Die For Me: A Novel of the Valentine Killer (For Me 1)

She turned her gaze away. The other uniforms were piling into their vehicles, and the blue lights no longer lit up the scene. They hadn’t found Valentine.

“What are you doing in there?” Dane’s voice. “Dammit,” he said to the uniform—her guard—who stood close by. “I told you to watch her, not to shove her into a patrol car!”

“It’s okay, Dane,” she said with a sigh. She was still in her cocktail dress, and the headache that fear had scared away before was back now, pounding like a drum in her temples. “I asked if I could sit in here.” She slid her legs out of the car. Showed the high heels she still wore. “My feet were killing me.”

His gaze dropped to her legs. “You’re comin’ with me,” he told her, and his stare slowly rose to lock on hers.

Her brows lifted. “To the station? Tonight?” They’d been searching her property for hours. She’d been interviewed over and over again by Dane’s partner. She’d told him every detail about her discovery.

Dane caught her arm and pulled her from the car. “I’m not taking you to the station.”

There was a tightness to his mouth that hadn’t been there before.

“He was in your house.” He clenched his jaw as he said this. “If he’d wanted, he could have stayed inside and attacked you when you came home.”

Valentine had never attacked her. “He never hurt me,” she whispered.

“Before he didn’t, but how the hell do any of us know what he’s going to do now? Every report I read said he was psychotic and that he was totally fixated on you.”

She flinched. She didn’t want to think about that. Because if she did, then she’d feel the guilt again. So much guilt that it seemed to choke her some days.

“He targeted you tonight, and you are damn well getting police protection.”

Did he think she’d refuse? She wasn’t the crazy one. Despite what one of the profilers back in Boston had believed.

“Until we catch this bastard, I’m making sure that you have someone watching you, twenty-four seven.” His eyes were lit with a stark intensity.

“Am I supposed to argue?” Katherine whispered. “I want him stopped. I want all of this to end.” She’d told him that before. If they could catch Valentine, then she might be able to sleep through a night, just once, without the nightmares waking her.

“Good.” He gave a grim nod. “Because your protection is starting right now.” A brief pause, and the heat in his gaze seemed to burn brighter. “And you’re gonna be spending the night with me.”

– 4 –

“I thought you said that you had an extra room.” Katherine’s gaze swept around the small condo. She could see a kitchen. A den. And then…just one door that seemed to lead to a darkened bedroom.

She glanced over at Dane. Dark stubble lined his jaw. His hand rubbed across the stubble, rasping slightly. “I might have exaggerated on that,” he said.

Katherine stared back at him. “Did you now?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take the couch.” He offered her a tired smile. “I do know how to play the gentleman.”

Had she asked him to play a role? She didn’t like it when a man pretended to be someone he wasn’t. She’d rather see the frog, warts and all, than ever think she was with a Prince Charming again.

“Sorry you couldn’t get any clothes from your place,” Dane told her. His gaze was so watchful. She knew the guy was trying to figure her out.

Good luck with that.

“But the techs wanted to be thorough.”

Right. Because her home was a crime scene once again.

Katherine kicked out of her high heels. Her toes curled into the thick carpet. The condo was nice, clean, and dominated by a flat-screen TV. The guy had to be a Marlins fan. She could see one wall was decorated with caps and a signed bat.

It was odd being in a man’s place again. It was the first time since Boston that she’d actually gone inside a man’s home. She hadn’t even ever visited Trent’s apartment.

“You can borrow one of my shirts for tonight.” He eased past her and headed into the darkened bedroom. Katherine followed him. The carpet muffled their footsteps. “I’m sure the techs will have clothes for you by morning,” he added.

“Or I’ll just buy something.” She kept her voice calm. She’d been doing her best to hold onto her self-control ever since she’d found the package waiting for her. Don’t think about it. Don’t see that poor woman.

But she knew the image would stay with her. She never forgot any of Valentine’s victims. He wouldn’t let her.

Dane was rummaging around in a drawer, and he pulled out an old T-shirt. THE MARINES. She blinked. “I didn’t realize you were a military guy.” The hair that brushed his shoulders sure hadn’t clued her in. But the alpha attitude, yeah, that seemed to fit.

“Semper Fi,” he murmured as he tossed her the shirt. “Uncle Sam paid for my college.”

She caught the shirt, her fingers closing around the soft fabric. “In the marines…is that where you got the tattoo?”

He smiled faintly. “Yeah. I guess you could call it an initiation, of sorts.” He lifted his sleeve to show her the twisting lines of a snake. “It’s to remind me that danger’s out there. And you need to be ready for it to strike at any time.”

She didn’t need any reminder for that. “Valentine…he was also in the military.” Michael had even gotten medals for bravery. He’d seemed to be such a good, honorable guy.

He’d taught her just how false appearances could truly be.

Dane lowered the sleeve. “Take the bed,” he told her, voice deepening as he closed in on her. “I’ll bunk down on the couch.” His body brushed against hers as he headed for the door.

At that light touch, she tensed, and her breath seemed to freeze in her lungs. Why was she so intensely aware of this man?

Her gaze lifted to meet his stare. His pupils were so big that his eyes looked almost black. And, suddenly, she had to ask the question that fear had made her forget before. “Why were you waiting outside my house tonight?” She wondered…had he been there to protect her? Or because he suspected her?

“I knew you were tied to my case.” He lifted his shoulders in a small shrug. “So I wanted to keep an eye on you. Make sure you were safe.”