Hard Money (Bad Money #3) (3 page)

Chapter 4

Jon

"Fucking idiot," Jon murmured under his breath as he parked the cop car he'd been assigned years ago on the side of his mother's house. Mike had to have known that someone was going to look into him working on his brother's case. It was inevitable, but why suspend him?

All he had was his job to keep him in check. For too many years he'd kept himself too busy to think about the raw, untapped pleasure of belonging to the underbelly of society. Most people looked down on them, turned their noses up and walked by, but not Jon. He envied them. The years he'd played on the streets were some of the hardest of his life, they were the most freeing. Kate reminded him of that high - that release.

The way she lived her life, spoke, ran her business - fucked. He growled and got out of the car. He should have been pissed at her about the bike, but something was off. She looked a bit freaked out when she left the station. Not just upset because of him being a cock, but truly freaked out.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and checked it a million times during the ride to his mother’s, hoping like hell she would call him, but she didn't.

"Why would she? She has two guys who are willing to do anything for her. She called one of them instead." He tapped on the front door before walking into his mother’s antiquated house. "Mom. Why isn't the door locked? You know I've asked you ten times to keep it locked."

His mother walked out from the kitchen into the living room where he stood, and smiled. "Jesus protects this house, Jonathan."

"Right." He kept his comments to himself and walked to her, pulling her into a hug and kissing the side of her face. She dressed like it was still the nineteen-sixties, but it was part of her charm. That and being overly religious.

"I just finished putting a meatloaf in the oven. Stay for dinner?" She walked back toward the kitchen, as Jon worked to advert his eyes away from the gobs of pictures all over the walls. Too many memories of him and Adam having a good time together. The ones of his dad were the worst to focus on. Losing his old man was the hardest day of his life. His mother turned toward her faith after that, and Jon ran far from it.

"Why are you here?" His mother's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"Just stopping by to clean out Adam's room for you. I'm on suspension from the force for working his case. I don't want to go home and stew in it." He walked into the kitchen and picked up a roll from the pan that sat on the stove.

"Those are for dinner." She popped at his chest, but he'd already shoved half of it in his mouth.

"I'll have more with dinner. I promise." He chuckled and reached for the honey, covering the rest of the roll in his favorite treat. "Did I tell you that I'm in love?"

His mother turned around and gave him a surprised look. "Please tell me it's the beautiful girl from the funeral."

"Dark hair, pretty smile, brown eyes?" he asked, shoving the rest of the roll in his mouth, which earned him another strict glare.

"Yes. I think you said her name was Kate."

"That's her." Jon poured himself a glass of milk. "It's not going anywhere though. I've messed things up too badly. Everything is falling apart, actually."

He wasn't bitching or complaining, nor looking for sympathy. Just telling it like it was. A calm had settled over him after entering his mother's house, which wasn't usually the situation at all. He felt judged and watched when around her, though he tried to play it off. They were all they had left. There was no way he was letting something happen to her. The remembrance of Victor taking her and knocking her out as a threat caused his stomach to tighten.

"Then fix it, Jon." His mother glanced over her shoulder. "If you love her, then you fix it. Besides, this might be Jesus' way of telling you that you're on the wrong road. If things are wrong in your love life and at work, then take another path."

Jon chuckled and gulped down his milk. His mother had no idea that his current path was one of truth, wholeness, light. He fought for the good guys. To switch sides would mean... That Kate would be his. That Marcus would have his back. That evil would run from him because he was the biggest, baddest, scariest mother fucker around.

He had very much been that guy at one time. And Adam had followed after him. And died because of it.

"Your heart is heavy." His mother touched his chest, surprising him a little. He hadn't even seen her move toward him. "This isn't a good time to be cleaning up Adam's room. I know you loved him."

"You did too, right?" He clasped his hand over his mother's and searched her face. Was she so lost to the pain of losing both his father and brother that she had emotionally shut herself down? She hadn't even cried at Adam's funeral.

"With all of my heart, Jon. We all have different ways of protecting ourselves." She smiled sadly.

"Don't tell me that Jesus didn't let you cry, Mom." He winked and pulled from her before walking toward Adam's room. Her voice stopped him.

"You don't know how many tears I've cried for all of you, Jon." Her voice was hard, but maybe that was because it had to be. Kate was hard because of all that life had dealt her. Jon was getting there himself. Was his mother any different?

Apparently not.

"I'm sorry, mom. You're right." He turned and walked to the stairs before taking two at a time. There was a lot to think through, but he could do that over the next hour of cleaning up his brother's room. His mom had simply closed the door a few years back and left it as if Adam would come home and start being the kid he once was. It never happened, nor would it.

Letting out a long breath, Jon opened the door and walked in, pausing to take in the room as his heart shuddered in his chest. All the baseball paraphernalia was still up, the various posters and awards from Adam's ball playing days lining the shelves.

"I miss you, man." Jon walked in and pulled some of the posters off the walls, rolling them up and putting them in a pile to take to the shelter. Some little kid who didn't have shit would love them. Adam adored every one of them. The need to apologize over and over rolled over Jon in thick waves, but he ignored it, not giving in to the guilt that wanted to rape him.

Dropping to his knees, he pulled out a bunch of shit from under Adam's bed and flipped through some of it. Old letters, school papers and tons of baseball cards. Jon put the cards to the side, thinking he might go through them later himself. There might be something worth some money. He could sell it and pay off some stuff for his mother if nothing else.

Opening the last box, he stopped, his hand hovering over the drawing. It was majestic, beautiful and extremely well done.

"Wow," Jon breathed out softly as he pulled the mountain scene toward his face and studied it. Adam's name was at the bottom as if he'd done the charcoal drawing. Jon climbed to his feet and walked back down the stairs to find his mother whipping potatoes.

"Mom?" He looked up from the drawing, still a little taken aback by the level of detail. It was as if someone had taken a black and white drawing of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

"Yeah?" She glanced over her shoulder before adverting her attention to the paper in his hand. "That Adam’s?"

"I guess. He could draw?" Jon let out a snort. "Why didn't I know this?"

"He started after your daddy died. He only drew for about six months, and then he left." She turned back to the stove. "I think not having you here was too much for him."

Jon set the paper down and took a shaky breath. "Hey. I'm sorry about all that shit."

"It's all done now, Jon. Watch your mouth, please." She continued to work on their dinner, but the tightness in her shoulders told him that she was affected by the conversation much like he was.

"I know, but I need to apologize to someone, Mom. I couldn't handle losing Dad." He swallowed hard. "I didn't even stop to think about what it would mean to you when I walked out, or when Adam followed me."

She turned, her dark green eyes filled with tears. "It was the hardest five years of my life, but it's over now. You're back, healthy, and strong."

"Right." He moved to the liquor cabinet and reached for the bourbon, but stopped just shy of getting it. Drinking would just numb the heavy emotion of the moment, which would be great, but he was tired of being numb. Kate needed him just like his mother had, just like Adam had, and he'd turned to drinking to make that need go away.

"Mom." He turned around to face his mother as she did the same, turning from the stove.

"What?"

"If someone you loved was stuck in a bad situation, one that hurt you to see them in... like what Adam went through. Would you go after him?"

"Of course I would."

"Why didn't you go after Adam?" He didn't mean to push, but he needed to know. He needed so badly to figure out what to do in his own situation. Riding the fence wasn't his style, and yet he'd been balancing on it since meeting the beautiful bartender who'd stolen his heart, his desires - his thoughts.

"I did, Jon. I spent countless nights on the street looking for him. I took him to the hospital and left before he woke up multiple times. I tried. You were too busy to notice." She shrugged, not condemning him as he almost expected her to do, but simply stating facts.

"I love Kate, Mom. She's in a bad situation right now."

"I realize that." His mom put their plates down and nodded for him to join her. The staunch religious woman with no heart seemed to be far away at the moment. The mother he remembered was back, the one that loved unconditionally and had no reason to wield the weapon of religion. The one that existed before his father died in her arms.

"How do you know?" He sat down and pulled his napkin into his lap.

"She had the same haunted look in her eyes that you did when you came back from your wild times, that Adam had all the time." She smiled and took a deep breath. "She needs hope."

"Jesus?" Jon asked, trying to leave any sarcasm out of his voice.

His mom chuckled and picked up her fork. "We all need Jesus, Jon. She needs someone like you too, though. Someone who's been where she is maybe, and is willing to walk in the shadows to bring her back into the light."

"I like it." He bowed his head and reached for his mother's hand, launching into a prayer over the food before she could. He didn't have to choose sides, and he didn't have to ride the fence.

"Maybe you have this leave of absence so that you can do whatever needs to be done." His mom shrugged. "You said you love her."

"I do."

"Then don't lose her. I can tell you from experience that tomorrow might not come. Don't waste today, baby."

Jon nodded, realizing just how right she was. He'd never experienced anything like he had when he held Kate in his arms. It had happened far too quickly for him, and yet he'd been looking for the right girl since he was a boy. She just happened to be it. That she was struggling and in the middle of tragedy and strife left him with one option.

To do whatever was necessary to get her out.

Chapter 5

Kate

After leaning back in the seat of Victor's Lexus, she let out a sigh of relief. Marcus was hurt, but alive and in the hospital. Victor was on the phone, which gave her a few minutes to get a hold of herself. She wasn't the emotional type, but all the shit as of late left her looking very much like a woman who needed saving.

She wasn't though. Every decision she made led her to the point she was at. Where it was less than fair, it simply was what it was.

Victor ended his call and put the phone down, reaching out and touching her hand firmly. "You all right?"

"Yes. Thanks." She pulled her hand from him and turned to look out the window. "Can you take me to the hospital?"

"Yes. I'd planned to." His tone was rather business-like.

Where she wanted to know more about him, it would be better if she didn't. Having exchanged her body for Jon's freedom meant that Victor would have more than enough access to her. Giving him any piece of her heart was completely out.

His voice pulled her from her reverie. "Zak is with Marcus now. He tells me that Billy Turner is the one that caused Marcus harm. Any idea what he's after?"

Kate shrugged, truly unsure of what Billy wanted. Where everyone was terrified of him, she just couldn't muster it for some reason. "I would assume his place back as the kingpin of our drug ring."

"He's not going to be able to do that for two reasons. One, I'll not allow it, obviously, and two, he's a wanted criminal that's escaped off of death row. Short of having reconstructive surgery and changing his identity, his time is short lived." Victor turned off the freeway and glanced toward Kate.

"He's cunning, and unbelievably deadly." Kate wrapped her arms around herself, almost sick at the fact that she once belonged to him like a pet might a less-than-responsible owner.

"Did you work for him, Kate?"

She turned her attention back to the handsome man next to her, wondering again what his story must be. "Yes and no."

"Explain."

"I was just a girl when he found me. My stepfather was rather interested in more than a fatherly relationship. I left and lived on the streets before he did anything to me." Kate shrugged. "I didn't know what the fuck I was doing, so Billy found me, introduced me to his crew and took care of me."

"You were his girl?" Victor's eyebrow lifted sharply.

Kate chuckled, unable to help herself. "I was a different woman back then. A child."

"Obviously. I've seen this slug." Victor turned his head toward her as his eyes moved across her slowly. "You're almost too beautiful for even me. You're far more woman than he deserves."

"We have a lot to discuss, Victor, but my beauty and your desires aren't on the list." She turned her attention to the hospital in front of them as an antsy feeling rushed through her. She wanted to see Marcus, to make sure he was really okay. She would have to be careful though. He wouldn't appreciate her running in and throwing her arms around him.

They weren't that open with one another, nor would they ever be. Marcus had stepped into her life and rescued her. For that, she would remain beside him forever. Lovers, best friends, partners, but he wanted nothing more than that. She was a little confused by some of his actions lately, but they had been going through a lot. Far more than they'd had to endure the last four years.

"Agreed. There is much to discuss, Katelyn." He smirked, knowing that using her name incorrectly drove her crazy. "However, first things first. I need you to go to New York later this week with me."

"Are we bringing Marcus with us?" She unbuckled as the car stopped.

"Doubtful. Zak said that your partner would be in the hospital for a few days." Victor reached out and grabbed her forearm as she started to open the car door. "Which means, that you need to think about who you want going with you as a bodyguard."

"Zak can do it." Kate turned her attention back to Victor and tugged her arm out of his hold. "Or I can do it. I'm a tough woman. You're not giving me nearly enough credit."

"I give you plenty, but with Billy loose, I'm not comfortable with you not being safe, and Zak will be with me." He reached for his door. "I think you should consider asking your boyfriend to join us."

"My boyfriend?" Kate got out of the car and walked around to the back. She fixed her black t-shirt to cover the top of her jeans, grateful that she was dressed relatively nice.

"Jon. The cop."

"No. He's out of the picture. We forced him out, remember?" Kate gave Victor an incredulous look and walked as slowly as she could force herself to do. She wanted to see Marcus - now.

"Let's talk with Zak and Marcus about it, but if I had to choose someone to stay beside you that I knew would protect you with his life, it would be the cop." Victor held the door open.

"I said no. I don't trust him, and honestly, I don't like him. The sorry mother fucker hauled me downtown again today. If I had been at the club..."

"You would have been shot or taken away from me. I owe him a debt of gratitude. Hence me offering up his name as an option."

"Keep your options to yourself. I don't work for you, and you have no say in who guards my body."

"On the contrary..." Victor turned and pulled her close to him as the doors to the elevator closed around them. He leaned down and pressed his lips to her ear. "This body very much belongs to me too. I want it protected. Ask the cop or I'll assign someone to you that you might like even less."

Kate growled softly, not liking his dominance, and yet stuck in their wayward arrangement at least until she could off him. The day was coming. She had no doubt. She wasn't willing to wear another collar around her neck for anyone.

If Victor wanted Jon, then she would talk to the bastard to see if he were willing. In all actuality, it was the least he could do for her, seeing that she sold herself into sexual bondage for his release.

He had no clue, nor would he ever.

Kate knocked on the door, but opened it before getting the invitation to do so. Marcus glanced up from a magazine he was reading and winked.

"There's my girl. Come here." He reached for her, and she walked toward him, leaning in and hugging him carefully.

"What the fuck happened? You haven't told me anything." She sat down on the bed beside him before glancing over at Zak and nodding her hello. He responded in kind.

"Billy Turner happened." Marcus reached out and palmed her knee, rubbing softly. "You all right? What happened with Jon?"

"Nothing. He's a fucking idiot. I don't want to talk about him. I want to talk about why there's blood all over the hallway outside my office." She moved up to tug at the covers around him. "Is it yours or someone else's?"

Marcus grasped her hand and moved a little to look around her. "Can we have a minute? Please?"

Zak got up and walked to the door. "Come on, brother. I'll buy you a cup of coffee."

Victor hesitated on the other side of the bed, but finally nodded and walked to the door without another word.

Kate waited until he was gone to pull her hand from Marcus's grasp. "I'm worried sick about you."

He tugged the covers down and pulled at the gauze, revealing a nasty tear in his skin that was stitched up.

"Goddammit. That was too close, Marcus." She reached up and brushed her fingers over the gauze on the side of his handsome face. "Did they hit you?"

"Yeah, but I'm fine. Honestly." He took her hand and moved it over his stomach down to cup him over the covers. "I'm horny for you, but other than that... I'll live."

She squeezed his package and pulled her hand from him, brushing her fingers down his face as she leaned in for a long kiss. They didn't need to talk about loving each other or wanting more than they would ever allow themselves to have, but she was going to show him regardless - every day.

He groaned softly and slipped his strong fingers into her hair, tugging at it softly as he made love to her mouth, exploring her. The need to crawl up in his lap left her panting softly, but it wasn't at all about sex for her. It was about joining together as one with him, about belonging to someone so strong and good hearted, someone that loved her.

She pressed her forehead to his as they both panted. "Don't ever leave me."

"Never, Katie. You couldn't force me out." He kissed her again once more. "We need to take Billy out. Now."

"The cops will get him." She sat back and licked her lips as she let her eyes move across the impossibly beautiful planes of Marcus's face. If he weren't such a nefarious villain, he would belong on the front of GQ.

"No, baby. He's after you. I'm not waiting around until the cops get off their dead asses and do something right. Fuck that," he growled softly and slid his fingers up her thigh to latch onto her hip. "We go after him. Or rather, I do."

"Victor can help us too." She got up and reached for her phone as it buzzed. The number was all too familiar, but a surprise nonetheless.

"Who's that?" Marcus reached for her as she moved back to the bed.

"Jon." She sat down next to Marcus. "Victor needs me to go to New York with him, but says I need a bodyguard with me."

"I should be out in three days. Just wait, and I'll go with you. I'm not comfortable with you going without me." He squeezed her hand as his blue eyes moved across her face.

"You're not my daddy, remember?" She moved closer, brushing her lips by his again.

"I could be, if you wanted me to." He nipped at her as he reached around and squeezed her butt. "Go lock the door. I wanna fuck."

"Me too, but you just got out of surgery. It's not happening." She kissed him again and got up. "I'll be fine."

"Take Jon with you, Kate. He can protect you. He'd die trying."

"I guess that's one way to get rid of him." She chuckled darkly.

"You'd die if something happened to that asshole." Marcus dropped his hands into his lap and watched her intently.

"No, I wouldn't, but if something happened to you..." Her eyes filled with tears.

"Nope. None of that please." Marcus smiled and pointed to the door. "Get out of here and think about taking Jon. It would make me feel better. I'm serious, Kate."

"I thought you hated the bastard."

"I did until I woke up a few minutes ago."

"If he hadn't taken me, you wouldn't be laid up. We could have taken Billy out together." Kate put her hand on her hip as the door opened behind her.

"No. Billy's much too cunning for that. If Jon hadn't taken you, then God only knows what would have happened. I owe him one. Period." Marcus turned his attention to Victor, who moved up beside her. "Tell her to take Jon. Make it a requirement."

"I already have." Victor glanced down as Kate growled softly, turned and walked out the door.

Having two bossy men in her life was far too much. Bringing Jon back into the fray was overkill. Besides... he was a good guy, and good guys didn't survive in her world. Jon had made that more than clear with his actions, and his words.

She could take care of herself.

No way she was asking him for a damn thing.