Simon Says Die

getting shot. You don’t need bullets to wound someone. All you need is that sarcastic mouth of yours. If you could have had a calm conversation back at the police station, you might have been able to settle that detective’s concerns and Hamilton would have moved on to some other suspect. Instead, you had to put your royal airs on and get everyone’s back up. Now Hamilton is gunning for you, and you just might find yourself in jail before long.”
    â€œMy royal airs? I’m not the one going all caveman and ordering other people around. You treat me like I don’t have a brain and can’t make my own decisions.”
    â€œOh, you have a brain all right. You just don’t use it because you’re too busy having temper tantrums when you don’t get your way.”
    â€œOh . . . you . . . you . . .” She was so angry she sputtered into silence.
    â€œYeah, go ahead. Curse at me like usual. I’ve heard it all before. Let me know when you come up with some new insults.”
    She snapped her mouth shut and hopped off the couch. She marched to the door.
    â€œAh, the predictable Madison. Running away again instead of facing her problems.”
    She stopped in front of the door and whirled around. “What do you want from me?” She flung her hands in the air. “What am I supposed to do? Sit around while you decide what’s best? Pretend I don’t have an independent thought of my own?”
    He strode toward her and bent down so that his face was even with hers. “Is it really too much to ask that you trust me? I’m a federal agent. I have experience with abductions and murderers and stalkers. It’s what I do.”
    He reached out and pressed his hands against the sides of her face, his thumbs lightly stroking her skin as his eyes filled with concern. “You might not care about me anymore, but I realized something when you went missing. Whether I want to or not, I still care about you. I couldn’t bear it if you were hurt. All I want is for you to trust me and let me handle this investigation. Is that really too much to ask?”
    Sorrow and regret filled her. “Oh, Pierce. Haven’t you figured it out yet? I do care, too much. I always have. That’s why I ran away. This . . . ” she waved her hand in front of her. “Whatever it is that we have, this bond, it scares me.”
    His eyes darkened, and he leaned closer. “Why does it scare you?”
    â€œBecause it’s all flash and fire. It can’t be real; it can’t last.”
    He moved even closer, his hips cradling hers as he dipped down and pressed a whisper soft kiss against her lips. He shuddered against her and kissed her again. “What we have”—he kissed her again, sending butterflies dancing in her belly—“is special. It should be treasured, enjoyed. There’s no reason to think it won’t last.”
    She moved against him, heat flashing through her veins as she wrapped her arms around his neck and sank into his kiss. The fear that was always there, in the back of her mind, began to fade. His mouth moved against hers with a sensual heat that sent her thoughts and fears flying away. Like a drug, it created a hazy fog, heating her skin, making her desperate for the feel of him against her.
    He broke the kiss and moved his lips to the side of her neck. She arched against him, stretching on her tiptoes to fit her body more perfectly against his. “When you hold me like this, the fear fades.”
    â€œFear?” he whispered, his hot breath making her shiver as he pressed a kiss against her collarbone.
    She shivered again, the fog growing thicker in her mind. “Um,” she murmured. “Seems so silly right now to worry that I was so head over heels for Damon when we first met too.” She pressed an answering kiss against his neck.
    He froze, then jerked back, his hands on her hips as he stared down at her. “Damon? You’re comparing me to the man you think is trying to kill you?”
    She frowned and tried to pull him close. “I’m not saying that at all. I’m just saying . . . I was frightened. We fell too hard, too fast. It scared me.”
    â€œBecause you fell hard and fast for your former husband too?”
    â€œExactly.”
    â€œThat’s why you left me? You were worried I’d turn out like him?”
    â€œYes . . . wait,