by Sherrilyn Kenyon; Dianna Love; Cindy Gerard; Laura Griffin
JEREMY TAPPED HIS fingers on the steering wheel. He’d parked his Tahoe half an hour ago at the IHOP restaurant in the triangle made by the Peachtree Street and Roswell Road intersection. Most central spot he could think of in the tony Buckhead area. Five o’clock rush hour through the middle of Atlanta had settled in for the afternoon and nasty weather tripled the road rage factor for the packed interstates.
Rain poured over his windshield and thunder rocked the heavens.
His cell phone rang. He answered, “Sunn.”
“Ready to deal?” Starface chuckled.
“Where?” Jeremy ignored the chuckle. He believed in the old saying that “he who laughs last laughs best.”
Starface gave him directions to a closed nightclub three miles away. Jeremy spun across the intersection at the entrance and cut through side streets. When he reached the nightclub, he drove around to the parking lot in the rear where empty beer cans floated in a low spot filling with water. The jersey jacket he pulled on had been made with fine aircraft cable running along the inside from the top to carry weight without pulling down on the material. He shoved his Walther P99 into the right-hand pocket reinforced with the cable to carry the barrel level without broadcasting the weapon’s position.
Other than that, he always carried a knife in his boot. The habit was a holdover from being a teenager when staying alive counted more than worry over breaking the law.
Jeremy keyed up a text message on his cell phone ready to send to Vinny and slipped the phone carefully into his right front jeans pocket. He threw the keys under the seat and climbed out. Fat raindrops battered his face and lightning speared the dark skies.
Before he reached the back door of the out-of-business nightclub, Jeremy eased his hand into his left jacket pocket shielding a pair of pliers and the photo card. He slipped his right hand in his jeans pocket in a casual pose as if waiting for someone.
The back door opened on its own, as he’d expected.
Jeremy folded his left hand around the handles of the heavy pliers and gently closed the teeth snug, then withdrew his hand with the photo card pinned into view.
“Tell Starface I have the card.” Jeremy waited for a response. They could shoot him, but anyone with half a brain wouldn’t risk the chance that one simple squeeze could ruin the card or that he might not have the real one.
“I told him,” a voice called out. The door yawned all the way open.
Jeremy entered, thankful the weather outside had turned the sky dark so that his eyes could adjust faster. Stale smoke and body odor ghosted through the air as he followed a rangy guy close to his height and build. Starface’s backup was late forties and carried a 9mm Browning with the ease of man who rarely made a move without it.
When they reached the bar area, Jeremy called out, “Where is she?”
Across the dingy room, Starface stepped into view from around the corner. Smiling, he tugged on a rope attached to something out of view.
CeCe appeared at the end of the rope, which was tied around her waist. Sheet-white terrified and stumbling, she stopped next to Starface.
Fury roared through Jeremy but he couldn’t get her out of here if he lost his focus. And he would get her out of here. He only wished he had one minute to tell her that he loved her.
He gently fingered the key on his cell phone in his pocket to text a message and prayed it went through.
“Okay, let’s trade,” Starface demanded, holding up the end of the rope to make his point.
“Send her over here then I’ll hand your man the card.”
“No. Put the card on the bar and I’ll let her go.”
Jeremy laughed as though he and Starface were cutting up with each other. “Like you really expect me to do that. You know my word is solid.”
“It was in the pen, but I haven’t seen you in a few years so…” Starface shrugged, indicating his lack of faith.
“You owe me,” Jeremy threw out.
Starface frowned, twisting the birthmark into a hideous shape. “How you figure that?”
Jeremy couldn’t look at CeCe when he said, “Sam the Man was going to the feds. If I hadn’t cut him a better deal someone else would have and we wouldn’t be standing here.” He didn’t have to see CeCe to know she understood what he’d said. He heard her sob at his admission of being involved.
Of all the things he’d endured, breaking her heart would be the hardest to live with.
“How’d you find out about all this?” Starface wanted to know.
“Ziggy covering his bases,” Jeremy said, sticking with his story. He had to get her free now. “You’re late delivering. He’s got money out all over town looking for this card.” Blade had come up with that little tidbit when Jeremy was on his way down to Buckhead.
Starface cursed something low and vile.
CeCe flinched back, drawing Jeremy’s attention to her. She looked through him as if he were dead, which he had to be to her by now.
Time to move this along or things were going to get dicey. “We dealing or not?” Jeremy snapped.
The room tensed with all four of them waiting on someone to make a move. Starface finally untied CeCe and waved his arm toward Jeremy telling her to go.
CeCe couldn’t decide if she wanted to cry with relief or out of rage. She was too terrified to do either at the moment with both her and Jeremy’s life in danger.
This Starface guy would not let Jeremy just walk out of here.
She moved across the room on shaky legs, her eyes on the backup man pointing the second gun she’d faced in two days. She swallowed and turned her attention to Jeremy, who didn’t look anything like the man she’d spent the last three weeks falling in love with.
Gone was the easygoing charmer.
Danger radiated from Jeremy, his rigid stance threatening anyone who twitched the wrong way and that look on his face more feral than anything she’d ever witnessed.
Regardless of how deep he was in this mess, she knew without a doubt in that moment that he could, and would, kill anyone in this room who hurt her.
That might be comforting if he was law enforcement, but not after admitting he was involved in this whole scheme. Had known Starface in the pen. She’d berated herself for hours over judging Jeremy by a double standard. If she could just stop time and tell him she was sorry, that she owed him as much of a chance to explain as he’d offered her.
But he’d just admitted his part in all this.
When she walked up to Jeremy, she searched for something to say. He gave a brief shake of his head, without looking at her. The deadly glint in his eyes remained focused on the threat at her back.
Jeremy took her by the arm and gently pulled her behind him. She glanced around at their potential escape route through the rear door. The narrow walkway went fifteen feet then took a hard right turn to the exit.
Did Jeremy intend to back them out of here?
“Get out of here,” Jeremy said softly without turning around. He was talking to her.
“They’ll kill you the minute I leave.”
“For once, it’ll be worth it.” He swallowed. “You’re worth any cost.”
She didn’t like the sound of that. “No, Jeremy—”
“Nobody moves,” Starface snapped. “Not until I get my card.”
“I’m staying. She’s leaving,” Jeremy said in an unyielding tone. “Once she’s gone you get the card.” He paused, then ordered, “Now, CeCe.”
How could she leave him? They’d kill Jeremy the minute he handed over the card. “But—”
“You’re putting us both in more danger if you stay,” he said, ending any argument she could come up with.
Jeremy had a plan and she might get him killed by not knowing what it was. In spite of everything that had happened, she trusted him so she had to trust what he told her right now.
CeCe backed slowly to the rear exit while the three men stood silently facing off. When she reached the door and stepped outside backward she was slammed
by a driving rain. As the door was closing all the lights inside the bar went dark.
Shots boomed through the room.
Jeremy. She reached for the door but hands grabbed her, wrenching her back. FBI agents surrounded her.
She struggled to free herself, yelling at them to get inside and help Jeremy.
Vinny rushed up, ordering, “We had a deal. Give her to me.”
Sirens screamed between booms of thunder exploding overhead. More gunshots cracked inside the building.
“Jeremy’s in there,” she yelled at her brother and anyone who would listen. “Somebody help him. Let me go!”
“They know,” Vinny told her and held her firm in his grasp while she struggled and beat at his hands like a wild woman.
The gunshots stopped.
She held her breath, afraid to think of what had happened to Jeremy. Vinny wrapped a coat around her.
FBI and a SWAT team poured in from everywhere, swarming the building from all sides. New shots were fired inside but the battle was over in seconds.
An ambulance tore into the lot, spraying water off the tires.
Vinny tried to guide her away.
“No! I want to see Jeremy.” Her heart had shattered at Jeremy’s admission, but she had to know if he was alive. She gripped her hands together, praying for a miracle.
The EMTs stood ready. What the hell was taking the FBI so long? Jeremy could be bleeding to death if he’d been hit.
Special Agent Denton emerged from the back door. She hadn’t realized he was here. Denton waved the EMTs forward. “Interior is secured. We got one alive.”
She weaved on her feet as the EMTs disappeared into the building. Vinny wrapped his arm around her for support.
The rain subsided into a drizzle. Water mixed with tears that ran down her face.
When the EMTs rushed out with the gurney, her knees almost buckled at the site of an oxygen mask over Jeremy’s face. Blood spread across his chest from where he’d been shot in the shoulder.
She broke free of Vinny and ran to catch up with the gurney. Jeremy’s eyes were shut, his skin a blanched gray, but he was alive.
“I want to go with him,” she told the EMTs when they started to load him.
“You can’t, ma’am.”
“Why not?” She’d take on the whole lot of them, including the FBI and her brother, if she had to so she could stay with Jeremy.
Vinny was pulling her back again. “You can’t, sis.” He gave up when she wouldn’t move and said, “He’s under arrest.”
That’s when CeCe saw Jeremy’s wrist handcuffed to the rail on the gurney.
Vinny added, “But you’re free to go. I made a deal with the FBI.”
The EMTs loaded the gurney and closed the doors.
CeCe turned on Vinny, all the misery and hurt she’d kept bottled up today gushing out. She yelled, “He risked his life to save me. How could you throw him to them?”
Vinny sighed and leaned close to her, whispering, “It was Jeremy’s idea. He gave me the real photo card to trade for your freedom.”
Oh, dear God. Her brothers didn’t think any man was good enough for her, but she’d finally found a man she loved… and didn’t deserve.
And now she’d never see him again.
Eight
Jeremy pressed the button on his Bluetooth to engage the cell call while he drove along Dallas Highway, headed to his gym in Marietta. “What?”
“You’re a surly bastard this time in the morning,” Retter replied. “Get up on the wrong side of the bed?”
If he’d been in bed at all last night, Jeremy might have gotten up on the wrong side. But after being gone for over two weeks, he’d spent the first night at home rambling around like an abandoned dog dumped on the highway.
“I’ll be ready to work by the end of the week,” Jeremy told him rather than address Retter’s question.
“Joe wants you to put in some time in your gym for a couple weeks before you come back to active duty. Get that shoulder in shape. Besides, we’re not sure what we’re going to do with you now that the president personally cleared you from any trouble with the FBI. Not sure you’re of much value undercover in a prison. Too big a risk that someone inside a federal agency might slip and blow your cover.”
“I still have the best rap sheet on the team,” Jeremy argued, though his heart wasn’t in it. He’d done such an outstanding job for BAD he was their number one ex-con.
“Not any more.”
“What do you mean?”
“Joe got your entire rap sheet expunged in exchange for heading off an apocalypse in North America. We’re looking at moving you into coordinating short-term missions. Tee was actually the one who said you had enough holes in your body. She figured your warranty would run out with one more.”
“Tee?” Jeremy said, incredulous. Hard to imagine any sympathy from Joe’s codirector, who had ice in her veins and loved only her furry little mutt, Petey.
“Don’t take that to heart,” Retter cautioned. “She said at the cost of training new recruits she was just thinking of saving money.”
“That sounds more like her.” Jeremy couldn’t believe the irony in all this. Now he had no criminal record. Too bad it had come two weeks late.
As if CeCe hearing him admit that he knew Starface and had cut a deal with Sam the Man hadn’t been damning enough. From what Jeremy had been told later, CeCe had watched in horror as EMTs carried him off in handcuffs.
BAD had taken him to one of the agency’s safe houses in northern Georgia to heal once Jeremy was stable enough to be moved from Piedmont Hospital. He’d assumed Joe and Retter had worked some magic to free him but never expected to have a clean record. They’d sent a medical team to oversee his recuperation from then until he’d been released to come home yesterday.
Clean bill of health. No criminal record. Just an average guy for once and unable to have the only woman he wanted. Vinny had made it clear that his family would protect CeCe from danger, even her own bad decisions.
Jeremy would top that list of bad decisions in her family’s view.
“I’ll be in touch.” He hung up and tossed the phone into his cup holder. He unhooked the Bluetooth. At least tonight he could burn off his stored-up energy in the gym.
Blade had a couple guys with remodeling experience who needed some work so Jeremy figured the weight room and aerobic area could stand a new look.
He’d instructed Tim, his evening manager, to close the gym early so Jeremy could survey it without having to talk to everyone. He enjoyed his customers, but his heart wasn’t up for making happy talk.
Or for seeing the gym without CeCe stretching and smiling.
Jeremy parked in the lot and frowned. Blade’s Corvette was the only car out there. Where was his manager’s car?
When Jeremy pushed his car door open his shoulder ached, but not so severely today. He stretched that arm on his way into the gym.
Blade opened the glass door and broke out a high-powered smile. “Heard you were coming in tonight.”
“Where’s Tim?” Jeremy stepped inside. Instead of the ghostly quiet he’d expected, soft rock music spilled from the overhead speakers. But the gym always seemed abandoned when it was empty like this.
Would forever be empty without CeCe.
“Tim had a hot date, so me being the incredibly generous person that I am—”
“And humble,” Jeremy added, finding his first smile in a while.
“That too.” Blade nodded. “I offered to keep an eye on the place until you showed up.”
Jeremy walked over and leaned his good arm against the check-in counter. Blade always had an angle. He probably expected Jeremy to do a quick scope of the area to be remodeled then pick up the tab for some cold brews so they could chase skirts.
He owed Blade that, and more. Blade had come through when he needed someone. He’d tapped contacts who were known felons and put his freedom at risk to get the information Jeremy had needed to save CeCe
.
He’d been a true friend.
“Thanks for letting Tim go early.” Jeremy glanced in the direction of the aerobic room. “We’ll do a walk-through for your guys then get some beers.” He’d go with Blade, but the idea of taking anyone home after having had CeCe in his bed just didn’t seem right. Didn’t excite him in the least.
“No can do.” Blade fished his keys from his pocket. “Gotta roll. I’ll take a rain check on those beers.”
“You’re kidding. So what are you doing here?”
“Dropped off CeCe’s fiberglass base. Didn’t know what you wanted to do with it.”
Jeremy’s breath caught at hearing her name. He’d have to get used to it since she’d been well liked in the gym and he was bound to hear someone ask about her not being around.
“Guess she’s gone for good,” Jeremy muttered.
“Mm-hmm.” Blade shrugged with understanding. That was as close as they ever came to discussing something personal. “I stuck the base in your aerobic room. Figure you wouldn’t forget it that way since I understand you got another problem in there.”
Standing away from the counter, Jeremy hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his jeans. “What problem?”
Blade held up his hands. “Forget I said anything.” He looked at his watch and grinned. “Got to run. Call me tomorrow.”
When Blade reached for the door, Jeremy said, “By the way, thanks for everything you did.”
Blade flashed that wicked smile of his. “Oh, I plan to collect big time… soon as you can hang with me again.”
Some things never changed. Jeremy waved him off and locked the door as Blade fired up his land rocket.
He turned toward the aerobic room. Locating Vinny’s address wouldn’t take long. The urge to deliver the base personally for a chance to see CeCe again chewed at Jeremy, but he wouldn’t do that.
Besides, Vinny had her tucked away somewhere safe by now.
Jeremy strode across the gym. Once he had an address for DeMitri he’d ship the base. Even if Vinny and his squad of brothers would stand aside for Jeremy to visit CeCe again, he doubted she’d even answer her door to him.
She wouldn’t want to speak to him again after all that had gone down.