Deadly Honeymoon (Hardy Brothers Security Book 7) (17 page)

Sophie’s face as she glanced down at her phone was hard for Grady to read, but he knew that his girlfriend was conflicted.

“What’s up, sugar?”

They were standing at the back of the house watching the rest of their family eat and cavort. When Sophie’s phone had dinged with an incoming message, she’d read it and then started pacing at the back edge of the patio. Grady had watched her for a few minutes, conflicted, and then he’d joined her. Whatever was bothering her, he wanted to help.

“Who texted?” Grady asked.

“Peter.”

“What did he say?”

“He said he has some information, but he wants to give it to us in person,” Sophie said. “He offered … he offered to come here.”

Grady nodded, understanding dawning. “And you don’t know how to broach the subject with James.”

“I don’t know what to do,” Sophie admitted. “I doubt that he wants to go back to Peter’s. I know he doesn’t want to leave Mandy right now.”

“But you don’t think he wants Peter in his house,” Grady supplied.

“No.”

Grady pursed his lips, running his hands over Sophie’s shoulders. He met James’ eyes across the patio and jerked his head, encouraging his brother to join them. James made his way over, his face drawn as he took in their grim faces.

“What’s wrong?” James asked.

“Peter has information, but he wants to give it to us in person,” Grady said. “He’s willing to come here, but Sophie is scared to tell you.”

James frowned. “Sophie, I don’t want you to ever be scared to talk to me,” he said. “I might not like what you have to say, but I would never take it out on you.”

“Peter said there was a lot of yelling here last night,” Sophie said.

“Mandy and I had a screamer,” James agreed. “It had been building for a week. Do you think I hurt her?”

“Of course not,” Sophie protested. “You’d never lay a hand on her.”

“Oh, he put his hands on her,” Grady said, trying to lighten the mood. “And a few other things, if I’m not mistaken.”

James shot him a look. “Will you let that go? We’re married. We have sex. Get over it.” He softened his gaze when he focused on Sophie. “I’m sorry you’re scared of me. That’s … my fault.”

“I’m not scared of you,” Sophie replied. “You yell. A lot. I’ve come to understand that you can’t help yourself. I just didn’t … I didn’t want you to have a problem with Peter in your home. And I know why you do, and I understand it, but it still hurts me because he’s my family.”

“That means he’s our family,” James said. “He can come here. Mandy happens to love him. Call him. Get him here.”

Sophie’s eyes filled with hope. “Really?”

“Really,” James said. “I am sorry that you were too scared to just tell me yourself. That’s on me. I’ll try not to yell so much.”

“Oh, that’s so sweet,” Grady said, pressing his hand to the spot over his heart.

James cuffed him on the back of the head. “I’m still yelling at you whenever I feel like it.”

“And the boss is back,” Grady teased.

“Call him,” James said. “I’ll prepare everyone for the news. Something tells me Ally is going to be a handful for this.”

“She’s a handful for everything,” Grady said.

“Yes, but she’s been dying to meet Peter for months,” James said. “She was mad when Sophie took Mandy and not her. She’s going to be all over him.”

“Have you ever considered that Ally might be mentally defective?” Grady asked.

“Just every day since she was born,” James said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Call him, Sophie. Let’s get this over with.”

“WELL,
I have to say, your home is delightful,” Peter said, situating himself in one of the patio chairs and fixing James with a pleasant look. “I’m sure you’ll have many happy years here.”

“We certainly hope so,” James said.

“You need more furniture,” Peter said.

James scowled. “It’s on the way.”

“Well, the first round,” Mandy said, moving past James and handing Peter a martini. “I hope that’s how you like it.”

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Peter said.

James snagged Mandy around the waist and pulled her to his lap, settling her there. “Sophie said you had some information.”

“I do.”

“Wait a second,” James said, holding his hand up to still Peter for a moment and focusing on Mandy. “What do you mean it’s just the first round? How much more furniture are you planning on buying?”

Mandy shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“When will you know?”

“When I’m done.”

James rolled his eyes and then turned his attention back to Peter. “I’m sorry. It’s just that every time I think I’m done shopping for furniture I find out I’m not.”

“Women do love to shop. Of course, I love to shop, too,” Peter said.

“Oh, good, you can go with her next time,” James said. “You can look at two color swatches – which are clearly the same color – and come up with a reason why you like one more than the other.”

Peter chuckled. “Young love is such a roller-coaster.”

“That’s a nice way of putting it,” James said.

“Oh, come on,” Peter said. “Are you saying you don’t love the lows of the fights because they lead to the highs of love that follows?”

“I’m sorry your men heard us battling it out last night,” James said. “It was … it was just something we had to hash out.”

“And yet look at you now,” Peter said. “You can’t keep your hands off each other. You’re in sync, and in love, and even though you’re in danger, there’s happiness in this home. How can you not love the roller-coaster?”

James rubbed Mandy’s back thoughtfully. “I guess I never thought about it that way.”

“Love is a gift, Mr. Hardy,” Peter said. “It comes in many forms, and it goes through many stages. Sometimes, though, people are lucky enough to find the kind of love that transcends time. You have that.”

“I do,” James agreed.

“Which brings me to the reason I’m here,” Peter said. “The police aren’t releasing it yet, but I have heard through a reliable source that two of the men taken into custody last night have not been able to be identified.

“Their fingerprints aren’t on record, and they’re refusing to talk,” Peter continued. “They haven’t even asked for a lawyer.”

“How did you find that out?” Finn asked.

“I have many sources of information,” Peter said. “I also know that investigators found travel documents inside the car. Those documents were from Bermuda.”

James swore, leaning forward as he tightened his arms around Mandy’s waist. “If they came here for the flash drive, why would they risk letting a business deal go south in a foreign country?”

“That is a very good question,” Peter said. “I told you before, the way these individuals appear to be doing business doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Maps to dealer packs? Stupid. This is a business, not a treasure hunt.”

“What about the heroin?” Sophie asked.

“What about it?”

“There has to be a reason they were picking up heroin from here,” she pressed. “I mean, I read a story a few weeks ago that says the heroin here is actually weaker than the heroin from other countries because our dealers cut it so much that they dilute the grade.”

Peter smiled. “Your mind is a constant marvel, my dear,” he said. “The things you know just … a true marvel.”

Sophie’s face flushed with pleasure. “It was just a story I read.”

“You’re far too modest,” Peter said.

“I agree,” James said. “We’re going to need that marvelous brain of yours to figure a way out of this.”

Grady grinned at Sophie’s uncomfortable features. “She doesn’t like being praised.” He kissed her cheek. “It embarrasses her.”

“I’m not embarrassed,” Sophie shot back.

“You’re
so
embarrassed,” Ally teased. “Look at your cheeks. They’re all red.”

“Shut up, Ally,” Sophie said. “I’m still mad at you because of the blueberry margaritas.”

“What happened with the blueberry margaritas?” Peter asked, entranced by the family setting and emotional comfort that surrounded his foster daughter.

“Ally poisoned us with toxic blueberry margaritas last week, and I lost an entire day in bed with a hangover,” Sophie said.

“You just can’t hold your liquor,” Ally said.

“Um, angel, you were in bed the whole next day, too,” Jake pointed out.

“You know, you pick the oddest times to talk,” Ally said. “You’re quiet twenty hours out of every day, and you pick now to open your mouth? And you’re not even taking my side?”

Jake kissed her neck. “You’ll live.”

“I see all the women in this family are both beautiful and interesting,” Peter said, smiling. “I knew Mandy was a delight, but I see that both Emma and Ally broke their respective molds when they came out as well.”

“Ally broke something when she came out,” Grady said. “Although, I think it was just my parents’ will to procreate. You’ll notice she was the last one.”

Ally stuck her tongue out at her brother, while Jake’s shoulders shook with silent laughter as he buried his face in the long waves of Ally’s hair.

“So, what do you think we should do?” James asked.

“I’m adding another car to the back of your property,” Peter said. “It’s just a precaution. Your street isn’t busy, and no one can approach the house without someone seeing them from either side.

“Mandy is covered at the courthouse,” he continued. “Although, I would like to ask that she move her lunches indoors instead of on the patio – at least for the next few days. As much as Sven enjoys your lunch conversation, my dear, and I think he’s a little enamored with your friend Heidi, it’s too open out there.”

James scowled. “You’ve been eating your lunch on the patio?”

“What? I didn’t leave the courthouse.”

“Just eat inside for the next few days,” Peter said. “Other than that, we just have to watch. Also, I’m going to put some feelers out.”

“Feelers?” Mandy asked.

“I want it known on the street that you’re not interested in the flash drive or the map, and you’re willing to relinquish it to the proper owner,” Peter said. “If we’re lucky, someone will try and contact me and we can end this all with very little fuss.”

“Do you think we’ll be lucky?” James asked.

Peter shrugged. “Probably not,” he said. “I don’t want to get your hopes up. I think it’s hard for anyone in their position to believe you couldn’t possibly be interested in eight-million dollars.”

“Yeah,” James said, his eyes weary as he stared out at the pool. “What’s our other option?”

“Sending a message,” Peter said.

Mandy felt James’ thighs tighten beneath her. “A message?”

“It’s probably best we don’t discuss that,” Peter said. “For obvious reasons. We’re not there yet. If we get to that place then, well, I will leave you out of any decisions that are made.”

“I don’t know,” James said. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that.”

“Which is why I’m leaving you out of it,” Peter said. “You must understand, these new players have come onto my turf. This isn’t just about you now. If they try to make their presence known here, which they already have to a certain degree, then they’re going to have to be dealt with for the general safety and stability of the area.”

“Meaning?”

“Do you want them starting gang wars on the streets?” Peter pressed. “Because that almost happened last night, and there will be retaliation. We haven’t seen it yet. It is coming.” Peter swiveled his shoulders, focusing on Sophie. “You need to be just as careful as Mandy. You like to jump into these stories with both feet and not look over your shoulder. That is not a possibility right now.”

“I have a job to do,” Sophie argued.

“Do your job,” Peter said. “Just don’t die for it.”

“He’s right,” Grady said. “You need to be really careful.”

“Oh, now look who the bossy one is,” Ally said. “I guess it’s not just James, is it?”

Grady got to his feet, grabbing Ally by the arm as he tossed her over his shoulder and marched toward the pool. “I’ve had just about enough of you today.”

“Don’t you dare throw me in that pool, Grady Hardy!”

“I think you need to cool off.”

“Jake!” Ally was desperate.

Jake looked conflicted. “I can’t get involved in your sibling squabbles, angel,” he said. “It’s just water. You’ll dry.”

Ally’s face was mutinous as Grady launched her into the water. When she surfaced, her hair plastered around her face, she spat out a mouthful of water and glared at everyone in turn.

“You’re all on my list!”

“Everyone get on the roller-coaster,” Jake quipped.

“How did you talk me into this?” James glanced down at Mandy, not missing the sly smile even as she tried to hide it.

“You said I couldn’t leave the house without you,” Mandy said. “You said that was the rule, and I had to live with it. You said you didn’t want to fight, but you were putting your foot down.”

James waited.

“I wanted a spa day,” Mandy said. “We all did. This is just the price you have to pay to keep up your end of the bargain.”

“But I didn’t agree to this,” James said, looking around the lobby of Heathridge Spa dubiously. “I didn’t want to come here.”

“But you want to keep me safe, right?”

“This is a trick question, isn’t it?”

“No,” Mandy said, shaking her head. “We want a spa day. As part of a compromise with you, I agreed to let you come. I had no idea you were going to drag your brothers and Jake along, too.”

“Yes, and we’re all really thankful for that,” Finn said, shooting his brother a scorching look. “So very thankful.”

“You’re going to love it,” Emma enthused, clapping her hands together. “You can get a massage, and I’ve been dying to put a seaweed mask on you to clean out your pores.”

Finn’s lips were tightly pressed together. “Fun.”

Emma’s face faltered. “I … we can just go. I know you don’t want to be here.”

Finn sighed. Emma asked very little of him, often sacrificing her own needs to try and make him happy. She’d never been to a spa before meeting Mandy, Ally, and Sophie – and now she was in love with her monthly visits. He couldn’t snuff the light in her eyes out. “I’m looking forward to the mask.”

Emma worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “Really?”

“Really,” Finn said. “Anything that makes you smile makes me smile.”

“She also likes drag queen bingo,” Ally supplied.

Finn balked. “What’s that?”

“Oh, it’s this thing they have in Royal Oak,” Emma said. “We’re all going to go next month. You have to make reservations weeks in advance. Ally managed to secure us a table for eight in late July. We’re really excited.”

“And, what? We just watch drag queens play bingo?” Finn felt like he was missing something.

“We play bingo,” Ally said. “The drag queens call the numbers and insult us.”

“And that’s fun?”

“It’s amazing,” Ally said. “I know two people who have gone and they loved it.”

Finn looked to his brothers for help. “And you guys are going to this?”

“I’m fairly certain I’m going to have Ebola that night,” James said.

“I’m going to lick your face so I get it, too,” Grady said, glancing at Jake. “What about you?”

“I’m not licking either of you,” Jake said. “I plan on visiting my parents that weekend.”

“Oh, you’re going,” Ally said, waving her finger in Jake’s face. “You owe me after you let my brother throw me in the pool yesterday. You’re supposed to be my protector, and you just sat there and watched someone attack me. I feel betrayed.”

“Fine,” Jake said.

“You didn’t even put up a fight,” Grady scoffed.

“You’re going, too,” Sophie said.

“You’re going to have to
Kill Bill
me to get me in that place,” Grady said.

Sophie didn’t look worried. “We’ll see.”

“Yeah, we will.”

Sophie ignored him as she handed the pamphlet she was holding over to Mandy. “I want to get a seaweed facial, and I’d really like one of those scalp rubs and a deep conditioner under one of the dryers. What are you getting?”

“I want a massage,” Mandy said.

“I’ll give you a massage,” James replied.

“Yours always lead to sex,” Mandy countered. “I want one that ends with a happy ending of a different sort.”

James smirked. Her enthusiasm was hard to tamp down, and he really didn’t have the inclination to do it. “Go nuts.”

“I booked couple’s massages for all of us,” Ally said. “I called this morning. We’ll all take turns.”

“What’s a couple’s massage?” James asked.

“You both go into a room together and strip naked,” Ally started.

“Well, I like that.”

“Then you lay on the table and cover your private parts with a towel,” Ally continued. “A female masseuse will come in for you, and a male will come in for Mandy, and you’ll both be rubbed at the same time. It’s supposed to be a bonding experience.”

“So, you’re telling me another man is going to be rubbing my wife while I’m in the room?”

“It’s not dirty,” Ally said. “Although, with the way Mandy moans when she’s being massaged, it sounds like it.”

“I don’t moan!”

“I’ve never seen someone love a massage as much as you do,” Ally shot back.

“You do make some interesting noises, baby,” James said. “Why do you think all of the massages I give you lead to sex?”

“Because you’re a pervert,” Grady suggested.

“You should make sure that you don’t accidentally get a man rubbing you down,” James said. “They might take one look at that hair and get confused.”

Grady paled. “That’s not a possibility, is it?”

Sophie patted him on the arm reassuringly. “No.”

“Okay, who wants massages first?” Ally asked.

Mandy’s hand shot up in the air, causing James to scowl. “Can’t we be second or something?”

Mandy shook her head. “No.”

“Fine.”

“I’M
just warning you,” James said, his legs hanging over the edge of his massage table as he regarded the man approaching Mandy’s table worriedly. “That’s my wife.”

The man stilled. “Okay.”

“No funny business.”

Mandy shot the masseuse an apologetic look. “He thinks you’re going to try and feel me up. He’s never done this before.”

“Oh,” the man replied. “Don’t worry about that, sir. I’m gay.”

James relaxed slightly. “Really?”

“Really.”

“Oh, well, that’s too bad,” he said. “I bet you could get a truckload of women into bed with your skill set. Women love a good massage.”

“I’m not sure what to say to that,” the man said.

“Just ignore him,” Mandy said. She was stretched out on her stomach, her arms pressed down at her sides. “I’m ready.”

James watched as the man approached his wife, still suspicious. The masseuse avoided James’ stare as he started working on Mandy’s shoulders. “You’re very tense.”

“It’s been a long two weeks.”

“You’re very tan, too.”

“We just got back from our honeymoon,” Mandy said. “We were in Bermuda.”

“Oh, that’s nice.”

When James realized that the interaction was innocent, he finally relented and stretched out in a similar position. The woman working on him wasn’t what he expected – and he had a feeling Ally was to blame. While the man booked for the couple’s massage looked like he’d stepped off the pages of GQ, the woman looked like she could model for an AARP brochure.

“Lay down,” she ordered.

“I am.”

“Do it faster,” she barked out. “You’re wasting time.”

James frowned, but he did as he was told. After an uncomfortable few minutes, James felt himself start to relax. The woman looked old, but she clearly knew what she was doing.

“You’re one big ball of nerves,” she said, attacking the spot between his shoulder blades with vigor. “Why are you so tense?”

“I’m married,” James joked.

“Then consider yourself lucky,” the woman said, her hands digging in.

“Oh, wow,” James said when he felt the spot begin to loosen.

“I told you,” Mandy said, sighing in contentment.

“I still think this is weird.”

“Okay.”

“I … holy … ugh.”

Mandy giggled.

“I know what you’re thinking,” James growled.

“I’m thinking that I love you,” Mandy said.

“That’s not what you were thinking.”

“It is now,” she said. “You didn’t have to come here. You could’ve argued and just refused. I tricked you.”

“You didn’t trick me,” James said. “Oh, yeah, right there. I knew you were manipulating me when you were doing it. I agreed to come because you seemed to need it – and I knew Ally was just going to have a royal fit if I didn’t agree.”

“Still … thank you.”

“You’re going to owe me later,” James said. “Ugh.”

“I think we can work something out,” Mandy said. “Oh, yeah, right there.”

“We’re definitely going to work something out,” James agreed.

“HOW
do you think they’re doing in there?” Finn asked. His face was covered with blue gunk, and he was sitting in a chair next to Emma as she underwent the same process. “Is this supposed to tingle?”

The woman applying the mask to Emma’s face smiled. “It’s cleaning out the impurities. It’s supposed to tingle.”

“It’s not like burning my face off, is it? I’m too handsome to not have a face.”

“You’re fine,” Ally said, leaning back in her chair as the water bubbled in a bin around her feet. “You’re going to look even better when you’re done, and your face is going to be as smooth as Emma’s.”

“I do like how smooth her skin is,” Finn hedged. “I’m just worried I’m never going to be able to look at myself again in the mirror.”

“You and me both,” Jake grumbled, shifting his feet in the bin next to Ally’s. “Is this water supposed to be so hot?”

“It feels good.”

“I think my feet are boiling.”

“Shh.”

“Oh, now you’re quiet?”

Grady staggered out of the room at the back of spa, his face ashen.

“What happened to you?” Finn asked.

“Sophie made me … I … there are no words.”

Ally grinned. “Did you get your chest waxed? I don’t see why you’re being such a baby. You shave it all the time. This will last longer, and it feels better.”

“It hurts,” Grady said, rubbing his tender skin beneath the robe he was wearing. “You didn’t tell me how much it hurts.”

“I think I have some idea,” Ally said dryly. “Did you see what Sophie had to go through? I’m sure her wax hurt a lot more than yours.”

“Yeah,” Grady said, sliding into the chair next to Jake. “I’m traumatized by that.”

“What was it like?” Finn asked, worried. Emma had informed him they were doing the same thing later in the day.

“It was nothing for her,” Grady said. “She just laid back and lifted her legs up. Then this woman … this horrible, horrible woman … she put wax that was as hot as lava down there and just … zip … ripped it off. Sophie didn’t make a sound. She didn’t even act like it hurt.”

“That’s because we’re used to it,” Ally said. “It’s not like it’s some medieval torture.”

“I’m going to buy that hot tub I promised her the minute we leave,” Grady said. “The pain that woman has gone through for me … .”

“It’s not for you,” Ally countered.

“It had better not be for anyone else,” Grady argued.

Ally made a face. “You’re acting like a baby.”

Sophie shuffled out of a room, a wide smile on her face. “Can we get our massages next? I think Grady needs to be rubbed. He’s in shock or something.”

“I noticed,” Ally said.

“You’re so brave, sugar,” Grady said, capturing Sophie’s hand and pressing it to his lips. “So brave.”

Ally bit her lip to keep from laughing.

“I’m not doing that,” Jake announced. “I don’t want to see that.”

“I think you should,” Ally said. “Grady now has a better understanding of how much work we put into looking good for you guys.”

“I don’t want to see. You’re already torturing me with scalding water.”

“Fine,” Ally said. “Do what you want.”

Jake scowled. “You’re going to pout if I don’t do this, aren’t you?”

“Yup.”

“For how long?”

“Long enough that you’re not going to have any fun tonight.”

“Fine,” Jake growled. “I just … you’re lucky you’re worth the effort, woman.”

“Yay,” Ally said, clapping her hands together. “You know, when Mandy suggested we all do this together, I thought she was crazy. This was a great idea.”

Grady shot Ally a hateful look. “If those Bermudian drug dealers don’t kill Mandy, I’m going to do it for them.”

“I’m helping,” Jake said.

“Wow,” Finn said, rubbing his face as the last of the blue mask was washed away. “I feel so soft. I want to keep touching myself.”

“That’s great, dude,” Grady said. “If you’re going to touch yourself, though, can you do it in another room?”

“You’re just jealous,” Finn said.

“Yeah, that’s what it is.”

A woman appeared from the waxing room, regarding everyone with serious eyes. “Who’s next?”