Mastiff Security Offices

Los Angeles, California

 

“You have a positive sighting?”

Andres lowered his head in agreement. “It was definitely him. Looked just like the picture the client provided.”

Wren smiled widely, crossing her arms across her chest as though to hold the excitement in. “This is wonderful, Andres! The senator’s going to be thrilled when I tell him! Our first big case solved by the book!”

He smiled, her excitement contagious. “Glad I could help.”

“This case was tailor made for you, my friend.”

He wasn’t sure about that, but it was satisfying to be a part of her first big success. But, then again, they hadn’t quite solved the case yet.

“We have to get him out of there before we start celebrating.”

Her smile disappeared. “I suppose so.” She stood up and moved around the desk, coming to rest on the edge in front of him. She was a beautiful woman, this Wren Ryland. He couldn’t deny it. But he and Wren had always been nothing more than friends. He met her a couple of years ago when they found themselves working the same case from different angles, him from the drug angle and her from the homicide one. It wasn’t unusual for a drug case to lead to murder, so it wasn’t unusual for homicide detectives to hone in on the narcotics department’s business. But Wren was respectful of Andres’ side of things, and he’d always appreciated her for that.

And he appreciated her more when, after a sting he orchestrated went bad and the department’s full wrath fell on his shoulders, she called him up and offered him a job with Mastiff. Not only did it give him an out with the department, but it paid significantly better, allowing him to provide that much more for Alyssa.

It was a win-win no matter how he looked at it.

“What do you propose?”

Andres tilted his head slightly, leaning forward in his chair to close the gap between the two of them almost as if they were kids on the playground plotting some mischief against the substitute teacher.

“He’ll more than likely go to the club with Isaac again on Friday. I was told by several sources that Isaac always goes to the club on Friday—probably to pick up the week’s receipts—and he’s always surrounded by his little entourage. The senator’s kid seems to be a part of that entourage at the moment.”

“You could pull him aside, tell him that his father’s worried.”

“Do you really think that would work?”

She shrugged. “Maybe.”

Andres bit back a sardonic chuckle. “These rich, suburban kids don’t join the gangs for the same reasons the inner-city kids do. They do it because they’re rebelling against their parents or because they crave the danger, think it’s a cool thing to do. Telling one of them that his daddy wants him to come home isn’t going to do the trick.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

He sat back and studied her face a second. “I think we should snatch him.”

“Kidnap him?”

“It’s probably the only way we’ll get him away from the gang.”

“But won’t that be complicated?”

Andres shrugged. “If we do it right, it should be quick and simple.”

She seemed to consider it for a moment. “We promised the client we’d do whatever it took to get his boy back. It’s already been a month since we took the case. He calls my office every day, looking for progress reports.” She hesitated a moment. “If we could hand his son back to him a week from today, that would be a real coup for us and for the firm.”

“I can get him back.”

“Okay. Tell me what you need.”

 

***

 

Andres walked into his house nearly three hours after he left, conscious of the fact that Gray was expected at her parents’ home by late afternoon. He felt guilty forcing her to work on her day off, but he couldn’t control Michelle and her choices, and he couldn’t take Alyssa with him to Wren’s office to plan the kidnapping of a state senator’s son.

He found Gray alone in the living room, curled up on the couch with her school books spread out in front of her. She looked up, clearly distracted by whatever fact it was she was trying to commit to memory. But then her lips parted softly, and her eyes brightened. He wanted to believe it was the sight of him that brought that light to her eyes, but he knew better than that.

“Sorry I’m so late. Just giving your father more reason to dislike me, I suppose.”

She shook her head. “You’re fine. I’m not expected for another hour or so.”

He knew she was lying. She had this way of biting her lip after telling a lie that he’d come to recognize. She was doing that now, nibbling at the back edge of her lip like someone else might chew their cuticles out of a nervous habit. The sight wakened things inside Andres, making him imagine what it would be like to be the one nibbling at that shapely, red lip.

He buried his hands in the front pockets of his slacks and turned to the side.

“Alyssa napping?”

“Yeah. She’s been down a little over two hours, so she’ll probably be up soon.”

“No problem. I’m here for the rest of the night, so…”

She nodded, gathering her books into a pile she held against her chest as she stood. “I guess I should go get dressed, then.” She started past him, but paused before leaving the room. “I made myself a chicken salad for lunch. There was extra, so I made you a plate and left it in the fridge. I didn’t know if you’d want lunch, but…”

“Sure. Thanks.”

She smiled almost shyly before disappearing up the stairs.

She wasn’t gone but a moment before he heard Alyssa stir on the baby monitor she’d left on the coffee table. He switched it off and went up, pleasure washing through him as Alyssa held out her arms and cried, “Dada!”

He lifted her up and took her downstairs, deciding to have lunch on the back porch. Alyssa played happily at his feet, a collection of toys spread out around her. She babbled as she played, the occasional clear word coming through from time to time. She called Gray ‘Gay’ with a soft g, the sound almost musical in her lilting baby voice. He caught Gray’s name multiple times as Alyssa played with a doll that was almost as big as her, rocking it in her arms like Gray often did with her.

It crossed Andres’ mind as he watched the child play that he’d never heard her say the word momma. He knew that Gray talked to her about her mother quite often, but he’d never heard Alyssa address Michelle in that way. He wondered if that was healthy, this lack of attachment she seemed to have to her own mother. Should he be worried about her? Should he work harder to get Michelle to see her more often? Or should he take steps to keep Michelle away, to end this wishy-washy style of parenting on her part?

He wanted the best for Alyssa, and clearly Michelle wasn’t it. But what was?

Even as the question formed in his mind, an image of Gray filled his mind’s eye.

Gray was good for her. But would she always be, considering this was simply a job for her?

Maybe he should start dating. Maybe his attraction to Gray was more about the fact that he hadn’t had a proper date since Alyssa arrived on the doorstep of his bachelor pad a little over eighteen months ago. Maybe he needed someone in his life, someone who could—someday—become a more permanent part of his and Alyssa’s life.

But, again, when he thought of a girlfriend, a committed relationship, an image of Gray filled his mind’s eye again. He was growing obsessed, and he didn’t know what to do about it.

And it didn’t help when she came walking out onto the patio in a summer dress that shimmered around her slim figure like a thin veil of clouds.

She blushed as he studied her, trying hard to keep his expression neutral. But how was he supposed to be neutral about bare shoulders with just the finest spattering of freckles, just a slight peek of thigh above perfect knees and shapely calves? And then there was that hint of cleavage that was so rare in her wardrobe, soft roundness that threatened to burst from the heart-shaped bodice…

“It’s too much,” she said, tossing a cardigan over her shoulders as she carefully shrugged into it, “but I thought I’d better look the part, and this is the only thing I had in my closet.”

“You look nice.”

“Really?” She tugged at the thin white sweater that turned the erotic dress into something even more so in a subtle, Catholic schoolgirl sort of way. “I feel half naked.”

“It’s perfect for a barbeque.”

She forced a smile, clearly uncertain about her choices and the afternoon’s pending events. She squatted down beside Alyssa, the heavy braid she’d tied her hair into falling over one shoulder.

“I’ve got to go, kid,” she said softly, brushing her lips over Alyssa’s forehead. “Be good for your dad.”

Alyssa looked up and babbled something that seemed incredibly important, but was completely indecipherable. Gray touched the baby’s nose with the tip of her index finger and nodded.

“I totally agree,” she said, as though she understood every word Alyssa had said.

Alyssa turned back to her toys, satisfied with Gray’s response.

“I’ll be back before she goes to bed. If you need me before that, feel free to call.”

“Try to have a good time.”

She rolled her eyes. “Listening to my brothers criticize my life choices is not really my idea of a good time. But I’ll try.”

She offered Andres a smile, then turned to go. That skirt flowed around her legs with a grace that made it impossible for him to look away.

Why was it he felt this total and complete attraction to this woman who was the exact opposite of every woman he’d ever known, ever cared for, ever taken into his bed? Why wasn’t he drawn to someone like Wren, someone who understood the hard world he grew up in, who knew the darker side of this life and could thrive within it? How could he be so drawn to this sheltered, innocent woman when he knew just employing her was more corruption than she deserved?

He pushed his salad aside and leaned forward, running his fingers through his hair.

“Your father is a fool, mija,” he said. “I know what I have to do. I’m just not sure I’m capable of it.”

He had to fire Gray. He had to end this obsession he felt for her as much for Alyssa’s sake as for Gray’s.

And for his own peace of mind.