by Kaylea Cross
People had been known to kill for a lot less than that.
“John’s” face appeared in her mind, sending a shiver ripping down her spine.
“Then you can make a down payment and apply for a mortgage now?” Sierra asked, trying to keep things positive.
“Yes.” She should have been thrilled. Once she paid him out, it would help the situation with Jase. “What if the people Carter owed money to know about this? They knew about the policy. If they know I’m getting this much money, they’ll come after me.”
Sierra shook her head, her expression firm. “That’s not going to happen. My brother will find out who these assholes are and take care of it. And in the meantime, Jase is here to make sure you’re safe, and Beckett too.”
Yes, Jase was here. Because he felt obligated.
That familiar sinking feeling took hold again. “I haven’t seen much of Jase since I got back.” She’d have to tell him about the money, so he was aware of the possible threat.
“Oh?” Sierra said casually as she headed for the fridge.
Too casually. And they’d just eaten all kinds of food at Whale’s Tale. No way Sierra could possibly be hungry.
Molly frowned at her friend’s back. “Have you seen him much?”
“The other day while you were at work. And a couple of times while you were away.”
“Did he…say anything about me?” She hadn’t told Sierra what had happened.
“While you were away? He asked if I’d heard from you.”
Oh. “Nothing else?”
Sierra stopped in the act of pulling the fridge open to look over her shoulder at Molly with a sharp look. “No. Why? What’s going on?”
Molly hesitated. Maybe she shouldn’t say anything more. Maybe Jase didn’t want anyone else to know.
Sierra stared at her. “Oh, man, I thought things were a little weird between you guys earlier. If something happened, you’d better tell me.”
“He kissed me. The night before I left.”
Sierra’s blue eyes widened in shock. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I panicked. I was embarrassed and confused.”
“Embarrassed? Why?”
“Because of…everything.” She made a helpless gesture toward her rounded belly. “I’m not sure what I feel and I was afraid of what you and everyone else would think.”
“Aww, Moll, no.” Sierra came over to take her by the shoulders, her deep blue eyes searching Molly’s. “Sweetie, Carter’s gone. There’s no reason for you to punish yourself about moving on. And screw what anybody else thinks, you deserve to be happy. I know you care about Jase. If you want him, then don’t push him away because of whatever reasons you’ve made up in your head.”
She looked away. “I hurt him. Turned him down pretty harshly. He walked out, and then I booked my flight home and left before we could…resolve it.” Although how could they resolve that? To his credit he hadn’t tried to talk to her about it or change her mind since, so he’d obviously taken her decision to heart.
The problem was, she did want him. Couldn’t stop wanting him. She thought of him constantly, dreamed of him every night.
“Then you need to talk to him,” Sierra said.
“He’s been doing his best to avoid me.”
“Well he’s been…busy, that’s all.”
Something in her friend’s tone struck her as odd. She raised an eyebrow. “Busy with work, you mean? Or something else?”
Sierra grimaced. “Okay, I didn’t want to be the one to tell you because I wasn’t sure how you’d left things between you two, but I think he’s seeing someone.”
The news was like a gut punch, taking her completely off guard. How could he be seeing someone already? “Oh.”
“I think they’ve gone out a couple times since you left.” Sierra gave her a sympathetic look. “Are you upset?”
“No,” she blurted. But hell yes, she was upset. How could he kiss her like that, say all those things and then go out with someone else right after?
“Are you sure? Because you look and sound upset to me.”
“No, of course not.” She tried to convince herself that this searing pain in her chest wasn’t the remnants of her heart breaking. He hadn’t done anything wrong. She’d told him they were never going to happen. What had she expected him to do, sit around pining for her the rest of his life? This was her own damn fault.
God, the irony. She’d been ready to consider putting her fears aside and following her heart to see if she could let him in the way he wanted, but not if he was seeing someone. She groped for a silver lining to ease the pain. Maybe they weren’t meant to be. Maybe now they could go back to being friends. Someday.
“I want him to be happy.” She truly did. But it still hurt like a bitch. At some point since the night he’d kissed her she had begun to allow herself to picture them together. She’d been nursing a spark of hope that things might work out if she could find the courage to risk her heart again.
Sierra watched her doubtfully. “Moll, if you have feelings for him, then you need to tell him. Don’t let him go.”
She shook her head, put on a brave smile even though it felt like her face might crack from the strain. Things happened for a reason, right? If he’d already asked another woman out, then clearly he wasn’t that into her. “It’s okay. My life’s only going to get more complicated as time goes on. It’s for the best that we both move on with our lives now.”
But even as she said them, the words filled her with a terrible, empty hollowness.
Her phone rang. Her heart jumped, a spark of hope fading when she saw Noah’s number instead of Jase’s. “Hi, Noah.”
“Hey, Moll. I’ve got some news I need to share with you.”
He didn’t sound too happy. “Is it good news, or bad news? Because I could really use some good news.”
A pause followed. “It’s not good.”
Hell. “Okay, so it’s bad. I should tell you first then, that the insurance company made their decision. I’m getting the money.”
He groaned. “Okay, I reached out to an FBI contact of mine about your case and as a favor to me he had his people run ‘John’s’ pictures we got from the security footage through their facial recognition software.”
“All right. And…?”
“His real name is Rafe Baxter. And he’s an enforcer with ties to the Russian mafia.”
Chapter Sixteen
Aidan rapped twice on Jase’s open office door and waited for him to look up from the computer screen in front of him. “You busy, wee man?” It was past dinnertime on Thursday night, and everyone else had gone home.
“You gotta stop calling me that. I’m barely an inch shorter than you. That doesn’t make me wee.” His pal had dark circles under his eyes, as though he hadn’t been sleeping much.
Could be good or bad, depending on what was keeping him up—a willing woman, or personal demons. Aidan hoped it was the first one.
“In height, maybe no’. In personality and other important areas where size matters, trust me, you’re much shorter.”
Jase snorted and leaned back in his chair. “Remind me again why I thought I liked you?”
“Because I’m a charming bastard and I’m handy with a rifle when things get a wee bit dicey.”
“Yeah, I’ll give you the second thing. What’s up?”
“I was thinking of hitting the pub for a pint before we get fitted for our glad rags. You in?”
“I’ve got some more things to finish up on this year end, and then I’m heading home to finish sealing the kitchen counters in my suite.”
“Away, man! Is that what you consider a good time now?” He scoffed. “That and working on that auld car in your garage?”
“Pretty much, yeah.”
Something was up with their CFO, and Aidan wasn’t sure what. Normally Jase was the social one in their management team, but lately the grim-faced and hard-edged Beckett had seemed more fun than him. That was al
l kinds of wrong.
“Molly doesn’t get off work until seven, and she’s staying at my place again tonight.” Now that she was getting the insurance money, Jase and Beckett had taken all possible precautions to make sure she was safe from the people Carter owed money to. They’d been moving her around to keep her location secret, and increasing everyone’s vigilance. She’d been staying with Aidan for the past two nights.
“You’re picking her up, right?”
“Aye, of course.” He might not have the personal connection to Molly that the others did, but he wasn’t going to let her go anywhere unescorted when there was a Russian mafia enforcer after her.
The set of Jase’s shoulders relaxed visibly at that. “Good.”
The lad was wound up tighter than a grandfather clock. He needed to let loose a bit. “One pint,” Aidan coaxed. “We’ll be in and out in twenty minutes.”
Jase glanced at his watch, frowning. “I guess I could go for a quick beer.”
“Aye, you can. Let’s go. I’ll drive.” He headed down to his SUV, Jase a minute behind him.
The Sea Hag was quiet now that fall was here, and while it didn’t have the same kind of atmosphere that a proper pub back in Edinburgh did, it wasn’t bad.
Mostly just locals were there when he and Jase walked in and took a seat at the end of the bar overlooking the water. The view was bonnie. Beckett had told him it was beautiful here, but Aidan hadn’t expected to be so impressed. Not that he’d ever tell Beckett that.
Aidan ordered them each a beer—a disgusting watered-down American brand Jase liked, and a proper dark stout for him. “Slàinte mhath,” he said in Gaelic.
“Cheers.” They tapped bottles.
“So. How are things going with your new lady?” Aidan asked. He was nosy. Couldn’t help it.
Surprise flitted across his buddy’s face. “Lauren? We’re just friends.”
“Oh, aye?” He didn’t believe it for a second. A man didn’t hang out that often with a single woman unless there was more to it than friendship.
Jase nodded.
“You met her online?”
“No, at the gym.”
“Ah. So, no worries about a case of false advertising then.” Happened in the online dating world all the time.
Jase huffed out a laugh. “No, she’s great.”
“Glad to hear it. I’ve had some real nightmares, myself, meeting women online.” He gave a mock shudder.
Jase smirked. “I’ll bet. You’re not doing that anymore?”
Aidan shot him a disbelieving look. “’Course I am. How else am I going to meet a woman livin’ in this wee town? Naw, it’s all a matter of knowing how to vet the profiles properly.”
“Is that right,” Jase said, deadpan. “Well if I ever dive into those shark infested waters, I’ll run everything past you first.”
He grinned. “Offer’s always there.” He slapped Jase’s shoulder. “I got your back, wee man.”
Jase shook his head and took another sip of beer. “You’re seeing someone around here already?”
“Seeing?” He shrugged. “I’ve been on a few dates since I moved here. Nothing serious, and that’s the way I like it. I’m done with commitment until I’m at least sixty. Aye, seventy.”
Jase raised an eyebrow. “Really. Something tells me there’s one helluva story there. You know, given that you’re the expert when it comes to IDing the wrong kind of women.”
Aidan raised an eyebrow back at him. “How do you think I became an expert?” Having your heart broken—aye, stabbed, cut in half, ripped out of your chest and then set on fire while you watched—tends to make a lasting impression on a man. What’s the American saying? Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
“What happened?” Jase was all ears now, not at all distracted and down like he had been so often lately.
Aidan shrugged. “Classic tale of unrequited love.”
“For real?” Jase’s eyes widened. “Wait, not that girl you were hung up on back in—where was she from? Ben Dover?”
Ha. “Glasgow. And aye, that’s the one.”
Jase waited a beat, then made a go on motion with his hand. “You gonna make me drag it out of you, or what?”
He sighed. “Ach, fine, you nosy bastard. The short version is, I saw what I wanted to see, rather than what was actually there, ken?”
Jase frowned. “But weren’t you guys engaged during that last deployment?”
“Promised. Not engaged.” It still cut surprisingly deep to think about it, even two years later. “When I got home, she was gone. She did leave a letter, though, apologizing. That was good of her,” he said wryly.
Except it wasn’t funny, even now.
At some point during that deployment, or maybe before, he would never know, Ginny had decided she was tired of only having him for a few months a year. Tired of steady and safe when he was home, apparently, and she’d found someone who was home more and was more “fun”.
He couldn’t really blame her for the waiting bit, but he sure wished she’d been honest with him when her feelings had begun to change, rather than let him walk into an empty apartment carrying a dozen roses and a diamond ring in his pocket. And that second bit was pure shite.
More fun than him? He mentally snorted at the thought. No one was more fun than him, in the right setting.
“Sorry, man.” Jase shook his head. “I didn’t know. Is that why you took that contracting job in Florida?”
“Aye.” After Ginny left, he couldn’t get there fast enough. Though Scotland would always be home, and he missed it. “I needed the distance to make a fresh start. You ken?”
A shadow passed over Jase’s expression. “Yeah. I get it.”
A text message popped up on his phone. “That’s the boss. We’re to meet him at the suit hire place in twenty.” Aidan wasn’t technically in the bridal party but Beckett had asked him to wear a tux so he could act as an usher or whatnot, and Aidan loved the gruff son of a bitch enough to do it.
“What, you’re not wearing a kilt?” Jase asked in astonishment twenty minutes later when Aidan walked out of the changing room in the tux. “I thought that was an unwritten law or something. That Scotsmen always wear kilts to formal events.”
Aidan tugged at his bowtie to straighten it. “I would, but I don’t want to steal the spotlight from the groom. And besides, if I wore a kilt, every woman within a two-mile radius would be after me, trying to find out if I wear anything under it.” He met Jase’s eyes in the three-way mirror and smirked. “So really, I’m doing you both a favor by wearing this penguin suit instead.”
“Monkey suits,” Jase said with a laugh. “And thank you. I think.”
“We appreciate the sacrifice,” Beckett remarked from the other side of the room where the woman was busy trying to find a jacket wide enough for his shoulders.
“Maybe you’d best lay off the ‘roids for a while, big man,” Aidan said to him. “Or you’ll rip those seams on the big day.”
Beckett’s hard mouth twisted into a grudging grin. “Always the comedian.”
“Aye. It’s a thankless job, but none of the rest of you bastards are fit for it.”
Beckett called out to him. “Mac, you got any plans for the night?”
“I’m picking Molly up after her shift, why?”
“I’m driving Jase to his truck. Can you do me a favor and swing by my place to take Walter out for a quick walk?”
“Quick? That dog is so old he doesnae go more than a hundred meters an hour. At most.”
Beckett grinned. “True. So, will you? I called my little neighbor to see if she could do it, but I haven’t heard back and I’ve got a ton of shit to do yet tonight.”
“Awright. I will dutifully walk your wee beastie for you.”
“Thanks.” Beckett slapped him on the shoulder. “See you tomorrow at the place on Lighthouse Point Drive.”
“Aye.” Aidan wasn’t really an animal person, but he didn’t mind doing this. The drive
over to Beckett and Sierra’s was certainly no hardship. To the west the sun was just sinking into the sea, filling the sky with an incredible splash of color.
He parked in the driveway and started to climb out of his SUV, but stopped when a little blond girl appeared around the side of the house leading Walter on his leash.
She stopped, her almost preternatural stillness and unblinking stare telegraphing her unease at finding him there.
“Hello,” he said, giving her a smile and staying right where he was to put her at ease. “I’m Aidan, a friend of Beckett’s. He asked me to come walk Walter for him, but I see you’ve already beat me to it.”
She stared up at him with haunted blue eyes, her hand tightening on the leash. It bothered him. He had teenage nieces back home he adored and the thought of anyone frightening this little one put all his protective instincts on high alert. “He texted my mom about Walter, so I came over to get him,” she mumbled.
“It’s all right, no harm done.” He shifted his gaze to the dog. “Well, Walter, it looks like you’re in good hands.” The dog feebly wagged the end of his tail, his long nose twitching as he sniffed the air and his tongue dangling out the side of his mouth at a ridiculous angle. He looked like something a cartoon artist would dream up.
The little girl cocked her head at Aidan and frowned. “You talk different.”
“Different bad?”
“No, I like it. It sounds neat.”
“I’m from Scotland. Do you know where that is?”
“Yes.” She ran her gaze over him. “The men wear kilts there. And play bagpipes.”
He suppressed a laugh. “Aye, sometimes they do. But only the braw ones.”
“Braw?”
He tried to come up with a relatable translation. “Awesome.” Her tentative smile tugged at his rusty heartstrings. “What’s your name, lass?”
“Ella. I live down the road.” She pointed toward the end of the lane.
He nodded. It was getting dark, and even if she lived on this street, he’d heard all about the cougar incident when Poppy had first moved into the area. He didn’t like the thought of her walking out here alone. Where was her mother? “What if we walked Walter together down to your house, and then I’ll walk him back home. Save you a trip.”