by Marie Harte
“To go where?” Jordan shouted. “This is my home.”
“It was your home.” Cash ignored her protests and squirming and hugged her to him. “I’m so proud of you for taking him out. You are so awesome.”
She relaxed at once. “What am I going to do?” she asked, her face muffled against his chest.
“You’re going to follow me home. Reid spends all his time at Naomi’s anyway, so I doubt he’ll be there. Then you guys are going to settle in until you find a new place to live, okay?”
Rafi didn’t speak, just stared at his sister for guidance.
She pulled back and looked up at Cash. “You saw me take him down, huh?”
“Like a calf at a rodeo. It was beautiful.” He caressed her cheek.
She narrowed her gaze on him, full of threat and anger and affection. “Well, I can do the same to you. You’ve been warned.”
Man, I love you. He cleared his throat. “Um, okay. So do you want to come back to my place now?”
“I guess.”
He laughed. “It’s not a gulag, you know. We actually have cable. And beer.”
Rafi gave a tentative smile. “Beer would be good.”
“Dream on,” he and Jordan said at the same time.
Jordan finally gave Cash the smile he’d been waiting for. “Oh hell. Let’s go. But I’m paying you rent.”
He pulled her closer and whispered, “I’m sure we can work something out.”
She shoved him away but couldn’t hide her smile. “You wish.”
“Always.”
Chapter 17
Jordan lay on the couch while Rafi took over Reid’s room. She’d refused to take Cash’s bed, and as much as she wanted to, she couldn’t sleep with him with her brother right next door.
What the hell am I going to do?
She’d been happy to be in the apartment complex while figuring out her future. Then Rafi had come, and it had become a godsend. The rent, for Seattle, was cheap. The location couldn’t have been better, just minutes from work and from a bus stop Rafi used to get to school. And she hadn’t had to put down a deposit.
Which reminded her, Cash had insisted Alvarez pay her back for something he didn’t owe her. The guy was a dick, but she didn’t want to be guilty of extortion.
She thought about what Cash had said and done to Alvarez. Had she not known him, she’d have been scared out of her mind. As it was, she’d taken Rafi aside earlier and explained Cash hadn’t meant any of that, that he’d just been trying to scare the guy. She didn’t know if Rafi believed her. Hell, she didn’t know if she believed herself. Cash had been in the infantry in the Marine Corps. She knew that much. But she didn’t know what all he had been into during his time served. From what she’d seen and knew of him, it wouldn’t surprise her to learn he’d been in a special unit overseas doing classified things.
But she did know he’d never hurt her. No matter how violent or crazy he might act, he’d never, ever been cruel or vicious toward her. And he’d been nothing but nice with Rafi…who now slept in Cash’s brother’s bed because they had no home.
Jesus, I’m homeless.
After waiting for the panic to lessen, she let herself accept the worry and let it go. Not having a home was temporary. She had savings and a job as well as the drive to succeed. Cash’s place was fine short term, but it would take time to find an affordable apartment in the city, especially one with a location that fit both her and her brother.
She sighed. Just one more cog in the wheel of progress.
A door opened and closed, and then a body walked toward her. Expecting her brother to want to talk, she sat up in the dark, propped against the couch, and adjusted the lightweight blanket over her. “Rafi? Over here.”
“It’s me.” Cash looked like a mountain of dark as he hovered by her. “I can’t sleep. Want something hot to drink?”
“Sure.” She followed him into the kitchen, dressed in ratty shorts and a top that looked decent enough. If only Cash would stop staring at her breasts. She couldn’t see him, exactly, but she felt his stare like a physical caress. “Stop looking at my chest.”
He chuckled. “Good guess.” He flicked on a light, and they blinked. “You have pretty good night vision.”
“Obviously you do too.” She crossed her arms over her chest and refused to give in to her grin at his sigh of disappointment. “Thanks for helping us tonight.”
He shrugged it off. “No problem.”
“What were you doing there anyway?” She waited while he put the water on and set two mugs and tea bags on the table. “And what’s your thing with tea?”
“It’s all we have. I drank the last of the cocoa months ago, and I can’t do coffee at night. As for what I was doing at your place, I’d hoped to take Rafi to dinner. You know, for a man-to-man meal where we talked away from big sis. Thought maybe he’d open up without you there.”
“Oh.” She owed him again. “That was a nice gesture.” “I thought so.” He leaned against the counter, wearing a T-shirt and shorts and looked like a god doing nothing but breathing. “I’m just… When I heard you with that dickhead, I wanted to rip his head off. But I waited to see how you’d handle it.”
“And?”
He glanced around before saying in a low voice, “I have never seen anything more beautiful in my life than you taking down that shithead. Well, except watching you come. Because that is just unforgettable.”
Her cheeks felt hot, and her pleasure at his compliment made her even warmer. “I didn’t scare you?” She’d intimidated a few exes with her moves, but she’d rationalized they hadn’t been able to handle the real her, so it hadn’t hurt when they’d split up.
“Scare me? I’m dying to spar with you at my gym. You want in?”
That was such a Cash response. “Sure.”
“Awesome. I can’t wait.” He smiled.
Her belly fluttered, and that floating sensation, as if she’d been lost for so long and now found something real, centered her in the now.
“You okay?” He took a step forward. “I really am sorry you had to handle with that guy. I would have come in to handle him, but I knew you could deal.”
“How long were you outside the door?” She hadn’t realized he’d been out there. She figured he would have busted down the door the moment he’d heard her in trouble. That he hadn’t…
“Long enough,” he growled. “That fucking asshole.”
“But you let me handle it.” So not the way Cash normally did business. He bashed heads in then tried to settle things down after.
He shrugged. “You were an MP. You know your shit.”
She’d always wanted to be treated like an equal yet still like a woman. In the Army, her peers had treated her more like a platonic pal, so she’d made do being seen as one of the guys instead of as Jordan, a woman who happened to be military police. She’d known plenty of female soldiers who took advantage of those wanting to protect them. Or given the slim ratio of women to men, built a stud farm, taking their pick of all the hottest guys around.
Not Jordan. She wanted to be seen for her strengths. As a woman, yes, but one who could kick ass. Cash, by giving her the time to fight her own battle, had given her so much more than a chance at a victory. He’d given her trust both in herself and in him.
“What did I do now?” He groaned. “You look like you want to kick my ass.”
He tensed when she rounded the counter toward him, and she would have laughed at the big tough Marine afraid of “Little Army.” But she felt so much for him she couldn’t speak.
So she hugged him tightly and planted a kiss right over his heart.
He let out a ragged breath and caged her, protectively, in his big arms. She couldn’t be sure, but she thought she heard him whisper against her hair, “I am so gone for you.” Then he kissed her, and they stood
together, no words needed.
* * *
Rafi watched them, bemused to see his sister so…content at being held by a Neanderthal. Rafi didn’t know that much about Cash, but there was no mistaking the goofy look on the guy’s face. He’d never seen anyone move with such brutality when Cash had kicked Alvarez’s ass. Well, except for watching his sister nail the prick.
He couldn’t believe Jordan had been so exact, so lethal when taking a bigger man down. She hadn’t been cruel, just firm. But Cash… He’d been ruthless. Those hands like weapons as he’d punched Alvarez before nailing the guy in the nads.
So totally cool. And terrifying.
And now the guy cuddled his tough sister in his arms as if she meant the world to him.
Would he have made a move if he hadn’t looked up and seen Rafi standing there?
“Tea?” Cash asked.
Rafi shook his head and tiptoed back out of the room, overhearing his sister say, “Yeah, let’s have that tea now.”
He went back to bed, wondering what to do. How much had Cash seen earlier when his car had slowed near Juan’s crew? How much did he know? And would he end up using those fists against Rafi when he realized just what Rafi had done?
* * *
The next morning, Rafi hustled off “to school.” He’d had his hacker buddy circumvent the emails and change Rafi’s emergency point of contact to intercept a few phone calls—Daniel was an evil teen genius—so his sister still had no idea he’d been kicked out. Unfortunately, leaving with Juan last week had been a disaster. He’d almost rather be back with Dickhead Simpson than be messing around with the stuff Juan was into.
Though Juan wasn’t all that important in the scheme of things, he knew bad people, the kind who had ties to the West Side Wolves. WSW was a bad news gang. And Juan worked for them, or, more specifically, he worked for Paul Lasko, a bully with an addiction to heroin and his switchblade, and who’d gotten kicked out of school last year. Everyone at school had heard about the guy.
Unfortunately, Lasko had ties to WSW and a cache of drugs. The police had supposedly raided the gang a few times. It had been on the news, but the court dates were taking a while, and Toto, their leader, was out on bail. Unconcerned, according to Juan, because Toto “knew people.”
Rafi about lost his mind when he’d seen the baggie of drugs Juan flashed around, crap Juan was selling at school. Crap he wanted Rafi to start moving for him.
This was so beyond Rafi’s comfort level it wasn’t funny. Bad stuff like this happened on television to idiots who didn’t know better. Rafi did, and he’d never done drugs. Sure, he’d had a beer now and then, had cut school, even dumped that cherry bomb down a school toilet, but that was the extent of his illegal extracurricular activities.
Until he’d made the mistake of joining Juan for a ride. He’d seen things he couldn’t unsee. And now Lasko knew his name because stupid Juan had called and told him.
Rafi wiped tears from his eyes, helpless and hopeless.
All Rafi had wanted was to get through tenth grade and move back home. He couldn’t keep leeching off his sister, and now that his high school career had ended, that East Coast military academy would be his future unless he could make a better one. But selling drugs?
He huddled in an alley on the other side of town, careful to keep his hoodie up and his face down. He had to make some big decisions. If he didn’t start selling the stash Juan had given him, Rafi would get in trouble with Juan’s posse. Or worse—as Juan had threatened—with Lasko and his switchblade.
It wasn’t as if Rafi hadn’t tried to leave. When he’d first seen that baggie and heard Juan’s proposal, he’d been set to bolt. But the guys had all been around, and Juan had called him a pussy. Rafi hadn’t wanted to seem weak. So he’d gone to a WSW club, hung out and drank and laughed with the guys. And when Juan had put that baggie of pills in his hand in front of the others, Rafi’d had to say yes or face down half a dozen kids who thought themselves part of WSW. In reality, they were a bunch of rich banger-wannabes trying to act big and bad. But Lasko was the real deal, and Juan knew him.
Juan also knew where Rafi lived and what Jordan looked like. Rafi wanted so badly to tell, but a rat wouldn’t be worth shit at school or on the street, and neither would the rat’s sister.
He wiped his nose on his sleeve, feeling small and frightened and…lost. At least he and Jordan no longer lived in the apartment complex. Maybe Juan wouldn’t be able to find them. Especially if Rafi kept out of sight. And Cash would protect Jordan if the gang got wind of them.
Maybe. Except Jordan had been seen on TV with that Vets on the Go! job. Everyone knew where that crew was headquartered.
He slid to the ground, hugged his knees, and spent the next hours killing time, waiting until he could go home and pretend everything was okay. For a little bit, at least. He’d take what he could get until he worked up the stones to run away. Then, and only then, he might be able to turn this mess around.
* * *
Jordan hadn’t wanted to leave Rafi alone, but Cash had stayed behind at his place because he said he was too tired to hang out with the guys after a long week at work. Personally, she thought he just wanted to keep an eye on her brother for her so she could go out. And Lord, she needed it. Friday night at Ringo’s was just what the doctor ordered.
Around her, the Vets on the Go! crew laughed and teased. The bar started to get crowded. In the corner, a group of older men swore as they pointed and yelled at a baseball game on TV.
Jordan glanced at her friends, aware no one paid her too much attention. A good thing or a bad thing?
She and Cash had worked well together all day, no strangeness after crashing on Cash’s couch last night. They’d driven in separately to work. No one had teased her about Cash or made any suggestive comments, so she didn’t think the guys knew about her and Cash being an item. Staying the night with him—sadly in separate rooms—had given her a great night’s sleep. She didn’t know what Rafi thought about their temporary quarters. He’d been quiet before he’d darted off to school in the morning. But he’d been polite to her and Cash, so who knew?
She stared at the scarred table, lost in thought.
“You look like you’re gonna cry, Jordan.” Lafayette pushed a beer her way. “Upset because your best girlfriends Hector and Cash aren’t here to lean on?”
She snorted. “I’m upset because Simon isn’t here. I could do with a little eye candy.” She gave him a disdainful once-over that had the others laughing.
Funny Rob, Stan, Finley, and Lafayette had shown up tonight, along with the surprise additions of Evan and Reid. Evan planned to start dropping by work the following week, and he wanted to get to know the group better, so, according to Reid, he’d forced Reid to bring him by.
“You want eye candy?” Finley batted his eyelashes. “I’m right here, Jordan.”
She grinned. Truth to tell, the guys were all good-looking in their own way. Finley was prettier than the rest, though Evan and Reid had that sophisticated-sexy thing going on. Lafayette was no joke with that build and that smile. Lucky, lucky Simon. Rob and Stan were about even, both cute ex–Air Force nerds who made her laugh.
But Cash…he by far outshone everyone. And her hottie had stayed home to look after her brother because he knew she worried. As pretty on the inside as he was on the outside. She had a feeling he’d die of embarrassment if she ever told him that, which made her smile. “Anyway,” she said, pointedly ignoring Finley, which made him laugh, “I thought this week went pretty well.”
Reid nodded. “It did. You guys are killing it. We have no shortage of jobs, and Evan’s run our numbers to show—”
“A numbers guy. Nice.” Funny Rob waggled his brows. “Do you like to cook too? As in, the books?”
Evan sighed. “This is like a bad—really bad—gangster movie. I’m an accountant. I do the books lega
lly for the company.”
“Oh. Not so exciting then.” Rob looked disappointed.
“Nope. But where I come from, boring is good. That means stability, from which you generate income to start new growth. From growth can stem upward mobility or too little cash flow because you grew too soon, and debts pile up. But we’re not there yet. So right now, boring is good.” He grinned.
Handsome, lighthearted, and happy when not complaining about being overworked by a she-demon or nearly falling asleep for being too tired, Evan would have been perfect for the Leannes and Naomis of the world. He was a nice version of Troy.
And totally not her type.
However, he was the new guy on the team. She should properly welcome him to Vets on the Go! “It’s nice to have you with us, Evan.” She gave him a wide smile. Lafayette frowned, no doubt knowing her too well. Because that smile said shit was about to start. She ignored him and projected an air of innocent acceptance. “Say, Evan. Have you met everyone?”
“I think so. I met Heidi before she left for training. Tim and Martin checked in on their way to a new job a few days ago. Tim doesn’t say much, does he?”
The quiet pair worked well together and didn’t mingle with others, but Jordan liked them. Martin, small and scrappy, filled the silences Big Tim left in his wake. The guy was as tall as Cash but not as forceful a personality.
“He’s pretty quiet,” she agreed. “I was wondering… Have you met Miriam yet?”
The guys went still and zeroed in on her.
“No, why? Is she new?”
When Reid would have answered, Jordan cut him off. “No. She works down the hall from Vets on the Go! at that clothing shop. I was just thinking, since you’re our human resources guy and much more easygoing than half the people around here, you should talk to her. I don’t think she likes us.”
Funny Rob was the first to jump in, playing it cool. “Yeah. She always gives me dirty looks. I don’t think she likes Asians.”
“I don’t think she likes you giving her that look,” Stan corrected. “You know, the one that says you wonder what she looks like naked?”
