LITMIR.BIZ

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the rough bricks and simply watched her. Anticipation had brought him there early. Caution had kept him waiting. He should have paid more attention to the caution.

      “The way you kept watching me, I figured you couldn’t wait for a trip down memory lane,” he said, waiting to see how she’d react.

      “In your dreams!”

      “Fantasies.” He lowered his voice. “You were always part of my fantasies, remember, Nic? I never forgot. I almost walked across the street early, but you said to meet outside. I figured it was shades of yesterday. You wanted to see me, but you didn’t want anyone in town to know it was me you were seeing.” And that still stung.

      “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never called you. And if you’ll recall, it was you who insisted we keep our relationship quiet fifteen years ago. I didn’t care who knew about us.”

      Her voice sounded wounded, but he knew she was lying about the phone call. What he needed to discover was why.

      “Except your father.”

      Nicki winced.

      “You’ve really perfected that innocent act, Nic. Only it won’t work. We both know just how innocent you aren’t.”

      Her fist bunched on the sheet. “Yes, we do.”

      Were those tears in her eyes? Anger drained away. What was he doing? This was all wrong. They shouldn’t be wounding each other like this.

      “Get out of here, Alex,” she said with quiet dignity. “I never want to see you again.”

      The calm words nicked his heart with another barb of guilt. He clenched his jaw and unballed his own fists. This was no good. They were dicing each other to ribbons. What if things weren’t what they seemed? Come to that, what in his world was what it seemed anymore?

      “Don’t lie to me, Nicki.”

      She stared at him in silence.

      Alex ran a hand through his hair again. He wasn’t sure when he’d started hating his life, but he was damn sure things had to change soon.

      “Did you know Thorton Biggs?”

      She didn’t respond.

      “Did you kill him, Nic?” That at least provoked a reaction.

      “How dare you! I covered for you today. I was such a fool that I told them I couldn’t identify anyone. I should have told them the truth. I should have told them how you came running out of that alley. But I didn’t. I’m so stupid, I didn’t.”

      Tears were thick in her voice. He reached for her, but she drew back against the headboard. With an oath, he walked over to her bedroom window, disgusted with himself. He pushed the hair back from his face and stared out at the night.

      “I didn’t kill Thorton, Nicki. We were…acquaintances.”

      “Fellow gang members?”

      He didn’t look toward her. “Call it what you like. I ran behind your shop when I heard the shots. Someone had climbed over the fence right before I got there. He was disappearing into the trees when I saw him. I tried to go after him, but I got caught on the fence and he had too much of a head start, so I went to check Thorton. It was obvious he was beyond help. I knew what would happen if they caught me there, so I ran in the opposite direction.”

      “Why tell me? Tell Sergeant Osher.”

      Alex snorted. “Think he’d listen, let alone believe? Look, I’m sorry Nicki.” For so many things. “I don’t want to believe you set me up—”

      “How nice of you.”

      “—but you asked me to come or I never would have set foot anywhere near you.”

      “You mentioned that fact.”

      He cursed under his breath. She didn’t understand, and he was in no position to explain.

      “Look, are you going tell me why you called me or not?”

      “I did not call you.”

      Nicki crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. The sheet slipped dangerously low. Distracted, he stared at her in the darkness.

      “What the devil are you wearing?” he growled. He knew quite well that the large expanse of skin was angel soft to the touch. There was nothing wrong with his memory—or his imagination.

      “Nothing.”

      Alex cursed again. She knew just how to bait him. Her virginal body had been so softly lush, rounded in gentle curves that made a young man’s hands itch to explore. The last vestiges of baby fat had been starting to disappear. Those vestiges were completely gone now, but the curves were still there, honed and slimmed to a more mature, but no less desirable look. He had watched her figure last night, even when he told himself he was being a fool. Watched and wanted, when it was the last thing he should have been doing.

      But any man would look at Nicki. The smart ones would go back for a second look.

      “Go away Alex. I don’t want you here.”

      Her words snapped his mind back to business. This was no time to let the past intrude. “Thank you for not telling Osher you saw me. If you had, I’d still be in jail.”

      “He arrested you?” She snapped her mouth shut as if regretting that he’d provoked a response.

      “Maybe you haven’t noticed, Nicki, but Thad Osher isn’t a real nice guy. He’s got a chip on his shoulder a mile wide. And that chip has my name on it.”

      “Why?”

      Alex paused. “Now, that’s a real good question.”

      He hadn’t really considered it before. He and Osher had clashed from day one, but it hadn’t really occurred to Alex to wonder why. Now he thought about that. He was going to have to take a much closer look at Thad Osher.

      Obviously, Nicki wasn’t going to tell him why she’d called. Maybe he was a fool, but he couldn’t believe that her purpose had been to set him up. She wasn’t that good an actress, and there’d be no reason. Just lousy timing all around. He’d better find Vic Unsdorf and see if Thorton’s murder was rumored to be a gang hit for some infraction.

      Something brushed his leg in the darkness. Alex kicked out and spun, his hand going for a weapon.

      “Don’t you dare hurt my cat!”

      The small animal had sidestepped quickly. Alex was instantly relieved that he hadn’t injured the little thing. Undaunted, the cat came forward and stropped his legs a second time. He bent and lifted the animal, whose white furred areas stood out even in the dark. Eyes glowed from some reflected light source.

      “Sorry, kitty. You startled me.” He scratched its head and it began to purr in his arms. “You always did want a cat. What’s its name?”

      “Ginger.” Nicki said it as if she was reluctant to tell him even that much.

      “Hello, Ginger.” He stroked its silky fur, reminded of Nicki’s soft hair. That thought sent him walking over to set the animal on Nicki’s bed.

      Time to get out of here.

      “I’m sorry, Nic. I never wanted to hurt you, but it seems that’s all I’ve ever done. Your dad was right about us all those years ago. We were way too young. And now it’s much too late. Have a good life.”

      He strode from the room without waiting for a response. Funny how much regret was eating at his soul. The past should never be allowed to haunt a man like this.

      Nicki bit her lip to keep from calling him back. She’d never felt more confused in all her life. Why did Alex insist she’d called him? And what did he mean about her father? The two of them had never even met.

      What difference did any of it make now? Alex wasn’t

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