The young man glared at him. “Sorry, you’ve got the wrong person. I’m not Jackson.”
David laughed and sidled up beside him. “What are you doing here? Last place I’d expect to find a scientist.”
The guy sighed, his hands gripping the balcony rail. “David, I never liked you. Now go away before I throw you off this balcony.”
“Sorry,” he stated and returned to Vic. “It’s Jackson Thurman. Not sure if it’s my come down in life, but he claims he never liked me.”
“That’s not true,” she insisted and almost went to confront Jackson over his blatant lie. The fellow had hated Vic, but adored David…just in a way David didn’t want to address.
Finally, her eyes focused on Jackson. The tension of his grip, his frantic eyes moving about the room convinced her he most likely masterminded this cheat and presently, great duress weighed upon his thin shoulders. By following his gaze, she made note of all the players, both at the craps table and the roulette.
She gripped David’s arm and whispered, “Jackson is the mastermind of this.”
David grimaced and shook his head. “While he has the brains to do it, I can’t believe he’d assist criminals…not unless they forced him.”
She glanced at his white knuckle grip on the balcony. She wrote a quick note to Samson. He read it and rewarded her with another quick kiss. She smiled and turned around to face David’s disapproving glare at Samson. She yawned. “I’m bored.”
“Well, we can’t have that,” Samson declared and swept her down the hall, with David following.
He motioned to two of his muscle downstairs. “Unlock the two in the room and follow the kid with the white knuckles on the balcony.” The young men did a long sweep of the room so anyone watching wouldn’t know who they sighted. Vic needed to practice that.
Samson continued his instructions. “Do not lose him. Make note of everywhere he goes after this and where they end up.”
“He’s probably going to end up in Seth’s territory,” Vic whispered in Samson’s ear. He frowned at her. “Go well-armed. Expect trouble at the end. If you are captured, remain silent. I will rescue you.”
They nodded and disappeared in the crowded room.
He pulled her close and whispered in her ear. “I hope you’re wrong.”
She wondered what had Samson worried.
Once they had dropped David off, despite his insistence that Vic should be returned first, they headed off to Cheapside.
Vic gripped his hand. “You’re worried about the two men you sent to follow Jackson.”
“If you’re right about where they’ll end up, I am. I would have given someone else the job had you mentioned that first.”
She considered the brawny good looking young men. “They’re your brothers.”
He nodded and sighed.
“Why didn’t you pull them when I told you?”
He stared up at the ceiling of the carriage. “They get angry when they feel I’m babying them. To be honest, I never intended to pull them into my mess at all. Only it pays far better than any job they could find. I told them it was too dangerous, but they wouldn’t believe it was less dangerous than the jobs they were doing.
“What were they doing?”
“Mining, boiler feeding, rendering.”
“They have a point. If those jobs don’t kill them with a fatal accident, they’ll die from ill health caused by chemicals breathed in or absorbed through the skin.”
“Possibly, but those deaths won’t be on me. If they die tonight, I’m the cause.”
“Call them back. We’ll follow Jackson another night, when Tubs can come with us.”
He pressed her hand to his lips. “You did realize the blond aristocrat was Xavier, did you not?”
Vic huffed. “I did.”
“If I put you in mortal danger to solve a minor theft issue, Xavier would kill me, and he’d have every right to.”
“I’m pretty sure those glares were for me, not you.”
He turned her to face him. “Vic, do you want out?”
“Out of what?”
“Away from Xavier. I know how controlling he is. If you wish to leave him, I would gladly give you shelter.”
She could see his sincerity, so she needed to be careful not to hurt his feelings, but what the hell was Samson thinking?
“This is just between us.”
He nodded.
“Xavier and I love each other.”
“Are you certain? Both of you were kissing other people tonight.”
“We were both on missions! Kisses happen on missions. You must play your part.”
When the carriage came to a halt. Samson insisted on coming in with Vic given the house was pitch black.
She led him to the basement where she grabbed her male garments and dressed in a closet while Samson investigated the clothing racks.
When she came out dressed as a young man, he stroked her cheek. “You seem to have enjoyed your mission very much.”
“Well, I was having great fun until I knew I might get your brothers harmed. Now…I’m wishing I would have stayed at home as Xavier requested.”
“Don’t say that. My brothers will be fine. I just worry too much.” He tilted her face so he could see her eyes. “Vic, if you were willing to dress like a woman, I would happily marry you. No one never need know you are a young man.”
“Wouldn’t you care?” she challenged.
He sighed. “I should, but I don’t. I've never been interested in a man before. But I love you. With all my heart, I love you.”
“And I love you, but as a friend. And as to my wearing dresses and playing the part of a woman all my life…I’d rather die.”
“Then don’t. I still want you.”
“No! I would bring you nothing but trouble. I solve crimes and you are a Crime Lord. We have the most incompatible jobs in existence.”
He chuckled. “That’s true. However, in the future, if you really want to make my job easier, come in a dress and wig. My men keep asking why you and Xavier are constantly stopping by.”
“We’ll try and be more considerate, but you should be warned, Xavier makes a strange woman. Almost pretty, but not.”
Samson slid his hands upon her hips. “You do make a breathtaking woman.”
She removed his hands from her hips and gently pushed on his chest, forcing him to step back. “I make a far better investigator.”
Sighing, he held up his hands in silent surrender. “Without question, you do. It was selfish of me to ask you to give up your calling for the fleeting emotion of love.”
The pain in his voice was all too clear. If she were not careful, she’d lose his friendship forever. So she tried a different line of persuasion. “Real love is not fleeting. Nor does it have to be sexual. I wasn’t being glib, Samson. I do love you, in a way similar to how I love Tubs.”
His grimace clued her he didn’t appreciate sharing the same ground as Tubs. “Clearly looks are not involved in your propensity to love.”
“No. Only character. And you are a very good man. We have placed you in a difficult job, and you have found that thin line which enables you to retain your good character while immersing yourself into a darker world.”
He gripped her hands. “If I have, it is solely due to you. You are my compass. Not a day goes by when a decision crosses my desk that requires me to ask ‘what would Victor do?’”
She smiled at his claim. “Then we are good? You are not upset that we will never be lovers?”
“We are good. That path would harm us both. We are better as friends.”
***
When Xavier heard Samson declare it was time to get her home, or Gregory might very well kill him, he stepped from the basement door and disappeared in the shadows as the two returned to the carriage.
He breathed a sigh of relief. He had broken a dozen rules by following them here, intending to fire or kill Samson, depending on how Samson purported himself.
Ne
ver in a million years had he expected Samson to agree keeping their relationship solely as friends—nor Vic’s dismissal of Xavier being with another woman as unimportant because he was on a mission.
His pup had shown a great deal more maturity in this matter than he had. When she had seen him in the arms of another, she remained in character and evidently completed her mission. Whereas he had abandoned his to follow Vic and Samson back to all places, his Cheapside house.
When Samson declared his love for her and asked Vic to come live with him, Xavier was so outraged, he’d pulled his gun, and might have killed him on the spot, if Vic had not been in his line of fire.
Instead, he listened to his beloved declare her love for him while she rationally explained to Samson how they were better as friends. She was both amazing, and amazingly loyal. But more importantly, she remained his.
He left the house through the back. This late at night, he’d probably not find a carriage for hire, which meant he’d have to walk nearly a mile to his rented house. Tomorrow, he would have to make amends to Ariana, knowing she would not be half so forgiving.
Chapter 8
“Where is Casey and Fagan?” Gregory demanded.
Vic grimaced and buried her face in her hands. “They are probably still at Samson’s.” She peeked between her fingers to see his reaction.
His hands landed on his hips, aggravation written all over his normal expressionless face. “And why aren’t they with you?”
“I forgot to pick them up.” She ducked knowing full well what was coming next. She’d be whacked across the head.
The dining room door opened and Xavier stormed in, still in his disguise. “Leave her be, Gregory. The pup was safely guarded while on her mission.”
Vic ran to him, hugging him, not just for saving a painful head whack, but what his arrival and statement meant.
He no longer wished to kill her.
Xavier wrapped his arms around her.
“Thank you for understanding,” she whispered.
Pure love filled his eyes. “We’ll talk in private.” He then looked up at Gregory, still full of fire and brimstone. “I would prefer to spend my limited time with Vic upstairs. If you haven’t finished your lecture, could you possibly continue it tomorrow?”
“Yes, of course,” Gregory stated, then focused on Casey and Fagan standing behind Xavier. “I would like to speak to both of you.”
Vic pushed out of Xavier’s arms and faced Gregory. “They didn’t do anything wrong. I forbid you to yell at them.”
Gregory glared at her and Xavier whisked her from the room.
“I haven’t known Gregory as long as you have, but I have discovered he does not like being scolded or ordered about.”
“Fagan and Casey are our employees, not his! And they did exactly what they were supposed to.”
“Well, I beg to differ, but I have discussed the matter with them and I believe they will be better prepared in the future.”
“How?” she demanded.
“Ha! I am certainly not telling you and make their jobs harder than it already is.”
“Casey is my driver,” she grumbled. “You have no right to give him orders.” She then remembered something and smiled. “And if you recall, he doesn’t listen to you. He listens to me.”
“He did until you betrayed his trust and ran off without him, putting his job at risk. He and Fagan were about to take on twenty thugs to rescue you from Samson. Fortunately, Samson arrived and told him he’d taken you home in his carriage. To say the boys are not happy with you at the moment is to put it mildly.”
Vic grimaced. “I should go down and apologize.”
“You should, but do so tomorrow. They will be less likely to strangle you if you botch up your apology as you are often prone to do.”
“I know how to apologize!”
“Shall we ring up Stone, wake him from the few hours he sleeps and ask him for his opinion on that?”
“He’s different. I’m rarely sorry when I’m forced to apologize to him. In fact, I normally feel he owes an apology to someone else…often Tubs.”
“Yes, and since you’ve become my partner, I must say the quality of Stone’s apologies have gone from non-existent to vaguely acceptable.”
She stopped as they reached their bedroom door and faced him. “Must we fight? I don’t want to.”
He stroked her face and smile. “Nor I. I’ll catch all sorts of hell if they find out I’m here, but when I saw your carriage racing by me, I whistled before the thought of national security could form in my brain.”
She caressed his cheek. “Good thing Casey knows your whistle. Otherwise, he would have passed you by.”
“As it was, he almost left me on the road when he didn’t recognize me.”
She pressed her head to his chest. “I’m glad he didn’t. I needed to know you aren’t angry at me anymore for kissing Samson.” She looked up and met his eyes to ensure he wasn’t glaring at her again. All she saw was pure love.
“I had the same need, in reverse. I told you I was only doing surveillance and a night later you see me with a beautiful woman.”
“I would prefer not being lied to,” she grumbled. “But I understand when on a mission, you must remain in character, and that kisses given or received while in character don’t matter.”
“Exactly. However, I did not lie to you when I left. My mission changed mid-stream. They often do once the intel improves or the parties involved are better known.”
“So they chose you because you already had a previous relationship with this woman?”
Xavier frowned. “How did you know that?”
“Well, she appeared to be in love with you. And your persona didn’t seem one that would inspire love in two days.”
He pressed his lips to Vic’s forehead and led her inside their bedroom. “Ten years ago, I was ordered to meet, court, and marry Ariana.”
Vic frowned at that news. “Xavier, you aren’t married to anyone under a false name, are you?”
“No. Ariana’s father found a beau he considered more to his liking, and she was given no choice but to marry him. While I was relieved to escape the noose and a permanent mission that never changed, Ariana appeared truly heartbroken.” He sighed. “I tried my hardest not to make her fall in love with me, but with such a harsh and cruel father, she returned even the slightest kindness with endearing love.”
“So her father is up to mischief again?”
“No. He’s dead. It’s Ariana’s husband that’s up to mischief. They considered trying to send in someone she’s never met to seduce her, but the External Affairs Minister thought I would have the best chance of getting her to talk quickly.”
“That would be Barns’ father?”
“This is all confidential,” he reminded her.
“I understand. And I appreciate you breaking a great deal of rules to tell me.”
“Technically, telling you what I have is an act of treason and I can be shot for it.”
While he said this lightly, she did not find it so. “Perhaps we should play it safe and you not tell me anything in the future. What if someone lurked behind the curtain?”
He caressed her cheek. “God, I love you.”
She rewarded him with a smile. “And I love you.” Reaching out, she attempted to tug off his suit, but he covered her hands and pressed them to her chest.
She sighed. He evidently needed her to explain her actions tonight as well. “I discovered why you’ve been put out with Samson, and I’ve convinced him he doesn’t want to be ‘in love’ with me, but would rather love me as a friend.”
Xavier smiled. “I’m very glad the situation is resolved in a manner that doesn’t require me having to locate a replacement, because otherwise, Samson has been doing a fabulous job.”
She nodded. “If you come upon a beautiful young woman that might suit him, let me know.”
“Well, she’ll have to be a redhead to catch his eye now.”
&n
bsp; Vic chuckled. “I’m glad our paths crossed tonight.”
“I wasn’t when it happened, but I am now.” He sighed and kissed her nose. “And now I must leave.”
Her fingers gripped his Tux lapels. “Can we not make love first?”
He grimaced and shook his head. “I will return as soon as possible, but it could be weeks.”
“Be safe…” she softly chided.
“…and you stay out of trouble,” he warned. “Use Samson for protection. He’s almost as good as Tubs.”
Vic knew that wasn’t true. Samson would die just like everyone else if shot three times in the chest.
Chapter 9
When Xavier was a few blocks from his hotel, a familiar landau pulled up. The door opened, but no one exited. He worried how long Ariana had been following him. One thing was for certain. The woman was no longer the naïve young innocent he courted ten years ago. He approached cautiously verifying she was alone before climbing in and sitting beside her.
“You are a life saver. Just ask my boots.”
When she failed to smile, he grew worried his desire to put things right between him and Vic had compromised the mission. “Ariana, talk to me,” he whispered and took her hand.
She pulled away as if he were a serpent and shifted to the opposing bench.
“Where did you go?” she asked.
“Do you remember the woman and man kissing in the hall?”
“You were with her,” she whispered, revealing sorrow and anguish.
“I knew her.”
Ariana nodded and stared out the window.
“I met her years ago. I haven’t seen her in ages.”
Ariana turned and studied his face, no doubt looking for signs of deceit. Without question she was a different woman now. The young woman he’d known would have believed him at once. Life had clearly taught her men lie.
“But you still love her.”
Xavier shrugged. “Our relationship was most fiery. She is an actress and prone to drama…and bad decisions.”
“I saw no drama on her part, yet you were livid with rage.”
“I was, but it wasn’t jealousy that fueled my temper.” He leaned forward and took claim of one of her hands. “The man Tilly was with is a very dangerous man. He’s said to control all of West Side’s illegal activities. Unless she has changed substantially, this relationship may end in her death. I felt a responsibility to let her know about her precarious situation.”
The CrimeLords' War (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 7) Page 7
