Read Online Darkest Desire by Tawny Taylor - Free Book Online Page A

his bottom line.” Her hand, she noticed, was still shaking as she lifted the glass to take a drink. She sipped while Malek studied her. She studied him back while silently considering her options.
    She was no Nancy Drew. Or Charlie’s Angel. She needed to find those two girls and warn them. And she needed to keep herself out of prison, and her sister and her brothers-in-law safe. Maybe it was wise to tell Malek something so he could help her find the other girls?
    â€œMalek,” she blurted just as he started to stand.
    He sat right back down. “What is it, Lei?”
    â€œMalek, I don’t know where to start.”
    â€œI’m here.” He reached for her hands but pulled away before he’d touched her. “I want you to feel like you can trust me. With anything.”
    If only she could.
    She tried to think things through, to find just the right words. She couldn’t. She was afraid. Frozen. Thoughts tangled into a massive knotted ball. She was terrified. Of Holloway. Of Malek. Of her feelings for Malek.
    â€œPlease, baby. Trust me.”
    She was in way over her head. That much she knew. She needed help. And she didn’t want anything to happen to Malek or Talen. They deserved to know something was wrong, that somebody was after something they had. But she couldn’t tell them that. Not yet.
    She started with, “The girl on the news this morning.”
    â€œWhich girl?”
    â€œThe one that’s dead. Someone found her early this morning in Detroit. I knew her. I knew her well. We worked together.”
    â€œAnd ...?”
    Now what? She sipped some water, forcing it past the huge congealed lump in her throat. “She’s the second one to be discovered dead this week. Two girls. Both murdered. And I knew them.”
    â€œAre you thinking you might be in danger?”
    I want to tell him everything. But dammit, Holloway’s in the CIA. If he said my gun was used in the murder, and the police have it, then I have to believe him. If it isn’t true, which I have no reason to believe, then it will be. “Both those girls left right before I did. I never got the whole story about either of them, but the rumor was they’d both been bought back by family members. There were five of us that got out of it that way. Two are dead.”
    â€œAnd the others?”
    â€œI don’t know. I’m one of them, of course. I don’t know where the other two are. Someone needs to warn them.”
    â€œHave you received any threats?”
    â€œNone.” That was a lie, but she couldn’t see any way around it. She needed to keep Malek’s focus on the other girls. That way Holloway wouldn’t have any reason to suspect him. If Holloway made good on his threat, she might be facing trial for two murders. Maybe three.
    Was there any way out of this fucking situation?
    â€œHave you received any strange calls? Noticed anyone following. . .” His brows scrunched. “Didn’t you ask me if I was tailing you the other night?”
    â€œAs I said, I was just mistaken.”
    â€œIt’s possible one has nothing to do with the other, but you still need to be careful. We need to find out why those women were killed.”
    â€œI thought the same thing. That’s why I went to Eve’s funeral and talked to her grandmother. One minute I was sitting there, the next, she was shot, too. In the head. Execution style. In the middle of the funeral home. This is too dangerous. It’s a matter for the police, not a couple of wannabe detectives. We need to be cautious and let the police do their thing. But maybe we could try to find the other girls and warn them.”
    Malek grumbled something under his breath. He shoved his fingers through his hair. “Why didn’t you tell me this? I gave my word. I promised to keep you safe.”
    â€œI haven’t left this house since then.”
    â€œGood. And you won’t leave.