Razing Kayne (30 page)

THIRTY-THREE

Jess didn't have to look in the box—it didn't matter what it held. Kayne loved her!
“Yes.”
God, yes!

Before Jess could open the box, Kayne laid his hand on hers. “I don't want another
marriage ceremony, Jess. I know it didn't seem like it at the time, but what we did
that day matters too much to me to replace. However, I do want to speak my vows to
you in front of our family and friends. So you make all the plans you want and invite
as many people as you want. I'll wear whatever you ask, and give you opinions about
things I probably don't really care about, like the flavor of the cake or the color
of the ribbons. All I ask in return is that it be done on the first anniversary of
the day
we
began. ”

“Chocolate-cherry cake, and blue and silver.
I already know those answers.” And she wholeheartedly agreed on sharing their vows
on their first wedding anniversary.

Jess opened the box. Resting on a bed of black satin was a custom wedding band. Solid
platinum, banded with a row of trefoil knots, each encircled by a connecting heart
that formed an eternity knot around the band. Set deep in the center of each trefoil
was a different colored stone.

“I designed this and had it made especially for you. The trefoil is the symbol of
immortality: a beginning without an end, like our life together. The hearts represent
my love for you. Forever love. Unending like the knot they form. I chose opals instead
of diamonds, because opals are warm living stones, each color a birth stone, yours
being the center of this ring just like you are the center of our family.

“I know the inscription isn’t original, but the meaning behind the words is. I wrote
those words for the wife I dreamed of. And here you are.
With My Last Breath.”
He slipped the ring on her finger. A perfect fit.

She leaned in and echoed, “With my last breath,” against his lips before she kissed
him.

***

Kayne glanced at Jess for what must have been the hundredth time in the last ten minutes
as she sat curled up sideways on the passenger seat, facing him, Lifehouse’s
“Falling In” playing softly in the background. “You look tired.” Happy, but tired,
he thought.

“I am. Old age seems to be catching up with me. At least I get to sleep in a little
tomorrow.” She smiled.

“No way.
Come five o'clock, I'm up, you're up.” Kayne imagined setting his alarm a little
early so he could wake her properly, but knew he’d let her sleep in if he could. He
was so in love with her his heart hurt looking at her.

She pouted prettily. “That's not nice, Mr. Dobrescu.”

Jess played with the cuff of his shirt sleeve, wreaking havoc on his body. While he
knew she'd had the kids spend the night with Del and Polly for practical reasons,
he hadn't missed the fact that they would have the house entirely to themselves.

“I have to know—” He teased a finger into the slit of her dress, gently pushing the
thin material to the side. “What are you wearing under that dress?”
Jesus H. Christ!
He touched skin. Absolutely bare, no panties, no...
nothing
but silky smooth flesh. He’d have never gotten out of the house had he known for
sure.

“This dress doesn't leave our bedroom again,” he growled. “You're lucky you didn't
give someone a heart attack tonight.” Hell, she might give him one before the night
was over.

Jess simply gave him an indulgent smile and laughed.
“Yes, dear.”
 

Kayne knew better than to divide his attention when driving, but he couldn't resist
dipping a finger or two into her delicate folds. “You're wet.” He nodded his approval,
gathering her juices on his finger, circling her swollen button.

His finger was poised to sink into her core when a car came barreling up behind them
with its high-beams on, all but blinding him. “What the fuck?”

Knowing his lead foot had gotten the better of him while he'd had a hand up his date’s
skirt—if that wasn't a blast back to high school, he sure as hell didn't know what
was—he expected to see flashing lights, but the vehicle continued to ride his bumper.

“Is your seatbelt on tight?” Kayne reached over to check, even as he asked, all cop
now.

“What's he doing?” Jess sat up straight and glanced over her shoulder. He could hear
the nervousness in her voice.

“I think he's just an impatient driver. We're almost to the passing lanes. I'll slow
down, and he can go around us.” Even as he said it, Kayne had an uneasy feeling. They'd
been doing right at 80 in a 65 mph zone, so there was no reason for anyone who wasn't
a cop to have issue with his speed.

When they reached the passing lanes, the vehicle slowed down,
backing
off slightly, but didn't pass. The moment the highway narrowed to two-lanes it was
right back on their ass.

“Take my phone and call dispatch. See if there's a unit nearby. This guy is making
me uncomfortable.”
Uncomfortable being one hell of an understatement.
Kayne reached into his jacket and released the snap of his holster
.
He wasn’t required to carry a firearm off duty as officers in some other states were,
and normally didn’t, but with the strange things that had been happening recently,
he’d felt compelled to do so. He prayed to God that he wouldn’t have a use for it
tonight.

“District
Eleven
, this is Candy.”

Of all the dispatchers in all the radio rooms...
Kayne couldn't help the sigh that escaped.

“Candy, it's Jess Dobrescu, Kayne needs to know where the closest unit is.” Jess rattled
off their location and a concise situation report,
then
put them on speaker. Hell, she'd known their location better than he had.

“Eleven- three-two is checked out at the substation in Payson. Do you need him sent
your way?”

Kayne threw a glare at the phone.
“Uh, yeah.”

Kayne dropped down to thirty miles an hour; the vehicle stayed right behind them,
its high-beams on so Kayne couldn't even begin to guess the make and model.

“What are you driving,
sweetheart?
' Candice
asked,
her tone flirtatious.

“My
wife's
Aston Martin Vanquish.” Kayne threw Jess an apologetic look. He hoped she realized
he didn't encourage this shit.

Candice gushed. “Wow! Sweet ride, you should come up to Flagstaff and take me for
a spin in it sometime.”

Jess laughed. He was glad someone found her funny.

“Where's Eleven-three-two now?” Kayne glanced in his rearview mirror. The vehicle
was sitting tight on his bumper.

“He's at the east Payson town limits waiting for you, sweetie.”

“Slowing down didn't work. I'm going to try picking up the pace a little.” Kayne glanced
at Jess. “Baby, make sure your seat belt is tight.”

Kayne tapped the gas, and the car rocketed forward, but the other car kept pace.

“Whatever he's driving, it has some power under the hood.”  Kayne lifted his foot,
leveling off at ninety-five
.

“You think he’s another sports car wanting to drag?”

“Payson-555 wants to know your twenty and speed,” Candice advised.

Kayne recognized the call sign.
Rafe.
“Sitting right at one-hundred now.
We're just passing through Little Green Valley,” Kayne responded. “We so need this
for a chase car,” he murmured under his breath. The Vanquish hugged the road like
a desperate lover, just as responsive.

“Of course you'd volunteer to be its designated driver,” Jess replied dryly.

“Payson-555 says they're waiting at the turn off to Station-21.”

Station-21 was the Hellsgate Fire Department headquarters and sat right off the main
highway on the east end of Star Valley, Payson’s neighboring town. With the highway
alternating between two-lane and divided four-lane through this section, Kayne knew
it was really the only place the backup units could fall in behind the vehicle.

Kayne shifted gears, he didn’t know what this asshole’s game was, but he wished to
hell he was alone. The thought of anything happening to Jess scared the ever-lovin’
shit out of him. “Tell Payson 555 we’re crossing Dealer’s Choice, down to 85 mph.”

“Payson-555 copies,” dispatch replied.

Having divided his attention between the road and the rearview mirror, Kayne saw the
other vehicle drop back slightly and edge into the oncoming lane. Then the chase vehicle
made its move, swift and merciless, and, in moments, the driver was parallel to Kayne’s
back fender, leaving Kayne a split second to recognize the PIT maneuver for what it
was and get the fuck out of the way.

“Hold on!” He tapped the gas, and the Vanquish shot forward, just as the other vehicle
would have pushed him into a spinout. Not the move of an amateur, which meant the
driver
had to know at this speed that even a vehicle like the Vanquish was almost guaranteed
to roll. Still, the chase vehicle’s front bumper managed to graze his backend, sending
him fishtailing.

“We've been hit.” Emotion vanished, and training took over. Kayne steered into the
skid, taking them to the very edge of the paved shoulder before attaining the traction
he needed to pull them back onto the highway. From the sound of the squealing tires
behind him the other vehicle was having a harder time recovering, giving Kayne the
extra seconds he needed to gain full control and ensure he stayed well in front. He
didn’t dare take his eyes off the car or the road. “You okay, baby?”

“Yes.” Her response was clear and strong.
A good sign.

”What’s your 10-20?” dispatch asked.

“We're about to enter Star Valley.”

The second they reached the four-lane highway, the chase car fell way back. Kayne
thought they were about to make a U-turn and get the hell out of dodge, making him
wonder if they had a
scanner and knew there were units waiting. But before he could articulate the thought,
the chase car accelerated hard, and Kayne knew they were done fucking around. “Hang
on, Jess this might get rough.”

She laughed.
Laughed.
God love her.

Kayne watched, waited. At the last possible moment, he braked hard-left and slammed
on the brakes, hoping to God that he wouldn't flip them himself. He snagged a peripheral
glance of the black Mercedes sedan as it sailed past, missing them by mere millimeters.

The Vanquish came to a halt facing north on the east-west highway. Kayne watched the
Mercedes skid into a one-eighty and head back toward them. This was no joy rider.
That fucker knew how to drive, probably better than he did.

“Get down!” Kayne released his seat belt and threw himself over Jess, covering her
with his body. He pulled his firearm and flipped the safety, ready to do whatever
it took to protect the woman he loved. Instead of shooting like he'd feared, the vehicle
took off back in the direction they'd come from.

“Black Mercedes AMG, no plate,” Kayne relayed to dispatch, not sure where the hell
the phone had gone.
“Passenger side front end damage.”

“PD wants to know if you are Code-
4?
” Dispatch's question was partially drowned out as marked and unmarked police cars
blew past them, lights flashing. The damn Mercedes would top out at 186 mph without
governors in place, and there was no fucking way the officers would catch him if he
could lose them on a straightaway. God, if Jess wasn't with him, he'd go after the
fucker!

Jess shoved at his shoulder, and he slowly sat up. “What are you waiting for, go after
him!” She threw her hand in the direction of the fleeing vehicle.

Kayne told dispatch they'd be waiting at home. Even if he caught the asshole, he'd
be without backup, and Jess would be a sitting duck in the car. There was no fucking
way he'd risk Jessica's life for anything.

***

The phone rang as Jess and Kayne walked in the door, because, of course, Payson was
a small town and everyone they knew owned a police scanner. The one person Jess wanted
to hear from, fortunately, was one of the first—Polly. She assured them the children
were all tucked in asleep, and Del would be sleeping on the couch. He, like Kayne,
didn't believe in coincidences. Too many strange things had been going on lately.

Rafe walked into the kitchen a few minutes later, Trace and Nick on his heels.

Rafe whistled. “Ho-ly shit. You are a walking wet dream in that dress.”

Nick staggered back dramatically holding his hands over his chest. “Be still my horny
heart, I think I'm in love.”

“Jesus, not a panty line in sight.”
Trace gave Kayne a knowing grin. “Did you put that sexy little thing on for me, babe?”
He gave her a long once over.

Kayne growled in response, stepping in front of her and blocking their view. The men
laughed, and Kayne realized too late they'd been screwing with him.