Read Online Viper by Patricia A. Rasey - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Patricia A. Rasey
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breathed in, detecting the scent of the ocean and the recent rain in the fresh air. The full moon found a break in the storm clouds and lit the parking lot as well, as the soft glow from the street lamps. It appeared she might make it home before the clouds decided to let loose again.
In spite of hoping for a good night’s sleep, she was glad Joe insisted on her coming out for a beer. Her raucous fellow officers could be downright fun, taking her mind off the job. They all needed the distraction. Being an officer had its drawbacks. Too many times red tape got in the way of the conviction. Frustration from watching the guilty walk free burrowed beneath her skin. There were times she had thought about leaving the job behind for something less stressful. But in the end, Cara couldn't imagine devoting her life to any other profession. She loved her job, despite the grievances.
Had it not been for Joe's invite, it might have been just another long, boring night at home with nothing to do but pour over what little they had on the open cases so far or read the novel sitting on her bedside table like she’d intended.
Spending time alone had begun to lose its appeal. Normally, she cherished her serenity but it came at a cost. She had no one to share life's joys or sorrows with, except for her weekly trips to see her grandfather. Grandpa was always willing and eager to hear anything she had to say, no matter how mundane the topic. Thinking of her elder brought a smile to her face. He had been the rock in her life, the one that grounded her.
The door opened behind her, startling her from her thoughts. Loud music and the din of conversation spilled into the night as a patron she didn’t know exited the bar. Her fellow officers hadn’t seemed ready to follow her out the door. Most of them, though, didn't have to work the morning shift with her either. The two beers she had consumed would hopefully help lull her to sleep and keep her thoughts of Kane at bay. More likely, he'd be the center of her dreams. Which, of course, was the last thing she wanted … or at least she tried to convince herself. Thinking of Kane in any other way than a prime suspect would only spell disaster for her.
The damp, brisk night air picked up and caused Cara to shiver since she had not bothered with a coat. She pulled her sweater a little snugger about her shoulders as she rounded the corner, not paying attention to where she was headed and ran smack dab into the middle of a very solid chest. Her forehead bounced off his pectorals and snapped her neck. Cara grasped her nape as she was about to apologize for not being more considerate. But when she glanced up, her eyes locked with the black gaze of Kane Tepes. She sucked in air, swearing for a brief second his eyes shined like black glass before she shook off the notion as nothing more than the glow of the bar’s neon lights reflecting in them.
"I'm sorry. If you'll excuse me," she said, trying to quickly pass by, saving herself from further embarrassment. That's when she realized he wasn't alone. To her mortification, Cara's best friend from years past, Suzi, had her arm linked through Kane's, with a smug look on her face. Which, at the moment, Cara felt like slapping off.
But what did she care?
After all, Cara didn't want Kane … or shouldn’t for that matter. Not only was he her lead suspect, he was an outlaw biker. As a cop, she had no right being jealous of the man Suzi had wrapped herself around at the moment. So why, then, did she feel like beating her chest caveman style and staking her claim on the biker, vampire, nightmare, or whatever the hell he was?
"Cara Brahnam," Suzi said, her perky smile condescending. "I haven't seen you in years. Not since you drove out of town without so much as a good-bye. How's your family, sweetie?"
"My father passed away years ago. But then you already know that. My mother left town and I haven't heard from her in years. Not that I care," Cara mumbled,
In spite of hoping for a good night’s sleep, she was glad Joe insisted on her coming out for a beer. Her raucous fellow officers could be downright fun, taking her mind off the job. They all needed the distraction. Being an officer had its drawbacks. Too many times red tape got in the way of the conviction. Frustration from watching the guilty walk free burrowed beneath her skin. There were times she had thought about leaving the job behind for something less stressful. But in the end, Cara couldn't imagine devoting her life to any other profession. She loved her job, despite the grievances.
Had it not been for Joe's invite, it might have been just another long, boring night at home with nothing to do but pour over what little they had on the open cases so far or read the novel sitting on her bedside table like she’d intended.
Spending time alone had begun to lose its appeal. Normally, she cherished her serenity but it came at a cost. She had no one to share life's joys or sorrows with, except for her weekly trips to see her grandfather. Grandpa was always willing and eager to hear anything she had to say, no matter how mundane the topic. Thinking of her elder brought a smile to her face. He had been the rock in her life, the one that grounded her.
The door opened behind her, startling her from her thoughts. Loud music and the din of conversation spilled into the night as a patron she didn’t know exited the bar. Her fellow officers hadn’t seemed ready to follow her out the door. Most of them, though, didn't have to work the morning shift with her either. The two beers she had consumed would hopefully help lull her to sleep and keep her thoughts of Kane at bay. More likely, he'd be the center of her dreams. Which, of course, was the last thing she wanted … or at least she tried to convince herself. Thinking of Kane in any other way than a prime suspect would only spell disaster for her.
The damp, brisk night air picked up and caused Cara to shiver since she had not bothered with a coat. She pulled her sweater a little snugger about her shoulders as she rounded the corner, not paying attention to where she was headed and ran smack dab into the middle of a very solid chest. Her forehead bounced off his pectorals and snapped her neck. Cara grasped her nape as she was about to apologize for not being more considerate. But when she glanced up, her eyes locked with the black gaze of Kane Tepes. She sucked in air, swearing for a brief second his eyes shined like black glass before she shook off the notion as nothing more than the glow of the bar’s neon lights reflecting in them.
"I'm sorry. If you'll excuse me," she said, trying to quickly pass by, saving herself from further embarrassment. That's when she realized he wasn't alone. To her mortification, Cara's best friend from years past, Suzi, had her arm linked through Kane's, with a smug look on her face. Which, at the moment, Cara felt like slapping off.
But what did she care?
After all, Cara didn't want Kane … or shouldn’t for that matter. Not only was he her lead suspect, he was an outlaw biker. As a cop, she had no right being jealous of the man Suzi had wrapped herself around at the moment. So why, then, did she feel like beating her chest caveman style and staking her claim on the biker, vampire, nightmare, or whatever the hell he was?
"Cara Brahnam," Suzi said, her perky smile condescending. "I haven't seen you in years. Not since you drove out of town without so much as a good-bye. How's your family, sweetie?"
"My father passed away years ago. But then you already know that. My mother left town and I haven't heard from her in years. Not that I care," Cara mumbled,
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