope clung to the words as her voice rasped over lips painted a cherry red that made her pale skin look pasty white.

“Yeah. Hot.”

Tears moistened muddy-brown eyes. “No one has ever said that to me before.”

Ah, there it was, the sign that this girl would do whatever was asked of her in this moment because she was so grateful. Long, strong fingers rested at the hollow of Elisa’s neck as her pulse thrummed a crazed beat.

“You’re nervous.”

“Yes.” So blinded with wanting, her voice sounded as if it had been shredded by a knife. Scents of a spicy perfume mingled with the musk of the desire dampening her lace panties.

“You don’t have to be nervous.”

Elisa lifted her breast, silently begging for more touch. “I can’t help it. God, I want this.”

Soft, seductive laughter rumbled. “I can smell your fear. Your sex.”

She moistened her lips, tasting the cherry flavor of her lip gloss. “You can smell it?”

“Super sexy.”

Even white teeth nipped her earlobe and sent a visible shudder through Elisa. “You’re wet.”

Self-consciousness sent a rush of heat up her face. “I can’t help it.”

“It’s good to want this.” Energy pulsed. Hummed. The press of fingers to her moist center had Elisa hissing in a breath. Slow circular motions sent the young woman’s eyes rolling back in her head as the desire rushed and threatened to knock her over.

The fingers stopped moving in the practiced caress and rose to Elisa’s lips, teasing them open until she sucked. “That’s my girl.”

“Please don’t stop.”

“I’m not even close to stopping.” Strong hands cupped Elisa’s throat and squeezed gently at first.

“Is it going to hurt?” The blurted words stumbled past Elisa’s lips before they could be censored.

“Do you doubt me?”

“No. No. I just thought . . .”

A soft chuckle rumbled. “It’s okay that this is your first time. You don’t need to pretend with me. I like knowing I’m the first.”

Elisa searched with moist green eyes and, finding no hint of judgment or censor, eased back against the tree.

“I’m going to make you so hot, I’ll slide right into you and you’ll want all of it.”

“I want to feel hot. Sexy. Like the other girls in college.”

“You’re so much better than those girls. Most of them come from money and have had it all handed to them. You’re smart. Different.”

“I want to be transformed.” Elisa’s words rushed past her lips, as if she sent a request to the heavens.

“You will be.” Again, silken words brushed over Elisa like a caress as the sun hung lower on the horizon, pulling with it the remnants of the day’s light. Shadows bathed the woods around them, creeping closer with each second. “It’ll be like nothing you’ve ever experienced before.”

Strong fingers gripped tighter around Elisa’s neck, sending tingles through both the seducer and the seduced. Skin tingled. Thrills shot as the pressure increased. So dangerous. So fun to enjoy such utter control.

Elisa closed her eyes, releasing the reins held most days in a white-knuckled grip. She wanted to be dominated. She wanted to be owned. Mind. Body. And spirit.

When the pressure constricted her airway ever so slightly, the first flickers of doubt sparked. Ah, there it was—the fear, which was far more intoxicating than sex.

“Feels good, doesn’t it, baby?” Grinning, the seducer squeezed harder, cutting off all air. The white-hot desire blurring in Elisa’s thoughts cooled as quickly as molten metal plunged into ice water. Common sense elbowed past the dark cravings as she shook her head and raised her hands to the still-tightening grip.

“Stop,” she croaked.

Pain and fear collided in Elisa, driving more energy and determination into her hold.

“Stop.” The word strained to be heard as she dug nails painted a bright purple into ribbons of muscles streaming up powerful forearms.

In these moments, with their bodies joined in such an intimate embrace, their thoughts connected. Elisa, who had so desperately wanted a challenge more physically thrilling than math problems or debate team practice, wanted now nothing more than to break free and scurry back to the safety of her little house. She wanted to breathe. To live.

Malice dimmed all traces of humanity and opened the abyss now hungry for fear, pain, and panic. “Fear is part of the fun, baby. Fear shows us we’re alive.”

When Elisa’s breath caught in her throat and couldn’t pass to her lungs, she struggled with a renewed energy and then drew up her knee and drove it, with a desperate force, into bone and sinew.

Anger rocketed, stole breath and strength, and the deepening hold slackened. “Fucking bitch!”

Oxygen rushing into her lungs, Elisa gobbled it up as she raised trembling fingers and shoved back hard. Her fingers pressed to her bruised neck, she pushed away from the tree and stumbled forward, her shoe catching and slipping off her foot, before righting herself and sprinting toward the narrow path that cut through the thicket of woods.

“You can’t leave yet, Elisa!”

Screaming, she tripped over a root, bit her lip hard, and nearly tumbled before she caught herself. Lungs filling and refilling with a wheeze, she hurried faster and faster down the path toward Warner Park’s main road.

“You won’t get away from me, Elisa. I know the woods too well.” Jogging now under the light of the full moon, it was easy to follow Elisa’s panicked footsteps thundering down the path.

“Wondering where the road is, Elisa?”

Branches cracked and snapped, fusing with her cries and prayers. “I know you’re wondering where we are in the park. Let’s see, we drove up that main road just a half hour ago and parked in the lot before I kissed you on those lush lips and led you to the entrance of the woods. Thirty minutes ago, excitement and anticipation tingled your skin as you gave me just a peek at those panties and bra you bought just for me.”

“Leave me alone! I don’t want to do this anymore.” She sobbed, sucking in her breath as she raced faster.

“You aren’t scared, are you? You know I would never hurt you. This is supposed to be fun for both of us. I want you so bad, baby.”

As night squeezed the last of twilight from the trail, tree branches and briars reached out like specters. Their thoughts rejoined this time as hunter and prey. The roar of a truck engine told them both the road was close. A yelp escaped Elisa’s lips as she ran faster. She was calculating the distance to the road. Could she catch the attention of a driver? Would she be saved from the nightmare that had ensnared her?

Elisa could flag down a car and then, in a blink, she would escape. And the plans would be ruined. That wouldn’t work at all.

“Elisa!” Her name sounded twisted as the dark bent branches. “Elisa! Don’t be afraid of me. I don’t want to hurt you! I want you, baby.”

The woods grew silent, swallowing up the little fawn, who was, no doubt, clenching her mouth shut and swallowing her cries.

Ahead, a fallen log lay across the path, and to the right its large rotted stump was circled by a pile of thick branches. Had she burrowed those purple nails into the dirt, clawing and scraping and hoping the earth would swallow her up?

In the center of the path lay a shoe. It belonged to Elisa. She was close, hiding in the thicket. “Elisa, come out, come out, wherever you are. I won’t hurt you, baby. You can run, but you can’t hide forever.”

A twig broke. Leaves rustled. Another car raced down the road, chased out of the park by the darkness. Time stilled, sharpening all the senses. The hunter noticed the cracked branches beside the path and the freshly trampled path. And then Elisa’s soft, soft whimpers echoed in the darkness. The sound led down the path to a pale foot peeking out from under a log.

Five fast footsteps and the hunter grabbed her ankle as Elisa dug her fingers into the dirt, fighting to stay burrowed in her hiding spot. The will to live gave her strength.

“I don’t want to do this anymore. I want to go home,” she screamed.

Fingers bit into her skin, tearing the flesh, yanking her free of her sanctuary. “Got to finish what you started, baby. Got to finish it.”

She drew in a breath, but fisted fingers smashed against her jaw. She crumpled to the dirt, stunned.

Hoisting her wasn’t so difficult, nor was it hard to carry her back through the woods to the entrance of a small cave, which had been their ultimate destination since the first day they met.

Elisa fell to the cave’s floor with a hard thud. “Please, just let me go. I won’t tell.”

“I know you won’t tell.”