Deadly act, p.27
Deadly Act, page 27
part #1 of Kylie Hatfield Series
“All right,” her mother said after they’d finished putting away the groceries. She hugged her close. “Please. Take care. If anything happened to you…”
Kylie wiped at the tear at the corner of her mom’s eye and smiled. “I promise, Mom. Thanks for everything.”
Kylie walked her mother down the stairs, and to the foyer. The rain had started coming down a little harder, and as they were standing there, wondering if she should go back for an umbrella, Baron came out. He winked at her. “The girl who took down the Spotlight Killer. All right!”
She smiled at him. The news had taken to calling Sophia DuBois the Spotlight Killer because, as the media dug further and further into her background, they discovered that her desire to murder stemmed from an unnatural obsession with becoming a famous actress and owning the spotlight. They’d gone through her home and found thousands of clippings of news articles all over her walls about her killings. Kylie’d watched a few of the specials on television, and she’d seen Baron interviewed for some of them. “You looked good on channel six last night.”
“You saw that?” His chest swelled with pride. “I have to thank you, Kylie. I can’t even tell you how much play this is getting me. Girls love me now. I had my first threesome last night.”
“Glad I could help,” she said, looking at her mother, who was giving her a horrified look. This is the Hunk’s competition? was written all over Rhonda Hatfield’s face.
The rain had stopped, so they decided to forgo the umbrella. As they stepped outside, Rhonda started to say something, but Kylie cut her off.
“No, Mom. I have never considered dating that guy. Don’t worry.”
Rhonda was still focused on his door, her eyes holding that same “mom concern” they always had. “Well, I do worry. Because you haven’t been the most judicious when choosing guys in the past.”
Kylie looked up at the sky. “Like you?”
“Right! I don’t want you to be like me. I’ve been around the block. I know a nice guy when I see one. There’s not many of them around. So that’s why when I see one, I want you to jump on him.”
“Okay. Point taken,” she said, hugging her again and waving at her as she got into her SUV and drove away.
Point taken and tossed in the trash.
Kylie didn’t care what she said. Men, shmen. She didn’t need one now. Barring her love life, things were good. She’d gotten offered twenty-five thousand dollars to tell her story to a tabloid television show. Someone was interested in writing a book about her. She wasn’t sure if she’d accept any of those offers, though. But it didn’t matter. Greg had stopped by the day before and told her he was looking forward to having her back in the office next week and had hinted that maybe, just maybe, he’d make her a real assistant PI.
This was her dream. At least, the dream she never knew she wanted.
For the first time in her life, she wasn’t floundering around, wondering what to do with her life. She knew. She was happy. Totally ecstatic. She couldn’t want for anything more in her life.
Kylie got in the car and gingerly drove to the post office, where she mailed out a sympathy card to Miranda. She and Miranda had communicated pretty regularly following the news. She was understandably devastated, but grateful for everything Kylie’d done to help catch Jessica’s killer. She firmly believed that if she hadn’t gotten involved, Sophia would still be on the loose.
Not wanting to think about Sophia anymore, Kylie blasted the music as she drove up the mountain, enjoying freedom and life and being alive. Sure, her shoulder still hurt, but because it was just a flesh wound that hadn’t needed surgery, she would soon have complete use of her arm. Everything was good.
Happy. She was so happy.
When she got to the opening of Linc’s driveway, though, her stomach started to flutter. She’d told herself that the only thing she was missing was Vader, and once she had him, she’d be complete.
But she knew that was a lie.
She pulled up the driveway slowly, silently begging herself to be strong. Pick up the dog, say a curt “thank you, can I pay you for watching my dog?” and leave…she repeated over and over again, her hands locked on the steering wheel as the house came into view.
Then the barn door opened, and Vader came out.
It was impossible not to smile with that crazy dog jumping around like an idiot. She pulled to a stop, got out of the car, and let him jump all over her, licking and wagging and panting. As she hugged his fur, she felt like crying.
Because as much as she loved this dog, she knew he wasn’t the only thing she needed in her life.
Feeling eyes on her, she looked up and saw Linc standing in front of the barn, one hand in his pocket, regarding her calmly. He was holding a pitchfork, his chest was bare except for a sheen of sweat, and…holy god, did he look good.
She stood up and walked toward him. “Hello,” she said stiffly.
“Hi,” he said, wiping his face with a bandanna after removing his gloves. As she got closer, she tried to focus on parts of his face that were innocuous. His ear, maybe. But every other part of him was so deliciously lickable, glistening in the sun like a freaking buffet, and hell…he even had sexy ears.
“Thank you…” she started, her voice wooden. What were those words she’d wanted to say? Something about Vader. She opened her mouth, her throat dry. God, he was beautiful. So beautiful. She wanted to run her hands through his hair and down his sweaty back and unsnap the button on his jeans and…No. No. You can do this, Kylie. She cleared her throat. “Can I watch you for paying my dog?”
He laughed. “What?”
Oh, god.
She cleared her throat again. “What I mean is…” Right, she was supposed to shake his hand. She thrust her hand out. “Thank you for watching Vader while I was out of commission. Can I pay you?”
He looked down at her hand for a long moment. “No,” he finally said.
Then he reached out and took her hand, but instead of shaking it, he pulled her flush against him. All of the air left her lungs in a whoosh.
“You can kiss me, though,” he said, his breath coming hard, intoxicating her completely.
So she did. She kissed him with everything she had. Fuck professional. Fine if this was just sex. Just fine. There was no way this could be wrong.
She took his hand and led him toward the barn. “I just got done with the stalls,” he said, throwing his pitchfork and gloves down. He slid the door of the barn closed and pushed the lock down to keep the dogs out. The barn was cool and dark and smelled of hay and manure, but she was ready to get a little dirty with him. “I’m—”
Her cell phone rang in her pocket, but she ignored it. He did too.
“I like you sweaty and dirty,” she said, licking her lips as she ran the fingers of her good hand down his hard chest. “I like it very much.”
“All right,” he said with a lazy smile. “I warned you.”
After he made love to her, more gently than he ever had, she lay in his arms, smiling up at the rafters. When she looked up at him, she realized he was smiling too.
Until her cell phone rang again. She sighed, almost reached for it, then watched him smile when she ignored it yet again.
She thought she knew what he was thinking. It just kept getting better and better. She should’ve been scared, and maybe she was, but all she wanted to do was lie there and relish how right this was.
“I have a confession to make,” she said, holding him close, their naked bodies pressed together in the dim light of the barn. “Actually, three of them.”
“Three?” He groaned and covered his eyes with one hand. “Shit, I don’t know if I can take three.”
Her phone rang again. Gritting her teeth, she nodded. “First. You were right about me. I wasn’t a PI. Not even an Assistant PI. Greg hired me to file. And up until a few days ago, that’s all I was. A clerk. So you were right when you said I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t. I still don’t. So, while I may fight you tooth and nail for some things…I…appreciate you too.”
“Hmm…” He moved his hand away, but still didn’t look at her. “And two?”
“And two, well, I may have said that I was giving up the case. But I never really did.”
He snorted. “I figured that.” He finally looked at her. “Three?”
“And three…I don’t know how to cook. Especially…vegetables. I kind of hate them.”
He let out a slow, easy laugh. “Well, we can work on that.” He skirted her side with his fingers. “Those aren’t too bad.” She nestled in closer to him. “And I have a confession to make too.”
It was her turn to groan. “Uh-oh.”
He wrapped his arm tight around her, being careful of her gimpy shoulder, and murmured in her ear, “I don’t want to let you go.”
She sat up, rolled her eyes and tossed a pile of hay at him. “What kind of confession is that?”
He leaned back with his hands behind his head, looking very relaxed, and gave her a superior grin.
“I can stay a little longer,” she said to him, smiling, picking hay out of his hair. She groaned when her phone began ringing for the fourth time.
“No,” he said, grabbing her hand when she went to reach for it. “You don’t get it. I spent a long time thinking about it. I wasn’t sure I wanted to get involved with you or anyone because this sure as hell wasn’t in my plans a few months ago. But Kylie…I want you in my life. Always in my life.”
She stared at him. His face was completely serious. And if she knew Linc, he wasn’t the most forthcoming with his emotions. That had to have taken a lot for him to step outside his comfort zone.
He didn’t say anything about love.
But holy shit. What he’d said was almost a whole lot scarier.
Did he just drop the F-bomb?
Forever?
“I…thank you,” she said woodenly as her ring tone began to blare for the fifth time. “Ah, for shit’s sake.”
Linc sighed and sprawled onto his back. “Go ahead and get it so I can make love to you again.”
Giving him a wink, she glanced at a number that she didn’t recognize and answered the call. “Yeah?”
“Hello. Is this Starr Investigations?” The voice sounded creaky, fragile, and old.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Kylie had completely forgotten that the office calls were still forwarded to her cell. She cleared her throat. “Sorry. Yes. Let me back up. Hello, Starr Investigations, this is Kylie. What can we investigate for you today?” Kylie said, as brightly as she could.
“Kylie. Are you a private investigator?”
Oh, this was where she always got into trouble. She wasn’t, really. She was still technically just an assistant. A filer. A note-taker. A coffee-getter. But she had a hard time telling people that. She slid a look at Linc, who was just staring at the barn’s ceiling, a little smile on his face.
“Um. Yes?”
“Well, that’s just great,” the gravelly voice said. “I’d like to hire you immediately. I’d like you to look into a possible robbery.” There was a pause, and then the voice was back, sounding even weaker still. “Please.”
Well, hell.
How could Kylie say no to that?
The End
To be continued…
Kylie Hatfield Series
Deadly Lies - Coming Soon
Deadly Games - Coming Soon
Deadly Dreams - Coming Soon
Deadly Silence - Coming Soon
Acknowledgments
How does one properly thank everyone involved in taking a dream and making it a reality? Here goes.
In addition to our families, whose unending support provided the foundation for us to find the time and energy to put these thoughts on paper, we want to thank the editors who polished our words and made them shine.
Many thanks to our publisher for risking taking on two newbies and giving us the confidence to become bona fide authors.
More than anyone, we want to thank you, our readers, for clicking on a couple of nobodies and sharing your most important asset, your time, with this book. We hope with all our hearts we made it worthwhile.
Much love,
Mary & Bella
About the Author
Mary Stone lives among the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains of East Tennessee with her two dogs, four cats, a couple of energetic boys, and a very patient husband.
As a young girl, she would go to bed every night, wondering what type of creature might be lurking underneath. It wasn’t until she was older that she learned that the creatures she needed to most fear were human.
Today, she creates vivid stories with courageous, strong heroines and dastardly villains. She invites you to enter her world of serial killers, FBI agents but never damsels in distress. Her female characters can handle themselves, going toe-to-toe with any male character, protagonist or antagonist.
Discover more about Mary Stone on her website.
www.authormarystone.com
Bella Cross spent the past fifteen years teaching bored teenagers all about the Dewey Decimal System while inhaling the dust from the library books she loves so much. With each book she read, a little voice in her head would say, "You can do that too." So, she did.
A thousand heart palpitations later, she is thrilled to release her first novel with the support of her husband, twin girls, and the gigantic Newfoundland she rescued warming her feet.
Mary Stone, Deadly Act
