Suzy made a sound in her throat and the next thing he knew he was facedown on the floor, his arms cranked hard behind his back.
He grunted in pain, heard the metal clank of handcuffs, and swore foully. “You little bitch!”
“I’m Detective Jeremy Larson, Phoenix Police Department.” The cop standing over him was tall and lean with curly brown hair. Another man stood a few feet away, same athletic build, short brown whiskers along his jaw.
“You’re under arrest for attempted assault,” Larson said. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you.”
“Fuck you.” Damon tuned out whatever else the cop had to say. He’d be out of jail in hours. He hadn’t really done anything, made a few threats, no big deal.
One thing he knew. Once he was out, he wasn’t waiting any longer. He’d had enough of his job at Bridger Real Estate, enough of being his father’s lackey. He’d had enough pretending.
He was ending his charade, becoming the man he was meant to be, ending the waiting game he had been playing.
He was going after Victoria Bradford. Everything that had happened to him was her fault. He had to deal with her, end his obsession, and there was only one way to do that.
He thought of what he would do to her once he got her to the cabin, and sexual arousal burned through every cell in his body. It was time. He was going to make her pay.
And no one was going to stop him.
* * *
Night sounds seeped through the window, the light patter of rain. Lying in bed, Tory snuggled against Josh’s side, their legs entwined, one of his arms draped over her middle. She was exhausted after the terrible day in Dallas that had almost gotten Josh killed, that could have ended with both of them dead.
She closed her eyes to block the memory, tired but content after Josh’s incredible lovemaking. He was sleeping, his breathing deep and even. That he was still there, still in her bed, was a testament to the toll the day had taken on him.
She let him sleep but kept watch over him, knowing how upset he would be if he started to dream. He was afraid he would hurt her. Tory was convinced he would never do anything to cause her physical pain, no matter how deeply he slept, no matter how bad the nightmare became.
As if thinking about it had brought one of his dreams to the surface, he began to mumble softly. His head moved back and forth on the pillow, his body subtly shifted, and a mumbled curse slipped from his lips.
“Let go . . . of the . . . knife . . .” Just as before, his hand moved from where it rested beneath her breasts, slowly slid up around her throat.
He wasn’t squeezing, just circling her throat with his fingers. She should wake him. He would be horrified if he realized what he was doing. His hand tightened, jerked a little, but he wasn’t hurting her.
She didn’t believe he would. She waited. She was taking a chance, she knew. Josh was a big man and strong. What if he truly believed she was his enemy, someone trying to kill him?
She steeled herself. Maybe it was a risk, but Josh was worth it. And he would never be free, never conquer his demons if he didn’t get the chance.
He shifted on the mattress and perspiration broke out on his forehead. His fingers felt warm where they ringed her neck. A tremor ran through him, but his hand didn’t tighten.
Tory refused to wake him. Instead she let the nightmare play out, praying she was right and that even in his sleep, Josh would recognize the familiar feel of her body and know she was lying beside him.
His muscles went rigid, and suddenly his eyes popped open. He looked down at the hand still circling her throat, jerked away, and his gaze shot to hers. “Tory?”
“It’s all right, honey. You were dreaming, but you didn’t hurt me.” She reached out and touched his cheek, felt the rough shadow along his jaw. “I knew you wouldn’t, Josh. I knew it even if you were afraid.”
He rolled toward her, buried his face in her neck. “I knew it was you,” he said. “I was up on that roof, just like before. I was fighting for my life, but deep down, I knew it was you. I knew it was only a dream.”
Tory slid her arms around his neck and held him. “It was a nightmare, honey. Just like other people have. You can trust yourself to know it isn’t real.”
He drew back and his eyes held hers. “The day you pulled up in front of my barn was the luckiest day of my life.” And then he kissed her and he didn’t stop.
He made love to her again and this time when they finished, he didn’t leave. He spent the night in her bed, his body wrapped around hers, and they woke up together in the morning.
It would have been the best night of her life if it hadn’t been for the uneasy look on Josh’s face as he shoved the covers aside and got out of bed, as he realized the implications of what he had done.
By staying, he had taken their relationship to a new and deeper level, something she knew he wasn’t ready to do.
As he headed back to his house, she watched him through the bedroom window. Now that the FBI had caught the terrorist, he didn’t have to feel obligated to stay there and protect her.
