Sweet Vengeance (11 page)

Allie
shifted, and Jase moved so he could use the ambient light to get a better look
at her face.

"I
haven't done anything."  She paused and tension rolled off her in waves. 
"Joey was murdered last night."  Her voice shook.  "And I think
they're after me."

Jase
took a step forward, preparing to grab the phone from her if she made any
mention of him or where she was hidden. 

The
woman on the other end half gasped and half laughed.  "God, they'd be
doing me a favor."

"It's
not a joke, Aunt Rita.  I think they really want to kill me."  The crack
in her voice tugged at Jase's heart.

A
long pause followed, and he started to wonder if her aunt was still there. 
"You've been a goddamn nuisance since the day you were dumped on me.  I
took you into my house, took food from my kids' mouths to feed you, and this is
the thanks I get.  As far as I'm concerned, you're on your own.  I don't need
you bringing your shit to my doorstep any longer."

The
line went silent, and for a few moments, neither of them moved.  What the hell
did he say now?  Her aunt was a complete bitch.  He'd never be able to figure
out why God took good people from the earth like his family and left the
trash.  It was some kind of sick joke.

Allie
released a ragged sigh and held out the phone to him.  "Thanks for letting
me use it."  Her voice was subdued, and he could tell her aunt's words had
pierced her like no bullet could.  Bullets were cold, hard and quick.  The
wound Allie had sustained would be deeply painful, and she might never heal.

"I'm
sorry."  He stepped forward to take the phone.

"For
what?"  She looked at him now, her tears glistening in the soft light.

"You
okay?"

She
nodded, looking away, and then sniffed.  "I guess you heard.  She said I
can't come home."  That was a nice way of putting it.  "So I need to
find somewhere else to go."  Her lips trembled. 

There
lay his problem.  "You can't stay here."

Her
gaze jerked to him, a hurt and confused look on her face.  "I thought you
said I had to stay.  Now you're kicking me out, too?"

"No." 
He was careful not to bump her injury as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder,
pulling her to him.  He skimmed his fingers down her skin that had been chilled
by the night breeze.  "But I've realized this is not a good place for you
to be."

She
frowned.  "I thought you said I was safe here."

He
wasn't making himself clear.  "You are safe.  But I don't know for how
long.  Eventually, word will get out you're here.  That puts you, my guys, and
my whole operation at risk.  Besides, you said you were getting cabin fever,
staying locked up for just a day."  Not to mention, he had a hard time
thinking straight with her so close.  "There's a place out in the suburbs
where no one will think to look for you.  A lady named Jenna—"

"Is
that where Boo is?"

"Yes—"

"Is
Jenna your girlfriend?" 

"What? 
No, she's not my girlfriend."  He circled in front of her, putting both
hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look at him.  "I pay her to keep
the house ready in case someone needs to lie low.  Max was out there this
morning and gave me the idea.  I think it will be good for you to go there. 
Tomorrow."

"You
want to get rid of me."

Jase
couldn't stand the despondent look on her face.  "I want to help you,
Allie."  More than to just find a protected place to lie low, he
realized.  He wanted her safe and happy for the rest of her life, and he could
give her that if she'd agree.  He exhaled a breath. 

"Have
you ever thought about going to school?"

A
look of surprise crossed her face.  "School, as in college?"

He
nodded.

"I
wanted Joey to go so we could leave Chicago and start fresh, somewhere new, but
I hadn't really thought about it for me."

"Well,
Joey's not here anymore."  He tried to be gentle.  "But you could go
and get that fresh start for yourself.  What do you think?"

She
let out a soft sigh, her demeanor calmer than before.  "I guess so.  I
mean I'd always dreamed about it when I was younger.  Breaking away from the
neighborhood and making a good life."

"If
I helped you, would you go?  If you say yes, I'll arrange a new identity for
you and fund your education and expenses."  It was crazy, he knew, to have
formed such a strong attachment to a woman he hardly knew.  But he had a
powerful urge to help her, to take care of her.  His occupation prevented
anything other than friendship, but if he could have nothing else, he'd know
she had a secure future.  Maybe even a happy one.

She
looked at him with wide eyes.  "How can you do that?  How can you make
that kind of offer to me?"

"Money's
not an issue."  He had more than he'd ever need.  God might not have given
him love and affection in his life, but he sure as hell had provided plenty of
greenbacks.

"But
you don't even know me.  Not really."

"Then
call it me getting even with the warring drug families.  They want you, but I'm
not going to let them have you.  It's payback."

She
bit her lip in indecision, but he could see the glimmer of excitement and
possibility in her green eyes.  He loved her eyes, the way they sparkled. 
Could he really be offering to send her out of his life? 

"If
you don't go, what else will you do?  I'll let you stay at Jenna's for as long
as you need to, but then what?"

"I'll
be stuck here, or dead."  She lifted her eyebrows as though contemplating
the choices.  "If I take you up on your offer, I'll owe you for the rest
of my life."

"No,
you won't."  This was a gift to him as much as her.  Knowing he could help
her gave him a huge source of gratification, something he hadn't felt in years.

"Yeah." 
She smiled with tears in her eyes.  "I already do."

Jase
rolled over and punched his pillow.  He couldn't sleep.  The dark hour of
midnight had long since passed, and all he could do was listen as Allie rustled
around in bed in the next room.  She obviously couldn't find solace in a
peaceful slumber, either.

He
was glad she'd accepted his offer.  Some would say it was too generous, but he
wanted to give her a future and more.  It puzzled him, this need to take care
of her, the constant thoughts of what it might be like if he didn't have to
send her away.  But like Max had reminded him, having her around totally
screwed with their plans for revenge.

So,
if he couldn't dream about enjoying her company, he would dream about the life
she'd have.  It would be better than what he'd been dealt. 

He
didn't care if others thought he was pussy-whipped for helping her.  Sometimes
fate threw people in others' lives for a reason.  Yesterday, she'd been a
stranger hurtled into his.  Today, he wanted to take her and run away, and
explore the possibility of a life far from crime.  But tomorrow, he would ship
her off to Jenna's where she'd stay until her new life was established.  He had
to.

Damn
it.  Why did life have to be so hard?

The
Fates had altered his life when his entire family had been snuffed out by the
Trasatti gang.  He'd finally managed to accept that.  He'd healed himself by
focusing on revenge, and that plan had sustained him through some pretty hard
times.

He
didn't need this new curveball.  He didn't need a wounded woman tugging at his
heart.  He didn't need it one damn bit. 

He
threw off his covers, hoping the night air would cool his thoughts.  A clear
head would help him recommit to his original plans.  The Trasatti family had to
pay for what they'd done. 

Jase
had chosen his future path, and there was no going back.  He'd known that when
he'd made his decision, so he couldn't very well complain about it now. 
Besides, he'd gotten good at lonely nights, gotten good at the sound of silence
echoing through the vacant rooms, here as well as at his apartment downtown. 
He was so used to his own company that he usually didn't notice.  When it got
to be too much, he found a temporary woman to ease the pain. 

Maybe
he would hook up again with Jenna for a quickie.  She didn't seem to mind the
sex-with-no-strings he'd offered before, and he sure as hell needed to relieve
some pressure.  He was rock hard thinking about the temptation who lay a short
distance away.  Max was right.  He did want to sleep with Allie.

But
no one had to tell him that was out of the question.

The
light flipped on in the other room, ripping Jase from his thoughts.  He hurried
to sit up.  "Are you all right, Allie?"

He
heard shuffling and then she was in his doorway.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean
to wake you."

He
pulled the covers over his lap and turned on his bedside lamp, taking in her
bare legs that led up to an oversized green T-shirt which scarcely covered her
ass.  Her dark hair was softly rumpled about her face, and he had to fight back
a fierce urge to crush her in his arms and kiss her sweet lips.

Allie's
heart thudded in her chest as she met Jase's heated gaze.  She'd lain in her
bed for more than an hour, unable to sleep.  She worried she'd almost given
away her secret when Jase asked about her ties to the mob.  She had no ties
besides the baby she carried, but how could she tell him about that?  He might
see her as an infiltrator and toss her out on the street. 

If
that wasn't enough to keep her awake all night, there were noises.  They
sounded like someone breaking in.  Jase had said she was safe, and she wanted
to believe him, but in the darkness of night, she couldn't contain her fears. 
It had taken her forever to work up the nerve to turn on the light.  "I
can't sleep.  I keep hearing something.  I know you said nobody can get in,
but…"  She caught herself looking at his bare chest and forced her gaze
upward.

"Nobody's
getting past the guards I have outside.  We're fine."

She
tilted her head, not wanting to ask, but too afraid to go back to her own bed. 
It was crazy that she'd willingly put herself in close proximity to a man who
had the potential to seduce her with a smile, but she'd rather face him than a
frightful night in the other room.  "Can I sleep with you?"

His
eyes widened as her cheeks burned.  A wicked smile spread across his face at
her blunder. 

"I
mean, in here with you."  She gestured toward the empty side of the bed,
trying to make him understand.  "Not like in having sex, but I just...I
don't want to be alone."  She sucked in her bottom lip.  "I promise I
won't take up much room.  I won't steal the covers, and I won't snore." 
Sure, she'd wondered what it would be like to have him touch her, but that's
not what she needed right now.  She only wanted a safe place to rest. 

He
stared at her for a moment, and she wasn't sure what to make of his silence.

"Please?" 
She didn't want to intrude, but she didn't want to be alone.  She'd never had
men looking to kill her before, and with him, she felt safe.

He
blinked, looking as though he still hadn't heard her correctly. 
"Uh...sure."  He glanced at his dresser.  "You might want to
turn around first so I can put something on."

Now
it was her turn to widen her eyes.  Was he naked under that sheet?  She
swallowed and turned, feeling her face flush again.  She tried not to picture
him crawling from between the sheets, exposing every inch of his flesh.  The
top half of him looked pretty damn hot with nothing on.  She could only imagine
what the rest of him looked like.

"Okay." 

She
turned to see him climb under the covers wearing only a pair of blue plaid
boxer shorts.  Trying to erase the thoughts of him naked, she hurried over to
the other side of the bed.

"Aren't
you going to turn out the light in your room?"

"Right." 
She shifted direction and went back into her room.  The interaction with him
had totally thrown her for a loop.  Now, instead of night noises, she'd have to
deal with thoughts of lying next to a hottie who'd been naked in that same bed
only moments before.

A
minute later, Allie was safely tucked in his bed with all the lights out.  She
rolled on her side, away from him, ignoring the thumping pain in her arm.  It
was tolerable.  She rearranged her pillow and sighed.  She certainly didn't
feel scared anymore, but had she really thought she could sleep next to him, as
attracted as she was?  She sighed again and tried to rearrange her thoughts. 
The sheets were buttery soft beneath her skin, and she moved her foot back and
forth, enjoying the feel of them.

"Are
you going to be able to sleep now?"  He sounded as though he was right
behind her ear.  She rolled over to look at him, finding his dark silhouette
still firmly on his side.

"Sorry. 
I guess I'm still a little fidgety.  This whole thing has me freaked out."