Jordan Summers (15 page)

Normally, the thought of a woman falling in love with him would horrify Jack, but for some reason with Delaney it didn’t. There was no panicky feeling like he’d experienced in the past, only a strange kind of calm. He couldn’t decide what he felt. It was all a jumble in his mind. He’d have to examine it more closely later…if he lived through this meeting.

He blinked, coming out of his haze when he realized Rico was still talking.

“There is something about that innocent girl-next-door thing she has going on that just screams ‘fuck me.’ Sure you won’t share?”

The man couldn’t be serious. Jack stared at him. Not a flicker of doubt showed in Rico’s tanned face.

“Positive,” Jack said, tilting his beer bottle in minisalute.

He’d met plenty of guys like David Rico when he’d been in the business. Most were up-and-comers with no talent and even fewer brains. They tended to die early or quit, if they were lucky. Most weren’t lucky. Unfortunately, Rico was the real deal. He had intelligence, albeit hidden, and talent to go with a healthy dose of driving ambition and devout viciousness.

“So tell me more about this possible deal,” Jack said, changing tack.

“Like I said, I may know of a shipment, containing RPG Grenades, AK-47s, ammo, the ingredients for a few dirty bombs, and five hundred pounds of C4 that needs transport to a more central location. See, I have a little auction lined up. Nothing big. Half a dozen buyers max. These are very important people who’ve been looking forward to this gathering for some time. I wouldn’t want to disappoint them. It’s bad for business. Do you think you and your honey could handle something like that?”

Jack took a swig of beer, pretending to contemplate his offer. “I think we could manage. Her family owns a van rental agency near the Phoenix airport. We could borrow as many as we needed to come here to L.A. and pick up the merchandise. Of course, it may take a few days to arrange everything.”

David Rico’s expression darkened. “I need five vans and you’d have two.”

“Two days? That’s awful quick, don’t you think? I haven’t even talked to my lady yet.” Did the ATF have it together enough to move that quickly? Would Delaney be ready? The thought of anything happening to her tightened Jack’s chest to the point he could hardly breathe. He exhaled.

“The auction date is already set. The buyers are not going to wait for you to get it together. Either you can handle this job or you can’t.” Rico’s eyes went cold. “Are you worried that you can’t control your woman? I can speak to her if that’s a concern.”

“That won’t be necessary. She’ll do exactly what I say without question.”

Rico considered him for a moment. “I’m only going to make this offer once.” He sat back on the cushions, picking the label off the outside of the beer bottle. “What do you say?”

Jack took another swig of beer to steady his nerves. He hoped like hell that Delaney and her people were ready for this deal to go down. If not, he had no doubt David Rico would be less than forgiving when he found out that Jack didn’t have any connections. He’d burned those bridges long ago.

“Where is the shipment being stored at present?” Jack asked.

“All you need to know is that it’s safe,” Rico said without answering the question.

“I think we need to know more than that, if you want us to pick it up.”

“All in good time.”

“Okay,” he said, not liking that they were being kept from so many details. Jack held out his hand to shake. “I guess we’ve got a deal.”

David Rico clamped down, threatening to crush bone, his gaze boring into Jack’s. “I don’t back out of deals, Jack. And I don’t allow anyone else to, either.”

Jack returned his grip, then tried to pull away, but the man held on. “What am I missing here?” he asked, twisting his wrist to break contact. Rico held on like a pit bull, strangely strong for such a small man.

“I like to know the people I do business with are as committed to the success of the job as I am.” He leveled his gaze.

“We are. I give you my word.” Jack tugged.

Rico gave him a shark’s tooth grin. “I don’t think you’re hearing me, Jack.”

“I hear you clearly. You want a commitment. Fine, I’ll give it to you—after you give me some reassurance. I need something to convince the woman to take the risk.”

“That’s too bad, Jack.” He stood, releasing him suddenly. “I was really looking forward to working with you, but I guess we’re done here.” Rico walked toward the stairs that led to the deck.

“Wait,” Jack called out, knowing he was about to regret his next question. “What kind of commitment do you need?”

Rico turned, not bothering to hide the triumph on his face. “So glad you asked. Since I’m feeling magnanimous, I will give you a choice. You can either come to work for me, starting tonight at eight o’clock in the Queen Mary luxury liner parking lot in Long Beach.” He gazed out the small porthole at the ocean, his irises dilating. “Or I get one night with your woman.”

“Excuse me?” Jack’s stomach lurched in panic.

Rico flashed him an easy smile that was anything but warm. “Simple. You get to earn money, let’s say fifty large, or I get to taste that sexy piece of ass waiting for you on deck. Personally, I know which one I’d choose.”

Jack couldn’t exactly hand Delaney over to this animal, but he didn’t like the idea of being forced into a job. He pictured Delaney on deck in her bikini, then glanced at Rico’s smug expression. The bastard had him and they both knew it. Rico made an offer Jack couldn’t refuse. He was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t. He reached for his beer and downed the contents, then slammed the empty bottle onto the bench beside him.

“The woman is mine.” He seethed at the way he’d been played by Rico. The man was good, he’d give him that.

“Oh, Jack, I’m disappointed.” He tsked.

“Why?”

“Because I can get any idiot to do the job. I was really looking forward to a night with your girl.” Rico shook his head. “Wouldn’t have taken you for the sentimental type. She must really be something.”

You’ll never find out,
Jack thought. He glared at Rico, allowing the anger and hatred he’d been concealing to show. “I don’t care about the woman,” he lied smoothly. “But I do care about the big job—and the money it’ll bring. We need her to be in
perfect
condition in order to pull this off. She has to convince her family to allow her to use a quarter of their fleet without raising suspicion. What happens between you and her afterward is up to you.” Jack shrugged nonchalantly, feeling anything but.

Rico started to sit back down, then stopped at the last second and straightened. “Glad to hear you say that, Jack. I can’t wait to take a taste of that sweet mouth of hers.”

The thought of David Rico touching Delaney brought a whole new level of violence out in Jack. Something primal and dangerous rose within him. He clenched his fists in impotent rage as his vision blurred to red. At that moment, Jack knew with absolute certainty that he’d kill the bastard before he’d allow that to happen.

W
HAT WAS TAKING
them so long? Delaney scanned the horizon, her nerves fraying at the ends. Were they still discussing the deal or had David Rico caught on to their scheme? She hadn’t heard any arguing, but that didn’t mean anything.

She looked at the burly bodyguards. The one driving the boat had a death grip on the wheel. He’d come close to hitting two other boats and a buoy in the last ten minutes. If Jack and Rico didn’t come back soon, she was going to push Tony aside and drive them back to the marina.

She shook her head. There wasn’t anything she could do other than get as much information as possible and hope that was enough to put Rico away somewhere down the line, so he’d never be able to operate again. Delaney could only hope Jack was getting what they needed.

Rico came out of the cabin a few minutes later. His gaze lingered on her body, taking in her legs and flat abdomen. The appraisal slithered over her senses like a python, right before it crushes its prey. Delaney fought the urge to retch. Rico smiled at her and then pushed Tony out of the way so that he could step behind the wheel.

Delaney’s gaze bulleted to the cabin door. Where was Jack? Her heart raced as panic seized her. She didn’t relax until she saw the top of his dark hair appear out of the shadows. Delaney sighed and some of the tension in her chest receded. That was until she caught his expression. It was vacant. Empty, not anything like the typical Jack.

She tensed, preparing to dive overboard if the situation demanded it. Jack watched her, a myriad of emotions swirling in his blue depths. He nodded to Rico and then walked the few feet separating them and sat next to Delaney.

She wanted to ask how it went, but from the set of his jaw and the warning in his eyes, Delaney thought better of it. He didn’t look happy. What had happened down there? Had Rico told them what they needed to know? Was Jack upset because he didn’t have any information? The questions swirled in her mind until her head spun.

Rico whipped the boat around and headed back to the marina. He threw the engines into idle as they drew closer, signaling Jack to come forward and take over. The goons jumped on the dock and grabbed the tie ropes as Jack guided the boat into the slip. Rico slapped Jack on the back as he reached for the Scarab’s keys.

“I’ll take it,” he said.

Delaney frowned, watching the exchange. Why had Jack handed over the keys to his boat? That hadn’t been part of the deal. The boat was only to lure Rico here. Delaney knew she was missing something vital.

“It’s been a pleasure doing business with you, Jack,” he said, turning to Delaney. “I look forward to seeing more of you in the very near future.”

Delaney didn’t say anything. What could she say? She wasn’t sure what Rico meant and couldn’t exactly ask Jack. What she did know was that she didn’t like the way Rico was looking at her. The impression of ownership was unmistakable.

She and Jack stood on the dock, watching Rico’s retreating back. As soon as they were out of earshot, Delaney turned to Jack.

“You want to tell me what just happened? Why did you give that jerk the keys to your boat? You weren’t actually supposed to sell it.”

He threw her a glance, anger shimmering in his eyes. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Something was definitely wrong. Her gut twisted, but she decided to take a different approach. She considered whether or not she should push Jack right now, he might withdraw completely. “Did Rico have any information about the deal?” she asked, undeterred by his mood.

“I said I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Jack.” She touched his sleeve and met his turbulent gaze. “I need to know.”

“He’s behind the whole deal.”

Delaney was stunned. She couldn’t be that lucky to have found the main player. “All our intel on him says he’s small-time. Are you serious?”

“Dead…serious.”

McMillan would be thrilled. The news was so good that he may even forgive her for turning the case over to Jack and promote her.

“What did Rico say exactly?”

“He wants us to move the shipment for him. I told him your family owned a van rental agency in Phoenix and that we could borrow as many as was needed to transport the weapons. We’ll have to get the vans and drive them here to L.A. so everything appears normal.”

She nodded. “That’s perfect. Now we have time to set everything up. Thank you, Jack.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, the tension clear in his face. “Don’t thank me so quickly. He wants this deal to go down in two days. He’s apparently set up an auction for the buyers.”

“Damn! I don’t know if we can get things arranged that quickly.”

“I thought your people had everything worked out.” Jack smirked.

“What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking how much I enjoy breathing. I was also thinking that agreeing to do the job was the only way we were going to catch this bastard. It was either that or swim back to shore. That’s what I was thinking.” Anger bubbled out of Jack, scorching his words.

Delaney waited for him to finish. There was more going on here than mere negotiations. Jack still hadn’t explained what had happened to his boat or why he was mad at her. Delaney decided she’d drop that subject for now and get back to more important matters.

“Where are the weapons?”

“He wouldn’t say.”

She snorted. “Well, that’s damn inconvenient of him. What do you need me to do?”

“I told Rico that I had you wrapped around my little finger and that you’d do anything for me because you love me so much.”

Delaney’s eyes widened, but she didn’t say anything. She didn’t
love
Jack. That would be impossible. It was too soon. They barely knew each other. Yet, Delaney couldn’t deny that she did have feelings for him. Those feelings seemed to grow and flourish each time they were together. But they were far too new to identify. She let herself consider the possibilities for a second, then dismissed the fanciful thoughts.

“I bet he was stupid enough to buy that,” she said with a slight grin.

“Yeah, stupid,” he said, his expression blank as an uncomfortable silence came over them.

She thought her joke would alleviate the tension, but instead it had backfired. Delaney didn’t have time to ponder why. She had a case to solve. If they could descend upon the shipment as it was being loaded into the vans, then they’d catch David Rico in the act.

“How many vans are needed?”

“Five should do it,” he said.

“Okay, I have a lot of phone calls to make. Hopefully McMillan can get what we need,” she said.

Jack nodded. “You’ll have to do it on the way to my house. Once inside, we won’t be able to discuss the case beyond planning.”

“Why?” she asked, tilting her head.

“Because we’re already being watched.”

“I don’t see anyone.”

“Trust me, they’re there.” He reached for her elbow and led her down the dock. “Time to play a couple in love,” he said, swinging her around in his arms and planting a scorching kiss on her mouth.

When Jack finally released her, Delaney was breathless and her legs were doing their best wet-noodle impression. He reached out and gently caressed her cheek, something he seemed to love doing. Delaney felt the tremor in his fingertips all the way to her toes. Jack brushed her loose brown hair back off her face, curling it around her ear, while lingering on the fleshy part of her lobe.

His blue eyes heated as he watched her. Something had shifted. His expression seemed calm while his eyes remained turbulent. “Jack, is this the acting part?” she asked, needing to know.

He stiffened beside her, then grasped her elbow again as he led her to the car. “We have to get out of here before they become suspicious.”

Delaney hid the disappointment she felt. What had she expected him to do, declare his love? She shook herself internally for being so stupid. This wasn’t some fairy tale where love at first sight existed. Real lives were at stake. Luckily, Jack hadn’t forgotten that, even if she had momentarily.

H
OW COULD THE
damn woman believe that he was acting after the night they spent together? Maybe to her the whole thing was a performance. The thought left a sour taste in Jack’s mouth. Could he have been so wrong about Delaney?

His instincts might be rusty, but he didn’t believe they’d completely failed him. She felt something for him, even if she didn’t want to. And it was more than obvious that Delaney didn’t
want
to care.

Well, too damn bad. She should’ve thought about that before they slept together.

Jack’s lips still tingled from touching hers. He could taste the sweetness on his tongue that was uniquely Delaney’s. He sure had it bad. How had he gotten himself into this mess? And better yet, how was he going to get himself out?

He had no doubt that once this assignment was over Delaney would do everything in her power to get away from him. Physically, she wanted him, but she continued to keep her emotional distance. She was scared to let him in and that fear would make her run. Jack couldn’t let that happen. He wasn’t sure how he was going to convince her to stay and give them a chance, but he’d figure something out.

T
HEY DROVE NORTH
up Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu. Delaney called McMillan, so that he could make sure everything was in place. He’d e-mail her tomorrow in the late afternoon with the details prior to getting on the plane to Phoenix.

Jack’s home overlooked the ocean from one of the many hilltops. He had high-powered movie moguls and celebrities for neighbors, along with hippies who’d moved in during the sixties.

“I can’t believe you’re selling this place and moving to Phoenix. Won’t you miss the ocean? The excitement? The glamour?”

He glanced at her, then back at the road as he wound his way through the neighborhood to reach his driveway. “I will miss the Pacific, but I can come out and see it anytime I want. It’s not going anywhere. Besides, I like the idea of living in the quiet desert. As for the excitement and the glamour…” His mouth twisted wryly. “Glamour is an illusion, much like fame. I have no use for it. To be honest, I’ve had about all the excitement I can handle in one lifetime.”

“I suppose Arizona is pretty cool, once you get used to the summers. Hell doesn’t have anything on Phoenix in July and August.” She grinned as they pulled in to the garage.

Jack leaned over and brushed her cheek with his lips. The line between pretend and reality blurred in her mind. What was real? Was anything truly happening between them or had it all been one big performance? Delaney could no longer keep up the pretense that Jack meant nothing to her.

“What would you like to do, since it’s turned in to a waiting game?” she asked, stepping out of the vehicle before he could come around the car and open the door for her.

Jack grinned. “We can order some take-out or I can see what I can scrounge up in the kitchen. The view here isn’t half-bad at sunset and we wouldn’t have to fight for a table. Afterward, there are a few errands I need to take care of. Hopefully they won’t take too long.” His smile faded.

“I could use a shower,” she said tightly, not missing the sudden change in his demeanor.

His eyes fastened on her bikini-clad body. “That can be arranged.”

Delaney ignored the heat flaring between them as she walked toward the house. She didn’t like the fact that Jack was keeping things from her. And why all of a sudden did he have errands to run? He hadn’t mentioned anything earlier. It seemed odd that they’d popped up after their meeting with Rico.

They strolled to the door, pretending not to notice the vehicle parked down the lane. It hadn’t taken Rico’s goons long to set up surveillance. They’d probably done so before the meet. Delaney squashed the urge to call in the ATF and have them arrested. They were too close to making this a successful mission. She couldn’t allow her emotions to get the better of her.

Jack opened the door and stepped back for her to enter. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows made up the far wall, giving the home’s occupants an unhindered view of the Pacific below. An open floor plan led from the dining area into a modest kitchen and onto the living room beyond. Cream carpet covered the floors, accenting the pale walls.

While Jack’s desert home was swathed with masculine shades, this one was light and airy, welcoming the ocean and all its natural beauty inside.

Delaney toed off her shoes, so she didn’t track dirt through the house.

“You don’t have to do that,” Jack said, beside her ear. “I didn’t buy this house to have my guests stand on ceremony. I want you to be comfortable. Besides, the new owners plan to replace all the carpeting, when they move in next month.”

“I’d feel better with my shoes off.”

“Suit yourself.” He watched her for a few seconds before moving onto the kitchen. “In the past, I made use of this home quite a bit. My social life has died down as of late.”

“Is that so?” she asked, incredulity filling her voice.

He turned, catching her gaze. “Yes, it is.”

Something inside of her melted a fraction more.

“Can I get you anything to drink?”

“Wine would be nice, if you have it. If not, I’ll take water.” Delaney covered the short distance separating the kitchen from the wraparound living room.

Jack padded over the carpeted floor, his shoes suddenly MIA. Two wineglasses dangled from his fingertips as he watched her stare out at the ocean.

“I’m not sure I’d ever be able to sell this place,” she said, meaning it as she reached for one of the glasses.

Jack moved beside her, staring at the lapping waves. “It’s just a house, love. I can get another if I want.”

Delaney glanced at his strong features, lingering on his firm mouth. “So why has your social life slowed?” she asked, feigning disinterest, but hoping he said it was because of her.

“You grow tired of the same experiences over time.” He took a sip of wine and swallowed, running his tongue over his lips in appreciation. “What used to interest me no longer does. I’d rather let go of what’s not working, than to cling in hopes that things will change.”