LITMIR.BIZ

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the Ace in the Hole tonight.”

      “I’m not sure—” Megan began, only to be interrupted by the FBI agent.

      “I think it’s a good idea. We can send someone to watch her house in case he tries to contact her again. And we’ll park a squad car near the entrance to your ranch.”

      “I could call Aaron,” Megan offered without much conviction.

      “I’m your husband,” Will reminded her, overriding the beginnings of another protest. “I should be the one taking care of you.”

      Megan opened her mouth, glanced toward the FBI agent, and made her next protest in a low growl. “I don’t need to be taken care of.”

      Both Will and Bird ignored her claim.

      “We’ll want to keep the gun for a few days,” Agent Bird said. “As soon as we get a look at the parking lot and run some tests, we’ll get back to you.”

      Megan nodded and got to her feet. “I hope you can find him. I’m not sure how much more of this I can take.”

      “I know this is a difficult time for you. If there’s anything you need or if Lowell contacts you again, please let us know.”

      “Thank you.” Megan’s gaze flicked to Will as she headed toward the door.

      “Do you want to run by your house and pick some things up?” he asked her.

      She shook her head. “I know he’s probably long gone, but I don’t feel safe going there tonight. I don’t suppose there would be a pair of pajamas I could borrow?”

      Her half smile zinged through him like a lightning bolt. The thought of her spending the night in his house tempted Will. A little too much.

      “I think I can find something for you to sleep in,” he said, surprised by the effort it took to keep his tone casual. The memory of her wearing nothing at all flashed through his thoughts. He nearly winced as his body stirred. Sharing the ranch house with her was going to be challenging.

      “I really appreciate what you’re doing for me.”

      “Do not thank me. What you’re going through is my fault.”

      She stopped in the doorway and turned to face him. “How do you figure that?”

      Will slipped his fingers around her arm and guided her to the front door. “Look, it was my life Rich wanted. If I’d paid attention to the signs, maybe he wouldn’t have gotten the jump on me in Mexico.”

      “You can’t take responsibility for his actions. No one saw him coming and you aren’t the only one whose life he messed up.”

      Will nodded, thinking of all the women Rich had lied to and manipulated. The lives he’d damaged. And the one he’d ended.

      Megan’s brother, Jason, who’d investigated the discrepancies surrounding imposter Will and had lost his life because of it. No one blamed Will for what had happened to his good friend because no one knew that Will had called Jason from Mexico and possibly set him on the path to his death.

      “But you have to admit that I was his obsession,” Will said. “He wanted my life and he got it.” Silence fell between them as they left the sheriff’s office. As they reached the sidewalk, Will paused in front of Megan’s Porsche. “Do you want to come with me? I can send a couple of the boys back for your car.” He let his gaze drift over the sporty vehicle. “They’ll probably fight over who gets to drive it to the ranch.”

      Megan wrapped her arms around herself and regarded the car. “I’m okay.”

      “You’ve had a major shock tonight. I’d be surprised if you weren’t rattled.”

      “Really, I’m fine.” Megan scowled at Will, but he wasn’t fooled.

      “You’ve been through a lot.” He followed her to her car.

      Her shoulders drooped. “I’m not the only one.”

      “That doesn’t diminish your experience tonight.” Once again he had to bite back myriad questions dancing in the back of his mind. Ever since coming home and finding out she’d married “Will,” he’d struggled to contain his tumultuous feelings for her.

      “We have a lot to talk about,” she said unexpectedly, keying the remote and popping her door locks.

      “Such as?” He wholeheartedly agreed but wondered if they were on the same page.

      “For the last few months we’ve been dancing around each other. Being polite and skirting the reality of our situation.”

      Will flashed back to the night of Jason’s memorial. Nothing about that encounter had been polite. It had been raw and emotional. Naked. Panting. Clinging to each other in an effort to feel alive amidst the day’s crushing sadness. Taking support and pleasure in each other’s arms. They’d needed connection and oblivion.

      The trouble for Will was that he still needed her. In his bed. At his side. Making love with Megan had blown a hole in what Will believed he wanted in his life. Now he recognized that he wanted more. He just wasn’t sure she felt the same. Or that she ever would.

      Will held on to her open door, preventing her from getting away. “You’re right. We haven’t talked much about the emotional ramifications of Rich taking over my life.”

      He had dozens of questions bubbling in his brain, but with curiosity came caution. How many of her answers would tell a tale he didn’t want to hear?

      “How about we drink a few shots and you can ask me anything with no repercussions?” she offered.

      “I think that sounds like a great idea. We really should get to know each other better.”

      “The feeling is mutual,” she said, her smile creating more confusion than clarity as she pulled her door out of his grasp.

      * * *

      On a dark patch of Main Street between two streetlights, Richard Lowell sat behind the wheel of a nondescript pickup truck and watched Will Sanders disappear into the sheriff’s office. Inside were dozens of people who had been actively seeking him for months and sitting here in the open like this was a grave risk to his freedom.

      He shifted on the seat and pain blazed in his side where Megan had shot him. Before following her to the police station, he’d checked the damage and determined that the bullet had merely nicked him. It didn’t stop the graze from hurting like a son of a bitch, but he used the discomfort to fuel his determination.

      Who would’ve guessed that his wife would’ve grown claws in the months since they parted ways? He’d never imagined she’d buy a gun to defend herself against him, much less use it. This turn of events meant he’d have to plan more carefully if he intended to take her with him across the border into Mexico. Or he could say screw it and take Vanessa with him instead.

      The stripper was younger, prettier and more to his taste in bed. Not to mention she did whatever he asked. As long as he indulged her craving for designer fashions and fed her opiate habit, she’d be decent enough company. At least until he wearied of her.

      So why wasn’t he putting the truck into gear and heading for Vanessa’s dumpy apartment? He was already weeks past when he should’ve collected the gold and gotten the hell out of town. To linger invited capture. In fact, he would’ve been long gone if Sanders hadn’t showed up at his funeral.

      Rich hadn’t foreseen that development and would’ve given anything to see the expression on people’s faces that day. Of course, at the time Rich had been too pissed off to find any humor in the situation. And he still couldn’t believe Will hadn’t died in the explosion. Nor could he figure out where Will had been in the year since. He struck the steering wheel with the heel of his hand. It was just like that bastard to survive and make a triumphant return to Royal.

      At least a dozen times in the last few months Rich had thought about going

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