Read Secrets and Lace: A Dark Romance Thriller (Fatal Hearts Series Book 1) for Free Online Page A
Authors: Dori Lavelle
I thought I'd look at phone to see if I could find something, any kind of evidence that he's involved.” I stopped talking and wrung my hands.
“Go on.” Miles went to sit on the couch again. “What did you find that confirms he sent you the cards?”
“Nothing. His phone was dead. He found me trying to switch it on.”
“So you didn't find any evidence. Just because he hasn’t warmed up to you doesn't mean he would do something so drastic.”
My chest ached. Miles was on Owen's side. “He said some things that made me suspicious.” I bit my trembling bottom lip. “But it's not just the things he says to me, it's the way he says them. He implied that I might pay a high price for what my magazine does to people.”
Miles didn't say anything for a long time, just sat there looking at me. What was going on inside his head? Was he agreeing with Owen? “You know what I think?” he finally said. “I'm pretty sure there are many people out there who want revenge for having their life stories splashed across the cover of a gossip magazine for all the world to see. You invade people's privacy. Do you know how many people you have hurt by exposing their lives?”
I sat down as anger rose up my throat. “So you think it's my fault this is happening? You know what I don't understand?” I shook my head in dismay. “You knew what I did for a living when we met. Why are you even with me?”
Miles ran a hand over his hair. “I love you. That's why—even though I don't like what you do for a living. I know the lengths people are willing to go when they're hurting. I live in constant fear for you.” He waved the card in the space between us. “This just confirms my fears.”
“Some of the people Sage exposes have done really bad things. People get attacked in the papers all the time. I haven’t heard of any becoming stalkers.”
“I don't care about what other magazines do.” He reached out and pulled me to him. “You're going to be my wife. I don't want to spend sleepless nights wondering if somebody's out to get you.”
“I don't think you have to worry about anything. I told you that. I think this is a one-off. And I know you hate to hear it, but my gut tells me Owen has everything to do with it.” I gazed into his face. “Can you at least talk to him about it? Tell him to stop?”
“You do understand what position you're putting me in, right? Accusing my friend of something so atrocious?”
“I'm your fiancée, and I'm afraid. I know this is uncomfortable for you, but I thought I would be your priority.”
He placed my head between his hands and kissed me on the lips. “You are my priority. That's why I'm against what you do. I'm trying to protect you.”
“And what I'm saying is that my job might have nothing to do with this.” I pulled away from him and stood up. “I'm telling you it's Owen, and you're defending him. How do you think that makes me feel?”
“Fine. I'll talk to him in the morning.” He clasped his hands together. “What if it is him? What then? Will you go to the cops?”
“No.” I shook my head. “He's your friend. I wouldn't do that to you.”
“Let me ask you another question. If it's not Owen, what will you do?”
I sighed. “I think it is him.”
“Come here.” Miles reached his arms out and I walked into them, but his embrace didn't give me any relief. He had chosen Owen over me. That hurt.
“Promise me something,” he said into my hair. “If Owen has nothing to do with this, we’ll go to the cops.”
Tears burned my eyes. I held on tighter to him, afraid to lose him. He would never understand why I didn't want to get the cops involved.
”Promise me,” Miles repeated.
“I promise,” I lied. I had already made a decision. If I got another card, I would not tell Miles—not until I got to the bottom of this by myself. If it turned out Owen was innocent, I knew the place to go looking for answers. Much as it pained me, I'd have to go
“Go on.” Miles went to sit on the couch again. “What did you find that confirms he sent you the cards?”
“Nothing. His phone was dead. He found me trying to switch it on.”
“So you didn't find any evidence. Just because he hasn’t warmed up to you doesn't mean he would do something so drastic.”
My chest ached. Miles was on Owen's side. “He said some things that made me suspicious.” I bit my trembling bottom lip. “But it's not just the things he says to me, it's the way he says them. He implied that I might pay a high price for what my magazine does to people.”
Miles didn't say anything for a long time, just sat there looking at me. What was going on inside his head? Was he agreeing with Owen? “You know what I think?” he finally said. “I'm pretty sure there are many people out there who want revenge for having their life stories splashed across the cover of a gossip magazine for all the world to see. You invade people's privacy. Do you know how many people you have hurt by exposing their lives?”
I sat down as anger rose up my throat. “So you think it's my fault this is happening? You know what I don't understand?” I shook my head in dismay. “You knew what I did for a living when we met. Why are you even with me?”
Miles ran a hand over his hair. “I love you. That's why—even though I don't like what you do for a living. I know the lengths people are willing to go when they're hurting. I live in constant fear for you.” He waved the card in the space between us. “This just confirms my fears.”
“Some of the people Sage exposes have done really bad things. People get attacked in the papers all the time. I haven’t heard of any becoming stalkers.”
“I don't care about what other magazines do.” He reached out and pulled me to him. “You're going to be my wife. I don't want to spend sleepless nights wondering if somebody's out to get you.”
“I don't think you have to worry about anything. I told you that. I think this is a one-off. And I know you hate to hear it, but my gut tells me Owen has everything to do with it.” I gazed into his face. “Can you at least talk to him about it? Tell him to stop?”
“You do understand what position you're putting me in, right? Accusing my friend of something so atrocious?”
“I'm your fiancée, and I'm afraid. I know this is uncomfortable for you, but I thought I would be your priority.”
He placed my head between his hands and kissed me on the lips. “You are my priority. That's why I'm against what you do. I'm trying to protect you.”
“And what I'm saying is that my job might have nothing to do with this.” I pulled away from him and stood up. “I'm telling you it's Owen, and you're defending him. How do you think that makes me feel?”
“Fine. I'll talk to him in the morning.” He clasped his hands together. “What if it is him? What then? Will you go to the cops?”
“No.” I shook my head. “He's your friend. I wouldn't do that to you.”
“Let me ask you another question. If it's not Owen, what will you do?”
I sighed. “I think it is him.”
“Come here.” Miles reached his arms out and I walked into them, but his embrace didn't give me any relief. He had chosen Owen over me. That hurt.
“Promise me something,” he said into my hair. “If Owen has nothing to do with this, we’ll go to the cops.”
Tears burned my eyes. I held on tighter to him, afraid to lose him. He would never understand why I didn't want to get the cops involved.
”Promise me,” Miles repeated.
“I promise,” I lied. I had already made a decision. If I got another card, I would not tell Miles—not until I got to the bottom of this by myself. If it turned out Owen was innocent, I knew the place to go looking for answers. Much as it pained me, I'd have to go