Perfect Fling (Serendipity's Finest 2)

Her mother patted her shoulder. “If anyone can show him the error of his ways, it’s you.”

Erin shook her head, not as certain as her mother in her abilities. Sure, it was easy to see things clearly when not overwhelmed with him. By him.

Now to somehow remember that when dealing with the hardheaded but warm-blooded man she desperately wanted for herself.

• • •

Cole stared at the ceiling in the bedroom, wondering how his life went from the solitary living being undercover entailed, to . . . this completely complicated fuckup. Didn’t matter, anyway. One thing he knew for sure—this ended. Now.

Erin’s outburst merely cemented what he should have known all along. She wasn’t cut out for his kind of life or affair. Every time he was with her, he gave her false hope, only to pull it away again when he withdrew. No more.

The way you’re behaving right now? I do deserve better.

And he intended to make sure she got it, by getting her through this stalker mess with what was left of her emotions and pride intact, then walking away. Just like he should have done all along.

Cole’s cell phone rang, interrupting him from his painful thoughts. “Sanders,” he said, happy to talk to someone, anyone, to take him out of his own head.

“It’s Rockford.”

“What do you have for me?” Cole asked, eager for any news that would end Erin’s nightmare faster.

“When do I get you back?” the other man asked.

Cole wasn’t in the mood for games. “Never, if I don’t get some answers.”

Rockford cursed.

Cole braced his free hand beneath his head. “Not joking.”

“I can’t believe you’re threatening to sacrifice everything for a piece of ass.”

Cole clenched his jaw tight and he actually thought he might burst a blood vessel. “Talk about her like that again, and I’ll offer my services to the federal government instead.”

His boss let out a low groan. “She’s not just your baby’s mother.” Another round of cursing commenced. “And I’ll be losing you anyway.”

“No, you won’t. Give me what I need and I’ll be back before you know it.”

He could hear the sound of shuffling papers in the background. “Victoria Maroni went AWOL on Witness Protection after she testified.”

/>

Cole bolted upright in bed. But instead of swearing up a storm or going crazy, everything inside him went silent, much as it did when he was undercover and things were about to come to a head. “The Feds didn’t follow up on her?”

“Why should they? She did her job, testified, and the guy was convicted. They won’t spend man power or money to keep track. She’s not their problem anymore.”

But she was his, and Cole had just gotten proof that Victoria had dropped off the grid.

He ran a hand through his hair. The crazy woman could be anywhere, including Serendipity. But how the hell could she have been in such a small town all this time and not have drawn attention to herself? Unless she just came and went, slipping in and out unnoticed.

“You there?” Rockford asked into the silence.

“I’ve got to follow up on something. I’ll be in touch.”

“Hey! I got you your information. You owe me—”

“Talk to you later,” Cole said, disconnecting the call. He immediately dialed Mike. “Pull photos of Victoria Maroni. Show them to John Brass, see if she’s the brunette who hired him.” Cole felt certain she was behind the shooting and was now stalking Erin, but he wanted to build an airtight case.

“Who was that?” Erin asked, joining him in the bedroom.