Ice’s lips gave a twisted smile. “Have her stop by his office.”
Jackal laughed. “He won’t be happy.”
Ice shrugged. “We need that information. I don’t like going into things blind. So far, we’re a go, but I sure as shit don’t want any surprises at the last minute.”
“Me, either.” Jackal stared at his president hard. “You cool?”
“Always.” Ice turned away, leaving Jackal staring at his back. He wasn’t used to his men questioning him.
Going to one of the tables, he sat with a group of men, playing cards to distract himself. Time dragged on minute by minute.
He was sick of this place and could feel the heightening tensions of his men. If Church set their timetable back because of the addition of extra guards to the classroom, Ice would personally kick his ass, despite wanting to keep his distance from the fucker.
Unless Rave came up with something important, he wasn’t going to call off his plan. His men were counting on getting out, and he had every intention of making it happen.
* * *
“Why are you so mad at me?” CeCe asked.
Grace took another bite of her salad. “Did I or did I not tell you last week to quit talking to my mother after you told her I was teaching at the prison?”
“Yes, so?”
“Then why did I get a text message today wanting to know why I didn’t accept Professor Jones’s invitation?”
“Sorry. I try, Grace. I really do, but she’s like an inquisitor. She doesn’t stop until she gets the information she wants.”
“Then tell her no, or better yet, quit talking to her,” Grace said angrily.
“I don’t want to hurt her feelings.”
“You couldn’t hurt my mother’s feelings if you tried,” Grace stated without sympathy.
“What do you want me to do? Block her calls?”
“Yes.” Grace pointed her fork at her friend. “It’s your fault I’m teaching that class and don’t think I don’t know you encouraged Jones to ask me out.” She was about to deny the truth until Grace stopped her. “Don’t deny it. Jones is so shy I was afraid he was going to have an anxiety attack when he asked me.”
“And you told him no?”
Grace lowered her eyes to her salad at CeCe’s recriminating gaze. “Yes. He’s not my type.” Grace began eating her salad again.
CeCe snorted. “What exactly is your type? Every single man in town has asked you out, and you’ve turned them all down.”
“I’m not ready to settle down. I enjoy my freedom.”
“What freedom? You stay locked up in your house other than when you teach, go to the grocery store, or mow your lawn.”
“I like to be by myself,” Grace prevaricated.
“Don’t lie, Grace.” CeCe’s voice softened. “No one likes to be alone.”
“I do,” Grace insisted.
Her friend looked at her doubtfully yet changed the subject. “How is the class at the prison going?”
“Fine.”
CeCe stopped eating, leaning forward and giving Grace her full attention. “Any hotties?”
Grace frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Come on, Grace, tell. It’s just me. Any of them getting your panties in a knot?”
“No!” Grace denied heatedly.
CeCe’s direct stare narrowed on her. “I think you’re telling another lie.”
“I am not,” Grace said, her face becoming red.
CeCe leaned back in her chair, laughing. “Girl, you’ve got to tell me now.”
Grace bit her lip, wanting to throw her iced tea on CeCe. “They’re convicts!”
“That doesn’t mean they aren’t hot. Don’t you watch Prison Wives, Cops, or Studs Behind Bars?”
“No, I don’t.” Grace straightened primly in her seat.
“You should. There’s one or two I’m thinking of getting onto the visitors’ list for.”
“You’re not,” Grace said, shocked.
“No, but I thought about it. Be real for just a minute. None of them are good-looking?”
“There may be one,” she admitted as her fork played with a lettuce leaf.
“What does he look like?” CeCe’s eager face had Grace giving in despite herself.
“He’s tall, broad-shouldered, but he’s not heavy. You know what I mean?”
“Oh, yes, I do.” CeCe’s eyes went dreamy. “Go on.”
“He has blondish-brown hair, but it’s browner. He has ice-blue eyes and tattoos on both his arms.”
“Maybe if you call in sick, Ross would let me teach your class.”
“We both know that’s not going to happen.”
“Damn Elliot. He cost me more trouble than he was worth. I didn’t sleep with him, but I actually cared about him. He thought because I cared about him I would give him a higher grade. When I didn’t, he went to Ross and said we had an affair. Grace, he’s twenty-three. Young, for me, I know, but I actually was stupid enough to think we could have a relationship after he finished my class. I screwed up, and I know it.”
“It’ll blow over. Ross is keeping it quiet for now. Maybe he can get Elliot to admit the truth.”
“I doubt it. My reputation is already ruined. Everyone thinks I’m a man-hunter.”
“You are,” Grace teased her friend, trying to lighten her mood.
“I don’t like being alone, unlike you. I could see myself with a sexy man, all buff and shit. I think the tattoos are hot, too.”
“You think waiting for him to get out of jail in four years is hot?”
“That might be a problem.”
“You think?”
“Do they get conjugal visits?” CeCe asked hopefully.
“I have no idea.”
“It might be something to look into.”
Grace stared at CeCe sitting across the table from her. “You’re a slut.”
“Maybe so. What’s the name of the prisoner you were talking about?”
Grace hesitated. “Ice.”
CeCe shivered. “Damn. He’s perfect for you.”
Grace sat up straight, insulted. “What do you mean by that?”
“The students all say you’re smoking hot. Fire and Ice, baby.”
Grace shook her head at CeCe’s humor. “The only ice that’s melting is in my glass.” She waved to the waitress to bring their check.
“You should have some fun.”
“You’re right; I should. I’ll call Jones and take him up on his invitation.”
“I meant with Ice,” CeCe clarified.
“If I’m going to get involved with a man, he’s at least going to be able to take me out to dinner.”
“You have a point,” CeCe admitted. “But I still think Ice would have been an experience.”
Grace rolled her eyes. “One which is better left alone.”
Chapter 5
Grace flipped through her class notes, trying to ignore the concentrated stare from in front of her. She had managed for the past hour, but it was wearing on her nerves. Thankfully, it was Friday, and she wouldn’t have to look at him for two whole days.
A hand from the back of the room had her rising to her feet. A big smile greeted her as she approached. She couldn’t help liking the friendly man. Max was always giving her smiles and small winks. There was no doubt in her mind he was a ladies’ man.
“You need some help?”
“I’m stuck.”
Grace looked down at his computer screen. “Yes, you are.” Her fingers typed in several commands before she was able to fix his mistakes.
“Thanks, Teach.”
“You're welcome.”
Giving him a brief smile, she rose and went back to the front where a note was sitting on her desk. Unobtrusively, she glanced down and read it.
Quit smiling at him.
Shocked, she glanced up to see Ice frowning at her. She picked the note up, crumbling it into her hand before tossing it into the trashcan beside her desk.
“Something wrong?” Jackson, the guard standing in the front of the room, asked.
“No.” Grace gritted her teeth angrily. The man was going to get in trouble if he didn’t stop.
His hand rose in the air, and Grace debated ignoring it until Jackson gave her a curious look. Left with no choice, she went to his desk.
“No smile for me?” Grace could practically hear the sarcasm in his written sentence.
“No. Quit writing me notes and staring. I’m sick of it,” she typed in.
“No, you’re not. You’re getting hot.” At that point, she deleted his sentence and went back to her desk.
He had gone too far, and she wasn’t going to tolerate it. She wasn’t going to get involved in a situation, which could not only affect her professional career, but get herself hurt both mentally and physically by the criminal.
She stuffed her papers in her briefcase. “I need to leave early. Please complete your assignments and send them to my email. Enjoy your weekend.”
Grace left the classroom abruptly without another word, well aware she was running away. She didn’t care; she only had to make it through one day next week then the classes would take a break until after Thanksgiving. After that, she would be in the home stretch of finishing this disaster of a semester.
* * *
“Did you do something?” Max asked.
Ice studied Max’s angry expression. “Why?”
“She ran out of that class like her ass was on fire.”
“Maybe she had someplace to be. What do you care?”
Max pulled out a chair next to him at the table. “Because that was thirty minutes I could have been out of here.”
“Is that it?”
Max gave him a grin. “Hell, no. I’d rather look at her than two hundred of these assholes. You got a problem with that?”
Ice’s impassive face stared back at the brother.
“Why is it okay for you to stare and get friendly with her, but if I do, everyone is worried about me being distracted?”
“That’s because you’re the boss. I’m just the muscle.” Max grinned.
“And because you go through women like toilet paper.”
“That, too,” Max admitted. “Can I help it if I’m irresistible?”
“Kiss my ass.”
“Don’t tempt me. If I stay in here much longer, I don’t know whose ass will start to look good. ‘Desperate times call for desperate measures,’” Max quoted.
“Why don’t you tell Jackal that piece of advice?”
Max shook his head. “Nope, Jackal can’t take a joke.”
Ice shook his head at his longtime friend as Jackal took a seat. Ice hadn’t seen him since they had returned from class and Jackal had been called for a visitor.
“I talked to Rave. Grace’s boss, Ross, gave in and went out for drinks with her. It took her a while, but he gave more information. Nothing unusual. She attended UT because her parents traveled frequently. She has an older brother who went in business with her parents. The reason she took the teaching job was because Ross threatened to fire her. There aren’t a lot of jobs in this town, so she didn’t want to move after having to do so for so many years with her parents.”
“So, nothing which would draw any attention to her?”
“No, but Henry hasn’t gotten back to me on her background. I’d feel safer if we waited.”
Ice glanced around the room at his men spread throughout. They were here because of him. If they waited much longer, they could lose the window of opportunity for another month. Ice didn’t want to sit in here for another thirty days any more than they did.
“Monday is our target, brothers. This is the last weekend we spend behind bars.”
* * *
Monday morning, Grace pulled into the parking lot of the prison, locking her car door after she got out, smiling to herself at her actions. There really wasn’t a need to lock her doors; there was enough security around her to make the best thief wary. Besides, who would actually be stupid enough to steal a car from the prison parking lot?
As she walked toward the gate, she saw a large truck backed up to the building. Food delivery must be stocking up for the upcoming holiday. She felt saddened that they must miss their families.
Her parents and brother were flying down to join her. She was looking forward to seeing them again, and the Thanksgiving dinner she and her mom would prepare together.
She stepped through the first gate, waiting patiently for the second to open. She was ten minutes ahead of schedule since she had left her office early to dodge Jones, who had managed to stop by several times already that morning. Her instincts had proven correct; he was already trying to entrench himself into her life.
She had gone out this weekend with him, despite her reservations. Jones had been a pleasant dinner companion and she had enjoyed spending time with him, but she had also recognized there was no chemistry between them.
The second gate opened and she walked inside the building. Giving the guard her briefcase to look through, she then stepped through the scanner. After the green light, her bag was handed back to her.
“You’re early today,” Jackson greeted her.
“Yes, sorry. I left early Friday, so I thought that, if any of the men needed my help before class, I would have the opportunity.”
“They need all the help they can get,” he said grimly.
Once upon a time, Grace would have agreed with him, but she had begun to like several of her students. She could understand how Mattie had helped so many find jobs once they had been released.
“Looking forward to Thanksgiving?” Grace attempted a conversation with the gruff guard.
“Looking forward to the overtime I’ll make. My wife expects something nice for Christmas.”
“Oh.”
They walked down the long corridor, coming to a stop in front of a steel door. Jackson pushed a button, waiting, while Grace steeled herself to get through the next hour and a half.
“Any suggestions?”
“What?”
“On what to get her?”
“Does she like jewelry?”
“Unfortunately.”
Grace laughed as the door opened. “Most women do.”
The men were just entering the room as she walked beside Jackson. Several men turned at the sound of her laughter in the silent hallway. Ice was one. She noticed his muscular body was taller than hers by several inches.
Grace waited as the men entered. The other two guards were already there; one at the front and one at the back.
When she walked through the door with Jackson following behind, she started heading toward her desk when a scuffle had her turning back toward the door.
Jackal had sprung up from his seat, a weapon, which looked like a knife, pointed at Jackson’s throat.
Grace screamed, but a hand over her mouth prevented her as she was pulled back against a hard body. She didn’t have to look up to see the man holding her to know it was Ice. Terror flooded through her body.
“Move it.” Ice forced her toward the front of the room. Her horror-ridden gaze saw Max laying an unconscious guard down on the floor while Buzzard held the other in a stranglehold. Several of the prisoners looked as shocked as her.
“Get them under control,” Ice ordered.
She watched helplessly as Max, who she had considered a friendly giant, bent down and jerked the restraining device off the guard’s belt then tied his hands and feet before going to Jackal, who did the same to Jackson as he held him closely. As soon as he did, he went to Buzzard and tied the last guard up.
Grace felt any chance of escape die within her. All chance of any help from the guards was lost as they were dragged to the front of the classroom and laid on the floor in a line.
“Ready?” Jackal asked, coming to Ice’s side.
“Let’s move. Stick together, brothers,” Ice said, forcing Grace forward as he walked toward the door.
Grace trembled as Ice
lowered his head to whisper in her ear. “The gates of Hell are about to open. Just move when I tell you to. Don’t try to get away. My men will keep you safe.” His arm around her waist tightened briefly in support before the door opened.
Jackal was the first one out, moving toward the steel door. “Open it,” he said, looking at the camera. Ice moved next to him, turning her toward the camera. “If you don’t, the guards will be killed one at a time,” Jackal threatened.
The door slid open. Instead of going inside, they remained still.
“Open the other door,” Jackal demanded.
“Both doors can’t be opened at the same time,” a voice on the loud speaker informed them.
Jackal waved his hand at someone behind her and a guard was quickly hustled forward. Jackal pointed the sharpened object at the guard’s throat.
“Change the computer command. I don’t give a shit what you have to do, but open that other door and make sure no one is on the other side. This guard has two kids; you want to be responsible for him not going home to them tonight?”
The second door slid open.
Max held one guard in front of a steel door while Buzzard carried another to stand in front of the second.
“If you try closing the door on one of my men, I’ll take down one of yours,” Ice’s deadly voice spoke from behind her shoulder.
They walked through the doors without incident. When Max came through last, the door slid closed behind them.
“Walk,” Ice said, pushing her forward.
Grace forced her shaking legs forward. She didn’t have much choice with Ice still holding her tightly around the waist.
The men lined both sides of the clear hallway. Any minute, Grace knew armed guards would swarm it.
“Why isn’t she screaming and shit?” Buzzard asked, staring at her curiously.
The other men turned to look at her inquisitively. As Ice had removed his hand when they had come out of the elevator, she had taken a deep breath of relief yet hadn’t made another sound.
“Even the women back at the compound would be screaming their fucking heads off,” Max agreed.
Grace didn’t think they expected a reply from her, and she was determined to keep her control as long as possible.
The men stopped at one of the doors on the side of the wall.