by Roxie Rivera
"I heard Lorenzo Guzman made Lalo Contreras cut Dan and his kid loose after a couple of days. They're damned lucky it went that way for them. They were lucky the cartel boys settled for cash and were happy to let the problem slide rather than risk anymore bad press coverage."
"Yeah, the cartel settled for cash Dan and his son stole from me," I grumbled in aggravation. "But I guess it was a small price to pay to keep them alive."
"Do you know what Dan's up to now?"
I shook my head. "He hasn't come around the shop yet." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Why? Do you?"
"I've heard some things."
"Like?"
"Like he's working collections for Hagen's successor."
"No way!"
Besian nodded. "Yes. That's where he's supposedly earning his paycheck."
I didn't want to believe it but acknowledged that Dan had to do something to pay bills. His skill set from many years as a pawn broker probably came in handy in that line of work. "I'm glad he landed on his feet."
The mobster sent a strange look my way. "Are you?"
"Of course."
"Even after everything he did?"
"I don't have room to judge, Besian." My attention turned to Jack and Finn, the brothers standing shoulder-to-shoulder at the dugout and offering pointers to their players. They had risked so much to keep me safe and to protect Mattie. "Dan was just trying to save his son. I can't fault him for that." I paused. "Well—I do hate that he put Marley, Mark and my guards in such danger. That was so wrong of him. I still don't the guards didn't press charges or try to sue me."
"I'm sure they had their reasons."
His tone piqued my curiosity. I noticed the way he wouldn't look at me. "What did you do?"
His mouth settled into an irritated line. "Not what you're thinking."
"And what am I thinking?"
"That I intimidated or threatened them," he guessed rightly. "I prefer a much easier and more persuasive method."
"Money." He didn't try to deny it and nodded. "But—why?"
"Because Jack and Finn saved my life," he answered simply. "I owe them a debt. I know Jack would want me to make sure you're protected so that's what I did to repay him. You won't have any more trouble over this, Abby. It's done. Finished."
Deciding it would be churlish to object after the way he had helped me, I chose to be gracious instead. "Thank you."
He dismissively waved his hand. "We're good."
Mindful of his healing injury, I gently rubbed his upper back. "I don't care what people say. I think you're a pretty nice guy, Besian."
He chortled. "Don't go spreading that around, huh? It's bad for business."
We watched the rest of the game like two old friends. I wasn't silly enough to think that Besian wasn't as dangerous as he had ever been but I sensed that our friendship had taken a turn. I was certain we would encounter friction in the future—a mob boss and a small business owner occupying the same area were always going to be at odds—and we would never have the sort of under-the-table arrangement Granddad and Besian's predecessor had enjoyed, but we would always be close.
When the game ended, Besian excused himself before Jack and Finn were off the field. I sensed he wanted to spare everyone an awkward encounter. After waving goodbye, I waited for Mattie to exit the gate. He had played hard and even scored one of the runs that helped his team win. Judging by the big grin on his face and his dirty uniform, he was feeling pretty good about himself.
"That was a great game, Mattie!"
"Finn is taking me out to celebrate the win."
"Oh?" I glanced at the Connolly brother in question. "You guys planning to stay out late?"
"I don't have a curfew tonight," Mattie informed me.
"You don't?" We had recently negotiated a weekend curfew after he had brought up his desire for more freedom. I suspected my brother was trying to prepare me for the possibility of him moving out of our home by negotiating these small changes. While the idea of Mattie living on his own or in a group setting scared me, I also understood that he was an adult who had the right to make his own decisions. Even if it meant I ended up on anti-anxiety meds…
"You won't be at the house anyway so I'm staying with Finn."
Thrown by this development, I glanced between my brother and Finn. "Um…"
Jack playfully smacked Mattie's arm. "That was supposed to be a secret."
My brother's cheeks flushed. "Whoops."
"What's a secret?" I didn’t like being left out.
Jack gave one of my curls a tug. "You'll find out soon enough." His gaze jumped to someone over my shoulder. I looked back in the same direction and spotted Eric watching us. We hadn't spoken since that evening in the garage. While I had expected to be hauled in for questioning, nothing had ever come from it.
Jack lifted his hand, waved at the detective and smiled. Eric didn't return the wave right away, but when he did it was with the smallest sliver of a smile that held some promise. It renewed my hope that someday we might all be friends again.
When we left the field, Mattie and Finn headed one way, and Jack helped me into his truck so we could head in another. "So—Besian," he said as we idled at a red light. "What did he want?"
"We were just chatting."
"About?"
"Things."
"Uh-huh."
"Do you really want all the details?" Despite Jack having risked his life to save Besian's, I understood that he didn't particularly care for the other man.
"Not really," he replied. "I trust you to tell me if I need to know something."
"I will." Unable to wait a moment longer, I asked, "What's the rest of the secret Mattie revealed?"
He reached out and grasped my hand. "You'll see."
"I hate secrets, Jack."
He lifted my hand and kissed the back of it. "I know."
Deciding two could play the teasing game, I waited until he released my hand and then stroked my fingers up and down his thigh. "You look so hot in that baseball uniform."
He grinned. "I'm listening."
My hand moved toward his inner thigh and up to that thick and growing erection carefully hidden away in his boxer briefs. I gave him a squeeze and elicited a low groan. When I started to unsnap his pants, he stopped me. "You're going to make me wreck."
"Well, we wouldn't want that." I cupped his cock and ran my thumb along the hard ridge of it.
"Not with the three-day weekend I have planned for us," he said huskily.
"You planned a getaway for us?" The idea of sneaking away somewhere with Jack filled me with a delicious thrill.
"We aren't going very far," he said apologetically. "I know how you worry about Mattie so I booked a suite at the Magnolia. I've already dropped off my suitcase and prepped the room."
"Prepped?"
He grinned wickedly. "We're going to unplug, hide out, enjoy room service and make love until we're so tired we can't even move."
I gulped as I considered all the naughty ways Jack liked to make me scream with pleasure. I had a feeling I was going to have a hard time walking straight come Tuesday—and I couldn't wait. There was nothing like being ravished by my big, sexy Jack.
"So what do you say, baby? You, me and a hotel room?"
I squeezed my thighs together to assuage the throbbing pulse between them and gave Jack's rigid shaft a promising squeeze. "I'm all yours."
His sexy grin did crazy things to me. "For this weekend?"
My heart swelled with love for this wonderful man. "Forever…"
Author's Note
Thanks so much for picking up In Jack's Arms. If you haven't read the first book in the Fighting Connollys trilogy, In Kelly's Corner is available now in ebook and print. The final installment of the trilogy, In Finn's Heart, will be released in mid-March 2014.
I've received lots of reader mail about Besian and his crew. Everyone wants to know if they're going to get books. The answer? Yes!
The series—called Debt Colle
ction—will include three books: Collateral, Past Due and Paid in Full. On April 1, 2014, Collateral, the first in a trilogy featuring the Albanian outfit, will be released as part of a special boxed set with a theme of alpha males and motorcycles.
About the Author
When I’m not chasing after my wild preschooler, I like to write super sexy romances and scorching hot erotica. I live in Texas with a husband who could easily snag a job as an extra on History Channel’s new Viking series and a sweet but rowdy four-year-old.
I also have another dirty-book writing alter ego, Lolita Lopez, who writes deliciously steamy tales for Ellora’s Cave, Forever Yours/Grand Central, Mischief/Harper Collins UK, Siren Publishing and Cleis Press.
You can find me online at www.roxierivera.com.
Backlist
Her Russian Protector Series
Ivan (Her Russian Protector #1)
Dimitri (Her Russian Protector #2)
Yuri (Her Russian Protector #3)
A Very Russian Christmas (Her Russian Protector #3.5)
Nikolai (Her Russian Protector #4)
Sergei (Her Russian Protector #5)
Sergei, Volume 2 (Her Russian Protector #5.5)—Coming April 2014
Nikolai, Volume 2 (Her Russian Protector #6)—Coming May 2014
Kostya (Her Russian Protector #7)—Coming Summer 2014
Alexei (Her Russian Protector #8)—Coming Summer 2014
Danila (Her Russian Protector #9)—Coming Fall 2014
The Fighting Connollys Series
In Kelly's Corner (Fighting Connollys #1)
In Jack's Arms (Fighting Connollys #2)
In Finn's Heart (Fighting Connollys #3)—Coming March 2014!
Seduced By…
Seduced by the Loan Shark
Seduced by the Loan Shark 2—Coming Soon!
Seduced by the Congressman
Seduced by the Congressman 2
Erotica
Chance's Bad, Bad Girl
Halftime With Craig
Tease
Eddie's Cuffs 1
Eddie's Cuffs 2
Eddie's Cuffs 3
Disturbing the Peace
Quid Pro Quo
Search and Seizure
Copyright © 2014 by Roxie Rivera
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.
Roxie Rivera/Night Works Books
3515-B Longmire Drive, #103
College Station, TX 77845
www.roxierivera.com
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
In Jack's Arms (Fighting Connollys #2)/ Roxie Rivera. -- 1st ed.
ISBN 978-1-63042-013-0