The booths were all occupied.
Scanning faces as inconspicuously as possible, catching features as overhead lights and wall sconces illuminated them, I couldn’t find Gaines or Wright.
But I knew the moment Jamie entered the club.
The skin at my nape prickled despite the heat, and I turned my head ever so slightly to watch him. He zoned in on me too, our gazes connecting and causing a warm shiver to tickle down my spine. He drew his eyes from me before striding through the crowded dance floor and disappearing among the bodies.
But I knew he’d be watching. For some stupid reason, I was less nervous knowing Jamie was there, keeping an eye on the situation.
Turning away, I searched the club, my eyes passing over the bar and veering back again, when I caught sight of a familiar profile.
Lincoln Gaines.
He stood at the bar chatting with the bartender.
Taking a deep breath, I sauntered over and squeezed into a space between the cop on my left and a woman on my right.
“A soda water and lime!” I yelled to be heard over the music.
A frown puckered the brow of the bartender who had been speaking to Gaines as she worked. She looked at me and I tipped my head to give her a sweet smile. Her frown melted and she grinned flirtatiously. “Sure thing, girl! Just let me finish up with this!”
“Hey.”
I glanced to my left and found Lincoln Gaines staring down at me in interest. He had glittering dark eyes and gorgeous brown skin with warm, bronze undertones.
I cocked my head and gave him a flirty smile. “Hey.”
He grinned, a sexy flash of perfect white teeth. “You waiting on someone?”
“I was here with a friend. She bailed.”
“Lincoln.” He held out his hand.
My palm was tiny in his, and I felt a flutter of attraction. “Jane.”
Jamie and I had decided I’d use my birth name, since Margot Higgins was in the tabloids for dating Asher Steadman.
The cop’s hand tightened around mine as his warm eyes focused on my face. “Nice to meet you, Jane.”
“You too.”
“Soda water and lime,” the bartender interrupted us.
“Let me get this.” Lincoln handed her some cash.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Not drinking tonight?”
“Not much of a drinker,” I answered honestly.
“Me neither.”
Curious, I leaned closer to him. “So, why are you in a nightclub?”
“Why are you?”
“I promised my friend I’d hang out with her.”
“And she bailed on you, anyway.”
“Yeah. But my night is looking up.”
He chuckled, a deep, rich sound. “That’s why I’m in a nightclub.”
I raised a questioning eyebrow.
“On the off chance that a beautiful woman will flirt with me.”
“Very smooth,” I teased.
He flashed those pearly whites again. “So, why did your friend bail?”
It was disconcerting how easy it was to lie and play a role. The underlying fear of conning a cop—a good one, from what Jamie had gathered—buzzed low within me. However, it was strangely exciting to take charge of a situation that had controlled me and Jamie for seven years.
Moreover, I wasn’t a perfect person. I was an angry person. Angry at several people. One of them was Jamie, and there was a spiteful voice inside me that liked to think it might bother him to see me flirt with this sexy cop. It was petty. It wasn’t who I was. And that pissed me off too.
Lincoln relayed what I already knew: he was a police officer. I told him I was a freelance artist. Sticking to some truth seemed smart so I wouldn’t trip myself up over details I’d concocted. Not too long later, fresh drinks in hand, Lincoln directed us over to the seating area. The chandelier above flickered over the occupants of one of the booths, and something ugly lurched in my gut at the sight of Ethan Wright.
As tall as Lincoln, Ethan sprawled on a leather booth, his arms along the back, two women sitting on either side of him. One was talking with the guy on her other side, while the other had her lips almost on Ethan’s ear as she spoke to him.
Wright wasn’t traditionally attractive. But he worked out and was muscular. Even if I didn’t already hate the piece of scum, he wouldn’t do anything for me.
Lincoln gestured to the empty booth opposite his partner. Ethan’s eyes came to me as I slid in. He ogled, not caring how obvious he was. Attempting not to shudder, I relaxed against the booth and turned to Lincoln as he squeezed in beside me.
Jamie thought Ethan would be paranoid that someone “as beautiful” as me would be interested in him. It hadn’t escaped me that his words were incongruous to some insults he’d dealt since coming back into my life. What also didn’t escape me was that Wright was arrogant. He would have no difficulty believing I was interested in him.
Flirting with Lincoln was easy.
Having to flirt with the dirtbag who helped put Jamie in prison would have been impossible. I was glad Jamie had chosen Gaines as the less obvious investigative option.
“This is my partner, Ethan!” Lincoln called over the music.
Ethan smirked. “Nice piece!” He gave Lincoln a look of approval before turning his attention to the girl at his side.
Nice piece?
A shock of surprise moved through me as I felt Lincoln’s warm breath on my ear. “Sorry, he can be kind of a dick.”
My eyebrows rose as I pulled back to look at him.
He shrugged and bent his head to my ear again. “The guy’s my partner. He’s got my back.” His tone was of the “what can you do?” variety.
I could think of several things he could do. For a start, call his friend out for being repulsive.
On the one hand, Lincoln’s reaction suggested he wasn’t a man who talked about women that way. On the other hand, he wasn’t a guy who stood up against his friend for talking about women that way. It was a mark against him in my book.
I had a feeling Lincoln wouldn’t be so forgiving when he found out Wright was a dirty bastard, using his position of power to screw people over.
However, I smiled like I understood, and we tried to engage in conversation in the loud club. Now and then, I’d shoot looks across the table at Ethan, keeping a surreptitious eye on him.
Not once did I see Jamie.
But I could feel him.
He was watching us. I knew that. He would watch the fact that Ethan kept checking his phone, that he tensed and looked at it about an hour after I’d sat down in the booth with Lincoln. When he nudged the girl and guy next to him and asked them to let him out, Lincoln turned to him. “You off?”
“Yeah!” Ethan flashed a cocky smile. “Favorite pussy just texted!”
Ugh. Could he be any more disgusting?
Lincoln shook his head, apparently not impressed. Well, say something to him about it, I wanted to snap at him. He didn’t. He just waved in a “whatever, man” gesture and turned back to me. My phone vibrated in my purse.
“I need to use the restroom. I’ll be right back.”
He nodded and got up to let me out, but touched my lower back as I shifted past him. “I’ll be waiting.”
Guilt pricked me as I made my way to the restroom. Despite his inability to call out Ethan on his gross rhetoric, Lincoln appeared to be a nice guy. He hadn’t moved to kiss or touch me inappropriately. In fact, so far, it seemed he was treating this like a first date. I could be wrong, but my instincts told me Gaines was a nice guy.
I did not like screwing around with nice people.
In the privacy of the restroom hallway, I pulled out my cell.
Following Wright. Will come back if he’s leaving city. Don’t make a move without me.
I huffed at Jamie’s text and returned to Lincoln.
Instead of sliding into the booth, he asked if I wanted to dance.
We headed to the dance f
loor.
At first, we danced close but separately. Other than Asher, I’d never danced with a guy. Jamie and I hadn’t been the clubbing types. But Lincoln could move, and he made it easy. Soon, however, he was gently pulling me against him, his big hands on my hips. Keeping up the flirt, I put my arms around his neck, which drew us closer, and the dancing turned a little more sensual. Concentrating on the movement of our hips, it was easier for me to keep up the ruse, if I didn’t look into Lincoln’s eyes. I hated the lie. And it was difficult to stop myself from tensing up.
Especially when I felt a prickle over my skin.
While the feel of Lincoln’s hard body against mine did nothing but incite guilt, sensing Jamie’s eyes on us made my breath hitch.
I didn’t understand how I knew he was there, watching. I just did.
My heart raced, sweat dampened my skin, and my body relaxed as the thought of him watching me melted my insides.
It was Jamie I was dancing with in my imagination, his hips rolling gently against mine, his hands gripping tight to my hips, and his hot breath on my cheek as he bent his head toward me.
But he tensed suddenly.
“Hey, your phone is vibrating.” Lincoln’s deep rumble caused goose bumps behind my ear.
It jolted me out of my fantasy, and I flushed.
Realizing my clutch, still gripped in my hand, was resting against Lincoln’s shoulder blade and thus he’d felt my phone’s vibration, I released him.
He reluctantly let go of my hips, caressing my waist as his hands slowly dropped away.
Pulling out my cell and shielding the screen from Lincoln, I stiffened at Jamie’s text.
We’re done here. Meet me at the car.
I slid my cell back into my purse and gave Lincoln a regretful sigh. “It was my alarm,” I called over the music. “I set it to remind me when I needed to leave. I have an early appointment tomorrow.”
He nodded but stepped into my personal space, forcing my head back to meet his eyes. “Can I get your number? I’d like to take you out for dinner.”
Smiling through my guilt, I nodded. “Of course.”
He pulled his phone out of his back pocket and I gave him my real number. “I’ll call you,” he promised. “Let me walk you out.”
“Oh, that’s okay. My car’s just down the street.”
“Then I’m walking you to your car. It’s not safe to walk out there alone.” Lincoln wasn’t taking no for an answer.
As he walked ahead to make space for me through the crowd, I quickly texted Jamie the situation.
By the time we got to the Porsche, Jamie was nowhere to be seen, but I knew he was around because he’d left the car open for me.
I opened the driver’s side door. “Keyless entry,” I explained.
Lincoln raised an eyebrow as he took in the car. “You must sell a lot of paintings.”
I gave him a modest shrug.
He smiled down at me. “I had a great time tonight, Jane.”
“Me too.” And I did. In another life, I’d go out on a real date with Lincoln Gaines. “Call me?”
“Absolutely.” Lincoln pressed a soft, sweet kiss to my cheek. Remorse was a swift kick to the gut as he retreated onto the sidewalk. “I’m not leaving until I see you drive off.”
I couldn’t do this.
He was too nice.
And let’s not forget he’s a cop.
With a little wave of my fingers, I got into the car and took off seconds later. I didn’t go far though. I turned the corner out of sight and stopped. Getting out, I rounded the hood and let myself into the passenger side.
Minutes later, the driver’s side opened, and Jamie slid in, slamming the door shut behind him.
Just like that, it was as if all the air in the car had been sucked out.
My skin buzzed, and there was a hot tension in my belly, a slick heat between my legs.
For a moment, he just sat there, not saying a word.
But this energy blazed from him. I wanted to ask about Wright. What he’d seen. Instead, I told him, “Lincoln’s a nice guy. We shouldn’t do this to him.”
“You can back out any time.” Jamie’s tone was cold. Flat.
I shivered and pulled on my seat belt. “No.” As much as I hated involving Lincoln Gaines in this, I hated the idea of leaving Jamie to his own devices even more.
Thick, horrible silence filled the space between us as Jamie drove back to the apartment. I hurried out of the car and felt him moving quickly to keep up with me. My skin burned as I rushed up the steps in front of him, feeling his eyes all over me.
I was trembling.
“Good night,” I said as I pulled my keys out of my clutch, not looking at him.
His apartment door slammed behind me before I’d even put my keys in the lock. I glanced over my shoulder at the apartment. Tears burned my eyes.
Even after all he’d done to me, I still cared.
If it had been him flirting and dancing with another woman in front of me all night, I would have hated every minute.
When I’d been dancing with Lincoln, it only got good when I’d imagined Jamie in his place.
Did Jamie even care?
I hated him.
I hated that there would always be a part of me that wanted him. That when I needed to be a strong, independent woman who demanded respect and kindness, I let myself down because of him.
He was an unforgivable weakness.
“Bastard,” I muttered under my breath, forcing back tears. He didn’t deserve them.
I let myself into my apartment. I’d left a few table lamps blazing because I hated returning to darkness. Sitting down on the sofa and unbuckling my strappy heels, I tried not to think about what I’d done tonight. My feet ached as I got up and wandered into my bedroom to put my shoes away.
Just as I was setting them on a shelf in my closet, I thought I heard a knock on the door.
Pulse racing, I ambled into the hall and halted, ears pricked.
The knock was louder this time. More demanding.
My stomach flipped as I hurried through the living area to the front door.
Peeking through the peephole, I saw Jamie standing outside, glowering ferociously at my door.
What now?
I unlocked the chain and the dead bolt, yanking the door open. Before I could even ask what the hell he wanted, he reached out for me as he stepped inside.
And crushed my mouth beneath his.
Chapter 24
JAMIE
* * *
I’d barely stormed into my apartment when I felt the walls closing in on me.
There were days in prison when a feeling of claustrophobia was so powerful, it was like I was losing my mind. Trapped. Airless. Stress crushing my lungs. Even two years later, I hated being stuck in traffic. Not being able to maneuver my car away to freedom, being stuck inside it … I’d feel this pressure on my chest and become light-headed.
The same thing happened when I flew out to Boston to see Lorna after my release. It was so bad that when I decided to return to LA six months ago, I rented a car and drove back to California. Deciding to make the most of it, I took my sweet time. I arrived in LA fourteen days after I’d left Boston.
Now I’d do anything to avoid that feeling—like something was happening beyond my control.
Like I was coming out of my skin.
Like I needed air.
Seething, I turned around and stared at my door.
It was her fault.
No matter what she’d done to me, I couldn’t stop caring. I hated putting her in this position. I hated her flirting with Gaines. Breathing the same air as Ethan Wright.
Yet, it wasn’t until I returned from following Wright that my fury consumed everything. I no longer cared about Wright or Steadman, or anything else but the fact that Jane was rolling her hips against Gaines. That his hands were on her body.
She didn’t look at him. Her eyes were closed as they moved against each other, but I
knew her expression. Jane was enjoying herself a little too much.
Seeing the sweaty dew on her skin made my mouth dry.
Or was that my jealousy?
I couldn’t watch any longer, so I’d sent her a text to end it.
The urge to pull over the entire way home and remind her that no one could satisfy her like I could was great. But I’d held it in check.
Until she was gone.
Until she was on the other side of the apartment door, a million miles away despite the short distance. And I couldn’t stand it.
I wanted Jane to feel what I felt.
I wanted to consume her like she consumed me.
Needing a release worse than the nights I’d laid in my cell missing her, I stopped thinking straight. All my blood traveled south, cutting off the supply to my brain. One second I was in my apartment; the next I was knocking impatiently on her door.
It swung open.
There she was. In that fucking dress.
So beautiful and unreachable … and so … Jane.
I buried my hand in her hair and jerked her toward me as I stepped into the apartment, relief and euphoria like oxygen as I kissed her. Her lips were soft and familiar beneath mine and I groaned, needing a deeper taste.
Hooking my foot around her door, I slammed it shut and then hauled Jane up into my arms. With a whimper that vibrated down my throat, Jane wrapped her legs around my waist and clung to me as we devoured each other’s mouths on the way to the bedroom.
There was no thought of foreplay in my head. I needed inside her. End of story.
Following her down to the bed, I broke the kiss, but only to shove her dress up to her waist and pull her nude silk underwear down her legs. She panted beneath my body, staring up at me, dazed, face flushed.
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