Guarding the Truth Read online

  Guarding the Truth

  Becca Jameson

  Guarding the Truth

  Copyright © 2017 by Becca Jameson

  EPUB Edition

  eBook ISBN: 978-0-9972463-8-4

  Cover Artist: Scott Carpenter

  All rights reserved: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. And resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  Acknowledgements

  Thanks to all my fans for your support! You put a smile on my face with your kind words every day.

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Acknowledgements

  About the Book

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  Books by Becca Jameson

  About the Author

  About the Book

  Guarding the Truth is a rerelease of a book previously titled Deceptive Liaison. It has been retitled and reedited, but the story remains the same.

  Madeline Cooper is a disgruntled, wealthy graduate student who finds herself sequestered at a Midwest university under a secret identity while awaiting the capture of her dangerous attacker.

  Her new neighbor, Parker Phillips, is a hunk who leaves her sexually frustrated night after night. He also turns out to be a private agent secretly hired to protect her.

  Although Parker’s entire world is upside down with his need to possess Madeline, he tries to reign in his feelings and focus on the job. Unsuccessful in his efforts, their passion is unleashed in a long, steamy night of sex.

  All hell breaks loose in the morning when the secrets between them are revealed and the two find themselves on the run. Hiding out in the mountains, they are faced with the task of overcoming their vastly different upbringings, forgiving the lies and secrets their relationship was founded on, and taking advantage of the sensual hot springs to reinvent their relationship.

  Prologue

  Someone was following her. Madeline was sure of it. Footsteps behind her scraped against the sidewalk. Her heart rate increased as a chill ran down her spine. Pulling her sweater tighter around her against the breeze, she hugged her books to her chest and tried to calm her wandering thoughts.

  Deep breaths. She berated herself for working so late in the campus library. Now it was dark, and she hated walking to her car alone at night. To top things off, she’d had to park clear across campus earlier that day.

  Picking up her pace, she skillfully maneuvered the winding sidewalk that angled gracefully through the university grounds, branching off in a multitude of directions toward the various statuesque brick buildings. The only sounds were the trees rustling in the wind, two sets of footsteps, and the pounding beat of Madeline’s heart.

  Whoever was behind her was gaining on her, rapidly. She didn’t want to glance back. Don’t be ridiculous, Madeline. This is a college. People walk places. Some quicker than others…

  Madeline began to sweat, even though the night air was chilly. Her breaths increased from the adrenaline rush as well as her added efforts to move quicker.

  The imagined assailant behind her slowed to match her pace. Could she hear his heavy breathing? Was he that close? Why didn’t he pass her and move on in his hurry?

  Her knuckles ached where she gripped two giant textbooks in a death grip. She tried to loosen her hold, but found she was unable. Madeline, you’re being silly. Just step to the side and let the person pass. Too many horror movies had etched themselves in her brain, flashes of them running through a mental reel.

  With all her concentration focused on getting to her car and locking the doors, Madeline didn’t stop to consider the ramifications of continuing on that track, which now hit her square in the chest and made her gasp and raise her gaze from her feet to her surroundings. She was in almost total darkness, the space between the ornate lamps that decorated the park unprotected. Stupid. Why hadn’t she headed toward one of the lighted classroom buildings instead of the parking lot? That would’ve alleviated the problem entirely. Plus, then she could have called for a driver.

  As her gait slowed, so did that of the person behind her. Drop the books. Run!

  She didn’t get a chance to take one more step. No sooner had the texts hit the ground than a hand wrapped firmly around her face from behind, covering her mouth.

  Madeline screamed, but the sound was muffled. Eyes wide, she wrenched her body back and forth, glancing in every direction. There was no one in sight. With both hands, she flailed to get a grip on the arm across her face, fingernails digging into her assailant’s forearm. His other arm wrapped firmly around her middle, below her chest.

  He dragged her off the path. In seconds, he flattened her against the rough bricks of a building.

  Madeline fought with all her might, still gouging into his arms with her finger nails, kicking back at him with her feet, trying to get any sort of purchase. He was tall, nearly holding her off the ground. The salty taste of his hand filled her mouth, and she opened her lips to bite him.

  “Don’t even think about it, bitch.” Hot air and spittle filled her ear along with his deep voice. His mouth was so close to her face she could smell his putrid breath, which made her stomach roil.

  Madeline twisted and wrenched her body in every direction. She hadn’t seen any part of him yet.

  “Stop. Stop it right now or I’ll kill you before I fuck you, do you hear me?” The arm around her middle disappeared, and seconds later a cool, sharp, pointy edge landed against her throat. “If you don’t want me to slit this pretty little neck of yours right this instant, stop your wailing and squirming, slut.”

  Madeline froze out of self-preservation. She needed to think. She needed a plan. No way was she going to die tonight.

  His deep chuckle filled her ear, his tongue darting out to lick her ear lobe. A long disgusting slurp like a cat made Madeline gag against his palm and cringe with disgust. “Mmmm, that’s what I thought. Not wiggling now, are you? All you rich bitches are alike. Strutting around campus like you fucking own the world, all high and mighty with your designer shoes and purses and expensive clothes.”

  He took a long whiff of her neck. “And perfume… What do you call it?” He paused and laughed deeply against her throat. “What? Cat got your tongue? Don’t have anything to say for yourself?”

  Eyes as wide as saucers, Madeline scanned her surroundings. Perhaps there was something she could use to hit him? A branch? It was too dark. She couldn’t see more than a few feet now that they were strategically positioned between street lamps.

  “Now, I’m going to lower you to the ground and we’re gonna have some fun.” His words were gravelly, even lower in pitch.

  The panic coursing through Madeline’s veins bumped up a notch as her feet flew out from under her and she landed with a thud against the hard ground, her breath whooshing out of her lungs. Her head bounced hard against the compacted earth, momentarily making her see stars. Through a dizzy haze, she willed
herself not to pass out. You can’t save yourself if you aren’t conscious.

  Before she could pull her wits together, big hard lips slammed against hers, kissing her roughly, trying to force entrance into her mouth.

  With renewed vigor, she twisted with all her might to free herself and even managed with her adrenaline-induced strength to flip over. For an instant he lost his hold on her. A moment that was short lived. A firm grip on her ankle yanked her back under him. Her nails dug into the earth as she struggled furiously to maintain her distance and pull herself free of his clutches.

  Through her gasps for air, she tried to yell, but her voice came out muffled.

  One quick jerk landed her directly under her attacker, face down in the dirt. His large hand held her head firmly in place, grass and dirt in her mouth and nose.

  “Listen, you fucking whore, all this struggling just makes me harder for you.” He laughed and lay his body over hers, suffocating her with his weight. “Now we’re gonna have us some fun. Can you feel my cock against your ass, bitch? See how hot you’ve made me? You’ve been teasing me with your sexy swaying all the way from the library, hips just begging me to take you. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? If I took you from behind?” A guttural moan escaped his lips, inches from her cheek.

  Madeline thought she was going to throw up. The fear ebbing through her was unlike anything she’d ever imagined. She couldn’t scream if she wanted to, because she could barely breathe with his weight pinning her to the ground. She fought for short gasps of air to fill her lungs, and all she got was gritty dirt in her mouth that threatened to head for her windpipe. Would she die from lack of oxygen? That fate was suddenly more attractive than being raped first.

  “Done struggling, are you?” More rough kissing landed on her neck and cheek.

  Suddenly his weight lifted off her and her arms were tugged to her sides, pinned there by his legs straddling her where he sat hovering over her back.

  “Now, let’s have some fun, shall we?” Strong hands roughly pushed her hair out of her face.

  At least she could get a breath now, and on the next one, she opened her mouth to scream as loud as she could, only to be faced with a large serrated knife before her eyes.

  “I’ve already warned you once. If you scream like that again, I’ll have no choice but to cut you open. You hear me?”

  Like a rag doll, Madeline was flipped over onto her back, her arms secured to her sides once again. Through her tousled hair, she got her first real look at her assailant. Dark skinned, hair cut close to his scalp. She couldn’t say if he was Hispanic or African American. But she’d never forget the look in his dark eyes, feral, lethal. He was going to kill her. His lips quirked up in a smirk. A tiny trimmed goatee hugged the tip of his chin.

  Lifting off her stomach for one second, he yanked her shirt from her pants and used the sharp blade to cut a line straight up the middle, leaving only her bra covering her chest.

  “Nice rack.” He sneered at her, set the blade next to her cheek, and reached to savagely squeeze her breasts with both hands. Pain ran from her chest into her arms, causing Madeline to grit her teeth hard against the onslaught.

  When he released his grip, Madeline gasped and shivered beneath him. The assaulter whipped his hand out and pressed the enormous blade once more against her neck, biting into her flesh. Warm liquid let her know the serrated edge was cutting tiny holes in her skin. Madeline held her breath. She closed her eyes for an instant. God, please, please get me out of this alive.

  Her eyelids wrenched open, and she nearly sliced her own neck on the firm blade when the crazed man reached between her legs and grasped her crotch. “Are you hot for me?” He tipped his head back slightly and growled. “I believe you like this. Your cunt is begging for my touch.” His fingers dug into her through the thin layer of her pants, viciously bruising her tender flesh. No one had ever touched her like that.

  All reason leaving her mind, Madeline screamed to wake the dead. No longer cognizant of the possible repercussions, she just wanted this nasty man’s hands off her, now.

  “You bitch!” Flinging the knife aside, he slapped her across the face, hard, and grasped her jaw so tight with his hand, she thought he might actually break the bone.

  With his head lifted high in the air, he froze. Thank you, God. Footsteps. Running. Getting louder.

  “I’ll get you for this, you bitch. Don’t think I won’t. You’ll never be safe.” In a flash of disgust, her rapist jumped to his feet and ran in the opposite direction of where they’d come.

  Stunned and in shock, Madeline lay there on the cold earth, gasping for breath, too tired and weak to move. Her small voice squeaked out, “Help,” just as someone came barreling through the bushes.

  “Oh my God.” It was campus security. He twisted and turned all around, straining to see in the dark for a few seconds before he kneeled at her side. “Ma’am? Are you okay?”

  Madeline could only give a slight nod. She pointed in the direction her assailant had run.

  “Will you be okay?” He stood quickly and stared down at her.

  “Go,” she managed, pointing again.

  Heavy footsteps ran in the indicated direction while Madeline pulled herself to a sitting position and tugged her sweater and torn shirt around her middle. A huge shudder rent her body as she stood and backed up against the building, still gasping for air. Her lungs couldn’t get enough oxygen. She leaned forward, hyperventilating, and attempted to drag deep breaths into her airway.

  Pounding steps grabbed her attention. Her gaze scanned the area as the security guard returned. She held a death grip on her sweater at her neck, drops of warm blood or perspiration coating her knuckles. She wasn’t sure.

  A relieved exhalation blew slowly out of her lungs when she saw the returning night guard standing before her, panting from the exertion. Streams of light flicked all around from the flashlight in his hand.

  “Couldn’t find him.” He leaned his hands on his knees for a moment and then stood and looked at her. “You’re bleeding.” He touched her neck and held his finger up for her perusal.

  “I’m alive. Thanks to you,” she mumbled, barely hearing her own words.

  “Let’s get you to a hospital.” He pulled a phone out of his back pocket and dialed.

  Chapter One

  “I won’t do it.” Madeline Cooper was furious. She glanced at the exasperated faces of the two men staring pointedly at her in the dingy room of the New Haven, Connecticut, police station. “Please tell me you’re kidding.”

  “Ms. Cooper, it’s the best course of action.” Detective Mark Reynolds was clearly determined to see this through. His dark eyebrows furrowed together in concentration. “We’ve been over this. Witness protection is the most logical plan. The state of Connecticut has an excellent reputation for the highest-quality protection.”

  Ignoring reason, Madeline turned toward the other man facing her. “Daddy.” When was the last time she’d called her father by that endearment? “There’s no way I’m going to move clear across the country and hide in some tiny state college. There has to be a better way.” She wasn’t beyond begging at this point. Finishing her doctorate degree at Yale was the topmost priority at this point in her life. Running from a criminal was not.

  “Honey, you know the stakes. If there were any other option, we would consider it, but as it stands, the most important thing is securing your protection and ensuring your safety.” Dr. Donald E. Cooper was not taking any chances with his only precious daughter. She recognized on a fundamental level, when she wasn’t burning with rage, that he was right. But that didn’t make the situation any easier.

  Moments passed. Everyone seemed to hold their collective breath. Damn. Madeline rarely cussed out loud, but occasionally that one little word filtered its way into her mind when she was furious.

  Madeline sighed, almost resigned to the facts. “Fine. What’s the plan exactly? Do I even get any say in this? Or do you two already have it all
mapped out and sent to press?”

  Detective Reynolds cleared his throat. A chill went up her spine as she stared into his hard expression. He was fit and young, probably about thirty, but the early stages of gray at his hairline and his current state of distress made him seem older. “It has all been arranged, ma’am. Sorry. I know this is hard for you.” He looked at her as though he wanted to shrink into the wall of the drab gray police station.

  The station was enormous. When Madeline had first entered that morning, she’d been shocked by the number of people and volume of noise. She and her father had been escorted down a long hall of rooms before being ushered into the current one—an interrogation room. Madeline had entered it feeling as though she was the criminal. Weren’t interrogation rooms where people went in handcuffs after being arrested for a crime in order to be questioned?

  The tiny room had one small table and two metal chairs that had seen better days. No one was using any of the furniture though. They had simply entered the room to avoid eavesdroppers and escape the noise level of the bustling station. Secrecy was always the predominant element in Madeline’s life these days. She inhaled a deep breath before continuing.

  “Do I have to take a different name?” Lord, what have they chosen for me? Probably something hideous like Brunhilda. Madeline cringed at the idea. Muscles twitched in her arms. She crossed them over her chest to hide the shaking. This day could not get any worse.

  “Actually, we thought it best…well, easiest…if you used the name Maddie from now on. Easy to remember. Easy to answer to.” At that announcement from Madeline’s father, he was now the one sinking into the wall, clearly hoping to get sucked up by a mysterious black hole. Everyone knew that Madeline Cooper hated being called Maddie. Passionately. Yes, the day could and would get worse. Her cheeks burned with anger. Her foot involuntarily tapped on the floor.