Games of the Heart

by Kristen Ashley

And that was the truth. The proof was a sink away.

  “Unh-hunh,” she muttered, wandering to him, getting into his space.

  He turned when she was way into it and she plastered her body against his. Then she wrapped one arm around him, the other hand slid over his shoulder blade and up into his wet hair.

  She pressed down but he didn’t make her work too hard for it. She got up on her toes and pressed her lips to his and he didn’t make her work too hard for that either. He engaged tongue, after a while she whimpered into his mouth and, Christ, his dick twitched and he’d just had her twenty minutes ago.

  He broke the kiss, lifted his head a couple of inches and saw his woman with shave cream all over her face.

  He held her keeping his gelled hand away from her nightie and with his clean one started swiping gently at her face, murmuring, “No fuckin’ joke, get done fuckin’ you, ready to go again. I feel like I’m seventeen.”

  She pressed deeper into him and whispered, “I know. Isn’t it awesome?”

  She was not wrong.

  He looked deep into her eyes, checking to see if any of the anxiety she had last night was evident and he could see none.

  So he grinned at her and whispered his agreement, “Yeah, honey.”

  She dipped her head, kissed his chest and her arms slid from around him. He let her go and watched as she tagged a towel, wiped the rest of the shave cream off her face and wandered out of the room.

  Then his eyes went back to the mirror and he continued slathering gel on his face.

  * * * * *

  Wednesday afternoon…

  His cell on his desk rang, Mike saw what was on the display and his mouth got tight.

  But he picked it up, hit a button and put it to his ear.

  “I got a meeting in fifteen so don’t have a lot of time,” was his greeting.

  “Okay,” Audrey replied. “I’ll be quick.”

  Mike took in a breath wishing she was back to not talking to him.

  “I was wondering if you have time tomorrow night after work to get a quick cup of coffee.”

  Yes. Definitely wishing she was back to not talking to him.

  “Things are busy this week,” he told her. “I can’t do it.”

  “Well then, I’ll have coffee and you can just come by. It won’t take five minutes,” she replied.

  “Audrey –” he started, sensing movement, his eyes went through the unusually empty bullpen to the stairs where Rivera just appeared.

  Mike jerked up his chin at Rivera.

  Audrey spoke into his ear. “Five minutes, Mike. I promise and it’s important.”

  “Can you tell me what this is about?” Mike asked.

  “Clarisse’s school.”

  Mike stopped watching Rivera walking to his desk, looked down at it and blinked.

  “Pardon?”

  “Clarisse’s school. I talked with Mrs. Layne last week and I know there are two of them you and she are approaching with applications for acceptance and scholarships. I want to see you quickly about this.”

  “Can’t we do this on the phone?” Mike requested.

  “No, because I have something to give you.”

  Christ. He didn’t like the sound of that. Audrey rarely gave him anything unless some occasion forced her to and then whatever she gave him, he was the one who actually paid for it and it was more than they could afford. Her being generous now did not give him a good feeling.

  “Audrey –” he started.

  “Mike,” she cut him off. “Mimi’s. After work. It’s two blocks away from you. Just text me when you’re almost done and I’ll meet you there. I promise, it won’t take long.”

  “Can you promise it won’t piss me off?” Mike asked.

  “Yes,” she answered firmly and immediately and Mike again blinked at his desk.

  Then he muttered, “Five minutes. I’ll text you.”

  “Thank you, Mike,” she said quietly.

  “Later.”

  Then he beeped off the phone and his eyes went to Rivera to see Rivera’s on him.

  “I’m guessin’ that was not a call from your BFF askin’ you out for martinis,” Rivera remarked and Mike’s lips curved but he shook his head.

  “Ex-wife and if my BFF asked me out for martinis they would no longer be my BFF.”

  “Hear you, bro,” Rivera muttered then stated, “You got seven dozen more of those donuts you owe me but I’m lettin’ you off on two since you got me outta goin’ to the mall with Jerra and Dusty.”

  Mike sat back and his grin became a smile. “Never shopped with Dusty but everything with Dusty is no-nonsense and laidback. Jerra not that way?”

  “Jerra can take or leave a mall. She’ll set the computer on fire with on-line shoppin’ but a mall,” he shrugged. “Now Adriana, who I will remind you is six, lives to go to the mall. She doesn’t even wanna buy the shit. She just wants to try it on. Even Jerra says it’s jacked.”

  “My advice, nip it in the bud. Now,” Mike told him and Rivera studied him.

  “Your girl dig the mall?” he asked.

  “She practically lived there until she got a boyfriend. And her mother was the same.”

  Rivera grinned. “So that’s why you let your girl who looks like your girl and acts as sweet as your girl go out with a kid who’s probably got more notches in his bedpost than me.”

  Rivera, Mike had already noted repeatedly, didn’t miss much.

  “That and he’s a good kid who settled her ass down, got her studying and moved her off a path I didn’t like all that much. Her interest in the mall has vanished, her grades have improved and he gets that I’ll shoot him if he goes there with my Reesee.”

  Rivera held his eyes and said quietly, “He gets that all right. I told that kid his girlfriend wasn’t made of the finest porcelain, he’d call me a liar but that would be after he’d punched me in the face and spit at me. Sun rises and sets for him in her, Mike. You get that?”

  Mike nodded. He got that. It was impossible to miss. And he couldn’t say he didn’t have reservations but still, he liked it.

  Rivera leaned forward slightly and kept talking quietly. “No. I mean that in a way that shit doesn’t die. She’s The One for him. He found her at seventeen. And brother, brace, because the way she looks at him, acts around him, she’s fifteen but she feels the same way.”

  “I get that, Rivera,” Mike replied. “And I can’t say I don’t have concerns. What I can say is they aren’t much to get riled up about.”

  Rivera sat back. “Yeah. My girl was fifteen and found a kid who’d walk through fire for her and do it smilin’, I’d be where you are now, brother.”

  The way Mike saw Rivera be with his own kids, he had no doubt.

  Mike stood, grabbing his blazer off the back of his chair, saying, “We got enough time to pick up a Mimi’s before the meeting. Coffees are good. But her cookies, brownies, anything in the case is only one step down from Hilligoss and it’s a narrow step.”

  Rivera stood, replying, “Wasn’t sure about a vacation in Hoosierland but you Indiana folk know how to eat. After a while, I’d miss my barbeque and Tex-Mex but that’d be a long while.”

  He shrugged on his blazer as they moved to and down the stairs together, Mike returning, “You get home, don’t tell anyone or we’ll have to send the crew out to cut out your tongue. Most folk think Indiana’s a state to drive right through. They took a minute to eat our food, experience our hospitality, understand the depth of our loyalty and they did it in fall when the trees are in color, no one would ever leave.”

  “I’m sensing this,” Rivera muttered.

  Walking past Kath at the reception desk, jerking up his chin and getting a finger wave in return which made him smile, Mike muttered back, “Sense it all you like. It’s the God’s honest truth.”

  Rivera pushed open the door, grinning at him. Mike walked through grinning at his boots.

  They hit Mimi’s and got coffees. While there Rivera proved irrefutably
that he was a good husband and Dad when he bought a shitload of cookies and brownies for his wife and kids. Both of them carrying white, paper coffee cups with cardboard sleeves and Rivera a big white bag, they walked out of Mimi’s, one door down and into the door that led to Tanner’s offices.

  They went up the steps and Mike didn’t bother knocking or announcing them when he opened the door at the top, strode through and held it for Rivera. This was because Tanner had cameras and already knew they were there.

  And Mike would know why the bullpen was empty when they walked through Tanner’s reception area. He did this smiling at Tanner’s Mom, Vera who was on the phone behind the receptionist’s desk. But in his office were Colt, Sully and Merry along with Ryker, Tanner and, fuck him, Cal and Tanner’s go-to guy, ex-CIA agent and currently certifiable Devin Glover.

  “Jesus, holy fuck,” Rivera murmured, coming to a quick halt and looking up at the tall, hulking, tattoo-sleeved Ryker. “Boy, what’d your Mama feed you growin’ up?” he asked.

  “Newborn babies,” Ryker answered, scowling down at Rivera.

  “I see this. Totally,” Rivera replied.

  Ryker frowned.

  Then he asked Mike while still frowning at Rivera, “Who’s the new guy?”

  Mike stepped in and performed introductions not just to Ryker but all around.

  Then he looked at Tanner and noted, “I wasn’t aware this was a party.”

  “I made some calls,” Tanner pointed out the obvious.

  “Seems the new guy brought party treats,” Ryker remarked, his eyes on Rivera’s white Mimi’s bag.

  “Go for them, I’ll cut off your hand. These are for my woman and kids,” Rivera returned and Ryker’s eyes went from the bag to Rivera.

  Then he smiled his scary Ryker smile.

  “A throw down with me so you can give your woman and kids brownies. Don’t know if that’s stupid or crazy,” Ryker mused out loud.

  “Don’t give much of a shit what you think it is,” Rivera shot back.

  “Blood’s a pain in the ass to clean up and no one here has time to do it. Can you two stand down so we can have this powwow and get on with our days?” Merry cut in.

  “Yeah, and suddenly I got a hankerin’ for Mimi’s,” Sully murmured then looked at Colt. “Why didn’t we stop by before we came in?”

  “’Cause if we did, Ryker would have been up in our shit about it and if we do it after, he won’t be around so he won’t,” Colt replied.

  “Right,” Sully said on a grin.

  “Reminder,” Mike put in. “I got a situation I need to see to so maybe we can get this started.” His eyes went through Colt, Sully, Merry, Cal and Devin. “You wanna tell me what you all are doin’ here?”

  “Well, I, for one, didn’t haul my ass up those steps to watch The Ryker and The New Guy Show,” Devin noted cantankerously.

  “So why’d you haul your ass up the steps?” Mike asked and Devin’s sharp eyes came to him.

  “Before I spill, I hear Ryker’s gettin’ cake. I want one too,” Devin demanded.

  Jesus.

  “Dusty’ll make you a cake,” Mike agreed. “Now talk.”

  Devin opened his mouth to speak but Ryker got there before him.

  “Mine’s twelve layers,” he declared and Mike looked at him.

  “Pardon?”

  “I been workin’ this a while. My cake is twelve layers. That asshole just threw in. He don’t get one that’s twelve layers. At most, six.”

  Devin’s eyes narrowed. “Half? Are you shittin’ me? I got more than you in a week ‘cause you’ve had your thumb up your ass.”

  Ryker crossed his arms on his chest and stared down his nose at Devin as he contradicted, “I been nosin’ around.”

  “Hardly,” Devin returned then looked at Mike. “I want a twelve layer one too.”

  Mike had never done it but he wondered if counting to ten actually worked.

  He didn’t get the chance to start.

  “Fuck me, shut the fuck up,” Cal entered the conversation, glaring at both Ryker and Devin. “Cakes. Jesus. Seriously? Are we talkin’ about cakes?”

  “Easy for you to say, you got a woman who makes ‘em,” Devin shot back.

  “I heard that!” Vera shouted from the other room and Mike watched Tanner slowly close his eyes.

  Tanner had allowed what all of them knew they never should allow – his partner to become romantically involved with a family member. Usually it was your sister you shielded from that shit. With Vera hooking up with Devin, it was Tanner’s mother.

  “You did, then bake me a cake every once in a while,” Devin called through the door.

  “Um…excuse me?” she asked with a snap.

  “Right. Focus,” Mike clipped. “I got a boy who’s turned seventeen today and I’d like to celebrate that with him tonight. Not be in the tank for assault.”

  “Jonas is seventeen?” Sully asked. “How’d I miss that? Tell him Uncle Sul says happy birthday and I’ll get Raine on sendin’ him a card with some green in it.”

  Mike looked up at the ceiling but he still heard Rivera mutter, “Brownsburg. Every year. Spring break. I fuckin’ love this place.”

  “How ‘bout I start?” Cal asked without even attempting to conceal his impatience and Mike stopped looking at the ceiling and looked to him. “Got a bud who’s got a bud who works for McGrath. This bud of his has been vocal about shit that goes down on McGrath’s sites. And by this I mean the fact that McGrath isn’t real concerned his building are up to code. Problem is, the guy’ll talk while he’s hammered but since McGrath signs his paycheck, he won’t do it official. So I found this shit out, I punted it to Colt.”

  That was when Colt spoke. “Cal told me that, I started diggin’ and all his builds passed every inspection. So either this guy is the only male on the planet who lies when he’s shitfaced or McGrath has someone in his pocket. Didn’t have to look too far to find out that McGrath’s wife’s, second-cousin’s husband has got his signature on all the documents. First off, as a member of the family, no matter how loose, he’s got no business inspecting McGrath’s builds. But he’s a building inspector, his wife grooms poodles and they live in a three hundred and fifty thousand dollar house with an in ground pool all that sittin’ on five acres.”

  “Payoffs,” Mike said.

  “My guess, yes,” Colt replied. “No proof though.”

  “Yet,” Sully added.

  Mike looked at Ryker and stated, “That’s worth twelve layers. You got anything at all?”

  Ryker opened his mouth but Devin spoke.

  “What I got is they got a pre-nup,” he announced. “But I also got more. See, Mrs. McGrath’s father is a preacher and Mrs. McGrath lost her Momma when she was nine. Mrs. McGrath’s Momma was loaded and that’s with a capital ‘L’. All held in trust until she turned twenty-one. McGrath married her when she was twenty-one. I seen the woman. I know why. And it isn’t that she looks pretty in sundresses. She’s a Jesus Freak who could play defensive end for the Colts. It was her money that bankrolled the business. But she isn’t stupid. She mighta jumped at the chance at love seein’ as she wasn’t gonna get a lotta offers but that marriage goes sour, she walks away with seventy-five percent of everything.”

  “Jesus,” Mike whispered.

  “No shit, Jesus, Mary and Joseph,” Devin agreed. “Suffice it to say, she’ll frown on her beloved doin’ some bitch on his desk. The sanctity of marriage is God’s will. I don’t know, she finds out, she’ll get shot of his ass or ride it until kingdom come since I heard word God isn’t too hot on divorce. I do know she’s got a rep as a ball breaker which means McGrath has got a type, seein’ as your woman’s sister’s got the same. So, she finds out he’s bangin’ the sister, odds are, she’ll lose her mind and find some way to make him pay. Oh and by the way,” he began to sum up, “it was McGrath who spread those rumors his startup money had scary ties. In the beginning, he had no muscle, just ambition. He needed land and wanted fear on h
is side gettin’ it so he made that shit up. It was later, when he could afford muscle, he got it but kept those rumors flowin’ because they were doin’ the job.”

  “So we got two avenues,” Mike noted.

  “Or you could come at it a different direction,” Merry put in and Mike looked at him. “Went to the Academy with a guy who moved to Baltimore. I reached out seein’ as he’s got friends on The Force in DC. Asked him to ask around and he has. Seein’ as Debbie Holliday is a defense attorney, she’s already not their favorite person. Seein’ as she’s a successful one, they like her even less. But she’s a very successful one. So successful, there’s rumblin’s as to how she does as well as she does.”

  “And these rumblings are?” Mike asked.

  “Talk is judges in her pocket but my friend’s friend thinks it’s something else.”

  “And that would be?” Tanner cut in to ask.

  “Not bribes. She’s got shit on them,” Merry answered. “At least two of them. And he thinks this because he’s seen her in the presence of a PI and that is a private investigator. Not an investigator that works for her firm. Whatever this is all happens outside the firm and this PI doesn’t have a great reputation. Debbie’s rep also includes bein’ scary ambitious and no one would be surprised she went the extra mile to ramp up her win rate which would ramp up her hourly rate. She made partner at the youngest age of anyone in that firm. That firm’s been around for forty-five years and when I say anyone, I mean anyone, male or female. And that firm bein’ around that long was known as a boy’s club. Now, it’s not.”

  “This is all in DC, Merry. How do we get the shit Debbie has on those judges?” Mike asked

  “You get your woman to bake me a twelve layer cake, I use my frequent flier miles and I poke around DC. That’s how you get it,” Devin answered and Mike’s eyes went to him.

  “You get me dirt on Debbie, Dusty’ll make you a twelve layer cake and I’ll buy you a bottle of twenty year old Scotch,” Mike stated.

  “Then I better get my woman to pull up the airlines on the internet and get my ass on a plane,” Devin muttered while wandering out the door and when Mike lost sight of him, he heard, “And I like chocolate cake!”