Sizzle (9 page)

“I’ll be upstairs in the library waiting.” He gives a chin lift and leaves the gym.

Celina

RIGHT OUT OF THE
gate, I’ve broken one of Mak’s golden rules and my niece will be the one to suffer the consequences. I’m desperate and hope that bravado will carry me through my conversation with Mak. Reanna gives me a questioning look when I walk in. I know my cool breezy outfit is wrinkled and sweaty now. No matter how high I blasted the car’s air conditioning, I roasted the entire way over here. Nerves and heat do not go together.

“Are you okay?” Reanna asks.

I’m not okay, and there are small black dots at the corner of my vision. I stumble and Reanna is up and around her desk before I fall. Her hands feel ice cold when she takes my arm.

“Sit down, sweetie, your face is red and I think the heat is affecting you.”

“Please, I need to see Mak.” I straighten to my full height and will the waves of dizziness away. I need to be strong and win the coming confrontation.

She leads me to the small sitting area on the other side of the door and sits beside me.

“Madison went to lunch with her husband and will be back shortly.” The tears I’ve held back flood my eyes and begin rolling down my cheeks. “Let me get you some cool water. The heat does this to me once a week, sweetie.”

This isn’t heat. It’s pure mind-numbing desperation. I can’t breathe and I lean over and place my head between my knees. I hear voices but don’t look up. There is an ocean with crashing waves going on inside my head. A warm, rough hand clasps my upper arm.

“I’m lifting you up and carrying you into Madison’s office.”

I don’t recognize the deep voice, but it’s gentle and soothing. I’m lifted in strong arms. I don’t open my eyes, though the smell of the man holding me unclouds my senses somewhat. I’m reminded of Alex. This isn’t Alex, though, and a small part of me is unhappy that it isn’t him picking me up while I’m so down.

I’m placed on the couch inside Mak’s office. I figure this out because we didn’t go far and it’s her voice that offers me water.

“Here, Celina, you need to drink this.”

I peel my eyes open and Mak’s face is about six inches from mine. She smiles and places a bottle of water in my hand after uncapping it. I’m leaning against the arm of the sofa and I bring the plastic to my lips. I take only a small sip and then put the cool container against my cheek.

The man standing beside her is large, good looking, and fierce. Mak sees me looking at him and makes an introduction. “Celina, this is my husband, Moon.” Before I can say anything, she stands up, gives her husband a quick kiss on the lips and tells him, “I’ve got it from here. I’ll call you later.”

His hand possessively cups her hip as he brings her in for another quick kiss. He lifts his head, gives me a nod, and walks out.

“I’m so sorry,” I say before taking another sip of water.

“Can you sit up?” she asks.

The ocean sounds and black spots are gone. She takes the water from my hand and I sit up and drop my legs to the floor. “I’m so embarrassed. Just give me a moment and I’ll leave.”

Her sigh is not a friendly sound. She walks to her office door and opens it. Before I can stand and rush out, a giant dog walks through the door. Mak places her hand out and he licks her fingers. “Two-dogs, sit.” He sits; his face is upturned and he’s watching Mak like she’s a large T-bone steak. She leaves him and walks to a chair next to the sofa. She pulls it out a bit and takes a seat. “Now you need to go through both of us in order to leave. You are going to drink the rest of your water and then tell me what the hell is going on. Drink.”

At the final word, the dog gives a slight growl. I tip the bottle again and finish half of the water. I lift my eyes to Mak’s. She’s not smiling, but there is concern in her gaze. My lips tremble. “I can’t. It’s too dangerous for you and your family. I’m just so sorry I put you in this position. I broke the rules.” I take a deep breath so I can get the next words out. “I knew I was breaking them after I interviewed with you. I was desperate.” An almost hysterical giggle escapes me. “I’m still desperate. I’ll do anything. Take any client. Please.”

The concern leaves her expression and a steely glint enters her eyes. “I’m an ex-cop, Celina, and I stress the ex-cop part. My husband is not exactly who you would call an upstanding citizen. You’re working for an escort service that I run. We both know what goes on here is a very thin line of what’s legal and what is not. I can take care of myself, and if I can’t handle something, my husband has a team of badasses who will. I’m not asking you again, but if it makes it easier, start with how you’re involved with the Desert Crows.”

I have no idea how she got their name, and I don’t know if it’s relief or terror that makes me share my burden. I start with my ex-fiancé and tell the story from the beginning. There are tears and anger while I spill my guts. Mak places tissue in my hands at some point but never interrupts me. I’m exhausted when I finally finish.

While talking, Mak moved to the sofa and took my hand. Now her arm goes around my shoulder as I sob into the tissue she handed me. “That baby won’t be staying with the DC. Fuck the money. We’ll pay it if we need to, but I have a feeling Moon won’t feel the same way. In his eyes, only the scum of the earth mess with children.” She gives me a squeeze before standing and walking to her desk. She returns with a small pad and a pen. “Write down the name of the hotel you’re staying at and your room number. Go back there and wait for my call. You are to go nowhere until you hear from me. Do you understand?”

The words that leave my mouth are so stupid. “I can’t let you pay that kind of money.” My niece’s eyes flash in front of me. I can. I would do anything.

“Exactly,” Madison says. She must see the emotion in my expression. “Getting her out safely is the priority. The rest is only details that we can work out later.” She grabs my hand and pulls a bit. There’s no dizziness when I stand. “Two-dogs, heel.” The dog marches to her side and sits at her leg. She smiles again. “He’s actually very gentle as long as you’re nonaggressive.” She pats his head. “Say hello,” she tells him. He gives a short low bark and I jump. It relieves the tension somewhat.

“I don’t know what to say.” I don’t. I’m scared and hopeful at the same time. I’m also worried that something bad will happen.

“I have a lot to do and the thing that will help the most is knowing you’re safe and staying out of this. I promise we’ll get your niece.”

There’s only one thing I can say now. “Thank you.”

She opens the door and a woman I was introduced to as Jess is waiting on the other side. She’s my height with very short dark hair and dark sunglasses. She must be some kind of body builder or something because her muscles are the bulging kind that are difficult for most women to obtain. Like the first time I met her, she doesn’t smile. Reanna is behind her desk again and she gives me a relieved smile as I head to the front office door. I look over my shoulder as Jess walks into Madison’s office and the door closes behind them.

Muscle memory gets me from point A to point B because I have little knowledge of how I got back to my motel. I walk inside, kick off my sandals, pull back the comforter, and lie down. I want to be happy that someone is helping me, but all I feel is numb. I don’t know if I made the right decision. Not that I had a choice. I’m so afraid of what could happen to Kiley. I’m worried and lonely and numb.

I close my eyes and pray.

Alex

MOON LISTENED TO EVERYTHING
I had on Celina. There were no jokes about my feelings for her. He didn’t tease me that it was only one afternoon in a hotel room. It was like that when he met Madison. He knew there was something worth exploring, and I guess that’s how I feel about Celina. Who the hell really knows, though? What I do know is that after I spent time with Celina, I got the best night’s sleep I can remember having in a very long time. Images of her replaced the horrific images I usually suffer from.

Moon knows the DC is bad news. It also means bad news for us if they aren’t handled carefully. We talked for more than an hour and then Moon left to take Madison to lunch. Marcus went with him. Marcus has been pulled from another detail to help Colby shadow Moon for the foreseeable future. With Moon’s aunt, Victor Corbin, and now the DC, Moon will have a man on him at all times. Rack is partnering with Jess whether Jess and Madison like it or not.

I have a man who may be able to shed some light on Celina’s connection to the DC, and I’m meeting him this afternoon. I spend an hour talking to the guys on duty in the security room and basically kill time. The hardest part is not making a call to Madison’s office and scheduling an appointment with Celina.

Jose is showing me where he thinks some cameras could be added inside the house, when my cell buzzes. Moon’s name shows on the screen.

“Gomez,” I answer.

“I just left Madison’s office and your lady was there. She wasn’t in too good of shape.”

“Fuck.” Rage swallows me. If fucking Cartwright or his asshole sidekick touched her, I’ll kill them slower than I normally do.

Moon must realize where my thoughts have gone or either I muttered them aloud. “Not beat up or anything. She just didn’t look good. Maybe heatstroke, I’m not sure. Madison’s alone with her and I’m waiting to hear what information she gets. Knowing Madison it will be everything we need.”

“Doesn’t matter,” I bark. “I’m heading over. I’ll delay my meeting with Sanders and go straight to the horse’s mouth. Celina is talking to me or she’ll have a red ass until she does.”

I disconnect at the sound of Moon’s laughter. I’m done playing Mr. Nice Guy. It’s a thirty minute drive to Madison’s office if traffic is on my side. I’m held up on the I-10 because of an accident in front of the tunnel. I don’t handle delays well, and my fingers are gripping the steering wheel tightly by the time I’m waved through the only open lane heading west. I know I’m not exactly thinking clearly but I’m beyond caring. My threat to Moon about Celina’s ass wasn’t a joke and fuck me but I have a hardon just thinking about tanning those round cheeks of hers.

I stride into the escort office with an agenda and head straight to Madison’s door.

Jess steps in front of me. “She’s talking to Moon on the phone. You can go in when the conversation is over.”

Jess has a small wire nose ring in one nostril. If she doesn’t allow me to pass, it’s coming out the hard way. Yes, she works for Madison. Moon foots the bill, though, and I run everything related to security for Moon. That includes Jess.

Before I can put her in her place, the door opens. “Just the man I needed to see. Stop giving Jess the killer-bee-eye and get in here.”

I’m too stoked to do more than sneer at Jess as I walk by. Killer bee my ass. Jess was about to get a lesson in Why You Don’t Wear Nose Jewelry 101. “Where is she?” I say as soon as I look around the office and realize Celina isn’t here.

“I’ll tell you after we talk and you understand what’s going on. I just got off the phone with Moon. He wants you back at the house after you’re up to speed.”

I’m jumpy and the toe of my designer shoe taps against the plush gray carpet. “I’m waiting.” I don’t bother to sit down. I can’t.

“You’re such an ass.” Madison lets that hang and I remain silent. She sighs in frustration and takes a seat behind her desk. When she’s comfortable and I’m ready to combust, she spills, “The problem is a little more fucked up than we suspected.” The rage inside me is boiling over by the time she’s finished.