Jaci Burton (10 page)

From the way she wriggled in his lap, her heavy breathing, the

way she clutched his jacket—she was primed for an orgasm

or ten.

But no, not there. Not then.

Tonight, for sure. Other than the apocalypse, nothing was

going to keep him from getting naked with Ava.

They’d ridden the horses back to Joey’s, unsaddled and

brushed them down, which gave them just enough time to

make it back to Joey’s house for one cold beer before

everyone was ready to ride out of there. There was a bike

event that Bo wanted to check out on the Strip, and then an

outside band playing tonight where they were al going to

gather.

It was dark by the time they reached Las Vegas, the lights

of the city just beginning to show their sparkle. Rick had

forgotten how much he liked being on the Strip. When he was

a kid he used to imagine being rich and making it big in

Vegas. He and Bo and their friends would play cards in one of

the guys’ garages and Rick would imagine himself as a high

rol er, welcomed at al the casinos as a hot shot who won big

and spent big. He laughed at how naïve he’d once been.

Now he just enjoyed seeing the al ure of Vegas—but

knowing that he’d leave it as soon as this assignment was

over. Las Vegas was part of his past, but would always be

home to him.

He’d outgrown the desire to be rich and famous. He was

content enough to have stayed out of trouble, to have the job

he held, a few people he could cal friends. He wondered how

things would have been different if General Lee hadn’t walked

into his life al those years ago. Would he lead the Hel raisers

by now, like Bo did, or would he be rotting in a jail cel

somewhere? Or something even worse than that?

He’d gotten damn lucky. He wondered what choices Bo had

made for his life, stil didn’t know the extent of what the

Hel raisers were up to. Part of him hoped that Bo wasn’t into

anything bad. They might not be close anymore, but Bo was

the only family Rick had. At least the only family Rick

acknowledged having. Rick’s parents had long ago given up

on him. As far as he was concerned, they were dead. For al

he knew, they real y were dead by now. Given their lifestyles

as cokeheads, they probably were. Or in jail. He didn’t care.

The only person he’d ever cared about was Bo.

But he also knew Bo was an adult, and as an adult you

made your own choices, chose what road you traveled. If Bo

was down and dirty there wouldn’t be much Rick could do to

help him.

But considering the hel holes they’d both been raised in,

Rick hoped Bo knew better than to involve himself in the same

kind of corruption, knowing where he might end up.

The last thing he’d want to do was arrest his cousin. But if

he had to, he would. The Hel raisers would let their own kin rot

in jail if they got caught by the cops. And Rick would take his

own cousin down if he were dirty.

That’s just the way it was. In some areas, you didn’t protect

family. You had to stand on your own and face the

consequences.

They grabbed some dinner and then hit a bar to kick back

and have some beers for a couple hours. Ava went off to chat

at a table with Lacey. Bo was off somewhere, so Rick had

some time to catch up with guys he hadn’t seen in a while. It

was good to hit some downtime, to see what he could find out

about what the Hel rasiers were up to. Unfortunately, no one

was going to tel him anything, despite his connection as Bo’s

cousin. Until Bo gave them the okay to bring Rick into the

inner sanctum of the Hel raisers, al the talk was going to be

surface at best.

After dinner, Ava and Lacey wanted to wander the exhibits

so he and Bo fel in behind them while the girls shopped. Bo

spent most of his time on the phone, so Rick contented

himself with watching Ava as she walked ahead with her

friend, stopping at a booth to admire jewelry or a painting.

While Lacey oohed and aahed over trinkets, Ava seemed

more reserved. She didn’t spend money extravagantly. Lacey

ran to Bo every time she saw a bauble that caught her eye. Bo

would just rol his eyes and fork over the money. And from what

Rick could see, Bo had one hel of a wad of cash in his wal et.

Rick wanted to know where Bo got that kind of money, but

knew better than to ask. Asking too many questions too soon

would only cause suspicion. It was stil time to lay low and wait

for Bo to come to him. Rick knew how the game was played.

Sooner or later Bo would come around, and then Rick would

know what the Hel raisers were up to. Playing it cool was

always the best bet. Getting too eager was the easiest way to

blow a cover.

After a couple hours of shopping Bo had had enough and

dragged Lacey away from the booths, saying it was time for

some guy fun. They were burning rubber at an exhibition at the

end of the Strip—where bikers could trash their tires by

revving up their engines in one spot and see who could bring

up the most smoke. That’s what Bo had wanted to see. Some

of the Hel raisers had gone off to do other things, while a

group hung with Bo to watch the burnouts.

Rick glanced over at Ava, who seemed fascinated by al the

smoke and noise of the screeching tires. She lifted up on her

toes to see the wheels, so he pushed his way into the crowd,

pul ing her along with him to give her a closer view.

“This is awesome,” she whispered when he drew her in

front of him.

“Yeah, it can be.”

“They’re ruining their tires.”

“Yes.”

She tilted her head back, her hair brushing his chin. “Why?”

He laughed. “Because they want to win.”

She shook her head and waved at the smoke wafting their

way. “Men. Testosterone. Competition.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty much it.”

The next bike pul ed up to try his burnout, and Bo came up

behind Rick. “Got a second?”

“Yeah.” He leaned down to Ava. “Stay here. I’l be right back.

”

Ava nodded, her gaze fixated on the biker who revved the

throttle and started spinning his wheels. Rick moved through

the crowd with Bo and they rounded the corner, away from the

smoke and noise.

“What’s up?” Rick asked.

“I need you to make a delivery for me tonight.”

“What kind of delivery?”

Bo’s lips lifted. “I think you know.” He pul ed a smal padded

envelope out of his pocket.

Yeah, Rick knew exactly what that was. “Okay, what’s in it?”

“You don’t need to know that.”

Rick frowned. “I don’t make deliveries unless I know what

I’m delivering. You tel me what’s in there or I walk.”

Bo studied him for a second and Rick read the anger in his

eyes. Tough shit. Rick wasn’t going to be played by anyone,

including his cousin.

“Coke.”

“Fine. Where’s it going?”

Bo gave him the name and address of the delivery—some

liquor store in the city, but not on the Strip.

“Ask for T-bone. Buy a bottle of Jack Daniel’s. He’l meet

you around back and hand you the money.”

Bo was specific about the amount of money Rick was

supposed to get.

“I want you in my hotel room with the cash right after that.”

“What, you don’t want me spending some of the profits at

the Venetian?”

“Funny. Just bring it to me and you’l get paid.”

Rick took the package and slid it inside his jacket. “Sounds

easy enough. When do you want the drop made?”

“Before midnight when the store closes. Meet me back at

my room at the hotel.”

“You got it.”

Rick pivoted around the corner and went back to find Ava.

Along the way, he pul ed out his cel phone and sent a quick

text message to General Lee, letting him know he’d just been

recruited by Bo to make a drug drop. He had to maintain

cover, so it wasn’t like he could tel Bo what he real y did for a

living, which meant he was going to have to break the law. But

everything he did gathered evidence against the Hel raisers.

Not ideal, considering Bo was his cousin, but Bo had made

his own bed. There wasn’t much Rick could do about that. Just

like the Hel raisers had cut ties with Rick after Rick

disappeared, a bond only went so far.

And it wasn’t like he could have turned down the job. To get

back into the Hel raisers he had to be a Hel raiser, 100

percent. He felt a momentary shadow of guilt over what he

was doing, but brushed it aside. Bo was dirty.

He dug into the crowd by the burnout demo to find Ava. She

hadn’t moved, but a couple bikers had muscled in and flanked

her. She was talking to them—laughing as they pointed out

what was happening.

Rick pushed back his irritation at seeing the guys trying to

muscle in on his woman.

He stopped himself. Ava wasn’t
his
woman. She didn’t

belong to him. He was on a case. She wasn’t his girlfriend.

Jesus. He real y needed to get a grip and remember his

priorities.

Stil , seeing one of the guys rub her back made him want to

break the dude’s arm. Which meant he was getting closer to

Ava than he should.

But wasn’t that the assignment? He just didn’t want another

guy stealing her away. Then he couldn’t do his job. That was it,

and that’s al it was. Nothing more.

He nudged a few people aside and elbowed the back-

rubber out of the way, moving to Ava’s side. Her face

brightened with a smile.

“Oh, hey, I thought I’d lost you.”

He leaned in and pressed a long, soft kiss to her lips. “Not a

chance. Sorry I was gone so long.”

She licked her lips, her pink tongue darting out to sweep

along her bottom lip. His dick noticed, quivering to attention.

“It’s okay. Axe and Roger kept me company.”

She seemed comfortable enough with the two guys. Did

she know them? Had he been wrong about how naïve she

was about the gang? Maybe she knew more than he thought.

And maybe she didn’t. That’s what he was here to find out.

Either way, he didn’t like the guys being so close to her.

Rick slung his arm around Ava’s shoulder and sent a very

clear signal to the two men, who backed away instantly. “I’l just

bet they did.”

“No, real y, they were very nice.”

“Uh huh. Let’s go.”

He’d been planning to leave her here to hang out while he

ran the errand for Bo. But now that he saw two guys moving in

on her? No fucking way was he leaving her alone.

He moved them out of the crowd and headed down the

street where his bike was parked.

“Where are we going? And why are you so angry?”

“For a ride. And I’m not angry.”

“Yes you are. You’re al tensed up and your teeth are

clenched.”

He relaxed his muscles, turned to her, and gritted out a

smile. “There. Better?”

She laughed. “Not real y. But nice try.”

She didn’t seem upset, instead looped her arm through his

while they walked, which helped to dissolve his anger. They

climbed on the bike and took off.

The ride to the liquor store took almost thirty minutes. Traffic

was getting heavier because of the influx of bikers, so the

streets were crowded. But at this time of night and the fact that

most of the events wouldn’t start until tomorrow, it wasn’t bad.

Besides, he’d grown up here, so he knew al the side roads to

take.

He pul ed up in front of the liquor store and climbed off.

Then turned to Ava, hating that he’d brought her along. This

wasn’t the place for her. Shitty neighborhood. But he couldn’t

very wel drag her inside with him.

Fuck. He had to do this quick.

“I’l be right back. Just hang out here.”

Ava looked around, probably not thril ed with the prospect of

being left alone in this part of the city. He couldn’t blame her

but there wasn’t much he could do about it. If for some reason

this sale went bad and he got busted he didn’t want her in

there with him.

“I promise, I’l be right back.”

She nodded and he strol ed inside, the envelope tucked

into the inside of his jacket.

The only person working was a guy sporting a red Mohawk

and more tattoos than he could count.

“I need to see T-bone.”

The dude lifted his head. “Yeah? Why?”

Rick shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess Bo thought I could get

a good deal on whiskey here.”

T-bone eyed him up and down. “I’m T-bone. What kind of

whiskey you like?”

“Jack Daniel’s.”

T-bone nodded. “That’l work.”

T-bone rang up the smal bottle of Jack. Rick put it in his