Colton's Last Stand by Karen Whiddon

Author:Karen Whiddon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2020-03-06T19:45:48+00:00

* * *

Jake saw Fiona coming across the lobby, and his entire body tensed. Judging by her purposeful stride and the intent look on her beautiful face as she headed his way, she wanted to talk to him. He braced himself against the hopeless rush of attraction and waited.

“Do you have a minute?” she asked, her curt tone pitched low. “For a walk outside?”

He shrugged, deliberately casual. “Sure. Why not?”

When she slipped her small hand into his, he couldn’t prevent his instinctive initial reaction—shock. But then he tightened his fingers around hers.

Neither spoke until they were several hundred feet down the driveway. “What’s going on?” he asked finally.

“I just got out of a meeting with Leigh.” She shook her head. “I’m to do whatever it takes to keep you around here at least ten more days.”

As she’d probably known he would, he picked up on the time frame immediately. “Ten days? What’s going on in ten days?”

“I don’t know for sure,” she said slowly. “But judging from what Leigh was hinting at, it’s not going to be good.”

He waited while she eyed him, clearly trying to decide what to say.

“Mass suicide.” Her voice hardened. “But with a catch. From what I understand, she’s planning to ask for payment from their families in order to save some of the wealthier members’ lives. How she plans to explain this to her followers, I have no idea. It’s crazy.”

Jaw tight, Jake grimaced. His stomach turned at the thought of the depths to which the woman he’d once believed to be his mother was capable of sinking. “No surprise there. The lure of money has always been her motivator. All the rest of it comes secondary. Micheline is one of those people who doesn’t care what she has to do to pad her pockets. Even murder, apparently.”

“But this will be too blatant. She’ll face charges. A full bank account won’t do her any good in prison. And the feds will probably freeze her bank accounts.” She shook her head. “If she’s looking for notoriety, this will get her that. But the risk of getting caught is really high. I’d think it outweighs whatever monetary gain she’d stand to get.”

“Unless she has a plan,” Jake said, unable to keep from wanting to hold her. “And believe me, Micheline always has a backup plan.”

“I’ve got to find out what it is.” Rubbing her temples, Fiona sighed. “Jake, I know we had...words earlier. But you did agree to help me, and right now I need your help. I was basically told to turn up the heat with you. Leigh is even going to send me over some more revealing clothes to wear.”

His heart skipped a beat at the thought of what she might wear. “We can work together,” he said, keeping his voice level.

“Can we?” Her gaze found his. “We’ll have to act as if we’re really into each other.”

“Act?”

This teasing question earned a smile from her.

“We’ve got that covered,” he continued. “We’ll continue on as before.

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