Chapter 5
Detective Casey
“Criminal minds?”
I looked between Boston and Anna, twisting my mouth at Anna’s angry tone. She was mad, but so was I. She shouldn’t have been here. She shouldn’t have been alone with this man. How many times in the past had I reached out to her for something…anything denoting attention? How many times had she denied me? Now this? This…Boston got all of her focus? We knew he didn’t physically kidnap his girlfriend, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have something to do with her disappearance. It ate at me. All of it. I just wanted her to be mine. I wanted us to be together again. I wanted her safe. Why couldn’t she see how much she meant to me? Why couldn’t she give me five minutes of her time so we could talk and work this out?
At the question, I faced the jealousy I couldn’t control. I faced the truth. Her motives for being alone in a hotel room with an attractive man was clear. Mine were not. I was out of control. Maybe I always would be concerning her.
“Forget it,” I breathed out. “Anna, can we talk outside?”
She took two steps before Boston reached out.
“You’re coming back, right? Anna?”
She paused, throwing me a look before she glanced back to him. “Yes. I told you I would help, and I have every intention to.”
Relief flooded his face, and Anna continued toward the door. The moment I shut it behind me, her finger poked into my chest.
“Predator versus predator? You have some nerve. I can’t believe you’d say something like that. Especially in front of a man who just had his girlfriend kidnapped on the day he was planning to propose. Do you know how terrified he is that something bad has happened to her? Then making the one person he’s counting on for help sound like the bad guy?” Her head shook. “That may be a new low for you.”
My heart sank, knowing she was right. Knowing I’d only make this worse if I continued to lose it. “I apologize. I shouldn’t have called you that at all. The truth is, you know nothing about this man. Who’s to say he didn’t have someone take her? We are way too early in the investigation to know anything for sure.”
“That may be true, but Boston did not have his girlfriend kidnapped. I’m sorry, Braden, I just don’t feel it. And I don’t think you do either. You saw him after it happened. He was devastated. Hell, beyond devastated. Someone behind their girlfriend’s disappearance couldn’t pull that depth of emotion off. Besides, even if he did, why would he call me for help?”
To me, there were a million reasons why—Anna was beautiful. “I don’t know. I’m not so quick to jump on the innocent train. I’ve seen acting before, and some of it would blow your mind. Until I learn more about this guy, I would very much like you to stay away. Please.”
Her head shook, sending more stands of blonde escaping the loose ponytail. “I can’t. I understand I’m putting myself at risk, but I’m going with my gut, and my gut tells me Boston is sincere. I’m going to help him find Lucy and whoever is responsible.”
“And then what?”
Silence.
“What are you going to do if you happen to uncover anything?”
When she didn’t answer, I put myself inches from her face.
“Anna, I asked you a question. You will tell me if you uncover anything, won’t you?”
“Of course.”
“You sure about that?”
Emotion was nonexistent, making it hard to believe her.
“I said I would. What do you think I’m going to do? Go in with my gun blazing to save the day? I’m not looking to be a hero, Braden. I just want Lucy found…before…” A ragged breath left her, and it broke my heart. “I know you’ve seen the aftermath of these situations, but you’ve never lived through one. You can’t imagine what fear and horror she must be undergoing right now. The longer we take to find her, the worse it will become. He’ll get comfortable. When that happens, there’s no telling how bad it will get.”
My hands lifted, cupping her face. Agony cramped my chest, and I almost couldn’t believe she didn’t pull away as my forehead came to rest against hers.
“I’m sorry for what you went through. I swear I am. There are so many things I wish I could change about those months, but I can’t. You went through hell. So did I. I thought I lost you. In the end, I did lose you. Do you have any idea how bad that hurts? How much it kills me not to be with you? Goddammit, Anna.” My palms rubbed over her cheeks as my fingers embedded in her hair. Our lips were so close. Too close. I wasn’t thinking, but I couldn’t stop. “You used to love me. I still love you. I’ll always—”
Pressure pushed against the bends of my elbows and she slipped free, scrambling back.
“Don’t say it. Just…don’t. You should go.”
My lids closed, only to open a moment later. Could this ache in my chest get any worse? It was shredding through my heart as if there were still damage that could be done. And there obviously was. Each time hurt worse than before. Breaking me down. Killing me more than a bottle ever could.
I took a step back, pushing away the why’s. I’d lose her completely if I didn’t give her space.
“Don’t stay too late. I’ll be waiting to see if you make it home.”
“Braden, you don’t have to do that.”
“It’s done. I’ll be waiting.”
I turned, heading toward the elevator. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Each step increased the speed of my pulse. Jealousy didn’t want me to leave. I almost felt like I couldn’t. But what was the alternative? Anna was too stubborn to go against what she wanted. And after what had happened to her, I understood her need to solve this mystery, even if I didn’t like her spending time with another man.
“Braden?”
My finger paused over the button, and I turned to see Anna taking something from her purse. She handed it back to Boston, who stood at the door. Jogging toward me, I could barely breathe as she approached. Faster, my heart raced, until I was drawing in my fingers to clench at my sides. When she approached, her eyes stayed at my chest, refusing to meet my gaze.
“Here.” She opened her palm to expose a key. “Don’t wait outside. I may be a while.”
The elevator opened, and I reached toward the door, placing my hand over so it wouldn’t close while I stared at what she held. Was it a symbol to get inside her home…or possibly her life? Confused, I could only pray. When her eyes finally rose to meet mine, there was a spark of something. Not just lust. I saw that buried within, but possible motives I didn’t quite understand. It had me hesitating.
“Tempting, Anna.”
“You don’t want it?”
“The key? Or you?”
“You haven’t been to church in the last few weeks.”
“I’ve been busy. Don’t change the subject. You’re up to something. You’ve done nothing but push me away. What happened in that mind of yours in the time it took me to walk away?”
She didn’t answer immediately. Shifting told me she was uncomfortable, but the longing was still deep in her eyes. It called to me, telling me she needed me so much more than she would ever admit. “Is it so wrong to offer you comfort over the confines of your car? We were really close at one time. If you’re going to wait for me, you might as well do it inside.”
Again, my stare went to the key. The temptation was overwhelming, but what if I was only seeing what I wanted to? What if I wasn’t? “We both know there’s something more you’re after. If there wasn’t, you wouldn’t offer.” I gazed into her eyes, silently pleading for the chance to turn things around between us. “Do you want more, Anna? Do you need me? All you have to do is tell me. Tell me.”