Mine to Keep (5 page)

He’d completely renovated the place.

Skye stepped inside the converted fire station, her gaze darting to the left and the right.

The hard-wood floors gleamed. Barres had been placed to run the length of the right wall. Floor to ceiling mirrors circled the main room, throwing her reflection back at her.

And there were—there were even storage lockers down the narrow hallway that snaked back from the main room. Shining, silver lockers for her students to use.

When
she actually got her students to start attending her new dance studio.

“He said he’d installed new security here,” Skye said.

“Uh, well, you know the boss,” Reese replied from beside her. “The guy doesn’t believe in doing things half-way.”

No, he didn’t. 

“He knew you’d want to come back here,” Reese continued. “And he told the crew that everything had to be ready for you.” He walked forward and motioned to the speakers that had been mounted on the ceiling. “Surround sound, you know, for that full dance experience.”

She’d come in, ready to get her hands dirty and her muscles aching, as she tore this place into shape.

But, in true Trace fashion, he’d done it for her.

“I can’t tell if you’re pissed or pleased,” Reese said, his drawl deepening as he scratched his jaw. “Kinda hard to determine from your expression.”

She stepped forward. “I think I’m both.” Pissed because he’d done all of this without her input but pleased because he’d cared enough to try and give her the dream she wanted.

Pissed or pleased
?She still wasn’t sure. 

Skye turned around and marched out of the main studio room. Trace’s crew had knocked out some walls, opening up the space. Columns secured the ceiling. The place looked
huge.

“He left the fireman’s pole,” Reese said as he followed after her.

She glanced to the right. The fireman’s pole gleamed.

“The boss thought you might like it so he left strict instructions for the workers.”

Her gaze followed that pole upstairs. “What about the apartment up there?”  Her hands had come to rest on her hips.  Had Trace organized the apartment, too?  Or had he been so sure that she’d move in with him that he hadn’t even bothered to touch that place?

“Uh…” Reese coughed. “Security was set up there, but I don’t think much else has been done.”

“Then I’ll do it,” she said, giving a firm nod. Because that upstairs area was still
hers.
She might be living with Trace, but she could use the upstairs apartment area as a refuge from the dance studio.  She’d decorate every inch of it herself.

“He wanted to make you happy.”

Her attention shifted to Reese. He shrugged. “Trace…you know the boss doesn’t think like most people.  He knew if you came back here, the way this place was…you’d work like a fiend to get it in shape. He wanted to help.”

“Trace likes his control.” 
Even in the bedroom.
“But this time, it’s all right.” Because the studio’s condition meant that she could get her business up and running faster.  She already had clients scheduled from weeks ago. She could contact them and get this place going—

And then she’d pay Trace back for the work he’d done. Every cent.

Because the studio is mine.
She needed it to be.

Skye rolled her shoulders.  This was going to happen.  A smile spread over her face. “We’ll count this as a tentative pleased,” she said, “but if—”

A knock sounded at the main door.  Skye turned, frowning. She hadn’t told any of her students-to-be that she was back in town yet.

“This way,” Reese said. He directed her to what
had
previously been a closet, but when she opened the door, she saw the area had been expanded. Four television screens were mounted on the wall. One showed the rear exterior of the old fire station, two showed the sides of the building, and the largest screen showed the entrance—and the man who stood there.

“Like the boss said,” Reese told her, “he upgraded your security.”

She leaned toward the big screen. “That’s Alex—Detective Griffin.” The one cop who’d finally believed her story about a stalker.

She turned away from the screen and hurried toward the front door. She hadn’t seen Alex in weeks. 
Before my abduction.

Because Mitch had taken her to New York, the NYPD had taken over the case.  They’d closed the file on Mitch Loxley.

After quickly unbolting the door, Skye swung it open. “Detective Griffin!” A broad smile split her face. “It’s good to see you.”

He blinked at her, and an answering smile slowly stretched across his handsome face.  Alex Griffin was just a little shorter than Trace, and his shoulders weren’t quite as wide, but the cop was fit and smart.  And he’d
been there
for Skye when she’d been at the end of her rope.

Sunlight glinted off his blond hair, and his gaze swept over her. “It’s good to see you, too.”  He surprised her by pulling her into his arms and giving her a big hug. “Damn good. Because the last time I saw you…” A rough sigh broke from him as he eased back a bit and stared down at her. “You were lying unconscious in a hospital bed.”

That response surprised her. “You came to see me in New York?”  The time after her abduction was a blur for her.  She’d gone too long without food. Spent too much time in the darkness.

She’d come too close to death.

Alex nodded. “I needed to see for myself that you were all right.” Now he frowned. “Weston didn’t tell you I was there?”

No. He hadn’t.

Alex dropped his hold. Stepped back fully. This time, when his gaze swept over her, his attention locked on her left hand.

Or, more specifically, on the ring there.

“I’m sure…” Reese cut in, clearing his throat from behind them, “that Trace was more concerned with Skye here healing…and not giving her a full visitor listing.”

Alex didn’t glance at the other man. “Should I congratulate you, Skye?” 

Her throat felt dry. There was something about his tone. A hard edge that worried her. “Yes,” she said, straightening her shoulders. “Trace and I—we’re together now and—”

“As if he’d have it any other way.” Alex’s growled words definitely held anger.

“Watch it,” Reese warned him. “Cop or no cop, you—”

Alex shook his head and kept staring at Skye. “As good as it is to see you—awake, aware, and not looking like death anymore—I’m actually here on business.” 

They were still standing in the doorway. Skye backed up and bumped into Reese.  “What kind of business?”

“I transferred to homicide.”

Uh, okay. She circled around him and shut the door. Her fingers flipped over the lock.

“Thought it was time for a change.”

“Congratulations.” That was the right response, wasn’t it? From the sound of things, he’d taken a new job, so she was supposed to congratulate him.

Just as he
should
have congratulated her.

Alex’s gaze cut to Reese. “Can your guard give us a minute? We need to talk,
alone.
”

“I don’t think—” Reese said.

“It’s fine, Reese.” She walked toward him and patted his arm. “Why don’t you just go and—well, take a few moments to relax?” Right, like the guy ever relaxed. She’d sure never seen it.

One brow lifted, but Reese gave a curt nod. “If you need me, I’ll be close.” Then, after one last, measuring glance at Alex, he was gone.

Alex didn’t speak, not at first. After a few tense moments, he exhaled and asked, “Still under guard duty?”

Because she’d thought the exact same thing, Skye’s words held bite as she told him, “It’s just a precaution, only for a few days.  We just wanted to make sure there wouldn’t be any trouble from the press.”

“And the fact that Weston has a shitload of enemies?
Deadly
enemies? That has nothing to do with the bodyguard detail?”

His tone was scaring her. “You said you had business to talk about…” And he was
homicide
now. Oh, damn, this couldn’t be good.

“Does the name Ben Sharpe mean anything to you?”

Ben.
The man’s face flashed before her. The feverish intensity of his eyes.  The certainty in his voice.

He’s here. Watching. I
know!

“You know him,” Alex said, apparently reading the truth on her face.

“We met last night,” she said as she rubbed at the knot of tension in the back of her neck. “Briefly.”

He stepped closer to her. “And was Weston there for this little meeting?”

“Ah, yes. He was. Trace and Ben knew each other from—”

The front door swung open with a creak. Her gaze flew to the door. She’d been sure that she locked it—

Trace stood in the doorway.

Of course, he’d have his own key.

“Griffin.” Trace bit out the cop’s name. “You moved fast.”

Alex’s eyes narrowed. “Guess you heard, huh? Or did the bodyguard call you and tell you to haul ass over here?”

“I was just a few blocks away. I didn’t have to haul ass that much.” Trace closed the distance between them. He put his body next to Skye’s but kept his attention on the detective. “You shouldn’t be questioning Skye. She doesn’t even know Ben.”

Alex’s brow shot up again. “Really? Because she was just telling me that she did. Skye said that she met him last night, with you.”

The tension between the two men was palpable. 

“What is going on?” Skye demanded as she threw her hands up in the air. “Why are you asking these questions about Ben?”

But she already knew. The twist in her gut told her the truth, and she didn’t really want to hear it. She didn’t want to hear Alex say—

“Ben Sharpe’s body was found this morning, tossed away like garbage in an alley.”

Her hands fell to her sides.

So it would seem that Ben hadn’t been so crazy after all.  “He said someone was watching him,” she whispered.

“Did he now…?” Alex drawled.

Her knees were trembling. “How did you know we were connected to him?” 

“It was pretty easy to follow the dots.” Alex inclined his head toward her. “The guy had a picture of you—some grainy shot torn from a newspaper—in his pocket.”

She’s your mistake, and she’s going to destroy you.
Ben’s words replayed in her mind.

“And, of course, there was the business card.” Now Alex’s attention shifted to Trace. “
Your
business card, Weston. A card that was gripped tightly in the dead man’s hand.” 

Her heart raced in her chest.  “Wh-when did Ben die?”

“The medical examiner says it was last night, sometime between midnight and two a.m.”

Trace had been gone after midnight.

“Now…see…that’s not really the question that I expected you to ask,” Alex said, and his gaze was right back on her. “Maybe something like…how did he die? But jumping straight to
when
…that’s not what most folks usually do. Unless, well, unless they’re trying to work out an alibi.”  He paused a beat. “Are you doing that, Skye? Are you trying to work out some kind of alibi?”

“Of course she isn’t,” Trace snarled. His fingers caught hers. Twined with them. Squeezed lightly. “We appreciate you notifying us of Ben’s death, Detective Griffin.”

“Cut the bull,” Alex suddenly demanded. “You and I both know I’m not here for some kind of
notification.”
He advanced on Trace until the men stood toe-to-toe. “What the hell is going on here, man?  Did you have something to do with the guy’s death?”

Skye sucked in a sharp breath.  Trace glanced back at her. He stared into her eyes, then he lifted her hand. He brought it to his lips and lightly kissed her knuckles. Her ring caught the light, gleaming even brighter.

Trace was still looking at Skye when he said, “No. I had nothing to do with Ben’s death.”

She had the feeling he was trying to convince her of that fact, not Alex.

“Don’t
you
want to know how he died?” Alex pushed.

Trace kept his hold on Skye’s fingers, but he looked at Alex once more. “How did he die?” Trace asked.

“Someone carved him up with a knife.”

Skye flinched. Instinctively, she tried to jerk her hand away from Trace. He didn’t let her go. 

“What the hell was the guy doing in that alley?” The question erupted from Alex. “Why was he—”

“Ben Sharpe was a very disturbed individual. He suffered from severe PTSD. He had hallucinations, delusions.” Trace’s voice was flat. “And I’d recently learned that he had stopped taking his medications.  My card…” He exhaled on a hard breath. “He had my card because I wanted to help him, not because I was the man who took his life.” 

It felt like her thundering heartbeat was shaking Skye’s entire chest.

The floor creaked behind her, and she turned to see Reese standing there, watching them. 

“And Skye’s picture?” Alex asked as he glared suspiciously at Trace. “Why’d he have that?”

Trace’s fingers tightened on hers.  “I’m afraid that Ben would need to be the one to tell you about that.”

She’s your mistake, and she’s going to destroy you.     

Alex watched them in silence.  It was the thick and hard and uncomfortable type of silence. 

Finally, Alex said, “Let’s just get this out of the way.  I’m going to assume you were both together last night?  She can alibi you, Weston?”

“Yes,” Trace said. “I was home with my fiancé.”

The lie rolled so easily off his tongue.

But even as Trace said the words, Alex’s gaze was on Skye’s face. 

Did I flinch?  Did I show any sign that Trace just lied?

Alex inclined his head.  “Then I guess that will be all…for now.”  He stepped back. Paused. “It
is
good to see you again, Skye.” His gaze seemed to warm. “You scared the hell out of me in that hospital, and I’m damn glad you survived that bastard’s attack.”

“Thank you,” she whispered. 

Trace motioned with his hand. Immediately, Reese advanced and escorted the detective back outside.

Skye waited a few seconds, making sure that both Reese and Alex were out of ear shot. Then she jerked free of Trace’s hand and rushed into the main studio. Her reflection stared back at her—eyes too wide, skin too pale.