Too Far Gone (In Too Deep #2) (4 page)

Chapter Seven

Lara

Thank God for office emergencies
.  With Jackson and Caleb long gone to tend to work drama, I boarded the chartered helicopter back to the city with Sloane and Jake since Sawyer and Gia opted to stay behind along with Piper, who was off to meet family in Montauk.

Through my Ray Bans, I smiled and watched as Jake carried Sloane and her monstrous hangover across the tarmac.  She had whined about a headache every time she moved but then panicked at the thought of being left with Sawyer and Gia, who were seemingly on a mission to have sex in each room of the house.  So Jake volunteered to carry her to the helicopter and I watched with amusement as he tried to subdue Princess Hangover, the hilarious but insufferable alter ego that emerged whenever Sloane drank tequila.

With the sun setting, I gazed at Jake from behind – at the way his Superman frame stretched the worn-in cotton of his faded Yale shirt.  Yale.  That was something sexy I hadn’t known about.  Laughing, I hung back and watched him grin at my best friend from under his baseball cap, smoothly entertaining every one of her bratty complaints.  Somehow, his patience was the hottest thing I’d ever seen.

“The meds you gave me aren’t
working
, Kinsley.”  Sloane was going into her high-pitched whine.  Jake gave a mock frown.

“Strange.  They’re supposed to kick in faster with children.”

“Oh,
haaa
-ha.  Stop laughing at me.”

“I could be laughing with you.”

“Do you see me laughing?”

“No. Maybe I should’ve left you at the house to watch Sawyer try to talk dirty in broken Spanish.”

Sloane gasped and burst out cackling.  “Oh my God, no! Please, no.”

“See.  Now you’re laughing,” Jake grinned as he carried her up the stairs into the chopper.

By the time I got in, Sloane was out cold in her seat, her aviators sliding down the bridge of her nose.  I chewed my lip as I turned to Jake, knowing that I’d find him already looking at me.  He’d taken every opportunity to since I stepped into the kitchen that morning, wearing an off-the-shoulder T-shirt and ripped shorts.

“Daisy Duke,” he murmured as I took a seat, shaking his head at my newly tanned legs.  The crooked grin that spread his lips had me desperate to just climb into his lap, kiss his lips and run my hands all over his sculpted torso.  But with Sloane across from us, I resisted, breathless and silent as I took the seat next to him, ignoring his continued gaze as we lifted smoothly into the air.

Amusement tinged his sexy voice when he finally broke the silence.

“Look at me,” he murmured.

I laughed.  “I’d rather not look if I can’t touch.”

“Who says you can’t touch?”

Staring ahead at Sloane, I held my breath as I felt Jake’s closing in on the curve of my neck.  I closed my eyes, breathing hard when I felt his lips press into my hot skin.  With a flick of his tongue came an instant thrill pulsing deep between my thighs.  “Jake,” I exhaled.

“Let me for a second.”  Mischief curled in his voice as he pulled my face toward him.  My heart pounded as he held me barely an inch away, gazing wolfishly down at my lips, so visibly turned on that I could feel my self-control being sucked out like a vacuum.  I could almost hear the sound of it going – along with any other thought in my brain besides
touch me kiss me please do anything to me
.

The second he crushed his mouth against mine, it was gone.

My arm snaked around his neck as his hand slid between my thighs, his fingers immediately teasing my pussy, every stroke longer than the last.  I hung onto him desperately, swiveling my hips against his touch, kissing him harder with every stroke to keep my mouth quiet.

But when Sloane stirred, I ripped away from him.  “Oh God,” I breathed, my wild eyes looking toward my best friend – who was still asleep, just slumped to the side now. 
Jesus, Lara,
I caught my breath, my chest heaving as I turned to Jake.  His head tilted back against his seat.  With a crooked little grimace, he let out a groan. Only then did I look down to see his bulging hard-on.  Of course.  It wasn’t only Jackson I was torturing these days.  Touching a hand to my hot cheeks, I peered up with apology.  “Jake… I’m sorry – ”

“Stop,” he laughed gently.  I frowned as I gazed at him, watching him wince but try to play down the fact that he was in pain.  “It’ll pass.  Just… sit tight for a second,” he grinned, all for my sake.

“Okay.”  Bouncing my feet, I waited, looking away in silence as I could feel my curiosity getting the better of me.  “Jake, last night… did you and Piper…?” I tried to make my question sound casual but I was obviously curious.  I’d been thinking about it all of last night and now, I couldn’t think of a reason why it wouldn’t have happened.  I wasn’t Jake’s girlfriend and he was a man with needs.  Obviously.  It also didn’t hurt that Piper was five-foot-nine and in high demand during Fashion Week.  Chewing my lip, I waited for Jake’s answer, telling myself I had no right to be angry when he confessed “yes.”

But to my surprise, he laughed and said, “No.”  Reaching for my hand, he squeezed it, his head still leaned back as he gazed at me, the sexiest little smile twisting his lips.  “I didn’t.  She passed out.”

“I see.” 
Try not to look delighted.

“But I wouldn’t have slept with her even if she hadn’t.”

Try not to look fucking elated
, I told myself.  But I could tell I was failing my mission as Jake grinned knowingly at me.  “What?” I breathed sheepishly.  He rubbed my palm with his thumb gently but it lit every inch of my skin on fire.  “Why are you looking at me like that?” I demanded. 
Is it because I expect the loyalty of a boyfriend from you despite the fact that we’re not dating?
It dawned on me suddenly that I did and I felt at once embarrassed but validated.  He had every right to have sex with Piper but he hadn’t.  It couldn’t be totally presumptuous to assume that it was out of some sort of respect for me.

“I’m looking at you because you’re cute,” Jake laughed as he leaned in, cupped my cheek and kissed me so sweetly I barely wanted to tell him what I was going to say next.

But it had to come up eventually because I had spent the weekend acting sweet and affectionate with Jackson but had gotten no useful information from him.  I wanted to find the guts to bring up Gabrielle, to pretend that I wanted to talk it out about her for the last time and officially move on.  But there was still a gap between us because of my refusal to be intimate.  He kept trying for sex, I kept coming up with excuses.  I knew it was hurting my chances of getting close enough to him to glean any sort of useful information but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.  I simply couldn’t.

“So listen,” I started, a smile touching the corner of my lips when Jake immediately looked at me with a wary expression.  He frowned so handsomely I had to kiss him before I spoke again.  “I know you’re not going to want to hear this because of how much you hate him, but – ”

“Are you about to tell me something about Dane?”

As far as I knew, there was no one Jake hated more than Dane McNulty.  I wasn’t completely sure why – I knew from Sawyer that Dane ran some kind of shady side business.  I knew that several of the other boys agreed he was the scum of the Earth because he had no morals or code of ethics and spoke to every pretty girl he saw as if he owned her.  There was certainly no arguing that Dane was a complete and utter piece of shit.

But it had dawned on me last night that I needed him.

I needed him on my side.  He was the one who had referred our hired home intruder to Jackson.  He had seen Jackson with Gabrielle years ago and when they were still friends, had probably spoken to him about the affair.  Whatever information he had, I wanted it.  Needed it.

And now, I had an excuse for going to him to get it.

He knew my engagement was on the rocks.  He had been the one to put it there by telling me about how he’d seen Jackson and Gabrielle together
two
years
ago.  I could easily go to him pretending to be angry at my fiancé, and in desperate need of answers.  And comfort.

I knew Dane.  Like the rest of the boys in Jackson’s circle, he was prideful and easily swayed by a damsel in distress.  Plus, he and Jackson were no longer on speaking terms.  It would be logical for me to go to him secretly and gripe about my fiancé whose guts we both hated.  It was the perfect plan.  But when I finished telling Jake, he shook his head.

“No.”

“What do you mean no?” I laughed.

“Lara.  Dane is the last person you want to owe a favor to.  I promise you.  And he isn’t someone I’d feel good about you being alone with.  I know Jackson wouldn’t either and we’d both be right.  He’s a manipulative prick who’d throw his own mother under the bus to get what he wanted.”

“Exactly.  I want information on Jackson and Dane will happily give it to me if I drink and bat my eyelashes with him for long enough.”  I continued before Jake could interrupt me.  “I know what you’re going to say.  He’s going to want more.  I know that.  But I’ll just have Sloane call me at a specific time with some ‘emergency’ and I’ll go.  She and I always do this for each other.”

Jake ran a hand across his jaw as he stared out the window and down at the green fields.  “Are you going to be in public?”

“Preferably at his office, where there’ll be tons of people, I’m sure.”

Jake pressed his lips into a firm line.  I could tell he still wasn’t convinced.  “You’ll still be in some room alone with him.  And you know that piece of shit has no boundaries.  Especially since he starts drinking by pretty much noon every day.”

“Trust me, I know about his drinking, and I’m going to use it to my advantage,” I said, studying the worry that tensed Jake’s square jaw and broad shoulders.  I reached across to rub his distress away.  Despite the fact that he tilted his head down to kiss my arms, I didn’t feel him relax.

“I don’t know, Lara. I don’t think it’s a good idea to go to Dane for anything,” he murmured gravely.

I looked him in the eye with a vague smile.  “But I’m going to.”

Jake stared at me with disapproval creasing his brow.  But then he leaned in and pressed a kiss on my lips.  “I know,” he said, his voice hard but his touch soft.  “I’d never dream of telling you what to do.  I’d only make sure to be there every time in case you needed me.  And I have a feeling that with Dane, you will.  So whenever you decide to do this, Lara, tell me,” he said before kissing me again.  “Please.”

“Okay,” I lied as I kissed him back.  “I will.”

Chapter Eight

Lara

The next morning, without telling a soul, I went to Dane’s office.  My nerves were enough of a wreck without knowing that someone was planted somewhere, anxiously waiting for my return.  So I resolved to go on my mission alone, without anyone finding out.

Fortunately, it went with my act to show up incognito at McNulty Partners on Fifty-Fifth Street, which is exactly what I did.  With my hair coiled into a bun behind my left ear, I covered my head with a wide-brimmed hat and my eyes with some shades – the biggest Chanel pair I could find in my drawer.  I then grabbed two items in my closet that I’d never worn – a short trench coat to cover my beige tank dress and a pair of camel ankle boots.  The slender young woman at the front desk barely flinched when I came in like a true damsel in distress, shades still on as I breathily asked for “Mr. McNulty.”  “It’s urgent,” I added.

She barely looked up.  “Name?”

Crap. 
How did I not think about what name to give? “Michelle,” I blurted.

“And last name?”

Already failing.
  “Uh…”

“Miss, if you don’t have an appointment, it may be a better idea to reach Mr. McNulty through his personal number, or however it is you normally reach him,” the woman suggested with a hint of judgment.  “Either that or just… move on,” she said, lowering her voice.  I blinked, realizing the sheer volume of disgruntled ex-flings that McNulty Partners probably saw on a monthly basis.  But before I could try to explain that I wasn’t one of them, I heard that permanently satisfied drawl that could only belong to Dane McNulty looking at a woman.

“Finally.  I knew you’d have to get sick of Sawyer eventually.”

Looking over, I saw Dane standing at the end of the frosted glass counter, casually fixing the gleaming cufflinks on his fitted grey suit.  It took me a second to realize that he was referencing the supposed affair I was having with Sawyer.  I rolled my eyes underneath my shades and though it was impossible for Dane to see, he knitted his brows together in mock despair.

“Oh shit, you’re still mad at me.  Alright.  Why don’t we talk in my office?”

Wordlessly, I followed him past the front desk area, feeling all eyes on me as Dane led me all the way to the back corner, one hand guiding me by my stiff lower back.  Once we got into his office, he shut the door behind us, briefly but deliberately sandwiching me between his body and the wall.  My heart pounded violently as I watched him shed his jacket and drape it over the couch before leaning against the front of his desk and looking at me.  There was a silence.

“Take off those ridiculous glasses,” he finally said.

Damn it.
  I had planned to have tears ready for him by the time I had to remove them.  I was supposed to have just found out that Jackson had
hired
that terrible intruder to break into our home and throw me around.  Reliving that night, I mustered up as much emotion as I possibly could before taking off my shades.

“Now I can see those lovely eyes,” Dane smirked.  “Christ, you’re even prettier when you’re crying.  No wonder Jackson loves to break your heart.”

I pretended to flinch at the remark.  “I’m here to talk about him,” I said, my voice wavering.

Dane brushed at non-existent lint on his crisp shirt.  “I presumed.  And what exactly is it that we’re talking about this afternoon? Jackson’s pulled far too much shit for me to possibly guess which incident you’re crying about today.”

God, it was sad that he wasn’t at all wrong about that.  On the bright side, his comment reaffirmed that I’d gone to the right person for possible intel.  I took off my hat, watching Dane’s predatory gaze slide all over my face and neck as I held it in my nervous hands.  “I’m here to talk about someone
you
referred Jackson to.  Someone dangerous that I can’t
believe
you introduced into our lives.”  I hoped that blaming Dane up front would get him defensive enough to reveal something about Jackson.  Unfortunately, his reaction to my accusation could be described as nothing but light amusement.

“I introduce a lot of different things to a lot of different people.  It’s what I do, Lara.  I have connections and your boys – Jackson, Sawyer, all those guys – they love me for it.  They beg at my feet for it.  They’ll be mad at me one second and then come crawling for my help the next.  Honestly, I expected Jackson to have already come to me with an apology at this point but since he hasn’t, I’ll more than gladly take you,” Dane said, a crooked grin on his lips as he slowly stroked his tie up and down, up and down.  “Now remind me – what exactly is it that you’re angry with me for, Lara? Providing Jackson the untraditional means with which to win you back? You do realize that you got engaged in Ibiza because of me, right? If anything, I’d imagine you’d be thankful.”

True, I’d forgiven Jackson for his infidelity because I was under the impression that he saved my life.  Thinking about how all that was staged made me realize that I barely had to act for this.  My anger was real.  The fact that I was presenting it so pitifully to Dane was not.  My lip trembling, I spat the one line I’d gone in knowing I had to say.  “Yeah, well, lately I’m wishing I never got engaged to Jackson at all.”

As expected, it made Dane smile as if he’d just heard something joyous.  “Is that right?” he asked, pushing himself off of his desk and coming toward me.

“Yes,” I answered, holding my breath as he slipped his fingers under the belt of my trench, letting them linger against my stomach before pulling and unknotting my coat.  “Let me take that for you.  Christ, I forgot to offer you a drink.  Can I get you something, sweetheart? I’ve got whatever you need.  Sparkling water, cold-pressed juices.”  He lifted an eyebrow and held up the near-empty glass on his desk.  “Bourbon?”

He was softening in his Dane way.  I could tell.  So I decided that it was time to get emotional.  Shaking my head, I sniffled.  “I just want answers, Dane.  I just want to understand why Jackson did the things he did.  All I’ve ever done was give him what he wanted,” I trembled, gazing like a kicked puppy at the floor.

“I know, sweetheart.”  Dane guided me toward his couch, where he sat across from me on the glass table.  Leaning forward, he ran the back of his fingers against my bare knee.  I stiffened but he didn’t seem to notice.  “You’ve never been anything but perfect to him.  We all know that.”

“Then why did he do this? Why did he do any of this?”

“Listen, Lara.  I gave Jackson my guy’s number without knowing shit about what he needed it for.  All he told me was that he needed someone to help him with something that was… not so legal.  I didn’t know it would have anything to do with you because I never ask questions.  All I do is provide favors for people whom I know will always pay me back in some way.  But with Jackson… after your home invasion, he cut off contact.  I assume it’s because he felt guilty about how violent things got and figured he could avoid the reality of what he paid for by giving me the cold shoulder… which is pretty fucked up if you ask me.”

“Well, that’s Jackson.  Pretty fucked up,” I said bitterly.  A heavy-handed move in terms of winning Dane’s trust, but considering his own lack of subtlety, I figured it could pass.  And it did.  Again, Dane’s lips spread into a grin as if I were directly complimenting him by insulting Jackson.

“I agree, sweetheart,” Dane murmured, his stare traveling slowly up my lap before meeting my gaze.  His grey eyes on me, he suddenly tilted his head.  “Does Jackson know you’re here right now?”

“Of course not.  Why else would I have come in looking like Carmen Sandiego.”

Dane gave a hearty laugh.  “Just making sure you were as smart as I always figured,” he said, his eyes absolutely sparkling at me. 
Holy shit. 
I was doing it.  I was making Dane think that we were in some way one team against Jackson – which I guess we were.  But without the sexual element that I knew he was thinking of, considering the lecherous way in which he stared at me.  “Well, gorgeous, I don’t know if I gave you the answers you were looking for but I’m sure you can tell that I’m being totally forthcoming with you, which I deserve some credit for, don’t I?”

I nodded, the tears I’d been trying to muster finally coming.  “Yes, you’ve been very up front.  But it doesn’t make what Jackson did any better.  Especially since this is just half of it.”

“What’s the other half? The affair with Gabrielle?” Dane smirked.  “Yeah, I’d say Gabby represents more than just half of it,” he laughed before frowning almost genuinely at me.  “Ah, fuck.  You’re crying and here I am making jokes,” he murmured, kneeling before me on the couch and using his thumb to wipe a tear from my cheek.  I milked the moment for all it was worth.

“I still can’t believe he ever slept with her,” I hiccupped.  “I gave him everything he ever wanted.  Why would he do this to me? Did he ever… did he ever tell you anything? About me? Or Gabrielle?”

Dane laughed.  “Plenty about both of you,” he answered just as a knock came at his door.  “Come back later,” he practically barked.  The voice that came from outside was cautious.

“But sir… they’re all waiting in the conference room.”

Dane cast a steely glare at the door as if it were the one talking.  He tugged on his lower lip for a second before getting up and opening it.  “I’ll be out in a second,” he muttered out the door before turning to me.  “Trust me, I’d much rather be talking to you,” he said, holding my coat for me to get into.  “Listen, gorgeous – whatever you’re doing tonight, cancel it and meet me at Muse Room in the Lower East Side.  The boys rarely hang out down there so we won’t have to worry about running into someone while I answer your questions.  Ten o’clock works for me.  I don’t have your number so let’s just call it a date.  I’ll see you tonight,” he said smoothly, kissing my cheek before strolling me out the door and leaving my side before I could say a word.