Becoming Rain (25 page)

“Well, I have you. Does that count?” When I dare raise my head, I find that his eyes aren't on the trees or the pagodas. They're on me. On me leaning against the arbor, on my long pencil skirt, on the low-cut tank top peeking out beneath my jean jacket, on my neck. “You're not wearing your necklace today. You always wear that.”

My hand goes to my chest as I feign shock. “Oh, wow, I can't believe I forgot that. I never do.”

“You almost done that with sandwich?” Luke peers up at the sky, squinting slightly as several drops land in quick succession on his forehead. “I think that downpour is coming sooner than we thought.”

“You afraid of getting a little wet?” I tease, wrapping half of my lunch back up and zipping it into my purse. I know he'll eat it later.

“Are you?” I see the gleam in his eyes as he stands and my stomach explodes in a ball of flutters. Suddenly I feel like prey that's about to be stalked, though I'm guessing Luke's intentions are very different from that of, say, a lion stalking a gazelle.

Like a giddy teenager, I take off around the corner, weaving through the bushes and trees that I'm quite sure visitors are not allowed to touch, let alone run through. I make it all of fifteen feet before strong arms rope around my body and pull me down. Luke's body breaks our fall.

“Well, this is kind of nice.” He peers up at the low-hanging bush that forms a thick canopy over us with a smirk. “Look at that. We're totally hidden.” And then suddenly he has me on my back, pinning my arms down above my head with one hand. He's right—we're in a low-ceilinged lair, layers of broad-leaved branches cocooning us in a long, long tunnel.

Invisible to the unsuspecting eye.

The rain intensifies, and even under this protection, more and more droplets find their way between the overhang to land on us. Thank God I was smart enough to bring a nylon purse here and close it before I dropped it and took off. “Wow, it's really coming down now. And it's a cold rain. That can't be good for your—”

Luke shuts me up with his mouth, shifting my thighs apart to fit against my body just right. I'm vaguely aware of the wet chill against my bare legs as Luke hikes my skirt up, until it's pooling around my waist.

This is exactly what wasn't supposed to happen today. But now that it's started, I can't stop it.

I don't want to stop it.

“You good with this?” he whispers as he unbuckles his belt and unzips his jeans. I answer by intentionally stretching my thighs apart. The move makes him groan into our kiss, breaking free just long enough to tear the foil off a condom wrapper that he smoothly dug out from somewhere while I was writhing wantonly beneath him.

I hold my breath as fingers push my panties aside and I feel him lining himself up to slide inside me. There's no foreplay this time and I'm okay with that. Just looking at him is foreplay right now. I haven't stopped thinking about being with him again since—

“Hello?” a reedy female voice calls out.

Our mouths break free, and we lock wide eyes. From this vantage point, all I can spot are a pair of black-and-white polka-dot rain boots. I'm guessing the woman can't see us. I'm hoping she couldn't hear us. We both press our lips together and keep quiet and still as she calls out, “Hello?” again.

A long moment later, the rain boots begin shuffling down the path at an easy pace. I see my navy purse dangling next to them. “Shit, she has my camera and my phone and—” My words are cut off with a gasp as Luke pushes into me, his mouth against my ear. “Don't worry, we'll go get it back in a minute.”

“Only a minute?” I tease between ragged breaths. My eyes close as he fills me completely, until the raindrops don't graze my face anymore, and the branches don't scratch at my legs, and the cold, wet ground doesn't touch my skin.

Until I'm consumed by the feel of Luke.

■ ■ ■

“Thank you so much. I must have set it on the bench and somehow forgot it when it started raining.” I check inside to find everything there, including half a sandwich.

“Eating is expressly forbidden in the gardens, you know.” Black-and-white polka-dot rain boots woman—the same woman who smiles and waves when I come here—now peers over her glasses at me, her tight bun making her look all the more severe.

“Oh, I know. That's just there for later.”

“Right.” A sniff of disapproval escapes her as her eyes trail down my clothes—soaking wet. That's fine. I was in the rain, without a proper rain jacket or umbrella. That's what happens.

“Well, thank you for keeping it safe.” I don't look back once as Luke and I walk hand-in-hand back to the parking lot. That's when Luke bursts out laughing.

“It's not
that
funny.” But I can't keep the smile off my face.

“Actually it is. You should see yourself.”

“Yeah, well, you're not looking so spectacular right now, either.” That's a flat-out lie. Even with his hair plastered against his forehead and neck in wisps, and his shirt clinging to his body, blood still races through my limbs every time I think about touching him.

“But at least I'm not covered in dirt.” Reaching behind me, he begins picking off leaves and grass. Some twigs. “I guess rain doesn't make everything clean, does it.”

“Shit.” I peer down at the back of my skirt. It looks like I was rolling around in mud, which is basically what I was doing. “Do you think she knew?”

He laughs. “I'm guessing she has a pretty good idea.”

“Awesome.” I shake my head but smile. “I guess I won't be doing my next photography assignment here.”

Chapter 43

■ ■ ■

LUKE

I interlace my fingers through Rain's as we weave through a thick crowd at The Cellar, the deep bass vibrating through my chest as usual. Though I've taken plenty of women out, I've never brought one in.

But Rain's different.

“Trust me, there's no need to be nervous. You're gonna love Rust.”

Her broad smile sprouts those sexy dimples. “If he's anything like you then I don't doubt it. I just hope he likes
me
. I mean, he's basically your dad.”

“He'd have to be insane not to love you.” She's wearing dark red lipstick tonight. I can't wait to take her home and let her cover my body with it, something I normally never like.

Passing the bar, I catch Priscilla watching us from behind a wall of customers. I'm sure she's figured out by now that it's over between us. I'd be surprised if she cares. A quick glance down sees Rain's big blue eyes in that general direction. I wonder if she's put two-and-two together.

I speed up, passing by the stocky bouncer watching over the VIP section to land in our typical booth. “Rust!”

“Well . . . well . . .” As usual, Rust's on his feet immediately, patting my back as he always does, before turning his attention to Rain. “So you are the lady stealing all of my nephew's time lately.” I don't blame him for doing a lightning-speed appraisal of her. I did too, when she stepped out of her condo in this creamy, tight lace dress, the sleeves long but the dress short enough to give me an instant hard-on the minute she climbed into my SUV.

She dips her head, smiling. “Not all of it.” Eyes dart to me, twinkling. “Some.”

“Please.” He holds an arm out toward the booth. Rain slides in, spiking my adrenaline yet again as I see those mile-high legs in full view. “Drinks?” Rust snaps his fingers at a nearby waitress while pouring a glass of vodka from the bottle he never sits down without.

As Rain gives her order, Rust is busy flashing approving eyebrows my way. That's a good start. “So, Rain, Luke tells me you moved here from D.C. not long ago?”

They go back and forth for the next fifteen minutes, Rust asking her questions about her life, her family, her plans. She answers him with the grace and ease of someone who's practiced the words, no signs of the nerves she told me about earlier.

Suddenly, Rust squints as if thinking hard. “You know, you look familiar. I can't quite figure it out.”

“Do I?” She frowns at me. “I don't know why I would. I just moved to Portland.”

“You saw her that day at the garage.”

His forehead furrows deeper. “Yeah, but . . . have you been here, to this club?”

“Uh . . .” She glances around the space. “Yeah, actually. I think I may have come here once.”

“Really? Hell, we could have been here at the same time,” I say.

She shrugs. “Maybe? I don't know. My brother recommended a couple of places and I checked them out. Didn't really stay long. You know, on account of not knowing anyone.”

Rust is watching her over his drink in that way he has, when I know he's weighing someone. And I'm watching him watch her, not liking it.

Which is probably why none of us notice the irate Russian suddenly hovering at our table. No warning. No hello. Just his beady, calculating eyes leveling Rust with a glare that makes me nervous. I instinctively rope an arm around Rain's shoulders and pull her into me.

“What are you doing here?”

It takes me a moment to realize he's talking to me, the question so absurd it's almost laughable. When I don't answer, he clarifies with, “I didn't see your
Porsche
parked outside.”

He's still bitter at me for shutting him down at Gold Bonds after the Ferrari deal. “No, you didn't.” A small part of me has wondered if Vlad had something to do with the jacking, just to be a dick. Rust told me not to say anything, but I can't help myself. “It's actually in the police impound, being processed for evidence after some asshole stole it. Would you know anything about that?”

Vlad's eyes bulge momentarily before he composes himself.

Rust sighs. “Vlad, what brings you here?” By Rust's expression, he's not surprised by the visit in the least. He waves for another glass and then slides in, making room for the asshole.

Vlad answers Rust in Russian, his tone cold and cutting. “I heard about the SUVs.”

Shit.
The deal with Aref. This clearly isn't a social call.

Rain's fingers dig into my leg, looking up at me questioningly. She must sense the tone. Russian doesn't sound poetic at the best of times. Angry Russian sounds downright scary.

Rust takes his time, sucking back a swig of his vodka. “And?”

“And you are using our connections to do it.” More Russian. Vlad refuses to speak in anything but.

Rust now switches from English to answer him in Russian, his tone snappish. “
My
channels, my connections.
I
built those. I don't get involved in your side. Stay the hell out of mine.”

“You don't get involved? You've been asking a lot of questions about our side lately.”

“Yeah, because you're gouging me with each new shipment.”

“Do you want out?”

Rust shrugs in a way that tells me he's getting a bit drunk and therefore bullish. “Maybe.”

“Because the next shipment is expected on time.”

Rust dips his head, taking several deep breaths. Finally, “Relax, Vlad. I'm just diversifying is all. All the orders are out and plans are set. You'll still get your cars next week and none of this other stuff hits your soil, so there's no competition with your current buyers.”

“Was this
his
idea?” I keep my eyes on the crowd, knowing that the asshole is referring to me.

“Luke only does what I ask him to. This lands on me.” A pause. “Got it?”

Vlad's lips curl back like a feral animal's. Finally, he says, “Got it.” He downs his drink. Standing up, he leans over just far enough to spit on the floor beside us before marching off.

Rust shoots me a “told you” glare before smiling at Rain. “I'm so sorry about that. Some of my business partners are prickly.”

“I can't say I'd want to work with him,” she offers, and then leans into me with a smile, seemingly unbothered by the exchange. We stay for another hour or so, Rust telling stories about me as a little kid that make Rain laugh gleefully, and it's like the whole Vlad thing never happened. Even I start to believe it's not a big deal.

Until Rain slides past me to hit the restroom and the cheerful mood Rust forced for her benefit vanishes. “This isn't good, Luke.”

“How did Vlad hear about the deal with Aref?”

He sucks in a breath in thought. “I don't know. Aref isn't stupid enough to tell him and he's never met any of the fences. I keep all the layers away from each other. Helps avoid issues in case someone gets nabbed. Only you and Miller ever talk to Rodriguez and that group, and I know neither of you have said anything.” He pinches the bridge of the nose. “I should have let this partnership die with Viktor. I knew better.”

“So, what now?”

“Now . . . we make sure that the shipment for Vlad and Andrei goes out next week.” His fingers strum against the table as he eyes the people nearby. “Listen . . . how well do you know this girl?”

“Pretty well, why?”

“Something about her rubs me the wrong way.”

“You've got to be fucking kidding me!” I slam my glass down, glancing over my shoulder to make sure she's not coming up on me. “She's perfect, Rust.”

“Too perfect.” He shakes his head. “I don't know . . . She didn't tell you that she's been here before?”

“I never asked!” I can't remember half the places I've been to. They all start to look the same after a while. “She's not like the women you normally see me with. That's the problem.”

“Maybe.” A smile. “You really like this one, don't you?”

“Yeah. I do.”

He dumps his drink back. “Maybe that's why she raises the hairs on my neck.”

Chapter 44

■ ■ ■

CLARA

“So, what were your uncle and that guy arguing about? Because he sounded pissed.”

“It's just the language.” Luke chuckles, turning into the underground garage in his building. “Russians always sound angry to people who don't understand them.”

“Did you understand them?”

“I can't believe you were at The Cellar when I was, and we never met.”

I know a brush-off, and Luke's trying to brush me off. “I know, crazy, right?”

“But Rust noticed you.” Luke glances down at my bare legs. This dress doesn't allow for much coverage and, by the way he's been eyeing me all night, that's a good thing. He veers the SUV into his private garage with ease.

“So, did he give his blessing?”

Slipping his hand around the back of my head, he pulls me into a long, hard kiss. The kind that I give him when I'm not wearing my wire. The kind I can't enjoy right now.

“He loved you. He can't wait to see you again.”

No small relief fills me. There's a reason no one's been able to get close to Rust so far. He doesn't trust easily, or completely.

But he trusts his nephew.

“You, in this dress, have killed me tonight.” Luke's hand lands on my thigh and slips upward as he adds, “You're coming up for the night, right?”

I grab hold of his hand just as his fingers begin curling under the lace of my panties. “I can't.”

His forehead drops against mine. “Are you sure? It's been too long since that day at the garden . . . I need you again.”

Fuck, shit, fuckity shit
. My stomach leaps up in my chest and I have to look away from him before he reads the panic that I'm sure is written all over my face. How the hell am I going to explain that one to Warner? I'm
so
screwed. There's not much I can do about it right now, except not make this worse. “I know. But I
can't
right
now. You know . . . female issues.”

His head falls back with a big groan. “Ohhhh.”

Thank God he's not smart enough to question why on earth I'd wear a cream-colored dress that barely covers my ass when I'm on my period.

“You could still come up, though . . . right?” The way he looks at me—hopeful, almost pleading—well, apparently he's plenty smart enough to understand that there's nothing stopping at least one of us from getting off tonight.

I'm sure as hell not having the sounds of
that
recorded, even if Sinclair condones it.

I pat my abdomen. “I've got bad cramps. I could use the sleep.”

He nods and offers me a reluctant smile. “I could take care of you? You know, get some Tylenol or . . .” He laughs awkwardly. “I don't know what. I'm new to all this.”

“You're sweet, thank you. But I just need some sleep. And Stanley serves as a good heating pad.” The fur-ball creates a rather inconvenient obstacle in the center of my bed.

Luke meets me at the back of the car and walks me out hand-in-hand, stopping to punch in the code for the garage door that will hopefully keep this one from being stolen. That's when I spot Warner behind a pillar, baseball cap pulled down over his brow.

Gun drawn.

My mouth drops open. What the hell is he doing? Luke has met him! He thinks he's my brother!

We make eye contact, and Warner retreats a few steps, the relief visible across his face. Any second now, though, Luke is going to look up and spot him. So I do the only thing I can think of. I slip my hand around Luke's neck and pull him down into my mouth in one of those kisses made for movies, which buys Warner enough time to dart behind a large truck.

“I thought you needed to go home?” His blue eyes dance as they take me in.

I smile, my hands rubbing the contours of his chest that I so desperately want to spend the night with. “I just wanted to make sure you knew how I felt about you.”

He leans down and matches my kiss. Somewhere behind us, I assume Warner is watching.

■ ■ ■

“Are you insane?” I yell into my phone, kicking my heels off. I figure if my handler's about to tear me a new asshole and get me kicked off the case, I should go down swinging.

“What the hell was I supposed to do? The last thing I heard was that 24 made you in the club. Then nothing. Fucking static!”

I frown. “What? You mean you couldn't hear us after we parked?” I quickly play the damning conversation back in my head, trying to remember what was said and when.

“I don't know if it was because of the underground vents, but I couldn't hear a thing. I thought . . .” Warner's words trail off.

“You thought my cover was blown.” It all makes sense now.

“Yeah. That's the only reason I would risk the case. You know that.”

I flop into my couch, feeling the lead weight float away. They didn't catch Luke's comment about the gardens. “I get it. Sorry for yelling at you.”

“Did he say anything important?”

“Nope.” I kick off my heels. “Just small talk. Sorry.”

“You kidding me? We got some good intel tonight. I called one of our translators and had him listen to the recording right away. Basically, 24 is going into business with someone else and it involves SUVs. The Russians are pissed.”

“A deal with 36, maybe?”
Shit,
I'm not supposed to know that. Luke only told me about that possibility on the yacht that night. I quickly add, “They've been spending a lot of time together, so that would make sense.”

“They didn't say. But 24
did
say, and I quote, ‘Luke only does what I ask him to.' ”

I squeeze my eyes shut. Every day, the evidence against Luke dribbles in. Soon, it's not going to matter whether he incriminates himself through me. We're going to catch him, regardless. Maybe that's for the best. This is going to end anyway. Maybe Luke never has to know who I am, what I've done. He will go to jail and I'll go back to Washington, D.C., and that'll be the end of this. That would certainly be the best outcome for
me
after the hole I've dug for myself.

But the possibility of this doesn't bring me any relief.

“It'd be great if you could find out exactly what 24 asked 12 to do.”

I push the ever-present tension away so I can get through this call. “Sure. I'll just pull my wand out and get Luke to speak.”

There's a pause. “Luke?”

“I meant 12. Look, I spend so much time with him. What do you expect?”

“I expect you to keep your head on straight.”

I roll my eyes, silently chastising myself. “Anything else?”

“Yeah, they talked about a deal going down next week. Try to find out when and where.”

“I'll just pull my wand out and—”

“Alright, smart-ass.”

“You've been in my shoes before, Warner. You know when a target is ready to trust you. 12 isn't ready yet. I asked him if he understood what they were saying and he immediately brushed me off. You heard it.”

“Yeah, I did. But you need to start getting deeper. Don't get me wrong—you're doing great. We're getting somewhere, inch by inch. But we need to move this along now.”

“Why?” Warner's never pushed me before. That's his boss's role. “Is Sinclair worried about getting an extension on the warrant?”

“We've got plenty to keep this going. I'm more worried about 12 keeping his damn hands off you for too much longer. I'll give him some credit, given his previous routines, but I don't see how much longer he's going to buy the whole abused girl story.”

I'd say we're far past that.
“I can handle 12.”

“Like you did tonight?” There's that edge in his voice again. It's almost an accusation. Or maybe my guilt is starting to affect my hearing.

I ignore it. “Hey, did you catch the exchange about Luke's car being stolen? Vlad seemed genuinely surprised. I don't think he was the one who had it stolen.”

He sighs. “Well, we'll find out within the hour, no doubt. If it was him, he's going to ditch the one he has like a ticking time bomb. And then that angle is fucked.” Warner swears under his breath.

“Okay. Listen, I'll set up dinner for tomorrow night. You guys should get some sleep.”

“Yeah. Bill just left and I'm heading out too.”

“'kay. Good night, Warner. And thanks for looking out for me.”

I hear his hesitation. “We're all just doing our jobs.”

Some much better than others.

■ ■ ■

I down the glass of water by my bedside, diluting the salty aftertaste in my mouth.

“I'm so glad you're feeling better,” Luke murmurs, eyes closed, his perfect, naked form stretched out across my bed. Sated. “I wish I could return the favor.”

I nuzzle up against his side in nothing but panties, my face burrowed in his neck. “Another time.” I'd love that time to be right now, but I can't very well all of a sudden not be on my period. Even Luke would find that odd, I'm sure.

Fortunately he doesn't find my method of communication tonight—opening my bedroom blinds, turning my lamp on, and standing in front of the window, waiting for him to notice me—odd. In fact, he says he loved our game of semi-charades. Me, beckoning him with my hand and then patting my bed. Him, holding up a leash and ten fingers, for ten minutes. Me, watching him purposely peel off his dress shirt and pants in front of me and replace them with his track pants and T-shirt.

Me, unzipping my dress and letting it drop to pool at my ankles.

Him, running out the door and making it here in five minutes, his breathing ragged, Licks on his heels.

Us, free of any federal wires.

Unfortunately, I'm now left with an ache in my lower belly that has nothing to do with my period, squeezing my thighs together in frustration as I drape myself over him and inhale his delicious scent.

“Any big plans for tomorrow?” he asks.

“Well, I was thinking that I should maybe call Elmira. Go shopping or something with her.” And see what I can get out of that woman about this deal her husband made with Luke. I slowly circle his nipples with my index finger as I casually ask, “Do you think you could call Aref and get her number for me?”

He paws for his phone on the nightstand, making me laugh.

“I didn't mean right this instant. It's two a.m.”

A lazy, satisfied smile touches his lips, making him look all kinds of adorable. “I need to call him anyway. He's probably up. And if he's not, I'll leave a message.” A second later, “Aref, hey . . . Vlad paid us a visit tonight . . . Somehow he found out . . . Yeah . . . Don't know . . . Nope, pretty pissed off actually. You may hear from him.” I hear a low murmur coming from the phone but I can't make out any of the words. “Okay . . . Listen, Rain wants to meet up with Elmira. Send her number to me so I can pass it along? . . . Cool. Later.”

His hand flops down with his groan.

“What's wrong?”

“Nah . . . Nothing.”

“Doesn't sound like nothing.” I can feel the thread of tension begin to course through his body again, the one that vanished with his release. So I reach down and wrap my hand around his semi-hard cock. He exhales and his stomach muscles spasm as I begin stroking slowly. But finally, with a light sigh, I feel him relaxing again. “It's just that thing earlier, at the bar.”

“The angry Russian?”

“Yeah. Remember how I told you that Aref wanted to do more business with Rust? Well, Rust agreed to a deal and somehow Vlad found out. That's why he was pissed.”

“Why would he be pissed about that?”

“Because he's an asshole? Don't really know. He's still getting what he wants, so it shouldn't fucking matter.”

“Should you be worried? Will he stop doing business with you?” Selfish hope swells inside me.

“I'd actually be happy if we were done with him. I don't like him. But, I doubt I'll be that lucky. He just wants to be a dick about it, I guess.”

I open my mouth, about to ask him the million-dollar question—what is his uncle in business with Aref and Vlad for—when his phone chirps. He holds it up for me. “One sultry Iranian wife's number, as requested.”

“Sultry, hey?” I peel myself away from him so I can save Elmira's number into my phone. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

“Anything for you.” His eyes drift over my near-naked body. “How are you feeling? Can I do anything for you?”

Yeah. Walk away from these people before it's too late.

I force the sadness down with a smile. “Lying next to you feels good. You're like a giant heating pad.”

“Well, in that case . . .” He yanks me back to him and, taking my hand in his, he guides it back to his now full erection with a playful grin. “I swear, I'll make it up to you.”

■ ■ ■

“Come over tonight. I'll pick up dinner. Some lasagna or something.” I hear the smile in Luke's voice.

“Is that your way of telling me you want me to make
real
lasagna tonight?” That's a whole day's production, if I want to make fresh noodles and everything.

And yet I know that I'll do it if Luke asks me to.

“I'm just kidding. We can have whatever you want. There's a great Thai place nearby.”

“Let me grab it. Say, seven?”

“Just text me when you're on your way.”

“I'll call. I like hearing your voice.” Texting has become too dangerous now. I can steer a live conversation, cut off words before they implicate anyone. But a message from Luke saying “Thanks for last night. You give amazing head” is pretty black-and-white in the transcripts.

My relief escapes in a sigh when I hear the line go dead. I have survived another recorded conversation without getting burned by Luke revealing what we've been doing. How I've broken my team's trust and jeopardized my career, because of feelings I have for my target. Because this isn't just about the case for me anymore.