Jonny's Redemption (Gemini Group Book 7)

by Riley Edwards

  The song came to an end and Evie swung her guitar to her back and placed both hands on her belly and tossed her head back and exploded into a fit of laughter.

  “Your son loves music, babe,” Evie said straight to the window even though she couldn’t see through it. “And damn if he doesn’t already have rhythm. The kid is rockin’ out.”

  “Son?” I whispered.

  Chasin didn’t answer me but I didn’t miss his growl, it was guttural and sweet all at once. He sounded like a proud papa bear.

  “Fuckin’-a girl but you got some lungs,” Sean announced and he, too, sounded proud minus the papa bear.

  No, Sean sounded impressed, which was hard to do considering he’d been around the block a few thousand times.

  I hit the mic again and said, “Take a break. Lunch has been delivered.”

  I was staring at the monitor in front of me when I felt a hand on the back of my neck.

  “Babe?”

  I craned my neck and looked at Jonny.

  “God, I’m sorry. I didn’t even say hi.”

  I straightened and rolled to my tiptoes but even so Jonny needed to dip his head before my lips touched his.

  “It’s okay. You were in your zone.”

  I liked that he understood but it still didn’t excuse me for being semi-rude. Jonny never ignored me when I walked into a room.

  “It’s not okay but thanks for understanding. I didn’t want to miss the moment.”

  “What are you going to do with the recording?”

  “Play it back for Penny. I want her to hear what she can do.”

  “That doesn’t make sense,” Tony complained.

  Jonny’s brows snapped together at Tony’s loud protest. Bonnie sighed and Chasin grunted.

  “Enough, T. If you can’t stop interrupting, I won’t let you—”

  “Let me? Are you being fucking serious?” Tony interrupted. “You’re naïve. These people don’t have what it takes to get you where you’re going. You’re better than them. They need you, not the other way around.”

  I felt my body string tight and I would’ve sworn all hell was about to break loose because I was the one who was going to instigate the beatdown Tony The Dumbfuck needed. But I didn’t have time to rain my verbal assault upon the idiot before Sean roared with laughter.

  This went on for a long time. No one said anything and all eyes were on Sean. Evie was smiling huge. Penny was back to looking pale. Jonny’s arm was smartly wrapped around me which meant I couldn’t move to strangle Tony. And Chasin had claimed Evie and his son. My best friend in the whole world was having a boy and she hadn’t told me. Something I would forgive her for since I knew she was pregnant before Chasin knew and he hadn’t taken kindly to that. As a matter of fact, he’d bitched about it so much the guys made fun of him for being so salty.

  “Listen up, boy, and listen good before your girlfriend here kicks your ass to the curb. Pretty soon Penny Cash is gonna be a name everyone knows. And right now, she’s gonna have to make a decision about what she’s gonna want to be known for. She can have all that talent she possesses, she can be the walking definition of rocker, she can fill a stadium, but she’ll have zero chance of longevity. With you around, Penny Cash will have the reputation of being difficult when really it’s not her, it’s you. No one likes a pompous dick. No one likes working with a manager who is an entitled prick. And no one likes to be insulted. You act like that in front of record execs they’ll drop her so fast her head will spin and it will be your fault. Can’t predict the future, especially in this business, but she’s got what it takes to make a go of this. She’s got a chance at something great, and you, kid, are holding her back. Stating it plain, if I didn’t believe in Evie, I’d walk out and forget Penny Cash’s name.”

  Okay, so it was a good thing I hadn’t been able to get in there before Sean. His verbal smackdown was so much better than anything I could’ve initiated.

  “Harsh,” Jonny whispered.

  “All true,” I returned then asked, “Are you hungry or do you want to go to my office and make out before you eat?”

  “Do you need to stay and referee?”

  “Nope. Sean has it covered and what he doesn’t Evie will handle. And since Chasin’s here there’s nothing for me to do. I don’t get involved with the artists.”

  “Office then,” Jonny answered and my belly fluttered.

  I was hoping he’d say that. I hadn’t seen him since he rolled out of bed before dawn. It was a Saturday, and seeing as I’d already had everything planned out for Penny and Sean’s arrival to the smallest detail I didn’t need to get up before the sun. Jonny on the other hand had to work. I knew he was investigating the disappearance of a man named Anderson Bull but he hadn’t shared specifically what he was up to.

  Make-out session then update on his case then lunch. After that, I’d move on and triple-check that tonight’s pig roast and jam session were all set and ready.

  “Lead the way, handsome.”

  Jonny led the way. Then we made out and by the time we got downstairs, Penny and Tony had gone back to my place. Twenty minutes later, Tony drove away in the rental. I wouldn’t tell Penny because she was likely heartbroken but she’d made the right decision. Tony would only hold her back.

  21

  “Jesus, baby,” Jonny groaned.

  “So. Good.”

  Bobby used her locked ankles at the small of Jonny’s back as leverage and lifted her hips to meet his thrusts. Her mouth was working at his neck, her nails were digging in his shoulders, and her pussy was clamping around his driving cock.

  All of it phenomenal. So outstanding Jonny was getting ready to blow. He shifted and glided his hand between them, went lower until he felt their connection, and coated his fingers with her excitement. Then he dragged his wet fingers up and went at her clit—hard and fast, catching her up to where he was at—which was to say his cock was already leaking.

  “Jonny,” Bobby gasped and her pussy convulsed, stripping away the last of his control.

  His mind blanked as sensation took over. His cock, her pussy greedily demanding his come, the sounds they made, the smell of peaches and vanilla, the feel of his heart pounding, the bright flashes of light behind his eyelids. He felt Bobby everywhere. Felt her on a cellular level. She was embedded in his soul, written on his heart, she flowed through his veins, and blanketed his skin. She was his peace, his calm, his quiet, just plain his.

  When the last of his orgasm drifted away his eyes opened and immediately he found Bobby studying him.

  “That was hot,” she whispered.

  It was always hot when Bobby was under him. But he didn’t say that. Instead, his gaze remained focused on her pretty face, marveling in the miracle that was his woman. So tough, so sweet, so funny, so damn smart.

  There was a loud bang on the front door—not a knock; someone was pounding. Jonny’s eyes went to the clock and his body tensed. It was a Monday morning and had not hit seven a.m. yet. Not good. But really not fucking good when he hadn’t even pulled out of his woman. So Jonny did that, then rolled out of bed and tagged a pair of jeans off the floor.

  He pulled them on commando and did it while bossing Bobby.

  “Up, baby. Get your clothes and take them into the bathroom. Lock the door and don’t come out until I say.”

  Bobby quickly did as he instructed and through that, the banging had stopped only to recommence—this time louder. On Jonny’s way out of the bedroom, he grabbed his gun off his nightstand, on his way through the living room he racked the slide, loading one in the chamber. What he didn’t do was check his patience. None of the guys would show up at his house before work and pound on his door like the world had come to an end. They’d call. And Jonny didn’t think someone coming around to sell Girl Scout cookies would do so first thing in the morning and have such a heavy hand. Therefore whoever was on the other side of his front door was gonna piss him off.

  He knew this, yet he was still unprepared for
how supremely pissed he was going to be when he swung open the door and found Dick Dillinger standing there.

  “What the fuck?” Jonny seethed. “Step off my porch.”

  “Stay out of my business,” Dick returned.

  Jonny supposed Dick’s tone was meant to be intimidating, maybe even serve to scare him. It did neither. What it did do was piss Jonny way the fuck off.

  “Not gonna tell you again, get the fuck off my porch, get in your truck, and get off my property.”

  “Or what, Jonny? You gonna shoot me for knocking on your door?”

  “No, I’m gonna shoot you because you’re a piece of shit. Because I’d bet you’re carrying even though you don’t have a permit, and right now I’m feeling threatened. Actually, I’m in fear of my life, you’re trespassing, not doing as I’ve asked which is to vacate the premises so I’m taking that as a threat, too. So I’m well within my rights as the homeowner to protect myself, my property, and my home.”

  “Right. We both know you’re not gonna shoot me and I’ll leave as soon as you tell me you’re gonna stay out of my business.”

  “Why would I do that, Dick?”

  “Anderson left his wife and doesn’t want to be found. And that’s where you’re gonna leave it.”

  Jonny tightened his hand around the grip of his handgun until the dimpling in the polymer dug into his palm. Good God, he wanted to shoot Dick for a variety of reasons, the biggest being he’d been a dirty cop, he’d desecrated the oath he’d taken to serve and protect, he’d terrorized good people, he’d helped put an innocent man behind bars, and now Dick Dillinger had the audacity to stand on Jonny’s porch and tell him to stand down.

  The man had balls, however, they weren’t as big as he thought they were.

  “And Anderson’s your business? The business you want me to stay out of?” Jonny asked.

  “I saw you casing my house,” Dick stupidly accused.

  “Then I guess it’s a good thing I wasn’t trying to hide my presence.”

  “Trust me, you don’t want to get involved in this.”

  “Trust you?” Jonny snarled. “I have not nor would I ever fuckin’ trust you. But since I’ve never been a dirty fuckin’ cop you can trust me when I tell you, I’m gonna be so far in your shit you won’t sneeze without me knowing it. I’m gonna find out what happened to Anderson and I don’t care how long it takes.”

  “No, you won’t. Not if you care what happens to Candy.”

  Jonny froze and his eyes narrowed on the slimy fuck in front of him.

  “You’re a piece of shit.”

  “Not if you care what happens to your girlfriend.”

  That did it. Jonny took the two steps needed to push Dick off his porch then he continued to advance until his free hand was wrapped around the bastard's throat, cognizant of the gun in the other. He wanted to shoot Dick—not kill him, but put a hole in his leg. He’d take great pleasure hearing Dick cry like a bitch as his blood oozed. It was less than Dick deserved.

  “Don’t even think of uttering her name. I find you looking at her, the hole I’ve been dreaming about putting in your kneecap will move up a few feet to your chest. I’m not fucking with you, Dick, so I hope you’re listening. If you don’t wanna join your dear ol’ piece of shit dad in the ground, you’ll forget you know she exists.”

  “It’s not me you have to worry about, asshole. Just stay the fuck out of my business. I got nothing to do with Anderson.”

  “I don’t believe that,” Jonny said and belatedly realized Dick was not struggling.

  He wasn’t fighting to free himself from Jonny’s grasp, he wasn’t reaching for his own gun, and wasn’t making a play for Jonny’s.

  “I don’t give a shit what you believe. I don’t want to be dragged back into this shit. I’m out. I’ve been out, and if you keep sniffing around this, my shit’s gonna get pulled back in. So leave it, Jonny. He’s been gone two months. He’s dead and you know it.”

  Jonny sucked in a breath and released Dick.

  “How do you know he’s dead?”

  “Fuck, Jonny, he’s been gone two months.”

  Unfortunately, Dick was correct. Jonny had been looking into Anderson’s disappearance for over a month. Now the man had been gone for two and Jonny was no closer to finding him. Not even with Micky working her magic and getting him all the information he’d requested. When Jonny had suggested they outsource the information-gathering so she wouldn’t have to look into the man who threatened her family, she’d politely told Jonny to fuck off and reminded him it was her job to gather intel. Not only that, she’d been waiting for the day she could nail Dick. So, Micky was working overtime digging up anything and everything there was to find.

  The problem was there wasn’t much to find. Apparently, Dick had turned over a new leaf, one that didn’t include acting like a colossal fuck-up. He worked in a machine shop where he’d worked his way to running a CNC machine. How Dick was smart enough to learn the program to run the machine was beyond Jonny. But Dick worked, paid his bills, his taxes, didn’t go out and get drunk, and the rumors had long since died about him being a man whore. Which was a testament to him only getting laid because he carried a badge.

  Jonny’s gut roiled at the thought.

  However, Jonny didn’t care it had been two months. He didn’t give one fuck Dick was seemingly living on the up and up. No man changed his spots, not completely. And he wasn’t ready to give up hope Anderson Bull was still alive.

  “How do you know he’s dead?” Jonny repeated.

  “You were a cop.”

  That was not an answer.

  “How do you know Anderson is dead?”

  Dick's face twisted into an ugly grimace and through gritted teeth, he said, “Because I know.”

  Jonny bet he did know because he was involved.

  “You care to share how you know?”

  “No, but I’ll share this. You keep digging into this, you can swing your dick and make all the threats you want. But Candy and McKenna Swagger will pay the price. You tell that to your buddy Nixon—his wife is drawing attention. And my guess is he’ll be real fucking unhappy she’s back on the radar. You keep looking into him, maybe even Bobby’ll be in danger. Anderson is not worth this.”

  Nixon would not be happy—about as unhappy as Jonny was right then, breathing the same air as the motherfucker who sullied his department. It was time to end this scene. Bobby was in the house and he had to call Nix.

  “Thanks for the heads up, now get the fuck off my property.”

  “You’re not listening.”

  “You’re wrong. I’ve listened to every jacked-up word that’s come out of your mouth.”

  “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  And with that, Dick turned and jogged to his truck. Jonny stood in his driveway until Dick’s taillights disappeared; only then did he go back into his house. He went directly to the bathroom and found Bobby had locked the door.

  “Open up, Bobby.”

  The door flew open but Bobby didn’t move. She stood frozen in place looking visibly freaked out. Her eyes dropped and she took him in. Top to toe and back up to his face. Jonny didn’t miss her sigh of relief he was uninjured.

  “What’s going on?”

  What was going on was Bobby was now in danger because of him. And it seriously made him fucking angry that the only way for him to protect her was to tell her the truth.

  “That was Dick Dillinger at the door,” Jonny started but got no further.

  “What? But you hate him. Why would he come to your house?”

  “Yeah, Bobby, you could say I hate him. He came by to warn me to stop looking into Anderson’s disappearance.”

  “Warned you,” she breathed, and that pissed him right the fuck off, too.

  Now she didn’t only look freaked, she sounded it, too. An overwhelming urge to pound his fist into Dick’s face came over Jonny. However, he didn’t have time to succumb to the volatile emotions swirling around in his
head. He had to keep his shit together, call Nix and get Bobby to the office.

  “Everything’s gonna be okay. I need to hurry and get ready while I call Nixon.”

  “Hurry?”

  “Ten minutes, Bobby. We have to get to the office.”

  “Ten minutes?”

  Bobby’s question came out as half shriek, half disbelief. He knew on a normal day his request was an impossibility—the woman took an age to get ready. But they didn’t have time to dally. He also didn’t have time to argue with her. So it was time to lay it out for her.

  “It seriously fucks me to say this, but Dick’s warning was about you. Candy, McKenna, and you.”

  “But ten minutes? Jonny, that’s impossible.”

  Jonny’s body locked and he felt a neck twitch.

  “Baby, did you hear me? He wants me to back off investigating Anderson and he’s using you to get me to do that.”

  “I heard you, Jonny. But you’re not gonna back off. A man is missing and you’re gonna find him. His wife deserves to know what happened—good or bad—she needs to know. And if there’s a chance Anderson is out there still alive he needs to be found. Either way, you’re gonna find him. I don’t care what that asshole Dick says, he can threaten me all he wants. I know you won’t let anything happen to me and I know Nixon won’t let anything happen to Micky and I know all of you will make sure Candy’s okay. What I do care about is having ten minutes to make myself presentable. So go make coffee, call Nixon, and get dressed yourself. I’ll hurry, but it ain’t gonna be ten minutes. I’m not leaving this house naked.”

  Jesus fuck.

  For the life of him, Jonny couldn’t force his muscles to work. He wanted to pull her close and kiss the fuck out of her. He wanted to tell her how much her trust meant to him. He wanted to howl like an animal. But none of that could happen because Jonny’s entire being was suspended. Not only did she trust him to protect her, she believed in him. Believed he would find Anderson.