Chapter 10
Whooee!” Mick jumped up from his chair, a broad grin splitting his handsome face. Charging toward her, he grabbed Viviana under her arms and whooping in excitement, swung her in a wide circle.
Viviana laughed as she tried to free herself from his eager grasp. “Good grief, Mick. Put me down. Not only are you making me dizzy, you’re making a spectacle of me!”
Mick stood her on the floor next to their table in the crowded neighborhood hangout and shook his head. “Sweet cheeks, I don’t give a damn what any of these low-life coppers think. Besides, honey, you are a spectacle no matter what you do. All you have to do is walk in the place, twitch that ass of yours, and every guy here has created a new page in his wet dream catalogue!”
Dragging out her chair, he parked her in it and then plunked himself into the chair across from her, his eyes dancing with excitement. “I knew it! Dammit all, I fucking knew it!”
Viviana raised her hands in disbelief. “For God’s sake, partner, what did you know?”
Mick pumped his arm in a victory a gesture and marveled, “Jesus God, Vivi, I should have trusted my gut. I knew that righteous hunk of a man could pull it off, do what no other man could possibly do.”
Beginning to understand what her outrageous partner was referring to, Viviana shot him a narrow frown. “You want to be a little more specific, Mick?” She added, “Although I’m not sure I want to hear what has you doing this over-the-top happy dance. Particularly since every damn person in the diner is looking at us.”
Mick’s smile widened and he shook his head. “To think that I ever questioned it. Oh me of little faith! But, dammit, Vivi, it was one thing for you to storm out of the mayor’s gig. But when you sashayed over to that taxicab and parked your sensational ass in it, not letting me take you home, I knew we were both in a world of trouble. Particularly when our new police chief came charging out of the bash after you.” Reaching across the table, he grabbed both of her hands and held them in his. His expression was a mix of wonder and chagrin. “Christ, Vivi, it was a fucking miracle that Jax let me bring you to the party, but the idea that he’d let me take you home? Or worse, take a fuckin’ cab? Hell, babe, we both shoulda known that wasn’t gonna happen. But even I didn’t expect him to run the damn cab off the road with that big, fancy ride of his, determined to capture his naughty little runaway.” Mick shook his head in disbelief. “I’m tellin’ you, sweet cakes, if you coulda heard that cabbie’s tale, you’d know why everyone in this godforsaken diner and, I’m sure, at the precinct were puttin’ money on the outcome.”
Viviana glowered at him. “Great, Mick. Just what I hoped would happen. As if I enjoy being the titillating subject of the gossip mill and everyone’s go-to spectacle, now people are placing bets on me?”
“C’mon, Vivi. You’re the Enchantress, after all. You are the center of attention when you walk in the damn diner. You think after you blew the mayor’s bash to bits in that cock-raising dress of yours—what there was of it—that people wouldn’t notice you storming out of the party? Chased after by none other than the new police chief?” A rare, serious frown overtook Mick’s expression. “I’m gonna confess, partner. I was worried about you last night. In all the years I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you cry.”
When Viviana frowned and raised her hand to stop him, he shook his head. “Uh-uh, sweet cheeks. I’m gonna tell you I had a hard time getting to sleep after you ran out. I did not like the tears I saw on my partner’s face when you kicked me to the curb and jumped in that cab.” He breathed out a hard sigh, then a shit-eating grin slowly spread across his expressive face. “But just look at you now. Hell, your eyes are shining, and if I’ve ever seen a well-fucked glow on anyone’s mug, it’s yours!”
Viviana threw a frantic glance around the diner, then glared at him. “For God’s sake, Mick, you sure you don’t want a microphone? Just in case the kitchen staff along with all the agog patrons in this place didn’t hear you describe your version of my night?”
Mick just grinned at her. “Honey, no one needs to hear my iteration, as scintillating as it is. All they need to see are your shining eyes and glimpse the multiple love marks on your hot bod to know that the police chief lived up to his righteous rep.” Before she could chastise him further, Mick grabbed her hands again and said, “You gotta understand, Vivi. I was nervous as hell about you last night, and I’m relieved as hell that Chief Jaxton Hughes put that smile and that glow on you.” His grin widened as he shook his head and crowed in admiration, “Damn, what a guy. To think I ever doubted him.”
***
Heading over to the precinct, Viviana was determined to get Mick off his obsession with her and Jax. God, it was bad enough that she couldn’t stop thinking about the extraordinary night they’d had. She certainly didn’t need her partner surmising what had happened after Jax captured her. She wondered what the voluble detective would say if he knew just how momentous her night had been. As if bursting into tears and totally breaking down in Jax’s arms wasn’t bad enough, somehow, someway, he’d convinced her that not only was he in love with her but decreed that she loved him as well. Viviana squelched a shiver, remembering what happened after they’d confessed their earth-shattering declarations. It said something about their relationship that within minutes of Jax insisting that they were going to make slow, easy love, they’d practically torn the chaise lounge apart with their passion. Flushing at the memory, Viviana was glad that Jax’s rooftop patio was high above the city. She could only hope that the distance prevented his neighbors from overhearing her ecstatic cries that, thank goodness, were echoed by Jax’s fierce shouts.
Walking into the precinct, Viviana saw Travis Jensen approaching. Too late to avoid their dyspeptic lieutenant, she squared her shoulders, preparing for the battle to come.
When Jensen spotted her and Mick together, hostility tightened his already resentful expression. Glancing at his watch, the sneering man said in an unsuccessful attempt at irony, “Well, well, what do you know. I can hardly believe my eyes. You’re only two hours late for the beginning of the shift. That’s a record for you two. May I presume you are trying to suck up to our new commander?”
Mick guffawed. “Yeah, Lieutenant, that’s exactly what Vivi and I are doing. Never fear. Knowing that you were here bright and early just in case the new guy needed his ass wiped, we took our time. Tell me, buddy, was Commander Bannon as impressed as you hoped he’d be? Or did he tell you thank you very much, he could wipe his own ass?”
Jensen’s expression darkened ominously, but he drew back when a voice called out across the lobby. Viviana looked up to see Greg Bannon approaching, a pleasant smile on his face.
“Good morning, Detective O’Reilly, Sergeant Moreau. Just the officers I was looking for.” He nodded to Jensen, then motioned to his office. “I’ve already had the pleasure of meeting with Lieutenant Jensen and was looking for you two. How about joining me in my office?”
Entering the corner office, Viviana was surprised at the mixed emotions that flowed over her. Good God, she’d been so excited about reclaiming her independence from her overbearing former commander and lover that she hadn’t realized how it would affect her to see Greg Bannon assume Jax’s position. She and Jax had been together in this office many times; most of the occasions were fraught with anger and pain. It was where they tried to come to grips with the aftermath of Belize. And where, Viviana now admitted, they’d ultimately declared that their torrid affair on the tropical isle was far from over.
Motioning them to join him at the conference table, Greg reached for her arm and gave it a little squeeze. Knowing that he was a tease, she wasn’t surprised when he said with a deadpan expression, “I didn’t say goodnight to you last night, Sergeant Moreau. I’m glad to see that smile on your face.” Seeing Mick’s dancing eyes and him poking Viviana suggestively, Greg quickly clarified his response. “You left in a bit of a rush, and I didn’t get a chance to tell you how lovely you looked. That was some dress you were wearing.”
Mick sank onto one of the chairs and chortled, his eyes dancing with mischief. “You’re right about that, Commander. But I gotta tell you, since you are just now meeting the woman we call the Enchantress, you better be prepared. When Vivi crashes a party, no one, especially the ‘gentlemen’ in the room, ever knows what hit them. She is a phenom!”
Greg met Mick’s grin with one of his own. “Yes, Detective. If last night was any example, Sergeant Moreau has more than earned her singular reputation. I imagine no matter what the occasion or who the guests are, Sergeant Moreau would capture the house.”
Determined to take the attention off herself and away from last evening’s adventures, Viviana shot Greg a cheeky smile. “You shouldn’t talk, Commander. You gave our arrogant police chief a run for his money. At least if that crowd of eager women surrounding you was evidence of your stardom.” Surveying the blue-eyed stunner with the rakish, sun-drenched hair tied at the nape of his neck with a leather cord, she murmured, “But then, we’ve never had an all-American surfer dude running the VCU.” She laughed and said with a wink, “I can tell you our former Captain Michels is tearing out what little hair he has left on his head. Goodness, I thought I broke the mold, but something tells me, Commander Bannon, that like Chief Hughes, you aren’t above breaking a rule or two.”
Greg’s eyes danced with pleasure and a familiarity that warmed Viviana. She was relieved that, unlike yesterday, his presence no longer triggered the specter of Jax’s betrayal in Belize. It helped that Jax said he’d told Greg that he’d fallen deeply in love with her in Belize, something he thought he would never do. Her vibrating phone broke her sweet reminiscence. Glancing down, she saw it was an urgent message from her number-one CI, Francis Flemings. Assuming as nonchalant an air as she could manage, she rose to her feet. “I’m sorry, Commander Bannon, but I need to go. I’d forgotten that I have a critical meeting.”
Without waiting for him to respond, Viviana nodded to both men, who were looking at her with surprise. At the doorway, she said lamely, not attempting to explain her rudeness, “Perhaps we can finish this conversation later, Commander?”
Greg cocked an ironic brow and said dryly, “I certainly hope so, Sergeant.”
After she fled through the door, following a long moment of silence, Greg Bannon turned to O’Reilly. “Does that happen often, Detective?”
“Does what happen, sir? That my partner suddenly charges out of a meeting as if she’s been summoned by Pope Francis himself?” When Greg nodded, Mick said casually, “No worries, it was probably one of her super-secret CIs, who needs to meet with her ASAP. No doubt to give her the hottest crime tip in the city.”
“I see. Let me ask you again, Detective O’Reilly. Is that behavior something I can expect in the future from your partner?”
Mick snorted. “Uh, yeah. As in every damn day of the year!”
Greg’s voice was cool. “To be specific, Detective. Do you know where Sergeant Moreau is going?”
Mick raised his hands with a helpless shrug. “Not any more than you do, sir.”