Looks Like Trouble to Me - UNCUT (Bad Boys Need Love, Too Book 1)

by Calinda B

  “Hmm,” she said, thinking And I’d be able to see where he lives and what he doesn’t want me to see.

  “What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” he said, settling next to her. “Don’t answer. I can only take so many third-degree interrogations.” He rummaged through the contents, pulling out a large white envelope. “Here. Look at these prints. Pick out your favorites. I’m going to enlarge them and put them in my bedroom. That way I’ll feel close to you when I’m away.”

  “What does that leave me? Can I get a photo or two of you?”

  “I’ll see what I can come up with.”

  “I don’t want any of you during your party days,” she said, frowning. “Or your sorting days. Maybe I’ll have to take a few shots.”

  “You any good with a camera? You can use mine.”

  “You should see the photos I take with my phone.” She grinned mischievously.

  “If I’m looking at you, the pictures shouldn’t be half bad.” He gave her a cheeky smile. “Open it. Look inside.”

  She cocked her head and regarded him. He seemed eager to show her his work. She slid her fingers under the stack of eight by eleven inch glossy photos and pulled them free from their paper enclosure.

  “Oh, Jace! Is that me?” She fingered an image of her, making a face at him under the bridge. “You make me look beautiful!”

  “You make you look beautiful,” he said, beaming. “I captured one tiny piece of that beauty with my camera.”

  He held his thumb and forefinger in front of his eye, squinting.

  She slowly sifted through them, picking up each one and studying it before moving on to the next.

  “These are exquisite,” she said, when she’d gone through the entire stack. “You’re very talented. I see why companies hire you.”

  “I’d love to do it full time,” he said. “Someday.”

  “Sounds like a special dream,” she said, setting the images to the side.

  “It’s a dream, true enough. I hope to make it a reality. Just got to get through my…got to get through this moment and get onto the next. Hopefully, you’ll still want to be with me. I’d love to share the dream with you.”

  She grew silent. He looked so boyish, so hopeful, she wanted to hug him hard. Is he insecure? My bad boy, Angel riding lover? Sure seems like it.

  “I can’t imagine being anywhere than by your side,” she said with reassurance.

  He let out a long, slow breath and held her gaze for what seemed like a long time, as if he couldn’t believe his ears.

  “Okay,” he said with finality. “Good answer. Now let’s figure out what my beautiful lover wants to eat so I can feed her. She needs to keep up her strength for round two.”

  He gave her a saucy grin.

  She returned the smile. “Let’s go, stud.” And then I’ll find out more of what you’re hiding.

  Chapter 18

  Jace

  The morning arrived, full of promise. Jace practically sang when he arrived at work and that would be scary for all concerned. His overnight stay with Zoé had been fucking fantastic, interrogation notwithstanding.

  “You look happy,” Neil said when he entered the break room.

  “Hell, yeah. I spent the night with Zoé.”

  “That’s the new girl?”

  “Yep,” he said, tossing his keys and wallet into his locker.

  “I got a notice from Billy. He’s not coming in until his lawsuit is over. His lawyers said, ‘It will put undue stress on him.’ Can you believe that?”

  “Shit,” Jace said. “Suits me fine, though. I’ll be able to breathe. You should have heard the way he goaded me last week.”

  “Oh, I heard some of it,” Neil said, reaching for the coffee. “I almost stepped in but you seemed to handle yourself. Want some?”

  “Sure, thanks.” Jace leaned against the counter.

  “It sure looks good to see you happy for a change.” Neil poured another cup of coffee and offered it to him. “You’ve had a rough year.”

  “I have. But I feel like the stars have aligned or something.” He took the cup. “Thanks.” He brought it to his lips. “Wow. That’s harsh. Who made it?”

  “Afraid it was me.” He let out a short laugh.

  “Hand me that creamer so I can cut it a little.” He pried open the plastic container, spilling it into his cup, and stirred it with his little finger. He took another sip. “Better,” he said. “What’s up in the yard today? I finished the Selene, still prepping the Rival. Anything else?”

  “Yeah. Get this. We have to go through Billy’s Sea Ray yacht with a ‘fine tooth comb.’” Neil made air quotes. “He wants us to inspect the bottom for algae and scum, clean the teak, inspect the engine —basic maintenance stuff. Apparently, he’s got some mega trip planned. It will arrive next week.”

  “Shit. Do I have to be the one to work on it?”

  “‘Fraid so. You’re the best. You’ve got an eye for detail. You can finish prepping the Rival today. Then, take a break. You deserve it. Get some rest. You put in extra time over the weekend. We’ll manage.”

  A knock sounded on the door followed by a pimply faced young man sticking his face around the door.

  “Office is around the corner,” Neil said. “This is for employees.”

  “Are you Neil Jenner?”

  “Yes, that’s me.”

  “And Jace Savage?”

  “Yeah,” Jace said apprehensively, scowling.

  “You’ve been served.”

  The guy practically threw the paperwork at them and raced away.

  “Fuck!” Jace said. “So much for my good mood.” He unfolded the paperwork. “In the Circuit Court of King County, Washington, blah de fucking blah.”

  “King County? He’s doing this in Seattle? Why not over here?”

  “Who knows? Fuck.”

  Neil sighed. “Well. Here we go. We’ve been served.” He lifted his ball cap, ran his hand through his hair, and replaced it. “I don’t think this frivolous case will hold water, you know that. The burden of proof is on Billy’s scumbag lawyers, to prove, beyond any doubt, that you abused him and I was complicit in foul play. We both know any abuse he got, he had coming to him.” He sighed. “But, this couldn’t come at a worse time.”

  “Is there a good time to be sued?” Jace felt a stab of guilt. “It’s my fault. I could quit or something. Maybe if I got out of here, he’d come after me, not you.”

  Neil’s face furrowed. “I won’t do that to you, Jace. I know you’ve got an extra mouth to feed until your sis shapes up. Damn. We’ll just have to find a way to deal.”

  “I swear to God. if he wins this thing, I’ll find the money. I’ll beg for photo ops. I won’t let you down.”

  “That’s generous, Jace,” Neil said, sparing him a kind glance. “But you don’t have that kind of time or money.”

  “Neither do you.” Jace pushed away from the counter, suddenly feeling like he weighed ten tons. “At least the asshole won’t be hassling me today. I’ve got that much going for me.”

  “At least there’s that.”

  “We keep on putting one foot in front of the other.”

  “That we do, son. We’ll figure this thing out. Don’t worry about it.”

  Like that will happen. Jace decided to pour himself into work and let things unfold.

  At the end of his sublimely short work day, he drove to Aunt Molly’s to pick up Marni.

  When he pulled the truck into the driveway, Aunt Molly and Marni were tending to the fall garden, prepping it for planting, and picking the last of summer’s bounty. His aunt held a hoe, while Marni waved a plastic shovel. Her contribution consisted of hitting the ground with the toy tool.

  Jace slid from the driver’s seat. He imagined himself, coming home to Zoé. His gut twisted into a knot, warring with his hopeful heart.

  “Hey,” Jace said, entering the garden. He picked Marni up and swung her around. “Hey, baby girl. Your uncle Jace gets to
spend two nights with you.” He poked her squishy-soft tummy, making her giggle. “Uncle’s girlfriend has to work the next two night shifts. That makes Uncle Jace sad but means more time for you!” He tickled her ribs, and she squealed with delight.

  “Ga,” Marni said.

  “That’s her word for garden.” Aunt Molly pushed her hair from her forehead.

  “Ga,” Jace repeated to her.

  “So, it’s official then?” She leaned on the handle of her garden tool.

  “What’s official?” Jace lifted Marni high, then lowered her in a swoop.

  “You have a girlfriend?”

  “Seems so.”

  “That’s wonderful! I want to meet her.”

  Jace stopped swinging Marni around, propped her on his hip, and grew somber. “That’s the thing, auntie. She knows nothing about my life over here and I want to keep it that way —for now, at least.”

  “Because you’re embarrassed of us?” Aunt Molly’s face fell.

  Jace scoffed. “Hell, no, not embarrassed. It’s so damn complicated, what with baby girl here and all. I keep hoping my sister will show up and set things right and I can get on with my life. Then I’ll bring her around.”

  “She might want to be included in your life, sweetie.”

  Jace’s face set in a stony, determined expression. “No. That’s final.”

  “I know that face —that’s your super stubborn ‘I’ve got this’ face. Okay, I’m only an advisor.” She smiled. “Any word from Jayna? I’m getting worried about that girl.”

  “Not a peep.”

  “Have you talked to the sheriff?”

  “Yeah, when I filed a missing person’s report. And again, after she called. I told him I believed my sis is in harm’s way but you know how limited the resources are in this county. He told me they’re doing all they can.” Jace sighed. “Someone’s got to know something. Maybe I’ll head over to one of her hangouts and see if I can rattle some cages.”

  “Be careful with that. Some of your sister’s ‘friends,’ quote unquote, are no one to mess with.”

  Jace smirked. “What, you think I can’t defend myself?”

  “I’m not worried about you, honey. You’re a big, tough guy. It’s Marni I worry about. She’s too little to see the kind of things your sister introduced her to. And she definitely needs her uncle to stay in one healthy piece.”

  “Ga,” Marni said, patting her uncle’s cheek.

  Jace took her hand and kissed it. “That’s a fact. I’ll be careful, you know I will. Anyway, I’d better scoot and let you get on with your day. See you tomorrow, auntie.”

  “Diaper bag’s just inside the door.”

  He kissed his aunt’s cheek and strode to the front door. Once he’d retrieved the bag, he made his way to the truck. There, he buckled Marni in her car seat.

  “Bye, Aunt Molly.” He lifted his hand and waved toward her.

  “See you, Jace. And let your girlfriend in,” she called.

  Jace waved his hand dismissively and backed the truck up. He eased down the driveway.

  Out on the road, Jace decided to head to the high school football field. School wouldn’t start for a couple of weeks and, unless there was pre-season practice, the field was usually a place where lovers and derelicts hung out —like my sister, he thought with a scowl. Maybe we’ll run into one of her loser friends and they can give me clues to her whereabouts.

  He parked the truck, placed Marni in her backpack, and swung the contraption onto his shoulders.

  “Let’s go for a walkabout,” he said over his shoulder. “Don’t worry. This is only a scouting mission. I’ll keep you safe.”

  “Da-da,” she said. She patted his hair. “Da-da.”

  “Uncle,” Jace said, feeling a twist of emotion. “Uncle.”

  He strode along the sidewalk, lined with old-time architecture in keeping with Port Townsend’s historic landmark status.

  Ahead, he saw a group hanging out on the high school lawn.

  As he approached, he recognized them as some of his sister’s loser friends. A couple of them lived in the garages and sheds of locals, mooching off others’ kindness.

  Jace hated the whole lot. They were lazy, shiftless, good for nothings. And they were his sister’s “friends” if you could call them that. More like co-users.

  He strode toward them, his blood running hot. Fucking shed-boys.

  “Jace! What’s doing, my man?” a guy named Leroy said, as he approached. The dirty haired guy sat in the grass, his girlfriend lying listless, head in his lap, her tangled hair spread in a wild heap.

  “Leroy,” Jace said coolly. “Shed-boys,” he said to the others with a sneer.

  One of them laughed. “It’s a place to live, man.”

  “Yeah, mooching off someone else’s hard work,” Jace said.

  The girlfriend opened her eyes, looking as if her eyelids weighed a million pounds. “Hey,” she said, in a slow, thick voice. “Jace.”

  Her eyelids slammed shut.

  Jace eyed the needle marks on her arms and shook his head. “Any of you fine citizens know where my sister is?”

  The four males shifted uneasily, looking at each other like antelopes at the lion’s waterhole.

  “Nope,” one of them said.

  “Not a clue,” another said.

  Jace stared at them, saying nothing.

  “We don’t know anything, man, honest,” the first one said.

  “Funny, I don’t believe you,” Jace said.

  Marni bounced up and down in her pack.

  “Da! Da!” she said brightly.

  “That her kid?” the second guy asked.

  “What do you think?” Jace said. “Her kid, her responsibility.”

  The girlfriend with lead for eyelids pried them open.

  “A baby,” she said dreamily, before the effort got the best of her. Her eyes slammed shut. She mumbled something incoherent.

  “I need to find my sister,” Jace said. “I think she’s in trouble. And I think one of you knows more than he’s saying.”

  He swung his gaze to each of them in turn.

  They all looked away, staring at the grass, the trees, the sky, or one another.

  “Come on, you dipshits. Anything happens to her I’m holding you accountable.”

  Marni squealed and bounced on his back, batting his head.

  “I think one of her friends knows something. Ask Debbi at the boat school café,” Leroy said.

  “Debbi,” the girlfriend mumbled, not bothering to open her eyes.

  “Debbi’s hardly her friend. More like her supplier. But I’ll ask her, thanks.”

  “Anything to help, man,” Leroy said, looking pleased with himself.

  The other males continued to study their shoelaces.

  Jace strode away with Marni babbling behind him.

  He trekked along the sidewalk, heading toward the Strait of Juan de Fuca which surrounded the port. Sun shone, beating down on his face. If he wasn’t on such a grim errand, he’d be enjoying his walkabout with Marni.

  He arrived at the café in short order.

  “You’re in a good mood,” he said to her.

  She attacked his head with both hands.

  “Careful with the hair,” he said, prying her fingers off a lock. “It took me several seconds to style it.”

  He swung open the glass door of Schooner School Café, eyeing the cozy dining area. Several round tables were occupied with patrons drinking tea, sipping coffee, eating scones and muffins, and chatting amiably. A nautical themed display of ships, sails, anchors, and other seafaring paraphernalia adorned the walls.

  “Hi,” the young woman behind the counter said. She grinned at him in that hopeful way girls usually grinned at him.

  “Hi,” Jace said, working her with his smile. “Debbi around?”

  He placed both palms on the counter.

  The young woman frowned slightly. “She’s upstairs. Shall I call her for you?”

&nb
sp; “That would be great, thanks.”

  “Shall I tell her who wants to see her?”

  Jace considered, thinking, she’ll bolt.

  “No.” He smiled in that winning way that had gotten him laid, a lot. “I want to surprise her.”

  The woman squinted at him, nodded, and returned the smile. She picked up the phone.

  “Debbi? Someone’s here to see you,” she said. “I don’t know. He didn’t give his name. Said he wanted to surprise you.” Her eyes widened and she turned away from Jace, speaking in hushed tones. “Yes, he’s sexy. Way!” She whirled around and hung up the phone, her face flushed. “She’ll be right down,” she said gaily. “Cute baby, by the way.”

  “Thanks,” Jace said. He stepped away from the counter and stood near a table, his arms folded over his chest.

  Debbi came around the corner, patting her short, auburn hair, smiling broadly. When she saw Jace, she scowled, then glared at the girl behind the counter. Her gaze darted left and right.

  “Don’t bother running, Debbi. I only want information.”

  “Lucy,” Debbi said to the woman behind the counter. “Get our friend here whatever he wants.”

  “Nothing, thanks.” Jace waved his hand. “Can we go somewhere private?”

  Debbi studied him for a long moment, then sighed and led him out the side door. They stepped outside into the airy, open corridor that separated the café from the boat building school. Jace let his attention wander to the wooden canoe being built in the glass enclosed shop. The frame had been meticulously constructed and it looked like it would be a beauty when finished.

  “What do you want?” Debbi said. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest.

  “I want to find Jayna. Leroy thought you knew where she was.”

  Marni let out a whimper and batted his head.

  Jace bounced her up and down, reaching behind to give her his hand.

  She grabbed his finger and squeezed.

  “I don’t know anything,” Debbi said, sliding her gaze away from him.

  Jace tugged free of Marni’s fingers, reached out, and grabbed Debbi’s jaw, turning her to face him. “Debbi. Don’t bullshit me. You know something.”

  She pushed his hand away. “Let go of me!”