Fucking chills rush through my body. This woman is making me absolutely nuts.

My cell vibrates in my pocket as I cross the living room and head to my bedroom.

I assume it’s Jessica because it’s the burner phone. But when I check it, I’m surprised to see Corbin’s phone number on screen. I grumble before I answer it, knowing there’s only one way Corbin got a hold of this number.

“What did Jessica tell you?” She always liked Corbin better than me. Pretty much everyone likes my kid brother more. I’m the asshole. Maybe always will be.

“Man, what the hell did you get yourself into?” His voice is off, so I assume he’s been drinking. He’s in Sin City, after all.

“Nothing I can’t handle.” I shut my bedroom door so Gia can’t hear and then sink down on the bed. My elbows rest on my knees as I press a palm to my forehead. “You might want to stay in Vegas until this all blows over, though.” I’m trying to be optimistic and assume we’ll get this handled and fast. But who the hell really knows?

“You don’t have to ask me twice, but is this really for some chick you met last week?”

Gia’s pouty lips come to mind. “It’s complicated.”

“And the company? Are you seriously taking a break from work?”

“We have capable people there who can handle things.” I swallow, hoping I’m right.

“Shit, I know that, but it’s about damn time you do. When was the last time you took a vacation?”

I honestly don’t have a clue, not that I’d consider this to be leisurely time off. “Just hang tight in Vegas until you get word that it’s safe to come home. I assume you talked to Grace?”

“Yeah, she told me about the babies. We’re going to be uncles, man.”

“How much does she know about what I’m into?” How much did Jessica tell her?

“Grace doesn’t know a lot. But Noah will make sure she’s good.”

True.

“Well—” There’s a beep. I hold the phone out to see who’s calling. “I gotta go.”

“Yeah, okay. Be safe. Don’t die.” I can almost hear his smile through the phone. “It’s not every day I get to use your line.”

“Be safe, too.” I end the call and switch lines. “What’s up?”

“We have two problems,” Jessica says right off the bat.

A humorless half-laugh escapes me. “Only two?” Hell, I’d call that good news.

“Cade,” she bites my name out like it’s sour on her tongue.

“Well?”

“For one, Mya is in Brazil. And Jerry McAllister just walked into Rory’s club.”

I don’t know which fucking problem to tackle first. She could have at least given me a second to digest one before slamming the second at me. “Jerry. Like, our friend Jerry? Detective Jerry McAllister?”

“Yup.”

“You think he’s making some sort of bust?” That’d be too coincidental.

“He’s a homicide detective, so I don’t think so.” There’s a hiss over the line. “What exactly happened at the club last Friday when you guys went there?”

I think back to the night I met Gia, the night all of this started. “Corbin said Jerry picked the club out. And when I was talking with Gia, he got a private room with one of the dancers. He didn’t want to leave with us when I insisted, either.”

“It doesn’t make any sense. I don’t believe Jerry’s cheating.”

“I don’t, either.” I scratch at the base of my skull, trying to think. “Which means—”

“Which means Jerry’s not there for a lap dance tonight.”

“Given his line of work, he’d know the place is run by the mob.”

“So, maybe he purposely chose that place—”

“Because the man never stops working.” A fucking stone drops in my stomach at the realization there’s more to all of this than we anticipated. Jury is still out on whether that’s a good or bad thing.

“Can you ask Gia if she recognizes him? I’ll text you his picture.”

I glance at my closed door. I don’t want to wake her, especially after what happened between us tonight. “Yeah, I will. In the morning.”

“You, uh, don’t think he’s dirty, do you?” It’s one of the few times I can actually hear worry flowing through her words.

“Absolutely not.”

“It’d be nice to have him as an ally.” She’s silent for a moment, and I know what she’s thinking because I’m thinking the same thing. “He’d probably tell us to back down, though, so maybe we won’t say anything to him. Not right now, anyway.”

“Agreed.” I stand, prepared to hang up, but shit, there’s still more we have to talk about. “Tell me what you know about Mya.”

“Mya took a vacation all right, but to Rio de Janeiro. And this isn’t her first time. She’s been there twice in the last four weeks.”

“Fuck.”

“This can’t just be about breaking a story on Rory. If Mya’s in Brazil, there’s a hell of a lot more going on. I looked into her, and the woman is legit—like, she thinks she’s Lois Lane or something, always breaking stories on some heavy shit. Her dad probably has to send her on regular vacations.” She pauses. “So if you don’t get Gia to open up about it and soon, then—”

“She needs to trust me more, but I think she’s coming around.”

“We don’t have much time if we’re really going to try to wrap this up quick enough for you to get back to your boring-ass job.”

“Give me a day or two. I’ll see what Gia’s been up to; hopefully, it can be useful somehow.” I place the phone on speaker and toss it on the bed. “Any movement on Rory’s people yet?” I take off my clothes, stripping down to my boxers.

“The plan worked. Well, for the most part. He dispatched two teams, one to our false lead in Austin and the other to Chicago.”

“So what’s the issue?”

“Gia’s dad is still in New York. You’d think he would have gone, too, right?”

“I don’t even know what to think anymore.”

She clears her throat. “Just get some rest tonight, and I’ll be in touch in the morning. And find out what Gia says about Jerry. I just texted you his photo.”

I look at my friend’s picture. Mid-forties, with a kid from a previous marriage and an amazing fiancée. A man I’ve always trusted.

There’s no way he’s dirty. No fucking way.

“’Night.” I end the call and shrug the stress from my shoulders. I’m not sure if I want to take a cold shower or sleep the night away.

I choose option two and get into bed, running through everything in my head. Each thought, image, and even certain smells are cataloged in various parts of my mind for easy access. Sometimes I wish I could be like other people—you know, normal. Normal people don’t remember absolutely everything.

But, then again, maybe I wouldn’t have remembered Gia.

And I know for damn sure that when this is all over—crazy memory or not—she’s not someone I’ll ever be able to forget.

---

“Were you talking to someone?” I ask after Gia comes into the living room.

I could have sworn I heard her speaking, but she’s staring at me like I’m certifiable.

“No.”

“Gia,” I rush her name out, knowing damn well she’s lying to me, and we don’t have time for that.

“I was mumbling to myself. You know, thinking about what might happen next.” She brushes past me, heading to the sitting area.

“Fine.” I force the doubt from my mind, saving it for later, and take in the sight of her. She looks okay. No apparent hangover, which is impressive.

Her skin has a glow to it, even. Her long hair is damp from a shower, and from where I’m standing, I can smell the lavender soap she must have used.

“Well, uh, how are you feeling? Stomach okay?”

She settles on the couch, wearing a pair of black jeans and a white, oversized sweater. “I’m so embarrassed I got sick in front of you.”

“It happens.” I shrug, but she blushes.

I reach into my jeans pocket for my phone and pull up Jerry’s picture. “Before we get going, Jessica needs your help.” I hand her the cell.

She zooms in on the image as I try to get a read on her. Her brows pinch inward, her lips pursing together in a tight line.

“He was at the club with me for his bachelor party. Have you seen him there before?”

Her chin lifts and her hazel eyes meet mine. “Yeah, I remember him.” She hands me back the phone and rises to her feet.

I cock my head. “And?”

“I’ve seen him with Tracey, maybe twice. She’s one of the dancers. But he’s normally with Rory.”

“Normally?”

She nods. “Yeah, but he usually comes to the casino, not the club.” She rolls her tongue over her teeth, and now she’s the one giving me a questioning look with raised brows, her eyes narrowed. “Who is he?”

“A friend. Also, a detective,” I grumble. “And I doubt he was questioning Rory, so unless he’s undercover—”

“He’s on Rory’s payroll.”

I don’t buy it, though. First, Mya’s father disappoints me by being a cheating ass. And now . . .

No. My straight-edge friend can’t be corrupt. Fuck that.

“I need to call Jessica. Is there anything else you can tell me that might help?” I’d like to bring up Mya and the art classes right now to get the conversation over with, but I don’t want to hit her with too much all at once.

A small smile tugs at the corners of her lips. “I know a lot about Rory, enough to put him away for three lifetimes, but anything I’d say would only put a target on our heads.”

“Isn’t there one already?”

“True, but I don’t exactly want to draw the attention of every criminal in New York quite yet. Snitches aren’t shown much love in the city.”

“I told you I’d keep you safe.” And I mean it, down to my last breath.

A knock on the door has Gia taking a step back.

“We’re ready to roll,” Owen says once I’ve let him in. “Miami, here we come.”