Dragon's Second Chance Romance - Riley Storm Page 0,20

tell me if the evidence that was used for my warrant was handed in by someone, or did it just show up?”

The deputy looked at her curiously. Claire stared back at her. The blonde deputy’s bright green eyes narrowed in the mirror the longer she looked.

“Off the record, it just showed up this morning at the department. On record though, I don’t know anything.”

Claire snorted. “Yeah, that sounds like his cowardly ass.”

The deputy was silent for a moment, watching Claire carefully. “Can you explain what you mean by that?”

“Just that the other person in the video is the one who magically made it show up. Take it from me, dating bad boys is not a good idea. Especially when they’re vengeful assholes. This one wouldn’t take no for an answer. So he turned me in. Exposed my mistakes to everyone.”

“Are you saying you’re innocent? That you didn’t do it?” the deputy asked.

Claire sighed, flopping back into the less than comfortable rear seat of the police SUV. “No, I did it. I got caught up with him. I wanted to impress him, show him that I could go along when he did his jobs, that I could be helpful.”

The deputy chewed on her lower lip but just nodded, sensing that Claire wasn’t done.

“I guess he suspected from the start that one day I might have a change of heart. So he made sure I was caught on camera and that he kept the recording of it. Of course, you never see his face, ‘cause he knew what he was planning, the bastard. I suppose he expected that it would be enough to blackmail me into staying with him.”

The deputy snorted in understanding.

“Yeah. You know how some men just cannot handle women making their own decisions. He’s one.”

“Oh, I get you. Thankfully, I don’t have to deal with that anymore, but I understand.” The blonde deputy turned to face her in her seat, tilting her head to the side. “So you aren’t going to fight this?”

Claire sighed again, shrugging helplessly. “What’s the point…Deputy Frazer,” she said, leaning forward to read the woman’s badge. “I did the crime. Just because I regret it, doesn’t change that fact. Besides. This way, at least the bastard doesn’t have any hold over me anymore.”

Deputy Frazer nodded slowly.

“Besides,” Claire said with a sneer. “I am going to go over in excruciating detail everything that little prick ever said or did that was illegal while I was around if I get the chance to stand in front of a judge. Maybe something will stick enough to have him locked up too.”

Deputy Frazer grinned and started up the car. “For what it’s worth, Miss Owens, I think you’re alright.”

“Thanks,” Claire said, leaning back, looking out the window as she was hauled off to jail.

Definitely not the morning I was expecting, that’s for sure. So, what the hell do I do now?

Chapter Twelve

Pietro

He walked down the sidewalk, eyes constantly darting toward the western side of town where the sun was just starting to drop behind the mountains. Evening was upon them, and it would soon be nightfall.

When vampires came out to play.

Tapping his fingers impatiently against his leg, he resisted the urge to pull his phone out once more.

“She’s not responding,” he muttered. “You know this already.”

Despite that, he pulled out the phone and checked the screen. Still nothing.

Where the hell are you, Claire? I told you yesterday that you were in danger.

After several unanswered texts during the day, and then a couple of phone calls, Pietro had gone over to her house only to find it empty. No sign of Claire, nor her parents. Nobody was home.

Part of him was wondering if she’d fled town. It would be hard to blame her. After everything that had happened with Pete, and also himself, things had gone off the rails for Claire in a short period of time. Leaving town, and both of them behind, would be the smart move.

If it weren’t for the Hunter. He’ll track you down wherever you go, Claire. You can’t escape them. That’s not how it works.

Pietro was playing his last card, the only way he had left to try and track her down. It wasn’t one he wanted to play of course, but he was just about out of options, and in an hour or so, darkness would blanket the town enough for the Hunters to come out and play.

He had to find Claire before it was too late.

“Please work,” he muttered to himself as