Forever Alexa (Book Four In The Bodyguards Of L.A. County Series)

by Beauman, Cate

  Jackson continued to study her—the way her glossy black hair shined in the dim light, the way her eyes widened with surprise before she threw her head back and let loose her full-throated laugh. “My God,” he muttered as the familiar sound sent him reeling. She was so damn beautiful. Would he ever get used to it?

  Hailey said something and Alex responded. Jackson’s focus sharpened as she reached up and touched her necklace—a habit he’d noted throughout the evening. She’d kept it and had never taken it off, she’d admitted, albeit reluctantly. While dinner had been served, he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off the charm—intertwining loops that created an ornate triangle. He hadn’t noticed it several nights before when he helped her undress, only the glint of a chain against the smooth skin of her neck. Would he have helped Evelyn pack if he’d known the gold twists of the charm were facing her back? There had to be something left between them if she wore the gift he gave her all those years before.

  “Open your present.” He held out a rectangular box, wishing they were anywhere but in his trashed room at the frat house. The blaring music from down the hall, even with the door closed and locked, didn’t exactly set the scene he’d been going for, but he hadn’t been able to wait for the special dinner he’d planned.

  She hesitantly took the box he’d painstakingly wrapped in frilly, flowered paper. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”

  “Of course I did. You only turn twenty-one once, and besides, I just missed your birthday when we met last year.” He loved surprising her with little things. She never expected them, which made giving them more fun.

  “Thank you.”

  He grinned. “You haven’t opened it yet.”

  “I know, but…” Smiling, she shook her head and bit her lip as she peeled the paper away.

  Uncustomarily nervous, he shoved his hands in his pockets and took them back out as she lifted the lid.

  “Oh, Jack,” she gasped. “It’s beautiful.” She freed the shiny gold necklace and let the chain dangle between her fingers, then she caught the charm in her hand and studied the intertwining knots. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “I was kinda going for one-of-a-kind. You know, symbolic.”

  “I love it.” She took her eyes from the jewelry and met his. “I really do.”

  “Good.” He relaxed his shoulders and touched her jaw. He’d wanted the gift to be perfect. “Good,” he repeated. “Let me help you put it on.”

  They turned to the mirror on his closet door. Alex lifted yards of silky black hair away from her long, slender neck and he was instantly surrounded by the intoxicating scent of flowers and vanilla. “So, what does it mean?”

  He struggled with the small clasp. “The jeweler said the charm has many meanings—religious and so forth, but the loops are what caught my eye.” He secured the chain in place and met her gaze in the mirror as he slid his hands down her arms and laced their fingers. “I like how they go on forever.” He kissed the back of her neck. “That’s what I want. I want forever with you, Alex.” He watched her eyes fill. “I love you.”

  She turned and pressed her hand to his cheek. “I’ve never been given anything so special. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He locked his arms at her waist. “Happy birthday.”

  “I love you so much, Handsome Jack,” she whispered.

  Caught up, he pressed his lips to hers, and the tender kiss soon turned hungry. Need sent them instantly to the floor where clothes were tossed aside. Sighs and gasps filled the air as minutes passed. Eventually, Alex straddled him, moving with him while the charm of her new necklace caught hints of the light as it swung back and forth against her naked chest.

  “Hell of a party,” Tucker Campbell said as he sidled up next to Jackson.

  Jackson took a long swallow of his beer, fighting to bury the past that snuck up to catch him off guard. “Austin and Hailey know how to have a good time.”

  “They look happy.”

  Austin pulled his gorgeous bride against him and kissed the top of her head as he wrapped his arms around her waist and joined in on the conversation with Alex, Morgan, and Sarah.

  Jackson took another pull from the bottle, ignoring the tug of envy. “That they do. A new house, wedding, and a two-week honeymoon in Tahiti. Doesn’t get much better.”

  “I’m betting they come back with more than that to look forward to—pools going around the office for baby dates.”

  Jackson shook his head but wasn’t surprised. “Sick bastards. You’ll bet on just about anything.” Every agent had been victim to the odds at one point or another. “Last week it was atomic hot wings…”

  “Tony shit himself for days after that one.” They both chuckled. “But this is a sure thing. I’m more than willing to take a pot of easy money. Hailey loves Ethan’s kids. It’s no secret she wants her own. Austin will do anything to make her happy. You’re just bitter that Collin’s still bopping the ditzy blond. Should’ve held out for a couple more weeks.”

  There was an easy logic to this. Sighing, Jackson pulled his wallet from his slacks and tugged out a one hundred dollar bill. “I’m in. Put me down for the third week of next March. First babies usually come late.”

  Grinning, Tucker slid the crisp bill in his front pocket. “We’re going to burn in hell.”

  Jackson swallowed more beer. “The whole office is burning with us.”

  “So, how’s Alexa’s sister’s case going?”

  “Slowly.” And just like that, they were back in professional mode. “Haven’t had anything new since the shoe and tire prints.”

  “Did you run the photographer? What’s his name? Renzo?”

  “Dead end. He had an alibi the evening Abby disappeared. His credentials are legit. He works for Face. That modeling agency’s the real deal. Travels a lot internationally. No criminal record, no connection whatsoever to Zachary Hartwell that I could find.”

  “What’s your overall impression?”

  Jackson turned to his good friend and fellow bodyguard. “That Abby and the others are fucked. Detective Canon and the FBI have tunnel vision. They want Zachary Hartwell and whoever else he’s playing with. The cops can’t find the common denominator linking the women, but something tells me they aren’t looking all that hard. They’re waiting for their big break, and Abigail Harris isn’t it.”

  “Let me know if I can do anything.”

  “Thanks, man.” Tucker looked like he belonged on the cover of Men’s Health, with his pretty face and tough build any man would be envious of, but he was cop through and through. He’d been a lead detective with LAPD before he gave up police work to join Ethan’s security firm. “I want to take Alex and Olivia back to Maryland for awhile. Get in touch with my old connections and dig into this myself. I’m not getting anywhere waiting around out here.”

  “Like I said, hit me up if I can help.”

  “You’ll be the first.”

  “Alexa’s a beautiful lady.”

  Although Tucker’s comment was harmless, it rubbed Jackson the wrong way. He knew other men looked at her. It drove him crazy thinking someone else had touched her. “Always has been.”

  “Your daughter and Kylee are having fun.”

  Jackson grinned as he looked at Olivia. “Yeah, they are.”

  “Congratulations.”

  “Thanks.” His smile faded. “It’s a fucking mess.” No pretenses were needed here. He and Tucker had been to hell and back over the last few months on several dicey assignments.

  “I take it Evelyn’s no longer in the picture.”

  “Guess not. She packed her bags and walked out.”

  “You’re taking it pretty well.”

  He shrugged and glanced at Alex. “I don’t know how to take anything these days. Shit’s pilin
g up faster than I can shovel.”

  The music slowed.

  “What are you going to do about it?”

  He gripped his bottle tight. “Couldn’t tell ya. She doesn’t want anything to do with me. She needs my help and is giving me a chance to get to know our daughter…”

  “What do you want?”

  “Her. I never stopped wanting her.”

  “She’s right over there.”

  Alex stood feet away, but she might as well have been back in Maryland. “It’s not that simple. I messed it up—messed her up.”

  “Guess you should probably fix it.”

  He sure as hell planned to try.

  Wren Cooke walked by, petite, stunning, and exotic with her smoky gray eyes and long, curling black hair.

  Tucker took a step in her direction. “Hey, Cooke, let me do you a favor and dance with you.”

  Wren stopped as she glanced over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. “Let’s not and say we did. I don’t dance with cops.”

  Tucker looked around, his hazel eyes heating with challenge. “You’re in luck. I don’t see one.” He pulled her into the crowd of dancing couples as they continued to argue.

  Jackson shook his head and set down his beer. He could never tell if Tucker and Wren wanted to rip each other to shreds or jump each other’s bones. Probably both.

  He decided to take a page from Tucker’s book as he walked across the floor, spotting Alex staring out at the cliffs. Tucker was right; she was here. What the hell was he waiting for? He’d respected her need for space—maybe too well. If he kept staying out of her way, he’d never make amends or win her back—and, ultimately, that was the goal. He’d been persistent all those years ago when Alex barely gave him the time of day, but in the end his stubborn determination had paid off. It was time to move past the guilt of his mistakes and take back what he wanted. He moved to her side and gave her a gentle bump with his hip.

  She jumped. “You scared me.”

  “Sorry.”

  “I should check on Livy.”

  He snagged her hand as she turned away. “She’s fine. She and Kylee are having a blast. We should dance.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  He pulled her against him despite her hesitation and wrapped his arms around her slender waist. “See? Not so bad.”

  She pressed her hands to his chest. “Jack.”

  “It’s not so bad, Alex.” He held her gaze as the wind twisted the curls in her hair.

  Sighing, she followed his lead.

  “Are you having fun?”

  She looked down and fiddled with the end of his tie. “More than I should be. I feel so guilty smiling and laughing when my sister’s…” She shook her head.

  He tightened his grip, hating that the light had vanished from her eyes. “She would want you to smile, Alex. We have to believe she’s out there. We’re going to find her. I won’t stop searching until we do.”

  “I’m too afraid to let myself hope. I can’t—” Her fingers curled against his shirt. “I can’t forget the way she looked at me while they dragged her to that van. I keep trying to remember something important I might have missed, something that will break her case open and bring her home, but nothing comes.”

  The agony in her voice ripped at him. “It’s not that simple, Alex. Not even close.”

  “I want it to be.”

  “I know. I wish it could be.” He stared out at the city beyond, at the lights winking to life in downtown LA. “I’ve been tossing around some ideas. I think it might be time to head back to Maryland for a while. My hands are tied here. I want to dig into Abby’s case and see what I can come up with on my own.”

  Alex stayed silent.

  “What do you think?”

  “I want to say no. What kind of person does that make me? I want to keep Livy here where it’s safe. I feel like I’m sacrificing my daughter to save my sister, and vice versa.” She huffed out a breath. “I can’t do this.” She pulled away and walked back to the balcony.

  He stepped up behind her and rested his palms on her shoulders. “Can’t do what?”

  “This.” She made a sweeping motion with her hand. “I can’t dance with you while people laugh and rejoice all around us. I can’t act like my life is normal. If Abby’s alive… What are they doing to her, Jack? Are they pumping her full of drugs to keep her quiet? Are they selling her? I can hardly stand it. She’s so beautiful and bright. She has job interviews lined up with two of LA’s top fashion designers. Who will she be if we get her back? Will she end up like our mother? Nothing’s going to be the same for her again.”

  He stroked his thumbs along her skin. “You have to believe she can overcome. If she’s even half as strong as you, she’s going to get through this. Abby will still be beautiful. She can still work for the top fashion designers in LA. This doesn’t have to change that.”

  “But she’ll be different. She won’t be my Abby—the Abby from two weeks ago—and it breaks my heart.”

  He breathed her in as he eased himself closer and gripped her hands in his, offering comfort. “Let me help you. Let me take you and Olivia back to Maryland. I’ve already talked to Ethan. He and Sarah are going to take care of Mutt while we’re gone. We can leave tomorrow if you want.”

  Her fingers clutched his. “I’m scared. I’m afraid to go and afraid to stay.”

  “I’ll be with you every step of the way.” He pressed his lips to her temple, unable to stand her pain.

  Her breath shuddered out as she leaned against him.

  He rested his chin on her head and closed his eyes. “I—” His cellphone vibrated on his hip. He wanted to ignore it but instead took his phone from the holder and glanced at the readout. “It’s Detective Canon.”

  Alex tensed.

  “It might be nothing.”

  She lifted her head and turned until their eyes met. “Or it could be everything.”

  “One step at a time.”

  Alex pressed her lips together and nodded.

  He answered. “Hello, Detective Canon.”

  “Mr. Matthews, I—”

  “I’m sorry, Detective, can you give me a second?” The thundering waves made it difficult to hear.

  “Certainly.”

  “Come on.” He took Alex’s hand and held his phone up in signal to Ethan and Sarah to keep an eye on Olivia as he pulled Alex with him into the quiet of Ethan’s gym “Better. I apologize again, Detective.”

  “No problem.”

  “What can I do for you?”

  “We may have had a sighting of Abigail Harris.”

  He gripped Alex’s hand tight. “That’s excellent.” ‘Sighting’ he mouthed.

  “A concerned citizen snapped a photo on their phone and e-mailed it over. The picture’s pretty grainy. I’d like to send it your way. Hopefully Alexa can help us verify.”

  “Send it over. We’ll give it a look. I’ll call you right back.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “They might’ve spotted Abby. Someone took a picture. Detective Canon wants you to take a look.”

  “Of course.” She stood close as Jackson opened the e-mail and enlarged the image of a slim woman stepping from one dark passenger van to another.

  Alex moved closer. “The picture’s so dark and blurry. I can’t really tell.”

  “Come with me.” He took her hand and hurried to Ethan’s office. “We’ll open this on Ethan’s computer.” He opened the attachment on Ethan’s state-of-the-art equipment, enhanced the photo, and played with the image. “It’s still not great.”

  Alex moved close to the screen, squinting, studying. “The woman’s built like Abby, but she doesn’t have long hair.”

  “It could be up under he
r hat, or they may have made her cut it.”

  “I don’t know.” Her voice vibrated with frustration. “I can’t tell if that’s her.”

  “Let me try something else.” He cut-and-pasted the willowy woman from the photograph onto a blank background and enlarged and enhanced until the figure was too big to fit the screen. “We’ll study little bits of her at a time and see if there’s anything we recognize.”

  He moved the image to start at the woman’s sandaled foot. “Does she have any tattoos or piercings we could be looking for?”

  Alex shook her head. “No. No tattoos or piercings.”

  Jackson traveled up the woman’s jean-clad legs until he came to a blurry hand.

  “Wait. Wait. That ring. The silver ring on her thumb. Abby has one. She always wears it.”

  The image was so fuzzy it was hard to make out any patterns or features on the band. “Does it have any gems?”

  “No. It’s smooth. The ring was Gran’s. Gran’s finger was bigger than Abby’s, so Abby wears it on her thumb.”

  “This is good. Let’s see if there’s anything else.” He moved the image over a slender arm, noting several bruises on the bicep.

  “Oh, that looks so sore.” Alex’s brows furrowed with her concern.

  “Do you want a couple minutes?”

  “No.” She shook her head and stared at the computer again. “Keep going, Jack.”

  “Give yourself a second.”

  “We don’t have a second. Abby needs my help right now. Move to her shoulder. She has a small mole I forgot about.”