by Katie Reus
Her blood chilled at Kevin’s angry threat. She couldn’t even think about something happening to Jay. “Don’t threaten me,” she snapped. “Or him.” In a fair fight, Jay could take Kevin without breaking a sweat. But she knew all too well that Kevin never fought fair.
“You’ve built a cushy little life for yourself and if you want to keep it, you’re going to help me. If you don’t, people you care for will…” He trailed off, letting her fill in the rest. “Come on, Ellie. I don’t even need you for much. I just need the layout of the building and the guards’ schedule. I know there are multiple shift changes during the day and all I need is the evening schedule.”
“That’s all you need?” She knew her question would sound like she was bending.
“For now. After a meeting I have Monday I’ll need more, but that’s it right now. It’s easy, Ellie baby.”
“Don’t call me that,” she snapped, the endearment making her skin crawl.
He snorted. “Whatever. You gonna get me what I want or do you want to let innocent people get hurt?”
She paused, as if she was thinking it over. Finally she let out a long sigh. “Fine. I’ll see what I can do, but no promises. And I’m holding on to your money. I don’t trust you not to kill me.”
He started to respond, but she cut him off. “Save it,” she muttered. “Can I reach you at this number?”
“Anytime, day or night,” he practically purred, making her want to reach through the line and punch him.
“I’ll be in touch when I have something.” She disconnected before he could respond and met Jay’s gaze.
Once again his look was hard, unreadable. “You did good,” he murmured before standing. As he did, Vadim, Wyatt and Hayden all stood. She just wanted to hide now that her past with Kevin had officially been exposed to people she admired. Jay looked down at her. “I’ll be back later, but Iris will be here with you and we’ll have two guards stationed outside and four waiting across the hall.”
She wanted to ask him more questions, but knew now wasn’t the time. Instead she merely nodded and watched as he silently left with the other men.
Chapter 9
“Not that I’m not appreciative, but why didn’t you go with them?” Ellie asked Iris. She knew the Serafina’s head of security was very hands on with anything security related to Wyatt or the hotel. And Ellie figured this counted in a big way.
Iris shrugged as she watched her carefully. Ellie felt like she was under a microscope as the tall, slender woman answered. “Wyatt will fill me in on everything, and…he wanted me to stay and check up on you. He didn’t want you to be alone right now and he knew Jay was too stubborn to sit this out.”
Surprise must have showed on Ellie’s face, because Iris continued. “You shouldn’t be surprised that Wyatt and the team care about you. You’re more than just an employee.”
Ellie swallowed hard. “I feel like a fraud half the time.” Saying the words out loud felt freeing and terrifying at the same time. She’d grown up with practically nothing and while she might not have had her sister’s talent, she’d been driven enough to graduate with honors and make something of her life. None of that made up for the fact that some days when she looked in the mirror she felt like she was playing dress up. Like the expensive shoes she bought herself or the nice makeup were all things to cover up who she truly was. A girl from the wrong side of the tracks.
“You know Wyatt and I grew up together?” Iris asked.
Ellie couldn’t believe she’d said that out loud to the other woman in the first place so she welcomed the change in subject. “Yeah.” That was pretty much all she knew though. Her boss was very private, especially when it concerned Iris.
“Did you know he was dirt poor because his alcoholic father blew every dime on whiskey?” Iris let out a surprisingly savage curse about the man Ellie knew was dead.
She shook her head. “No. I knew he grew up with very little because of that interview last year.” A business magazine had done a feature on Wyatt because of how far he’d come. From a small, Georgia town not even on the map, he now owned real estate all over the globe and was a billionaire with a virtual empire.
“Well, poor is probably an understatement. People in town called him white trash and they called me a lot worse. My mom and I were the only Native Americans living in that backwoods place and considering my mom latched on to any man who would pay her bills, you can imagine what they called me and her.” Iris let out a bitter laugh.
Ellie wasn’t sure how she should respond or if she should. “I…had no idea.”
Iris shrugged. “I don’t generally talk about my past and you know Wyatt doesn’t either, but it’s not a secret. I’m not ashamed of where I come from. It doesn’t define who I am.” Those dark, knowing eyes probed Ellie’s and it belatedly registered why Iris was telling her all this.
Ellie held the other woman’s gaze, stunned by the personal revelations. “I understand what you’re saying.” And she wanted to get to that place where she didn’t care about her past, didn’t care what people thought when they looked at her. The truth was, she didn’t have anything to prove to anyone. She just had to convince her brain of that.
Iris started to respond when the sound of the suite door opening made them both pause. Iris held a finger to her lips as she silently stood and withdrew a weapon from the back of her black pants. She moved to the edge of the hallway that led to the entryway then peered around. Immediately she relaxed and turned back to Ellie with a grin. “No threat.”
A moment later Sierra rounded the corner of the hallway with a pastry box in her hand. Ellie really hoped there was chocolate in there. Sierra handed the box to Iris and made a beeline for Ellie. By the time she’d stood, the sweet chef was pulling her into a hug. “I’m so glad you’re all right. I can’t believe someone blew up your car.”
Ellie hugged her back, not realizing how much she’d needed it until now. She’d come to adore Sierra in the short time the woman had been with Hayden, but she’d already liked her long before that. “I’m okay. Well, good enough,” she said as they pulled apart. She couldn’t say she was fine when someone was threatening her and those she cared for.
Sierra grinned and turned back to Iris who’d already opened the white box and was eyeing the contents hungrily. “If Iris hasn’t eaten everything I’ve got some treats that will make you feel better.”
“Sounds good to me. Maybe we can get into some of that wine?” Ellie nodded hopefully toward the marble-topped bar near one of the covered windows. There were bottles and bottles of expensive stuff and Ellie wasn’t ashamed to admit she could use a little vino to take the edge off her nerves.
“None for me because I’m on duty, but you two have at it. Definitely on the hotel,” Iris said. Then as an afterthought she said, “But that means I get more snacks.”
Ellie laughed, the feeling bubbling up in her chest strange yet freeing. She’d been so worried that Iris and Sierra would judge her or look at her differently because of her past and now that she knew that wasn’t true, she felt almost liberated.
Hours later, Ellie said goodbye to Sierra and Iris—who had a security issue that simply couldn’t wait—and headed for the large bedroom. No word from Jay yet, but the suite was still being guarded and Sierra had a personal security guy escorting her home until Hayden could break away from whatever it was he was doing with Jay and the others.
Though Ellie wanted to stay up and wait for Jay she was emotionally exhausted and knew she needed to be on her game the next couple days. Whatever plan they were putting into motion she had no doubt it would affect everyone and she wanted to be ready. After stripping off her clothes she didn’t bother digging through her suitcase as she climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to her neck. Barely a minute passed before she let sleep pull her under.
* * * * *
Jay leaned back against the cushioned swivel chair as Vadim dimmed the lights of the unused conference room they were all in. Right n
ow the team for this was small; him, V, Wyatt and Hayden. Jay knew it would get bigger once things were in motion but for now it eased his mind that the group was small and one he trusted implicitly.
Angling his laptop—that looked as if it had the capability to launch a shuttle—toward one of the blank white walls, V plugged a small device into the back of the computer, hit a few buttons, then smiled in that tiger-like way of his as a 3D image projected into the unhindered space. It wasn’t projected onto the wall but Jay understood why he’d needed the blank background.
The Serafina popped up, the entire building a skeleton of blue lines, showing nothing of the architectural genius that had gone into creating the hotel.
“Hold on,” V murmured as he typed in commands. A moment later the blueprint of the whole building fell away as he zoomed in on a room in the second level of the hotel. The room where the Dragon Collection was.
A moment later the outline of a display case appeared. That wasn’t part of the actual architectural plans, but Jay knew V had added it for their purposes.
“As you all know, this room is basically impenetrable because of these security additions.” He sounded smug, likely because some of them had been his idea. “Even if someone wants to come in through the vents, the alarm will be triggered. This case,” he marked it with his laser pointer, “is even protected underneath on the slim chance someone tries to come up from the floor below. The entire ceiling of that floor is rigged with sensors.”
“V, we know all this.” Wyatt sounded mildly impatient, a much more subdued version of what Jay was feeling.
He wanted to get to the damn point so he could get back to Ellie. She’d looked so lost and embarrassed as she called her ex and when he’d called her baby, Jay had seen red. But she’d done well. Now it was up to them to bring this guy down. Jay just wanted to end the asshole’s life, but knew that wasn’t the right way.
V let out an exasperated sigh and looked at Wyatt, those pale eyes seeming to glow in the dim lighting from the 3D display. “Would you like to do the presentation?”
Wyatt just rolled his eyes. For some reason he allowed V to talk to him—and anyone except Iris—the way he wanted. V was never overtly rude, just…lacked certain social skills. “No, but I’d like to get out of here sometime before midnight and I know Jay wants to get back to Ellie. She’s scared, V.”
At that Vadim’s expression softened. “Yes, of course. Sorry.” He turned back to the hologram. “All these sensors are shown on the building plans.” He pointed to the main ones near the doors and in the vents. “But these were installed afterward and I made sure there is no trace of this final plan anywhere.”
“What’s in the floor directly beneath the display?” Unlike Hayden and V, Jay didn’t work directly at the Serafina except when needed. He was Wyatt’s go-to guy for pretty much everything in addition to his personal guard, but he didn’t have the knowledge of the hotel like them.
“Nothing until the end of the month,” Wyatt said.
“If it’s empty…” Jay trailed off and the others nodded.
“Yes. This will be the only way for Kevin Murrell and his men to take the jewels. The room is also guarded 24/7 in case anyone gets ideas, but they don’t know that and we will remove the guards in the time leading up to their robbery.”
“So Ellie will give him altered plans and unless he’s a complete idiot, he’ll make the choice we want him to make and go through the first floor ceiling. What about a visual?” Jay asked.
“We already have cameras installed in the display room and in the room below,” Hayden said. “And during the time of the robbery we’ll have an extra team standing nearby. Not to mention they’ll be taking replicas anyway.”
Jay nodded, already figuring that was the case. He knew Wyatt had them made as soon as he’d agreed to showcase the real jewels. The replicas were backups for situations just like this. Thank God the man was always prepared. “What happens after they take the replica jewels?” Jay wanted Kevin brought down, and that would be easily done once the idiot took what he thought was the real Dragon Collection, but he wasn’t sure what Wyatt wanted.
“We let him leave. The second he clears the building we sound the alarm, as if our team has just discovered the breach. Then we let him meet with his boss, who I’m assuming will be De Luca,” Wyatt said, all confidence.
“Then?”
“Then…let me worry about that.”
Jay gave him a hard look, annoyed at Wyatt’s lack of disclosure. That wasn’t like him to hold back, not from Jay. “Really?”
Wyatt sighed. “I’m not withholding. I need to make a couple calls before we go any further, but I like this plan. No matter what he’s not getting the real jewels. I’m keeping them locked in one of the vaults from now until he’s arrested. But I want De Luca removed from Vegas permanently and I may have a way to make that happen. For now, we just need Ellie to give these plans to Murrell. It sounds like he’s meeting with De Luca on Monday. Or whoever wants him to do this.”
“It can’t seem too easy. She can give them to him Sunday night. Make the bastard sweat,” Jay muttered.
Wyatt nodded. “Agreed. I’ve got some media thing to deal with tomorrow…” Trailing off, he glanced at his watch. “Today. I want Ellie with us, otherwise it will seem odd. It’s got to seem like everything is normal with all of us.”
Jay gritted his teeth, but nodded. If Ellie suddenly disappeared for a couple days it would be obvious that she was under lockdown or in hiding. And that would bring up too many questions from Murrell. It had to appear like she was still working and living her life like normal. “I’ll beef up our security team.” The only reason he was agreeing was because the event was a low-key Q&A in a private room that no one other than the pre-approved media personnel would have access to. And he’d already vetted everyone coming—and knew most of them from past events.
“I have no doubt you will.” Wyatt stood, looking exhausted and Jay felt a twinge of guilt that his boss was being pulled into this when he had so many other responsibilities. “Now go see Ellie.”
Jay didn’t need to be told twice. If Wyatt said he’d keep him in the loop, Jay had no doubt he would. Even if that meant a call at three in the morning. “Thanks.”
Hayden nodded at the others before walking out with Jay. His brother clapped him lightly on the shoulder. “We’re going to keep your girl safe.”
“Yeah.” That was definitely a concern, but Jay was more worried about their future and what Ellie wanted from him. He’d told her the ball was in her court and that scared the hell out of him. What if she… He mentally shook himself when he realized his brother was saying something else. “What?”
Hayden chuckled as he looked at the screen of his phone. “Our ladies got a little tipsy tonight. Sierra left me some interesting texts.”
Despite his dark mood, Jay grinned. He loved seeing his brother so happy. Unlike him, Hayden had left the Navy because of an injury. His brother hadn’t been ready to leave The Teams and Sierra had brought him out of his year-long surliness. She’d reached him in a way no one else had been able to. “Get home to her. I’m heading upstairs now.”
After a brief hug, his brother left and Jay made his way to the private elevators. They were on the security floor so he’d be able to bypass seeing anyone. Which was good because he didn’t feel up to making small talk. Jay checked his phone and had a couple texts including one from Iris telling him she’d had to leave Ellie, but that the guards on duty were the best.
Once he made it up to their floor he saw that Iris had been serious. She must have called in a different team or maybe they’d had a shift change because Logan and Roman MacNeil were standing guard. The twin brothers were both former Marines, both highly trained and not part of the normal hotel security detail. Like him, they were part of Wyatt’s personal detail. And they were damn good at what they did.
“Hey you fucking jarheads,” he said as he neared them.
They looked
like sentries standing guard. Roman didn’t crack a smile, but Logan did. “Whatever squid.” He glanced at the closed door then back at Jay, his expression turning as serious as his brother’s. “What’s going on? Are you and Ellie in some kind of trouble?”
He ignored the questions because he couldn’t answer them. “Have you talked to her?”
Logan nodded. “Briefly when she said goodbye to Sierra. She told us she was going to bed and she looked…I don’t know, not like her normal self. Just wanted to make sure everything’s cool.”
“I can’t talk about what’s going on just yet, but I’ll fill you in as soon as I can. It goes without saying that knowledge of even our staying here under guard isn’t common knowledge and isn’t to be shared.” Jay figured Iris had already told them that, but wanted to reiterate it. Anything for Ellie’s safety.
Roman snorted, his first reaction since Jay had arrived. He pinned him with that odd stare. It was easy to tell the twins apart because of Roman’s different colored eyes. One brown and one blue-green that reminded Jay of the Pacific. “You know us better than that.”
“Yeah, I do. Thanks for looking out.” After another minute of bullshitting, he headed inside and nearly sagged against the front door before locking it.
Out of habit, he checked the entire suite before he made his way to the bedroom. The thick drapes had been opened about a foot, letting in some of the colorful nightlife. A thick ribbon of outside light streamed through, bathing the big bed and illuminating the top half of Ellie’s very naked breasts.
Jay’s body tightened with undeniable need. Damn it, he wanted her to make up her mind about them, to choose him, to trust him, before he buried himself inside her yet again. But it was impossible to show control around Ellie. The woman was his only drug of choice. Right now, he needed another fix.
Chapter 10
Jay watched the steady rise and fall of Ellie’s chest, wanting nothing more than to wake her up in one of the many erotic ways he’d done over the past year and some odd months they’d been together. His body ached to have her, to hold her, but…she needed sleep.