Stroke of Sapphire

by N. J. Walters

  Knowing there was nothing else to do but face their family, Jake shoved the gun back into the drawer and undid the locks. He pulled the door open and scowled at his brother and soon-to-be sister-in-law. “What do you want?”

  John’s smiled quickly turned into a frown when Topaz gasped and pointed to her sister. “What are you doing here?”

  Topaz shoved past him and descended on her sister. Before she reached Sapphire, Jake got to her first and tucked her under his arm. Topaz stopped in her tracks. She stared at Sapphire and then back at him.

  Her frown deepened. “He’s the one, isn’t he? He’s the reason you’ve been so down the past few weeks, the reason you’ve tried so hard to change yourself. Tell me I’m wrong.” When Sapphire didn’t answer her, Topaz turned on him in the blink of an eye. “You sorry son of a bitch.”

  John was scowling at him, fists bunched at his sides. Jake didn’t want to fight with his brother, but what was between him and Sapphire was their business and no one else’s.

  But it was Sapphire who surprised him the most. She stepped in front of him and faced her furious sister. “Stop it. This is between Jake and me.”

  “But he hurt you.” Topaz was practically vibrating with anger and Jake couldn’t really blame her. He had hurt her sister. It didn’t matter that it hadn’t been his intention.

  Sapphire shook her head. “It’s our problem to work out.” She turned to him and offered him a wan smile. “I’ve got to go and get to work.”

  “I’ll take you home.” No way was he letting her go by herself. He couldn’t help shake the worry that she was somehow slipping away from him.

  “No.” Topaz took a step closer to her sister. “I think the two of us need to talk.”

  Sapphire nodded at her sister even as he protested, but she held firm. “No, it’s okay. I’ll go with her. She’s right, we need to talk.” Jake couldn’t resist the request in her eyes and nodded.

  “Call me when you get home.” He leaned down and kissed her, ignoring his brother and her sister. “Promise.”

  “I will.”

  John stepped to the side and spoke with Topaz while Sapphire retrieved her purse. When she was ready, Jake kissed her again. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  “Tonight,” she repeated and then she was gone with her sister.

  John closed the door with a heavy thud. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”

  Jake turned away from his brother and went into the kitchen to clean up from breakfast, knowing John would follow him. He sensed his brother’s growing frustration.

  “What the hell is going on?” his brother asked again. “I thought you two were barely talking again after what you did to her, but it’s obvious she spent the night here. What kind of game are you playing?”

  Jake scraped the remaining food into the garbage, frowning over how much was still left on Sapphire’s plate. She’d only nibbled at her food. He placed the plates into the dishwasher before facing his brother.

  “No game. I told you we talked.”

  John glared at him. “You’re not trying to tell me all you did last night was talk, ’cause I ain’t buying it.”

  Jake raked his fingers through his hair and blew out a breath. “No, we sure as hell did more than talk.” And just thinking about last night was making his dick stir when the appendage shouldn’t be able to get up for at least a week after the workout he’d given it last night.

  John leaned against the counter and stared at him. “Then what changed?”

  Jake propped himself up against the counter in much the same pose as his brother, every muscle tense. “She decided to give me another chance.” No need to go into the details of what that entailed. That was between Sapphire and him. It was no one else’s business.

  “As long as you don’t hurt her,” John warned.

  It hurt him that his brother could even think such a thing. “We’re both adults.” Funny, but his brother didn’t seem the least bit concerned about him getting hurt. Maybe John thought he couldn’t be hurt. “I won’t do anything to harm her.” That was a promise he’d made himself and it was one he’d never break.

  John released a sigh and spread his arms wide. “What am I supposed to think? You barely talk to me for weeks. When you do, you tell me how badly you screwed up with Sapphire. You talk about a dark side you have that you’re worried about and suddenly she’s spending the night here. Why would I worry?”

  Jake buried the pain and anger bubbling up inside him. His brother was right to question him, all things considered. “All you need to know is that Sapphire and I have decided to try to work things out between us.”

  “Shit.” John pushed away from the counter and stalked into the dining room, staring out through the window. “Just don’t do anything stupid. Topaz is very protective of her little sister.”

  Normally, Jake was very glad that was the case, but not this time. Topaz could be a problem if she chose to be. Sapphire was very close to her sister.

  “This is between her and me. Sapphire is a grown woman and can make her own decisions.” He had nothing but the utmost respect for her, but this morning he had his own doubts to contend with. He didn’t need his brother and her sister adding to them.

  He’d do whatever it took to make things work between them. He really didn’t have any other choice, wasn’t sure what he’d do if she turned away from him now.

  John walked over to stand in front of him, legs spread wide and hands on his hips. It was like looking at a mirror, except his image had short hair. Familiar eyes stared back at him. Time clicked by, second by second.

  Finally, John swore and wrapped his hand around the back of Jake’s neck, tugging him close. “Don’t fuck this up, bro.” The two of them held on tight for a moment and then John slowly released him. “But if you do, I’ll be here for you.”

  “Thanks, John.” Something painful in his chest loosened. “Was there a reason you stopped by this morning?” With everything else, he’d forgotten to ask why they’d showed up at his door this morning.

  John laughed. “I was worried about you, so Topaz suggested we go for coffee.” He tilted his head toward the door. “Wanna go?”

  “Sure.” Jake made sure everything was squared away in the kitchen before getting ready to join his brother. As he locked the apartment door behind him, his thoughts were on Sapphire and he wondered what she and her sister were talking about.

  Sapphire could practically see the steam rising from the top of Topaz’s head. Her sister was very angry. “It’s nothing for you to worry about,” she began, trying to keep up with her sister’s long strides as they walked down the sidewalk.

  Topaz stopped, whirled and faced her. “Nothing to worry about. My future brother-in-law is the guy who made you think you needed to change everything about yourself. Of course, there’s nothing for me to worry about.” Her sister punctuated her last statement by spreading her arms wide and almost took out two innocent bystanders who were simply trying to get around them.

  She grabbed her sister’s arm and tugged her closer to the side of the building and out of the way of the morning foot traffic. This wasn’t the place she wanted to have this conversation. “Look, we slept together, okay? Things didn’t work out and he left.”

  “That dirty, rotten—”

  “No.” Sapphire cut her sister off before she could say something they might both regret. “What happened is between us. I tried dating, tried to forget about him, and he tried to forget about me. But that didn’t work for either of us. So we’re going to try again.”

  Topaz sucked in a deep breath and slowly released it. Sapphire could see her sister struggling to find control. “I didn’t even know you were interested in him. How could I not know?”

  Sapphire heard the thread of hurt in her sister’s voice and was sorry she’d inadvertently upset her. “He was my bodyguard, Topaz. You know he wouldn’t do anything while he was guarding me. John was the same way with you.”

  Her sister’s eye
s narrowed. “He made his move on that last night he was with you as your bodyguard, didn’t he?”

  Sapphire shook her head. “Actually, I made my move that night. I think I shocked him as much as I shocked myself.” People continued to move around them on the sidewalk. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, eager to have this conversation over with.

  “I just don’t like the idea that he hurt you.” Topaz could hold a grudge when she put her mind to it and Sapphire didn’t want that.

  “It took us both off guard. The intensity was off the charts.” No way was she going to go into details about what had happened that night between her and Jake. “I think it made Jake wary enough to back off.” And while it wasn’t the truth, it was as good an explanation as any.

  “Then why did you change so suddenly after it happened?” Her sister stared at her, as if she knew she’d made a significant point.

  Sapphire shrugged, willing to admit Topaz was right. Her night with Jake and the disastrous aftermath were the impetus for the change she’d made. “When things didn’t work out, I began to wonder if it was my fault.” She wrinkled her nose “I’m not exactly the most exciting or best-dressed woman around.”

  “You’re perfect just the way you are,” Topaz stated emphatically, just daring her to disagree.

  She wasn’t that stupid. “Thanks. I finally decided I didn’t like the new me. And I certainly don’t like serial dating.” Thinking about Ivan made her stomach hurt. The bruises on her shoulders were still colorful, though they were starting to fade. “Jake and I need to give things another try to see if we have enough between us to make a relationship work.” That was the G-rated version of events. What she really needed to decide was if she could be fulfilled and happy with the kind of sexual relationship Jake needed.

  Topaz rubbed her hand over her forehead and narrowed her golden-brown eyes. “If he hurts you again—” she began.

  Sapphire smiled and cut her sister off before she could come up with a suitable threat. “I know. You’ll beat him up.”

  A laugh escaped her sister. “You bet your ass I will.” She paused and then smiled. “Better yet, I’ll get John to do it for me.”

  Sapphire hugged her sister, hard and fast. “Thank you. I know it’s not easy for you to take a step back, but this is between Jake and me. And I don’t want what happens between us to affect your and John’s relationship.” Sapphire worried a lot about that. Jake was going to be Topaz’s brother-in-law and if things didn’t work out between him and Sapphire, relations could get very strained.

  Topaz shook her head. “I’ll do my best. That’s the most I can promise.”

  It would have to be enough. “Okay, how about we grab a coffee and head to the shop. I want to get a better look at the size of the stockroom we’re thinking about converting into a new retail space.”

  Her sister gave her a pointed stare that let her know she knew Sapphire was trying to change the subject and that she was allowing it. “I’ve got a sketch of the room and what it could potentially look like when it’s done. I also have some ideas about the color scheme for the walls and signage.”

  “Of course you do.” Sapphire wasn’t surprised in the least. Her sister was one extremely organized lady. A shiver crept down her spine and Sapphire glanced over her shoulder. People were crowding the sidewalk, heading to work or wherever they had to go. No one seemed to be paying particular attention to them, but she couldn’t shake the notion that someone was watching her.

  “You okay?” Topaz was frowning again and that was the last thing Sapphire wanted.

  “I just need another coffee. My breakfast was interrupted so I didn’t get to finish mine.”

  Topaz linked her arm with Sapphire’s. “We can take care of that with no problem.” Together, they resumed their stroll down the sidewalk, but Sapphire couldn’t resist glancing over her shoulder once more.

  Ivan Gregor watched the two women from a doorway across the street. It was sheer luck he’d seen her strolling down the sidewalk. Sapphire Jewel…her name suited her. She was dressed casually in slacks and low heels, but was a vibrant butterfly in a sea of dull gray.

  There was something about her that drew him. She had an air of innocence that he longed to fuck out of her. She owed him for the time and attention he’d bestowed upon her, and he planned to collect. It was only a matter of time.

  He pushed her from his thoughts, pulled out his phone and scrolled through his calendar for the day. His day was packed with important appointments, but he would eventually find time to deal with Sapphire. Once he’d had her, he could put her out of his mind and move on.

  Satisfied everything was as it should be, Ivan stepped out of the doorway and strode toward his first appointment.

  Jake’s phone rang just as he and John stepped inside a coffee shop. He took one look at the number and turned to his brother. “I’ve got to take this.” Not waiting for a response, he turned and walked outside. “Go.”

  “Your guy was watching the woman this morning. She was with another woman, a tall good-looking woman.”

  “Her sister. Did he approach them?” Jake’s hand tightened around the phone and he had to fight the urge to race through the city until he was by Sapphire’s side.

  “Negative. He looked, but didn’t approach.”

  Jake blew out a breath. “Keep an eye on him.”

  “Will do.” There was a slight pause. “You’re going to have trouble with him. I saw the way he watched her. He won’t walk away from her.”

  Jake took the warning to heart. “I suspected as much. I’ll deal with him.”

  “Roger that.”

  Jake knew he had to cover all bases. “But keep your eyes open. If he approaches, move in.”

  “Will do.”

  The phone went silent and Jake carefully slid his phone back into his pocket. Once he finished having coffee with John, he needed to head to work. He had some illegal hacking to do.

  Chapter Ten

  Jake’s fingers flew over the computer keys. He’d hacked into Gregor’s cell phone records and was making note of the people he talked with. There were some numbers that were untraceable. He figured those belonged to the more savvy criminals. But there were always those greedy bastards in positions of power who didn’t think they needed to bother with such security protocols. Either that, or they were too stupid to even think about such things. Made his job easier.

  It was surprisingly easy for him to connect the dots and he was soon hard at work hacking into bank records, both for Gregor and several of his associates. He shook his head, amazed at the idiocy of some people. Several high-ranking civil servants had deposited money in their accounts on the same day that Gregor had removed the exact same amount from his account.

  Arrogance and entitlement would trap them all. The police might be hampered by their need to get proof through legal channels, but he had no such constraints on him. When he was done, he erased all traces of himself. Those he couldn’t erase, he buried beneath myriad layers. If any officials cared to dig that deep, they’d trace the signal back to an old woman in Hungry via twelve different other people scattered over the world. No way they could trace it back to him here in New York.

  By the end of the day, Jake had several envelopes filled with information—phone records, bank account records and more, every document carefully handled to ensure there were no fingerprints on any single page.

  Several of Gregor’s projects had been on the verge of being derailed when suddenly they’d been passed. He had copies of the documents signed by certain city officials, along with copies of their bank accounts that showed they had suddenly gotten much richer.

  Jake planned to send the envelopes to the media and the cops. If Gregor had some dirty cops in his pocket he’d still get fried in the court of public opinion. He’d be much too busy to even think about Sapphire, which was Jake’s ultimate goal.

  That work done, he sat back and picked up his coffee mug, grimacing when he tasted
cold coffee. Still, he drank it down. Caffeine was caffeine, cold or hot.

  A tap came on his door. “Come on in.”

  John stuck his head through the door. “I’m heading out to meet a client.”

  His brother had been bearing the brunt of the work these past few weeks. Jake freely admitted his head hadn’t been in the game. “Thanks, man.”

  John grinned at him. “No problem. I expect you’ll be kept busy when I’m on my honeymoon.”

  Jake laughed. “Decided where you’re going yet?”

  His brother leaned against the doorjamb. “Not yet. I want to go somewhere warm and secluded. I keep telling Topaz all she’d need to pack is a bikini.”

  “Bet that goes over well.”

  John laughed. “Some days it does. She wants to tour Ireland, which is fine, but she’s not going to wear a bikini while we’re there.”

  “Good luck with that, bro.”

  John hesitated and shook his head. “Be careful with Sapphire, okay?”

  “That goes without saying.” Jake shoved away from his desk, walked over to the large safe in the corner of his office and stuffed the envelopes inside.

  John motioned to the envelopes. “Anything I should know about?”

  “No.” Jake didn’t want his brother involved. “A private project. Nothing major.” He shut the safe door, locking the evidence he’d collected inside.

  “If you need help…”

  “Thanks, man.” He knew that John was there for him, would help him without hesitation. He was lucky to have a brother like him.

  “Have a good evening.” John left him alone in his office. He felt tense and out of sorts all of a sudden. He needed to talk to Sapphire. He grabbed his phone, brought up his list of contacts and hit the top button. Her phone rang several times before she answered.

  “Hello.”

  “Hey, babe.” Some of the tension bled from his muscles the moment he heard her voice. That was the kind of power she had over him. It should worry him, instead it made him feel more grounded, as if he had a place he belonged, or at least someone he belonged with.