by Karen Renee
My forehead fell to his broad chest. “Do you think she’s been...she was with him while...” I struggled to finish the thought.
Clint cupped my chin to tilt face toward his. “Does it matter? In the big scheme of things, does it? I don’t think it does. It’s wrong, especially if they’re doing what I think they are—”
“Which is...?”
“Conspiring to have you killed. He either recoups his money or she gets half of it, either way, over a million dollars is motive enough for murder.”
I closed my eyes. Angela with Trey hurt, but the idea she would have anything to do with having me killed went beyond painful.
Since I didn’t hear the walker, Mom’s voice surprised the hell out of me.
“What’s goin’ on in here? Why’s she look like she lost her—”
“She did,” Clint said.
Mom’s brows knit. “How’s that?”
“Let’s sit down, Mom, and I’ll tell you all about it.”
Clint nodded. “Do that. I’m calling Paul.”
MOM STARED AT ME FOR quite a while. Finally, she asked, “Where’s she live?”
I widened my eyes at her. “Mom. I appreciate that, but Clint’s right. It doesn’t matter.”
“Doesn’t matter?” She laughed bitterly. “Since the cat’s out of the bag, I’ve been cheated on and I’ve cheated on someone. If that hussy were any kind of friend at all...” she looked away as she trailed off. Then her eyes swung to me full of ire. “She stood up for you at your wedding! Then she held your hand through your divorce, but she’s suddenly with that asshole? She’s more of a snake in the grass than he is.”
“And I’m just their chump. God! How could I have been so stupid?”
Clint strode into the room. “Woman, I’ve told you. You aren’t stupid. Jesus. Give yourself a break. You’re taking on how many life-changing events in the span of a few months? Two, which has become four, maybe five, life changes at once? Cut yourself some slack.”
“How’s she got five life changing events?” Mom asked.
I was mentally calculating it and coming up short, too.
Clint looked at Mom but settled his hard stare on me holding up a hand. “Within the past two months, give or take, you’ve had: a divorce, a job change, a death in your immediate family. That’s three. Wynnie’s death has forced you into the role of your mother’s caretaker on some level. Four. Now that I’m back in the mix, you’re gonna be moving. Five. But seriously, the only life changes you don’t have are marriage and pregnancy.”
When he put it like that, I didn’t feel so bad. Then I stupidly blurted, “Though, just last night you were trying to get me pregnant, so...maybe all but one big life change.”
He hung his head for a beat. “Right. Given all this shit, I’ll hold off on that—”
“Don’t you dare,” Mom cut in.
I whipped my gaze to hers. “Are you nuts?”
She beamed. “Not even a little bit. Hell, I got what I hoped for with you two. Now I have a whole new hope.”
I opened my mouth to discourage her, but Clint made a noise. When I looked at him, he gave a barely-there shake of his head. And I felt a new wave of tears because the tenderness he showed Mom made me love him even more.
Clint
I KNEW PENNY WOULD be tickled pink at me knocking Raegan up, but I didn’t expect her to be that excited about it. So, if having something to hope for made her boat float, then so be it.
When Rae and I lived together, she had been extremely hard on herself with her studies. Seemed she still held herself to high standards, but that had to change. She couldn’t beat herself up over Angela and Garrity’s actions. That woman having a relationship with Garrity made her the bad person in this situation, not Raegan. No woman would expect that of her girlfriend.
While I had spoken to Paul, he mentioned using his connections to get access to Garrity’s cell phone records, and Angela’s, too. It was a long shot and might take some time, but my gut told me we were finally on the right path. Plus, I had to get Angela’s full name from Raegan. Paul suggested hitting up Debenedetti for more information regarding the hit, and whether the request came from a woman.
It would not surprise me for Garrity to put distance between himself and the hit being ordered so that if it was found out he could blame it all on Angela and absolve himself from it. Thinking about that, I realized that if possible, we should try to pit Angela against Garrity.
Hearing Rae say she would be in New York on Thursday, I nearly lost my temper in the loudest way possible, but Raegan knew what she was doing putting Angela on speaker. With a specific day she intended to be somewhere, it put pressure on the people who wanted to take her out. If we were lucky, they would make another move either tonight or sometime tomorrow.
It pained me to do it, but I stepped onto the back patio to call Debenedetti.
“Clint. Are you calling because you won’t be—”
“I’m calling because I need to keep Rae away from her mother tonight. She found something out today, and she relayed some information that should force the hand of whoever took the contract.”
“Why do you say ‘should?’”
I ignored his question. “Since you know there’s a contract out for Rae’s death and that it came from out of town, do you know if the request came from a woman?”
He was silent for a beat. “I don’t. Give me an hour, I’ll get back to you. Though, I’m not sure if my source will be as forthcoming since I’ve laid down my protection for Raegan. If not, I’ll have to—”
I realized there was no way his source would tell him shit. “I don’t care what you have to do. Whatever it takes to find out, do it. Better yet, get one of your guys to do it. Raegan called her closest friend in New York City today and overheard her with Rae’s ex-husband. The friend sounded flustered the entire conversation, until Rae mentioned being back in New York on Thursday. That’s why things should ramp up with the hit. Whoever took the contract wants the cash, and if Rae’s back up north, taking her out becomes impossible.”
“She’s as smart as Penelope,” he muttered.
I fought off the unpleasant visual of him with Penny. “Probably so, Debenedetti. Let me know who requested the hit, and if you can cover Penny’s house, because Raegan will be at my place tonight.”
“Got it,” he said, and hung up.
I raked a hand through my hair. At the rate things were going, I would owe Brock a crap-load of favors when this was over. I sent him a quick text message to let me know if he was free tonight.
My phone chimed immediately with his response.
Penny’s just dying to hear my Navy stories, isn’t she?
I called him, now that I knew he had his phone in hand.
“Why do you call me right after you text?” he asked.
“Listen, this is more than just spending the night for Penny’s sake.”
“Got that when Gabe had to sleep with a gun next to him, man.”
I blew out a sigh. “Well, I anticipate things amping up tonight, or tomorrow at the very latest.”
“Why?”
I ran it down for him, and he said, “Makes sense.”
“Yeah, so if you’re not cool with possible gunfire—”
“Ramsey, I was gonna go through the academy, but you hooked me up with this gig. I’m cool with whatever comes my way, man.”
I wanted to say it was easy for him to say that, but then I remembered he served in the Navy.
“All right man, if your woman doesn’t mind...”
Brock chuckled. “If it weren’t for the imminent threat, I’d bring her with me. Penny reminds me of Cecilia’s MeMaw, so I know they would get along like two peas in a pod.”
For a moment the thought of Penny staying at Brock’s place hit me, but then I remembered his was a third-floor walk-up. She might have been comfortable with Gabe and Cassie, but Cassie’s place was a third-floor unit, too.
“Text me when you can get here.”
“You got it, man. Later.”
As I stepped back into the living room, I noticed Penny had lowered the volume on the television enough she could eavesdrop. I crossed my arms on my chest. “You lookin’ for a job, Pen?”
Her head reared back. “Do not take liberties, Clint Ramsey. Nobody calls me ‘Pen.’ And I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I shook my head. “Fine. We’ll pretend you always have the volume this low. Anyway, Brock will be here with you tonight. He’ll have a gun with him. I don’t think the people after Rae will come here, but I’m not taking any chances.”
She nodded. “And where are you taking Raegan?”
“My place. Also, one of Tommy’s men will be watching your house.”
“But not yours?”
I shook my head. “I don’t need to owe him, Penny. I know you don’t understand that, but it’s the way it is.”
“Macho men,” she muttered.
I chuckled. “Believe me, it isn’t me being macho. It’s the fact he’s a criminal –convicted or not– and I’m on the other side of that.”
She arched a gray brow. “Didn’t sound that way when he was here.”
“Penny,” I said in a stern tone.
She held her hands up. “Okay, okay. I just want to know my daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law will be safe.”
“We’ll be fine. Better than that, this shit should be over soon.”
Raegan came into the room looking between the two of us. “What are you two discussing? I’ve never felt so much tension between you guys.”
Penny smiled brightly. “No tension, Rae. Just making sure you’ll both be safe.”
Raegan looked at me. “We’re going to your place, right? I packed a bag. I’m ready when you are.”
I grinned. “We’re not ready until Brock gets here, but I’m glad you’re on it, baby.”
Chapter 24
Autumn in New York
Raegan
INSIDE CLINT’S HOME, I tucked my bag next to the nightstand on what I considered ‘my side’ of the bed. Then I hesitated, and Clint noticed since he was in the bedroom with me.
“What’s wrong, Rae?”
I caught his eyes. “Were you serious about laying off getting me preggers? Or are you going to heed Mom’s advice and keep trying? I kinda need to know.”
His eyes narrowed a smidge. “Why?”
I blinked. “Because, I still have time to catch up on my missed pills. If I don’t, and you don’t keep ‘getting to work’, as you put it last night, then hate to say it, but PMS is right around the corner, my man.”
He laughed. “Shoulda led with the PMS, Rae.”
I crossed my arms. “Really! That’s what I should’ve led with? Not whether or not we’re still trying to get pregnant?”
His lips quirked, but not with humor. “Honey, pregnancy is hard enough. It was foolish of me to think we could start in on that so quick. Let’s get through the next few days and take it from there.”
After I took my pills, I found Clint laying on the couch channel-surfing. He muted the sound and crooked a finger at me.
As I cozied up to him, he wrapped his arms around me and positioned my back to his front.
“All right, Rae. What are your thoughts on Penny?”
“Um, my thoughts on Mom?”
“Yeah. Her therapist said today she needed to wean herself from the walker and that she had more strength than she gave herself credit for. I had already told you she was improving. So, how long do you think she’s going to need someone around?”
I had pressed my lips together as he spoke. I unpressed them to say, “I don’t know, but it reminds me I need to call her. Our mother-daughter spat the other day stemmed from the fact I should’ve called her while I was here, and I didn’t.”
“Are you shitting me?”
I shook my head. “No. She said we should be sticking together because of our grief. So, I’ll call her shortly. But to get back to your question, she is getting around better, but I want to be around for another three or four months.”
“That long?”
I shrugged one shoulder. “Well, mainly because there are some renovations I think she needs, and it’ll probably take me a while to talk her into it.”
“That fuckin’ front door better be job one—”
I patted his forearm at my waist. “It is at the top of the list, Clint.”
“Good. She needs convincing, let me know, and I’ll be right there. Hell, Brock and Gabe will probably chime in too, if I’m not convincing enough.”
I laughed at the vision of those three men ganging up on Mom about her front door. She would eat it up with a spoon.
“Nothing funny here, Rae. What are the other renovations you have in mind?”
“I’d like to see her have either a shower stall or a walk-in tub installed, though the walk-in tub commercials never make sense to me.”
Even with my back to him, I knew Clint did a long blink at my statement. “I don’t think I want to know.”
I shifted to face him. “Clint, if it’s a walk-in tub, and you fill it... do you have to wait for the entire thing to drain in order to get out? Opening that little door should make all the water spill onto the floor. That’s even more of a slip hazard!”
“And... I was right. I didn’t want to know.”
“Stop it and kiss me, you.”
His brown eyes looked like molten toffee before he lowered his lips to mine. Lucky for me, that heat extended to our kiss. I tore myself away before things escalated.
“So, why did you want my thoughts about Mom?”
He nodded. “Right. I’m willing to live at Penny’s while she still needs help, but long term, we need our privacy, and so does she.”
“You’re right. I just worry about her getting lonely.”
His torso shook with his chuckle. “That shouldn’t be a problem, Raegan. Between Tanya’s little boys and my determination for us to start a family, she’ll be anything but lonely.”
I shook my head. “You’re right, again. And while I’m sure your swimmers have strength, you better have some patience. I hear it takes a while to get pregnant.”
He gave me a knowing look. “Yes, but we’ll damn sure put in plenty of effort to speed it up.”
“Of course you will,” I deadpanned.
He grinned. “Now, when are you setting up movers? Because I know you aren’t headed to New York on Thursday.”
“Tomorrow I’ll call around. But I will have to go up there for my clothes and such.”
His grin became a smile. “It’s the beginning of October, if we can swing a cheap airfare, we’ll have autumn in New York.”
“You always loved it at that time of year.”
His eyes danced over my face. “It’s beautiful, but only because I’m there with you, sweetheart.”
I kissed him slow and sweet, but this time he pulled away.
“Angela have a key to your place?”
My breath whooshed out of me and I nodded.
“Think you can get a hold of your super? Or is it too late in the evening for that?”
I shook my head. “No, I should be able to catch him.”
Clint sat up taking me with him. “Go and be quick. He needs to change out your locks.”
“Okay. But really, Clint, what could she possibly do?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know, but I don’t like the idea of that woman having access to your place.”
“YOU’RE LUCKY I LIKE you, Connelly,” Chris, my apartment super, grumbled over the phone.
I chuckled. “Yeah, yeah. I owe you big time, but you’ve definitely put my boyfriend’s mind at ease.”
“I’ll be sure to tell my wife that. She doesn’t think I put anyone’s mind at ease.”
I shook my head. “I’ve met your wife, and that’s a lie. I’ll shoot you a text when I’ll be in town so I can get the new key.”
Clint carried in two “Irish Buck” cocktail
s, handed one to me, and sat next to me on the couch. “So, what’d he say?”
After a quick sip of my drink, I said, “Everything seemed fine. There was a pile of mail on the counter, and he would have the locks changed in half an hour.”
He swallowed. “Good.”
“Aren’t you expecting someone to come after me tonight?”
He grinned. “I only put half a shot in mine, and I’m only having one, Raegan.”
My eyes widened. “Well, you must have put the other half in my glass because this is strong.”
“You can hack it,” he said with a wink.
The tell-tale sound effect from ESPN’s Sports Center sounded, and he turned up the volume.
“It’s a Tuesday. How are there any games on?” I asked while he put his empty glass on the coffee table.
He glanced at me and back to the TV. “There’s a Major League Baseball Wild Card game on tonight.”
“Okay. On that note, I’ll go shower.”
“Watch the game with me, honey,” he said, hooking his arm around my neck. “We’ll shower in the morning.”
I looked up at him. “I’ve been known to take two showers in a day, Ramsey.”
His brow arched. “Yeah, but I haven’t had a quiet night just watching a game with you curled up next to me in close to a decade. Thinkin’ you can humor me.”
I chuckled. “I can, but baseball is still boring as hell.”
He gave me a smoldering look. “Yeah. I have distinct memories of how you alleviated your boredom.”
I laughed. Breaking free of his hold, I put my drink on the table. “You’re right, but you gotta get rid of your pants.”
“Recall you being pretty good at taking care of that for me, mamita.”
I leaned into him and shoved my hands under his shirt. “This is true, but first you have to lose the shirt. I noticed when Laura dropped by—”
“Do not talk about my sister when you’re—”
I pulled a hand out so I could put my finger on his lips, and he nipped it, making me smile. “I noticed you’ve definitely bulked up, and it would be criminal for me not to lick my way down to your happy trail.”
