In Walked Trouble (Under Covers)
Page 21
Of course he did. But not at the price Luke was paying. “You know, I don’t think we’re into it anymore.” He glanced at Tyke. “What do you think, John Boy? Are we still into it? Or do we think Ronan’s fucking with us?”
“Probably fucking with us,” Tyke said expressionless.
Ronan’s lip curled into a sneer, but his tone bordered on desperate. “Yo, man. I ain’t got a reason to fuck witchu. You want the good shit, and that’s what I got. You wanna do this or what?”
Luke slid a fist under his chin. “See, I don’t think you do. I think I need to go somewhere else for something better. Quicker.” He lowered his chin and gave the other man a direct stare. “Stronger.”
Another run of his tongue over his gold teeth and a glance at the envelope in Luke’s hand, Ronan said, “Look, you take what I got tonight, and I might be able to get you some other ill shit. My supplier—he’s got some new stuff he’s working on. Like, real insane, fuck you up candy.”
Luke quirked an eyebrow. “So you were holding out on me.”
Ronan shifted in his seat seeming not to like Luke’s liar insinuation. His boys didn’t seem to appreciate it either. The air in the vehicle changed. Bodies in the backseat sat up straighter.
Tyke sensed the change, too, because Luke caught him moving his hand toward the door where his weapon rested out of sight.
“Don’t push him,” Ash growled over the COMs. “Make the deal and schedule another meeting.”
“Nothing from vehicle two yet,” Reese said.
In other words, the immediate threat was in Ronan’s car.
“I want an ID on that second vehicle, Reese,” Ash said. “Now.”
“Working on it,” the team member said.
Tension was still thick. While Ronan and his boys wouldn’t be able to tell, Luke’s body was strung tight, ready to react at a moment’s notice. Tyke, too, with his hand still resting within reach of his service weapon.
Luke tapped the full envelope on the steering wheel, eyeing Ronan.
“Goddamn it, Calder,” Ash barked. “Quit stalling and make the deal.”
“All right,” Luke said. “I’ll test out what you give me tonight, and if I like it and you didn’t oversell its quality, then I’ll be in touch. Don’t hold out on me again though. Really pisses me off when you do that.” He stretched the fat envelope out his window toward Ronan’s car at the same time the other man reached his package out.
Once the exchange was complete, Ronan handed the envelope to the guy in the passenger side, who opened it and fanned the bills.
The second unidentified vehicle backed up into a side street, then pulled away in the direction it came.
Ronan glanced back at Luke. “Nice doing business with you. I expect another call real soon.”
Luke nodded once, then pressed the button to raise the window of his car.
As Ronan’s car started to move, Reese’s voice came over the COMs. “I’ve got an ID on the second vehicle. It’s owned by Cassandra Stone.”
What the fuck. Of course it was.
Tyke’s head whipped so fast toward Luke that he was surprised the damn thing didn’t snap off.
“You’ve gotta be shitting me,” Ash growled.
“I’ll handle it,” Luke said through tight lips.
“You better,” Ash said. “Or else I will.”
…
What had she witnessed? Miguel in the backseat of that car. Ronan in the front seat. And Luke, of all people, in an adjacent car doing what looked like a drug deal.
A drug deal!
Cass stomped across the hardwood floor in her condo loud enough to garner disgruntled shouts from the seventy-year-old man in the unit below her. She didn’t care. She was rip-roaring angry and would deal with her pissed off neighbor tomorrow when she was of sound mind.
This whole thing with Luke was almost too much for her to handle. The man she had romantic feelings for—a man she’d pictured a future with—was somehow involved with her student’s gang family. Her head nearly split open just thinking about that.
She had the worst luck with men. No. Scratch that. It wasn’t her luck at all. It was her innate and asinine quality to trust everyone around her because, oh you know, she figured they were naturally good people!
Nope. She only seemed to attract cheaters, liars, and now drug users. What a wonderful realization. Thank God she hadn’t told her father about Luke. He would’ve had a field day with the reason for that breakup.
She closed her eyes and focused on slowing her rapid heart rate.
What if Luke was trying to corrupt Miguel? What if he already had?
What if Luke had had some sort of relationship with Eduardo? What if Luke had been involved in his death?
Her breathing picked up to match her still racing heart. She’d do whatever she had to in order to keep Miguel safe. She’d alert the media, the cops, and the freaking president of the United States. Someone. Anyone to protect her precious students.
Was the story about Luke’s mom even true? Or was that just for sympathy? Stupid. She’d actually felt sorry for him. Her heart had broken for him.
Idiot.
Flicking her eyes open, she saw nothing but red. He better have one hell of an explanation when she confronted him. And you can bet your ass she was going to confront him. Just as soon as she could calm herself enough to drive. She’d had to pull over numerous times on the way home because she was so distraught. That made her even angrier because he’d distracted her so badly she’d almost run off the road.
Squeezing her fingers over the bridge of her nose, she sucked in a few deep breaths and tried to think of babies and puppies and big, shiny rainbows. But it was no use. The man had gotten under her skin and turned her inside out.
Honesty. Ha! He was the one who started that little game, and he was the biggest liar of all. Oh, but wait, he didn’t lie. No, no. Of course, not. He would say it was because she didn’t ask the right questions.
Asshole.
She needed to do something. Her body thrummed with pent-up frustration and she needed to get it out. Her condo was too small. The walls were closing in. She needed air. And a drink. Yes, that’s what she needed.
Grabbing her parka and handbag, she carried them to the door. Lucky for her, there was a string of bars about two blocks over. Maybe she’d hit them all tonight. The thought didn’t escape her that this was the exact same response she’d had when she’d found Daniel cheating on her, but she didn’t care. She needed to do something.
Jerking the front door open, she took one step and crashed into a warm, hard body. Hands as tight as clamps locked onto her arms and drove her inside her condo. The door slammed closed behind them. She squealed and then when panic set in, she started screaming. She dropped her coat and purse on the ground, concentrating on nothing but her fight response.
A hand covered her mouth, cutting off sound, and then a familiar male voice growled, “Quiet.”
Flicking her gaze up to the man who belonged to that voice, a whole new surge of emotion nearly knocked her over. It wasn’t her usual warmth that burned from the proximity of this particular body so close to hers. Oh, no. It was pure, unadulterated fury.
Ripping his hand away from her mouth, she sneered and spoke through clenched teeth. “Get out of my house.”
Luke’s jaw was just as firm as he responded back. “Not until you tell me where you were tonight.”
She wanted to laugh. She almost did. If it wasn’t for the anger that was now morphing into rage, she probably would have. “None of your business, you lying sack of monkey shit.”
He pulled back and released his hold on her. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” She kept her features hard. “I know your little secret, Luke. If that’s even your real name.”
His pissed expression died a little and confusion filled its spot. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I saw you,” she said, starting to lose a little of her own steam.
What was going on here? He didn’t seem at all worried she’d figured him out. “You know how much my students mean to me.”
Baffled eyes stared back, so she tried to fill in the blanks.
“You said your mom died from a drug overdose,” she said more calmly. “Is that even true?”
“Yeah, she did.”
“Then why are you on that same path?”
He massaged his forehead. “What path?”
“I saw you buying drugs from Ronan tonight,” she hissed.
His lips pursed. “I know, about that…”
Okay, definitely not upset about finding out his secret. This was the worst scolding she’d given anyone in the history of scoldings. “Go on,” she said, crossing her arms. “What about it?”
“What were you doing there tonight?”
“That doesn’t matter.” She waved his comment away. “Let’s get back to the more important issue. You’re a drug user.”
It was his turn to cross his arms. “Technically I bought drugs. I didn’t use them.”
Seriously? Sometimes she wanted to pull her hair out talking to him. “Bought. Used. It’s the same thing.”
“No, actually it’s not.”
Locking her back teeth, she said, “Fine. You are involved in the same thing that your mom died from. Why? Why would you do that to yourself?”
“It’s not the same thing.” That was all he said before walking past her toward her small kitchen. He had the audacity to open her fridge and bend to look inside. “Do you have any leftovers? I didn’t get a chance to eat. I’m starving.”
She remained where she was and tightened her fists. “We’re not done with this conversation.”
He peered at her from over the refrigerator door. “I know, but I can’t think on an empty stomach, so give me a minute, will ya?” Standing, he closed the door with his foot and walked with her Chinese take-out boxes to the table. He retrieved a fork from her drying rack next to the sink, then opened her sesame chicken. Leaning against the counter, one dress shoe kicked over the other, he ate her food.
“I was going to eat that,” she said.
“It’s good,” he said with a huge helping in his mouth. “I can see why you’d want to.”
Making a fist, she entered the kitchen, plucked the box from his hands, and tossed it into the trash can.
“Hey,” he whined.
She spread her index and middle fingers, pointing them at his chest, then at her eyes, and back at him. “Listen up.”
His lips twitched as he remained in his relaxed stance against the counter. “I’m all yours.”
“Ears,” she corrected. “You’re all ears.”
“No, I had it right the first time.”
The blue in his eyes deepened, making her anger melt out of her body in a split second. Oh, look. There it was in a liquid pile all over her tile floor. “D-don’t give me that look. I’m still mad at you.”
“What look?” he mocked, striding toward her, slow and lazy.
She stepped back and bumped into the counter behind her. “You know which one. Like you want to eat me.”
He lifted his shoulders in a half shrug, coming within a few inches of touching her. “I said I was hungry. And you just threw out my food.”
“My food,” she said through a rough breath.
He looked down at her with tempting eyes, making her start to come apart and yearn for him to reach out and touch her. It wasn’t fair how easily he could do that. “Possession is nine-tenths of the law, you know.”
“Not in my house.”
His lips spread wider and his gaze raked over her from her messy bun to her skinny jeans to her black ballet flats. She couldn’t name his expression. Amazement with a little frustration, and maybe some desire, too.
“What?” she asked.
“I love this side of you.”
Placing a hand on her hip, she said, “Good, because you’re going to get a big dose of it until you answer all of my questions.” That’s it, stay strong.
“As long as you answer all of mine, then I’m all for it, sweetheart.” He punctuated his statement with a wink and a snapping sound from the corner of his mouth.
“Oh, no,” she said, her desire cooling. “We’re not playing that game again tonight. You’re answering my questions straight on. No more turning my words around. I want the truth, the whole truth, and…”
She’d heard that somewhere before…
“Nothing but the truth?” he supplied, grinning.
“Well, yeah.”
He stood at full height. “Deal.”
There was that quick response again. “I’m not playing, Luke. I want real answers.”
He sighed. “I know. You deserve the truth.”
“Without games or twisting my words.”
His expression was sober. “You’re right. You’ve been through enough, Cass. No more jokes. Let’s be real with each other.”
She waited to see if he was going to crack a smile. But he didn’t.
“Very well,” she said.
“I’ll go first.” Without giving her a chance to rebuke, he asked, “Why were you in the projects tonight?” His expression went stern and professional so quickly, she didn’t know what to make of it.
“I followed Miguel.”
He nodded like he already figured that. “So why—”
“Not so fast,” she said. “My turn.”
He inhaled deeply through his nose and gestured with a flick of his wrist for her to go.
“Why were you in the projects tonight?”
Still straight-faced, he said, “To buy drugs.”
Of course he couldn’t take this seriously. It’s like he got off on avoiding the most important questions. “That doesn’t count. I already knew that. You have to give me more.” But after the words were out, she braced herself, afraid of what he’d say. It was hard for her to imagine what would bring him to get involved in drugs. Especially since his mom’s death seemed to affect him so much.
His flat expression suggested he wasn’t going to elaborate, but then he said, “The drugs weren’t for me. I’m not a user.”
“So…you were buying them for a friend?” Please say no.
“No,” he said. “Not for a friend.” He shifted his weight and crossed his arms, staring at her with a serious expression. “What’s your relationship to Miguel Cortez?”
She started in surprise. “Why would you ask it that way?” Like she was somehow tainted or sullied by her association with Miguel.
“Because everywhere he goes, you seem to follow. Why?”
“He’s my student.”
“Good try,” he said. “You have lots of students. Why is this one so special?”
It was her turn to inhale through her nose as she chewed on his question. “He has so much potential. But he doesn’t see it.” She stood up taller. “He needs me.”
“You have an awfully high regard for your ability to help people,” he said.
She cut him a look, expecting to see sarcasm. Instead, his expression was still impassive.
“If I have the means to help someone, I’m going to.” Just because someone was less fortunate, didn’t mean they should be left to suffer.
He watched her, staring into her eyes with that serious face, and she started to squirm. She was far too interested in what was going on in his brain.
His eyes brightened and his expression softened. “Woman, you care entirely too much about other people.” She was about to tell him where he could get off, but he followed up with, “It’s one of the qualities I love most about you, actually.”
A bucket of icy water dumped over her remaining anger, making it steam and hiss as the fire completely extinguished. No one had ever told her that her best quality was her heart. It was the most touching thing she’d ever heard. To have someone acknowledge it made everything she’d done—everything she’d sacrificed—worth it.
He placed a warm hand against her cheek. “I wish you�
��d care more about yourself though. I know the kid means a lot to you, but sometimes our best intentions don’t mean shit if the other person doesn’t want the help.”
“But he does,” she said. “Miguel wants to get out. He wants off the streets. Or at least he did. If I could just get him to remember that.”
“If he really wants it”—Luke softened his tone even more—“he’ll make it happen.” His hand slid from her cheek, along her jawline where he held her chin between his thumb and index finger. “You’ve done what you can. Let it be his decision now. You can’t follow him around forever.”
“I know that.” She tried to pull away, but he kept her face front and center.
Something flickered in his gaze as he swallowed. “My mom…” He released a ragged breath. “My mom didn’t want help. She told me her best times were when she was high. She loved it so much that she usually didn’t even remember she had a kid.”
Her heart dropped. “Oh, Luke. I’m so sorry. You should have never had to go through that.” She laced her fingers with his, and brought their joined hands up to her lips for a kiss. “Why would you be there tonight then?”
He ran a hand over his short hair. “Because I have to.”
“But—” She snatched her hand out of his as if he’d burned her.
“I’m trying to stop it,” he said quickly. “The drugs. You want honesty? Fine. I’m an undercover agent with the DEA. We’re tracking the guy who’s bringing in the drugs that killed Eduardo.”
Cass would’ve gasped if she’d had any oxygen in her lungs. Blissful relief filled her. “So that day in the park…”
He was already nodding. “We were there to watch Ronan and Joaquin. Or we were, before…”
“I got in the way.” She remembered the boys leaving before anyone approached them and how angry Luke seemed when he’d found her behind that tree.
“Yes, you did.” He laid a hand against her lower back and gave a small smile. “In order to stop the drugs, we need to find the supplier. Is there anything you know about Miguel or Ronan that might help us do that? Anything at all? You’re connected to the kids at the school. You’re close with Miguel.”
“No. Nothing.” When he leveled her with a doubtful look, she said, “Fine, yes, I’ll admit I was in the park because I was watching the boys, too. Miguel mostly. But I don’t know anything. All I care about is that he doesn’t join that gang or start selling drugs. I—”