Page 6 of Malice

“I pay the bills by working the front desk at a hotel.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad.”

“It’s not. But it’s mostly boring. Occasionally, something different or exciting happens, but it’s usually the same thing day in and day out.”

“What about the other. Tell me how you think of yourself.”

This time a smile curved her lips, one that made something deep in his belly warm. He wanted to see her smile more often. He liked this soft, gentle smile but something told him if he managed to see her full, real smile then he’d be blown away. Now he needed to see that too, but how?

“I paint. I live to paint.”

That was different. Paint? Like what? His only experience painting was houses and somehow, he didn’t see Bonnie thinking of herself as a painter if that was what she was into, but maybe he was wrong. “What do you paint?”

“I prefer landscapes, but I’ll do people if I need to. I try to avoid portraits though, if I can. I don’t mind doing people, but I don’t want them to be the main or only focus of the piece. And I hate trying to paint someone as they see themselves.” Her nose crinkled as she paused, as if she was looking for the right word. “No one sees themselves as the rest of the world does, and it’s nearly impossible to find a good balance of their mental image and the truth. Then there’s the fact that I don’t feel like there’s enough personality to a piece that’s just people or just a face, unless you have something interesting in the background.” She turned and looked into the distance. “I’ve got a piece coming up that should be so much fun. It’s a big piece that I get to do pretty much anything I want as long as I include a couple of requested elements. I’m still thinking about it, but I think I’m going to do something with some Wyoming landmarks in the background.” She turned back to him and gave him a big smile. “It will be a lot of fun bringing what’s in my head to life.”

Malice felt like his heart stopped beating for an instant at the smile on her face. He’d been right. That little ghost of a smile that had warmed him earlier was nothing compared to this one. She was a stunner, and it wasn’t just her smile or the long curly dark hair that cascaded around her face, but as much of the personality that she couldn’t keep from shining through.

“I can see how much you love painting. I want to hear more about this piece you have coming up. But we came here for a reason, and we need to get down to it. Tell me about this guy. Everything you can think of about him.” He waved one hand toward the diner where they’d last seen the fuckwad who had tried to abduct her.

She frowned. “Why would you want to know about Phillip?”

“I need to know more, how he thinks, how he works, to try to figure out how his mind works and hopefully to anticipate his next move and outsmart him. And we’re going to have to do something to figure out how he’s tracking you, and how to stop it.” Malice sipped the black coffee he’d ordered for himself and waited, hoping she would tell him what he needed instead of arguing.

She looked down at the table and the drink she held cupped in both hands, then started talking. It took her thirty minutes to tell him everything she could think of, then Malice started asking questions. He wanted to get a handle on what kind of guy this asshole was. That way he could help her form a plan to make sure he was gone.

6

BonnieansweredallCorey’squestions, even the ones she thought were nosey and personal. She didn’t want to hold anything back if it might help make sure Phillip never succeeded in what he’d tried to do tonight.

A shiver passed through her at the thought of what he might have done, should he have managed to make her go with him. What he might have done to someone else in the past.

“Are you cold?” Corey asked.

“No, just thinking.” She took another drink from the sweet coffee drink she hadn’t needed but had helped settle her nerves after the incident with Phillip.

Looking across the table where the two of them sat in the nearly deserted coffee shop, she realized that she’d told Corey about herself, but hadn’t gotten any of the same information about him.

“Where are you from?” The words seemed to fall out of her mouth before she realized she was going to say them.

“Huh?” He frowned.

“You said you were new in town, but not where you’re from or what you do.” She tilted her head as she watched him, curious.

“I grew up not too far from here, outside Billings. I’ve been here for a few months, like I said. I’m working on a ranch south of town.”

“You don’t sound thrilled about working at a ranch.” She couldn’t have said why she thought so, maybe it was something in his tone, or the look on his face.

“I’m not really. When I left home, years ago, I swore I’d never do ranch work again. Yet here I am.”

“Where did you go when you left?”

“I joined the Army. I was determined to be all I could be.” He let out a single burst of what could be laughter, but she suspected was more laughing at how naive he’d been. Still, she had to know.

“And were you? All you could be?” Bonnie found herself watching him, looking for signs he might not be being honest with her.

“Honestly? I don’t know anymore. I think I was the best I could be with the orders and skills I was given, perhaps the best soldier I could be. The best person I could be? Maybe not.” He stared sightlessly out a nearby window as he spoke, as if he wasn’t there in the room with her, at least not in his mind. But somewhere else, maybe looking at everything he’d done in his life, and finding it lacking.

She couldn’t help but wonder what he was seeing and what he could have done to see it differently or if he wished he’d done it differently.

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