at him, she could plainly see the heat staring back at her.
“It will definitely happen again,” Joel assured her.
“That’s good to know.” Chloe licked her lower lip. “So…what’s the problem today?”
“There is no problem.”
Frustration surged through her. “When you hold back, it makes things harder between us.” She let him go. Strode determinedly for the house.
The sound of his laughter stopped her. “You are not serious.”
She did a quick about-face. “I absolutely am.”
“You’re the queen of holding back.”
Her spine snapped straight. “That is just insulting.”
“You know about all the broken pieces that I have. You know what happened to me, how I spiraled, hell, you know that my girlfriend couldn’t handle the sight of me…somehow, you know it all, don’t you?”
Yes. “Does it matter?”
“Morgan Fletcher.”
She didn’t flinch. Didn’t gasp dramatically. Didn’t move at all.
And that seemed to frustrate him because his lips thinned. His nostrils flared.
Then he was the one closing in and reaching out to her. Except his hold wasn’t rough. Despite the heat blazing in his eyes, his touch was careful. Gentle.
Confused, she frowned at him.
“You can let me in,” he told her as his hand slid down to circle her wrist. “You can do that. I understand, okay? You lost someone close to you. It hurt. You were going to marry him, and now you’ve put up these walls because you are afraid of being hurt again.”
She looked down at his hand. He was rubbing his thumb along her pulse. “I’m confused. Your eyes look angry, but your touch is…comforting?”
“Yes,” he gritted out.
“Why are you comforting me?”
“Because you lost someone you loved.”
“I see. And the anger? Why are you so angry?”
His jaw hardened. “I think I’m jealous.”
“Excuse me?”
“Forget it.”
She wouldn’t. She didn’t forget anything. “You don’t need to comfort me, but it is a kind gesture.”
His thumb stopped sliding over her wrist. “Because…you didn’t love him?”
She pulled away. Turned away. “Because I didn’t lose him. Morgan isn’t dead.” Her gaze was on the front of the house. She took another step toward it. Narrowed her eyes. “Oh, dear.”
“What the hell do you mean, he’s not dead?”
“The door is ajar.”
He rushed forward. Stopped. Stared. “So? Maybe Judith Key left it open while she went out to do some yard work or something.”
“Perhaps.” She crept closer to the house.
“You don’t think it’s something innocent and easy, do you?”
“No, I do not.” In her experience, doors left ajar were rarely ever a good sign. People had become very vigilant in this day and age. The era of leaving your doors open? Gone. The news had seen to that. The news screamed that threats were everywhere, even right next door.
When they reached the front porch, her suspicions were confirmed. The doorknob and lock had both been smashed. A heavy weight settled along her shoulders.
“We should call the cops.” Joel’s voice was low.
“Yes.” She nodded. And used her elbow to push the door open.
“Chloe!” A strained whisper from Joel. “Stop!”
Too late. She was already inside. She could see the smashed furniture. The broken lamps. The chaos.
Joel grabbed her arm. “What are you doing? You can’t—”
“Do you smell that?” She did another deep inhale. “It’s blood.”
“All the more reason for us to get out—”
“What if she’s still alive?”
His eyes glittered at her.
Then…she heard a moan. Faint. So weak. Coming from the right. Down the hallway? Maybe…in a bedroom? She lunged in the direction of the sound.
Joel grabbed her, locked his arm around her stomach, and hauled her back. “Oh, hell, no.”
“Joel! Someone is hurt!”
“Or it’s a trap. The way this weekend is going, anything can happen. You stay here, understand? I’ll check it out. That’s why I got brought into the picture, remember? To protect your lovely ass.” He pushed her behind him. “Stay here.”
He rushed down the hallway. She had to admit, his rush was very quiet. Sneaky. Chloe craned her head and saw him slip into an open doorway.
She pulled out her phone. Typed SOS and the location. Sent the text to Cedric.
She didn’t hear anything. Not from Joel. Not any other moans from their would-be victim. Joel had told her to stay put but…
When he got to know her better, he’d realize that was never an option.
She crept down the hallway. She also made sure to pull her gun out of her bag. She kept it down near her side as she edged toward the open doorway. And then…
Joel. He was on his knees. His hands were covered in blood.
A woman with salt and pepper hair sprawled before him. Her