Dirty Little Promise (Forbidden Desires #2)

Gavin’s deep rumble of a voice sent a wave of calm reassurance over me. I closed my eyes, readying myself to tell him what had happened.

“Hey,” I said, but my voice came out as a trembling whisper.

“What’s wrong?” he demanded, his immediate concern crackling over the line.

“Is your press conference over?” I asked softly.

“Just ended. What’s wrong, Emma?” His voice was more urgent now. There was no downplaying how scared I was, and he could read me all too well.

“I need you to come here,” I said, digging up what little strength I had left. The image of the bloody mess was seared into my mind. “S-someone left dead animals on my doorstep. I think it might have been Nathan. You’re the first man who’s spent the night here since . . .” I could bring myself to finish the rest of the sentence.

“Stay put. Make sure the door is locked, and I’ll be right there.”

The line went dead, and I shoved the phone in my pocket before leaning against the back of the sofa.

If Nathan had seen Gavin here last night, did that mean he’d been watching me all these months since we’d been apart? That, even when I thought I’d found freedom from my abuser, I’d always been under his thumb?

Tears welled in my eyes and burned down my throat, but I held them back. He’d made me cry so many times before, but I wouldn’t give him that power again. Not if I could help it.

Twenty minutes later, my doorbell rang. Although I knew it was Gavin on the other side, I approached the door carefully, looking through the peephole before unlocking the door and opening it.

I was surprised to see Gavin was flanked on either side by his brothers. They all wore grim expressions as they stepped over the gore on the steps.

“We took a look around before we rang the bell,” Gavin said, cold fury lighting his eyes.

I nodded, looking from one brother to the next. “Come in.” I stepped aside as they filed in like soldiers prepared for battle. “C-can I get you all coffee or—”

“Sit down, princess,” Cooper said. “We’re going to get you through this.”

Quinn gave me a solemn nod. “Let’s start with the essentials. Have you eaten? Do you need a glass of water?”

I nodded and then shook my head. “I ate, and no, I don’t need anything. I’m just glad you’re here.”

“Let me make you some tea anyway,” Cooper said, making his way into the kitchen.

“I’ll go take photos and call the police,” Quinn said, more to Gavin than to me.

Gavin ran his hands up and down my arms, doing his best to soothe me. “Are you okay?”

I nodded. “I think so.”

The doorbell rang, and when Quinn opened the front door, a man stood there staring down at the mess on my porch. He was graying at the temples but had sharp blue eyes that seemed to take in everything around him. A camera was slung around his neck, and he leaned into the living room with curious eyes.

“Mr. Kingsley?” he asked.

Gavin moved toward him. “Rick, thanks for coming on such short notice.”

When I glanced from Gavin to Rick, Gavin introduced us. “Emma, this is Rick Hart. He’s the best private investigator in the city. We’re going to get to the bottom of this.”

Leave it to Gavin to hit the ground running. I hated to admit it, even to myself, but just having him here taking care of things when I was so wrecked made me almost dizzy with relief.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Hart. Please, sit down.”

Rick sat and I joined him, taking the seat across from him as he offered me a reassuring smile. “Gavin filled me in. I’ll take some photos, but I wanted to talk to you first. That must have been quite a scare to wake up to.”

I nodded but said nothing.

“The police are going to ask you a lot of questions similar to mine, but because there was no written threat, it’s going to take cutting through a lot of red tape to get an investigation under way at all. You understand?”

I nodded again, sick at the thought that this might go nowhere.

Gavin, probably sensing my distress, took a seat beside me and covered my knee with his warm palm. “It’s okay, Emma. Rick is going to make sure we figure out who did this so we can protect you.”

I glanced at him, slightly encouraged, then turned my attention to the investigator again. “Okay, so your questions?”

“Are you aware of anyone who would want to scare you or cause you harm?”

“Only my ex-boyfriend,” I said. “His name is Nathan Jeffries, and he lives just outside the city.” I rattled off his address and the investigator jotted it down.

“And why would Mr. Jeffries want to hurt you?”

I pursed my lips and stared at the floor, trying to find the right words. “He was abusive in our relationship. And last night . . . I had a man here for the first time since the breakup.”

Rick gave me an understanding nod, then pressed on, peppering me with rapid-fire questions, asking about Nathan’s state of mind, if he was unbalanced, if he owned a firearm.

“How long ago did you break up?” Rick asked, his pen poised to write.

“A year ago,” I answered.

Rick pursed his lips, no doubt thinking it odd that a whole year had passed and my ex had just now decided to harass me.

And it was odd.

• • •

The questioning seemed to last for hours. When Rick was done, the police came, and I went through it all over again.

The entire time, though, Gavin never left my side while his brothers bustled around my house—checking locks, making coffee, herding people in and out, and making sure I was tended to.

The three of them worked like a pack, my own little wolf pack. A family totally in tune with one another. Not for the first time, I marveled that they had done all of this for me in spite of the fact they hadn’t known me very long, and some of that time had already been rocky.

Still, whenever Cooper swooped in with a fresh cup of tea or a sandwich for me, I felt another stab of guilt. It was the first time I’d seen him after our talk. Although he acted as though it had never happened, I couldn’t help but wonder if that act was wearing on him. If his true heartbreak was just beneath the surface.

I shoved the thought aside and focused on the questions that seemed to never end.

Hours later, when at last the house was empty of everyone except the Kingsley brothers and me, I made my way into the kitchen and found Cooper standing at my stove, brewing yet another pot of tea.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” I asked, and he nodded.

“Sure.”

“I just wanted to say I appreciate you being here, considering . . .” I sucked in a breath, wringing my hands.

“Nothing to worry about there, princess. You made your choice, and I respect that.”

“I just feel so bad for misleading you—”

“Well, don’t. Really,” Cooper said, and though he’d cut me off, his words weren’t harsh. “I could see where your heart was right from our first meeting in Gavin’s office. I chose to ignore it because I wanted to believe otherwise. That was my mistake. And I want nothing more than for you and my brother to find happiness.”

“Thank you. That means a lot to me.” I glanced away, my throat tight with emotion, and took a step closer to rest a hand on his shoulder. “Your princess is still out there, you know.”

“Just in another castle far, far away, maybe.” He grinned. “But you’ll always be my princess.”

My stomach twisted at that, leaving me unsure how to feel, when Quinn walked into the kitchen to join us. He glanced at my hand on Cooper’s shoulder, and I pulled it away as he spoke.

“Okay, I secured all the windows upstairs and downstairs, and added another lock to the door.”

“Thank you,” I murmured.

“Anytime.” Quinn nodded. “Now, Coop, I think it’s time we get back to company business.”

Cooper nodded, and the two moved quickly through the living room and back out the front door after saying good-bye to their brother.

When we were alone again, I rejoined Gavin on the couch and nestled close. “How are you doing?”

“Me?” He let out a low exhale. “What about you?”

“I’m better than expected. But I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

“You won’t be,” Gavin said.

“Thank you. For everything.”

He gave me a stiff nod but said nothing.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

There was a beat of silence and then, “What were you and Cooper talking about?”

“I wanted to thank him. And to apologize for everything.”

Gavin grunted his understanding.

“You can’t be jealous of your brother, you know.”

Gavin raised a brow. “Can’t I?”

“You can’t. You’re the one I . . .” I bit my bottom lip and looked into his eyes. “You’re the one I want. I’ll admit that I did kiss your brother before, but with him it was just . . . nothing. Sweet, but nothing. He doesn’t fill me with passion and need the way you do. When I touch you, I feel a rush of lust.”

“Is that so?” Gavin’s eyes darkened as he pulled me tighter to his chest.

“It is.”

Without another word, I stood and held my hand out to him, ready to take him to my bedroom and spend the rest of my day the way it should have been spent in the first place.

In bed, secure and locked away from all the ugliness that lay in wait just outside my front door.