For now, though, indulging himself in Skye Hamilton was a luxury he couldn’t afford.
Chapter Fifteen
Finn stalked to his kitchen to add a shot of Bailey’s to his morning coffee.
“I swear I don’t know where the fuck your head is at lately,” Ryan muttered. “You’re obsessed with the Hunting Grounds when we have so many other things going on that require our attention.”
Finn sneered. “I thought you were handling everything else just fine on your own.”
He’d arrived home late last night, after expecting to encounter Skye at the ranch—and take her to the Grounds. And then Tristan had called with the news that both Jared and Skye had shown up at Legacy. Together. Fuck.
Finn hadn’t anticipated Ryan showing up at his condo at the butt crack of dawn, hadn’t expected to learn late last night that Skye had shown up with Jared Bennigan to pick up his inebriated sister at Legacy when it was supposed to be Jared, solo, and he certainly hadn’t expected to be blindsided with bullshit criticism.
Ryan shook his head in disgust. “Fine. Pout if it makes you feel better. Then grow the hell up.”
“Maybe I’m tired of you taking all the credit for shit we’ve built together. We discovered your father’s ledger together. We invented the Redemption Club.”
“Reinvented,” Ryan reminded him.
“Whatever, man. It’s ours now. And the hunts were my idea.”
“I agreed to let them be yours, but you can’t neglect the rest of our plans. And I refuse to let you put the rest of us at risk because of your personal agendas. My dad’s been asking questions, trying to figure out if Skye was the one who was blackmailing him and to determine who attacked the ranch. He’s looking for her now, too.”
“Let him dig. I’ve set things up so that all roads lead away from us. He won’t suspect.”
“He’s smarter than you give him credit for. You’re risking everything. You keep on the path you’re on and you’ll be kicked out of the Club.”
Finn looked up sharply. “You wouldn’t do that.”
“Try me.” His best friend turned his back on him and walked out.
Finn immediately phoned Tristan. “We need a new plan.” He’d underestimated the bond that had developed between Jared and Skye, but soon he’d have her to himself. Despite his workout, there was another kind of release he needed. The kind only Skye Hamilton could provide.
“Last night, I followed them to Bennigan’s place,” Tristan said. “Want me to arrange a little home invasion?” He sounded eager for action.
“Too risky, especially with three of them.” He only wanted Skye, anyway. “Luring Jared back here didn’t separate them, so we’ll have to make a bigger statement.”
“What do you have in mind?”
Finn looked out the window of his condo. Far off in the distance, the rising sun hit the mirrored windows of the Vegas strip, a hunting ground of a different type. Skye was out there, somewhere, at this very moment. His blood heated at the thought.
Finn grinned as he made his decision. “A message, of sorts. And it’ll have the added bonus of putting our target on edge. Skye will have the lead she’s looking for, and we’ll lure her right into our hands. In the meantime, we get to have our fun, too. You up for it?”
Tristan chuckled. “Aren’t I always?”
“Good. Because today, we hunt.”
Skye was unprepared for the impact of finding Jared, clad in cotton pajama bottoms and a plain white tee, toasting bagels while Haley sat on a barstool, chatting with him and looking decidedly less pale. It was like having a real family, or at least the imaginary family she’d envisioned in her head since she was a child.
She slid into the barstool next to Haley. “How are you feeling?”
“Better.” Haley grimaced as she met Skye’s gaze. “I’m sorry I wasn’t very nice yesterday.”
“You weren’t feeling yourself.”
“Still working on that.” Haley pressed two fingers to a temple and closed her eyes.
Skye moved to a side cabinet where, on her first thorough exploration of Jared’s home, she’d spied medicine. She removed a bottle of pills and shook out two for Haley’s headache, then poured a glass of orange juice to boost her blood sugar.
As she moved about, she felt Jared’s eyes on her, but she didn’t meet his gaze. Skye had been shocked by her desire to slip into his bed last night, just to feel his arms around her. But those desires weren’t right. They couldn’t be. He was meant for a woman who could give him a stable, loving family. What the hell did she know about love and family? Besides, he hadn’t invited her into his bed.
“Are you going to call and check on Viper?” he asked as he spread cream cheese on a bagel.
“Already did. He was still asleep, but he’s out of the woods and the doctor thinks he’ll be awake by this afternoon. I’ll call back then.” She was certain Jared was too busy with family matters to accompany her back to Flagstaff today, nor would he be happy if she offered to go by herself. Besides, they had avenues to explore here in town.
“Viper?” Haley asked as Jared slid a bagel in front of her. “Is he a wrestler or something?”
Skye laughed. “He’s a friend. Kind of like a father figure, actually.”
“Never had one of those.”
Over Haley’s head, Skye met Jared’s gaze. He’d never had a father, either, and he and his sisters had different fathers. And their mother hadn’t exactly been maternal. Yet they’d created a family unit.
“He got the nickname in the military. It kind of stuck after he came to the ranch and he taught us how to strike fast and hard.” Skye smiled her gratitude as Jared handed her a plate with a bagel. He’d even applied cream cheese for her. She lifted her head to thank him and found him watching her.
“I didn’t drug it,” he said, handing her a cup of coffee, too.
“Hadn’t crossed my mind,” she said, hiding her surprise at that fact. Sure, she’d just watched him serve Haley an equivalent breakfast, so maybe that’s why her guard had dropped. Then again, maybe he was just adept at getting past all of her walls.
Something warm passed between them and she looked away, only to find Haley watching them with undisguised interest.
Skye cleared her throat and ignored the energy flowing between her and Jared. “Plus, he didn’t like his first name, Leonard.”
Haley laughed, then sobered. “Why’s he in the hospital? Is he sick?”
“Some men attacked the ranch where she lives,” Jared said, joining them with his own plate. “That’s why I smelled like smoke last time I saw you.”
“That’s why you’re here now?” Over a bite of bagel, Haley met Skye’s gaze. “Are you going to stay?”
“Your brother’s helping me,” Skye said. After that, she had no clue what would happen. The ranch was her home, but it was also partly owned by a megalomaniac who might kick her out.
“He’s good at that. At helping.”
Jared seemed uncomfortable with the compliment.
“I’m going to help others, too,” Haley said with the force and optimism of a teenager confident she could change the world. “I’m going to be a doctor or a lawyer. Or maybe a therapist.”
Skye envied her, both for having the strength to voice her desires and, apparently, the guts to make them happen.
Jared grunted. “Staying away from illegal activities like underage drinking might be a good start.”
Haley winced, but didn’t refute his opinion.
Skye cleared her throat. “I suppose we need a plan of attack for today.”
“First, we drop Haley at Jane’s so she can get ready for school.”
“Can’t I stick with you guys today?” Haley asked, her gaze full of longing that made Skye’s heart hurt.
“No.” He ruffled a hand over his sister’s head as if she were five years old, but Haley didn’t seem to mind. “You’re grounded for the weekend.”
Haley’s shoulders slumped. “For my birthday? This sucks.” But she didn’t argue. “I’ve learned my lesson.”
Over the rim of his coffee cup, Jared arched a brow. “Which lesson would that be? Never to meet up with a stranger in a strange place? Never to believe a message from someone you don’t know? Or never to drink alcohol?”
“Maybe I should stick with you this weekend to make sure I’ve learned my lesson?” She slid Jared a glance from beneath a thick fringe of lashes. “You can keep your eye on me and make sure I study.”
He snorted. “Nice try.” He sighed and took his cup to the sink. “I’d love to have you here, but it’s not time yet, kiddo. Just another few days at Jane’s.” He held up a hand as Haley began to protest. “Consider your punishment a community service. She needs some things done around the house.”
“I thought now that I’m here, I could stay,” Haley said in a small voice. “Don’t you want me?”
Jared reached out and squeezed Haley’s hand. “Skye and I have business to settle first. The sooner we find a lead on Chelsea and get her back here, safe, the sooner we can all get on with life.”
And wasn’t that the truth. His statement turned the bite of bagel in her mouth to a tasteless mass of glue. She only had a few more days here and, hopefully, things would be back to ordinary.
Except ordinary didn’t sound so good to Skye anymore. She wanted extraordinary. She wanted Jared—in her bed, not in her heart. The latter would be way too complicated. He didn’t need another dependent female in his life. Not that she was at all dependent, but he’d see her as one more woman to handle. And she didn’t like the vulnerability that went with a relationship. Emotions made things messy.
After dropping Haley at Aunt Jane’s to get ready for school, Skye and Jared headed toward their first lead. Jared had tracked down a local Darren Boscoe who was listed on the utility bills for a trailer home, not far from Jared’s house.
Several minutes later, they pulled into a trailer park and had to lean forward to squint at the numbers. Park was a rather grandiose term, considering the rusting roofs, cracked foundations and dented siding of most of the homes. A few were simply campers that had been set up long term, if the flat tires and discarded parts underneath the vehicles were any indication.
But Boscoe’s trailer had matching fabric curtains and even a planter with flowers by the front door. A doll lay in the red dirt, a pink ball with a cartoon character on it not far away. Boscoe had children? Skye tried to reconcile that with the man who’d come on to her at the Roadhouse, and the one who’d attacked the ranch.
“Home, sweet home,” Skye remarked. But she’d seen worse. She’d once taken a job to flush out squatters who’d trespassed on a ranch, carving out a little plot for themselves to make their own. Sometimes they made themselves at home long enough to plant pot and harvest a crop. People did what they had to do to survive.
They got out of the car and approached the door. A child’s cries came from within. The woman who answered Skye’s knock was younger than her and would have been pretty if she hadn’t seemed so tired and rundown. She had a baby boy on one hip and a young girl who looked to be about three attached to the opposite leg. The little girl’s eyes were filled with tears, her nose runny from crying.
“If you’re my fairy godmother, you’re just in time.” The woman had a sense of humor, but her eyes swept over them with distrust.
“We’re here about a man named Darren Boscoe,” Skye said. “Do you know him?”
She glanced from one kid to another. “Yeah, you could say I know him.” Her eyes filled with tears and she quickly blinked them back. “I knew him. If you’re here to collect a payment, you’re too late. He’s d—gone.” She’d quickly changed her wording after a glance down at her daughter. The bitterness in the woman’s tone could have been anger at the man for dying, or for leaving her with debts to pay and a family to raise.
“I’m sorry for your loss. I met him briefly before…” Skye couldn’t think of a more tactful way to put things in front of the kids, so she let her words trail off. The guy had basically come on to her, though that had probably been a ploy to get close to her, and then when that hadn’t worked, he’d gone on the attack.
“May we come in?” Jared asked. “Just for a moment.”
The mother sighed and stepped aside to let them in. “Be my guest. If you can distract her from her tears, I’ll do anything.”
“I’m Jared, and this is Skye.” He followed the woman over the threshold. His large frame seemed to fill the cramped space. The inside of the trailer was neat and tidy, the sign of a woman who was trying to keep her life together when everything around her must have felt like it was falling apart. Skye admired her grit.
“I’m Carly.” She pulled away from the little girl’s grasp to put the baby in the high chair. “This is Eddie and the sweetheart whose meltdown you interrupted is Macy. She’s missing her daddy this morning. He used to wake her with a special song each morning. Apparently, Mommy doesn’t sing it right.” She put a weary hand to her forehead. They were all still absorbing the magnitude of their family’s loss.
While Darren had made poor choices, Skye cursed whoever had pushed him into a situation where he’d lost his life. Had he owed Stone a debt? If so, why, and how? And why would Skye be the repayment? None of this made any sense.
Jared squatted beside the tearful girl, who was now wide-eyed with curiosity. Her crying had turned to hiccups. “I’m no singer, but I’m pretty good at pony rides.” The girl’s eyes grew even wider, filled with hope now.
At Skye’s and Carly’s incredulous looks, he grinned sheepishly. “I have two younger sisters.” He winked at Skye and she felt herself go warm all over. And parts of her that had never tightened with pleasure did so as he picked up the girl and held her with expert hands on his knee, bouncing her gently as he made horse noises. The girl grinned, and then let out a squeal of laughter.
Another squeeze in Skye’s abdomen had her nearly gasping. God, was that her ovaries talking? Freaking ridiculous. A woman like her couldn’t have a family. She couldn’t imagine being a mother, caring about anyone so much that she’d ache if she lost them. Seeing Carly’s pained expression reminded her how much loving someone could cost a person.
The little girl’s attention was locked on Jared as he spoke to Carly. “We have some questions about Darren.”
“Are you cops?”
“No. We’re looking for a couple of missing women—women we know personally,” Skye said.
“At least you have a better story than the last guy. You going to offer to buy me off, too?”
“What do you mean?”
“Another man was here right after I learned about Darren. Offered me a few thousand bucks to keep my mouth shut, and encourage the police not to investigate the shooting too closely. But I figured he’s probably the one who got Darren into this mess. Something about him rubbed me the wrong way.” She sighed. “Would have been nice to have the money, though.”
“You refused?”
Carly’s chin shot up. “I have principles. I wasn’t about to promise I wouldn’t talk about Darren, or look for the guy who shot him. Besides, I have other options. Just got my beautician’s license and was looking to get a job.” Her face fell. “But that was before, when Darren could watch the kids part of the time. Childcare’s expensive.” The fight went out of her. She turned away to shake more Cheerios out of a box and onto the tray in front of Eddie. “I should have taken his money, but there was something about him. Something too cocky, like he was so certain I was beneath him, you know? Grated on me.”
“Did you get a name?”
“No, but he was young. Handsome. Seemed kind of familiar, like that guy in the latest fitness drink commercial.” She hummed the jingle and her daughter giggled.
Skye pulled out her phone and searched the Internet using keywords from the product and jingle. She found a link to the comme
rcial and chills rolled over her skin. She knew that face.
Jared took the phone from her outstretched hand. “That’s Finn Tucker, a friend of Ryan Stone.” He searched for the actor’s credentials and held the screen out to Carly.
Carly barely had to look through the various screenshots featured on Finn’s page to decide. “That’s him. Smooth talker, you know? Did he take the girls you’re looking for?”
“We’re not sure, but he is connected to them,” Jared said. Through Stone. “Could Darren have known Finn, maybe through Legacy Hotel and Casino?” He pulled a fat crayon out of the box on the coffee table and opened up a coloring book with one hand while balancing Macy on his knee. The girl was enthralled with his movements.
“He had a gambling problem,” Carly said. “I used to find a few spare chips here and there, in the pockets of his pants when I was doing laundry, or in the car. Stashed them away to cash later, when I needed grocery money.”
“Did he owe a lot of people?” Jared asked.
She shot him a sharp glance. “Is that why you’re really here, to squeeze us for money?” She threw an arm wide. “Look around. Not going to find much here.”
The baby was starting to get agitated, so Skye stood and moved over to him, lifting a spoonful of some orange substance that was, maybe, apricots. “We aren’t here for that.” Skye smiled for the baby’s sake. Little Eddie seemed to calm and accepted the spoon. “We’re trying to help, to find justice for Darren. For you.”
Carly settled on the spot on the small couch that Skye had vacated and watched Jared color for Macy. “All I know is he was afraid of something.”
“Why?” Jared asked, with a glance at the girl who’d moved out of his lap and to the table to color. She was preoccupied with her task and not listening.
“I think he owed a lot of money.” Carly picked up a crayon, coloring alongside her daughter. The movement seemed to soothe the woman. “When he got drunk, which he’d been doing more and more over the past year, he used to pull out this thing and stare at it. It was just a stupid torn card, but he’d sit and stare for a long time. Said one day he’d have to do something… It was like he was dreading that one day.”
Stacking the Deck (Redemption Club Book 1) Page 19