Vampire: A Dark Protectors/Rebels Novella, Rebecca Zanetti [best novel books to read txt] 📗

The sheriff scoffed. “On a date at the same bar and restaurant Mariana was having dinner at with friends? On the same night?”

“It’s a hot spot for young couples,” Cade returned.

“Ha,” the sheriff muttered. “Mariana would never fall for that line of bullshit.”

Cade cut Raine a look. “Mariana? The sheriff seems to have a familiarity with the woman here. Please tell me this is a jealous male situation. I always get such a good payment from juries for those.”

“No.” The sheriff slammed his hand on the table. “Dr. Lopez is a citizen in my town, and I’m concerned for her safety. The bomb your client threw into his own truck could’ve started her home on fire. This is dangerous, Mr. Maxwell. I know you have a job to do, but think of the bigger picture.”

Cade smiled, and it was a clear warning. “You really believe my client blew up his own truck? He loved that truck. Trust me. A jury will be crying for him when I’m done talking about that truck and how he willingly let it burn to make sure Mariana was protected in the house.”

“Raine has been sending her white roses. She hates those,” the sheriff barked, his eyes darkening and his complexion turning ruddy.

Raine could almost feel sorry for him. Almost.

“I assume you have proof of that slanderous allegation?” Cade asked.

The sheriff’s nostrils flared, but he didn’t speak.

“That’s what I thought,” Cade said. “I do hope you haven’t kept my client here for hours based on a hunch, Sheriff. Not only does that kind of thing get a city sued, it usually results in the removal of the authority who made such a fucked-up mistake.”

The sheriff leaned forward. “Oh yeah? What about the order that forced your brother into Dr. Lopez’s anger management group? He showed her documentation, and there isn’t any.”

“Do you have a copy of said documentation?” Cade asked.

“No, but Mariana confirms that she saw it.” Now the sheriff smiled. “She’ll make a great witness, don’t you think?”

Irritation flushed through Raine, and he started to sit straighter, but Cade waved him down.

“It is a pity somebody played such a terrible joke on my brother by sending the order to him in the mail. He had gotten into a bit of a brawl a few weeks before, and he figured the group session was in leu of going to court - at least that’s what the document said.” Cade sighed and shook his head sadly. “He didn’t call me.”

“Bullshit,” the sheriff snapped.

“Sheriff, I understand your emotions are at play here since you’re interested in Dr. Lopez, but we really must stick to the facts. Raine did receive that document in the mail, and it’s long gone. I’m sure he threw it away after graduating from the class,” Cade said.

Raine dutifully nodded, even though the prickle at the base of his neck was starting to really irritate him. “I want out of here. Now.” He had to get back to Mariana.

A deputy opened the door and handed over a series of papers to the sheriff. “We ran him and there’s no record. He’s clean.”

Tension rolled from his brother. Raine inwardly groaned. He’d figured they’d have time to stop his prints from being put into the system, but apparently the sheriff had been determined. Shit. He glanced at his brother.

The look he got back wasn’t reassuring.

He sighed again.

* * * *

Lightning zinged outside in proportion to her current mood. Mariana shoved clothing into a bag, her head pounding and her stomach cramping. “I can’t believe this.”

Tabi stood in the doorway, watching her with worried eyes. “I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation.”

“Like what?” Mariana carefully chose which socks she wanted to take.

“I’m not sure,” Tabi admitted.

Mariana zipped the bag and pulled it into the living room. “There isn’t enough evidence to hold Raine, and you know it.”

Evan still stood by the front door. “I think we should at least let him explain. If there’s no good explanation, we can keep you safe, Mariana.” The ex-cop’s eyes blazed a fierce promise, but even he looked uncertain.

There was something Mariana was missing, and she couldn’t figure out what. “I can keep myself safe.” She tucked her gun into her purse. “For now, I just need some space to figure all of this out.” She’d already called Laura in Dallas with the updates, and she was running a background check on Raine Maxwell right now.

“I’ll come with you,” Tabi offered.

Mariana smiled at her new friend. “You’re just rebuilding your factory, and Evan is in the middle of a campaign for sheriff. You don’t have time to hide out with me.” Tabi’s factory, which built some kind of ski masks, had mysteriously blown up earlier that year.

“Friends are more important than any of that,” Tabi said, looking so petite next to Evan’s large form.

Mariana shook her head. She could take care of herself, but she wasn’t sure she could protect Tabi at the same time. “I’m not going away for good.” She’d wait to hear from Laura about Raine’s background and then come up with a plan. The local sheriff would help her, and if Evan was elected, he would as well—just in case Raine was a crazy stalker.

How could the man who’d given her the best night of her life be her stalker? It just didn’t make sense.

Worse yet, maybe it made perfect sense. If he had been stalking her, she’d given him exactly what he’d wanted. Her. “I’m so confused,” she admitted.

“Then wait and talk to him,” Evan advised, the gun at his hip looking like it lived there.

She shook her head. “You don’t understand. When I’m around him, I believe him. He’s charming and smart, and we slept together.” She might as well tell them the full truth. “I need time and distance from him to be able to think this through.”

“I get that,” Tabi said. “But you shouldn’t go alone.”

“I’m not alone. I have my gun, and you two are just