by Koko Brown
“Yeah, but this… Baby, you and I together, probably not a good move,” he rasped.
“I know,” Journey said reluctantly knowing he was right, but trying to fight the sweet thrill swirling in her stomach at the term of endearment he’d just used.
He eased away from her and she dropped down in her office chair while he adjusted his clothing and moved to the front of her desk. She lifted the collar of her blouse and shook it, trying to cool herself off. Each look, each touch and each kiss from him made her crave him that much more.
Neither of them spoke for the longest time, probably thinking the same thing and knowing if they kept this behavior up things could really get out of hand. They could ruin their professional relationship.
Laz cleared his throat and caught her attention. “Tell me what happened between you and Hall.”
Journey thought for a moment. “I’m not sure, Laz. Something is going on with him, and I think it’s more than just him being jealous of my promotion.”
Laz folded his thick arms across his chest, his muscles bunching under his light-blue dress shirt. She liked when he wore a suit, though right now he didn’t have his suit jacket on. And he had probably loosened his paisley tie the moment he stepped out of the court room. He looked good in whatever he wore, but his normal attire was a T-shirt and jeans when on duty.
“What did he say to you in the hallway?”
Journey shook her head and pulled her attention from Laz’s enticing body. He could be seriously intense sometimes when discussing a case, but the vibe she was getting from him at the moment was more aggressive than usual.
“Gabe is under the impression that you and I are sleeping together.”
Laz’s brows drew into a frown. “What’s it to him if we were? Does he have a thing for you or something?”
“No, he hates me and this isn’t the first time he’s brought you up in conversation. He also mentioned that I’d better stay out of his way or else. On that I have no idea what he’s talking about.”
“That asshole threatened you?” Laz growled and when she didn’t respond right away he placed his hands palms down on her desk. “Journey?”
She didn’t answer the question, instead she said, “He wants to be an assistant DA or who knows, maybe even DA. Gabe has been here longer than me and feels slighted that I received a promotion over him.”
Laz blew out a noisy breath still looking a little tense. “I should have beat his ass when I had a chance.”
“I’m glad you didn’t. Assaulting a government official is a federal offense.” Besides, he’d been in enough trouble. He didn’t need anything else to spotlight his already shaky reputation.
“Does that mean you’re going to press charges against him?” Stunned by the question, Journey said nothing, but he was right. She needed to do something. “I’ll take your silence as a no.”
“I’ve got this, Laz, but thanks for caring.”
“I care more than you know,” he mumbled under his breath. “Has Hall ever put his hands on you before?”
“No.”
“Good. Stay away from him. And if he even acts like he wants to touch you again let me know.”
“Laz,” she dragged out his name. “Stay out of this. Don’t do anything that’s going to draw more attention on you.”
“Hey, I’m not going to touch the guy as long as he doesn’t touch you.” He started for the door, but stopped suddenly as if just remembering something. Crossing the room, he walked around the desk and stood next to her chair. “Are you ready to tell me what’s going on around here that involves me?”
“Yes,” she said without hesitation. It was time she told him what she knew. “But not here.”
“Then where and when?”
“I’ll text you.”
“If I don’t hear from you soon, you’ll be hearing from me.” He moved toward the office door, and she hated to see him leave.
“Oh, Laz, wait. I forgot to ask. What’s this about you needing help getting a warrant?”
He smirked, smiling for the first time since arriving. That bad-boy grin always made her tingle inside.
“I just said that to get in here.” He opened the door and turned back to her. “I’ll be in touch.”
SIX
An hour later, Laz found a parking spot around the corner from Club Masquerade, the hottest night club in Atlanta. He really wasn’t in the mood for large crowds, but had agreed to meet his best friend, Hamilton Crosby, for a drink.
Laz laid his head against the headrest and stared out his front windshield at nothing in particular. He still couldn’t shake what he’d witness between Hall and Journey. Nor could he stop thinking about what had happened in her office. He’d gone too far and the scary part is she hadn’t stopped him. The instant his lips touched her body, he’d been a goner.
She should’ve pushed me away.
Getting adjusted to her new role in the District Attorney’s office, and knowing that he was constantly under scrutiny in his department and now hers, Journey had more to lose than him. He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if he did anything to soil her reputation. And he had no intention of letting anyone else hurt her either. Namely Hall.
After taking note of his surroundings, where several people dressed in party attire were heading to the club, Laz climbed out of his car. Earlier he had purchased a burner phone, and now he pulled out of his front pocket and stepped into the shadows of a storefront that was closed. He dialed a number he used for special occasions.
“Yeah, who dis?” The gruff voice on the other end answered.
“It’s me. I need a favor.”
Laz was met with silence at first. “I think you’ve used up all of your favors, Detective.”
“You think so?” Laz asked, his tone deadly, not in the mood for bullshit. He had helped this guy out of more jams of the criminal nature than he could count. The last time was keeping his little brother out of jail. Laz knew he’d need his contact’s special services one day. This was definitely one of those times he was glad he knew people in low places.
After a long pause his contact asked, “What you need?”
“I need you to pay someone a visit.” Laz gave him the information he’d gathered on Gabriel Hall. “Be sure to do some major damage to his face, but don’t kill him and don’t get caught.”
His contact grunted. As if him getting caught was a joke.
“Let me put it a different way,” Laz continued. “If you get caught, you’re on your own.”
He disconnected and walked around the corner, tossing the phone into a sewer drain along the way. The last thing he needed was to have anything linking him to the ass whoopin’ Hall had coming.
Fifteen minutes later, Laz brought his beer bottle to his lips and took a healthy gulp as he scanned Club Masquerade’s rooftop deck. Standing at a tall cocktail table, he had a good view of the city as well as the patrons. Some danced to the latest song by Drake while others drank, laughed, and chatted at tables set up around the large space. Considering the October day had been in the high sixties, it had cooled significantly. But that didn’t stop the scantily clad women from strutting around as if it was ninety degrees outside.
“Here you go, love.” A server set another beer on the table.
“I didn’t order that.” Laz slid the bottle toward her. He was off duty, but rarely did he consume more than a beer while out.
“The redhead over there ordered it for you.” She gestured with a nod to the group of women sitting two tables away that Laz had seen earlier.
“All right, thanks.” He lifted the bottle in salute to the redhead who was now smiling at him. He had a type. Red fit the look with her cute face, curvaceous body and long, shapely legs. That’s what he’d remembered most about her from when he saw her outside minutes ago.
Eyeing her now, she was definitely pretty, but he felt nothing. No desire to kiss her. No desire to have her in his bed. No desire to have those long legs wrapped around his waist
. Nothing. And he knew why.
Journey. The woman had ruined him for others and he hadn’t even gotten her into bed yet.
“And I never will,” he mumbled, mentally reminding himself of why.
“I see you haven’t lost your touch.”
Laz chuckled when Hamilton sidled up next to him. They shook hands and did a one-arm hug, pounding each other on the back.
“Hey, I didn’t initiate the attention.”
“Yeah, you rarely do,” Hamilton grunted and accepted a ginger ale from the same server. “It’s those damn eyes. I guess they’re still working for you.”
Laz grinned. “Don’t hate, man. I can’t help it if the female gender finds me irresistible.”
“Yeah, whatever.”
Hamilton Crosby was not only Laz’s best friend, but he’d also been his college roommate at Georgia State. They both majored in criminology and upon graduating from college had joined Atlanta’s police force. Hamilton had left the department and now oversaw the security at Club Masquerade and also worked as a personal security specialist with Mason Bennett, one of the club’s owners.
“So what’s going on with you?” Hamilton asked and sipped his drink, eyeing Laz skeptically.
“What? Can’t a guy just call up his old pal to hang out?”
“Yeah, but usually that happens every few weeks for most people. I haven’t heard from you in months. I had to call Ashton at the station to see if you were still alive. Where I come from, friends keep in touch, especially with the type of work we both do.”
Hamilton was right. Neither of them were big phone people, but there was no excuse for not keeping in contact. There was a time when a week didn’t go by that they didn’t get together for a drink, shoot pool or play poker.
“Sorry about that, man. Been putting in some long hours and you know,” Laz shrugged. “These days I’m just trying to keep my head down and stay out of trouble.”
“There must be a woman who’s caught your attention.”
Laz sputtered out his beer, coughing when the liquid went down wrong. “Nah, man. What’s wrong with you? Nobody said anything about a woman. I’ve just been busy.”
“If you’re trying to stay out of trouble, there has to be a woman involved. And not just any woman. Someone who… Well, I’ll be damned,” Hamilton said, wonder in his voice. “It’s serious isn’t it? Is that why you finally called me back? You need to talk it out.”
Laz sighed roughly and shook his head. “I’m not doing this with you tonight, Ham. So drop it. Just because you’ve found love doesn’t mean it’s in the cards for the rest of us.”
“So, who is she?” Hamilton asked ignoring Laz’s comment. He rubbed his chin and then grinned. “Don’t tell me you finally made a move on the prosecutor. I mean the ADA. What’s her na—Journey. Journey Ramsey.”
Laz frowned, trying to keep his mouth from falling open.
“What? Don’t look so surprised. You forget, I know you. Besides, this past year you’ve found a way to bring her name into every conversation. It was only a matter of time that you stepped to her.”
“I haven’t stepped to her.” Well not exactly, Laz thought silently.
“If that’s true, then maybe you should. Because right now you’re wound tighter than a bowline knot. Why not just hit that and—”
“Chill, man. She’s not that type of woman,” he practically growled, unable to keep the irritation from his voice. He’d admit, when it came to women, he wasn’t the lovey-dovey-dating type of guy, but if he had Journey, he had a feeling it would be different.
Hamilton remained silent before saying, “Sounds like she means something to you.”
“Whether she does or not, nothing’s going to happen. She and I…” Laz shook his head without finishing. He needed to keep reminding himself why it wasn’t a good idea to get involved with Journey.
“I’ve never known you to back down from something you want. Why now?”
Laz released a humorless laugh. “You have to ask? Man, I’m a fuck up. The last thing she needs is someone who’ll tarnish her life, or worse, get her killed. Nah, I’m keeping my distance.”
“You did not get Gwenn killed.”
“Didn’t I? If it weren’t for my need for justice, Gwenn would still be alive. Now I’m done talking about Journey, Gwenn and women period. I just came here to have a drink and catch up with you. That’s it.”
“Fine, for now. But I’m not done questioning you about that fine ADA.”
Laz chuckled and shook his head knowing this conversation wasn’t over. Back in his cop days, Hamilton had been a beast when it came to interrogating a perp, always getting the answers he wanted.
He and Hamilton talked and caught up for the next hour, discussing everything from sports to work. Laz found it refreshing to talk about some of his cases with someone who could understand the frustration of the job. He also knew he didn’t have to worry about anything he said getting out to anyone else.
“Why are you still on the force?” Hamilton asked after silence fell between them. “I can tell your heart isn’t in it anymore. Between the investigations and suspensions, I have to ask. Why keep putting up with the bullshit?”
Lately, Laz had been asking himself the same question. There was a time that he loved his job. Granted there were other jobs he could do using his current skills and his degree, but taking out bad guys is what he knew.
His attention went back to the people on the rooftop. Club Masquerade was owned by the Bennett triplets who had inherited the business from their parents a few years ago. It was a good gig they had going and within a short amount of time, they’d made the club into a hot spot for not just those who were local, but for those visiting the city as well.
“How do you like working for the Bennetts?” Laz asked Hamilton.
“It’s cool, man. I’m only here occasionally now that I work for Mason.”
Hamilton had first started thinking about leaving the police force when his now ex-girlfriend told him she was pregnant. After his son was born, he had left the job without looking back. Overseeing security at the club, and providing personal security suited him. His friend seemed happier.
“You know, if you’re ever looking for a change of pace, Mase is always in the market for a few good people. A chunk of his team is made of Atlanta’s finest, and you and I both know, you’re the best there is.”
Laz chuckled. “Flattery. Wow.”
“Hey, I’m just telling the truth. You bust your ass daily to wipe the streets clean of scumbags and where has it gotten you? Most of them might spend a few years behind bars, but many are back on the streets before you can even collar the next crook.”
“Don’t remind me,” Laz grunted, finishing off his second beer and handing the empty bottle to a server walking by. “Seems the harder I work, the tougher it is to get a conviction. Most days I feel like I’m wasting my time.”
“Like I asked before. Why are you still there?”
“If not me out here, then who, Ham? The streets are getting worse by the day. That’s where I’m needed. Besides, I can’t let what happened to Gwenn happen to anyone else.”
Hamilton shook his head. “Laz, you’re just one person. You can’t do it alone. Besides, you took care of Ray and the Apostle Kings. You got justice for her death. It’s time to move on.”
They’d had similar conversations on occasion for the last nine years. From the moment Laz found her dead in their house, a needle filled with heroine lying next to her, he’d been on a mission. Not many days went by that he didn’t relive that dark time of his life.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to let those memories go.”
“Yeah, I know, but even if you can’t let the memories go, you can leave the job behind. Actually, it might do you some good to finally start fresh and make some changes in your life.”
Hamilton’s mention of making changes made Laz immediately think of Journey. Could he change? Could he turn his life and reputation
around and possibly be the type of man to get and keep a woman like her?
Hamilton pulled out his wallet and a card then handed it to Laz. “You can make twice as much money providing personal security than you make on the force. When you’re ready to move on, give Mason a call. I know he has a spot for you.”
Laz skimmed the business card. Supreme Security Agency in gold lettering at the top and Mason Bennett’s contact information below it. Laz had done well for himself financially, living below his means and investing most of his salary. But making more money definitely wouldn’t be a bad thing.
This wasn’t the first time Hamilton had tried recruiting Laz, but it was the first time he was seriously considering it.
Laz’s cell phone vibrated in his pocket. A quick glance at the screen and a twinge of anticipation gripped him. A text from Journey.
Can you meet me in thirty minutes?
Little did she know he’d meet her anytime anywhere for anything. He typed a quick response.
Just say where. I’ll be there.
After getting her response, he stood. “Ham, it’s been real, but I gotta go.”
“All right. It was good seeing you, man.” Hamilton followed him to the stairs that led back into the main part of the club. “And think about what I said, Laz. It might be time for a change.”
“I hear you.” It was definitely time for a change and for the first time in a long time, Laz looked forward to his future.
A half an hour later, Laz sat at Journey’s breakfast bar with a hot cup of coffee, trying to make sense of what she was telling him. Maybe his brain was tired since it was almost eleven thirty and had been an exhausting day. Normally, when he stopped by a woman’s house this time of night it was a booty call, but he kept reminding himself that this was Journey. And this was business.
“Journey, if you’re talking about internal affairs, IA has been busting my ass for years. I can handle them, and I hate that’s what’s been bothering you.” When she had first told him to watch his back, something he always did, Laz hadn’t been sure what to think. He’d admit to being sick of IA harassing him, but they didn’t dish out anything he wasn’t used to.