Someone was crouched at the edge of the pier. When lightning flashed, he could see the outline of a person’s body.
He grabbed for the dock. Caught the wooden ladder that would get him out of the water.
Something dripped into his eyes. Water? Or blood?
Her hand reached for him. “Let me help you!”
He grabbed her and yanked her into the water with him.
She screamed. Hell, yes, it’s your turn to scream.
She also…sank?
The woman disappeared beneath the waves. Swearing, Drake dove after her. He caught her hair, long, spider-web like tendrils that drifted in the water, and he reached lower, grabbing for her.
They broke the surface together. She was gasping and shuddering and clinging to him as desperately as she could.
“Anna Jean?” Drake demanded. No, that wasn’t right. Anna Jean could swim for miles. She’d gone swimming with sharks for fuck’s sake. Anna Jean had no fear. Anna Jean—
The woman was about to choke him with her death-grip on his neck. “M-my…s-sister…”
He dragged her toward the dock. Hauled her up. Dropped her like a sack of potatoes.
She pushed up to her knees. “Y-you aren’t what I thought…”
He still couldn’t see her face. There just wasn’t enough light. Rain pelted down on them, hitting like hard spikes against his skin.
But…her voice was wrong. Too soft and husky, and tinged with the faintest of accents.
“Who the hell are you?”
She shoved wet hair out of her face. “I’m Piper, and I…I believe you knew my sister, Anna Jean.”
Believe? What the hell kind of game was this? “Where’s your partner?”
“I-I don’t have a partner.”
“Sure you do.” And Drake yanked out his weapon. The gun had been soaked, but there was a fifty-fifty chance it would still fire at least one bullet. “The jerk who hit me and threw me in the water. Now tell me…where the hell is he?”
She shook her head.
“Fine, I figure that answer means we get to do things the hard way.” He grabbed her and put the gun to her throat.
She screamed.
***
Trace answered his phone, stopping the peeling rings. “What the hell is it?” At this time of night, it had better be important.
“I’ve got her,” Drake’s growling voice said. “Get to your dancer’s studio. I’m heading there now.”
The line ended.
What. The. Hell?
Chapter Fourteen
“He’s insane!” The woman screamed the instant she saw Trace and Skye. “He has a gun!”
Trace shoved open the door to Skye’s studio. He made sure she got inside first, then he turned to confront Drake. “Have you lost what little sanity you had?”
“No, I found it…when I found her.”
Drake pushed the woman inside.