Journey mentally shook herself. She had to believe that Laz was being honest with her. She really wanted to believe him. But he’d lied about Gabe’s beating. At least she was pretty sure he had, though he still hadn’t admitted to it. What was to say he wasn’t lying about this?
“There were two witnesses who claim to have seen Monsuli murder the victim,” Prentice said, cutting into her thoughts. “One is now recanting his statement. Supposedly he’s unsure of what he saw.”
“What about the three who heard him threaten the guy the week prior to the murder? Have you had a chance to talk with them, ask them more questions?”
“The witness, Carol, Monsuli’s former housekeeper, died of a heart attack early this morning.”
“What? Oh my goodness. I hadn’t heard.” Journey reopened Monsuli’s file that was still sitting in her lap. “She was only thirty-two. Did she have a history of heart problems or any health issues that you know of?”
“From what I understand, she was perfectly healthy. Her family is demanding an investigation. They think it was foul play. I’m meeting with the woman’s sister tomorrow to find out why they think her death is suspicious. As for the witnesses who were in the building at the time of the murder, Laz was supposed to talk to one this morning and the other is not returning my calls.”
Suddenly, the conversation Journey and Laz had, came to mind. Hopefully he wasn’t right about Monsuli pulling strings from behind bars, but it was starting to look that way. She wasn’t sure how deep this guy’s organization went, but knew he was a very dangerous man.
“Rumor has it, Monsuli’s second-in-command is kind of feeling himself now that he’s running the organization. Maybe we can get word out that his boss might be released from jail. I’d think Mr. Second-in-command wouldn’t be too happy to hear that if he’s trying to move up the ladder.”
“You’re right. I’ll see if Laz has any connections that might be able to spread the word to the right people.”
Seemed Laz had a way with people, and not all were good law-abiding citizens, if Gabe’s beating was any indication.
Chapter Nineteen
A short while later Journey and Prentice arrived at the cafe. As they waited for Laz, anxiousness fluttered inside her gut. Normally they’d talked or texted throughout the day and had spent every night together, but for the last three nights Laz had been working a twelve-hour, third-shift surveillance case.
Considering she wasn’t the clingy type, she missed him like crazy.
A tickling sensation on the back of Journey’s neck had her looking up just as Laz entered the cafe. Warmth spread through her body when their gazes connected.
Good Lord.
The man was a walking billboard for everything lethal and sexy. His hair—which seemed to grow an inch every day—was pulled away from his face and bound at his nape. She loved a man with a little scruff on his face and Laz wore the look well. It appeared he hadn’t shaved since the last time she’d seen him, giving him a rugged appearance.
Other patrons in the restaurant took notice as he made his way toward them. Not because of the way the tan T-shirt he wore stretched across his broad chest showed off his thick arms and wide shoulders. No. The police badge hanging from a silver chain around his neck stood out like a blinking red streetlight. Or it could’ve been the way his thick legs, encased in dark jeans, were emphasized by the thigh-strapped gun holster he sported. That only added to his hotness. A man in almost any type of uniform turned her on, and Laz’s relaxed work look was no different.
Journey had to control the impulse to go and greet him with a kiss, one that matched the desire raging through her body. Instead, she reached for her glass of water and took a huge gulp. When what she really wanted to do was put the cold glass to the side of her face to help cool her off. They hadn’t discussed how they would greet each other when in public, but she planned to follow his lead.
“Hey, sorry I’m late.” Laz slid into the booth next to her, sending her temperature through the roof. Every nerve in her body was on high alert. “Did you guys order already?”
God, he smells good. A light sage and woodsy scent that was uniquely him. Sitting this close to Laz, not being able to kiss or touch him was going to kill her.
“Not yet, we just arrived not too long ago,” Journey managed to say, her voice hitching on the last word due to his hand moving to her thigh.
She glanced at him, her heart practically beating out of her chest at the bold move. He had to know that she was already wound tight from not seeing him. How could he in good conscience torture her by sitting so close and worse, caressing her bare thigh?
“Hey,” he said, his voice low and husky, and his gaze on her mouth.
Heat rose to her face. Had her skin not been as dark as it was, no doubt her cheeks would be glowing red. As it was, her panties were getting wetter by the minute and all he’d done was touch her thigh and say hey.
“Hi,” she croaked and looked away, only to make eye contact with Prentice, who glanced between her and Laz before the corners of his lips curled upward.
Okay, this is weird.
Only her sister, Ashton, and a few of Laz’s closest friends knew they were dating. Journey wasn’t sure she wanted anyone else to know just yet, especially those in the DA office—mainly because of the Monsuli case. She was always professional and carried herself as such, but Laz’s behavior, on the other hand, was often questionable, and uncontrollable. Like with those in law enforcement who knew him, individuals in her office either liked him or hated his guts. Gabe was a prime example of the latter.
Just relax, she told herself several times, finding no relief in the silent command. She just had to get through their meal without making a fool of herself.
Once the server took their orders, conversation flowed easily. Journey listened as Laz and Prentice discussed an upcoming Atlanta Braves game. On the day she had told Laz about her being assigned the case, she’d learned that he and Prentice had worked together in the past before Prentice started working for the DA’s office.
The server brought their meals to them in record time, and Journey didn’t miss the way the woman, a pretty blonde with intense blue eyes and pouty lips, eyed Laz with interest. He didn’t seem to notice how she batted her long eyelashes and smiled brightly each time he said something to her. Knowing Laz, he had noticed but just didn’t acknowledge the woman’s interest.
“Did you guys know that Carmen’s car accident wasn’t an accident?” Laz asked.
“What?” Journey and Prentice said in unison.
Journey wiped her mouth with her napkin. “Are you saying someone intentionally caused her accident?”
“I looked at the official report last night. It was determined that her brake lines were cut.”
“Oh my God,” Journey mumbled. “I knew she was on medical leave, but I had no idea…”
Laz gave her leg a gentle squeeze. “I tagged along with the detective on the case to her house and she almost passed out when she heard the news. When we tried questioning her, she shut down saying she didn’t know anyone who would want to hurt her.”
“You think she was lying,” Prentice said as more of a statement than a question.
“Yeah. We’ll check her phone records and gather as much information as we can to determine if someone has threatened her. She was pretty anxious for us to leave and was acting nervous even before she found out about the brakes.”
“Prentice, who checked the weapon out of lockup for the trial?” Journey asked, pushing her rice around on her plate, no longer hungry. She couldn’t remember seeing that information in the case notes.
“I was supposed to get it out of evidence before the trial, but received a call from Carmen that morning saying that she’d take care of it.” He studied Journey. “You don’t think Carmen had anything to do with tampering with the evidence, do you?”
Journey set her fork down and rubbed her temples. “Right now, I’m not putting anything past anyo
ne.” Including Laz. Going forward, she planned to treat this case like any other. She just hoped he was being honest with her.
They discussed next steps, each taking on different tasks. Journey needed to talk to Carmen, who she suspected knew more than she’d shared in her notes. If Monsuli had threatened her or any of their witnesses, Journey planned to find out.
Laz glanced at his watch. “All right, you guys. I need to get back to work.”
They took care of the bill and headed for the door. When they stepped outside and into the parking lot, Laz wrapped his arm around Journey’s waist.
“Prentice, man, can you give us a second?” Laz asked.
“Yeah, take all the time you need. I’ll be in the car.”
With a hand at the small of her back, Laz guided Journey a few feet away from the entrance of the cafe.
He backed her against the building, his large body blocking her and her view of the parking lot.
“Are you okay? Towards the end there, you seemed a bit distracted,” he said, searching her eyes.
“The news about Carmen was a little disturbing, and I keep thinking about you saying that Monsuli had a long reach.”
“That’s why I need you to be extra-vigilant about being careful, Journey. I think he got to Carmen. I don’t know how or when, but we’ll figure it out. You just need to remember that the guy is capable of anything.”
When she glanced away, Laz touched her hip, forcing her attention back to him.
“I’ve missed you.
“I’ve missed you, too. Am I going to see you tonight?” she asked, her hands on his chest, loving how his muscles contracted beneath her touch.
“Yeah, but it might be late.”
“It doesn’t matter the time. I want to see you.” She had never considered herself or wanted to be one of those needy women, but tonight she needed him. It also seemed she got a better night’s sleep when they shared a bed.
Laz studied her without responding right away. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Oh yeah, I’m fine. I just… I just need you tonight. If you can’t come by, I’ll understand.”
He placed a finger under her chin and lifted her head. “I’ll be there, but you’d tell me if something was wrong, right?”
She nodded, though the case had her anxious. Not just because of the new development about Carmen, but also because Journey didn’t know what she’d do if Laz wasn’t being honest with her. He meant so much to her and she needed him to be innocent of any wrongdoing as it related to this case.
“Did I tell you how sexy you look today?”
Journey smiled and glanced down at her pinstriped suit. “You always say that.” The suit molded over her figure. And the skirt, with its peek-a-boo split, was a little daring for work, but the outfit always made her feel sexy and powerful.
“I always mean it. But today, I can’t help but think that you wore this little number for me, giving me access to your silky thigh.”
“You’re so bad. I almost knocked over my drink in there when your hand slid under my skirt and inched up my leg.”
Laz shrugged. “I couldn’t help myself. At least I stopped. I was tempted to go all the way up and inside your panties.”
“Who said I was wearing panties?”
“See, you know what?”
Journey laughed at the face he made. “Hey, you started it.”
“And I plan on finishing it tonight. Now give me some love. I have to get going.”
When their lips connected, it was as if all the background noise disappeared and they were the only two people on earth. This man had eased into her life, and now had such a big chunk of her heart.
“Are you heading home?” he asked when they finally pulled apart.
“Not yet. I need to go back to the office for a little while, and then I’ll head home.” It was almost five o’clock, but she had at least a couple of more hours of work.
“All right, be safe and shoot me a text when you get home,” he said as he escorted her to Prentice’s car.
“Yeah, yeah, I know the drill.” He was such a worrywart, but if she were honest, she liked that he cared about her safety.
Laz squeezed her hand and opened the passenger side car door. “Take care of her,” were his parting words to Prentice before he closed the door and walked away from the vehicle.
“So, you and Laz, huh?” Prentice grinned. “Didn’t see that one coming, but I couldn’t miss the way you glared at the server. I thought you were going to stab her with your fork at the way she was checking Laz out.”
Journey laughed. “Stop. I was not that bad,” she said smiling from ear to ear, giddiness swirling inside of her. She felt like a high schooler with her first crush as she told Prentice that the relationship was pretty new. Journey also mentioned wanting to keep it quiet around the office, at least until they finished the Monsuli case. “I know you and Laz worked together a bit in the past. What do you think of him?”
“He’s a good guy. A little high-strung, but if I ever wanted someone to have my six, it would be him.”
“Do you think he’s capable of planting evidence?”
After a short hesitation, he said, “Yeah, I do. Whether or not he did that in the Monsuli case, I don’t know, but I wouldn’t put anything past him.”
Journey’s heart sank. “How can you say that you’d want him to be the one watching your back when, if I’m hearing you right, he’s just as much of a criminal as the ones he gets off the streets?”
She had asked herself more than once: out of all of the men in the city, why’d she have to fall for him?
“Journey, Laz is…complicated. He has his own set of rules that he lives by. I actually admire him. He always gets his man…or woman.” Prentice grinned. “Seriously though, Laz gets the job done and if you get in his way…” Prentice shrugged. “Let’s just say, he will trample you. Rules be damned. He doesn’t fit into some tidy little morally correct box. So if that’s what you’re looking for, he’s not your guy.”
Without commenting, Journey turned to the passenger side window.
But he is my guy.
Chapter Twenty
“Journey thinks you tampered with the evidence, huh?” Ashton asked.
Laz put his cell phone on speaker as he tied his black tie. Normally he wasn’t a fan of wearing a suit and tie, but according to Journey, he looked hot in them. Tonight, a couple of A-list actors were renting out the large VIP section at Club Masquerade and Mason wanted extra security on hand. Laz had been doing more and more moonlighting for Supreme whenever he was off duty.
“She hasn’t said that, but I have a feeling she’s been thinking about it,” Laz said, slipping into his jacket.
“So she doesn’t trust you?”
Last week when he met with Journey and Prentice at the cafe, Laz was pretty sure she was struggling with what to believe as it related to him and the case. Even that night, the way she hung onto him when he first arrived at her place, all types of warning bells went off in his head.
It was as if she was afraid to let him go. Afraid she’d lose him.
Since then she seemed her normal, secure self, but still he wondered.
“Journey has every right to be leery of anything I tell her,” Laz finally said to Ashton. “She has had plenty of dealings with me when it comes to my cases, and as a smart woman, I’m sure she knows I only share what I want her to know.”
“Are you going to tell her the tru—”
“I’ve told her everything I’m going to say about me, you, and the Monsuli case. But right now, I need to head to the club.”
“Okay, before you go, what did Journey say about offering Melody Kane witness protection if she agrees to testify?”
“She’s hoping Monsuli’s case doesn’t go back to trial,” he finally said. “But if it does, her office is prepared to offer Melody a whole new identity.”
“Good to hear, but let’s hope this doesn’t go back to trial. Then we can be done with Mo
nsuli once and for all.”
“Yeah, let’s hope.”
After disconnecting the call, Laz finished dressing. Earning Journey’s trust was important to him, but when it came to how he handled cases, he wasn’t sure if he could trust her with the truth all the time. He never wanted to put her in a compromising position to where she had to choose him over the law. That’s why he was planning to turn in his badge once the Monsuli case was wrapped up. He was finally ready for the next chapter of his life, and those plans included building a life with Journey.
First, he needed to prove to her that he had changed his ways. Hopefully, the changes he had planned would do just that.
Hopefully.
Hours later, Laz was done working and strolled through the first floor of Club Masquerade and headed toward the exit. If all went as planned in the next couple of months, he would work with Supreme Security full-time. He looked forward to being one of Atlanta’s finest, as Mason had called his growing group of police officers who worked for the agency.
“Excuse me,” one of the servers said when she bumped into Laz, carrying a tray of drinks.
“No problem, sweetheart.”
Laz moved around the oversized circular bar where people were sipping their drinks, talking and laughing, while others bobbed their heads to a popular hip-hop song. Even at midnight, he wasn’t surprised that people were still strolling into the club. The place was a hot spot in Atlanta, and it looked as if business was better than ever.
Laz stepped outside, the air cool but comfortable. He loosened his tie, noticing the line of people still waiting to get into the club had died down some, but still hosted at least twenty-five people. There was also a line of cars waiting to valet. The car at the front of the line, a BMW, caught his attention. Not because it was a shiny white seven-series BMW, but because of the man who stepped out of it.
They made eye contact and as usual, every muscle in Laz’s body tightened.
Attorney Gabriel Hall. The sight of him immediately brought back the memory of how the guy had manhandled Journey. There had always been something about Hall that never sat right with Laz. He was a little too slick. Always strutting around as if he was God’s gift to the world.
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