CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

AJ had just popped the top off a bottle of beer when there was a knock on her door. She moved toward it, knowing who was on the other side before she opened it. She knew because she’d called and asked him to come over.

Undertaker stood, one hand on her doorframe, a grin on his face. “Hey, angel.”

She stepped back, and he came inside, leaning to kiss her mouth. She turned her face, offering her cheek instead.

He pulled back and frowned. “What’s that about?”

“We need to talk.”

He tossed his gloves and glasses on the dining table. “Something wrong, babe? I do something to piss you off?”

“I don’t know, have you?”

His hands slowed from unsnapping his vest. “AJ, you want to tell me what the hell that’s supposed to mean?”

She lifted her chin, glaring up at him with brows arched. “Jamal Hill is dead.”

He blinked. “And?”

“Did you have something to do with it?”

“Why would you ask me something like that?”

“Don’t lie to me. I want the truth. You asked his name. When I told you about Gregg’s murder, you asked his name.”

“Yeah, so?”

“Then a few days later he’s thrown from a building in Detroit. Three days ago, Derek. Three days ago when you told me you were out of town.” When he stayed silent, she pushed. “Were you in Detroit three days ago?”

“Babe, you don’t get to know club business.”

“Was it club business?” When he didn’t reply, she pressed. “It wasn’t, was it?”

“Don’t push me on this.”

“You’ve got to the bottom of this beer to explain.” She began chugging the beer, her eyes pinning him.

He reached up and grabbed the bottle from her. “I don’t like ultimatums, AJ.”

“I don’t either, but I have to know. Don’t you see?”

“I see you’re gettin’ upset over something you don’t need to be upset about. The man was human garbage. The world’s better off without him. He’s dead. Doesn’t matter how or why.”

“But it does.”

“No, babe, it doesn’t.” He stepped closer, taking her face in his hands. “AJ, the man deserved to be gone from this earth. You don’t ever have to think of him again.”

“You did do it, didn’t you?” she whispered, stunned.

He searched her eyes, admitting nothing.

A tear ran slowly down her cheek. “This can’t be happening. Tell me you didn’t do this.”

His thumb swept across her cheek, brushing the wetness away. Still he didn’t deny it.

“Oh, God.” Her eyes slid closed, and she sobbed.

He tilted her head up, his voice firm. “AJ, look at me.”

Her lids opened, her glassy eyes stared up at him.

His expression was hardened, giving nothing away. “Understand this. We aren’t going to talk about this again. The man got what he deserved. Case closed.”

“You did it for me, didn’t you?”

“You need to understand something about me. No one hurts someone I love and gets away with it.”

“Someone you love?”

His jaw tightened as if he’d said too much, as if he wanted to take it back, or maybe he was waiting for her to say it back.

“What you did was wrong, Derek. Surely you can see that.”

He looked pissed—or maybe irritated—with her, with the conversation, with everything.

“Maybe I should go,” he bit out, grabbing up his gloves and glasses.

“Maybe you should.”

He yanked the door open but whirled to look at her. “You’re afraid you’ve made a mistake with me, afraid to take a chance on me. I know it’s scary, babe, but in the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take.”

“Maybe I’m not prepared to take those chances anymore.”

“You’ve always known what kind of man I am. Never hid that from you. Never pretended to be somethin’ I’m not. Never.” His eyes were sad as he continued. “From the very beginning I wanted to treat you right, show you how important you are, how much I respect you, admire what you do, the kind of person you are.”

She felt her heart breaking in two, and her lip trembled. “You did.”

“I’ve been upfront from the start. Christ, you know more about my past—about me—than any other woman.” He ran his hand through his hair, shaking his head. “Hell, maybe it’s not enough. Maybe I was crazy to think I’d ever be enough for you. But, baby, don’t think for a minute I’d let someone who hurt you, someone who destroyed your dream life, someone who took from you what he took, go on breathing for one more day. He already had four years he never should have had. You deserve to be happy, to have the dream life you wanted. Maybe I can’t ever give you back what you lost, but I could have damn well tried to make you happy.”

The door slammed, and he was gone, and her house felt empty again.

She turned her back to the wood and slid to the floor, letting the tears flow free as she sobbed with the pain of losing another chance at happiness and love.