Game Of Risk (Risqué #3) (21 page)

Going over to the couch, Drew crouched, his attention went back and forth between the bullet hole and the window a couple of times, then he began to aim with an imaginary gun toward the window from his crouched position.

‘What are you doing?’ she asked, coming over with two cups of coffee and seating herself on the couch.

‘The shooter must have been on the roof across the street,’ he said. ‘The shot couldn’t have come from the street or the bullet would’ve hit the ceiling, but it came in on a descending trajectory. Where did Ruger check for the shooter?’

‘I don’t know,’ she said. ‘You can ask him yourself when he comes out of the shower.’ Drew glared his disapproval, but that only made her widen her smile. ‘I’m glad you know the truth. Now we can all get along with the truth out in the open.’

‘The truth might be out in the open, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be getting along with anyone.’

‘Where’s Serendipity?’ she asked.

‘Rushe came and picked her up. I don’t know where they are now.’

‘And you’re comfortable with that?’ she asked. Teasing her brother came second to her concern for her future sister-in-law.

Drew shifted position to slide up and sit beside her. Taking his coffee off the table, he took a drink before he spoke. ‘Rushe is the only guy I’d trust.’

‘Rushe and Ruger,’ she said, but he glared again.

‘I trusted Ruger more before I found out about the two of you. What were you thinking, Lay? The guy is supposed to be protecting you, why did you seduce him?’

‘You think I’m the temptress?’ she asked. ‘I’m offended.’

‘No, you’re not,’ Drew said. ‘And it doesn’t matter who did the seducing, you had to approve or it wouldn’t have happened. I know how stubborn you can be.’

‘Because you’re just as stubborn?’

‘Because I lived with you for long enough,’ he said. ‘When Ruger’s ready I’ll get him to take me across the street.’

‘If Ashcroft’s men are watching me, then they’re going to see you here. Shouldn’t you be laying low? I don’t like you wandering around in the open.’

‘It’s what you’ve been doing and you’re still here. There’s no reason to off me now. The evidence has been gathered and it’s in appropriate hands. They could kill me for spite, but that would just make the story juicier and more scandalous.’

‘You put a lot of faith in these maniacs being smart and rational. Shooting at women seems to be their MO, first Flick and then me, I hope Serendipity is really safe, wherever she is.’

‘Dipity is safe,’ Drew said. ‘Until you meet Rushe you won’t understand how I can be so confident about that.’

‘Until I meet him? I have no interest in meeting the guy. He sounds like a meathead to me.’

‘Careful what you say when he’s around. Flick is never far behind Rushe and she takes exception to anyone ridiculing her lover.’

The couple did seem intriguing, but Layla wasn’t sure she would be able to hold up under that kind of scrutiny. Drew had a reputation with these people who were astute and calculating. Layla had a habit of saying inappropriate things that embarrassed people. That was her MO.

‘So where is Ruger?’

‘He’s in the shower,’ she said, leaning forward to put her coffee down. ‘Do you want me to go and get him?’

‘No,’ Drew said. ‘I’m not sending you into the bathroom with him. You might never come out and I do not want to listen to a play-by-play of you with your new boyfriend.’

‘I doubt he’d want to mess around with you in the next room. He knows what you’re capable of.’

‘Just so long as he remembers that for as long as he’s with you,’ Drew said, slurping his coffee. ‘So renting this place, shacking up with Ruger, are you planning to stick around here?’

‘Actually, Ruge and I were going to talk about that this morning,’ she said, curling her legs under herself while being careful to keep her robe over her thighs. ‘We were talking about making a go of it and then last night happened. I was going to come up to Jersey to be with you and Dipity when the story broke.’

‘What sense is there in that?’ he asked. ‘Dipity and I planned to disappear for a while after the story breaks. We’re not interested in the limelight.’

‘The press will be all over you. Ruger said you two could be slandered, and I wanted to be by your side to show my support.’

‘It’s guaranteed that Ashcroft will try to discredit us, which is why we wanted to give the newspaper running the story a chance to verify some of the case facts themselves first. If they know the story is legit then they can run with it, no matter what Ashcroft says about Dipity and me.’

‘You think that martyring yourself will make the story more credible?’

‘Don’t take everything so personally,’ he said, taking her hand. ‘Dipity and I will be fine. We’ll just go off and take a vacation before we look for the next story.’

‘Oh, great, so we’re going to go through all of this again?’

‘Next time we’ll avoid political officials.’

‘Great plan,’ she muttered. The bathroom door opened and Ruger came out in a plume of steam, thankfully holding a towel around his hips.

‘Jansen,’ he said, his attention flicking between them on the couch.

‘Go put some clothes on then we have work to do,’ Jansen said, drawing his scowl away from Ruger and planting it on her again.

Layla lunged over to pinch her brother’s arm, but Ruger shuffled off into the bedroom to get changed. ‘Give him a break,’ Layla said. ‘He’s doing what he promised you. I’m still here, aren’t I?’

‘Yeah, but you’re a little too rosy-cheeked for my liking.’

Rolling her eyes at her brother’s disapproval, she didn’t let on just how much she enjoyed their sibling banter. It had been so long since they’d been together, she had almost forgotten what it felt like to be under Drew’s wing. ‘I want you to meet his family, to see just how good these people are. I think once you do, you’ll change your tune.’

‘You’re not dating his family, you’re dating him.’

‘Colt is an ex-cop just like you,’ she said, hoping to summon some points in Ruger’s favour.

‘Yeah, and Blaser is an ex-con. You’re crazy if you think I didn’t do my due diligence before handing my only sister over to this guy.’

‘See, you do care,’ she said widening her cheesy grin and leaning closer. ‘I don’t give you a hard time about Dipity.’

‘I’d like to see you try. Dip and I have been together for so long, I’d be surprised if you can remember a time that she wasn’t in your life. If Ruger was one guy of a few then I’d be more relaxed about it, but I know you. He’ll start to get heavy and you’ll panic, then you’ll run.’

‘Everyone has such faith in me,’ she grumbled, slouching around her coffee mug. ‘I’m not a slut, you know, and I don’t see you rushing to get married either.’

‘I haven’t married Dipity ‘cause of you,’ he said. ‘I’m terrified that if I ask her, she’ll run, just like you do every time a guy produces a ring.’

Stuck on this thought, she was astounded. Ruger came out of the bedroom and Drew got up to talk to him. They went to examine the window and Drew went through the same routine he had when he first came up the stairs, but she was immobilised. Drew held her neurosis as an example of how women reacted to commitment.

Completely by accident, she had managed to screw up her brother’s life. Layla didn’t act in a normal or rational way, but without their mother to guide him, she had been his go-to person for examples of the behaviour of the opposite sex.

‘We’re going outside,’ Ruger said. He had to duck down and force her chin up with a finger to get her attention. ‘Legs?’

‘Ok, yes,’ she said.

‘Get dressed and we’ll go out for breakfast when we’re through.’

‘It will have to be a quick breakfast,’ she said.

‘Why?’ Ruger and Drew asked.

‘Because I have plans later,’ she said then pinned Ruger under her stare. ‘So do you.’

‘Do I?’

‘The engagement party is tonight,’ Layla said. ‘You’re supposed to be going with Colt to pick up supplies.’

‘Shit, that’s tonight?’

‘Yes, which makes dragging him out last night all the more terrible. The poor guy has enough on his plate.’

‘My mom and Lyssa will have taken care of everything,’ Ruger said to her, then switched his focus onto Drew. ‘You can come if you want.’

‘A party? I’m not really in the mood,’ Drew said.

‘Get in the mood,’ Layla said. Her brother’s foul attitude might be justified given what he’d been through recently and he might not like Ruger very much at the moment, but the Warner family had been kind to her and she wasn’t going to let Drew ruin a special event in the family’s life.

‘We’ll talk about it at breakfast,’ Ruger said. ‘We don’t have to be at my mom’s until lunchtime, right?’

‘Yes,’ Layla said and accepted Ruger’s kiss.

Kissing her reinforced the sincerity of their relationship in front of Drew and she liked that Ruger wasn’t afraid of her brother freaking out on him. It had been their plan to leave the salon and eat lunch at the Warner house where Pru would lay out the itinerary. So far all they knew was that the men were supposed to pick up the gazebo and the food for the grill, while the women stayed home to decorate and arrange the flowers.

Being included meant a lot to Layla, although she did feel like a fraud now. If she was going to walk out on Ruger then she shouldn’t be ingratiating herself with the family. Except now that Drew was here, she didn’t need to leave and the future had become even less clear.

Already the Warner house looked beautiful. Ruger had called his mother to say that they wouldn’t be there for lunch and his mother was very understanding. Pru had dozens of questions about what had gone on last night and Ruger did a good job of answering them without lying directly. The fact that Layla had to make the distinction between whole truths and lies broke her heart.

After leaving Drew at her apartment, they hurried over to Ruger’s parents’, but lunch was thoroughly over by the time she and Ruger got there. They were both put to work without delay, so Layla hadn’t seen much of Ruger since they arrived.

Layla was positioned around the kitchen island with Bri, Lyssa and Suzette. The women were allocated the task of folding linen napkins into fancy shapes. A new table had been set up beyond the back kitchen door, and this was where the napkins would be displayed, behind the food that would be presented here, giving guests somewhere to collect plates and arrange their food.

Ruger had been put to work with his brothers, who were removing furniture from the living room and putting down floor coverings to protect the carpet. Lyssa was patient as Layla screwed up the napkins time and again. Her head just wasn’t in the game.

‘I’m sorry,’ Layla said, giving up on her latest napkin effort.

‘It’s ok,’ Lyssa said. ‘Keep practising.’

‘We heard about what happened last night,’ Suzette said, keeping her volume low as Pru Warner was flitting around issuing instructions to the men and making lists meaning she was in and out of the room.

Being a part of the group, in this situation, Layla was reminded of the first night Ruger brought her into this house. The women had been around this island then and being included in the clique had been intimidating. Since then, it had become normal and she knew just what to expect of the gaggle.

Lyssa would be patient and urge her to talk using leading questions. Bri would be quiet, but listen keenly, and she would speak up if someone said something out of turn. Suzette would just be loud and direct, showing no hesitation if she wanted a certain piece of information. Layla didn’t know if Suzette had always been so outgoing or if her relationship with Gus might have brought her out of her shell some.

‘I’m sorry we dragged Colt out last night,’ Layla said to Lyssa, flattening the napkin out to try the folding again.

‘You didn’t drag him out,’ Lyssa said. ‘He has family in the force and whenever the Warner name pops onto the police radio, you can be sure that someone in the family will get a call.’

‘And that’s always Colt?’

‘It’s whoever’s most closely related to the Warner involved,’ Lyssa said. ‘So if it’s Ruger or Blaser then Colt gets called.’

‘Blaser and I have dragged him out a time or two ourselves,’ Bri said. ‘Colt’s great. He’s very understanding.’

These days. Bri and Lyssa made eye contact then smiled, Colt was understanding these days now that he had Lyssa to keep him straight, but Lyssa had told her that wasn’t always the case.

‘I don’t understand why Ruger’s name would have come up over the police radio. We weren’t the ones who called the cops, I mean I tried to, but they were already on their way.’

‘This is a close-knit neighbourhood. Everyone knows Ruger’s girlfriend bought the salon. Pru is conjuring up business for you already,’ Lyssa said. ‘It wouldn’t surprise me if that was exactly what the police were told when the neighbour called in.’

‘Not much business going on at the moment,’ Layla said. ‘I had hoped to open next week, but after last night… a shooting isn’t exactly good for business.’

‘Are you kidding? That won’t deter people around here,’ Suzette said, completing another napkin to perfection. ‘Now everyone will want to know what happened and what you’re involved in. They like to think they’re nice and respectable, but they’re nosey gossip hounds just like women the world over.’

‘Speak for yourself,’ Lyssa said with a smile.

‘You get to pry into people’s private, secret business for a living,’ Suzette said. ‘You can afford to appear aloof elsewhere.’

The women laughed and Pru came over, sticking herself in between Layla and Lyssa. ‘How is it going?’

‘Great,’ Lyssa said.

‘We still have to prepare the canapes, the salads, and the condiments. Why did Colt insist upon making this a barbeque?’

‘Because he’s a guy,’ Suzette said. ‘He’s lost all privileges when it comes to planning the actual wedding ceremony. Lys and I got away with so much just because we gave him carte blanche with the engagement party.’

‘Wise, I suppose,’ Pru said. ‘We’re going to put gifts in the dining room and the bar in the living room. Blaser has chairs at his club, which the boys are going to pick up when they go for the gazebo. Ruger is talking about picking up a sound system. Do we plan to disturb the neighbours?’

‘We don’t need a sound system,’ Lyssa said. ‘But it’s nice of him to offer.’

‘Thank goodness for that,’ Pru said. ‘I’ll let him know.’

The woman disappeared and Lyssa folded a final napkin. ‘Pinch can get anything,’ Lyssa said. ‘But his place of business is quite a drive away.’

‘Pinch?’ Layla asked.

‘One of Ruger’s contacts,’ Lyssa said and left her stool to begin moving the napkins from the isle to the table. ‘Most of the neighbours are coming to this party. Colt’s known them for years, so I don’t think there will be anyone who can be bothered by the noise.’

‘It’s not a frat party,’ Suzette said, getting up to join her friend. ‘And you did offer to do it in the middle of the day.’

‘Early evening is the middle of the day as far as Colt and Blaser are concerned,’ Bri said, taking her share of napkins over to the table. Layla might not have been great at the folding, but she could carry with the best of them, so she gave up with the cloth and took the last of the napkins to the table where Lyssa was now arranging them in neat groups.

‘That’s true,’ Lyssa said. ‘The pair of them work at night.’

‘Who is looking after Risqué tonight?’ Layla asked.

‘Dax, Ivy and Crystal,’ Bri said, examining the spread on the table.

‘I thought Dax was in Atlantic City,’ Layla said.

‘He is, but he’ll be back tonight. Crystal will be in charge until then,’ Bri said. ‘He’s already driving, so he’ll be back as early as he can be.’

‘Oh, great,’ Suzette sneered. ‘At least I won’t have to be around to hear Ivy welcoming him home.’

Bri and Lyssa just laughed, so Layla figured that the teasing was good-natured. She wasn’t sure who knew what, or who was supposed to know what and so she kept her questions to herself. Lyssa helped to answer some of those questions with her next statement.

Leaning in closer to the huddle of women, she fixed on her best friend. ‘When you move downstairs into Gus’ place, that won’t be a problem for you anymore, will it?’

Bri laughed and Suzette hissed at her friend to quiet down, so Layla asked. ‘Why are you keeping your relationship with him a secret?’

‘Because he’s an oaf,’ Suzette said.

‘Yes, but he’s your oaf,’ Lyssa said and looped her arm through Suzette’s. ‘You’ll have to give in to it eventually. Don’t let your experience with Pete put you off commitment. Sometimes you have to take a risk.’

‘I know that,’ Suzette said with a long fed-up sigh. ‘You’ve worked with me so much since then, I’m not nearly as meek and jumpy as I used to be.’

‘Hard to imagine you like that,’ Bri said, a warm smile bloomed on her face. ‘Hanging around in Risqué so much has changed you.’

‘Gus has changed her,’ Lyssa said. ‘He’s given her new purpose and a reason to stop drinking so much.’

‘Pete was the reason I drank so much. I had to after the humiliation he put me through,’ Suzette said.

‘Who’s Pete?’ Layla asked.

‘My psycho ex-fiancé who stalked Lyssa,’ Suzette said. ‘And I’m not holding back because of Pete. I… Gus hasn’t promised me the world or anything, I’m trying not to get ahead of myself.’

‘You know what Gus is like,’ Bri said. ‘He asked you to move into his place, didn’t he? For him that’s like a marriage proposal. He makes other men’s nonchalance look like mayhem. He just doesn’t understand urgency at all.’

‘There’s no urgency,’ Suzette said. ‘I’m happy to see where it goes.’

‘You’re desperate to be married and don’t even deny it,’ Lyssa said. When she left the group, Lyssa went to the fridge and the rest of the women returned to their places at the kitchen isle to unpack the food which Lyssa was retrieving.

‘I don’t see Gus getting down on one knee,’ Bri said. ‘If you want it to happen then you have to make it happen.’

‘I don’t see a ring on your finger,’ Suzette said, leaning back to glance at Bri’s hand.

‘That’s not because Blaser hasn’t asked me,’ Bri said, holding up her hand to examine the vacant spot. ‘I keep telling him to slow down.’

‘And Lys says I have issues?’ Suzette said, leaving her seat to retrieve the kitchen utensils required for the food prep.

‘We all have issues,’ Lyssa said, handing out the vegetables. ‘Even I’m not perfect.’

‘Oh my god,’ Suzette said, stalling and holding up both hands. ‘Did everyone hear that? Quick, someone write down the date and time.’

‘Bri will get there when she’s ready,’ Lyssa said, handing out chopping boards.

‘Except there is a looming deadline,’ Suzette said and Layla joined in looking at Bri because she was curious about the woman’s reaction.

‘Maybe that’s why I don’t want to do it,’ Bri said. ‘I don’t want to rush such an important decision.’

‘But you know you’re always going to be with Blaser,’ Suzette said.

‘She sure is,’ Blaser said, drawing the attention of the women.

The three brothers, along with their father, were negotiating a large tabletop and its separate legs out of the living room and through the kitchen to take it into the back yard. As they were doing that, the women watched while dealing with the vegetables, but none of them said anything else about the sensitive topic while there were listening ears in the vicinity.

Pru zipped across the kitchen in the wake of the men. Only after she disappeared outside—presumably to tell the men how to put the table back together in the place she wanted it—did the girls in the kitchen carry on their conversation.

‘We’re looking for somewhere new to live,’ Bri said. ‘Once we do that, we’ll need our cash to get setup for the baby and Blaser is talking about starting a second garage closer to home. It’s a busy time for us and our finances are tied up. I’m not going to be happy hurrying a wedding while I’ve got a conspicuous baby bump. There’s no rush, that’s what I keep telling him, but he keeps on pushing.’

‘Because he loves you,’ Lyssa said. ‘We can talk about that if you bring him along to your next session.’

‘You know he’ll say he doesn’t have time,’ Bri said.

‘When you tell him it’s important to you, he comes,’ Lyssa said. ‘And you can promise him that we won’t talk about his dick at all.’

‘Typical conversation for my fiancée,’ Colt said, sauntering into the kitchen and coming up behind Lyssa to watch what she was doing. ‘What are you girls talking about?’

‘Blaser’s penis,’ Lyssa said and carried on with what she was doing.

Layla might have expected Colt to be shocked or upset, instead he smiled and kissed the top of his fiancée’s head. ‘I really need to learn to stop asking.’

‘We’re actually not talking about it, which is sort of the point,’ Bri said.

‘What are you not talking about?’ This time it was Blaser who was entering through the back door, and he too went to his girlfriend. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he stole a raw carrot stick that Bri had just sliced.

‘Your dick,’ Colt said and Blaser grumbled, which made everyone laugh.

‘We’re really not,’ Bri said, trying to turn and see Blaser.

‘It’s ok, Doll, I’m getting used to it,’ Blaser said, massaging her shoulders as he munched on the carrot.

‘Where’s Ruger?’ Layla asked.

‘Making a phone call,’ Colt said. ‘My parents are arguing about the yard layout. We thought we’d leave them to it.’

‘Who is he calling?’ Layla asked, unsure if she was more uncomfortable asking or not knowing.

‘Your brother far as I can tell,’ Colt said. ‘Ruge said that Jansen showed up this morning at your place.’

‘After I spoke to him last night I thought I was going to be going to him,’ Layla said. ‘I didn’t expect him to show up.’

‘You were going to leave?’ Lyssa asked.

Each of the faces in the room were trained on her. Everyone knew the full situation, even if she hadn’t been the one to tell them. So with a sigh, Layla relented the truth. ‘The story is going to break soon. Drew is expecting an answer on the print date today.’

‘You think Ashcroft is going to step up his game?’ Colt asked.

‘I think that my brother shouldn’t face being discredited alone,’ Layla said. ‘I want to be with him, to show my support.’

‘That’s incredibly stupid,’ Blaser said. ‘Your brother is vulnerable already because he has Serendipity with him. Having you too… he can’t watch you both at once, that’s how Ruger got involved in this in the first place, remember?’