Ruthless by Debra Webb Read Free Book Online Page B

of normal herself, she wasn’t about to start throwing any stones.
    “She’s dealing with it.”
    “Gina might need a strong shoulder to lean on.” God! There it was! The green monster making a midnight appearance. She resisted the urge to chew off her tongue.
    “Well, she didn’t ask for mine—if that’s what you’re suggesting.”
    Jess busied herself with the file on Sierra Campbell, the little girl abducted two years before Dorie Myers, to prevent saying something totally ridiculous about how his shoulders were only for her. “I wasn’t suggesting anything, just feeling bad for a friend.” She glanced up at him and smiled innocently.
    “So the two of you are friends now.”
    That his tone suggested he doubted it prompted her to tug at his tie. “That’s right. You have a problem with me befriending one of your old girlfriends?”
    He moved his head side to side, a grin sliding across those tempting lips.
    Time to pull the plug on this simmering moment before it reached a boil and she dragged him straight to her bed. “You look tired, Dan. You should go home and get some sleep.”
    “That’s the pot calling the kettle black.” He reached out, nudged her chin up with his forefinger. “You should get some sleep yourself.”
    For a whole five seconds he stared at her lips and she ached for him to kiss her. But they had rules… this was a work night and there was a cop outside keeping watch.
    “You’re right.” She leaned away from him, closed the file she’d been reviewing and somehow got to her feetwithout assistance and fairly gracefully. “I’ll see you out.” She went to the door and waited for him to follow, every part of her screaming for him to stay.
    Just watching him move toward her stole her breath. It didn’t matter how tired he looked or how many exes he had, she just wanted to lean into him and have him hold her. To forget about serial monsters and innocent little children who’d had their lives stolen…
    But that would have to wait until another day.
    “I wish you’d change your mind and come home with me.”
    The worry in her eyes almost finished undoing her resolve. “The whole department, the Bureau, the media—they’re all watching us right now, Dan. We have to be professional about this. My apartment is secure. There’s a cop outside and I’ve got my Glock. I’ll be okay.” Deep down, where she wouldn’t let him see just now, she wasn’t nearly so certain, but this was the right thing to do. For him. For her.
    “If you change your mind I can be here in fifteen minutes.”
    “I’m counting on it.”
    “Night, Jess.”
    She managed a smile. “Night.”
    He stood there staring at her for another long moment. Part of her hoped he would just do it—sweep her into his arms and stalk back to that big old bed waiting across the room. To hell with rules and the cop keeping watch outside.
    Then he brushed a swift kiss across her cheek, opened the door, and walked out.
    She closed and secured the door before collapsing against it.
    She was so tired but that brief kiss would help her sleep better tonight.
    Her cell vibrated on the wood floor.
    She jumped. Had Harper gotten home to find Lori waiting for an explanation?
    Jess hurried to snatch up her phone.
    Not Harper.
    The room shifted around her.
    Your sergeant is quite hot, Jess. I bet he’d be a handful. Maybe I’ll find out.
    Terror exploded in her veins but the white-hot fury that immediately descended won out. Her hands shook with the urge to send Spears a message for him to go to hell or something equally clever… but that was what he wanted. He wanted her to react.
    She threw her phone on the sofa. “I’m not playing anymore, Spears.”
    All she needed was one more shot at getting close to him, and then he wouldn’t be playing anymore, either.

 
    Wednesday, August 18, 7:31 a.m.
    J ess sat on the toilet and stared at the spotless panty liner.
    “Start, damn it.”
    Since her last pill packet had gotten