Nothing To Lose: A Grey Justice Novel (33 page)

He heard Justice behind him. “Looks like they’re getting ready to go into dinner. You ready?”

Nick didn’t bother to turn. “Yeah.”

“With everyone congregated in the dining room, the majority of guards will be there. If you think you’re about to be detected, don’t engage. The last thing we need is for Adam to get suspicious and wary.”

This time Nick shot a glare over his shoulder. “I know the drill, Justice.”

As if he hadn’t spoken, the man went on, “If you can’t get away without detection, alert us and we’ll create a diversion. If that’s not possible, you’ll play the jealous ex-lover…demand to see Rachel.”

About to give another sarcastic reply, he stopped when an inner voice that sounded amazingly like Thomas’s told him to get his head out of his ass and into the game. Straightening his shoulders, he did exactly that.
 

“I’ll be in and out as quickly and quietly as possible.”

The other man slapped him on the back and opened the back door of the van. Nick jumped out. Dressed in a long-sleeved black T-shirt and black cargo pants that held several necessary tools, Nick strode to the gate surrounding the property and was up and over it in a matter of seconds. Other than his daily workouts, it’d been awhile since he had done anything physically challenging. A healthy dose of adrenaline surged through him.

 
Only by focusing on the job before him was he able to forget that Kennedy was inside the house in the midst of some of the most corrupt people in the world. Once they’d learned the names of the guests, Nick, along with a couple of Justice’s top researchers, had dug up tons of information about what he had come to think of as The Nasty Nine. Apparently, there wasn’t anything these men hadn’t done or wouldn’t do. If a man is judged by the company he keeps, then Adam was proving he was a dirty, rotten scumbag.

The reason for the meeting was more speculative than fact. Eli mentioned that Adam had come to him a few weeks ago touting an idea for a new kind of restaurant. He’d been looking for investors. Eli had not only declined but had relished telling his brother that it was a stupid idea. Rumors were that Mathias had offered his son a substantial amount of money, but for some unknown reason had recently pulled his funding.
 

Adam was now in deep debt and looking for more money. Did the prick know that he was getting in bed with the kind of men who wouldn’t hesitate to kill him if he disappointed them? The Slater name might have been synonymous with wealth and power, but nothing trumped betrayal. Did Adam not realize they could cover up a murder just as easily as he could?

Nick kept low as he ran through the back area of the estate. Fortunately, giant oaks and elms made hiding easy. Within a hundred yards of the house, he lost all coverage and made a mad dash to the back of the mansion. In seconds he was standing at the cellar door. After careful study of the blueprints, everyone had agreed that the cellar was the most vulnerable entrance and the easiest to breach. Using the handy little tools he’d been given for the job, Nick proved the theory right and was inside the cellar in less than thirty seconds.

The instant the lock clicked and Nick pushed open the door, he had the thought that this was an oddly defining moment in his life. He’d just committed his first B&E—breaking and entering. Earlier today, he’d taken steps to ensure he brought no shame to the police department if he was caught, but still the experience was a strange one.

The dank smell of old earth and damp concrete put him in mind of a grave. Sweeping his flashlight over the surprisingly roomy interior, he located the stairway leading up to the first floor. This should put him in a hallway on the west side of the mansion. The dinner party was on the opposite end. Adam’s office was on the north side.

The door was unlocked and opened easily, quietly. He listened for a few seconds to make sure he heard no one and then stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind him.
 

And now to find what he needed and get out without being caught.
 

Could a face crack from never changing expressions? Kennedy didn’t know but had the feeling she’d find out before the night was over. The perpetual smile felt frozen on her face.

Even though she hadn’t looked forward to this evening, she had thought being in the presence of hardened, heartless criminals might prove, at the very least, interesting. She had been wrong. These bloated, middle-age men were rude, crude and altogether unpleasant creatures. They treated their mistresses like bizarre pets, patting their bottoms or uttering the occasional sexual innuendo that, despite the language barrier, no one could misunderstand.

Her Italian was barely passable. She had worried that would be a problem, but now she was exceedingly happy she didn’t understand everything. The ribald laughter was clear enough.

So far the only enjoyable part of the evening was the meal. Her stomach might be tied up in knots, but she could still appreciate excellent food.

As the conversation flowed around her, Kennedy kept her ears open for anything she felt might be useful. So far the talk had covered golfing and gambling, and one beefy gentleman, Franco Bellini, kept talking about wanting to attend his first rodeo.
 

Their mistresses, some beautiful and exotic, others fairly ordinary looking, sat beside them. Kennedy couldn’t help but notice that their faces looked as frozen as hers felt.

Eli sat to her right, Adam her left. When she’d sat down, she had thought this would be her opportunity to talk with Adam a little more. She had been wrong. The man may have wanted to sit beside her, but with his wife on the other side, his behavior was surprisingly impersonal and cordial. She had worried that he’d lost his attraction for her but was reassured, if repulsed, when in the midst of a new course being served, he took the opportunity to lean close to her and whisper, “You smell delicious.”

By that time, her smile was already permanently fixed, so she was sure he felt confident his compliment was well received. She felt fortunate that during the rest of the meal, his wife and other dinner companions required his attention.
 

Eli was the least surprising of the night, staying firmly ensconced in his disapproval of his brother by barely acknowledging his existence. To keep up appearances of their romantic relationship, he frequently whispered in her ear. To the rest of the guests, they probably looked like two lovers sharing an intimate conversation. Little did anyone know that Eli spent most of those moments regaling her with news about his daughters. Violet had lost a baby tooth, they suspected Sophia was lactose intolerant, and both girls were showing signs of having artistic talent. So far, the tidbits he shared of his children were the most interesting things she’d heard.

Where was Nick right now? They had been at the dinner table for well over an hour, so she at least felt certain he hadn’t been caught breaking in. Had he found any files or information? Was he almost finished? Maybe he had already left. She would love to think he’d be waiting for her at the house when she returned home. That he would be safe and sound. If anything happened to him, she would never forgive herself.

“Is the lemon ice too tart?” Eli murmured in her ear.

She glanced down at her plate, barely aware that they were now eating dessert. Based on the amount in her dish, she’d apparently eaten half of it without even realizing it. Inwardly cursing herself for her inattention, she shook her head. “It’s delicious. Why do you ask?”

“Because you lost that vague smile you’ve had on your face for the past three hours.”

Her mouth moved up in a genuine smile this time. “And here I thought no would notice if I kept the same look on my face.”

“Don’t worry. It was an exceedingly pleasant look.”

“I guess I was just thinking of something else.”

Keeping his voice low, he said, “Everything will be fine.”

“I know. I—”

She broke off when she caught a snippet of conversation Adam was having with one of his guests.

“I have it in my office on my wall. After dinner, I’ll show you.”

Everything inside her went still. What if Nick was still in Adam’s office? What if he were caught? The excuse of a jealous ex-lover breaking into the house had never worked for her.

“Steady,” Eli murmured.

She leaned close to Eli, ensuring no one else could hear, and whispered, “I have to warn him.”

“That’s not the plan.”

“Then we need to deviate from the plan. He’s going to be caught for sure. I have to let him know.”

“And if you’re caught before you get to him?”

“I’ll just say I was looking for the restroom and got lost.”

He considered her for several seconds and then said, “Go. I’ll cover for you.”

Without giving herself time to think about all the ways this could go wrong, Kennedy placed her napkin beside her plate. Eli stood and pulled out her chair, allowing her to stand. Of course, that got everyone’s attention.

Trusting Eli to make an appropriate excuse to the sea of curious faces now staring at her, Kennedy said a soft, “Excuse me,” and fled. As she exited the room, she heard Eli say something, and the room exploded with male laughter. Whatever he’d said obviously worked.

Thankful that Irelyn had insisted she memorize the layout of the mansion, Kennedy zipped through hallways as if she’d lived here all of her life. A couple of minutes later she stood at the closed door of Adam’s office. Was Nick inside? Had Grey and his team alerted him that someone was headed his way? Maybe he had already left.

She turned the knob and was disappointed to find it unlocked, indicating that Nick was most likely still inside. Pushing the door open, she whispered, “Nick?”

Chapter Thirty

What the hell?
 

Nick stood inside the small supply closet. When Grey alerted him of impending company, along with the astonishing news that it appeared to be Kennedy, he’d stepped inside to hide, sure that he must be mistaken.

Emerging from the closet, he whispered harshly, “What’s wrong? What are you doing here?”

“Adam is bringing a group of men back here in the next few minutes to show them something. You need to get out.”

About to snarl at her that she’d just put herself at risk for nothing, he stopped. She looked so earnest and worried he couldn’t bring himself to say anything other than, “Thank you. Now go. I’ll be fine.”

“Did you find anything?”

“I—”

“Damn, Gallagher,” Justice growled in his ear, “You got a party going on in there? At least five more people are headed your way. ETA thirty seconds.”

“Shit.”

“What’s wrong?” Kennedy asked.

“They’re on their way. Does anyone know you’re gone?”

“Yes. But Eli covered for me.”

Nick eyed the closet. It’d be a close fit but— He whirled around. “What’s Adam going to show off?”

“A boar’s head. He said it was mounted on the wall in his office.”

The thing was across the room, hanging over the mantel. “Okay, get in the closet with me. We’ll just have to wait them out.”

Despite the glaring awareness of Kennedy’s inexperience, he had to admit she was thinking more clearly than he was, since she remembered to lock the door before heading his way. All he’d been thinking about was getting her hidden.

The closet was barely big enough for his large frame, much less two people. Flattening himself against the shelves, he pulled her inside, her back to his front, and then closed the folding doors. The top of her head barely grazed his chin, and when he breathed in, he caught the scent of something delicate and feminine.
 

“Can you breathe?” he asked.

“Yes.” To prove it, she breathed out and pressed even deeper into him.

Nick ground his teeth together. Of all the freaking times to get turned on, this ranked right up there with the worst. But there it was, with a mind of its own. They already didn’t have enough room, but the damn thing between his legs was making it even more crowded.

“Nick?”
 

Of course she felt him against her. Hard not to notice a steel pole pressing against your back. Her body softened against him, and he bit his tongue to keep from groaning.

His voice almost soundless, he said, “Stay still. They’re—”

The sound of the office door opening stopped him. They both tensed, barely breathing…waiting.

“My guide said he almost never had anyone bag a boar their first time out. This one was so large we had to call for a bigger truck to haul his gigantic ass out of the woods.”

Male laughter rang out, followed by even more bragging from Adam. Then, as inevitable as a sunset, came the sharing and bragging of hunting triumphs from the other men.
 

Nick paid little attention to their words. The slats in the door were blessedly narrow, but he was able to see four men, Adam in the middle, gazing up at the mounted head. If they turned and looked closely enough, they’d probably see him and Kennedy. He just had to hope that wasn’t going to happen.

Kennedy shifted slightly, and Nick went cross-eyed. Oh hell and hell again. Her firm ass was pressed against his thighs, and all he could think about was the need to grab her hips and lift her up until he could fit himself inside her.