Read Online Dangerous Games by Marie Ferrarella - Free Book Online Page B

for his answer.
    A loud thud coming from the room next to hers made her jump. If she’d still been asleep, the noise would have been enough to jar her awake. Because she was a Californian, born and bred, she automatically glanced at the light fixture overhead to see if it was swaying.
    It wasn’t.
    That ruled out an earthquake, she thought. Another thud had her on her feet and quickly in the hallway, knocking on the door next to hers. “Everything okay in there?”
    The next minute, the door opened. Clay stuck his head out, a sheepish grin playing on his lips. “Sorry, did I wake you?”
    She peered into the room past his shoulder. There were boxes piled up everywhere. “Seeing as how I’m not dead, yes, you woke me. What the hell are you doing in here?”
    He gestured toward the boxes. “Getting my gear together.” He looked at her. “I’m moving out today, remember?”
    “No,” she snapped, then amended, “Yes.” But that was a lie. She hadn’t remembered. A vague piece of conversation around the table floated back to her, but it had no beginning or ending and she couldn’t pin it down. “Maybe.”
    Shrugging her shoulders, Rayne took in a deep breath. She was still having trouble focusing. For once she wished she was like Teri. Clay’s twin was like a spring in the morning, able to bounce up and just launch herself into the day no matter how little sleep she’d gotten the night before.
    Crossing her arms in front of her, Rayne leaned against the doorjamb as her brother got back to work stowing his possessions into various boxes that were as yet unlabeled. If she knew Clay, they’d probably remain that way. A good detective, he wasn’t the most organized of people in his personal life.
    “Not that I don’t love seeing you go, but what’s the hurry?”
    He laughed. Taking packing tape, he began to close up the box he’d just finished filling. “Now you sound like Dad.”
    She pretended to take offense. “No need to insult me, just answer the question. You’re getting married soon, right?”
    “Right.” He took the last of his sweaters out of the bureau and deposited them in a tangled pile into the box. “Right after Callie and the good judge make it official.”
    Walking into the room, she elbowed him aside and began to fold his sweaters neatly. “So move out then.” And then she realized what her formerly wild bachelor brother was probably up to. Her hands still busy, she looked at him knowingly. “Or is it that now that you and Ilene have gotten back together, you just can’t contain yourself any longer?”
    He waited until she finished before dumping the contents of his sock drawer on top of the folded sweaters. “That’s none of your business,” he said as he shoved the drawer back into the bureau. “I told Dad I’d move out the minute I found some place affordable.”
    She made the logical assumption. “And that would be Ilene’s place.” Rayne went to his closet. It was already empty. A pang nestled into her stomach. He’d moved back in just for a short while. That had stretched out to more than seven months. She was going to miss seeing him around. “Can’t beat free, I guess.”
    Taking the tape, he began to seal another box. “For your information, I’m moving into a furnished apartment for the next two months.”
    She turned from the closet, surprised. “You’re not moving in with Ilene?”
    He shook his head. “Might send the wrong signals to Alex.”
    Ilene and Alex had stayed with them to ensure their safety before Ilene had gone on to give testimony about her company’s sleight of hand in the annual stockholder’s report. During that time, they had all fallen in love with the precocious boy.
    “What? That his long-lost father is finally sleeping with his mother?”
    Moving the box off the bed and next to the others he’d taped, Clay stopped packing for a moment.
    “I’ve explained who I am to Alex and he’s okay with it, but I don’t want to dump too