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Fire (Beautiful Ashes Series, Book 2)(62)

By:Lora Ann


Shit! He was onto her deception. She had to think fast. “I love your brother very much,” her voice breaking on a sob, “and I want him home.” He held her a little tighter. She traced his jaw bringing his gaze to hers. “But I never stopped loving you.”

“Lisa,” he breathed, “I care for you, but as my sister-in-law.”

She mocked indignation. “What are you insinuating?”

He took a step back. “I’m just saying, it’s normal to have residual feelings for each other but that I no longer think of you as my former lover.”

“Wow! That was a verbal slap!”

“Wasn’t meant to be. Look, all I’m saying is we’re in love with different people and that’s the way it should be. We were never meant to be.”

“Really? So you’re saying we wouldn’t be happily married right now if I could’ve handled your job.”

“I think we didn’t have a firm foundation to handle the storms of life, Lisa.”

“I don’t think we were ever given a chance,” she huffed.

“Hey, why the hell are we arguing?”

“I don’t know, Tar, maybe because you’re an insensitive asshole!”

“I’m insensitive? That’s rich!” Oh, he was pissed. She had some fucking nerve. He’d forgiven her and Chase for their betrayal, but damn her for trying to make that his fault.

Cole walked in biting his little lip. “Why are you yelling?”

Tar knelt down and held his arms wide. Cole walked into them. “Sorry, Buddy. Your mom and I are just worried about grown-up things and it came out as mad.”

“You’re not mad?” His soft green eyes searching Tar’s deeper ones. “I am. But more at the situation than a person.”

“You miss, Keeley.” His nephew wasn’t asking a question.

Tar smiled. “Very much so, yes.”

His little head bobbed as he reached for his mom’s hand. “Like we miss Daddy.”

Lisa seized the opening her son just gave her and she hugged both Cole and Tar. “Yes, baby,” she hiccupped.

Both looked at her. Cole traced a tear falling. “Uncle Tar will help.”

Tar blew out a heavy breath. “I’m trying, Partner.”

Lisa stood upright. “I need a moment,” she announced leaving them quickly.

In the bathroom she splashed water on her face. What the hell was she going to do? Tar was slipping from her grasp every second. Fucking cunt, Keeley was her biggest problem. Though his code of honor was a formidable adversary as well. She needed a plan. One that was foolproof. Maybe…she began to search for something to use. A drug of some kind. Anything that brought down Tar’s defenses. Then she recalled, to help Cole with nightmares before Chase’s disappearance he’d been prescribed a mild sedative. Yes, she’d just increase the dose and slip it into Tar’s food. Perfect. With him under the influence, she could take advantage of him. She’d video the whole thing and use it to get rid of Keeley once and for all.





Chapter Twenty-Two





Shit. Shit. Oh shit! Keeley paced staring at the checkpoint. What the hell was she thinking? R-U-N pulsed through her blood stream, each letter emphasized by a hard beat of the drum. Her heart demanded she turn back and face her past. Fight her demons. Her head told the story tried and true. Run away. Start over. Don’t look back. That song was what she knew and it did not matter if she broke her heart in the process. Wouldn’t be the first time. She stood there one foot ready to move her forward, the other poised to turn back. Sweat dripped down her brow mixing with tears. Could Tar forgive her for being an accomplice to murder? What about Lacey? Hell, then there was prison. Time she would most certainly do, Viv would see to that.

The demon leaned in closely and whispered, “You’ll be killed in jail. You must go. Now!”

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, fighting the urge to cross the border in front of her. Viv had gone to great lengths to hide her identity, posing as Dr. Thompson. The answer as to why was clear: she needed to befriend Keeley. Jesus, how did she not notice before?

Again the demon murmured, “She needs you dead, Keeley. You’re the only link to tie her to the senator. Tar can go on if you leave, but if your dead, he’ll never find happiness again.”

The thought of Tar with another woman made her want to rip things to shreds. Lisa would take full advantage. Keeley felt it in her bones. Add that to the fact something else was niggling just behind the surface, telling her this wasn’t her first encounter with Viviane since leaving that house in Folsom. A war was raging inside her and she found her nails raking along her inner wrist. Control. She needed to find control of these thoughts, emotions.