Razor's Edge: Men in Blue, Book 2 (31 page)

The men in blue shouted hellos, but Izzy kept her gaze glued to the stained carpet. What the hell?

JRad plopped onto the couch beside her and nudged her knee with his. “You all right, Isabella?”

She picked at the hem of her cut-off sweat shorts, nodding.

What the fuck did she have to be ashamed of? It wasn’t as if they’d committed a cardinal sin. Did she regret sleeping with him?

Razor stalked to where she sat, cross-legged, about to question her sudden shyness when Clint hooted from behind them.

“Oh, ho. What do we have here?”

Razor’s eyes bulged when the jackass spun Izzy’s pretty pink undies over his head on one finger. Not now. Not when she already seemed mortified to have fucked him.

He glanced at Izzy’s horrified face. Her jaw hung wide open. A cramp twisted his guts.

Damn it, he’d known she’d regret taking a no-name cop to her bed. Though she sure as shit hadn’t been complaining last night. Or this morning. Or even an hour ago. She couldn’t intend a lasting relationship if it upset her that the men in blue knew they’d made love.

Shit.
Why did he care so much this time when he never had before?

“Give me those, asshole.”

Clint flung the thong at him as though it were a slingshot. Razor caught the scrap of lace. He jammed it into the crack between the couch cushions. Beside him, Izzy had frozen. He barely recognized her—so unlike the pliant, sexy woman he’d woken to this morning.

Matt slapped his partner upside his thick skull. “You idiot. Can’t you see you’re jacking them up?”

Tyler cleared his throat. He laid his fingers on Izzy’s hand. Razor resisted the urge to deck the man for daring to touch her. She jumped at the contact, her cheeks flaming red.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of, Isabella.” The other man smiled, patient and understanding where Razor probably would have blown a raspberry and spun out of control like the Tasmanian devil. “You’re among friends. None of us will judge you.”

His princess choked. She rasped, “Judge
me
? I’m worried about James. I’m not capable of hiding how I feel. You all knew immediately. Will I bring him trouble because of…this? After what happened last time, he doesn’t need that kind of—”

She didn’t have a chance to finish.

Razor cut her off, silencing her with a full-on kiss. She melted before it turned ravenous, unable to resist the pure attraction arcing between them.

Mason cleared his throat.

Razor broke free, surprised to find Izzy had climbed into his lap.

“Listen to me.” He grabbed her ass, drawing her lower until she straddled him. She couldn’t miss his obvious arousal. Christ, the last time he’d sported wood this often he’d been fifteen and had the mother of all crushes on his teacher, Ms. Dalton, who favored fuzzy, v-neck sweaters. “This isn’t a game. I’m not about to screw you one minute then treat you like some dirty little secret the next.”

She cringed at his directness, but he couldn’t change overnight.

“These guys are my friends. My brothers. They accept you as they accept me. Even if they didn’t—if my superiors didn’t—I’d never turn my back on you. You’re mine, remember? I’m yours. Or didn’t last night mean anything special to you?”

“S-sorry.” Izzy blinked a several times. She shook her head. “I guess I’m not used to this yet.”

“Used to what?” He growled, his rationality impaired by her challenge to his commitment—intentional or not.

“To loving people who stick.” The shimmer of tears in her sky blue eyes broke his heart.

“Well, you better adjust quick, honey.” Matt dropped his massive hand on her shoulder, breaking the tension.

“Congratulations.” Jeremy leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.

“Welcome to the family, squirt.” Mason ruffled her hair.

“Damn, enough of this gooey shit. Can we eat?” Clint cracked the lid on one of the boxes, allowing the perfectly blended aromas of cheese and tomato to permeate the apartment. “Listening to a twelve hour sexathon makes a man hungry.”

His sweet princess hid her face in the crook of his neck while she giggled.

He nudged her chin up until he could rub their noses together, grinning in return until someone handed over a steaming slice of heaven. “Here you go, Izzy. Dig in.”

“You’ll never forget your first piece of pizza.” JRad winked as they moved on, laughing and sharing stories throughout the meal.

“I had no idea a half-dozen men could eat so much.” Isabella refused to listen when they protested her picking up. Not one scrap of mozzarella remained stuck to the corrugated cardboard. They’d blazed through the case of soda and moaned over the beer they couldn’t touch while on duty.

“You should have tried it.” Matt attempted to stifle a gigantic belch behind his fist, but failed miserably. Izzy only laughed. “It’s a match made in heaven.”

“I’m good with this, thanks. As it is, I don’t think I’ve ever been so full.” Isabella clutched her svelte stomach. “I need some exercise. A jog would be awesome.”

The men in blue looked alarmed. She waved them off.

“Don’t worry. I figure I’m sentenced to life inside. At least for now.”

“Don’t pout, princess, or they’ll think I can’t entertain you.”

She shot him a naughty look. He thought he heard Clint curse under his breath. Something along the lines of, “Lucky bastard.”

“It’s true, we’d like you to stay where we can keep an eye on you for now.” Mason turned serious. “We’re digging through all the shit around Malcolm’s murder. Clint and JRad turned up some more leads on the ring from hanging at Black Lily last night.”

Mason flashed Razor an apologetic shrug. The next thing out of the guy’s mouth would suck. Big time.

“If you’re up for it, we’d like to take you out tonight to have a look around the legitimate side of the club. See if you remember more by being there. Maybe scare some people into panicking. Maybe force them to mess up.”

“No fucking way.” Razor leapt to his feet.

“It’s okay, James.” Izzy laid her palm on his forearm.

“No. It’s not. It’s too dangerous.”

“Think this through. We can’t hide her forever. Eliminating the threat will ensure her safety.” JRad spoke, calm and rational, from behind him.

“This isn’t only about me.” Isabella persisted with gentle pressure on his biceps until he turned. She wrapped her arms around his waist, tucking her cheek against his chest. “Those other women…”

She shivered in his hold.

“Oh, fuck. I know, Izzy.” He savored the silkiness of her platinum hair between his fingers, afraid of doing the right thing for the first time in his life.

“We’ll bring Lacey. With all of us on the lookout, it’ll be relatively safe.” Tyler winced at the death-ray glare Mason issued. “Besides, don’t the two of you have to start practicing for next week’s show? I heard you drew the samba. This will be perfect. We’ll take a look around, have a good time, chase away the cabin fever and be home before you know it.”

JRad added, “It’s probably not a bad idea. You’ll be glad you had the break tomorrow.”

“What’s tomorrow?” Razor grimaced at the shadows in his friend’s eyes. They’d suckered him into the worst of the news.

“Malcolm’s funeral.”

“Already? I thought—” Izzy tensed as she glanced from man to man, waiting for someone to fill her in.

“Yeah, we didn’t expect it so soon either. There are some big guns harassing the administration to be speedy.” Mason cleared his throat. “It looks like the commissioner caved.”

“Who’s taking care of the arrangements? Should I help?” Izzy chewed her lip.

“Everything’s covered, honey.” Matt dropped the bomb. “Your father’s handling it all.”

She sank to the couch, her head in her hands. “I guess he always cared more for Malcolm. He hasn’t even bothered to find out where I am.
How
I am.”

“Actually, Chief Leigh told us he asked for you. More like demanded you be returned to his household. The chief refused to reveal your location. Guaranteed him we have it under control.”

“Thank God.” She sighed. “I don’t want to go back. Malcolm or no Malcolm. Still, it’s nice to know he thought about it. Even if it’s because he considers me his property.”

“Fuck him.” Razor squeezed her knee. “You don’t need that kind of drama. We’re here for you.
I’m
here for you. In fact, I don’t think you should attend the services at all.”

“What?” She gawked. “I know this whole situation is insane, yet I can’t help but pity Malcolm. The more I think about it, the more I’m positive I knew the real man. Sometimes anyway. He was miserable. At least he’s not suffering anymore.”

“Princess, I’m sorry to say it like this. I’m no good at being subtle. The fact that the funeral is all some giant rush job sets off warning bells in my brain so loud I can’t hear myself think. There’s no reason to do that. It could be a trap. Something to lure you into the open. And that asshole doesn’t deserve jack shit from you anyway.”

“Maybe not. Still, I’d like to say goodbye.
I
need the closure.” She sighed. “Malcolm was the only friend I had. The only person who gave a crap about me after my mom died. Besides Gerard, anyway. And I wasn’t able to see him very often after I moved out. Malcolm kept us apart. I understand that now. Oh God, and Gerard’s probably in trouble because of me. Soon there will be no one left. My entire life is vanishing, changing. I want to go. I have to say goodbye so I can move on. I have to.”

“Okay, okay. It will be okay. We’re searching for Gerard, Izzy. We’re doing our best. And no matter what, you’ll never be alone again.” Razor tried to calm her. His worthless rambling didn’t seem to penetrate. When his reassurance failed to soothe her, he gathered her to his chest and whispered, “I love you, Isabella.”

Chapter Twenty-One

The cops took their cue to slip from the apartment. Razor supposed those dreaded three words scared most of them, though Tyler and Mason nodded their approval as they filed out the door.

Hope replaced the despair creasing Izzy’s brow. “You do?”

“Yeah.” He rested his forehead on hers. “I definitely do.”

“I’m so messed up, James. My life, everyone I’ve ever known…” She groaned. “I’m not sure I know what love really is. I know I’ve never felt anything this strong before. I-I think I love you too. And I’m terrified I’m going to ruin what’s between us somehow.”

“It’d be impossible to destroy this, princess.”

He claimed her mouth in a searing kiss, noting the zesty spice of the sauce she’d eaten as well as the sweetness from the soda. So much like her. Life would never be boring with Izzy around.

Razor might have christened the couch with some afternoon nookie if Isabella hadn’t winced. “Your arm? Or…”

“Both.” She grimaced. “I know we woke up late, but I think I could sleep for a week. There’s not much on me that doesn’t ache right now.”

“I’ll grab your medicine and a blanket.” He shifted, tipping her onto the wide leather cushions. “Nothing like a day of snuggling, snoozing on the couch, watching cheesy old movies and maybe playing some video games to cure you.”

She opened her mouth as her gaze wandered over the bulge in his sweats. He stifled her objection with two fingers over those luscious lips. “There’ll be plenty of time later.”

Razor reached across Izzy to grab his buzzing Smartphone from the coffee table. She dashed a tear from the corner of her eye. Maybe she figured he wouldn’t notice her crying.

So what if she’d enjoyed the romance?

He’d never admit it to the guys, but he had too. Because he’d shared it with her. Her head pillowed on his arm, he’d relished every single minute, spending more time studying her expressions in reaction to the drama onscreen than the films themselves. The sweet smiles, the soft laughter and the sighs of pleasure falling from her lips entranced him.

After three chick flicks in a row he’d started to get a cramp in his neck. His arm had gone numb hours ago. He would have stayed for another triple feature.

Beside him, Izzy stretched her elegant arms above her head.

Razor swallowed hard as his gaze fixated on her narrow midriff. She tugged the hem of her tank down and blushed. He winked.

“Huh? Yeah, I’m here. Sure, send her up.” He snorted when JRad made some wild suggestions as to what’d stolen his attention. “Very funny. We’re decent.”

Before Izzy could ask, a light rap sounded on the front door. She curled into a ball against the sofa’s arm, drawing the covers to her chin as if to prevent their guest from seeing her beaded nipples beneath the thin cotton covering them. She hadn’t bothered with a bra for their private screening session. Her pert breasts didn’t require one anyway.

“It’s just Lacey, princess.” He pecked her cheek before admitting the other woman.

“Hey, guys.” Mason and Tyler’s woman tossed them a finger wave as she sashayed across the room. She plopped onto the arm of the sofa beside Izzy. “Ohhh,
Dirty Dancing
. One of the best movies of all time. Damn, too bad I missed it.”

Surprised, Razor turned. Credits rolled across the screen. Where had the last hour gone?

“Soooo…” She glanced between him and Izzy. “We still on for tonight? I brought some gear to slut us up good.”

“I don’t think—” he started at the same time Isabella said, “Yes, if you’ll help me with my hair.”

She pointed to her injured arm.

“I’ll tease that mane so high the girls on
Jersey Shore
will turn green with envy.” The pair giggled, frightening him on a level he hadn’t experienced in quite a while. What the hell had he stepped into?

Izzy flung the quilt off. She bounced into the other room, elbow locked with Lacey. He might as well have ceased to exist for all the attention they paid him. It made his heart sing to see her so excited. Maybe this wouldn’t be such a clusterfuck after all.

“I borrowed a handful of dresses from one of my tiny friends, the bitch, for you to try on. I hope you pick the red halter. It’ll look great with your eyes and some fire-engine lipstick. I brought my fuck-me boots too. What size shoe do you wear?”

“Seven.”

“Me, too. We’re shoe sisters. It’s fate.” The gleam in Lacey’s eye as she glanced over her shoulder proved she’d planned his demise all along. “No peeking. We’ll be ready by nine. Not a minute sooner. So tell Mason to chill when he has a bug up his ass to head out.”