twisted into a sinister smile and he answered her question with one of his own. “You’re not interested in him, are you? Is he the type to melt your cold heart? Well, I wouldn’t go there, Jordan. I really wouldn’t. You’re engaged to me. You’d do best to remember that.” The threat was clear enough to make her blood run cold and yet vague enough to be misconstrued to mean anything.
“And besides, Detective Donovan is not the hero you might be imagining,” Caesar was saying.”
Jordan forced herself to ask, “What do you mean?”
“I have a friend at One Police Plaza. He tells me that Donovan was once with the FBI. He left the Bureau under very…questionable circumstances.”
“Questionable?” The word slipped out before she could stop it. It pleased him that he had her full attention.
“Yes, something about a woman, a fellow cop. All very unethical.”
She didn’t want to believe him and yet as she looked into his guarded eyes, Jordan no longer knew who to trust. The only person she could count on to get her out of this mess besides Mariah was herself.
Chapter Eight
“Thank you for coming, Ms. Billings. I’m sure Jeremy would have been so happy knowing you were here.” The surprise on Mariah’s face told Jordan how strange her use of Mariah’s maiden name must sound. Her friend probably thought she’d lost her mind.
“Mariah, don’t say anything. I need your help.” Jordan’s words were little more than a breath against her friend’s ear as she embraced her. Even though they were alone in the foyer of Caesar’s townhouse, she couldn’t risk someone overhearing and discovering her connection to Mariah. She needed her friend’s help too much. She pulled a little away so that she could look into her friend’s eyes.
“Of course. Tell me what you need.”
Jordan’s smile was forced. “Not now. Not here. Tomorrow at the usual place.” Mariah started to say something more, but Jordan stopped her. “I’ll call you when I can get away.”
Jordan’s gaze scanned the room. She found Caesar standing with a group of family members and friends. His eyes locked with hers. After a moment , he smiled. He’d watched her like a hawk since the incident in the closet. She wondered if he was just waiting for the right moment to ‘take care of her’, as well.
“Thank you again for coming, Miss Billings,” she said loud enough for Caesar to hear then hugged Mariah once more. “Please, leave now. I’ll explain everything tomorrow, okay?” She released Mariah who seemed stunned for a moment, but hid it quickly.
She patted Jordan’s arm then turned and hurriedly left Caesar’s home before Caesar could untangle himself from the group of mourners to make his way to Jordan’s side.
It took everything for Jordan not to show her repulsion when Caesar placed a comforting arm around her waist and drew her close. She shuddered at his nearness.
She’d seen the monster lurking beneath that polished exterior. The man she thought she loved was nothing like the real Caesar Santiago.
He smiled down at her, but it didn’t reach his eyes. They remained cold and dead. Cruel.
Jordan knew t ime was running out on her future. She couldn’t keep pretending that she didn’t know the truth about his role in her brother’s death.
Involving Mariah was risky at best. If Caesar discovered her relationship , it could end up costing her friend her life. But Jordan was desperate. She had very little choice. The few options still open to her were quickly disappearing.
“A friend of yours?” Caesar whispered against her temple.
She fought to control the rage from showing in her voice. “No. No, just someone who knew Jeremy.”
“Really? I do not recognize the woman. I thought I knew all your brother’s friends. What was her name?”
“I-I don’t recall. I haven’t seen her in years. I’m sure she said but...” Jordan deliberately kept her tone vague.
His narrowed gaze slipped over
“And besides, Detective Donovan is not the hero you might be imagining,” Caesar was saying.”
Jordan forced herself to ask, “What do you mean?”
“I have a friend at One Police Plaza. He tells me that Donovan was once with the FBI. He left the Bureau under very…questionable circumstances.”
“Questionable?” The word slipped out before she could stop it. It pleased him that he had her full attention.
“Yes, something about a woman, a fellow cop. All very unethical.”
She didn’t want to believe him and yet as she looked into his guarded eyes, Jordan no longer knew who to trust. The only person she could count on to get her out of this mess besides Mariah was herself.
Chapter Eight
“Thank you for coming, Ms. Billings. I’m sure Jeremy would have been so happy knowing you were here.” The surprise on Mariah’s face told Jordan how strange her use of Mariah’s maiden name must sound. Her friend probably thought she’d lost her mind.
“Mariah, don’t say anything. I need your help.” Jordan’s words were little more than a breath against her friend’s ear as she embraced her. Even though they were alone in the foyer of Caesar’s townhouse, she couldn’t risk someone overhearing and discovering her connection to Mariah. She needed her friend’s help too much. She pulled a little away so that she could look into her friend’s eyes.
“Of course. Tell me what you need.”
Jordan’s smile was forced. “Not now. Not here. Tomorrow at the usual place.” Mariah started to say something more, but Jordan stopped her. “I’ll call you when I can get away.”
Jordan’s gaze scanned the room. She found Caesar standing with a group of family members and friends. His eyes locked with hers. After a moment , he smiled. He’d watched her like a hawk since the incident in the closet. She wondered if he was just waiting for the right moment to ‘take care of her’, as well.
“Thank you again for coming, Miss Billings,” she said loud enough for Caesar to hear then hugged Mariah once more. “Please, leave now. I’ll explain everything tomorrow, okay?” She released Mariah who seemed stunned for a moment, but hid it quickly.
She patted Jordan’s arm then turned and hurriedly left Caesar’s home before Caesar could untangle himself from the group of mourners to make his way to Jordan’s side.
It took everything for Jordan not to show her repulsion when Caesar placed a comforting arm around her waist and drew her close. She shuddered at his nearness.
She’d seen the monster lurking beneath that polished exterior. The man she thought she loved was nothing like the real Caesar Santiago.
He smiled down at her, but it didn’t reach his eyes. They remained cold and dead. Cruel.
Jordan knew t ime was running out on her future. She couldn’t keep pretending that she didn’t know the truth about his role in her brother’s death.
Involving Mariah was risky at best. If Caesar discovered her relationship , it could end up costing her friend her life. But Jordan was desperate. She had very little choice. The few options still open to her were quickly disappearing.
“A friend of yours?” Caesar whispered against her temple.
She fought to control the rage from showing in her voice. “No. No, just someone who knew Jeremy.”
“Really? I do not recognize the woman. I thought I knew all your brother’s friends. What was her name?”
“I-I don’t recall. I haven’t seen her in years. I’m sure she said but...” Jordan deliberately kept her tone vague.
His narrowed gaze slipped over
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