Risking it All (7 page)

Bowen felt like breaking something. “I

got no problem with that.”

“I bet you don’t.” Hogan turned,

gesturing Sera closer with a crooked

finger. “But just to be safe, I’m going to

have my cousin Connor keep an eye on

things.”

“You mean keep an eye on me.”

Bowen couldn’t soften the harshness of

his

statement.

“I

don’t

need

a

babysitter.”

“Think of it more like insurance.

Nothing is going to stand in the way of

this job, Driscol, especially your cute

piece of ass. You’ve got one week.”

Jesus, how many times would he have

that same warning issued in his

direction? One week. The world would

apparently end in one damn week.

Sera arrived then, splitting a glance

between him and Hogan. If she’d shown

up a second later, Bowen strongly

believed he would have given in to the

urge to bury his fist in Hogan’s smug

face and blow the whole operation.

“Yes?”

Hogan tossed back his shot of tequila.

“Sera, you’ve met Bowen, haven’t you?”

He laughed at his own joke. “He’s going

to be your host while I’m gone. I have a

feeling you’re going to be playing a

different kind of nurse.”

“In his dreams, you mean?” She felt,

rather than saw, Bowen stiffen. It made

little difference. He was about to throw

a serious wrench into her engine. “I’m

not going anywhere, unless I decide to.

Not with him or anyone.”

“Are you sure about that?” A hard

glint entered Hogan’s eye. “Right about

now, he might just be the lesser of two

evils.”

Several things occurred to Sera at the

same time.

First and most disturbing, she’d been

marked as dispensable. Connor now

required minimal medical attention for

his wound, apart from the occasional

changing of his bandages. If she’d

outlived

her

usefulness

in

that

department and Hogan didn’t feel

comfortable letting her remain behind in

his absence without a watchdog, then he

didn’t trust her. Trust was paramount in

his underworld, and she hadn’t been

given enough time to earn it. Lack of

trust could be tolerated only if he had

leverage of some sort on her, and she’d

given him none.

Had Bowen somehow convinced

Hogan to keep her around as his…

plaything? She tried not to have a

visceral reaction to that thought, difficult

as it was. Just imagining what the sisters

at Holy Angels Academy would have to

say about her being bartered as a bed

partner made her cringe.
Moving on.

This new development put a major

puzzle piece within her reach. In all the

research she’d done, there had always

been a giant question mark beside

Bowen’s name when it came to the

major crime player’s location the night

her brother was murdered. Had Bowen

been there? Did he have the answers she

needed?

In a matter of days, Colin would have

been twenty-nine. She owed him

answers.

God, she’d just let a hardened

criminal turn her into a shivering pile of

lady hormones, without even finding out

his name. How could she let her guard

down like that? This was everything

she’d been working toward for months,

years if you started the clock when

Hogan killed her brother in cold blood.

Her mind traveled back to the alley,

when he’d only been a stranger, instead

of the man who’d inherited a huge

portion of the city and its illegal

activities. Nestled against his warmth

while the bright, brilliant strains of

opera split the cool air. The way he’d

looked at her. As if her smile were the

most amazing part of the moment, not the

woman belting Puccini from the second-

floor window. It had felt like magic, but

now she saw it was only an illusion.

Bowen’s notorious way with women had

even made it into his thick police file,

and she’d just let herself become another

victim.

Unless…

She could use this to her advantage.

Her week of personal leave had

officially expired, meaning her uncle

would start to look for her soon—if he

wasn’t already. She needed to take this

turn of events and make it work for the

investigation. Whether she wanted to

accept it or not, Bowen’s interest in her

might have bought her the precious time

she needed to continue investigating

Hogan, while playing another angle at

the same time. Namely, Bowen. It would

mean using her body to achieve an end.

Was she ready for that? Was it worth

setting aside her principles and giving

away an important part of herself?

Her brother’s face flashed through her

mind.
Yes
, it was worth it. How could

she even question that when Colin had

given up everything for this job?

When a sliver of excitement breached

her resolve, Sera shoved it away.

She had to play this exactly right to

ensure she didn’t get made. Keeping her

bravado would be key.

“Where are you going?” she asked

Hogan, since she wasn’t supposed to

know about his trip to New Jersey. She

also knew from experience that his

employees didn’t usually question him.

Unfortunately, thanks to her loss of

composure the night they met, he knew

she had a backbone. While she might

tread carefully, she also couldn’t

suddenly start playing meek.

His lips curled. “Aw, what’s wrong?

You going to miss me?”

To Sera’s surprise, Hogan reached out

as though he were going to touch her

face. In the two weeks she’d been there,

he hadn’t made a pass at her or even

flirted. Why now? Her question was

answered when Bowen’s hand shot out

and grabbed his wrist, just before it

reached her face.

Hogan threw back his head, laughing

as he jerked his hand back. “Someone

has a crush on you, cutie. Better get him

upstairs before someone makes the

mistake of breathing the same air as

you.”

Sera glanced at Bowen, who’d

managed to keep his temper off his face,

but his anger was broadcast through

bunched-up fists. “He doesn’t look like

he needs a nurse. But if he thinks I’m

going home with him, maybe a shrink

would be a better idea.”

That set Hogan howling again, but her

focus remained on Bowen. For some

reason, her insult seemed to calm him

down. What sense did that make? “There

isn’t a shrink in the world that could

figure me out, sweetheart.”

“You won’t know until you try,

sweetheart.
”

Her boss pushed back his stool and

stood. “Good luck, Driscol. You’re

going to need it.” As he skirted past them

toward the exit, he raised an eyebrow at

Bowen and lowered his voice. “Told

you…
something
about her. Use the head

on your shoulders.”

Sera pretended not to hear, smoothing

a hand down her apron to free it of

wrinkles. “I’m going to get back to

work,” she said to Bowen. “I’d rather

you weren’t here when my shift ends.”

“That’s

a

shame.

I

just

got

comfortable.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Listen, I

don’t care what arrangement you made

with Hogan. I’m the only one who

decides how I spend my time.”

He sipped his whiskey, rolling it

around on his tongue before swallowing.

“You didn’t mind my company when I

had you up against the hallway wall.”

Sera knew her face flushed when he

chuckled. “Momentary insanity,” she

mumbled.

“You saying I drove you insane,

Ladybug?” He winked. “I’ll take that as

a compliment.”

“Don’t.”

“I’ll be right here when you finish.”

The double entendre in his voice was

so glaringly obvious, she almost

laughed. Almost. She worked with cops,

after all. She’d quickly grown used to

sexual innuendo. Not that she ever

participated.

Throughout the remaining three hours

of her shift, she had to take several

bathroom breaks to cool off, patting her

face down with wet paper towels. On

the occasions she gave in and looked

over at Bowen, he was staring in a way

that made her pulse skitter and race. She

felt sweaty and hot in an unfamiliar way.

The distraction wasn’t appreciated, and

yet after a while she began posing under

his watchful eye. Angling herself toward

him, arching her back when it wasn’t

necessary. Flipping her hair over her

shoulder like an idiot.

Yes, her goal had changed with

Bowen’s unexpected arrival. She’d

decided to use this attraction between

them to her advantage, but it made her

nervous exactly how much the prospect

of his hands on her again excited her.

The only way to survive was to immerse

herself in the role. Stop thinking like

Seraphina the cop and simply be Sera,

the waitress. Bowen wanted her and she

could admit to wanting him back, much

as it annoyed her. After all, she had no

guarantee he hadn’t had a role in her

brother’s murder. That in itself should

be enough to eliminate any inconvenient

attractions. Why didn’t it?

When ten o’clock rolled around, she

untied her apron and tossed it into the

waitress

station

cabinet.

With

a

fortifying breath, she turned, intending to

leave through the fire escape exit leading

upstairs. She stopped short when she

saw Bowen propped against the wall,

waiting for her.

This is it, Sera. Too late to turn back

now.

He pulled open the door. “After you.”

Choosing to ignore him until he made

the first move, Sera ascended the dim

staircase, so physically aware of Bowen

behind her, her neck prickled with

shiver-inducing heat. The exposed skin

at her back singed under the gaze she felt

resting there. The sound of his work

boots landing on each step echoed

through the enclosed space, matching her

thudding heartbeat. Would he follow her

into her room? Probably. Why else

would he be tracing a path behind her up

the stairs? In a matter of minutes, she

could be naked with one of Brooklyn’s

most sought-after criminals.

When they reached her door, she

tugged the key out of her pocket and

turned it in the lock. She pushed the door

open to reveal her small, windowless

room, half of which was taken up by a

twin bed. The clothes that had been lent

to her by one of Rush’s waitresses sat in

a neat pile on a single chair propped in

the corner.

Bowen looked horrified. “Not exactly

the lap of luxury, is it?”

“It’s a good thing they didn’t ask me to

fill out a comment card,” she muttered,

walking inside. “But it’s only temporary,

until Connor gets back on his feet.”

He made a thoughtful noise in his

throat and reached down to test the

doorknob. “You keep this locked at

night?”

She frowned. “Yes.”

“Good.” He shoved his hands into his

pockets and looked at her hard. “Lock it

behind me when I go and don’t open it

for anyone.”

He was leaving? Downstairs, he’d

given the impression he wanted to sleep

with her. Hadn’t he?

“Don’t do that, sweetheart.”

Her eyes snapped to his. “Do what?”

“Look disappointed that I’m taking off.

It’s killing me.”

She scoffed at that, holding the door

wide for him to pass. “Now who’s

temporarily insane?”

“Nothing

temporary

about

my

insanity.” He stepped closer,
too
close,

but she held her ground. “I’ll be back in

the morning. Have your things ready to

go.”