SWEET HEARTS
The Lindstroms #3
New York Times Bestselling Author
Katy Regnery
writing as
Katy Paige
SWEET HEARTS
Copyright © 2020 by Katharine Gilliam Regnery
Sale of the electronic edition of this book is wholly unauthorized. Except for use in review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part, by any means, is forbidden without written permission from the author/publisher.
Katharine Gilliam Regnery, publisher
This book is a work of fiction. Most names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any references to real people or places are used fictitiously.
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.
Please visit my website at www.katyregnery.com
Cover Designer: Marianne Nowicki
Formatting: CookieLynn Publishing Services
First Edition: March 2020
Sweet Hearts: a novel / by Katy Paige—1st Ed.
ISBN: 978-1-944810-58-0
Contents
Copyright
PROLOGUE
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
ENTR’ACT
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
ENTR’ACT
Chapter 9
ENTR’ACT
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
ENTR’ACT
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
EPILOGUE
Also by Katy Regnery
About the Author
For GMR, my sweetheart, who, when I ask:
“How much do you love me?”
responds,
“All the much.”
***
And to JoDeen, in thanks for helping me get Gabrielle right!
I appreciate you!
xoxoxo
PROLOGUE
Oh, God, please hurry. Please hurry! Please!
The words were a terrified litany in Katrin Svenson’s head as she crouched on the floor in the corner of her kitchen. She cradled the phone between her shoulder and ear, and held her largest butcher knife in a white-knuckled grip.
“You still with me, Katrin?” The 911 operator’s voice was soothing and urgent at once.
“I’m here,” she whispered. “Can they hurry? God, please, can they hurry? He’s never been like this before!”
“They’re coming. They should be there in another…two minutes.”
The banging and yelling intensified outside her apartment door. “OPEN THE GODDAMN DOOR, KAT!”
She swallowed painfully, adjusting and readjusting her grip on the knife. It wasn’t unusual for Wade to come by after a bender, but he’d never been like this. He’d awakened her by shattering a bottle against the garage door below her apartment.
“Katrin? Don’t try to reason with him or anything. Just sit tight. Tell me about yourself.”
“I’m a nurse at the, um—”
She turned her head a little to peek at the curtained window that separated her from her drunk, furious ex-fiancé.
“I know you’re in there, Kitty Kat,” he said, his low, menacing voice sending a shiver down her spine. “And I will…”
She trembled as a hot tear escaped from her eye, burning down her face.
“…KILL YOU WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!” he exploded.
“Katrin? Stay calm.” The operator’s voice was muffled, as though she placed her hand over the mouthpiece, and Kat heard her demand, “Why aren’t they there yet? Tell them to hurry. He’s threatening to kill her!”
Katrin felt the knife handle slipping through her slick hands and scrambled to readjust her grip.
“K-Katrin, you’re a nurse, right? Tell me about that.”
Before she could answer, the upper panes of glass in the door were shattered and she heard him reach inside, fumbling for the lock.
“I’M COMING FOR YOU, KITTY K—” His voice broke off abruptly as a police car siren came louder and closer. “Did you call the cops on me? YOU GODDAMNED BITCH!”
Wade had always had a healthy respect for the police. Like most bullies, he was also a coward. She could practically feel his indecision. Should he unlock the door or run?
A car screeched to a stop on the gravel of the driveway below her over-garage apartment and a loud voice on a megaphone cut through the night outside.
“Wade Doyle! Hands in the air!”
She held her breath, frightened she’d hear Wade’s fast footsteps crunching over the broken glass to get to her. Crouching into the smallest ball she possibly could, her trembling hands still held the knife just in case.
Pounding footsteps ascended the stairs to her apartment.
“Down on your knees, Wade! Kneel! Now!” She heard a scuffle and then the click of handcuffs. “Wade Doyle, you have the right to remain silent…”
“KAT! I LOVE YOU, KAT! I’M SORRY! I’d never hurt you! I love you…” Wade’s voice faded as he was hauled away.
Even though a part of her brain told her she was now out of harm’s way, she was frozen in place, her whole body still shaking. The door lock clicked open and the hinges creaked lightly.
“Kat? You in here? Kat? It’s J.R. Capocci. Officer Capocci. Kat?” She knew J.R. and his wife from church. “They’re taking Wade away. It’s all over. You’re safe now. Kat?”
J.R.’s gentle voice finally cut through the haze of fear that surrounded Katrin and her shoulders rolled forward, her body wracked with silent sobs as the knife clattered to the floor. She leaned forward to rest her throbbing, exhausted head on bent knees as hot tears poured down her face.
Wade’s gone. Thank God. Thank God. Thank God. It’s all over.
For now.
Chapter 1
Erik Lindstrom taped up the last box and carried it out to his car, setting it in the back seat and slamming the door shut.
He looked up to see his younger sister, Jenny, walking down the flagstone steps from her front door with her husband, Sam, their fingers laced together. Erik appreciated that his sister and her husband were devoted to one another, but at the same time it made him uncomfortable.
Erik didn’t have much faith in love.
He liked a pretty girl just as much as the next guy and had no problem with short-lived flings and mutual pleasure. It was love he didn’t trust. He didn’t want
