Fear for Me by Cynthia Eden Page A

attorney in the country at a moment’s notice wasn’t responding. He hesitated on the threshold of his room. He didn’t want to leave her.
    He wanted to turn back, take her into his arms, and pretend the last five years hadn’t happened.
    But he’d been the one to walk away back then. To turn away from Lauren. He glanced back at her.
    For an instant, he could have sworn he saw pain in her eyes, but then her mask was back, as strong as ever.
    Anger pulsed through him and he swung back to fully face her. “Why do you always do that?”
    Her shoulders stiffened. “Marshal, you don’t know me well enough to say what I always—”
    “Cut the
marshal
bullshit.” His control was too frayed. She wasn’t going to deny what they’d been to each other. “I know you. I know you drink chocolate milk for breakfast, your favorite color’s blue, and you never go to see a movie that you
think
might have a sad ending without Googling the damn thing first.” His breath hissed out from between his clenched teeth. “When you come, your eyes get even brighter and you make a little moan in the back of your throat.”
    “Anthony—”
    That was an improvement. At least he wasn’t
Marshal
. But it still wasn’t enough. “I
know
you,” he bit out as his eyes swept over her. “As well as anyone can know you. As well as you let anyone know you.”
    She stepped back. “You’re not supposed to do that.” Her voice was a whisper. “You’re not supposed to make this personal.”
    It was personal. Always had been. He crossed the room and curled his fingers around her shoulders. He pulled her closer, but it wasn’t
enough
. He wanted her flush against him. Wanted her under him. Wanted
in
her.
Hold back. Don’t do it.
“What else would it be for us?”
    She lifted her chin, exposing the pale column of her throat. He knew her, all right. Knew she’d always liked it when he kissed her throat. The sensitive spot right over her racing pulse.
    “There isn’t an us anymore. There hasn’t been. Not since you walked away.”
    She’d been an ever-growing obsession for him. He’d needed her, day and fucking night, and she—she’d been so controlled. Holding all of her emotions in check.
    Except when they were in bed. That was the only time she let go.
    “I asked you to stay, but you didn’t.”
    His eyes narrowed. There was anger in her voice. “You didn’t give me a reason to stay.”
    “I wasn’t reason enough?” Then she shook her head and jerked against his hold. “Let me go, Tony.”
    Tony.
She’d called him that, years ago. Her voice whispering with desire.
    “You were right about us,” she said, “it was just sex. The sex ended. We both moved on.”
    He’d left town, but he’d never been able to
move on
. Not really. Every place he’d gone, she’d been with him. In his memories. Fucking always. When he’d seen that picture in Walker’s cell…
    I carry a picture of her, too. Does it make me as fucking twisted and obsessed as Walker?
    Judging by his past, yeah, it did.
    “Who I’m with shouldn’t matter to you,” Lauren said.
    Maybe if he kept telling himself that another hundred times or so… “I think about you.” A confession that was torn from him. “Too damn much.” He turned away, and this time, he did cross the threshold that would take him to his cold, empty room. “But that was always one of our problems.”
    She didn’t call out to stop him. He shut the door behind him. Held himself still.
    Lauren didn’t know about his family. Few people did. Those secrets were buried, just like his parents were.
    The father who’d been too obsessed. The mother who’d just wanted to get away.
    Death had been his mother’s only escape.
    I won’t ever be like him.
    Yet when he was near Lauren, those needs—too strong—rose within him.
    From the other side of the door, he heard the floor creaking. Lauren, coming toward him. Coming after him?
    His heart began to beat faster. He turned and flattened