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“Come with me.” He didn’t give her a choice and helped her out of the car. “Are you hurt anywhere?” he thought to ask, perhaps a tad too late.
“Other than shaken, I’m fine.”
Alex wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her between two stores, away from prying eyes of the townsfolk. Once hidden, Alex tugged her into his arms and held her, letting her cry her shock out. “I have you,” he mumbled, and rolled his eyes when he realized how he sounded—as though he cared.
He let Christina pull away while she searched in her purse for a Kleenex. Seconds later, she met his gaze. “Thank you. You surprised me.”
He laughed. “I surprised myself.” He frowned. “You’re married and I’m an asshole.”
Christina shook her head. “Don’t say that. I know our previous meetings haven’t gone so well, but last night was...different.” Christina blushed. “I know even if I wasn’t married that you wouldn’t look at me as permanent. For what it’s worth, thank you. And thank you for today as well.”
Alex heard the words and then heard the vulnerability in her voice. He knew that she thought her words were the truth, but he wasn’t too sure anymore. There was certainly something about Christina that had held his interest over the years—something there that caused his heart to ache at her obvious distress.
He pulled her close. “Listen to me, okay. I want you to stay with me until I can get you home.”
“Alex, you’re worrying me.”
“I know.” He touched his forehead against hers and wondered whether or not she could handle the truth.
Deciding she was going to hear it one way or another, he briefly closed his eyes, and then held her gaze. “There have been murders.” Christina gasped and fear filled her eyes as he continued, “Jocelyn was the first to be discovered, but it appears that her death was not long after Quinten was sentenced.” He rubbed the nape of her neck with his thumb. “Since then, two other women have been killed...within hours of me being with them.”
She winced at his bluntness.
“I didn’t think last night and I should have. But this morning I did and realized that it was morning and you were still alive so I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Detective Robinson knows that I had something going with both women, but I didn’t admit that the last time had been hours before they’d been murdered. I don’t know what all this means, but I’m in town and I’m going to wait for Coulter to get back with Saige and then I’ll talk to him. I don’t trust anyone else not to lock me up first and ask questions later.”
“I don’t know what to say.” Christina quivered against him, and moved closer into his loose embrace, which tightened. “I guess I should count my lucky stars, huh?”
“I’m not sure what’s happening, but I’m wondering if there’s a reason why he didn’t come after you.”
Her eyes widened. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” She pointed toward her car.
“I have a feeling that if he wanted you dead that you would be.” He grabbed her shoulders. “Did you see the plates on the car that went after you?”
She bit her lip and shook her head. “No. I didn’t think about it. I was stupid.” Her forehead dropped to his chest.
“Christina, you have to be careful, okay?”
Nodding, she asked, “So what is going to happen now?”
“I don’t know.” He sighed. “What I do know is that you’re staying with me and I’ll drive you home after I’ve spoken to Coulter. He isn’t that far out. Saige texted me not too long ago that they were almost back…we’ll work it out.” He kissed her forehead, squeezed her hand and stepped back.
His gaze swept the area and he spotted Paul Lewis in the doorway of the pharmacy, staring right at them.
Alex narrowed his eyes and watched as the man scurried back inside.
* * *
11:20pm
* * *
“I love you, Saige...”
“You’ll never have him...”
“He’s not good enough for you...”
“I’ll help you...”
