Chapter Two

R emy

Remy felt the thrill of the hunt as he navigated the crowded ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton. He scanned the sea of designer dresses and expensive suits for any sign of Cori Sinclair. The tip about her latest con had come in just hours before, and he'd barely had time to throw on his best suit and make his way to the New York City hotel. His mind raced with a mix of anticipation and dread, memories of their shared past threatening to overtake his focus on the task at hand.

He couldn't shake the image of Cori as he'd last seen her, the day she vanished without a trace. They'd grown up together in the same rough neighborhood in Bayshore, two kids from struggling single-parent households who'd found solace and love in each other's arms. He'd never forgotten the way her green eyes sparkled when she laughed, or the way her hand felt in his as they dreamed of a future together.

But that future had shattered the day Cori's mother fell ill, and the corrupt insurance company had denied her the care she needed. Remy had watched helplessly as Cori's desperation grew. He had been a rookie cop and was working double shifts at the time. He'd never forgiven himself for not being fully there for her.

And then, without warning, Cori had disappeared, leaving him with nothing but unanswered questions and a broken heart. Now, as he scanned the ballroom for any sign of her, Remy felt those old wounds tearing open anew. He tried to push down the feelings of hurt and anger, to focus on the job at hand. He had to bring Cori in, to fulfill his contract with the Hunters Guild. Whatever they'd once shared, it was in the past now. He couldn't let his emotions cloud his judgment.

But he was damned sure he was going to get a few answers out of her before he turned her over to them.

And then, suddenly, he saw her. Across the room, a woman in a stunning red dress, her red hair falling in soft waves around her face. She was laughing at something her companion, a tall man with salt and pepper hair, had said, her hand resting lightly on his arm. Even with the disguise, Remy knew it was her. He'd recognize the way she moved anywhere, the confident sway of her hips, the tilt of her head as she worked the mark.

For a moment, he forgot how to breathe, his heart constricting with a mix of longing and anger. She looked incredible, the green dress hugging her curves in all the right places, the neckline dipping low to reveal a tantalizing hint of cleavage. But it was her eyes that caught him off guard, those impossibly blue eyes that had haunted his dreams for years.

As if sensing his gaze, Cori stiffened, her head turning almost imperceptibly in his direction. Their eyes met across the crowded room, and Remy felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He saw surprise in her eyes, followed quickly by a flash of fear and something else he couldn't quite name. Regret? Longing? He didn't have time to analyze it before she turned away, her focus back on her mark.

Remy pushed through the crowd. As he closed the distance between them, he could see that Cori's smile was strained and her body language tense. He was just a few feet away when Cori leaned in close to her companion, whispering something in his ear. The man's eyes widened, and he nodded, his hand sliding from her arm as he stepped away, melting into the crowd. Cori turned, a silent challenge in her eyes.

And then, without warning, she bolted, her red dress flaring out behind her as she raced towards the exit. Remy cursed under his breath as he dodged and weaved through the startled guests, chasing her down.

He burst out of the ballroom just in time to see Cori disappearing through a service door, her hair whipping behind her as she ran. Remy followed, chasing her through the twisting corridors of the hotel.

Ahead, Cori pushed through another door and emerged into a deserted alleyway, the night air cool against Remy's flushed skin. He put on a burst of speed, his hand closing around her wrist just as she reached the mouth of the alley.

"Cori, stop!" he panted, his chest heaving with exertion. "We need to talk."

She whirled to face him. "There's nothing to talk about, Remy. You're here to arrest me, and I'm not going to let that happen."

He shook his head, his grip on her wrist tightening. "I'm not a cop."

She stopped struggling and gaped at him. "What? What happened? That's all you ever wanted to be."

"I don't want to have this conversation in an alleyway. Come home with me."

"Home," she snorted. "What's that?"

"It used to be us."

Cori's eyes softened, just for a moment, and he thought he saw a glimmer of the love they'd once shared. But then it was gone, replaced by a hard, unyielding determination. "That's ancient history."

"Why? Why did you leave me?"

Her mouth opened and closed. "I did a bad thing. It didn't save my mother. But it made me feel better. And had it come out, what I did would have ruined your career."

"What did you do?" Remy's heart clenched at her words, at the pain and desperation he saw in her eyes.

For a moment, she hesitated, her eyes searching his face as if looking for something, but then with a suddenness that took his breath away, she twisted out of his grip, her knee slamming into his groin with enough force to double him over.

Remy gasped for air as he struggled to straighten up. But Cori was already on the move.

"I'm sorry, Remy," she called over her shoulder, her voice thick with emotion. "I'm so sorry."

And then she was gone, disappearing into the night like a ghost, leaving Remy alone in the alley with nothing but the echo of her words and the ache in his balls to match the one in his heart.

***

C ORI

Cori's heart raced as she fled down the alleyway, the sound of Remy's voice echoing behind her. She couldn't believe he was here, that he'd found her after all these years. The moment their eyes had locked across the crowded ballroom, she'd felt a rush of emotions she thought she'd buried long ago—love, longing, and a deep, aching regret for the way she'd left things between them.

She'd been desperate to make the people who had denied her mother the care she needed pay for their cruelty. But in the end, it hadn't mattered. Her mother had died anyway, and Cori had been left with nothing but the bitter taste of revenge and the knowledge that she could no longer have Remy, the best thing in her life.

Seeing Remy again had brought all those memories rushing back, and Cori felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes as she ran. She'd never meant to hurt him, never wanted to leave him behind. But she'd been so afraid of what would happen if he found out what she'd done, so terrified of dragging him down with her into the darkness she'd created and embraced.

She'd thought she was protecting him by leaving, that she was giving him a chance at a better life without her. But now, as she heard him calling her name, his voice raw with emotion, she realized how foolish she'd been. She'd broken his heart, just as surely as she'd broken her own, and the weight of that knowledge was almost too much to bear.

Cori pushed herself harder, her lungs burning as she raced down the alley. She had to get away, had to put as much distance between herself and Remy as possible. She couldn't face him, couldn't bear to see the pain and betrayal in his eyes. She'd done what she had to do to survive, but she knew he would never understand.

But even as she ran, Cori found herself slowing, her steps faltering as the weight of her guilt and regret crashed over her. She'd been running for so long, from her past, from her feelings, from the man she loved. And now, with Remy so close, she found herself wanting to stop, to turn and face him, to tell him everything she'd been too afraid to say all those years ago.

She stumbled to a halt, her chest heaving as she leaned against the cool brick wall of the alley. Tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision as she heard Remy's footsteps growing closer. She knew she should run, should disappear into the night like she had so many times before. But she was tired of running, tired of hiding from the truth of what she'd done and what she felt.

Except Remy wasn't following her.

She had escaped. Again.

Cori tried to tell herself that it was for the best. But it didn't feel that way. Not one damned bit.