Jaci Burton (23 page)

meant nothing. Her emotions were tied in knots, like her

stomach.

“What?”

“You just made it sound so easy. As if walking away from

someone close to you would mean nothing.”

He shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never felt close to

anyone.”

She drew her knees up to her chest, pondered how that

would feel. To be so isolated, so alone.

“Don’t feel sorry for me, Ava.”

“I don’t feel sorry for you. Okay, maybe I do. You’re too old to

have gone that long without having someone . . . some

attachments in your life.”

He shrugged. “I’m fine with it.”

“Are you? Are you real y?”

He opened his mouth, no doubt to shoot off some smartass

retort. This time, she wasn’t going to let it happen.

“Rick. Tel me.”

He stopped then. Looked at her. “I had shitty parents. So

did Bo. Not everyone comes from a great family. So Bo and I

bonded, and for a long time we had each others’ backs.”

“Did the courts take you away from your families?”

“Off and on. You know how it is.”

“Yes, I do. Too often the removal isn’t permanent, though

many parents should never get their kids back.”

He looked over the balcony. “Amen to that. There were

times I was happier with my foster parents than I ever was at

home. But I knew better than to get settled or to think I’d stay.”

“Because they’d send you back home.”

He nodded.

Ava ached for him, for the child who’d craved stability and

someone to love him, but had none. “I’m sorry.”

He half turned and gave her a smile, but she saw the

sadness in his eyes. “Not your fault, darlin’.”

She stood and went to him, wrapped her arms around him

and laid her cheek against his back, wishing she could love

him, that he’d let her. But she knew anything she said right

now would only be taken as pity. And that’s not at al what she

felt for him.

“You can’t fix me, Ava. I’m a grown man. I survived it.”

She squeezed him a little tighter. “It doesn’t make the past

hurt any less, or the memories go away.”

She was in love with him. She knew it now for certain. He’d

been through so much, could have turned out so differently. He

could be a prick, treating people like dirt, like he’d been

treated. Instead, he had a heart, emotions, warmth, and

passion and he needed to give that to someone.

Only he didn’t see it. He didn’t see it and Ava didn’t know

how to make him see what he needed.

Rick didn’t form attachments like she did. Maybe it was

easy for him to walk away. Like it would be easy for him to

walk away from her.

A man like him, with his background and the way he was

raised . . . yeah, Ava could certainly see him leaving and not

looking back.

He turned, smiled down at her, and kissed her. “The past is

dead. Leave it there.”

She blinked back the rush of tears that threatened to burst.

“You’re right. Everyone needs to look forward. Even me.”

He tipped her nose with his finger. “That’s right. Which

means that you need to stop thinking about vacations in

Mexico and get back to reality.”

She laughed. “So true. It’s time for me to start thinking about

my doctorate degree. I have to find a school.”

“Yeah. Time for me to get back to work, too.”

“I guess this is the end of the fun, then.”

“Fun never has to end if you don’t want it to.”

He winked and smiled, and dammit if her stupid heart didn’t

feel lighter at his words.

She didn’t need him. Love between them would never work.

When they got back to the States, it was over between them.

And that was that. She wasn’t going to think about it

anymore.

Much.

Fortunately, Bo must have dragged Lacey out of bed,

because Rick’s phone rang signaling they were ready to go.

“Ready to exit the Garden of Eden?”

“I suppose so.”

He grabbed their bags and they went downstairs. Bo had

already brought Lacey’s car around to the front, then went to

fetch his bike. Rick packed Ava’s bag in the trunk of Lacey’s

car.

“We’l fol ow behind you.”

She nodded.

He put his hands on her hips, kissed her. Her stomach

fluttered. Real y, she wasn’t a teenager, and they’d been

intimate several times. His kiss shouldn’t stil affect her like

this.

But it did.

“I’l see you back in the States,” he said with a wink.

She smiled and felt giddy.

Lacey laughed at her as they climbed in the car.

“Girl, you got it bad for him.”

That was an understatement.

Rick fol owed close behind Lacey’s car al the way to the

border, paying very little attention to Bo other than making

sure Bo stayed with them.

He did. They stopped once for gas, and otherwise made

good time al the way to the California border.

Now it was showtime. The border was crowded, the going

slow, and for good reason.

DEA was stopping traffic to do random inspections.

Rick masked his smile.

Bo pul ed up next to Rick and turned to him.

“Fuck. This isn’t what we wanted today.”

Rick shrugged. “You said it was hidden wel , right?”

“Yeah. Stil , I’d hate to lose al that inventory.”

What an asshole. He’d throw Lacey and Ava under the bus

to protect his assets—and his own ass.

They moved up the line and Rick slid his bike in front of

Bo’s. Lacey’s car was up next. Rick looked over his shoulder

at Bo, who licked his lips.

Nervous. Good. He should be.

The car was inspected thoroughly, and the drug dogs

sniffed around the vehicle. Ava and Lacey appeared to be

chatting amicably while they waited, unsuspecting of a setup.

After the longest five minutes ever, the guards waved the

car through.

Even with the bike engines idling, Rick heard Bo’s sigh of

relief.

“We’re home free now, pal,” Bo said.

Rick smiled and goosed the throttle, taking his bike to the

checkpoint. He cleared it easy, moved across the border, and

pul ed over at the roadside truck stop where Ava and Lacey

were waiting.

“Wow, huge inspection going on today,” Lacey said. “That’s

never happened before.”

Rick climbed off his bike. “It’s a random checkpoint. The

DEA does this every now and then to sniff out possible drug

mules.”

Ava’s brows rose. “Real y? Fascinating.”

Rick leaned against Lacey’s car and crossed his arms. And

waited.

Bo pul ed his bike to the inspection station. The guards and

dogs went over to the bike. It didn’t take any time at al before

the dogs started signaling with loud barks, lunging toward Bo

and the Harley. Bo took several steps back, guns were drawn,

and Bo was ordered to hit the ground.

“Oh my God. What’s going on?” Lacey asked in horror.

“Just keep watching,” Rick said.

Bo’s saddlebags were opened and the brown paper-

wrapped drugs were lifted. There were no clothes or any of

the items Bo had brought with him to Mexico. Just drugs.

Everywhere on the bike.

“Holy shit,” Ava said. “Are those drugs?”

“Yep.”

Lacey shook her head. “That’s not possible. Bo wouldn’t do

that. He doesn’t—”

“He does, and he did. In fact, he did it to you, Lacey. He’s

been doing it to you.”

Her eyes widened. “What? What are you talking about?”

“Those drugs you see them lifting off Bo’s bike? I saw him

and a few of his buddies plant them in your car last night.”

Lacey shook her head. “No. You’re wrong.”

“Yeah. Bo was using you as a mule. This wasn’t the first

time, either. These spa trips to Mexico you’ve been taking

once a month? Every single one has been so you could bring

drugs across the border for him.”

Lacey’s eyes fil ed with tears. She backed away from Rick.

“That’s a lie. You’re ful of shit. Bo would never do that to me.

He loves me.”

“He loves your car and loves that you were an easy mark.”

“I don’t believe you,” she croaked.

But Rick could tel from the defeated slump of her shoulders

that Lacey did believe him. Ava put her arms around Lacey

and Lacey crumpled against her and dissolved into tears.

Lacey turned her tear-streaked face to him. “A mule? He

used me to transport drugs?”

“Yes.”

“What would have happened if they’d found drugs in my car.

”

“You would of been arrested.”

Lacey’s hand flew to her mouth and she cried hard for a few

minutes. Then anger took over as she glared at the border

where they were handcuffing Bo. “That son of a bitch. He used

me. I trusted him.”

Ava held on to a sobbing Lacey as she raised her gaze to

Rick. “How did you know?”

“I suspected based on a few things Bo said to me. I didn’t

know for sure until I saw them moving the drugs into a

removable rear hood on Lacey’s car last night.”

“Why didn’t you tel me?”

Rick shook his head. “It was better that you not know until I

had you two in the clear.”

“I understand. I think. But God, how could he do this to her?

When I think of what could have happened . . .”

“I know.”

“So what about Bo?”

Rick couldn’t help his smile. “He’s on his own now.”

Lacey jerked her head up and spun around to look at the

checkpoint where the agents were putting Bo in an unmarked

car. “I hope the asshole rots in prison for the rest of his life.”

Rick put his arm around her. “That’s a pretty good estimate

of what’s going to happen to him.”

Ava frowned. “Aren’t you at al upset about this? He’s your

cousin.”

“Yeah, he is. And he’s dirty. And he used two women as

drug mules. He has no honor. As far as I’m concerned he

deserves everything he gets. So how about a cup of coffee?”

Lacey sniffed and raised tear-stained eyes and a tremulous

smile to Rick. “I’d love one.”

“Come on. Let’s go inside this greasy joint and get a

burger. And celebrate.”

Ava shook her head and twined her arm with Rick’s. “I can’t

believe you knew about this. That you did this. For us.”

They ate, and Lacey washed her face and calmed down a

bit. By the time they were ready to leave, she seemed to be

okay enough to drive.

“So what are you going to do now, Lace?” Ava asked.

“I’m going home.”

“Home where?”

“To my parents’ house. I need some family time. Bo

screwed with my head. I need time to think, to figure out how I

could be so stupid.”

“You weren’t stupid, Lacey,” Rick said. “You just picked the

wrong guy.”

She sighed. “I made a lot of real y bad choices. I need

some time to refocus. Some time alone to think about a lot of

things.” Lacey turned to Ava. “Can you get a ride back with

Rick?”

“Are you sure?” Ava asked. “I can ride with you. We’l talk

things out.”

Lacey shook her head. “I’m not ready to talk just yet. I’m

exhausted and pissed and confused. I need some time alone,

Ava. Maybe in a few days we can talk.”

Ava nodded. “I understand.” She turned to Rick. “Can I hitch

a ride?”

“No problem.” Rick went over to Lacey and laid his hands

on her shoulders. “Get clean. And I don’t mean by yourself,

even if you think you can, because that shit never works. Get

into a program that can help you. Lay off the drugs and

alcohol. Clear your head. Once you do, I think you’l find you’l

get past this—past him—and it won’t be as hard as you think.”

She sniffed, nodded. “You saved my ass. I’m scared

shitless, Rick.” She glanced down the highway toward the

border and wrapped her arms around herself. “I could be in jail

now.”

“Yeah, you could. But you got out in time and you got lucky

this time. Use it wisely.”

She sniffed, nodded, and raised her gaze to his. “I’m

grateful. When I think about how blind I was—”

He stopped her. “Don’t do that. You aren’t the first woman

it’s happened to. You loved him and you let the real you go

because of it. Go find that person and get her back.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think she exists anymore.”

“Then make a clean slate and start over. You can be anyone

you want to be.”

Her eyes fil ed with fresh tears. “My best friend is one very

lucky woman. I envy her.”

He kissed her forehead. “And you were too good for my

cousin.”

“Thank you, Rick. I’l work on trying to believe that.”

Rick waited while Ava hugged Lacey and they exchanged a

few words. He carried Ava’s bag over to the bike and stashed

it on the back. Lacey got in her car and took off. Ava walked

back to Rick and took the helmet he held out for her. “I heard