* * *

Seattle

Romy shoved her chestnut brown hair up into a ponytail as she jogged quickly along the hospital corridors. Damn Seattle traffic. She had been so organized right up until she’d hit the traffic accident on the Alaskan Way viaduct. Now she’d missed the first few minutes of rounds, and on the worst possible day. So not a good first impression to make. Still cursing herself, she hurried to catch up with her colleagues in the general surgery department.

Rounding the corner at a fast clip, she heard his voice before she saw him, a deep, mellifluous tone which she knew made woman weak. She might never have met the man, but his voice was as legendary as his surgical skills. Oh yeah. And his body. People talked about that in the same breath as his medical accomplishments.

He spoke again and she thrilled at the husky hint of an accent—Italian, maybe?—in it.

“If the infection worsens we’ll consider a shunt, but in all likelihood, it will resolve rapidly since it was caught at the outset.”

Romy blinked in surprise at the words. Blue Allende, he of the oh-so-sexy voice, was a superstar surgeon. Not even forty years old, he was at the top of his game, and also at the top of most hospital’s wish-lists. With the reputed looks of a movie star and the serious, brooding intelligence of someone a lot older, Blue Allende’s reputation preceded him. So why was he standing around with a motley crew of doctors, nurses, and interns, discussing something as mundane as a shunt?

It gave her pause and jumpstarted her liking for the man who, apparently, wasn’t your average arrogant genius surgeon. But Romy was still late, and no doctor appreciated tardiness, particularly not one with such a packed schedule …

Goddamn it.

Stopping outside the door she saw a bunch of other residents and slipped in among them, hoping she wouldn’t be noticed and knowing she didn’t stand a prayer.

Her friend Mac, an affable African American with a sweet face and a wicked sense of humor, grinned and nudged her. “Late for the rockstar, Sasse,” he hissed, “genius move.”

Romy poked him with her elbow, rolling her eyes. “What did I miss?”

Suddenly the crowd of doctors parted and she saw him where he’d been leaning over a sedated patient. Her breath caught in her throat as Blue Allende turned bright green eyes on her.

All the usual hospital noises faded into the background as she was caught in that fiercely intelligent gaze.

Jesus, Romy thought, this man doesn’t belong in an operating theater; he belongs on a cat walk or on the cover of Vogue.

He was gorgeous. The bright green eyes were surrounded by thick, black eyelashes on a face carved from Italian marble. A shock of dark curls fell messily about his head … then she noticed his wide, sensual mouth set in a thin line.

Ah, shit. She’d like to have seen that mouth in something other than a scowl.

“Dr. Sasse, welcome.”

That voice from up close. Wowwowwow. And … he knew her name? Romy prayed not to stutter. “Apologies for my tardiness, Dr. Allende; it won’t happen again.”

Was that a hint of amusement that flashed in those devastatingly beautiful eyes, and maybe a slight hitching up of the mouth? No sooner had Romy thought she’d seen it than it was gone. He turned back to his patient and Romy was grateful he hadn’t shamed her in front of everyone else. One more point in his favor, bigtime.

“Got away with it,” Mac muttered in her ear, and Romy sighed with relief.

As they moved through rounds, she was impressed by Allende’s in-depth knowledge of his cases and the way he coaxed the residents to find answers to his questions, rather than merely lecturing. Even when they got a fact wrong, he didn’t sneer or bark at them. Furthermore, he treated patients like friends, addressing them with as much candor as compassion, taking his time rather than rushing right along.

More than slightly blown away by the whole picture, Romy watched him carefully and was confused when she spotted him in an unguarded moment when the group was discussing a situation and he apparently thought no one was paying attention to him. Also not typical. Grandstanding surgeons believed the spotlight was always on them. In that brief second though, she saw something in his eyes that she recognized all too well.

Pain. Sorrow.

Romy was so distracted by the revelation that she didn’t realize the focus had shifted and everyone was staring at her. Suddenly feeling the heat of their stares, she swallowed hard, flushing. “I’m sorry, Dr. Allende, could you repeat the question?”

The amused look was back, displacing sorrow. “I was asking if you could give me the ways we can use to diagnose ankylosing spondylitis?”

Romy cleared her throat. “Of course.” She ran through the options and then concluded, “Of course, the disease is notoriously hard to diagnose, and once identified, it usually is a case of pain management. Opioids have little effect pain-wise, but we could try medical marijuana as a last resort.”

“Hail Mary,” said the patient, a young man in his twenties, and they all laughed.

“As a last resort, Billy.” Blue smiled and Romy’s entire body reacted to it. It lit up his handsome face and Romy could feel a beat pulsing between her legs. Stop it, she told herself, do not get a crush on your boss.

After rounds, Blue asked to see her in his office. He motioned to the chair opposite his desk and Romy sat down, trembling with nervousness. Was she about to be bawled out for being late?

“Don’t look so scared,” he said mildly, his tone neutral but somehow still warm. “It’s just an introduction. I didn’t get to meet you like the other residents.”

From someone else that would have sounded passive aggressive. From him, it came across as oddly sincere.

“I’m sorry for being late, Dr. Allende,” she apologized.

“Happens to us all.”

Before she could blink at that, he picked up a file and opened it.

“Dr. Romy Sasse, age twenty-nine, graduated top of your class at Stamford, did your internship and part of your residency at Johns Hopkins … why transfer here for your last year? Johns Hopkins was very reluctant to let you go; we had to fight for you.”

Old memories made her cold inside. “I had to come home to Seattle. Personal reasons. Also, my mother is getting married, rather unexpectedly.”

“And she needs you to be here?”

Romy hesitated. “No, it’s not that, but …”

“But what?”

Romy sighed. It was none of his business, but she owed him this much after being late. “My sisters, Juno and Artemis, asked me to come. I’m the middle sister, the peacemaker. They have some concerns about Mom’s fiancé.”

“Really?” Blue looked interested, even though Romy couldn’t for the life of her figure out why. Or why she just kept talking.

“It’s not that he’s a bad person, though I still haven’t officially met him yet. But he’s so entirely not what we thought Mom would go for …” Abruptly, she halted, catching herself in mid-ramble. “I’m sorry, you really don’t need to know this.”

“No, please go on.”

Romy frowned. “Well, then, you should know, my mom is a free spirit, a rainbow child, a hippie. Look at our names.”

Blue smiled. “Okay, so Juno and Artemis, I get, but Romy?”

“Short for Romulus. Yes, I know it’s technically a boy’s name but, you see, I was a twin. Fraternal. My brother, Remy—Remus—died when we were five years old.” God, the pain of it still haunted Romy. “Mom thought I was a boy too when she was pregnant, hence the name.”

“So your name is actually Romulus?”

She was grateful he didn’t press her for more details about Remy. “No, she managed to change it at the last moment on the birth certificate. Romy is my legal name.”

“And you don’t like your future stepfather?”

“I don’t know him.”

Suddenly Blue grinned. “I think your mom and Stuart Eames will be just fine.”

Romy gaped at him in astonishment. “How the hell …?”

He laughed, and his face looked even more desperately handsome than ever. “Believe it or not, I wasn’t interrogating you without an actual purpose. You see, Romy Sasse, Stuart Eames is my father. So, technically, we’re about to be siblings. Welcome to the family, Romy.”

Chapter 2

Romy was still shell-shocked when she went to her mother’s house that evening. Part of it was admittedly from the additional time she’d spent giddily talking in Blue’s office—he’d insisted she call him that—and the rest was entirely due to his revelation.

“Why didn’t you tell me Stuart was Blue Allende’s father?”

Magda Sasse looked up from the cutting board and grinned at her middle daughter’s abrupt greeting. “Hello to you, too. Because, dear one, Blue said he didn’t want you to know right away. He wanted you to be on his service and thought you might not want to if you knew. Your reputation as a first-class doctor precedes you, honey, and I’m very proud.”

Romy smiled and hugged her mother. “Thank you, Momma Bear. Anyway, Blue told me he will be with us for Thanksgiving?” Upon hearing that, she’d been hard-pressed to keep it together in the surgeon’s office. Blue in her home, having dinner with her family … why was that weirdly hot?

“Will it be awkward?” her mother asked in concern.

Romy hoisted herself up onto the kitchen counter and stole a piece of bell pepper Magda was slicing for salad. “I don’t think so. Well, at least I hope not. He’s a pretty even-tempered guy.”

Magda smiled. “You like him?”

God, yes. He’s the sexiest man I’ve ever met.

“Yeah, he’s nice.”

Nice was an understatement.

“He’s an incredible surgeon. Watching him is like watching a maestro at work.”

“Speaking of maestros.” Magda often changed the direction of conversations on a whim, so Romy wasn’t fazed. “Your sister has a new job. She’s going to work for Livia’s foundation as a lecturer.”

Romy’s eyebrows shot up. “She is? Juno’s moving out?”

Her youngest sister, Juno, was the sister who most resembled their free-spirited mother. Tall and willowy, with a shock of messy blonde hair, and a confirmed tomboy, Juno Sasse had made music her first love and passion from a young age. She was the cherished baby of the family and Romy had half-suspected she’d never leave.

“She is,” Magda confirmed, a touch of melancholy in her voice. Eternally supportive of her daughters though she was, Romy knew her mother would struggle with empty nest syndrome. “Although I’m trying desperately not to think about that day. She’s starting in the New Year, so at least we’ll have Christmas as a family.”

“With Stuart’s family too?”

Magda shot her a nervous look. “Well, yes. If that’s okay with you and Arti.”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Romy asked.

Magda sighed. “There is some, how can I put it, some unpleasantness with Stuart’s wife. Hopefully soon to be ex-wife, if she ever signs the damn papers. She keeps harassing Stuart, usually through her son.”

Romy raised an eyebrow, not liking the sound of that. “What’s the son’s name again?”

“Gaius. I’ve only met him once, but he seems friendly enough. Hasn’t Blue ever mentioned him?”

“We’re careful to keep family stuff away from work, and I don’t actually socialize with Blue Allende, remember? We’d never even met until today. He might be my brother soon, but he’s still in a league of his own.” Romy grinned as Magda rolled her eyes.

“You mean you don’t socialize at all. Romy, you’re beautiful, you’re young … don’t let what happened in New York stop you from living your life.”

Romy grimaced, feeling the familiar cold feeling at the memories. “Mom … Dacre doesn’t know I’m back home, and if he finds out, he’ll come here and … God, I don’t want to imagine.”

Her mother looked down at her hands as they continued to move swiftly, her knife skills in the kitchen as good as any surgeon’s were in an operating theater. “I hate that you were with him. You’re too young to have gone through a divorce or anything else he did to you.”

Romy marshalled her emotions, reminding herself that those days were long past. She was safe now, however much Dacre Mortimer was an animal. Her leg still hurt from where he’d stamped on it and broken it the previous year at the same time that he’d almost beaten her to death.

“Look, at least I learned a lesson,” Romy said to her mother now. “Don’t go on first impressions. Dacre was Mr. Charm until he wasn’t.”

“Was that a dig at me?” Magda didn’t sound upset, just sad. “Because I know Stuart and I haven’t known each other that long.”

Romy hopped down to kiss her mother’s cheek and gave her a warm hug.

“Mom, no, it wasn’t a dig at you, more one at myself.”

Magda smiled in relief. “Romy, I have never felt like this. Not even with your father,” she added apologetically.

“I figured, with Dad.” Romy nodded, unsurprised.

Romy’s father, a professor of Magda’s back in the day, had never been present much in his daughters’ lives. He supported them financially, but soon after Juno had been born, he and Magda had quietly and amicably divorced and James Sasse had remarried and moved to London. Being a single mother didn’t faze Magda and she’d somehow kept her girls clothed and fed as they grew, bringing them all up to be independent young people who never depended on someone else.

The loss of Remy, Romy’s brother, had shattered them all, but the four women were as close now as they had ever been. Artemis, Magda’s eldest, had followed her father into the teaching profession and now taught physics at the University of Washington. Romy had headed for medical school as soon as she graduated from Harvard, and Juno was a musical prodigy. The one thing James had provided was money for their education, and Magda was grateful for that, she often told Romy.

Magda had been brought up in a hippie commune and she’d carried those values her whole life, finally having reached a point in her life where she could sculpt for a living.

Which was why Romy and her sisters had been astounded to hear that Magda was about to marry a multi-billionaire. Stuart Eames had made his fortune in tech and had such a large share of the tech market that no one could compete. Romy was looking forward to meeting the billionaire who had captured her mother’s laidback heart.

A random thought occurred to her as she reached for the salad bowl and started to assemble the various ingredients her mother had diced. “How come Blue has a different last name?”

Magda drained the pot of rice she was cooking. “He’s Stuart’s son from an affair.”

Romy’s eyebrows shot up.

“I think his mother was Italian,” Magda went on, confirming at least that suspicion, though Romy was far more interested in the other revelation.

“So … Stuart had an affair?”

Magda gave her a warning look. “Darling, if you had ever met his wife, you wouldn’t blame him.”

Though Magda was far from conservative, she was fiercely loyal and it was an unusual stance for her to take. Nevertheless, Romy decided to let it go, at least until she’d had a chance to cross-examine Eames and ensure that he wasn’t about to cheat on her mother. Because if he did, she and her sisters would have plenty to say.

“Mom,” she said, suddenly noticing how much food her mother was preparing, “you realize there’s only four of us, right?”

“Five,” Magda flushed bright red and ducked her head. “Stuart’s joining us.”

“Oh, getting in an introduction under the wire, huh?” Romy grinned. “I guess I should help you with the rest of dinner, then …”

Stuart Eames had the same bright green eyes as his son, but his hair was close cropped and white. He had an easy smile that Romy liked, and a friendly manner which made the party all feel at ease. He greeted them all with utmost respect. “It’s so good to finally meet you. Magda is so proud of you all.”

Juno, curling herself into a chair, grinned at him. “I assure you, we don’t deserve it.”

Artemis, her blonde hair falling gracefully to her shoulders, shot her younger sister a warning look. “Don’t tease, Juno.”

Stuart laughed. “No, don’t stop teasing. Blue and I are always busting each other’s chops. It’s what families are supposed to do. Speaking of which, do you mind if I just have a quiet word with your mom about something? I swear it’ll take no more than five minutes.”

“Sure thing.”

Left alone, the sisters looked at one another.

“He’s cute,” Juno decided, and Artemis chuckled.

“Can you call a sixty-year-old cute?” Artemis smoothed her skirt down over her long legs, crossing them elegantly.

Romy sighed. Of all the Sasse sisters, she was the odd one out, dark-haired, dark eyed, and small in stature, if not in figure. Where her sisters were all long limbs and athletic, Romy was curvy, full-breasted, and petite. She still worked out as much as her siblings, but her figure was always going to be soft instead of athletic like them. Juno and Artemis took after their mother; Romy didn’t know where she’d gotten her curves from. She barely remembered what her father looked like. Oh, she knew people considered her beautiful, but she never played it up. Slightly myopic from a young age, she wore glasses instead of contacts, and stuffed her long, thick chestnut hair up into a messy bun more often than not.

Juno poked her with a foot now. “Will you be coming to our traditional Thanksgiving run this year?”

Giving her sister a cheesy smile, Romy said, “Sadly, I’ll be working.”

“Roms!”

“Sorry,” Romy sang in a not-so-at-all voice. She loathed running, unless it was towards something. Like pizza.

Juno sulked while Artemis grinned at Romy. “Nice work, Romy. And what with my broken ankle …”

“What broken ankle?” Juno shot her eldest sister a confused look.

“The one I’ll mysteriously acquire on Thanksgiving.” Artemis laughed and high-fived Romy.

“Don’t blame me when the pair of you get old and fat.” Juno sighed dramatically, then, lowering her voice, she nodded towards the kitchen where Stuart and their mother talking. “What do you think?”

“Too early to say.”

“He looks like Blue a little. Same eyes.”

Juno grinned. “You got a little crush, Romulus?”

Romy threw a pillow at her. “None of your business, quisling.”

Dinner was a fun affair, and Romy decided she liked Stuart very much. He was charming, intelligent, and seemed to adore her mother. Romy noticed, however, that Artemis was a little quieter than normal and when she questioned her sister afterward, Artemis shrugged.

“I’m just reserving judgement is all, Romy. We don’t know him that well yet.”

Romy went to work the next day, wondering if she should mention Stuart to Blue, but when she walked into the locker room, the place was in a chaotic state with people running every which way.

“What’s going on?” she asked, preparing herself mentally and physically for what would likely be a long haul.

“There’s been an attack at a sorority house,” Mac told her, his face pale. “Really nasty stuff. Eight girls, three dead. The rest are being brought in here. Allende is already operating.”

Every time she thought she was used to the darker side of her profession, Romy got a reality check. Because truthfully, there was no way to ever get used to innocents slaughtered.

Reaching for her scrubs automatically, she asked, “Does he want us in the observation room?”

“No.” They heard Blue’s voice behind them and turned. Clad in bloodstained scrubs, the handsome surgeon looked weary and grim-faced. “Romy, you’re with me in OR3; Mac, with Dr. Fredericks in OR7; Jim, Molly, and Flynn, emergency room until we can find theaters for the less injured girls. Come on, Romy.”

She changed and was back in under a minute. Blue briefed her on the way to theater. “Patient is Yasmin Levant, nineteen, multiple stab wounds to the abdomen, shattered left femur, looks like the killer stamped on it, possibly to incapacitate her. We’ve got Ortho coming in but her abdominal wounds are catastrophic, at least twenty-nine separate wounds.”

“God, poor girl.”

Blue nodded as they went to scrub. “Look, Romy, we’re going to do everything and anything to save her, but I have to warn you. The odds are against us.”

She’d expected as much, sadly, but appreciated the warning anyway.

After scrubbing, Romy followed him into the operating room where the victim lay on the table. She was covered in blood and barely breathing, blood bags and saline trying to keep her alive. Automatically, Romy avoided looking at anything but the injuries. Looking at the faces right off the bat when the situation was so dire … it didn’t help things.

For hours they operated, trying to repair the damage the knife had caused, pumping her full of blood, but at midnight, Blue called it. There was nothing else to do …

Yasmin Levant was dead.

Chapter 3

The adrenaline leaving her system, Romy felt weirdly emotional, horrified, and drained by the experience. She waited until almost everyone had left the room before walking up to Yasmin’s head. Finally looking at the young girl’s still, pale face, her dark hair blood-soaked to an auburn color, Romy saw herself reflected in the victim’s silent, still features. She whispered a silent apology for her failure and started removing the tubes from her throat.

“The nurses will do that,” Blue said gently, putting his hand on her back. Romy, unable to speak, just shook her head and eventually Blue began to help her, both working in silence until all the medical equipment had been cleared away and Yasmin lay on the table silent and still, but at least with slightly more dignity.

“Can I wash her face?” Romy found her voice breaking as she asked, but Blue, his eyes sad, shook his head.

“No, we have to keep her secure for the forensic team now. Even all of our equipment will need to be saved. The police will probably want a statement from all of us.”

Romy looked back down at Yasmin and a sob choked its way out of her. “Who would do this? Why?”

She felt Blue draw her away from the victim then and wrap his arms around her. It wasn’t what colleagues usually did, but Romy allowed it because she needed it. She leaned into him, tears filling her eyes.

“I wish I could tell you it gets easier in these cases, Romy, but it doesn’t,” he said softly, his voice achingly sad and kind. “The vile things people do to other humans—sometimes there is no reason why. Sometimes people are monsters.”

Romy nodded and looked up at him, wiping her eyes. “I know the type.”

Blue stopped, and his green eyes were intense on hers. For a long moment they gazed at each other before, blushing, Romy gave an awkward smile and stepped away. “I’m okay now. We’d better go talk to the family.”

“Of course.” There was pain in that beautiful voice of his and Romy wanted to hold him and comfort him as he had done with her, but Blue walked away. She followed him, running slightly to keep up with his long stride. He dwarfed her five-foot two by at least a foot, and suddenly he slowed down. “Sorry, piccolo, I’ll try not to walk so fast.”

“Piccolo?”

“Little one,” he explained, the tenderness in his voice tugging at her heart as much as the hint of a smile. Then as they neared the relative’s room, his smile faded. “Is this your first one?”

“First murder.” Romy’s heart began to beat out of her chest.

Blue nodded, squeezing her hand. “Just follow my lead.”

They knocked and walked in. A middle-aged woman, terrified, was sitting down, her arms wrapped around herself, and when she saw their faces, she moaned. “No, no, no, no…”

A man, her husband, his face etched with pain, stood. “Doc? Please don’t tell me …”

“I’m so sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Levant. Despite our best efforts, Yasmin’s injuries were too severe and she died a short time ago.”

The woman collapsed in a sobbing, weeping huddle, and Blue kept talking to her husband as Romy moved to try and comfort Yasmin’s mother.

“There are no words for the regret I feel, we feel, at your loss.”

Trying futilely to soothe the mother’s unsoothable grief, Romy listened to Blue talk first to Yasmin’s father, then watched him take a turn gently addressing her bereft mother, comforting both as best as he could, answering all of their questions patiently and as fully as possible. But the truth was the one question would never be adequately answered.

Why?

Romy’s chest was tight with sorrow but she maintained her composure. Afterward, they talked to the police, those questions prolonging the endless night even further. Finally, as dawn began to break over Seattle, Romy went back to the locker room to change out of her bloody scrubs. The room was empty and echoed with each footstep and slam of the locker door.

Somehow managing to drag on her jeans and shirt, Romy slumped onto a bench afterward and put her head in her hands. The adrenaline from the surgery was long gone and now she felt wrecked. Her hip and leg ached from standing too long but she ignored the pain, trying not to break down. She failed, and silent, hot tears poured down her face. She buried her face in her hands to cry, her entire body trembling.

She heard him come in; it was impossible not to in the silence, but she didn’t expect to feel his arms go around her for the second time that evening. Gently, he drew her head to his chest. His clean soap-and-spice smell was familiar now and Romy pressed her face into his sweater, breathing him in. He stroked her hair and whispered soft Italian words, resting his chin on her head and just letting her weep.

When she finally stopped crying, she looked up at him. His eyes were sad, but he held her gaze for a moment before brushing his lips against hers just briefly. It was clear from the look on his face that he’d intended it as no more than a reassurance, but the heat that instantly flared between them changed those intentions. They both felt it, so there was not even the slightest chance of denying the chemistry.

Blue framed her face with his big hands. “Are you sure, Romy?” His voice was low and sent shivers of desire through her body.

“It is wrong?” she whispered, looking up into his intensely compassionate eyes. “She just died. How can we …”

“Life has to go on, piccolo,” he said softly. “We honor those who go before us by continuing to live fully. But if you prefer not to, I understand absolutely—”

“No. Yes.” Romy slid her hand into his dark curls and kissed him hard, needing this. Needing him. Their mouths moved together hungrily, and when Blue stood and picked her up, it was like she belonged in his careful embrace. He carried her as if she weighed nothing, kicking open the door to the on-call room and locking it behind him.

He set her down on her feet and gently pulled at the drawstring of her pants, drawing them down her legs then pulling her top over her head. “God, you’re beautiful,” he said softly, and she could see the lust and admiration in his eyes. Her own hands went down to his groin, cupping his hard-on through his jeans. Damn, he was huge …

Blue pulled down the lacy cup of her bra and fixed his mouth on her nipple as he slid her panties down her legs, then expertly flicked her bra clasp open, letting her full, ripe breasts fall into his hands. The feel of his skin on hers was sending tingles racing through her body and she pushed his sweater over his head and ran her hands over the hard planes of his chest. Naked, Blue Allende was even more godlike, tall, broad-shouldered, and slim-hipped. He swept her onto the small bunk, kissing her as he kicked off his pants and underwear. Romy reached down to stroke his cock, the skin so silky, the hard, hot length of him filling her hands.

Blue was kissing her breasts, her belly, as he made his way down the bed and hooked her legs over his shoulders. He smiled up at her. “I’m going to lick you until you scream, beautiful girl …”

Romy moaned, drawing in a sharp breath as his tongue lashed around her clit, his fingers massaging the soft flesh of her inner thigh as he expertly pleasured her. “God, Blue … Blue …”

A rush of emotion flooded her system as she came and she began to cry, much to her embarrassment. His mouth was on hers then, tender, loving. “Don’t cry, piccolo,” he murmured, his eyes soft. Romy stroked his face but said nothing, drinking him in.

“Do you want me inside?”

She nodded and as she watched him slip a condom onto his straining cock, Romy knew she had wanted this man from the first moment she had seen him.

Blue hitched her legs around his waist. “Okay?”

She nodded and he smiled, pausing to stroke her belly, before she helped guide him into her. With one long thrust, he entered her, and Romy gasped with the thrill of him filling her, the rhythm that he found so quickly. She moved with him, meeting and holding his gaze until they were both trembling and panting for air. She tightened her vaginal muscles around his pulsating cock, making him groan her name. And as she came, her back arched up and she cried out as he kissed her throat, her breasts.

Afterward, he held her as she tried to stop her body trembling, kissing her forehead and the tears that still lingered at the corners of her eyes from the emotion of everything. “Are you okay, piccolo?”

She nodded, stroking his face. “I am very, very okay. Surprisingly so. Should we have done that?”

Blue smiled wryly. “Probably not … but I admit, I’ve wanted to do that since I first met you.”

Romy was amazed. “Me?”

He laughed. “Yes, why is that hard to believe? You’re beautiful, smart, funny, the whole package. Who wouldn’t want you?”

“But you could have anyone you want, Blue. Anyone.”

“And I want you, Romy.” He sighed. “Although I’m not naïve that this will be complicated, not just at work, but with our families.”

Romy groaned. “I didn’t even think about that … God. Maybe we should keep this,” she gestured to their naked bodies, “to ourselves.”

Blue nodded, then grinned at her. “I’d like to keep your body all to myself.”

Romy laughed as he covered her body with his, feeling his cock hardening again. “I’m serious.”

“Secret liaisons? That’s pretty hot.” He kissed her neck, then moved again to her lips. “I can’t get enough of these lips.”

She smiled, her mouth curving up as he kissed her, but when he broke away, her eyes were serious. “This is so complicated, Blue. You’re my boss to begin with, then there’s our families. I mean it. We should keep this between us … assuming, um, assuming this isn’t a one-night thing.” She blushed again, but he laughed.

“It isn’t, not for me, but I do agree with you. Maybe next time we’ll keep it out of the hospital, but tonight, heightened emotions, I needed this. I needed you.”

Touched, she cupped his cheek in her hand. “You have me. Just … on the down-low. I can’t risk my career, Blue, as much as I want you.”

“I agree, Romy.” He sighed and leaned his forehead against hers. “And I hate to do this, but I have to be back on rounds in three hours and so do you.”

“Yeah, we’d better go home. I mean to our own homes,” she added, smiling as he chuckled.

Somehow they managed to keep their hands off one another long enough to get dressed and walk outside.

Down in the parking lot, he stole one more kiss. “You’re heavenly,” he said quietly, but with intensity in his eyes. “I’ll see you in a few hours. Take some time. I’ll cover for you.”

Romy saw him watching her car as she drove away, her emotions in turmoil. The man knew how to make her body respond like no one ever had. More than that, he seemed to see something in her that she’d thought Dacre’s assault had stamped out permanently. There was a goodness to Blue, a tenderness to where it wasn’t just red-hot searing sex but also something more, even this very first time.

She wasn’t sure she’d be able to keep the secret, but it was sure worth giving it a damn good try.

Chapter 4

At home, Romy set an alarm for two hours and fell onto her bed still fully clothed. She groaned when the alarm went off and hauled herself out of bed, finally discarding her work clothes and stepping into the shower. As she ate a quick breakfast, she flicked on the television and watched the reports of the murders. It was an awful idea but she needed to see it somehow, as though it helped atone slightly for being unable to save Yasmin. As thought it might help her understand even slightly.

The four deceased young women, savagely attacked in their sorority house, have now been named as Rebecca Fulsome, 20; Oona White, 19; Madelaine Culpepper, 21; and the youngest victim, Yasmin Levant, who at just 18, died last night of her wounds at The Rainier Hope Hospital. Hospital officials say that their best surgeons worked tirelessly to save Miss Levant, but she succumbed to her injuries in the early hours of this morning. Police say the attacker broke in through an open window and attacked each girl in her bedroom, before leaving the premises. So far, no suspects have been identified, but the murders mirror a similar case in New York two years ago.

Romy swallowed the last of her cereal, feeling sick. She’d forgotten all about the murders in New York. God, there were monsters everywhere. She remembered her own personal monster, the midnight beatings, the forced sex.

Rape. Call it what it was, Sasse. He raped you. Bastard.

She drove into work and was assailed by her friends, wanting to know about working with Blue in an emergency situation. Romy, exhausted, was grateful when Mac rescued her, shooing everyone away and bearing her off to the cafeteria. “Allende sent me. He saw you come in and knew you’d get caught by the pack. Damn hyenas.”

Romy smiled at him and at Blue’s thoughtfulness. “Mac, if it had been someone else but me, we would have been hyenas too.”

Mac shrugged. “Fair point. Are you okay? You look done in.”

“It was a long night.” In more ways than one. “Is Dr. Allende all right? He had it worse than me.”

“He looks good, but then he always does.”

“True story.”

Mac grinned at her. “So you’re not immune to the good doctor’s charisma then? I thought you were the one hold-out.”

Romy cursed silently but faked a smile. “I’m here to work, not get laid.”

“I’m just saying … out of all us, I reckon you’d be his type.”

Romy shrugged off the conversation. “Did you hear the news this morning? The murders in New York? The same as here?”

“Yeah. Jesus, humans, huh?”

“Humans.” She agreed. Her pager went off a second before Mac’s. “We’re summoned.”

It was evening before she even saw Blue again. There was so much paperwork from the murders and the subsequent medical procedures that Romy was sequestered with a police team most of the day. They went over everything again and again. Romy told them again how Yasmin Levant had been stabbed so viciously that her abdominal artery had been shredded, that she had simply bled out before they could attempt any kind of repair.

“What about her left femur?” Det. Halsey asked her eventually. “Did your orthopedic department attend the surgery?”

Romy nodded. “But, to be honest, it was secondary to the abdominal wounds. I’m not an expert, but I assume he—or she—broke her femur to subdue her enough that she couldn’t fight him—or her—off.”

“We’re pretty sure it’s a him,” Halsey said quietly.

Romy, overtired bristled. “Because women aren’t strong enough to do that to a person?”

Halsey held his hands up. “I meant no offense, Dr. Sasse. We found DNA on the victim. Male DNA.”

Romy backed down. “I’m sorry. Bad day.”

“Of course. Look, we need to talk about the survivors’ injuries. We got the report that they weren’t as serious as the deceased victims.”

“No, that was strange,” Romy said. “They were badly beaten, and they’ll probably need serious psychiatric counseling, but yeah, it is odd that he didn’t finish the job, so to speak. God.”

“And Ms. Levant was the only one with a broken femur?”

Romy’s own leg ached and she rubbed it unconsciously. “Detective, the femur is the longest, strongest bone in the human body. The force it takes to break it … it would take anger. Rage. It’s sadistic too … but then, that’s what we’re talking about here, isn’t it? He’s a sadist.”

“He is,” the detective agreed, then smiled kindly at her. “You’ll tell your friends to be careful when they leave at night?”

Romy gave a hollow laugh. “Detective, you’re talking about everyday life for a woman in this world.”

Not even halfway through her shift, Romy was hollowed out through and through. She didn’t know if she even had the strength to walk out of the hospital for a breath of fresh air, when Blue appeared in the breakroom. He didn’t say a word, helping himself to coffee nonchalantly before stepping into the supply closet.

She knew he was giving her a chance to choose, and choose she did. Dragging herself out of her seat, she joined him in the small room and locked the door.

“This isn’t ‘keeping it out of work’ Dr. Allende.”

Blue reached for her. “Shut up and kiss me, woman.”

He crushed his lips against hers, his arms snaking around her waist, pulling her hard against his body. Romy moaned as she felt his erection, hard against her belly. For just a moment she let herself sag, let him carry her weary weight … “God, I want you, but …”

Reality reasserted itself and gently she extricated herself from his arms. “Bad boy.” She wagged her finger at him and he laughed.

“Come home with me tonight and I’ll show you just how much of a bad boy I can be.”

Romy hesitated, but then the lure of his green eyes, his dark curls and that body …

“Piccolo, unless you want to sleep,” he said softly, studying her face and holding her more gently. “No pressure, you understand. It’s been a long two days. Another day, if you prefer …”

“No.” Romy made up her mind. The best way to honor those who have gone before us is to continue living our lives fully. “I’m off tomorrow, so I can risk it.”

Blue flashed a huge grin. “Oh, you’re off tomorrow … funny thing … so am I.”

Romy started laughing. “I wonder how that happened?”

“Come here.”

They kissed again, and Romy reached down to squeeze his diamond-hard cock. He groaned and buried his face in her neck. “It’s a good thing we’re off, because I’m going to make sure you can’t walk straight for the entire day.”

“Is that right?”

“God, yes.”

Romy giggled as he pretended to ravish her. “Easy, soldier. You’re the one who’s not going to be able to walk properly, and we still have rounds.”

“Spoilsport.”

“Get over it, Doc.”

Romy’s body felt electrified all day at the thought of what Blue had promised. That electricity gave her a much-needed boost that, paired with caffeine, got her through the remainder of the long hours. But as the day wound down and she walked down to the concessions stand to grab a new toothbrush, she groaned inwardly as she saw a tall, blonde, and very familiar figure looping towards her.

“Yo, sis.” Juno grinned, flinging her long arms around her diminutive sister.

“Hey, Boo … what are you doing here?”

“Just finished a class and wanted to say hi. Also, to check out the famous doc … is he here?”

Romy opened her mouth to answer just as Blue came toward her, grinning. She gave a quick, almost imperceptible shake of the head, and cut her eyes to Juno. Blue slowed his pace, his smile faltering in confusion.

“Dr. Allende, do you have a moment?” Romy said formally. “My sister Juno would like to meet you.”

Understanding now, Blue smiled at Juno, shaking her hand. “Hey, nice to meet you at last.”

“You too.” Juno’s amazed expression was written all over her face as she took in the gorgeous man. “Can I call you Blue?”

“Of course. Listen, would you ladies like to grab a coffee?”

Romy was gesturing wildly behind Juno’s back, but Blue didn’t understand her signal, and when Juno agreed—a little too enthusiastically—Romy sighed. She knew Juno—any excuse to stay at Romy’s place overnight in the city, especially if there was a chance to gossip. Damn it.

They went for a coffee at a little independent place on 6^th Avenue. Blue smiled at Juno. “So, we’re about to be siblings?”

“Looks like.” Juno was stuffing a Danish pastry into her mouth. “We haven’t met your brother yet, either. Mom’s looking forward to Thanksgiving dinner—just a warning, she cooks brussels sprouts, and given it’s …” she checked her watch, “two weeks until Thanksgiving, she’ll be putting them on to boil about now.”

Blue laughed. “Duly noted. Dad and I are looking forward to spending that day with you.”

“And your brother?”

There was a pause, a beat too long. “And Gaius. Of course.”

“You don’t mention your brother much,” Romy said and saw a flicker of something in his eyes before he gave them a half-smile.

“We’re not as close as you three appear to be. I always wanted a sister. Juno, Romy tells me you’re quite the musical prodigy.”

“Ha.” Juno grinned at him. “She flatters me. But it is my passion, and I’m about to start working for the Gabriella Renaud Foundation down in New Orleans.”

“Just when I move back to Seattle, she moves out,” Romy grinned. “I might take it personally.”

“Then you’ll have to make the most of me while I’m here. Like tonight … I could stay over at your place?” Juno looked hopeful, and Romy had to work to keep the disappointment out of her face.

“Of course, Boo.” She shot an apologetic look at Blue who winked at her and mouthed ‘don’t worry’ at her. “But,” Romy added, thinking quickly, “I have to be out early tomorrow for a training seminar. All day, I’m afraid.”

“Yes, she does,” Blue caught on, trying not to smile. “I’m leading that seminar, and I’m very strict about time. One of my things, I’m afraid, punctuality.”

“He is.”

Juno shrugged, surprisingly clueless. Usually she picked up on these things with a terrifying radar. “What’s the training about?”

“Orthopedics,” Blue said smoothly, “mostly about the recovery time of someone’s gait after strenuous exercise.”

Romy snorted her coffee from her nose and was embarrassed, wiping her nose. “Sorry, went down the wrong way.”

“That’s not like you,” Blue said innocently, and Romy had to hide her laughter in her tissue. Juno still didn’t notice anything, already making inroads on Romy’s carrot cake, which she’d left alone. Romy, trying to stop her giggles, cleared her throat.

“So, yeah, if you don’t mind being left alone in the apartment.”

“Of course not.” Juno shrugged.

Blue’s eyes were twinkling. “Don’t forget we also have that patient we might need to check in on overnight too. I’ll page you if I need you.”

“Please do,” Romy was enjoying their little game, “I’d like to make sure the patient is, um, responding to stimulus.”

It was Blue’s turn to hide his laughter now. “Do excuse me, I have to use the bathroom.”

When they were alone, Juno turned to Romy. “Well, he’s gorgeous and sweet and cute. How do you concentrate on work with a man like that around?”

“A man who will soon be our brother,” Romy reminded her, cringing inwardly. She hated lying to Juno, who was so trusting that she would believe anything Romy told her. “Also, he’s my boss.”

“Ha, flirty boss.” But Juno didn’t push it. She gave up on the carrot cake, licking cream cheese frosting from her fingers. “Look, maybe I will go home tonight. Seems like you’re preoccupied with work anyway. But we must, must, must have a sisters’ night before I leave for New Orleans.”

“Are you going before Christmas?” For some reason, Romy was confused about the timeline. Had Juno told her and she’d just forgotten?

“Only for a couple of weeks, just so Livia can get me trained before she gives birth. Can you believe she’s having a baby?”

“I’m just glad she’s well enough to.” Their friend Livia had been stabbed and shot by a psychopath the year before and had barely survived. “Give her and Nox my love, won’t you?”

“Speaking of gorgeous men.” Juno muttered, then grinned as Blue returned. “It was so good to meet you, bro, but I think I’m going to head back home, leave you your second-in-command.” She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. Faintly surprised, Blue smiled and returned the embrace. “You’re coming to Thanksgiving, right?”

Blue nodded. “Just try and stop me. I’m a sucker for over-boiled sprouts.”

Laughing, Juno kissed Romy’s cheek and then loped out, garnering the appreciative looks of a table of young men as she walked out of the coffee house.

Blue grinned at Romy. “So … you’re free, after all?” He sat down next to her and slid his hand along her thigh. Romy wiggled with pleasure.

“Dr. Allende?”

“Yes, Dr. Sasse?”

“I believe you prescribed me some bone-shattering sex earlier … how about you fill my prescription?”

Blue laughed. “That was the worst doctor dirty talk I’ve ever heard … but yes, I need to do that immediately …”

Gaius Eames tapped on his father’s office door, not waiting for a reply before he opened it. “Hey, Pa.”

Stuart looked up over from his computer, annoyed. “Gaius, why bother to knock if you’re just going to come in anyway?”

Gaius was unrepentant, shrugging as he flopped into the chair opposite his father. “I just get into town and that’s the greeting I get? What would I have caught you doing? One of your secretaries?”

“That’s enough, Gaius.” Stuart glared at his eldest son.

Gaius grinned widely, knowing his barb had hit home. “Jeez, Pa, take a chill pill. I was kidding. How is the lovely Magda?”

Stuart’s face softened. “She’s wonderful, and looking forward to seeing you at Thanksgiving —you are coming, I take it?”

Gaius nodded. “Although Mom’s not happy, yes, I’ll be there.”

Stuart sighed. “At this point, I really don’t care what Hilary thinks anymore, Gaius. She burned her bridges long ago.”

“I don’t want to fight, Pa.” Gaius held his hands up. “So, Thanksgiving. Will I meet the daughters? I’ve done my research, two blondes, one brunette —have they got the same father? I’m just asking,” he added as his father looked annoyed, “no judgement.”

“As far as I know, yes. Artemis and Juno take after Magda, and Romy after her father, I understand. Anyway, you’ll meet all of them then. Have you spoken …”

“To the Italian?” Gaius finished his father’s sentence. “No, but then that’s nothing new.”

Stuart sighed. “Blue is your brother, Gaius, and it’s about time you both grew up.”

Gaius stayed silent. He would never, ever bond with Blue Allende, and not just because he was his bastard half-brother. The jealous that squirmed in his gut when he thought about Blue’s success, his devastating good looks, his decency … goddamn.

“I hear he’s working with one of the Sasse girls.”

Stuart nodded. “Romy. She’s in her last year of residency. Blue says she’s the best he’s ever seen.”

Gaius chuckled darkly. “Is he fucking her?”

Stuart’s blue eyes went gray, and Gaius knew he’d gone too far this time. “Don’t ever talk about one of Magda’s daughters like that again. Ever.”

“Forgive me.” Gaius tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. “Look, I just got into town —can I use the condo? I’m assuming you’ve moved in with Magda already?”

“Close enough. I spend every night there. Here,” Stuart reached into his desk drawer and threw Gaius a set of keys. “You know the rules.”

“Pa, you realize I’m forty-two, right?”

“And Charlie Sheen is fifty-something. No whores, no drugs. Not in my condo.”

Gaius sighed and got up. “Fine. Well, I guess I’ll see you at Thanksgiving.”

Stuart relented a little. The man had a soft spot that made Gaius respect him even less. “Look, have dinner with me, just me, on Tuesday.”

Gaius masked a smirk. “It’s a date.”

At his father’s condo, Gaius unpacked, then grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and stretched out on the couch, flicking through the television channels disinterestedly. It was gnawing at his gut the way his father talked about Blue, the pride, the love in his voice. Gaius had been seventeen when his father had revealed his affair with Blue’s mother. He hadn’t blame his father for straying—he knew his own mother Hilary hadn’t been faithful at any point during his parents’ marriage, but he’d resented the fact that there was a child.

Blue, twelve at the time that his father brought him into their family, was quiet, kind, intense, and everything Gaius wanted to be. Even as a child, Blue’s big green eyes, full of intelligence and compassion, garnered him quick acceptance into their family circle, something Gaius had struggled with. However much Blue had tried to befriend his new brother, Gaius, ridden by jealousy, had been uninterested.

Gaius gave a humorless laugh. Now Blue already had an ‘in’ with his father’s new wife and her daughters too. Fuck him. Gaius grabbed his iPad and typed in a name in the search engine.

Doctor Romy Sasse. Her photograph came up immediately on the alumni page at Stamford’s website, and Gaius studied it. Long, dark hair falling in waves past her shoulders, Romy was a doe-eyed beauty with her olive skin, that faint blush of pink in her cheeks, and the curve of her breasts in her white coat was promising.

Yeah, Gaius thought, if Blue isn’t fucking her, he’s a fool. Gaius read everything he could on the young woman, but there was a surprising dearth of information. Weren’t doctors always publishing research? Why were her name and profile not on the website of the Rainier Hope Hospital, but only on the alumni page of Stamford? Did she not want people to know where she was?

Intrigued, Gaius took out his phone and dialed. “Yeah, Greg? It’s Gaius Eames. Yes, good, thanks. Listen, I have a job for you, if you’re interested. Yeah, I want you to find out everything you can on a Dr. Romy Sasse. She’s a resident at Rainier Hope Hospital. Find out what she’s hiding … or who she’s hiding from.”

Chapter 5

At the same moment that Gaius set out to find out more about Romy, his half-brother was doing the same thing—albeit in a more physical way. He trailed his lips up the length of her spine, feeling her shiver. Her skin was so soft that it drove him crazy. “Turn over, baby.”

Romy rolled onto her back, hitching a leg over his body. Her lips crushed against his as he buried his rock-hard cock deep into her, and he heard her moan of pleasure. He couldn’t get enough of this woman; she was so soft, her skin silky, the color of milky coffee. The way she looked up at him with those dark chocolate eyes …

He found his rhythm, moving in and out of her, feeling her sweet cunt contract around his cock, loving the way her breasts and belly undulated with the movement. He’d never been one for skinny girls and Romy had the kind of curvaceous body men salivated over. He’d wanted her the moment he saw her, and he hadn’t felt that way in a long time.

Blue was aware that his physical attributes meant people thought he was a man whore, and he himself had done nothing to dissuade that image but the truth was … he was careful with his heart. So many women wanted him to look good on their arm, or wanted his cachet as a superstar surgeon to show off. Very few wanted Blue for who he really was underneath the movie-star looks, a funny, unabashed geek, who just wanted to find someone to laugh with.

And very quickly after she’d arrived in Seattle, Romy had shown herself to be just that woman. That they would soon be related by marriage and be siblings, well, they’d have to deal with that later.

For now, all he wanted to do was make love to her. He stroked the hair back from her face as they moved together, marveling at the beautiful flush in her face as she came, trembling and sighing his name. They smiled at each other as they caught their breath.

“I’ve never had sex this good,” Roy said, stretching her limbs and then curling into him.

For a long moment, Blue stared at her. “I wish we could go public,” he said regretfully. “I want to tell the world about this brilliant, beautiful woman who somehow wants me.”

Romy laughed. “First, thank you for complimenting my intellect first; you get extra points for that. Second, you know you could have any woman you wanted, Blue Allende. Don’t be modest. You know it’s the truth.”

“It’s the accent,” he said playfully before letting loose with a string of Italian. “Ho incontrato la ragazza più gloriosa e voglio portarla in tutte le mie parti preferite d’Italia e farle vedere da dove vengo.”

“Holy crap, that’s unfairly hot!” Romy exclaimed, kissing him hungrily.

“Ah, a weakness,” he teased, tickling her ribs and enjoying her writhing against him.

“Mmm, yeah. Now … what did you say? There was something about a ho and glorious ravioli?”

Blue grinned. “I just said I met the most glorious girl, and I want to take her to all my favorite parts of Italy and show her where I came from.”

“Wow. Where did you come from?” she wondered. “I mean, I know Stuart had an affair with your mom …” she trailed off, apparently realizing that wasn’t the hottest of pillow talk conversations.

“He did,” Blue nodded, long ago having come to terms with that aspect of his DNA. “Technically he was—and regretfully still is—married to Hilary.” Just mentioning her name made his gut tense for reasons no one knew but him. “But the marriage has been over for years. Mom was a widow; her husband was killed in a car wreck three years after they married, and she was in mourning for years. Stuart went to Rome for a conference, met my mother, and it was, according to her, like a thunderbolt.”

Blue rolled over onto his back and gathered Romy back into him, enjoyed her pressed tight against his chest. “I was conceived on that first meeting, accidentally, of course, and my mom even gave Stuart an out, said she would raise me alone. Stuart was a stand-up guy. He and my mother … their chemistry was plain to see even when I was a kid, so when my mom died, Stuart didn’t hesitate to bring me to the States.”

“That makes me very happy to hear,” Romy nodded. “Not the affair, obviously, but it doesn’t seem like he’ll break my mom’s heart.”

“No,” Blue assured her. “He will not, Romy. He made mistakes, yes, but he is a genuinely good man.”

Romy’s face clouded. “What is your stepmother like?”

“Hilary?” Blue gave a humorless laugh, feeling that wrench again. “Hilary Eames is an unremittingly vile piece of crap. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but it’s the truth. She treated—and continues to treat—my dad as an ATM machine, but gives the world the impression she’s a God-fearing charitable Christian woman. Ugh. That woman has never believed in anything in her life.”

“She’s that bad?”

Blue nodded. “Thankfully, Dad saw the light and filed for divorce, but it hasn’t stopped her from trying to control him. And Dad’s so desperate for the divorce to be final, he gives in on everything. She’s bleeding him dry. I haven’t met your mom yet, Romy, but I would warn her …” he looked at her intensely, willing her to feel the depth of his warning, “don’t let Hilary in, even an inch. She’s like a cancer, and I haven’t even told you the half of it.”

Romy propped herself up on her elbow and studied him. “She won’t get a chance, I promise. No one messes with my mom—they have to get past me and my sisters and we can throw down, I tell you.”

Blue smiled fondly at her. “I bet you can. I really look forward to meeting Magda. She’s made my dad happy, and I owe her everything for that.”

“Thanksgiving.”

There was a tiny pause before he nodded at the invitation. “Thanksgiving. Yes.” He bent his head to kiss her. “Now, Romy, be a good girl and lie back for me … I’m going to kiss every inch of your spectacular body.”

Soon, he was hooking her legs over his shoulder and burying his face in her sex. She tasted so good to him, the crimson blush of her swollen cunt so beautiful as his tongue teased and tormented her hardening clit until she was bucking, and coming. He gave her no time to recover before he plunged his cock deep into her and fucked her mercilessly until she was crying with ecstasy, arching her back and pleading with him to never, never stop.

Artemis Sasse drove into the city to do some early Christmas shopping. Her partner, Glen, had called her to say he would be late home and Artemis was enjoying the time alone. She and Glen had not been getting along too well lately, and she knew in her heart that it was over. Still, the thought depressed her. She and Glen had been together since high school, nearly twenty years, and the thought that they would not be in each other’s lives much longer was a deep sadness within her. It turned out that it was true, the whole thing about people outgrowing one another. He’d grown one way and she’d grown the other. There was no longer any chance of them meeting in the middle, though they’d tried for a long time.

At thirty-six, Arti had worked her way up in the otherwise male-dominated faculty and was now a tenured professor at the university. There was something missing though, something that wasn’t satisfying her in her life, but she couldn’t figure out what. She loved her family—she was close to both her sisters and her mother—she had great friends, and ye t…

Something had been bugging at her for a few weeks now, and she couldn’t quite reconcile it with her stoic and practical nature. It was Romy, she realized. She felt her middle sister was heading towards trouble and she couldn’t figure out why she felt like that. Certainly, Romy was fitting in well at the hospital, or so she said, and she was happy in her small apartment, but Artemis couldn’t help feeling scared for her sister.

Why, though? she asked herself again as she browsed around the department store. Why do I feel like that?

Maybe it was Dacre, Romy’s ex. He was still out there, still angry with Romy for leaving him. The way he had beaten her the last time still haunted Artemis. The hospital in New York had called her and she had flown with her mother and Juno to see Romy. Walking into that room, seeing her sister almost unrecognizable, her face bloodied and bruised, eyes swollen, her leg smashed … Romy, thankfully, had pressed charges, but Dacre, thanks to his wealthy parents, had hired the best lawyers money could buy and the Sasse women couldn’t compete. Dacre had been fined and gave an outward expression of regret, but Romy and her family knew he was enraged by the court case and by the subsequent divorce.

Artemis shook herself. Romy is an adult and doesn’t need you worrying about her. Get a grip. Artemis asked herself whether she was distracting herself from her failing relationship by focusing so much attention on her sister. She pushed everything to the back of her mind and went to her favorite coffee shop.

A gingerbread latte and a pastry later and she felt the tension leave her body. She was flicking through a book she’d purchased for Juno for Christmas when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up to see a very tall, handsome man, she smiled delightedly. “Dan? Dan Helmond?”

Her old friend grinned back at her. “The very one. Hey, kiddo.”

Artemis stood and hugged him. Dan had been a couple of years old than she and Glen at school. Now he was a big bear of a man, his dark hair shot through with silver, his beard full. Plaid shirt and camo pants and ear piercings, and Dan looked more like a Hell’s Angel than the architect he was. He’d always been a kind, gentle man though, and all the Sasse sisters had had a crush on him at one point or another.

“Can I get you a coffee?” Artemis asked hopefully.

“Nah, I just ordered. Can I get you a top up … ugh, woman, what is that monstrosity?” He peered into her half-empty mug and Artemis grinned.

“It’s a gingerbread latte, you philistine, and no, thanks. One sugary hit is enough for me.”

Dan excused himself to pay for his own coffee—Americano, no sugar, no cream—and sat down with her. His brown eyes twinkled merrily at her. “Well, now, girl. You’re looking good. How’s life?”

“It’s good, thanks. I’m tenured at my college, family’s good. My mom’s getting married soon.”

Dan looked surprised. “Wow, really? Someone’s tamed Magda Sasse?” He always deliberately pronounced their surname ‘Sassy’ rather than ‘Sass,’ Artemis remembered.

“I wouldn’t say tamed, exactly; you know Mom. She’s still a head-in-the-clouds nutso, but wonderful with it.” Artemis sipped her coffee. “She’s marrying Stuart Eames.”

With satisfaction, she saw the amazement on Dan’s face. “No freakin’ way.”

“Yes, way.”

Dan let out a long breath. “Wow. Wow.”

“One of his sons is in property … Gaius Eames. You know him?”

Dan shook his head. “Heard of him, and that star doctor brother of his, but I don’t know either. How about you? Still with Glen?”

Barely. “Yes, we’re still, um, still … together.”

“You don’t seem so sure.”

Artemis shrugged, not wanting to talk about Glen with Dan and ruin the atmosphere. “How about you?”

“Wife passed a few years back, cancer.” Dan stirred his coffee, clearly lost in those memories for a long moment, such that Arti reached over and touched his hand.

“I’m sorry, Dan.”

He nodded and looked up, briefly covering her hand with his and then going on as if he hadn’t missed a beat. “I have a seventeen-year-old daughter, Octavia. She’s heading off to Harvard next year.”

“That’s exciting.”

Dan beamed and Artemis felt her stomach flutter. That smile … “She’s my angel.” Dan went on, digging out his wallet and showing her a photograph of a pretty teenager with long dark hair and big soulful brown eyes like her father.

“She’s gorgeous. She could be Romy’s twin.”

“She could. How is your sister doing? Last I heard, she was in New York.”

Artemis felt her chest tighten. “She’s back now, working as a resident at Rainier Hope. Surgical superstar in the making, so they say.”

“I’m not surprised. And Juno?”

“About to work for a charitable foundation in New Orleans.”

“Man, the Sasse sisters done good.”

Artemis smiled. “We’re doing okay.”

Dan glanced at his watch. “Listen, Missy, I hate to cut and run but I have a meeting in town —don’t suppose you’d like to make this a regular thing? Meeting up for coffee? Tavia’s always telling me to slow down, take some time to chill, and I’d like to see you again.”

“I’d love to … here.” She pulled a business card out of her pocket, a little worse for wear. “It has my cell phone number on it. Call anytime. It was really great to see you.”

Dan bent down and kissed her cheek. “Soon, yeah?”

“Soon.”

Artemis felt absurdly cheered as she walked back to her car. A new friend, she thought to herself, a new friend that’s an old friend. She pushed away any thoughts of anything beyond friendship, although she kept rerunning Dan calling her ‘Missy’—she’d forgotten that was his name for her back in high school.

When she got home, Glen was in a cheerful mood, and they enjoyed a pleasant meal together for the first time in a long time.

When Glen had gone to bed in his own room, where he’d moved a long time back, Artemis checked her phone to see Dan had already sent her a text message, a photograph of him and his daughter giving her the thumbs up. Sweet and funny.

She went to bed with a huge smile on her face.

From another coffee house across the street, Dacre Mortimer had watched his ex-wife’s sister chatting with the tall man. He knew Artemis wouldn’t hesitate to call the cops on him if she saw him, and he couldn’t risk being caught, not while Romy was still out there in the world, alive. He didn’t much care what happened to him after she was dead, but for now, he had a job to do.

Find Romy. Find his beautiful, sexy, love-of-his-life, ex-wife Romy.

And kill her.

* * *

“Dr. Allende, can I see you about a consult, please?”

Romy hid her grin as Blue looked up from his paperwork and his eyes twinkled at her. “Of course, Dr. Sasse. Where to?”

In less than a minute, they had locked themselves into a supply closet on the quietest floor in the hospital. Blue’s lips were against hers, his hands hitching up her skirt as she freed his cock from his pants. He lifted her easily, his strong arms supporting her as she guided his cock inside her. They fucked hard but silently, their eyes locked on the others, their mouths hungrily seeking the other’s.

“God, you’re amazing.” Romy moaned, burying her face in his shoulder to muffle her cry of release.

Blue groaned as he came, panting for air, kissing her so furiously he tasted blood. “You think everyone knows about us?”

“I’ve been careful … but we really should stop doing this … God, Blue, that is not what I meant by stop, you lunatic.”

He was stroking her clit now, relentless until she shivered through another orgasm. “I’m addicted to watching you come,” he murmured, his lips against hers, “Your skin flushes such a beautiful color when I’m fucking you. My cock in your cunt is all I think about all day, all night, and the way you squeeze my dick when I’m inside you.”

“God, Blue!” Romy’s head rolled back as she came again, his dirty talk making her wet and shivery and weak. Blue, grinning, triumphant, thrust his rampant cock back into her and Romy almost screamed with pleasure.

Finally, as they caught their breath, Romy, laughed and shook her head at him. “You are a machine, Allende.”

“Love machine.” He gave her the finger pistols and she chuckled.

“And you are so cheesy, so, so cheesy.”

He kissed her, then helped her straighten her clothes. “Listen, I was thinking … we should talk about birth control.”

“How to Kill a Mood in Ten Seconds by Dr. Blue Allende.” But she grinned at him. “What are you thinking?”

“We’re both doctors, and we both have access to, um, tests. You’re right, this isn’t sexy, but what I’m leading to is, hopefully.”

“And what’s that?”

“I want to feel you. Really feel you when I’m inside you. I want to know that when we’re doing rounds, you’re carrying my seed around with you. Does that sound selfish? I don’t mean it to, I just … I want to be close to you. Oh, damn, I sound like a creep. I’m not explaining this well.”

Romy shook her head. “No, but I understand what you’re trying to get at. And I want that too.” She leaned into him and nuzzled his nose with hers. “Skin on skin,” she said in a low, chocolatey voice, “you and me, together.” She slid her hand onto his groin, feeling him hardening again.

“Damn, woman, how come I couldn’t put it like that?”

Romy chuckled. “Dr. Allende?”

“Yes?”

“When we get back to your apartment tonight, I’m going to suck you dry.”

With that, Romy grinned, picked up her files, and headed for the door. “By the way,” she said to Blue, who was waiting until his hard-on dissipated, “I had a full work-up last year in New York. I’m clean as a whistle, so to speak. Your move, Doc.”

She blew him a kiss and left him in the closet.

Romy was still grinning when she was called to the emergency room forty-five minutes later. A nervous young intern came to find her. “Hi, Dr. Sasse, I’m sorry to call you personally but there’s a patient asking for you. He’s in curtain six.”

“Name?”

“He won’t give me it.”

Romy’s heart began to thump unpleasantly. Surely, not. Surely Dacre hadn’t found her already? She smoothed her face out and nodded at the intern. “No problem, I’ll see him.”

For one awful moment before she pulled back the curtain, she imagined it was her violent ex-husband, that he would lunge for, get his hands around her throat, choke the life out of her.

The relief when she saw the patient was immense, and she smiled at the man, who was cradling a bloody hand. He smiled at her. “Dr. Sasse?”

“That’s me, Mr. …?”

The man grinned, his handsome face lighting up, his blue eyes intense. “Eames. Hey, Romy, I’m Gaius, your soon-to-be stepbrother.”

Her eyebrows shot up as she searched for a resemblance to Blue and definitely saw it, now that she was looking for it. The high cheeks and sculpted jaw were apparently genetic. “Hey, well, hey,” she stammered and then laughed. “Wow, you caught me off guard. Nice to meet you at last, even if unexpectedly.”

Gaius held his hand up. “I was careless while fixing my car.”

“Let’s take a look.”

Romy pulled up a chair and took his hand. “You didn’t want to see Dr. Allende?”

“I wanted to meet you. Something good to come out of this. Ouch.”

“Sorry.” Romy examined the nasty gash. “Well, it’s deep, but you won’t need surgery. I’ll clean it and give you some local anesthetic. Then we can stitch the wound, or even glue it.”

Gaius nodded, his eyes never leaving her face. “Thank you, Romy.”

As she worked, he asked her questions about her work. “Do you work closely with Blue?”

Was there an edge to his voice? She kept her tone neutral. “Well, he is our General Surgery attending, and that’s my chosen specialty. It’s strange to think he’ll be my brother soon.”

“I bet. I didn’t think to ask Dad … have they settled on a wedding date?”

“I don’t think so, but Mom’s being really secretive about it. Lord knows why; she’s not usually shy about anything. Of course, your father’s divorce isn’t quite final yet, so there’s that to consider.”

Gaius laughed. “Secrets are overrated. Do you have any secrets, Dr. Sasse?” His voice dropped lower, quieter, and Romy flushed, not out of pleasure, but awkwardness.

He was flirting with her, and it was freaking her out. For a second, she imagined saying Well, your half-brother just reamed me real good in a supply closet, but apart from that … “Nope. Boring, I know, but that’s me. We’re all done here.” She gave him a smile and pushed away from him. “The nurse will come to stitch you up.”

He reached out and took her arm. “Romy … thank you. To say thank you, I’d love to take you to dinner. What do you say?”

Romy stepped gracefully away from his grip. “Well, we’ll see you at Thanksgiving in a couple of days, and I’m afraid I’m pretty much working until then.”

Gaius reached for her hand and kissed the back of it. Instead of the heat that flared through her when Blue touched her, Romy felt her skin go weirdly cold. “Then I shall have to be satisfied with that.”

After he left, Romy felt unsettled. Gaius was all charm and politeness, but there was something underneath the façade, something that made her feel uneasy. She wondered if she should tell Blue that his brother had been in, but eventually decided not to. It was nothing, after all.

She didn’t regret her decision that night when Blue dropped a sheet of paper in her lap as he was pulling off his tie. Blood tests. She scanned them and grinned up at him. “Dude, some of these tests take weeks. How did you manage this?”

“Well, honey, let me just say there’s a very happy guy in testing right now.”

Romy giggled at the mischievous look on Blue’s face. “Blue Allende, did you pimp yourself out for tests?”

“Kinda, but not in the way you mean. He might have needed half a week off for a family destination wedding and I might’ve pulled some big strings.”

“Allende, bribery?” she teased. “That’s all kinds of wrong.”

“I know. I’m disgusted with myself,” Blue was grinning widely as he pulled her jeans off of her and knelt between her legs. Romy watched him lazily as he slid her panties down her legs.

Romy hooked her legs over his shoulders. “Lick my pussy, doctor, or I’ll forget my promise to milk you dry.”

Blue, grinning, buried his face in her sex and Romy closed her eyes, moaning softly as his tongue lashed around her clit, then delved deep into her cunt. He made her come, then she made good on her promise, taking his cock into her mouth and sucking and drawing on him until he came, swallowing down his seed.

Blue scooped her into his arms and carried her to bed, tugging off her sweater and his own, feeling her full breasts soft against his hard chest. He lay on top of her, gazing down at her, stroking the hair back from her face. “So … do we need to use a condom today?”

Romy shook her head. “I’m on birth control … let’s go for it. I want to feel you inside me.”

Blue crushed his lips to hers before slowly burying his cock deep inside her. Romy shivered and Blue groaned. “God, you feel good. Your cunt is so velvety, baby.”

They began to move together, Romy savoring every sensation that he sent through her body. A deeper connection was being forged and they gazed at each other, murmuring sweet words to each other as they made love. Romy tilted her hips up so he could go deeper, harder, digging her nails into his buttocks, urging him on. God, this man … his cock, so big, so thick, reaming her into submission, his intense green eyes soft with love, with desire, with fire, for her … Romy couldn’t quite believe it.

She cried out his name as she came, shuddering and trembling, then felt his seed explode out of him, filling her belly. This man, this incredible man … she wanted to scream at the top of her voice that she was falling in love with him, that he was her destiny, her dearest desire.

But Romy settled for his sweet kisses, not wanting to spoil the moment with too-soon declarations. But she knew it was true; she was falling for him. Not just his handsome face, his glorious body, or the way he fucked her, both animal-like and yet so tender. It was his sense of humor, his utter lack of ego when he could rightfully claim to be one of the best, his playfulness.

More than anything, Romy felt she could trust him, and after what Dacre had done to her … it was a big thing for her.

She did tell him that she felt she could trust him (leaving out the parts about Dacre) and to her surprise, Blue looked utterly moved. “I’m glad, piccolo. I’m honored by that, and you should know … I feel the same. Whatever this is between us, whatever it becomes … you are my person. My lover, my muse, my best friend … and my family.”

Romy’s eyes filled with tears. “And you, mine.”

Blue kissed her tenderly. “Thank God you came home to Seattle, Romy. Thank God.”

And they began to make love again, loving each other long into the night.

Gaius smiled grimly to himself as he sat in his car outside his half-brother’s apartment. He had followed Romy from the hospital and could hardly believe it when she drove here. He saw Blue come down to greet her, saw them kissing. So his bastard half-brother was fucking his almost- stepsister. Gaius’ gut churned with jealousy. Romy Sasse was beautiful, sweet, and of course, Blue had gotten there first.

Damn you.

Still, it would make for extra sport, Gaius grinned to himself. Romy Sasse had a whole lot of secrets that he would bet his life Blue didn’t know about. The abusive ex-husband, for one.

Dacre Mortimer. Son of New York socialites, a billionaire in his own right. So, Romy liked the money … that would be useful, although Gaius could see from the divorce papers that she had not asked for a penny from Mortimer, not even the prenup money she had been entitled to. That was interesting.

Gaius also knew Romy had been hospitalized a year previously as she was about to enter her last year of her residency program at Johns Hopkins. Smashed left femur, multiple wounds from a beating, bruised liver, and a burst ovary from being kicked in the stomach. Mortimer’s parents had done a good job hushing it up in the papers, but their son had gone to town on Romy when she’d asked for a divorce.

Why the hell had she married him? Gaius couldn’t figure it out but if he could find Mortimer, he would ask him. Romy had fled New York as soon as she was well enough and applied to Rainier Hope to finish her residency. A new life.

Hmm. Gaius began to see a whole campaign of terror he could unleash on the couple—especially if he could find Dacre Mortimer and lead him to his ex-wife. He smiled when he thought of watching Dacre confronting his ex-wife, of Blue finding out what had happened. Blue would defend Romy, of course, and maybe Dacre would get rid of Blue, once and for all.

Gaius got excited now. Yes, yes, this was perfect. If he could manipulate Mortimer into killing Blue, then he, Gaius, could sweep in and ‘save’ the day. Poor Romy would be devastated —unless of course, she too was dead. Gaius shrugged. Either way, he would win.

He picked up the phone and called his detective, thanking him for finding out all the information he had already collected, then paused. “I’d like you to do something else for me, and I’m willing to pay you double if you can do it.”

“I’m intrigued. Go ahead.”

Gaius smiled. “Find out where Dacre Mortimer is, and ask him to meet with you. I have a very interesting proposition for him.”

Chapter 7

On Thanksgiving morning, Magda took one look at her fiancé’s somber face and sighed. “Uh-oh. What did she do now?”

It had almost become a joke between them; Hilary Eames’ attempts to draw out her divorce from Stuart were creative, Magda had to give her that. But Stuart was being worn down by it, his usually merry green eyes losing their sparkle. Magda stood on her tiptoes to kiss him; she was a tall woman herself, but Stuart was a big man, broad-shouldered and long-limbed.

He wrapped his arms around her now. “I can’t make head or tail of it, Mags. She’s dropping her objections to the divorce.”

For a moment, Magda was so shocked, she couldn’t speak. After months and months of vicious back-and-forth between Hilary and Stuart, Hilary was dropping her claim for seventy-five percent of Stuart’s wealth? How? And more importantly, why? Magda had only met Hilary on two occasions, but it was enough to get a measure of the woman. She liked power, and she loved money. Hilary Eames would not drop her claim to Stuart’s billions.

“What the hell?” Magda studied Stuart, who looked lost.

“I just don’t know… but I don’t trust it.”

Magda shook her head. “No. Did you call Gaius, ask him if he knew anything?”

“I did, and he doesn’t. He’s as bemused as I am. He said he would call her and report back later at dinner.”

Magda blew out her cheeks. “So … she’s signing the divorce papers?”

Stuart smiled now. “She is … which means, my beautiful Magda, we can get married. And soon. I was thinking … Christmas?”

“It’ll be finalized that soon?”

Stuart gave a wry grin. “Sometimes, being rich helps.”

“Moneybags.” But she kissed him, laughing softly. “I love you, Stuart. If you didn’t have a penny, I would still love you to the moon and back.”

“Mushy.” But he kissed her tenderly, tangling his fingers in her short, steel gray hair. “God, woman, you are beautiful.”

She smiled up at him. “Well, you’re old. Your eyesight is fading and … ouch, ouch, no, stop that,” she shrieked as he tickled her.

Juno wandered in, hopping up onto the counter and watched them. “Is this some kind of Cocoon foreplay?”

Magda shot her youngest daughter a withering look. “We’re not that old. Maybe I don’t mind so much that you’re moving out after all …”

Juno smirked and blew her mom a kiss. “You looooove me …”

Stuart laughed at their antics. “Hey, kiddo,” he said to Juno, “I’m trying to persuade your mother to marry me at Christmas. Help me out, would you?”

Juno’s eyes went wide. “Vampira’s signed the divorce papers?”

“Yup.”

Juno did a seated dance of victory, hands raised high in the air. “Yeah, baby! Then, hell yes, Ma, snag this dude before I steal him away from you. Can I officiate?”

Magda and Stuart looked at each other. “Can you get ordained before Christmas?”

Juno looked smug. “Already am. I was waiting for you to announce your wedding day then I was going to surprise you. What do you say?”

“I say I forgive you for the Cocoon crap,” Magda beamed, hugging her youngest tightly. “Stuart … yes? No?”

Stuart grinned. “I think that would make the day even more perfect, yes. Now all we have to discuss is where.”

Magda laughed. “Okay, you two, slow your roll. Let’s get today over and done with. Juno, are your sisters on their way?”

“Arti is, but Romy said she might be a little late. Emergency at the hospital, and she said that she and Blue might come together for convenience’s sake.”

“That’s cool … but I hope they don’t get tied up.”

Romy was indeed tied up but not in the way her mother meant. Blue’s tie was wrapped around her wrists, her hands behind her back as she lay on his dining table, her legs wrapped around his waist as he plunged his cock in and out of her, thrusting harder each time as he fucked her, his strokes brutal but his hands on her body, caressing her breasts, her belly, were soft and tender. Romy came explosively as Blue pulled out and came on her skin, shooting thick reams of creamy white come onto her belly.

Romy begged him not to stop, and so he turned her onto her stomach, pulling her hands, and she cried out with pain and pleasure. He pushed into her perfectly rounded ass and fucked her slowly this time. “God, Romy, you’re so beautiful, so exquisite … I’ll never get enough of you, not ever…”

He made her come over and over before, exhausted, they showered together then fell onto his bed. They had been working an all-nighter and had gotten home just after dawn. After sleeping for an hour, they both woke, horny for each other and for the next three hours, fucked each other’s brains out, clawing at each other, desperate for that connection.

Now they lay side by side, sleepy and exhausted. Blue grabbed the alarm clock and set an alarm for two p.m. “Don’t want to be late for your mom.” He grinned, but then saw Romy had fallen asleep, her head resting in the crook of his shoulder. Blue studied her face, so lovely, so expressive even in repose. He knew he was in love with her, had been for weeks now, almost since the first, but Blue struggled with whether to tell her or not. They needed to get this dinner with their parents over with, then decide whether or not to go public.

The only person Blue had told was his chief of surgery, Beau Quinto, not wanting any improper behavior on his record, nor to let his mentor and friend down.

“It isn’t a fling, Beau,” he’d told him seriously, “I’m crazy about her, but it won’t affect either my work or Romy’s. We’re professionals. Yes, Romy and I work closely together, but I assure you I don’t favor her above the other residents.” He grinned slightly. “Even if she is the best general surgery resident I’ve ever seen.”

Quinto had rolled his eyes. “Blue … I’ve been where you are. When I met Dinah, she was a patient, so I know all about improper relationships. I trust you and Romy not to let your relationship interfere with your work. Don’t let me down.”

“I won’t, I give you my word. Thanks, boss.”

Blue laid his head on top of Romy’s and closed his eyes. Feeling her in his arms was like a drug to him; he loved her brain, her commitment to her work, to the hospital … God, he’d dreamed of finding a woman like Romy all his adult life. The only person who had ever gotten close was Julia, his college sweetheart, but she had had an affair with Gaius during their final year at Harvard. When a vindictive Gaius had dumped her soon after, Blue had had no interest in resuming the relationship though he hadn’t wished his brother’s cruelty on her. He wouldn’t wish it on anybody.

Gaius had always been resentful of Blue, of anything he had that Gaius didn’t. Success, focus, commitment —Gaius thought these things were something one either had or didn’t have, rather than things one would work for. Blue had no time for his feckless older half-sibling, and even less time for his stepmother. Hilary had made Blue’s mother’s life a misery while she was alive, and continued to besmirch her memory after death.

He shook himself now. Later, he would have to see Gaius and not give away that he was in love with Romy. He had nightmares about Gaius setting his malevolent sights on the beautiful young woman in his arms. Of course, they were nothing to the other nightmares that had plagued him ever since the eight young women were brutalized in the city, since Yasmin Levant had died on his operating table. She had looked like Romy, too much for Blue not to imagine it was his love bled out and dead in the O.R.

His arms tightened reflexively around her now and he pressed his lips to her forehead. Romy murmured in her sleep and opened her eyes, smiling up at him. He kissed her soft lips, treasuring every moment, before she sighed and went back to sleep.

God, I love you, piccolo. He hadn’t exaggerated when he’d told her he wanted to whisk her away to Italy, to show her every place he’d loved as a child, everywhere he had been at his happiest until he’d met her.

He closed his eyes and slept then, with that happy dream in mind, until the alarm went off at two p.m., and he and Romy made love again before finally dragging themselves from their beds to go celebrate Thanksgiving with their blended family.

He had been following Artemis for weeks now, and finally, she had led him to the Sasse family home. When he and Romy had been married, she had been cagey about where her mother lived, scared of him even on their wedding night. Dacre smiled to himself, remembering. She hadn’t wanted to sleep with him, and as she’d held out until they were married, Dacre had been certain of one thing. He would fuck Romy on their wedding night if it killed him … or her. It had taken his forearm across her throat before she gave in, tears pouring down her face as he forced her legs apart.

“You are mine,” he growled at her continually. He’d worn her down over the months to be able to get her to agree to marry him, destroying her confidence, isolating her from her friends.

By the time of the wedding—fifteen minutes at City Hall—Romy had been a shadow of her former self. Dacre still wasn’t certain how he’d scared her so much that she’d actually agreed to be legally bound to him, but such was his power, he now remembered proudly. That, and keeping her away from her damn nosy family so they couldn’t run interference.

She’d spoken her vows in such a quiet voice the judge had had to ask her to speak up twice, but when she had seen the barely concealed rage on Dacre’s face, she had quailed and recited them louder, but in a monotone. Dacre had seen the two witnesses, strangers he had wrangled from a bar, exchange concerned looks. The woman with them had slipped Romy her number. If you need anything. He knew Romy hadn’t called her. It would have made no difference if she had.

Dacre killed the woman, Regan, a few weeks later, catching her unawares as she stepped out into a dark alley in the back of the bar where she worked to have a smoke. Hand across her throat, knife in her belly, one, two, three.

Dead. God, the feeling, the rush it gave him, and every single time he imagined his victim was Romy. His cock would harden and he would smell the blood, imagining it to be hers. That sweet gasp of shock and pain as the knife sliced through flesh was Romy’s … she never made any noise when they had sex, would never kiss him on the mouth. She didn’t fake orgasm and it made him crazy. When he’d found out she was back in touch with her family that had been the last straw and when the beatings had started.

That last one, the final one, had begun when she was late home from the hospital and he’d been drinking. Such a normal thing, but he’d heard her coming up the stairs and for a moment, he had just been joking around, hiding behind the door to spook her.

He had hooked his arm around her neck and she had screamed in fright. Pulling away from him, she’d rounded on him with wide, frightened eyes, so beautiful in her terror, and told him she was leaving him for good. Dacre had lost it. He’d beat her mercilessly until she could no longer stand, blood pouring from cuts above her eyes, her nose broken, her mouth bleeding. He’d pulled her hair until she sobbed, then, as she slumped to the floor, he had stamped on her left thigh and they’d both heard the decisive crack as her femur shattered. Romy, choking on her own blood, could no longer scream for help.

Dacre had studied her dispassionately, then, grabbing a knife from the block, had raped his broken wife. He had intended to kill her, he knew that now, but when he’d heard his neighbors shouting, banging on the door, he’d chickened out. Instead, he’d called an ambulance for Romy, turning on the waterworks, apologizing over and over, begging her to live.

At the hospital, the police had arrested him and he’d made a great show of not protesting. Secretly he had been waiting for his lawyer to tell him Romy was dead, that her injuries were too bad. The police had discovered who he was and their whole attitude had changed. His father had friends high up in the NYPD. He had been cautioned and told that if Romy pressed charges, they would have to revisit.

His mother and father had been beside themselves with grief. They had adored Romy and had thought she would be able to tame some of Dacre’s excesses. When it became clear Romy would live and that she would be throwing the book at him, Dacre’s father, Hubert, had paid off the people he needed to drop the charges in return for a plea deal. No jail time for Dacre. Romy and her family had fought back, but they were no match.

In return, Romy had been given her divorce but would not take a penny from the Mortimers. Hubert Mortimer had given his son a check for three million dollars and then cut him off. His parents had disowned him entirely.

And you are to blame, Romy Sasse. You shouldn’t have made me angry.

Dacre parked his car behind the tree line of the forest which bordered Magda Sasse’s property and stepped out to slink closer to the house. He saw a car pull up and saw a dark haired-man and Romy get out. They were laughing and joking. God, Romy looked so beautiful. Dacre’s cock twitched at the sight of her long dark hair tumbling around her lovely face. Who was this guy with her?

The next moment, he watched as the man pulled Romy into a small corner of the house, shaded from the windows, and kissed her. Romy gazed up at the man with love in her eyes and it made Dacre’s insides twist in rage.

Damn fucking bitch. How dare she cheat? Because she was still his in spite of the divorce. She’d vowed forever and she would always be, no matter her whoring ways.

“She’s exquisite, isn’t she?”

Dacre started and turned to find a tall, amused-looking man with piercing blue eyes staring at him. Dacre was lost for words. The man held his hand out.

“You must be Dacre Mortimer,” he said in a friendly tone. He nodded towards the couple who were now disappearing into the house. “And that’s my bastard half-brother Blue Allende kissing your ex-wife. And yes, they’re fucking each other. Sickening, isn’t it?”

“And who the fuck are you?”

“Gaius Eames. Hello, Mortimer. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun together.”

Chapter 8

Romy was beginning to feel really uncomfortable. The meal had started off well. Everyone had been formally introduced, and the food was out of this world. If there was one thing Magda excelled at apart from parenting and sculpting, it was cooking. The turkey was juicy and plentiful, the side dishes of creamy mashed potatoes and yams sweet and heavenly, the gravy well-seasoned. Even the cranberry sauce was made from scratch and Blue grinned at her as she went in for another helping.

She shrugged unrepentantly. “It’s my favorite.”

The worst part of the meal was not giving away that she and Blue were together, not sharing those intimate glances or private jokes between them. They’d slipped a couple of times but had written it off as ‘work jokes.’

Everything had been going really well until Gaius turned his attention to her.

“Nice to see you again so soon, Romy.”

Oh, fuck. “How’s the hand?” She could feel Blue staring at her curiously.

“Much, much better, thanks to you.” Gaius appeared friendly, even if there was an undercurrent. He looked at Blue. “She’s quite remarkable, Blue. Have you noticed?”

“Of course,” Blue smiled smoothly, but the edge in the smile was one Romy hadn’t seen before and it made her cold. “Romy is by far the best resident at Rainier Hope this year. And for many years, come to that.”

“You sound impressed, brother.”

Blue fixed Gaius with a searching stare. “I am, Gaius. When did you and Romy meet?”

Romy opened her mouth to speak but Gaius got there first. “A couple of days ago … you didn’t mention it, Romy?” His face was a picture of innocent confusion.

“Patient privacy,” Romy said quietly. She risked a glance at Blue, who met her gaze steadily. There will be questions later, his eyes said, and she gave a quick, almost imperceptible nod, believing with every fiber of her being that he might be upset but would not hurt her as Dacre had done anytime he was enraged.

“The consummate professional,” Gaius said.

Artemis cleared her throat, picking up on the sudden tension. “I actually have some news.”

Romy shot her a grateful smile. “Is everything okay?”

“Oh, yes … well, no, but yes, and I know that doesn’t make sense. Glen and I have decided to break up. Now I know you’ll think this is a bad thing, Mom, but for both Glen and I … we’ve grown apart. Neither of us thinks badly of the other, it’s just we no longer fit as a couple. Glen’s moving out … today, actually, which is why he couldn’t be here. It’s entirely amicable, I assure you, so there’s no need to pick sides, etc.”

“I’m glad,” Juno said immediately, “but you know we’ve always got your back, Arti.”

Artemis grinned at her.

“I know you do, Bubba. But, yeah, so … I guess I’m just saying, I’m single, and happily so for now.”

“As long as you’re happy, darling,” Magda looked a little upset, but smiled at her eldest daughter, always supportive. Artemis leaned over and squeezed her hand.

“I am, Mom, and so is Greg. So, can anybody cheer proceedings up? Mom, Stuart?” She grinned at them. “I hear someone very special is going to marry the two of you?”

Juno beamed as Romy and Blue looked surprised. “Really, Juno? That’s awesome. Hey,” Romy said in a stage-whisper to her sister, “When they get to the kissing bit, can you leave that out? I don’t want to see that.”

Magda threw a brussels sprout at her daughter. “Cheeky girl.”

The rest of the meal passed in easy conversation and laughter, but Romy could feel the tension rolling off Blue’s body. It didn’t help that Gaius, pretending there was a friendship between he and Romy, made jokes with her, flattering her as if they had known each other for more than a few moments. Romy saw her sisters looked confused at the strange behavior and when they got her on her own, clearing the dishes, they questioned her about it. Romy shrugged.

“I don’t get it either. I treated him for his hand wound, that was it. I don’t know the man. Perhaps he’s just trying to, I don’t know, ingratiate himself.”

“Then why isn’t he all pally-pally with me and Arti?” Juno shook her head. “Guy’s a creep.”

“For God’s sake, Juno, lower your voice.” Artemis hissed at her and Juno rolled her eyes. Romy felt a lump of misery settle in her chest. She should have told Blue; that he was pissed was obvious—to her, at least. Damn it. She looked at Artemis and for a moment debated telling her about how she felt about Blue. No, it wasn’t fair to him; they had vowed to keep it quiet, at least until after Stuart and Magda’s wedding. She turned back to the dishes, only half-listening, as her sisters chatted.

Eventually she was alone in the kitchen, making work for herself. She felt a hand on the back of her neck and turned hopefully, expecting to see Blue. She jerked backwards when she saw it was Gaius instead. He held up his hands.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle to you, Romy; it just seemed like you were tensed up there.”

Romy was trembling. “Gaius, please don’t touch me unless I ask you to.”

“Sorry.” His smile was innocent, but his eyes sparkled with malice. “Guess you’re always a little jumpy these days. After what your husband did to you in New York.”

Romy was so shocked that she didn’t see Blue enter the kitchen behind her as Gaius started to grin. It was only when she heard him put down the casserole dish he was carrying that she turned—and saw the hurt in his eyes. He gazed back at her for a beat then turned and walked out. Romy stared after him in dismay.

“Was it something I said?” Gaius asked, and laughed coldly.

Chapter 9

Blue was silent as he drove Romy back to her apartment. Romy sat in miserable contemplation as he followed her into her small apartment and shut the door. In spite of her total trust in him, her nerves were tightly wound, fear unavoidable. She waited for the storm as they walked into the living room, but he just grabbed a bottle of scotch from her kitchen with two glasses and sat her down next to him.

“Now,” he said quietly, calm and patient, the utter antithesis of Dacre, “tell me everything.”

Romy took a deep breath in, pressing her hands tightly together. “It’s true, I was married, although I don’t know how the hell Gaius knew. Incidentally, he’s an asshole for behaving as if he and I were better acquainted than a five-minute consult the other night.”

Blue nodded slowly. “But you didn’t tell me about it.”

“No, and right now, I don’t know why. Blue, he’s a creep, and he came onto me then as well as tonight. He makes my skin crawl.”

Blue looked slightly mollified. “That’s Gaius, all right. But why didn’t you tell me you were married?”

“We weren’t—aren’t—there yet. You’ve never told me about your past lovers either.”

“Don’t do that, Romy. No games. Husband is a lot different from girlfriend. Who was he?”

Romy looked at him steadily. “He was a violent, ignorant spoiled rich boy who tried to kill me. There. Now you know.”

“What?” Blue said in obvious horror.

Romy was glad he was shocked. “That’s why I didn’t tell you. I don’t like to talk about it, frankly. It’s a lot more complicated than just ‘I was married.’ He regularly beat me and raped me, then when I told him I wanted a divorce, he assaulted me so violently that I nearly died. He comes from a rich family. He’s arrogant, entitled … Dacre Mortimer is a monster and if he finds me, I’m dead. So, the fewer people that know about him, the fewer people there are both in his firing line, and who can help him find me. Why do you think my photo and name aren’t on the Rainier Hope website or in promotional material? He knows I live in Seattle, he just doesn’t know where.” She sighed and rubbed her face. “Obviously, Gaius has done his homework.”

“Jesus, Romy.” Blue got up and paced around. “Why did you marry him in the first place?”

“That’s a question I still can’t answer fully for myself,” she said softly. “He … cowed me. Separated me from my mother and sisters. I guess after months of nonstop abuse, you get broken down to where a person can make you do just about anything. Even marrying the devil himself.”

To Romy’s great relief, Blue came back to her and put his arms around her, holding her tightly. He buried his face in her hair and Romy was shocked to feel him shaking.

“Blue?”

“The thought of anything happening to you.” His voice was muffled and his arms tightened around her.

“It’s okay, baby; nothing’s going to happen to me.” Romy made him look at her and she stroked his face, wondering how she could ever have wondered even slightly if this man would hurt her. He was such a good man, God. How had she gotten so lucky this time? “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Gaius. I just didn’t want to upset you. That’s clearly want he wants, to drive a wedge between us.”

Blue pressed his lips to hers. “Romy … that won’t ever happen. I won’t let it. I’m in love with you. The thought of anyone hurting you kills me.”

It was Romy’s turn to cry now. “I love you too, Doc,” she smiled through her tears and he kissed her passionately. Romy pressed her body to his. “Take me to bed, Dr. Allende.”

He undressed her slowly, kissing each piece of exposed skin until her whole body vibrated with longing. Naked, she wrapped her legs around him and took him in, his cock thrusting deep into her cunt in long, measured strokes. His lips moved with hers, tender and loving as they made love. Blue’s eyes were intense on hers.

“Let’s tell our family, tell them we’re in love. I’m shocked they didn’t guess.” He began to smile as Romy moaned with pleasure as he buried himself deeper inside. “I want to tell the world about the woman I love, the brilliant, beautiful Romy … I promise you. I’ll keep you safe and loved. So, so loved …”

Romy cried out his name as she came, her back arching up, her thighs tightening as he came inside her, his lips at her throat. “Yes,” she said, as they caught their breath, “Yes, Blue … yes …”

In the morning, Romy was changing into her scrubs when Mac came to find her. “You look different,” he remarked. “Glowing. You’re not knocked up, are you?”

“No, definitely not,” she rolled her eyes in amusement. “What’s going on today? It’s like a ghost town.” Virtually none of the regular staff had been present when she’d walked into the hospital.

Mac’s smile faded. “You haven’t heard? Another massacre. Four women found in the grounds of the Gasworks. All stabbed. They were brought to the ER, but they were all D.O.A. Everyone is cleaning up that mess and/or doing paperwork and/or talking to police. Again. I’m so sick of police.”

“Oh God, not again.” Romy felt sick. She followed Mac out of the locker room as he headed for rounds.

“And get this,” he went on. “None of them knew each other. Police think they were all picked for some reason and then left together. One of them had her femur smashed like Yasmin Levant.”

Romy stopped. “What did you say?”

“Left femur smashed. Why?”

A curl of horror was beginning to form inside of her, a doubt, a horrific idea. Murders in New York and now Seattle … smashed femur … no, you’re being paranoid and ridiculous, Sasse. “Can I see the records?”

Mac shrugged. “Sure.” They walked down to the ER, Romy assuring Mac she’d smooth things over with Blue if they were late for rounds. Romy picked up the files from the desk and read through them. There were multiple stab wounds, and all of the women were dark haired and dark eyed, with olive skin.

“Huh.”

She looked up at Mac, who was studying the files with an odd expression his face. “What?”

“I just noticed. Their names. Roberta, Ornella, Margaret, Ynez. Their initials spell your name.”

Romy felt like she’d been hit in the chest by a sledgehammer. No, it had to be a coincidence. She turned to the computer and brought up the case files for Yasmin Levant and the other women who had died with her. Reading through the names, she looked at Mac, whose eyes were now troubled. Drawing in a deep breath, Romy logged on the Internet and Googled the murders in New York. “Oh God …”

All of the victims had names whose initials spelled her first name. Mac put his hand on her shoulder. “You know, Roms, this really could be coincidence—”

“It isn’t.” Romy began to tremble. “I need to talk to the police.”

Mac looked alarmed. “You don’t know who it is, do you?”

Romy nodded grimly. “I do. I have to find Blue.”

Upstairs, Blue looked up, but his smile faded when he saw her face. He stood up and walked over to her immediately, reaching for her. “What is it, sweetheart?”

Romy drew in a deep breath. “It’s Dacre. He’s in Seattle. He’s coming for me.”

Chapter 10

Artemis tried not to feel too excited as she made her way through the icy streets of Seattle to the coffee house. She and Dan had met up a few times but this day was the first time when she was a free agent. Glen had moved out over the weekend, and although they had both been sad, even cried a little, Artemis had never felt so convinced they were doing the right thing.

And now she was going to see Dan, the man who had been haunting her dreams for weeks now. She’d repeatedly told herself it was just a friendship, but she couldn’t mistake the look in Dan’s eyes when he was with her, and she was sure it was reflected in hers. Desire. A bond. She had never felt so comfortable with a man in her life, so at ease and relaxed—at the same time, every time she was with him, all she wanted to do was rip his clothes off and kiss him until she couldn’t breathe.

She felt some guilt—after all, she and Glen had only just split—but then again, they’d lived separate lives for so many years. It was time to move on, and today was a big step forward doing just that. Today Dan was bringing his teenage daughter to meet her. He had asked Artemis if she wouldn’t mind, his face going red, and Artemis knew she was being assessed for … something. God, she hoped she would pass the test, and it wasn’t helping her nerves but as soon as she pushed open the door to the coffee house, Dan and his female mini-me both grinned at her and Artemis relaxed.

Octavia was a delightful mix of typical teenager and nerdy geek. She reminded Artemis both of Juno with her confidence and Romy in her dark looks. She told Octavia that and the young woman smiled. “Dad said the same thing. He’s always talked about the Sassy Sasse Sisters—you’re almost legendary in our house.”

“Really?” Artemis was absurdly flattered and Dan rolled his eyes.

“Way to ruin my game, kiddo.”

Octavia chuckled. “Sorry, Pa, but it’s the truth. I’d love to meet your sisters.”

“We can arrange that, though Juno is leaving for New Orleans soon. Romy is still here, though, at the hospital.”

They chatted easily for an hour then Octavia got up. She kissed Artemis’s cheek. “Sorry I have to cut and run, but I have study group.”

Her father coughed something which sounded suspiciously like ‘geek.’ Octavia grinned. “I am what you made me. Bye, Missy, I hope we see each other again soon. Pa, I’ll probably stay over at Gail’s tonight, so don’t wait up.”

“Just text me if you are.”

“Will do. Bye.” And she was gone.

Artemis grinned at Dan. “She’s great.”

Dan grinned, delighted. “I know, she’s a good kid. I think you have her approval.”

“Ha, I hope so.” Artemis met his gaze and held it, blushing furiously, but Dan, his dark eyes twinkling, smiled in a way that made her stomach flutter.

“Missy?”

“Yes?” Her heart was beating out of her chest and she felt breathless.

“I’m gonna kiss you now.” Dan leaned over and brushed her lips with his, lightly, before the kiss deepened and went on for a long moment. Artemis sank into his embrace, feeling his hands cup her face. “God, Missy, if you knew how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

Artemis smiled. “Me too. What happens now?”

“Well, option A … we stay here kissing all day. Option B … I take you back to my place, undress you slowly, and kiss every inch of your perfect skin, before we make love tenderly. Option C … we throw caution to the wind and fuck each other’s brains out. Feel free to mix the last two options.” He was grinning, and Artemis started to laugh.

“Dan Helmond, I say … Option C first, then option B. Option A can go hang.”

Before she could finish her sentence, Dan had grabbed her hand and they were running towards his car. In thirty minutes they were naked in his bed, and Dan was thrusting his enormous, thick cock deep inside her as they fucked hard. Artemis threw every caution to the wind; she had an animal desire in her for this man, his huge, muscled body making her feel so small and precious, his kisses both tender and feral.

Afterwards they ordered pizza and ate it in bed, feeling like lovesick teens again. Artemis grinned at Dan’s self-satisfied expression. “Don’t think for a minute, Helmond, that I left Glen for you.”

“Yeah, you did.” But she could tell he was joking around, and laughed. “Admit it, woman, you had to have the Dan-Dan-Man.”

“Oh, jeez, I’m leaving,” she groaned and giggled as he pulled her back into his arms and kissed her. “Marinara kisses.”

“Think I got some mozzarella action going on in my beard if you’re interested.” His smile was so wide, Artemis couldn’t help giggling until she cried.

“That’s so gross. Your seduction game is poor, Helmond.”

“You love it, Missy Sassy.”

She kissed him then. “I do. You may be crazy, but I’m crazy about you. If I’m honest, I’m kind of relieving a high-school fantasy right now.”

Dan grinned, smoothing her blonde hair back from her face. “Except this is no fantasy. This is real, Missy.” His face was serious now, but Artemis could see the love in his eyes. “I’m all in, Missy. You and me, this is all I want.”

Artemis sighed happily, leaning into his embrace. “Me too, big guy, me too.”

“Stay with me tonight.”

She nodded, her lips suddenly too busy to speak, and they made love again, slowly this time, exploring each other’s body, forgetting the time, long into the night.

Romy sipped her now-cold coffee. She had been with the police most of the day and now she and Blue sat together in the interview room as the detective in charge of the homicides questioned her again.

“I’m sorry if I’m repeating questions, Dr. Sasse, but it’s important. Now, it could be a coincidence, but we always look for patterns and we had noticed the women who died shared the same first name initial. But until you came forward we didn’t know who the message was intended for.”

Blue groaned in dismay and the detective looked at him. “Don’t worry, Dr. Allende. We have a state-wide BOLO out for Dacre Mortimer. If he’s here, we’ll find him. In the meantime, we’ll assign you protection, Dr. Sasse.”

“I can handle that.” Blue said, his voice gruff. “The best protection money can buy. He won’t get near you, Romy.”

God, was this really happening? Romy closed her eyes and asked herself if she was really that shocked. Dacre would never have accepted her leaving him … but to kill all these innocent victims to send her a message? “Why didn’t he just kill me?” Her voice was quiet and surprisingly calm.

“Don’t.” Blue was barely holding onto his composure. The detective smiled at them.

“You’ve been unbelievably brave and helpful in coming forward. Go home and get some rest. I’ll be in touch.”

Romy asked Blue to drive her to her mother’s house. “I want them all to know what’s going on—it’s not fair to them not to know that they might in danger too. Dacre is a monster.”

Her heart sank, however, when they got to her mother’s house. Gaius was there too, meeting with his father.

Magda knew something was wrong, clearly, as she gazed at her middle daughter. “Romy?”

Blue took Romy’s hand. “Magda, Dad … we have something to tell you. Two things. One, we hope you’ll be happy about, because we are. Romy and I have been seeing each other for a while now, and Magda, I’m so in love with your daughter …”

Magda exclaimed in delight and threw her arms around them. “I thought I sensed something!”

Stuart grinned widely, clapping his son on the back. “Son, I’m delighted for you both.”

“Oh, Romy … sweetheart, finally. I’m so happy you found a good man at long last.” Magda was in tears, and Romy teared up a little too before adding to the overall level of emotion.

“Mom …There’s something else.”

Gaius, smirking in the background, leaned forward, his eyes glittering with spite. “Don’t be shy, sis, tell us.”

Romy flushed at the jibe, but she felt Blue squeeze her hand. “Shut the fuck up, Gaius; this isn’t the time for your malice. Magda, Dad, I’m afraid that it isn’t all good news. We think Dacre Mortimer is in Seattle.”

“God, no.” Magda went pale and clutched at her daughter’s hand. “Sit down with us, sweethearts, and tell us what’s going on.”

As Romy told them about the murders, about the signature that had led her to suspect Dacre was behind them. “I knew, or I should have known, he would come after me. He has nothing to lose by murdering me. His family has already cut him off; revenge is all he has left.”

Blue cleared his throat and Romy looked at him. His beautiful eyes were deeply troubled and she could feel the tension in his body. “Dad … I’ve already set the ball rolling for added protection. I know it’s inconvenient, especially with the wedding coming up, but I won’t risk any of us getting hurt.” He paused, then glanced at his half-brother. “Gaius, you too. And I think perhaps you’d better clue your mother in, too.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you.” Gaius’s voice was a monotone and Romy couldn’t tell whether he was being sincere or not. She studied him … the malice had gone from his eyes and he didn’t smile. He looked at her. “As long as you’re okay, Romy, that’s all I care about.”

Fucker. That tone was back in his voice, the intimate one, the one that said I know you better than you know. His smirk was back too. Romy looked away from him. Blue pressed his lips against her temple.

“Piccolo, I know this is fast, but I’d feel a hell of a lot better if you moved in with me.”

“I would too, Romy,” her mother added quickly, and Romy nodded.

“Fine. Yes, of course. God, I’m sorry about this, everyone.”

Magda looked angry now. “Listen here, my girl, you have nothing to be sorry about. It’s that … asshole. He should have gone to jail when he hurt you last year. Bastard. I could kill him with my bare hands. I will if he ever comes in spitting distance of me.”

Later, when Blue and Romy got back to his apartment, Blue made her drink some hot tea, Romy shivering uncontrollably. “I thought it was all over,” she said in a low voice, “I was so stupid.”

“No.” Blue wrapped his arms around her, kissing her gently. “There are crazy people all around. It has nothing to do with any choices you’ve made in life. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Romy leaned into him. “It’s weird. I’m scared, but at the same time, I can’t recall ever being as happy as I am with you right now. I love you, Blue.”

“And I love you, baby. Maybe we should go away for a while.”

Romy shook her head. “He’ll just kill more people. If he knows I’m here, he can try and get to me and then we’ll have him.”

“Christ, Romy, you’re not bait, here.” Blue’s voice rose and then fell just as quickly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap, but we have to take this seriously. You saw what he did to Yasmin Levant.”

“I did see,” Romy said quietly. “I watched her die, remember? Right alongside you.”

Blue blanched and yanked her hard into his chest. “I’m sorry, baby. Forgive me, piccolo. I didn’t mean—I just—the thought of you in harm’s way makes me insane.”

She curled into his warm, hard strength. “I won’t deliberately put myself in his sights, but once we confirm it is him … maybe, just maybe I can help catch him. I need to do something, Blue. Those poor girls.”

Blue drew in a deep breath. “For tonight, let’s just … try and forget him. This place is secure. Tomorrow I’ll call in a security team. Baby, do you feel safe?”

“With you, always.” She kissed him and he stroked her face, half-smiling.

“Regardless of the circumstances, I’m glad you’re here. I was thinking about asking you to move in this morning, but then the sensible part of me said it might scare you off.”

Romy smiled at him. “It might have done this morning, although I loved waking up with you.” She sighed. “I hate that the reason I’m here is that bastard.”

“No,” Blue said, his lips brushing her, “the reason you’re here is that we love each other.”

“You got that right, Doc.” Romy pressed her body against his, and Blue held her tightly.

“Are you tired, piccolo?”

Romy smiled. “No … but I am starving.”

Blue laughed. “Of course, forgive me. Well, how about some old fashioned Italian comfort food?”

“Pasta? Sold. Shall we order in?”

Blue pretended to look affronted. “How dare you?”

Romy giggled. “You can cook?”

Blue got up and pulled her to her feet, throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her to his state-of-the-art kitchen. “Can I cook? I’m Italian, piccolo. Sit here,” he dumped her onto a stool, “and watch the maestro at work.”

Romy watched him cook pasta, rolling out the dough and making the ravioli with deft efficiency. He kept up a stream of instructions, just as he did in the operating theater, and when the pasta was cooked, Romy almost swooned at the garlicky, oozy, buttery taste.

“God, Allende,” she mumbled over a huge mouthful, “is there anything you’re not good at?”

He pretended to consider, then shrugged. “Nope.” He laughed as she threw her napkin at him.

“There’s one thing you didn’t think of, Dr. Wonderpants. I now have garlic breath.”

“Ha,” he said, “so do I.” He pressed his lips against hers and they both decided that it wasn’t an issue as the kiss deepened and soon the remnants of the pasta were forgotten as Blue tumbled her to the floor.

For the next few hours, Blue did his best to make her forget everything else but the blissful release of making love, but as the night wore on and he fell asleep, Romy lay awake.

Just as I find happiness, Dacre comes for me. Bastard.

Now that the fear had dissipated a little, she felt anger at the injustice of it. All those innocent girls. Romy eased out of Blue’s arms and got out of bed, walking to the huge picture window that looked out over Seattle. Romy leaned her forehead against the cold glass and stared down at the streets below.

Wherever you are, Dacre, come for me. I’m ready for you, you piece of shit. Come for me.

I’m ready.

Chapter 11

New Orleans

Juno Sasse sprawled on her friend’s couch and watched as Livia balanced a plate of cookies on her huge, pregnant belly. Juno grinned at her. “I can’t believe you’re having a baby, Livvy. When you think where you were a year ago.”

Livia Chatelaine smiled at her friend. “You’re not the only one who can’t believe it, darling. When Sandor stabbed me, then put that bullet in me, I thought that was it. I was a goner. Still, that’s in the past.” She smoothed her dress over her bump. “And this little girl is almost here. I cannot wait.”

Juno grinned. “My first niece.”

“You betcha. Speaking of which, you haven’t filled me in on what your sisters are up to. Has Arti married Glen yet? What about Romy? Does she like the hospital in Seattle?”

“So many questions,” Juno laughed. “Okay, in order, no, they broke up; she’s fine; and yes.”

Livia almost spat out her cookie. “Glen and Arti what?”

“They split,” Juno repeated. “It wasn’t a nasty breakup or anything, they’d just grown apart.”

“Wow. So much for fairy tales,” Livia muttered in dismay. “Except mine. I won’t deny I’m living the dream. Poor Arti though.”

“I think she’s much happier, actually,” Juno said. “Now, the real gossip is Romy. Talk about fairy tales. She’s in love … with our soon-to-be step-brother Blue. Here …” She grabbed Livia’s iPad and typed something in, then showed Livia the photo of Blue Allende. Livia’s eyes opened wide.

“Wow, he’s gorgeous … and he and Romy?”

“Are fucking each other’s brains out. They’ve only just told Mom and Stuart, but I knew a while back.”

Livia grinned at Juno’s smug expression. “They told you?”

“No, I went for coffee with them unexpectedly, and it was so obvious.” Her smile faded. “After what Romy’s ex did to her …”

Livia nodded, her eyes sad. “And they think he’s the one behind the murders?”

“Yup. God, the thought of something happening to her again … she’s so tiny, Liv, and she can kick ass, believe me, but Dacre is a sick fuck.”

Livia pushed herself from her chair, somewhat awkwardly, and came to hug her friend. “Juno, you can’t let it rule your life. I bet Romy is back at work today, saving lives. I remember when Sandor was waging his campaign … the thought of him hurting Nox or Odelle … if Romy feels half the anger I did, she won’t let Dacre near her or anyone she loves.”

Juno felt comforted by her friend’s words and when she was in bed later, in the sumptuous guestroom of Nox and Livia’s mansion, she called Romy, surprised when her sister picked up straight away.

“Well timed, Juno Boo.” Romy sounded cheerful, “I just got out of a four-hour surgery and am on a break. How’s NOLA? How are Livvy and gorgeous Nox?”

“New Orleans is warm,” Juno teased, hearing Romy’s jealous groan. “Livvy is blooming, about to pop any second, and Nox is, well, delicious as always. You okay, Romulus?”

“I am good,” Romy said determinedly. “No fucker is messing with me.”

“You got seriously laid last night, didn’t you?” Juno laughed as her sister giggled.

“Last night, this morning, and as soon as Blue finishes up, in about five minutes. The on-call room is free.”

“Babe, you’ve turned into a nympho. Seriously, though, are you okay?”

“I really, really am, Boo. Please don’t worry.”

Juno heard voices in the background and then the familiar voice of Blue. She heard her sister laugh. “I guess you need to, um, get off … the phone, I mean.”

Romy laughed. “You guessed, right. You’re okay, though, right?”

“I am. I really am. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Okay. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

Juno clicked off her phone and snuggled down in her bed. Romy sounded happy, and not cowed by what was happening, and Juno had to be happy with that. She fell asleep and was woken three hours later by Livia shouting to Nox that the baby was coming.

Seattle

Romy moaned as Blue’s cock thrust deeper and deeper inside her, his lips hungry on hers, on her throat, sucking at her nipples as he fucked her. She gripped his dark curls tightly, their lovemaking animal and feral.

“Christ, woman, you drive me crazy,” Blue groaned, slamming his hips against hers, sinking balls deep into her ready and swollen cunt. Romy was almost delirious with pleasure and her orgasm hit hard, leaving her breathless and with her head swimming. Blue came, shooting thick, creamy cum deep inside her belly and she clamped her legs around him, keeping him locked inside of her. His dark brown hair was damp with sweat, his skin salty, his eyes sleepy with love and pure desire. He was so beautiful, Romy wanted to cry.