As if sensing some of what I had inside me, the demanding pace of his strokes slowed and Ash eased his grip on my hair.

I kissed his neck, tasting the faint tang of salt. My lips brushed over his skin as I spoke, “I love you.”

His entire body went rigid.

And then he surged upright against me, hard and fast three times. He said my name as we came, clutching me against him. As he pulsed inside me, I came too. I clung to him, riding out my orgasm as I listened to him whispering over and over again.

“I love you. Please, don't leave me.”

I loved him too, but the words in my head weren't me asking him not to leave me, so I didn't say them out loud. That didn't stop them from repeating in my mind though.

I love you. Please, don't hurt me.

Chapter 11

Ash

Isadora wisely kept up a running banter in the room. She almost sounded like her old self, but I could tell the difference. And I hated it. It made it that much more important that we find Trask and stop him. Personally, I wanted to be the one to find him. Find him and beat him to death with his own spine, but that wasn’t looking very likely.

Marcum had called with an update while Toni and I had still been...occupied upstairs. We'd moved from the reading room to my bedroom and I'd finally been able to take my time with her.

It still hadn't been enough time. I knew as soon as I'd brought her to climax again and again, felt her writhing in pleasure beneath me, that all the time in the world wouldn't be enough.

And then Isadora had been at my door, saying Marcum was on the phone and trying not to sound smug.

It had been only three hours since she'd left, and I hadn't been expecting a call any time before next week, especially after she'd told us to be patient. But then she’d called and sounded excited, said her partner had something. She’d be in touch.

I didn't know what that meant. He had something? What was it? What were they going to do about it? Would it lead them to Trask?

“You’re brooding.”

Toni’s soft voice, spoken directly into my ear, went straight to my cock. I had to fight the urge to turn to her and pull her closer. Kiss her. Lose myself in her. This wasn’t the time or the place, but I had too much tension built up inside me and I could think of only one way to burn it off.

Hell, I would've wanted her even if I hadn't been tense.

I still kept seeing her walking down the stairs with her suitcase in hand.

Nothing would erase that memory from my mind, but maybe if I had her wrapped around my cock for a good two or three hours a day for a couple weeks, a month, a year, the impact of what almost happened would lessen.

“Not going to talk to me?” Toni teased quietly.

“Too busy brooding.” I tried to smile, but didn’t do a very good job of it. Shooting a look at the clock, I muttered, “Why didn't she just tell us what the hell she had?”

Toni squeezed my hand. “If you keep staring at the clock, it’s going to make time go very, very slow.”

I brought her hand to my lips and kissed it before letting go. I leaned towards the table, glaring at my laptop as it sat open in front of me. Toni had sent me everything she'd gotten from her brother, but I didn't know why I bothered staring at it. I wouldn't find anything.

Trask had left the country after he'd gotten out of jail. If he wanted revenge, why hadn't he gotten it then? Had he only come back now because he was broke? Had he kidnapped Isadora to get money?

“He gets arrested fifteen years ago.” I was barely aware I was speaking out loud. “Gets out of jail ten years ago and moves. Comes back just as Isadora gets taken.” I ran my hand through my hair. I was overdue for a cut. “There's a record of him coming into the country, but nothing since.”

“Your mumbling is going to drive me crazy.” Toni ran her hand along my arm, and, for a moment, I let myself enjoy her touch, but then I focused back on the keyboard, trying to jog my brain into working.

Why couldn't we find him?

It hit me.

They hadn't been able to find the money he'd taken either.

“Son of a bitch.” I did a search of Trask's name, and pulled up everything I could find about the trial. I'd been a teenager when it first happened, but there was something I just remembered. “He had a partner. Or, at least, everyone had assumed he did. Reuben Stefanos. They never found him. Search warrants are still active.”

But what if there'd been no Reuben Stefanos? What if the name had been an alias Trask had used to hide his funds?

And what if he was using part of that alias now to stay under the radar?

The first combination – Reuben Trask – was a bust. I tried Stefan Trask next. Nothing. Stefanos Reubens. Stefan Reuben. Jackpot.

And then I started to read.

“Son of a bitch,” I breathed.

“What is it?” Toni asked.

I glanced over at Isadora. I didn't want to say it, not with her here. It would break her. Her eyes narrowed as she came over to where Toni and I were sitting.

“What is it, Ash?”

I wanted to tell her not to look, but I knew my sister. That'd just make her more determined to see it.

“When Daniel Trask was arrested, the FBI thought he had a partner named Reuben Stefanos, but nothing was ever found. I was just thinking that maybe Trask was using versions of those names as an alias.” I explained it as quickly as possible so she wouldn't be completely shocked when she saw it. “He was. Stefan Reuben.”

“And you know it's Trask because...” Her voice trailed off as she got close enough to see what was on my screen. “Son of a bitch.”

“Will someone tell me what's going on?” Colton came to stand behind her.

“It's a fucking picture of Daniel Trask.” Isadora's voice was shaking as she read the caption next to the picture. “'Stefan Reuben enjoys local BBQ with wife, Caitlin Holmes, and step-daughter...Lily.”

I read it and I was looking at the picture, but I still didn't believe it. Not even hearing Isadora say it. But there was no doubt. The picture was on the grainy side, but it was clear enough for me to identify the man as Daniel Trask.

And the teenage girl next to him as my ex.

“She was...” Isadora sank down next to me. Her face was pale, her eyes wide. “Do you think...no...I mean...”

“I told you what her letter said.”

Toni wrapped her arms around my waist and rested her chin on my shoulder as I spoke. I put my hand over hers and squeezed, letting her know I appreciated the comfort.

“You think Trask had Lily dating you?” Isadora asked. “That she was spying or something?”

“I don't know,” I answered honestly. I didn't know. But I sure as hell had my suspicions.

“Who's Lily?” Colton's voice was low.

In a hurried, hushed tone, I heard Isadora give her boyfriend a quick summary. Colton uttered a low oath, and I thought I might end up liking him after all.

“Do you think Lily went to Monaco?” Toni asked softly. “After she...left.”

“Where's her mom now?” Isadora asked suddenly.

“What?” I looked over at her.

“Lily's mom. Caitlin Holmes.” Isadora leaned closer to me and gestured at the screen. “She told us she didn't have family. Was she just keeping us from her mom because her mom didn't know what Trask was doing?”

I scrolled further down, and sucked in a breath. “She died.” I felt Toni stiffen behind me. “Caitlin Holmes died two months before I met Lily. Suicide.”

“Can you find the exact date Trask was released from prison?” Toni asked.