Part 19 (2/2)

”Isabel, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have encouraged you to let go and get wild. At least, not without warning you to do a status check first.”

”It's not your fault,” Isabel said with a sigh and another hiccup. ”I've listened to you advising those status checks often enough, I should know better. I just never thought it'd happen to me, you know?”

”I know.” Audra glanced at the clock. Jesse was due any second. ”Look, do you want me to come over? I can pick up some ice cream, grab a couple DVDs. We'll eat junk food and dish dirt.”

”Nah. I'd rather be alone.”

After a few more minutes of bad-mouthing the worthless Randy and a.s.suring herself that Isabel would be okay, Audra finally hung up. Just as she did, the doorbell rang.

Even as she moved to open the door for Jesse and their hot date, she couldn't help but wonder if her bad girl ways were to blame for her friend's heartbreak. How ironic that she was turning into such a goody-goody over Jesse, and yet she still managed to be a bad influence.

DAVE L LARSON s.h.i.+elded the apartment door with his shoulders as he worked a long piece of metal in the lock. Piece of cake. He'd go in, look around for his tie, be back out in fifteen minutes flat. And since this Audra chick was such a good friend of his Bea, he wouldn't even lift anything. Well, unless it was cash. Cash always came in handy. Once he'd snipped this nagging little thread, he'd be on his way to easy street. With the second half of his payment, he'd be s.h.i.+elded the apartment door with his shoulders as he worked a long piece of metal in the lock. Piece of cake. He'd go in, look around for his tie, be back out in fifteen minutes flat. And since this Audra chick was such a good friend of his Bea, he wouldn't even lift anything. Well, unless it was cash. Cash always came in handy. Once he'd snipped this nagging little thread, he'd be on his way to easy street. With the second half of his payment, he'd be on on easy street. The perfect life. Riches, high-powered connections and the woman of his dreams. easy street. The perfect life. Riches, high-powered connections and the woman of his dreams.

Watch out, world, Dave Larson was about to make his mark. And for once, he was making it in style, with a hot chickie by his side. The luscious Bea, woman enough to inspire him to even give up his p.o.r.n. He'd shower her with jewels, buy her way onto the cover of any magazine she wanted.

All he had to do was retrieve that chip and make sure his a.s.s was covered with the triad.

He could barely keep from patting himself on the back. Tracking down the Walker chick had been easy. A few questions to Bea while she'd serviced him, a few clicks of the computer mouse. That's all it had taken to get the name, home and work address of the only person who might block his road to success.

With a quiet snick of the lock, he swung her front door open and sneered. He was as good at breaking into buildings as he was hacking computers.

Wiping a bead of sweat from his chin, Davey scanned the spa.r.s.ely furnished apartment. It was like pictures he'd seen of Mardi Gras. Bright colors, a lot of s.h.i.+mmer and s.h.i.+ne. Dave eyed the wide purple couch. He'd bet it saw a lot of action. Other than the couch and a pile of oversized throw pillows, some big, fancy dresser with doors holding a TV and stereo and a few plants, it was empty.

He took a quick look around and then headed for the bedroom. Fifteen minutes later, Davey was sweating up a storm. Nothing. No tie. No evidence of any triad connections on her computer, either. He had found s.e.x toys, plenty of leather and enough lingerie to dress the entire cast of his favorite weekly p.o.r.n series. But that was it. Could she have thrown it away? Probably. This was a waste of his time.

He checked out the other bedroom. It was small, almost claustrophobic. The sketch-covered walls didn't help the suffocating effect. Ignoring the deficiency of air, he took a minute to appreciate those, given they were of women in lingerie. Fabric was stacked on the corners, piled on the floor. A rope hung from one wall to the next, fancy strings, beads and trim stuff draped over it. He rifled through them. No tie there. A quick glance over the large drafting table didn't reveal any fabric. No tie there. Just as he was turning to leave, though, something caught his eye.

Dave grabbed the paper with a frown. The words, written in a loopy scrawl, made his gut churn.

A list of names and addresses. All in China. He recognized one as a money-laundering front for the Wo s.h.i.+ng Wo Wo s.h.i.+ng Wo triad. triad.

Son of a b.i.t.c.h. Sweat slid down the back of his neck as Dave tried to catch a breath. This Walker chick had obviously duped him. She had connections in China. Crime connections that were going to end his life. Dave didn't recognize the address on the paper, but it was all the proof he needed that he'd been double-crossed. Sweat slid down the back of his neck as Dave tried to catch a breath. This Walker chick had obviously duped him. She had connections in China. Crime connections that were going to end his life. Dave didn't recognize the address on the paper, but it was all the proof he needed that he'd been double-crossed.

Rage surged through him, a black film coating his vision as his ears rang. n.o.body, especially not some d.a.m.ned woman, screwed over Dave Larson.

Giving in to the fury, he shoved the table across the room. He grabbed the rope, yanking it from the wall. Beads clattered against the window, their loud pings sounding out like shots. He kicked a few piles of fabric, then started to punch his fist into the wall. Just inches from it, though, he remembered how much he didn't like pain, and how valuable his hands were. Instead, he kicked it a couple times, then stormed out of the room.

He glanced at the clock. Ten on a Friday night. G.o.d knew when she'd be home. With a breath, he shoved the address in his pocket to look into later and rocked back on his heels. Did he wait for her in here or not?

He could hang out, but she might not be alone. Given the state of her apartment, she'd probably be whining to the cops before he could get back in here and deal with her.

He'd deal with her later.

On his way out of the apartment, Dave glared at the mess. He had planned to keep his visit secret as a favor to Bea. He knew she wouldn't want her friend upset. Just break in, grab the tie and maybe a souvenir or two, then leave.

But he wasn't the kind of man to let a little thing like l.u.s.t stand between him and someone who screwed him over. Rage, still simmering, stirred an idea in Dave's head.

He stormed back into the trashed office and grabbed one of the sketches he'd ripped from the wall. He s.n.a.t.c.hed up a pen and with strokes so deep they ripped the paper, he left a message. One he was sure would get the two-timing b.i.t.c.h's attention.

n.o.body ruined Dave Larson's dreams and got away with it. She'd get him that tie, or she'd pay. Dave Larson wasn't going down alone.

IT'D TAKEN Audra a few hours and two phone calls to get over her worry about Isabel. One more point in Jesse's favor was how understanding he'd been of her need to check up on her friend. Audra a few hours and two phone calls to get over her worry about Isabel. One more point in Jesse's favor was how understanding he'd been of her need to check up on her friend.

”Thanks for the fun night,” she said, leaning into Jesse's side as he walked with her to her apartment door. ”I had no idea miniature golf could be such a turn-on.”

”It's all in how you use your putter,” he a.s.sured her with a straight face. ”If you nail those b.a.l.l.s just right, it can be the hottest game in town.”

Audra rolled her eyes at the lame joke, but couldn't hold back her smile. Even though he'd acted as if he had something serious to discuss with her when he'd picked her up, as soon as he found out how stressed she was over Isabel, Jesse had been pure entertainment.

Between the jokes, a delicious dinner and the s.e.xual sparks Jesse kept stoked to a low flame, Audra was finally relaxed. Now for the best part of the evening. Jesse, naked, in her bed.

Antic.i.p.ating an eight, maybe an eight-point-five, given that they were both tired after last night's lack of sleep, she slid her key into the lock and swung open the door.

It stuck.

Audra shoved. ”What the...”

She slapped at the switch on the wall next to her. As light filled the room, her stomach pitched.

Jesse's broad shoulders crowded behind her. She felt their warmth as she gaped at the mess strewn over her apartment.

”I take it this wasn't a visit by your cleaning service?” he teased. But under his light words was a cold, clinical tone she'd never heard. It both comforted and made the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

”Someone trashed my place?” She felt tears well in her eyes, but blinked fast. Wicked Chicks didn't cry. With a deep breath, she shoved aside the pain and lifted her chin.

”Well, we might want to delay our hot s.e.x,” she joked stiffly. ”I think I'd better tidy up first.”

Not meeting his eyes, she stepped over the bolt of cloth that'd been blocking the door and made her way into the room. At second look, it wasn't as bad as she'd originally thought. It was a mess, and someone had obviously invaded her s.p.a.ce. But nothing looked broken. Her TV was still in the armoire, as was the stereo. So why were her hands trembling?

Audra took a shaky breath and tried to calm the pained emotions swirling through her system. It was just stuff. Just an apartment. Maybe if she told herself that often enough, the devastating pain would subside.

She bent down to pick up a few paperback romances that looked as if they'd been kicked around. Jesse grabbed her arm.

Startled, she looked up at him. He was shaking his head, even as he pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He punched a couple of keys and held it to his ear.

”I'd like to report a break-in,” he said into it. His eyes held hers as he gently pulled her to him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and, despite her stiffness, rubbed his hand over her back. She should pull away. She didn't need soothing. But she couldn't bring herself to leave the haven of Jesse's arms.

The tension slowly left her body and she let herself lean into him. His strength enfolded her as Audra tuned out his words and closed her eyes to the devastation of her home.

And, for the first time in her life, she lowered her guard, and her heart, enough to let herself be comforted.

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