Intimate Enemies (27 page)

She forced herself to ignore his blatant attempts to bring up last night. Ignored the way heat swelled between her legs.
Totally
ignored it. “Lied to you?
I
lied to
you
?”

He reached for her neck again, but this time, his fingers slipped under her ponytail and his warm palm rested against her nape, bringing back those luscious memories of how he’d held her while bringing her so much pleasure. “I distinctly remember you saying you’d come back to me after a bathroom break.”

His voice, low, sexy, and, dammit, echoing with hurt, thickened her throat.

“I…I…”

“I should have told you,” he said, his gaze holding on her mouth. “I hate to wake up alone. Especially after a night like that.”

Regret formed a lump in her throat. “And I should have told you,” she said, her voice low and rough, “I suck at relationships. I’m sorry. I just…needed some room… To think.”

His eyes lifted to hers, and there was something softer there, something a little bit vulnerable that tugged deep in her chest. “Having a little buyer’s remorse this morning?”

“Rio,” she scolded, the guilt of his insinuation aching in her throat. “Don’t talk about it like that.”

“Like what? Like it seemed a good idea in the heat of the moment but not your best move in the daylight?”

His voice remained gentle. She fought to stay angry about the information he had on her history and the questionable reasons he’d gone to bed with her in the first place. But her conscience was making that difficult when she reminded herself of how she’d taken the coward’s way out while he’d been sleeping. Or the fact that, if she cut out all the smoke and mirrors and was honest with herself, she’d gone to him for sex, just as he’d taken her to bed for the same reason. The why of it…well…she was trying really hard to convince herself that wasn’t an issue, because she didn’t feel secure enough to open the subject here or now.

But that damned little sparkle of hope just wouldn’t die.

“Look,” she started and licked her lips, not sure what she wanted to say, even though it had been on her mind all morning. “I have a friend. He knows a lot of guys who do security work for people and companies, contract-type work, in San Diego. Maybe…maybe…”

The hand at her neck, massaging small circles, stopped. That softness in his gaze sharpened and turned cold. “Maybe I can find honest work? Be an upstanding guy?”

Her stomach curled into a knot. “I just—”

“Last night I was good enough just as I am. And you came to me—if I remember correctly.” He pulled his hand away. “But I obviously misunderstood. I don’t know where I got the idea there was more between us than a desire for sex. Something we both could get anywhere, anytime we wanted.”

Having her own words thrown back at her was nothing new. In medicine, keeping the patient updated on progress while trying to uncover the cause of a symptom often meant backpedaling or outright admitting she’d been wrong in an initial diagnosis once new information had been uncovered.

But this was personal—as personal as she’d ever been with anyone. This involved her heart, even if she hadn’t admitted that to Rio. Or truly to herself before now.

Anger and hurt and guilt collided. “You are such an ass.”

“You are not kidding.” His agreement was full of enthusiastic sincerity. She only recognized the hidden sarcasm when he turned away and slumped in his seat, pulling out his phone as if he’d already dismissed her. “In too many ways to count. And it looks like I’ve just added a new one to the list.”

“Hey,” he said into the phone. “Locate Desi Anza for me, will you? Yeah. And get me info on
Diablos
members on his street? Thanks.” He hung up. Glanced in all directions. “Can we get going? Sitting still makes a perfect target.”

“Rio,” she said, forcing her voice stern even though she knew the moment she was alone, she’d cry. “Get. Out. Now.”

“You know Lorena is living with her son, Desi? And Desi is an active
Diablos
member living in
Diablos
territory?”

“That’s exactly why I need to talk to her. That is no place for her to live. It’s ludicrous. Mamà would never forgive me if I let Lorena stay there. I don’t know what happened with Saul, but it doesn’t matter. I’m going to make it right for her. She’s like my grandmother. I can’t let her live in that kind of danger.”

Rio’s jaw slid to the side. Lips pursed. Cassie forcibly looked away from his mouth. Her own lips still burned from his stubble.

“You’re leaving
Muertos
territory to go to
Diablos
territory?” Rio asked. “I think you were
born
looking for trouble.”

Her frustration boiled, heated by his calm indifference. “God
damn
you.”

“I’m already on the fast track to hell. So, if you’re going to visit Lorena, you might as well take me along.”

Rio reached over his shoulder and pulled the belt across his chest. Relenting to exhaustion, she pulled into traffic.

He stayed silent for all of two minutes.

“As an aside, I just can’t help mentioning how amazing you look in that little skirt. Like…”—he took a labored breath
—
“…I’m-having-a-hard-time-breathing delicious.”

Her entire body tightened, but she didn’t respond.

She turned a corner, and two groups of young men standing on opposite sides of the street stopped their conversations and watched until the Jeep was out of sight.

A growing unease over the gangs near the clinic prompted her to make an attempt to break the uncomfortable silence. She propped her elbow on the window ledge and rested her forehead in her hand.

“Can I ask your
professional
opinion on something?”

He hesitated before answering. “I sense another shoe ready to drop.”

“Man,” she muttered, “your bad moods are really bad.”

“Your bad moods are no picnic either, and I didn’t get any sleep.” He turned his head toward her, and even though he wore his sunglasses again, she could imagine the look in his eyes. “And I’m uncomfortable. My muscles are sore.”

“You slept,” she said, growing irritated with his attempts to provoke. “And I not only have sore muscles but aching body parts. So stop whining.”

The hint of a smile lifted one corner of his mouth. The thrill that wound through her chest from that simple curl of his lips was ridiculously out of proportion to the situation.

“I decided this morning that I want to hire security for the clinic,” she said. “For Nina. Raymie’s great, but he’s in and out, sometimes has to go out to get supplies. What do you think about Javier?”

His head turned toward her again. “Lopez?”

“Yeah. I mean, Miguel told me he’s done some time in prison, and I don’t know him now, but I knew him growing up, and he was always a good guy.” She shrugged. “Beat up a guy who pulled my hair once.”

Rio grinned, and the sight cleared away the pain in her heart like the sun appearing from behind the clouds. She returned the smile but doubted those clouds had disappeared for good.

“The sign of a true hero,” Rio said. “By all means, hire him. You owe the man payback.”

“I know, right?” She looked out the windshield again. “But I also know that the money Mamà gave to Casa del Refugio is the money Saul has siphoned for his prostitutes, and I’m sure Javier could use the extra work. What do you think?”

Rio didn’t say anything for a long time. “What if I said I didn’t think he was clean? You know, kosher. On the up-and-up.”

She lifted her shoulders. “Then I’d look somewhere else. Ask you who else you’d suggest.”

Cassie was flipping through her mind for other possible security guards when Rio said, “Really?”

“Really, what?”

“You’d take my word for it? Choose someone I suggested instead?”

She stopped at a traffic light and frowned at him. “Security is your thing, not mine. You know the people here now, not me. Why wouldn’t I?”

“You trust me enough to pick someone to watch out for Nina?”

The sincere surprise in his voice touched her. She reached out and ran her hand over the side of his head before she realized the significance of the gesture. “Shouldn’t I?”

Rio caught her hand under his, turned his face, and kissed her palm. Her heart stuttered. He opened his mouth and kissed her again. And heat flooded her chest. He skimmed his tongue across her palm. And fire melted between her legs.

“Light’s green,” he said, lowering her hand, but he didn’t let go. He threaded his fingers with hers and held it against his thigh.

She drove the remaining blocks with her attention focused on the warmth and strength of his hand. The huge size of it swallowing hers. Thoughts of where that hand had touched her just hours ago, the level of ecstasy it had delivered.

When she turned onto Avenida Hildalgo, her mind veered, and she pulled her hand away. “What happened to this place?” Cassie muttered, searching for a parking spot among the pieced-out, vandalized heaps of metal lining the street. “This is even worse than I remember.”

“Gangs.” Rio’s phone rang, and he answered, “Yeah?” He pushed his sunglasses up and scanned the street. “I see them. Can you send a couple guys my way? Thanks.” He hung up and pointed toward the house Lorena shared with Desi. “Double park. I’ll take care of the car.”

Cassie slowed and put on the parking brake. “What’s going on?”

Rio swung out of the car and rounded the hood, his gaze drifting over the neighborhood homes. Cassie’s gaze followed, where she saw several men sitting out on stoops, talking.

Her door opened, followed by Rio reaching across to unfasten her belt, then taking her hands in his and looking her in the eye.

“Desi isn’t home, so now is your chance to talk to Lorena. But make it fast, because it won’t be long before he knows you’re here.” Rio waited until she was on the ground, then squeezed her forearms. “Cass. I’m one person. I can only do so much. Seriously, make it fast. And bring Lorena with you when you leave if she’ll come. She won’t listen to me.”

Cassie’s scattered brain focused on Rio. “You tried to—”

“Go.” He stepped back and pulled his gun from the back of his jeans, holding it close at his thigh.

Cassie went, fists clenching, muscles tense.

“Hey, beautiful,” he called to her, all charm and ease; she presumed for the neighbors looking on. “Bring me back a few macadamia nut cookies if she’s got ’em made.” She glanced over her shoulder. He was leaning against the passenger’s side of the jeep, ankles and arms crossed, weapon concealed in the crook of one arm. “And you really do look damn hot in that skirt.”

She turned back toward Lorena’s house—or rather, Lorena’s son’s house—looking over the neighborhood. Jagged cracks in the sidewalk spouted shin-high weeds; rusted chain-link fences herded barking dogs; yards collected trash, old appliances, and decayed furniture.

This was a hundred-and-eighty-degree turn from where Lorena had lived while employed at Terra del Mar. No way in hell had she quit to take care of her grandchildren. That was a crock of shit. Her grandchildren were all school-aged, and Lorena could have easily helped with the kids while maintaining her job. But Cassie had to get the story from Lorena before she could decide how to handle Saul. And then there was Rio to consider.

She paused at the white picket fence leading to Lorena and Desi’s house. Cassie wasn’t surprised by the immaculate state of the little cottage. The fence had a fresh coat of paint and ranunculus bloomed along the foundation—Lorena’s favorite flower.

Anger backed up in Cassie’s throat. This was all so wrong. Those flowers should be planted in huge terra-cotta pots and mixed with a dozen other varieties, the way Lorena loved to garden. She should be doting on the little townhouse she’d owned within walking distance of the cinema and the market.

Cassie checked her frustration and started up the walk. On the porch, she peered through the screen and into the open house. “Lorena? It’s Cassie.”

The screen door squeaked as she stepped into the tiny living room floored in slab concrete. A tattered sofa made up the bulk of the furniture, its rust-and-brown floral fabric worn.

In contrast to the dilapidated state of the neighborhood, the house, the furnishings, the space as a whole was immaculate. Every knickknack was dusted, every magazine perfectly stacked. The few plants had healthy, shining leaves. Through open doorways on the right, Cassie spied tightly made beds.

Lorena definitely lived here.

The older woman peeked around the doorframe of what Cassie guessed was the kitchen, her eyes wide in surprise, lips parted. For a moment, she just stared. Then her wrinkled face went tight with fear. She rushed forward, wiping her aged hands on an apron, and held them out to Cassie. “
Mija
, what are you doing here? You come too soon.”

Lorena squeezed Cassie’s hands but didn’t pull her into a hug. Instead, she went to the window and pushed aside the sheer. A rush of breath left her at the same time her shoulders slumped. “
Ay
, Rio’s with you.”

Through the space, Cassie saw Rio blow Lorena a kiss. The woman she’d known since preschool turned back to Cassie with a shaky grin and charming blush.

“This is not a neighborhood a beautiful young girl like yourself should be in alone,” Lorena said. “I’m glad Rio came along.”

“This is not a neighborhood
you
should be in alone either.” Normally, she would have been more tactful when it came to Lorena’s pride, but between Rio’s concerns and now Lorena’s, Cassie was feeling an urgency to get out of the area. “Tell me what’s going on, and don’t try to lie about taking care of the girls. I don’t have time. Rio wants me out of here, and he wants me to bring you with me.”

“But it’s true. Desi has a new job at the docks for a shipping company, and he works long, strange hours. Without their mother,
las ninas
need someone here for them. I can’t leave two young girls home alone, especially not here.”

“Why didn’t you pick them up from school and take them to the estate?”

Lorena broke Cassie’s gaze and looked down at her threaded fingers. “No, Saul wouldn’t allow that.”