Chapter 19
B eth didn’t look at the towering wrought iron gates as Kane parked outside the cemetery. The cloud cover from the impending storm and the streetlights losing a battle with the fog created an ominous enough backdrop for what she needed to tell him.
As he put the truck in park, she sucked in a fortifying breath. “The reason I didn’t want you to come home with me is this.” She pointed to the gate. “That’s where Danny is buried, first grave to the right of the entrance. You know how he died.”
She heaved in another breath and pointed down the long driveway weaving through the tree-lined cemetery. “Conner is back there. We knew each other in high school and dated in college. He died in a bar fight when we were home for spring break. One minute, we were hanging out at Mary’s Tavern. The next, he was knocked out from a punch that he never woke up from. The fight started because he’d caught a guy from out of town trying to slip something into my drink.”
She grasped the medallion hanging in the swell of her cleavage. “And way back near the woods is Matthew. He was my boyfriend my senior year in high school. One night, a few weeks before graduation, my friend Evangeline convinced me to go to a party in the next town over. When I wanted to leave, Evangeline refused to go because she was hooking up with some guy. I called Matthew to pick me up. He was killed by a drunk driver on the way.” She shook her head. “He’d just gone through hell fighting cancer and beat it and then…”
“Is he the reason you volunteer at the hospital?”
She nodded, the slight movement a blunt contrast to the sympathy in Kane’s voice. In the microsecond it took him to add up her dead boyfriends, a fourth grave flashed in her vision. She slammed her eyes shut against the waking nightmare, but lighting still struck the headstone her mind conjured one, two, three times. The fourth time, she swayed as a whip of fire etched Kane’s name into the black marble and cemented his demise.
Kane caught her arm and steadied her. “And you think the letter in the mailbox is a message that I’m next?”
She opened her eyes and slowly turned toward him. Something dark swirled in his gaze. She couldn’t pinpoint the emotion in the dimness, but it ratcheted the tension about to burst the bodice of her gown. “Whoever sent that letter knows about my past.” She pointed to the cemetery behind her. “This is the reason Rita was surprised I have a boyfriend. The reason Jerry commented about being afraid I’d never date again.”
The reason I can’t fall for you.
Kane’s brow furrowed. “I’m not following.”
Her stomach pitched as the words formed on her tongue. “Every guy I’ve dated from North Bensen died while we were dating. I’m known in town as the Black Widow.” Saying the nasty nickname left an oily taste on her tongue. “Just ask the women in the gossip brigade.”
“The gossip brigade?” Kane’s lips twisted like he’d eaten something sour. “Why do they think dating you had something to do with those guys dying?”
She shrugged, hiding her cringe at the ludicrous explanation. “According to them, I must have done something to piss off the powers that be. Losing boyfriends is my punishment or curse or whatever.”
“You don’t believe that bullshit, do you?”
The incredulity in his question, as if he feared she did believe, shrunk her into the seat.
“It doesn’t matter if I believe it or not.” God, she didn’t want to think for a moment that the happenstance of loving her—a woman cursed for reasons unknown but surely deserved, according to some people—had resulted in three deaths. But the time she’d wasted believing in mystical nonsense was as real as the gravestone.
“It does matter if you believe in that black widow crap. I’m in charge of your safety and I need all the intel to do my job. So, answer me this. What’s worse than someone threatening your life?”
Her teeth clenched as her worst nightmare gutted her heart like a jagged blade. “Threatening the life of someone I love and…” She looked toward the cemetery. Each man in those graves had said they’d loved her, and she’d loved them back. She didn’t love Kane, but she couldn’t deny their chemistry was like gasoline begging for a match to strike. Once that fire started, there was no telling what path it would blaze or who would get caught in the inferno.
“And what, Beth? What else is worse than someone threatening your life?”
She dropped her voice, afraid if she spoke too loudly, her fear might come true. “Threatening someone I’m pretending to love.”
The same red-hot longing that coursed through her veins flashed in his gaze. So did a terrifying kernel of truth she couldn’t acknowledge and dared not ignite.
Kane tapped the number four letter he’d thrown on the dashboard. “Whoever sent this obviously knows you’re known as the Black Widow. That knowledge makes you vulnerable. We must have done a convincing job of pretending to be a couple at the liquor store because whoever the hell is watching thinks you love me.” He smirked and shrugged. “Which is understandable because I’m awesome.”
As she rolled her eyes, she couldn’t fight the smile tugging at her lips. Again, she marveled at how he flipped from scaring the hell out of her to making her laugh despite the gravity of the situation. “You think that’s a warning?” She glanced at the note. “That if I don’t give up the Triple X formula, they’ll kill you?”
He shrugged. “Maybe, or it could have come from your stalker. I’ve looked through the messages he sent you. It wasn’t long after his texts and emails escalated that you and Danny were attacked. This latest move is an outright threat from one of them, or both if they are one and the same or working together.”
She rubbed her temples. The headache she’d been battling for two years coiled around her brain and squeezed. She didn’t know what was worse—two separate lunatics or one rolled into a terrifying package. “I knew this whole pretend relationship thing was a bad idea.” She’d kept her distance from Kane these past few weeks so she wouldn’t fall for him, but she’d put his life in danger anyway. “No party. We need to go home.”
“We’re going.” He pulled away from the curb and grabbed her hand. “The Dr. Beth Parker I know doesn’t hide. She puts on her sequins despite the fucked-up shit she’s been through and dances the night away. You need to be that person tonight.”
She eyed the receding cemetery in the passenger-side mirror and swallowed so many emotions she couldn’t discern which tasted worse. “I’ve been pretending to be okay for two years, Kane. I’m tired.”
“I’m sure you are, and I admire the hell out of you for fighting, but you can’t give up. Not when there’s so much at stake.”
“Triple X,” she whispered. “If the cartel doesn’t get to me, they’ll find one of my colleagues.” She’d questioned why the Diablos weren’t after someone who knew more about the drug. While she wished the threat would disappear, she didn’t wish it on anyone else.
Kane tapped his leg. “And if the Diablos do target another, they won’t have me on their side.”
She didn’t crack a joke at his arrogance. None of her colleagues had an elite fighting force watching their backs.
Or a super soldier in their bedroom.
“We have to protect the cure.” If she hid and Chavez and his men went after one of her unsuspecting colleagues and were successful, all the research and hope of saving millions of lives would be for nothing.
Kane nodded. “Protecting the cure means keeping your sparkly-ass safe until we can eliminate the threat.”
She played with a sequin on her dress. The panic receded enough for her to appreciate his humor. “Sparkly ass? Guess I can’t argue that.”
“And it looks fucking fantastic on you.” He tugged at his collar. “And I look dashing.”
“Yes, you do.” The genuine laugh felt cathartic. “We’ll be the talk of the party, though. I wouldn’t be surprised if the mayor starts a betting pool about how long you have to live. ”
Kane shrugged as he turned the corner toward the banquet hall. “Let them talk. I’m not afraid of a bunch of gossipy women.”
“You should be. They’re brutal.”
He winked. “We can take them.”
The “we” part of that statement thrilled and terrified her equally. “Between you and Rita and Jerry, I’ll be well covered. They’re keeping the vultures at bay.”
“How many people outside of this area know about this black widow nonsense?”
“Nobody, except maybe Chris. I’m not sure if Scarlett’s told him the whole story.”
“Then that means Chavez, if the note came from him, is getting his information from someone in this town, and what better way to uncover intel than at a holiday party? Are you up for a mission?”
She squared her shoulders. “As long as you don’t become number four, I’m up for anything.”
“Good. Here’s the plan. We give whoever is watching a show tonight and see if the next taunt gives us a clue about where the message originated.”
“And what if the next move isn’t a taunt? Or even a threat? What if it’s action?” The shot that killed Danny ripped through her mind and shook her shoulders. “What if…”
He laid his hand on her arm. “I’m a super soldier, remember?”
She quirked an eyebrow. “Are you ever going to tell me what makes you so special?”
“I think I proved that upstairs.” He glanced at the clock on the dashboard. “I’d be happy to pull over and give you a reminder, but then we’d be late for the party. But if there’s a coat closet handy…”
Her shoulders shook again, this time with a snicker. And again, she appreciated how his sexy brand of charm could yank her out of the darkness, even if falling for that charm might lead him to a dark place he’d never come back from.
As long as you don’t become number four.
Kane leaned against the edge of the bar in the festive banquet hall. Despite the thousands of white lights strewn about, the fear in Beth’s voice sank deeper into his bones. How a smart woman like her believed in the curse some lady named Judy Martin and her entourage relished telling him about was beyond him.
Black Widow.
If he wasn’t a gentleman, he’d spike the punch with something to make Judy and her cronies puke for the rest of the night so no more trash spewed from their collagen-induced lips.
But Beth believed the absurd lie. He’d seen it in her eyes and heard it in her voice. No wonder she had nightmares. She thought she was responsible for every one of those graves in the cemetery.
And he thought he was the lethal one in the relationship.
Beth waved to a group of women her age as she glided across the dance floor to him. His breath caught. Fuck, she was beautiful. She glowed brighter than every decoration in the spacious banquet hall. Looked tastier than the Italian food on the buffet table, and more desirable than anything he could ask Santa for. But her smile when she caught his gaze?
He’d watched every grin she’d offered her friends. Former teachers. The mayor. The catty women who whispered behind her back. The grin hadn’t reached her eyes. But when she looked at him and smiled— a real smile relaxing the tension between her brows and around her pretty lips—his stomach did a nosedive.
She trusted him.
Desired him.
Despite her fear, she looked at him like he was the only man in the room. That made him the luckiest bastard in North Benson.
Her hand brushed his as she slid next to him. Winding their fingers together, he squeezed to remind her she wasn’t alone. They may not have a future, but she was his tonight. “I met Judy Martin.”
“Isn’t she a piece of work? Rita and Jerry did a great job of herding her and the brigade away from us, but even the town’s biggest soiree of the year won’t stop my neighbors from going to bed by nine.”
He shrugged. “I handled Judgmental Judy.”
“I wouldn’t expect less from a super soldier.” She eyed a group of her classmates seated at a nearby table with their heads huddled together. Every set of eyes fixed on Kane. “Does that always happen?”
“What?”
“Do women always look at you like you’re a piece of decadent chocolate cake?”
He chuckled softly as he brushed his hand along her thigh. Yeah, they usually did, but he hadn’t invited one to sample him in weeks.
Smiling, Beth ran her fingers along the row of ribbons on his chest. “Every woman in here is hoping you’ll dump me so they can consume you. Must be the uniform.”
“First, you liked me fine without the uniform.” He gripped her hip and pulled her to him. “Second, sucks to be those other women ’cause I’m taken for tonight.”
And if he had any say in it, he’d spend all night convincing her she wasn’t a black widow. Contrary to what she believed, it would take more than an alleged curse to kill him. Somehow, over the last twenty-four hours, his life plan had veered course. Instead of avoiding relationships, he’d aimed to make sure Beth didn’t blame herself if anything took him from this earth.
Beth leaned into him as a tall blonde in a silky black jumpsuit approached. “That’s Judy Martin’s daughter, Evangeline.”
“Is that the same Evangeline you mentioned at the cemetery who wouldn’t leave the party when you two were in high school?”
“Yes. And according to her, you are taken.”
Kane placed his hand in the center of Beth’s back. It was adorable how she offered protection from a skinny female who thought a random hookup was more important than friendship.
“Beth,” Evangeline shouted as she extended her arms.
Beth leaned in for a hug and a round of “It’s been too long” and “I’m so happy to see you” type of greetings. As the air-kisses ended, Kane wound his arm around Beth’s waist and tugged her into his side. Evangeline’s gaze, a couple of shades lighter than her tanned complexion, landed on the possessive grip.
“Showtime,” he whispered in Beth’s ear. “I’m Lieutenant Kane Darren. You must be Evangeline. I met your mother earlier.”
“Oh my God, Beth. Is he your boyfriend? I can’t believe it.” She waved her manicured fingers in front of her face like she’d swoon from the news. “I’m so proud of you considering…” She crossed her hands over her heart. “Well, you know.”
Beth tensed. Kane slid his fingers to the middle of her back. Slowly, he kneaded her soft, bare skin under the thin crisscrossing straps instead of telling Evangeline she was just like her mother and that it wasn’t a compliment.
Evangeline bounced on her toes. “So, tell me, how did you two meet?”
“Scarlett introduced us.” She clasped Kane’s arm. “I needed help with something and…” Beth shot Kane a flirty smirk as she laid her head on his shoulder.
“And Scarlett felt I was the right guy for the job.” Finishing each other’s sentences also felt right.
Evangeline eyed Kane’s hands. “Do you work for Project VIPER? You guys all have bionic body parts and work as some sort of security detail, right? I mean, that’s what the Department of Defense said in the press release they put out a while back.”
“Yes, ma’am. At your service.”
“Oh my.” Evangeline fanned herself with her hand. “A boyfriend and a bodyguard to boot. He’s perfect for you, Beth. Is Scarlett in town too?”
Beth slid her fingers to the base of Kane’s neck and toyed with his hair. “No.”
He dropped a kiss to the top of her head. He could get used to putting on a show.
Evangeline pressed her painted-red lips into a pout. “That’s too bad. I haven’t seen her in a while and was hoping to catch up.”
A guy Beth introduced him to when they arrived—John or Jake, perhaps—sauntered over with a wave. “Mind if I steal your girl for a nostalgic dance?”
Evangeline nudged him toward Beth. “Of course she doesn’t mind; Beth loves to boogie.”
Beth shrugged. “You know it.” She handed Kane her beaded purse.
Securing it under his arm, he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and dropped his head. “Don’t make me jealous.”
“What are you going to do? Blow the place up with your super leg if he tries to kiss me?”
“If that’s what it takes to keep you safe, then yes. I’ll burn this whole fucking ballroom down.”
He felt more than heard her sharp breath as he nudged her to the dance floor. For a moment, he let himself enjoy the sway of her hips as she shimmied under the red and green strobe lights spiraling around the room. The vision made his cock more than twitch. He turned to Evangeline. The unchecked desire in her calculating eyes calmed his libido down.
Way the fuck down.
Evangeline’s gaze landed below his waist. “So, Lieutenant Darren, where’s your bionic body part?”
“Under wraps.” He plucked two flutes of champagne from a passing waiter and handed one to her. “I heard you just returned from Dubai.” Judy Martin had somehow managed to brag about her daughter during her Beth-is-a-black-widow warning. “How did you like the Middle East?”
“It was so rewarding and so challenging. I’d been considering offers for positions all over the world from some of the biggest tech firms. When I got the call saying Henry Richardson, you know, Scarlett’s stepfather, suggested me for a high-level project, well…” She took a sip of champagne. “I was on a plane two days later. Have you met Henry? He’s such an inspiration. I’m so grateful for all the support he’s given me.”
“I met him once.” Held him at gunpoint, actually. “Congratulations on your success.”
“Thanks. I worked hard to make a name for myself.”
“Hard work does pay off.”
“And some of us have to work harder than others. ”
She glanced at Beth on the dance floor. A sheepish smile overtook the spiteful one from a moment ago as she caught Kane’s gaze.
“Forget I said that.” She fiddled with the stem of her champagne flute. “I shouldn’t have said anything, and I don’t really mean it. Must be the booze talking.”
Kane remained quiet. Silence was the best tactic when it came to getting someone to talk. And when you added alcohol…
“It’s just that…” She sipped her bubbly.
Kane bit back a smile. Keep talking. And drinking.
She tipped back her flute and drank half the contents. “Because of Beth’s unfortunate, shall we say, luck, she’s always had things handed to her without having to work for them. Like every time she kills a boyfriend, she gets a sympathy pass that gives her carte blanche for everything she wants without earning it. She’s like the perpetual homecoming queen with all the spoils while the rest of us wait our turn and work our asses off.”
Someone has a runner-up complex.
He hadn’t known Beth for very long, but from what he could tell, she was one of the hardest-working people he’d ever met. He’d read the glowing reports from her boss. Hell, she wouldn’t be involved in a groundbreaking project like Triple X if she wasn’t a hard, reliable worker. And she was smart, caring, and dependable. Scarlett wouldn’t be best friends with someone she didn’t respect.
Evangeline touched his sleeve. “Don’t get me wrong. I love Beth like the sister I never had, even though we lost touch for a while. And I’m happy for the success she’s achieved. She deserves everything she’s gotten.” She eyed him from head to toe again. “And she seems to have hit the jackpot with you.”
“I’m the lucky one in the relationship.” Kane rolled his statement over in his brain, surprised relationship didn’t sound so scary.
“I don’t know about lucky.” Evangeline leaned closer to him and brought her hand to the side of her mouth. “Aren’t you afraid you’ll be her next victim?”
“Not unless you, or someone else in this town, has a plot to kill me.” Kane forced humor into his words and winked. “If that’s the case, whoever tries won’t be standing for long.”
“Wow. Hot, funny, and deadly. Beth is lucky Scarlett introduced you to her. And speaking of Scarlett, can you ask her if she can put me in touch with her stepfather? I’ve been having trouble getting in touch with him since I got back from Dubai.”
That’s going to be tough since he’s behind bars.
But Evangeline wouldn’t know that. The feds were keeping his arrest quiet while they sorted through his network of terrorist connections.
Kane directed his attention back to the sugarplum on the dance floor as if trouble would descend at the mere mention of Scarlett’s stepfather. “Why don’t you ask Beth to get you in touch with Richardson?”
“I don’t want to put her in the middle. Scarlett doesn’t like me very much. I think she’s jealous because her stepfather took an interest in me.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thanks. How long are you two lovebirds in town for?”
“Until Christmas Eve.”
“I bet Beth wants to be back home in time for mass at our old church.”
“That’s her plan.” He’d been happy to ditch church this Christmas since Gran was out of town, but mass with Beth sounded appealing.
Evangeline tilted her head to his. “We used to play this covert hide-and-seek game in the church that was so much fun. Last time we talked, Beth said she still played it with the kids in her science class. Does she still do that?”
Kane had no idea, but he nodded. It sounded like something a pastor wouldn’t approve of, but Beth would do anyway.
“She’s always been such a do-gooder.” Evangeline toyed with the plunging neckline of her jumpsuit. “Did she tell you about the necklace she’s wearing? The hospital fundraising board presented it to her at our last meeting as a thanks for her dedication.”
“She didn’t mention it.” But he remembered the sorrow in her eyes as she’d held the medallion between her fingers and told him about her boyfriend, who beat cancer but wound up in the graveyard anyway.
“Beth had attended the meeting virtually, so I sent her the token of appreciation. If I’d been given a gift to recognize my service, I would want it sooner rather than later. I figured Beth would too. Does she wear it all the time?”
“She hasn’t taken it off.” Not since yesterday anyway. It seemed Evangeline’s jealousy started long before that though.
Evangeline smiled as a beep alerted him to an incoming mind comms call.
“Kane, do you copy?” Ryan said.
“Copy.”
“We’ve decoded Jenna’s intel. We’ve confirmed that the Diablos are targeting a research scientist from Beth’s agency. The codename they’ve given the target is Cazampulga. That’s Spanish for ? —”
“Black Widow.” His gaze locked with Beth’s from across the dance floor. “Fuck. It’s definitely her. I’ll explain later.”
“Roger that. Get Beth to a safe location. Now.”