CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Gemma stepped into the beautiful royal-blue silk dress and prayed it fit. Kenna gave her the nod and Gemma sucked in as the zipper made its way up.
“Oh, thank goodness.” Gemma let out her breath. The dress fit. She had three hours to get ready for a formal ball. Cy had called Paige, who had called Kenna, who had called Dani, who had called Katelyn. Soon her room was filled with women, dresses, shoes, hair products, and things she couldn't identify.
“They give you cleavage, although in this dress I don’t think you’re going to need them,” Katelyn said as she put away the boob enhancers that strangely resembled chicken cutlets.
“This dress is perfect for you.” Kenna clapped as she took a step back and checked out the fit. “I wore this to a ball at Mo’s, so it should be perfect for the charity event.”
“I've got just the shoes for you, too,” Katelyn dug around in her bag and pulled out a pair of silver heels. “I got these at a fashion show in Milan, but they’re a size too small. I think they should fit you perfectly.”
Gemma slid on the expensive designer shoes and got a tingly feeling. She’d never tell Cy, but these shoes were almost as hot as he was. Almost. “This is amazing. Thank you so much. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without you.”
“Wait, we’re not done yet.” Dani dug around in her purse and pulled out a velvet bag. “Sometimes less is more. Especially when less is a huge diamond.”
Gemma gasped at the large diamond pendant. “I couldn’t possibly wear that.”
“Sure you can. It will make a statement and statements without words are the best way to get information. People will be clamoring to find out who you are and will gladly answer your questions.”
Paige stepped over to fasten the necklace. “You look perfect. Remember, just smile.”
“Oh no, it’s time! Okay, purse, shoes, dress, hair, makeup, jewelry,” Kenna checked off. “You’re good to go. We can’t wait to hear how it goes.”
The ladies grabbed their things and headed downstairs with Gemma. Gemma was so caught up in talking that she was halfway down before she saw Cy standing by the door in his black tuxedo with a crisp white shirt and perfectly tied black bowtie. The tuxedo emphasized his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and hugged his muscled legs.
“I think I’m going to cry,” Kenna whispered to Dani as she sniffled.
Crying wasn't what Gemma was thinking about. Roaring emotions flooded her as she felt happiness, fear, and guilt. Cy was fun to be with and she felt a closeness to him that she couldn’t even describe. She just knew that no matter what, through the highs or the lows in life, he’d be there for her with a cocky smile and a gentle touch. But thinking of a future she badly wanted was scary, too. What if he didn’t feel the same way? What if he really was the player that he seemed to be in California? And then there was the guilt. The loss of her sister was overwhelming at times and she felt horrible that Gia would never have these feelings. It was that feeling that was winning out. She shouldn’t be engaging in an affair while her sister’s killer was free.
Cy had been waiting for what seemed like forever when he finally heard the group of women emerge from Gemma’s room. He was lucky he already owned a tux and was ready and waiting for Gemma as soon as he ironed the wrinkles out. One look at her, though, and the wait had been worth it. She looked breathtaking as she came down the stairs. It was going to be hard to remember tonight was a job.
“You’re beautiful,” Cy said as he took her hands in his and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.
“She is, isn’t she?” Kenna blew her nose into a tissue and batted her teary eyes.
“What is the matter with you?” Dani whispered as she nudged her.
“It just reminds me of Will and me and this house and . . .” Cy didn’t know what to do as Kenna wiped the tears from her eyes. She was all red in the face and teary-eyed and he felt a slight moment of panic.
“Oh, bless your heart,” Miss Lily cried as she too grabbed a tissue and raced across the entranceway to embrace Kenna.
“What?” His sister seemed as confused as he was.
Dani smacked Paige and then joined Miss Lily in the hugs and tears. Cy almost laughed as Paige’s eyes widened before squealing and leaping into the knot of friends.
“I think we’re missing something,” Cy whispered to Gemma. When she didn’t answer, he looked down at her face and saw a single tear running down her face and a huge smile on her lips. “Okay, what’s going on?”
“She’s pregnant, you goof,” Gemma said as if he were the stupidest man in the world. But it was the envious yet happy look on her face that had him picturing her carrying his child.
“I’m so sorry to ruin your moment. These pregnancy hormones kick in and won’t stop until I’ve cried them out,” Kenna apologized as she fanned her face with her hands.
“Don’t worry. I’m very happy for you and Will. Now, if y’all will excuse me, I have a gorgeous woman to dance with. It’s a hard job, but someone’s got to do it.” Cy turned and held out his arm for Gemma before leading her down the stone path toward the truck.
Gemma looked up at the old colonial house where the ball was being held. A valet came and opened her door before taking the keys from Cy. A red carpet ran up the brick pathway lined with roses. She felt as if she were both in a fairy tale and a nightmare. She didn’t know which to attribute to the nerves she was feeling.
“Relax. We’re just here to have a good time,” Cy whispered as he led her into the large open ballroom. Couples were dancing, drinking, and mingling as Cy led her straight onto the dance floor.
Cy put his arm around her waist and swept her into the dance. Gemma fumbled and cringed when she slammed her foot onto his toe. “I’m so sorry. I’m used to dancing in clubs, not like this.”
She relaxed some when he just laughed. She didn’t hear it, but she felt his shoulders bounce. “It’s okay. We can go clubbing next. For now, just stop looking at your feet. Look at me and trust me to lead you safely around the dance floor.”
Gemma looked up into his clean-shaven face and wanted to run a hand down his cheek. He exuded confidence as he navigated her through the crowded floor. She leaned forward and noticed the subtle smell of cologne—cedar dancing with fresh lemon. She drew in a deep breath, and Cy’s arm tightened around her back, bringing her flush against him.
“You keep doing that and I may forget all about dancing,” he whispered before pressing a kiss to the delicate skin beneath her ear.
Gemma warmed as he pulled slightly back and looked into her eyes. She felt such intimacy when he looked at her that her body started to hum with anticipation. She ran her tongue over her lips, closed her eyes, and leaned forward to kiss him.
“There he is,” Cy stated as he turned her abruptly on the dance floor and started leading her toward the far side of the room.
“Huh?” Gemma tripped over her foot and stomped on Cy’s toes again.
“Arthur Pinnelli. He’s talking to the mayor and I think it’s time to go say hi.” Cy dropped the pretense of dancing and grabbed her hand.
“Wait. Shouldn’t we have a game plan?”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Cy’s mask fell into place as he shot her a carefree smile. Gemma took a deep breath and ran through everything her improv teacher taught her back in school.
“Mayor Austin, it’s a pleasure to see you again,” Cy interrupted as he came to stand next to the tall mayor across from the goateed man.
“Cy Davies, you son of a bitch. I didn’t know you were back in town.” The mayor slapped Cy on the back and Gemma didn’t know who was more surprised—she or Pinnelli.
“Just got back a couple days ago. And don’t forget you owe me twenty dollars from that pick-up game last year. Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Cy shot Pinnelli a look that said he was definitely anything but sorry.
“Nonsense. Meet Arthur Pinnelli. He’s just moved here and is looking to open…” the mayor t
urned to Pinnelli questioningly. “What kind of business were you looking to open again?”
“Art gallery. I’m so very sorry, but I just received a text that a painting I want to buy is about to go up for auction. I need to call my buyer and make sure he knows what to bid. Excuse me.” Pinnelli gave a brief smile to the mayor and shook his hand before making a quick departure toward the valet.
Gemma wanted to race after him, but Cy started talking guy-talk with the mayor and squeezing her hand as she watched Pinnelli wind his way through the crowd. Finally Cy squeezed so hard she realized he was talking to her.
“This is my girlfriend, Gemma Perry. Gemma, meet one of my old buddies, Dan Austin.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Gemma forced out as she tried to keep an eye on Pinnelli.
“It’s nice to meet you, too. I didn’t know you had settled down, Cy,”
“She hasn’t agreed to yet. Maybe after one more dance I can convince her. Excuse us, Dan. Give Janie my best and let’s meet up next week for a pick-up game,” Cy said as he started directing Gemma to the dance floor.
“Sounds good. Enjoy your night. It was nice meeting you, Miss Perry.”
Gemma shot him a quick smile as Cy whisked her onto the dance floor and danced her right toward the entrance. “I had the valet keep the truck handy. I told him we wouldn’t be long.”
“You could've told me you knew the mayor. And what good did it do to let Pinnelli know we knew who he was?”
“People do stupid things when they get panicked. He didn’t have time to prepare a response or think how to act. If I lose him now, though, it'll be bad.” Cy hurried her from the floor and through the crowd.
Gemma felt her stomach drop at the sight of the red convertible zipping out of the circular drive. Cy gave a sharp whistle as they ran down the red carpet. The valet looked up and with a nod grabbed a set of keys and tossed them to Cy.
“Right there, sir.” The young man pointed to the truck sitting just fifteen feet away.
“Oh thank goodness,” Gemma said with a sigh of relief as she hiked up her dress and sprinted toward the truck—well, as fast as one could sprint in four-inch heels.
“You know, you really should have more faith in me. I do this stuff for a living, after all,” Cy shot back to her as he reached the truck and started it.
Gemma didn’t have time to respond before the large V8 engine hurled the truck forward. She scrambled to put on her seatbelt and hang on for dear life as he took turns faster than she thought possible in such a big vehicle.
“It looks like he’s going to the house he’s rented,” Cy told her as he ran red light after red light through downtown Lexington. Horns sounded and tires skidded as cars were forced to yield to the larger truck.
The busy streets of downtown quickly turned to country roads as Cy came up behind Pinnelli’s car. “Gemma, I need you to unbuckle your seatbelt and get ready to slide behind the wheel,” Cy ordered as he unlocked and opened the sliding rear window leading to the truck bed with one hand.
“What are you doing?” Gemma yelled over the sound of the wind rushing in through the open window.
“I’m just going to pop over and have a word with our friend there, but I need you to drive so I can do that.”
“You’re insane.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve done this countless times,” Cy shot her his amused smile and pulled the truck into the opposite lane and sped up. He set the cruise control and looked over at her. “Take the wheel and keep it in this lane. As soon as I’m in the back, speed up so I can jump into the car.”
“You better not die. If you do, I’ll kill you again,” Gemma yelled as she unhooked her seatbelt and grabbed hold of the steering wheel.
She tried to keep her eyes on the road as Cy angled his shoulders and shimmied his way through the small window. “Okay, speed up and pass him a bit,” Cy shouted into the cab.
Gemma only nodded as she watched Pinnelli turn his head to see what they were doing. He stepped on the pedal and his sports car shot forward. Gemma floored the pedal as the big V8 ate up the road and closed in on the little red car. “No cars, no cars,” Gemma chanted as she sped over a hill in the wrong lane.
She glanced back and saw Cy resting his hand against the top of the cab with one leg on the side of the truck bed. As soon as he saw there were no cars coming at them, he pounded the top of the cab. Gemma swerved toward the red car and forced Pinnelli to hit the brake. She pressed hard on the gas and started nosing in front of the car.
Cy hung on as Gemma flew over the hilltop. He had fifteen seconds to make the jump before they rounded a sharp turn. He pounded the top of the cab and Gemma accelerated in return and then turned sharply at Pinnelli’s car.
“Crap.” Cy went flying forward and was then flung backward as Gemma swerved back into the opposite lane and pressed the gas once again.
Cy scrambled to his feet and without hesitation launched himself off the side of the truck. He aimed for the windshield and, with momentum working against him, was happy when he landed in the tiny backseat of the sports car. Pinnelli started swerving, causing Cy to slam around in the back seat.
Cy pulled his foot from where it was stuck behind the driver’s seat and used the passenger headrest to pull himself forward. “Hello, Arthur. Fancy meeting you here. Out for a drive? How about we pull over and have a little chat?”
Cy looked up and saw headlights coming at them. Gemma slammed on the brakes and fishtailed as she battled to gain control of the truck before sliding in behind Pinnelli. Cy almost laughed at the pissed-off look on her cute face.
“You’ll be dead in a minute, so I don’t think we have much to talk about except deciding how I should kill that bitch of yours. I wonder if Sergei will make her scream like her sister did.”
Cy propelled himself over the center console and grabbed the wheel, turning it sharply. The car careened off the road and headed straight for a line of trees. He heard Gemma’s tires lock up as she slammed on the brakes back on the road. Cy shot an elbow backward and connected with Pinnelli’s face as he fought for control of the steering wheel. Pinnelli let go of the wheel with one hand and grabbed his eye. It was enough to allow Cy control of the wheel as he steered between the trees and into the field.
Pinnelli clenched his fist and slammed it into the back of Cy’s neck. His head shot forward and smashed into the steering wheel. Dropping his hands from the wheel, Cy rolled to the side and grabbed the palm of Pinnelli’s hand. With a quick twist, he felt it snap. Pinnelli howled in pain and slammed on the brakes. As the car spun in the field of grass, Cy was tossed into the passenger seat. He lashed out with his leg and hit Pinnelli right in his head. The man’s eyes rolled back and his arms dropped from the wheel as his body slumped forward in unconsciousness.
“Cy! Oh my God, are you okay?” Gemma yelled as she ran to the stopped car.
“It was a piece of cake. Didn’t you believe me when I told you I’d done this before?” He enjoyed the way her face scrunched in annoyance at his nonchalant tone.
“Jumping from a truck at over seventy miles per hour, barely missing a tree line, and fighting for control of a car as you spin uncontrollably through a field is not something you've done before and which you will never do again. Do you understand me?” Gemma yelled as she put her hand on her hips and glared at him.
“Yes, dear. And you're right. I haven’t done it exactly like that before. Last time it was on an ice road in Siberia so there were no trees.”
“Oh, you stupid man.” Gemma swatted him and huffed past him to the man now groaning as he regained consciousness. “Hello, Arthur. Can you please tell me why my sister was killed?”
Cy choked on his laugh and then sprinted around the car when Gemma reached into it. She grabbed Pinnelli by the lapels and brought her face to his. “You don’t have Sergei here to protect you, you piece of crap.”
“Yet,” Pinnelli smiled through the blood trickling down the side of his face. “Five minutes from now
is a different story. Then you’ll experience what your sister did. Tell me, will you beg for your life, too?”
Gemma pulled back her fist and rammed it into his face right as Cy reached her. Cy placed his hand over Gemma’s left hand that was still gripping Pinnelli’s lapel. “You’ve done well. Wait in the truck a minute, sweetheart,” Cy told her as calmly as possible.
“Forget that. I have an idea what I want to do with these high heels,” Gemma stared at Pinnelli with such hatred that he started to look a little less sure of himself.
Cy was beginning to think he wasn’t needed. She was taking care of this all by herself. “Sounds interesting, doesn’t it, Artie?” Cy gave a low whistle as he looked down at Gemma’s shoes. “Four-inch spiked heels. I can’t wait to see what she has in mind.” Cy yanked hard on Pinnelli’s lapel and dragged him over the door and let him fall to the ground. “Now, if you don’t want to find out what she has in mind, you tell me what you meant about Sergei.”
“I already told you. You’ll find out in three minutes.”
“He’s here? Is your boss with him?”
“Of course he is. He’s here to make sure you two never see morning.”
“If we’re not going to see morning, then tell me why your boss had my sister murdered?” Gemma asked as it looked like she was getting ready to hit him with her heel if he didn’t answer.
“Because she somehow connected the dots. She was only one dot away from identifying our boss. But don’t worry, honey, you’ll see your sister in about two minutes.”
Cy beat Gemma to the punch, literally, with a solid punch to his jaw. Pinnelli’s mouth pinched and he spit out a tooth.
“Who’s your boss?” Cy demanded.
“Like I’d tell you. He’d kill me.”
“I’ll kill you myself if you don’t.” Gemma quickly reached behind Cy and pulled out his gun.
“Gemma, do you know how to use that?” Cy asked quietly.
“No, I don’t. But from this distance it doesn’t really matter.” Gemma placed the gun to Pinnelli’s head and flipped the safety off.
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