He. “So it is a man. It’s not Sophie.” Gwen had spoken to Sophie Sarantos at dozens of charity functions over the years. She’d…liked the other woman. Sure, Sophie could be a little withdrawn, but she was nice. Dedicated. She cared about helping victims of domestic abuse, and Gwen had worked with her on a special domestic violence prevention fundraiser at the gallery just last spring. They’d raised over fifty thousand dollars at that event, and Sophie had been crying at the end of the night. Silent tears that she’d swiped away before she thought anyone saw them.
I saw them.
When she’d overheard Lex talking about Sophie, Gwen’s first instinct had been denial because well…
Sophie seems too nice.
But she knew appearances could be deceiving.
“Actually…” Dev winced. “I don’t know the driver’s sex. The windows were tinted, so no one got a good look at the driver. The perp could have been a man…or a woman. But what I do know is this…whoever we’re looking for, the perp doesn’t let his prey get away from him. If he tracked Marjorie all the way across the Atlantic Ocean, that should sure as hell tell us something. He doesn’t give up. He doesn’t stop.”
Not until his prey is dead.
“That does tell us something.” Chance took Gwen’s hand. “Ethan said that only he and Sophie knew where Marjorie had gone. If it was just the two of them—and Marjorie wound up dead—then one of them killed her.”
Sophie or Ethan.
“Lex needs to move in on Sophie,” Chance said. “And I’m going to have another little chat with Ethan. One that doesn’t involve the cops.”
Gwen shook her head. “No, that isn’t a good plan. You can’t—”
He turned toward her. “He was choosing every word he said in that police station. He knew the cops were watching. Knew that every word he said was being monitored. The guy wasn’t going to screw up there.”
“Chance—”
He kissed her. A quick, hot, open-mouthed kiss. “I’d do anything for you.” His words were low and she was aware of Dev easing back a step. “I’d fight for you, lie, hell, I’d kill without a second’s hesitation.”
She grabbed his arms. Held tight. “I don’t want you killing for me.”
“You’re what matters to me.” He searched her eyes. “I need you to know that. I fucked up before, but I won’t ever do it again. I…I love you, Gwen.”
No, no, he had not just said—
“I want to end this nightmare. I don’t want a threat hanging over you. I don’t want you looking over your shoulder every time you go out.”
Gwen couldn’t look away from him.
“I want you safe. I need you to be safe. And when this is all over…” He drew in a ragged breath. “If you…if you want, we could go forward. See if we can make it together. Because I want to be with you.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw Dev take another step back.
“Maybe I’ve screwed up too much,” Chance muttered, “and—”
Now she was the one to stand on her toes. To brush her lips against his. “We are going forward.” Nothing would stop them. Because he wasn’t the only one who’d fight…she’d fight for him. Lie. Kill. Did he think he was the only one who’d be pushed to the edge—and beyond?
He smiled at her. When he smiled, the man was absolutely gorgeous.
I love him.
“No more fear,” Gwen said. Sophie or Ethan. “Let’s see where this ends.” Ended…for the stalker.
But for her and Chance—things will begin.
Chance pulled out his phone. Got Lex on the line. She heard him updating the other man, telling him to close in on Sophie.
Then Chance put the phone down. He stared into Gwen’s eyes. “This isn’t going to be easy. To get the truth, I’ll have to play dirty.”
So will I. She wasn’t going to flinch away from what was coming. Two women were dead, and Gwen wouldn’t be next.
She had far too much to live for.
***
Lex stared up the brownstone. Sophie’s home. She’d gone in an hour before, right after Ethan had dropped her off. Lex had watched as Ethan walked Sophie to the door, as he’d pressed a light kiss to her cheek.
Then he’d left her. Sophie had been inside since then. Plenty of cars had gone up and down the street, but Sophie hadn’t stirred again.
He crossed the street. More snow had fallen during the night, and when he reached the sidewalk, the snow crunched lightly beneath his feet. He climbed the steps leading to her place. The cold air chilled his lungs. Lex pressed the doorbell…and waited.
Nothing.
He pressed his finger against the doorbell again. Still no response.
Leaning back, he peered through the window on the right. All of the lights were out in her house. Everything seemed so quiet. Empty.
But…he’d seen Sophie go inside. She had to still be there.
Unless she slipped away. Unless she slipped right by me and I didn’t even realize it.
But—
Hell, no. He was too good for that.
Wasn’t he?
Lex pounded on the door. “Sophie! Sophie, open up! It’s Lex Jensen. I need to talk to you!”
***
Chance parked in front of Wicked. The club looked shut down. They’d already stopped by Ethan’s home, but the door man there had sworn that Ethan wasn’t in the building.
Since Ethan’s home-away-from-home was Wicked, Chance had headed there.
A car was parked out front and when Chance walked by it, he pressed his hand to the hood. Still warm.
Chance strode to the main door. Gwen was at his side. He grabbed for the handle. Locked. So Chance pounded on the door. No answer.
But the car is still warm…so I know he’s inside.
“I’ll go around back,” Dev said, inclining his head. “That way, we can make sure we’ve got both doors covered.”
Chance nodded. They would be getting inside to Ethan. One way or another.
Dev hurried away.
Chance looked over at Gwen. She had her phone out. “Who are you—”
The front door opened. He recognized the man standing there. It was the redheaded guy he’d met the first time he and Gwen had come to Wicked for the fucked-up, sit-down with Ethan. The man glanced nervously over his shoulder, then looked at Gwen. “You need to leave,” he said.
Chance stepped in front of Gwen. “We need to see Ethan.”