Mine Until Dawn (11 page)

“You could have been gentler, you know.” She straightened her top and glared at him.

He raised his eyebrows. “Unless you want to be hauled back on my bony shoulder you’d better move your sweet-ass, Professor. Head straight for the car, I’ll catch up.”

“I hate bossy men.” Jade started for the door. “If you ever touch me again, I’ll deck you.”

Vince smiled at her response. He knew he shouldn’t have teased her, but now wasn’t the time to deal with her anger. He had other things to worry about, like the two pit bulls upstairs.

P.K. and his boys were still outside the building. Vince clasped the younger man’s hand. “Thanks. Where’s their ride?”

P.K. pointed to a white SUV parked behind his car.

Vince pulled a few more bills from his wallet, pressed it in P.K.’s hand and joined Jade in his car. He revved the engine and stepped on the gas. A few blocks down the road, he pulled over and parked between two cars.

“What are you doing now?” Jade asked, not bothering to mask her annoyance.

“Waiting. If we’re lucky, they might lead us to their boss.” He dug into his jacket’s pocket and removed Valerie’s letter. “Why don’t you see what she wrote?” The words barely left his mouth when Hudson drove past. Vince pulled onto the street and picked up speed until he was two cars behind them.

***

Jade opened the note. It was scribbled in pencil, the words barely legible. She read it silently. “Oh, poor thing. They hurt her and threatened to do worse if she told anyone about giving them the key to your room.”

“The bastards.”

She continued to read. “She gives a description of a third man—cold gray eyes, receding hairline, weird accent... That sounds like the Frenchman who stopped by my office last week.”

“And one of the guests at the judge’s dinner party.”

“The judge?”

“My father.” The men in the SUV signaled to exit the street and Vince swiftly changed lanes, forcing Jade to brace herself against the dashboard.
 
“Sorry about that. When my aunt gave me the list of guests at the judge’s dinner party, she mentioned that one of the men was a tall foreigner with gray eyes. She didn’t mention the receding hairline though she thought he might be from a French-speaking country.”
 

“Haven’t you spoken with him?”

Vince didn’t answer her, his attention still on the white SUV. She hated the way he doled out information like it were some rare element. Or that he was oblivious to her frustration. She just went with him to the most dangerous part of L.A. Her sheltered upbringing never prepared her to moonlight as a sleuth in unfamiliar and unsafe neighborhoods or to deal with thugs like Hudson.

Jade forced herself to wait as Vince exited the street and parked at a reasonable distance from Hudson and his partner, who’d pulled up alongside a block of stores.

 
“I thought you said you’d spoken with
everyone
who was at that party,” she added, trying not to sound pissed.

“My aunt didn’t know who the man was. She promised to find out and let me know by the end of the week.” Leaning forward, he continued to study the SUV, making her want to yank him around and force him to talk to her. Instead, she glowered. He gave the illusion of being relaxed, but his alert eyes gave him away. He was in his element, a predator stalking his prey.

“What are they doing?” he mumbled.

That was what she should be asking herself, Jade decided. What was she doing letting Vince continue to hide things from her? After Jerrod and his infidelity, she’d promised not to put up with anyone keeping secrets from her.

“You know something, Vince?” He turned to scowl at her. “If you’re going to keep pulling me into this investigation of yours
and
putting my life in danger, you might start by being honest with me.”

He sat back. “What are you talking about?”

She pressed her left pinky with her right forefinger. “For starters, you made me believe you interviewed all the guests at your father’s party when you didn’t. Second, you threatened to send agents after my mother when you didn’t even report the theft. In fact, you seem to want the authority kept in the dark about the missing statue.”

There was a tense brief moment during which he didn’t say anything. The street lights bathed his strong profile. Her attention went to his sensual mouth that had boldly captured hers and awakened more buds in her palate than she ever knew she had. Worse yet, she could still taste him. It irked her that despite everything, she still wanted him.

“Well?” she asked.

“There are certain things I can’t disclose until I know who I’m dealing with, Jade.”

In other words, he didn’t trust her. “After what we’ve been through, don’t you think you owe me an explanation? I was hoping you’d let me study your statue once you found it.”

“I can’t. It’s not mine to loan out.”

“It belongs to your family, though.” When he didn’t answer, she frowned. Her earlier suspicions returned. Could it be a looted piece? “Doesn’t it?”

“Yes, it does.”

Jade let out a deep breath and fixed her gaze on the SUV. She had every right to feel hurt because Vince didn’t trust her. Just once she wanted someone to believe she could be counted on. Her hand crept up to her lips, replaying the kiss they’d shared. What was wrong with her? Here she was, more concerned with a kiss than getting home. It was time she went back to her normal, sane life and let Vince do his thing.

“They’re getting out.” His words intruded on her thoughts

The two men in the SUV headed toward a door of what appeared to be a bar. From the silhouette of a naked woman on the sign, The Blue Swan was an exotic dancers’ bar. Jade expected Vince to get out of his car and follow them, but was surprised when he started the engine.

Despite her avowal to stay out of his business, she asked, “Aren’t you going to follow them?”

“I’ll be back after I drop you off. What’s your address?”

For a brief moment, she studied him. He was retreating in his shell right before her eyes, becoming distant and unapproachable. She pulled the jacket around her, gave him directions and stared into the darkness as they headed north. The space inside the car seemed to shrink. She was more aware of him—every breath he took, the heat from his body and his musky scent.

She cut him a look. What was so magnetic about him anyway? Why did he make her feel this helpless tug deep inside? Yes, he was handsome, but she had met her share of handsome men. None made her crave intimacy like Vince.

Thoroughly annoyed with herself, Jade thought up ways to keep her mind off him. He confused her. Being around him set her on a rollercoaster of emotions. On one hand, she wanted him, and the other, she wanted to scream at him, or run and never look back. Annoyed, she raked her brain for a distraction.

Her tomorrow’s list of things-to-do came to her rescue. Tomorrow would be one heck of a busy day. Get a new driver’s license and pick up her car from outside Vince’s hotel was at the top of the list. Hold a meeting with her research group students and clear her desk came next.

They pulled up on her driveway in no time. Vince switched off the engine and shifted until he was facing her. “What are your plans for tomorrow, Jade?”

“Why do you ask?” Her voice came out impatient.

“Are you always this suspicious or is it just with me?”

She frowned at him. Her cousins often accused her of being too trusting. “I guess this whole situation is getting to me.”

“I’m sorry about that.”

She couldn’t bring herself to tell him it wasn’t his fault. She just shrugged, then froze when he reached out and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. The gentle caress sent pleasure pulsing down her neck.

“I was hoping you could have dinner with me tomorrow night,” he added.

Something warm unfurled in her tummy. She tried to contain it. “I’d like to but I can’t. I’ve too many things to do before I leave for my vacation.”

 
“I didn’t know you were going away. When do you leave?”

“The day after tomorrow.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“A week. Maybe longer. I haven’t decided yet. I’ll get in touch with you once I speak with my mother just as I’d promised, though.” She unbuckled her seat belt and was reaching for the door when his hand closed over hers.

She peered at him, but his face was in the shadows. “What?”

“Why are you freezing me out?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Leave,
a voice in her head urged. His hold was loose, yet she didn’t pull away. Couldn’t. A shiver raked her frame and her breathing grew short.

“Then why won’t you have diner with me?”

Because you’d only bring me heartache, she longed to say.
“You’re a great guy, Vince, but I just don’t know if I can do this.”

“Define this?” He ran his hand up her arm, slid across her shoulder to cup the back of her neck.

His touch unleashed a storm of emotions inside her. Jade opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water. One touch and she became the village moron.

He leaned forward. “Do you mean this?” His breath fanned her cheek before he pressed his lips on it.

Her breath hitched, mind going fuzzy.

“Yes…no,” she breathed out.

“Which is it? How about this?” His mouth covered hers, gentle and coaxing.

The taste of him sent a rush of pleasure through her. Jade closed her eyes and drank him in, her hand moving up to rest against his chest.

He released her lips long enough to whisper, “I want you, Jade.”

His chest rumbled when he spoke, the vibrations adding to a hunger deep inside of her. His rich, dark tone sent a flush of heat across her skin, making her tingle. She knew she shouldn’t encourage him, but touching him felt so good. Tasting him was even better. She’d never ached for a man like this, never wanted to devour one whole.

“I want you, too.” The words slipped out before she could stop them.

Vince didn’t give her a chance to withdraw. He claimed her mouth again and again. His hands slid into her hair, caressed her cheeks, her neck, pushed the jacket aside to get to her shoulders. No longer cajoling, his lips demanded a response from her.

She welcomed the bold thrust of his lips, her hands bunching his shirt and pulling him closer. She couldn’t breath and her heart thundered louder than a runaway thoroughbred’s hooves, but she didn’t care. He took and gave with equal intensity. Drawing from her a response she had no idea she could give, making her crave with a crazed frenzy.

The chaotic, disintegrating feeling took her by surprise. With it came panic. Her body was spiraling out of control too quickly. Yet she couldn’t stop her hands from moving up to grip his head and deepen the kiss.

Vince made a guttural sound when his hand reached the naked skin between her pants and her shirt. Jade arched her back, a burst of energy shooting from the point of contact to her chest and her belly. When he slipped a hand under the elastic band of her pants to cup her buttock, her body jerked back and she gulped in air. She had no idea how she came to be halfway on his lap. But there was no doubt where she wanted his hand—under her panties, between her legs.
 

Vince took her exposed neck as an invite and rained kisses down its column. “You taste so good.”

“Vince…”

“I’m here, baby.” He palmed her cheek and turned her head to add, “Let’s finish this inside.”

Jade wasn’t sure how she responded or how they made it out of the car to her door. Their hands were all over each other. She bent down to pick up the fake rock on her flower bed, where she normally hid her spare keys, when she glanced at her door and froze.

“Vince?”

“Yes?” His hand was under her tank top, running up and down her back.

“My door…it’s opened.” Her voice came out shaky.

Vince changed from lover to protector, hand leaving her feverish skin to nudge her out of harm’s way. “Stay back. This time, do not follow me inside, Jade. If I tell you to go, run as fast as you can to your neighbors and call the police.” Vince waited for her nod before he moved forward, stayed close to the wall, so he wasn’t directly in front of the door, and pushed it open.

The door swung on its hinges. Nothing happened—no one came charging out. He reached inside, found the switch and turned the lights on.

Jade gasped.

CHAPTER 8

The chaos—smashed crockery, ripped chair cushions and overturned tables—was too much to take in at once. Fury and helplessness vied for dominance as Jade stepped inside her house. Hudson and his friend. How dare those two no-good thugs do this to her? Her body shook and she stumbled. Vince reached for her, enveloping her in his arms.

She fought to contain her tears. Her home, her privacy, everything she held dear violated. Swallowing her tears, she shook her head. Now wasn’t the time to let emotions get the better of her.

Despite the silent pep talk, Jade leaned against Vince, absorbing his warmth and strength. Her gaze wandered around her kitchen and dining room. Broken Waterford celebration chutes on her kitchen granite counter tops, monogrammed vases, stemware and china on her wooden floor. All treasured gifts from her family.

“Hudson…they did this,” she murmured, tilting her head to give Vince a brief glance.

Anger smoldered in the depth of his eyes as he studied the chaos, but he neither denied her claim nor agreed with her. “Do you want me to call the police?”

“And tell them what?” she said in a resigned voice, stepping out of his arms. His precious investigation couldn’t withstand close scrutiny. She stooped low to pick up the bottom half of a pineapple candleholder and dropped it on the counter top. She pressed her fingers against her temple. Where to begin?

“We can stick as close to the truth as possible, Jade,” Vince said from behind her, his voice gentle, as though he knew how fragile she was, how close she was to falling apart.

Jade shook her head. “No. I can’t deal with cops now. Not tonight.” Her voice shook slightly. It just wasn’t fair. She should be partying with cousins, not dealing with this crap. To have Vince see her lose it would only add to her humiliation. “I think you should leave, Vince. I know—”

He cut off her words when he grabbed her arms and whirled her around to face him. Jade shrunk back at the rage in his eyes and attempted to wrestle her arms free.

His grip tightened. “You can’t mean that.”

No, she didn’t mean it. She wanted to beg him to stay, to loan her the comfort of his arms and distract her with his presence. But it was his fault all this was happening. Besides, she didn’t want to bawl her eyes out and have a why-do-these-terrible-things-happen-to-me moment with Vince around. There was no telling how he’d react. Her ex used to look at her with disgust whenever she lost it, as if breaking down was a major character flaw.

Her chin went up and she shot Vince a defiant glance.
 
“Yes, I do mean it.” Again, she tried to wrench her arms free. “Let go. You’re cutting the circulation to my hands.”

He let her go and raised his hands, palms out. She rubbed the areas he’d gripped and shot him a chilling glance.

“I know you’re pissed off at what these bastards did to your place, but don’t use it as an excuse to push me away.”

His hard voice pushed her last raw nerve, magnifying the storm of emotions churning inside her. Jade gave him a scathing once over.

“Push you away? You aren’t close enough for me push, buster. You’re just the jerk who, for some misguided reason, I chose to forgive after he propositioned me like some cheap streetwalker.”

 
A sigh escaped him. “Jade, I apologized for that already.”

Her hand went to her hip. “Yeah? When? Because I must have been asleep or comatose when you did.”

“Why did you think I humiliated myself in front your friends, huh? Being groped by strange women is not my idea of fun,” he snapped.

The anger drained from her like air rushing from a balloon. She was losing it, and taking her frustration out on poor Vince. “Before, outside the hotel, you said you wouldn’t mind.”

“Yeah, I did, didn’t I?” He stepped away from her, gave his surrounding another sweeping glance, then locked his gaze on her. “I’m not leaving.”

His flinty tone allowed no room for argument. Good, because she had no intention of starting one. It took a lot of effort for her to muster indifference and say, “Suit yourself.” Then she turned and hurried to her living room to hide her tears.

The destruction there was just as senseless. Nothing left intact, not the entertainment system or the pictures that once graced the walls. The feeling of having been violated returned.

“What’s the point of paying for a security system when someone can still break in and do this …” her voice trailed off as an icy feeling crawled up her spine. Why didn’t they steal electronics? Something was off. They must have been searching for….

Jade pivoted on her heels, and collided with Vince.

“They were searching for the statue, weren’t they?” she said.

Vince took in the destroyed furniture and broken audio system and winced. “Maybe.”

“There’s no maybe about it. You know I’m right. They saw me with you, had my keys…
 
What did they think? That you gave it to me for safe-keeping?” She searched his face, seeing something she didn’t like or want to accept. No, this couldn’t be connected with her mother. She refused to believe it.

He pushed a bottle of brandy in her hand. “There’re no intact cups or glasses, so drink up.”

“No alcohol.” It could trigger an arrhythmia attack, something she didn’t want to deal with right now.

“It’ll help you deal with this.”

She pushed it away. “I can’t.”

He frowned at her answer, studying her with a peculiar expression.

“I’ll check the bed…oh, no.” How could she have forgotten?
Please, let it be there.
She raced toward the bedroom.

A moan escaped her when she saw her safe ajar, empty. With unsteady legs, she stepped over the bedding, mattress stuffing, her clothes, shoes, and jars of creams until she stopped where her dresser once stood, hiding the safe.

Hands came from behind and gripped her shoulders. Shamelessly, she leaned back against Vince, drawing strength from him.

“My grandmother’s…they took Granny’s pearls.” Her voice broke. What would she tell her mother? She’d borrowed the pearls from the family safe for Saturday’s black-tie event, a fund-raising for the man who could be the state’s first African-American governor. She had to attend it, otherwise the host and hostess, her aunt and uncle, would have her hide. But from the look of things, she didn’t think she’d be going anywhere. The pearls were gone and the dress she’d planned to wear was on the floor with the rest of her things.

No, she was going to find a way to make it. She refused to revert to the old unreliable Jade anymore. She didn’t realize she was crying until Vince brushed the tears off her cheek.

“Come here.” He wrapped his arms around her and tucked her head under his chin, his large palm warm and reassuring against her head.

She wiggled, attempting to break free, but his arms tightened. Outside her family no man ever held her so tenderly. More tears flowed. “I need to—”

“Shh. Let me hold you, please.”

She let him. She was being totally needy and would probably berate herself later, but she didn’t care. Come tomorrow, she would have more than enough on her plate. Tonight, she needed a shoulder broader than hers to ease some of her burden. It felt so wonderful to be in his arms.

“Come with me,” he said when her tears abated. “There’s nothing you can do in here. We’re going to sit down, then you’re going to make a list of everything valuable they destroyed or stole.”

“Just the necklace,” she mumbled against his shirt. Nothing else mattered.

“While we wait for the police,” he finished as though she hadn’t spoken. When she opened her mouth to protest, he nodded. “I know what you said earlier about calling the cops. If you don’t mind, I’ll deal with them.”

 
His firm voice seemed to reach out and wrap around her. She lifted her head and focused on his face until everything else was blurry.

“Thank you. That would be nice.”

Jade allowed Vince to walk her back to the kitchen. A few stools were in decent enough condition to sit on despite their sliced cushions. Somehow, he found a pen and her post-it pad amid the mess and pressed them in her hand. The ever efficient Vince, nothing ever fazed him. On a normal day, his hero-like perfection would bug the heck out of her. Now she was only grateful.

“Do you drink coffee?” he asked.

“Of course.” When he patted the pockets of his jacket, something close to panic gripped her chest. Was he planning on driving out to get some and leave her here alone? “Not that I want any now. Why do you ask?”

He pulled out his cell phone. “I’ll make us some as soon as I talk to the cops.”

Feeling foolish, Jade bent her head and scribbled on the piece of paper. She was such a ninny. Pitiful. A total disgrace to her gender. Was it earlier today she’d vowed she’d never be depended on a man? Yet here she was, practically letting Vince take over. Cops were on their way when she could have called her cousin. Sure, Eddie would fuss and demand answers, but he always came through for the family. But no, she had to let Mr. Perfection-personified take care of her, making her feel even more helpless. She angled her head and eavesdropped on his conversation. Even the deep drone of his voice was reassuring.
      

Giving up the pretense of making her list, she turned her head and watched him pocket the phone, then start rummaging through her cupboards. He found a pot, unopened decaf and two coffee mugs with lids. While the water boiled, he thoroughly washed and rinsed the cups. Efficient and comfortable even in the kitchen. Was he real? Within minutes, he placed the hot, black brew in front of her.

 
“Thank you.”

His dimples flashed as he took the other stool, took a swallow of his coffee and nodded at the pad beside her cup. “You haven’t written anything down.”

Jade shrugged. “The only thing I care about is the necklace. The rest are replaceable.” The lie rolled off her tongue so smoothly she could almost buy it. She sipped her coffee and looked at the broken crockery. Those bastards must pay. “I want in, Vince.”

He leaned back and studied her above the rim of his cup. He appeared to ponder his next words. “Has your home ever been burglarized before, Jade?”

“No.”

“Ever been to the projects before tonight?”

“Of course not. What does that have to do—?”

“Ever done anything unlawful that could jeopardize your career?”

Jade blinked, not liking the direction his questions were taking. If he was trying to scare her, he was doing a very good job. Her tenure review was coming up in a few months and she couldn’t afford to have her reputation sullied in anyway.

“No, but—”

“Hudson and his partner don’t look like the type to smash thousands of dollars worth of electronics when they can easily hawk them within minutes of leaving here. Yet,” he tilted his head toward the living room, “they jerked your entertainment unit pretty bad and only took off with something that can easily be concealed in a pocket. That should tell you something. Someone has a tight leash on those two.”

Jade swallowed as something cold and nasty slithered up her spine. Maybe she needed to sit back and re-evaluate. Yeah, much better to take off to Dana Point the day after tomorrow and let Vince do his thing. Still, it irked her that the burglars took off with her pearls. What would she wear to the party tomorrow? Tonight, she corrected when her gaze touched her watch. It was already past midnight. She might have to raid Faith’s boutique and hope for the best.

She tried to smile. “I guess whoever it is probably helped them disarm my alarm.”

“That’s possible.” Vince drained his coffee and put the cup aside. “Hudson and his partner don’t strike me as into high-tech gadgets…ah, the police are here.”

Jade turned to see red and blue lights flash through her draperies. Vince covered her hand reassuringly. Funny how it was both comforting and exciting. She attempted another smile and squeezed his hand.

“Everything will be okay,” he said.

From a different man, she’d refute such a bold claim. Vince, she was fast learning, was a doer. Jade nodded and watched him disappear outside. She drained her coffee and followed.

She stepped outside just as someone snarled, “You? What are you doing here?”

Eddie?

“Do I know you, officer?” Vince asked as Jade hurried outside.

“Where’s Jade?” Eddie snapped.

“I’m here, Eddie?” Jade called out, drawing her cousin’s attention to her. “What’s going on?”

“Christ, Jade. Where have you been?” He pushed passed Vince and closed the gap between them. Eddie gripped her arms and peered into her face. “Are you okay?”

“Of course.” Jade shot Vince a bewildered expression before locking her gaze on her cousin. The light fell through the door’s glass panels and bathed his murderous expression. “I’m sorry someone at your precinct woke you up. I was planning to tell you about the break-in first thing tomorrow morning.”

“At Cohen’s? I already know about it. The whole country knows about it.”

Jade’s eyes widened, her hand moving to her chest as though to slow down the sudden rise in her heart beat. She shot Vince a panicked look. “What…what are you saying?”