Broken Promises (15 page)

“But they have a rap sheet on you.”

“I was just eighteen. And stupid.” She chewed
her bottom lip. Why hadn’t she fessed up before he found out? Too
late now.

“It was a frigging
felony
conviction.”

“Barely. Besides, I didn’t serve any
time.”

“Yeah, thanks to your father’s mouthpiece,
you got off with community service. What did that consist of?
Picking up trash for a couple of afternoons?”

She jumped to her feet and set her hands on
her hips. “It was a thousand freaking hours, and it was
humiliating, not to mention scary as hell. They put me to work in a
men’s homeless shelter, cleaning their
johns
. Let me tell
you, those men didn’t have the least idea of cleanliness. And the
way they
watched
me. One of them did his damnedest to corner
me. Honestly, I could’ve been raped. Believe you me, it wasn’t a
typical celebrity’s idea of community service—not that I’m
comparing myself to a celebrity.” A shudder shook through her as
the old feeling of panic rose and almost took hold. She staggered
and collapsed on the sofa.

His expression softened. He perched on the
arm of the sofa and stroked her hair. “Poor little princess.”

Luxuriating in the tenderness of his touch,
she said, “I learned my lesson. I guess you’d be happier, Agent
MacGregor, if I went to prison and came out a hardened
criminal.”

He slid his arm around her shoulders. “No, I
wouldn’t have wanted that. I’m glad you learned your lesson, but
Spitz blindsided me with that juicy piece of intel. Have to say he
enjoyed it a little too much.”

“I didn’t want to be that person anymore.
Bette Smithson is who I am now. Tina Spinelli was used to having
her way.
She
was a spoiled brat, or Mafia princess, if that
expression floats your boat. B-but when my parents died—were
murdered—in that fire, I knew I had to get away from the life.
Before that, I didn’t know what my father was. Not really.”

“You
had
to know.” His tone chided
her, but gently, as if maybe he understood her reasons for not
telling him everything before now.

“No.” She shook her head vigorously. Dammit,
he had to believe her. “He was really careful not to discuss
business around me and my mother. All I knew was he owned a big
construction company and my brother was learning the business from
the ground up.” She shrugged. “So I was naïve. But I grew up the
night they died. After the funeral, I packed the few things not
burned in the fire, got on a bus, and headed for Music City,
USA.”

“So that business about Fan Fair was just
smoke?’

“Yes…and no. My first job in Nashville was at
the Wildhorse Saloon. For a tip, one of the patrons gave me a
ticket to one of the events, and
then
I discovered country
music.”

So now he knew it all. Every freaking
bit.

Good-bye, Fed. Hello, empty bed.

Her heart sort of slipped a notch or two. She
watched him stand and walk over to the small, high window and stare
outside. Yeah, their one-step-forward, two-steps-back relationship
was over before she’d had a single chance to wiggle out of her
bikini panties.

Hands in his pockets, he turned and faced her
again, his expression as grim as the Reaper’s. “What the hell are
we doing here?”

Obviously, nothing
. Afraid to say too
much or too little, she opted for a blank stare but discovered she
couldn’t meet his direct gaze. She turned away, and a lump the size
of Rhode Island formed in her throat, making it too difficult to
speak.

Alex, confused by her lack of reaction,
fumbled for the right words. “Hell, for all I know, you could be
involved with someone else.”

She whirled and closed the distance between
them. Her brows drawn together in a fierce frown and fire in her
eyes. “Are you being stupid on purpose? When would I have time for
anything like that?”

Crap, definitely not the right words. Try
again. “It’s been six months… What I mean to say is, I didn’t
expect you to move up here and become a nun.”

She set both hands on her hips and glared.
“As you might flipping expect, I have some trust issues when it
comes to men. Besides, the one man I thought I could trust kissed
me until I was limp and promised he’d call. But no-o-o. No call.
Nothing
. For six months! It took your sister being kidnapped
to bring your ass back home.”

He backed up, just to get a better view of
Bette in full-out, raging bitch mode.

Awesome. Her dark eyes flashed with fire. Her
tanned skin flushed with anger. Her lithe body tensed. She hissed
and pounced, ready to strike like a cobra with a serious
mad-on.

No fangs. Just a pair of small fists clenched
and ready to pound his chest. He snatched her wrists and pulled her
close. Her body against his set his heart hammering like an Uzi.
“I’m here now. Sure you want to waste what time we have together
being pissed off?”

“Is that how it is with you? Make hay while
the sun shines? Any port in a storm?” Pausing, she took a deep
breath and struggled to loosen his hold.

“If you’ve run out of clichés…”

“Clichés?” She stomped her foot. “If I wanted
an English lesson, I’d have—”

“You’d have what?”

“What difference does it make what I would’ve
done? You can’t show up here and expect me to fall into bed with
you at the drop of a hat.”

He frowned and raised a brow. “Forgive me if
I’m confused here. You’re calling my character into question. Were
we not about to get naked in the backseat of my car not so long
ago?”

“Well, at least you remember
that
much. Exactly what is the extent of your memory? One hour? One day?
Just how often did you think about me or your promise to call?” She
gave him a tight smile. “I’d say about—” She formed a zero with her
thumb and forefinger and held it in his face. “And here’s another
cliché
for you: out of sight, out of mind.”

“Not fair. I started a new assignment and
jumped in full force. I
thought
about you.” No matter how
much he accomplished on the job, nothing could banish her
completely. Like every frigging night, she haunted his dreams.

“You
thought
about me? That’s so
freaking lame I might have to throw up.” Her body swiveled and one
foot pointed toward the bathroom.

Little faker
. He reached and snatched
one of her wrists. “Don’t waste the energy. Not on my account.” A
pulse beat rapidly in her throat. Her chest rose and fell. Her lips
parted.

He crushed her close and wrapped his arms
around her waist. No struggle this time. Together, their bodies
molded and swayed as their lips met. Hers soft and pliant, they
opened to the sweep of his tongue. He couldn’t get enough, not if
he lived to be a hundred.

Her knees buckled. He eased her over to the
bed and somehow managed to get the dog to scram. He yanked the
T-shirt over her head, then lowered his head and kissed her breasts
through the red lacy bra. “God, you’re beautiful.”

She yanked his shirt from his jeans. With his
free hand, he whipped it over his head. Skin to skin. Nothing
better.

Her hands splayed down his chest, grabbed the
zipper of his jeans and inched it down. She spied his pale blue
silk briefs and smirked. “Well, well, what do we have here? Nice
material, Double-O.” She reached behind her and opened the drawer
of the bedside table. “Good thing I’m prepared.” Holding up a
condom, she gave him a smug little smile.

He laughed. “So…not exactly a nun.”

She made a face and batted her lashes. “Shut
up.” She ripped open the packet with her teeth and sheathed
him.

At her touch, a groan ripped from his throat.
Kissing her lips, he snaked a hand around her back and unsnapped
her bra, then worked his way from her neck to her breasts. He
buried his face in their firm, lush softness. Her small brown
nipples peaked and begged him to taste. She squirmed and moaned,
then, cupping his ass, she pressed her mound against his
erection.

His legs trembled. Time to hit the mattress
for real. He eased her down and massaged her breasts, still not
quite believing what was about to happen. “You’re sure about
this?”

Her eyes opened, dark and glazed with passion
and, amazingly, a touch of humor. “Oh, yeah.”

He yanked down her jeans and slipped his hand
into her already damp panties. She lifted her hips, and he eased
the lacy undergarment down over her firm ass and tossed them on the
floor.

He nibbled her knees, and her thighs parted,
allowing him access to her core. Working his way north, he flicked
at her sensitive nub. She moaned and rotated her hips, then boldly
grabbed his erection and guided him into her warmth.

He thrust deep and let her wet heat envelop
him. Her heat drove him mad to possess her and never let her
go.

Her slender legs circled his waist as she
rose to meet him thrust for thrust. He pounded into her, giving no
quarter. They fit together so perfectly, as if her body was made
for his. Under his touch, her skin heated like a furnace. She
stiffened and moaned when she came. A second later, he shuddered,
and his world exploded. He collapsed by her side with a groan.

God, what had he done? Made love to a Mafia
princess. Had to be a dozen federal rules against it. He imagined
the scene, introducing the new wife to the boss. Hell, it’d never
get that far. Once the FBI ran a background check on her, it’d all
be over. Or he’d be out of a job.

Still, Mafia princess or not, they’d made
love. Sweet love.

Yeah, think about the loving. Forget about
later. He rolled onto his side and faced her. Slowly, she levered
onto her elbow and gazed at him with a single raised eyebrow.

Chapter Sixteen

“What’s wrong?” With her free hand, Bette
brushed her hair back from her face but kept her gaze fixed on the
man she’d just made amazing love with.

His eyes widened, and his chin dropped.
“Wrong? Nothing.”

“You’re stiff as a board.”

“I thought that was a good thing”
—
he let out a nervous laugh
—
“given the circumstances.”

She slowly shook her head. “No. Something’s
wrong. Your body language—”

“You’re going to lecture me, a trained FBI
agent”
—
one of his brows shot
up
—
“about body language?”

“Don’t pull that secret-agent Double-O crap
on me.” She scooted up in the bed, tugged on the sheet, and covered
her breasts. “Might as well tell me. What’s on your mind, Agent
MacGregor?”

“My mind was on
you
, and I was
enjoying the view.” Sitting up, he swung his legs over the side of
the bed but didn’t move any farther.

“So, that’s how it’s going to be? Wham, bam,
thank you, ma’am.” Sheesh. What in blazes was she thinking?
Apparently, no man could be trusted, not even this uptight,
oh-so-right Fed. “Okay, I’m ready. Give me the ‘it was a mistake’
speech, and then haul your fine keister out of my apartment.”

He twisted around. His eyes widened with
obvious disbelief. “What? You want me to leave?”

“I’m pretty sure your FBI training included
the English language. Hell, yes, I want you out of here.” Getting
madder by the minute, and just so he’d get the point, she sprang
from the bed and jerked on her jeans and T-shirt.

Time to move on. Time to make tracks…as soon
as Jackie and Cody were found.

“But—” The most aggravating man in the world
brushed his hand through his hair, leaving it in a spiky, sexy
disarray.

“But
nothing
. You’ve got better things
to do than grabbing a piece of tail. Remember—your sister’s
missing.
And
your nephew.”

His jaw clenched so hard she could almost
hear his teeth grit. “Not likely to forget it.” Not soon enough for
her, he stood and pulled on his jeans. He finished dressing without
another word but stopped at the door and carefully avoided stepping
on Shadow, whose eyes were wide with confusion. “Got a lot on my
mind, Bette. Surely you understand that? Cut me some slack.”

“I understand a lot. You screwed a Mafia
princess and regretted it the very second after you got your rocks
off. Naturally knowing who I really was didn’t stop you from
screwing me in the first place. After all, you’re a
man
.
What man’s going to turn down a sure thing, huh?”

“You’re wrong. That’s not how it was.” His
sheepish expression gave the lie to his words.

Folding her arms across her breasts, she
followed him to the door. “We’re done. This conversation is so
oh-ver
.”

“Maybe so, but you’ve forgotten one thing.
There’s someone out there who’s made it his mission to screw up my
life and take those closest to me.”

“Not an issue.” Setting her hands on her
hips, she raised her chin, jabbed her finger against his chest and
then back at hers. “You and me—we’re not close.”

“Doesn’t mean he’s aware of our current
situation, unless he’s bugged your apartment.”

Her breath caught, and she gave an
involuntary gasp. “You don’t think—do you? Heaven only knows how
long he was in the house.”

“Just hear this
—
I’m
not letting you out of my sight. You’ve kicked me out of your
apartment, but I’m staying in the guestroom upstairs. You will
not
go out without me. When we’re apart, you
will
check in with me by cell phone on an hourly basis. Understand?”

Great. Just great. All she needed was to be
reminded of her mistake every hour on the hour. She’d already be
packing if it wasn’t for Jackie and her little boy. They deserved
her loyalty, even if Jackie’s brother was a Grade A horse’s
ass.

Shadow chose her moment and jumped on Bette’s
thigh and wagged her tail. Great. What would she do with her new
dog if she took off to who knew where? No way could she leave the
gentle Sheltie behind.