me breathless and the moment stretched into something more than our usual flirtatious, witty banter. We simply stared into each other’s eyes and I felt connected to him somehow.
Then he blinked twice and stepped away, dropping my chin and the connection. Maybe I was the only one who felt it, but I didn’t think so.
Taking a deep breath, he turned away from me and strode back to his chair. “Now start again. From the beginning.”
I fell into the seat and went over everything again, including Asshat’s brother, LD, and Marcus and breaking into Crystal’s condo. I told him about my conversation with Jess, the stripper. “And two men went into Freddy Libra’s office. A bald man and a skinny guy. Freddy called one of them Clay. Probably Baldy. It seemed like he was in charge.”
He stilled.
“Who’s Clay?” I asked.
“Finish your story.”
“No. I want to know who Clay is.”
He leaned forward, his face close, his voice low. “Here’s how it’s going to work. I give you ten thousand dollars bail money and you answer my questions.”
My gaze travelled over his too handsome face. A dark shadow covered his jaw line and being this close I could see a little scar in the shape of a half circle on his chin. “Some guy named Clay waltzed into Freddy Libra’s office like he owned it. Someone’s been following you and watching your every move. Asshat steals shit, usually cars, and suddenly has a windfall. I think Asshat stole from the wrong person. Found the money and the surveillance pics and the notes. I think you have a hit out on you. Am I right?”
“I think it’s likely.”
“So who is this Clay guy?”
He stood and removed my coat from his chair. “I’d tell you not to get involved, but we both know you’ll do whatever the hell you want.” He held the coat out for me.
Well, I guess our special time together was over.
I stood and slipped my arms into the sleeves of my jacket. I faced him, ready to say something snarky before I left, when his arm snaked around my waist and he pulled me close. “Be careful.” He leaned down and softly kissed the corner of my mouth. I almost came on the spot. If he could do that with a tiny kiss…
“And if you get in my way,” he said, “I’ll remove you.”
Did I take that threat seriously? Yeah. Yeah, I did. Sullivan had a soft spot for me, but he wouldn’t let that override his own sense of self-preservation. Business came first. Didn’t mean I was going to stop, though.
He pulled back and opened the door for me. “Goodnight, Rose.”
Chapter 11
The next morning at the diner, while Roxy and I made coffee and refilled salt shakers, Ma ran around putting the final touches on chicken pot pies. Although her bright red lipstick matched her Mrs. Claus sweatshirt, it looked a little wonky—like she applied it without a mirror. Or in the dark.
“I’ve made twenty pies since last night, girls. Hopefully we’ll have a good crowd today.” She parked on one of the stools and cradled her cup of coffee. “I didn’t realize how tiring this lunch business would be.”
“Hasn’t Ray been helping?” Roxy asked.
“All he does is moan and gripe about the extra work. It’s easier to do it myself.”
I’d known Ray five years, and in all that time, I’ve heard maybe fifty words out of the man. Moaning and griping? Couldn’t imagine it. Maybe he just grunted twice as loud?
“I talked to Sullivan last night,” I said.
Ma pursed her lips in disapproval. “I don’t like that man, and even though he helped you out, and I’ll always be grateful, I still don’t like him. Don’t trust him, neither.”
“He’s uber hot,” Roxy said. “I saw a picture of him. No wonder Rose is all smitten kitten.”
I set down the salt and placed my hands on the counter. “I am not smitten. And do you want to know what I found out or what?”
Roxy glanced at Ma and wiggled her eyebrows. “Someone’s got it bad,” she whispered.
“Fine. Never
Then he blinked twice and stepped away, dropping my chin and the connection. Maybe I was the only one who felt it, but I didn’t think so.
Taking a deep breath, he turned away from me and strode back to his chair. “Now start again. From the beginning.”
I fell into the seat and went over everything again, including Asshat’s brother, LD, and Marcus and breaking into Crystal’s condo. I told him about my conversation with Jess, the stripper. “And two men went into Freddy Libra’s office. A bald man and a skinny guy. Freddy called one of them Clay. Probably Baldy. It seemed like he was in charge.”
He stilled.
“Who’s Clay?” I asked.
“Finish your story.”
“No. I want to know who Clay is.”
He leaned forward, his face close, his voice low. “Here’s how it’s going to work. I give you ten thousand dollars bail money and you answer my questions.”
My gaze travelled over his too handsome face. A dark shadow covered his jaw line and being this close I could see a little scar in the shape of a half circle on his chin. “Some guy named Clay waltzed into Freddy Libra’s office like he owned it. Someone’s been following you and watching your every move. Asshat steals shit, usually cars, and suddenly has a windfall. I think Asshat stole from the wrong person. Found the money and the surveillance pics and the notes. I think you have a hit out on you. Am I right?”
“I think it’s likely.”
“So who is this Clay guy?”
He stood and removed my coat from his chair. “I’d tell you not to get involved, but we both know you’ll do whatever the hell you want.” He held the coat out for me.
Well, I guess our special time together was over.
I stood and slipped my arms into the sleeves of my jacket. I faced him, ready to say something snarky before I left, when his arm snaked around my waist and he pulled me close. “Be careful.” He leaned down and softly kissed the corner of my mouth. I almost came on the spot. If he could do that with a tiny kiss…
“And if you get in my way,” he said, “I’ll remove you.”
Did I take that threat seriously? Yeah. Yeah, I did. Sullivan had a soft spot for me, but he wouldn’t let that override his own sense of self-preservation. Business came first. Didn’t mean I was going to stop, though.
He pulled back and opened the door for me. “Goodnight, Rose.”
Chapter 11
The next morning at the diner, while Roxy and I made coffee and refilled salt shakers, Ma ran around putting the final touches on chicken pot pies. Although her bright red lipstick matched her Mrs. Claus sweatshirt, it looked a little wonky—like she applied it without a mirror. Or in the dark.
“I’ve made twenty pies since last night, girls. Hopefully we’ll have a good crowd today.” She parked on one of the stools and cradled her cup of coffee. “I didn’t realize how tiring this lunch business would be.”
“Hasn’t Ray been helping?” Roxy asked.
“All he does is moan and gripe about the extra work. It’s easier to do it myself.”
I’d known Ray five years, and in all that time, I’ve heard maybe fifty words out of the man. Moaning and griping? Couldn’t imagine it. Maybe he just grunted twice as loud?
“I talked to Sullivan last night,” I said.
Ma pursed her lips in disapproval. “I don’t like that man, and even though he helped you out, and I’ll always be grateful, I still don’t like him. Don’t trust him, neither.”
“He’s uber hot,” Roxy said. “I saw a picture of him. No wonder Rose is all smitten kitten.”
I set down the salt and placed my hands on the counter. “I am not smitten. And do you want to know what I found out or what?”
Roxy glanced at Ma and wiggled her eyebrows. “Someone’s got it bad,” she whispered.
“Fine. Never
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