Die For Me: A Novel of the Valentine Killer (For Me 1)

The other bodies.

“You didn’t honestly think I gave up killing in the last three years, did you? I’m sure the profiler told you that a guy like me can’t just go cold turkey. He would have been right on that one point.” A chilling pause. “There are bodies. Lots of them. And I’ll give them to you…once you give me a deal to sign for my life.”

The sonofabitch. He was just playing them. Every moment, every word. It was all a game.

Dane took Katherine’s arm. Led her away. Didn’t stop when other detectives called out to him. He hurried down the hallway, practically dragging her with him. He needed her alone. Had to talk to her without all the eyes and ears on them.

He shoved open a door on their right. The same room. The same room where he’d taken her frantically hours before. Because he hadn’t been able to keep his hands off her. Because he’d needed her.

He’d been afraid of losing her. Of death. He’d been rough and hard. Always too rough and hard.

She’d deserved more. Better. Romance. Courting. Not a fast screw in an old cop room.

“Katherine…”

She shut the door, then stood in front of him, her body brushing against his.

There was so much to say to her, and he didn’t even know where to start.

He stared into her eyes and wondered if he looked as obsessed as Valentine. Because he felt the same way. Like she was everything. That she was the one he had to protect from every threat. Everyone.

Have to protect her, even from myself.

Fuck, what if Valentine was right? What if he was more like the guy than he’d believed?

I’ve killed. I’d do it again in a heartbeat to protect her. When Valentine had risen from that chair, he’d imagined himself blowing the man’s brains out.

It would be so easy.

And what will happen when we go out of the station with him? It’s going to be a trap, I know it will be.

“Don’t go,” Dane said, because, maybe, those were the only words that mattered. Don’t go with us to find Ross and Margaret. Don’t put yourself at risk. “Stay at the station. We’ll bring them back.”

Alive? Doubtful. Valentine was just going to take them to find the dead bodies. If he even led them to the bodies.

“If I don’t go, you won’t find them.” Her voice was soft but certain. “He wants me there. He wants me to see what he’s done.”

“Fuck what he wants.” His fingers curled around her shoulders. “I want you safe.”

“And I want to be strong.” Her chin lifted as her eyes flashed golden fire. “I don’t want these deaths on me. I want to save someone.”

She was so beautiful he ached. “They’re already dead. He’s going to take us into the middle of nowhere, he’ll try to escape, and I’ll shoot him in the head.” That was how this would end. “He wants you to see me as a killer, and he’s setting it up so that there is no other option, no choice for any of us.”

“There’s always a choice,” Katherine whispered. “Even if it looks like there isn’t.” Then she rose onto her toes and put her mouth against his. Her lips were soft, the caress so very light. Intimate. Loving.

I love her.

He realized the truth in that instant. It wasn’t just an obsession. Not for him. He wanted her safe. He wanted her happy. And he never wanted her to fear monsters in the world ever again.

To keep her alive and happy, Dane realized that he’d give up everything.

Her arms twined around his neck. “I won’t ever see you as a killer. You’re a cop, you protect.”

And I kill.

“I want you to know me as I am.” He didn’t want lies between them. No false images. She’d had all that before. “I killed my father when I was seventeen. I could have let the bastard live. Could have gotten him tossed in jail.” Not choices he’d made. “I killed him.” When his father had been coming at him with that bottle, Dane had known one thing with utter certainty…He’s not walking away. He won’t ever hurt me again. Even if his father hadn’t fallen down those stairs, he would have been a dead man.

She backed away, just a few inches, and gazed up at him. “Is that supposed to change the way I feel?”

“See me as I am!” Valentine knew. He was going to use that truth against them all.

“I do.” Soft, when his words had been so angry and hard. “I see a man who is brave and strong. A man who makes me feel safe, even when I’m surrounded by death. A man who makes me feel alive, when I thought I was already dead.”

“Stay here,” he said again, the words growling out.

“No. I want to be with you. I want to finish this, with you.”

He felt like she was breaking him. This time, he was the one to kiss her. And Dane knew she needed gentleness. Knew that she deserved care, but he was too afraid.

Afraid for her.

He pulled her against him. His mouth crashed down on hers. His tongue thrust into her mouth. Desperation drove him.

Finally found her. Can’t lose her. Can’t.

Was that the way Valentine felt? Like his whole damn world began and ended with her?

If something happened to Katherine, just how far would Dane go to get vengeance? Just what would he do?

I don’t want to find out.

He tried to gentle the kiss. Couldn’t. Tried to get his hands to let her go. Couldn’t.

He’d never wanted another woman with this intensity. When he’d seen Valentine in that office, Dane’s first instinct hadn’t been to tell the guy to freeze. To tell him to drop his gun.

I wanted to shoot. To take him out of Katherine’s life forever. The squeeze of his trigger would have done it. I f**king should have done it.

He wore the badge for a reason. But he’d been ready to toss it away. Was still ready.

Katherine’s fingers pressed lightly against his shoulders. Her mouth was moving softly beneath his, caressing his lips, and the frantic drumming of his heartbeat slowly faded.

Another kiss. Finally, softer, and his head lifted. Being close to her made him feel stronger.

He reached into his holster and pulled out the gun.

– 20 –

Dane tucked the gun into Katherine’s hand. “If this goes south, if Valentine tries anything, don’t hesitate to shoot him.”

“I didn’t hesitate before,” Katherine reminded him.

Dane’s fingers brushed back her hair. “I didn’t expect you.”