Page 5 of Desperate Temptations

She shrugged away from him and took a step back. Realization and then anger flashed through her.

“How did you know I was there last night?” Then another thought raced through her mind. A cold knot formed in her stomach. “That man from last night? Is he the one who told you about me? You know him?”

He turned away from her, his frustration showing in every line of his body. He turned back.

“Yes, he did tell me. He is someone I thought maybe could get through to you. You weren’t listening to me. It helped that he’s scary as hell, very much like the people you’re stalking, and I expected if anyone could persuade you to stay away, he could.”

She wrapped her arms around her middle. A raw and primitive feeling of deceit was pressing down, trying to overwhelm her. When she tried to speak, her voice wavered.

“Who is he?”

Gary’s jaw bunched, his fists clenching at his side.

“His name is Cain Owens. He was a friend of Drew’s from way back.”

Jessa’s hand lifted to cover her mouth, eyes wide with shock.

“How do you know him? And if he was friends with Drew, why didn’t I ever meet him, or hear about him for that matter?”

Gary closed his eyes and pressed onto the bridge of his nose.

“Cain is—was—military. He was in a specialized group of men who did delicate work for our government. He’s been out of the country for many years. The few times he had been back to see Drew were brief visits. He doesn’t like being around people, and he’s especially uncomfortable around women like you. So, when Drew suggested he come for dinner to meet you, he always declined. From what Drew has told me, he’s an extremely private man, so the less you know about him, the better.”

Jessa walked to the bay window, looked out at the yard, and wrapped her arms around her waist. Her dismay grew, making her increasingly uncomfortable.

“Women like me? What does that mean?” she asked quietly.

Gary rubbed the back of his head, his eyes skimming over her. He hesitated.

“You’re nice, classy, and soft-spoken. You’re used to finer things. He’s used to hard women, used to the harsher side of life.”

She tensed, resenting that. Hadn’t she gone through enough harshness? Was there something worse than seeing someone you love die right before your eyes? Jessa shook her head and walked around the living room.

“Why is he here now? Why didn’t Drew ever tell me, his wife,” she tapped her chest with her hand, “about him?”

“I don’t know what to tell you about Drew. They grew up together, I know that. Their families were friends.”

He gave her a fiery, angry look that she’d never seen on him.

“Maybe it had something to do with his occupation, or maybe he didn’t want you anywhere around the man. He’s been to every hellhole on earth doing God knows what.”

Some of her anger evaporated and left only questions and confused emotions.

“What else do you know about him?”

Gary gritted his teeth. Anger flashed like lightning across his face. She could tell he was getting more frustrated.

“He’s retired now. When he came back to town a few months ago, the DA’s office hired him as an investigator. Don’t ask me any more questions about him because that’s all I know. Drew didn’t tell me a lot about the man.”

She paced as her thoughts raced through her head. She didn’t understand why she wanted—no, needed—to know more about him and why he fascinated her so much. Maybe it was the fact that he’d been a part of Drew’s life that he kept separate from her.

Gary stopped her thoughts.

“I need your promise you’ll stay out of this. It will only get you hurt.” He held her shoulders and bent to look in her eyes, worry evident in his puckered brow. “Promise me.”

Her large green eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head slowly.

“If it were Aubrey, would you give up?” Jessa asked.

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