Dare Me Again Read Online Free PDF Page B

to snow, and I don’t want Stevie stuck with me on her and Jack’s first Christmas.”
    “She has no issue with driving you up there, neither does Jack.”
    “I’m not a kid, Simon, I can drive myself.”
    “No arguments on this, baby. Now get packing.”
    While she was packing, SFPD showed up, along with a crime scene crew. Nosy Rosie, with Elliot in tow, barged in, demanding to know what the hell was going on. Jack took them aside and explained the situation.
    Despite the tense situation, Rosie wolf-whistled when she got a gander at Jack’s admirable backside as he strode back toward Kat’s bedroom where the techs painstakingly went over it. “They never grew cops like that when I was your age.”
    “I’m standing right here, Rosalinda,” Elliot said, pouting.
    She wagged her eyebrows before morphing into Revenge Rosie.
    “Rosie,” Kat cautioned, when her friend started telling the cops how to do their job. “Let the police do what they need to do. And promise me you won’t go looking for Evan and go Tae Bo Ninja on him.”
    “I can’t make any promises if I see him, doll. That man has been nothing but trouble from the get-go.”
    “They’ll get him.”
    Twenty minutes later, Jack, Stevie, and Kat met Simon at the CHP substation on 8th Avenue.

Chapter Six

     
     
     
     
    K at flew into her husband’s waiting arms and it was only then that she felt safe. She didn’t want to drive up to the mountains without him. She didn’t want to leave his side.
    “I’ll protect you,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “But I can’t focus on Scott if I’m worrying about you here.”
    “But—”
    He pulled away, holding her in the circle of his arms, and looked intently at her. “Go to the cabin. Stevie will follow you up in her car, Jack will work with me down here. Once we have Scott, we’ll drive up and they can go home.”
    She didn’t like it, not one bit, but she had to admit that having Stevie watching her back as they drove north was comforting. “How are you getting back to my car?”
    “One of the officers here will give us a ride back to the apartment. As to your drive, I suggest you provision in Sacramento. Then make a beeline to Truckee.”
    Catching her hard shiver, knowing she was terrified, Simon took her face gently into his big hands, and said, “Only the four of us know the address to the cabin. You’ll be safe there with Stevie.”
    “Okay,” she said, knowing he was right. “I’ll go, but promise me you’ll come up as soon as you can.”
    “I swear to you, Kat, we’ll spend Christmas together.” He kissed her again and said, “But I have a good mind to take you over my knee first for not listening to me, pregnant or not.”
    “I’m sorry, Simon, it’s just that—”
    “No, you need to understand, I
know
I’m tyrannical when it comes to your safety, but it’s only because I won’t risk anything happening to you.”
    He hugged her fiercely, then got her situated in his Jeep. “My cell charger is in the glove box. Make sure you’re powered up. I’ve put the address in the GPS. The key to the cabin and the instructions to light the furnace are written down in an envelope in the glove box. Everything else is easy common sense stuff. There’s an emergency kit in the back of the Jeep if you need it. You’re gassed. When you stop for provisions, gas up again, then text me when you’re back on the road.”
    She nodded, suddenly feeling like a little girl on the first day of school, terrified of being left alone. Leaning back into the Jeep he took her into his arms again and kissed her long and hard. When he drew away, there was no denying the tension in his face. “Go.”
    She nodded, put the Jeep in gear, and headed for the bridge. Stevie followed in her Mustang.
     

     
    Simon stood watching the taillights of the Jeep disappear down the street. “I’m going to kill that motherfucker,” he said.
    Jack grasped his shoulder. “Leave your emotions out of