Passing His Guard (Against the Cage #2) (35 page)

“Ryann,” Aiden knocked on the door a little louder and a lot more
insistently this time. “Let me in.” He rattled the knob and swore.

She didn’t want to open it. She didn’t want him to see her like this—out of control and emotionally broken.

“Can you open this door?” he asked Nikko impatiently. “Or I’m going to break the fucker down.”

A moment later, there was a chink of scraping metal and the soft click of the lock. The door opened and Aiden filled the entrance. The determined scowl on his face bore harsh lines of concern. Before she could move or say a word, she was in his arms, pulled into the shelter of his strong embrace. What little control she’d gained over her emotions was lost. Gut-wrenching sobs came from somewhere deep inside her, somewhere she didn’t even know existed. “It’s over,” she cried. “Every last bit of him is gone now, and I’ve lost everything.”

“Shhh,” he crooned, tucking her head beneath his chin and hugging her tight against his chest. “I’m sorry, baby. So sorry . . . but you’re not alone. You have me, and we’re going to get through this. I promise.” The weight of his cheek rested against the top of her head as he held her there on the bathroom floor and let her grieve.

CHAPTER

 36 

H
ow close are you to making an indictment?”

Aiden sat across from the DA, hoping and praying the guy was going to have some good news. He’d had a hell of a long weekend and sure could use some good news right about now. Ryann was fighting to keep it together, and the strain of watching her struggle through her grief was chewing him up inside. Every day that passed without their drawing closer to a resolution was one more day he felt like he was failing her.

More than anything he wanted to take Ryann away from all this, get her away from Moralli and away from all the painful memories of her past. He wanted to offer her a new beginning, offer her the chance to start over—with him—but he couldn’t do that, not until this was finished. Not until he knew he’d receive immunity for his complicity while working for Moralli. When this was all said and done, if he ended up going to jail, he wouldn’t ask Ryann to wait for him. He couldn’t do that to her, wouldn’t put her through that.

“Any word on the immunity deal?”

“I filed the petition and am still waiting to hear, but it should be any day now. Jeez, Kruze, have a little patience. You know these things take time. I pulled the feds in to help build this case, but it’s not a slam dunk. We’re working as fast as we can. The problem we’re running into is double jeopardy. We can’t try the bastard for the same charges you’ve already gotten him off for.”

“Fuck . . .” Aiden growled, dragging his hand through his hair.

“You’re just too damn good of a lawyer.”

Aiden didn’t miss the frustration and hint of accusation in his friend’s voice. He stared at Ike over his beer, paused halfway to his mouth, and grumbled “Thanks” with mirroring sarcasm.

“I’m doing what I can, as fast as I can. But unless you’ve got any new evidence—something rock solid and indisputable . . .”

“Trust me, I’m trying, but my clearance at the firm is restricted. Shit, I don’t know how much longer I can put on a suit every day and go into that office pretending I don’t hate every fucking second of it. This isn’t me anymore.”

“I’m sorry, man. If it helps, you know I’ve always got your back. I’ll push the feds some more and get back to you with an update. In the meantime—”

“Yeah, I know . . .” Aiden waved his hand dismissively. “I probably haven’t said it enough, but I appreciate you sticking your neck out like this. It’s no simple task you’ve taken on and if Moralli discovers what we’re doing here, either one of us could find ourselves chained to a cement block and tossed into the Atlantic.”

Ike grunted and lifted his glass, swigging down his beer. “Christ, Kruze, don’t bother sugarcoating it.”

Aiden chuckled. “Just giving you a little incentive, that’s all. We’re playing a dangerous game here, and it’s only a matter of time before luck isn’t on our side anymore.”

This was taking too long. A week had come and gone, and they were still no closer to a resolution. His days were spent at the office, his evenings were busy training for his next fight, and his nights were spent making love to Ryann. It was the only time he felt like he was truly connecting with her these days. He was beginning to resent the demands the firm was placing on him, and he could feel that old familiar undercurrent of bitterness rising up inside him.

The one thing he’d always loved, the one place he’d always found solace, was in the gym. Leave it to Moralli to steal that from him, too. Aiden no longer fought because he loved the sport. He fought because that bastard hadn’t given him any choice. Ryann’s life was on the line if he didn’t fight, and the thought of it just about made him sick. More than anything, he didn’t want to fail her, and the pressure was beginning to eat away at him like a slow-growing cancer, making him irritable and edgy. He just wanted this to be over.

The only silver lining in this cloud was that Ryann was meeting with Henry tonight. Aiden hoped whatever he had to give her would help provide some of the closure she needed to begin healing. It wasn’t easy, discovering your dad wasn’t who you thought he was. God knew when it had happened to him, he hadn’t taken the news well. All things considered, Ryann was doing an impressive job keeping it together, though he knew it wasn’t without a lot of effort and private suffering.

Aiden was almost back to the condo when his cell rang. He glanced down at his caller ID and uttered a foul curse.

“What?” he answered, his voice a strained growl.

“Bored with the lovely Ryann already?”

Fuck . . .
Well, that didn’t take long, further proof he was running out of time. Aiden hoped the tail was on him and not on Ike. The DA arrived early and left well after he did so as not to arouse suspicion. This time, Ike had booked a private room with a personal dancer, limiting the chances of them being seen together. Yet it left Aiden with the unpleasant task of fronting the lie and feeling guilty as hell for not being totally honest with Ryann about where he was having his meetings with Ike.

“Ryann and I are none of your business, nor are my sexual appetites. I might
fight for you, but what I do with my personal time is no concern of yours.”

Moralli’s answering chuckle grated on his nerves, making him wish he could reach through the phone and choke the life out of the son of a bitch. “Aiden, do you know what I prize above all things?”

You’ve got to be fucking kidding me . . .
He closed his eyes, trying to summon his nonexistent patience. “Is this going to take long? Because I got—”

“Loyalty.”

“What?”

“The thing I prize above all else. Don’t make me test yours, Aiden. You won’t like it very much.”

With that warning, the line went dead.

“Does this feel too firm to you?”

Nikko’s brow arched in question. “I wouldn’t know.”

“Well, you’re not going to know unless you touch it.”

“I don’t want to touch it.”

“Oh, come on, Nikko, quit being so stubborn. Just squeeze it.”

“I don’t even know what I’m feeling for.”

“It should be soft with just a little firmness.”

Nikko defiantly crossed his arms, putting a lot of intimidating muscle on display. She smiled sweetly, trying not to laugh at the sight he made. He was all scowl and brawn, pushing a shopping cart through the produce aisle, arguing with Ryann about avocados.

She was nervous about her meeting with Henry tonight and had decided to channel that restless energy into productivity. Aiden’s cupboards could use a good stocking. Nikko had insisted on tagging along—again—and if he was going to pretend he wanted to be here shopping, she was going to make sure he got the full grocery experience, complete with fruit squeezing and all.

“Listen, I am thirty years old, and I have gone my entire life not knowing a thing about avocados. And you know what? I’m all right with that.”

“You never know . . .” she teased, deriving sadistic pleasure in torturing the tough-as-nails MMA fighter who looked hilariously out of place partaking in such a domestic chore. “What if you meet a girl who loves guacamole?”

“I don’t think that’s gonna happen.”

“What won’t happen? That you’re not going to meet that special someone or that she won’t love guacamole?”

“Both.”

“Why not?”

“New topic.”

“Oh, come on, Nikko. Are you seriously trying to tell me there’s no one special in your life?”

“Look, Ryann.”

It wasn’t by mistake that he used her given name. He was getting pissed. He leveled her with a defensive scowl, but that look had lost its effect after nearly being joined at the hip for the last few days. A coincidence? She thought not, but Nikko always had more than enough excuses why he wanted or needed to accompany her.

“You hardly know me well enough to be having this conversation.”

“On the contrary.” She poked him in the chest with her avocado. “I’d be willing to bet that I know you better than just about anyone, except maybe Aiden.”

Those silvery-gray eyes stared her down, but she was immune to his intimidation. “I know you act like a hardass, but deep down you’re really a sweet guy. You keep your demons closely guarded, but I suspect they torture you more than you let on. You don’t like to let people in because you don’t want to care about them and you don’t want them to care about you. You like your life simple, and the more people in it, the more complicated it becomes, so you work hard to shut people out whenever you can. You hate to talk about yourself, you’re rigidly disciplined and extremely intelligent. Oh, and you never leave the toilet seat up, which I very much appreciate, by the way.”

He stood there a moment staring at her, the expression on his face giving nothing away. She could be right or way out in left field for all he let on. But she knew she wasn’t wrong. There weren’t a lot of guys that would put their life on hold to help a friend. No, Nikko gave 100 percent to the few people he did care about.

“You finished with your assessment there, Dr. Phil?”

“I think so,” she said, feeling rather pleased with herself.

“Good, then hurry up and finish your shopping. And for the record, I’m not a hero, Ryann. So don’t go making me into something I’m not.”

“Would you take a bullet for me, Nikko?” It was a hypothetical question, but Ryann was determined to make her point.

“Of course I would.” His response was immediate and without hesitation. Nikko was serious.
Huh . . . well there’s a twist.

“Well then, that makes you
my
hero, and
that
is what qualifies me to ask you about your personal life.”

“I’d rather squeeze your avocado,” he grumbled.

Ryann laughed and tapped him with the fruit again. “I bet you would.” She turned then and piled four dark green fruits into the cart before continuing down the produce aisle. Nikko followed behind her, his surly scowl drawing wary looks from the other shoppers around them—except from the one coming from a twenty-something brunette who was actually quite attractive.

“Ooo . . . Nikko,” Ryann whispered, nudging him with her elbow. “What about that one over there?” Ryann nodded toward the
woman across the aisle, sorting through pineapples. She’d seen the
woman’s gaze dart to Nikko a couple of times as they’d rounded the produce department.

“What about her?” he grumbled.

Seriously? The man seemed completely impervious to the woman’s beauty or her subtle interest. “Is she your type?” she prodded, elbowing him in the ribs.

Nikko’s scowl darkened another degree. “Does she look like she’s my type?” he grouched, growing crankier by the second.

Ryann stopped in between the leafy greens and the tomatoes and turned toward him, her hands posted on her hips. “You say that like there’s something wrong with you.”

He looked at her as if she’d lost her ever-loving mind—and maybe she had, because this conversation was just about as safe as poking a giant bear with a stick. Why she felt the sudden urge to play matchmaker was beyond her. Maybe she felt bad for him. She could sense his loneliness despite his adamant insistence he wanted to be that way. It was just that she loved Aiden so much, and since meeting him, her life had been complete in a way she never could have expected. He filled a void in her heart she hadn’t even known existed. And she wanted that kind of happiness for Nikko, too.