Chapter NINETEEN
EVEN WITH THE hum of his bike beneath him, Roberto felt his phone vibrate. He suspected it was Austin again. He’d left a message wanting to know if there was a Cruz in DeLuna’s operation. Roberto needed to call him back, but he had a bad feeling. A feeling like Austin or one of the other guys would try to step in. He was getting close and didn’t want their impatience ruining anything.
He pulled his bike in front of Brad’s house—a nice home in a decent neighborhood, but nothing too showy. And considering Brad’s salary, he could have afforded better. But Roberto remembered Brad saying they were putting money away to pay for his girls’ college funds.
Cutting off his motor, he sat there for a second. He’d been here once, but had waited in the car while Brad ran in to get the phone he’d left behind. Come in and meet my girls, Brad had offered. He hadn’t. He hadn’t wanted to. Hell, he’d turned down at least a dozen dinner invitations from the man, too.
From the beginning, Roberto had worked to keep their budding friendship from going anywhere. Worked at keeping Brad at a distance. Apparently, all his efforts were in vain, because like it or not, he actually cared what happened to the big guy. He shouldn’t, but he did.
He got off his bike and walked up to the door. Knocking, he hoped she wasn’t home. He could say he tried and have a clean conscience. His hope fell flat when footsteps sounded from behind the door.
The door opened. Seeing Sandy punched him in the gut. She looked emotionally spent. Tears glistened in her eyes.
“You got news?” She swung open the door.
He followed her inside, but when she motioned to the sofa, he shook his head. “I need to run. Brad called and—”
“He called you? He’s okay?” She pressed her hand over her mouth and her eyes grew wetter. “Where is he? Why hasn’t he called me?”
Roberto opened his mouth to explain and didn’t have a clue what to say. Finally, he went with the truth. “Look, Sandy, I don’t know what’s going on. All I know is he called and he asked me to tell you that he was okay.”
She inhaled a shaky breath. “Did my brother send you here? Is this all a lie?”
“No. I swear.”
“But you work for him?”
“I do, but… your brother doesn’t know I’m here, or that Brad called me. And if you don’t mind, I’d like to keep it that way.”
She nodded. “I just don’t understand. Why… what’s going on that he can’t tell me?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know.” He wondered what all Sandy knew about her brother’s illegal operations. She had some knowledge because she’d told him she knew Cruz would be furious if she called the cops. But did she know he killed people, that his operation turned innocent young girls like her daughters into addicts?
“Is it another woman?” she asked.
Roberto shook his head. “I’d be stunned if that was it. He’s all about you and the kids.” And that was probably why Roberto liked Brad, too. He was decent.
She shook her head as if she believed that. “He’s alive. I guess I should take comfort in that.”
“Yes.” He paused. “I should go,” he said.
She walked him to the door. As he drove his bike away, he hoped Brad stayed alive. And while Roberto couldn’t be certain, he had a feeling that after tonight, after getting his hands dirty in Cruz’s little operation, he’d learn something about the missing boss.
He just hoped he didn’t end up missing right alongside Brad.
That afternoon, Leah parked in her spot and eyed Austin’s truck. She remembered how good it had been to lean on him today. To have someone to hold her for just a few seconds in a melt-down moment. Calling him had been a huge mistake, one she wouldn’t have made if she hadn’t gotten the damn package. Sure, calling him had been the easiest way to make sure her cats were okay. But if she hadn’t panicked, she’d have realized the organs in the box weren’t feline. She should have calmly left the office, driven home, and checked on her cats herself.
What was wrong with her? She wasn’t accustomed to relying on anyone. Since her divorce, she’d decided that making it solo was her best course of action. And she hadn’t been tempted to stray from it.
Until now.
Until Austin.
He tempted her. Tempted her in every way possible, too. She wanted to flirt with him, to laugh with him. To let down her guard and just have fun. Even worse, she wanted to confide in him. She wanted him to confide in her. This afternoon, she kept thinking about what he’d said about his mom.
God that must have hurt. Who was she kidding, she knew exactly how that felt.
Oh, Lordy, but she wanted to lean on him. It felt so good that few seconds she’d allowed herself to fall against him and let him hold her. As if the weight of her problems was being supported by someone other than herself.
But that wasn’t all she wanted. Hell, she’d admit it. She wanted to have sex with him—sweaty, lusty, in-the-dark, get-naked sex.
Closing her eyes, she bounced her head on the headrest. Maybe it was time she pulled out the ol’ battery-operated boyfriend from her underwear drawer. How long had it been since she’d taken a bubble bath, lit a candle, and treated herself?
A long time.
But for a good reason.
Solo sex was like eating fat-free, sugar-free chocolate. It might cut the craving for five minutes, but it was never truly satisfying.
Letting go of a deep sigh, she realized how crazy this was. She had big problems and instead of trying to figure out one of those, she was thinking about sex.
What the hell was wrong with her?
Austin, crouched down in front of Leah’s door, was still screwing in the new doorknob when he heard the elevator ding. He glanced back. Nance had come and gone, but it was about time for Leah.
She stepped out into the hall, a bottle of wine in her hands, and came to an abrupt stop when she saw him.
She looked tired. And stressed.
Unhappy.
He wished he understood exactly what was going on so he could help her.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Replacing your doorknob.” He stood and slipped the screwdriver into his back pocket. His shirt fell open. It had gotten warm and he’d unbuttoned it.
Her gaze lowered to his bare chest with a sweet female type of interest. Not the hot come-and-get-me looks some women used to get a man’s attention, but he saw enough interest to feel a sense of pride.
She shook her head and seemed to struggle to move her gaze up. “Why are you replacing—”
“I messed it up when I was getting in earlier. So I decided to replace it.” When her gaze lowered to his chest again and she frowned, he started buttoning his shirt.
“When you what?” She watched the shirt close up.
“Remember, you told me to break it in? To check on your cats? I tried to pick the lock, but I messed it up.” A complete lie, but it sounded good.
“Oh. I forgot that.” She closed her eyes.
“It’s practically done, replacing it, that is. I need to secure a few things on the inside and you’ll be in working order.” And a hell of a lot safer. He couldn’t even break in anymore—if he didn’t have his own key, that is.
He glanced at the wine. “Did you buy us some more wine? Someone recommended a Chinese place down the street and they deliver. I thought I could—”
“I don’t eat Chinese. And the wine… It’s not… for us. I mean, it’s yours. It’s the one I bought to replace the one you gave me.” She held it out.
He didn’t take it. Instead, he tucked his thumbs into his pockets. “Didn’t I help you drink that bottle? I say we share this one.”
“And I say I’ve had two headaches in the last two days, and I need a break.”
“No problem. Just one glass, and we don’t have to do Chinese. But why don’t you like Chinese? Everyone likes Chinese.”
“Not everyone. It’s greasy, it’s salty, and it doesn’t have cheese in it.”
“Okay, how about Italian, and I’ll limit you to one glass of wine?” A meow sounded behind the door. Austin’s gut tightened. He’d spent the last hour inside her apartment, removing the old doorknob and putting in the new one while keeping an eye out for the felines. Twice, he literally ran from the apartment. Only his pride and concern for Leah’s safety had driven him to finish the job.
“I don’t think so.” She pulled the wine back to her side. “Sounds like I’m wanted inside.”
He opened the door and let her in first, then he followed. Big Orange was on the arm of the sofa. Blacky, the one who liked to hiss, was a foot away from the door, but was too busy brushing up against Leah’s leg to care about Austin. Thankfully, the gray hair ball–hacker and the super-skittish gray cat hadn’t come out at all today. And that was fine with him.
She scooped up the black cat and held it against her breasts. His heart raced. Didn’t she know what those claws could do to the tender skin of a breast?
“Did you miss me?” Leah cooed.
At the sound of her voice, the two other cats came rushing out of the room.
Oh, shit!
He turned and stared at the door. The scars under his arm and behind his ear itched like the devil.
“Hey, babies,” she said, and he heard movement, and then the sigh of someone sitting on the sofa sounded in the room.
Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted her with four cats practically in her lap.
She met his gaze. “They demand attention after I’ve been gone all day.”
“I can see that.” He tried to smile, but damn it, part of him wanted to rush over there and protect her from the evil little gremlins. The other part wanted to run for his own life.
“Of course, they smell the other cats on me and are probably jealous.”
“Probably,” he said. He was feeling perturbed himself at the warm welcome they got considering he hadn’t even gotten a smile. Especially considering he’d put his life in danger to replace the locks with cats around.
“Did you see Spooky while you were at the office?” she asked.
“Spooky?”
“The big beautiful orange tabby.”
“Yeah, I spotted him.” He almost mentioned the evidence the feline had eaten, but decided Leah didn’t need to be reminded about that.
“He’s a sweet cat.”
“Yeah, I got that,” he lied.
Watching them paw at her, he recalled Zoe, Tyler’s wife’s, words, Have you ever seen Lucky try to bite or hurt any of us? Your fear is totally unfounded. Whatever happened to you when you were young has screwed up your judgment. If you spent a few minutes every day petting him…
Like he’d have done that. And damn it, he knew his fear seemed unfounded to others. But it wasn’t to him. He’d been attacked by a cat. Had umpteen stitches thanks to that damn feline. Cats could hurt you. Just because no one else seemed to know it, or believed it could happen, it didn’t change the facts.
His gaze fell on Leah, looking perfectly content, looking… real and beautiful.
Tell me you haven’t even thought about sleeping with her and I’ll feel a hell of a lot better. Tyler’s words played across his mind like a warning.
He should finish securing the locks and be on his way.
“What?” she asked, as if questioning his stare.
“You like grilled cheese?”
“Huh?”
“I make a killer grilled cheese. To be fair, it’s sort of grilled bacon and cheese on sourdough bread. But it’s good. Really good. And while it wouldn’t seem like it, it goes great with a good Cab.” When she frowned, he said, “One glass. Come on. You’ve had a hard day.”
He saw her spot the bag from the hardware store, and she stood up. “How much did this cost me?”
“I told you, I broke yours, so I’m replacing it.”
“I don’t think so. And besides, I didn’t have those bolt locks.”
“But you need them,” he said.
She frowned. “Is the receipt in the bag?” She took a step, and he went into action. He dove for the bag as she rushed forward.
He got to it first. Once he had it in his hands, he rolled over and then sat up. Waving the bag at her as if tempting her to come and get it. She was on her knees and she frowned at him.
“Give it to me.” She held out her hand.
“I broke it, I replace it. That’s the rules. Besides, I found it on clearance.”
She knee-walked closer and reached for the bag. He caught her hand. “You are one difficult woman.” Albeit a predictable one. He’d already planned for this.
“You are one pushy man,” she said. Both on her living room floor, they were close, but not nearly as close as he would have liked.
He smiled and she returned the favor. Her eyes twinkled. Her dimples winked. Damn, it was fun being with her, but the humor twinkling in her eyes faded too quickly.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked.
“Why am I doing what?”
“All of this. You’re too nice. I don’t trust nice people,” she said.
He laughed. “I thought I was pushy?”
“You’re pushy nice,” she answered. “So answer my question. Why are you doing this?”
“Because you seem like a nice person and because I want to help you.” And it was the truth.
“I don’t need help, Austin. I can take care of myself. I know I called you today and I shouldn’t have, I…” She stopped talking. “Give me the receipt.”
Still holding her hand in his, he ran his thumb over her wrist. Her gaze met his. Her tongue came out and swept across her bottom lip. She leaned in. Her sweet mouth came closer as if to kiss him. And damn if he was going to stop it.
But before her lips touched his, she snagged the bag from him and bolted up.
“That was dirty,” he said. “You tricked me.”
She grinned, a little victory in her step. Then she plopped down and pulled out the receipt.
She stared at it and then looked at him. “That’s all it cost? The doorknob and the extra locks?”
“Yeah, it’s all there. I told you they were on clearance.” In truth, the piece of junk knob and lock she’d bought with that receipt were hidden under the seat in the truck.
“I can handle this,” she said. “I thought it was going to be five times this.”
“Fine.” He frowned at her. “Be difficult.” He got to his feet and went back to the lock to finish tightening the last screws.
He felt her staring at him.
“So you’re a handyman on top of being a one-time bouncer, and you cook, and you’re a stock investor/financial planner?” she asked.
“I’m multitalented,” he said.
“I bet you change your own oil in your truck, too?”
“I do,” he said. “Although, I don’t do plumbing. I can’t even unstop a toilet.” He suddenly remembered the cats and swerved around to see where they were. One was on the chair stationed beside the sofa, one sat on the coffee table, and the two others sat in dining room chairs. All staring at him.
His gaze found Leah again. She picked up the water gun that he’d brought here yesterday to protect himself from the cats and turned it in her hand as if needing something to do. “Where did you learn to do all this… stuff? Did you have a foster dad who taught you?”
He started tightening the screws again. Even having told her about his childhood, his first instinct was to back away from the conversation. “No. I pretty much taught myself.” He pulled at the bolt to see if it was solid. It was.
“What was it like?” she asked. “Being in foster care? Was it… terrible?”
“I imagine it’s not much worse than losing your mom.”
“It hurts worse when… people just walk away.” There was so much emotion in her voice that he knew she wasn’t just talking about him.
He looked back, expecting to see the emotion in her expression, but it still punched him in the gut.
She kept turning the gun in her hand. “I know because my father didn’t die until I was eighteen. He came to my mom’s funeral, then… then he left and I never saw him again. And that hurt, it hurt more than losing my mom.” She paused. “And it shouldn’t have. Because I didn’t love him and I knew he didn’t love me and Luis. But it still hurt.”
“I’m sorry.” He stood, then walked to where she sat and eased down beside her.
She shook her head. “I’m sorry for you. I can’t imagine what it would have been like if Luis and I hadn’t had my aunt.”
He brushed a long strand of hair from her cheek. “You would have survived. We’re survivors.”
“Yeah.” She nodded. “We are, aren’t we?”
He inhaled and he knew it wasn’t smart, but he leaned in for a kiss. Just a kiss. He wouldn’t sleep with her, but how bad was a kiss?