Gail Barrett - A Kiss to Die for

She turned around and sighed. “I know you’re worried, but I’m not completely defenseless. I’ve got some high-powered connections, too.”

Brynn swiveled around to face her, grimacing as she moved her arm. “You’re not serious.”

“Why not? They know everyone in Baltimore and D.C.”

Sully frowned. It was his turn to be confused. “Who does?”

“My parents. My father’s a criminal defense attorney. He represents a lot of gang members. He knows everyone—the police, people in the criminal justice system, politicians. And my mother knows even more people than he does. Her ancestors helped found this town. If the person behind this is that high-level, they’ll know him for sure.”

“Assuming they agree to help you,” Brynn said.

Haley crossed her arms, worry darkening her eyes. “I know. It’s a long shot. We didn’t exactly part on friendly terms. But it’s worth a try.”

Her friend didn’t look convinced. “I guess a phone call wouldn’t hurt.”

“No. I need to see them in person. Otherwise they’ll just hang up. There’s a fund-raiser tomorrow night for area shelters. I wasn’t going to go, but now...” She shrugged. “It’s at Hunter Hall in Virginia. All the bigwigs will be out in force.”

“I heard about that,” Parker said. “The police commissioner’s going to attend.”

Sully’s frown deepened. The uneasy feeling inside him grew. “Wait a minute. You said the guy who’s after you has power. What if he’s there?”

“Then I can draw him out.”

The hell she would. Outraged, he rose and limped to her side. “Are you crazy? You can’t take a risk like that. You saw that text message. You can’t just walk around in the open with a bounty on your head.”

“So I’ll take a bodyguard along.”

He still didn’t like it. He glowered back, his protective instincts raging, needing to force her to listen to sense. But he didn’t have that right. And neither did he want it. This woman meant nothing to him.

Then Parker spoke up from across the room. “I can get a cop to go with you. I know a few who moonlight as bodyguards.”

Sully shot him a look of disbelief. “You can’t be serious. She needs to hide, not appear in public, risking her life.”

But Haley broke in. “It doesn’t matter. I can’t use the police. The killer could recognize a cop. I need someone less obvious. Someone I can pass off as my date.” Her gaze returned to his.

Realization sank in. He took a quick step back. “Forget it.”

“Why not? You obviously know how to shoot. And you’re in this as much as I am. That gang’s after you now, too.”

He didn’t care about himself. He should have died months ago. But Haley needed protection—protection he couldn’t provide.

“I can’t.” He had a bum leg. He suffered from chronic flashbacks. Hell, he was so messed up he could barely function without a drink, let alone safeguard her. And his intuition was off. The last time he’d relied on his instincts, he’d screwed up—and his men had paid the price.

“He’s right,” the cop told her. “No offense to Sully, but you need a pro, someone who can keep his eye out for trouble in a place like that.”

Someone who could stay sober, he meant.

Sully worked his jaw, suspecting his bloodshot eyes had given him away—or the way he’d guzzled the beer Parker had offered him when they’d first arrived. But even if it humiliated him to admit it, Parker was right. Haley didn’t need a ruined man like him for her bodyguard.

But she only raised her chin. “I don’t want anyone else.”

“Too bad. I’m not going to do it.”

Her eyes held his. The air between them pulsed. But then she glanced at her friends again. “Would you mind giving us a moment alone?”

“Sure. We’ll be in the kitchen.” Brynn struggled to her feet. Her fiancé helped her up, and they exited the room.

Sully folded his arms, steeling himself for the argument he knew would come. He didn’t have long to wait.

“Listen, Sully. I don’t blame you for not wanting to get involved in this.”

“I can’t.”

She gave him a nod. “I understand.”

“No, you don’t. You don’t know anything about me.”

She tilted her head, her dark-lashed eyes on his. “I know some things. You saved my life today. You rescued the girls. If you hadn’t been there we’d all be dead.”

“I got lucky, that’s all.”

“It was a lot more than luck, and you know it.”

“No, it wasn’t. Don’t twist this around. And don’t make me into something I’m not. Your friends are right. They know I can’t protect you. You need to listen to them.”

Her eyes went soft. She moved even closer, her nearness muddling his thoughts. “They’re wrong. You’re wrong. But if you don’t want to do it, I understand.”

“Then you’ll do what they say? You’ll go to a safe house?”

“No. Not yet. I can’t,” she added when he hissed. “I have to try to get answers. If my parents won’t talk, if I don’t learn anything at the fund-raiser, then I’ll reconsider my plan. But I have to give it a shot.”

Frustrated, he gripped the back of his neck. He was starting to realize how she’d survived the streets—she was too damned stubborn to quit. “Then at least take a cop as your bodyguard.”

“No. It’s either you or no one. I won’t change my mind about that. I can’t. I’ll never figure out who’s involved if I tip him off.”

His jaw clenched. Dread mingled with desperation at the thought of her taking on the killer alone. “That’s not fair.”

A sad smile curved her lips. “Don’t worry, Sully. I don’t blame you for not wanting to do this. I’ve already involved you enough.”

Suddenly feeling cornered, Sully turned to the window and scowled out at the city lights. She’d just given him an out. He should leave right now while he still could. But he couldn’t let her go to that fund-raiser alone. He’d never forgive himself if she got killed.

But how could he protect her? He was the worst possible man for the job. He swung around to face her again. “For God’s sakes, Haley. Why can’t you understand this? I’m not the man you need.”

“But you’re the one I want.”

His hopes plummeted hard. He gazed into her hazel eyes, her gentle beauty swamping his heart. He was all wrong for this mission. He knew it. She knew it. Even her friends knew it.

But it was the resignation in her eyes that demolished his resolve. She spent her life helping others, yet expected nothing in return.

Feeling doomed, he released a sigh. “All right.”

“You’ll do it?”

“Yeah. I’ll do it.” He just hoped he didn’t screw up.

Or he’d have this woman’s innocent blood on his already-guilty hands.

Chapter 4

Despite what she’d told Sully, by the time they arrived at Hunter Hall, the eighteenth-century estate in the northern-Virginia countryside where the charity gala was being held, Haley’s bravado was fading fast. She stared out the passenger-side window of their borrowed car at the thousands of acres of dusky woodland rolling toward the Shenandoah River and struggled to contain her nerves.

She dreaded confronting her parents. She feared exposing her presence to the killer who wanted her dead. Every instinct she possessed warned her to run, take cover, hide. Instead, she was going public, revealing her identity, setting herself up as a target—and putting Sully’s life even more at risk.

But she had no choice. She couldn’t go on looking over her shoulder. She couldn’t keep fleeing the killer when he’d only find her again. And she couldn’t continue to jeopardize those teenage girls. Unless she brought him down now, she could never return to her shelter. She would lose everything she’d worked for—her dreams, her sense of security, her home.