by Hadley Quinn
“What? Oh, no! Cole’s not gay,” she chuckled. “At least, I don’t believe he is.”
“Oh. Well how else does he remind you of Casey? You told me you were close friends because he was easy to confide in, talk to.”
“And that automatically means a guy is gay?”
“What?”
“Cole’s easy to talk to, but I don’t think he’s gay. If he was, I think Scotty’s gay-dar would be going off big time.”
Van paused before he whispered, “You’re not supposed to know that.”
“Know what?” she asked, matching the volume. “That Scotty’s gay? Van, my own brother is gay. Don’t you think I can tell? And I’ve been in the modeling scene for twenty years now. Plenty of gay coworkers, even the ones that try to hide it. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Some people just aren’t ready to make those kinds of changes. Simon even totally denied it for quite a while until he was ready to deal with it. I supported him either way; I love him no matter what. You mean…no one else knows about Scotty?”
Van looked uncomfortable but didn’t say anything.
“I’m sorry, honey,” Dani said. “I only said it because it’s you I’m talking to. I would never say that to anyone else.”
“I know. But it’s for Scotty’s own safety. The world has come a long way in accepting homosexuals, but in my profession…”
He didn’t finish the thought and Dani said, “I’m sorry, Van.”
“No, don’t be sorry. I know you’ll keep it a secret. As it is, I’m the only one at the Divehouse that knows. Mickey probably does, but I don’t want to assume that. I’ll just keep it to myself.”
Dani was quiet.
“Sweetheart, don’t feel bad.”
“I have a big mouth,” she said.
“No you don’t. It’s just…” He sighed. “Scotty’s had it kind of rough family-wise. I’m sure you can relate because of Simon. But Scotty doesn’t have anyone he can rely on. His entire family has disowned him—even his brother and sister. He’s on his own. We’re his family now.”
“That’s too bad. I hardly see him in the building much or I would invite him in more. He came over for dinner with Paul and Cody, though. And he did say he was going to Cody’s for some fight on pay-per-view.”
“Holland versus Oakes. Yeah.”
Dani could tell that he’d give anything to join those guys on Saturday night. It killed her inside. But he played it off and continued to ask her questions about the smallest things, even down to the color of nail polish she was wearing.
Oh she needed to do something. She couldn’t handle this anymore. She just prayed that it wasn’t going to make things worse…
Chapter Twenty-Eight
It had been three days since Cole told Jack he was done. Three days. And he was already regretting it until today. What the hell was wrong with him? He could have walked away and been done with it all, but no… Dani had come back from visiting her husband, clearly bothered, and set out to search for him.
She brought him dinner that night. Pizza, beer, and a big fucking smile. He opened his door to this scene, the sexiest delivery girl he’d ever laid eyes on. Large combo in one hand, a six-pack of bottled beer in the other.
“What’re you doing?” he couldn’t help but smile. It was the funniest surprise ever, but he was cautious.
“I’m here to bribe you. Can I come in?”
“Bribe me?” he asked as she breezed by him. Between the smell of the pizza and the smell of her, it was a little too much. That, and the fact that she was wearing cute little denim shorts and a yellow tank top.
“Yes, bribe you. And I hope you don’t think less of me because…” She exhaled as she set the food on the counter. “I’m desperate, Cole. And I need your help.”
At the moment he was hearing: I have needs, Cole, and I want you.
He cleared his throat, and hopefully his thoughts, and said, “Well…”
She flipped open the box of pizza and hopped up on the counter, picking up a slice and dropping an olive on her leg. She plucked up the olive and ate it, and Cole had to look away. He wanted to eat the olive right off her damn lap. Jesus, he must be horny as hell. But how long had it been since he actually cared about a woman?
“Have some,” she said, motioning to the food. “And the beer is cold. It was in my fridge.”
“God sent me an angel,” he had to admit honestly. “I’m starving.”
“Good,” she smiled.
“Do you want a plate?” he asked, taking two out of the cupboard. He handed her one and pulled out a slice of pizza onto his. “So what’s going on, Dani? Why are you desperate and, uh, what can I do for you?”
She took a deep breath and set her food on her plate. She grabbed a bottle of beer and opened it before handing it to him. “Well,” she began. But her shoulders slumped and she seemed to change her mind. “What am I doing?” she asked herself. “I can’t ask you this. This is…this is really bad. I’m sorry, Cole. I have no idea what I was thinking—”
“Just ask, Dani,” he said. He was more curious than ever. He could tell she had really built herself up for it, whatever it was, and now she couldn’t go through with it.
“I can’t. I’m sorry, Cole. I should go.”
She hopped off the counter to leave but he grabbed her wrist to stop her. “I’m all ears, Dani. I’ll help you if it’s within my power, I swear.”
“I don’t know what came over me,” she said with a shake of her head. “I am an awful person. I just—”
“You’re not an awful person. And I understand desperation. Just tell me what it is. If I can’t do it or don’t want to help, I’ll tell you so. I won’t judge, I promise.”
“I don’t know what I was thinking,” she mumbled. “I am really losing it.” She pulled away from him and made her way to the door. He could tell she was about to cry as she said, “Sorry to bug you.”
And then she left.
“Shit,” he said under his breath. He rushed to the door and flung it open just as Dani approached the door of her apartment. “Dani, wait,” he called.
She froze at the door like she would but decided against it. “Don’t worry about it, Cole.”
He could tell she was still crying. “Then just tell me what—”
He was almost to her apartment when he saw Paul coming from the other hallway. This is not good, Cole growled to himself.
“Dani, what the hell is going on?” Paul demanded, aware that she was crying and Cole was chasing after her.
“Nothing, Paulie. I’ve just had a rough day.” She’d opened her door by then but stood in the frame to talk. Cole could tell she wanted to hide behind the door though. Now they were both caught in an awkward situation. “It’s nothing,” she told Paul. “I just…”
“Well what’s your deal?” he challenged Cole. “She’s crying and you’re following after her. Did you come from his apartment?” he turned and asked Dani.
“It’s not what you think,” she said, shaking her head. “I just…”
“I was an ass and said something about her husband,” Cole volunteered. He turned to Dani and said, “Again, I’m sorry, Dani.” She didn’t say anything at first and he feared she wasn’t going to go along with it. Please, Dani, he thought. This will make it so much easier…
She blew out a breath of air and said, “I’m just really sensitive today. It was hard seeing him and then having to leave. I overreacted. Apology accepted.”
Cole knew he needed to leave at that point. It wouldn’t fit the scenario they’d created if he didn’t. He hoped she could hold her own against Paul but he wasn’t going to count on it. He could feel the guy’s fury pierce through him his entire walk back to 4G.
When the door to Cole’s apartment shut, Paul turned to Dani and said, “What the fuck did he say about Van?”
She sighed. “Nothing at all, really. That’s why it was so stupid.”
“Just tell me what he said.”
“No,” she ch
uckled. “So it gives you more ammunition to hate him? Not gonna happen, Paul. He’s a decent guy.”
“I don’t trust him. And were you down at his apartment?”
She scoffed at him. “What are you, my dad? Jesus, Paul.”
“No, but I know Van would want me to look out for you. You can’t be mad at me for that, Dani.”
Her anger softened. “I know, and I appreciate it. But Cole is not a threat to my life with Van, okay? He’s a neighbor, he’s one of Mickey’s fighters, and we’ve become friends. That’s it, okay? So stop being so mean to him.”
“Mean to him? I come out of my place to find you crying at your door trying to get inside. Then he’s coming down the hall after you? What the fuck, Dani. Tell me you wouldn’t question that, too.”
“Okay, okay… I see how that looks.” She sighed. “It’s nothing, though. I was down there to drop off some extra food for him. I know he doesn’t cook much. I take care of all you guys that way too, so if you’re gonna get on me about that then—”
“Okay, I get it,” he groaned. “But he had the nerve to say something about your husband?”
“No, Paul. I just took offense to something that wasn’t meant to be offending. Just drop it, okay?”
“Fine, but I’m still leery of him.”
“Why? Don’t you spend time with him at the gym?”
He paused for moment and then shrugged. “Not really. He’s a fucking loner. Doesn’t really talk to anyone.”
She sort of chuckled. “Hmm, sound like someone else you know?”
Paul smiled but got the point.
“Yeah, Van told me you didn’t like him at first either,” she said. “It took a while to become friends.”
“I got over it.”
“See? First impressions aren’t always correct.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Just be fair. I don’t expect you to be best friends, but just be civil, okay?”
After a brief pause he shrugged. “Fine.”
Dani took a deep breath. “Well, I’m gonna finish cleaning my home. Goodnight, Paul.”
He nodded. “Goodnight, Dani. Call me if you need anything.”
She agreed and then locked herself in the apartment. “What a disaster,” she said to herself. “Paul thinks I’m cheating on Van and Cole thinks I’m freaking nuts.” She shook her head and headed straight for her laundry pile.
Ten minutes later there was a knock at the door. She went to check on who it was and paused.
“Dani, just let me in,” Cole said.
She did, but she wasn’t sure why. “Don’t even bring it up,” was the first thing she said. He entered her apartment and she shut the door. “And I’m sorry about all of that,” she motioned to the hall, referring to Paul.
“Did you convince him that we weren’t in a lover’s quarrel?” he asked.
That made her smile, and then she laughed. “You’re a good sport, you know it? And thanks for your quick thinking. But yeah, I think he bought it. I hated lying to him, but I think it was necessary this time. I’m sure he’ll still be distrusting of you but…”
Cole wandered into the room further and sat on the couch. He had a bottle of beer between his fingers and he stared at it for a few seconds. “Ask, Dani. What did you need my help with?”
“Cole, give me a break. I have the right to change my mind.”
“And I almost got my teeth handed to me again. You owe me one.”
“Isn’t the food and beer enough?” she asked with mock disbelief, trying to make him smile.
That time he did smile but he was still dying to know what she wanted him to help her with. “Like I said before. Just ask. If I can’t or won’t, no harm done. I won’t think you’re a nut job.”
“Well you might.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I might, huh? Well, even better. Tell me everything,” he added, eagerly rubbing his hands together for a big, juicy secret. She smiled at his unusual playful nature.
He took a long drink of beer. He watched her from behind the bottle as she seemed to think about it. But then her eyebrows rose, like she had a better idea.
“Okay,” she said slowly. “But…this stays between you and me, all right?”
“Scouts honor.”
She eyed him for a second. “You were a boy scout?”
“Maybe.”
She smiled again. “Okay, so scouts honor then.” She sat down on the couch and took a deep breath. “I need to break into a house and need to know how,” she spilled quickly.
Okay, he was stunned. Literally. He couldn’t respond because he didn’t know what to say.
“If you could just tell me the best way or how to get away with it or anything…I would be extremely grateful.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa… Hang on a second. You want me to teach you about breaking and entering? Are you serious?”
The guilty look on her face gave him his answer and she bit her lower lip, waiting for his admonishment.
Cole had to think for a few seconds, just to gather his thoughts. “What are you breaking into and why?” he asked first. And then a thought occurred to him and he said, “Wait a sec… You were going to ask me to do it and then you changed your mind.”
“I’m so sorry, Cole. I have no idea what I was thinking. I was just thinking selfishly and didn’t even consider—”
“Well it’s a much better idea if you ask me,” he interrupted.
She stared at him. “What?”
“I’d much rather do it myself than have you get caught.”
“But…can’t you just tell me how to do it and—”
“No,” he chuckled.
Her shoulders fell and so did her face. “I know, and I’m sorry. I told you I’m nuts.”
“Maybe, maybe not, but I’ll do it myself. I’m not going to have you do it is what I meant.”
She stared at him for a second and then shook her head. “Never mind, Cole. I’m not going to risk you getting caught just because I’m too stupid to commit a crime myself.”
He laughed, and it felt good, but even though she smiled, he knew she was serious. “Well first of all, I won’t get caught,” he told her.
“And second of all?”
He paused. “There is no second of all. I’ll do it.”
“Cole—”
“Just tell me what’s going on, okay? What do you need to break into and why.”
She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I’ll have to catch you up on a lot of things because it’s stuff that’s kind of built up to the whole…Brian dead thing. But I kind of found out where someone is hiding out and I just… I need to find something.”
Cole looked at her closely, especially since she said it had something to do with the case. “And why can’t you talk to Van’s lawyer? Doesn’t he have people that are investigating?”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
He eyed her carefully. “Try me.”
She lowered her lashes to hide. She was embarrassed. “It’s because of what I need to get from this person. I don’t want anyone to know.”
Was she talking about the video? He couldn’t exactly ask her that, but what else could it be?
“And what is it you need to get? And who is it from?”
She sighed again. “Well, his name is Quincy.”
Cole’s eyes flashed, and he was grateful that she was looking towards the window at that point. She knew where Quincy was?
“Van wonders if he had something to do with setting him up because of the gun. He thinks it was Quincy’s. And because of…some history between the two, it’s a very large possibility that Q is involved with what’s going on. I’m not sure, but I think he has something of mine that I want back. I don’t want Jack’s investigator to get to it first because it might bring up a lot of things that aren’t relevant to the case.”
“How do you know they aren’t relevant?”
She smiled. “Trust me. They just aren’t.”
He beli
eved that she wasn’t trying to deceive him, but he also knew that she might not have a clue what might be relevant.
“So what is it that Quincy has of yours?” he asked patiently. He really had to refrain from jumping too fast because this was huge progress.
She was hesitant as she looked Cole over. He knew she was debating whether or not she could trust him, but he also knew that she did. Why else would she be talking to him about this stuff?
“Diamonds,” she finally said.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Okay, that was the last thing Cole expected her to say. “Diamonds?” he repeated.
“Yes. Lots of them.”
“Wait, are we talking, like, loose diamonds? Please don’t tell me you’re talking about—”
“Blood diamonds?” she smiled. “No, nothing like that. I’m talking about diamond jewelry. About half a million dollars’ worth.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Um, okay… And who does this jewelry belong to?”
“Me,” she scoffed, like it was supposed to be obvious. But she realized she needed to explain a little better. “I used to model,” she sighed. “Like, big time. I’ve been all over the world and… Anyways, when I was a minor my parents kept all of my money from me. They would spend it on stuff that they approved of, but never gave me any of it. They kept promising me that I would get it when I turned eighteen, but it never happened. When I would get bonuses like gifts—clothing, jewelry, accessories—I wouldn’t tell my parents about it. I handed over the checks, but the gifts were mine to keep.
“Anyhow, there was one designer that I modeled for when I was seventeen. Desiderio knew the agreement I had with my parents and he felt bad for me. Long story short, he was sympathetic because of my controlling parents, etcetera. He knew that I wanted to go to college, so he started to give me cash before the rest went to my parents. He also gave me some really expensive jewelry.”
“Why the jewelry instead of more cash?” Cole wondered.
“That wasn’t a bonus from the work I did. It was a sentimental gift. It had belonged to his daughter that had passed away from leukemia. When she died she was seventeen, the age that he met me. It was kind of a hard thing for him to do, but he insisted. He didn’t want his older daughters to find it and fight over it so he just gave it to me. He said I reminded him a lot of her.”