Read Secrets and Lace: A Dark Romance Thriller (Fatal Hearts Series Book 1) for Free Online

hadn't taken a day off in months.
    Miles was at the door waiting for me, wearing black pants and a custom-made gray shirt without a tie. The large oak writing desk at the far end of the living room was scattered with papers and I suspected he hadn't stopped working all day. He was as much of a workaholic as I was.
    “How are you doing, my love?” He kissed me, pulling me into a hug and into the room. I trembled in his arms. Coming to him felt like coming home. He closed the door with his foot and continued holding me tight.
    I pulled away and looked into his eyes. “I'm so happy to see you.” Before I lost my nerve, I decided to get right to it. I walked over to one of the couches and dropped my bag and purse onto it, lowering myself down. Miles came to join me, questions in his eyes.
    “You're not having cold feet, are you?” He gave a nervous laugh, and then his smile faltered when I didn't smile back.
    “No, I don't have cold feet.” I took his hand into mine and squeezed it. “I love you; I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I've never been more sure of anything before.”
    “Should I get you something to drink before you tell me what's going on?” 
    “No, I'm okay. I had a glass of wine on the jet.” I pulled my hand from his and turned to face him. “The past few days have been kind of difficult for me. Miles, I think somebody's blackmailing me.”
    “What do you mean somebody is blackmailing you?” His eyes darkened.
    I reached for my purse and pulled out the envelope. I removed the card and the piece of lace fluttered out, dropping to the carpet between my feet. My gaze followed it and I watched it for a moment.
    Miles bent forward and picked up the lace. He held it between his forefinger and thumb, his brows knitted. “Is this... It's not what I think it is, is it?”
    “It is. It's blood.” I handed him the card. “Someone’s been sending me these. It looks like a countdown to our wedding.” I took the card from him again and showed him the number on the front. “I received this one tonight. I... I tore up the first two.” I looked at him, searching his face for a reaction.
    “Three days? Why in the world didn't you come to me with this earlier?”
    I threw my hands in the air and let them drop onto my lap. “I don't know. I thought maybe it was a prank.”
    Miles reached for the card again and turned it over and over in his hand, as though looking for some hidden message. “This can't be a joke.” He shook his head while holding my gaze. “You should have told me—we could have gone to the cops.”
    I made a prayer gesture with my hands, pleading with him. “I thought if you knew, you would connect it to my job. I didn't want us to fight.” 
    “Of course, that's exactly what I think.” He shot to his feet. “This must have something to do with your job. Someone you featured must want revenge.”
    I buried my head in my hands. “I think you're wrong.” I looked up at him again. “Miles, I think I know who it is.” I allowed the words to settle between us.
    “Well, who?” Miles shook his head in confusion. He tossed the card back on the couch.
    I hesitated before saying anything. The last thing I wanted to do was get between Miles and Owen. I didn’t want to force Miles to take sides. What if he didn't take mine? “I think—I know it's Owen.”
    Miles walked across the room to the desk and picked up a glass of water. He drank it in one gulp and turned back to me with his hands in his pockets. “That's ridiculous. Why would Owen do something like that?”
    I stood up and went to the large windows, gazing out into the night, not appreciating the view this time. “You know as well as I do that he doesn't like me. I don't know what he says about me to you, but he's made it clear to me that I'm not the right woman for you.” I turned around, my arms folded across my chest. “He came over to the house a few minutes before I called you. He was drunk and passed out.