Read Online Silver Sparks by Starr Ambrose - Free Book Online Page B

another act of abuse. I heard in Mexico he likes his girls underage, and he’s not gentle.”
    Cal bit back a string of curses only because he was conscious of the two young kids dining with their parents a few tables away. He wasn’t surprised at Rafe’s behavior, but it still infuriated him to hear it. Worse, horrible possibilities started playing in his head, making him wonder if Julie had gone through the same sort of abuse. Or maybe she’d been a willing participant until things got rougher, or more degrading. Images he didn’t want flashed to life in his mind, nightmare scenarios of what Rafe might have done to Julie before the final, outrageous assault on her young body.
    “I thought you should know what you’re dealing with,” Rick said, “since your girlfriend crossed him and he looks mad enough to kill her.”
    Cal gave him a sharp look. “She’s not my girlfriend.”
    Rick looked confused. “Sorry, I just assumed, since you rescued her like that . . . or did they exaggerate?”
    He ran a hand through his hair and heaved a sigh. “No. It was a train wreck—I saw it coming and I couldn’t stop it, and couldn’t look away. Couldn’t leave her to handle Rafe on her own either, especially after she made it worse by charging back in to shake her fist at that hulking idiot bodyguard of De Luca’s. Crazy woman.”
    Rick chuckled. “I thought it was great. Dangerous as hell, but great.”
    The problem was, somewhere deep inside, so did Cal. He admired Maggie for not backing down, for not letting Rafe use her. But it didn’t outweigh his fear for her, and for the rage she aggravated further every time she defied Rafe. He’d seen what that bold approach to life could do. It didn’t always turn out well.
    “How do you figure you can help me?” he asked.
    The determined look on Rick’s face was the same one he’d seen on Maggie’s. “I’m going to nail the bastard. He’s obviously unstable if he’s pushed too far, and it’s bound to happen again. I intend to be there when it does.”
    “So you can get a picture and another big check?”
    “No.” Rick looked annoyed. “So I can expose him for what he is. Sure, I’ll take the money. But the guy’s got women throwing themselves at him, and they have no idea how dangerous he is. I know his type and I can guarantee that someday he’ll take it too far.”
    Finally, someone else who realized the truth. He gave Rick a hard look, and decided to trust him. “He already has.”
    Rick grew still and Cal could sense the man’s journalistic instincts going on high alert. “What do you mean? Did he do something to Maggie?”
    Cal noted the barely leashed tension—Rick wanted to bring Rafe down as badly as Cal did. He still wasn’t sure if it was a passion for justice or simply lust for a juicy story, but maybe it didn’t matter. He also recalled where he’d heard Rick’s name before. They might be able to help each other in more ways than one. “Let me ask you something first. Have you ever done any investigative pieces, the deep-background type of exposé?”
    “I did one on a police chief involved in a bribery scandal. Why?”
    Cal allowed a smile of satisfaction. The article had been sensational, but gutsy and true, and he’d noted the reporter’s name. “Because you’re right about De Luca. And if you’re looking for another big scoop, I have a personal connection to a story that might interest you.”
    Maggie had assured Zoe that the media attention didn’t bother her. She’d lied. Her sister bought it for only one day. By Monday evening she insisted on coming over.
    Zoe stepped inside the house, took Maggie by the shoulders, and searched her eyes. “Are you okay?”
    Maggie smiled, washed by a warm wave of affection for her sister. She hadn’t realized how badly she’d needed to hear someone ask that. Nodding, she pulled Zoe into a quick hug. “I am now. Thanks for asking, it’s been brutal. And Zoe, I’m so sorry if they’ve