Dangerous Games by Marie Ferrarella Read Free Book Online Page A

in his mind. The word “want” all but shimmered in front of him. A man could want a woman like Lorrayne. She was more than pleasant to look at, the rebelliousness in her eyes having not quite been tamed by the position she’d assumed. Everything appealing and attractive had conspired to join forces within Lorrayne Cavanaugh. The last job in the world he would have said she’d been drawn to was that of police detective.
    But a police detective was exactly what he needed right now. If there were other needs unexpectedly raising their heads, he would just have to ignore them.
    He was fighting the clock. The D.A.’s office was out for blood. Eric’s blood. Even if his brother wasn’t guilty, everyone thought he was and appearance was enough to appease the masses.
    He had to change that. But he couldn’t do it alone.
    “I want you to help me prove that my brother’s innocent.”
    “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m part of the Aurora police force.”
    She began to refill her cup, but he took the teapot from her and did the honors himself. “I noticed. That’s why I came to you.”
    Ignoring the tea, she began to slide out of the booth. “I’m afraid there’s more than a slight conflict of interest here.”
    Cole took hold of her wrist. “Just hear me out.”
    Training told her to shake off his hand and to keep walking. Instinct told her to stay. She’d learned that the Cavanaugh instinct was more than just a pleasant myth her father liked to regale them with. It was based on the truth. They could all testify to that.
    With a sigh, Rayne settled back in the booth. “Okay, talk.”

Chapter 4
    C ole opened with his best offense. “You think my brother’s innocent.”
    She realized that she was still letting him hold on to her wrist. Rayne pulled it away, dropping her hand in her lap. “What I think or don’t think doesn’t matter and it certainly doesn’t concern you.”
    He frowned. “Don’t pull that ‘them versus me’ garbage on me. It didn’t do you any good then and it’s not going to work now.”
    The man looked as if he was disappointed with her, but Rayne hadn’t a clue what he was talking about and she didn’t particularly care for his tone. “Then?”
    He didn’t think that he needed to explain this part of it to her. She knew what she was like back then better than he did. “In high school. When you paraded around as if every day was Halloween because you were trying to get everyone as irritated and angry at you as you were with them.”
    Her eyes narrowed. “So you got your degree in psychiatry, is it? Or was this part of your con man education?”
    He wasn’t about to allow himself to be baited. There was too much at stake right now. He didn’t appreciate her making him feel as if he was standing on the other side of the fortress, trying to get in.
    “That was part of my life’s education. Don’t play a player, Lorrayne. Don’t pretend that you’re part of the established order when you’re not.”
    “I am a detective with the Aurora police department—”
    He was losing ground and he knew it. He dug in harder. This was for Eric. “That doesn’t make you a robot.”
    He was manipulating her, Rayne thought angrily. Or trying to. Which meant he was in for a surprise. Better men than he had tried to get her to do what they’d wanted and failed. “That also doesn’t make me an idiot.”
    Impatience echoed in his voice. “Never said you were.”
    No, not in so many words, she thought, but he still underestimated her. “But I’d be one if I let you just come in and use me to get your brother off.”
    Cole sighed, struggling with his temper and wishing he had ordered a drink, a strong one. But he’d driven over here and the last thing he needed right now was to be pulled over and arrested for a DUI, which he could guarantee would happen if he downed the kind of drink he was thinking about.
    “I don’t want to use you, I need you. To get at the truth.”
    Everyone