Cove's Blind Date Blows Up (Hot Hunks Steamy Romance Collection Book 3)

by Jen Talty

  He pressed his index finger over her mouth. “First, slow down and breathe.”

  She inhaled sharply, letting it out slowly. Her pulse continued to beat out of control. She didn’t think her heart rate had slowed since she found out there had been a bomb under her seat.

  “Second, why don’t you let me help you?”

  Curling her fingers around his wrist, she pulled his hand away. She opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off once again.

  “You’re too close to this to see things from a different perspective. You might read things that aren’t there or shove things under the rug based on a preconceived notion about what you think we’re dealing with. While I don’t think you should be doing any of this tonight, I know you, and I get you won’t be able to shut your mind down until you at least try to make sense of it. But you need eyes. And you need them to be outside of the Bureau.”

  She tilted her head. “Why do you say that?”

  “Something Rachel said on the phone about me always being there when this happened got me thinking about this being an inside job.”

  Her chest tightened, and it felt as if her heart just stopped altogether for a good three or four seconds. “Excuse me?”

  “Think about it. How many people knew you had signed out a government vehicle, gone to that prison, and then came to my parents? How many people knew you were going out to dinner?”

  “Almost no one, and I don’t tell people at work about my personal…” She paused, glancing at the dark sky dotted with bright stars. The moon was only showing about a quarter of its surface, but it still cast a nice glow across the Earth. “Okay, so people knew I was meeting a friend at that restaurant.”

  “When I was in with Rachel, at first, she all but accused me of sending the fake bomb and putting the other one on Jessica.”

  “Well, that was rude of her.” However, Serenity wasn’t surprised by that statement. If she’d walked into that situation the way Rachel had, Serenity might have come to the same conclusion, but given all the facts, there was no way in hell Cove could have done it.

  He smiled. “Thing is, I know a lot about C4. I know how to blow shit up pretty damn good. And while you can Google things like how to make a bomb, and those weren’t all that sophisticated, the second you add in a lever or two, and you start playing games with a fake bomb that jumps a timer? Well, that’s a little bit more fancy, and unless someone is teaching our bomber this shit, I’d bet our guy is someone who knows his way around a stick of dynamite, like perhaps a bomb tech? I mean, in order to take one apart, you have to be able to build one.”

  “You think this is someone close to me? Someone I work with?”

  His brow curved. “I’m suggesting it’s possible. You already had one man go rouge. There could be more.”

  “Shit. I hate that you sound right on the fucking money,” she said. “So, what do you want to do?”

  “Why don’t we go back to my apartment. I doubt anyone would expect to find you there.”

  “My father is never going to forgive me for leaving like this, but I’m afraid if I stay, this bomber will attack again.”

  “I agree. Let’s go tell them what we’re doing.” He laced his fingers through hers and kissed her forehead. “You really fucking scared me. Don’t do that again.”

  “I don’t plan on coming in contact with C4 if I can help it.”

  As soon as they reached the front door, he let go of her hand. They weren’t in a relationship, nor would they ever be in one, and there was no point in encouraging their parents, but a sudden chill glided across her skin.

  She shivered.

  Taking in a deep breath, she stepped into the family room.

  “Everything wrapped up out there?” Her father leaped from the sofa and took her into his arms, kissing the top of her head.

  She caved to his warm embrace. While she’d always been a tomboy and a badass, as her father put it, she was still his little girl.

  “I’m so sorry that this happened.” She inched back, fiddling with the strands of hair that had fallen from her bun.

  “It’s not your fault, dear,” Adam said. “We’re just glad no one was hurt.”

  “We all are, Dad,” Cove said. “Excuse me a second. I need to make a call.” Cove stepped into the hallway, pressing the phone to his ear.

  “Well, it’s late,” Serenity’s father said. “We should get going. Your mother and I are exhausted, and I’m sure Adam and Helen are as well.”

  “I have one question before you leave.” Helen stood. “Should we be worried for our safety? For our family?”

  “No,” Serenity said. “That bomb had nothing to do with you. Unfortunately, it has everything to do with me.” She glanced up at her father. “Which is why I’m not going home with you tonight.”

  Her father narrowed his eyes and tightened his jaw. “And just where do you plan on going, and how do you think you’re going to get there?”

  Cove turned and closed the gap between him and Serenity. He placed his hand on the small of her back. “I just got ahold of one of the officers that responded to the call.” Cove waved his cell. “I served in Afghanistan with his wife. He’s off duty now, and he said he’d give us a lift wherever we want to go.”

  “I suppose that makes me feel a little better,” her father said.

  “I’ll let you know when I get home.” She kissed her father’s cheek before giving her mother a long hug. “If anything seems out of place or even if you just get spooked—”

  “Lou and I talked it over when I called him, and we decided we’ll follow them home first, just to make sure,” Cove said.

  “That’s a good idea, thanks.” Serenity let out a small puff of air. “But in the days to come, don’t hesitate to call me, or 9-1-1, if something just doesn’t feel right, got it?”

  Her father nodded. “Promise me you will check in with us daily.”

  She resisted the desire to roll her eyes. Her parents meant well, and the last time someone tried to kill her, they’d called her sometimes three times a day to make sure she was still breathing. She understood their concern, and she would do her best to keep them as informed as possible.

  “I will text you once or twice a day, but I can’t do more than that, and don’t go calling or showing up at work,” she said.

  “Lou is here. We should get going.” Cove hugged his folks and held the door open.

  She paused just as he slammed it shut. “Thank you for not telling them I planned on going to your place.”

  “I’m not even going to tell Lou. He’s going to drop us at Grand Central. We’ll take the subway to Brooklyn.”

  “You don’t trust many people.”

  “I trust Lou’s wife completely, but that’s not the point. For all we know, someone is watching us right now.”

  7

  “I’m going to apologize for the lack of hominess. This is just a place I lay my head when I blow through town. The only reason I keep it is because it’s technically Army housing, and it costs me almost nothing.” He flashed his Army badge at the guard by the main door before using his fob to enter the building. Guiding her toward the desk, he signed her name in the guest log. The night receptionist smiled and waved but went right back to his textbook. “And my unit is constantly going on special assignments, so we often pop in stateside when it’s least expected. I like having my own space. Otherwise, I’d be at my parents’ mercy.”

  “You don’t have to explain anything to me.” She leaned against the wall of the elevator and dropped her head back. “I’ve got four brothers who don’t live much different than you.”

  “How are you holding up?”

  “I’m past scared shitless and have landed on pissed right the fuck off.”

  “That can be a good place,” he said, punching the button for the eighth floor. “I have a crappy view of more buildings.”

  “Right now, all I want to do is take a hot shower and order a pizza,” she said.

  “I can
manage both.” He led her down a narrow hall with a dull light-brown carpet. He unlocked his door and pushed it open, letting her in ahead of him. “Welcome to my mini mansion.”

  She chuckled as she tossed her bag on the small table with only two chairs situated in front of an itsy-bitsy galley kitchen that reminded her of one that she’d seen on a sailboat when she’d been little. She wondered if it even had a dishwasher. The main room consisted of a queen-sized bed pushed to the far left wall in a slight alcove. There was a sofa under a window and a coffee table in front of it. A large television hung on the right wall, angled more toward the bed than the couch. When she’d first come to the city, she’d looked at a few studio loft apartments but decided she’d rather spend a little more money in rent, live closer to work, and enjoy a view when she was at home.

  But none of the places she looked at were shoeboxes.

  “I’ve seen worse,” she said. “When I was living in college.”

  “Hey, this is the Ritz compared to my digs when I’m deployed.”

  “I’m sure it’s all relative.” She untwisted her bun and let her long hair cascade over her shoulders. “Do you have something I can wear after my shower? And seriously, I want a pepperoni pizza with extra cheese on a thin crust.”

  “Woman after my own heart,” he said, opening up his ridiculously small bathroom. At least it was clean. He pulled out a couple of towels from the closet before making his way to his chest of drawers hidden in another closet on the opposing wall near the bed. He dug out a pair of Army sweats and one of his training T-shirts. “This should do the trick.” He tossed them to her. “Sorry. All I have is a 4-in-1 body-shampoo-conditioner cleaner that smells like a combination of pine and soap.”

  “I’ll manage.” She took the clothes he offered and disappeared into the bathroom.

  Lucky for her, he knew of a pizza shop that was open twenty-four seven and would deliver. After he placed the order, he opened up his laptop and stretched out on his bed. He did a Google search for Roger Nimitz. Not a ton of information, but he didn’t expect to find too much. He just wanted to know what was pushed out into the world.

  He clicked on his mail icon and found the contact information for Geri Hamlin, an ex-intelligence officer with the Army, and his one and only ex-girlfriend. It had been years since he’d seen her, and a good five or six months since they’d had any contact with one another.

  And for good reason.

  Their breakup hadn’t actually been amicable.

  But now she worked for the FBI down in DC. She was pretty high up in the chain of command, so she might be able to help them sort some of this shit out.

  That was if she was willing to let the past go and give him a hand.

  Something he wasn’t so sure she’d be able to do.

  And he didn’t blame her.

  Not one bit.

  Hey, Geri,

  Long time no talk. I hope this email finds you well. I was hoping you could help me with something. When you get this message, could you give me a call? Day or night, doesn’t matter. I’m stateside, just an FYI. I’d really appreciate it. It has to do with an active FBI case and an agent friend of mine here in NYC.

  Thanks again,

  Cove Reddington

  His fingers hovered over the send button. The last time they’d talked, it had been during a mission, and she had intel for him and his team. It was highly professional.

  But the last time they’d seen each other, well, that hadn’t gone well at all.

  He sent the email. He had nothing to lose. Geri would either call him, or she wouldn’t. She would either help him, or she wouldn’t.

  His cell vibrated. The screen indicated the front desk with the pizza delivery.

  “Hello,” he said.

  “Just checking to make sure you ordered a pizza before we send them up.”

  “It’s cool.” He scooted from the bed, found his wallet, and snagged a five for a cash tip. The second he opened the door, his stomach growled. Best fucking pizza this side of the Hudson.

  He grabbed two plastic plates and set them up on his small table. The only person he’d ever had over was his sister and her husband, but not at the same time. Half the time he came back to New York, all he wanted to do was sleep, eat pizza, drink a few beers, and take the train up to Rye to see his family.

  Serenity emerged from the bathroom. The smell of soap followed her into the main room. She’d pulled her long-wet hair into a braid that cascaded down her back. She’d rolled his sweats over her hips and tied his T-shirt at her midriff. “That was the best shower ever. Thank you.” She flipped the chair and straddled it, then taking a slice, she folded it over and shoved a huge chunk into her mouth. “Mmmmmm.” She closed her eyes and chewed.

  He just sat there like an idiot and stared at her like a pathetic puppy in heat.

  She blinked. “What?”

  His phone buzzed.

  Saved by the bell.

  He set it on the table and squinted. “Unbelievable,” he mumbled.

  “Who’s calling you at one thirty in the morning?”

  “A girl I went to West Point with, served with, who is now at the FBI.” He tapped his cell. “Hi, Geri. I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”

  “You said day or night, and I was up working, so what the hell do you want?”

  He chuckled while he glanced at a piece of paper that Serenity had scribbled something on and turned toward him.

  FBI? Geri who?

  He took the pen and paper.

  Geri Hamlin.

  “I was hoping you could help me and a friend—”

  “Hey, Geri, it’s Serenity Bale,” Serenity said with narrowed eyes. “Sorry to have bothered you.”

  “You two know each other?” Cove asked.

  “Duh. We both graduated with her brother,” Geri said.

  “I forgot you knew Tavor,” Cove mumbled.

  “And when I joined the FBI four years ago, we worked together in the same office for a year and we’ve been friends ever since. Are you surprised?”

  Cove rubbed his temples. This could be bad. Very bad. “I suppose not.”

  “So, is someone going to tell me why Cove reached out to me when the last time I saw him I slammed a door in his face and told him I hoped he rotted in hell?”

  Serenity cocked her head.

  “I’m rotting, if it makes you feel any better,” he said, tongue-in-cheek, but he was also part serious. He knew he’d hurt Geri, and that was part of the reason he chose to make it very clear with the few women he got involved with that relationships were not his thing. Of course, the fact he would disappear for months on end helped with that concept. “But I was calling because you’re the only person, other than Serenity, that I trust in the FBI.”

  “Like you know anyone else,” Geri said. “And most people in the Bureau are trustworthy.”

  “I agree,” Serenity said. “But someone is trying to kill me, and the only people who have had access to certain information are people in my office.”

  “And I bet Cove,” Geri said.

  “Trust me, my boss, Rachel, has already thought of that.” Serenity pulled off the crust of her pizza and picked at it. “But if it weren’t for him, I’d be dead.”

  “Cove to the fucking rescue,” Geri said. “So, what can I do to help?”

  “Are there any flags in her office? Anything that the higher-ups are looking at in relation to the Big Mike case or the bank heist that involved former FBI Roger Nimitz,” Cove said as he pulled apart a slice of pizza.

  “Why?” Geri asked. “Be specific.”

  “Do you remember the night I told you I was going out on a sort of blind date?” Serenity asked.

  Cove dropped his pizza in his lap. “Shit,” he mumbled. If they were that close, then why didn’t Serenity know what an asshole he’d been.

  “A couple of days ago someone sent me a message with a fake bomb,” Serenity said. “Same night, a woman was sitting on a bench with a
bomb strapped to her body in front of the same bank where the hostage situation went south with Nimitz. And then just a few hours ago, I was having dinner with my parents, Cove’s parents, and his sister and her husband. When Cove and I went to leave in my government issued vehicle, there was a bomb under the driver’s seat. It had to have been put there between the time I left the prison where Nimitz was murdered and the time we left.”

  “Who knew you were going to Cove’s parents’?” Geri asked.

  “Just my office, my family, and Cove’s,” Serenity said.

  “That office is huge. Why everyone?” Geri asked.

  Cove thought that was a good question. It seemed aggressive that so many people were in the need to know.

  “I had to let the transportation department know because I signed out a car, and everyone I’ve been working with on this so if they needed to reach me, they had more than one outlet.” Serenity picked at a piece of pepperoni.

  “Okay. I want to see that list, and I’ll do some digging on my end and get back to you in the next twenty-four hours,” Geri said. “And Serenity?”

  “What?” Serenity asked.

  “Remember the guy I told you about from West Point?”

  “Yeah?”

  Cove lowered his head and pinched his nose.

  “Cove is that man. Just thought you should know.”

  Serenity snagged the last slice of pizza and stood. She paced in front of the bed tucked neatly in the corner of the studio. She’d go crazy in a space this small.

  “I can only imagine what Geri told you about me.” Cove made his way to the bed and climbed on the mattress, stretching out his legs and crossing them at the ankles. He pulled his laptop over his thighs. “I wish I could say it was lies, but I doubt if she said anything other than the truth with the exception of the fact I never meant to hurt her, and I tried to—”

  “Soften the blow?” Serenity tossed a napkin on the plate and closed the pizza box.

  “Something like that,” Cove said, letting out a long breath. “I did care about her; I just didn’t love her, and that was a problem.”

  “Among other things,” Serenity said. “Why the fuck did you think it was okay to contact her behind my back?”