Double Life
AN OIL FORTUNE AND AN ILL-FATED HEIRAsh Corbett had been gone for twelve years. And now he was back in Jacob's Pass, Texas, as brash and as beautiful as ever. But something about him wasn't right. His family knew it…Emma Novick knew it. And what would take DNA typing precious time to reveal, Emma had only to look in his eyes and sample one kiss to know for sure.As a child, Emma would watch the grand Corbett parties through the windows and from the trees, catching only glimpses of the gowns and glamour inside. She was the gardener's daughter, not the sort of girl Ash would ever be attracted to. He was educated and well-bred, the kind of man who commanded respect wherever he went. But he and Emma shared secrets that only intensified over the years. Even though they were little more than strangers now, the passion between them burned strong still. But someone knew about them and would use their forbidden past to forge a new future…without Ash.
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The sound of a snapping twig startled her and Emmaâs heart pounded in alarm.
And then she saw him. He moved out of the shadows and for a moment he stood silhouetted in the doorway of the gazebo.
Ash.
Slowly he stepped inside. She couldnât see his face clearly, but she knew that he was staring at her. She felt the heat of his gaze pierce the walls sheâd built around her heart, and it frightened her. Excited her. She hardly dared breathe for fear he might disappear again.
He moved toward her and she closed her eyes.
âYou remembered,â she whispered.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amanda Stevens is a bestselling author of over thirty novels of romantic suspense. In addition to being a Romance Writers of America RITA® Award finalist, she is also the recipient of awards in Career Achievement in Romantic/Mystery and Career Achievement in Romantic/Suspense from Romantic Times BOOKclub. She currently resides in Texas. To find out more about past, present and future projects, please visit her Web site at www.amandastevens.com.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Emma NovickâRecovering from a brutal attack, Emma returns to her childhood home, only to be caught up in a web of lies and deceit that could destroy her dreamsâ¦and her life.
Ash CorbettâTwelve years ago the heir to the Corbett fortune took off without a word to anyone. Now heâs back, but is he the real Ash Corbettâ¦or a cunning impostor?
Helen CorbettâThe matriarch of the Corbett family will do anything to keep Emma away from her grandson.
Wesley CorbettâA generous man with a dangerous secret.
Brad CorbettâHeâs lived in his brotherâs shadow for far too long.
Pamela CorbettâWesleyâs cold, greedy wife.
Lynette CorbettâBradâs wife is afraid of the Corbett secrets.
Maris CorbettâThe only Corbett daughter, she appears to be genuinely happy to have Ash homeâ¦but is it just an act?
Rick BledsoeâA county sheriffâs deputy who makes a surprising confession.
Shell IslandâAs a kid, Emma had a strange premonition about the island. A few years later, the bodies of six young women who had been brutally murdered were uncovered there. And now the island is luring Emma backâ¦.
Contents
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 One
Nestled in a horseshoe-shaped cove on the Gulf of Mexico, Jacobâs Pass, Texas, was a gorgeous little town with a dark past.
By day, the pastel buildings shimmered like jewels in the heat, but come twilight, a pervasive uneasiness settled over the picturesque landscape. Doors were locked, window blinds drawn. The entire community seemed to hold a collective breath as if waiting anxiously for dawn to come and banish the night creatures back to their holes. It had been that way for over thirty yearsâ¦ever since the first body had been found.
Emma Novick glanced at the sky as she strode toward the pier, where sheâd left her car. The day was slipping away. Already the sun had started to sink below the treetops and in another hour, dusk would be upon her.
But it wasnât the old murders that made Emma worry about the coming dark.
She fingered the scar at the base of her neck as a chill slid over her. Sometimes when she lay alone in her bed at night, she could still feel her assailantâs hands on her body, his hot breath on her face. But it did no good to dwell on her fears. The attack had been over a year ago. It was over and done with. Sheâd survived the brutal assault and her testimony had sent the perpetrator to prison. He wouldnât hurt her, or anyone else, ever again.
The only thing she had to be afraid of now was her loneliness. And the gnawing dread deep inside that she would grow old alone, that she would live a life devoid of passion and love because she couldnât let go of the past.
Couldnât stop dreaming about a man who no longer existed. May never have existed except in a young moonstruck mind.
What frightened Emma even more were those rare occasions when she took a long, hard look at herself in the mirror and allowed herself to witness the passage of time. She was still a young woman, not even thirty, but she thought she would be married with a family of her own by now.
Instead, she spent her days catering to the whims of her tyrannical employer, whose sole joy in life was making those around her miserable.
At the thought of Helen Corbett, Emma hurried her steps. She hadnât meant to linger so long in town, but her outings were few and far between these days and the June weather was so perfect. Hot, yes, but a hint of rain cooled the breeze that blew in from the gulf.
Still, Emma knew she should have headed back hours ago. Helen would be upset by her tardiness, and when Helen Corbett got upset, there would be hell to pay.
But her brief escape had been worth it, Emma decided. With the wind whipping at her skirt and tossing her dark hair, she felt younger and more carefree than she had in years.
