Summer Kisses (233 page)

Gorgon raised his chin and looked down the nose at the man. “But you don’t know for sure?”

Drat shook his head. “No.”

“It doesn’t matter. We’re leaving the city today,” Gorgon said, frowning. “Pack your things and be ready to go in an hour.”

Nicole scooted up on her bed, the comforter dropping to her lap. Darkness owned the room. Her hair fell over her shoulder and she tucked the long wisps back behind her ear. The tree, which she swore over and over she’d climb and rip its branch off, scraped its pointed nubs across the rain gutter above her bedroom window. No. That wasn’t the same sound she’d grown used to. She’d heard something more.
Or had she?

Was her mind playing tricks on her? After all, she’d read in the paper tonight about a man, now labeled “the midnight rapist,” who, in a county west of Logan’s Summit, lured his victims outside by turning on their outside water spigots. The women inside, his targets, thought they’d sprung a leak and went outside to investigate. He then forced them back into their homes and raped them. A recent newspaper article that laid out his latest victim’s terrifying account explicitly had given Nicole the chills. So much so, she’d double-checked her windows and door locks before climbing the stairs, taking a quick shower and climbing into bed. Of course, memories of her own ordeals hadn’t helped diminish her angst.

Nicole listened to the quiet beyond the branch’s scrape and to the thump of her heartbeat. Maybe the midnight rapist had widened his zone of attack.

With that thought, she fumbled for the light on the nightstand. She hated guns, but sometimes she wished she had a big one. However, having a weapon was against her agreement with the agency. Will was supposed to be her protection, but she hadn’t seen a glimpse of him in over a week.

Nicole jumped, fisting the covers. There was the sound again.

With her heart now lodged between her ribs, her thoughts flew to Luka. He wasn’t tucked in his bed where she could ease her mind by peeking in on him. Since the schools were closed tomorrow for Columbus Day holiday, Luka had begged to go on his first sleepover at Tommy’s house.

Her eyebrows pulled together as she listened harder. Was someone knocking on her front door? Maybe her baby had taken sick and Tommy’s mom brought Luka home. But why wouldn’t Ann just call her to come get him? Because Ann knows you’re alone and she has a husband as a safety net.

Nicole threw back the covers and instantly the cool night air made its way under her cotton nightshirt, causing her to shiver. She shoved her feet into her fleece-lined slipper boots before snatching her terry robe from the chair. She slipped her arms through the soft material, on her way out the door.

The soft rapping grew louder as Nicole crept down the stairs and approached her front door. She’d seen a television show last week where a woman heard cries for help outside her house late at night and opened her door only to be raped and killed.

Damn. She had to stay away from the news. Whoever was knocking on her door wasn’t howling for help. Man, she wished she had a gun, or that Will was here backing her up.

She tied her robe’s belt snuggly around her waist before flipping on the porch lights. Tentatively, she drew back the lace curtain covering the small pane windows edging the door and peeked outside.

“Oh, My God. Will.”

He blinked under the bright light and then raised his hand to shield his eyes. “Nicole, open up.”

Will’s movement billowed his jacket and exposed his white shirt underneath. Her eyes zeroed in on the red blotch marking his white shirt. Blood. “Are you all right?”

“I’m okay. Open up.”

“A weight settled in her chest, blocking her next breath from entering her lungs.
Had something happened to Luka? Was that why Will was here at this hour? Would Will know something happened to Luka before she did?

Nicole’s fingers seemed like two sets of thumbs as she fumbled to unlock the deadbolt.
How had Gorgon found Luka?

Damn. She knew letting him do a sleepover was a mistake.

Damn. Shit. Fuck.
Feeling safe in this sleepy town, she had let her guard down and look what had happened.

What about Tommy’s family? What had happened to them?
Her stomach rolled into a knot while she chided herself for only thinking of Luka.

Finally the lock clicked and she jumped back and swung the door wide. Leaves rustled in the corner of the porch and autumn’s spicy scent tickled her nostrils as she stared up at Will. Under the bright light, his blue eyes lacked their usual sparkle. His strong shoulders, which normally carried the weight of the world with ease, were bowed, forming a perfect C.

Nicole’s gaze flew to the red stains marking the exposed V of his white shirt and which she now saw also smeared across Will’s coat front and arms. She reached out, her fingers hovering above the blood and swallowed hard, forcing calmness to her lips. “What’s happened? Was it Gorgon?”

He nodded and panic ripped through the knot in her stomach and gripped her throat in a choke hold. She brushed past Will. “I’ve got to get to Luka.”

Will grabbed her robe by the sleeve, stopping her before she reached the porch steps. As she yanked back, he strengthened his hold by clamping onto her wrist. “Where are you going?”

“To get Luka. He slept at Tommy’s house. Let me go.” She twisted her arm, trying to free herself from his strong grasp, but Will had her anchored in place.

“No.” He pulled her back toward the door and then stood between her and the stairs. “Luka’s okay. You’re safe.”

“But you said––”

“Gary.”

Her brow furrowed. “What do you mean? What happened to him?”

Will’s gaze dropped from hers and her hopes went in the same direction.

Staring up at the pain etching Will’s face, what moisture Nicole had in her mouth dried up like an Arizona drizzle on a blistering afternoon. Something terrible had happened to Gary, and Will had witnessed everything. He didn’t have to say the words for her to know his thoughts. He had been the lucky one and wished for a way to turn back time.

She didn’t want to hear the details. She could imagine the horror, but Will needed to talk to someone and he had come to her. Nicole put her hand on his forearm. “Is he okay?”

“He’s in critical condition.”

“Oh, My God.” She covered her upper chest exposed by her low-cut nightgown, fending off a chill.

The fear of losing his partner had caused Will’s complexion to turn ashen. He was in pain.

And Gary’s family. They were probably devastated. This happened because of her. Guilt twisted her insides. “Sharon?” she asked with a shaky voice. “How is she? Is she with him?”

“Yeah.”

She laced her fingers with his. “How about the kids? They’re not at the hospital, are they? They’re too young to be facing—”

“No. Sharon’s parents are with them.”

“Yes. Of course.” Sharon had family available to help her.

Will let go of her hand and pointed toward the house. “Can we go inside before your neighbors see us? They’ll wonder what I’m doing here after midnight. The way I look… The less questions raised, the better for both of us.”

If her neighbor, Mr. Ripkey, thought something was wrong, he might come over to investigate and then he’d see the state Will and his clothing were in. Not good. “Yes. You’re right.”

Will held the door open for her, allowing her to enter first and then followed her in her footsteps. Darkness surrounded them as he closed the inside door. The intimate space was alive with emotions they both held in check. Nicole wanted to pull Will into an embrace, share his sorrow and somehow comfort him, but she didn’t have the guts. Besides, would he let her?

And, if she tried and he refused her, how would she stand the rejection? Did he come to her as a friend or had Will come to her because Gorgon was involved?

Man, she hated the Russian bastard. Now, she wished to turn back time. She would’ve been stronger. She should’ve picked up Gorgon’s gun and blown his brains out while she had the chance. But she hadn’t, fearing first she’d wake Luka and he’d witness the act, and second, alarming Gorgon’s men. If only she’d known one of them had been Will’s man undercover, they could’ve staged a break-in, made the scene look like Gorgon’s enemy’s work. Then she and Luka could’ve disappeared without fear because Yegor, Gorgon’s father, would’ve never spent any man power to search for them.

If only she had known, Gary wouldn’t be fighting for his life now, Will wouldn’t be distressed, and she and Luka would be living…

Where would they be? Not here in Will’s hometown. And she wouldn’t be harboring notions that there was a possibility she and Will could have a long happy life here together.

She was a fool. Nicole turned her thoughts to Gary’s wife and kids as she padded across the carpet and touched the base of a table lamp. Its soft glow popped on and brought the shadows lurking in the corners into the light.

Turning around, she saw Will still stood by the door with his full bottom lip trapped between his teeth. “You look chilled to the bone. Let’s go into the kitchen. I’ll make us some coffee and if you want, you can tell me what happened”

Nicole didn’t give him a chance to say no. She turned on her slippered heel and headed toward the kitchen. Without glancing over her shoulder, she knew Will followed.

She switched on the lights and turned to face him. “Take off your coat and shirt. I think I have an old sweatshirt that will fit you. I’ll get it.”

He looked down at his clothing and his face paled before looking up at her. “Damn. I didn’t think. I should’ve changed before coming here. I needed to talk to you.”

He said talk, not be with or need to hold you. He needed to talk to her.
Why?
While some real bad scenarios played out in the back of her mind, her gut tightened.

“I understand. I’ll be just a second.” Her feet were weights as she headed into the small laundry room off the kitchen. She dug through the wash she’d done earlier in the day and found the old sweatshirt that was three times her size. Her twisting stomach told her Will had some more bad news to share with her.

When she entered the kitchen, Nicole stopped cold. Will’s hard muscles bulged while he pulled the cotton T-shirt over his head. Her womb clenched with need.

He stretched and tugged free from the blood-stained shirt.

Staring at the red cloth hanging limp from his hand, Nicole forgot about his body and how she would love to run her hands over the curls covering Will’s chest, and remembered what had brought him here.

“Here, let me take that.” She traded shirts with him, keeping her eyes focused on the shirts and not on Will’s body.”

“I’ll put these in a paper bag, in case you need them. Take a seat.”

“Thanks.” Will slipped the sweatshirt over his head and worked the material down over his tightly packed torso.

Nicole quickly wrapped the garments.

“I promised you coffee.” She felt Will’s eyes on her as she moved around the small kitchen filling the coffee maker, grabbing mugs, spoons and a few items from the refrigerator. She placed the milk and the doughnuts she’d picked up on her way home from Tommy’s house on the table and said, “I’ll bet the last dollar I have in my new bank account that you haven’t eaten for a while.”

“You started a bank account?”

She smiled. “Yeah. I did.”

“Good.”

The corner of Will’s mouth lifted and pride flowed through Nicole. She’d take his hint of a smile to mean he was proud of her.

God. She hoped Will wasn’t going to tell her that she and Luka had to move.

Nicole flexed her fingers, willing them to remain steady while she poured the coffee into mugs. She avoided eye contact with Will as she lowered onto the seat next to him and slid his mug across the table. Steam coated her palm when she covered her mug.

“Are you cold?” Will asked.

“It’s a little cool in here. Would you like something stronger than milk in your coffee? I have a small bottle of brandy. My neighbor, Mrs. Ripkey, gave me a welcome basket. She said she used a little when cooking. I don’t think she meant in the food she cooked.” She smiled.

Will forced a weak smile and the mood in the room lightened.

“No. This is fine. Thanks.” He took a quick swallow before setting the mug down.

Nicole studied his hands. They remained curled around the warm ceramic mug. Apparently Will had washed them, but a small amount of Gary’s blood remained trapped along his cuticles. Her stomach churned and she lifted her eyes to Will’s face where she noted his jaw muscles worked under the shadow of a day’s worth of whiskers. It was obvious Will was recalling the moments before and during the battle. “Tell me what happened,” she said softly.

Staring beyond the doughnuts, Will took a second before meeting her gaze. Sorrow cloaked his blue eyes with a barren sheen as if life had beaten him up and left him for dead alongside the road.

“Gary and I got a call from Kyle right as we were leaving the office last night. He said Gorgon and Donnie were possibly holed up in a hotel in Brooklyn. Their men were definitely there. We high-tailed up to New York right away, but when we arrived we were told by the hotel manager that they’d just left. Apparently they’d gone for dinner. The local cops put a tail on them, but I guess the Novokoffs pegged them and somehow lost them. Gary and I staked out the hotel, watching from down the street in the off chance they’d show.”

He scrubbed his hands over his face and then combed his fingers through his dusty-blond hair, leaving a couple of strands protruding out at odd angles. “The whole thing was a set up,” he said on the tail of a frustrated gasp. “They hit the car with over a hundred rounds before I got back to him.”

Tears stung her eyes as she watched the pain etch his face. She inhaled a breath tinted with rich coffee and the bile tickling the back of her throat. Her grip tightened around the mug and Nicole steeled her nerves to hear more. “Where were you?”

Before Will touched his mug to his lips, a strained chuckle erupted from him.

“Gary wanted a hot cup of coffee.” Will’s Adam’s apple bobbed before he continued. “If only I had let him go for the coffee instead of me, he wouldn’t be lying in the hospital, shot all to hell. Fuck. He has kids.”