Weston (6 page)

Everyone was safe…for now.

T
he minute Rocki saw for herself that her mom was all right, she felt more in control. She opened the chamber on the revolver Tony handed her and breathed in a sigh of relief at once again having protection.

Tony not only brought her security knowing her mom had another set of eyes on her, he’d proven rock steady in trusting her decisions.

Rocki’s mom’s smile faded along with the red lipstick she always wore on her lips. At five feet, two inches, her mother appeared frail, but her inner strength shined through by the stubborn tilt of her chin and the short, chic hair she kept stark black with a bottle of dye every six weeks. Rocki nodded, trying to give her mom the strength to hang on and trust her.

She’d protected them both for years, and realized she probably did more harm than good in this situation. The more aware her mom was, the better on guard she’d be…maybe.

Confident in protecting herself, Rocki became vulnerable when the most important person in her life was also in danger. She had to think, and do it quickly.

“You’ll be able to handle the size?” Tony asked.

“Yeah.” She slipped the nine-millimeter into the waistband of her jeans. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Tony handed a cup of coffee to Mary. “There’s cream and sugar in the kitchen.”

“Black’s perfect.” Her mother took the mug and patted Tony’s hand. “Thank you for helping Rocki. I’ve been worried sick the last few months, thinking of my baby out there without anyone to help her.”

Rocki stilled. “Mom…”

“What? I’m your mother. I worry.” She looked over the rim of the cup. “But you have a nice, strong, good-looking man taking care of you now. Everything is going to be fine.”

She glanced at Tony, saw amusement on his face, and sat down on the couch. The situation was not all right. Darrell would use anyone to get to her and keep her from turning in all the evidence she’d uncovered. “Listen, we’re not here because everything went okay with—”

“She’s right.” Tony hooked his hand around Rocki’s arm and hauled her off the couch. “You’re safe here, Mary, and we’ll let you relax.”

“What are you doing?” Rocki asked, trying to pull away from him.

“I’m sure your mom doesn’t want to be bored talking business. You’re together again, and that’s all that matters at the moment.” Tony smiled at her mom. “If you’ll excuse us, I’m going to debrief your daughter.”

She scoffed. “Debrief?”

“Go ahead, Rocki. You two go about your civic duty. I’m going to unwind and drink my coffee.” Her mother batted her eyes—yes, batted her eyes—at Tony. “Take your time.”

Tony gazed at Rocki, full smile, loving the attention from her mom. She rolled her eyes, which only amused him more because he stepped so close their thighs brushed.

“Come on, sweetheart.” He slipped his fingers into her hand.

Rocki allowed Tony to drag her down the hallway, only because she couldn’t take the way he flirted with her mom to get her on his good side. At the bedroom door, she muttered, “Kill me. It’d be a lot faster.”

Tony escorted her into the room, chuckling, and shut the door. She planted her fists on her hips. He obviously had no idea who he was working with, because no man, no private investigator, was going to take her case away from her, even if she needed his help.
She
would call the shots, and
he
would take direction from her. Besides, she couldn’t have her mom fluttering her hand in his direction because he had a killer dimple in his left cheek. She was distracted enough without Tony pulling her thoughts from the problem they had on their hands right now.

“My mom needs to know the truth,” she said.

He hooked her neck and pulled her forward. “In time.”

His other hand went around her, low on her back, and pressed her against him. She shivered at the close contact. He’d touched her a lot since she’d broken into his house.

“What are you doing?” she said.

He stroked the side of her neck with his thumb. “Holding you.”

“I can feel that.” She sighed and let herself lean against him. “Why are you holding me?”

“It’s nice,” he whispered. “Go with it, sweetheart.”

Something was odd about a man who could think about sex at such a dangerous time. Their lives were at stake and he wanted to cuddle.

“That’s the difference between you and me. I have to work. I have Darrell after me, and my mom is in danger. I can’t think about you or what you’re doing to me.” She looked away, trying to hide the fact that her body called her a liar. She loved the way it hummed when he touched her, and enjoyed leaning against him. He was tough, hard, and unyielding, and even through the stress of the situation, she was glad he was around.

She stayed within his embrace, unable to think of any reason big or important enough to push him away. She’d never had anyone who knew exactly what she needed. Not wanted, not desired, not craved, but simply needed. Right now, she needed him to hold her and let her know that she wasn’t alone.

“What exactly is Darrell’s plan for you?” he said.

“I don’t know.” She inhaled deeply and pushed against his stomach, distancing herself. “He locked me in his house, and I thought about breaking out the window—”

“Most people use the door,” he mumbled.

“Yeah, well, my life seems to call for escapes…and enterings.” She gathered her hair at the back of her neck and gazed at him. “Luckily, I found a spare garage door opener in one of the drawers in the kitchen. I still had the keys in my purse for the Porsche, so I stole it. His men came after me, but I was able to out run them when I hit Market Street and the outlet mall.”

“Shit,” he mumbled.

“I have proof Darrell called the shots underground. I’ve witnessed him ordering a beating and talking about deliveries of crates while at the Crystal Palace. I have the names of two of his men who picked up the shipments from the docks, which I never saw the contents of, but I believe it was heroin. They brought in a
tester
before the exchange. I can identify both men as working for and taking their orders from Darrell.”

“Why didn’t you leave when you had that much evidence?” Tony asked.

“I stayed undercover because I wanted more on him. What I have isn’t enough to put him away for life. There are too many loopholes, and without solid evidence, they’d throw away the case. Darrell Archer is the only one I’m after.” She lifted her chin. “He’s the shark in the fishbowl…not the idiots he has working for him.”

“Other men have tried and failed to take him down.” He sat down on the bed and braced his elbows on his knees. “You’ve succeeded in staying with him longer than anyone I’ve heard of, and he won’t stop until he gets rid of the threat. You.”

“That’s why I came to you. I want to make sure Mom’s safe. But, she needs to know what we’re dealing with and placating her will only encourage her to rely on you. I don’t want her unprotected.” She dropped her hands to her side. “You have to understand. Mom lives in a world full of glitter and decent people. Her biggest problem right now is how to battle the aphids on her tomato plants. She’s a little…optimistic in her belief in other people. Somehow, I need to convince her how serious my problem is, so she can stay safe.”

“No. She stays immune to what’s going on.” He shook his head. “The less she knows about the dangers, the better.”

“How can you say that?” Her voice rose. “She’s not your mother.”

“Trust me.”

She moved to leave, and he strode in front of her. She glared. “Get out of my way.”

“Calm down,” he said.

“Don’t tell me to calm down.” She planted her hands on his chest and pushed. He widened his stance, and she dodged to the left, failing in her escape. “Let go of me.”

He twirled her around, manipulating her as if she were a puppet. “You asked for my help. Now, trust me.”

“I don’t trust anyone.” She snorted to prove her point.

His lips twitched right before he lowered his head. His mouth skimmed hers. “You’re so damn addictive.”

She clamped her lips shut. He laughed against her mouth. There was something incredibly seductive about the way his lips softened and his breath filled her space. She closed her eyes, so he wouldn’t see her resolve to stay angry with him weaken.

“I’ll never get enough of you.” He rubbed his nose against hers. “Ever.”

She stretched to her tiptoes, wanting to hear more about how much he wanted her.

“You”—he nibbled the corner of her lips—“taste fucking great.”

She wound her arms around his neck and pulled him down, capturing the kiss. He took what she offered, nudging, licking, and nipping her lips until her spine quivered. She opened her mouth and moaned as his tongue touched hers.
Holy fricktastic.

She raised her leg and ran her thigh against his jeans. He pulled back, gasping, his gaze heated. She tugged, not ready to stop, but his body went hard as he gazed off to the side.

“What?” She hated the whine in her voice, but she wanted to keep kissing him.

“Shh.” He set her away from him.

The fog of lust Tony had created vanished, and she heard voices coming from somewhere in the house. Her pulse thrummed faster. She removed her pistol and stepped forward. Tony held up his hand, hitched his thumb toward the doorway to let her know where the noise came from, and then scissor-walked his two fingers in front of him to signal he would go alone to case the house. She rolled her eyes. He wasn’t going to leave her behind to hide away in the bedroom.

“It’s my mom out there in the living room with whoever just walked into your house,” she whispered. “I’m going too.”

He leaned closer. “Trust me, sweetheart.”

God, she hated when a civilian pulled rank—not that she’d ever had one try. She followed him out of the bedroom and down the hall. He glanced over his shoulder once he looked into the living room, and put his weapon in his holster. She did not.

He could go on believing he had control of the situation, but she knew firsthand what Darrell was capable of doing when someone put his guard down. At this point and after this many hours, Darrell could have anyone on his payroll, even Kage or one of Tony’s ex-girlfriends. She kept her gun raised to her chest and skirted the wall as Tony walked out into the living room without any worries.

She slid to the opposite side, peeked into the room, and frowned.

An older woman with her dark blonde hair in a long braid dangling down her back, wearing jeans and a red T-shirt with the word
Vegas
in glitter, stood with her arm wrapped around Rocki’s mom. Both women whispered to each other, wearing concerned looks. Tony slapped the man in the room on the back and got pulled into a hug before they both grinned at each other and separated. A man who now stared at her with startling transparent blue eyes that matched Tony’s. She lowered the pistol and slid it back into her jeans.

The man’s eyes crinkled at the corners as he stepped past Tony, a slight limp to his walk. “I’m Caleb. You must be Rocki.”

She nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“There she is.” The woman with her mom rushed forward and hugged Rocki. “I’m Pauline, Tony’s mom.”

She leaned back, taken by surprise. “Um, it’s nice to meet you, ma’am.”

“Isn’t she adorable?” Pauline held Rocki by the shoulders and tilted her head to the side, either sizing her up or soaking her in, Rocki wasn’t sure. “Please, call us Caleb and Pauline.”

“Okay.” She escaped and moved over to her mother.

Tony joined her and put his arm around her waist. She scooted closer to her Mary, but Tony tugged her tight against him.
What the…?

“Oh my…” Pauline elbowed Caleb. “This is wonderful. We had no idea when we decided to drive up from Vegas and spend time with you before heading home that we’d get to meet your girlfriend and her mother. This calls for a celebration. We’ll take you out to dinner. How does the Crystal Palace sound to everyone?”

“No!” Rocki and Tony answered at the same moment.

M
om and Dad sat together on the couch. Mary sat in the recliner with Rocki perched on the arm of the chair, holding her mom’s hand. He leaned against the fireplace, uncomfortable with the direction the conversation headed.

Without a chance to make sure Mary only knew enough information about the Archer case, Tony’s mom forged straight into discussing their current problem. He gritted his teeth together. The questions kept coming, one after another.

He stood firm. “This is a bad idea.”

“Sorry, son. I agree with Pauline. If Mary and Rocki are in trouble, the more eyes on them, the better. It’s our duty as your parents to help keep your woman safe. She’s part of the family, son. It’s no different from if we were going to war. A man goes down, we all go down with him.” His dad pulled out his cell phone.

“Who are you calling?” he asked, hoping like hell it wasn’t some of his father’s war buddies. That was all he needed to deal with on top of Darrell.

“I’m ordering pizza.” Dad gazed across the room. “Pepperoni, sausage, and mushrooms?”

“Tomatoes too? Rocki loves fresh tomatoes.” Mary sat straighter in the chair. “It’ll be like a celebration. We’ll concentrate on all the good things happening, and push this Darrell person out of our minds for the night.”

Tony looked at Rocki and willed her to take control over her mom. She shrugged, and almost seemed happy with the change of plans. Probably because his parents were publicly executing him, and he was useless to stop them.

He loved his parents, but…shit. He did not need them here right now.

“Dad.” Tony walked over and sat on the coffee table, facing his father on the couch. “You need to listen to me. This is serious. We have no wiggle room here. Rocki and Mary must stay under watch continually. I can’t have people walking up to my door. That includes having deliveries brought to the house, or having you take Mary shopping or to the Crystal Palace.”

“It’s pizza, son.” He stood and clapped Tony on the shoulder. “Unless the guy you’re after is a pimply faced eighteen-year-old wearing an ugly checkered shirt and carrying a couple cardboard pizza boxes, we’re safe.”

Tony stood and growled. “Dad. Kitchen. Now.”

“Anthony…” his dad said. He chose to ignore the warning in his father’s tone.

Tony lifted his chin and nodded toward the other room. Caleb’s mouth tightened, but he returned the nod and kept his mouth shut. He walked out of the room and, thankfully, his dad followed.

In the privacy of the kitchen, he counted to five, and laid down the law. “This stays between you and me.”

“Okay, son,” his dad said.

“We’re not messing around with a crazy drug addict. The man who is after them is cold, calculating, and smart. He’s also powerful. Everyone who stays here is putting their life on the line. Are you getting me?”

His dad nodded, lowering his brows. “Got it.”

“Now, I need you to do me a favor. Go back in the other room and suggest to Mom and Rocki’s Mom that you’ve changed your mind. Then take both of them to the airport and fly to wherever the hell you want. I’ll have the guys from the agency escort you the entire way and stay until the plane takes off. I’ll foot the bill. You’ll stay there with them until I call you. Understand?”

His dad leaned closer. “You’re serious about this guy putting their lives in danger.”

“Fuck, yeah,” he said. “I don’t want you or mom involved, and Mary needs to stay away from Bay City until we can get some answers.”

“What about Rocki?” Dad asked. “Is she in danger?”

“I’ll protect Rocki.”

A loud, deep sigh of acceptance came from his dad. “Hell, son, why didn’t you say you meant business?”

He’d explained the situation in more ways than he thought possible, but his parents and Mary’s mom were too caught up in seeing him and Rocki together. He removed his wallet and extracted a credit card. “Go straight to the airport. Buy the clothes you need once you arrive at your destination.”

His dad pushed his hand away. “No way. I’ll pay for the women and keep them safe. I was in charge of a whole barrack. I can manage overseeing two women.”

Having grown up under his dad’s roof, and having similar thoughts on what was right and wrong, Tony put his wallet in his pocket. His dad had pride and served his country, powered through having his thigh shattered and reconstructed, and never once lay down and admitted defeat. If anyone could keep his mother and Mary safe while they were out of the area, it was his dad.

He shook his father’s hand, pulling him into a shoulder tap. “Hawaii’s nice this time of year, yeah?”

“Right.” His dad held Tony’s face and brought his forehead to his. “Stay clean. Keep that girl safe. She’s a good one, son. The kind of woman you’d wake up every morning with and hope to get to know everything about in your lifetime.”

“I hear you,” he said. “Thanks, Dad. I owe you.”

“Never, boy, never.” His dad slapped him on the shoulder, squeezed, and left the rest unsaid.

Tony understood. Growing up, both his parents gave him their one hundred percent support in whatever he did, whether he was right or wrong in his decisions. He knew his place as their son would never waver. They gave him enough freedom to get into trouble, and the tools to work his way out.

He walked back into the living room, sought out Rocki, and gave her a wink. He grinned when she visibly relaxed. He’d never get used to how she tuned in to him, even when they didn’t see eye to eye.

“All right, change of plans. We’re going to make this situation easier on Tony and Rocki. The kids need space and time to bring their lives under control so they can get on with real things.” His dad clapped his hands. “How would you two beautiful ladies like to catch a flight to Hawaii and bask in the sun?”

Tony’s mom squealed and rushed toward his dad. Mary looked at Rocki and frowned. He moved forward, wanting to assure Mary he’d take care of her daughter and, in turn, nothing would happen to her.

“Tony?” Rocki whispered, distracting him. “What’s going on?”

“Vacation time, sweetheart.” He grasped her hand and pulled her onto her feet. “Your mom will be fine and better protected away from Bay City. You’ll be safe here with me and the guys watching over you. When we have everything settled, your mom will come back and life will return to normal. In the meantime, my dad will watch over her. She’ll be fine.”

“I think I should stay with Rocki.” Mary worked her lips in worry. “I don’t even know your parents…”

“It’ll be the perfect time for you all to get to know each other.” Tony lowered his voice. “I understand you want to stay with your daughter, but I can assure you, she’s perfectly safe, between me and the other three private investigators at the body shop, plus your daughter is trained and knows how to handle herself in this type of situation. She’ll be safe and protected staying at the house with me. It would help Rocki to know you’re somewhere safe too, and will let her concentrate on her job.”

His mom walked over and slipped her arm around Mary’s shoulders. “It’ll be fine. Caleb will make sure we’re safe and I have all the faith in my son to keep Rocki protected. If you come with us, it’ll be one less worry for your daughter. You don’t want to make the case more difficult for her. She needs to concentrate and bring down the bad guy.”

Mary studied Rocki, concern evident in the way her brow wrinkled and she pursed her lips. “How long will we be gone? I’ll need to call work and take vacation time.”

“Let’s count on one week for now.” Tony turned to Rocki and whispered, “Why don’t you show her where the phone is in the kitchen. Make sure she doesn’t tell anyone where they’re headed…for now.”

After the phone calls were made, their parents herded into the car and headed to the airport. Tony sat down on the couch and used the cordless phone to call Lance. In quick order, he scheduled a new window and a top-of-the-line security system for installation in the house within the hour. Only one matter remained, and he’d cover how to handle Darrell when everyone arrived.

“Rocki?” he called.

She walked to the bedroom after saying good-bye to her mom, and while he kept an eye out for her to make sure she remained in the house, he finished the business that needed taken care of before they could proceed. He strode down the hallway. She’d gone through a lot today, and he wouldn’t be surprised to find her falling apart.

Instead, he found her curled on his bed, her arms wrapped around Brute, and her head buried in the dog’s fur. He leaned against the door frame, taking the time to soak in having her in his home, lying in his bed. How many times had he fantasized in the last year about her being here, and about getting to know the woman who held a Glock with steel reserve while blowing a hole in every target. He inhaled deeply. She’d hypnotized him with her quiet strength in a tight package that could’ve done centerfolds in any men’s magazine.

He knew then that to get close to Rocki, he’d have to play smart and bide his time. She wasn’t like the women he usually went out with. She was smart and strong, and deserved someone steady in her life. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to tie himself down.

Although it felt nice to be needed, he had to let her take the lead on Darrell. He wasn’t sure he could step back, because when it came to Kage’s uncle, Tony would do anything to protect Kage and Rocki from dealing with the drug lord.

Brute lifted his head and gave Tony his sweet dog look. He harrumphed. Damn dog. Brute knew the rules. Tony only allowed him to lie on the bed in the spare bedroom.

Yet he let Brute lie beside Rocki. She obviously wanted and needed his dog’s company. For how much he wanted her curled around him, taking his comfort, his safety, his warmth, he wouldn’t deny her the simple act of liking his dog.

She’d gone through a lot, fighting her way out of Darrell’s house. Hell, she’d been deeper into the underground than any other shield, and he admired her tenacity. Even Kage, the nephew of the drug lord, knew of no one who’d gone underground and walked away unscathed. Every meeting between Kage and his uncle happened in a designated spot, away from Darrell’s business.

He had no idea how she’d pulled her job off. His chest warmed. Any man looking at her would see her and decide she was special. Someone to protect, cherish, and pamper. He’d give all his attention to her in an attempt to get a fraction of her responsiveness back. She was what men created dreams out of, and part of him was afraid she’d
poof
into thin air if he failed in his job to take care of her.

He’d never make such a mistake. He’d hold on tight and remind her every day of how much he wanted to love on her. He’d make her happy and in return, she’d make him the luckiest son of a bitch in town.

His phone vibrated in his pocket. He fished it out of his jeans and gazed down at the screen. The guys were here.

He closed the bedroom door, leaving it cracked open in case Brute needed out. It was probably best that Rocki was asleep. He could get down to business with the guys, fill them in, and plan their next step on how to deal with Darrell. When Rocki woke up, he’d go over the new plans. One less thing for her to stress out about was top priority today.

He walked into the living room and through the front window spotted Kage’s Mustang, Lance’s Harley, and Garrett’s Cuda pulling into the driveway, one after another. The neighbors would think nothing of the flash of cars at his house, since the guys routinely played poker one day a week at the house, depending on everyone’s schedule. Even the afternoon hours weren’t a strange time to get together.

If Darrell’s men were watching, they’d soon realize they weren’t dealing with only Rocki. The Beaumont Body Shop guys were now involved and would do anything to protect her.

He opened the door. “Hey. Everything go okay at the airport?”

“No problems. Not even a tail.” Garrett hitched his thumb behind him. “I brought Swanson to do the security system.”

“Good.” He lifted his chin at Swanson. “You can enter the garage through the kitchen. I want all entrances monitored, including the windows. Make sure to seal the dog flap at the back door in the garage tight and put a wire on it. Brute will have to deal with staying in the house while I’m pulled away from home.”

Kage walked in carrying a small window. “Lance…your turn replacing the window. I made the last repair.”

“Right,” Lance muttered, taking the glass piece and walking toward the kitchen. “Hey, Weston, where are your tools?”

“Garage,” he said, grinning at Kage. “By the way, you did not do the last repair. I fixed the McKenzies’ back door when we went after Jackson for jumping bail.”

Kage shrugged. “You know that. I know that. Lance knows nothing.”

“I heard that, asshole,” Lance yelled from the other room.

He chuckled, pointing Kage into the living room. “We need to talk.”

“Figured.” Kage walked over and plopped into the recliner. “Just to let you know, I haven’t had any contact with Uncle Darrell since Janie returned the money she stole eight weeks ago.”

“I know,” he said, taking a spot on the couch. “I need your advice on how to go forward. We both know he won’t stop coming after Rocki. He knows she’s a shield, and will want to stop any information from getting out that she’s collected while working for him. I need to know how we can work with him.”

“Work?” Kage shook his head. “Uncle Darrell is not going to do you a favor and let her walk away. That’s not how he prefers to do business. Even if she swears to him that she’ll keep his secrets, he won’t risk her coming after him. She’s a liability, a threat to everything he encompasses. Maybe—and that’s a huge fucking maybe—if she weren’t on the force, he’d risk waiting and seeing what she’s going to do. But he won’t let this go without seeking revenge. He’ll keep her under watch and wait for a time to get rid of her. He knows she wants him put away for life…What do you think he’ll do?”

“Right.” He leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees. “She won’t quit. Being a detective is her life, and she’s damn good at what she does. She lasted four months before being caught, and you know how tough that is.”