Key West. This place was something else.
They slipped into a cozy shop and Jude hustled her past shelves stuffed with seashell trinkets, snow globes, and cheap jewelry. He grabbed things off the racks as he went, then yanked her into a curtained dressing room. Spinning her toward him, he hiked her shirt over her head before she realized what he was doing.
“Jude, what the hell? We’re being followed! We don’t have time to screw around in a dressing room.”
“Interesting idea for another time,” he said. “But right now, you need to change.” Using his teeth, he broke the tag off a colorful sarong-like dress and shoved it at her, then quickly shed his own wet clothes. Paying no attention to his nakedness, he ripped off the tags on a pair of khaki shorts and a T-shirt that featured a beer bottle sitting under a palm tree and declared “I Heart Key West, Florida” in green letters.
“C’mon, Libs. Hurry.” With that, he dressed and left the fitting room with the price tags in hand. She peeked out, saw him snag a baseball cap and a big floppy hat, his eyes always scanning the windows at the front of the shop, studying the passing crowd on Duval Street. He set the ball cap on his head and smiled charmingly at the cashier as he paid. When he returned a few minutes later, he carried a plastic bag labeled with the shop’s name and started stuffing his wet clothes into it.
“Libby, move. Let’s go.”
She changed into the dress and donned the floppy hat he handed her, then stuffed her own wadded clothes into the bag. “Now what?”
“We’re James and Liza Wilson, honeymooners out for a night on Duval Street. Nothing more.”
“But what about K-Bar? If he—”
“I’m about ninety-eight point nine percent sure we lost him before we ditched the car, but we’re gonna stay out, mix in with the crowd for a bit, take a cab to the other side of the island, then hoof it to Seth’s. It’s going to be a long night.”
Numbly, she nodded.
He caught her head in his hands, made her meet his gaze. “I know this place better than I know D.C. He doesn’t. We have the advantage.”
“I just want to go back to the pool and the cat and your laundry all over the floor. I want to be safe.”
“I know.” With more tenderness than she thought he possessed, he brushed his lips across her forehead. “I know, babe. And we will, but I have to make sure the house stays safe first, okay?” His hands dropped to her shoulders, rubbed. “You can do this, Libby. You’re a strong, smart, independent woman.”
“I don’t feel like it. I’m scared.” It seemed like she’d been scared forever, ever since she received the first doll, but this was the first time she’d allowed herself to admit it to anyone. “I really am. Terrified.”
“It’s foolish not to be.”
“You’re not.”
“Like hell I’m not.” He dazzled her with one of his grins. “I’m just damn good at playing pretend. Now let me see the blushing bride, Liza Wilson. What does she do?”
Libby drew in a breath, straightened her shoulders. “Teacher,” she decided.
“Yeah? What grade?”
“Kindergarten.”
“Sounds like a headache.”
“No, it’s fun. She loves—No, wait.” Cursing under her breath, she corrected herself with as much conviction in her tone as she could muster, “I love it.”
“Perfect,” Jude said. “And what about James?”
“He’s….” She thought about it then smiled evilly up at him. “An accountant.”
“Now that’s just cruel. And c’mon, who would believe I spend my days crunching numbers?” With a hand on her lower back, he guided her out of the dressing room. He waved at the cashier as they exited the store. “What about a shark wrangler?”
Okay. Time to get into character for real. Forcing herself not to study every face in the crowd, she slid and arm around his waist. “My dear husband, the only shark you can wrangle is the plastic one in our pool.”
“Hey.” He stopped, whirled her around, and fitted her against his body. “I wrangled you, didn’t I?” As his lips dipped down to brush hers, he added in a whisper, “You’re talking way too loud and sound like you’re reciting a script. Just relax, babe. Pretend we don’t have anyone after us and I’m someone you actually love.”
Her stomach sank into her toes. Someone she loved. Oh, yeah, like that was going to be hard, considering the only man she’d ever loved besides her father stood in front of her with his arms tightly around her and concern in his pale blue eyes.
“Okay.” She swallowed down the lump rising in her throat and offered a weak smile. “I can do that. I’ll just picture Robert Downey Jr.”
And like that the worry vanished and his eyes narrowed as a scowl creased his forehead. “You love Robert Downey Jr.?”
“Who doesn’t?”
Grumbling under his breath, Jude clasped her hand and guided her into the nighttime party crowd on Duval Street.
Chapter Twenty
Jude waited until Libby excused herself to bed before making the call to his brothers. Even after he peeked in on her and found her curled on her side in the big bed, sound asleep, he still puttered around for another half hour before grabbing his cell phone and stepping out onto the patio. Part of that hesitation was because he didn’t want to scare her more by talking about the nitty-gritty of the mission in front of her. Mostly, he was just putting it off because he knew Reece was going to hit the roof.
Fun, fun.
It was nearly a quarter past one in the morning, but he’d try the office phone first. Reece didn’t have any kind of life, but even if he was at home, he’d have the office cell with him. Greer didn’t trust landlines so all business was conducted on burner phones.
The earlier rain had washed away the humidity in the air, leaving the night clear and cool. For once, all was quiet. He knew the party on Duval Street was probably just now swinging into high gear, but this end of town had called it a night early. No music came from the beach, not even the lone guitar that often strummed through the night until the first rays of morning spread over the ocean.
Jude stayed underneath the portico, sat in one of the wicker chairs, and stared at his phone. Pruitt’s lawyer had left three voicemails. He ignored them, but then scrolled blindly through his missed call list, stalling for time. Man, he really didn’t want to make this call.
The pat-pat-pat of soft paws caught his attention and he lifted his gaze to see Sam had followed him outside. The big cat stopped in front of him, blinked its green eyes, twitched its tail, and in one mighty leap, landed gracefully on his lap.
“Damn cat,” Jude grumbled, but then heard the rhythmic purr pumping from the animal’s throat and his heart melted just a bit. So maybe he could forgive the beast for scratching Libby all to hell.
Sam rubbed against his hand still holding the cell phone, almost as if assuring him it would all be okay. He sighed in surrender and scratched the cat’s white chin. “All right, Fuzz Butt. You’re cute. Sorta. But don’t tell Libby I said that. She’d have way too much fun I-told-ya-so-ing me.”
Purring like an outboard motor, Sam walked in a circle, plopped down on Jude’s lap, shot a leg into the air, and proceeded to lick his balls. Or the spot where his balls should have been. Poor animal had been snipped. Jude winced and resisted to urge to reach between his own legs to protect his equipment.
“Yeah, you won major sympathy points there, pal.” He rubbed a hand down the cat’s back, then gave him a light push. “Now get gone. Go cuddle up to Libby. She needs it and I have a phone call to make.”
As if Sam understood, he jumped down and trotted into the house, still purring. Jude watched until the cat disappeared from sight, then turned his gaze back to the phone. Started to dial. Stopped. Tossed the phone from hand to hand.
“Goddammit.”
He hit speed dial before he could talk himself out of it. It rang twice—once more than usual—and to his surprise, Camden answered, sounding as if he hadn’t be
en to bed yet.
“You got Greer’s message?” he asked.
The tension seeped out of Jude like water from a sieve. Cam, he could talk to easily without the conversation devolving into a shouting match. “About K-Bar’s disappearance? Yeah. Where did that intel come from?”
“One of my informants,” Cam said and bit into something with a loud crunch. Probably one of the carrot sticks he’d taken to eating like candy after he quit smoking last year. “Soup’s reliable. Strung out, but his info’s always solid. He says K-Bar wouldn’t skip because Mama K-Bar put up her house for bond and her son wouldn’t want her ending up homeless. I believe him.”
“So where does that leave us?”
“I spent my day casting a net. If he shows anywhere in the city, we’ll be the first to know.”
“He may not be in the city,” Jude said and told Cam about the car that had been tailing them tonight. His brother reacted about like expected, with a litany of ear-blistering and creative curses.
He waited until Cam took a breath and added, “Which is why I need Reece to work his computer magic and lay a virtual trail to anywhere other than Key West.”
“Not happening. Reece is out,” Camden said. A tab popped on a can in the background. A beer, no doubt. Man, Jude could use one himself.
“What do you mean, out?”
“He took a home security contract that came in yesterday.”
“Fuck.” He dragged his hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. Sighed. Really, he didn’t know why he was surprised. “The last time we spoke, he wasn’t happy with me.”
“So what else is new?”
“But I never thought he’d actually leave me hanging.”
“You did almost blow the mission wide open. You endangered Libby Pruitt’s life.”
“No I didn’t.”
“I’m sorry,” Cam said, sounding not the least bit apologetic. Actually, there was a thick undercurrent of pissed off in his voice. “I have to side with Reece on this one. You were careless.”
“C’mon! There was no real threat in anyone seeing that internet video and linking me to Libby. Not unless they wanted to dig back eight years and even then, it would be a difficult connection to make. I already told you I was careful about who saw us together.”
Camden made a sound full of disgust. “Man, you know I love you but you are a complete asshole. Mom would be ashamed, the way you go through women like other men go through socks.”
Jude hissed softly as the barb struck home. Okay, that hurt, especially coming from Cam. He expected—hell, even looked forward to—those kind of remarks from Reece. But not Cam, the Wilde family’s glue, the peacemaker, the only one of his brothers that understood him. Or so he thought.
“Well,” he finally managed. At least his voice didn’t sound as raw as his emotions felt. “Everyone has flaws.”
“Some people more than others. You’re thirty fucking years old, Jude. When are you gonna straighten up your life?” Before he could formulate a response, Cam muttered a curse. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that. I’m exhausted and my mouth’s working faster than my brain. I’m starting to sound like Reece.”
“No. You’re right. You’re both right. When this is over…” He trailed off. He didn’t know what would happen, but something had to change. He was tired of pretending. Tired of wearing a smile while everything else stayed locked up in his chest, slowly clawing him into shreds from the inside out.
“It is over,” Cam said. “Greer wants to pull you both out and relocate Libby to her father’s cabin in Vermont.”
So Pruitt had talked Greer into the cabin idea. If Jude thought that would do any good, he’d be in packing their bags now—wait. Cam only mentioned Libby’s name. Relocate Libby. “What about me?”
Cam stayed silent for a moment. “You’re coming home. Pruitt wants me to stay with her.”
“No.”
“Jude—”
“No fucking way.”
A pause. “Goddammit. Are you sleeping with her again?”
Okay, he hadn’t meant to give himself away like that. “So what?”
“So you’re seriously going to risk her life for a few more nights of fun?”
Jude’s teeth ground together so hard he felt his jaw pop from the pressure. “I’d never risk her life. For anything.”
More silence. Then, “Whoa. You care about her.”
“And you call yourself a detective? That should have been obvious from the start.”
“Yeah, I knew you cared—at one time. But I had no idea you’re still in l—”
“We’re not leaving,” Jude interrupted. “There’s nowhere safer for her than Seth’s house. This place is a fortress. Top of the line security, better than anything we have in our arsenal of tricks. Can’t Vaughn lay the cyber trail back to D.C. or even to the cabin in Vermont? Make it look like we left?”
Cam exhaled hard. “Vaughn’s good but he’s not Reece. If K-Bar, or whoever, had the technology to track you to Key West in the first place, there’s a good chance he’ll see through it. I still think you should exfil. Greer’s gonna have a fit that you’re refusing.”
No doubt about it, and Jude was extremely glad he wouldn’t be around to receive the brunt of Greer’s temper this time. “Believe me, Cam, I want her safe as much as anyone. If I didn’t think she was safe here anymore, I’d be the first to say so but there’s no place on Earth better to hide than in this house. You know how paranoid Seth got after everything he went through.”
“Then you need to utilize every safety measure he has in place,” Cam said. “We lay that trail, you’ll have to stay inside the house. No more jaunts to the beach in your underwear. No more paddle boarding trips. No Duval Street. No grocery shopping. Everything will be delivered to the front door by men I’ll personally pick. You’re not even walking out to the curb for the newspaper, got me?”
Jude thought back on the day. So perfect in every way until he spotted that car tailing them and now Libby will never remember anything but the fear of running from someone who may not have even been chasing them. This threat to her was a boogieman—intangible, but scary enough to make you check under the bed twice before going to sleep.
And, like he’d told her in the car, he was done taking chances.
“Yeah, I got you. We’ll stay inside the gate,” he said to Cam. “Call me as soon as you find out where the hell K-Bar’s hiding.”
…
Libby heard the patio door slide shut and stilled her hand on Sam’s back, feigning sleep. Jude’s footfalls came softly as he extinguished lights on the way to the bedroom, but he hesitated in the doorway and she lifted one eyelid to watch him. He stood just inside the room, a pool of cool moonlight splashing around his feet from the sliding glass doors that led to the garden and pool. Simply standing there, staring at the bed. She felt his eyes sweep over her and despite the chill in the air, her skin heated in response with the memory of sun, water, and sex.
He finally moved around the end of the bed, stripping off his clothes and dropping them on the floor, kicking them out of the way when they landed in his path. She should tell him to pick them up and put them away like a normal adult, but she said nothing. There would be time for that tomorrow.
He slid underneath the covers and spooned up behind her. She should tell him to go back to the couch and leave her alone, but the idea of sleeping in this big bed alone tonight sent icy snakes of fear slithering down her spine. She didn’t want to be alone. All right, if she was perfectly honest with herself, it was more than a need for companionship. Not just anyone would do. It was all him. She didn’t want to be without him, specifically, tonight.
So instead of telling him off like she knew she should, she reveled in his tattooed arms encasing her in their strength, relaxed in the comfort of his long frame pressed chest-to-back against her, drifted in the tenderness of the moment as he buried his face in her hair.
“I will keep you safe,” he whispered.
Chapter Twenty-One
The first week of July, a hurricane churning out near Cuba made the weather turn. Gone were the warm, sun-drenched spring days, replaced with muggy, overcast, and rainy afternoons that seemed endless. Jude was lucky if he got his swim in and the lack of exercise made him restless and twitchy. The weather took its toll on Libby, too. With each passing day, she seemed more morose, talking to him, joking with him, less and less. He tried to give her some space, but when he walked into the house from tinkering with Seth’s car in the garage and found her sitting on the couch with tears rolling down her face as she watched TV, that was the final straw. He set aside the rag he’d been wiping his greasy hands on and knelt down in front of her.
“Libs, what’s wrong?”
She sniffled and swiped away the tears with the fingers of one hand. “Nothing.”
“Yeah, I cry over nothing all the time.”
That got him a little smile as he’d hoped it would. “It’s stupid.”
“I’m good with stupid.”
She motioned to the TV with the remote in her hand. On screen, a hot dog commercial showed a happy-happy family passing heaping dishes of food around a packed picnic table. Jude watched until the commercial cut to the next, an advertisement for the local news talking about the possibility of cancelling tomorrow’s firework show.
“Tomorrow’s the fourth of July,” she said and brushed away another tear. “I’ve never missed one with my family, but now I’m stuck here and I won’t get to see my parents or any of my aunts, uncles, cousins. My grandparents. I miss them. I won’t be home to celebrate with them.”
Christ, he was a nitwit. Of course she’d been upset—it was a holiday and she was homesick. Why hadn’t that occurred to him before now?
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