Chapter Fourteen
Ugh. I look uglier than a mud fence.
The next morning, Vick examined her features in the full-length mirror on the hotel room wall, and the sight wasn’t pretty. She still wore a pair of pajama pants, a cami, and a hoodie from last night. No shoes, either, thanks to her hasty getaway. Luckily, she had some emergency money tucked away in the glove compartment.
Vick hadn’t stopped driving until she’d reached Hell, Texas. She got a room at Hades, and barricaded her door with a chest of drawers, and then tried to get a little shuteye.
Late last night, she’d texted Justice, telling him they’d have to meet at the diner attached to the hotel since she’d had to run away. He’d reluctantly agreed to the proposal.
Before she left the room, Vick took a deep breath. Under different circumstances, being seen in public would be too humiliating to bear. Well, she’d just pretend she was in college once more. Back then she’d gone to class in whatever she fell asleep in and didn’t give it a second thought.
The Four Horsemen owned several businesses, all with a hellacious theme. Hades was a quiet, unassuming one-floor, red brick building with individual entrances and an attached diner for easy access to food. A winding creek streamed through the town, every now and then it gave off the strong scent of sulfur, which is how Hell got its godforsaken name.
Walking into Hades was like stepping into the 1950s. An antique jukebox stood on one end of the room, playing Peggy Sue by Buddy Holly. It had a black and white checkered floor with steel countertops, red booths, and steel stools with red vinyl tops.
Evidently, Ace and Justice were late. She didn’t see either of them around, just a few townies and other bikers, sporting Four Horsemen leather vests.
A stock pot bubbled on a massive steel stove, visible through a window into the kitchen, and it smelled divine. Then again, she was ravenous.
A man in a pair of black leather pants and a muscle shirt printed with the words Think on Your Sins stood chopping onions. She recognized him on sight—Voodoo, another of the bikers. From the info she’d gathered, Vick knew he ran Hades.
He nodded to her. She placed him a couple inches over six feet tall with mocha skin and unusual silvery eyes. His dark hair was twisted into short dreadlocks and came down below his ears. When he turned, she could see a skeleton tattoo on his back, peeking out from behind his shirt. The images were inked in white and probably mirrored the bones beneath his skin.
Voodoo smirked at her outfit. “Nice jammies. We got a no shirt, no, shoes, no service policy.”
Aw, man. She wiggled her bare toes.
“Sorry, I had to leave in a hurry last night.”
Voodoo peered at her with a troubling intensity. “But I’ll let it slide just this once. What’s your name?”
“Vick.”
“You waitin’ on Justice and Ace?”
She hesitated a moment, unsure if she should answer.
“I’ll take your silence as a yes. They were actin’ all squirrely this mornin’.”
How’d he get so perceptive?
“I didn’t say anythin’.” Vick took a seat at the counter.
“Didn’t have to. They should be here any second.”
His accent was a mixture—a trace of French, combined with a bit of Southern, and maybe a hint of Spanish. From her snooping, she knew he’d left New Orleans just after Katrina hit and settled in Texas.
“Um, thanks.”
Voodoo studied her. “What you doin’ with those boys anyway?”
No use in denying it any longer. In a few minutes, he’d see them hanging out together. So much for keeping this operation on the down low.
“Handlin’ a private matter.”
His lips curved. “Ah, you need some vigilante justice then.”
Whoa. At least he hadn’t guessed who she worked for. Yet.
Being from New Orleans and all and with a road name like Voodoo, maybe he practiced the dark arts or some such. And the shock must’ve shown on her face because he chuckled.
“Maybe.”
“Definitely. Bonne chance, mon choux.”
“Er, thanks.” Vick didn’t understand a word of what he’d said and vowed to Google it when she got home. She’d taken Spanish in school, not French.
“What can I get you?’
“A cup of coffee, please.” He poured her a mugful and took off to help another customer.
After she’d taken a few sips, the door swung open behind her. Ace and Justice swaggered in, each taking a stool on either side of hers.
“What the fuck happened last night?” Justice asked without preamble. It was clear they didn’t want her here.
“Simon showed up at my place. After y’all tried to give him a lesson in manners, he had a private investigator take a closer look at me.” She’d covered her tracks well, but no fake identity could hold up to intense scrutiny.
Ace whistled. “What’d he say?”
Vick sighed. “The usual. Although, he finds me even more interestin’ because of…” She trailed off as she noted Voodoo standing at the opposite end of the counter, blatantly eavesdropping. “My, er, employer.”
“Makes sense,” Justice said. “Simon didn’t cool it when we almost legally threatened him. So, we had our own computer whiz, Coyote, take a look at the guy.”
“He’s a narco lawyer.” Vick still hadn’t processed it all the way.
“He told you then,” Ace said.
“Yup, we had a round of true confessions last night.”
“I ain’t surprised the bastard gets drug dealers outta trouble.” Justice sneered as though even the thought of Simon disgusted him. Vick could relate.
“Simon thinks we have even more in common now.” Which couldn’t be further from the truth.
“Simon’s got a point.” Ace gave her a sharp look. “You both work for assholes.”
Vick lifted her chin. “I know what you think of me, but we’re not the same.”
“No, you ain’t.” Justice scowled at Ace. “Lay off, brother.” The Horsemen had a habit of calling each other brother. It was like a fraternity, with bikes.
Vick felt like giving Justice a smooch on the cheek for defending her honor.
“Why don’t you make me?” Ace loomed closer, and for a hot second, Vick worried she’d be in the middle of a blustering testosterone fight.
No thanks.
“We don’t have time for a wrestlin’ match.” Vick told them about Simon’s unwillingness to back down and the threats he’d made. “I don’t know what else to do.”
“I do,” Justice said. “We’ll guard you. My guess is he’s gonna call in reinforcements to get this done.”
That sounds bad. “Reinforcements?”
“Probably a hired thug,” Ace said. “Since he’s workin’ with the cartel, it wouldn’t be hard to get some muscle. It’s a small job, probably one guy.”
“Muscle? As in a hitman?” Even thinking about the prospect made Vick dizzy.
Justice pondered it a moment. “More like a kidnapper, since he don’t want you dead. If I read this guy right, Simon’s gonna keep on applyin’ pressure until you give in.”
“Wait, there’s more. We’ve hit another snag.” In all the scariness, Vick had forgotten about the false romance she was supposedly having.
Ace sighed. “I ain’t surprised we gotta another soup sandwich. What happened?”
She’d heard the term for a screw-up before.
Vick could feel her cheeks burning. “Uh, my boss found out about breakfast at the bakery, and I had to think fast and come up with a plausible reason we were together.”
“What lie did you tell?” Justice asked. She liked the way he went straight to the heart of the matter—no, muss, no fuss.
“I sorta told ‘em we were datin’.” She glanced up at Justice whose face went slack.
Ace burst out laughing.
“It’s the only excuse I could think of, on the spot.” Vick laid a hand on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”
“Hey, wait a second. You chose him instead of me?” Ace hooked a foot around the base of her stool and dragged her around to face him.
“Yup, I chose Justice as my fake boyfriend. What’s the big deal?”
“Why not me?” Ace placed his hands on his hips.
“Because she ain’t no fool.” Justice leaned across the counter “I’m better lookin’.”
“You are not!”
“And nicer, too.” Vick snickered.
“Yeah, well, how’s your sweetheart gonna feel about it?” Ace asked Justice.
“Oh no. You’re seein’ somebody?” Vick hadn’t considered the fallout of this particular fib. “I’m so sorry. I don’t want to get you into trouble.”
“Ain’t got a girl.” Justice glowered. “She’s a friend.”
“Yup, a friend you jaw about all the damn time. One who invited you over for a candlelight dinner.”
Does any of this sound familiar? It was bizarrely fitting. She and Justice were in the same predicament. Vick felt his pain. A romantic attachment to a friend was a special sort of hell.
“Who’s datin’ whom now?” Voodoo walked over. Evidently, he couldn’t hear very well, tucked into the corner a few paces away.
“Butt out, Voo. Ain’t none of your affair.” Justice slapped a twenty-dollar bill down on the counter, grasped Vick by the elbow, and then towed her out the door. Ace followed right behind them. Justice didn’t slow down until they reached the corner of the building.
Isn’t that just peachy? Hell had a gossip problem, too.
“Do you need around the clock protection?” Ace asked.
“I’m safe during the day, because I’m with the guys, but I’m worried he’ll come over tonight.”
“I’ll take the first guard duty,” Justice said. “I’ll come over tonight, around seven?”
“That works. Thank you.”
“Send me the address.”
Vick texted it to him.
Justice squeezed her hand. “We’ll get this sorted out soon enough, so don’t stress over it.”
“Yeah, no worries. We’ll back him down and then charge the bastard twice the original asshole fee,” Ace said, his tone kinder than usual.
Maybe Ace wasn’t so bad either, even if he could be a pain in the buttocks. Vick bet if she hadn’t been a member of the Lone Star Mafia, they would’ve gotten along better.
“Sure you’re up for this?” Ace turned to Justice, his gaze assessing.
Justice swallowed. “Yeah, it’s cool.”
Ace hesitated a moment. “Well, I got your six, brother.”
“Thanks.”
Um, why wouldn’t he be up for it? Vick tensed. And what did a number have to do with anything? Must be military lingo.
“Somethin’ I should know, fellas?”
“No,” they said in unison, which meant yes.
“Come on, level with me. What’s goin’ on?”
Both of them went all tall, dark, and silent on her—arms crossed over muscled chests, lips pressed together in a thin line, and shoulders squared.
Oh great. What I need is another friggin’ secret.
***
When Vick got back to Crimson Creek, she found Jack had gone. He’d left a note saying he went back to Brighton Place. Who knows if he really had though? She was just glad to have him out of her hair for a bit.
After the dust had settled, she’d talk to him. Vick wanted to have a frank discussion about their roles. She needed Jack to understand, when he slipped up again, she wouldn’t be there to sort it out.
Vick put on a pot of coffee and then took a quick shower. As she was toweling off, she heard a knock on the screen door.
She froze. Had Simon returned?
“Vick? You home?” Another knock.
Jasper.
Vick sagged in relief. And then she remembered their training session, which she’d blown off without so much as a text message this morning.
Uh oh.
“Yeah, I’m just gettin’ outta the shower. Come on in and grab yourself some coffee if you want. Sorry for missin’ trainin’ again. I meant to text, but it slipped my mind.”
“Not a problem, I’m just glad you’re okay.” She heard his footsteps in the hallway. “I was worried about you.” This time his voice came from the other side of the door.
“I'm all right, Jasper.” For now.
“I’m glad. If somethin’ happened to you, I’d lose it.”
Tears filled her eyes, and she blinked them away. They might have a complicated relationship, but the man cared about her.
“Hey, how do you feel about ice cream for breakfast? It ain’t our usual fare, but it should taste good in this heat.”
“Works for me.”
“It’s in the freezer. I’ll be out in a sec.”
Since she didn’t want to keep him waiting, Vick threw on a full-length robe. It covered her from neck to knees, so it was modest. She found Jasper at the kitchen table with a pint of their favorite Ben and Jerry’s flavor, Chubby Hubby, and two spoons. He’d also poured her a cup of coffee.
She sat beside him and dug in. Vick told herself the banana, walnuts, and dairy in it added up to a balanced meal.
Okay, maybe not. But she’d been through a trauma and deserved a treat.
His knee rested against hers beneath the table, and she shifted even closer. Jasper made her feel safe. For a moment, she just soaked in the comfort he provided.
Vick thought about bringing up the kiss but decided against it. They’d get to it eventually. These things couldn’t be rushed.
“So, I went shoppin’ the other day. Feel like comin’ over for burgers later?”
A grin lit up his face. “Love to.”
At the very least their friendship hadn’t been ruined. Being on the outs with Jasper made her anxious.
“How was your sister’s birthday?” she asked.
“It could’ve gone better.”
“What happened?”
“Ten crashed my college visit, then we only had a few minutes together before Grace had to get home for her party.” He groaned. “I hate lyin’ and runnin’ around behind their backs.”
Vick knew exactly how he felt.
Keeping him in the dark felt wrong. She’d come clean with the bikers—even Simon knew the whole story now, but she still couldn’t bring herself to tell Jasper. His opinion mattered more than anyone else’s, and she wouldn’t survive his condemnation.
Men have a way of pigeonholing a woman into one of two camps: fun girls they took to bed, and the ones they introduced to their mommas. And like it or not, she wanted to be in the second camp when it came to Jasper. Although, she seriously doubted she’d be meeting his mother unless he got things straightened out with the Tans.
“Guess we both have some family drama, huh?”
“Speakin’ of.” He glanced around the room. “Where’s Jack?”
“He left a note sayin’ he’d gone back to the sober livin’ home.”
“Think he actually went?”
Vick shrugged. “No clue.”
His brow furrowed. “Have you ever considered tossin’ Jack out of your life?” Something was clearly troubling him.
“Of course, I have.” Although, it sounded horrible. “And I’ve decided that I won’t be puttin’ him through rehab anymore. If he decides to get clean, I’ll be there to help, but he has to want it.”
“But you’ll never completely give up on him.”
“No.”
Jasper stabbed at his ice cream. “My family gave up on me.”
“They should be there for you. At least you came clean with them, Jack still doesn’t have a clue.”
“Yeah, and it worked out real well, huh?” Jasper laughed without humor.
Vick wondered if the upcoming wedding upset him. Jasper didn’t care about his brother marrying his ex-fiancée, but he’d be missing the first big event since he’d been cast out. Vick was used to being on her own for the most part, she hadn’t grown up with a large family surrounding her, and Jack disappeared for months at a time. But Jasper must feel isolated.
Jasper shook his head, as though clearing it. “Speakin’ of your brother, how’d you get the cash to pay off his dealer? Never did get a straight answer out of you.”
She squirmed.
“Please tell me you didn’t take money from Dix.” Jasper placed a fingertip under her chin.
“I didn’t.” She pulled away from him. At least she didn’t have to lie about that, too. Deceiving Jasper gave her a stomach ache. She licked her spoon clean and set it down, appetite gone.
“You think I don’t see it, but I do.”
“See what?”
“At the risk of beatin’ a dead horse, I know you’re strugglin’. I can see the strain on your face. It’s been months since you’ve been happy.”
She swallowed. “You know me too well.” Vick hadn’t felt carefree in a really long time. Every single day had been a struggle.
“Whatever it is, I can handle it. No matter what, I’m always on your side.”
They’d known each other for years, exchanged fears, dark confidences about their jobs, and the scary people they worked for. Keeping the truth from him felt wrong, but she couldn’t bear to ‘fess up either.
“I can’t tell you this.”
“Why not?”
Tears welled up again. God, I’m a weepy mess this morning.
“Because I don’t want you to think less of me.”
“Vixen, whatever it is, I’d never judge you.” Jasper grasped her hand.
“Sure, you say that now.”
“Have you ever murdered somebody?”
“No.”
“Then I win.”
Once Jasper had confessed to her, that sometimes he saw their faces at night—the people he’d taken out. Jasper had grown up in a Southern Baptist household, and the rules were unequivocal. Everyone had to pay for their sins. He believed when he left this life, he’d be going to hell, not heaven.
“Talk to me, Vixen. Let me help.”
“I can’t.” Time for a topic change. Vick had to distract him, or she’d blurt everything out. “Ever wish you’d made a different choice? Stayed on the straight and narrow?”
“Vick…” His tone held a note of warning.
“Come on, answer me. Where would you be?”
“At my family’s hotel, workin’ my ass off. And you’d be at some Silicone Valley place—Google or Facebook makin’ the big bucks.”
“Maybe.” What if Dix hadn’t offered her a big briefcase full of cash? “Think it’ll catch up to us one day?”
“Definitely. We’ll be sent to prison, or worse.”
“I suppose so.” Or she could take the FBI’s offer, go into witness protection, and hide for the rest of her days. Any of those potential futures looked bleak.
“Enough distractions.” Jasper looked her in the eye. “At least tell me what you’ve been doin’ with the bikers, especially Captain America.”
“Captain America?”
“Your soldier turned vigilante. What’s his name…? Jester?”
“Justice.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about him sooner?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t know what to say.”
His features were taut. He gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles were white-capped. Vick had never seen Jasper like this.
Hmm. Maybe that kiss wasn’t such a mistake, after all, huh?
“Well, if you want my opinion, you could do a lot better.”
“Justice ain’t so bad.”
“Yeah? Cuz I think he’s an asshole.”
“You don’t even know him.”
“Don’t need to.”
“Well, you’re wrong. Justice is a good and decent man.” She meant every word. Vick didn’t know what she’d do without his help.
“How long have you been datin’ him?” Jasper’s nostrils flared.
“Why, Jasper Tan, you almost sound jealous.”
A silence followed. Vick had just thrown down the gauntlet.
“What if I am?”
Her breath caught. “You said kissin’ me was a mistake.”
“I stand by what I said.”
“Then why are you gettin’ all bent out of shape about this?”
“I got my reasons.”
“I’d love to hear them.”
“No.”
“Did you, er, hate the kiss?”
“Never said I didn’t like it.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Jasper ignored the question. “Tell me what’s goin’ on with Justice. There’s more to this story, I can feel it.”
Vick gritted her teeth.
“Tell me.”
“I need protection. He’s offered to help me.” She knew Jasper wouldn’t leave this alone, so she had to tell him something.
“I’ll protect you. Who’s after you, Vixen?”
“Please don’t ask me questions I can’t answer.” Why did he have to make this even more difficult?
Jasper met her gaze, and she couldn’t bring herself to look away. She saw nothing but love and trust in his eyes. It nearly took her breath away.
“You’ve got some ice cream on the corner of your mouth.”
Before she could wipe it away, he removed the melty cream with his thumb. And the next thing Vick knew, she touched her tongue to his warm skin, licking away the sweetness.
Jasper groaned, eyes smoldering with a banked fire. Vick was acutely aware of her near nakedness. Beneath the robe, she didn’t have a stitch on. One good tug on the belt at her waist and she’d be naked.
Vick waited and watched, hoping for another kiss. If it happened again, they couldn’t write it off as an accident or a mistake. They’d finally have to deal with their feelings for one another.
The silence stretched between them. All Vick needed was some sort of sign.
“I should go.” He dropped his hand as though he’d been burned.
Vick swallowed her disappointment. “Right, we should head to work.”
He sprung to his feet. “Work. Things to do.”
“Are we still on for dinner?”
“Sure. See ya later.” He loped down the hall, almost running out of her place.
Vick stayed at the table, clutching her cooling cup of coffee, fearing what the future might hold.