Chapter Ten
Her feet sank into the snow, but Shelly trudged on as fast as she could. She knew where the deputy’s car was stationed—Blane had told her exactly where the guy would be. She just didn’t understand why the deputy hadn’t already come rushing to help her. He must have seen the flames.
She’d run to get help from him—and she’d also run so that Devin would follow her.
If he followed her, then he’d leave John alone.
John could do—well, whatever the hell it was that he did when he came back from the dead.
And you have to come back, John. She wouldn’t let herself think of anything else.
He would come back. She couldn’t lose him.
She rounded the curve, lungs aching, a stitch cutting into her side, breath heaving, and she glimpsed the back of the deputy’s vehicle.
The moon hung in the sky, surrounded by glittering stars, providing enough light for her to see the cruiser.
The vehicle’s bumper was positioned just behind the row of trees.
Shelly risked a fast glance over her shoulder.
Devin. He’s coming.
She pushed herself faster, lunging through the snow. Her hands slapped against the side of the driver’s door. Through the slightly foggy window, she could see the deputy sitting inside. “Help me!” Why wasn’t he getting out of the car? “Help—” She yanked at the handle.
The door opened. The vehicle’s interior light immediately brightened the car. She saw exactly why the deputy hadn’t helped her.
Blood soaked his chest. His eyes were closed.
Her hands flew over him, going to his neck, and she felt the faintest beat of his pulse beneath her touch.
Still alive. For the moment. She dove across him, grabbing for the radio in the car.
“Help, help!” Her voice was too rough and weak.
She cleared her throat, tried again. “This is Shelly Hampton and—”
Nothing was happening. She tugged on the radio’s wire and realized it had been sliced apart. Furious, she threw the radio against the dash. Her hands slid over the deputy’s body. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered to him. “I need your gun. I’ll get the gun and then I’ll help us both—”
“Looking for his gun?” Devin called out. “Don’t waste your time. I’ve got it.”
He was still a few feet away. She looked back at him.
Then she jumped fully into the car, yanking the door shut behind her.
She locked the doors with one fast press of a button, and Shelly had to crawl over the deputy’s slumped form, apologizing all the while.
But at least she’d just bought a little time.
Now she could find the keys. She could drive—
A gunshot fired into the passenger side window. Glass exploded, and Shelly screamed.
Then Devin’s hand was shoving through the broken glass. He unlocked the door, and she kicked him, pounding at him so that he’d get back. But he just caught her kicking legs and dragged her out of the car. Her head hit the ground and for a moment, Shelly saw stars.
When the stars faded, Devin loomed over her.
“Why?” Shelly demanded. Why was he doing this? She’d trusted him. Her brother had trusted him.
“The oldest reason in the world, Shelly sweetheart. Money. Guess who will get everything now that you’re gone?”
She wasn’t gone, not yet. “S-someone will…figure it out.” He’d left a trail of destruction at her cabin. There was no way that people would just think—
He bent down in front of her. He’d tucked the gun into his jeans, and he once again held the knife in his hands.
“No one will figure anything out. You see, I didn’t do any of this tonight.
I’m still in Atlanta. Got a dozen witnesses ready to swear to that fact.
Of course, I paid those people, but what the hell ever, right?
” He slid the knife’s blade beneath her chin.
“I didn’t do this,” he said again. “When Sheriff Blane finally gets here and finds your dead body, when he finds the dead deputy…”
The deputy isn’t dead yet. But she clamped her lips together and didn’t say a word.
“He’ll think your lover did the job. John Smith. After all, the guy always was a freaking psycho.”
“S-says the man with the knife at my throat.” The cold was making her shiver. The cold and the terror.
Devin laughed and hauled Shelly to her feet.
“I served with John, back in the day. Did you know that? I’m the one who recommended him to your brother.
Knew I’d be able to keep tabs on him, and I understood how he worked.
” The knife bit into her throat. “But the guy went fucking wild for you. Couldn’t believe that shit.
The untouchable iceman had fallen in love with a girl he hadn’t even talked to.
Fucking hell. Then he had protective instincts times damn one hundred.
He started edging too close to the truth.
Getting too suspicious. He had to be eliminated. ”
The truth…“You killed my brother.”
“Did I?” Devin laughed. Then he pushed her up against the side of the deputy’s car.
The knife was right over her jugular. “This is how the scene will play out. You’re going to die.
But not here, I can’t have the blood spilling here because that won’t mesh with the story I’ve got planned.
I’m going to take you back to your lover.
You’ll die right next to him. Because, see, Sheriff Blane will tell the world that John killed you. John’s prints will be on the weapon…”
She realized that Devin was wearing gloves. He’d just slid the fingers of his left hand over her cheek, and she’d felt the leather against her skin.
“Don’t worry, though,” Devin added. “You fight back in this scene. You stab your lover. Unfortunately, in the end, you both die.”
“Blane won’t believe…”
“He’s a small town, hick sheriff. He’ll have his bad guy wrapped up in a bow. End of story. End of you, Shelly.”
She had to get away from him. “I’m not going to walk with you back to the cabin.” Her words ripped out. “You think I’ll just follow along meekly to my death?”
“No, I figured I’d just knock your sweet ass out.” He pulled back the knife. Shoved it into a sheath on his belt. His hand fisted and—
She kneed him in the groin. As hard as she could. Devin bellowed, his hand flying out, but she ducked and raced by him. The trees were up ahead. Maybe she could get a branch and use it as a weapon. Maybe she could—
He tackled her. They both hit the snow and she sank into it, sliding down into the cold.
He crushed her, using the weight of his body to hold her down.
Devin, the man who’d been her brother’s best friend.
The man who’d gone to countless dinners with her.
The man who’d taken her and her brother out to ball games, to concerts, to—
He flipped her over in the snow. One of his hands was at her throat. The other had drawn back into a fist. “It’s better this way,” he told her, and his voice was gruff. “After this hit, you won’t feel a thing.”
She clawed at the hand around her neck.
“And I won’t have to look into your eyes when I kill you.”
She tried to speak, tried to gasp out his name, but couldn’t.
His fist flew toward her, but…but it didn’t make contact.
Because Devin’s fist had been caught, barely an inch from her face. Eyes wide and terrified, she stared up—at John.
“No one kills her.” John’s fingers surrounded Devin’s. He squeezed, and Shelly heard the snap of bones. She knew John had just crushed Devin’s hand as the other man screamed in agony.
Then John was jerking Devin off her. Wrenching the guy to his feet and Shelly was sucking in a desperate gulp of air. Her throat burned, and she put her hand to it—a hand wet from the snow.
Devin took a swing at John, but John easily dodged the move. Then his fist slammed into Devin’s nose. Crack. Blood spurted down Devin’s face.
“You sonofabitch,” Devin snarled. He yanked out his knife. Held it tightly in his hand. “What the fuck happened? Did I miss your heart? How many freaking lives do you have left?”
John had circled so that he stood in front of Shelly. “More than you do,” he snapped back. “You’re dying. You were a dead man the minute you went after her.”
“Playing the noble card? That shit doesn’t work with me.
I know you, John. You wanted to fuck her from the first moment you saw her.
Your MO…use ‘em, and walk away. So why don’t you do us both a favor…
walk. Right now. Forget this night. I’ll make it worth your while, man.
” Devin’s words came out fast as he shifted from foot to foot.
“Look, just calm down a minute. It’s me.
Your old buddy, Devin. We’ve been through some rough shit together—”
“You tried to kill me.” John’s voice was a lethal growl.
“That was a mistake.” Devin gave a nervous laugh. “I’m not looking to kill you now. I’m looking to offer you a deal. Five hundred thousand dollars. To just turn your back and forget this night. To forget her.”
Shelly was on her feet and looking for a weapon. She spied a heavy branch a few feet away, and she scrambled for it.
“I’m sorry about what happened before, but you were in my way.
” Devin’s words were still coming too fast. “The bodyguard gig is long over, you should have stepped down. But, shit, you just got too hooked on her, didn’t you?
Look, I know you fucked her already. You did the deed, now walk. I’ll give you so much money that—”
John didn’t give him a chance to finish. He lunged for the other man. Their bodies collided with a heavy thud, and then they were crashing into the snow.
Shelly grabbed the branch and ran toward them. “John!”
But John was already rising to his feet. Brushing the snow off his body. And staring down at Devin. Devin…who had a knife sticking out of his heart.
“See how you like it when someone carves into your chest.” John’s shoulders heaved. “Only your ass won’t be coming back.”