Play to Win

by Tiffany Snow

  “Oh.” She flashed a relieved smile that made warning signals flare inside my brain. “Well, if that’s the case, maybe you might know of someone who wouldn’t mind a roommate for a few days? Just until Dean can find Jessie.” Tears welled in her eyes and she quickly brushed them away. “Sorry. I keep doing that.”

  I couldn’t help the twinge of sympathy I felt. It was almost impossible not to feel sorry for her.

  “Why don’t you stay with us?” Parker asked, making me nearly choke on a lettuce leaf.

  “Really? You wouldn’t mind?” Natalie was looking at him as she asked this, then glanced at me as almost an afterthought.

  Yes, I minded. I minded a whole hell of a lot. But Parker did nothing without a reason and I wanted to know what that reason was. Whether it was to rekindle the romance between him and Natalie or some other reason, I’d play along.

  I swallowed the lettuce leaf lodged in my throat and forced my lips to curve. “Sure. Why not? It’ll be like one big sleepover.” Maybe we could ask Ryker, too. I bet Parker’s living room would make one hell of a blanket fort.

  “Fantastic! Thank you so much. I have my stuff in my car and I’m dying for a shower. Do you mind if I head on over?” She was already grabbing her purse.

  “That’s fine,” Parker said. “I’ll call the doorman and let him know you’re coming and to let you in.” He gave her the address, but she didn’t write it down. She must have a really good memory or something. “We’ll be in later.”

  “Perfect. Thanks again, Parker. And you, too, Sage.” With a whisper of perfume, she was gone.

  “Are you out of your mind?” I asked the minute the door latched closed. “We’re really going to let her stay in your apartment? With us?”

  “I like the we and us part of that sentence,” Parker said. “It’s encouraging.”

  I shoved another bite of lasagna in my mouth and chewed like it was raw meat rather than noodles. No sense letting good food go to waste. “What exactly is your plan with this?” I asked, trying to keep my cool. “Because I don’t see Natalie and me becoming BFFs. I won’t be doing her nails and makeup anytime soon while we listen to Air Supply’s Greatest Hits on the stereo and compare notes on you and Ryker.”

  “Air Supply? Really? I never got the appeal.”

  I shrugged. “You’re not a chick. Music to slit your wrists to, I know, but I like it. Now back to poor pitiful Natalie.”

  He grimaced. “You know the saying. Keep your friends close, et cetera et cetera.”

  “So which is she? A friend or enemy?”

  “I’m not sure yet. But I think we’ll find out easier and quicker if we go along with her plan than if we fight it. Don’t you?”

  I couldn’t argue with that. He was right. “I don’t trust her.”

  “I know. Neither do I. But the more she’s around us, the less she’s around Ryker. And I think we both want to protect him from himself. I don’t want her screwing with him again.” A dangerous glint came into his eyes and his jaw hardened. “He went through enough because of Natalie.”

  I liked seeing Parker falling back into the role of being Ryker’s friend. So even though I dreaded going back to Parker’s place like a condemned man on death row, I smiled.

  “All right, then. I guess I’m in.” And I tried to pretend I wasn’t walking right where Natalie wanted us to go.

  Chapter Nine

  I was unprepared to see Natalie wearing one of Parker’s shirts when we walked in the door.

  “Oh, I hope you don’t mind,” she said breezily, passing by us to sit on the couch. “I’m washing my clothes and needed something to put on. I’ll wash it when I’m through.” The man’s button-down shirt was big on her and came down to mid-thigh, baring her legs. I was so stunned at her audacity, I could only stare wide-eyed as she flipped on the television.

  Parker made a noise that sounded suspiciously like he was smothering a laugh, but when I rounded to glare at him, his expression was one of blithe innocence.

  I set my purse down carefully so I wouldn’t be tempted to launch it at Natalie’s head. For someone whose sister was supposed to be in grave danger, she sure seemed to be taking it well. Except when she wanted to turn on the waterworks, of course.

  I cut off the sour thoughts in my head. I didn’t need the negativity and continuing down that path would lead to nothing good. I needed to get my game face on and figure out what Natalie wanted and what her strategy was. So far, it seemed she wanted Parker and her strategy was to throw herself in his path as much as possible.

  “I see you made yourself at home,” I said, walking over to the couch. I tried and failed to keep the bitchy out of my voice. Sugar not vinegar, I reminded myself. “Did you need anything else?”

  My thinly veiled sarcasm appeared utterly lost on Natalie.

  “Yes, actually,” she said. “Do you have any underwear I can borrow?” Her smile was sheepish and her cheeks even turned a charming pink as she added in an undertone, “I’m not wearing any right now; they’re all in the wash.”

  If she thought to aim that volume low enough so Parker wouldn’t hear, she failed miserably. I saw him almost involuntarily glance over at us. If he so much as tried to get a glimpse…

  “Of course,” I said. My smile was so stiff, I thought my cheeks would crack. “Come with me and I’ll get them for you.”

  Parker kept his gaze wisely averted as we passed him to go into his bedroom. He was digging in the refrigerator and I hoped he was getting out a bottle of wine because lord knew I needed it tonight.

  I dug in the suitcase Parker had packed for me, unsurprised that he’d grabbed the skimpiest and laciest items I possessed. Finding a lone pair of black cotton briefs, I tossed them to Natalie.

  “Here you go,” I said, striving to sound pleasant. “Will these do?”

  “Thanks,” she said. “A little big maybe, but I’m sure they’ll be fine for tonight.” She smiled sweetly and disappeared into the bathroom.

  I unclenched my fists and pried my jaws apart before I permanently ground my teeth to a new level. Natalie was no amateur at this game; that was for sure. Too big, my ass. And not in that way.

  Parker had said he wasn’t interested in her and I believed him…but no sense in letting her have the upper hand. If she was going to be strutting around with nothing but underwear and his shirt, I wouldn’t put anything past her.

  Digging in my suitcase again, I pulled out the pajamas Parker had packed. A tiny pair of pale pink cotton shorts and a skin-tight matching camisole. I stripped to my skin and pulled on the pajamas, using my fingers to fluff my hair. The pink was ever so slightly see-through.

  Perfect.

  Natalie was still in the bathroom—no doubt trying to make those tent-size underwear of mine not slip right off her non-existent hips—so I went back out to the kitchen. I’d been right, Parker had opened a bottle of wine, which he promptly choked on when he saw me.

  “Holy shit,” he rasped.

  “You’re the one who packed for me,” I said with a shrug, my lips curving in a satisfied smile. Natalie who?

  “I knew that would look good on you. I just didn’t realize how good.” His eyes lingered on my breasts before drifting down my stomach to my thighs. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.

  I felt his gaze as though it was a touch against my skin. His eyes met mine, burning with a hunger that sent a shiver down my spine. I couldn’t look away, could barely breathe—

  “Oh good! I’d love a glass of wine. That’s so thoughtful of you, Parker.”

  Natalie’s voice was a bucket of ice water and was right behind me. Parker kept his cool and poured two more glasses, handing one to each of us.

  “To old friendships,” Natalie toasted, lifting her glass, her gaze on Parker.

  “And new ones,” I added meaningfully, clinking my glass against hers. If I was going to get her to talk to me, I had to make her think I trusted her.

  There was a knock at the door and we all turn
ed to look before Parker set down his wineglass and picked up his gun.

  “Who could that be at this hour?” I asked quietly. It was getting late.

  “Guess I’ll find out,” he said.

  The worry on Natalie’s face seemed genuine and matched mine as Parker peered through the peephole. A moment later, his body relaxed and he slid the gun into the small of his back before pulling open the door.

  “Your timing is impeccable,” Parker said as Ryker stepped inside.

  Ryker’s gaze landed on Natalie first, his eyes widening, then on me. His eyebrows climbed nearly to his hairline as he surveyed our attire, or lack thereof. My face got hot.

  “You’re having a sleepover? Or did I step into one of your fantasies?”

  “If it was a fantasy, you sure as hell wouldn’t be here. I don’t roll that way.”

  The words were all said in an easy, lighthearted way, but the look in Ryker’s eye was anything but.

  “Did you find out something about Jessie?” Natalie interrupted. “Were there any prints on the note or anything?”

  Ryker shook his head. “No. It was clean, unfortunately. And our time is running out for the deadline they set tomorrow.”

  “What are we going to do?” Natalie asked, her voice strained. “I can’t lose my sister. I just…can’t.” She began to cry, covering her face with her hands, and leaned against Parker’s chest. His arms lifted to circle her and he patted her on the back.

  Jealousy clawed at my chest like a living thing and I wanted to rip her hair out by the roots. If I could have growled, I would have. Instead, I glanced at Ryker, who was also watching Parker and Natalie, with a look on his face that I knew mirrored mine.

  “We’ll just give you two a minute,” I said, grabbing Ryker’s hand and pulling him with me. I dragged him into Parker’s bedroom and shut the door. Let those two stew on that.

  “They seem to be getting along well,” Ryker said. “Why the hell is she here anyway?”

  I gave him a quick rundown of her plea for a place to stay and Parker’s offer.

  “Why are you helping her?” I asked. “Kidnapping isn’t your thing. You’re homicide, for crying out loud. And I’m not totally convinced all of this isn’t one big fat lie. It’s awfully convenient, her just showing up out of the blue.”

  “I’m helping her because of Jessie,” he said. “She was a good kid. Whatever happened to her probably leads back to Natalie. She’s not telling us everything. And Jessie doesn’t deserve to get caught up and possibly hurt due to her sister’s scheming.”

  “Scheming?” I asked, taken aback. “It seemed like you thought Natalie walked on water.”

  “Natalie goes after what she wants,” he said. “That’s always been the case.”

  “And what does she want?”

  “I don’t know. She wants to find Jessie, I believe that. But how it all fits in with her sudden reappearance to me and Parker…we’ll just have to find out.”

  I hesitated before asking the question I really wanted to ask. “Are you still in love with her?”

  Ryker went still, his eyes fixed on mine. “Natalie and I share a history,” he said. “A turbulent, painful one, sure, but it’s a history. I don’t know how I feel about her. I’d like to give her a second chance, but until I find out why she’s here and what she wants, I’m not going to commit to anything.”

  My whole body relaxed. Ryker hadn’t been taken in. He’d been playing along. Thank God. “I just don’t want to see you hurt again.” Which was a helluva thing to say after what he and I had been through, and the irony wasn’t lost on me.

  A beat passed, then his lips curved in a soft smile. “I’m a grown-up, babe. I don’t regret you and me, but I see the writing on the wall.” He took a step closer to me and wrapped his hands around my upper arms in a loose grip. “I didn’t want to face it, but you’ve been in love with Parker since long before I came along. I think we had something, could’ve had more, but you and I both know that Parker’s the one you want.”

  This was awkward. And painful. My chest ached and my eyes burned. I hadn’t expected this kind of conversation when I’d brought Ryker in here, and I was unprepared.

  “Shh, it’s okay,” he said, pulling me into his arms. “We had a great time. And we’ll still be friends. But I’m not going to stand in the way of you being happy. I saw how much it tore you up to come between Parker and me. I’d like to think I’m not a selfish enough bastard to make you and him miserable just because I’m a sore loser.”

  Tears wet his shirt as I tried to sniff them back. “I’m sorry,” I said, my voice thick. “I never meant for this to happen.”

  “Don’t be sorry,” he said, leaning back slightly and brushing tears from my cheeks. “I don’t regret a single moment we spent together. And I hope you don’t either.”

  I shook my head, the lump in my throat too big to speak around.

  The door flew open and Parker stood there. When he saw me standing in Ryker’s arms, the look on his face turned cold and hard. A dangerous fire lit his eyes as he looked at Ryker and I instinctively wanted to take a step back.

  “Take it easy, Parker,” Ryker said. “I hung a tie on the doorknob. Didn’t you see?”

  I pinched him, hard, and he winced. No need to antagonize Parker when he already looked like he was ready to murder someone. I maneuvered myself out of Ryker’s hold, putting space between us. That’s when I noticed Natalie behind Parker, peering curiously at the scene.

  “I need to talk to you,” Parker said. “Let’s go.” He turned on his heel and Ryker followed.

  “Wait,” I said, squeezing by Natalie and hurrying after them. “You’re both leaving?” Me alone with her, I added silently.

  “We’ll be back soon,” Parker said, grabbing his jacket and swinging it on. It covered the gun still shoved in the small of his back.

  “It’s okay,” Natalie said. “It’ll give Sage and me some girl time together.”

  Kill me now.

  Ryker was already out the door and Parker glanced back at me. “Air Supply should be in the left cabinet, upper right. Knock yourself out.” The door shut before I could get a retort in.

  Asshole.

  * * *

  “Where are we going?” Ryker asked.

  “To see Steven Shea,” Parker replied. “Charlie said he’s back in town and likely the one behind the attack on Sage and her dad. I thought we’d pay him a visit.” He checked the ammunition clip in his Sig as they rode the elevator to the parking garage.

  “Steven Shea is a psychopath,” Ryker said.

  Parker glanced over. “You’ve met him?”

  Ryker nodded. “He didn’t run off to college to get away from his dad’s business. Leo sent him away. Steven has a sadistic streak. There was an incident that got out of hand.”

  “What kind of incident?”

  “The kind where they needed a garbage bag for body parts.”

  Nice, Parker thought. “And this sonofabitch has decided he’s got a vendetta against Sage. Her dad’s protected in the hospital, but God only knows what he’ll think of for her. I say we find him and send a message.”

  “Legally, I can’t do that,” Ryker said. “He gets one look at my badge and I’m in for a shitload of trouble.”

  Parker led the way to his car. “I’ll do the talking. And you won’t have to show your badge.”

  He drove them out of the building and turned north, heading deeper downtown.

  “You know where he is?” Ryker asked.

  “I put some feelers out. Got a text while you were talking to Sage in my bedroom.”

  The words Sage and in my bedroom hung in the air like little bombs waiting to explode.

  “Chill,” Ryker said. “I wasn’t moving in on you. I was telling her…good-bye.”

  Parker glanced over at him. “What do you mean?” he asked sharply.

  Ryker gave a bitter laugh. “I’m not an idiot,” he said. “She’s in love with you, not me. I’m throug
h chasing women who’d rather be with someone else.”

  A tense silence followed as Ryker looked out the window. Parker’s hands gripped the wheel.

  “I’m sorry,” he said at last. “I didn’t mean for things to go this way—”

  “Just tell me one thing,” Ryker interrupted. “If I hadn’t come along, would you have ever made a move on Sage? Or would you have just sat on your ass?”

  Parker clenched his jaw tight at the accusation and bitterness in Ryker’s voice. But he deserved an answer.

  “I didn’t want a personal relationship with her to affect our working partnership,” he said. “But the way I felt about her…that was always there. It just took the thought of losing her—really losing her—to make me realize it was worth the risk. That she was worth the risk.”

  “What risk?”

  “Getting my heart broken. Or worse…breaking hers.”

  They were both quiet for a moment, lost in their thoughts and memories.

  “Natalie’s up to something,” Parker said. “You know that, right?”

  “Yeah, I know. But she thinks she’s got us both on a string again. No sense disillusioning her. Not yet.”

  “You really think Jessie’s in trouble?”

  Ryker nodded. “Yeah. No one’s seen her for over a week. I went by her apartment yesterday and there’s no trace of her. Her car is in the lot, untouched. And no one broke into her apartment. No sign of a struggle either. It’s like she disappeared into thin air.”

  “You don’t think she’d be involved in any of Natalie’s shit, do you?” Parker asked. “You knew her better than I did.”

  “No, she’s not like Natalie. When I knew her, she was a sweet and naïve little thing. Wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

  “That was ten years ago,” Parker reminded him. “People change.”

  “Not that much.”

  That was true. At their core, both he and Ryker were the same, which was probably why they’d been able to fall back into the familiar cadence of what they used to be even after so long a drought.