Evan glared across the table at her. Handsy and Sideburn Sideshow laughed their asses off.
Evan tossed in a hundred-dollar bill. A little showing off for Mandy. A stupid, impulsive move. One Kate would exploit.
BEN WALKED INTO Jones Joint and spotted Sam by the far wall, sitting at the end of the bar. He made his way through the crowded tables, along the booths, and joined Sam.
“Where the hell is she?”
“Don’t turn and look. Pretend you’re only interested in me. Evan is looking this way. They’re straight ahead in front of me.” Sam looked him up and down. “At least you took off your suit jacket and tie. Roll up your sleeves so you blend in a bit better. This isn’t the after-work crowd you’re used to at Decadence. We’re in a bar, man.”
Ben did as Sam said, trying to tone down his appearance to look like he was meeting a friend for a drink. Sam fit in better with his worn jeans, black T-shirt, and leather jacket. Sam probably kept the jacket on to cover his badge and gun. Ben actually sighed with a bit of relief knowing Sam was armed and ready to help Kate if she needed it.
Ben didn’t budge, but stared at the wall behind Sam and used the Budweiser mirror to check out the room tucked into an alcove behind him. Evan went back to playing cards and smiling at the pretty blonde beside him. Kate sat in front of Evan. He could only see the back of her dark head. The two other men at the table kept their gazes on Kate, leaving the blonde to Evan.
“What’s going on?”
“Things turned around when the blonde arrived. Kate’s won the last two hands. She’s slowly bleeding Evan dry. He’s distracted by the boobs beside him and too many shots.”
“That’s a two-hundred-dollar bottle of booze.”
“Kate’s got expensive taste. Good taste. We should get her to buy us a drink.”
“Let’s go get her before this all goes south.”
“No.”
“No?” Ben asked, his eyebrows nearly hitting the top of his head he was so surprised Sam took Kate’s side in this.
“She’s not doing anything but playing cards and pissing the guy off. Maybe that’s all she wants, to sit across from him, letting him know she knows what he did. Give him a chance to look at her, knowing exactly what he took from her.”
“You think she’s here for a staring contest?”
“Ben.”
“Fuck. I get it, okay. She wants him to pay, but this isn’t going to make that happen. Taking his money in a card game, messing with his head, and getting him drunk won’t change anything.”
“It might make her feel better. So let her. No harm. No foul. She gets to taunt the guy and ease her conscience.”
“She’s got no reason to feel guilty.”
“Maybe not in your mind, but we’re talking about hers.” Sam took a sip of his beer, then cocked his head toward the other room. “Your girl just cleaned up on that last hand. Evan is starting to sweat. The other two just want to get in her panties.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Ben snapped.
Sam laughed at him again. “You’re lost, man.”
“If something happens to her, I’m going to beat the shit out of you for letting this go on.”
“You can try if it makes you feel better.” Sam earned that cocky attitude.
Ben didn’t really want to fight his friend. He wanted the woman he loved out of harm’s reach. Out of Evan’s vicinity and locked in a room. Safe. With him. He’d teach her a lesson for going behind his back. The only man getting into her panties tonight was him. Once he got his hands on her again.
“The blonde’s headed for the ladies’ room. Kate’s following. Interesting.”
“Why?”
“Well, if I wanted something from Evan and knew he’d never give it to me, I’d find someone he trusted and try to turn them to my side to get it for me.”
“No way.”
“We’ll see.”
Kate stopped to talk to a waitress before she disappeared into the restroom. Ben kept his eye on the door and jumped when the waitress touched his shoulder.
“Hey, Kate said to get a beer and sit in the empty booth over there before someone sees you. Follow me.”
Sam smiled. “Shit. We’ve been made.”
KATE STOOD IN front of the cracked bathroom mirror and dabbed on some rosy lipstick. She muted the dark color with the tip of her finger and wiped it on a paper towel.
Mandy flushed the toilet behind her and walked out of the stall. “I love that skirt. The gather in the back is super cute.”
Kate smiled and smoothed her hand over the silky material. Short in the front, longer in the back, with gathers that made it ruffle just below her butt and hang down six inches past the hem in front.
“Thanks. It’s one of my favorites. Nice top. I love the sparkles.” That were, of course, strategically placed over her boobs.
“Practically everything I own has sparkles on it. So, uh, how do you know Evan?”
“We met recently. I took over his father’s company.”
“Oh, I heard about his father’s death. So tragic. I mean, I can’t believe his mistress shot him, then killed herself.”
“Don’t believe everything you see on TV.”
“Really?”
“I’m just saying, not everything is what it seems. Does Evan ever talk about his dad?”
“Not really. Evan isn’t a big talker. We only hang out when he comes to the bar.”
“So you two aren’t close? You seemed real cozy in there.”
“We like to hang, hook up. You know?”
“I do. Good-looking guy like him is probably great in the sack.”
Mandy beamed a smile, her eyes filled with lust. “When he’s not drunk like tonight, he can go forever. This one time, we stayed up all night. He did this thing with his . . .”
Kate held up her hand. “Details aren’t necessary.”
Mandy giggled. “Sorry. I tend to overshare.”
“Yeah, like giving your money to Evan to gamble away.”
“He’s a good guy. He’ll pay me back.” Mandy pushed her fingers into her long hair and fluffed it up even bigger. She pulled out a bottle of hair spray and spritzed the mass of waves. “The thing is, my car broke down. Again. I need to buy a new fuel pump. I’m sick of taking the bus to work. I need my ride.”
“I could help you out with that.”
“Really? Why would you do that?”
“Because I need something from Evan. I think you can get it for me.”
“Why don’t you just ask him?”
“In case you missed it, he’s not exactly happy I’m here tonight. We’re not friends. More competitors.”
“Oh, because of his daddy’s business.” Mandy nodded her head. “I get it. He doesn’t like that you took over instead of him.”
“Something like that. I’ll give you a hundred bucks right now to take him someplace private and get him naked.”
“You want to pay me to sleep with him?”
“I don’t care if you sleep with him or not. What I want is a picture.”
“Why the hell do you want a naked photo of him?”
“He’s got a scar on his leg.”
“No, he doesn’t. Just the one on his neck.”
“It’s a new scar. You get a picture of him and the scar, so it’s clearly him, I’ll give you whatever I win in the pot tonight.”
“You’ve barely won anything. Evan is up at least two grand.”
“Trust me, he won’t be for long. Are you in?”
“Is this picture going to get him in trouble?”
“Not at all. In fact, I’ll give you the hundred now.” Kate took the money out of her purse and held it out. “You leave with him. I’ll follow you with the rest of the money. You do whatever you need to, to get the picture. I
f he’s drunk enough, he’ll probably pass out and never know.”
“That could work.” Mandy smiled, warming to the idea.
“Yes, it will. Once you have the picture on your phone, post it to your Facebook account with something cute like, ‘Hot guy sleeping in my bed.’
“You meet me outside, show me the picture, and I’ll give you the cash. You might even be able to buy a new used car. Something better than what you’ve got now.”
“Okay.” The smile turned up several notches. Mandy snagged the hundred out of her hand and stuffed it in her purse.
“You can’t tell him about this,” Kate warned.
“I won’t. Promise. He’s had so much to drink tonight, he’ll probably want to crash at the Super 8 down the block. We’ve done that a few times.”
“Perfect. Now let’s go win you the money you need for a new car.”
BEN NEARLY JUMPED out of his seat and stormed the bathroom it took so long for Kate to come out. When she did, she stopped short and dug through her bag for something, letting the blonde pass her. Once the blonde turned the corner into the small room, Kate looked up and glared across the two rows of tables at them.
“She is pissed at you.” Sam took a sip of his beer, acting like none of this was his fault.
“She’s probably pissed at you for following her and calling me.”
“You’d have found her on your own with the tracking device in her phone.”
“Let’s not tell her about that.”
“Did you know she went to her apartment today? Stayed about an hour. Packed up a couple of bags, picked up her mail from the manager, then went back to your place.”
“You followed her?”
“No. I got pinged that she went out of range of the two-mile radius we set up around your place. I sent a local cop to sit on her while she was there.”
“Can you do that?”
“I know a guy who owed me a favor.”
“Thanks, man. I owe you big-time for this.”
“You kept Jenna safe all those years. You got her to Jack. He’s a very happy man. You don’t owe me shit.”
Ben sat quietly nursing the beer Kate sent to him earlier. He tried to be patient. Sam talked about his family, Tyler taking time off from the FBI to be home with Morgan and their new baby, and the drought in California. Ben finally focused on his friend and narrowed his gaze.
“Really, you want to talk about the weather?”
“You’re not listening to a thing I say.”
“I’m watching for Kate to come out of that damn room alive and well.”
“Relax. There’s no exit out the back of that room. She’s going to clean Evan out, let him leave with the blonde, then follow him.”
“How do you know her plan?”
“It’s what I’d do. If she’s not out in another half hour, I’ll go up to the bar, buy another drink, and scope out the situation.”
“Fine. Thirty minutes. By then, the beer you’re drinking should be flat and warm.”
“It already is.”
“Why do you even bother?”
“It’s for show. Like wearing the right clothes to fit the place and people around you. If I’m drinking water, I look out of place.”
“I got it, it just seems so tedious.”
“The definition of surveillance, my friend. This will be over soon. You’ll have Kate back and can punish her all you want.” Sam gave him a suggestive smile.
It lightened Ben’s sour mood. “Drink your beer.”
Ben tried to relax and tamp down the urge to walk into the other room and drag Kate out of this seedy place. Instead, he focused on his faith in Kate. A faith in her ability to see through people’s facades to the real person beneath. She understood human behavior. She’d studied it in school and the reality she’d lived growing up. If she was in any danger, she’d alert them. He had to trust she’d come to him and Sam if she needed help.
He tried not to take it personally she’d left him out of her plans and gone behind his back. It didn’t mean she didn’t trust him. Still, it hurt.
Chapter Twenty-Five
THE POT IN the center of the table had grown over the last five minutes. All the men thought they had her on the run.
“I raise you a thousand.” Kate tossed the cash on the pile.
Handsy side-eyed her and rubbed at his scruffy chin with his fingers. He tossed his cards down. “I’m out.”
Sideburn Sideshow tossed in the cash, leaving him with a couple hundred dollars. “Call.”
Kate met Evan’s gaze and tried to keep her face expressionless, her breathing steady. An experienced card player, Evan would notice any little sign, indicating if she was bluffing or held the winning hand. She couldn’t count on how much he’d drunk to make him go all in to beat her. She’d slowly bled him dry over the last hour. Now, she wanted to finish him.
“I’m all in.”
Music to my ears.
Evan tossed in the last of his cash, picked up his drink, and downed the last of it. He blew out a breath and waited for her to turn her cards.
“Come on, sweetheart. Show us what you got,” Sideburn Sideshow coaxed, a smarmy smile on his face.
Kate kept her gaze on Evan and turned her cards over one at a time. One king after another until all four faced up, along with the queen of hearts.
“No fucking way.” Sideburn Sideshow tossed his three-of-a-kind down.
“You fucking bitch.” Evan tossed his pair of aces on the table and leaned forward, arms braced on the edge. “You played me, bitch.”
“You agreed to play the game. Don’t pout just because you lost.”
Evan reached for her neck like he’d done in Donald’s office. This time she expected it. She grabbed his thumb and bent it and his wrist back.
“Fuck. Let go.”
“Touch me again, and I’ll snap you like a twig, asshole.”
“Hey now, no one needs to get hurt here. She won fair and square,” Handsy said, trying to defuse the situation.
She remembered why she was here and what she really wanted. Yes, a shot at taking Evan down off his high horse, but also to get the evidence she needed.
Mandy stood from her stool behind Evan and touched his shoulder. “Come on, baby, let’s get out of here.”
Evan tugged on his hand, which probably hurt more because she waited until the last second to let him go.
He leaned back in his chair eyeing her. She kept her gaze locked on his even as she raked in the pot and sorted out her cash.
Mandy rubbed her hand down Evan’s chest and back up again. She leaned down and whispered something in his ear. The smile that broke out on Evan’s face was nothing short of dirty. He snatched the bottle of Jameson from the table, stood, wrapped his arm around Mandy, and walked out with his hand on her ass.
“Thanks for the game, boys. Sorry I took all your money.”
“Stay. Let us win back some of what we lost,” Handsy pleaded as she stuffed the money into her purse.
“Sorry, boys. It’s late. I’ve got work in the morning. You understand.” Kate walked away, knowing the two broke card players stared at her ass as she left. She didn’t acknowledge Sam at the bar, who’d stood there watching for the last twenty minutes. She caught Ben out of the corner of her eye still nursing a beer in the booth she’d sent him to. At least he’d stayed out of the way. She hoped Evan didn’t see him on the way out, or all her plans would be for naught.
Kate walked out the doors just as Evan drove by in his Range Rover and glared at her. She caught the I-got-this look from Mandy. No doubt the amount of money in the last pot sprouted pretty dreams of a new car. One little picture, that’s all Kate needed.
EVAN UNLOCKED THE hotel room door and dragged Mandy in after him. She laughed when he flung her in front of
him and pulled her back into his chest. Her boobs bounced against him. He leaned in and kissed her, trying to forget that bitch’s face and that he ever met her. Kate. Damn her. She’d shown up at the bar tonight looking to get a piece of him. She got it. He should have walked out the minute he saw her. Instead, he’d let her buy him a drink, thinking, “Why not?” For some unknown reason he wanted to tell her he’d take the deal. Back off, she’d never see him again. Instead, she used that sharp tongue of hers to tell him what she really thought.
“Does Mommy know you’re out past dark?”
That’s all it took for him to ask her if she wanted to play a grown-up game. He thought teaching her a lesson, beating her at poker, showing her he was good at something, would wipe that smug look off her face. Instead, she’d wiped the floor with him.
Fuck her. He had a woman in his arms and good booze in his belly. That’s all he needed right now.
Mandy pushed him away, grabbed the bottle he’d taken from the bar out of her purse, and poured him a glass in one of the plastic-covered cups she unwrapped. He downed the booze, fell into the rickety chair next to the window, and kicked off his shoes. He wanted Mandy in the bed, naked, now.
“Take your clothes off.”
Mandy poured him another drink. Bleary-eyed and off balance already, he didn’t need another, but he drank it down. How did that bitch kick his ass? And what the hell was that move she pulled on him?
He stared down at his hand and rotated his thumb. It hurt. Without the numbing booze, it would probably hurt more.
Mandy took his hand, leaned down, and kissed his thumb. He stared at her breasts, his mouth watering just thinking about having her naked, his mouth on her skin.
“Does it hurt?”
“Not really. It won’t stop me from fucking you good, baby.”
“Off with this.” She pulled his shirt over his head. The material got stuck on his watch, but he managed to wrench his arm free. He laughed, too drunk to do much else. This is what he needed. Some mind-numbing sex. Something to make him feel anything but the agony growing inside of him every second that he remembered what he did. The booze helped erase the bloody images from his mind, but they’d come back. Right now, he wanted to fill his mind with images of Mandy naked and writhing beneath him.
Everything She Wanted Page 26
