Hard Days Knight: Under-Cover Knights, Book 1

by Livia Quinn

  “Only if you beg?”

  She did.

  *

  “I want a copy of the announcements. Can you arrange that?” Del asked Luc later as they grabbed a snack near midnight.

  Luc grinned, “Sure. You’re sleeping with the guy who writes them up.” He crossed his arms, “Any particular reason?”

  “Just keeping an eye out for my guy.”

  He wrapped his good arm around her. “I like the sound of that.”

  She ran her hands over the broad muscular expanse of his chest, running fingertip across his clavicle and leaned back so she could look him in the eye. “Do you really?”

  “You haven’t noticed I’m having trouble staying away from you?” he asked.

  She said, “I guess I figured you just had a cop fetish.”

  “Let me tell you a secret.” His hand lifted the hem of her short satin gown, raising the hem so he could cup the swell of her breast as he whispered, “I loved the sultry salsa dancing siren in the red dress,” he stroked her hair back to kiss her neck, “but that just confirmed my reaction the first time I saw her in uniform. Those bluebonnet eyes pierced straight into my soul and I knew right then, with the tough lady cop’s foot on my back, I’d never be the same.”

  Luc’s head pressed against hers, “Thank God for BE day. I don’t know what I’d have come up with to get you to talk to me again.”

  It was sweet words like these and the sincerity behind them that made her smile whenever she thought of him; that, and how he’d looked propped against her pillows, that exquisitely sculpted body leaning over her as she’d clasped his firm buttocks with her legs and urged him closer.

  She laid a hand on his cheek and kissed him softly, “Then let me help you stay safe.” She’d known better than to say, “protect you”. He was a man after all. Placing her hand over his heart to make her point, she pressed, “Keep me informed of schedule changes. Whoever did this to you didn’t accomplish their goal. He or she is still out there. Have you had any other ideas? Remember any old girlfriends who might be holding a grudge? Boyfriends?”

  “Boyfriends?” He made a face.

  She shrugged, “Just speculating…”

  “Well, you can stop speculating about that. Do you need convincing?”

  She didn’t but she lied and told him she did.

  CHAPTER 34

  “Bless me Father for I have sinned. It’s been…” Delilah stopped and thought back.

  “Too long,” Father Thomas offered.

  “Uh, yeah—it’s been too long since my last confession. You’re going to make this difficult aren’t you?”

  “Do we need the barrier?” Thomas asked.

  “It would be easier, but no. What I have to say I should say to my brother, not a wall, no matter how much I’d like to go the traditional route.”

  She heard the sound of the door inside the confessional opening and the wheelchair rolled down the handicapped ramp with her brother looking very much the parish priest.

  Del’s hands clenched, her fingernails biting into her palms. “Could I ask you for a favor?”

  “Of course.” His head tilted, his expression softening.

  “Could you remove the collar for about thirty minutes. I’d like to talk to Tommy.”

  He chuckled, “It’s not like I have dual personalities or anything,” but his hands rose to unhook the collar and set it inside the pocket of the chair. Heaving himself out of the wheelchair and onto the nearest cushioned pew, he patted the seat next to him.

  Her eyes welled as she sat next to him. He held out his arms, “Come here.”

  A sob escaped as his strong arms surrounded her. It had been so long. She cried for what had happened to him, for what he’d lost and for the four years they’d lost, distance she’d unwittingly, stupidly put between them. When her tears were spent, she felt wrung out and a bit embarrassed.

  “Come on now. You’ll puff up that pretty face.” He handed her a handkerchief, and wiped at his own cheek.

  She looked down at it making a face. “You haven’t offered this to anyone else today have you?”

  He laughed, “Still my suspicious sister. Blow your nose.”

  While she composed herself she studied him. It was as if the times she’d seen him recently she hadn’t really seen him. He was still quarterback handsome, the years of controlling the wheelchair building his upper body far beyond his football fitness days. But the biggest difference was inside. She saw it in his eyes. And she remembered why he reminded her of Luc. He was totally at peace with who he was and what had happened to him.

  Her hand went to his chiseled cheek. He smiled. “Better?”

  “Not until I say what I came to say.”

  He nodded, a man practiced at listening.

  “I guess you noticed I’ve had a hard time dealing with what happened to you.” Still the only noticeable change in his expression was a slight curve to one side of his mouth. “I mean… how could you not have been mad? Your life changed, your dreams were taken away from you, just like that.” She snapped her fingers, frowning.

  “You know why I joined the force. I wanted to find the rest of the gang and the other family members and get revenge.” Thomas’ eyebrow rose but he said nothing, just sat back. “Oh, I called it justice but I wanted…” her hands balled into fists. “Is that why you became a priest so you could deal with it? And did you really…”

  “Join the priesthood because I couldn’t have sex with a woman?”

  “Damn.” She jumped, “I mean, shoot. I’m confused. We should have had this conversation a long time ago. I—”

  “It’s okay, sis. You can tell me every evil thought you’ve had. You can even say that you think I’m less of a man, no longer whole.” His eyebrow hiked.

  She opened her mouth to deny it.

  “I’ve had all the same thoughts, you know. Rage, even thoughts of suicide. At first I felt like dying, like I was worthless. But I also had to deal with the truth of what I’d been denying before the shooting. I partied pretty hard that last six months trying to convince myself of a different course. I didn’t tell anyone I was considering the priesthood, but it was pulling at me. “I wasn’t sure if I could give up having sex, a family…”

  “After the shooting my whole concentration was on therapy and learning how to be a fully functioning handicapped citizen. Eventually I realized I wanted to find out about Jocco Martin—what happened to him and the others in the gang. I went to see him in prison.”

  Delilah was speechless. She couldn’t believe she’d known none of this. “What did he say?” The Savages had lived up to their name. Surely he hadn’t apologized to Tommy.

  “At first, he refused to see me. Then as I was leaving the prison, the guard stopped me. He said, ‘He’s changed his mind.””

  Del leaned forward. “Why?”

  “When I sat down in the visitors booth, Jocco said he ‘wanted me to know he was sorry.’ He paused and I thought maybe he’d really had a change of heart; then his eyes turned cold and he said, ‘I’m sorry I didn’t finish the job. One kill away from my reward. Come in here with me. I will finish it, and I can die knowing I am chaca.’ Then he spit at the window.”

  Del shivered to hear of the hatred Jocco had held for her brother, and all over some rite of passage to a higher position?

  “I should have been afraid, Sis, but as his saliva ran down that window, I was reminded of the blood dripping from our Father’s wounds, and overwhelmed with a forgiveness so strong I could not deny it came from Him.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I waited until he looked me in the eyes, his teeth widening into an obscene smile filled with malice and I told him I forgave him.”

  “Did you hear from him again?” she asked.

  Thomas shook his head. “He was found dead in his cell that night. He hung himself.”

  “So you did…” she used her hands to encompass their surroundings… “this?”

  “It was simpl
y a matter of life sealing my path instead of me partying my way through half the women in Louisiana for how ever long until I figured it out.”

  Delilah blew out a breath. “I don’t know what to say.” She hadn’t known any of this. “I guess I would have known if I’d bothered to pop in from time to time and not…”

  “Sis, that’s a normal reaction. Rage, revenge, and guilt at being the one it didn’t happen to. I knew how you felt. Please stop taking this on yourself. That would be like a New Orleans resident blaming himself for Katrina. If I needed you, you’d be there, just like you know you can count on me, right?”

  “Still—”

  “Do we need to get back in the confessional so you can rid yourself of the bad feelings?”

  “I’d rather not. I’ve come to realize recently how very much I miss our family get togethers.”

  “I have too, but that’s behind us, right?”

  She let out a breath. “What about Jude?”

  “Jude came to me a year after the shooting happened, actually came to the confessional—the barrier, you know—and confessed his part in the gang. He hated what they did to me. His brother forced him to be a part of the gang but he didn’t want to be. They threatened to kill him for not taking the gun and finishing me off. His delay saved my life. He ran away and didn’t surface until after all the Savages were rounded up or killed. For three years he’s been like my little brother.

  “And soon… it will be legal.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m adopting him. Mom and Dad offered but the parishioners and the bishop gave me permission so…you’re about to gain another brother.”

  “Wow, I have been out of touch. You sure know how to get the most mileage out of an apology visit, big brother.”

  He grinned. “It’s good to hear that tone in your voice, little sister. I’ve missed you.”

  “Should be an interesting family reunion on the Fourth.”

  “I’m bringing an extra, you should work on your end. I think ol’ Luc is down for the count.”

  She just rolled her eyes and stood. Then leaning forward she gave him a hard hug and rubbed her cheek against his. “I love you so much, Tommy.”

  “Love you, too, Sis. Drop in anytime and have lunch but beware, I might put you to work behind the steam table.”

  “You got it,” she turned to leave.

  “Oh, and the sex thing?”

  Del spun back around. “A couple of my therapists made sure I knew that wasn’t out of the question. So you don’t have to keep feeling sorry for me.”

  “You don’t uh…”

  “Miss it? Not really. Come back when you want to take care of that long overdue confession.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” she said laughing as she pushed through the church doors to the street.

  After checking in at the station, Del called Thomas back to arrange a meeting with Jude and Angel at the church. When she returned to St. Teresa’s, it was hopping. A line of citizens of all shapes, colors and apparent social status circled the block.

  The import of what her mother had described sunk in. A thousand people a day. She was looking at four hundred easily and the line was constantly adding more people to the back.

  The clamber of dishes and voices, the aromas of chili, spaghetti, and …she couldn’t guess the other items on the steam table with just her nose. The line seemed to have stalled just inside the door. A couple people grumbled that she shouldn’t jump ahead. She explained that she was here to see Father Thomas. She followed several pointed fingers to the main serving area. Thomas was scooping, dipping and slicing the meals up as fast as he could and falling quickly behind. Beside him was Jude serving drinks, and Angel bussing the long tables to make way for more.

  “What can I do?” she asked rolling up her sleeves.

  “Can you help me serve?” asked Tommy. “Better put an apron on.” He pointed.

  She grabbed an apron off the hook, walked behind the steam table and asked the next person in line for their order.

  Two hours later, she sat across from Angel and Jude while Tommy mopped up, the steam table already sparkling from a half hour of cleaning.

  “Jude, there won’t be any further repercussions from that debacle the other day. I just want to make sure you realize how unwise your actions were no matter how well-intentioned.”

  Jude’s gaze avoided hers but she suspected she knew why. Her knowledge of the truth should have made it more difficult to do what she needed to do but ironically, she felt free of the pain and the blame she’d laid at his feet over her brother’s life altering injuries. She wanted him to feel the same, but business first.

  “First of all, I’m not saying you shouldn’t step up to keep a friend out of trouble and taking the blame without giving them up shows an element of team work, but the bottom line is, Angel, guns don’t solve problems. And Jude, when you need to help a friend, choose the right option. In this case, you could have come to me. Or if you weren’t comfortable trusting me—I get that—you could have gone to Mr. Larue or Father Thomas. Can I trust you to make a better choice next time?” He nodded.

  “Angel, if you have a situation you can’t handle would you consider coming to one of us, me, Mr. Larue, or Father Thomas?” He was thoughtful for a minute but finally said, “I guess.”

  “Here’s the deal. We tested the gun we took from Angel. If you or Angel had fired it even once, it would have blown your hand off. You were scammed out of a phone for a virtual time-bomb.”

  Jude looked at Angel as if to say I told you so. Angel said, “I’m sorry, man.”

  They sealed their friendship with their special handshake. Del rose. “Don’t you guys have practice tonight?”

  “Yes, Ma’am.” Jude said.

  Ma’am? Tommy you are making headway, she thought.

  “Who are you playing?”

  “The Y,” said Angel, animated for the first time.

  “Okay, see you then.”

  “They scrambled away from her and over to Tommy. More food, she suspected. “Bye, Father.”

  He smiled, “Bye, Sis.”

  CHAPTER 35

  Delilah locked her car and walked toward Luc’s front door, scanning the parking lot and entrances to the other homes. A narrow strip of grass ran between the sidewalk and the facade of the structure. She spotted something in front of the window to Luc’s foyer. Half a cigarette lay smashed at the entryway. She made another sweep of the area then knocked on his door.

  “Delilah?” he asked through the door, as she’d instructed. Good boy.

  “It’s me. Open the door but don’t step out.”

  When he appeared in the doorway in his t-shirt and Saints sweatpants, she pointed at the cigarette. “Was that there when you got home?”

  He squatted down and looked at the debris on his step, looked at her grimly. “No, it wasn’t.”

  “I’ll be right back.” Opening the trunk of her car she took out a tote bag with an emergency kit. She dropped it next to the porch and pulled out a flashlight, a baggy and a small sealed broom and dustpan. Pulling on latex gloves, she used tweezers to pick up the cigarette and as much of the contents as possible. Holding it up so Luc could see the lipstick ring around the filter end, she asked, “Know any women who smoke?”

  He shook his head. “Not that I can think of.”

  She placed the cigarette in the bag and laid it on the grass while she swept the rest of the step and the immediate area for evidence placing her collection of dirt in a second bag. She held it up to the light but didn’t see anything distinguishable, like a hair. “Okay, I’ll stash this in my car. Be right back.”

  He stood in the hallway holding the door then locked it behind her. “I’m getting creeped out here.”

  She hugged him tightly. “You’re allowed.” She walked into the living room but looked back at the bare window overlooking the front walkway. “Why don’t we go to another room? Your office?”

  “The nook in the kitche
n? How about some coffee?” he asked. She recognized his agitation as that of someone who is good at controlling what happens in his life and suddenly he feels powerless. She vowed that he would not feel like a victim much longer.

  “Coffee sounds good. Can I help?” Maybe putting some munchies together would get his mind off the intruder. She followed him into the kitchen. “I should still be full after all we ate yesterday and then eating at the mission today, but I could snack a little. Got any fruit or cheese and crackers? Anything like that will do.”

  It worked. He turned the coffee maker on and bent to look in the refrigerator. Together they chopped apples, plucked grapes and sliced cheese. He ate cottage cheese straight out of the container.

  “Yuck, how can you eat it like that?”

  He smiled, “The sacrifices I make so my girlfriend will want to run her hands over my body, what can I say?” He poured them each a mug of coffee and they sat tucked in the secluded corner of the kitchen, which couldn’t be seen through any of the windows.

  “So how did it go with Tommy today?” he asked.

  Del smiled, leaning back as she nibbled on a grape. She’d totally told a lie. She was so full she couldn’t bear to think of eating the fruit in front of them. She was hoping he’d eat most of it. “I’m no longer the black sheep.”

  “Aw, you were never that.”

  “Well, let’s just say I don’t feel like one anymore. Tommy and I had a really good talk. When did you meet my brother, Luc?”

  “I met him three years ago when I came home on leave. There was a hit and miss group meeting at the gym then. It was in bad shape. I had the idea for revamping it and went to him to see if he thought it would work. He was very enthusiastic about the possibilities and the impact it could make on some of the kids—offering resources, encouragement, eventually more.”

  “That would have been after he was trained to live on his own and took over the church, right?”

  “Yes. The following year I made a proposal to him. I had one year left on my tour. If he could generate interest and work with Ridge to oversee the renovations, I’d send him the money. Your brother knows how to get things done. Well, you can see that by his Feed Larue campaign.”