She could still feel his mouth on her skin. Still feel him.
And she didn’t want him walking away.
Rose wanted him.
***
He wasn’t interested in going up against the big, freaking bruiser she had playing guard dog for her. The bastard nicknamed War didn’t interest him.
Rose was the one he wanted. The next victim. The woman who would not get away. Just as the others hadn’t gotten away.
But the trick—it was to get to her. Rose was all locked away inside her condo. Like a princess in the tower of a castle. With a damn dragon guarding the door.
He had to get Rose away from the tower. Out into the real world. Away from the dragon.
He’d done that once before. He could do it again.
All he had to do was drive a wedge between them. Drive War away.
Then he could finish what he’d started with Rose.
Chapter Eleven
“Figured that would be the case.” Disgust roughened War’s voice as he stared out into the night and took the call from Lynn. “I thought he’d ditch the phone and leave it as a present for us to find.” He was on one of Rose’s balconies, and the surf pounded below. The stars illuminated the beach—no one was out. Just an empty stretch of white sand.
“He’s cocky,” Lynn replied. “If he was right outside her place…”
“Then he saw me arrive with Rose. He knows I’m here with her. The last time he came for Rose, he waited for me to leave. The SOB likes to get his victims alone.”
“And his victims are always women. He had the chance to kill Billy Angle, but he didn’t. I’m thinking the perp did that because he doesn’t get the same rush from killing men. Our perp has a type. He’s locked and loaded on his next target.”
“He won’t get her.” His gaze cut to the left. To Rose. She was on the balcony with him. Staring out as her robe blew gently in the breeze. The wind lifted her hair, too, tossing it back from her head.
“I have uniforms doing a sweep of the area. I’ll be pulling any security footage that I can find. Maybe we’ll get lucky and discover an image we can use.”
Maybe. Maybe not. He didn’t take his eyes off Rose. “You work your way. I’ll work mine.”
“War…” A warning edge had entered her voice. “I meant what I said before. This isn’t about you killing the bastard. That had better not be the way you’re talking about.”
“Good night, detective. If you learn more, I’ll expect to hear from you.”
“I’ll make sure a car is stationed outside. Don’t do anything crazy, would you?”
He would make no promises because War felt absolutely crazy when it came to Rose. He hung up the phone. Shoved it into the back pocket of his jeans.
“Surprise, surprise.” Rose wrapped her fingers around the top of the balcony’s railing. “They didn’t find him.”
“Neither of us expected them to.” He crept closer to her. He wanted to touch her. To skim his fingers down her arm. To pull her against him.
I just want her.
“Am I just supposed to go to sleep now?” Her head tilted as she stared into the distance. “Go to my bedroom? Act like everything is normal?”
“You need to rest.”
“What I need is for that jerk to be caught. I was so sure it was Dylan. So sure.” Her body was stiff. “Maybe it still is.” She glanced toward him. “Maybe he got someone else to make the call so it would look as if he were innocent. That’s a possibility. We have to consider it.”
War already had. Still was. He nodded.
“My stomach is twisting. My heart won’t stop racing. And I feel like I’m about to jump out of my skin.”
He slid a little closer to her. “It’s adrenaline.”
“Before the call from him, I thought I could settle down. I was so tired but now, I’m wired.” She turned to fully face him. “I’m scared.”
He hated her fear. “I’m not leaving you.”
“I haven’t told my family. Not my parents or my sister. I don’t want this touching them. Even if they found out, what would they do? They’re down in Naples. They can’t just rush up here and get in the middle of this mess. I have to protect them.”
And I will protect you. He caught a lock of her blowing hair. Tucked it behind her ear.
She gave a little jerk.
“Sorry.” His voice was rough. “Shouldn’t be touching you.” His hand started to lower.
Her hand flew up, and her fingers curled around his wrist. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with you.”
Any fucking thing you want.
“It’s still there.” Soft. He’d had to strain to catch her words.
“What is?” What was there?
“The need. The desire. You told me that you always wanted me. I feel the same way about you.”
Okay, she could not say shit like that and expect him to keep acting like a gentleman. Just not gonna happen. She said stuff like that—and he wanted to fuck her on the balcony.
“I want you, War. Everything is crazy. I feel crazy. But the need is still there. I tried to make it go away when we broke up. I didn’t want to think about you late at night. I didn’t want to toss and turn and think about you. I wanted to make it all stop.”
He’d never been able to stop thinking about her. “You starred in my dreams.”
Her breath caught. “It’s not normal to want someone this much.”
“Says who?”
“I was hurt tonight. Furious with you. I shouldn’t even be thinking about what I am…”
He leaned a little closer. “What is it that you’re thinking about?” Tell me, baby. Tell me everything.
“Kissing you.”
He thought about kissing her only every other moment.
“It’s late. My emotions are a wreck. And I know a million reasons why we are a bad idea,” Rose continued.
He didn’t move. Neither did she. “You can go into the bedroom.” His voice had roughened. “Shut the door. I’ll take the couch.”
“I could do that.” A nod. Her fingers were still curled around his wrist. “Do you think it’s possible to keep emotions separate from great sex?”
Maybe. But not for him. Not with her. If that was what she was asking for—a hard screw with insane pleasure so that she could take the edge off the adrenaline burn that was coursing through her—was that what he wanted?
Oh, who the hell was he kidding? Wouldn’t he take her anyway he could get her? In an instant. “We can always try and see what happens.”
Her hand slowly let his wrist go.
He dropped his arm. Brought his hands back to his sides. “Or you can go to bed,” he said again. He was hard and hungry, and trying not to show how desperately he’d love to strip off her robe. Yank aside her panties. And take her against the wall as the surf pounded below them. “That’s the…safer choice.”
“Safe.” A nod. “You’re right. I’m sure that is the safer choice. Because in the morning, we don’t want to wake up with regrets. An awkward morning-after situation and all that. There’s enough going on without adding more drama to the mix.”