Jessie recognized it as one for the Devil’s Playground, with Dylan’s name embossed at the bottom.
“Why don’t you come over with a few of your girlfriends when you’re off shift? Free drinks for the evening for helping us out,” he murmured.
She laughed and pocketed the card. “See you there.”
Dylan grinned and took Jessie’s hand, leading her out the door.
…
Trey couldn’t stop beaming as he drove them back to the nightclub, his eyes twinkling with a mixture of laughter and enjoyment as they exchanged stories. Finn sat in the front seat while Jessie and Dylan scrunched in around the electronic equipment taking up most of the rear of the van.
Trey stretched out an arm, reaching behind him. “Jessie.”
She took the thin plastic tab, immediately recognizing it. “The flash drive.”
“Keep it as a souvenir,” Trey said. “The data was good. I uploaded it into the cloud along with everything else.”
She paused, unsure if there was ever going to be a good time to ask the question.
Dylan turned and frowned at her, sensing her discomfort.
“Hey.”
She looked up to see Trey eyeing her in the rearview mirror. “I might be behind the scenes a lot, but I’m not out of the loop. As soon as I got access, I ran your father’s name through Molodavi’s database.”
She couldn’t breathe. “And?”
Dylan, sitting beside her, stared at Trey. “And?” His tone left no room for joking.
“Your dad was as clean as they come. Frank Wheeler’s covered with mud, and I bet they’re banging on his door right now to arrest him. But your father, there was no trace of him. And there was a hell of a long list of dirty cops on Molodavi’s payroll.” Trey shook his head. “Wheeler was messing with your brain, and I hope he rots in hell for it. I guess he figured if you believed your dad was bad that it’d be easier to maneuver you into Molodavi’s clutches. But your father was a good man, no doubt about that.” He looked at her. “And he raised one hell of a daughter.”
She pressed her hand to her forehead, a wave of relief draining the last of her strength.
Dylan moved closer, pulling her into his lap. Careful of her injury, he cradled her close.
“It’s all over,” he whispered.
She exhaled, her mind spinning. “I guess it sort of is.”
Chapter Fourteen
Patrick, his ginger hair speckled with oil, eyed them as they climbed out of the van. “Good to see you again, safe and sound.” He saluted her with the wrench in his hand. “You’re as tough as they come.”
She smiled, accepting the praise. “Thank you.”
Finn shot Dylan a curious glance. Patrick wasn’t one to talk a lot and rarely, if ever, to women.
“Stranger things…” Finn whispered as he moved by them to open the door.
“I need to see Lisa,” Jessie said.
“Wouldn’t you rather lie down first? She’s not going anywhere, promise.” He wouldn’t let go of her, couldn’t let her move far from his side.
Jessie leaned against him, so hard that for a horrifying second he thought she was fainting. “No. No. I need to see Lisa,” she repeated.
“Okay. The roof it is.” Dylan saw Finn tap the elevator button. “And you, you son of a bitch, you owe me a jar of silver dollars.”
“Me?” Finn said as the doors opened.
“Yeah. I expect it within the week, or you’ll be facing me in the boxing ring. Might still put you there for taking them without permission.”
Finn made a face just before the doors closed, making Jessie chuckle.
“What’s that all about?”
Despite the tension tugging at his heart, he managed to laugh. “I always carry a silver dollar in my pocket. My dad used to do it.”
Her eyes widened. “But all those coins Finn tossed out in the casino…”
“From my collection.” He braced her as the elevator started to move. “I don’t keep the same one all the time. I hand them out whenever I feel like it, to homeless kids or street musicians or to a waitress for a good tip. Keeps them in circulation.”
He saw her mentally try to figure out how many silver dollars Finn had dumped on Fluxxx’s floor.
The elevator doors opened, the hot Las Vegas air hitting them in the face. Jessie stepped out onto the rooftop garden and was immediately tackled by Lisa, the petite blonde almost dragging them to the ground.
Ace, standing by the open grill, shrugged as Dylan moved away from the two women now caught up in laughing and crying, arms around each other.
“I put another few beers in the cooler for you.” He looked Dylan over. “You look like shit.”
“Thanks.” Dylan flipped open the lid and dug out a pair of chilled bottles. “Definitely time for this.” He twisted the top off one and took a sip. “Oh yeah.”
“Dylan!” Lisa grabbed him.
Ace flipped another steak, pointedly ignoring Dylan’s panicked stare for help.
“Thank you.” Lisa hugged him tight, her long, loose hair flying free. She looked a lot better than when he’d last seen her in the cage, now cleaned up and wearing one of the Playground T-shirts, the bright orange flames on the black fabric tight on her form.
“Thanks right back.” He reached over her and passed Jessie the unopened second bottle. “Figured you’d like one of these.”
Jessie opened her beer as Dylan struggled to free himself from Lisa’s constrictor-like hug.
“Thank you,” Lisa repeated, releasing him. “I never thought you’d be able to find her.”
Dylan smiled. “Thank you for holding on.”
“I knew you’d come for me. Like you did for her.” Lisa hugged him once more before letting him go. “And I was right.”
Dylan felt a familiar ache in his soul, a sense of satisfaction. “Good. Now, let’s get you a solid meal.” He stood up and grinned. “Get your appetites in gear. Ace doesn’t like leftovers.” He retreated to the grill, leaving the women alone.
…
“I can’t believe you went so short,” Lisa said, shaking her head. “And don’t even try to tell me that’s a color found in nature.”
Jessie grinned. “It was the box they brought me.” She brushed the back of her neck. “It’ll wash out in a few weeks.”
“Are you sure you want to go back? I heard redheads get a lot of attention.” Lisa twirled one long blond lock around her finger and glanced over to where Ace and Dylan were watching the steaks. They’d added potatoes and vegetables to the grill while they were busy discussing something. “Like, say, from Dylan?”
Jessie hesitated just long enough to whet her friend’s appetite.
“Are you sleeping with him?” Lisa asked in a low whisper.
Jessie felt her cheeks burn, the blush answering for her.
“Wow. I mean, wow, but in a good way.” Lisa giggled. “Good for you. He’s damned hot.”
“Yeah. He is.” She tried to ignore the nervous fluttering in her belly, the sense that this couldn’t last, wouldn’t last now that Molodavi was behind bars. The fears she’d had at the cabin—that some Stockholm Syndrome had grabbed hold of her heart—she couldn’t put them out of her mind.
“What about you and Ace?” Jessie parried in an attempt to change the conversation. “He’s been hanging around you for almost two weeks, non-stop.”
Lisa looked over to where the pony-tailed man continued to argue some fine point of grilling with Dylan, gesturing at the steaks with the tongs. “He’s a sweet guy. I like him a lot. Now that things have settled down, if he doesn’t ask me out in a few weeks, I’ll be asking him. Carpe diem and so forth. Speaking of…” She looked at Jessie. “Where do we go from here?”
Jessie blinked, startled by the question. “What?”
Lisa nodded as Wyatt and Finn came out of the elevator. “I need to go back to work. So do you. Or are you planning to spend the rest of your life hanging out here on the rooftop with a
squad of drop-dead gorgeous men?”
Jessie laughed.
“I’m serious.” She touched Jessie’s arm, the fresh bandage standing out from the pale skin. “You took Molodavi down. That’s been your end game for what, years? Now it’s time to figure out what else to do with your life.” Ace approached them, and Lisa smiled as the conversation switched over to sports and how well done, they wanted their steaks.
A half hour later, the other men joined them, setting off a series of arm-wrestling competitions and challenges as to the best way to grill different types and cuts of meat.
It was about ten o’clock when they dispersed.
“We’ve got to head back.” Simon hugged Jessie. “Glad to meet you and hope we’ll get a chance to work together again.”
Andrew nodded to Lisa. “Be well and have a good life.”
“Right back at you.” Lisa smiled, her eyes drooping. She leaned into Ace, who was sitting beside her now, one arm around her shoulders.
A final nod to Dylan, and the two older men left.
“They’re an interesting couple,” Jessie said.
“Good men.” Dylan finished off his beer. “All of them.”
“I’m calling it a night.” Lisa got to her feet. “I’m not sure how I could possibly sleep, but I’m sure going to give it a shot.”
Ace stood up as well. “I’ll take you to your suite.”
Jessie watched the couple leave.
Dylan sat down beside her on the lounge chair. “She’s too traumatized to go back to her apartment tonight. I said she’s welcome to stay with us as long as she likes, told her you were staying here as well. He looked at her. “I assume that was okay. Didn’t want to put words in your mouth.”
She shifted, remembering the conversation with Lisa. “Yeah. Tonight, at least. Tomorrow we’ll go back to our places and get on with our lives.” She couldn’t help glancing toward the elevator. “She seems pretty comfortable with Ace.”
“He’s a gentleman. He’ll make sure she’s comfortable and tuck her in for the night. Anything more than that is between them.”
“And what’s between us?” She was sleepy and sated from the good food and the excellent company, and too darned exhausted from everything else. But the nugget of fear twisted in her gut, the peacefulness of the past few hours unsettling her. Now that the danger had been dealt with and she was safe…what sort of a future lay ahead?
“Whatever you want.” Dylan smiled and put the bottle down. Before she could react, he picked her up in his arms and headed for the elevator. “But I’d like to make a suggestion for the next few hours.”
She laid her head against his chest, listening to the solid thumping as he carried her to his apartment.
It was the best and worst day of her life.
…
As he laid her out on the bed, she sighed, the last bits of energy draining away. “Need to take my antibiotics.”
“I’ll get them for you,” he went to the bathroom. He returned with the two pills and a glass of water.
She took her medication before leaning back on the pillows with a soft, gentle smile. “So are you going to work? Club’s not going to run itself.”
“Maybe later. They’ll call if they need me. Right now you do.” He stretched out beside her on the bed.
“Hmm.” She curled into his warmth. “I’m just going to take a short nap. Then we can talk or whatever.”
“I’m fine with whatever,” he murmured into her hair.
She felt herself beginning to drift off, the exhaustion and stress from the day’s events finally catching up with her. But mixed in with it all was the sense that it was too good to last now that the bullets had stopped flying.
Was what they had real, or just a rush of adrenaline, their love more an addiction to action than true, heartfelt emotion?
She fell into a troubled sleep, unsure what to think.
…
Jessie woke with a start, her heart racing.
“Hey. Hey,” Dylan whispered in her ear. “It’s okay.”
She swallowed back the acidic bile in her mouth, the nightmare retreating from her consciousness.
“Just a bad dream.” He kissed her temple. “Let it go.”
She looked up at the digital clock. “It’s early.”
Dylan brushed against her, cheek to cheek, as he studied the time. He drew his fingers along her arm, near the bandage. “How does it feel?”
“Good.” She carefully disentangled herself and sat up to inspect the injury. “I’ll change the dressing when I get home.”
“You don’t have to rush out of here.” He frowned, his forehead furrowed. “No one’s going to toss you out.”
She paused, still trying to catch her breath. “I’ve got to start rebuilding my life. I’ve got a lot of work to do. I need to clean up my apartment, my office. Lisa said my place was trashed.” She rubbed her eyes. “God, my office. I have to start thinking about how to pay the rent for next month. And finding new clients. Without the day job at the casino, I’m going to need to get back to work as soon as possible.”
She stood up, wincing as she stretched out.
The stitches itched, her body ached, and it took all she had not to climb back into bed with him, to forget everything else and lose herself in those arms, in those strong muscles…
But it was a brand-new day.
Jessie sighed. “I have to go home,” she repeated.
“Okay.” Dylan stood up. He scrubbed his face with both hands, erasing the last bits of sleepiness. “Can I at least take you out to breakfast before you scoot away?”
She smiled, her heart a little lighter. “I’d like that.” She crossed over to him in a few steps, pressing her hands against his bare chest. “Dylan, I like you a lot. I might even love you, but I have to sort out my own thoughts before I let you back in right away. Even if that might seem crazy to you.”
He arched one eyebrow. “I do crazy pretty well, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
Jessie laughed. “That you do. But I have to straighten out my life and help Lisa.” She gestured at the wall and the nearby apartments. “She didn’t deserve any of this, and I owe her one hell of a debt. And you can’t be a part of that—this is something I have to do on my own.”
He nodded. “I understand.”
Her arm throbbed, and it took a concentrated effort to not rub it. “I’m going to have to deal with the police. So will Lisa.” Jessie held up a hand before Dylan could reply. “Coop’s a great guy, but there’s still paperwork. There always is.”
“Breakfast today, then I’ll drive you home.” Dylan grinned, settling her nerves. “Then you can call me when things settle down.”
She nodded. “Yes. Please.”
…
Lisa was already awake and making coffee in the group kitchen when Dylan got down to the basement. Ace was there with her, helping out.
“Slept on the couch,” Ace offered. “Think it helped her feel more secure.” He arched an eyebrow at Dylan. “We’re good. Might see her again when the dust settles. She needs some time to recover, get it together. Been through a lot. Both of them.”
Dylan nodded, hearing the truth behind the words.
He had to give Jessie some space before seeing if they had a future together.
It wasn’t just her. He had to admit he’d lain awake for a good part of last night, wondering what they’d have in common now that the danger was past.
He liked her. A lot. But there was a hell of a lot of difference between liked and loved.
He wasn’t sure if he was ready to make that jump.
They both needed to clear their heads, and some time apart would be good.
Jessie had come into the kitchen after freshening up in Dylan’s apartment, and the two women had embraced as if they’d been away from each other for weeks instead of hours. It’d taken a few minutes to convince them to go out for breakfast, Dylan not keen on putting anyone to work today cooking.
The
four of them ended up tucked into a corner booth at a nice diner not far from the Playground.
Ace’s eyes grew wide as he watched the two women devouring enough bacon and eggs for a good-sized squad. Lisa waved over the waitress to order another plate of bacon and Jessie added another two slices of toast.
“You guys love food as much as we do,” Ace said. “That’s kind of awesome.”
Lisa leaned in and whispered something to Jessie before nudging her with an elbow.
Jessie returned it with interest, the gentle shoving match making Dylan smile. It was a good start, and a big step toward the pair reclaiming their lives.
He sighed and picked up his coffee. Jessie was right—she had to go home.
But he didn’t have to like it.
…
Jessie felt better for her decision to leave.
There was only one way to find out if what they had was real, and it was by seeing how they did when they weren’t under fire.
Her heart still ached, though, when the two men drove them home.
Lisa was first. Before she could get out of the car, Ace was around the side, opening the door, and stating he’d sweep the apartment before he left her here.
She hadn’t objected, following Ace up into the building with Jessie and Dylan close behind.
Ace had taken the keys from her and opened the door. Dylan fell in behind him in a quick, fluid movement.
Lisa stood against the wall, hugging herself as they waited in the hallway.
“I’m okay,” she said before Jessie could ask. “I can’t believe I fell for that story.”
“Why wouldn’t you?” Jessie replied. “Two cops show up and ask you to go with them to the station to answer more questions. If you resisted they’d have ‘arrested’ you and dragged you to the casino anyway.”
Lisa gave a slow nod. “I guess so.” She looked up as Ace walked back out. “I’m just glad it’s over.”
“Me, too.” Jessie watched as Dylan followed.
“All clear,” Ace announced. He caught Lisa’s eye and winked. “I even checked under the bed. No monsters there.”
Hard Play (Delta Force Brotherhood) Page 21