Sinful Secrets (Mine 4.5)

“Fuck.” Jason’s voice was a low snarl.

Tears slid down Catherine’s cheeks. “You’re mistaken. I-I…give me a minute. I’ll call him.” But she didn’t have a phone. Frantic, she turned, trying to take Jason’s phone from his pocket. “Give me your phone!”

A muscle flexed in his jaw. “Cat…”

She snatched the phone from him. Called her father. “He’s angry at me.” The line kept ringing. “If you just give him a moment, he’ll answer…I-I know he will…”

“No, ma’am,” the cop’s handsome face still reflected his sympathy. “He won’t. From what the ME could estimate, your father was killed at least five hours ago.”

The phone fell from her fingers.

Five hours ago…? I was at the airport then. Cameron had called me. He was coming to get me…

“We’ll need you to come down to the station with us,” the cop continued. “You’ll need to officially identify the body.”

Her gaze tore from him and locked on the patrol car. Her brother was in that car, trying to shout something to her through the raised car window. She couldn’t hear him clearly because voices were raised as a crowd gathered on the street. Couldn’t understand—

“I’m sorry for your loss,” the cop told her. “From what we can tell, your brother…he just snapped.”

I…protect you.

She rocked back, hitting Jason’s strong chest.

“You never know what’s in a man’s heart,” the cop exhaled heavily. “Even the people you think you know…they all have secrets.”

The tears wouldn’t stop. They fell down her cheeks.

“Cat…” Jason’s arms were tight around her as tremors ripped through her body.

I…protect you.

***

“No!” Cameron yelled as the cop car pulled away from the sidewalk. “Cat, no, get away from that bastard! I didn’t do this!”

“Settle down back there,” the cop in front barked.

He couldn’t settle the hell down. His gaze was still on Cat, held tightly in Jason August’s embrace. That SOB. Did he think he’d gotten what he wanted?

“I didn’t kill him!” Cameron shouted. His head was throbbing, nausea twisting his guts. Nathaniel—dead? No, he’d been fine when Cameron left him. His usual, cold-blooded self.

“Get away from him, Cat! Don’t trust August!”

“If you don’t quiet down,” the cop snapped. “I’ll quiet you.”

“Then come and do it!” Cameron slammed his head into the window. “Don’t trust him!”

Because Jason August was evil, straight to his core. He was using Cat, playing with her…and soon enough, Cameron knew the other man would try to destroy his sister.

The same way he’s destroying me.

Chapter Seven

Cat was too pale. Her eyes were stunned, hurt, and dark shadows lined the beautiful blue. She seemed too delicate, too damn breakable, and Jason wanted to pull her close and protect her from the whole bloody world.

Except…Cat wasn’t letting him get close. Every time that he tried to touch her, she tensed.

“You need to prepare yourself,” a woman in a white lab coat was telling Cat. “The nature of your father’s injuries…it’s not going to be a pretty sight.”

They’d been at the police station for over six hours. Answering questions—again and again. Cat still wore the gown he’d bought for her. Jason had long ago ditched his tux jacket and vest.

He wanted out of that place. He wanted to take Cat and vanish.

Why won’t she look me in the eyes?

“I-I’m ready.” The stutter was back in her voice. It kept slipping in and each time he heard it, Jason’s fist wanted to drive through the nearest wall. She was hurting, and there was nothing that he could do to stop her pain.

She followed the woman in white toward the door. Jason’s hand lifted and curled around Cat’s shoulder. “You don’t have to do this alone,” he told her. “Look, I can come with you. I can-”

Cat shook her head. She straightened her shoulders—and pushed his hand away. “I’m okay.”

Lie.

She left the small room. An interrogation room. And he was tired of being interrogated. Jason’s breath heaved out. Cameron killed his father? Hell, he hadn’t seen that coming. Sure, he’d been pushing and pushing against Donnelly Dining, but he hadn’t planned for this to happen.

He slipped from the room. Watched Cat as she entered an elevator. He didn’t want her viewing that body alone. He wanted to be at her side. Protecting her from everyone and everything possible. He—

“Haven’t you done enough?” Brock Mayer demanded. His eyes blazed at Jason. “You’ve destroyed that family. Let Cat keep the pieces of herself that are left.”

Jason’s back teeth locked. “Get out of my way.”

“No, no, I won’t.” Brock seemed to brace himself. For what? Did the guy think Jason was dumb enough to attack him in a police station? “You want to go in there and gloat over the dead?”

“Are you insane—”

“It’s not happening!” Brock said, voice fierce. “Nathaniel Donnelly might have been a cold bastard, but he was her father. Give her time alone with him.” He moved forward, coming to stand toe-to-toe with Jason. “You took everything else from her. The company. Her family. Just let Cat have these last few minutes.”

Rage pumped through Jason’s blood. “I didn’t do this.”

“You didn’t push Cameron Donnelly until he broke? Didn’t go after his livelihood, his company, every single day? What did you think would happen? That he would just walk away? Just give up?” Brock gave a hard shake of his head. “You push some people too far, and they snap.” His fingers snapped together. “And they turn on those close to them. They attack.”

The elevator doors had closed. Cat was gone.

“It’s all over the Press. You were wining and dining Cat last night while her brother was killing her father. Not like that scandal will be dying down any time soon.” Brock’s voice was a low, furious rumble. “Did you know…I found the body. Sprawled in the office. All that blood around him. The ME said…he lived for a few minutes. That Nathaniel didn’t die right away.” His head sank as he stared at his hands. “Maybe if I’d gotten there sooner…”

Jason’s own past shoved through his mind and he growled as pain merged with the fury.

Brock’s head snapped up. His eyes met Jason’s. Surprise—then understanding—lit his gaze. “After yesterday…I did some checking on you—your father—”

“Put a gun to his own head.” The words were savage. “And I found him. He had a few minutes left, but it did no good. He just died in my arms.” His blood had been all over Jason.

Brock backed away. One stumbling step. “Maybe you think it’s fitting…”

Jason tried to unclench his hands.

“It’s fitting…” Brock said, his voice dropping, “That they both went out that way. You got your revenge, didn’t you? You got everything that you wanted.”

He hadn’t wanted this.

All he wanted…all he wanted was Cat.

“Let her go now,” Brock said, expression stark. Almost desperate. “Before you break her completely.”

Jason stared at him. “If I let her go,” Jason asked, “what the fuck do you think will happen to me?”

I’ll break. I’ll be lost. I need her too much.

Brock’s eyes widened in stunned surprise. “You—”

The elevator doors dinged. Jason’s head whipped up just in time to see Cat rush out of the elevator. Tears were on her cheeks. He hated the sight of her tears. Jason shoved past Brock and hurried to Cat.

But when she saw him, Cat froze.

No, no, no. He pulled her into his arms anyway, ignoring the stiffness of her body. Jason held her close. “I’m sorry, love,” he whispered against her ear. Because Brock was right. This nightmare was on him. He’d put the wheels in motion. He just hadn’t realized what the end res

ult of his twisted plan would be.

I wanted her…and I wanted to destroy her father’s business.

Now he realized…Cat had been right before. Maybe he was more like Nathaniel than he’d thought. He hadn’t cared about collateral damage. He’d taken what he wanted.

“Get me out of here,” Cat whispered.

He pulled her closer and started walking with her at his side.

But of course, Brock was still there. Still in his way.

“Cat…Cat, I am so sorry.” Brock stepped toward her, as if he’d embrace Cat.

Jason was holding her. She didn’t need anyone else. “I’ve got her,” he told the other man.

Brock’s hands fell. He swallowed. “They…they found out that Cameron had a concussion. The cops told me that he was transferred to a hospital for evaluation. Maybe…maybe he wasn’t even aware of what he was doing. When folks are pushed too far, reality can—”

Cat turned in Jason’s arms. “Please,” she begged him, staring up at him with tear-filled eyes, “get me out of here. I keep seeing his body…it’s all I see…”