“Emme—” he tried again, but she talked over him.
“But I still know you calling my father about a work issue, my work, is not okay.”
“This isn’t a work issue, this is a guy issue,” he corrected.
“Oh yes?” she asked, putting one hand on her hip and tipping her head the other way, not a stance any man wanted to see, ever, even if his woman was wearing only a jeans and bra doing it. “So, you didn’t phone my father to come up and deal with Dane’s suspension and/or termination should he show at work after his bond hearing? And you didn’t do that without telling me?”
“I did that because it’s not safe for you to be near this guy and I intended to tell you but you got pissed and disappeared, I searched for you, only found you because you were at my house, things got heated then other shit took it off my mind.”
“So you did,” she stated. “You did phone my father to deal with a work issue.”
He pushed away from the jamb, her eyes fired and she took a step back so he settled in where he was, putting his mug on the counter and crossing his arms on his chest.
“I keep tellin’ you, I know that guy and I don’t want you anywhere near that guy,” he said.
“Well, luckily, I haven’t gone temporarily and spontaneously deaf every time you’ve mentioned that so I actually heard you say that. But this isn’t the same.”
“He’s that guy and you dealin’ with him in person or on the phone is just not gonna happen.”
“When it comes to my work, Jacob, you don’t get to make that call,” she declared.
“When it comes to my girl bein’ at work and dealin’ with this guy, I do,” he shot back.
“So, say, you’re out crimefighting or whatever you do and I feel it necessary to make sure you’re fed properly because I feel it’s my job to see to you, it’s okay I infiltrate your secret lair without your knowledge or permission to bring you chicken noodle soup and crackers?” she asked sarcastically.
He was finding it unfortunate she was in that bra that made him want to trail the lace at her tits with this tongue, those jeans that rode low on her hips that made him want to peel them off, she was cute, funny, and smarter than any woman he’d ever met, which meant she could go head to head with him and sometimes win. And he was finding this unfortunate because he didn’t know whether to laugh, grab her and kiss her, or growl.
“I meant to tell you about the call to your dad,” he reiterated.
“How about this for an alternate scenario?” she suggested, still sarcastic. “You talk to me about such things, including and especially if it involves speaking to my dad who’s my dad but he’s also my boss. Then I decide, or if necessary, we discuss how said speaking to my dad will happen.”
“He was happy to know, Emme,” Deck informed her.
“Yeah, Jacob,” she leaned toward him, “I know. He is right now lamenting the fact that I didn’t run into you on the street months ago so he could invite you to our annual family trip to Breckenridge and he is currently out buying you your own personal snowmobile. Which FYI, me, all my siblings and brother and sisters-in-law all have at Dad’s place in Breck. In other words, not only is he coming up to take care of business that he pays me to do, he’s either figured out we’re together or is praying to God at the same time doing a voodoo love dance, hoping we’ll get together because he’s always liked you like I always liked you. A lot.”
“He knows we’re together,” Deck told her.
“What? Did you tell him that too?”
Deck said nothing.
She stared.
The stare turned into a glare.
Then she hissed, “I cannot believe you.”
“Babe—”
“Don’t babe me, Jacob!” she snapped, her voice rising and her hands flying out to her sides before she clamped them both on her hips. “I can’t believe you told Dad we’re together!”
“Is it a secret?” he asked.
“No! But you haven’t seen him in nine years. I have, like, regularly, and I’m also his daughter, the fruit of his loins, so I think I should get to share with him who I’m dating, don’t you?”
The fruit of his loins.
Fuck, he wasn’t going to be able to stop his smile.
She caught it, the vibe in the bathroom turned heavy and her voice got low. “This isn’t funny, Jacob.”
“Emme, you don’t want me to laugh, don’t rant at me saying shit like ‘fruit of his loins’ lookin’ cute and sexy in jeans and a bra.”
He knew that was the wrong thing to say when she closed her eyes, looked away, then turned back and opened her eyes again.
“You are very intelligent,” she said quietly. “But because of that, you do not know all and get to do whatever the fuck you want to do. We’re talking about my job and my father. Discussing those how we’re discussing them and why is not amusing. I don’t care if I’m wearing a clown suit.”
Yeah. It was the wrong thing to say.
But something struck him about her reaction and this entire scenario.
She was pissed but this was something important that they could work out, even if the dialogue was heated.
So she wasn’t cursing like a sailor. She wasn’t shouting. She hadn’t lost her mind.
She was holding it together, sharing what was on her mind and calling up patience in an effort to get it through to him.
And fuck, he liked that.
He uncrossed his arms from his chest, planted his hands on his hips and spoke quietly in return.
“You’re right. You’re cute, sexy and funny, even when we’re arguing, but you’re right. And, just so you know, he knows about McFarland’s issues with the law but he doesn’t know about your relationship with McFarland.”
Relief flashed in her face and Deck kept talking.
“But I don’t seem to be able to impress on you I got concerns about this guy, I don’t want you to have fuck-all to do with him no matter how that comes about, and I think the fact that I’d go to your dad to deal with him should say just how fundamental those concerns are.”
“Okay, Jacob, I hear you, but you need to understand, things that are important to me, my family, my job, my house, you don’t make unilateral decisions, act on them and inform me later… or not. You talk to me.”
“Point taken,” he conceded and she blinked.
“Pardon?” she asked.
“You’re right, baby. I acted out of concern but fucked up. It won’t happen again.”
“You… I…” she blinked again, this time she did it twice and fast, “just like that?”
“Just like what?”
“You’re agreeing with me?”
“Yeah, Emme. You’re right. I fucked up. I’m admitting it. Shit happens like this again, which I hope to Christ it won’t, I’ll discuss it with you before I carry a decision forward if that decision affects you.”
“I…” she hesitated, “don’t know what to say.”
“Nothin’ to say. We don’t have time for makeup sex, seein’ as your dad’s lookin’ forward to seein’ you, I gotta drop you at work then I gotta get to the courthouse for the bond hearings. So you need to get dressed and we need to go.”
“Can I at least kiss you?” she asked, and Deck grinned.
She was indicating the fight was over and now he could appreciate her being cute and sexy again, up close.
“Yeah,” he agreed.
She started toward him, stopped and her brows drew together.
“Why are you dropping me at work? Persephone is here. I can drive to Gnaw Bone and you can go to the courthouse.”
“Cletus is stayin’ in the garage since you’re spending the night.”
Her face softened, she liked that idea but she said, “Dad’s in town.”
Fuck.
“Your dad, your call to make, Emme. But whatever bed you’re in tonight, want you to know, my preference is that I’m in it with you.”
“I renovated the guest room so Mom and D
ad would have a nice place to sleep when they came up.”
“Then it’s your place.”
She held his eyes. “Dad will love Buford.”
He grinned again. “And me in your bed.”
“Yeah,” she whispered, and he knew she liked that idea.
Seeing her room during and before his tour, not to mention seeing her sleeping naked in her bed, he did too.
“You gonna kiss me and get your ass in gear or stand there staring at me?” he asked.
She moved forward, rolled up on her toes, rounded his shoulders with her arms and she kissed him.
Deck bent into her and kissed her back.
* * *
Three and a half hours later…
“Hey, honey.”
That was the greeting Deck got from Emme on his phone as he was walking out of the courtroom after the hearings.
“How’s everything going?” he asked.
“Dad’s communing with the men, cracking jokes and generally being his normal awesome. He’s happy we’re in the black and how in the black we are. He’s ecstatic I have new insulation. He’s disappointed you didn’t drop me at work so he could see you. And he’s decreed I’m not cooking tonight, we’re going to dinner in town. And just so you know, when that happens, he pays and don’t even try to fight him. A couple of my sister’s boyfriends tried to do that and it got ugly. So, unfortunately, our date night is screwed but on the bright side, I get to spend time with my dad and you, which far from sucks.”
He was glad she was having quality time with her father even if the reason it came about was fucked.
But no one paid for his dinner and now no one paid for his girl’s. She pulled that shit last night and then distracted him before he could have it out with her.
And he didn’t give a shit if it got ugly. Barry would have to deal. And the kind of man Barry was, Deck reckoned he’d get it. But if he didn’t, they’d split the check.
“Sounds like you’re havin’ a good morning,” Deck noted as he moved to his truck.
“Yeah,” she replied. “How’s yours?”
He got close to his vehicle, bleeped his locks and answered, “Judge set bail. After that, shit can go fast, honey. And McFarland had a nice condo and a nice truck. I found a storage unit with a shitload of stolen property in it they hadn’t got ’round to fencing but Chace phoned this morning and said the inventory the boys were doin’ shows that a lot of shit that was reported stolen was not in that unit. Which means it’s already been fenced, he probably got his cut so he could have the collateral to make bond in the form of cash. And that cash won’t be in a bank account they can freeze. So you need to go talk to your dad. He’s up.”
“Okay,” she said on a sigh.
“No phones, Emme,” he warned. “Your cell only if you know who’s callin’. But other than that, your dad or someone else mans the phones. You good with that?”
“Don’t you think Dane has enough problems, imminently losing his job being another one, that he won’t be thinking about bothering me?”
She just wouldn’t get this. Then again, she’d twisted in her head that the whackjob who snatched her from a playground at school was a good, kind guy.
But he saw the photos of her with McFarland. She was affectionate and enjoyed affection. He was over the top. He gave her a stolen ring to press his suit. He’d used his one phone call to phone her, not an attorney, not a relative, not anyone who could do something for him, but Emme to talk about whatever the fuck he wanted to discuss with her, being incarcerated and knowing she knew he gave her a stolen ring.
This guy was bad news. Deck felt it in his gut. He was not the ringleader of that crazy shit. But he was stupid enough to get pulled in. And stupid enough to do something for a woman he was gagging for that would bring them all down.
The rest of that crew, they found out about the ring, if they didn’t already know, were going to be pretty fucking angry.
He needed McFarland’s focus off Emme and he needed to be certain no other focus turned to her.
Shit like this went warped in a blink of an eye, and people like Emme got caught up in it in ways no one would imagine if someone didn’t pay attention.
He stopped at his door of his truck, hand on the handle but turned his sole attention on her.
“I get you don’t want to think bad things about anybody, about bad shit that may be comin’ your way or about a guy you spent time with, baby,” he said quietly. “But I’m asking you if we can end this go-round we got goin’ about this guy, and to do that, I’m askin’ you to trust me. Be safe and be safe by lettin’ me keep you safe however I gotta do that. Now, do you trust me?”
There was a moment’s hesitation before she said, “I’m sorry, honey. I’m being obstinate about this and I don’t know why. Maybe denial.”
“How about you don’t think about it, let me think about it, and you just go about your day. Yeah?”
“It’s… it’s… this is really cool of you, Jacob,” she said, her voice now soft. “We just started. We should be about fun stuff, not you having Dane always in your face. This is a pain and—”
“Babe, just starting or not, this isn’t a pain. You’re in my life, when it comes to you, this is my job. You get a good man, he’ll think of it that way. And he won’t give a fuck it’s a pain.”
To that he got nothing.
So he called, “Emme?”
“I really like you,” she whispered, and he closed his eyes as her words made his blood heat.
He opened them and yanked open his door.
“I really like you too,” he replied.
“I’m glad.” She was still whispering.
“Go talk to your dad,” he ordered.
“Okay, honey. When are you coming ’round and are you bringing Buford or going back for him after dinner?”
“Your dad know I’m spending the night?”
“Yes, and please don’t worry about that. I’m thirty-four. He’s not stupid. He’s got three other kids older than me and has been through this before prior to them being seriously dressed up in a church. Not to mention, he thinks you can draw up the plans in your mind for a spaceship that can get us to Mars in four hours not four years at the same time go three rounds with Mike Tyson and best him. He’s not got a problem with you spending the night.”
As she was speaking, he’d angled in his truck and closed the door.
Well before she was done, he was smiling at his steering wheel.
“Good to know,” he murmured then said, “Don’t want Buford ambling around your house alone first time he’s there. Also don’t want him to sit in a cold truck while we’re eatin’. I’ll swing back by my house after dinner and get him.”
“All right.”
“Gonna let you go.”
“Okay, honey. Talk to you later.”
“I’ll be at your house around four thirty.”
“Works for me.”
“Good, baby. See you then.”
“Okay, Jacob. ’Bye.”
“Later, honey.”
He disconnected with a smile still on his lips and he was about to toss his cell on the seat beside him when it rang.
The display said “Lee Nightingale calling.”
He put the phone to his ear. “Lee.”
“Yo, Deck. You got time to talk?” Lee replied.
“Yeah,” Deck answered, settling back, eyes scanning the area outside his windshield, attention on the phone.
“Did what you asked, set Hector on it, got a verbal report this morning,” Lee told him.
“Give it to me,” Deck invited.
“Harvey Feldman. Sixty-one years of age. Did a nickel for kidnapping, refused to be considered for parole. Did the whole run, his decision. Got out, did his stint in a halfway house. Got a job. Got a house. House paid in full now. Car paid in full. Bills paid on time. Taxes filed on time. Goes to work on time. No sick days. Stellar performance evaluations. Well liked at work. Not a loner. Goes out for dri
nks with the boys. Looks after his neighbor’s cat when she’s on vacation. Mows his other neighbor’s yard ’cause she’s eighty-nine and refuses to go into a nursing home. Described as kind of quiet, but friendly, and kind. Although not a loner, never remarried. No one’s ever seen him even datin’. Puts money in a 401K that’ll mean his retirement will be comfortable but he won’t be in the lap of luxury.”
Deck didn’t have a good feeling about this.
Too perfect.
And it fit something Emme said in a way he didn’t like.
“There more?” he asked when Lee stopped talking.
“Yeah. Hector said Harvey Feldman is the most boring assignment I’ve given him and he says you now owe him too.”
Deck didn’t smile.
Instead, he noted, “Squeaky clean. Hector get eyes on this guy?”
“Yeah,” Lee answered.
“What’s the vibe? He report that?”
“Outside of the job being boring, no. And if Hector got a vibe, he’d report it. Regular Joe outside of out of the blue once kidnapping a twelve-year-old-girl. Got no priors to that, no problems after. Not even a parking ticket.”
“I don’t like this,” Deck muttered, unable to put his finger on why he didn’t.
“You wanna clue me in on who Emmanuelle Holmes is to you?” Lee fished.
“She’s in my bed,” Deck gave it to him.
“This guy make an approach to her?” Lee asked, his tone, usually alert, was now more so.
Then again, Lee was married, he loved his wife, didn’t mind people knowing it, so he’d get a man looking into the kidnapper of the woman in his bed.
“Not that I know of.”
Her words came to him.
And Harvey took it because he thought he deserved it. He had a daughter. If someone did that to her, he would have done the same.
She called him Harvey like she knew him.
He’d asked how she knew that about the man, she hadn’t answered. Something was not right, and it wasn’t just how Emme had twisted all that to okay in her head.
She’d laid it out, surprisingly honestly.
But this evasiveness was why he didn’t ask her straight up if she had some current connection with Harvey.
She was figuring things out, untwisting what she had twisted in her head, emerging from behind the veil, letting him in. He didn’t want to trip a trigger when she was working on all that, a trigger that might drive her away.