His thoughts took a natural turn to Hadley. A night of fevered dreams had left him hard and aching for her this morning. While her arrhythmia episode last night had scared him, he was glad for the interruption. He had meant what he said about wanting things to be different with her, but that didn't mean he was a monk. Listening to her pleasured sighs and soft moans last night had nearly done him in, and he wasn't sure how much of that he could take before he surrendered.
A high-pitched catcall of a whistle startled him. He whirled around and sloshed coffee on his fingers. Thankfully it had cooled enough not to burn him. Expecting to see Hadley ogling him from inside the penthouse, he was even more surprised to find a strange young woman eyeing him like a piece of meat.
With a banana yellow hoodie slung over one shoulder, the petite, thin woman couldn't have been twenty years old. She wore a grapefruit pink t-shirt bearing the logo of a Swedish music festival. Her dark hair had pulled back in a low ponytail, and she had on the tightest, skinniest pair of gray jeans he had ever seen in his life. Barefoot, she wiggled her toes. "You hungry?"
Actually, he was. "I could eat."
She gave the heavy plastic bag a jiggle. "You like breakfast tacos?"
"Hell yes."
"Come on. I'll feed you while Hadley sleeps." She turned on her heel and strode toward the kitchen. Finn returned to the penthouse and shut the door behind him, making sure to lock it. "Your girlfriend is a late sleeper. You'll be lucky if Moneybags rolls out of bed by ten."
The nickname was said in a friendly, familiar way. He had a feeling these two teased each other all the time. "So I guess you're Coby?"
"Yep." She dropped the bag on the island and tossed her hoodie into the sink. The fabric unfurled, and he noticed the blue and red stains on the fabric. "You're Finn Connolly."
"The one and only," he replied.
Coby grinned at him and pushed the sack of breakfast tacos toward him. "Help yourself."
"Thanks." He picked out one labeled chorizo, potato and egg and accepted the paper towel she slapped in front of him. "Are you just getting off work?"
"Sort of," she said cryptically. After grabbing a can of soda from the refrigerator, she hopped up onto the counter next to him and tore into the foil wrapping of the burrito she had picked. "So, do you have any other brothers?"
Finn laughed. "No. Why? You need a date?"
Her smile slipped, but she quickly recovered and breezily answered, "I don't date military guys."
"No? I thought all ladies loved a man in uniform."
"This lady did, and this lady learned that they don't all come back."
He sobered up quickly upon hearing that reply. Thinking of how young she was, he figured her loss had to have been a father or brother. "Your dad?"
She nodded and took a long sip of her soda. "He was a SEAL."
He sensed she didn't want to talk about the details of her father's death. "I'm sorry."
She shrugged. "You didn't know him, and it was a long time ago."
"Still…"
"I appreciate the thought, Finn." Brightening up, she said, "I only asked about brothers because I'm running out of single friends. Every time one of you Connolly boys shows up, my friends lose their minds and go all gaga crazy. If there are any more of you out there, I'm putting tracking devices on you."
"I'm the last single Connolly."
"Are you? Single, I mean?"
"Depends on the definition, I guess," he answered honestly. "If you're asking am I married or engaged? Then, yes, I'm single. If you're asking if I'm involved in a serious relation? My answer is no, I'm not single. I'm involved."
"Good answer," she said and playfully kicked my hip. "Did she tell you about…?" Coby gestured to her chest.
"She did," he said solemnly. "You're going to the tests with her on Tuesday morning?"
"I am."
"I'm glad she'll have you there."
"Did she tell you about not wanting to talk to her family about it yet?"
"Yes."
"And what do you think about that?"
He got the feeling Coby didn't agree with Hadley keeping something so serious from them. "I think it's her choice."
If he had been expecting Coby to be disappointed by his reply, he couldn’t have been more wrong. She damn near beamed at him. "She was right. You really are perfect for her."
The tips of his ears grew hot, and he snorted roughly. "Girl, I'm about as far from perfect as a man can get."
"Because you're a one-legged alcoholic?" She didn't say it meanly, but that didn’t mean her frank retort didn't sting.
"That's a good place to start."
"In my experience, the guys who seem perfect on the outside are the worst ones. Give me a one-legged alcoholic any day."
"Recovering," Finn corrected. "I'm in recovery. For nearly three years," he added pointedly.
"Good for you, and I mean that sincerely." She shuddered. "You wouldn't believe some of the awful addicts I meet when I'm on tour. It's a hard thing to beat, but you're clearly made of stronger stock than most."
"I don't know about that." He sipped his coffee. "I think I just had more reasons to fight than most."
"And now you've got one more." Coby studied him for an unnervingly long moment. "You know, I did hear something about you last night."
"Me? Why would anyone at Faze talk about me?"
"Apparently there's a rumor that you might be going into business with some friends from the south."
His head snapped up at that. "Where the hell did you hear that?"
"Is it true?"
"No."
She examined his face for a few seconds as if to detect a lie. She must have seen something that put her at ease. "I heard it when I ran up to the VIP floor for a break. I didn't see who said it, but take your pick, man. The bouncers don't call that section the viper pit for no reason." She chewed a bite of her burrito and swallowed. "I saw Lalo Contreras up there earlier in the night and ran into Hector Salas a little while later. They're both known associates of the Guzman cartel."
Lalo Contreras was a man Finn had seen at the underground fight tournament. The man he had met last night wasn't Lalo Contreras. Was he Hector Salas?
Hopping off the counter, she gathered up her burrito and soda. "I've got to get this melody out of my head or I'm going to lose it." Coby cast a pleading look his way. "Be careful, Finn."
"I always am."
"I meant with her."
"You don't need to worry on that score. As long as I'm around, no one will ever hurt her and that goes double for me."
Coby seemed pleased with his answer. She nodded and disappeared from the kitchen, heading down a hallway on the other side of the living room and ducking into the first door she reached. Not long after, he heard the thump of electronic music and a keyboard. He had just finished his breakfast and fixed another cup of coffee when he heard the doorbell ring.
Certain Coby couldn't hear it over that racket she was making, he left the kitchen to answer it. He glanced through the peep hole but could only see dark hair and the back of a man's head. When he opened the door, Finn's gut clenched. Shit.
Eddie Rivera turned around with a big smile on his face. The lifted corners of his mouth deflated quickly. His glowering gaze burned Finn as it swept over his half-naked frame. He felt the older man's attention lingering on the bare prosthetic foot sticking out from the bottom of his pants.
Realizing there was no way to avoid the awkward turn this was about to take, Finn stepped aside so the man could enter. "Hadley is still in bed. We were up late."
Fuck. Fuck. A moment too late, Finn heard what he had said. No doubt Eddie was imaging the very worst now.
Clearing his throat, he gestured toward the bedroom. "I'll, uh, I'll go get her."
"No." The word came out like a crack of gunfire. "Let her sleep. You and I should talk."
Before Finn could start listing the million and one reasons why they really, really shouldn't, he heard Hadley'
s sleeping voice coming down the hallway from her bedroom. "Finn? Did I hear the door?"
She emerged from the hallway with a thin robe over her pajamas. The tired look on her face was blasted right off the second she spotted her father. Her gaze jumped to Finn and then back to Eddie. It would have been comical if it hadn't been so damned uncomfortable. "Daddy! I didn't know you were coming over this morning."
"I wanted to take you out for breakfast before Mass. I canceled both of our lunch dates in the last two weeks. I wanted to make it up to you." Eddie's irritated glare landed on Finn. "But I can see you're busy."
"Not at all," Finn interjected carefully. "I need to get to the gym."
She smiled brightly at her father. "Give me twenty minutes?"
"Take your time, mi'ja."
With Eddie's glare burning a hole in his back, Finn followed Hadley to her bedroom. Somehow that man had managed to make him feel like a naughty teenager who had been caught necking with his girlfriend. You're a grown man. She's a grown woman. You're allowed to share a bed without the Inquisition.
Hadley shut the door behind him and dropped back against it. She started to giggle nervously. "Oh. My. God. How awkward was that?"
"I'm pretty sure that was the weirdest moment of my life." Trying to inject some levity into a strained situation, he joked rather darkly, "Your dad is probably out there right now calling out a hit on me."
She laughed. "Yeah, I'm sure he's dialing up Hector as we speak."
The name surprised him, but he didn't let it show on his face. "Who?"
She waved her hand. "He's a friend of the family. It's complicated."
"Uh-huh."
"I'll tell you about it someday, but right now, I've really got to get into the shower and get dressed. Why don't you hide out here until I'm done? You can shower after me and leave after I've gone."
"Sure." He caught her wrist before she could escape too far and dragged her close for a kiss. She lifted up to meet his seeking mouth and smiled when he finally let her go. When she reached the bathroom, she cast a longing glance over her shoulder. If her father hadn't been in the living room, he would have accepted that silent invitation for some soapy, wet fun.
Left alone in the bedroom, he began to wonder about the interesting connections Kostya had told him that Hadley's family had. Had he meant Alina, the madam of the city's most exclusive brothel, or Hector Salas who seemed to have some sort of relationship with the family?
Whoever it was, Finn suspected the answer wasn't going to be good for him.
Chapter Seven
"I'm going to be glowing by the time this is over," I grumbled while sketching some ideas onto the pad I kept in my bag.
"Well, if you decide to Hulk out on me tonight, give me a little warning, okay?" Coby's fingers danced across the screen of her phone as she answered emails and instant messages.
I laughed softly so as not to annoy any of the other people sitting around us in the waiting room of the cardiology practice. "I'll try."
"So what was the final tally?"
"MRI, chest x-ray, echo, EKG, stress test and blood work," I ticked off each test I had endured in the last four hours. "Hopefully they got everything they needed."
"Don't forget about making you pee in a cup," she added with a smirk. "Because that really is the cherry on your sundae of a day."
I laughed again. "Are you working tonight?"
She shook her head. "No, but I'm going to head over to Micah's place to work on some new tracks. I figured Mr. High-And-Tight would be visiting tonight. Thought you two lovebirds might like the place to yourselves."
I smiled at her nickname for Finn. "He's been texting me all morning to see how the tests are going. I think he felt really guilty about not being able to make it."
"That's because he's falling head over heels for you, Moneybags," she said matter-of-factly.
"Well, I don't know about that. It's early days."
"When you know, you know."
"Miss Rivera?" A nurse in purple scrubs stood in a doorway that led to the exam area.
I glanced at Coby. "Come with me?"
"Of course," she said and stuffed her phone into her purse. She followed me into the triage area and stood close by while I was weighed and had my blood pressure and temperature taken. We were taken to an exam room where Coby proceeded to tell me the juicy gossip from Faze to keep my mind off the upcoming chat with Dr. Rae.
When the doctor finally arrived, she had a box in her hand that I recognized only too well. She smiled at Coby. "I don't think we've met."
"Coby Taggart." She shook Dr. Rae's hand. "I'm Hadley's friend and roommate."
"It's nice to meet you, Coby." Sitting down on her rolling stool, Dr. Rae held the box on her lap. "So let's just cut right to the chase, Hadley. The more detailed echo and the stress test have confirmed what we already suspected. That valve is failing, and you've got a pretty gnarly arrhythmia going now."
She wasn't telling me anything I hadn't expected to hear. "What do we do now?"
"Well, we need to do two more tests so I can get a total picture before I plan the interventions you'll need." Dr. Rae held up the box. "I know you're familiar with this one."
"The Holter monitor? Yeah."
"We'll hook you up before you leave, and I'll need you to wear it for twenty-four hours. You know the drill, right?"
I nodded. "I keep notes of all the physical activity I do and mark any events by pressing the button."
"Right. I want you to do everything you normally do in a day, okay? So exercise, eat, argue with your parents, climb stairs, make love to your boyfriend—don't hold back. I need to see how your heart is reacting to different situations."
I could just imagine Finn's face if I told him we had to make love on my doctor's orders. Considering we hadn't gone beyond kissing and heavy petting, the tactic seemed like my best bet at finally getting him naked and into my bed. "And the other test?"
"I'd like to schedule an exploratory cath procedure for this week."
The news hit me hard. "So soon?"
"I think it's for the best, Hadley."
God, what isn't she telling me? How bad is the valve?
"It will be an outpatient procedure," she continued. "It won't be like the times you had stents placed as a kid. You'll be home by late afternoon, but you'll need to take it easy for the night."
"My cousin's quinceañera is Saturday. I've got a million things to do on Friday."
"Then we'll see if we can get you in tomorrow morning or Thursday, all right?"
I found myself nodding again. "Okay."
"We'll schedule a follow-up for next week, and we can discuss what steps we need to take. You need to prepare yourself for a valve replacement surgery that's going to happen sooner rather than later and a pacemaker. Medications just aren't very good at controlling arrhythmias in patients with congenital heart defects, and I don't feel like ablation is the right choice for you either."
"All right."
She rose from her stool and gave my shoulder a squeeze. "I know this wasn't what you wanted to hear."
"Not exactly," I agreed, "but thank you for being frank with me."
"That's my job." She headed for the door. "I'll send the nurse in to get you hooked up and make a note to schedule your cath."
When we were alone, Coby flew at me. She hugged me tight and whispered comforting words. As much as I appreciated her embrace and kindness, I found myself yearning for the feel of Finn's powerful arms wrapping me up tight.
* * *
While wiping down equipment during a lull between clients, Finn heard his cell phone ringing in his office. He dropped the towel and sprinted across the gym. He hadn't heard from Hadley other than a couple of quick text messages. He was desperate for some information on her morning of tests.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Connolly." The now familiar voice of the cartel man who had sought him out at the fundraiser met his ear.
Taking an educated guess, he
replied, "Mr. Salas."
A laugh echoed in his ear. "They told me you were the smart one in the family—and the most dangerous."
"What do you want?" Finn wasn't in the mood for chit-chat with some cartel enforcer.
"We need to meet."
"I don't have time."
"You'll make time. I'm texting you an address. Meet me here in half an hour."
The line went dead. Cursing under his breath, Finn glanced at the message that lit up his phone. He tapped it and the address of one of the local parks appeared on his screen. Of all the places a cold-blooded cartel killer might want to meet, a playground hadn't been one that Finn would have expected. Which, to think of it, made it the perfect place to meet without rousing too much suspicion.
Although meeting Hector Salas was the very last thing in the world he wanted to do, Finn thought it was a better choice to speak with the man and see what, exactly, the cartel wanted him to do before he made his decision. He didn't like the idea of having two violent criminal gangs breathing down his neck, but he really, really liked the idea of keeping his neck attached to his shoulders.
"Jack?" He found his brother up front with Mattie where they were putting together new member packets.
"Yeah?" His older brother continued sorting papers into stacks.
"I need to go out for a bit."
Jack stopped sorting immediately. Concern darkened his face. "Hadley?"
"No." Touched that his brother cared that much, he said, "I'll explain everything later, but I need to go now."
Jack frowned. "All right, but we need to talk when you have time."
"We will." I just have to decide what the hell I'm going to do before you have a chance to get involved. Jack would feel so damned guilty once he found out about the blackmail, but it wasn't Jack's fault any more than it was Abby's. They hadn't asked to be dragged into a vendetta between a cartel and a motorcycle gang. He had willingly gone to that warehouse parking lot and taken aim on that assassin knowing full well what he was doing and what it would mean if he were caught.
Only now he had something to live for and a reason to stay out of prison. The thought of being forced away from Hadley now made his heart ache. A pain gripped his chest, and he rubbed at his sternum while he drove to the park. A few days with Hadley, and already he was becoming hopelessly entangled with her. Not that he minded at all. His brain reminded him that this was all happening too fast, but his heart reassured him that everything was happening exactly the way it had always been meant to happen.