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from his coat pocket and
handed his card to her. His fingers grazed hers as she took it, and he wished
he could take her hand in his one more time and feel her skin against him. “I
hope you’ll change your mind.”
    She slipped the card into the pocket of her
jacket. “Goodbye, Xander.”
    He studied her face, trying to memorize the shape
of her alluring green eyes and the curve of her jaw. “Goodbye, Nicole. Whatever
happens, I hope justice is served on the person who committed the crime.”
    She narrowed her eyes in a sincere gesture. “Me,
too.” Then she and Stormy walked away from him yet again.
    He watched her leave, a hint of an unwelcome
feeling churning beneath the surface of his emotions. The way she’d answered
him, the look she’d had in her eye almost made him think she might be innocent.
    Almost.
    *        *        *
    Nicole sipped her cooling latte as she walked the
few blocks home. The rich, spicy tea didn’t excite her tongue like it normally
did. Instead, a tall, dark-haired man stole the attention away from her taste
buds.
    She couldn’t quite wrap her mind around the
episode that had taken place between her and Xander Secrist. At first, he
seemed like such a pleasant person, coming to her rescue in the coffee shop. Even
when he’d followed her outside, he’d seemed okay. He was definitely her type. But
she couldn’t possibly consider starting a relationship right now.
    Plus, he’d been so reluctant to take no for an
answer. Like weirdly so. She glanced over her shoulder for the millionth time
to make sure he wasn’t following her.
    The well-lit sidewalk was clear.
    Maybe his efforts really had been because he’d
liked her. She couldn’t deny she’d felt the spark of attraction, too. Every
time he’d focused on her, the energy humming through her body had spiked. His
height, the nice build of his body had all attracted her. Not to mention, he
wore a suit. Her favorite fantasies began with her slipping a tie from her
lover’s collar.
    If he’d have come along even a week ago, she
would have been thrilled he’d flirted with her. Things had changed. If she
survived this ordeal, and she prayed she would, then she could think about
something as normal as dating.
    As she approached her apartment building, she
recognized Janie sitting on the front steps. Her friend sat with her head
resting against the railing, her eyes shut.
    “Janie?” Nicole said as she reached her friend. “Are
you okay?”
    Janie opened her eyes, her lips struggling to
smile. “I’m fine. Long night at work last night, and I’m just gearing up for
another round.” She nodded, inviting Nicole to sit next to her. “Paul is on a
rampage, and it’s quieter out here.”
    “I understand.” Her boyfriend was an unmitigated
jerk. She’d talked to Janie about leaving him before, but her friend tried to
explain how she wasn’t ready. That kind of reasoning didn’t make sense to
Nicole, but she respected her friend’s choices. “You know you could come up to
my apartment.”
    “No. I really am on my way to work.” She glanced
at her watch. “Five more minutes and then I’m off.”
    “Okay. But you know you’re always welcome.”
    “I know.” She turned her attention to Stormy. “Come
give me a kiss, cute little puppy, before I have to go to work.”
    Stormy gave her cheek a slobbery kiss, earning a
laugh from Janie.
    Nicole talked to her friend until she left, and
then she started up the two flights of stairs to her apartment, Stormy happy to
walk dutifully beside her. Weariness set in before she reached her floor. How
did something like this happen to a person? In the movies, yes. In real life,
no. Normal people did not get accused of crimes they didn’t commit.
    Of course, she knew that wasn’t always the case. She’d
heard the horror stories of those who’d been freed after twenty years of
incarceration when someone had finally been able to prove them innocent.
    A wave of nausea rolled