New York's Finest Rebel

by Trish Wylie

  ‘When I want something, nothing gets in my way,’ he told her in a deliberately low, intimate tone. ‘Make it difficult for me, I’ll want it more and work twice as hard to get it. So feel free to keep doing what you’re doing, but don’t say you weren’t warned.’

  When her eyes widened he leaned back, lifted his hands and turned away. She could interpret his words any way she liked. If she came to the conclusion he was talking about more than the secret she was keeping, he wasn’t certain she’d be wrong.

  Gothic chic was either going to be the death of her or get her arrested. For starters, her feet were killing her, but if she’d known she would end up walking the length and breadth of her old neighbourhood looking for Jack she would have changed. When it came to getting arrested, she might be grateful. Even if the charge was related to standing still for too long on a street corner as she tried to get her bearings, she could take comfort from the knowledge she was safe in the back of a squad car. When she looked over her shoulder and thought she could see someone moving in the shadows, her pace quickened.

  If Daniel saw where she was, she could imagine the lecture she’d get on personal safety. There hadn’t been a single set of flashing lights she hadn’t looked at twice or an echoing siren that hadn’t turned her head. Every time it happened she would find herself thinking of him and what he’d said before he left the coffee shop.

  He couldn’t possibly have meant what she thought he meant. But what was worse was her reaction. Instead of being outraged or angry or laughing in his face, she had been turned on, big time. Her breath had caught, her pulse had skipped, and her breasts had ached. She’d even had to press her thighs together. No man had ever had such an immediate erotic effect on her.

  That it was him?

  A shiver ran down her spine, forcing her to look over her shoulder again. Ridiculously she wished he were there, but in her defence she was starting to get seriously creeped out. The presence of a six-foot-two police officer could have made her feel better, even if they argued every step of the way.

  Taking a breath, she shook off her paranoia. She could take care of herself. Harsh truth was, until Liv, the only person she had ever been able to depend on was herself.

  Tugging the edges of her long black coat together in an attempt to hide what she was wearing, she stopped and looked up at the neon sign before opening the door. If Jack wasn’t in there she swore he was on his own this time.

  ‘Well, hello, gorgeous! You want to come over here and—’

  Jo glared at the man who stepped in front of her. ‘I have pepper spray and I’m not afraid to use it.’

  She didn’t, but he didn’t know that.

  ‘Mikey, leave the lady alone,’ a voice called from behind the long wooden bar. ‘She’s way out of your league.’

  She smiled when she got there. ‘Hey, Ben.’

  ‘Hey, Jo,’ he beamed in reply. ‘How’s my best girl?’

  ‘She’s good. He here?’

  Ben nodded. ‘Back room.’

  ‘He run up a tab?’

  ‘Made a deal with you, didn’t we?’

  ‘Thanks, Ben.’

  Jo made her way through the crowd, regretting how much time it had taken to get through her work so she could begin the search. If she’d got away earlier, not only would it not be dark outside, it wouldn’t have got to the point where she had to attempt to carry Jack home. She sighed heavily.

  Ahead of her was the inevitable debate about whether or not it was time to leave. She knew exactly what he would say, the excuses he would make, how many random strangers she would have to be polite to while she gritted her teeth. It was a scenario she’d experienced countless times.

  No matter how far she managed to get from her past, she could always rely on Jack to remind her of her roots.

  The thought of Daniel being able to do the same thing …

  She rolled her eyes. Enough with the thinking about him, already! It was getting to the point where it felt as if he were with her wherever she went.

  Daniel leaned back against the wall and frowned. Any guilt he might have felt about tailing her had disappeared within five minutes of arriving at her destination.

  What the hell had she got herself into?

  Judging by the number of times she did a double take at passing police vehicles or lifted her chin when she heard a siren, it wasn’t anything good. He waited to see if she spent the same two minutes in the eighth bar as she had in the other seven. When she hadn’t reappeared after twenty minutes he was contemplating crossing the street. Then the doors opened.

  The man staggered back a step as she helped him get his arm into the sleeve of his coat. He had obviously been in the bar for a lot longer than she had. Placing his arm across her shoulders, she wrapped one of hers around his waist before steering him along the sidewalk.

  What was she doing with a guy like that? Apart from the fact he was twice her age, she shouldn’t be with someone she had to go searching for in bars. Daniel was disproportionately disappointed in her considering their relationship. He might have made several digs about her sex life, but a woman who looked as she did, who was as smart as she was and could turn a guy on the way she’d—

  Grinding his teeth together hard enough to crack the enamel, he thought about finding the nearest subway station. Why should he care what she was doing when she plainly didn’t? But before he could leave the man staggered sideways, slammed Jo into a wall, and something inside Daniel snapped.

  Reaching a hand beneath the neck of his sweater to pull out the badge hanging on a chain around his neck, he checked for traffic and jogged across the street. Once he’d caught up to them, he set a firm hand on the man’s shoulder and pushed him back a couple of steps. ‘NYPD—you, over there.’ He pointed a finger at Jo. ‘And you stay right where you are.’

  Her eyes widened in disbelief as he turned towards her. ‘You’re following me now?’

  ‘Cop, remember? What did you think I was gonna do?’

  ‘You’re unbelievable!’

  ‘And you’re damn lucky you had a bodyguard for the last couple of hours considering where you are. What the hell did you think you were doing coming out here alone? Do you have any idea the number of shots-fired reports we get from this neighbourhood?’ When her companion staggered forward, Daniel glared at him from the corner of his eye. ‘I wouldn’t if I were you, buddy. I’ll tell you when you can move.’

  The man lowered his chin, his words slurred. ‘You can’t talk to my—’

  ‘Shut up, Jack,’ Jo continued, frowning at Daniel. ‘How dare you—?’

  ‘Oh, I dare,’ he replied. ‘What’s more, you’re going to tell me exactly what’s going on and you can do it here or you can do it at the nearest precinct. Your call.’

  ‘You can’t arrest me.’

  ‘Wanna bet?’

  ‘I haven’t done anything!’

  Daniel nodded. ‘Okay, then, I’ll arrest him. Seems to me he could do with a night in a cell to sober up.’

  When he turned, a hand gripped his arm.

  ‘Don’t.’ The dark pools of her eyes sparkled as she let go of his arm, gathered control and lowered her voice. ‘I just need to get him home.’

  Going to the nearest precinct felt like the better option to Daniel, but something stopped him. She was still angry—he could feel it radiating from her in waves—but he had been in enough situations to know when there was more to the story. It made him wish for better light so he could search for a clue. If he’d had a flashlight he would have aimed it at her eyes.

  Taking a long, measured breath, he gave good old Jack the once-over while making his decision. ‘How far?’

  ‘Four blocks.’

  ‘And you were planning on carrying him there?’

  ‘Daniel—’

  ‘You lead the way, I’ll bring him, and when we get there we’re having a long talk.’

  ‘You think?’

  Crossing his jaw as he watched her turn and walk away, Dan
iel reached out a hand and grabbed hold of a sleeve before the man next to him fell over. ‘Throw up on me and I’m still arresting you.’

  The journey took twice as long as it would if all three of them had been able to walk in a straight line. Most of which an impatient Daniel spent shutting the guy down every time he tried to start a conversation. Once they got there Jo ushered the older man into the bathroom of a sparsely furnished one-bed apartment. Daniel paced the small living room while he waited. Then something caught his eye.

  Stopping in front of a set of bookshelves, he reached out and picked up a framed certificate that had been presented to Jorja Elizabeth Dawson for perfect attendance in the sixth grade. Lifting his chin, he then discovered a photograph propped against a pile of books further in. It was a younger Jack standing in front of what looked like a Ferris wheel, his arms around a skinny kid with long, dark pigtails and a huge grin that revealed two missing front teeth.

  Daniel realized his mistake in an instant and the second he did felt like the biggest jackass on the face of the earth. Glancing at the hall from the corner of his eye he found Jo watching him in silence.

  ‘He’s your father,’ he said with certainty.

  ‘Yes,’ she replied.

  ‘You should have told me.’

  ‘If I’d wanted you to know, I would.’

  After placing the certificate back on the shelf, he turned towards her and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. ‘How long has he been drinking?’

  ‘It would be quicker to tell you when he wasn’t.’ She shrugged a shoulder and damped her lips with the tip of her tongue as she avoided his gaze. ‘It’s worse one month than the other eleven. This just happens to be that one month.’

  When she looked at him, Daniel experienced a sensation he’d never felt before. Inwardly squirming didn’t quite cover it. Not when it felt as if his internal organs were trying to crawl away and find a place to hide.

  He took a deep breath. ‘Jo—’

  The door behind her opened and Jack appeared, taking an uneven path from wall to wall until he stopped and swayed on his feet. As Jo turned towards him Daniel stepped forward and freed his hands.

  ‘I owe you an apology for the misunderstanding.’ He held out an arm and shook her father’s hand. ‘Daniel Brannigan. I’m a friend of your daughter.’

  There was a soft derisive snort from his right. ‘Bit of an exaggeration, don’t you think?’

  ‘I was worried about her.’

  ‘Since when?’

  Considering he deserved whatever she tossed at him, Daniel sucked it up and looked her straight in the eye as he added, ‘I thought she was in some kind of trouble.’

  ‘Not my Jo,’ Jack slurred. ‘She’s a good girl.’ He dropped his chin and squinted. ‘You’re a cop?’

  ‘Yes.’ Swearing inwardly, Daniel reached for his badge to tuck it away. ‘Emergency Services Unit.’

  ‘People need help they call 911.’ Jack grinned. ‘Cops need help they call the ESU.’

  ‘That’s us.’ Daniel nodded.

  ‘You want a drink?’

  ‘Good luck finding one,’ Jo interjected. ‘I cleaned you out last night.’

  Daniel shook his head. ‘No, thank you. I’m just gonna see your daughter home safely if that’s okay with you.’

  ‘That won’t be necessary,’ she said tightly.

  He looked into her eyes again, his tone firm. ‘It’s the least I can do.’

  ‘Okay.’ She smiled sweetly. ‘We can have that talk you wanted on the way back. While I get Jack settled, how about you have a good long think about the things you want to say to me?’ Scrunching her nose in mocking delight, she placed an arm around her father’s waist. ‘Come on, Jack, let’s go.’

  As they left Daniel dropped his head back, stared at the ceiling and took a deep breath.

  It was going to be the longest subway ride of his life.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  ‘Don’t you love it when you find something you forgot you bought in the sales? It’s true what people say: look closely and you might be surprised what you find.’

  ‘YOU know what this reminds me of?’

  Daniel’s gaze shifted to tangle with hers from across the compartment. ‘We’re talking now, are we?’

  ‘No. I’m talking. You don’t get to speak yet.’

  As the train slowed he glanced out of the window behind her. Jo had a sneaking suspicion he was counting down stations in the same way an imprisoned man might mark off the days of his sentence on a wall. But if he thought she’d forgive him because he’d had the sense to keep his mouth shut since they left Jack’s place …

  ‘It reminds me of the number of times I’ve heard my best friend complain about her brothers running background checks on every guy they ever saw her with.’ She angled her head in thought. ‘I used to think it was funny, now not so much …’

  ‘We were looking out for her,’ he said flatly.

  ‘Why can I hear you?’

  When he breathed deep and exhaled in a way that suggested he was running out of patience, she folded her arms. ‘Beats me why you didn’t put one of those tracking anklets on her.’

  ‘If you mean a tether, we considered it.’

  It was exactly the kind of opening he should have known not to give her. ‘What gives you the right to interfere in other people’s lives?’

  ‘It’s called concern.’

  ‘It’s called harassment.’

  ‘I’m not going to apologize for following you.’

  Her brows lifted. ‘Excuse me?’

  ‘While you were giving me the silent treatment, I had time to think it over.’ Stretching long legs, he spread his feet a little wider and shrugged. ‘Considering where you ended up I’m not sorry I followed you. From now on, if you have to go there at night, I’ll be going with you.’

  Oh, no, he wouldn’t. ‘I’m not your sister.’

  ‘I’m more than aware of that,’ he replied tightly.

  ‘You can’t tell me what to do.’

  ‘No. But I can tell you how it is.’ Briefly glancing at the other passenger in the compartment, he brought his legs back towards him. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees and lowered his voice. ‘Something happens to you I won’t have it on my conscience. It’s crowded enough already.’

  When she frowned he leaned back, his profile turned to her and the muscle working in his jawline. Jo wanted to stay mad at him, still hadn’t forgiven him and refused point-blank to be told what she could and couldn’t do. But at the same time—much as she’d prefer if it didn’t—the insight softened her a little, especially when telling her had obviously cost him something. It was his way of making amends, wasn’t it?

  Drumming her fingers on her arm, she tried to decide if she felt like being reasonable. On the one hand, she’d been conscious of the fact she was alone at night in an area where she was likely to get mugged, or worse. On the other, she’d grown up in that neighbourhood, could take care of herself and wouldn’t have been so creeped out if she hadn’t been followed.

  It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate the concern for her safety—as unexpected as it was coming from him—or that he’d apologized to Jack and shown respect to a man many people would at best have pitied. It was just, if she was honest, it stung that he knew.

  Everyone had things they weren’t comfortable with other people knowing. As he’d been when he told her something he had to know would leave her more curious than before …

  Darn it, she really didn’t want to be reasonable.

  But he wasn’t forgiven.

  As the train rocked along the tracks she thought about the last time she had to deal with someone who’d learnt about Jack. Difference was with Liv she had been in control what she chose to divulge. Liv hadn’t pushed. Liv would never have followed her. But even after six years and with a traumatic experience to bond them together, Jo knew she held things back. It was what she’d done for the vast majority of her life.
She didn’t think she would ever change.

  As he looked out of the window behind her Daniel stood up. ‘We change here.’

  Jo grimaced when she got to her feet. Determined not to reveal she was suffering in the name of fashion, she grabbed hold of one of the vertical metal bars while they waited for the train to stop and the doors to slide open. Walking with an enviable ease to the other side of the platform, Daniel looked over his shoulder and stilled.

  ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘Nothing,’ she answered through gritted teeth.

  Turning, he studied her feet while she focused on the bench in the middle of the platform. ‘Would kill you to ask for help, wouldn’t it?’

  ‘They’re blisters, not broken legs.’

  As she sat down he turned to check the tunnel for signs of an oncoming train before pushing his hands into the pockets of his jeans. Since he took a good long look at her boots when he turned around, Jo leaned back on the bench and allowed her coat to fall open. Resting her palms on the plastic beams, she crossed her legs. When his gaze shifted sharply to the extra inches of thigh the move revealed, she stifled a satisfied smile. Knowing she could get to him had always helped, even if the rash impulse to discover just how much she affected him in that way probably wasn’t the best idea she’d ever had.

  With a single blink, his gaze snapped to attention and locked with hers. She jerked her brows in reply.

  It earned an almost imperceptible shake of his head. ‘I’d heard women don’t wear boots like that for comfort.’

  Goosebumps erupted on her skin when she heard his voice. Deeper, rougher, it conjured up the kind of thoughts her self-preservation was forced to stamp with ‘CENSORED’ before her imagination provided the images to go with them.

  ‘These boots definitely weren’t made for walking,’ she mused as she rocked her crossed leg.

  ‘Begs the question of why you didn’t think to change.’

  Jo angled her chin. ‘You have a real problem with what I’m wearing, don’t you? Don’t tell me you prefer your women in crinolines. Carrying a parasol maybe? Someone who will drop her handkerchief and swoon as you pass by … who’d be eternally grateful when you come to her rescue …’