Settling The Score (BBW Romantic Suspense Contemporary Romance)

by Diane Blake

"There's always next season," he answered without skipping a beat.

  "And now you've got time for one more question," Craig told her with a smile.

  Jasinda knew just what to ask. "Not that I'm complaining, but, you just happened to have all that military gear around?"

  Craig smiled. "Once special forces, always special forces."

  Chapter 51

  After the van ride and revelations, Craig had slipped back into the stadium for his press appearances.

  Stephen brought Jasinda back to the chop shop and took off as planned. Rivera alerted the police to the rescue that had taken place. Due to the trauma she'd been through, the cops let Jasinda go after a brief statement with the understanding that she'd give them a much more detailed account in the coming days.

  Rivera then brought Jasinda to Craig's condo where they met up with Stephen again. Rivera and Stephen kept an eye on things in the living room while Jasinda took a long bath and got ready for a much-needed nap.

  Craig called to express regret that he had to be away so long. He assured Jasinda that Rivera and his brother would keep her perfectly safe. Jasinda told Craig she'd actually felt better knowing that he was fulfilling his obligation to the Tigers by doing all the post Big Game press.

  Later that evening, Jasinda woke up from her blissful nap. She didn't think she'd be able to sleep in a strange bed, but the sheer exhaustion of her ordeal provided the necessary inducement.

  Nestled in the luxurious maximum thread count sheets with her head on the plush silk pillow covers, Jasinda actually momentarily forgot everything she'd recently been through.

  Jasinda studied Craig's bedroom from her position propped up on the plush pillows. From the dark wood furniture to the brown and beige striped comforter, the masculine design choices stood out in every way. Even the straight edge, simple silver framed mirror contrasted with her own fancy framed one at her apartment.

  Everything in the room reflected Craig's personality. Strong. Tough. Uncomplicated. So unlike her own life, Jasinda thought. I've got to tell him the truth when he gets back or else I'm just fooling myself.

  The door to the bedroom opened. "You're awake," Craig said.

  "I didn't hear you come in the condo," Jasinda replied.

  "I was trying to be quiet so as not to disturb you. I sent Rivera and my brother to a hotel."

  "Oh, no, you shouldn't have chased them away on my account," Jasinda said sincerely.

  Craig kicked off his shoes. "I wanted to be alone with you."

  "Oh," Jasinda replied, surprised, yet happy.

  "You're beautiful," Craig told her.

  Even though she'd taken a relaxing bath and cleaned up completely, she contradicted, "After the last few days I've had? I must look terrible."

  "Impossible."

  "What did I do to deserve this?" Jasinda asked.

  "You said yes when I asked you for a lunch date," Craig winked.

  Craig emptied his pockets onto the nightstand. He sat down on the bed next to her. He didn't have to say anything. She instinctively scooted closer to him. She soon melted into the warmth and safety of his embrace.

  He ran his finger through her hair and gently laid her head on the pillow. Before she knew it, he kissed her. His lips were soft and gentle, yet demanding at the same time.

  Craig positioned himself next to her on the bed, the length of his body pressing against hers. "You don't know what you do to me," he whispered in her ear.

  She felt the excitement in his pants as his thighs swayed against hers. Jasinda felt the excitement growing inside her as well. She yearned for him to get closer. Nothing could stop where this was headed.

  Until Craig's phone text alert dinged.

  "Sorry. Ignore it," he mumbled barely aware of the sound it made in the background.

  The phone chimed again.

  "You better get it. It might be the team."

  Craig moaned in complaint.

  "It is still Big Game Sunday," Jasinda pointed out.

  Craig groaned again, but he rolled over and eyed the screen. The notification indicated a text from his brother who had appended it with a symbol flashing URGENT in big letters.

  Craig tapped the screen. The text read: Hey, bro. Finally cracked decryption on court records d-base. Pulled Jasinda's complete criminal record. Attached. Lemme know if u need anything else.

  Craig stared at the screen for a moment. He didn't move a muscle.

  Jasinda squeezed the back of Craig's other hand. "Is it important?" she asked.

  Craig looked over at Jasinda's sweet face. He smiled. "What's important is you and me...what we're building here together right now."

  He turned to the phone and texted back: Got it. Thnx. C U later. Without hesitation, Craig deleted the criminal file attachment without opening or downloading it. He powered the phone off completely and tossed it aside.

  "Now, where were we?" He picked up Jasinda's hand and kissed her fingers.

  Jasinda unexpectedly pulled away. "I'm glad we got interrupted."

  Craig's eyebrow shot up in surprise. "That's not what a guy likes to hear in a situation like this."

  "Oh, Craig, I want you so bad right now, you have no idea. But it's not fair to you unless you know the real me, know what I did in the past."

  "The past doesn't matter. I know who you are now," Craig assured her.

  "It matters to me."

  Craig rolled over on his side. He propped up his head on his arm. "Go ahead. I'm all ears."

  Jasinda glanced at the undeniable bulge in his pants.

  With a sheepish grin, Craig amended, "Well, maybe not all ears..."

  Jasinda's voice took on a wistful tone that Craig hadn't ever heard from her before. "It was the summer after my high school graduation..."

  Chapter 52

  The summer after her high school graduation, eighteen year old Jasinda Reed stared every day at the high school yearbook on her dresser. Sure, it had the usual "I'll miss you" and "never change" and "keep in touch" messages that traditionally show up in such places written over and around pictures of happy young adults living life for all it's worth. The words looked nice on the pages, but what were they really worth to her?

  Nothing at all. They didn't represent happy memories of high school shared with tons of friends and an exploration of young love. Instead, those endearing-on-the-surface messages and pictures of various school events represented the missed opportunities of Jasinda's young life.

  Nobody had asked her to the prom. Who wants to pose with the big girl for the prom picture? She was always picked last in gym class. Who wants the biggest and slowest target on their dodgeball team? Etc.

  One evening, Jasinda knocked the book into the waste basket beside her dresser. She had to put all that crap behind her or she'd never move on with her life. There was a whole world to explore that didn't revolve around who asked whom to the dance or who got caught kissing behind the bleachers after a fire drill.

  Jasinda longed to do something wild and different. She needed an adventure or an experience that would let her forget the past and open up new opportunities.

  That warm and humid night, she went by herself to a nightclub that allowed eighteen and over patrons who had to wear wristbands restricting their ability to purchase alcohol.

  Jasinda wandered out onto the club's deck which overlooked a lake. Down by the "beachside bar" as the club called it, shirtless men in tight bathing suits and skinny women in bikinis sat laughed, drank, and flirted both in and out of the water.

  Jasinda ran her fingers over the fabric of the lightweight, yet long-sleeve blouse she'd chosen to wear. The other club-goers ran around half-naked and she didn't even want to show off her arms in short sleeves. Jasinda mumbled to herself, "What was I thinking? I don't belong here."

  As she turned to leave, she bumped into a handsome man whom she guessed to be five or six years older. His drink spilled all over his shirt. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm such a klutz," she said. She tried to wipe the liquid off
the shirt with her bare hands. She tried not to enjoy the feel of the firm pecs beneath the material.

  He surprised her when he held her hands in his and said, "Don't worry about it. It's so hot out here, I was just about to take my shirt off anyway." Then he did!

  His bicep sported a red dragon tattoo. He held out his hand. "Tim Collins."

  Jasinda had to force her gaze away from his muscular chest. She shook his hand while barely getting the words out, "Jasinda Reed."

  "Looks like I need another drink. May I get you one?"

  Jasinda held up her arm and tapped the wristband.

  Tim laughed and waved his hand. "Don't worry about that. What would you like?"

  She followed him down to the beach bar where they talked for hours. She was enthralled by the attention of the handsome older man, as any girl would be in her situation. For Jasinda, it was especially exciting as she'd never been on the receiving end of that kind of male attention before.

  At the end of the evening, they exchanged phone numbers. Over the ensuing weeks, they had several dates. Tim always picked her up, but she'd never been to his place. His car seemed nice, but not overly expensive. He paid for everything so he didn't seem to want for money.

  He'd painted a portrait of himself as a young accountant, a year out of college at his first professional job. He talked about his modest one bedroom apartment and his cat who always managed to throw litter out of the box.

  Through his connections in the accounting world, Tim made a single call and got Jasinda a summer job in the accounting department of a payment processing firm downtown. He told her to keep how she got the job and through whom a secret though. He warned that co-workers would think less of her if they thought she got the job because of nepotism rather than on her own.

  She thanked Tim for always looking out for her.

  In short, Jasinda thought she'd found the perfect boyfriend. She fell for him – hard. The fact that he overtly told her that he not only didn't mind her excessive weight, but actually found it sexy just sealed the deal.

  In just a few short weeks since graduation, she'd gone from a miserable girl to a happy woman, all thanks to Tim's attention and devotion to her. What more could she ask for?

  She didn't know it at the time, but everything Tim told her and presented about himself was nothing more than a respectable fiction.

  Chapter 53

  Still under Tim's carefully orchestrated spell, Jasinda thought nothing of it the day he said his car had to go into the shop for repairs. He asked if she would pick him up on his lunch break to run an errand. She met him downtown in front of one of the highrise office buildings.

  "You look so handsome with the briefcase and tie," she said as Tim got in the car.

  "And you're late! I told you I get out for lunch at exactly 12:30."

  His harsh tone surprised her. He'd never spoken to her or in her presence in such a manner.

  "There was traffic-"

  "Just drive!" Tim interrupted while he glanced over his shoulder at the office building's revolving door which overflowed with people entering and exiting.

  A security guard ran from the building. When he reached the sidewalk, his head swiveled back and forth searching the crowds. The security guard caught a glimpse of Tim in the back of Jasinda's car as it pulled away from the curb. He called in a description of the car over his walkie-talkie.

  "Head to the park on the east side of town," Tim ordered.

  Jasinda turned into a bundle of nerves as she maneuvered through the downtown traffic. "What's wrong, Tim? Did you have a bad morning at work? Your boss yell at you or something?"

  "Or something," Tim muttered as he clutched the briefcase.

  "You're scaring me, Tim. What's going on?"

  Tim turned around to see if they were being followed. "I'm sorry, Jasinda. I didn't know it was going to go down like this – today."

  "What?" she asked with the worry for Tim's safety evident in her voice.

  "I didn't want to involve you in this, but I feel like I have no choice now. I recently found out my boss has been embezzling money from the accounting firm. I called the authorities. They told me they needed proof. I've got it right here." Tim tapped the briefcase in his lap.

  Jasinda gulped. "Thank God he didn't find out, your boss, I mean."

  "Actually, he did. Right before I was leaving the office to meet you. That's why I've got to get the evidence in the briefcase to the FBI. I'm meeting the agents in the park." He looked directly at Jasinda and added, "If the bad guys don't get to me first."

  "Oh, Tim!" Jasinda cried.

  While stopped at a red light, Tim pulled a gun out of his pocket.

  "What are you doing with a gun?" she asked wide-eyed.

  "They, the FBI, gave it to me. For protection. In case anything went wrong. I want you to take it."

  "What? Me? No."

  "Yes. Just in case they come after you, too." Tim put the gun down on the console next to the gear shift.

  "Won't everything be all right once you turn over the evidence to the agents in the park?"

  "If we make it that far..." Tim said as he turned his head out the window and watched the city zoom by.

  They pulled into the park via its quietest and least used entrance. "Drive around back by the old picnic area and dilapidated gazebo."

  The parks commission had created a new and much larger gazebo / picnic area in another part of the park so nobody except people up to no good frequented the area Tim and Jasinda now found themselves in.

  They both scanned the area when Jasinda rolled the car into the deserted gravel parking lot. "Do you think they're here hiding and we just don't see them?" she asked.

  Tim shrugged.

  A two-seater sports car slowly pulled into the parking area.

  That doesn't look like something an FBI agent would drive, Jasinda thought. Then again, I suppose that's what undercover means.

  Despite the daylight, the driver of the sports car flashed the high beams twice as it approached.

  "That's them. That's the signal," Tim said.

  The sports car didn't stop. Instead, it headed straight for them. "I think they're going to hit us," Jasinda shrieked. She didn't have time to start her car and move it.

  At the last moment, the other car turned its front tires. It stopped at a weird angle. Jasinda's front grill faced the sports car's passenger door. That meant the other car could escape instantly if necessary, but Jasinda was trapped. She'd have to back her car up first in order to move away.

  Tim got out of her car with his briefcase. His feet crunched on the gravel as he walked.

  At the same time, a man got out of the sports car carrying an identical briefcase.

  She noticed his beard and dark glasses as well as the gold chains around his neck. He sure didn't look like an FBI agent, but really, what did Jasinda know about that? Her only concept of federal agents came from TV shows. She had no idea what they looked like in real life.

  The two men stood a couple feet apart. Both men opened their respective cases. From her angle, Jasinda couldn't see inside either one.

  Tim and the other man craned their necks, perusing the contents of the cases. Each man nodded and clicked his own case shut.

  The thoughts nagged at the corner of her mind. Why isn't this taking place at some sort of official location? What if they doublecross Tim somehow? This situation has me so freaked out. I'm just being silly. If you can't trust the FBI, then who can you trust?

  Jasinda gripped the steering wheel nervously just to have something to do with her hands. Her nails dug into the material as she watched Tim hand over his briefcase in exchange for the identical one.

  The men also exchanged a few words, but they talked so low that Jasinda couldn't make out what they were saying.

  Both men returned to their respective vehicles. The sports car pulled away.

  "Give them thirty seconds and let's get out of here," Tim ordered.

  "So everything wen
t OK with the agent?" Jasinda asked.

  Tim smiled and tapped the briefcase. "Sure did."

  "Why did you take a briefcase from the agent? I thought you just had to turn over the evidence of your boss's embezzlement?"

  Before Tim could respond, another car came speeding into the parking lot.

  "Jasinda, get us out of here!" Tim yelled.

  Chapter 54