Deadly Seduction (New York State Trooper Series Book 6) Read online

  “I plead the Fifth,” she said. “Tell me something. Did you want to transfer? Or was it something you had no control over?”

  “I wanted a change of pace,” he said. “So, I asked to be reassigned, requesting this post. A buddy of mine from the Academy is stationed up here, and he was always raving about it.”

  “I bet you left behind a string of broken hearts.”

  He shook his head. “There was no one in the city for me.”

  She noticed his voice had a tight edge and wondered if he’d had his heart crushed at some point, which made what she was about to do that much worse.

  “What about you? Do you have a boyfriend back home?”

  “No,” she said, a little too quickly.

  “Have you ever considered moving?” he asked.

  “I don’t think I’ll ever leave. I’ve always been a city girl. I like the hustle and bustle of the streets. Here”—she paused—“I feel exposed.”

  “Because you’re not just one of millions wandering the city streets. A nameless face in a sea of people going about a busy life, never really slowing down to get to know themselves, much less anyone else.”

  She glanced at the night sky, mesmerized by the number of stars and the brightness of the moon. “I never thought of it that way, being nameless, but there are so many stories in those faces. Some, you want to know. Some, you don’t. I like to sit on a bench and people watch. It inspires me somehow.”

  “Then why come here to write when you have all the inspiration you need in the city?”

  “Because I’ve never been out of the city,” she admitted.

  “Never?” He sipped his beer before lying back on the dock. “No family to visit to other places?”

  “It’s just me and my brother now.” If she could manage to pull this off. If she didn’t, Gray Eyes said Liam would be dead in a few days, leaving her alone, with no family left to speak of.

  “That means you’ve never been on an airplane?”

  “I can barely drive a car,” she said, surprised that she hadn’t had to lie…yet. Well, other than why she’d come to the area in the first place. “I almost turned around a dozen times on my way here.”

  “Normally, city girls are supposed to be so worldly.”

  “I’ve thought about leaving the city, but it just never happened.”

  “I don’t know anyone from New York that didn’t grow up somewhere else, or at least travel off the Island.”

  “I took the ferry to New Jersey once. Nice view of the city. That’s when I decided if I wanted to be a writer, I need to see some of the world. See if it was how I imagined it in my head.”

  “Well, you picked a beautiful place to start.” He tugged at her sleeve. “Lots of stars out tonight.” He patted the wooden dock with his hand. “It’s a great view from down here.”

  “Not sure I’ve ever had a man use that line on me before.” Her face heated, sending a warm sensation to places that should make this process easier, but all it did was confuse her and rattle her already frazzled nerves.

  “I didn’t intend it to be a line.” He rested one hand behind his head. “You won’t ever see a night sky like this in the city. It’s the kind of vision one writes about in books.”

  She laughed as she eased her way to her elbows, pressing her back against the hard wood and drawing her feet up from the water. “Now, that was a line.”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Wow,” she said. “The sky is like a jar filled with fireflies that never goes out.”

  “What do you know about fireflies, city girl?” He’d rolled to his side, propping up on his elbow, sipping his beer, his eyes still illuminated in the glow of the moon. His plump, full lips circled the neck of the glass bottle. She didn’t know what was more pleasing. Him, or the night sky.

  “I’ve read about them in books,” she said.

  They both laughed. She picked at her fingernail. A different place and time, she might actually enjoy being with ths man.

  “How long have you been in town?” he asked.

  “Got in yesterday.”

  “I can show you around, if you’d like.”

  Closing her eyes, she breathed slowly, taking in the fresh scent of warm summer water, mixed with a faint musk of what she suspected was aftershave, but one she’d never smelled before. She wanted to turn her head, lace her fingers behind his neck, and kiss him, which was a crazy thought because she’d never acted impulsively in her life. Her older brother used to tell her all the time to lighten up and live a little.

  But look where that got him.

  “That would be really great. Thanks.” She jerked her arm, feeling a slight tickle of something across her skin.

  “Didn’t mean to startle you.” His voice, deep and throaty, sent messages to her body that she didn’t know how to answer. No man had ever made her this nervous and excited. Perhaps it was because her only reason for being with him, was to destroy him. His finger tilted her chin and when she looked at him, her breath hitched.

  “You have beautiful eyes.”

  She swallowed. “I bet you say that to all the women you bring down here.”

  “You’re the first.” His palm grazed her cheek. “I’ve got tomorrow off. Can I take you to lunch?”

  She nodded, holding her breath He stared at her for a long moment. His thumb fanned across her cheek. Her stomach quivered in anticipation of something more.

  He licked his lips. “I want to kiss you.”

  “I’m thinking all the fresh air may have gone to my head, because I’m thinking I want you to kiss me.” She held his gaze for what seemed like an eternity, both her hands resting on her stomach, pinching her flesh.

  When he leaned in, she closed her eyes, waiting for his lips to brush against hers…but they didn’t. Instead, he kissed her cheek. “We’ve both had too much wine and beer,” he whispered. “Let me walk you home.”

  “You are the boy next door.”

  He smiled, helping her to her feet, then intertwining their fingers.

  “You don’t have to walk with me,” she whispered.

  “I want to. Besides, when we get there, I can kiss your other cheek.”

  “I wouldn’t be opposed to you kissing my lips, either.” The things coming out of her mouth stunned her, but she needed to act on it. The sooner she got this over with, the sooner she could run back to the city and bury herself in her work…once Liam was free.

  “Good to know.”

  They walked in silence until they reached the parking lot of her hotel. She turned to face him, rubbing her sweaty palms together. “I’m in the main building.”

  “You didn’t get a cabin?”

  “Couldn’t afford it, even if there had been one available,” she admitted, “but the rooms here are fabulous, and the owners are incredibly friendly.”

  “Reese and Patty.” He guided her up the stairs to the porch as she dug into her purse with shaky fingers.

  “I thought I recognized one of the owners at your table. Was that Reese?”

  “That was him. He and his wife are good friends of mine.”

  She held up the key she’d finally found in the bottom of her bag. Her heart fluttered as she looked between the door and Josh, trying to muster up the courage to invite him up. All she had to do was say the words. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

  “I’ll pick you up here at eleven for lunch?”

  “Sure.”

  “Pack a bathing suit.”

  “For lunch?”

  He didn’t answer. Instead he cupped her face, lowering his mouth to hers, but once again, his lips landed on her cheek. “See you tomorrow.”

  Leaning against the door, she watched him as he took the steps down the porch then headed back the way they had come. “You’re not driving, are you?” she yelled.

  “Nope. I rent the apartment over the Boardwalk.”

  “Be safe.”

  He turned. “You never told me your last name.”

>   “Mervis. Delaney Mervis.”

  “That’s a nice Irish-Jewish name.”

  She laughed. “Good night.” Quickly, she unlocked the door, and once inside, she tapped her phone, looking at the texts. All from the man with the Gray Eyes.

  The clock is ticking. Report in.

  I’m waiting.

  If I don’t hear from you tonight, your brother will pay.

  She fumbled with the phone, her fingers constantly tapping the wrong letter as she tried to text back.

  Found Burdett and made contact. Meeting again tomorrow.

  She stared at the phone. The little caption bubble danced while Gray Eyes typed his response.

  Why didn’t you seduce him? The sooner I get that tape, the sooner this is over for you.

  She wanted to ask him how on earth a sex tape was going to ruin Josh. As a woman, it would affect her more, but she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to know any more about Gray Eyes’s plans. All she wanted was to make sure her brother wasn’t murdered.

  * * *

  Josh had never stopped looking over his shoulder, knowing Alexander Craypo would deliver on his threats, even if he’d said he was a changed man during a press conference the day of his release from jail.

  Men like Craypo didn’t change. Not when everything they held dear blew up before their eyes.

  The secure, fireproof lock box in the closet of Josh’s apartment hadn’t been opened in over six months. Pulling it out felt like a step back into the past. Even touching it brought back the crushing chest pain of the five bullets that had ripped through his body. He steadied his hand as he inserted the key. Rubbing his fingers across his chest, fingering each scar through his thin T-shirt, he turned the key, clicking open the box.

  Pictures, articles and his medal taunted him.

  He traced his fingers across the emerald, upside-down, five-pointed star given by the President of the United States for extraordinary valor above and beyond the call of duty.

  Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor.

  Shaking the President’s hand had been a humbling experience, but Josh didn’t deserve the honor. He’d failed his uncover assignment, and while he may have saved lives, two innocent children were dead, and he was partly responsible.

  Craypo only got a slap on the hand and a very short sentence. All of Josh’s hard work, the months of gathering evidence of Craypo’s arms operation, was for nothing the moment Josh blew his cover to save a building full of innocent people.

  A picture of Nicki Craypo and her boys, Tyler and Ray, lay under the medal. Josh traced the faces of both boys, four and two, tears welled in his eyes.

  He picked up the article regarding Craypo’s arrest for colluding and the subsequent plea deal that landed him in jail for almost a year, which had ended a month ago. Josh was surprised it took Craypo this long to find him…if what he suspected about his new hot female friend was true. Sure, many people from downstate came here for vacation, but not one of them had ever hit on him while reading a book in a bar.

  His old superior officer had informed him of Craypo’s release and later reports on his whereabouts. Offers of new transfers, even out-of-state opportunities, continued to come in from his past boss. While he appreciated the sentiment, he liked his current post, and he wasn’t about to run scared because a scumbag like Craypo had been released.

  The doorbell rang. He hustled to put the contents away, then shoved the box back in the closet before making his way to the front door.

  “Thanks for coming.” He pushed back the door to his apartment above the Boardwalk, letting the music filter in until the door clicked shut.

  “The sedan you asked me to check on is still parked in the lot across the street.” Tristan Reid made himself at home by taking the three steps from the small foyer into the kitchen then pulling out a beer from the fridge before settling down on a stool in front of the counter. “I’m always amazed by how quiet it is up here when it is so damn loud down there.” Tristan was close in age, and was the only other Trooper Josh knew in the office who wasn’t married.

  “Soundproofing,” Josh said. “Otherwise, no way in hell could I live here.” He chugged his water, still feeling the effects of drinking more alcohol than he should have less than an hour ago. “Mind doing a background check for me?”

  “You could do it yourself,” Tristan said. “But I suspect it’s not appropriate use of the department resources?”

  “Nope, and I’d understand if you said no.”

  “I’ll do it,” Tristan said. “Who?”

  “Delaney Mervis.” Josh recalled the two times he’d seen Delaney before spotting her at the Boardwalk. The first time had been at the bank. She’d been sitting in her car, her blond hair flowing over her shoulders. Her soft features showed her natural beauty. She wasn’t the kind of woman men gawked at, but she had a subtle beauty with her full, wavy hair, slender build, and thick, natural lashes. When she blinked, the anticipation of seeing the crystal blue of her eyes was so intense and erotic it could bring a man to his knees.

  It surprised him that she’d pulled out into traffic three cars behind him, but it didn’t seem suspicious until he saw her four hours later, from his bedroom window, while she sat across the street on a bench…reading. As soon as he entered the Boardwalk, she was five paces behind him, asking to sit outside, and even asking the hostess if she could sit at a different table than she’d originally been shown, putting her directly in his line of vision. Even then, he didn’t think too much of it until she mentioned where she lived.

  “Do you know anything else about her?”

  “She lived in Brooklyn before moving to Fishkill. Went to Colombia and lives near the University now. She’s a copy editor by trade and writes novels as a hobby, but she’s not published. One brother. I didn’t get his name. That’s all I know.” Josh stood in front of the big picture window overlooking the lake. Specifically, the dock where he and Delaney, just an hour ago, had been lying on their backs looking up at the stars, sharing a romantic moment. He still felt the silky softness of her skin. Had she not flirted with him from a distance and intrigued him, he would never have thought about approaching her, since he couldn’t bring himself to date, much less have a meaningless fling.

  “I’ll see what I can dig up,” Tristan said.

  “I’m having lunch with her tomorrow, so be discreet when texting me any information.”

  “Do you always screen your dates?” Tristan swiveled back and forth in the bar stool.

  Josh glared at his friend. “Wouldn’t you, if you were me?”

  “I’m not you, so I have no idea. Any news about Craypo and his goons?”

  Josh shook his head, standing in front of the one-way-glass picture window. It could stop people from looking in, but couldn’t prevent a bullet from shattering it. “He hasn’t left Manhattan. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t sent someone—”

  “You really think this chick is working for him?”

  “I hope not,” Josh said, “but I find it weird that less than a month after his release, a girl from downstate hits on me. Lets me take her down to the docks—”

  “That doesn’t work on the girls from around here.”

  Josh sat back on the sofa, still peering out the window at the dark lake. “Then she let me walk her home, but didn’t invite me up, though she hinted at it, and now I’m taking her out for lunch. Don’t you find that odd?”

  Tristan laughed. “What’s odd is that you’re thinking twice about it.”

  “A woman from New York who I know nothing about.” Whose intention might not be hooking up, but putting a bullet in his head, just like the last woman he’d gotten involved with.

  “If there is something to find out, I’ll unearth it, but no one would think less of you if you up and disappeared, and I know you were given that choice.”

  “I’m not running.”

  “I don’t know, man. If I were in your shoes, I’d run. The guy blames you for the death of his wife and
kids.”

  “It was his own bomb that killed his family.” But Josh might as well have set the bomb off. He was the reason they were dead. He shouldn’t care about Nicki, because she wouldn’t have cared if he were dead. But her two little boys watched with horror-filled eyes as their mother fired at the man who’d promised to pull them from the grips of a crime-filled existence. He squeezed his eyes closed, forcing the memory to fade to black. “Find out what you can on Delaney. If she’s with Craypo, then we can deal with that. If she’s not associated, then I can just cut her loose.” No way would he get involved with someone he could actually fall for, giving Craypo another way to make Josh pay for what he’d done.

  “If it's the latter, and she’s that hot, mind if I take her out and show her a go—”

  “I mind,” Josh said sharply.

  Tristan shot his arms out to the sides. “Geez. Possessive over a girl you don’t even want.”

  “I didn’t say I didn’t want her. Besides, she’s only here for a short time and—”

  “That’s the point,” Tristan said. “A hook-up. Just sex.”

  “Right, because you have such a way with women. You get knocked down before you even get warmed up.”

  “So, you shouldn’t mind if I give it a go.”

  Josh narrowed his gaze. “Keep your hands to yourself, or I’ll have to mess up that pretty face of yours.”

  Tristan laughed. “I think you like her.”

  “I think this conversation is over, so finish your beer so I can get some sleep.”

  Chapter 2

  The hot, humid air smacked Delaney’s skin as she walked out of the comfort of the perfectly air-conditioned hotel. She’d never been one for being outside when it was over eighty, and today, with the humidity, it felt like ninety. Perspiration beaded across her hairline, forcing her to pull her hair into a ponytail. So much for spending time styling it.

  She plopped herself on the porch steps, wondering if he’d think she were desperate for this date, waiting for him like this. Her heart raced when she glanced at her phone.