A Dash of Desire (Spiced Life #2) (14 page)

“I’ve known thousands of men like Graham,” Adam said, bringing her nervous motions to an end. “He’s weak.”

It seemed they were going to be candid. Riley couldn’t find the will to care. A wry smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “I guess I should count myself lucky he isn’t stronger.”

A half smile played on Adam’s lips. “I meant he’s weak in mind and character,” he said, clarifying his point. “The problem is, you’re not. You were fine without him. He’s the one who can’t live without you. Controlling you makes him feel powerful. But his idea of control, it’s an illusion. Deep down, he knows it. That makes him even more dangerous than most. Smart and crazy, that’s a deadly combination. I know better than most. A man like him killed my mother years ago.”

Riley sucked in a breath, causing her to choke and fall into a coughing fit. When Adam stirred in his seat, obviously intent on coming to her rescue, she waved him away. As she tried to make her lungs function properly, her mind raced. In her heart, she’d always known it would come to this. Up until she’d come here, Graham’s warnings had been veiled. He was a looming presence, reminding her of her place. Now, he’d shown his hand.

“What was her name?”

Adam’s concerned expression transformed from surprise to something akin to pride. “The fact that you chose to ask her name rather than voicing concerns over your personal safety says so much about you.”

“That I’m dodging reality?”

Adam titled his head to one side, silently studying her a moment before answering. “No. You care about other people. I believe you genuinely want to know more about her.”

Riley swallowed past the growing lump in her throat. She did care. His mother, whoever she’d been, her life had mattered. Another Graham-of-the-world had stolen it, robbing the world. His actions forever marked the soul sitting across from her. When she didn’t respond, Adam straightened in his seat.

“Her name was Sophie.”

Sophie
. A beautiful name to—no doubt—match a beautiful woman. Riley’s eyes filled with tears. She refused to let them fall.

“He stands outside my window.” It was the first time Riley had said the words aloud. It made them real. They punched her in the chest. She wasn’t taking them back. “Sometimes he hides under my bed or in my closet. I wake up in the middle of the night…” Her voice broke, forcing Riley to clear her throat before she could continue. “…and find him standing over me, or already undressed. In my bed and holding me.” Adam’s face remained blank, giving her the courage to continue. If he’d shown an ounce of pity, her voice would’ve failed. “In those moments, there’s something in his eyes. I can’t describe it, but I’ve always known.” She couldn’t finish.

Luckily, Adam understood, and said what she could not. “To give in or die, because if he can’t have you then no one will.”

Riley couldn’t as much as blink. She had to see the words leaving Adam’s lips. When they did, she finally knew the truth. She wasn’t crazy. The first tear fell.

“Yes.”

“If you refuse to go back to California with him, do you believe in your heart that he’ll harm you? Worse than he already has, I mean.”

Riley didn’t hesitate. “I know he will.”

Adam nodded, as if he didn’t expect less. “Do you truly intend to go, or are you running?”

Riley smiled. She couldn’t help it. Anyone else would’ve assumed that she was California bound. Adam’s question proved he did understand better than anyone else could. There were fates worse than death. For Riley, California was one.

“I know the way his mind works. Right now, he thinks I’m merely having a fit of temper because he’s been neglecting me. He’s positive that with enough pressure, I’ll go home, he’ll spend some time doting on me and everything will go back to normal. No one gets hurt.”

“Except you.”

Riley flinched at Adam’s words. “My life ended a long time ago,” she admitted. “My body put up a good fight, and faked it for a while.” An image of Tristan, flushed with arousal and staring into her eyes, flashed across her mind. “For a moment, I even felt alive again, but I was fooling myself. No one will miss me no matter where I end up.”

“Tristan will.” Adam’s sure response caused her eyes to fall closed. Even she didn’t know if it was due to exhaustion or regret. “Go see him.” Riley’s eyes snapped open at the suggestion. Adam looked serious. “One last time,” he added. “Tell him what you’ve told me. Say your goodbyes. It’ll be harder on him if you don’t.”

Riley wanted to. “I can’t. Graham…”

His feral smile scared her a little. “You and I had business today. There’s no way that someone such him doesn’t know it. I can seek him out, one influential man to another, and make this discussion into a ridiculously longwinded explanation, one that involves alcohol and a night of entertainment. Trust me.”

She didn’t, but he was handing her Tristan. The thought of one more night with him made her reckless. Her sore cheeks made Riley realize she was smiling. Even the thought of being alone with Tristan did that to her.

“Okay. Let’s do it.”

An expression bordering on sinful, fell across Adam’s features at her agreement. “Awesome. Here’s the plan. It’s best you go on foot.”

As Adam explained how she would avoid Graham for a single evening of freedom, the weight sitting on her chest eased. It was merely a temporary reprieve but she wanted it.

***

An invisible vice was squeezing the air from Tristan’s throat. Adam’s face was hardened in a way Tristan hadn’t seen in years, not since he married Faith. Only the knowledge Riley would soon be in his arms kept Tristan from snapping under the tension. Everything she’d admitted to Adam still rang in his ears.

“When Riley gets to your house tonight, I don’t care how you do it, but you have to keep her there while I get a few things in order. Do you understand?” Tristan nodded. He had a million questions. “This woman belongs to you.”

“She does,” Tristan agreed without an ounce of hesitation.

In spite of how ugly Riley’s past had been, he wanted to hear every horrific detail of the life she’d lived. Knowledge was a heavy burden. Riley deserved to have someone help her carry her load. He wanted to be that person.

“Then it’s time to take her and tie her to your side before she can get away. Trust me in this. Faith ran away from me once, and it destroyed my life. You have time to make a plan. I didn’t have that luxury. Do not fuck this up.”

He couldn’t. That wasn’t an option. Adam’s cherry wood desk held his fascination as Tristan tried to block out the image of a future without Riley. When it didn’t work, he switched his gaze to a bookcase by the window. The only thing it contained were pictures of Adam and Faith. He wanted that. Longing weighed on his chest and burned under his skin. His fingertips itched in his knowledge of how close he was to having the one person he wanted, and with how close he was to losing her. Adam’s voice cut through the air, reminding Tristan of his presence.

“We don’t have a lot of time. Let’s go.”

Tristan shot to his feet. Even though he had no clue where they were headed, he was grateful for any reprieve from his black thoughts. It wasn’t until Tristan was climbing inside Adam’s Audi R8 that he bothered to make any inquires.

“Where’re we headed?”

Adam held his silence until they were clear of the parking lot, almost as if he feared Faith could hear him even that far. “There’s only one place someone like Graham would choose to stay while here.”

He didn’t have to say it. Tristan knew. “The Hilton.” He was ready. It was time to even the odds.

By the time they hit the Hilton parking lot, Hunter was already waiting for them. Tristan wondered when Adam had time to call him. Hunter nodded in way of greeting as they climbed from the car.

“He’s staying in room 302,” Hunter said without preamble. “Matt has him held up with a boot on his rental.” Hunter chuckled. “Bastard parked in one of Ace’s customer-only spaces when he followed Riley to the bakery.” Adam nodded, but his expression didn’t change, making Tristan question if it was information he already possessed. The three of them headed inside, going to the elevator without another word. As they moved toward room 302, Tristan noticed a “Do not disturb” sign hung from the handle. Hunter slid a black dry-erase marker from his pocket. When he slipped it underneath the card lock’s USB port, the lock disengaged. With the door open, Hunter waved him inside.

“Best you don’t ask too many questions preacher man.”

A muscle in Tristan’s jaw ticked. “I’m not a preacher today.”

“That’s good to know,” Hunter said as he followed Tristan inside. “I don’t care much for religion.”

Since Hunter rarely attended service, the confession didn’t surprise Tristan. As the man closed the door behind them, he released a loud curse that closely mirrored the one bouncing around inside Tristan’s head. Pictures of Riley covered almost every inch of the walls. Not all of them were recent. Nor was she alone in each. A few were pages torn from tabloids, showing Graham and Riley together at various locations all over the country, including the one Emma May had shown Tristan earlier in the day. Tristan noticed it was the only one Riley was smiling in. He wondered if that was the reason Emma had chosen it. Adam went for the desk in the corner, opening one of the drawers.

Tristan took a closer look at the pictures on the wall. There was one of Riley covering her windows. It had been taken from inside the house. He recognized the shorts and tank top she’d been wearing that day. Something else pricked the back of his mind. The door had been standing open when he’d arrived. In the aftermath of Riley’s kiss, he’d forgotten all about it. Now, he wondered if she’d been the one meant to discover it. A seed of doubt sown about her safety. Tristan spent a moment trying to imagine living such a life. His blood boiled. Catching sight of another picture, the memory of their near run-in with the SUV as they’d stepped off the curb outside Club Stud made him wonder about something else.

“You said Matt put a boot on his rental. What’s he driving?”

“A Land Rover,” Hunter answered over this shoulder.

“Is it black?”

Hunter went down on one knee beside the bed, lifting the bed skirt before answering. “Yep.”

That was it. It hadn’t been an accident. Going by the expression on Riley’s face, she’d known it. “What are we looking for?” Even though Tristan was prepared to do whatever was necessary, he had to admit to a bit of disappointment. He’d hoped Graham was going to be there, so he could beat the shit out of him.

“Leverage,” Adam answered.

“Blackmail-worthy goods,” Hunter added. “If we can’t find something on this guy, we’ll have to move to plan B before this dude steps up his crazy to the next level. By the looks of things,” he said, casting a glance around the room at the images covering the walls. “There’s only one level left.”

All three men understood what that step would be. If Riley left town with Graham, she’d never be seen again. Tristan headed for the dresser. “What’s plan B?”

Adam and Hunter turned in his direction, wearing matching closed expressions, but neither man answered. Tristan opened the top drawer, joining their search. It didn’t matter. There wasn’t a single thing they could do to Graham that Tristan hadn’t already done in his mind.

Chapter 9

Tristan stared at the moon. It seemed huge tonight for some reason. Kicking his boots up on the porch railing, he relaxed farther into the rocking chair.
Maybe it was some sort of super moon.
The mundane musing kept him from going insane. In spite of the heat, chill bumps rose on his skin. The vision of Graham’s hotel room kept creeping in, along with the knowledge they hadn’t found a single thing—not anything the world didn’t already know anyhow. If Riley didn’t show up, Tristan didn’t know what he would do. Perhaps he’d follow her all the way to California. All he knew was he couldn’t let her go, and it had nothing to do with Graham. She belonged to Tristan.

“I don’t love him.”

Tristan’s gaze shot to the steps at the sound of Riley’s voice. She’d appeared so quietly, almost seeming to materialize out of the darkness, and then her words sank in.

“Okay.” It was lame, he knew, but the wary expression on her face had him on edge.

“This morning,” she explained. “You asked me if I loved him. I realized I never answered. Of course, now that I’ve said it out loud, I wonder if that doesn’t make me seem even worse.”

Tristan didn’t know how to respond. He feared anything he said would be taken the wrong way. Not to mention, since she didn’t know he’d overheard her conversation with Adam, he didn’t want to say anything that would give him away. He settled on what he knew about her as a person.

“You have a good heart. I have a hard time picturing you intentionally inserting yourself in someone else’s family. So let’s start there. You didn’t know he was married.” He waved his hand, indicating she should take over.

Riley glanced away, but she wasn’t quick enough. Tristan saw the hurt in her eyes before she could hide it. “I wish I could let you believe that lie. It was more that I was insulated from her than anything else. She knew about me, and I knew about her. Sheesh. Why did I want to do this? I’m sounding worse by the minute.”

In spite of the situation, a grin tugged at Tristan’s lips. It didn’t matter what Riley said. He knew her. She hadn’t set out to hurt anyone. Tristan was sure of it. Too many times he’d seen her willingly take the blame for things to keep others from suffering in any way. She was back in her yellow sundress. It hugged every curve and made his mouth water. He had to say something before his lust ruined his chances of hearing her life story.