Part 4 (2/2)

She hadnat needed saving in a long time. These days she saved herself.

aYou need to go.a He laid his palm against the door above her head, his body hot and enticing as he stared down at her with sea-blue eyes that made her want to dig her teeth into his s.h.i.+rt and rip it off, then bury her face in his neck and lick the bead of sweat that had formed there.

aIs that what you really want?a he asked.

His breath blew against her hair, and she was ten seconds from either self-combusting or grabbing him by the s.h.i.+rt, planting her mouth on his and taking him up on what he was so obviously offering.

aYes, itas what I really want.a He paused, his lips curling in a smile that told her he knew it wasnat at all what she really wanted.

He slid his hand behind her, his touch making her tremble as his fingers swept across her back.

But then she heard the click of the doork.n.o.b. She moved to the side as the door opened.

aOkay, then. See you later.a Her heart rate skipped double time, her palms were wet and her body tingled with the awareness that she was so affected by Dante she was shaking all over. And just as fast as he had her primed and ready to throw him to the floor and have her way with him, he was gone.

She wasnat over him at all. Not at all.

She hit the dead bolts, rubbed that spot on her chest with her knuckles and headed toward the bedroom, but she was d.a.m.n sure not going to sleep now.

b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

Five.

Dante stood at the end of Annaas driveway and leaned against his car. He needed a few minutes to cool his body down, and the summer heat wasnat helping any.

So, okay, he figured following Anna home would p.i.s.s her off. Maybe thatas what head wanted to do, just to get a reaction out of her, to fire up that cool control that she wore like body armor.

He was glad head followed her, that head been here to see those flowers and that card.

What he hadnat counted on was the heat that had flared up between them.

Twelve years ago theyad had pa.s.sion, but it had been younga”intense yearning with nothing to show for it.

What pa.s.sed between them inside just now had been very adult, very hot, and nothing like what theyad had when they were younger.

But that wasnat what head come home for.

In fact, it had been a stupid move to go inside her house, to allow himself to even think he could get close to her again. Head crossed the line and pushed the limits and become that almost-eighteen-year-old boy again, totally crazy over the sweet innocent girl he loved but knew he shouldnat have.

Now he was thirty years old and he still couldnat have her.

The rumble of a motorcycle turning down the street caught his attention. He walked toward the driveras side of his car as Gabe pulled to a stop and cut the engine on his Harley.

aReminiscing about the good old days?a Gabe asked.

aMore or less. What are you doing here?a aTaking a ride. Thought I might find you here.a Gabe looked up at the house, then slanted a glance back at Dante. aThough I kind of figured youad be smooth enough to get inside.a aI was inside.a Gabe arched a brow. aDone already?a Dante laughed. aa.s.shole. Listen, someone left roses and a note on the front porch for her.a Gabe grinned. aSecret admirer?a aNo. The note said, aDid you like the gift I left you in the alley?aa Gabeas demeanor changed in an instant, harsh anger slas.h.i.+ng across his face. aSon of a b.i.t.c.h. The killer is stalking her?a aI donat know. Her CSU team took the flowers and note in for Forensics to go over, and they dusted the place for prints.a aAny sign of forced entry? Was he in her house?a Dante shook his head. aDoesnat look like it.a as.h.i.+t. What the f.u.c.k is going on, man?a aI donat know. We need to get everyone together to talk about it, though, figure this whole thing out.a They both went silent then. Dante thought about George, about why head gotten mixed up in all this.

aYou find a place to stay yet?a Gabe finally asked.

aNo.a aHow long you plan on hanging out here?a Dante c.o.c.ked his head to the side. aI wasnat going to stay long, but now that this thing happened with George I might have to change my mind about that. Why?a aBecause if youare staying a few days or a week you can put up with a hotel. If itas going to be a long visit, I could maybe help you out. If youare looking to stay permanentlya”a aIam not staying permanently.a aSo which of the other two is it?a aI hate hotels.a Which wasnat an answer to Gabeas question, but Dante didnat have an answer. He didnat know how long he was going to be here. It had been an impulse to come in the first place. He wouldnat have, if not for Ellen asking him. And then George was killed. And now head seen Annaa Gabe nodded. aYeah, I hate hotels, too. Follow me. I have some friends that just built some condos. Some arenat sold yet and I can hook you up.a aThatad be great, thanks.a Dante climbed into his car and followed Gabe. The one thing head always loved about St. Louis was that it didnat matter what your destination was. Nothing was very far away. You could get from the city to the country in a matter of fifteen minutes, minus rush-hour traffic.

The condos were nice. Things sure had changed around here. Progress. Old s.h.i.+t got torn up, and new stuff got built. Thatas the way it had always been, and so Dante expected it always would be. Just because he had a vision in his head of what his hometown had looked like when head left didnat mean time would stand still.

Buildings changed. People changed. Everything and everyone grew.

He followed Gabe to the parking lot of the main office. Gabe got off his bike and Dante got out of his car. aJust wait here. Iall go talk to management and see whatas available.a aSure.a These were pretty high-cla.s.s condos. Gabe, in his worn jeans and sleeveless s.h.i.+rt and with his neck and arms covered with tattoos, didnat seem the type to even know the management. But Dante knew all about labeling people. And a.s.sumptions.

Never a.s.sume anything.

Gabe was out a few minutes later with a grin on his face. aBuilding D. Weall head west down the main road and turn right.a Dante followed him to the building and pulled up in front of one of many cookie-cutter-type condos.

aGrab your stuff. Iave got the key.a Dante pulled his bag from the trunk of his rental car and followed Gabe to the door on the main level, just off the entrance. Gabe slipped the key in the lock and blissful air-conditioning greeted them.

aItas furnished,a Dante said as he walked in. aSomeone live here?a aNo. They keep it available for visiting corporate clients.a aUh-huh.a Dante laid his bag on the floor and checked out the s.p.a.cious kitchen, oversize living room and two bedrooms. Everything he might need was here, from pots and pans to flat-screen TV and even a game console. The beds were freshly made and the place had a new smell.

He walked back out to the living area. Gabe was on the couch, the television was on and he was playing a game.

aMake yourself at home.a Gabe grinned. aI am.a aSo where do you live?a aRight across the walk from here.a aConvenient.a He took a seat next to Gabe and picked up the other remote, started punching b.u.t.tons. It was a war game. Piece of cake.

aWhat exactly do you do now, Gabe?a He lifted a shoulder. aThis and that.a Which was the same answer Dante had given Annaa”totally vague. aWhich means what, exactly? That youare a fry cook at the local burger joint, or that youare an ax murderer?a Gabe leaned to his left, punched a few b.u.t.tons and knocked out Danteas player on the game. aNo, I prefer guns. You donat have to get as close to the victim that way.a Dante laughed. aFunny. But these condos are upscale, so you must be doing something.a aYeah, Iam doing something. Mostly freelance.a Gabe killed Danteas last player. Dante cursed. aFreelance sounds like illegal. What are you into?a aYou sound like Anna, always asking questions.a aIam not a cop, though. And youare working for the Bertuccis now?a Gabe started the next game. aYeah. Paolo Bertucci. He runs the mob here in the city.a aYour boss?a aYeah.a Not the line of work Dante expected Gabe to get into. aFor how long?a aAbout two years.a aGood work I guess.a aIt pays the bills.a Working with the mob could be lucrative business. It could also get someone killed. aWhat do you do for Paolo Bertucci?a Gabe was focused on the game, his fingers flying on the controller. Dante was trying to keep up, but Gabe was kicking his a.s.s.

aJack-of-all-trades. Anything from running errands to enforcer duty.a aYou like the job?a aLike I saidait pays the bills.a Working for the mob also meant you kept your mouth shut, and Gabe wasnat stupid. Stilla aYou think Bertuccias connections in drugs had anything to do with Georgeas death?a Gabe paused the game, s.h.i.+fted his gaze to Dante. aI donat know. He moves drugs in this city. Doesnat mean heas directly involved. He leaves that to the peons.a aLike you?a Gabe laughed. aIam not a drug dealer, man.a Which meant Gabe was higher up on the Bertucci food chain than just a peon.

They used to be as tight as brothers. Real brothers, not the foster brothers they had been. There had been no secrets between them. Theyad known everything about each other, had spent many nights up in their room in the Clemons house where theyad been fostered sharing all the s.h.i.+t theyad been through as kids. It had bonded them because their h.e.l.ls of abuse and s.h.i.+tty childhoods had been so similar.

And now they were strangers circling each other, neither of them willing to divulge their secrets.

Dante leaned back on the sofa and dragged his fingers through his hair. aNot much like the old days, is it?a aGuess not.a aYou into something big?a Dante knew he had no right to ask, especially since he hadnat told Gabe s.h.i.+t about himself.

aJust stuff I donat want to talk about. With you, particularly, since I donat know where the h.e.l.l youave been the past twelve years.a aYouave been here the whole time?a aNo. Left right afteraright after the thing went down with Anna. I had to get the h.e.l.l out. That whole scene freaked me out.a d.a.m.n. Gabe had skipped town the same time he had. aI didnat know youad left, too.a Gabe slanted him a look. aI didnat know about you, either, until after I came back. Wheread you go?a aDallas first. Big city, easy to get lost in. Figured I should get out of here, give Anna some s.p.a.ce. I thought if I wasnat around that whole mess would just disappear. Guess you must have had the same thought. How long did you stay gone?a aIave been back here two years. I guess we all need to come home eventually, huh?a Dante smiled at that. aEllen asked me to come back for her and Georgeas anniversary.a aMan, that s.h.i.+t sucks for her.a aIt does.a He didnat even want to think about it. aAnyway, I agreed to come back because I figured it was time anyway.a Gabe nodded. aSo we both left right after the attack.a aLooks like it. Roman and Jeff never left, though?a aNo, they both stayed.a aNothing is like I expected it to be,a he said.

aWhy? Because you didnat get a big welcome-home party?a He shot Gabe a look. aNo. I donat know what I expected. Sure as h.e.l.l didnat expect to find out Anna was a detective. And, Roman, too. Thatas a shocker. And youa”look at you. All tatted up and gone biker. A real bada.s.s now.a Gabe laughed and stretched his legs out in front of him, then popped his black s.h.i.+t-kicker boots up on the table. aThe one thing I found out when I came back? The world around here didnat stop turning just because I left.a It sure as h.e.l.l didnat. Didnat make Dante feel any better, but head done what head been asked to do, and head done it for Annaas sake. At the time it seemed like the right thing to do.

It had been the right thing to do.

But at the time head thought Gabe would be around to watch over her. The others had been younger, not as well equipped to be her protectors.

aI didnat know you were leaving,a Dante said. aI might have stuck around otherwise.a aI didnat know you had left, either. Sorry, man.a Dante shrugged. aNot your responsibility. Anna managed okay, though. She had her dad to take care of her. Howas she seemed the past couple years since youave been back?a Gabe grinned. aFeisty. Driven. Sheas out to get the bad guys in a big way.a In the short time head seen her at the crime scene, he could see that about her.

aWhich means what, exactly? That the two of you meet up more often than not?a aYou might say that.a Gabe chuckled.

Curious, Dante leaned forward. aSomething else going on with you and Anna I should know about?a aLike what?a He didnat want to ask. But he needed to know. aYou have something going on with her?a Gabe frowned. aWhy would you think that?a aYou showed up at her house this morning.a Gabe let out a soft laugh and shook his head. aYou dumba.s.s. Itas not like that. I look out for her.a aMaybe youare not the right person to be doing that, considering what kind of business youare in.a aYeah, and you think youare better equipped to do it, mystery man?a ah.e.l.l, I donat know.a Dante stood and walked to the window, raked his fingers through his hair. aIam talking out my a.s.s, Gabe. Iam tired. Iave been up all night.a He turned to face his onetime best friend and brother. aItas good to see you. Iam glad youare here. And thanks for giving me this place to stay.a Gabe stood. aGet some sleep. Iall check in with you later.a He held out his hand. Dante clasped his arm and pulled him in for a tight hug.

He never got close to people, hadnat since head left here. Gabe and the others had been the only people head truly counted on. They were the only ones head ever told his secrets to. He trusted them with everything without question.

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