by Cali MacKay
“Are you sure you won’t come with me? I don’t want your sister calling and upsetting you, especially if you’re on your own.” Gabe’s phone buzzed. He took it out, looked at it, and then answered. “Hey, Quinn. I was just about to head over. What’s up?” Gabe listened—and then cursed like she’d never heard anyone curse before.
Hadley’s heart sank, leaving her to wonder if there’d been another attack—if someone had been hurt. And it’d be her fault if they had. It was her job to catch whoever the hell was threatening the Ryker clan, and instead of focusing on the investigation alone, she’d been too busy getting laid. She’d never forgive herself if someone had been injured because of her selfishness and her inadequacies.
Gabe hung up as the color drained from his face. “Babe…”
“Were they hurt? Was there another attack?” She couldn’t get a breath in with her panic, her lungs burning.
“No, no…everyone’s fine. But…fuck, Hadley. I’m so sorry.” He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her to him, his lips hard on hers in a panicked kiss.
Gabe was always so calm and in control, she swore she’d never seen him look this upset and worried before. “Gabe, what the hell’s going on? You’re freaking me out.”
“Last night, when we were leaving that shop…the paparazzi—or any idiot with a cellphone camera—must have spotted us. They took pictures of us together, and then followed us back to my place. There’s another hotel down the road, but with a telephoto lens—or maybe they used one of the scenic tour helicopters, and paid them to fly up towards my place so they could get their shot.” He ran his hand through his hair so it stood on end, his brow drawn with worry. “The headlines, the articles, the pictures…. Fuck, babe. They’re not good.”
It all made sense now. Murphy had referenced her actions affecting how people look at her, how they treat her, but she thought it was regarding not hauling Jake in immediately. And if Murphy knew, then there was a good chance the article was visible enough for someone back at McFee to find out.
She felt like she was going to be ill as panic set in. “I’ve got to go. I can’t be seen with you, Gabe.”
Tears stung her eyes as she grabbed for the door, but Gabe pulled her back into her seat. “You’re panicking, sweetheart. And though I know you have every reason to, it’s not going to help matters. We’ll figure this out—together.”
She pulled free of his grip, her anger flaring up. “There’s nothing to figure out, Gabe. Don’t you get it? My entire career is on the line. No one else will hire me. Not when I was so unprofessional. Years of building up my reputation, and I’ve managed to blow everything in a matter of a few days.”
“I’ll sort this out for you—talk to your boss and make sure your job is safe. But you’re not going anywhere.” Gabe threw the car in drive, pissing her off.
“You don’t get it. He doesn’t care about your money. If anything, he’ll fire my ass just to spite you.” She knew her boss, and he didn’t like it when others thought they could get the upper hand. And given that he was the owner, there was little anyone could do to force his hand. “Just please take me back to the hotel. I’ve got to see the article and contact my boss. I need to try to catch this before it blows up.”
“We’ll manage it together, Hadley.” He drove them to the hotel, relenting when she insisted on using her room, rather than his place with all the windows. The last thing she needed was to have more pictures surface.
Pulling out her laptop, Hadley opened her email and was immediately forced to fight back her tears. “Shit. Human resources just emailed me. I’m being asked to come into work, or to make contact immediately.”
Everything was going up in flames around her. She was screwed. And the worst part was that she was the one in the wrong. She’d acted unprofessionally, and it was now exploding in her face—just like she knew it would.
“Let me deal with this, Hadley.” Gabe grabbed her hands and held onto her, though his touch only sent her further into a panic.
“Let go, Gabe. I can’t do this now. I have to go deal with my fucking mess of a life—and you’ll only make matters worse.” Maybe if she…what? What the hell could she say or do that would excuse her actions? The answer was nothing. If it had been the one night when she still didn’t know who Gabe was, then it might be excused, but by the time those photos were taken, she knew full well who Gabe was. “I need to see the article, the pictures.”
“Babe…I don’t know that you want to do that.” He held onto his laptop, but after a fierce glare, he turned it so she could have a look.
The images, the headline, the bylines… Pictures of her tucked in at Gabe’s side with his arms around her, the bags from the sex shop clearly on display and identified as such by the photographers, for any readers who might not recognize the sort of shop they’d been to. Pictures of them kissing. And worse still, pictures of him stripping her naked, his mouth at her neck, his hands on her bare skin as blacked-out areas covered her nakedness enough to allow the photo to be displayed publicly.
The tears rolled down her cheeks. Everyone would see these. Her boss, her mother, her sister…every time an employer did a search on her, this is what they’d find. “I’m so fucked, Gabe.”
Maybe if she just solved the case…if she could prove that her relationship with Gabe didn’t interfere with her work, then she might be able to save her job, even if she couldn’t save her reputation.
“Hadley…let me help you.” Gabe ran a gentle hand down her arm, but she couldn’t bear his touch. Not with everything that was going on. “I won’t let you push me away. No fucking way. I love you, damn it. And I might be fucking new at this sort of thing, but there’s no way I’m letting you deal with this on your own. It’s not happening.”
“Don’t you get it? Your presence will only make things worse, Gabe. And I can’t deal with you when I’m trying to deal with everything else. I do love you—but I need you to leave. I can’t be with you until I get this all sorted.” A fresh wave of tears fell as her heart shattered, but she had to do this.
“No fucking way, Hadley.” He pulled her into his arms and held her close, ignoring her struggles to get free. “You can’t do this to us, babe… Please.”
The pain in his voice had her choking back a sob—and yet she still had to force herself to push him away. “I just need some time to sort out this mess. And I can’t do that if you’re around.”
“Hadley…don’t. This will fucking kill me.” He cupped her face in his hands and pulled her to him, his lips hard on hers as he reminded her of why it’d been so hard for her to resist him.
And yet she had to. Maybe if she solved the case—did her job the way she should have from the start, without letting him distract her—then they might be able to get back to what they had.
And if they couldn’t? Then she didn’t know if she’d ever recover from her broken heart.
***
Hadley’s only saving grace was that it was a weekend. She’d contacted human resources, and after a brief call was told that she’d need to come in to the office on Monday. They didn’t say much, but one thing was clear. She was screwed.
Knowing that her only chance at saving her career would be to make headway on the case, Hadley tracked Jake down at Emma’s restaurant, the Old Port Bistro, with Murphy at her side—and her phone constantly buzzing in her pocket as Gabe attempted to reach her yet again. At least Murphy seemed to be on his best behavior. He hadn’t mentioned or hinted at the tabloids, in all likelihood because it was clear that she was upset and had been crying, her puffy eyes impossible to disguise.
With a gentle hand on Hadley’s arm and a worried look, Emma let them use her office, clearly concerned for not only Jake but Hadley too, though she said little. With Jake taking a seat at Emma’s desk, Hadley started to question him, not wanting Murphy to take the lead. Somehow, she managed to keep her voice steady. “On October sixteenth, the night of the fire at the original location of the Old Port Bistro,
you were seen driving away from the Old Port at approximately two forty-two in the morning.”
Hadley slid the photo of him across the desk. They hadn’t been able to get a snap of the license plate because of the camera angle, but it was clearly him in the photo.
Jake gave her a shrug. “I hadn’t been at the Old Port, but rather visiting a friend who works at a bar just down the street from there. I hung out even after they’d closed the bar, which is why it was after hours. You can check with her with if you’d like. Her name’s Jo—Jo…Yardley, I think. Works over at the Portmore Tap.”
“When first questioned, you’d said you had no alibi. Why lie? And why didn’t you come forward, Mr. Foley?” Murphy wasn’t looking happy, though Hadley had a feeling Jake’s alibi would check out once they’d looked into it.
Jake ran a hand over his chin. “I hadn’t been at the restaurant, so I didn’t see why it mattered. But truth be told, I also didn’t want Emma to find out I’d been with Jo. Jo and I have an understanding, which suits us both fine should the need arise. But at the time, I was in love with Emma, and was hoping I still had a chance with her. Just figured if she knew about Jo, it’d ruin what little chance I had.”
It was a long shot, but she had nothing to lose by asking, and chefs and bartenders tended to know everyone in town. “Don’t suppose you know this guy?”
Emma handed him the picture of the other man they’d caught on surveillance. “Yeah, I do know him, though I’ve never spoken to him beyond asking for a beer. He’s a bartender for Vince Capaldi but at a bar that’s secretly owned under a different name. Friend of mine worked there for a short while, and had mentioned that it was a front for some of Capaldi’s less legitimate affairs. The place you’re looking for is called the Iron. I know you looked at Capaldi and came up empty, but if I were you, I’d dig deeper. He’s got a beef with both Emma and the Rykers, and after Quinn punched him, the man was looking to settle the score.”
They thanked Jake, and headed for Murphy’s car, since he’d insisted on driving. “Capaldi had an alibi…but he’s also not the sort to do his own dirty work. With luck, the guy we’re looking for will be working.”
It didn’t take them long to get there—nor for them to spot their suspect. Murphy showed him his badge. “If you could answer a few questions we’d appreciate it, starting with your name.”
He gave them a cocky shrug, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “Name’s Zane Zimmerman.”
Hadley slid the photo they had of him across the bar. “Can you tell me what you were doing on the night of October sixteenth?”
“Same as every night, I suspect. Working here. Why? Is it now illegal for someone to walk home?” He leaned against the counter, and slid the picture back to Hadley.
“You were only a block from the Old Port Bistro right around the time it caught fire, and given that your boss and the owner aren’t particularly fond of each other, I want to know if you had anything to do with it?” Hadley watched his every move.
“My boss can fight his own battles, lady. I had nothing to do with that fire, and frankly, I’ve got to get back to work. So either arrest me, buy a drink, or leave.”
They left, knowing they didn’t have enough to haul him in. Hadley seat-belted herself in, with a final look at the Iron. “I know he’s involved—I just need to find the evidence. At least now I have a name to go on.”
“We’ll have to look at him again, though I’m afraid you’re on your own until Monday. I’m not really on the schedule for this weekend, but we can dig deeper first thing Monday morning.”
If Hadley was still on the case by then. She nodded, though she was already determined to look into it on her own.
“I’m going to keep working on this. I want it resolved so I can get back home.” And deal with whatever disaster was waiting for her there.
“Hadley, I know it’s not my place to say anything, but the Ryker brothers have a reputation around here, and it’s not a good one if you’re a woman. Those pictures—I’m assuming you know about them by now?” He waited for some sort of acknowledgement. She nodded as her eyes started to burn, no doubt red once more. “It’s not a good road to be on. You deserve better than that.”
“I appreciate your concern.” She could have said a lot more, could have told him it wasn’t his business, but she didn’t want to get into it with him. He dropped her off at her hotel, but before she got the chance to deal with finding more information on Capaldi’s barman, Gabe tracked her down as she entered the foyer of the hotel.
He grabbed her arm, ignoring her protests, and pulled her onto the elevator, inserting his key for his apartment suite. “I’m not doing this, Gabe. Let go of me.”
But he did nothing of the sort, remaining silent, his gaze hard and his jaw clenched as he looked straight ahead. The doors of the elevator slid open and he hauled her into his apartment and to his room, practically lifting her off her feet as she cursed him. “Gabe, I swear, if you don’t let me go, I’m going to—”
“You’re going to what, babe? Ignore my calls? Refuse to let me help you?” He picked her up as if she weighed nothing and plopped her on his bed, straddling her as he pulled her arms up and tied her to his headboard with the soft Velcro cuffs they’d bought, her struggles futile and her hands too far apart to get herself free. “There. That’s better.”
His anger seemed to have vanished now that he had her tied up, and the sweet, sexy smile he was giving her was enough to push her rage over the edge. “What the fuck, Gabe? Get these things off me, or I swear, when I do finally get free, I’m going to fucking murder you.”
He’d gone and lost his mind. Of that she had no doubt. It’s not that she was worried for her safety, because she wasn’t. She knew Gabe wouldn’t hurt her. But this was crazy, and she was beyond pissed off, her anger and frustration threatening to drown her.
“I’ll let you go once I get everything sorted out with your job and I get you to see sense and stop pushing me away.” Gabe then kissed her forehead with a lingering press of his lips against her skin. It was such a sweet and gentle gesture, that she couldn’t believe her anger with him was thawing. Damn him! “And I’ve got to say, babe, the only way you could be any more gorgeous right now would be if you were naked. It’s a tempting thought, don’t you think?”
“Don’t you dare, Gabe!” Being handcuffed was bad enough. She sure as hell didn’t need to be naked on top of it all. At least not under these circumstances. “And here I was thinking that I trust you.”
His eyes narrowed and his face turned dead serious. “Babe…I know you’re angry with me, but are you really saying that you don’t trust me?”
“You’ve handcuffed me to your bed, Gabe—and not in some ‘Ooo! I’ve got handcuffs!’- fun, sexy way, either.”
“It could be fun and sexy if you wanted it to be—but you’ve yet to answer me, Hadley. And I want an answer now. Do you trust me? Because if you don’t—despite the fact that I did indeed handcuff you to my bed—then you’re free to go. Just tell me that you don’t trust me and you can go—walk right on the fuck out of here.”
She wanted to groan, and rant, and be furious. And yet she knew that despite everything she did still trust him. “I fucking hate you right now.”
“It’s a thin line between love and hate, babe, and right about now, I’ll take what I can get. However, you’ve yet to answer my question.” Cupping her face in his hand, he ran a thumb across her lips, and damn but it took all she had not to suck his thumb into her mouth. “I want an answer, sweetheart, and I want it now, or I’m going to assume this is all just a ploy to get your ass spanked again, since we both know just how much you enjoyed it the first time around.”
“You’re such a bastard, Gabe.” When he perked his brow in question, she screamed. “Fine. I trust you. Happy?”
“I’ll be happier once I get this mess sorted and can come back here and tend to your needs properly. In the meantime, babe…” He stole a long, lingering kiss, h
is tongue finding hers as he worked his magic, leaving her desperately wanting him, her anger but a distant memory. “I love you, Hadley. Now be a good girl for me, and I’ll make sure to reward you generously when I get back.”
“I’m not sleeping with you, Gabe.” She glared at him, but her anger was no more than a ploy to disguise just how much she wanted him—and she was fooling no one.
“Liar, liar, babe…and for that, I’ll have to think of a suitable punishment while I’m gone.”
Chapter Nineteen
“Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice.” Gabe shook Charles McFee’s hand, quickly sizing up the man. In his fifties, handsome enough, wearing an ironed dress shirt despite it being a weekend, his clothes all designer.
“Well, I can’t say that having one of my best employees turn up naked on the front page of a tabloid while screwing one of my clients is exactly the sort of reputation I’ve spent years cultivating.” McFee’s eyes narrowed at Gabe. “I get wanting to have your dick sucked, but you’ve dragged my company into this mess, and I’m not happy about it.”
Gabe’s jaw clenched at McFee’s crudeness, as if Hadley was nothing more than a common whore, instead of the woman he loved. “Having my relationship with Hadley turn up in the papers was unfortunate, but none of it was her fault. So, disrespect her again, and we’re going to have problems that go far beyond the tabloids.”
“Is that so? And what are you going to do about it, Mr. Ryker? She’s my employee until her dismissal is finalized, and you may have money, but I’ve got enough of my own and don’t respond well to threats or bribes.”
“Maybe not, but I have a feeling you’re a smart man, not to mention you’re approaching retirement age, and don’t have any children who are interested in pursuing this line of work.” Having done his homework, Gabe settled back in his seat, his confidence in play the way it was every time he conducted business. “The way I see it, this is going to go one of two ways. You’ll either sell me your company and make yourself a sizable profit to retire on, or I’m going to make your life miserable and run your company into the ground—and make no mistake, McFee, I yield enough power and influence to manage it. The choice is yours.”