Dangerous Attraction: Part Two (Aegis Group) (13 page)

“Yeah. Thanks, man.”

“See ya soon.”

Travis hung up and blew out a breath.

Part of him wanted to crawl back in bed with Bliss, keep the lie of a future going a little while longer, but he couldn’t do that.

Liar.

He turned the coffee pot on and tossed a breakfast burrito in the microwave.

There were cops and the FBI here to take care of her. Chances were, they’d reunite her with her sister, parents or both, and his presence would be completely pointless. It wasn’t as if he’d done anything useful since finding her, and in truth, all he’d done was get Ethan hurt and waste a lot of Mason’s time.

“What’s going on?” Bliss descended the stairs, her steps lagging and her eyes still heavy with sleep.

“Work. They need me to get back today.” The lie slid out, cold and hollow, but until they were back to being rational he would tell her whatever he needed to.

“Oh. Today? Like, right now?”

“Yeah, afraid so.”

“Hey, will you stop for a second and look at me?” She grabbed his hand and tugged him to face her.

He needed to set her straight, for both their sakes.

Liar.

Travis looked down at her tousled hair, her lips still swollen from last night. She’d put his shirt on, which he didn’t want to think too much about.

“I’m not sure this is going to work, Bliss. I’ve been going over it in my head and...I don’t think it’s going to work out.”

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

“Wait, what do you mean?” She snatched her hand back.

“I mean us.” He leaned against the counter, gripping the edge to keep from grabbing her and taking it all back. What the hell was wrong with him. “What are we going to do? Spend a weekend a month together? I can’t be tied down with too many responsibilities away from the job.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am.”

Liar!

“Your job means that much to you?”

“I don’t have to explain it to you.” He grit his teeth.

A job didn’t keep him warm at night or kiss him or make him feel like she did.

Bliss took a step back, her mouth working soundlessly.

LIAR!

He winced, both because that voice was right and—he didn’t want to hurt her. But one way or another, he would. There wasn’t a good thing about him, and the faster she learned that, the better. It would hurt her a lot less now than a year or five down the road, after they’d made all the mistakes and left all the scars that would never heal.

His phone beeped. Gavin was good. His flight information was all there in a nice, neat text. At least with work he knew where he stood, how to operate. He’d die if he stayed on with Aegis for the rest of his life. It was just a matter of time until he caught the right bullet in the wrong place. If he left Aegis, there wasn’t anything for him in the civilian world. He couldn’t support her, much less himself.

She was better off without him.

The voice didn’t call him a liar this time, because it was the undeniable truth. He might have feelings for her, hell, he very well might love her, but that was a curse.

“I’ll be out of here in less than an hour.”

The microwave dinged. He grabbed the still-hot breakfast burrito and headed for the stairs.

More like he fled.

This was the right thing to do.

Wasn’t it?

Bliss stood in the smaller bedroom over the garage, listening for sounds of the car.

Travis was leaving.

He was serious.

She still couldn’t wrap her head around it all. Last night they’d almost said they loved each other. You didn’t offer to marry someone you didn’t love, right? And today they were over. Done with.

The hole in her chest was so new and raw she didn’t really feel it yet. She was just...numb.

Travis’ rental backed out of the garage. She stepped to the side, out of his line of sight. It was one thing to wait around, mooning and depressed, it was another for him to know how much this hurt.

What had she done wrong? What was wrong with her?

She wiped her hand across her cheek. The tears she’d promised herself she wouldn’t cry streamed down her cheeks. She pressed her back to the wall and slid to the carpet.

Seven days. Was it really possible to fall in love with someone that fast?

Her broken heart said yes.

She hadn’t harbored any kind of illusions. Yes, she knew that things wouldn’t be easy with Travis, she’d have to be okay with less in exchange for being loved by him, but they could make it work.

God, she needed to pull it together. Jade and Connor would be here soon to—she didn’t really know. Move her? Question her?

They weren’t Travis.

She pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her face in her hands.

Life just wasn’t fair.

Scene break.

Daniel started the dead cop’s car and eased out a full thirty seconds after Travis turned out of the residential area. He hadn’t been able to tell how many people were inside the house, but there was only one in the truck.

He’d take his chances.

Travis had to die before he executed the rest of his plan anyway.

“Keys, sir?”

Travis stared at the rental keys.

What was he doing? Was this really the right choice?

He was going to spend the next five days drinking himself stupid. At home. Alone.

His pocket vibrated.

Bliss.

“Excuse me?” He yanked the phone out of his pocket.

“Sure thing.” The attendant turned away, busying himself with paperwork behind the counter.

Not Bliss. Ethan.

“Hey, man,” Travis said.

“What the fuck are you doing up this early?” Ethan’s voice was raspy, low and slightly slurred. Drugs or alcohol? Maybe both?

“On my way to see you.”

“Why the hell would you do that?”

“I don’t know. You’re my friend?”

“Unless you’re bringing Bliss, I don’t want to see your sorry ass.”

Travis blew out a breath.

“What do you want, Ethan?”

“I want to know why you’re making a huge, fucking mistake.”

“Ethan, Bliss isn’t Molly.”

“Good. Because I’d beat your ass if you thought she was a good idea. The shit I’ve put up with. Wait—have you slept with my wife? Ex-wife?”

“What? No. Did someone say she did?”

“Oh fuck, don’t tell me you don’t know.”

“No, man, I don’t.”

“Yeah, she’s cheated on me. Yeah, I’ve caught her three fucking times. Believe me, stick with Bliss.”

Travis stared at the wall.

Molly? Cheating on Ethan? But they’d seemed so perfect.

“Listen, you like her. Don’t leave. Don’t come back. Stay there and get a ring on it. Girls like that don’t come along every day. Hear me?”

“Yeah.”

If Ethan and Molly couldn’t make it, what chance did they have?

“And I can hear you thinking. You aren’t me, and Bliss ain’t Molly. She told me she was unhappy years ago, but I asked her to stay. I ruined us and I know it.”

“Are you drinking, Ethan?”

“Fuck yeah I am.”

Shit. There was no telling what alcohol and the pills would do. Travis was going to have to make a few calls.

“You’ll never stop wondering
what if
if you come home now,” Ethan said.

Travis balled his hand into a fist. Damn Ethan for speaking his thoughts.

Travis knew the odds were against them, but what if he was wrong? Wasn’t it time for something to go right in his life?

“I’ll talk to you later, man. Put the bottle down.” Travis hung up and fired off a quick text to Gavin. Someone needed to keep an eye on Ethan. He jangled the keys at the attendant. “I’m going to need to keep these a bit longer.”

“Okay.”

Travis jogged out of the rental car shop and climbed back into his SUV.

The feds weren’t supposed to get to the house until noon. He had an hour and a half to beat them there and make things right.

It was crazy and he was probably stupid, but what else was there for him these days? Didn’t he deserve to at least try to be happy?

And Bliss made him happy. He’d been serious about getting hitched. Yeah, they didn’t know each other all that well, but when something was right it was right.

He loved Bliss.

And he was going to tell her.

Daniel pulled into the small parking lot outside a florist’s shop.

Flowers.

How typical.

His wives never needed such things. They were damn well happy with what he gave them.

The location was pretty perfect. Stores bordered the lot on three sides and a dumpster sat between him and the road. He had a straight line of sight to the SUV, now all he needed was for Travis to emerge.

He pulled out the cop’s gun and checked the chamber.

Good to go.

Daniel kept his gaze on the rearview mirror. He’d need to get out fast and pick up a new ride. Things would have to happen fast once Travis was dead, or the feds would move his wife.

Oh, how he couldn’t wait for Wendy to be back in his arms.

Travis strode around the corner of the building, a bouquet of roses in his hands.

Now.

Daniel pushed the door open, lifted the gun and fired—straight at Travis.

So long, asshole.

To be continued...

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Book List

Aegis Group

Dangerous Attraction, parts 1, 2 and 3

Bayou Bound

Picture Her Bound

Duty Bound

Bound Memories

Bound & Tamed

Other BDSM Titles

Committed

Bound with Pearls

Collar Me in Paris

Festive Seduction

Electric Engagement

So Inked

Under His Skin

The Harder He Falls

His Marriage Bargain

Good Guys Wear Black

Hot Tango

Line of Duty

Standalone Titles

Falling for His Best Friend

Dream Vacation (free read)

How Zombies Stole Christmas

Anthologies

Hot Ink

.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

––––––––

––––––––

It can never be said that NYT & USA Today Bestselling author Sidney Bristol has had a ‘normal’ life.  She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, and tattoo addict. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she splits her time between a job she loves, writing, reading and fostering cats.

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idney is represented by Nicole Resciniti of the Seymour Agency.

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Dangerous Attraction: Part Two/ Sidney Bristol.—1st ed.