The Promise He Made Her Read Online Free PDF Page A

he wins.”
    She saw a friend of hers, Dr. Molly Higley, a woman who had an office on her floor, leave the building and get in her car. Bloom wanted to be as free as Molly was. Free to get in her car and drive off to a normal Saturday afternoon.
    â€œI...know some people...inside...”
    He had informants. Who’d say anything for favors.
    â€œWord is that he’s going to see you pay...”
    But, of course, there was no evidence that Freelander had said such a thing. No way to restrain a man before he committed a crime.
    â€œI need time to build another case against him. Without any of the evidence Banyon presented.”
    â€œWith what then?”
    â€œWe’ve got this new information about him ditching the drugs to a dealer, for one.”
    In exchange for protection in prison.
    â€œLet me guess, some thug’s going to testify to that.” She’d learned how it all worked. Knew far too much.
    His shrug wasn’t enough. Because he didn’t have enough.
    â€œAnd you want me to believe that a thug’s word that a respected professor gave him drugs is going to be enough to convict Ken in court?”
    When two and a half years before only her testimony would have been strong enough? And now they wouldn’t have that. Double jeopardy wouldn’t allow it.
    â€œIt won’t be enough. No. But it’s a start.” His gaze was piercing. “You’re in danger, Dr. Freelander.”
    So they were going with formality again. Fine by her.
    â€œYou’re trying to scare me.”
    â€œThat depends.”
    She hadn’t been asking a question. She’d been stating a fact. She knew what he was doing. What he’d done from the first time she’d met him in the emergency room. Frightened her so much she’d felt she had no choice but to appear in court, face her ex-husband, the man she’d given not only her heart, but her entire future, and talk about how he’d been responsible for her broken jaw. The detective had been right to ask things of her then. She’d taken the stand and taken back her life.
    â€œDepends on what?”
    â€œOn whether or not it’s working. I need your cooperation on this, Bloom.”
    Bloom again. Back and forth. Push and back off. Forcing her and then letting her choose. He knew how to manipulate, that was for sure.
    â€œHow long do you propose keeping me hostage?” She wasn’t going. At least not with him. Maybe she’d check herself into a hotel. Until she could figure out what else to do.
    â€œNot long.”
    She studied him. Wanting to trust him. But she’d trusted him when she’d been adamant about not testifying against Ken, and Sam had assured her that they had such an airtight case that nothing could possibly go wrong.
    She’d trusted him when he’d told her that the way to ensure freedom from Ken for the rest of her life was to testify...
    She’d trusted Ken, too, when he’d promised to love and honor her.
    Turned out he’d been more threatened by her intelligence, her ability to surpass him in their chosen field, than in love with her.
    And the self-admitted wedded-to-his-job detective needed her to close his case. Again.
    Two very different men. Both serving their internal drive to be the brightest stars in their career universes.
    â€œHow can you sit there and calmly tell me that it won’t be long? If what you say is true, you can’t possibly know how long it will be before Ken does something else to get himself in hot water. Because if what you’re telling me is true, he’s going to be after me until he finds me, right? If you have your way, he doesn’t find me at all. Which means I have to stay hidden forever.”
    Or be found.
    She might be slow to see some things, but she was not stupid. Far from it.
    â€œI have a plan.”
    It wasn’t the look on Sam Larson’s face that stopped Bloom’s thoughts cold. Or even