Page 45 of Abducted

She closed her eyes and dropped her face into her hands. Could Tanner be behind all of this? Had he raped and murdered Andrea because she looked like her? A tremor rippled through her. Every touch, every snide or salacious smile from Tanner flashed through her mind. She’d been stupid to think the incident after the charity ball had been just an honest mistake.

Cal returned with a glass of water in hand and a hard glint to his green eyes. He passed her the glass and sat beside her. She took a long sip, letting the cool liquid coat the dryness in her throat. He took it from her when she finished and set it on the nightstand.

His fingers circled her arm, then trailed down to her hand, grasping it. “You okay?”

She swallowed. Her eyes met his. She wanted to say yes, to push everything away, and be tough. But she couldn’t. A young woman was dead because of her. Tears burned her eyes and fell from her lashes.

“Christ.” He pulled her against the wall of his chest and held her. His hand cupped the back of her head; the other stroked slowly up and down her back.

She inhaled his scent. A hint of woodsy cologne mixed with the faint smell of coffee tickled her nose. His five o’clock shadow was now twenty-four hours old. The thick bristles moved against her temple as he pressed a kiss to her hair.

She exhaled deeply, letting her body melt against his. Her cheek nestled against his chest, and his arms enveloped her. Never had she felt so protected, so cared for. She was falling for Cal. He was a solid presence in a world of turmoil. She couldn’t bring herself to think about what would have happened had he not “kidnapped” her. Her hands clutched the material of his shirt at his waist, steadying her.

“You never knew about the rape charges and him being a person of interest in Andrea’s murder?”

“God, no. I would have told you—”

He nodded. “I know, babe.” He smoothed his hand up her arm. “I just can’t let that attack go. It’s too coincidental. I think he may be obsessed with you, or—”

She shook her head. “If he was so infatuated with me, why would he hire someone to kill me?”

“Why would he kill Andrea?”

“But did he?” She rubbed her forehead where a dull throb started. “I mean, if he was a person of interest, why did they not pursue him further? Maybe the evidence didn’t add up—”

Cal shook his head. “The more likely scenario is that someone paid a lot of money to wipe his name clean.”

Her mouth fell open. Her heart slowed.

“Did your dad know about Tanner’s assault on you?”

She wet her lips and shook her head. “No. Grace handled it, and he apologized. My dad would have overreacted.”

“Overreacted?” Cal’s voice raised an octave.

“He would have made a big deal of it, and it would have been hard on everyone, including me. If Tanner hadn’t apologized, I would have told Dad.” Cal’s jaw worked. “Was Tanner living at the house when this happened?”

“No, he hasn’t lived there in years.”

“So, he drove there in search of you? That’s serious intent.”

Worded like that, it didn’t sound good. Had Tanner just stumbled from the main house over to hers drunk, it would have been more conceivable that he’d gone there without the intention of sleeping with her. But driving to her house from where he lived downtown…that was a different story.

“How did Grace take it?”

Lana tucked her hair behind her ears and sat back on the bed. Cal remained standing. “She was angry. Not at me, at him.”

“So she believed you?”

“Yes, she believed me.”

“Doesn’t that strike you as strange? I mean, most mothers would defend their children to hell and back.”

Her hands twisted in her lap. “Grace is hard on Tanner. She keeps close tabs on him. I don’t believe she thought he would hurt me, but he had upset me and she didn’t like that.”

Cal stroked his jaw with his thumb and forefinger. “Where’s Tanner’s dad?”

She frowned. “He lives in Paris. Tanner doesn’t see him often.”

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