“Sorry, girls,” Carter said sheepishly.
Natasha frowned at Carter. “For someone who’s a...” She shook her head. “Did you pick the lock? Why didn’t you just ring the bell? That would have avoided us getting the fright of our lives.”
“Of course I didn’t pick the lock,” Carter said defensively. “Cassie gave me keys.”
“I did,” Cassie confirmed. “He wanted copies so we got them cut earlier today. I was meaning to tell you, Tash. I didn’t think you’d mind since he’s your brother.”
“No, of course not,” Natasha said. “But why do you need keys to our place? Are you worried about something?” she asked Carter in alarm.
“I just wanted keys to my girlfriend’s place. What’s so surprising about that? And to be fair, I gave her keys to my house.”
Natasha’s face split into a wide smile. “Ooh. So it’s official? I can tell Mum and Dad?”
“No,” Carter said with glare. “Leave that to me.”
“Fine. I’m going back to bed. And no more screaming, please.”
“Tell that to Cassie,” Carter said teasingly.
Cassie grabbed a pillow and threw it at Carter.
Natasha laughed. “Aw, I’m so happy it’s working out for you guys. I’ll leave you alone now.”
“Tash, lock your door, please,” Carter said, his voice grave. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow morning.”
Natasha’s eyes went wide. She nodded and walked away.
Cassie stared at Carter as he watched Natasha walk back to her room. Then he locked the door and stripped down to his underwear before rejoining her in the bed. She could tell he was worried about something.
“What’s wrong, honey?” she asked.
Carter drew her in his arms and kissed her forehead. “I’ll tell you tomorrow. Go to sleep.”
“So there is something wrong?”
“Nothing too concerning.”
“How do you expect me to sleep when I know something’s bothering you?” she grumbled.
“Then I guess I should tire you out,” Carter murmured, rolling on top of her.
She was all for that. Perhaps Carter didn’t have a good result from his work meeting tonight and needed a bit of consoling. Well, she was glad he’d come to her.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, eager to make him feel good. “I love you, Carter,” she whispered, unable to help it.
Carter reared to look in her eyes. “I love you, too, babe,” he said, the tenderness in his gaze confirming his words.
Then they started showing each other just how much. Hopefully, Natasha was already fast asleep.
*****
Cassie frowned as she felt Carter’s side of the bed. He wasn’t there. She hadn’t dreamt last night, had she?
She got up and put on her undies and nightshirt, then opened her bedroom door. Soft voices came floating in. Carter was there, talking to Natasha in the kitchen.
Happy that he hadn’t left yet, she quickly took a shower, brushed her teeth and got dressed before going out to join them.
“Morning,” she said to the two.
“Hey, honey,” Carter said, brightening at the sight of her. He cupped her face and kissed her on the lips.
She blushed, suddenly shy about kissing Carter in front of Natasha, but grinned happily.
“Carter’s taking us out for breakfast,” Natasha announced.
“Really? Why? I can make us pancakes. Or bacon and eggs.” She really didn’t want Carter spending any money.
Natasha laughed. “Don’t worry, Cass. It’s in return for him scaring us last night.”
“Seriously, I don’t mind cooking breakfast.”
“It’s okay, babe,” Carter said, sitting down and pulling her to his lap. “I haven’t taken Tash out for a long time. A McDonald’s breakfast should make her happy.”
“Hey, you promised a buffet at one of the five-star hotels.”
Oh, no. That would be too expensive.
Carter chuckled. “Okay, just for you, sis. But coffee right now would be great.”
“Sure, I can do that. I’ll make yours too, Cass.”
“Thanks, Tash. Carter, could you come with me to the bedroom for a minute please?”
“Sure, babe. I’ll never say no to going to the bedroom with you,” he said with a cheeky smile.
Cassie rolled her eyes while Natasha snorted.
Once inside her room, Cassie closed the door and took a deep breath. How should she start this?
“What’s the matter?” Carter asked, instantly worried.
“Honey, the last time Tash and I went out to dinner, she picked up the tab. It’s my turn, so can I pay for today’s breakfast for all of us?”
“No,” Carter said with authority. “You can pay the next time you and Tash are out. But not when you’re with me. I don’t really like it when you pay when we’re out together. I was just humouring you yesterday.”
“But...”
“But nothing,” Carter said, pulling her to him.
“I know you’re having financial problems,” she said softly. Yes, she’d promised Bronwyn she wouldn’t tell him about this, but better bring it out into the open, before Carter got himself into a deeper mess from wanting to hide the situation.
“Financial problems? Who told you?” Carter asked, scowling.
“Please don’t be mad. I was going to wait until you’re ready to tell me, but—”
“Who told you, Cassie?” Carter interrupted, his face serious.
She exhaled loudly. “Bronwyn.”
“Fuck,” Carter muttered under his breath, going to the window and looking out, his hands on his hips.
“Honey, I don’t care that you have this problem,” she said emphatically. “And I know you have your reasons for not wanting people to know, but please let me help.”
Carter whirled around to face her. “What exactly did she say to you?” he demanded.
She gulped. “She only wanted to help, Carter.”
Carter cupped her face, and Cassie noticed that his emotion wasn’t anger. It was fear.
“It’s very important that you tell me everything, baby. Please,” he said.
“And will you tell me everything?”
Carter shut his eyes and nodded.
*****
Cassie glanced worriedly at Carter, who sat stony-faced behind the wheel of his car. After she’d told him everything she could remember about her conversation with Bronwyn regarding Carter’s financial problems, Carter had called two people: Gavin and a guy called David.
Now, she, Carter and Natasha were on their way to Gavin’s place, not to a five-star hotel to have buffet breakfast. Why they had to be at Gavin’s for Carter to divulge his problems, Cassie didn’t know. But Carter better tell her everything when they got there, because she was getting worried sick.
“I’m so glad Gavin’s all right,” Natasha murmured from the back seat.
“Why? Was there something wrong?” Cassie asked. She’d met Gavin once before, during Carter’s birthday three months ago, and she knew that the man was close to Natasha as well.
“Um... he’d been in hospital,” Natasha said, glancing at the back of Carter’s head.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Cassie said. “So he’s okay now?”
“Looks like it. I thought he hadn’t gone home yet. I’m relieved to know he has.”
“He’ll be glad to see you,” Carter said.
“Do you think he’s had breakfast? Maybe we should stop by that McDonald’s over there and get some for everyone?” Natasha asked, eyeing the restaurant on the next block.
“You’re really starving, aren’t you?” Cassie teased.
“You know breakfast is the most important meal of the day for me,” Natasha said with a sigh.
“Well, I wouldn’t want my sister to waste away,” Carter said dryly, slowing down, then turning to the restaurant’s drive-through.
“Thanks,” Natasha said with a grin.
; Cassie wondered whether Carter would accept her taking money out of her purse to pay for breakfast. But Carter must have known what was going through her mind because he squinted at her and shook his head.
She sighed, rolling her eyes to let him know she wasn’t happy that he wasn’t allowing her to help.
Carter took her hand and squeezed it before putting it to his lips.
Argh, this man truly knew how to make her melt. Well, at least he wasn’t paying for a five-star hotel buffet breakfast.
“So hotcakes and sausage and egg McMuffins for everyone?” Carter asked.
“Yes,” Cassie and Natasha said.
Carter relayed their orders, adding hash browns and several more items to the list.
“Gosh, that’s a lot,” Cassie murmured.
“The men will inhale them,” Natasha said with a chuckle. “So you think Gavin can eat this kind of food now, Carter?”
“Yup. His appetite’s back.”
“That’s good to know. Does he look okay? Can he walk?”
“He’s fine, Tash.”
“You should have told us, Carter,” Natasha said. “Mum and Dad worry about him, too.”
“I know. But I couldn’t,” Carter said quietly.
Natasha squeezed her brother’s shoulder.
Cassie looked at them with concern. She was missing something here.
“You’ll get to know everything soon, babe,” Carter said softly.
She gave him a smile. She truly hoped so.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The elevator door opened to Gavin’s penthouse and Carter called out to his friend. There was no answer. His heart pounded. Where the hell was Gavin?
He motioned for Cassie and Natasha to stay back as he walked further into the room. After learning that they’d been surveilling the wrong woman all along, he’d gotten even more suspicious. This case had put his loved ones in danger, and Bronwyn had always been one step ahead of them.
“Looking for someone?”
“Gavin!” Natasha shrieked, running to the man and hugging him tight.
Gavin grinned, looking perfectly fine, and Carter exhaled the breath he’d been holding.
“Great to see you, Tash,” Gavin said, returning Natasha’s embrace.
“We’ve been so worried about you,” Natasha said. “We wanted to visit, but we were told your parents would rather not have visitors until you came out of your coma.”
“You’ve been in a coma?” Cassie asked in surprise.
Gavin smiled his answer as he greeted Cassie with a kiss on the cheek, then turned to man-hug Carter.
“You’ve been out of the coma for a while now, haven’t you, Gav?” Natasha asked with narrowed eyes, crossing her arms against her chest.
Carter caught his best friend’s questioning glance, and he nodded his head.
“Yes,” Gavin answered.
“What happened?” Cassie asked softly.
“He was shot, babe,” Carter answered, placing his arm around Cassie’s waist.
Cassie gasped. “By whom? And why?”
“Some woman who wanted to use me for nefarious purposes,” Gavin said with a grin. “Anyway, I see you brought food. Good. Let’s eat while we wait for David and Vera.”
“Vera’s not coming,” Carter said. “Her grandmother’s in hospital and her whole family’s visiting her today. Dave and I will update her tomorrow.”
“Who are David and Vera?” Cassie asked.
“David’s my partner,” he answered.
“Partner?”
“Yeah,” Gavin said. “Didn’t you know he’s bi, Cassie?”
Carter snorted. “Cassie would never believe that.”
“Is it really true?” Cassie said with the most surprised look on her face.
He stared at her. Surely she didn’t think Gavin was being serious?
“You know, we can ogle hot men together,” Cassie said, deadpan.
He pulled her flush against him. “You believe I’m bi?” he asked in a low voice, letting one hand slowly glide down her back towards her ass as he held her tight.
“Carter, stop it,” Cassie said with a giggle, pushing at his chest.
“Oh, God, I don’t want to see this,” Natasha said dryly, covering her eyes.
“What do you think?” he asked Cassie again, kissing her neck.
“No, you’re not! Let me go!” Cassie said, trying to squirm out of his embrace as she giggled some more.
“Hey, David’s on his way up,” Gavin announced. “You can ask him, Cass. He’ll tell you the truth.”
Carter loosened his embrace on Cassie, grinning. Damn, he was getting hot from playing with her, even with an audience.
“You’re such an exhibitionist,” Cassie said with a mock frown.
They heard the elevator ping and David walked in, greeting everyone a good morning.
“And you must be Cassie,” David said, gesturing for a handshake.
“Yes, good to meet you, David,” Cassie replied. “I heard you’re Carter’s partner?”
“Oh, so he’s told you? Yes, I am.”
“Hey, Dave. Cassie wants to know if Carter’s ever been bi,” Gavin said, winking at David behind Cassie’s back.
“Yeah,” David answered, quick on the uptake. “I thought that was common knowledge.”
The look on Cassie’s face was priceless, and Natasha and Gavin laughed.
“Stop teasing her,” Carter ordered the guys. “I’m not and have never been bisexual, sweetheart,” he said to Cassie. “Except for that one time when I had to pretend I was.”
“What do you mean?”
He took her hand and led her to Gavin’s dining table. He sat her down and faced her. “I’m not really an electrician, babe,” he started, his heart pounding from nerves.
“You’re not?” Cassie asked with a frown.
He shook his head. “I’m a detective and David’s my partner. Vera is also a detective who’s helping us in our current case.”
“Is this another joke?” she asked dryly.
“No.” He pulled out his badge from his jacket pocket and showed it to her.
Cassie stared at it, her eyes rounding.
“When Tash first moved in with you, she wasn’t sure if she’d be staying there for long. Remember how she’d planned to buy herself a new place, but later changed her mind because the two of you get along so well?”
Cassie nodded once.
“I mainly do undercover work, and I don’t usually tell acquaintances my real job because a couple of times before, my cover was inadvertently blown. It was easier and safer to tell people that I’m an electrician, and I do usually use that occupation as my cover. So the reason I lied to you in the first place was because I thought you’d just be another acquaintance who wouldn’t need to know what I really do for a living.”
Cassie simply stared at him. God, he hoped she’d forgive him.
He took a deep breath before continuing. “A few months ago, I realised I was attracted to you. I’d planned to tell you then that I was a detective so you’d stop thinking that I was the playboy you believed I was. In fact, a couple of the women that you thought were my girlfriends were actually undercover detectives themselves, working on a case with me. But before I had the chance to tell you, a new case was dropped into my lap. It’s a very important one, particularly because the cop who’d been working on it previously was murdered. He was Vera’s partner.”
Cassie’s hand flew to her mouth.
“And then Gavin got involved unexpectedly and was shot by someone from the same syndicate. Fortunately, we got to Gavin in time.”
Cassie glanced at Gavin, a shocked look on her face.
“When I found out you started working at Tellman Galleries, that made it impossible for me to tell you the truth, no matter how much I wanted to.”
“Why?” Cassie asked in a whisper.
“Because according to our investigations, Susan was connected with the crimes. With people getting killed
, we wanted to take the utmost care not to involve civilians for their own safety. I intended to stay away from you until the case was solved, but... you wanted to hook up,” he said with an affectionate smile. “And I just couldn’t stay away anymore.”
Cassie blushed, glancing shyly at the other guys.
“Men,” Natasha murmured, shaking her head.
“So is this why you have to date Susan?” Cassie asked.
He nodded and explained to her the suspect profile and the MO of the syndicate.
“Wow. And are you close to catching her red-handed?”
“Well, we just found out last night it’s not Susan. It’s Bronwyn.”
Cassie’s jaw dropped to the floor.
“Hell, dude,” Gavin murmured. “So you were right all along with your initial suspicion?”
“Looks like it,” he said, relaying what had transpired last night when he’d gone out with Susan.
“But there’s still no concrete evidence against Bronwyn?” Gavin asked.
“No,” he said in frustration. “That’s why we have to keep up with the act. We need something that will stick.”
“Much as I hate to say this,” Gavin said, “why hasn’t she tried to kill you yet?”
“I don’t know. If we’re right in thinking she knows I’m an undercover cop, then she must also know I’m not the only one watching her. So maybe she’s biding her time, or holding off until she’s figured out how she can get away with it.”
“Carter,” Cassie whispered, getting up from her seat and sitting on his lap. She buried her head in the crook of his neck.
“I’ll be okay,” he soothed, running his hand on her back.
“How do you know for sure?” she demanded.
Natasha sniffed.
“Hey, hey, girls. Come on. Everything’s going to be okay. Dave and the other cops have got my back.”
“I didn’t get this concern when I got shot,” Gavin quipped.
Natasha threw him a deadly glare. “You didn’t deign to tell me you were okay.”
Gavin relented. “Police orders, Tash. Sorry.”
“Whatever Bronwyn’s motivations are, we need to make sure all of you remain safe,” Carter said.
“What do you mean all of us?” Cassie said. “What about you?”
“Sure, babe. I’m being careful.”
The Undercover Playboy (Captured by Love Book 3) Page 12
