Collared (Going to the Dogs)

by Dawson, Zoe

  “Without information, we’ll be going in blind, but without Lang, I guess we don’t have a lot of choice.”

  Caleb had Shane go in the front of the bistro that Vinnie Mancuso, a prominent fence, frequented. He waited in the back. As soon as Vinnie came out, Caleb grabbed him by his collar and spun him around.

  “Hey, Vinnie,” he said casually.

  Anger flared in the fence’s eyes. “Fuck. As soon as I saw that red-headed cop, I knew you couldn’t be far behind.”

  “I think he’s trying to avoid you, partner,” Shane said with a grin as he flanked the now-sweating, heavyset man.

  Caleb pulled a mock-sad face. “Awww, you hurt my feelings, Vinnie. Makes me think you don’t like me.” Then he thought about what those pieces meant to Harper. It made him feel mean.

  “Ha ha, Shaw.”

  Caleb shoved Vinnie hard against the wall and leaned all of his six-two, two hundred pounds into Vinnie’s back. “You amused, Vinnie? How ‘bout I break your face and we’ll laugh together,” he said his jaw hard. “But it might be no fun for you with broken teeth!”

  “Caleb…easy, man.”

  He glanced at his worried partner, giving him a back off look. “No, Shane, Vinnie will help us out.” He slammed him harder into the wall. “Won’t you, Vinnie?”

  “Okay, okay. Geez, Shaw. What do you want?”

  He pulled the pictures of the jewelry out of his back pocket and shoved the stack into Vinnie’s face. “I want to know if you’ve seen these six pieces and a dog collar.”

  “What the fuck? A dog collar?”

  Caleb stepped back and Shane let out a breath. “It’s worth fifty thou.”

  Vinnie looked at each photo carefully. “Nice stuff, but I haven’t seen any of it.”

  Caleb narrowed his eyes and Vinnie shoved the photos back at him. “You sure?”

  Vinnie took a handkerchief out of his pocket and mopped at his brow. “Bet that stuff is from the Sinclair heist. Believe me, it’s hot stuff, and I’m not going to touch that with a ten-foot pole. That woman’s got connections.”

  “Who do you think would fence it?”

  He gave him a disgusted look. “I don’t know, Shaw. Isn’t that your job to find out?”

  “He’s a funny man,” Shane said, his eyes cool and dangerous.

  Caleb gave Vinnie a mock smile and said through clenched teeth. “Give me a guess.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know.” Now there was fear in his eyes. “Why don’t you find Rob? He’ll know.”

  Caleb rubbed at his temple and Vinnie swallowed hard. “Do you think if I could find Rob, I’d be hassling you? He’s gone off the grid. You know where I can find him?”

  Vinnie looked around as if there were people watching them and eavesdropping. “Well, you didn’t hear it from me, but I heard he’s gone to his mom’s in Hoboken.”

  “Get outta here, Vinnie. If I find you lied to me, there won’t a hole you can climb in to hide from me. We clear?”

  “Yes, Shaw. We’re clear. It’s what I heard.”

  Vinnie hightailed it down the back alley and Shane chuckled. “I’ve never seen him run that fast, but man, you were major scary.”

  “Yeah, tough. I’m sick of these dead ends.”

  “Ah, freaking New Jersey,” Shane said.

  “Yup. Freaking New Jersey. My gut is getting a bad feeling about this job, Shane.”

  “Your gut is as good as a GPS tracker when it comes to bad feelings.”

  “Normally we find someone willing to talk to us. Bing, bang, boom, we have the stolen items and the rat bastards in custody.”

  Shane nodded, his eyes going speculative. “Yeah, but this time all information has kinda dried up.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Do you think it’s because we’re dealing with pros?”

  “No, I think the guys who pulled this off really want a low profile and it’s fear that’s made our streets into a desert.”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “Find an oasis, my friend. I don’t like to think that something else is going down here.”

  “Like what?”

  “I don’t know yet, but my instincts say that a robbery wasn’t all it was, and I don’t know why.”

  Back at the precinct a few hours later, Caleb was cursing about the wasted trip to Hoboken. Rob’s mom said he hadn’t been there in a month. She even let them inside to look around. So if Rob hadn’t gone to family where was he?

  He pulled out the name that Harper asked him to check as he was heading out her door this morning and ran it through the database. He jotted down the information to give to Harper when he saw her. He’d already checked up on the guy’s schools and looked into his mother.

  “Shaw!” Lieutenant Samson yelled. “My office.”

  Caleb glanced at his watch. Damn, it was close to six. Harper would be waiting for him any minute. “Shane, I need you to head over to Gloves and let Harper know I’m going to be late.”

  “You meeting her there?”

  “Yeah, it’s a long story”

  “Shaw! Now!”

  “Okay, partner. I got it covered.”

  “Keep your hands off her.”

  “Would I poach on your territory, man? You got two inches on me and at least a hundred pounds of hard-packed muscle. And you fight dirty.”

  “Shaw!”

  “I mean it, Shane.”

  “I got your back.” He grinned.

  Chapter Twelve

  Harper got out of her limo and walked into the dark interior of Gloves. The smell of sweat hit her like a wall, and she had no illusions that this was the kind of gym where ladies used Stairmasters in their pretty designer outfits. For a split second she thought about bolting. But then she remembered that she had to last at least five minutes.

  This was a gym where men worked out. A fighting gym. Didn’t surprise her. Caleb could only be described as a warrior…no, a gladiator. He looked more like a man who could take on lions, tigers and bears.

  Oh, my.

  He’d taken on six little fairies and hadn’t backed down or run away. Not that she’d really expected him to. She didn’t want to think about it, but she suspected that this man had layers. Deep, wonderful layers that she wanted to peel back and examine and explore as much as she wanted to kiss him and get up close and personal with his gorgeous body.

  Then in the limo. The way he had been so straightforward and open in the limo had thrown her for a loop. He wanted to know more about her. Of all the things he could have said, he’d chosen the one most guaranteed to raise every defensive wall she owned, partly as an instinctive security measure against any man getting under her defenses, and partly because she wanted to respond to the request. She had responded to that request.

  She’d been unable to find that place inside of her that would let her lie to herself, or at least come up with some small thing, anything really, that she could latch on to as a way to protect herself. The truth of the matter—her instinctive and almost overwhelming immediate response to his request and intently stated desire—was that she wanted the very same thing from him.

  It was shocking, really, and hard to even admit to herself. But it shouldn’t be. He’d never been far from her waking thoughts, and she’d counted down the hours and minutes till she would see him again. And, if she was being really honest, she would also admit that he’d filled her thoughts since the moment she met him.

  Her tryst with Nate paled in comparison to the heat she felt whenever she even looked at Caleb.

  Yet she was holding back the story about Jeffrey and the problems she was having with Aiden. If she gave Caleb everything he wanted, there would be no going back. Did she want to go back?

  What he wanted was dangerous—bordering on terrifying for her—and she discovered she was ill-prepared to deal with any part of it. She had held onto the thought that when they came together, it would be a very intense, deeply passionate and fulfilling physical relationship. Only. She was
n’t even sure anymore that she could handle that much and keep her head on straight.

  She had always believed herself to be a cool, controlled woman, which made this a completely alien and terrifying situation.

  She entered a large, open room, with a floor lined with mats and padded walls. Heavy bags, punching balls, an actual fighting ring in which there were a couple of guys sparring, and strength and conditioning equipment filled another area.

  For a minute she stood there looking for Caleb, but couldn’t find him. She looked to her right toward the locker rooms. Maybe he was changing.

  “Harper Sinclair?”

  She whirled around to find a tall, red-head in a nice suit behind her. He was cute in a boyish way that was quite charming. He smiled and she felt the warmth from his dark green eyes. “I’m Shane Dembowsky.”

  When she grasped his hand and looked at him blankly, he grinned.

  “He hasn’t mentioned me. I’m his partner.”

  “Right, Shane. Sorry. He did mention you. He said you said he fights dirty.”

  “Ha! He does. He’s running late and asked me to keep you company until he gets here. Let me go change and I’ll be right back.”

  Harper nodded. “Is everything all right?”

  “Sure, he’s just getting his ass chewed by the brass.”

  Oh, that didn’t sound good. She hoped that Tripp wasn’t giving Caleb a hard time. In spite of the fact that she’d tried to deflect his advances without actually seeming like she was, still hoped she had covered up how besotted she’d been with Caleb that day. Tripp could be a complete jerk when he wanted to.

  After about ten minutes, Shane came back out in shorts and a black T-shirt.

  Harper looked towards the ring. “You don’t think he really means for me to spar with him, do you?”

  “I doubt it, but he really didn’t go into detail about what was going on.”

  “Oh, well, we kind of challenged each other. I said he wouldn’t last five minutes in my world and he thought that was a joke, until yesterday anyway.”

  “Why? What happened yesterday?”

  “He’d probably kill me if I told you.”

  “Really? Oh, I gotta hear this. Spill, woman.”

  “I can’t. You must know what it’s like being his partner. I certainly wouldn’t want to reveal stuff about him without his permission. But I will tell you it was a tea party.”

  Shane shook his head. “That’s all right. I’ll get it out of him. I love pissing him off. Wait here and I’ll get you some gloves and get you going on one of the bags.”

  He left and Harper went up to a mirror that was near the locker room. She checked her hair to make sure it was all still in place. Then she narrowed her eyes at her reflection and brought her hands up in a fighting stance. She started dancing back and forth and thumbing her nose. “Do you feel lucky, punk?” She jabbed at the mirror. “Take your best shot. Yeah, that’s right. You look yeller.” She jabbed again. “I’m taking that championship belt and there’s nothing you can do about it, punk. It’s KO time.”

  “Hey, Rocky. You’re intimidating the hell outta that mirror.”

  She’d been waiting all day for this, she realized as she turned around. Waiting to see him again. Even though they’d spent the night together again. Waiting for the moment when their eyes would meet and fuse. When he would look at her like he was looking at her right now. Like he wanted to haul her up against him and maul her. But like he saw her, too. Harper. Just her.

  He was smiling at her, not looking like he’d just gone a round with his lieutenant.

  She remembered how he had handled those girls yesterday. How he had been so careful of her dress in the limo. Without caring who saw her, she walked up to him and grabbed his tie, pulling his head down to hers. He smelled so good, so male. She breathed in deep and his dark brown eyes devoured her.

  “My warrior princess,” he said.

  She kissed him, slanted her mouth over his and sighed at the feel of his soft lips responding to her like he, too, had been waiting, hungering and waiting.

  His mouth was so hot it washed down her body like a flood tide and made her ache for more. Her breath caught and her heart raced, her hips rising toward him and her body yearning for his.

  He broke the kiss, his breathing ragged. “I came here to make you sweat, not the other way around.”

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Why wouldn’t it be?”

  “Your Lieutenant?”

  “Oh that. I wasn’t in trouble. Don’t worry about it.”

  “Aren’t you going to tell me?”

  “Not right now. It’s still up in the air. Besides, I’m more interested in seeing what you’re made of, Harper.”

  “I’m ready to go. So give me some gloves.”

  Someone thrust gloves into her hands and they both looked at Shane. “Don’t mind me. I’d say get a room, but you know best.”

  “Shane,” Caleb growled.

  He just laughed. “Oh, and I expect to hear about your tea party, my friend.”

  Caleb’s eyes whipped to hers. “I didn’t tell him anything except that it was a tea party.”

  “That was enough. You don’t know Shane.”

  “Yeah, that’s right. I’m busting my ass, too, lady to get your valuables back for you.”

  “I appreciate that, Shane.”

  Caleb worked her hard, until she was sweating. Sweating more than she ever had in her life. He taught her how to hit a bag and then the punching ball, laughing at her as it went every which way and once hit her in the face. She had to admit that she was having a great time with him. He was a good teacher and showed her how to put her weight behind a punch. Told her in the streets she had to make it count.

  She liked watching him, too, with other people. Many, many times he’d been interrupted when men he knew entered the gym. She had been especially interested in the conversation he and one guy had about the Yankees. It was clear that he loved the team, but that wasn’t too much of a stretch since he was from the Bronx. It gave her a little thrill to find out something personal about him, even if she was eavesdropping on his conversations.

  She also loved how he included her in every single conversation, as well as introducing her as his girlfriend. His girlfriend. Instead of making her want to run away, it warmed her heart more than she wanted to admit, even to herself.

  “Okay, now let’s see what you can do in the ring. I’m sure you’d like to take a swing at me right about now.”

  “You really want me to spar with you?”

  “Sure. But I’m not going to hit you, princess.”

  “How about your shoulder?” Her eyes raked down the side of his body with the fading bruises.

  “It’s fine. Remember what I said. It’s good to go.”

  She heard what he was saying. It was more like he was good to go. Was he teasing her again?

  She narrowed her eyes at him. He was a big, gorgeous hunk of a man, and hitting him wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. He could swat her like a fly. He separated the ropes so she could get into the ring and he followed on her heels.

  “Okay, remember what I said about your stance.”

  She brought her gloves up, wondering what her Park Avenue friends would say about her now. Sweat flowing freely, her hair soaked, participating in fisticuffs. That truly made her smile when she thought about some of the men she’d dated, men who only sweated in a controlled environment and still managed to keep every hair in place.

  Not Caleb. His hair was mussed and damp, locks of it falling across his forehead and making him look tough with that dark beard. He was so raw, so sexy right now. His muscles were glossy with sweat, making them stand out in relief.

  He tapped her with his gloves and she startled out of her thoughts.

  “Don’t get distracted,” he chided.

  She started to dance back and forth. “Do you feel lucky, punk?”

  He laughed and that gave her the first opening. S
he swung and hit him in the jaw. “Don’t get distracted,” she chided.

  Caleb obviously knew how to defend himself. He was battle-hardened, and that made her even prouder that she got in a few good licks.

  “That was so much fun.”

  “Yeah, and you lasted longer than I thought you would.”

  “I’m a trooper, too.”

  Afterwards, he walked her outside. “I forgot to tell you. I checked on that guy for you. Makana Kaeo.”

  “Oh, right.”

  “He was clean as a whistle. Got his degrees just like he said, no priors, no wants. Nothing popped, not even a parking ticket. He and his mom live over on Elm. The only thing I found that was out of the ordinary was on his birth certificate.”

  “What was that?”

  “His father is listed as unknown.”

  “Okay. Hmmm. Well, thank you for checking that out for me.”

  Harper looked at her watch. “Oh, God, I’ve got a benefit and I’m going to be late. I’ll spare you this tonight. Call me tomorrow. Okay?”

  He nodded.

  “Oh, do you have a tux?”

  “No.”

  “Rent one. You’re going to need it for our next outing.” She giggled as she got into the limo.

  “A tux? Ah, damn.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “A tux?” Shane said as he leaned back in his chair. “Well it’s got to be one of three things.”

  Caleb leaned forward, his thoughts not really on Shane’s speculation. He was thinking how he had missed her beside him last night.

  “Are you listening?”

  “What? Oh, yeah, right, three things.”

  “You’ve got it bad, amigo. Anyway,” he held up his fingers and as he spoke he counted down. “Ballet. Symphony. Opera.”

  “Geezus. I detest opera.”

  “Ha! Then that’s probably what it will be. Murphy’s Law.”

  Caleb rubbed his face. In addition to thinking about missing Harper he was thinking about her chauffeur and how she’d been so evasive about him. He’d interrogated more than enough suspects to know when someone wasn’t telling him everything. What was it with that guy? He wasn’t just some normal mook. He was at the very least former military and, unless Caleb missed his mark, the guy was most likely Special Forces.