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Raegan
WHILE CLINT AND I WOULD often fall asleep tangled up in one another, we drifted away from one another in our sleep. Not too far, though. He would have an arm on my waist, or I would have a leg draped over his.
Apparently, I had my arm across his waist, because when he sat up, he used that arm to shove me to the side.
“Wha—” I started sleepily.
“What the fuck?” a deeper male voice asked.
“Fuck!” Clint yelled.
The covers were tossed aside, and I heard fists hitting flesh.
I reached toward the nightstand for my phone. When I had it in hand, I shook it to activate the flashlight feature and pointed it toward the fighting.
Clint ducked a blow from the intruder while yelling at me. “Call 911, Raegan. Now!”
The intruder fled from the bedroom.
Clint turned on the overhead light. “Goddammit! Fuck!”
I didn’t know what he was cursing about until he picked up his boxers and tugged them on while running out the door. My hands were shaking suddenly, but I concentrated on getting 911 on the line and reporting the break-in.
No sooner had I given the dispatcher our address than I heard gunfire.
“They’re shooting at Clint,” I said.
The dispatcher told me police would be there in minutes, but I feared there weren’t any minutes to spare. I grabbed Clint’s dress shirt and shrugged into it, but before I could move out of the room, Clint strode back in, and to me.
His eyes glittered with fury. “911?”
I nodded.
He took my phone.
“This is Clint Ramsey. The intruder left in a black Lincoln MKZ. Partial Florida plate starts with BF8, I didn’t get the last.”
His eyes raked over me as he listened to the dispatcher.
The flash of blue lights filtered into the room.
“Yeah. Unit just arrived. Thank you,” he said, and handed back my phone.
“Get your pants on. I’m goin’ to check on Penny.”
My eyes widened. “Oh my God! I can’t believe I didn’t check on Mom.”
He cupped the back of my head. “No, Rae. Staying here was exactly the right thing to do. There could’ve been someone back there with her and you wouldn’t have known it.”
I nodded.
He nodded back. “Pants, honey.”
I heard his voice murmuring with someone at the front door as I threw on my pajama bottoms and buttoned the shirt. It hit me that Clint was still running around in boxers, and I grabbed his jeans. When I came out of the bedroom, I saw Clint heading to Mom’s room, and a uniformed officer introduced himself to me.
A moment later, Clint came back. “Her Mom’s still sleeping. No sign of disturbance at the back of the house. I’ll wake her if you like, but since she uses hearing aids, it’s unlikely Penny heard anything.”
The officer nodded. “Unfortunately, I’m going to need her statement, too.”
I grabbed Clint’s arm. “How about if I wake her? And, um, I have your pants for you.”
He nodded and took the jeans from me.
The moment my weight hit her bed, Mom’s eyes opened. To be honest, it had surprised me the light from the living room didn’t wake her first.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
I grabbed her hand. “A man broke into the house—”
She gasped, and I squeezed her hand. “It’s all right, Mom. Everyone’s fine. Clint was... well, he was right there, and frankly, I feel sure the intruder didn’t expect to find him in the room.”
Her lips quirked, but she couldn’t fight the smile that lit up her face. “I just knew he would do you a world of good, honey.”
I shook with silent laughter while I hung my head. Only Mom would find Clint being in bed with me to be the silver lining from a break-in.
Raising my head, I looked over to her. “Anyway, the officer wants to talk to you even though Clint said you slept through the whole thing.”
“How would he know?”
I grinned. “Because he came to check on you right after the officer showed up.”
She shook her head. “I’m gonna have to sleep with those damn hearing aids in, that’s for damn sure.”
I patted her arm. “We can talk about that later. You’re gonna have to put on some clothes. You need my help?”
She nodded.
Five minutes later Mom trudged out behind me, wearing elastic waist slacks and a loose purple top. Clint had shown the officer into the kitchen and he’d found an undershirt to wear, even though I could’ve sworn he didn’t have one earlier. I smelled coffee brewing, but when I saw it was three-fifteen in the morning I knew I wouldn’t drink any.
For as little information as we had, I couldn’t believe it took forty-five minutes to answer all the officer’s questions. Clint walked him to the door while Mom and I sat at the kitchen table. She failed to stifle a yawn, and I had to fight yawning after her.
“C’mon, Mom. Let’s get you back into your nightgown.”
She stood up shaking her head. “No need, honey. I chose this shirt for a reason. It’s soft and loose enough I can sleep in it. So, I’ll just drop my pants and climb back into bed.”
I sighed. “Are you sure, Mom? I’d rather you be comfortable.”
A small smile pulled at her lips. “Having Clint here makes me about as comfortable as I possibly could be.”
That sent a curl of warmth through my belly, but I fought it off. If this second chance progressed, would Clint be willing to live with me and Mom? I shoved those thoughts out of my head since it was too soon to tell.
“I hope you get back to sleep, Mom,” I called after her.
When she got to her door, she said, “If I don’t, you can’t let me fall asleep during my stories, or there’s gonna be hell to pay.”
“Okay,” I sighed.
I poured out the dregs of the coffee pot since Clint only brewed half a pot, rinsed the carafe, and loaded the dishwasher with mugs.
Clint’s hand slid the upper rack back into place and he gently kicked the door up to close it. His strong fingers grabbed mine and he led me back to the bedroom.
Once he closed the door, he asked, “Your mom sleeping with the hearing aids right now?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. She told me she didn’t need any help, so... maybe? How’d you know she’s thinking of sleeping with them in?”
He grinned. “She’s not the only person who can eavesdrop.”
I nodded. “Right. Sorry, I’m not entirely with it. I mean, it isn’t every day you get awakened by an intruder and hear gunshots at your... former-now-possibly-current boyfriend.”
His lips quirked up at the corners. “I got anything to do with it, I’ll be your current man since I’m too fuckin’ old to be a boyfriend.”
My head tilted. “Thirty-four isn’t that old, Clint.”
He pressed his lips together and I knew he was holding something back. “Okay, are you all right to sleep in here again? We can move to Wynnie’s—”
I shook my head. “Nope. Not sleeping in her room. This is fine. Though, where’s your gun? I mean, what were you thinking chasing after him in just your boxers?”
He sighed. “Can’t give the cops any decent intel if I don’t chase after the fucker. You’re right though. I’m gonna get my shoes on and grab my gun out of the SUV. Put your pajamas on. Pains me to say it, but we won’t be sleepin’ naked the rest of the morning.”
***
Clint
IN HINDSIGHT, I SHOULD have brought my gun into the Connelly house. Hell if I knew why I didn’t, other than the fact I had brought dinner with me, but that was no excuse.
As I locked up the house behind me, my gut told me this shit revolved around Raegan. It was flimsy, but then gut instincts didn’t hold much logic. I’d asked her about it Wednesday evening, but now it was time to figure this shit out.
In the bedroom, I noticed the red spaghetti straps of Rae’s pajama top and I forced myself not to dwell on how good she looked in bed. I rested the gun on the nightstand, took off my shoes, and shucked my jeans.
Once under the covers, I gathered her to me. “I know it’s late and all, but think hard, honey. That man was here for you. Whoever took you had a reason. Did you piss off someone in New York?”
Her head reared back. “How, Clint? I mean, what would I have done to piss off someone in New York to the point they’d abduct me here?”
I clenched my teeth momentarily. “I hate asking about the asshole, but what about your ex-husband? Could he —”
She leaned back and laughed. “Now that’s ridiculous. Trey is definitely an asshole, but he’s too infatuated with his dick to want me abducted or whatever the hell these people want.”
I sighed. She could be right, but the bastard had motive. Roughly four million of them, depending on how much her lawyers were paid.
“Your divorce finalized two, three weeks ago, right?”
“Closer to six. Why? And how’d you know that?”
I semi-lied. “Penny. But, what about your settlement? Would that be a —”
“Clint, that’s ludicrous. What’s Trey’s endgame? Abduct me, haul me back to New York, and demand his money back?”
My temper was wearing thin and her body tensed. “All right, Raegan. Let’s discuss this when we’ve both had some more shut-eye.”
She stroked a hand up and down my chest. “All right, honey.”
My cock twitched with her touch, but I controlled it. Barely. Though I took her lips in a kiss, which became a full-on make-out session before I wrenched free. “Baby, I love making out with you, but if your mother’s eavesdropping, not a chance in hell we’re having round two.”
Even in the dimness of the room, I saw her devious smile. “I’m good at being quiet if I have you in my mouth.”
I groaned. “Dammit, Rae. As much as I want to take you up on that I just can’t.”
“All right, baby,” she whispered.
***
RAEGAN PUT A BLUEBERRY bagel with cream cheese in front of me, when someone pounded on the front door. Penny’s brows knit, but the color drained out of Raegan’s face and my temper shot to the stratosphere. I shoved out of my chair, but Raegan slowed me with a hand on my bicep.
“Rein it in, Clint. You’re a little cranky—”
My eyes widened. “Whatever, Rae. There’s never a call for pounding on someone’s door like that, and especially when the door’s fuckin’ glass like your mother’s is!”
I stalked to the foyer. Blood surged to my head as my anger ratcheted up because at the door stood their other neighbor. He was a short, balding, soft through his core, middle-aged man. I jerked the door open, pleased I didn’t rip it off the hinges.
“What?” I barked.
His chin dipped into his doughy neck. “Is that any way to greet someone?”
I pounded on the wall near the doorframe, harder than he had. “Is that any way to knock on your neighbor’s front door?”
He tried, but failed, to hide a curl of his lip. “Well, I demand to speak with Mrs. Connelly.”
“Not happening,” I bit out.
He crossed his arms on his chest. “I don’t know who you are, but I don’t appreciate being awakened in the middle of the night by gunshots.”
I cocked my head to the side. “I’d be surprised to find anybody who enjoys gunfire waking them, at any time of day. So, what the fuck do you really want? Mrs. Connelly isn’t going to be able to do shit about those gunshots.”
“The police were here, and those flashing lights kept me up—”
I pushed toward him and he scurried backward. When the door closed behind me, I leaned forward. “Are you fuckin’ serious? Gunshots, cops on the scene, and you’re here to bellyache about your goddamn sleep being interrupted? Not the first question about how Penny’s doing, or her other daughter, or if anyone was hurt? Seriously? How far up your ass is your head lodged?”
I felt the draft of the AC before Raegan said, “Clint, that’s plenty. Mr. Hipps, I’m sorry you were disturbed. It’s not a normal—”
Mr. Hipps moved to intimidate Raegan, but I blocked him, and he backed off. Unfortunately, he still opened his mouth.
“You can’t tell me it’s not a normal occurrence. Three weeks ago, an ambulance was here, and cops until all hours.”
I reached backward and growled. “Back inside, Raegan. Now.”
When I no longer felt the cool air, I stalked toward Hipps until he ran into the railing of the porch. “Listen up, asshole. Penny Connelly lost one daughter, and if I hadn’t been here last night, she’d probably have lost another but wouldn’t know fuck-all about it until right about now when she found Raegan missing. So, to hell with your interrupted sleep. You’re a sorry-ass excuse for a human being since you don’t care if anyone was fuckin’ hurt over here or not.”
“This is assault.”
I grinned. “Should you find it necessary to call the police, feel free, but any cop worth his salt will see right through your self-centered bullshit.”
He stared at me while his chest heaved with his breathing.
I continued. “Now, the next time you think to knock on Penny’s door, you damn sure better do it because you’re being friendly and concerned about her well-being after having her sleep interrupted. Because I know her sleep’s more important than yours.”
The jackass glared at me.
I tipped my head toward the sidewalk. “I believe you were leaving? Or filing a police report, but whichever it is, you need to damn well do it off this property.”
He narrowed his eyes at me for a few beats before he half-waddled down the steps and away from the house.
Shaking my head, I sighed and opened the door to the house. Raegan was just inside the hallway with her cell phone to her ear.
Whoever she was speaking to, she didn’t even notice me come inside. A bad feeling crept up my spine.
“Trey, I’m sorry, but the day of Wynnie’s services were a blur. I know I saw an outrageously large floral wreath. I don’t know if it was from you or not. I didn’t check cards and stuff. The—”
She paused. From the set of her jaw, I had no doubt he’d interrupted her because she clenched her jaw that way anytime I did it.
Her chest rose and fell with her deep breath. “Trey. You’re an only child, so you won’t get this until one of your parents passes away but losing someone you’re so close to is the hardest thing you’ll ever go through. So, no. I didn’t check every fucking arrangement. If you hadn’t interrupted me, you’d know the funeral home gave us a listing of all the people who sent flowers. I’ve been more than a little busy lately to go through that yet.”
A skeptical look crossed her face while she listened.
“Thank you for your condolences, Trey. Now, I need to go.”
She jabbed at her phone, and it was all I could do not to snatch the thing out of her hand.
As I stood there with my arms folded on my chest, I struggled to get my temper in check.
She looked up, surprised to see me.
“He called about his flowers? Seriously?”
Her shoulders hunched like she would shrug, but then she shook her head. “He’s... materialistic, Clint. Though I’ve only noticed it recently.”
“Recently?”
She looked at me. “Like in the last nine months, maybe? Or maybe when I filed... no that’s not right. I filed for divorce a long damn time ago.”
I jerked my head toward the bedroom. “Let’s talk about this behind closed doors, babe.”
The latching of the door sent Raegan into a tizzy. “What’s the big idea, Clint? We have to talk about my ex-husband behind closed doors? Why?”
“Because your mother doesn’t need to hear this.”
She rolled her eyes, but I let it slide. “Who cares if he wants to know if I saw the damn flowers he sent?”
I shook my head. “Anybody else call you just to find out if you got their floral arrangement?”
The anger seeped out of her face.
“Yeah. Now, I find it strange that you married well, but the divorce goes down just weeks before shit hits the fan with your sister.”
She shook her head. “Trey has no connection to that. And clearly, you need to use a dictionary.”
“Explain.”
Her brows shot up. “Your definition of married well and my definition of married well are two different things.”
I couldn’t hide my impatience when I sighed. “One more time, hotshot. Explain.”
“It’s former-hotshot but marrying well isn’t marrying for money. Marrying well is actually staying married.”
That was a great answer, but we needed to stay focused. “Still, you made out well in the settlement.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Not sure if you’ve left Orlando in the past nine years, but in New York, it’s eat or be eaten, whether it’s advertising, divorce, or anything else. Hell if I wasn’t going to get what I deserved, since that asshole cheated on me, not once but multiple times.”
My eyebrow cocked, and I wanted to kick myself. Signaling I knew about the cheating wasn’t my intention.
Her eyes narrowed. “But then you knew that. Hell, you probably pulled my financials.”
I shook my head. “No, but the settlement was public record. Your lawyer should’ve protected you better in that regard.”
She sighed. “I still don’t think Trey has anything to do with Wynnie.”
“What about the stuff that’s happened to you?”
“He’s in New York,” she argued.
“Raegan, cash buys all sorts of services.”
She rolled her eyes again. “I know that, Clint, but why—”
I stepped into her space. “He’s got almost four million good reasons to come after you.”
Her head reared back. “That’s crazy.”
My eyes widened. “You know people kill for far less. Do you have a will? Have you updated it since the divorce? My guess is that you were ‘so done’ with lawyers at that point. Am I right?”
Her lips pressed into a thin line. I fought off gloating because that would infuriate her like nothing else.
“You’re right.” She sat on the bed. “Should I call him back?”
“No,” I said, sterner than I intended.
Her eyes were questioning, so I sat down next to her.
“Listen, you call him back, then what? You gonna ask him outright if he has something to do with that? First, he’s not gonna tell you the truth, and second, you don’t want to let him know you’re suspicious.”
“Right, but why kill Wynnie?”
“That’s the third reason to not call him back. It’s too thin. If you were the target and they got Wynnie for some damn reason, why abduct you at Target only to drop you back here within hours?”
“So... you don’t think it’s Trey, either?”
I shook my head. “No, Rae. I don’t know what to think, but I’m not ruling anything out.” Hiking my knee up onto the bed, I shifted to face her. “My question to you before we went back to sleep was ‘did you piss someone off in New York?’ It still stands, Rae. Because, I hate to say it, but you seem to be the only link in this craziness.”