the back of a drawer in the dressing room. She must have left it there.”
Certain the lie was written on her face, she was relieved Caresse didn’t challenge her.
She could only hope the man who was holding her sister would.
oOo
LILITH MITCHELL was going to be a challenge worthy of him. More of a challenge than the one who called herself Anna Youngheart, though surprisingly, his current catch wasn’t like the others. She didn’t beg or whine for mercy.
Neither would Lilith.
How to set the right trap for her?
It was obvious she wanted him to, or why else would she have taken a job at the club if not to haunt him? He could be very accommodating. He would give her what she wanted and so much more.
Before Lilith was put to the ultimate test, he would have to do something about her confidence. He hated women who thought they could best him. One woman who had that power was enough. He’d learned how to deal with the others. It was kind of like a game of chess – knowing the right moves to make.
A little warped game playing would go a long way toward undermining Lilith’s confidence.
He was just the man to do it.
oOo
Chapter 9
NAKED, HANNAH runs through the woods. Runs for her life.
Wearing a hunting vest and cap pulled low, the killer follows. He carries a rifle, and a hunting knife is tucked into a belt. He hesitates a second and listens to thrashing sounds somewhere ahead.
Hannah trips and goes down to her knees, sobbing.
The killer checks for tracks, for broken branches in the bushes.
Hannah flies to her feet and plunges forward through a copse of trees.
The killer follows.
Running as fast as she can, Hannah takes a panicked look behind her. Her shoulder whacks a maple tree and she cries out in pain. Fear wells up in her, threatening to choke her.
The gap is closing – she knows the killer has no mercy. She stumbles again, turns to find her pursuer behind her, rifle pointed at her.
“Please, don’t! I’ll do anything, be anything you want. Please!”
The man in the hunting jacket raises the rifle.
Hannah can’t move. “I am a person! I am not an animal!”
She cries out when the rifle barrel explodes .
Lilith whipped up in bed, her body trembling, her breath choked in her throat. A dream. It was only a dream.
Hannah was alive She had to be.
Turning on the nightstand lamp, Lilith slid her hand to the heart-half nestled in the hollow there and thought about their explosive argument before her sister had disappeared.
“Hang on, Hannah. I haven’t abandoned you this time.”
oOo
LILITH HAD BARELY started work that evening when she felt a hot breath trail along the back of her neck. Shivering, she flipped around to find a tall, lanky man with a pockmarked face grinning down at her. He was wearing tight black leather pants and a black silk shirt. A thick gold chain hung from his scrawny neck.
“Can I get you a drink?”
He laughed. “I’m not a customer, honey. Rudy Barnes, the club’s deejay.”
His pale blue eyes gleamed strangely as he stared down at her. She imagined him licking his chops.
“Waitress,” she said. “Lilith.”
“How about we get together after the club closes? I can show you the ropes around here.”
Lilith had the definite impression that ropes weren’t all he wanted to show her.
“I’m good,” she said, keeping it light, “but thanks.”
“You change your mind, you know where to find me.”
He pointed to the booth and backed off toward it, giving her a wink like he thought he was hot stuff.
“Stay away from that one,” a redheaded waitress named Allie said.
“Bad news?”
“Pervert.”
“You’ve had personal experience?” Lilith asked.
“Not me. He’s not into redheads. But I’ve heard the tales from a couple other girls.”
“Thanks for the tip.”
“No problem.” Allie picked up her drinks and headed for a table.
Gazing around the room, Lilith saw a few faces she already recognized – regulars, she supposed – but
Certain the lie was written on her face, she was relieved Caresse didn’t challenge her.
She could only hope the man who was holding her sister would.
oOo
LILITH MITCHELL was going to be a challenge worthy of him. More of a challenge than the one who called herself Anna Youngheart, though surprisingly, his current catch wasn’t like the others. She didn’t beg or whine for mercy.
Neither would Lilith.
How to set the right trap for her?
It was obvious she wanted him to, or why else would she have taken a job at the club if not to haunt him? He could be very accommodating. He would give her what she wanted and so much more.
Before Lilith was put to the ultimate test, he would have to do something about her confidence. He hated women who thought they could best him. One woman who had that power was enough. He’d learned how to deal with the others. It was kind of like a game of chess – knowing the right moves to make.
A little warped game playing would go a long way toward undermining Lilith’s confidence.
He was just the man to do it.
oOo
Chapter 9
NAKED, HANNAH runs through the woods. Runs for her life.
Wearing a hunting vest and cap pulled low, the killer follows. He carries a rifle, and a hunting knife is tucked into a belt. He hesitates a second and listens to thrashing sounds somewhere ahead.
Hannah trips and goes down to her knees, sobbing.
The killer checks for tracks, for broken branches in the bushes.
Hannah flies to her feet and plunges forward through a copse of trees.
The killer follows.
Running as fast as she can, Hannah takes a panicked look behind her. Her shoulder whacks a maple tree and she cries out in pain. Fear wells up in her, threatening to choke her.
The gap is closing – she knows the killer has no mercy. She stumbles again, turns to find her pursuer behind her, rifle pointed at her.
“Please, don’t! I’ll do anything, be anything you want. Please!”
The man in the hunting jacket raises the rifle.
Hannah can’t move. “I am a person! I am not an animal!”
She cries out when the rifle barrel explodes .
Lilith whipped up in bed, her body trembling, her breath choked in her throat. A dream. It was only a dream.
Hannah was alive She had to be.
Turning on the nightstand lamp, Lilith slid her hand to the heart-half nestled in the hollow there and thought about their explosive argument before her sister had disappeared.
“Hang on, Hannah. I haven’t abandoned you this time.”
oOo
LILITH HAD BARELY started work that evening when she felt a hot breath trail along the back of her neck. Shivering, she flipped around to find a tall, lanky man with a pockmarked face grinning down at her. He was wearing tight black leather pants and a black silk shirt. A thick gold chain hung from his scrawny neck.
“Can I get you a drink?”
He laughed. “I’m not a customer, honey. Rudy Barnes, the club’s deejay.”
His pale blue eyes gleamed strangely as he stared down at her. She imagined him licking his chops.
“Waitress,” she said. “Lilith.”
“How about we get together after the club closes? I can show you the ropes around here.”
Lilith had the definite impression that ropes weren’t all he wanted to show her.
“I’m good,” she said, keeping it light, “but thanks.”
“You change your mind, you know where to find me.”
He pointed to the booth and backed off toward it, giving her a wink like he thought he was hot stuff.
“Stay away from that one,” a redheaded waitress named Allie said.
“Bad news?”
“Pervert.”
“You’ve had personal experience?” Lilith asked.
“Not me. He’s not into redheads. But I’ve heard the tales from a couple other girls.”
“Thanks for the tip.”
“No problem.” Allie picked up her drinks and headed for a table.
Gazing around the room, Lilith saw a few faces she already recognized – regulars, she supposed – but
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