by Mia Dymond
With a smirk, she stood and patted his shoulder. “There. That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“Excruciating,” he mumbled. “Hurry up.” He glanced at Ryker. “What’s your plan?”
“Safe house.”
Jackson nodded.
“Hold on a minute.” He clenched his teeth and waited for Alex’s next ultimatum. “I can’t just disappear. I have court appearances and appointments with clients. I refuse to stop living my life because of some psycho.”
“This psycho will kill you, Alex.” Jackson lost all patience with no chance of recouping even a minute portion. “She will not rest until you’re cold. Now, you have exactly five minutes to pack.”
“Or what?”
“Or I’ll throw you across my knee and paddle that sweet little ass until you realize how serious I am.” He pinned her with his gaze, daring her to argue.
“You really think—”
“Go, Alex!”
She took only seconds to toss him a menacing glare before she left the room.
“Umm.” Marnie cleared her throat. “Would you like me to pack as well?”
“Yes.” Jackson ran a hand through his hair. “We’ll drop you off at Jake and Bri’s house until we figure out how to safely transport you.”
“Good idea to keep them separated for the time being.” Ryker shifted his weight from one leg to the other. “How do you want to work this?”
“We’ll take Alex tonight. Marnie will be safe with Jake until tomorrow evening.”
“Gotta hand it to you, man.” Ryker exhaled hard. “You’ve got your hands full of woman.”
***
From within the bushes, the action across the street toyed with her emotions. On one hand, she claimed victory. Her warning had obviously served its purpose and she had escaped detection. This plan had been risky from the beginning but had gone off without a hitch.
On the other, she was furious. She had been prepared to make absolutely sure Alex was out of the way for good, but again the conniving witch had managed to escape danger. If only the girls had been home as usual.
As badly as she hated to admit it, taking Alex out would be much more difficult than she thought. She would have to be quite a bit more creative.
Sirens sounded in the calm afternoon and she knew she only had minutes to disappear. Careful not to rustle leaves, she backed out of the bushes and distanced herself from the scene. She glanced down at her feet and again cursed her choice in footwear. Her heels sunk into the soft ground, making rapid progress difficult. With no other choice, she bent to remove each shoe and then looped them over her finger. With four backyards between here and her car, traveling barefoot would be a much better option.
CHAPTER FIVE
Jackson moved his eyes from left to right and back again in the pitch black night as he scanned the rural blacktop road and negotiated a series of twists and turns that led to the one place he knew would protect Alex. Tucked off the main road and shielded by thick pine trees, the naked eye missed it every time. He just wouldn’t relax until they got there.
He stole a glance at Alex sitting beside him, her hands folded in her lap and her head lowered slightly to peer out her window. “Do you know where you are?”
“Do you?” she countered.
“Absolutely.”
She turned her green gaze on him and even in the dark he intercepted her silent challenge. “Care to share?”
“What’s it worth?”
“Cute.” She shrugged. “I’ll find out sooner or later.”
Her snickered at her nonchalance. “But the suspense is killing you.”
“Not really.”
He reached for her hand and braided their fingers. “Really. That amazing brain of yours is working ninety to nothing.”
“Okay, yes. I’d like to know where you plan to hold me hostage. Especially if you intend to keep me away from civilization.”
“The place is hardly a shack, Alex.” He took one last turn and stopped behind an iron gate. “In fact, we’re here.”
She turned her attention to the front windshield. “Where’s Ryker?”
“Probably already inside.”
“How do you propose we get through the gate?”
He rolled down the window and punched a series of numbers into a green-lit keypad. The gate hummed and then opened. “Like this.”
She settled back against the seat, seemingly pacified for the moment. He took his foot from the brake pedal and inched through the opening at a snail’s pace.
“Is there a speed limit?” she drawled.
He released a hearty laugh. “No. The camera rays are scanning the undercarriage.”
“For what?”
“Bombs. Weapons.” He shrugged. “Anything suspicious.”
The sensor released one final beep and the gate closed as he crossed into the perimeter and drove up a slightly elevated driveway. A two-story, gray-stoned colonial stood proud before them.
“It’s beautiful,” she murmured as he parked in front, directly behind Ryker’s truck.
“And safe.” He opened his door and climbed out. “Slide over here and I’ll help you down.”
Amazingly, she did so without protest and he lowered her to stand. Maybe he was making some progress.
“I could’ve gotten down by myself.”
And maybe not.
“I know. I just like touching you,” he whispered in her ear.
He reached into the bed of the truck for her bag when Ryker opened the front door of the house and braced himself in the doorway. “Need a forklift?”
Jackson shook his head. “She’s traveling light. Did you get your package delivered?”
“Affirmative. I told Jake we’d transport her tomorrow.”
Ryker pushed himself off the door frame as they approached and gestured them inside with a hand before he closed the door behind them. Jackson couldn’t help but notice the black and white marble floor that practically blinded him from the shine. And when he looked up to see what caused the glare at nearly ten o’clock p.m., he was forced to squint from the light pouring from the crystal chandelier overhead.
“Well, aren’t you Miss Suzy Homemaker.”
His friend simply snickered. “Just had it cleaned.”
“Wait a minute.” Alex cocked her head to one side. “This is your house, Ryker?”
His friend nodded without elaboration.
“Impressive.”
Ryker pointed in front of him. “Straight ahead is the kitchen. It’s fully stocked. There’s a stairway to the basement game room at the back. Let’s go upstairs.”
He and Alex followed him up a winding staircase until they stopped at the top. From his position, Jackson couldn’t see the end of the hall.
“There’s the laundry room down at the end,” Ryker explained. “I send mine out so it’s hardly ever used.” He gestured at a door on the right. “This first room is the master suite.”
Ryker took a few more steps before he stopped again and looked at Alex while he opened the next door. “If this one’s acceptable, you’re welcome to it.”
Jackson shook his head as he and Alex stepped inside. He didn’t know much about interior design, but he knew enough to be pretty confident Ryker did not design this room. Alex, however, voiced her appreciation. “This is lovely, Ryker.”
“Thank you.” He glanced at Jackson. “Your room is on the other side. There’s a door that separates the two.”
“Thanks, Ryker.”
“No problem. Now I’m going to move my truck. Toss me your keys and I’ll move yours too.”
Jackson followed orders and then nudged Alex on into the bedroom. “Let’s get you settled.”
He closed the door behind them and pulled her into his arms. She sighed and leaned into him.
“You’ll be safe here. The place is a fortress.”
“That’s an understatement if I’ve ever heard one.”
She slipped out of his embrace and sat on the bed, p
atting the spot next to her. “Come here and tell me what you’ve learned.”
Reluctant to spoil the moment, he paused, sorely tempted to put off the conversation until tomorrow. Then again, the woman was a pitbull; he risked life and limb if he kept anything from her. It took him a full three minutes to bring her up to speed.
“So at least we have suspects now,” she said.
He nodded, impressed that she remained optimistic. “We’ve split the list and are in the process of running background checks. Things are at a standstill until we’re finished.” He ran a hand over the top of his head, not sure how she would respond to his next statement. “Ryker and I are going to go back over Marnie’s apartment.”
“When?”
“Tonight. The longer it sets empty, the less chance we have to find evidence.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You know that’s illegal, right?”
“I’m not a detective anymore.” He grinned, relieved she elected to make light of the situation. He stood and offered her a hand. “C’mon, you can raid Ryker’s wine cellar.”
“He has a wine cellar?” She took his hand and together they left the bedroom.
“Hell, I don’t know,” he mumbled. “Probably.”
He led her back downstairs and then headed toward the sound of male voices in the kitchen.
“When will Marnie be here?” she asked from behind him.
“Tomorrow.”
“She’s safe with Jake, right.”
He paused just outside the kitchen and squeezed her hand. “Yes, she’s safe.” He quietly released her hand. “How much longer do we have to sneak around?”
“Not much. I’m not really sure we’re much of a secret anymore.”
“Good.” He placed a small peck against her temple. “Because I’m not very good at keeping them.”
“Patience,” she said as they entered the kitchen.
Jackson nodded at Storm and Ryker in introduction.
“Storm will stay,” Ryker told them. “Just in case we have uninvited company.”
Jackson glanced at Storm for some sort of assurance that the assignment wouldn’t be cause for alarm.
“That’s going on the list,” Alex said in the silence.
Ryker frowned. “What list?”
“Jackson didn’t tell you?” Alex smirked. “He has a list of transgressions.”
“No, I didn’t tell him,” Jackson scoffed, “it’s in my best interest to keep the list to myself.”
“What’s going on it?” Storm smirked.
“He’s concerned for your safety after being left with me.”
Storm grinned. “Not a problem.”
“Go on.” Alex dismissed him with a wave of a hand. “Storm and I are both safe here.”
“I’ll be in the truck,” Ryker said, heading out the door. “Hurry the hell up.”
“You know the drill,” he told her.
“Lock the door, set the alarm, don’t take candy from strangers, blah, blah, blah.” She shooed him away with her hands. “I’ll keep my phone close. Now go.”
The sound of a blasting horn caused him to jump. “Be nice to Storm. We’ll be back soon.” He gave Storm one more nod and then headed outside.
“It’s probably only an hour or so,” Ryker said as he climbed into the truck and fastened his seatbelt. “Think you can manage the separation?”
He tried to play off his concern. “You put Storm in a helluva position.”
“I told you, all of you owe me.”
“All he did was ask for some sleep.”
“Irrelevant.” Ryker drove down the driveway and then swerved to the right.
“Hey!” Jackson grabbed the dash. “There are trees planted there!”
The other man snickered. “Relax, Stewart. There’s a road through them.”
Ryker steered onto a narrow path just wide enough for the truck’s tires and then exited the property through a side exit.
“No gate?”
“No gate,” his friend confirmed. “But, the camera scanned every inch of the truck. By the way, Primrose PD has been through Marnie’s place, inside and out.”
“Are we going to let that stop us?”
“Hell, no.”
As most times when paired with Ryker, the drive was quiet. Jackson almost pulled out his phone to call Alex. Three times. The only thing stopping him was his promise that he wouldn’t blow their cover.
Ryker pulled into Marnie’s space and parked as he gestured with his head at the console between them. “Gloves and flashlights inside.”
Jackson grabbed the items and handed a set to Ryker. “How are we getting in?”
The other man held up a key.
“Marnie gave it to you?”
Ryker nodded while he stretched the gloves over his hands.
“Really? How did you manage that?”
“I reasoned with her.”
“Sure.” He donned his gloves, stuck the flashlight in his back pocket, and then opened his door and exited the vehicle.
Still skeptical that Marnie voluntarily cooperated in handing over her key, Jackson let it go as they approached the scene and breached the entry. Ryker lifted the yellow crime scene tape and gestured him underneath before he closed the door behind them.
Jackson took the flashlight from his pocket and flicked it on to look around the living room. Everything appeared to be in place, just as they’d left it hours earlier. Shopping bags of clothing still cluttered the floor.
He moved on to the bathroom with the mirror messages. Fingerprint powder coated every surface but instinct told him it would only reveal prints of Marnie and Alex. Even the most rookie crook wore gloves.
Moving on to the bedroom, he squatted to shine the light under the bed. All he found there was a pair of bunny slippers staring back at him with fuzzy noses and whiskers.
“Nice slippers,” Ryker said from behind him.
“She’s a teacher,” he reminded the other man as he stood. “They were probably a gift.”
“Probably. I don’t visualize her as soft and fuzzy.” Ryker moved his light to the bed. “What’s that?”
Jackson bent to retrieve the small, square object. “It’s Alex’s business card.” Once he grasped it between his fingers, the edge caught on the latex and it landed face down in his palm. “Something is written on the back.”
“Can you read it?”
He moved his own light over his palm. “It’s Marnie’s name and address.”
“You know what that means.”
“Yeah.” Jackson held the card between two fingers, careful not to contaminate the evidence. “Our perp may have dropped this. And there’s a small chance we may find prints.”
“I can dust it at the office tomorrow.”
He wasn’t hopeful that the card held prints but at least it was evidence. “Are you satisfied you’ve seen everything here?”
Ryker nodded and led the way back to the living room and out of the apartment.
“I’m still curious as to how you got ahold of that key,” he said as he removed one glove and placed the card inside. “How are you going to convince Marnie to stay with Alex?”
Ryker snickered as he started the truck. “Skill, my friend, skill.”
Jackson hoped he was there to witness the skill when it hit the fan.
The ride back to Ryker’s place took forever as he reviewed facts through his head. Anxiety knotted his nerves as they entered Ryker’s compound and finally drove up the driveway.
“You’ve really got it bad.”
Jackson looked at his friend and grinned. “I’m thinking you might too.”
“What the hell?”
“You appear to find extreme pleasure in the company of one Miss Marnie Carpenter.”
Ryker simply stared for a long minute. “Truce.”
“Agreed.”
Ryker parked the truck in the garage and entered the code into the alarm system. When they entered the side door, Storm sat at the bar in the
kitchen with a bottle of beer in front of him.
He almost felt guilty at the other man’s glare. “Long night?”
“You have my utmost respect, man.”
“Where is she?”
“Upstairs.” Storm took a swallow of his beer. “Something about bubbles.”
Ryker tossed his keys to the bar. “Are you guys up for a game of pool?”
“Raincheck.” Jackson nearly sprinted from the room and took the stairs two at a time. Bubbles. Holy hell.
He entered the bedroom as quietly as he could and stood in a quandary outside the bathroom door. To enter or not to enter, helluva decision. He took a moment to listen for sounds of encouragement; the whirr of jets and gently splashing water made the decision for him. Very quietly, he opened the door.
Sweat droplets gathered on his brow and his cock lengthened when he saw her, bubbles from toe to chin, one long, smooth leg braced on the side of the tub, and her sexy, touseled hair pinned on top of her head. She lay with her eyes closed and a look of pure ecstasy on her gorgeous, porcelain face. One wayward curl slid from beneath the clip to brush the smooth surface of her neck and rest on the top of one bubble-covered breast. A glass of wine sat next to her on the edge of the tub.
“There’s room for two in here,” she murmured without opening her eyes.
He grinned, walked to the tub, and sat on the edge, not giving a damn that water soaked his jeans. “I don’t do bubbles.”
He positioned her leg in his lap and began a soft massage at her knee and down until he reached her ankle. Her soft moan of content made him harden.
“Too bad.” She opened her eyes and reached for the wine glass. “You’ve come with more news?”
“We found something.”
She took a swallow. “Lay it on me.”
“We found one of your business cards.”
“That’s all?” She returned the glass to the edge of the tub before she leaned back and closed her eyes. “I pass those out all over the place. I always carry them in my purse.”
“This one had Marnie’s name and address written on the back.”
She opened one eye. “I know where Marnie lives.”