Read Online Playing with Fire by Desiree Holt - Free Book Online Page A

made it next to impossible. “I spent the summer with my roommate. Did you think I wanted to stay around and watch you and Diane play house?”
    “I was desperate to explain it all to you.” He looked away from her. “I didn’t know what the hell to do. My dad was drinking himself to death, and I had a wife who only wanted a name for her child and someone to pay the freight.”
    “I’d have thought she would get an abortion,” Cassie said, hating her bitchy tone. “A baby would have cut into her playtime.”
    “I asked her about it, you know. God knows I wanted her to, whatever that makes me. Having a child with Diane was never in my plans. She said she was afraid of them. That something might go wrong. So there we were, pregnant Diane, drunken Dad, and me, all in the house down the street.” His words held the sound of bricks hitting concrete. “Can you think of a more fun scenario?”
    “What did you think I would do?” she asked. “Play the doting aunt? Or didn’t that even cross your mind?”
    “I didn’t think at all, Cassie, and that’s the God’s honest truth. Fuck. I was just trying to take it one day at a time.”
    “And then Diane was killed.”
    “Yes.” He exhaled heavily. “Then Diane was killed. But I can tell you, the ink wasn’t even dry on the marriage license before she was out running around again. I wanted her to settle down because of the baby, stop drinking, take care of herself, but you know Diane.”
    “Better than I ever wanted.”
    “I knew she was still sleeping around.” Hostility edged every word. “Hell, Diane could never be faithful to anyone. It wasn’t as if I cared one hell of a lot, except I didn’t want her to hurt the baby.” He drew in a shuddering breath. “I’d already planned to divorce her as soon as she gave birth and file for sole custody. The Barbours’ dog was a more fit parent than she was.”
    “I understand you were the one suspect they had,” Cassie murmured.
    “You got it.” He shoved his fingers through his hair again, a gesture of pure frustration. “I know I haven’t always been a nice person, Cassie, but murder is a little out of my league. No matter what the circumstances.”
    “They never found out who did.” She spoke so low, she didn’t know if he could hear her.
    “No. No, they didn’t. I’m sure half the town still thinks it was me.”
    “But you have a business,” she protested. “And it seems everyone hires you.”
    “As long as I stay in the yard and don’t come in the front door, they’re very happy to pay me for my work.” His lips twisted in an ironic imitation of a smile. “I guess it’s okay to hire a murderer if he hasn’t killed someone close to you.”
    There was such pain in those words her heart ached for him. Don’t do this, Cassie. Don’t play with that fire again. Let him talk and then tell him to go.
    “Okay.” She forced the words out. “I’ve heard what you have to say. Now you can go.”
    “Do you think I killed her? How about it, Cassie? Do you see me as a killer?” His tone was flat, his eyes hooded as he waited for her answer.
    “No.” She whispered the word. “No, I don’t.”
    He leaned closer, his face so near she could feel his breath on her skin.
    “Griffin….” She tried to push her head back into the chair, away from him.
    “I never got to tell you that night that I love you, Dewdrop,” he said, his voice quiet. “Even though I gave you my heart. I figured we’d have plenty of time for that later. I wanted you to get to know me as a person, not just by my reputation.”
    Cassie’s heart almost stopped. Whatever else she might have said caught in her throat. Of all the things he could have told her, this was the last thing she’d expected. And the name. His nickname for her. The sound of it made her heart crack open.
    Damn him!
    “Say something,” he prodded. “Tell me to leave right now, or I’m going to kiss you.”
    Cassie couldn’t move, couldn’t