Chapter One
“Don’t hold back.” Jasper crooked a finger. “Bring it, Vick.”
Victoria Hale and her best friend, Jasper Tan, circled one another with arms raised. They both wore comfortable workout clothes, loose shirts, and sweatpants to prepare for the butt-kicking to come.
After she’d had the last run-in with Simon Caldwell, her stalker ex, for lack of a better term, she’d vowed to defend herself. So, she’d been training with Jasper, instead of going on their usual morning hikes. Although, she’d lied to Jasper about the reason for her sudden interest in self-defense.
“Consider it brought.” Vick needed to work on the trash talk. She lunged, and Jasper sidestepped her advance.
“Not fast enough.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll get you.” At least I didn’t tack on a lame “my pretty” at the end of the sentence. Vick crouched lower and waited for the right moment to pounce. If only she weren’t so distracted.
Over the past few weeks, she’d gotten up close and personal with Jasper’s considerable brawn. She’d had a crush on him since the moment she’d clapped eyes on Jasper, but her infatuation had ramped up to an unbearable level. Training had become a torturous exercise in sexual frustration.
Determined, on edge, and predatory, Jasper was a sight to behold—tall, insanely fit, all hard, bunched muscles and sleek lines. He also had broad shoulders and lean hips. Jasper called himself “whasian”—a mixture of Chinese and white.
His straight black hair came down to his prominent jawline. This morning, he’d pulled it back with a hair tie. Vick longed to take it down, and then run her fingers through the long black strands.
Ever since they’d started this hand-to-hand combat routine, she’d had torrid sex dreams. Vick’s favorite scenario involved Jasper pinning her down and then having his way with her. In contrast to his sociable demeanor, sparring brought out his dominant side, the mobster lurking beneath the polite façade. It made Vick wonder how assertive he’d be in the bedroom.
And I wish he didn’t look so friggin’ hot.
“What are you waitin’ for? Attack me.”
With a battle cry, Vick launched herself at Jasper, knocking him to the ground. Rolling around Jasper’s front lawn, they struggled for supremacy. He landed on top this time, grasping her wrists in one hand and pinning them above her head, as he straddled her thighs.
“Victory is mine.” His smirk was all swagger and testosterone.
Vick was acutely aware of the way her breasts heaved, and the pleasant weight of him on top of her.
Jasper’s eyes became hooded, and they were both breathing hard. His shirt rode up, giving her a tempting glimpse of his chiseled abs. She wanted to trace the lines with her tongue.
And then she remembered the true purpose of this exercise, defending herself against Simon’s unwanted advances.
“You should probably let me go now.”
“Yeah.” Although he didn’t release her.
“Um, Jasper?”
“Right.” He freed her wrists but made no move to get off her.
Since she had greater strength in her legs, Vick wedged a knee between them and shoved him off. Jasper sprawled on his back and she landed on top of him. Vick pressed a forearm against his windpipe.
“Ha, gotcha!”
“You were sayin’?” Jasper twisted his torso, bucked her off and then Vick was staring at the blue sky once again. He laid down next to her on the grass. They were both sweaty from the heat and activity. Only seven in the morning and they’d already hit 90 degrees.
“Ugh. I almost had you.” She slammed a fist down on the grass.
“Almost don’t count, Vixen.” Vixen was his pet name for her, and she loved the flirty ring to it. “I still don’t understand why we’re doin’ this. You never gave me a straight answer.”
“Self-defense.”
He snorted. “You got many talents, but lyin’ ain’t one.”
“Sorry.” She winced. If he only knew.
Jasper would never look at her the same way again if he discovered her shameful past. She’d love nothing more than to shut the door on it and move on but Simon seemed bound and determined to stay in her life.
“Fine. Keep your secrets, for now. I should be teachin’ you to shoot. People in our world settle grievances with a gun.”
At the moment, Vick had concerns bigger than mobsters. They both worked for the Lone Star Mafia. Vick handled tech support, while Jasper had a more active role. He’d worked his way up from soldier to the boss of his own crew over the past few years.
“I can’t handle a piece.”
“After I got through with you, you could.” Jasper stood and helped Vick to her feet. They both dusted themselves off. “And for the record, I’d shoot anyone who tried to lay a hand on you.”
Vick grinned. “I know. Feel like gettin’ some breakfast?”
“Always. Meet you at our place in 45?” They went to a local bakery for breakfast nearly every morning. Eating pastries was counterproductive after working out, but tasty nevertheless.
“Sure, see you then.” Vick jogged down the street to her place.
Nearly a half an hour and a cold shower later, Vick sat in a corner booth at Sugar Daddies. With its pink and mint green storefront, wrought iron treat towers loaded down with artfully arranged cut-out cookies, and a cheery bell, which rang every time a customer walked in the front door—Sugar Daddies was a fantastic breakfast spot.
Two old timers sat at a white table with pink polka-dotted chairs, munching on donuts and sipping coffee.
Jasper had texted a few minutes ago, informing her he’d be late. So, she’d ordered a cup of coffee for herself with a blueberry muffin. She normally had a crunchy cinnamon bagel, but they had none left. Jasper loved to tease her, saying they were donuts disguised as bagels.
Vick took off her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Examining her features in the warped reflection cast by the chrome napkin holder, Vick noted dark rings beneath both eyes. She had gotten little sleep lately. If it hadn’t been for sugar and caffeine, she would’ve collapsed a while ago.
Why won’t he leave me alone?
She’d hoped Simon would move on to another woman. Maybe the illusion she’d created for him was too much of a draw.
Walker Evans, the bakery owner, stood behind the counter ringing up sales. When he noticed the direction of her gaze, he raised a hand and strolled over after he finished the task. Vick had been a customer for a couple of years, and they had a friendly relationship.
Vick figured Walk must be in his forties, judging by the laugh lines around his mouth and eyes. He was a tall, thin man with high cheekbones, a square jaw, and a long nose. He had platinum blond hair, courtesy of a bottle, no doubt. And bright blue eyes highlighted by a baby blue button-down shirt paired with slim-fitting jeans.
“Where’s your fella?” Walk asked as he sat down across from her.
“Uh, I don’t have one.”
“Sure you do, sugar foot.” Walk beamed like a possum eating a sweet tater. “A handsome man with dark eyes and coal black hair. Goes by the name Jasper.”
“Jasper’s a friend, not a boyfriend.” Vick had the childish urge to kick his shins under the table.
“Well, aren’t you precious? I’ve been watchin’ you two forever. The way you make eyes at one another, flirtin’, pretendin’ to be just friends. It’s like my own private rom-com, and I’m ready to see the happy endin’.”
“You’re mistaken.”
“No, I ain’t. Want some unsolicited advice?”
“Nope.” Vick rolled her eyes.
Crimson Creek, the tiny town they lived in, was notorious for both gossip and the mob. It provided an ideal operations base with a distinct lack of scrutiny. They only had a sheriff and a part-time deputy. Both of whom spent most of their time handing out speeding tickets.
Besides, it was strangely fitting for a mafia stronghold. Crimson Creek had been named after a meandering stream dividing the township, the bed was filled with sharp red volcanic rocks. When the water level was high and rushed over those scarlet stones, they looked bloody, like someone had been murdered there.
“Too bad.” He smirked. “Take it from me, lollygaggin’ is pointless. Whenever you see somethin’ you like, grab it.”
“There’ll be no, er, grabbin’.”
Even if she set their friendship and her checkered past aside, there were other reasons not to pursue romance.
At the moment, she had a brother going through detox. Once Jackson got clean and sober, he’d need all her time and attention to put his life back together. At least she hoped this time would be different, anyway.
Plus, dating a co-worker under normal circumstances could be dicey, but working for a criminal enterprise made an office romance even riskier.
Or maybe I’m throwin’ roadblocks in the way because I can’t bear to come clean with Jasper. Ugh. Introspection sucks.
Sometimes, a girl preferred to be left in the dark about her problems.
Just then, a customer walked up to the cash register and Walk dashed off to ring up the sale.
“It’s like you read my mind. I’m in the mood for some sugar, too.”
Vick froze. She instantly recognized the voice. Vick glanced up to see Simon as he slid into the opposite side of the booth. He positioned his long legs on either side of hers beneath the table.
He had gunmetal blue eyes and streaks of gray in his blond hair. The term silver fox aptly described him. Simon just had his fifty-seventh birthday, but still maintained a lithe body. He was a tall man, just over six feet and far stronger than Vick.
“I was just leavin’.” She scooted to the right, ready to climb over him, but he squeezed her arm, not enough to hurt, but it forestalled her hasty exit.
“Stay. We need to talk.”
Vick glanced around them, wondering if he’d cause a scene, in broad daylight, surrounded by all of these people. If Simon pulled some sort of stunt, it’d be all over town by nightfall.
She decided to play along for now. “Nothin’ to talk about. I made myself clear.”
He’d offered her a permanent position as his mistress. She’d declined, but Simon hadn’t taken “no” for an answer. Since then, he’d been popping up all over town—interrupting a dinner with a friend, even approaching her in a parking lot late at night.
Somehow, Simon discovered where she lived, but didn’t yet know her real name, or what she really did for a living.
“You turned down my proposals, Veronica, but I’m here to sweeten the deal.”
She winced. Veronica was a persona she’d created.
Simon took a proprietary bite of her donut. Everything about him was invasive, grasping, even the way they’d had sex. It’d all been about Simon’s desires—his wants and needs.
“Our business has concluded, Simon.”
Vick quickly texted Jasper, telling him she had an impromptu meeting, and saying she’d have dinner with him instead. The last thing she needed was him showing up in the middle of this mess.
“You haven’t heard the new arrangement.”
Because I don’t need to.
She hadn’t been in love with Simon, didn’t even like him. It sounded greedy, but she’d only been interested in his wealth. And she didn’t want to tie herself to this man indefinitely. Vick had gotten paid, but it’d been blood money.
“No, thank you, Simon.”
His family had vast resources, and he’d lived a wealthy, privileged existence. She wondered what it’d be like to buy anything she wanted. He’d probably never come across an item his fortune couldn’t acquire.
No wonder he had trouble with the word “no.” Simon had gotten everything he’d ever wanted and more, while she’d had to fight for every scrap. Although, Vick doubted she’d appreciate everything she’d earned if it had dropped into her lap.
“Think of what I’m offerin’ you. You wouldn’t have to work. You’ll even have your own apartment in Dallas and an expense account.”
Here we go again.
“I appreciate the thought, but—”
“No excuses. Just say yes.”
“I can’t.”
It only proved how little he knew her.
Vick wanted to earn her own way and had no desire to make a living between the sheets anymore. And even if she did, nobody ran away from the mob. It’s not like she could stroll into Dixon Wolf’s office one morning and offer him a resignation letter.
A coffin was the only way this gig ended.
Before she’d agreed to become the Lone Star Mafia’s tech analyst, she’d thought long and hard about the commitment she’d be making. They’d offered her more money than Silicon Valley, and when it came to morals, she had lots of flexibility.
The mafia had delved into her actual life—learning all there was to know about Victoria Hale. It was a safety precaution if she ratted them out to the feds, or she got the fool notion to run. They knew her relatives, her former employers, where she’d gone to school, and every place she’d lived. Yes, the outfit knew everything about her, except for her business venture with Simon because she’d kept Veronica’s life separate from Vick’s… until now.
“Veronica, I miss you, and I know you want to give in to me.” He licked his lips, watching her with a greedy stare.
Vick was tempted to scare the pooh out of him. What if Vick told him who she actually worked for? Simon believed she provided tech support for a small business owner. Vick had been deliberately vague on the details, only saying Dix worked in finance, which was technically correct.
And Simon hadn’t asked too many questions. Besides, he’d been more concerned with his own needs and wants, rather than delving into her past.
“Thank you for the kind offer, but I can’t accept.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“A bit of both, actually. You bailed me out when I needed your help, but I can’t continue with this arrangement. And that’s all it was, Simon, a business transaction.”
She’d used the ten thousand dollars he’d fronted her to pay off her brother’s drug debt, with interest, and to fund his treatment. Vick didn’t have enough cash lying around and knew better than to borrow from the outfit, so she’d been forced to find a creative solution. So, she’d sold herself to Simon, paying off the money she’d borrowed and then some.
“Veronica, I’m under no illusions about the nature of our association. I’m roughly thirty years older than you and divorced. But we’ve had some great times, too, haven’t we?”
Vick nodded.
Simon was attractive, paid her well, and while he had a temper, he’d never been violent. Until now, she’d never feared him. When she’d tried to break things off once more, he’d gotten upset and territorial.
“So, you know I’ll treat you well.”
“I already have a job and a life of my own.”
“Whatever you’re makin’, I’ll match it. Hell, I’ll throw in a new wardrobe, pay off your bills,”
Ugh. He could gift wrap the contents of Fort Knox and the moon too, and she’d still say no, thank you.
“You aren’t listenin’ to me, Simon. I’m not interested.”
“No, you’re playin’ games with me, but I don’t mind a bit of a chase. I always win in the end.”
“You’re an attractive, wealthy man. You could have anyone you wanted.”
“Honey, I’m too old for all the nonsense. If I started datin’ a woman, she might ask for a ring on her finger, and I can’t go through the love and romance crap again. I want a woman in my bed, on my terms.”
One he could get rid of with the flick of his pen.
“I wish you luck findin’ it.”
“Who knew you could be tricky?” Simon chuckled. “I appreciate your negotiation tactics.”
“This isn’t a tactic.” Vick felt like screaming. She buried her head in her hands.
“Sure, it is, and I know how to play hardball.”
“Okay, we’re done here.” She scrambled out of the booth, scooching over his large frame to wiggle free.
“Not by a longshot, Veronica.” He stood, blocking her path once more. “This isn’t over. You belong with me.” His voice dipped. “To me.” Simon leaned down to kiss her, and she planted a hand on his chest.
“Don’t even think about it.”
He straightened. “Like I said, I love the pursuit, but be careful.”
“Leave me alone, Simon.”
Vick dashed out of Sugar Daddies, but she caught a glimpse of him in the window. The hungry glint in his eyes sent a chill racing down her spine.
This wasn’t over.
Not by a longshot.