Murderous Lies (7 page)

With great reluctance, she pulled away. He didn’t want this right now, and a week ago she believed he was a psychotic killer. Even if she didn’t want to listen to reason, Max was right. They should talk, not rush to sex.

“I’ll get us some water,” she said. “Let’s talk in the living room.”

M
ax sat on Rose’s couch, struggling to control his ragged breathing. She was still so perfect. How could she have believed the worst of him? Her body still knew the truth. It also seemed to know they were made for each other.

Damn it. I want her so bad.

Max tucked his hands beneath the edges of his thighs, knowing when Rose came into the room he’d have to struggle against lunging for her and satiating his desperate needs in the middle of the living room floor. All the dreams he’d had while in prison hadn’t even come close to how great the reality of her touch was. They couldn’t get enough of each other. One kiss and they were ready to rip their clothes off.

And she said she believes in me now. She thinks I’m innocent.

The problem was, Max didn’t know if he completely trusted that. Why did she change her mind so quickly? Rose had always been rather rebellious. Even if she still believed him guilty, with everyone in town apparently telling her what to do, she’d probably sleep with him just to prove them wrong. He didn’t want to be a fling for her, just to spite the town. He wanted love.

That thought did more to cool his libido than anything else could. He wanted forever, and first he needed to clear his name.

By the time Rose walked in, Max felt in control again—even if the sexy sway of her hips did cause him to feel twitches below the waist. She couldn’t help how damn hot she was.

She handed him a cup of water and then sat down, huddling in her corner of the loveseat without touching him. Maybe she’d had a similar thought pattern, or maybe she changed her mind. Either way, it helped not to have her touching him.

“So,” she placed her cup on the end table beside her, “what did you want to talk about?”

Max looked at the floor, not wanting to see the hurt sure to well up in her eyes. “Sage, and who could have really killed her.”

“Do you have any ideas?” Her voice sounded brittle, as though she struggled to hold her emotions in check.

Max cleared his throat. “I have a few theories, but maybe you can help me think them through.” Without looking at her, he quickly told her his suspicions about Jimmy Durant and Officer Calvin Black. “Other than them, I’m out of ideas.”

Rose never interrupted during his suspicions, but now she shifted forward on the couch. Her leg brushed his slightly, though Max tried to ignore it.

“If it was one of them, why did the killing stop?” she asked.

“That’s the question I can’t answer.” He finally looked up, meeting her eyes. “I don’t blame everyone for still suspecting me. And if the killing starts back up again, I know who I’d blame if I were in their shoes.”

“That’s why you’ve been watching me so closely? Because you think the killer will take me out?”

“Partly.” He nodded. “If I had reason to be mad at anyone in this town besides Jimmy, it’d be you.”

She flinched, but he drove on.

“Mostly you. You were supposed to believe in me. It would make sense for me to take revenge by killing you.”

A strangled sound came out of her throat, and Max realized how bitter he’d sounded. He couldn’t help it. No matter how much he loved Rose, her betrayal hurt him a lot. He
was
bitter, but he’d never hurt her.

“I don’t mean I want to kill you,” he rushed on. “That’s what the killer likely thinks though, and what people around town believe too.”

She still didn’t say anything.

“Probably a good thing we didn’t have sex earlier, huh?” he asked when the silence drew out too long.

She bit her lip, looking incredibly beddable, and then softly stroked his arm. “We could have. I believe in you and I wouldn’t have regretted taking you into my bedroom. But maybe you would have had regrets. It sounds like you aren’t over your anger at me.”

He thought about that before answering. After all, Rose had been his first and only love—the one woman he truly cared for. But a lot had happened.
Would
he regret sleeping with her now? All he knew was he didn’t want to hurt her. She’d been hurt enough.

“I would regret screwing you, Rose.”

She closed her eyes and her face reddened. “It’s okay. I understand.”

“No, you don’t understand.” He grabbed her hand and rubbed her palm against his face, savoring the feel of her skin against him. “I’d regret screwing for a momentary pleasure, because all I want is to make love to you. We can’t do that until we figure out how to trust one another again, and you believe, without a doubt, that I’m not guilty.”

“But I
do
believe,” she protested, twitching her fingers against him. “I told you I was sorry for not believing before. I know it can’t undo the past, but you admitted it yourself...everyone thought you were guilty.”

“What changed your mind?” He dropped her hand and stared at her, trying not be swayed by the pain in her hazel eyes. “Why am I suddenly innocent in your mind?”

She fiddled with a strand of dark hair, twisting it between her fingers. “It isn’t as sudden as it sounds. When the rumors started around town that Julie Barns planned to testify at your next appeal trial, I began to wonder.”

Max snorted. “Really? You weren’t very welcoming when I got back to town.”

She nodded. “I know. I was fighting with myself, because I wanted so badly for you to be innocent. I thought it was just wishful thinking because I missed you, and the happiness we used to have, so much.”

“But you feel differently now?” He shook his head. That didn’t make any sense. It was obvious she wanted him physically, so her original reason for being hostile was still valid. She might be justifying his actions because she wanted hot sex. “What’s changed?”

“It was the threat on my doorstep, oddly enough. I’ve been thinking about it since it happened. Even if I could stomach that you were some psychopathic murderer who took out my sister, I know how smart you are.” Her tongue darted from her mouth to wet her lips with a rapid motion as her nerves seemed to get the better of her. “You wouldn’t make a threat against me after Cal saw us together. You’d know people would assume it was you, so why put yourself in the spotlight that way?”

She was right. In an odd way, the threat exonerated him. At least for people smart enough to see why he wouldn’t have done it.

Before he could respond, a knock came at the door. “Rosie? Open up! Are you safe in there with that murdering bastard?”

Rose’s jaw hardened and she glared toward the front of the house. “Again? Seriously?” She jumped from the couch and stormed to the door, yanking it open so hard it hit the wall behind it. “Calvin Black, what the hell are you doing here? Doesn’t the Clarkston Police Force have anything better to do than interrupt me and Max?”

Without asking permission, Calvin opened the screen door and stepped inside, pushing Rose back. He glared down at Max. “I got complaints from concerned citizens.” His face was as hard with anger as Rose’s. “People started worrying something might have happened to you when they saw Kensington’s empty car out front.”

“I invited him to dinner.” She tossed her dark hair behind her shoulder. “And maybe a little sex for dessert. Gotta problem with that, Cal?”

Max tried his best not to laugh at the stunned expression on Calvin’s face. Super Cop deserved to be put in his place. Max knew Cal wasn’t out barging in anyone else’s house. He only wanted to harass Max.

Hoping up from his spot on the couch, Max leaned in to kiss Rose’s cheek. He couldn’t feel any more pleased that she’d finally stood up for him, but Calvin wasn’t going to leave them in peace. “I should be going, Rosemary. Thanks for the food.”

“Wait.” She grabbed his arm. “You don’t have to leave just because Cal keeps showing up. We aren’t done talking.”

She needed time to think about what he’d said about suspects, without being distracted by how much they wanted each other. While he didn’t like leaving her with Cal, considering the man was number two on his suspect list, it wasn’t like Calvin couldn’t have done away with her before. She’d be safe enough.

“We’re done for now. I need to get some stuff finished before I start work for Uncle Frank.” Max nodded at Calvin. “I trust the department will continue keeping such a close eye on Rose?”

Calvin’s lip curled into a sneer. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means if anything happens to her tonight while I’m off watch, after you chased me away, I’m holding you personally responsible.” He stared hard into the other man’s eyes. “And I’ll make sure you pay.”

***

R
ose watched Max leave, confused. Didn’t he just tell her he thought Cal was a suspect? Why leave her alone with the man?

She stepped away from the door, closing it before turning to Cal. She’d known him all her life and didn’t quite buy that he was a killer. She figured she was safe enough to let her irritation show. “You’ve got to stop this. You can’t run over here and pound on my door every time I’m alone with Max. I decide how to live my life. I know you aren’t convinced, but he won’t hurt me.”

Calvin took a step forward, getting in her personal space like he always did. “I wasn’t trying to piss you off. I’m scared for you, Rosie. Why trust that murdering bastard? Everyone knows he’s guilty.”

“Not the judge who acquitted him,” she countered. “Not Julie Barns.”

“What will it take to convince you?” His eyebrows scrunched down and his deep brown eyes clouded over with worry. “Why haven’t you ever been able to see what’s right in front of you?”

“I
can
see it. He’s innocent, Calvin. You should be watching Jimmy Durant. He’s far more likely to have done this.”

Cal shook his head and took a step forward, forcing Rose against the wall. “I’m not talking about the murders or Max. Why haven’t you ever been able to see me?”

“You?” Rose’s breath hitched in her throat. Sure, Calvin flirted with her, but she never took him seriously. Now his mouth was getting dangerously close to hers.

She slid down the wall and dodged beneath his arm, fleeing through the archway and into the kitchen. “Cal, what are you doing? I think our wires got crossed.”

“Did they?” He continued looking at the wall she’d just left, not facing her. “I thought I’ve been pretty blunt, but you always pretend you don’t understand. I’m in love with you, Rosie. I have been since that first day I saw you at high school. I was a senior and you were just a freshman, but I knew you were the girl for me.”

Rose chewed on a nail, trying to stuff down her nerves. Where was this coming from? Max accused Calvin of being the murderer, and now suddenly Cal wanted to be with her? This whole town had gone mad in the past week.

“Why haven’t you said anything before?” she asked.

He sighed heavily and stood straight, finally turning to look at her. “During school you were with Max. Then, you started dating Jimmy off and on right after Max’s conviction. After that, you had your hands full with your mom. I wanted to give you space. I thought I had time.” He shrugged. “I was able to see you every day and be around you, and that was enough for me. I thought once you sorted your life out, then I’d press the issue. I never expected Max to return and complicate things. I
hated
hearing you’re still in love with him.”

Could that be true? Rose thought back over the years. Calvin was always looming in the background, ever since Max left. He came into the gas station every night she worked, drinking a cup of coffee slowly while they visited between her customers whether he was on duty or not.

She shook her head and took a small step toward him. “Calvin, I’m sorry. I never guessed. If I’d understood I could have...” She sighed and closed her eyes. “I’m in love with Max. Nothing will change that. You’ve been wasting your time.”

It broke her heart to tell him that. If he really waited for her all that time, it seemed seriously unfair.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered again.

“What happens when he does something else to hurt you?” Calvin’s voice was low and choked sounding.

Rose kept her eyes closed, not wanting to see his pain. “He won’t. I know he won’t.”

“I’m always going to be here for you, Rose. No matter what. When things fall apart again, I’ll be here to pick up the pieces.”

When the sound of the door creaking shut was followed by Calvin’s heavy boots on the porch, Rose let out the breath she’d been holding in and opened her eyes. She crossed to the door and locked the deadbolt.

Now she really didn’t know what to think. Did Calvin’s feelings for her make him more of a suspect or less? The only motive he could have had to kill Sage was to get Max in trouble by framing him, but that seemed extreme when he’d never even told Rose he liked her.

One thing she did know was that she wouldn’t tell Max. The two men already had a pissing match anytime they were anywhere near each other. Them fighting over her was the last thing she wanted to happen.

***

M
ax pulled his car down the road a short way then stopped to keep watch. It pleased him when Calvin left shortly after he did. The man didn’t look happy, but at least Max was sure he hadn’t had time to do anything to Rose.

He was further reassured when Rose appeared in her bedroom window and slid it open to allow the cool evening air in. She was safe. It had been hard leaving her with one of his suspects, but he would have stormed back in if things hadn’t felt right.

The good news was she had sent Calvin away. It reassured Max that she really did believe in him. It wasn’t something he had dared hope for after her initial reaction. At least not this soon. Now all he had to do was find the real killer, and he and Rose could get back on track. Max just wanted his old life back.

R
ose set the chocolate milkshake in front of Julie Barns and glanced at the late arrival. Rose hadn’t heard from Max in almost a week since he left her standing there with Calvin. She hadn’t even seen him following her around. Now here he was, with another woman?