Against The Wall (13 page)

Tanner’s gaze shifted back to her bare skin. He gently glided calloused fingers over the area and Jess sucked in a rush of air at the new chills racing along her skin. He lifted his hand, the size of it dwarfing the mark, dwarfing her stomach. “Hurt?” he asked.

“I’m okay,” she whispered.

He studied her. The fire in his eyes banked and something else took over. He took a stray tear from her cheek with his thumb. The touch went straight to her heart. A half smile curved his lips. “You’re one tough little fluff ball,” he told her.

She could’ve taken offense. Would have, if one of her brothers had said the ” She could.t him same thing, but she didn’t. She’d never been as tough as her mom, but she’d always had confidence and always believed in herself. Her parents had given her that. But Tanner didn’t know her, didn’t understand the role model her mother was and continued to be. Maybe Jess was as strong as her mother and she’d just never had the need to prove it before now.

“Fluff ball,” she scoffed, pulling down her shirt and sorry at the same time that she wouldn’t be feeling Tanner’s hands on her again. How could his touch send her body into such a flush? Why did she have to be so attracted to him?

He was not a man she pictured herself liking. An ex-con? Jess squeezed her eyes shut, had to remember that he hadn’t done the crime that put him away. He was an innocent man. At least he had been until he broke the law. Which he’d done when he’d shot at Maurice and hit her instead, and which they’d done together when they’d kidnapped Maurice.

“If my mom heard you call me a fluff ball, she’d knock your lights out.”

Tanner gave her the big grin that turned her upside down. The one that crinkled the edges of his gorgeous, dark eyes and deepened the lines around his mouth. He was too hard to be pretty, but he was a dangerously sexy man. “She’s tough too, huh?” he asked, turning the chair and straddling the seat. A very macho thing to do and she smiled.

“She’s superwoman,” Jess admitted. “I’ve always wanted to be like her, but never quite measured up.”

Tanner scowled. “She said that to you? That you never measured up?”

“No!” Jess squawked. “Of course not. She’s the best mom a kid could have. She’s just really strong. Really independent.”

“Why do you think you never measured up?” He held her gaze, softly, sweetly, giving her the feeling this was the pre-prison Tanner, a man who could have a conversation without bitterness or regret or revenge on his mind. A man who could listen, be a shoulder for someone who needed it. A friend.

“I’m not the fighter she is. I’m not into confrontation. I let the world happen around me and I don’t impact it the way she’s done. She attacks life. I let life go by.”

“I think that’s bullshit.” Tanner leaned toward her, but not in any sexual way. His eyes glittered as he commanded her attention. “From the moment I first saw you, you were fighting.” He smiled again and this close up, it knocked her socks off. “Hell, I didn’t take a shot for the longest time because you kept dancing, getting in my way, back and forth, arms flailing all over the place, giving Juneau a piece of your mind. The last thing I wanted to do was hit you.”

“And yet…” She smiled to downplay her words and he grinned back at her.

He lifted a hand, almost as if he might touch her shoulder, but he pulled back. “How’s the shoulder doing, by the way?”

“The jab to my ribs pretty much took my mind off it. Thanks for asking.”

He nodded, his smile softening. Their eyes stayed locked.

Trouble. Red alert. She couldn’t start something with this man. Not with her life the way it was now…with her family in the hands of a lunatic and her lying, cheating, crazy bastard of a boss tied up in her garage.

Oh no. Maurice was still in the garage.

Jess straightened and got some distance from Tanner. “Maurice. We should go back and talk to him. Find out how to access his accounts.”

“Don’t bother.” Tanner sat up, crossed his arms over the back of the chair. “He won’t be talking for a while. I pretty much made sure of it.”

She shouldn’t have felt a thrill at that news. Shouldn’t have been happy that Maurice had paid a price for hurting her. But she did. Tanner had stood up for her. Of course, he didn’t need much to set him off. Hitting Maurice had probably felt really good.

She couldn’t blame him.

But the clock was still ticking and she didn’t have time to waste. Jess got a bucket from the pantry and filled it with cold water from the sink.

“What are you doing?” Tanner asked.

“Waking up Maurice. I need those accounts and I need that money.” Chaining Maurice in the garage was bad enough, but dumping cold water on him was going to make him ballistic.

Chapter Ten

Tanner followed Jess, watched her tight little ass as she opened the kitchen door and went outside. She was as tough as she was sensitive. Jess hadn’t recognized that tough part of herself, but he had. Her bruised ribs had to hurt like hell, but aside from a brief retreat, she was returning to do battle.

He shouldn’t have let the distraction take him away earlier, but for all he knew, one of Juneau’s thugs had followed them. Seeing Juneau’s arm wrapped around her neck had sent fury blazing to the surface. A quick calculation of the odds had told him Juneau wouldn’t kill her. Not then anyway. Not when he needed a shield…the coward. The pride Tanner had felt when she’d bit Juneau’s hand had been short-lived once the scumbag hit her so viciously. He could’ve killed Juneau right then. Would’ve done it in a second if Jess didn’t need him alive so badly.

Jess was growing on him. He couldn’t deny it. The longer he spent with her, the more he wanted to help her. As each new card was dealt, the deck stacked in her favor.

Of course, the idea of Juneau getting a different kind of retribution held appeal too. Facinetti didn’t sound like a man Tanner wanted to tangle with, but if he wanted Juneau, he could have him.

Knowing Juneau, a man who clearly loved his fortune above all else, Tanner liked the idea of him suffering the loss of millions of dollars before he died. Any way to stick it to him more was fine with Tanner. Regardless, Tanner didn’t mind this part of the process. He liked seeing Juneau at his mercy. Wanted to see the man suffer, even if it wouldn’t be a fraction of the amount deserved.

In the garage, Jess didn’t get close enough to be in Juneau’s range. She said his name once. Twice. When he didn’t respond, she hefted the bucket of water and doused him, square in the face.

He sputtered and coughed, turning to sit up. He muttered a few foul curses and leveled her with hard eyes. Well, one hard eye since the other happened to be swollen shut. “You’re going to die just like your family, Jess. I’m going to see to it,” he gritted out.

If the threat registered on Jess, she didn’t show it. Instead, she tossed the empty bucket, snagged her phone from her pocket, and with a pointed look at Juneau, started punching numbers.

“What are you doing?” A healthy dose of paranoia lived in Juneau’s question.

“Calling Facinetti. He can get the money out of you. I’m done.”

Juneau’s eyes bugged out wide. “No! Jess, hang up the fucking phone. I’ll give you the account numbers, whatever you need. Just don’t call.”

She glared at him, let the screen go black. Her sweet brown eyes were all business. No sensitivity in the vicinity. More pride at her fortitude edged its way into Tanner’s gut.

“I need my laptop,” Juneau said. “Take me to my laptop and I’ll get you the money.”

Jess rolled her eyes. “Yeah, sure. I’ll just take you to where your guys are. I might be a slow learner when it comes to human nature, but I’m not the idiot you think I am, Maurice. I’ve been trying to tell you—oh, forget it.” She headed to the door. “You can use my laptop.”

“I need mine,” Maurice said. “I change the passwords regularly and they’re on my laptop.”

Shaking her head, Jess faced him. “Paranoid, Maurice? What a surprise.” Tanner hid a smile at her dry comeback. “Where’s your laptop. I’ll get it myself,” she said.

“It’s at the penthouse.”

She narrowed her eyes, advanced a fraction but still stayed clear of Maurice’s range, and Tanner felt another spark of pride for her. “Are you sure about that?” she asked. “The last time I saw it was last night at the Malibu house. If you’re leading me on a wild goose chase, Maurice, so help me, God, I’ll call Facinetti the second I realize you lied to me an—”

“I’m telling the truth!” he said, seething. “I took it with me when I left last night. It’s at the penthouse.”

Quickly and silently, Jess headed to the side door attached to the other garage.

“Hey!” Tanner said, jogging to catch up. “What are you doing?”

“You heard him,” she said, reaching her car and opening the driver’s door. “The laptop is at the penthouse. I’m going back to the Wilshire condo. I’ll be back in an hour or so. Hold the fort.” She sat down and stood up again. Got in Tanner’s face—at least as much as she could, being as short as she was. “Do not kill him.” She said the words distinctly. Her gaze never wavered.

Tanner bit back a smile. Her fierceness amazed him. Attracted him. He was beginning to think of her as the fluff ball that wasn’t. “We made a deal,” he told her. “I won’t renege on my end.”

Her eyes softened, her cheeks brightened and she looked rightly chastised. “I’m sorry. I was just thinking about earlier and…” She met his gaze. “We have to trust each other and that’s hard because we don’t know each other. But I promise to keep my word and I have faith that you’ll do the same.”

She trusted him? Had faith in him? The words
trust
and
faith
hadn’t been in his vocabulary for most of the last decade. But she was right. For all she knew he’d kill Juneau the second she, but she couldnatayto pulled away. He’d get what he wanted and she’d lose everything. Why should he care what happened to her?

Turned out there were several reasons. The first being she saved his life last night. Then the fact that he’d shot her. Oh, and choked her. Yeah, he owed her this.

Tanner stuck his hand out. A stupid thing to do, but apparently the more time he spent with this woman, the less brain cells he made use of. She narrowed her eyes, but laid her hand in his. He closed his grip around her hand, felt her strength as they slowly shook.

“I give you my word that I won’t kill him.” He said the words quietly and her eyes went soft. She had the prettiest light brown eyes, the color of smooth whiskey. A tiny freckle peeped out at the top of her cheekbone, and several more smattered across her nose. She was the picture of innocence.

The exact opposite of him.

Tanner quickly released her and stepped back. Too late. His cock was already rising to the occasion. The smell of her, the sight of her, the heat of her body had him aching all over.

Once again her eyes widened as if she knew. But Tanner didn’t see fear. Surprise, yes. Heat? Maybe. As well as he read her, she still kept him on his toes. Kept him guessing at what really went on under that innocent exterior.

Her cheeks flamed and she lowered her gaze as she settled in the driver’s seat and closed the door. “I’ll be back soon,” she said, cranking the engine. She hit the remote, which lifted the garage door.

The closer she came to leaving the more Tanner worried about her. What if something went wrong and he wasn’t there to help her? He crouched at her open window. “Hey, how the hell are you going to get it?” She didn’t seem to be much of a planner.

“I’m going to walk in and take it. I have free reign of all his houses and offices. The guys won’t think anything of it.”

“What if Juneau told them about last night? What if they have orders to keep you out?”

She bit her bottom lip, considering the questions. “Even if Maurice told them I quit, he wouldn’t explain why. They heard me say I was driving him this morning as a last favor, so if anyone asks, I’ll say he begged me to come back. Plus, I have his cell phone.” She lifted it for emphasis. “If anyone calls, I can return the call on his behalf. No problem.” She put the car in gear.

He should tell her to be careful. Tell her to call when it was over, but the words didn’t form in his dry mouth, and she backed out of the garage. Besides, saying those things out loud showed he cared and he didn’t. He didn’t want an attachment to her. Didn’t want to think about her or worry while she was gone. He had his own agenda with Juneau and if Jess couldn’t take care of herself, it wasn’t his fault.

So why did he feel like crap, as if he’d left something undone? Why did apprehension continue to gnaw its way in his gut? He might not want to care about her, but he did, and just because she’d proved she could handle tough situations didn’t mean he felt good about her going out on her own. The car ro streaked down her faceuratlled away and none of the words Tanner wanted to say came out of his mouth. The wrongness of it hit him in the chest, but Tanner forced the uneasiness aside. He had a dead man to babysit.

Well, almost. Because Juneau’s days were numbered.

At least now Tanner had time to face the man who’d ruined his life. What did he want from him after all this time? An apology? That would never happen. Remorse? Fat chance. Guilt? Didn’t Tanner already know those emotions didn’t apply to Juneau? Didn’t really matter. He’d waited seven long years to have Juneau to himself and he wouldn’t waste the opportunity.

He wanted some type of penance. The only thing he had to do was avoid killing the man. He owed Jess that much.

____________