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Chapter 5

RYLEE

I was at a complete loss for words. Boy had he just taken the wind out of my sails. Mad? What the hell was that? The man just told me he was falling for me. In 2.5 seconds, I was across the seat. On my knees and feet stuck out behind me on the seat’s length, I towered slightly above him, as grasping his jawline, I coaxed him with my fingers, urging him to lift his head upward, until finally able to peer down into his face, I lowered my head, burying his lips beneath mine. Warm and tender, he gave and took, before shifting our bodies until my back rested against the back of the bench seat, he took over the kiss. Urging me to open to him, he explored the inside of my mouth with his tongue. The feel of it gliding across mine, and the gentle way he held me, seduced my every sense, then, slowly, pulling back a little, he husked, “Ry?”

“Um-hmm? I breathed, busy running my lips and teeth down his neck, and leaving little nips in their wake.

“You know I’d love to continue this, but really, we should move along. We’re in front of a crime scene, remember?”

Jerking back, I looked around. Oh my God. What the hell were we doing?

Scrambling now to put some distance between us, I found myself beneath the assault of a rare occurrence. I blushed. It wasn’t that I didn’t blush, I just didn’t blush often, however, making out like a couple of teenagers in the cab of my boss’s pickup, was embarrassing as hell.

Settling a little distance away, more toward the center than the passenger side, I cleared my throat. “Okay, so um, wow!”

Brice laughed. “Yeah.”

After giving the pickup some gas, he pulled away from the curb and back out into the street, casually he laid his hand on my thigh, and as he drove, he would occasionally curl his fingers inward, giving me a light caress.

No longer able to contain my curiosity, I questioned, “Okay, so, what is happening here?”

“Happening?” he asked.

“Yeah, like, what is this?” I waved toward his hand on my thigh.

He gave a shrug.” I’m...not sure.”

Settling back into the seat, I remained silent, the ride to the bureau passing in silence.

Within minutes we were driving into the bureau’s parking lot, and after pulling in beside my pickup, Brice put his in park. Then, reaching up he pinched the bridge of his nose, as with his eyes closed, he muttered, “This parasite has latched onto you, placing you in danger, Ry. I can’t deny I have feelings for you, shit, I’ve felt something for you for a long-ass fucking time. But our situation, our jobs, make it impossible for us to be anything more than what we are now.

“So,” I said, “nothing has changed. You’re still my lead and I’m still just one of your team members investigating a crime. Oh, wait… No I’m not, you kicked me off the case.”

Blowing out a breath, Brice muttered. “That bastard made a point of declaring his intentions. I just want you safe.”

I gave my head a small shake. “You said it yourself, he latched onto me! He wants something. And if he can’t use me, God only knows how bad this could get.”

Heaving a resigned sigh, Brice pushed open his door, then as he climbed out, he said over his shoulder, “Come on, we got paperwork to fill out.”

“So, I’m back on the case?”

I could tell he didn’t want to give in, then finally stated, “I guess so. But if shit starts going south, you’re iff, got it?”

I gave him a grin. “Got it, headman.”

He laughed. “Shut up.”

Several hours later, when we lifted our heads from the paperwork scattered across our desks, Brice glanced in my direction, busting me in a yawn. Eyes watering from the action, I shrugged. “Sorry.”

After we’d gathered all the paperwork and cleared our desks, we exited the building.

An hour and a half later we were standing outside the guest bedroom in Brice’s home, and Reaching out, he cupped my face, murmuring, “Under the circumstances, I know I shouldn’t be saying this, but I want to kiss you so fucking bad right now, I can’t stand it.” Then tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, he ran the back of his fingers down my cheek. “Goodnight, Ry. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight,” I replied, then turning, I opened the door and stepped inside the room.

~~

I awoke several hours later to another nightmare, but this time, there was no victim. Just music, loud-ass fucking music. The killer was playing with me. Sick to my stomach with the knowledge, I climbed out of bed and made my way to the bathroom, paranoia had set in, and I wondered, did he watch everything I did? I’d known he was using me in our victim’s home, but would I feel him every time?

I didn’t know, but I knew I wanted Brice. I wanted him to hold me, to let me know everything was going to be okay. I threw up a good bluff in front of him, but in truth, I was scared. I put my life on the line every time I walked out that door in the name of the law, and I had died in the name of the law. But for the first time ever, I doubted my choices. Had I made a mistake insisting I be on this case. Brice was right. This sick-o was feeding off of what I could give him. I couldn’t shut him out. I had tried. I needed to find someone who could help me. Someone who knew how all this stuff worked. I had a feeling I was going to need them. This guy was becoming a living nightmare. So, the fact this thing had become personal, was no surprise. I had to ferret this weasel out. I had no choice.

I was eight when I fell out of a tree and broke my elbow. Pins had been placed in the joint to aid in the repair of the bones. In order to keep my arm still, it had been hung above my head and fastened to traction bars. I was in that hospital for a month, and let me tell you, I had thought at the time there could be nothing worse than being bed bound and have two nuns come into my room and ask if I had been saved, because, if I hadn’t, the imps would come out of the corners and take me to Hell—I'm still traumatized by that incident to this day—but even that hadn’t put the fear in me that this psychopath did.

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