His Risk to Take (7 page)

Ruby had only begun to recover when Troy pulled himself almost completely out of her body, then thrust home once more, pushing deep enough to bring her onto her toes. “Troy.
Troy
.” She repeated his name over and over, unaware of what she was trying to say or how many times she said it.

“Let me in, Ruby,” he ordered, sliding deep once more. He wrapped her hair around his fist and pulled her upright. Kissed her neck sweetly. “Let me
in
.”

With a sob, Ruby’s head dropped back onto his broad shoulder. “I’ve let you in more than I’ve ever done before. With
anyone
.”

“It’s not enough. I want it all. I need everything you have.” Releasing her hair, he gripped her hips in his hands and began driving into her at a pace that stole her breath. Dizzying pressure stole through her once more as her body worked to answer the increasing demands of his. Behind her, Troy groaned as he neared his own peak, his length swelling even thicker inside her, stretching her to accommodate him. “Give it to me. Just surrender everything, baby.”

His grated command, combined with the punishing fingers digging into her flesh, sent her flying. Her shaking body milked his as he released inside her with a final groan of her name. He rested his forehead in the center of her back, bathing her in harsh exhalations of his breath. Ruby’s entire body felt liquefied, utterly replete, and if the table hadn’t been supporting her, she would have been in a heap on the floor. Suddenly, Troy’s impassioned words came back to her, bringing tears to her eyes.

Let me in. I want it all.

She hadn’t even been capable of answering him. He’d begged her to open herself to him emotionally and she’d remained silent, denying them both something special, acknowledging this incredible connection between them. Years spent rebelling against being labeled a coward now seemed stupid and meaningless. She’d been one tonight. Still was. Something broke inside of her. She managed to prevent any tears from escaping, but a small sound slipped past her lips.

The mouth tracing her back stilled. “Ruby?” Troy pulled her up gently by the shoulders and turned her around to face him. He searched her face, blue eyes bright with worry, raising his warm hand to cup her cheek like she might break. “Jesus.” He sucked in a breath. “Did I— Are you hurting?”

With a shake of her head, she rushed to reassure him. “No, you didn’t hurt me.”

He deflated in relief. “Then what is it?”

The words died in her throat. She wanted to make him promises, tell him she wouldn’t take any more risks with her life. But it wouldn’t be true. She still had one more thing to do. If she tried to explain her reasons to Troy, what she planned to do for him, he wouldn’t understand. He’d take it as a blow to the ego, or worse, he’d find a way to detain her. She’d been brought up to believe deeds, not words, proved your worth to someone else. Perhaps that logic didn’t apply here, between them. But it would always be an absolute truth in her world.

She’d come to care for him deeply in such a short space of time. His life was now in danger. She could prevent him or any more of his colleagues from getting hurt. Prevent him going through the pain of losing Grant all over again. It all seemed black and white to her, when to Troy it would be a giant mess of gray. Could she somehow make him understand without giving herself away?

“Ruby?”

“If you really want me, you need to be patient. I can’t change overnight.” She took a deep breath. “I know I’m a colossal pain in the ass, but try not to give up on me.”

He supported her face in his hands, promises and a touch of humor in his expression. “Hey. You’re
my
colossal pain in the ass. And I’m not going anywhere.”

A laugh bubbled from her throat. “Okay, Troy Bennett. Then I’m going to let you spend the night. But you should know, I’m fresh out of peppers.”

The corners of his mouth edged up into a smile. “Don’t worry. I can be creative.”

Ruby glanced down at the forgotten pool stick. “Tell me about it.”

Chapter Eleven

Troy focused on the map of the Brooklyn Navy Yards spread out on the conference table in front of him, detailing the area surrounding the warehouse where they would hopefully be arresting Lenny Driscol within the hour. After days of around-the-clock stakeouts and working various informants, his lieutenant and a majority of the officers felt 100 percent certain that Driscol had been lying low in the basement of a decommissioned garment factory.

Troy didn’t share their conviction. Something about it didn’t feel right. They’d placed officers in the condo development across the street to surveil the warehouse for the past two days. During that time, they had seen dozens of men come and go, practically jumping around and waving a red flag that Driscol was hiding out inside. It felt way too easy. Driscol couldn’t have survived this long by being stupid.

Two streets over sat another empty warehouse, the second location they’d been considering for a possible hideout. Not a single person had walked out the front door in days, so they’d made the call to rule it out. Yet the uneasiness in him remained.

He wanted it over and done with. Not only because Driscol deserved to be put away for meting out his own brand of justice and putting one of their own in a coma, but because he didn’t like Ruby being so close to the situation. As long as Driscol remained on the street, Ruby would be in danger by association. Danger from Driscol. Danger from herself. Take your pick. She was hiding something from him. Troy knew it in his bones. The sooner they arrested the son of a bitch, the sooner he could breathe again.

Somehow, he’d gotten himself tangled up in the very predicament he’d faced with Grant. He’d formed an attachment, albeit a
very
different kind, to someone who played fast and loose with her own safety. Grant hadn’t known the meaning of the word
caution
and neither did Ruby. He’d left Chicago to escape the constant reminders of his partner, how he’d failed to have his back when he needed it most. He couldn’t fail with Ruby.

The simple act of
being
with Ruby placed her in jeopardy. She’d run with a crowd that wouldn’t take kindly to their secrets being shared with law enforcement. He’d turned her into a threat to dangerous people. A possible source. He knew he should leave her in peace. Protect her by staying away. Yet he couldn’t. And after their night and morning together, he didn’t think he’d be capable of walking away even if he wanted to.

The multicolored map in front of him blurred together as he recalled waking up in Ruby’s apartment. He’d risen early, intent on leaving before sunup so there would be no chance of being spotted at her building. But this time, the second time they’d woken up together in the same bed, she hadn’t pretended to be asleep. She’d pushed him down onto his back and ridden him so hard he’d been frantic with the need to come by the time she’d finished, shuddering and moaning on top of him like something out of his most erotic fantasies. It had been another hour before he’d managed to drag himself away, and even then, he’d wanted to go back for more. Ruby knocked his socks off in jeans and a coat. But hell, naked and rumpled, her voice husky from sleep, desperate to take him inside her? She’d made him burn like crazy.

In fact, he needed to stop thinking about it right now, in a room full of officers who would definitely notice if he got a hard-on, seemingly from studying a map.

“He’s in there. I know it,” his lieutenant said from across the table. “We’ve had round-the-clock surveillance on the building since Monday. They might not have been discreet, but then again, Driscol doesn’t have a discreet bone in his body. It’s hard to believe he’s even stayed out of sight this long. He must know he’s finally screwed the pooch.”

Next to him, Daniel pulled a face. “That phrase needs to be retired, like yesterday.”

Brent shrugged. “I kind of like it.” He held up his index finger. “Wait, did you say pooch or coo—”

The lieutenant let out a long-suffering sigh. “Can you two jackasses be serious for one minute?” They nodded. “Good. We’ve got to make this clean. Matt and Daniel, you’re coming through the south entrance. Brent, you’re with Bennett.”

Troy massaged the back of his neck where a warning sensation had developed. “Lieutenant, something about this is off. We haven’t scouted for back entrances at the other location because we didn’t want to tip our hand, but it’s possible they’re entering in a different way. If we go ahead and bust the wrong warehouse and they get wind of it, Driscol will go so far underground that we’ll never find him.”

Brent considered him a moment before turning to the lieutenant. “He might be right, sir. It feels too easy. Maybe we should hold off until we’re sure we can rule out the other location.”

Troy’s phone started vibrating in his pocket, disturbing his concentration. He tried to ignore the incessant buzzing because they were in the middle of a crucial discussion that he’d instigated, but when it didn’t stop after two unanswered calls, he pulled out his phone to check the screen. When he saw the caller’s name, his heart rate doubled. The officer he’d placed on Ruby had called three times, back-to-back.

“Lieutenant, I need to take this.” He hit the answer button. “Bennett. What’s going on?”

“I followed her as far as I could without getting out of the car and chasing her. The street leading to the warehouse is all blocked off for street repair,” came the officer’s booming voice, laced with frustration.

His mouth went dry. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“She hopped off the bus wearing a different jacket than when she’d left her apartment. Must have changed on the ride over. She turned the corner toward the warehouse before I even knew it was her.”

Troy pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to think clearly over the roaring in his head.
Ruby in danger.
“Hold on. Which warehouse are you talking about? The one we’re set to move on this morning doesn’t have construction outside.”

“I know. It’s the other one.” He snorted. “Just waltzed right in like she was taking a Sunday stroll. Funny, I thought you guys ruled out that location.”

“We did rule it out.” Every officer in the room watched him, knowing something had gone terribly wrong. Troy felt like he was being strangled. He stood in a room full of armed men wearing bulletproof vests, discussing the safest entrance strategy for the arrest of a dangerous criminal, and she’d walked right in, completely defenseless.

Troy dragged a hand down his face. “Goddammit, Ruby.” He hung up the phone and turned toward his fellow officers, anxiety searing every part of his body. “We have to move. Now.”

…

Ruby slipped in through the warehouse door being held only slightly ajar by a bald, stone-faced man with an earring that looked vaguely familiar. Of course, these protection types were almost always bald and stone faced with an earring, so that didn’t mean a thing. She winked to throw him off a little. One valuable thing her father had taught her was to
brazen it out
. In situations such as these, when every move you made would be under suspicion, act like you owned the damn place. That kind of behavior tended to distract people long enough to get what you needed. Or annoy them into
giving
you what you needed if only to get rid of you faster.

Once she confirmed Lenny was indeed hiding out in the warehouse, she could call Troy with the information. He would make the arrest and get himself out of Lenny’s crosshairs where he would be safe. None of his colleagues would be in any danger, either, something she suspected he worried about constantly since the loss of his partner. She could have given him the address to the warehouse last night but had quickly decided against it. She could get useful information by going in first. Information that would help ensure Troy came out on the other side alive.

She also needed to warn Bowen.

“Who are you?”

“Ah, come on. You don’t remember me?” Mr. Clean showed zero reaction. “Ruby Elliott. Our kids play softball together!”

“I don’t have any kids.”

“Yeah, me neither.” She moved farther into the dusty warehouse, quickly eyeing every possible exit. “Listen, you mind telling Lenny I’m here? I don’t have a lot of time.”

He grunted. “What makes you think Lenny’s here?”

“A hunch.” She pursed her lips. “A hunch you pretty much confirmed when you opened the door. Why else would you be standing in this abandoned warehouse in the middle of the day? I’m sure you’d much rather be updating your eHarmony profile or taking a yoga class. Incidentally, I’m thinking of taking one myself.”

Recognition dawning on his face, he pointed a finger at her. “Wait a minute. I remember you. The chick pool player. Jim’s kid.”

Ignoring the pang in her chest at hearing her father’s name, she spread her arms wide. “In the flesh.”

A smile broke out across his face, making him almost handsome. Almost. “Well, come on then. He’s in back.”

“That’s more like it,” Ruby murmured under her breath, following him through the enormous, sunlit room filled with sawdust and empty crates. “You guys really need to fire your cleaning lady.”

“We don’t get a lot of people coming in this way,” he continued jovially, divested of his suspicion. As far as he was concerned, they were cut from the same cloth. A realization that made her feel queasy. “There’s an entrance through the parking garage around back we’ve been using.” He threw a wink over his shoulder. “It’s like we’re not even here.”

“Stealthy.” Ruby pretended to let the piece of information go in one ear and out the other. “The pizza delivery guys must hate you.”

Laughing, he stopped as they reached a wooden door at the back of the warehouse and nudged it open with his foot. She breezed past him into a dark hallway and continued on toward another closed door with light emanating from the edges. Her pulse began to race as she grew closer, but she refused to consider the possibility that she’d made a bad decision in coming here. She would stay long enough to confirm that Lenny was here and get as many details as she could before hightailing it back to her end of Brooklyn.

Her escort reached a hand over her shoulder to push the door open. Ruby tried not to show any outward reaction to seeing Bowen and half a dozen men sitting at a round table, reading the newspaper and smoking cigarettes. All sporting weapons. As usual, Bowen boasted a black eye and several painful-looking cuts on his face. Quickly, she counted seven other men seated around the room, pausing in their conversation to eye her with interest. Her friend’s gaze widened when he saw her standing in the doorway, then flicked toward Mr. Clean, who’d gone to join them at the table. The other men looked between her to Bowen, waiting for his reaction.

Only a few seconds had passed when his chair scraped back, and he came toward her with open arms. “Ruby Doo, what’s the haps?” To anyone who hadn’t known Bowen since childhood, he would appear carefree, delighted to see her, but she saw the wealth of worry in his eyes. He threw his arms around her and whispered in her ear. “I didn’t tell them anything, but you shouldn’t be here.”

“Neither should you. I’m sorry, Bowen,” she whispered back. The way his body tensed, she knew he understood her reason for coming. He knew the cops were coming and that she’d come to warn him. Ruby held on tight to her faith that he wouldn’t tell Lenny. That he’d see this as his way out. Maybe he’d been pulled deeper into his father’s world, but he was still the same boy whose wounds she’d bandaged in back alleys and motel bathrooms. Her best friend. And he didn’t belong here any more than she did.

Bowen sighed shakily against her hair then pulled back, smiling broadly once more, but she could see the conflict in his eyes. He spoke up loudly enough for everyone to hear. “Lenny, I knew she’d change her mind. Ruby’s back. Just like the old days.”

She tensed as Lenny sauntered in from an adjoining room. All confidence and swagger, he nonetheless looked as though he’d had a few sleepless nights. Lenny had always been an undeniably striking man, but his dark blond hair had started graying at the temples, his age causing the skin of his cheeks to sag. He wore black dress pants and a white button-down shirt rolled up to his elbows. Intelligent eyes raked over her, lingering on her face. She didn’t smile, knowing Lenny would find that suspicious. They’d never had anything but a business relationship.

“Took her long enough,” Lenny finally said, his thick Brooklyn accent echoing through the room. He placed a hand on Bowen’s shoulder. Besides a flicker of irritation, her friend’s easy expression didn’t waver. “But like I’m always telling Bowen, you don’t just walk away from easy money.”

Easy for who?
Ruby wanted to ask, but wisely refrained. “I guess you’re right. Here I am. You have a game for me or not?”

Lenny threw back his head and laughed. “You certainly haven’t changed, kid.”

“Yeah, well. Leopard. Spots.”

He jerked his head toward her. “This girl is fearless. I think your time away from her might be the reason you’re starting to go soft on me.”

“I ain’t going soft,” Bowen said quietly.

Lenny laughed in obvious delight of having created an awkward moment, but then his smile disappeared. “You are if I say so, son.” His gaze bored into hers. “And you’d be wise to learn some respect.”

“Please, just give me a time and location,” Ruby said, bringing the focus back to her. “As much as I’m enjoying your company, I have things to do.”

The older man’s eyes narrowed on her. She held her breath, praying she hadn’t pushed too far. Then he reached inside his pants pocket and pulled out a notepad. Without asking, one of the men handed him a pen, and he scrawled an address. When he ripped it out and handed it to her, she feigned disinterest and shoved it into her jacket pocket. “Are we done?”

“For now.”

With a nod toward Bowen and Mr. Clean, she turned and headed toward the door. Suddenly, she wanted badly for Bowen to come with her. She’d planned on doing her part and trusting him to find a way out on his own, but an uneasy feeling gripped her over the possibilities of what he might do. Her shoulder blades itched as she walked from one end of the dark hallway to the other, but she didn’t turn around for fear they would see the anxiety on her face.