And a bit afraid.
No, a lot afraid.
What did you do? Her question rang in his ears. He wanted to stay there with her. His mouth opened as he began to demand that she tell him exactly what in the hell was happening.
“Todd, please, this isn’t about the Bondage Killer, okay? Just—just trust me a moment and let me talk to Niol.”
Trust. So simple to ask for, so hard to give.
He leaned forward. Kissed her chilled lips. He wanted to keep kissing her, until the heat and warmth flowed back into her.
Something had spooked her, and he wanted to find out exactly what had put the fear into his lover’s eyes.
He raised his head. Gazed into her turbulent gaze. “I’ll be on the other side of the door.”
A soft sigh slipped past her lips. “Thank you.”
He brought her hands to his lips. Kissed the palms. Too cold. His lady wasn’t cold. She was fire. Passion.
Not ice.
“You’re gonna tell me what’s going on. You’re gonna tell me everything.” He didn’t want any secrets between them, not ever again.
A slow nod.
“Cara…” A hard edge cut through Niol’s voice. “Some things the human doesn’t need to know.”
“And there are some things that he does.” Her voice was fierce. “Wait for me, Todd. I-I’ll be right out.”
Another kiss. One from her this time as she stood on her tiptoes and pressed her mouth against his. Her breasts brushed against his chest, the soft weight of her body an intimate caress.
Desire reared its head—as it always did when she was near. The urge to pull her against him, tighter, harder, flared through him. But now wasn’t the time.
Soon.
She pulled away, and though he wanted to hold her fast, he stepped back. Cast one last look at Niol, then stalked out the door.
Cara’s past wasn’t going to stop him from wanting her.
And it wasn’t going to stop him from trusting her.
Now, if she would just start trusting him a little more.
The door closed with a quiet squeak. Cara’s heart pounded so hard her body seemed to shake and the fierce drumming echoed in her ears.
“What’s got the fear in you, love?”
Love. He used that endearment with everyone, but with her sister, well, she’d thought he actually meant it then.
“I have to ask you a question, Niol, and I really, really need you to give me a straight answer.”
“You and your cop—always asking questions—”
“Niol, damn it, I’m serious! I need the truth!”
He stilled. “Have I ever given you anything else?”
She didn’t respond to that. Instead, she got to the question that was ripping her apart. “Did you kill Lance?”
No change of expression. He was far too good at deceit for that. “Why are you asking me this now, Cara? Haven’t you known the answer to this question for years?”
Had she? “I thought it was you,” she admitted as her hands balled into fists. “I didn’t say a word all this time because I thought it was you.”
There was a crack in his expression. The barest hint of worry that appeared in his eyes. He rose from his chair. Crossed slowly to her side. “Cara? Love, why are you so scared?”
Niol—he’d always been able to read her so well.
Because she was scared right then, fucking terrified.
Todd fought the urge to shove his ear against the wooden door and listen for all he was worth. His partner’s shifter senses sure would have come in handy right then and—
From the corner of his eyes, he caught sight of a familiar figure.
Todd spun around. His gaze raked the crowd There. Striding away from the bar. Black hair. Cocky-as-hell walk as he sauntered toward the back exit.
Cameron.
Oh, no, the guy wasn’t getting away from him that easily.
Now that he knew about the guy’s history, he had a few more questions for the incubus.
Jaw locked, Todd headed after him.
“I’ve got to know,” Cara said, shaking her head. “Tell me, did you kill Lance?”
Niol’s hand lifted and pressed against her cheek. “Who’ve you been talking to, love?”
“Cameron.” The name seemed torn from her. “He found the body. Said he caught my scent on him and—”
“Cameron?”
She ignored his surprise, her words coming faster and faster as she told him, “It doesn’t make sense to me. I mean, why would Cameron have gone to Lance’s place? He barely knew the guy.” But Cameron had always been protective of her.
Too protective at times.
He’d said that he knew what she had planned—but, damn it, why go to Lance’s apartment? If he knew that she was seeking vengeance, then why hadn’t he just confronted her instead of going after Lance himself? Cara swallowed back the pain and demanded, “Did you kill my sister’s lover, or did Cameron?”
“When did you see Cameron?” Fierce, growling.
“Damn it, answer my question!” A demand as fierce as his.
Niol flinched. “I went to his place, is that what you want? I knew what had happened between the two of you—”
He always knew. Everything.
“I went to stop him before the little bastard could hurt anyone else that I—” His jaw clenched, then he growled, “The fool stood in front of me—looked me in the eyes—and told me that he was going to hunt you down and kill you. Just as he’d killed Nina.” A pause. “He had to die.”
Her shoulders fell. That was as close to a confession as Niol was ever going to give, and she knew that he spoke the truth.
After her confrontation with Lance, she’d known that the man would come after her. As soon as he’d gotten his control back, yeah, she’d figured he would come gunning for her. There’d been so much fury in his eyes.
As much fury as she’d had.
In her heart, when she’d heard the news of his death, she’d always suspected Niol. She knew that he cared for Nina—knew that the bond he felt hadn’t disappeared when the two had parted ways.
And Niol was a man long used to the power of vengeance.
She’d suspected, but she’d never spoken of the crime to him.
Now, she knew everything. Well, almost. Niol had killed to make certain she was safe, and Cameron…“I-I thought—” She cleared her throat. “When Cameron said that he’d been there and caught my scent, I didn’t understand. Didn’t know what to think.” The certainty she’d felt before about Lance’s death had become a confused blur. “I never knew that Cameron was at Lance’s place that night, and if he’d been there—well, I thought maybe he’d been the one to kill Lance.”
Slowly, she uncurled her fists. “I guess—I guess Cam was there—trying to protect me, too, huh? But he just arrived too late—”
“I think he arrived too late, all right.” Niol’s eyes blazed with a dark fire.
Cara felt the power swell in the air around them. Her breath caught. “Niol?”
“Did he think it was you, Cara? Did Cameron think you killed Lance?”
She could only nod.
“Fuck.”
The chill she’d felt back at her home iced her veins again. “Niol—what is it?” What was she missing? What—
He pushed her to the side, yanked open the door. “Brooks! Brooks!”
But her cop didn’t answer.
And that numbing cold spread within her.
The alley was empty. Impossible. Todd tracked his gaze to the left, then the right.
The incubus had to be there. Cameron had exited barely ten seconds before him—and no way was he buying that the guy was powerful enough to just vanish.