‘Ok,’ Layla said, climbing between the seats to position herself in the front passenger seat. ‘Where are we going?’
‘We’re getting out of Miami,’ Ruger said, with a sideways look her way.
‘That’s… incredibly general.’ Smoothing her skirt with one hand, she sought out road signs to try and get an idea of which direction they were heading in.
‘I’m hoping the mysterious thing will work for me,’ he said.
‘So far it’s not. The muscles are panty melting,’ she admitted, giving him the once over. ‘The arrogance and condescension, not so much.’
‘Thanks for the pointers.’
‘How do we expect to learn if we’re not willing to be educated?’ she asked, tucking the phone back into the glove box. ‘Tell me about your family.’
‘Why?’ he asked, frowning at her sudden re-route of the conversation.
‘You know about mine and I’m not in the habit of traveling around with strangers. It will make me feel better if I know something about the guy who’s abducting me.’ Ruger wasn’t really abducting her because Drew had given him permission to do what he did. Still, she wanted to know who she was spending her time with.
‘Fair enough. My mom and dad live in a nice house and like to talk about the grandchildren that they don’t have yet.’
‘Only child then… explains a lot.’
‘Actually no,’ he said, retrieving gum from the door well and offering it to her before he took a piece. ‘I have twin older brothers who are both in committed relationships. I come from a huge family, there are a million cousins.’
Feigning her disbelief with a curious frown. ‘Your dad is still around?’
‘Yeah,’ he said, glancing at her to observe her expression of astonishment. ‘You sound surprised.’
‘I am. Huh…’ she exhaled. ‘He obviously never taught you how to approach a woman.’
‘Never needed taught,’ he said with swagger. ‘Some things just come naturally.’
‘You’re rusty, maybe you should think about polishing up some of those skills,’ she said, admiring a guy who could give as good as he got. ‘So you’re from Jersey?’ That was where Drew and Serendipity lived, so she guessed this Ruger guy was from there too.
‘North Carolina, actually.’
‘How did you end up mixed up with Drew?’
‘That is a very long and complicated story which is probably best left for another time.’
‘So that’s how it’s going to be?’ she asked. ‘You think you’re going to call all the shots?’
‘I’m the driver,’ he said, pleased with his superior position. ‘I have all the controls, right here.’
Taking his grip away from the steering wheel, Ruger opened his hands to gesture at all of the bells and whistles the driver had access too. Reaching over, she blasted the horn before he could swat her hand out of the way.
‘If a woman knows how to move right, she has all of the control,’ Layla said. ‘Don’t you forget it, Ruger.’
The satisfied tilt of his lips prompted her to lean a little closer and he drew his attention around to fix it on her for longer than a driver really should. His eyes were paler than his brown hair, but they were far from aloof, his whole being exuded warmth and an openness that she found refreshing.
Most of the men from her past had been guarded or weighed down by the trials life doled out. Ruger was sharp, she could tell that by his wit, but he wasn’t cynical, which was something she’d been accused of herself.
‘Are you going to tell me how you hooked up with my brother now?’ she asked.
‘I have to figure out how squeamish you are before I reveal all,’ he said, concentrating on the highway ahead. ‘I wouldn’t want you to have nightmares.’
Almost affronted by the suggestion she could be weak, her eyes pinched closer, ready to accept his challenge. ‘I have a strong stomach, Ruger, you can’t shock me.’
‘Have you ever watched a person die?’
Yes, she had, and it wasn’t an experience that she wanted to repeat. Ruger was trying to shock her. He was just playing, and she was sure he hadn’t intended harm. Despite his benevolent intention, her memory conjured a mental flash of the life seeping out of her mother. That memory wasn’t one she wanted to share with him, with a stranger, and it didn’t fit the spirited mood of their repartee so she decided not to answer.
‘Will you at least tell me why you’re doing this?’ she asked. If he confessed his motivation, it would reveal a lot about his character.
‘Let’s just say that I owe your brother one.’
‘Figures that Drew didn’t pay you. I’d guess you met him on one of his other cases. That guy just can’t leave anything alone.’
‘He’s tenacious,’ Ruger said. ‘But that’s not a bad thing. Jansen’s “hang on and never let go” spirit saved a good friend of mine.’
‘Well, I’m glad my brother did you a favour.’ She switched on the radio and began to flick through stations. ‘What do you know about this case my brother is on now?’
‘It’s a big one.’
‘So he said… big in what way?’ Ruger hesitated, which was enough to make her abandon the radio. ‘I think if these men are coming after me, I have a right to know why.’
‘It relates to Governor Ashcroft and rumours of kickbacks.’
‘Rumours?’
‘That Ashcroft is as crooked as they come,’ Ruger said. ‘He’s making decisions in favour of those who can pay him the most and he has a lot of sway with the prosecutors and judges in his state. Serendipity got Drew involved. He has the skills to get the information she needs to prove that the stories are true.’
‘She’s still on this journalism kick?’
‘Yeah,’ Ruger said.
Layla couldn’t judge Serendipity for her recent change in career because she too often made abrupt changes in her life. Journalism did complement Drew’s need to investigate with purpose, but Layla wished that they would settle down so that she didn’t have to worry about her big brother all the time.
‘I’ve been watching you for almost a week,’ Ruger said.
This statement jarred her out of her thoughts about Drew’s safety. ‘You’ve what?’
‘Yeah,’ Ruger said. ‘I told Jansen I’d look out for you.’
‘You said you were on vacation,’ she said, narrowing her eyes, but he was intent on the road ahead.
‘I’m not being paid and Miami is a party town. How else would you define a vacation?’
At least he was being honest now, but if he’d been watching her there wouldn’t have been much partying going on. Her social life had been rather uneventful for quite a while. Drew had made it seem like Ruger’s presence was serendipitous. She’d have to have a word with her brother about distorting the truth.
‘You said there were hit-men on a plane, was that a lie too?’
‘No,’ Ruger said. ‘Drew is putting the pieces together and Ashcroft found out that he was on the case. The not-so-good governor decided to do some investigating of his own and his men discovered your location.’
‘Does Ashcroft know that Serendipity is writing a story?’
‘It’s more than a story. There is a real crime being perpetuated here. Whether Ashcroft knows about Serendipity’s involvement or not, I don’t know. What I do know is Ashcroft knows Jansen is onto him. Whatever Jansen is doing, Ashcroft is freaked enough to want to scare him off.’
‘That’s all you know?’
‘Call your brother, he’ll tell you more.’
‘No, he won’t,’ she said, pulling in a long inhale and glancing out her side window. ‘My brother still acts like I’m a kid in need of protection. He acts like I couldn’t understand what he does.’
‘You don’t understand what he does,’ Ruger said.
This declaration was enough to offend her, so she whipped around. ‘Excuse me?’
‘You were on the phone arguing with him. You talk about his work and Sere
ndipity’s with disdain.’
‘You’re calling me narrow-minded?’
‘Something like that,’ he said. ‘You told him you loved him, but other than that, I haven’t heard my indication that you support your brother in anything he does. Why would he tell you about it if all you’re going to do is judge him?’
She had graduated college at twenty-two full of optimism. Her mother had been battling cancer since Layla was in high school and she had been sure her mother would conquer it. She had been the one to remain positive even when her mother and Drew lost faith. No one had expected her mother to leave this mortal coil so suddenly, and in the end it was actually pneumonia that claimed her.
Drew had tried to be the parent, tried to bolster his little sister, but it was too late. Since those days, optimism had been a foreign concept. Layla always swore she would never be blindsided like that again.
‘I just don’t understand the purpose,’ Layla admitted. ‘There’s nothing I can do about it, so I have to accept what he does. But I don’t understand why he would choose to put himself in danger so often.’
‘Having a cause, fighting for what you believe, that’s the purpose,’ Ruger said. ‘Being freelance, Serendipity has no conglomerate protection. She’s out there on her own. Drew loves her, so he supports her no matter how desperate or crazy things get.’
‘And my idiot brother won’t just go to the police because that might break the story before Serendipity is ready to release it,’ Layla said.
‘Jansen doesn’t have a whole lot of buddies left on the force,’ Ruger said. ‘He sort of left in disgrace, remember?’
She didn’t need the reminder of how his ex-colleagues had treated her brother. Not one of them had shown understanding for the impossible position Drew had found himself in. ‘Isn’t protecting Serendipity more important than some dumb story? And where do I fit in?’
‘Ashcroft knows that Drew has been asking questions. So the governor is trying to scare him off the story. His men are tailing Drew, he’s not safe, but offing the man working with the journalist who has evidence to corroborate the story… that could draw unwanted attention to the cause.’
‘And no one is looking at the investigator’s little sister in Florida.’
Sliding his hands to the top of the steering wheel, Ruger rested his forearms on it too and nodded before he carried on. ‘Drew found out Ashcroft’s men got on a plane and that they were coming after you. That’s why you had to come with me. We were out of time. There was no way to approach you softly. I had to get you out of public view in a hurry.’
‘Great news for me.’
‘You’re safe now that I’m here,’ he said, but she wasn’t entirely convinced.
‘Are you some kind of martial arts professional or something?’
‘No, but I’ve been in my share of bar fights.’
That wasn’t encouraging. ‘Ok, so you’re a firearms expert? A crack shot?’
‘Crack shot? Could be, I usually hit what I’m aiming at.’
‘Usually? What are you used to aiming at?’
‘Never met a skeet that I couldn’t take down,’ he grinned, briefly taking his attention from the road.
‘Skeet?’ she said, sitting up straight. ‘We have hit-men and possibly the Treasury Department on our tail and you’re making jokes about skeet shooting?’
‘Governors aren’t protected by the Treasury Department.’
Grinding her teeth, she tried to contain her fury. ‘You said Ashcroft had contacts, didn’t you?’
‘If the Secret Service are after us then I think you’d need Chris Kyle in your arsenal.’
‘He’s unavailable,’ she said. ‘Just what exactly is it you do for a living that you think you’re so qualified to take care of me?’
‘I have two brothers. I’ve been scrapping since I was in diapers.’
His jokes didn’t encourage assurance. ‘Quit dancing around it. What do you do for a living?’
‘I’m a trader.’
‘Trader? Like on Wall Street?’
‘No,’ he said. ‘Not that kind of trader… I’m in product sales.’
He didn’t speak with shame, but his explanations were elusive. ‘You’re in sales? What do you sell?’
‘Whatever my customer needs.’
Just when she thought the situation couldn’t get much worse, she faltered. ‘You’re kidding, right? This is a joke?’
‘Nope,’ he said.
‘Did you go to college? Spend time in the military?’
‘I have a degree in communications.’
‘Wonders never cease,’ she said, wondering if she would survive a leap from a moving vehicle. ‘My brother sent a salesman with a degree in communications to save my ass? I think I need to get out of this truck now.’ Her throat tightened and despite his calm demeanour, she was overcome with anxiety.
‘What? You’ve got something against a guy who uses brains rather than brawn?’
‘No, no… no, I…’—the bitter adrenaline brought bile to her throat—‘I’ve been told there’s a chance I’m going to be tracked down and murdered by unsavoury thugs and my idiot brother…’—the thump of her heart echoed to her tongue—‘He sends a fucking retailer!’
‘I’m not a typical salesman. I don’t drive around selling products door-to-door.’
‘I think I’m going to be sick,’ she said, pushing the button to lower her window all the way down. She stuck her face out hoping for a blast of cool air, but she was just struck by humidity.
Ducking back in, she fanned her face and tried to steady her breathing. Panic wasn’t what made her hyperventilate, it was anger. This was the man her brother had sent to make her feel better, and to look after her, and he had no skills to do either.
‘What’s the problem?’ he asked.
‘This is just like Drew—save a buck and send a friend!’
‘I was in Miami to look out for you. I travelled down because I owed your brother and I always pay my debts. You should be pleased that I was already in position to pluck you up and save you.’
‘It didn’t occur to him to send some kind of security guard, or a cop, or anyone remotely qualified?’
‘I’m qualified,’ Ruger said.
‘To do what exactly? Take commission on my purchases?’
‘You’re freaking out over nothing,’ he said, with a sloping smile.
‘What qualifications do you have to save my life if it comes to it?’ she asked, ready to have him prove her point for her.
‘The way it was pitched to me, it’s my job to get you out of Miami and to a safe place. Drew has a plan beyond that.’
‘Oh yeah, what?’
‘I don’t know,’ Ruger said. ‘I didn’t ask. Get the girl out of Miami, that’s my task, and I’m going to do that.’
‘Great,’ she said. ‘A licence to drive, that’s your qualification.’
‘Not only that,’ he said. ‘I’m a brother.’
Opening her mouth wide to inhale, Layla was about to argue back, but found herself closing her mouth again because somehow that actually made her feel better. ‘A brother?’
‘Sure and I wouldn’t let anything harm any of my siblings. My brothers can take care of themselves now and they’re both involved with women who I think of as sisters. I’m in the position of understanding Drew’s concern. His little sister is in trouble and he couldn’t come to you himself. He’d do the same for me.’
‘If there was a case in it maybe,’ she said, calming down and folding her arms after she put the window up. ‘Getting out of Miami is a good start if that’s where the bad guys are headed… do you know anything about who specifically is looking for me?’
‘No, but they’re not looking for me. These guys would never link us, which makes me a great person to help you keep a low profile. Drew will work this out. In the meantime, I’ll ensure that no one finds us.’
If no one found them then there would be no need for fighting or shooting, so she
dampened her own impulse to be direct. ‘You have your own business?’
‘Yes, you could say that,’ he said. ‘You know it wouldn’t be out of line for you to show me a bit of gratitude.’
‘For cutting your fake vacation short and getting yourself pulled into an adventure that might get someone else killed? What kind of gratitude are you looking for?’
‘You’re in PR, right? Maybe you can draw a poster for my brother’s business when this is over.’
‘Draw you a poster?’ she gaped, ready to bite his head off when she read his retaliation. ‘What kind of business?’
‘He owns a strip club.’
‘Your brother owns a strip club?’ she asked. In an automatic nod to her shock, her eyebrows rose. ‘And he has a girlfriend?’
‘One he loves a lot.’ Layla wasn’t sure what kind of woman would be happy being in a relationship with a man who paid women to get naked. ‘Be careful, your judgement is showing again.’
‘I’m not being judgemental,’ she said, unsure of what other word she could use to describe what she’d been thinking. ‘I just can’t imagine what kind of woman would be happy with her boyfriend being in that profession…’ Ruger said nothing. ‘Maybe you should just concentrate on driving.’
‘I understand your resentment toward a person who has a stable career. Blaser is quite the entrepreneur. He’s no sleaze. He knows what he wants from his life.’
‘I have no resentment. I’m a fully trained cosmetologist, I specialise in hair, so I could have a stable career if I wanted one,’ she said.
‘You are?’
‘Yes, I went back to school a couple of years ago to train.’
‘Let me guess, you were heading in a new direction after breaking up with a boyfriend or fiancé?’
Ignoring the haughty amusement he exuded, Layla carried on. ‘I understand a person who has a trade and I respect that. But while my life is in danger, I’d like my protector to be equipped with more than a credit card machine.’
His playful smile made his eyes dance and he didn’t try to hide his enjoyment of her wit, although he delivered his line as if he meant it. ‘Do you know how lethal those things can be? Any weapon in the world can be obtained if you have the right amount of green.’
Game Of Risk (Risqué #3) Page 3