“How? How could you have failed her? Things like that happen. Medical complications…”

Luther put his finger over her lips. He didn’t want her to make excuses for him. “I never wanted to be a father. I wanted a wife who loved only me. When Vivian got pregnant, I was suddenly not the most important person in her life anymore. I started resenting the child. And I started resenting her for shutting me out.” He shook his head. “It’s my fault that I wasn’t there when she needed me. I left because we were arguing all the time. It was selfish of me not to accept that she was going to divide her love between me and the child. I’m responsible for her death.”

Katie cupped his face with both her hands. But she didn’t say anything. Did she understand now what a selfish bastard he was? That he wasn’t the man who could keep her safe? That she should stay away as far as possible?

“I’m so sorry for what you had to go through, Luther,” she murmured and brushed her lips over his. “So sorry.”

“Don’t feel sorry for me, Katie. I don’t deserve it.”

She wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself to him.

“Please, don’t,” he begged. “I’m not what you want me to be. I’m not your hero. In a few days I’ll be gone. We both know that. You should listen to your brother. He’s got good instincts. I’m only gonna cause you grief.”

“I make my own decisions.” She drew back to look at him, her hands laced behind his neck. “You should know that by now, Luther.”

“I was afraid you’d say that.” He grimaced.

“Don’t look like I’m making you do something you don’t want. If I remember well, you couldn’t get enough of me this morning.”

He groaned, shoving a hand through his hair. “It’s not about that, and you know it. This physical thing that’s happening between us is explosive. The sex is out of this world amazing. And your blood…” He got hard just thinking of it. Of sinking his fangs into her beautiful flesh, while he thrust his cock into her. “I’m not strong enough to resist it. That’s why you should be the voice of reason. That’s why I’m telling you all this. So you know what you’re dealing with.”

“I know who you are: a man who wants to do right. If you really came to atone, then help me save Samson’s daughter. What becomes of you and me doesn’t matter.” She combed her hand through his hair, and the sensation sent a shudder down his spine. “Is it so wrong that I want to enjoy your company for as long as I can? Haven’t we both earned a little reprieve from our past and the misgivings we have? Don’t we deserve a few hours of happiness? That’s all I’m asking.”

He gazed into the green depth of her irises. “You deserve so much more, Katie.” He cupped her nape with his hand and rubbed his thumb along her jaw. “But I’m too tired to fight with you.”

“Good.” A satisfied smile on her face, she reached for the envelope her niece had brought her. “Then help me figure out what Forrester plans.” She pulled a handful of sheets of paper from the envelope and unfolded them. “Stalkers feel superior to their victims and have a need to boast about the things they’re going to do. Somewhere in these letters we’ll find where he’s hiding.”

Katie handed him a sheet.

He gave her a brief kiss and took the copy of the stalker’s letter. “Yes, my bossy witch.”

~ ~ ~

Luther put the letters beside him on the couch. Their author was a lunatic, so much was clear. He talked about eternity under the stars, sailing into the sunset, and diving into a new life. A whole plethora of bullshit metaphors spewed from the scribbled lines. Cliché after cliché sprung from the paper, making Luther’s eyes hurt. As for finding any indication as to what the stalker’s ultimate plan was, Luther couldn’t find any clue hidden in his ramblings.

Katie had dozed off in his lap a half hour earlier, and Luther now looked at her peaceful face. How anybody could hurt a woman like her was beyond him. She signified everything that was good in this world. Katie hadn’t judged him, not even when he’d tried to push her away and revealed the depth of his selfishness. Or when he’d confessed how he’d wronged the men he’d once called brothers. She made him feel that there was still hope for somebody like him. That maybe one day he could put his past behind him and start anew.

Luther pressed a kiss to Katie’s forehead and felt her stir.

“Mmm.” She reached up her hands and interlaced them behind his nape, pulling him down to her.