Counting On Cole (Wilde Ways #8) - Cynthia Eden Page 0,82
that desk. Why don’t you go take a look at them?”
She didn’t want to take a look at them.
“Take a look, Evie.” And, holy hell, but he had a gun in his hand. He’d yanked the gun from the back waistband of his perfectly pressed khaki pants, and he’d aimed it at her. “Now.”
Her breath stuttered. “I thought you weren’t going to hurt me.”
He looked at the gun. “I…go look at the fucking pictures!” He pointed the gun at the floor, not at her.
Her steps were slow as she headed for the desk.
Then she looked at the photos. Saw herself. Saw…Cole?
“Robert told me that Cole would watch you all the time. He would come to New York without telling you.”
She pushed the pictures across the desk, spreading them out and staring at them in shock.
“Remember when you were almost hit in New York a while back? That car? The hit and run? That wasn’t me. It was your boyfriend. Or, rather, the stalker who wanted to be your boyfriend again.”
Her stomach felt like lead. “You’re lying.”
“Pictures don’t lie.”
“They do when they’re fake.”
Stephen sighed. “Cole wanted a way back into your life. The best way? An excuse. He needed it to look like you were in danger. So he staged that attempted hit and run scene. He also arranged the kidnapping at the gala. He didn’t want his hired help talking, telling you that it was all fake, so Cole Vincent—if that is even the guy’s real name, highly doubtful, by the way—Cole shot him. He killed his accomplice because Cole didn’t want you knowing what had really happened.”
She balled up one of the photos. “No.”
“Yes.” Stephen nodded. “Actually, I kind of owe the man. Because, hell, where do you think I got this abduction idea from? I figured…hey, this shit would work with Harrison. I could take him and get what I was owed. Easy. Then Gia conveniently vanished and I had the perfect opportunity. I was waiting and watching, you see. I knew my time would come.”
She dropped the balled-up photo. “Cole wouldn’t do this to me.”
His smile was mocking. “Haven’t you noticed yet…that bastard would do just about anything for you?”
She would not look toward the door. She would not look toward—
“That’s why he’s standing outside the doorway right now, completely fixed on what I’m saying, and he doesn’t know that my partner is waiting down at the foot of the stairs, with a gun aimed straight up at Cole’s back.” He winced. “And that’s why I had to pull out my own weapon and force you away from the door. Didn’t want you getting hit by a stray shot. See, I told you, I don’t want you hurt.”
Her eyes widened. “No!” Evie rushed for the door. “Cole!”
***
“That’s why he’s standing outside the doorway right now, completely fixed on what I’m saying, and he doesn’t know that my partner is waiting down at the foot of the stairs, with a gun aimed straight up at Cole’s back.”
Cole whirled.
Robert Demakis had lifted his weapon. He stood at the foot of the stairs. A cold grin curved his lips.
Cole brought up his own weapon even as he ducked down to—
***
Bam. The gunshot blasted. The sound seemed to echo endlessly in Evie’s ears. “Cole!”
She ran for him, but hard hands caught her from behind. Evie was yanked up against Stephen’s body. “No, Evie,” he gasped in her ear. “Give him a minute. I don’t want you walking into gunfire. How many times do I have to say it? I don’t want you hurt!”
He was such a lying bastard. And where was Stephen’s gun? Had he dropped it or just shoved it back into his waistband? Either way, he wasn’t holding it. Both of his hands were on her. His mistake.
She elbowed him as hard as she could. He grunted, and his hold loosened on her. She lunged forward and ran for Cole. She could see his sprawled form just beyond the doorway.
But Stephen caught her again, and this time, he hurled her behind him. She hit her knees on the floor, but Evie jumped up, ready to tear that jerk apart.
“He’s gone, Evie,” Stephen said as he turned toward her. “Can’t you see that Robert killed him?”
Robert? Robert was a dead man, he was—
Cole was moving.
Stephen didn’t notice Cole’s movements because he was staring at her. He’d turned his back on Cole’s sprawled form. Stephen sadly shook his head. “We needed a fall guy, Evie. Someone had to take the blame