The Perfect Liar (Last Stand 5)

"I have his baby, don't I?" she taunted. "That's practically as good. He was only using you--using his body to win you over so you'd help him get out of a rape charge. But Ogitani's dropped the case. As soon as Luke finds out, he'l realize he doesn't need you. And then you won't hear from him again."

After the way their night together had ended, Ava didn't expect to hear from Luke, anyway. "What are you doing in his apartment?" she asked. The fact that Kalyna was at Luke's and wasn't hiding it signified a boldness that frightened her. Did she have a gun? Was she waiting for him to walk through the door so she could make sure he'd never be able to reject her again?

"He gave me a key," Kalyna replied.

"That's not true."

"Then how did I get in?"

"You broke in."

"He might tell you he's not interested in me, but that's not what he says to me. You know how men are. I'l be the one with him tonight, gasping and moaning and laughing my ass off that you thought you were special."

"Kalyna--"

She hung up.

"Shit!" Her hand shaking, Ava dialed Luke's cell phone.

He answered on the first ring.

"Don't go home!" she cried. "Kalyna's there."

"Is this Ava? The woman I made love to last night?" he asked. "How nice of you to call."

He was angry, and he had reason to be. She'd turned on him pretty fast. But this wasn't about them. This was about keeping him safe. "Did you hear me?"

"I heard you. I know she's there. She's been talking to my mother, and she's tried to call me. I'm hoping she'l stay put until I can get home."

"What are you talking about? Luke, no! Don't go there. She could have a gun!"

"If she's been snooping, she has one of my guns, a 9 mm. But if she fires at me, she'l go to prison."

" One of your guns?"

"I have another one. It's in the trunk."

"Oh, God. This is going to turn into a shoot-out! Don't take the risk that you'l die first. Let the police handle it."

"Come on, Ava. You know what she's like. She'l tell them some bullshit that I invited her in, or she's my girlfriend, or she came to tell me about the baby and the door was unlocked and she thought I was inside sleeping. Unless she's hauling out my TV, what're they going to do? Tell her to leave? I don't think that'l do much to intimidate her."

"At least you won't get shot!"

"Today! What about the next time she's waiting for me? We have to catch her committing a major crime, something punishable by an extended prison sentence, or she'l never leave me alone. I plan to call the police, but not til I feel it will do some good."

"By then it could be too late. You don't have to walk into that apartment. This could be over soon. What about the case in Arizona?"

"I can't count on that. We have no idea how it'l go down. Even if she's their lead suspect, they have to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt."

"Maybe she won't be able to make bail."

"And maybe she won't even be charged. How wil they prove she was the kil er? There's legitimate reason for Kalyna's DNA to be in the house.

She lived there. And Mark's as good a suspect as she is. Whether we believe him or not, he did threaten the deceased before she was murdered."

"There's the hitchhiker."

"We have two people pointing a finger at each other, that's all. 'He said, she said.' What jury would convict on that? What D.A. would prosecute?"

"You never know what might happen, Luke. Call the police."

"The hope of someone else solving my problems doesn't feel very real or immediate. I want her out of my life. She just told my mother we're getting married. Then she talked my mother into giving her their address so she could send them a copy of the ultrasound. I can't let this go on. It endangers everyone around me."

"But you could be kil ed!"

"If she's in my apartment and she fires at me, I'l fire back."

"You want to kil her?"

"I want to put an end to this. And I'm not afraid to defend myself. I'm a soldier, Ava. That's what I'm trained to do."

"She's trained, too."

"That's what makes it fair."

"Damn it, Luke--"

"Hey, what do you care, Ava? This morning was essentially goodbye, right? Isn't that what you meant when you sent me home without so much as saying 'I had a nice time--call ya later'?"

Ava dropped her head in her hand. She opened her mouth but couldn't find the words. What she wanted was so different from what she felt she needed. She simply couldn't believe they had a chance, couldn't rely on him for fear he'd be the fool's gold her father was.

"I'l take that as a yes," he said when she didn't respond.

"I did have a nice time," she mumbled.

"Yeah, well, let me know when you want to go skinny-dipping again.

I'm good for a free f**k every now and then. Ask Kalyna."

Ava stiffened. Luke never used profanity around women. Less than an hour ago, he'd told Geoffrey to watch his language. "I'm sorry if I hurt your pride, Luke."

"My pride, Ava? Of course. It would have to be pride, because a guy like me couldn't have a heart," he said, and hung up.

Stunned, Ava sat blinking at the phone. Then she tried to call him back. They had to put their differences aside. Kalyna was dangerous.

But he wouldn't pick up.

With a curse, she called the police. Then she threw on her clothes, shoved her hair into a ponytail and ran out to her car.

Not wanting to alert Kalyna to the fact that he was home, Luke parked a block from his apartment building. He had no idea what he'd discover when he entered his place, but he was ready for anything. He had the 9 mm tucked beneath his belt. Just handling a gun with the thought of potentially using it might've scared some people, but he was a soldier. It actually felt more comfortable to him than battling unfounded accusations and defamation of character.

He jogged to his apartment building, where he checked the lot for the car he'd seen her drive when she'd come on and off the base. Sure enough, it was parked in one of the five guest spots along the perimeter.

He came up next to it and glared in at a bunch of fast-food wrappers, brown-paper sacks and luggage.

What did she think she was doing here?

Taking the stairs two at a time, he strode purposefully to his own door. Then he paused outside to listen. The TV was on. It was so bold of Kalyna to settle into his apartment, he almost couldn't believe she was for real.

"What'd I ever do to deserve this?" he muttered under his breath, and tried the knob. It was unlocked, but...did she have his gun? Would she try to use it?