High Stakes Gamble

Chapter Nine

Later that evening, Aurora walked the floor with Lily snuggled in her arms. She held the tiny plump hand, her thumb rubbing the soft surface repeatedly. Softly, she sang a cute, favorite ditty that caused the baby’s long lashes to sweep her cheeks, until losing the battle; they lay flush against the pink skin of her darling face.

Normally, Aurora didn’t allow herself to spoil her child this way but tonight she needed to hold the tiny sprite. Earlier, she’d come to a decision that took a lot out of her. Once she’d made it though, everything in her world slipped back into place.

Aurora had worked out a deal with Debbie, the only person in the world who she’d trust to look after Lily. Deb, eyes shining, readily agreed and her accepting attitude helped dissolve some of Aurora’s mommy-guilt.

Starting tomorrow, she’d be back on the job for an indefinite period. Someone had to cover for the missing staff and her sense of responsibility, a personality trait she accepted as being a part of her as much as the famous chip on her shoulder, told her she had no choice. The fact that excitement brewed at the thought of the coming morning wasn’t the point. Someone had to pick up the slack.

One last smooch on Lily’s soft-as-a-rose-petal cheek and she laid her down in the crib. The same crib that had given Aurora endless trouble the day she’d taken it into her head to put it together.

Touching the rounded rails, the memory of her loss of composure returned to haunt her. After hours of struggle, the realization that she’d put the rails in backwards, made her lose it completely. At her lowest point since Kai had left her, plus the fear of the actual delivery, of being a mom alone, of not having enough strength to endure and succeed, she felt the overwhelming need to hear his voice.

“Not available—leave a message” had ripped her apart. The rage when the machine signalled for her to start had ignited a hate that now lived in the same place where love had earlier existed.

To this day she couldn’t remember what she’d said. The ranting cruelty she’d screamed. But it had been the last time she’d reached out to him. And as God was her witness, no man would ever have the chance to get behind her barriers again.

The phone ringing jerked her from the past and she strode out into the hall to answer.

“Chica, I understand you left a message?”

“Raoul, nice of you to return my call.” Aurora smiled.

“Hey, I’m a nice guy. You know that. What’s wrong with your voice?”

She cleared the huskiness generated from bad memories and replied, “A lot you care. I need some information.”

“Come now, Bella. You know I care. Wouldn’t be talking to you otherwise. So, what do you want to know?”

“You hear about the patrolman killed at the weigh station on the outskirts of town?”

He hesitated and then his voice lowered. “Not our problem.”

“You saying your group had nothing to do with this?”

“That’s what I’m saying. The Hermanos don’t kill cops and we don’t steal babies.”

Steal babies? Aurora’s inner circuits lit up. “Didn’t say this was yours, did I? I need to know anything you got.”

She understood Raoul’s group enough to trust they drew the line at perversion, especially with underage youth, which would include babies.

His was a highly organized bunch that lived on the borderlines of what one might call occasional lawbreakers or ingenious businessmen depending on your mood. Their money came from other sources that she didn’t care to go into. Weighing his larceny against her benefits from his periodical intelligence meant there weren’t any options. She needed him on the outside feeding her.

“You can’t keep doing this, bugging me, making me into a rat-snitch.”

“Why do you care if it isn’t your people? For Chrissakes Raoul, these suckers are stealing kids and killing cops.” Aurora decided to go fishing and see whether he’d take the hook.

“It’s the kids that are getting to you, ain’t it? By the way, Rosa says a prayer for you every night.” His voice softened when he spoke his sister’s name. He’d never forgotten who saved her life by endangering her own, and it seems neither did Rosa if her prayers were any indication.

“Give her a big hug for me.” Aurora, picturing Mary Fulton’s desperation, readily used her calling card—Rosa’s affection for her. Unexpectedly, emotion engulfed her and showed in the husky sound of her voice.

A hiss sounded. With his voice lowered, Raoul said. “I hear the slant-eyes have some shit going on in Los Angeles and they’re branching out in other regions. You might be particularly interested in the Chang-Lee family. They’re badasses, Aurora. Hombres muy malos! Cuidado, chica.”

Damn right I’ll be careful. I have Lily to think about. “Gracias, Raoul.”

“De nada. And Aurora—don’t call again.”

“Yeah, like that’s going to happen.”

She heard the snorting chuckle before the click of his receiver. She sat down to consider the significance of his report and became lost in thought.

Seconds before the doorbell rang, the hairs on the back of Aurora’s neck stood straight to attention, whipping up shivers to shoot down her back and into her hair, making her scalp tingle painfully. Her ears joined in the fun and a whining noise made her jump as if she’d been stabbed.

She knew… Just like that. Kai was the only person who could unsettle her to this extent. Anger boiled and fizzled over to fill her small body. Slowly she stood and moved to look out the peephole.

Sure enough, a man who resembled Kai stood leaning against the doorjamb, a thick file of papers in one hand. An L.A. Kings cap covered a full head of hair.

He looked away from the door and she saw him swallow then turn. As if he felt her eyes on him, he lifted his face and those sorry blue dazzlers stared straight through the tiny window and into her hardened heart. Then she noticed Cory next to him. She retrieved her weapon from the hall table, opened the door and stood back.

Cory moved in front of the chicken-bastard and held his hand out towards her. “Put the gun down, Aurora. I’d planned to shoot him myself but I listened to his story first. It’s cool, brat. Trust me. You’ll want to hear what he has to say.”

She leaned to the side in order to get a better aim and held back the grin that threatened when she saw Cory scoot out the door and close it very carefully behind him. F*cking coward!

Kai dropped the papers on the table. “Baby—”

“Don’t you call me Baby. You gave up that right.”

“I know. I was talking about our daughter.”

As if the idiot had no idea that her finger itched to pull the trigger and pay him back for the pain he’d put her through, he stood facing her, hands on his hips and a stubborn glare on his face.

“Where’s your bald head?”

“Under my hair.”

“Looks weird. I like it better the other way.”

“So I’ll shave it. You gonna shoot me?”

“Like to. Just can’t decide if the satisfaction would be worth the years in jail. It’s a tough call.”

“I thought of you every day.”

“You’re making it easier every time you open that lying mouth.”

“I was undercover… deep undercover. I brought a copy of the case files for you to read because I knew you wouldn’t believe me any other way. Started a few days after I got back to L.A. until yesterday when I got debriefed.”

“And the first few days you were in L.A.?”

A blush appeared on his cheeks that arrested Aurora’s gaze and made her remember why this man had captured her heart when no others had ever come close.

“I guess I drank enough to forget my own name never mind yours. Not proud of being such a jerk, but it’s the truth.”

“A f*cking jerk you mean!”

“I stand corrected. You gonna put the gun away soon?”

“Just so you know how much I hate you and how hard it is not to pull the trigger—”

He interrupted, his voice harsh. “Got it!” He held his hands out at his sides and the unspoken message let her know he understood there would be nothing between them except a tiny human being conceived from a night of such sweet lovemaking she’d never, ever be able to forget.

Anger fizzling through her, Aurora swung around and replaced her gun in the opened drawer and then slammed it shut. “Lily’s sleeping.”

“I’d appreciate a chance to look in on her. I promise I’ll be quiet.”

She heard the hitch in his voice before he recovered. “As if your promises are anything I’d believe.” Strange, she’d never heard her own teeth grind before. It unnerved her.

Looking at the bastard, she saw agony written on a face too thin, too pale and sweating as if standing was taking its toll. Questions slammed into her mind, but she bit down on her inquisitiveness, clipped the bud of softness and started down the hall.

“One quick peep and then you leave. If you really want a part in her life, don’t push me. I’ll think on it and let you know the rules. Capiche?”

A deep opened-mouth sigh followed. In a voice choked with emotion he replied, “Capiche.”

She pushed the door to Lily’s room wide enough for them to enter. The whimsical mobile of butterflies strobing soft shades of every color imaginable around the ceiling hung over the crib, a typical present from Auntie Lisa.

Lily dressed in a tiny pink shirt and frilly diapers lay sleeping on her tummy, her diapered backside up in the air and her knees curled under her as if she were waiting for the whistle to blow to start a race.

Her dark curls, damp with sweat, rioted around a face so pretty Aurora still questioned how she’d ever produced such a miracle.

Standing on one side of the crib, Aurora watched as Kai approached the other side. The wonder written on his face spoke more than words ever could. So did the hitch of his breath that had a noticeable sound of a sob.

She left him there. No way did she want to see his tears. Or let him see hers. No goddamn way.