AS SOON AS I HANG up with Livvie, I see a penny on the ground and bend down and pick it up. Pulling up my contacts on my phone, I bring up Clay’s number now that the bar is open. I told her I’d let it go, but we both know I was lying. It’s not just that it’s Livvie… I mean, of course, it’s because it’s her, but it’s also reminding Clay.
He’s a good dude, but sometimes he can get a little flighty with how busy he is. He runs the front end of the bar and reaps the benefits of Livvie’s hard work, so the least he could do is give her this.
“Corner Bar and Banquet, this is Clay.”
“Hey man, it’s Jay Jamison.”
It only takes a moment before recognition kicks in. “Hey. How’s it going? Olive okay?”
I don’t have time to waste with small talk right now. “Last night, a man opened the door to Livvie’s office and walked in without her permission. If I wasn’t there, she’d have been alone. Don’t mind lookin’ out for my girl, Clay, but if I’m not there, you need to make sure someone is.”
“Who was it?”
“Doesn’t matter. Attackers and rapists are usually someone the victim knows.”
Clay sighs on the other end of the phone.
“Not sayin’ you need to hire someone to shadow her. I’m just saying you need to make sure someone’s lookin’ in on her every ten minutes or so when I’m not there. Shit happens, Clay. If it didn’t, you wouldn’t have bouncers. All’s I’m saying is include her in on their rounds.”
“Yeah, okay. You’re right.”
“I know. Later.” I hang up and slide my phone in my pocket.
“Did I miss something?” asks my partner, Brandon Parker.
I push off his unmarked car as he finishes up a conversation himself then head into the station with him. “I was in her office last night, and some guy opened her door and walked in. Not too happy about the fact she was alone in the back of the building unattended.”
He shakes his head. “I wouldn’t be either, man.”
“Clay’ll take care of it.” I nod at an officer walking out of the building.
“Hope so.”
“He will.” He’d better. I’m pissed at myself for not looking more into it before last night. I assumed Clay would have security for her when I wasn’t there, but I should have known better. Can’t trust anyone to do what I assume they will when it comes to her safety.
We head to the captain’s office, and he ushers us in as we approach. “Tell me the news, gents.”
“Getting closer,” Brandon tells him. “Rico has a lead, but we can’t go in hot ’cause someone will tip Denati off, no doubt. It’s happened before, and we need to be smart to make sure it doesn’t again.”
“My patience is running thin.”
“Mine too, Cap,” I agree. “But if he even suspects we have a lead, you know what will happen. That’s why it’s been thirteen months since we last brought him in.”
Captain Foster tosses an envelope on his desk. “From Hurley.”
“The judge?” I ask, taking the folded-up paper out of the envelope.
“The one and only.” Cap sighs.
Brandon and I scan through the formal document stating that our search warrant has been denied. “He’s under his thumb now, too?” Brandon’s fist slams against the desk.
“It seems Denati’s getting desperate. So, whatever you gentlemen think he doesn’t know, he clearly knows.”
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath, knowing yet again another man in this office has been paid off by the Denati organization. “Fuck.”
“Yeah, fuck.” This time it’s the captain agreeing with me. “But I didn’t lose my partner and my niece at the hand of this sick fuck to roll over. So there’s been a change of plans, gentlemen.”
Brandon and I glance at each other.
“Jay, your application for narcotics has been approved.”
“What application?”
“This one.” Cap points at a piece of paper on his desk.
I lean over and laugh at the application I didn’t fill out. “Where are you goin’ with this, Cap?”
“This conversation never happened. The note from Judge Hurley? We obey it, show Marco Denati that his money was well spent. You continue with your plan as normal with the charges you’ve already got, and once he’s in interrogation, treat him like you have any other time. We know he’ll be released and the charges will be dropped, and then he’ll continue to infest the city like the rat he is.”
“Nothing new about that,” Brandon mumbles.
“You’ll move on to a different case, Parker, but Jamison will move to narcotics.” He narrows his eyes at me.
“Understood.” I nod. He’s not taking me off the case. Just letting everyone think I am.
He stands from his desk and leans toward us. “When you bring him in, you do it clean. We don’t need any fucking blowback, you hear me? Nothing to fuck this up and nothing to make him suspicious. We’re letting him think he won again.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Parker?”
“Yeah, Cap.”
“Jay.”
I stand, and he narrows his eyes at me. “Clean.” He reiterates his warning because he knows how much I want this guy. He wasn’t the one who got to my sister, but anybody who could treat women like he does doesn’t deserve to have an ounce of freedom.
After Brandon and I sit at our desks across from each other, we both work on filling out a shit ton of paperwork and making some calls, acting like we’re closing in on a lead with Marco. I like the new plan. A lot. Too many people in this department know too much.
The small team of men already working undercover are the only ones I trust anyway, aside from Brandon. And apart from Cap knowing, it’ll just be me and those two other guys. It’ll suck not having Brandon as a partner anymore, but all good things must come to an end, and quite frankly, this case is holding him back, so it’ll be good for his career to focus on other things.
Four hours later, my back is sore and I stand to stretch it out. “I’m gonna head out for a little bit. Bring back some food. You want anything?”
He looks up and cracks his neck. “Sure. Just grab me a sandwich.”
“Sounds good. Call me if anything comes up.”
Without answering verbally, he nods, and I take off to run home first. I wanted to talk to Mel last night, but when I got home, she was practically asleep on the couch, and then this morning, she was still sleeping. Her depression has gotten better, but when she sleeps a lot, I fear it may be coming back.
As I pull up to the house, I scan around, looking for anything out of place. Walking to the front door, I do the same thing. After I get inside, I shut off the alarm.
“Mel?” I shout. It’s been my sister, Mellicent, and me since I was a rookie cop. After a drunk driver killed our parents, I was left to raise my little sister who’d just barely reached thirteen. It’s hard to look at her as an adult now even though she’s legally been one for a year now.
“Kitchen.”
I head there and toss my keys on the counter then grab a bottle of water from the fridge. Sensing she’s okay, I don’t waste time and get right to the point. It’s something I’ve wanted to address for a long time but never felt she was ready. “I want Livvie to spend the night.”
She looks up from her computer, likely editing a book, and raises her shoulders. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah, okay. Has there been a reason she hasn’t?” When I don’t say anything, she gasps. “Really, Jay?”
“I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable. And when you wake up—”
“It sucks. And it’ll be embarrassing, but it shouldn’t be a reason your girlfriend can’t sleep over. Jeez.” Clearly frustrated, she runs her fingers through her light hair and sighs. “I didn’t even think about the fact you’d purposely not have her come here because of me.”
I pull out the stool next to her. “We’ve been together over two years, Mel.” I met Livvie shortly after Mel’s assault.
Understanding hits her. “I’m sorry. I guess I didn’t think; I just assumed that maybe you guys were, umm… I don’t know. Taking it slow or something. I didn’t even think, or I would have said something earlier. I’m so sorry.”
Her eyes fill with tears, and I shake my head at her. “Don’t. You have no reason to apologize. This is your house, too. I don’t and didn’t want you to feel pressured to think you had to say it was okay for her to be here if you weren’t ready.”
“For what? Your girlfriend to hear me screaming in the middle of the night? It’s fine.” She shrugs, and I mentally kick myself in the ass for even bringing it up. I shouldn’t have. She shouldn’t feel embarrassed about her nightmares. “Really. As long as you don’t think it’d scare her off then—”
“It won’t.”
Another shrug. “Then have her stay here. I don’t care.” She focuses on her computer. “I have a lot to get done today.”
“Don’t do that.”
“What?”
“Shut me out because you’re upset. Honestly, Mel, if you don’t want her here, then I don’t want you to feel like I’ll be mad if you tell me that.”
She shuts her laptop and turns to face me. “I’d rather have you guys stay here than at her place all night.”
“I’m not ever leaving you home alone all night.”
“I’m sorry.”
I shake my head. “Don’t be. You’re my sister, Mellicent. I’d do anything for you. You know that.”
“You have, Jay. You’ve sacrificed your life for me, and I feel so selfish asking—”
“You’ve never asked me for anything. You won’t because you’re too stubborn.” I smirk. “I just happen to know you, and I know you wouldn’t feel safe if I wasn’t here at night. It’s been us and us alone since you were thirteen years old, Mel. I kind of know you better than you know yourself by default.”
She rolls her eyes. “You do not.”
“I do. But it’s all good. I’m happy you’re okay with her staying here.”
“I like her.”
“Me too.”
“Do you think you’re going to marry her?”
The thought makes my heart skip. “I know so.”
“Must be nice to have that much confidence she’s going to want to spend the rest of her life with you. Does she know how bad you stink up a bathroom after you’ve eaten Mexican?”
“Shut your face.”
She laughs and opens her laptop again. “I really do have a lot to do.”
“Okay.” I stand and mess up her hair before grabbing the water bottle. “I’ll be back later tonight.”
“Okay.” She tosses a wave at me, and I swipe my keys off the counter before resetting the alarm.
A huge part of me feels guilty and selfish for putting this on her, but I had to. Livvie is patient and kind and sweet. She’d say it was okay forever if she had to. I’m the one who’s impatient. I want my woman in my bed. I need to know I have my arms wrapped around her and there’s no way anybody would be able to get to her.
I’ve had two years of missing her at night. I can’t wait any longer to wake up with her in my bed.
On the way back to the station, I run into a sub shop and get a couple of sandwiches for Brandon and me. Then I make a quick detour to Corner Bar & Banquet.
“Hi, Jay.” Allie waves at me from behind the bar, relatively empty since it’s only about two o’clock in the afternoon.
“Hey. Livvie in the back?”
“Last time I saw her, yeah. The party came early, so she’s all flustered.”
I shake my head because there’s no way my girl doesn’t have it under control. She’s fuckin’ amazing at what she does. I’m so glad she decided to start looking for office spaces because I think she would be a kick-ass wedding planner. “Thanks.” I lift my chin at her and head down the hallway. The noise from the banquet room gets louder as I approach.
My body reacts knowing she’s near. Heart rate increases. My spine straightens. My dick hardens. When I can’t find her in the hall, I open the door to her office without knocking—because I can—and reach into my pocket to give her the penny I found.