by Chris Taylor
“You look just right to me.” He gave her a thorough once-over. “Curvy in all the right places.”
“Thanks.” She looked away. A faint blush stained her cheeks. His heart melted. He felt a level of satisfaction he’d never known. This gorgeous, kind hearted, sexy girl was his. As his gaze lingered on her, he vowed silently never to let secrets or misunderstandings come between them again.
A waitress approached their table. “Are you ready to order?”
“I’ll have the eggs Benedict and a cappuccino, thanks.” He gave her a polite smile.
“And I’ll have the pancakes and a latté,” Savannah said and handed the menu back to the girl.
“Shouldn’t be too long.” The waitress smiled briefly and headed back inside.
“So, the pancakes won out?” Will teased.
“Yep.” She grinned back at him, a cheeky glint in her eye. “I feel like something soft, sweet and juicy.”
He groaned. “You’re going to be the death of me. Everything about you reminds me of sex. It’s even in every word coming out of your mouth, now.”
She blushed again and lowered her gaze to the table cloth. “Keep your voice down. Someone might hear you.”
He shrugged, grinning. “Who cares?”
She heaved a sigh and rolled her eyes, but he could tell from the look on her face she didn’t really mind. Which was good, because he found it incredibly liberating to talk freely, like they were, about their feelings. Maybe women were onto something when they talked about anything and everything with each other?
“So,” Savannah said, interrupting his thoughts. She took his hand and threaded her fingers through his. “What are we going to do for the rest of the day?”
“Well, much as I like seeing you in my clothes, I guess we’d better swing by your place so you can pick up some things.”
She grinned. “How many nights am I sleeping over?”
Will hesitated and his heart began to pound. “Oh, probably another twenty thousand or so,” he replied and waited for her reaction.
A wide smile broke across her face. “Are you asking me to move in with you?”
“Um, yeah. I think I am. If-if you want to,” he stammered and then cursed the heat that spread across his cheeks. When had he become so tongue tied?
Savannah’s smile grew even wider. She stood and moved around the table and threw her arms around his neck.
“Yes, I’d love to move in with you.”
A warm glow of contentment seeped through his bones and left them smoldering. The ice that had formed around his heart long years ago snapped and broke and melted under the heat of her excitement. He didn’t know how he’d managed to find her, but he’d be grateful forevermore that she’d stumbled into his life.
Savannah returned to her seat. The waitress appeared with their order and they both tucked in ravenously. She washed down a bite of pancake with her coffee.
“Would you like me to cook dinner for you tonight?” she asked. “I’m actually a pretty decent cook.”
Will thought of the phone call he’d taken from Pete while she’d been in the shower and his jovial mood disintegrated. The surveillance team had gathered intelligence to the effect that it appeared Maranoa was doing a drug run that night. Whether the information panned out or not, one thing was certain, he wouldn’t be “eating in” with Savannah.
Frowning, he took a bite of his eggs and chewed slowly, using the time to come up with a reasonable response to her invitation. While he considered what to say, her face fell and confusion clouded her eyes.
“Will, I’m sorry, did I say something wrong? If we’re going to have any chance of making this work between us, we have to be honest with each other. Otherwise, we might as well end it right now.”
He took her hand across the table and squeezed it reassuringly and then sighed.
“You’re right and I’m sorry, too. I don’t want anything to end. It’s just that, I’m not used to having to explain myself to anyone, and especially not about work.”
“Has something happened with the investigation?”
He nodded. “As much as I’d like to, I can’t talk to you about the investigation. It’s highly confidential. People’s lives are on the line.”
Her frown deepened. She pulled her hand out of his. “I understand all about confidentiality. It’s not as if I’m going to tell anyone.”
“The less you know, the better. It’s an operation fraught with peril. Maranoa’s a dangerous man. If he gets even the slightest inkling we’re onto him, we’re all in big trouble. And then there’s this guy, Billy. We don’t know who he is or where he fits in.”
“What are you going to do?”
He pursed his lips and looked across at her, his blue eyes intent on her face. “I’m going back there tonight. I have to. I’d much rather be home with you and your delectable body, but unfortunately, I’m going to have to take a pass on dinner. When it’s all over I’ll tell you everything. I promise.”
She smiled reassuringly and leaned over to pat his hand. “Don’t worry about it. I completely understand.”
“You do?” Suspicion warred with relief over her sudden capitulation. Relief finally won out.
“Of course, I do.” She smiled sweetly at him. “I’ve been there, remember? I know what those poor girls are being subjected to. I want to see Maranoa rotting in a jail cell just as much as you do. You have to do what you have to do.”
He smiled hesitantly and reached over to once again enfold her hand in his. “Thank you, Savannah. It makes it a hell of a lot easier when I know I have your support.”
“Oh, you have more than that. I’m coming with you.”
“No way in the world!” His voice was louder than he’d meant it to be. He pushed away from the table.
“Will, I’m going with you!”
He growled, shaking his head, unable to believe what he was hearing.
When was she ever going to learn?
“We’re not having this conversation, Savannah. It’s too dangerous. You are not going back there and that’s final.”
Her face flushed with anger. “You can’t tell me what to do! I’ve been there twice before, remember? I know how to get in and I know how to get out.”
“As if I could ever forget.” His own voice tightened with emotion. “I’m not having you put yourself in danger like that again. You were damned lucky you ran into me those times and not some over-amorous sicko.”
Her eyes flashed fire. Folding his arms across his chest, he returned glare for glare.
“You’re not going, Savannah. I refuse to discuss it with you again.”
* * *
Savannah fumed in silence. She was twenty-eight years old and had been living on her own for nearly a decade. She knew how to take care of herself, even if Vince Maranoa had proved himself capable of murder. If it wasn’t so important to find out if her brother was involved, she wouldn’t even consider it, but that didn’t mean she wanted or needed Will to turn all macho and think he had to protect her.
Although, she conceded grudgingly, it was kind of cute that he wanted to. He looked so sexy doing his macho-boy thing. Even now, she could see the tension in his chest as he stared in the distance, his foot tapping an impatient rhythm on the sidewalk. It would be convenient to have him close by, but she didn’t need his help to get back into the brothel to get the answers she needed. She’d managed it without him twice already.
Besides, she couldn’t tell him about her suspicions about Dylan. If her brother was mixed up with Maranoa and the police found out about it, she’d be fast-tracking her brother’s journey to jail. She couldn’t bear the thought of having that added to her already overburdened conscience.
Smiling seductively, she changed tack because there was more than one way to skin a cat. Let him think he’d won and she’d be fine.
“I think it’s really hot when you do that.” She gazed up at him from beneath her lashes.
“Do what?” He sounded s
uspicious, distrustful, wary of her sudden change in demeanor.
“You know, act all manly and protective. I’m not used to having anyone react like that around me. It’s kind of cute. Maybe it will grow on me.”
“Grow on you? Like mold?” His eyebrow lifted sardonically.
She laughed. “If you like, but I was thinking of something a little more flattering.” Stretching her arms above her head, she tried to suppress a yawn.
“Sorry if I’m keeping you up,” he growled irritably.
She poked her tongue out at him. “It didn’t seem to worry you last night.”
“Nor you, I might add.”
“Touché. So, what else is on the agenda for today?” She kept her voice purposefully light. “Your night’s obviously booked out. Am I going to be able to spend any time with you today outside the bedroom?”
“You forgot about the shower and the kitchen.” His eyes smoldered.
She smiled and pushed back her chair and stood. “Come on, let’s go to my place so I can change out of these clothes.” She took hold of his arm and tugged him from his chair. “We could always go shopping in the city.”
Will shuddered in mock horror. “Shopping? I think you’ve mistaken me for Lucy.”
“Lucy! Oh my God! I haven’t called her since the ball! She must be going crazy not hearing from me.” Pulling her cell phone out of her handbag, Savannah glanced back at Will. “Do you mind?” She pointed to the phone in her hand.
“Of course not; go ahead. While you’re doing that, I’ll touch base with Pete and confirm our plan of attack.” He strolled a few feet away and tugged his cell out of his pocket.
Savannah dialed Lucy’s number and waited a little nervously for her to answer.
“Hi, Luce, it’s Savannah.”
“Hey, I’ve been wondering how things went with you and Will. You’ve been holding out on me.”
“I’m sorry, I-I’ve been busy.” She was suddenly tongue-tied.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ve heard it all before. So? How did it go?”
“Um, it went pretty well.”
“Okay,” Lucy said slowly. “What does that mean?”
“Well, it means that we talked things out and you know, one thing led to another and…we’ve spent the last two nights together.”
Lucy’s screams on the other end of the phone nearly deafened her. Holding the phone away from her ear, Savannah waited until it had died down before bringing it back to her ear.
“Oh, my God! I don’t believe it! After your terrible run with Jonathan, I didn’t know if you’d ever commit to someone again. I take it you’re prepared to commit? It’s not like you to sleep with someone two nights in a row and not have it mean something.”
Savannah laughed. “Of course it means something. I-I really like him.”
“Wow, that’s pretty sudden.”
“Not really. Sometimes, I think you just know, don’t you?”
“I guess you do,” Lucy agreed slowly. “It was like that for Pete and me.”
“Yes, and you were only twenty-two.”
“Indeed, I was.” She paused. “I still don’t believe it. You and Will Rutledge. I think it’s fantastic news. Wait until I tell Pete.”
“Lucy, hang on. I think you’d better—”
“That’s him now… He’s just arrived home. Gotta go! Talk to you soon.” The call was disconnected.
Glancing up in time to see Will stride out of the café tucking his wallet back into his pocket, Savannah smiled.
“Thanks for breakfast.”
“How was Lucy?”
“Loud. Shocked. Excited. Pete apparently just arrived home. She was in such a hurry to tell him, she hung up on me. I hope you don’t mind?” She watched him a little anxiously.
“Of course not. I told you, I’m happy for the whole world to know. I would have told him myself if we hadn’t been discussing other serious matters.”
“Maybe we can meet them both somewhere for coffee this afternoon?”
He shook his head. “I’d love to, sweetheart, I really would. But Pete and I are going over a few things before the operation tonight. There’s surveillance reports, telephone intercepts and a heap of other last-minute stuff—you do understand, don’t you?”
Savannah forced a smile. “Of course. I should have thought.”
“I promise I’ll make it up to you.” Pulling her close, he gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “Are you ready to go?”
She nodded and collected her handbag from underneath the table. “Sure, let’s go.”
* * *
Dylan let himself into his sister’s condominium with the spare key she always kept on the ledge above the door. The place was spotless, as usual. Even the smell of vomit had disappeared. She’d always had a thing for neatness. It was one of the things she’d been forever on his back about.
‘Pick up your clothes, Dylan.’ ‘Wash up your dinner plate.’ ‘Leave your dirty boots outside.’ The list went on and on.
Even so, his heart thudded at the thought of silencing her forever. It wasn’t like he wanted to. Vince had ordered the hit. It was kill or be killed. Not that he thought Vince would actually kill him—“Billy the Kid” was Vince’s current favorite—but Dylan had witnessed the savagery of Vince’s anger toward those who fell out of favor. It hadn’t been pretty.
Dylan had been furious when Savannah announced they were moving back to Sydney so he could go to rehab. He had a nice life in Canberra, hanging out with mates, doing drugs, making a tidy sideline profit.
It had all changed when he’d been caught by the cops, but a court appearance and little slap on the wrist by the judge wasn’t anything to get your panties in a twist over—at least, that’s the way he saw it.
It was unfortunate Savannah hadn’t felt the same way. But now, after living back in Sydney for six months, the infectious vibe of the city had gotten into his blood. He’d done the obligatory time in rehab—well, all but the last month—and it hadn’t been too bad. He’d said all the right things and promised them what they wanted to hear. Besides, if he’d never gone to rehab, he wouldn’t have met Tony and through him, his Uncle Vince.
Okay, so he hadn’t exactly signed on for murder, but what the hell—it was a small price to pay and the few people he’d killed so far had deserved it. Someone had to do Vince’s dirty work and if that someone happened to be him, then so be it.
Dylan had the big picture in his sights. Vince wouldn’t live forever. He wasn’t married and had no kids. The money had to go somewhere and even if a portion of it went to Tony, there was still plenty left over for a favored go-to man.
It was unfortunate Savannah had come to Vince’s attention, but then again, the silly bitch had put herself directly in the line of fire. How stupid was she to sneak into Vince’s domain and not only obtain secret information, but then go and publicize it? She only had herself to blame.
Dylan thought back to the last time he’d been at his sister’s place. She’d told him she was going out for a night on the town with her girlfriends. He wondered again if she’d returned to the Black Opal. He hadn’t seen her there, but that didn’t mean shit.
Anger coursed through him. He should have strangled her when he’d had the chance. Forget that she was his sister. She’d been stupid and stupid people paid a price. It was just the way it was. It would have been kinder than what Vince planned now.
Voices outside the front door halted his movement. He could make out his sister’s voice, but there was someone else with her, a man with a deep, unfamiliar tone. Were they merely passing in the stairwell or had she brought someone back with her? It wasn’t like her to entertain male guests in her condominium. In all the years he’d lived with her, he couldn’t ever remember that happening. He didn’t know where she went to fuck, but it certainly hadn’t been in her own bed.
The sound of the key turning in the lock threw him into action. Whether she was alone or not, he wanted the element of surprise. He needed to get th
e job over and done with, but he wasn’t going to be stupid about it. No sense leaving a witness behind.
He ducked inside the broom closet and managed to pull the door closed just as the front door swung open. Dylan watched through the tiny crack between the door and the wall. Savannah tossed her head and laughed. She entered the room, followed closely by a hulk of a man. His shoulders barely fit through the narrow opening.
Fuck. There was no way he could take them both out. He cursed under his breath, knowing he was now stuck in the broom closet until he found the way clear to escape. It could be hours. He swore again and damned his sister to hell.
* * *
“You have a great view from here.” Will looked out the living room window of Savannah’s condominium. The dark blue of the ocean sparkled in the distance.
“Yes, almost as good as yours,” she joked, coming to stand beside him. Milo prowled around her ankles, mewling hungrily. She hurried into the kitchen to fill his bowl. From the doorway, she saw Will bend down and hold out his hand, encouraging the cat to come closer. Milo stood his ground, staring at him balefully, his eyes wide with suspicion.
“He’s beautiful,” he called out to her. “What’s his name?”
“Milo. Purebred long-haired Siamese.” She walked back into the living room. Her voice softened. “He belonged to my mother.”
“Wow.” His eyes held hers. “It was good of you to keep him. Especially given how unexpectedly she died.” Distracted, he stood and gazed out the window. “I’m not sure I could have taken on a pet of my brother’s… Too many memories.”
“I know what you mean. Milo brings back memories, too, but that’s okay…” She smiled gently. “They’re usually good ones. My parents left him with me when they went traveling.”
Will put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close against his side. They stood in silence for a while, each lost in their thoughts.
“You’re in a great spot here, not far from the city. With the train station so close, I bet you get into work even quicker than I do,” Will murmured.