by Alaska Jones
“Cage,” Jenna says, making me look down.
“What?” I snap at her. “I told you I don’t work with other people, and now you see why. We’re leaving.”
“No!” She grabs my elbow, eyes pleading. “We’re already here, and that was an honest mistake that won’t happen again. Please, I’ll have a chance to see my friends one last time before we leave town.”
I heave a sigh. This place is better than some motel in the middle of nowhere, I’ll give her that. I’d rather not worry about her safety while I’m busy taking out Hunt and Dwight, but we’ll have to discuss their security protocol. Particularly, who else is invited to the party.
“Fine.” I untangle myself from her grip and reach for the whiskey bottle that Charlie has taken out from a mini bar, along with two glasses. “Give me that.” I pour two fingers for me and Charlie, shooting a dark look at Lincoln when I don’t see a third glass. “What about you? Are you underage, or is it your IED?”
“IED…?” Jenna murmurs as Lincoln glares at me.
“Yeah. Intermittent explosive disorder. Rage management issues. Call it what you like, I still wouldn’t send him to guard anyone I care about.” I look at Charlie, downing the whiskey.
“Is there?” he asks, sipping his drink. I raise an eyebrow. “Anyone you care about?”
Ouch. Jenna glances at me out of a corner of her eye, but she already knows how I feel about her, and I’m not going to discuss it in front of strangers.
“Got me!” I give Charlie the answer he wants to hear, shrugging nonchalantly as I pour myself another glass. He smoothes down his short graying beard and looks thoughtfully at Jenna before sitting down behind the desk.
“What happened to your arm?” she asks.
“Nothing serious,” he waves it off. “Are you hungry?”
“No,” she says with a smile. “I must admit, when Lincoln said safe house, I didn’t expect anything like this,” she points around her and goes to sit on a leather couch.
“Ah, yes,” he chuckles. “A friend of mine is out of town, and he kindly offered his place, knowing what happened.”
“What did happen, anyway?” I cut in, tired of keeping track of all the questions in my head.
Charlie’s brown eyes darken as he looks up, and I do not like the way they scrutinize me. The only thing I don’t like more is the disapproving looks he’s been giving Jenna, and while he has every reason to do so, he also has to know that I don’t appreciate him intruding into my territory.
I put down the glass and walk over to the couch, draping an arm around Jenna’s shoulders as I sit down next to her. Charlie’s eyes nearly burn a hole in me while I look her over, then raise my gaze to meet his. Seeing my flat stare, he drops his gaze soon enough, probably having taken the silent warning in my eyes seriously. I see him frown as he struggles to remember what we were talking about.
“Well, what happened is Tony’s screw-up caught up to us, and innocent people got hurt. I no longer care about his motives. What he did was not right.”
It takes me a second to realize that by Tony he means Hunt. He runs a hand through his raven hair, brushing it back, as he thinks over his next words.
“I mean, people have been coming and going all week, looking for him, but that was it. I was trying to stabilize the situation somehow, with him gone, and apparently, he owed money to everyone who’s anyone in this city. When I told them Velvet and I had nothing to do with that, they didn’t care, of course. Then, last night, some fools showed up and started shooting, demanding that Tony came down to the club. Two of my men are at the hospital, and a few customers got trampled, but no deaths, thank God. Velvet has been shut down, along with the other two clubs, until all this is sorted out. Tony is the sole owner, so I don’t know what we’re going to do with them and if we’ll be able to reopen. I’d prefer if all that work wasn’t for nothing, and people didn’t lose their jobs, so we’re looking for Tony now. Unless it’s taken care of, none of us are safe.”
Jenna nods her head, seemingly lost in thought. “And Tina? She wasn’t there last night, was she?”
“No. I gave the girls a week off and called in all the boys, since we didn’t have many customers without you anyway,” he says with a sad smile. “I can send someone for her, if you want.”
“That would be great. I’m not sure how much longer we’ll be in town.” She looks up at me, a question in her eyes, and I see how Charlie’s face changes at the we.
“Two days at most. Have you got anything on Hunt yet? Last I checked, he was at Marquez’s villa.”
Charlie shakes his head. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told Detective Miller – all this is a total surprise for me. Of course, I knew about Tony’s involvement with the mob, but there were never any problems. So when this happened, I didn’t have much to work with. Miller asked if I knew about any of Anthony’s facilities that weren’t on their list. I don’t have that kind of information.”
“Why did he come here, instead of calling you in?”
“He said this whole situation is kind of a big deal, since the FBI was working the case before Tony fucked it up when he stole the drugs, and now they are riding him, Miller. He doesn’t want to be in the middle of that. I owed him one, so I agreed to share what I knew, off the record. How do you know him?”
“The same way I know all the others,” I wave my hand. “But this one took it to the next level. He’s been on my tail for two years. I’ll have to take him out if he sees my face, so I’d appreciate it if you stayed away from him for a while. In fact, I’ll need to take a look at the list of all the visitors you’re expecting today.”
“Alright… Um, I left my briefcase in the car.” He looks at Lincoln. “Could you please get it for me?”
“Sure.” He grabs the keys and leaves with what sounds like a relieved breath. The moment he closes the door, Charlie looks at me.
“If I hear you bully him again, I’ll shoot you in the leg,” he says casually. “He’s a good boy.”
“A good boy and a time bomb.”
“He’s had a rough life, but he’s got it under control here. He would never hurt anyone without a reason.”
“Has he ever flipped out in front of you?”
“No.”
“Then you don’t know what it’s like, when someone his size and skill loses his shit. He took out three men today, in a small space, without a scratch on him. Someone with IED shouldn’t be used as a living weapon.”
“That’s not…” Charlie waves me off irritably. “I’ll think about it. Let me show you to your rooms.”
Rooms, I scoff in my head, pulling Jenna with me as I stand up. We follow Charlie down the same hallway and across the hall to the other wing, where he shows us two almost identical bedrooms.
“Care to share what your plan is?” he asks me as we stand by the door to Jenna’s room.
“Maybe. I need to go check on something first,” I say, watching Lincoln return with the briefcase. “I will borrow him for a while, if you don’t mind.”
Charlie frowns, but nods his head. “Sure. You need anything else?” he turns to Jenna.
“No, I’m good, thanks.”
“You don’t have to stay in here all day. There’s a pool and a hot tub in the basement.”
Her eyes light up, before she frowns again. “I don’t have a swimsuit with me.”
“Well…” Charlie scratches his head, looking up and down the hallway. “You won’t need it if we put someone by the door to make sure no one comes in.” He looks at Lincoln.
“Not him,” I object before he can even say it. “He’ll be with me all day,” I lie when Charlie gives me a curious look. Like hell I’m leaving Robot Boy to watch her swim naked. “Just put one of the guards by her door, she’ll be alright. I’ll go get the bags.”
Jenna’s skeptical face almost makes me laugh – I definitely didn’t fool her, but she knows me better than Charlie. I turn and bump into Lincoln, who stares at me as if I owe him a milli
on dollars.
“What did you say?” he asks quietly. Charlie has already disappeared in some room down the hallway.
“You’re going with me.” He opens his mouth to protest, but I slap a hand on his shoulder, turning him around. “I’m going to teach you to be invisible.”
Chapter 30
Jenna
Someone knocks on my door just as I flop down on the bed after unpacking all the things I might need.
“Come in!”
Charlie sticks his head inside, a shaky smile on his face. “Just wanted to let you know that Tina’s on her way here.”
“Great! Thank you so much!” I’ve forgotten what it feels like to have a big smile on my face. “I didn’t think I’d have a chance to see her before we leave LA.”
He nods, lingering by the door, as if unsure whether to go or stay. “Jenna… Are you sure about this?” His brows draw together in a frown, and he shuts the door and comes over to sit on the bed.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, leaving for good with Cage. That’s the plan, right?” His uneasiness makes me tense, and I find myself fiddling with the bedcover just to keep my hands busy. “When Tina told me something was going on with the two of you, I didn’t think you’d actually leave town with him. And I know I have no right to tell you what to do – I’m not your father, after all. But now that you’re not dating my boss, and I can at least share my opinion, I feel like I have to. I hope this doesn’t offend you, but it seems to me, you’re risking a lot for a man you barely know.”
“Charlie, it’s okay. I’d be surprised if you didn’t say anything.” His smile is still a bit tight, but he looks up at me and shrugs. “I know it sounds crazy, but it just… feels right, you know? It’s been just over a week, but so much has happened, it’s impossible to explain. And Cage may seem a bit rough around the edges, but there’s more to him than meets the eye. Deep down, he’s good, I know it. It seems like he lost his way at some point, but he had already had a plan to quit and leave town before all this happened. We’re not running – we’re starting over, both of us.”
“You can never really quit something like this, Jenna. I’m worried about your safety with him. God knows, I remember what it’s like to fall in love, but is it worth risking your life? I just wish you’d think about it some more, because you know we’d take care of you here if you needed. We could come up with some- ” he speaks so fast, I can’t bear how upset he is.
“I’m not doing this because I think I have nowhere else to go, Charlie,” I interrupt him. “I want to go with him. LA was only as good as my illusions. Really, I should’ve left a long time ago, when I found out what kind of man Anthony really was. I came here because I thought I found everything I needed, but in the end, I only found good friends.” I reach out to squeeze his hand, getting a tiny smile from him. “I’ll miss you all, and Velvet, and even the city, but staying here feels like staying in the past. I don’t even care where we’re going, and I trust him that we’ll be safe to start over. He wouldn’t lie just to get me to come with him. He actually tried to kick me out when he thought I wasn’t safe there anymore.”
“He did, huh?” Charlie raises a brow, and I nod my head. “And it doesn’t bother you, what he is?”
“Of course, it does. But look at me and Anthony, how was it any better? Me, staying with him for all the wrong reasons, and him, lying to me about who he really was. How am I supposed to know now, maybe he’s done much worse things than Cage did? At least, with Cage, I know it’s honest and real. If he wants to start over, who am I to say if it’s right or wrong?”
“So it was your idea, going with him?” I can still see disbelief in his eyes, even after everything I’ve said.
“He didn’t want to take me, but I made him, yes.”
Charlie grunts and nods his head. “Well, congrats to you on being able to make that man do anything…”
My cheeks warm up when I remember how I was able to make Cage change his mind, and I look down, making sure my hair covers the bruises on my neck.
“Anyway, he does seem like a solid fellow,” Charlie continues, unaware of the dirty images in my head. “And I never had to doubt your intelligence, so I hope it all works out for you.” I smile at him as he gets up and heads to the door. “I’ll have your things brought to you. There wasn’t much in your locker, but I also packed a couple souvenirs from the club. Tina offered to help pack your things from the apartment, once it’s safe. We could ship it to you later.”
“Thanks, Charlie. That would be great.”
I smile as I watch him leave and turn to the window. It overlooks the courtyard and the road, and I lose track of time as I gaze through the glass, remembering my time at Velvet. How different it seemed in the beginning, how inspired I was when I finally “made it”, so in love with everything and everyone at once. How far away those times seem now, with half of the memories stained by Anthony’s lies and short temper, and how relieved I am that I’ll never have to see him again.
It’s only when I see a car pull up before the front door that I realize I have tears on my face. I wipe my cheeks and wave to Tina as she looks up, searching for me in the windows.
She won’t forgive me if I don’t have any tears left for her.
Chapter 31
Cage
I make my way to the basement, not having found Jenna in her room or the kitchen. A suited guard steps in my way the second I reach the door.
“I’ve been instructed not to let anyone in. Come back later,” he says in a deep voice.
“If it’s the redhead inside, then it’s anyone except me.” I hold his gaze, and after a moment’s hesitation, he steps aside.
Jenna flinches and turns to look at me when I shut the heavy wooden door. Only her head and shoulders are visible from the hot tub. She smiles in a half-hearted way, seemingly preoccupied by something else, and I walk through the dimly lit, marble-and-wood room to her.
“You’re back, huh,” she murmurs, watching me take off my shirt and jeans. I spot a couple of white bathrobes on a shelf and undress all the way before slipping into the hot water at her side.
“Miss me?”
Her lips quirk up in a bit more genuine way, and she slides her palm over my chest, pretending to think about it. “Mmm… Yes, I think so.”
I pull her up to her feet, and she rests her head on my shoulder as her arms wrap around me. I give her a moment, trying not to think about her naked body, before lifting her chin up and taking a good look at her face.
“What’s wrong?” The sight of her puffy eyes stirs a worry deep inside me. She shakes her head, forcing out a nervous smile.
“It’s nothing. Just Tina, she got me all worked up, how it’s the end of an era and all that.”
“Are you thinking about staying?”
“No,” she shakes her head again. “There’s nothing for me here.”
“But you’re still sad.”
“I’m not, really… It’s just, everything’s so uncertain, you know? Like everything’s out of control, and I can’t do anything about it.”
“That’s not true.” I look into her eyes, stroking her cheek with my thumb as I cradle her head in my hand. “I’ve got everything under control, and you just gotta have control over me.”
“Yeah, right,” she laughs. “You’re only saying this to make me feel better.”
“No, I mean it. Right now, you’re controlling about… ninety-nine percent of my brain.” I let my hand slip down to grip her butt, and she yelps, then smacks at my chest with a hearty laugh. Her lips press to mine when I bend down, and it’s my turn to admit that I missed her, with her soft skin, quiet moans, and gentle touch. She pulls back before I can get carried away.
“Tina will be back later. She went home to get her things so she could stay here for a couple days.”
“Are you telling me I’ll have to share you with someone else while we have this fantastic hot tub and a guard outside to keep everyone out?”
>
“Hey, you boys had your fun, whatever you were doing all day. Now it’s my turn.” I snort and shake my head. “Which reminds me – you didn’t take Lincoln somewhere to kill him, did you?”
“I wish.” I say dreamily, and she smacks me again with a grin. “No, I just took him to watch Hunt’s building. They’ll move the load to a new place tonight, after I brought it up on the phone. I don’t know if Dwight will be there, so I need someone to follow them. Besides, someone had to teach him how to do it properly and not to stick out like a big, British- ”
“Stop it!” she exclaims. “Your jealousy is ridiculous, you know that?”
“Jealousy? You think I’m jealous because some puppy-faced boy saved the day?” I scoff. “No way.”
“He’s not puppy-faced!” she laughs. “He’s fine.”
“Oh yes, he’s fine. Pretty boy, he could be on a Playgirl cover. You’d love that, wouldn’t you…” I mock her, wrapping her legs around me as I press her to the tub.
“You could be on any magazine cover yourself if you wanted.”
“Eh… I’m afraid, that road’s closed for me.”
She chuckles and locks her arms around my neck. “Just don’t tell him about the puppy face. It’s mean. Maybe, he’s just sad.”
“Sure, he’s sad. I’d be sad too if I looked like that.”
She laughs, but gives me a stern look. “I mean it. I don’t like bullies.”
I put on my best British accent, rolling my eyes. “Bloody women. Can’t have any fun around them.” The way she shakes with laughter does all kinds of wonderful things to my body.
“I hope your new identity is not British, because I don’t ever wanna hear that again.” Her hand flies up to her mouth as she gasps, “I completely forgot I’ll need a new name! Gosh, I don’t even know where to start.”
“Sweetheart, it’s just a name. Pick one.”
“It’s not just a name! I’ll have to live with it. First name, middle name, last name. They have to be perfect.”
