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Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 17
Twenty minutes later, I'd finished placing everything I’d put in the tote back into my desk, and with leaden feet, I exited the building and headed to my truck. When I opened the door, I gasped, and as I gazed at the item on the driver's seat; my eyes welled with moisture. A single red rose set on the cushion, so fresh and new moisture still clung to its velvety folds. So not fair, I inwardly wailed. Then, spying a note beneath the rose, I hesitated before reaching for the slip of paper. Unfolding it, I read the bold script, "No matter how far you run, or how far apart we are, you'll always have my heart. Please, listen to "Gone, Gone, Gone" by Phillip Phillips and "I Fall To Pieces" by Patsy Cline."Damn the man!With tears in my eyes, I picked up the rose again, and carrying it to my nose, I inhaled its delicate fragrance. None had ever smelled as sweet and heady as this single bloom. Wiping at my tears as I climbed in my pickup, I gently placed the rose on the passenger seat and st
Last Updated : 2025-04-19Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 18
The next morning, I walked into the station with the text message burning a hole in my pocket. My eyes searched the room, and when they landed on Nathan, I approached him. "We need to talk," I said, my voice low and urgent.He followed me into an empty interrogation room, his eyes questioning. I took a deep breath, then pulled out my phone, handing it to him. "Read this," I said, pointing to the message.His eyes scanned the screen, and I watched the color drain from his face. "What the fuck?" he murmured."It's him," I said, my voice shaking. "The killer."Nathan took my phone and typed a quick reply, trying to play it cool. "Don't do anything stupid," he warned me, his voice tight with tension. "We're going to catch him."But the damage was done. The fear was now a living, breathing entity between us, casting a dark shadow over our already strained relationship.~NATHAN~I couldn't believe it. The fucking son of a bitch had gone after Brianna. My hands shook with rage as I typed a r
Last Updated : 2025-04-19Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 19
As the next week passed, I found myself very emotional. My mind was fucked. I needed to get my shit together.The case was still going on, the messages from the killer had stopped, but that was no consolation, we were no closer to catching him. I had to get my head in the game, had to focus, had to find this fucking asshole before he killed again.Nathan and I had avoided each other like the plague, not even speaking unless it was about work. The tension between us was so thick you could cut it with a knife, and I could feel the weight of our unspoken words pressing down on me.But then, one morning, everything changed.As I sat at my desk, staring at the cold, black screen of my computer, the message notification popped up. My heart stopped as I saw the number. It was him. The son of a bitch had made contact again.The message was simple: "I'm watching you, Brianna."My hands shook as I picked up the phone and called Nathan. "We need to talk," I said, my voice tight with fear.He was
Last Updated : 2025-04-19Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 20
Never in my life had I been less enthusiastic about greeting another morning. Each day was becoming harder to get through. Yet, once again, I coaxed myself into getting up. I pushed back the covers and slid my legs over the side of the bed. Blowing out a breath, I slid the rest the way off the mattress and shuffled toward the bathroom. Pulling out the item I’d purchased the day before from the cabinet, I set about finding out the course of my future. Three minutes later, tears filled my eyes and flowed over onto my cheeks as I stared at the plus sign on the test stick. What was I going to do now? Shock, amazement, and fear swirled through me. I was pregnant.Turning to toss the stick in the trash, I felt a wave of queasiness assault me. Whether it was nerves or further confirmation of what the stick had already revealed, I didn’t know. However, bending over the sink, I splashed water on my face, willing the nausea to go away. Little by little, it passed, and as my stomach settled f
Last Updated : 2025-04-19Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 21
~Nathan~In my teens, I'd never been able to stay away from Brianna, though I'd damn sure tried. There were times I'd made it a day, sometimes two. Hell, once, I'd even managed to make it for a week, but in the end, I'd always come crawling back…hungry for my fix. However, now, the gold band on my finger was a minute-by-minute reminder that I’d made a commitment to another: one that with my actions with Brianna, I had dishonored. Brianna… God, how I wanted her. Shame washed over me for the fact. The one I had sworn my life to, was lying unconscious, and all I could think about was the one I had allowed to walk away again with my heart; my soul had ached for her. There never seemed to be a time, it hadn’t.When she’d turned in her resignation again, I hadn’t protested it. But I'd prayed, nonetheless, that she’d look back.Three fucking years I'd made it when she’d gone back to Oklahoma. Three fucking years of hell without her, but I’d made it. Then, she’d walked back into my life and
Last Updated : 2025-04-19Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 22
The three of us had gathered as many bags of food as we could and then carried them inside. Yet, there had still been as much, if not more, left waiting for our attention on the porch.After we'd deposited our first armload within the kitchen, we'd returned to gather the balance. As Cameron had picked up the ice-chest, he'd grunted beneath its weight. A slight whistle had escaped his lips before he'd proclaimed, “Don’t know what the hell's in here, but it’s one heavy, S.O.B!”Mom had tossed a frowning glance in Cameron’s direction at his use of more foul words and then scolded, “Cameron Michael…watch, your tongue, young man.” A small, chastised smirk had spread across Cameron’s lips, and he'd mumbled, “Uh...sorry, Mom.”↜↜ 🖤🖤↝↝When everything finally graced the floor and countertops in the kitchen, my eyes had busied themselves roaming over the grocery bags again: I’d been almost giddy at the sight and murmured, “Where do you think all this came from?”With a shrug and her eyes ag
Last Updated : 2025-04-19Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 23
After the second delivery of the groceries and money, Mom had given up even trying to find the time to fit in bill paying and had turned that lovely responsibility over to me. Though most average, near sixteen-year-olds, would have felt overwhelmed, I'd never been what one considered average. I'd always felt, acted and looked older than my age due to having spent so much time with my brother and his friends. As well, I'd always been good with numbers. Therefore, I'd picked up on the mechanisms’ of bill paying with ease.Every two weeks, for six weeks straight, we’d received the groceries and money, and though I’d remained uncomfortable about the whole thing, I'd done my best to set aside my curiosity and suspicion as I’d felt their deliverance, though baffling, was a God-send.When the third deposit upon our porch had occurred, I'd once again found myself sitting down with the checkbook, yet, even as I'd been adding numbers and delegating where the money was going, I'd found myself c
Last Updated : 2025-04-19Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 24
Nathan had gazed at me for several more seconds, then, bending he’d set the bag of groceries in his arms down on the porch, before straightening he’d glowered down at me. “Seriously—that's what you're worried about? You're out here, by your goddamn self with four guys. Three of whom you don't know a fucking thing about, and you're worried about some remark, one of them made? Have you lost your fucking mind, Bri?” He’d hissed the question, getting in my face.For the first time since I’d known Nathan, I'd found myself wanting to punch him, and reaching out, I'd begun poking him in the chest with my fingers. “Don't you fucking take that tone with me, Nathan!” Afterward, I’d tossed a quick glance at the groceries on the porch and at the three hoodlums and snapped. “Seems to me, I'm not the one with the secrets!”Nathan’s head had whipped up at my words and he'd stared at me. Then, in a motion I'd watched him do for many years, he'd reached up and begun rubbing at the back of his neck, a
Last Updated : 2025-04-19
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Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 45
Turning, I took a step and heard a pop and crack. To my horror, I saw the ceiling coming down at me. With a scream, I threw myself down beside the couch, riding it out there until the shaking stopped. When everything stopped rocking, I began to shift; however, I couldn’t as my legs had become pinned beneath what I could only assume were large chunks of the ceiling and support beams. The quake must have knocked the power out of the whole neighborhood, for the house had settled into a shroud of darkness. Not even the moon penetrated the blackness that now surrounded me and prevented me from seeing how much debris I lay beneath. I tried pushing at the heavy material to remove it from my legs. However, I had to stop as another contraction tore through me. Panting, I worked my way through the pain. When it had subsided, I pushed again at the debris, which held me, prisoner, beneath it.As I pushed and shoved, I became frantic. Fear skittered up my spine and claimed my mind. This couldn’
Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 44
After I had greeted him with a good to hear from you, Arizona had cleared his throat. “I’m not too sure you’ll feel that way after I tell you what I have to say.” From there, he’d launched into telling me how Nathan had come to see him the night I’d gone into witness protection. Demanding that he tell him where I was going. I groaned. “Oh, Jesus, tell me you didn’t.” Arizona gave a long sigh. “No, of course not. I didn’t know then. However, after the other night, he knows you’re in L.A.” “Arizona,” I wailed, “how could you? You promised you wouldn’t!” “Look here, Brianna, I ain’t said much, but dammit, this time I am, and you’re going to listen.”I remained silent but listening. After a few seconds Arizona continued, “He’s determined to find you, sweetheart. Do you remember what I told you about a man in love moving Heaven and Hell? Well, the earth has been under siege for a while now. And it seems he was a little confused. He thought you and I had been lovers. I set him straigh
Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 43
ONE MONTH LATERThough I’d known it wasn’t wise, I’d been unable to cut all ties back in Texas, and had reached out to Minx once I’d settled in L.A., even reaching out to Arizona. Then came the dilemma of Nathan.After everything was over, I’d powered up my phone and found my voicemail practically filled with his messages. With each one he left, I’d fought myself not to listen, instead, before weakness could overtake me, I’d hit the delete button and blocked his number. The temptation not to call him was still a daily struggle. I’d managed to find a job as an assistant for a private investigator. It differed from the hectic activity I’d become accustomed to at the agency and was nothing more than answering the phone and setting up appointments—but it filled in the empty hours. As the days continued to pass, I found I liked my boss. Linda Spelling had turned out not only to be a wonderful employer but a great friend. We spent almost every morning before work drinking decaffeinated c
Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 42
The silence that followed Zane’s announcement was filled with unspoken longing, a shared yearning for the simplicity of days gone by. But as the clock chimed the hour, reality crashed back in, and we both knew that we had to keep moving forward, no matter how much our hearts yearned for the comfort of the past."So, what's the plan?" I asked, breaking the silence.Zane took a swig of his iced tea before answering. "Well, we sit tight here for a bit. The feds are working on nailing the bastards that are after you. They're setting up a meeting, trying to draw them out.""How do they know where to look?" I questioned, fear gnawing at my stomach."They've got their ways," he said cryptically, his eyes holding a glint of something I couldn't quite decipher.I nodded, knowing better than to pry. "And what do we do in the meantime?""We wait," he said with a sigh. "But we won't be idle. We're going to use this time to get you ready, just in case things go sideways.""Ready for what?"He lean
Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 41
Zane led me to a blacked-out SUV, and as we drove away from the airport, I watched the lights of the city stretch out before us like a never-ending sea of stars."You okay?" Zane's voice was gentle, his hand briefly touching my arm before retreating to the steering wheel.I nodded, not trusting my voice. The lump in my throat was too big for words."We've got a safe house set up for you. It's not much, but it's home for now."Home. The word was foreign on my tongue. I had left my real home behind, trading it for a life in the shadows. But as we pulled into the quiet, nondescript neighborhood, I knew that for now, this was where I had to be.For the sake of my baby, and the love I had for Nathan, I had to play this game. I had to be strong, and I had to survive.As we pulled into the driveway of the safe house, Zane turned to me. "You can trust me, Brianna. I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe."I nodded again, my eyes misty with unshed tears. "Thank you."He helped me insid
Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 40
~NATHAN~Hearing Brianna say she was leaving had devastated me—her whispered words, “I love you,” had killed me.After she’d quit the call, I’d jumped in my pickup, and like a crazed man, I’d broken every goddamn speed limit law there was between her place and mine. I hadn’t given a flying fuck if a patrol car had pulled in behind me. They would have had to chase me to Brianna’s because I wasn’t slowing down for any motherfucker. Now, pulling in before her home, I gazed at it, shattered. It sat, silent and empty of her presence, echoing the bareness that now ripped through my soul. However, its solitude appearance didn’t stop me and shoving the pickup’s door open, I jumped out of the cab and ran up the steps of the porch. My feet never slowed until I stood before the front door. Grabbing the knob, I twisted, but it didn’t give beneath my fingers. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, its beat, erratic, broken. Raising a leg, I kicked at the door, the force behind the blow one
Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 39
Chief Peters’ expression was grim as he stepped inside, his eyes scanning over the two of us before settling on me. "Brianna, I need to talk to you. Is there some place we can talk...alone?"My heart stopped for a second, then thundered in my chest.Nathan nodded, giving me a look filled with reassurance, then disappeared into the other room.Peters closed the door behind him, and the weight of his gaze bore into me as I took a seat at the kitchen table."Brianna," he began, his tone firm but not unkind, "I've reviewed the evidence, and I believe your account of what happened with Cameron."Relief flooded through me, so intense it was almost painful. "Thank you, Chief," I whispered, my voice hoarse from holding back the tears."However," he continued, "this doesn't mean it's over. The investigation will continue, and we'll have to be prepared for any questions that may arise. The press will be all over this, and we need to keep our story straight."I nodded, my eyes never leaving his.
Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 38
At my words, Arizona's eyes snapped to mine, the color draining from his face. "You what?""I had to," I said, my voice shaking. "He was going to..." I couldn't finish the sentence, the memory too raw, too painful.Nathan stepped closer to me, his hand landing on my shoulder. "It was self-defense," he said firmly. "And we've already spoken to the local authorities."Arizona's gaze jumped from me to Nathan and then back to me, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief. "Bri, why the fuck didn't you call me?""Because..." I trailed off, not knowing how to explain the tangled web of emotions and fear that had led me to pull that trigger.↜↜ 🖤🖤↝↝I took a deep breath, my eyes pleading with Arizona to understand. "I can't really explain, I just need you to understand that, okay?"He studied me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine. Finally, with a heavy sigh, he nodded. "Alright. But you're going to have to fill me in eventually."With a slow nod, I began to talk. As I recounted t
Echoes of Desire; Dance of Deception 37
The simplicity of Nathan’s words was almost heartbreaking. It was a promise that we would navigate this treacherous path side by side, but it didn't erase the fear of what that path might hold.We ate in silence, the only sounds the clinking of silverware against the plates. The food was tasteless, a mere formality to keep my strength up. Afterward, I washed the dishes, the rhythmic motion of the water and soap acting as a balm to my frayed nerves.When I finished, I turned to face him. "I'm going to take a shower," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Would you stay?"He nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. "I'll be here."With trembling legs, I made my way to the bathroom. Stripping off my clothes, I stepped into the shower, the hot water a cocoon of false comfort.As I let the water cascade over me, the tears started again, mixing with the water and flowing down the drain. I didn't know how long I stood there, but it was long enough for the water to turn cold. Stepping out, I
