《Blood and Roses (Shadow Stalkers #3)》 Page 1 ¡°Jennifer promised me all sorts of sexual favors if I buy her one of those.¡± Chad Ward jerked his thumb toward the diner¡¯s window, gesturing at a sleek convertible Jaguar that was pulling in across the street. ¡°She got pretty inventive with her suggestions. Inspired me to look one up online.¡± Jake Monroe¡¯s gaze narrowed as he eyed the red sports car, awareness rippling down his spine.Advertisement ¡°You have to custom order one like that,¡± Chad went on, returning his attention to topping off Jake¡¯s coffee. ¡°I¡¯d do it for Jenn, if I could; but the diner doesn¡¯t bring in that much dough. Who in hell spends a hundred and fifty grand on a car?¡± ¡°Rich, paunchy bald guys who hope to get laid by women young enough to be their daughters.¡± Jake knew someone else who would. Knew her as well as any man could know his woman. Which was why he was certain she wouldn¡¯t have come back to Whisper Creek after all these years without bringing trouble with her. As the driver¡¯s side door of the Jag swung open, his attention remained riveted. The ragtop was up, shielding the occupant, but he knew exactly who was going to step out by the flare of heat that raced over his skin. ¡°And someone like her.¡± One long, black trouser-clad leg extended to the asphalt, then the driver unfolded in a graceful rise. Her blouse was black, too, making a stark contrast to the wild red curls pulled back at her nape. She looked cool and restrained, but he knew the woman inside that exterior was anything but. His body tensed and hardened with primal recognition, his breathing deep and slightly quickened. ¡°Well, well,¡± Chad murmured, straightening. ¡°Can¡¯t miss that hair, can you? And she¡¯s parked right in front of Tilly¡¯s shop. I haven¡¯t seen Ana in... Shit. How long¡¯s it been now?¡± ¡°Almost ten years.¡± Nine years, five months, and a couple weeks. It just pissed Jake off that he was still counting down the damn days since Anastasia Miller had driven out of his life without looking back. ¡°Hmm.¡± Chad shook his head. ¡°Wonder if she got what she was after when she left.¡± Had she? Was it possible she¡¯d found what she was looking for with some other guy in some other place in the world? ¡°Good question.¡± Ana pulled a satchel out from behind the driver¡¯s seat, then shut the door of her expensive toy. She paused, her head turning as if she sensed Jake¡¯s gaze on her. She wore big dark sunglasses, effectively shielding her eyes. Her lips were just like he remembered. Full and pink, and capable of blowing his mind. He¡¯d felt those lips all over his body, still felt them sometimes when he was lying in bed at night, stiff and aching from wanting her. Rolling her shoulders back, she moved toward the entrance to Tilly¡¯s Yarn Shop with a swift, determined stride. She disappeared through the door and not five minutes later, the ladies who gathered there for tea and gossip came hustling out with their knitting bags. The open sign on the door flipped over to read Please Call Again and the shade that covered the inset glass was yanked down. Jake picked up his coffee, considering. ¡°I¡¯ll need the check, Chad.¡± ¡°Anastasia! My god, baby, I had no idea you¡¯d be coming home.¡± Ana stared hard at her mother, silently challenging that lie, but Tilly Miller acted as if she didn¡¯t notice her daughter¡¯s frustration and suspicion. ¡°Let me see you.¡± Tilly approached with her arms outstretched and pulled Ana close for a hug. ¡°You look like you¡¯re heading to a funeral.¡± ¡°I may yet,¡± Ana said grimly. ¡°Are you talking about your work?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about your work, Mom. Your life¡¯s dream. I¡¯m just here to clean up after you.¡± Tilly stepped back and smoothed a hand over hair that had once been the same vibrant red as her daughter¡¯s, but was now a faded strawberry, sprinkled liberally with white strands. She looked the part of a small-town shopkeeper. Only another world-class thief and grifter would recognize her for what she really was. ¡°I made a new pot of tea just before you arrived. Why don¡¯t you sit and we¡¯ll talk? It¡¯s been so long since you¡¯ve been home.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time to play this game.¡± Ana crossed her arms, her anger simmering. ¡°Frankie¡¯s life is in danger, Mom.¡± Like their parents, her brother Frank had the same need for the rush, the same fascination for the bright and shiny and illegal. Ana supposed it was in their blood. Inevitable, considering she was named after a famous identity con and Frank was named after an infamous con artist. ¡°Is it?¡± What a question. Her mother was good at pretending to be clueless. ¡°I know he and Eric would¡¯ve wanted to go into the heist with blanks, but their associate was using live rounds,¡± Ana said tersely. ¡°Whoever he is, he¡¯s a wild card.¡± ¡°You were always so good at dramatizing things, dear.¡± Her mother sank into one of the mismatched chairs arranged in a circle near an unlit woodstove. Ana had to consciously relax her jaw to speak. ¡°You know you¡¯ll never be able to fence those diamonds. You knew it when you set this up. The Crown is too distinctive.¡± Tilly poured tea as if she hadn¡¯t a care in the world. ¡°The Crown of Roses.¡± She sighed. ¡°So rare to find any diamond of that deep pink color, but an entire tiara¡¯s worth? Has the piece been stolen?¡± ¡°Cut the crap, Mom. Do you think I¡¯ve forgotten how you talked about the ¡¯94 Carlton heist in France? This job in Manhattan was textbook Tilly Miller... until the guard got shot.¡± Digging into her briefcase, Ana yanked out a tablet and tossed it on an empty chair beside her mom¡¯s. ¡°I bought that for you. Look at the newspaper apps on there and read the reports. Did you know that jewelry shop is a Cross Industries property? Gideon Cross has offered a quarter-million dollar reward for information leading to the arrest of the thieves. I¡¯ve been told that amount will increase to half a million if the guard dies.¡± Finally, Tilly paled. ¡°Is he that bad off?¡± ¡°He had body armor on, but he took two hits: one to the shoulder and another to the thigh. That second hit nicked his femoral artery.¡± ¡°Dear god...¡± Her mother sucked in a shaky breath. ¡°You know Frankie would never go along with anything like that. The guard... was it Terence Parker?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ana gripped the back of an old wicker chair. ¡°I already figured out Terence was your inside man. And it¡¯s obvious the shooter wanted him out of the way. A three-way split is much more lucrative. But why not make it a two-way split? Or better yet, take it all. Frank, Eric, Terence, and someone else. Who¡¯s the other guy, Mom?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. You had this planned down to the second.¡± Tilly and Bill Miller were known to spend years planning a job that would take only seconds to pull off. Ana was afraid that since her dad had died, her mom had focused on the heist to bury her grief. And she¡¯d dragged Frankie into it with her. Tilly looked at her with stricken eyes. ¡°There was no fourth guy in the plan. Just Terence, Frankie, and Eric. You know it¡¯s safer to keep the number of people involved to the bare minimum.¡± Ana knew neither Frankie nor Eric would¡¯ve deviated. Tilly would¡¯ve trained them better than that. Most likely Terence had brought in someone to guard his interests, someone he¡¯d thought he could trust... and ended up paying for it. ¡°Jesus, Mom. The shooter is going to turn on Frankie and Eric the first chance he gets, if he hasn¡¯t already. I need to get to him before that happens.¡± Tilly picked up her teacup and saucer, the china rattling as her hands shook. ¡°Are you here for the reward or the gems?¡± ¡°You know why I¡¯m here. You knew I¡¯d come, because you knew who the insurer was before you went after the diamonds. That was part of the fun. I¡¯m sure you figured there¡¯d be no harm done¡ªyou mastermind your perfect heist, Frank follows in dad¡¯s footsteps by pulling it off, your daughter claims five percent of the take in a legitimate finder¡¯s fee, and the owner gets their gems back.¡± ¡°No one was supposed to get hurt,¡± Tilly breathed, looking stricken. ¡°Someone always gets hurt, Mom. They don¡¯t make stealing illegal just to spoil your fun.¡± Sighing, Ana pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°When were Frankie and Eric supposed to show up here?¡± ¡°Not for a week.¡± Tilly met her gaze with unusual somberness. ¡°We knew the insurance company would bring you in on this, and we didn¡¯t want any lines being drawn between there and here and you.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Ana said sourly. ¡°Frank¡¯s not even supposed to call until he gets down to Florida. He and Eric planned on stretching the trip out over a few days.¡± Crossing her arms, Ana snapped, ¡°No matter how clever you are, you went into this knowing I could face prosecution along with you. By not turning you in, I could be seen as an accessory after the fact. And if I took the finder¡¯s fee and Frankie¡¯s involvement ever got out, I¡¯d have a hell of a time arguing that I wasn¡¯t a participant in a multi-million dollar fraud against the insurance company.¡± ¡°Jake would never let that happen,¡± Tilly argued. ¡°He isn¡¯t God, Mom,¡± Ana muttered, her stomach knotting at the thought of facing her high school sweetheart again. Jake Monroe¡ªa man she¡¯d never gotten over. ¡°I¡¯ll have to talk to him. Maybe Eric¡¯s contacted him. I¡¯d expect it, considering how protective Jake is.¡± ¡°Will you be staying in Whisper Creek until this is worked out?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be staying tonight, at least. If Terence survives¡ªGod willing¡ªI¡¯ll be heading back to Manhattan to see him. And if I sniff out any leads on who Terence might¡¯ve brought in as the fourth, I¡¯ll take off to pursue those. How¡¯s the Wi-Fi at the house?¡± ¡°Still not good. I use the computer here at the shop when I need reliable internet access.¡± Page 2 ¡°Then I¡¯ll stay at Victoria¡¯s Inn.¡±Advertisement Picking up her briefcase, Ana exhaled harshly. ¡°Let me know if you hear anything.¡± ¡°Anastasia.¡± Her mother¡¯s voice stopped her when she reached the door. ¡°You¡¯ll watch out for Frankie, won¡¯t you? He¡¯ll be all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, Mom.¡± But she couldn¡¯t make any promises. She couldn¡¯t even be sure she wouldn¡¯t go down with them. Reaching for her sunglasses on the top of her head, she stepped outside. And found a deputy U.S. Marshal waiting next to her car. Ana¡¯s breath caught and her heartbeat accelerated with a mixture of surprise and guilt. The deputy was a tall and leanly built man with cool blue eyes and a firm mouth. His chiseled face was impassive and his arms casually crossed. His long legs were braced slightly apart, anchoring him to the asphalt as he assessed her from head to toe from beneath the brim of his hat. ¡°Deputy,¡± she greeted him, regaining her composure. ¡°Anastasia.¡± His voice was whisky-rough and it spoke her name like a caress. ¡°What brings you back?¡± ¡°Pit stop during a work assignment.¡± She shoved her free hand into her pocket to hide how it trembled. Wondering if he had more news than Tilly did, she asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Eric?¡± Jake¡¯s lips pursed. He had a gorgeous mouth. Neither too full or too thin and perfectly sculpted. That mouth knew every inch of her body. She still had dreams about what he could do with it. ¡°He headed down to Florida with your brother.¡± She nodded and somehow refrained from shifting on her feet. ¡°I never did like Florida. Too much humidity for me.¡± ¡°How long are you gonna be in town?¡± ¡°A few days, at most.¡± He adjusted his weight, his body moving with sleek fluidity. ¡°So why are we wasting time talking about nothing?¡± She stared at him, absorbing everything about the man she¡¯d left behind. He was harder than before. Bigger, too. He¡¯d been twenty-two the last time she saw him. He was fully a man now, his frame filled out. The formidable strength of will he¡¯d exuded as long as she¡¯d known him hadn¡¯t changed. ¡°Are we supposed to be doing something else?¡± ¡°Getting to the point would be good. You staying with Tilly?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You married?¡± She shook her head. ¡°You?¡± ¡°No. You¡¯ll stay at my place, then.¡± Heat shimmered through her, her pulse quickening. She hadn¡¯t expected him to move so fast. If she was honest, she would admit that she¡¯d been afraid he would brush her off, having long gotten over her. Worse, she¡¯d wondered if he had a woman in his life, someone who had a normal family she could be proud of and he could be a part of. ¡°How¡¯s your internet access?¡± She was thinking about how much closer she¡¯d be to getting a bead on Eric if she was staying at Jake¡¯s house. She would also be closer to Jake himself, the man she loved so much it was like an aching wound in her chest. ¡°Sweetheart,¡± he drawled, his gaze hot. ¡°You really want to start out that way? I was planning on easing you back into it, but if you¡¯re eager to be punished, you just let me know.¡± Her body responded to the sensual threat with familiar alacrity. Jake had always been able to make her ready for him with just a look, because she knew exactly where that look would lead¡ªto dark pleasure that took her to her limits. ¡°I have to work, Jake. It was a valid question.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying it wasn¡¯t. Just that it¡¯s insulting to imply that the quality of the Wi-Fi in my house has a damn thing to do with whether or not I¡¯ll be nailing you into my mattress tonight.¡± She winced inwardly. He¡¯d always been raw and blunt when talking about sex, but there was an undercurrent of hurt anger to his words now and it broke her heart. Not that she could show it. Her sympathy wasn¡¯t what he wanted or needed, and it wouldn¡¯t be fair of her to give it anyway, considering she was the cause of his unhappiness. ¡°Well¡ª¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°Glad we cleared that up.¡± His smile sent goose bumps racing across her skin. ¡°I¡¯m not as far outside of town as Tilly is. My internet is just fine.¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯ll need it.¡± He reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. ¡°You know how to get there.¡± Ana took them from him, swallowing hard at the sight of the keychain. It was a round piece of wood, a one-inch thick cross-section of a small branch. She¡¯d made the thing as an assignment in woodworking class. On one side she¡¯d burned the letters Jake + Ana surrounded by little decorative hearts and asterisks. The other side read Forever. ¡°I¡¯ve got some business to take care of,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll call you at the house to see if you¡¯re up for dinner in town or if you¡¯d like me to bring something home with me.¡± ¡°I could cook.¡± ¡°Could you now?¡± He grinned. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± ¡°Sure you would,¡± she said dryly. ¡°You¡¯re a man.¡± Jake pulled a business card out and gave it to her. ¡°That has my office¡¯s number and my cell number on it. Call me if you need me for anything.¡± She held his gaze. ¡°Anything?¡± ¡°Been that way for twelve years now, Ana. Despite spending ten of those waiting for you to get your ass back here.¡± Ana took a deep breath. He was everything she¡¯d always wanted, but could never have. Lawmen and grifters didn¡¯t mix. ¡°I¡¯m just passing through, Jake.¡± ¡°So you said.¡± He touched the brim of his hat. ¡°See you later.¡± Ana drove her Jag slowly down the tree-lined street, her gaze taking in just how much the area had changed since she¡¯d left a decade ago. At one time¡ªback when Jake¡¯s home had belonged to his parents¡ªthe house had been one of only a few on a new street. Now the homes lined up one after another, forming the perfect picture of Small-town America. She parked at the curb in front of the ranch-style house, smiling at the white picket fence that said a lot about the man he was. The yard was immaculately landscaped and a swing hung from the porch rafters. It was just the sort of normal family home she¡¯d always fantasized she would have one day. Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t normal and neither was her family. Her brain was filled with a variety of larcenous information, which was how she¡¯d come to be an insurance investigator specializing in fine art and jewelry theft¡ªher mind worked like a criminal¡¯s. Keeping Jake had never been an option for her, despite how much they loved each other. His brain had always worked out problems from the opposite side of the law, and he¡¯d always planned on working in law enforcement. She couldn¡¯t imagine him being anything other than a cop. How could she ever ask someone like him to connect his life to those of a band of criminals? The reason she¡¯d come back only proved how right she had been to walk away. What would it do to him, to his career, to their love if she went to jail? She¡¯d known that one day Tilly or Frankie would land into trouble and when that happened, it would impact Jake. She couldn¡¯t do that to him. In the end, she¡¯d loved him enough to leave him. ¡°Yet here you are at his place,¡± she murmured to herself, grabbing her weekend bag from the passenger seat. She slung it over her shoulder and opened the gate, admiring the cobblestone pathway to the front door and knowing Jake must¡¯ve laid it himself. She imagined him outside on a sunny day, shirtless and sheened with sweat, the muscles of his back and arms flexing as he worked his way across the lush lawn. She wondered what he¡¯d been thinking of while he was working. Had he imagined a wife waddling over it while pregnant with his child? Or his kids skipping along it on the way in from school? Or a dog bounding over it as neighborhood children played in the yard with his own? Her hand clenched around the keychain she¡¯d made for him when she was just sixteen. Been that way for twelve years now, Ana. Jesus. That was a heartbreaker. And yet she was touched that his love was as true as hers. She let herself in, dropped her bag on a black leather couch, and took in the surprisingly modern style of the furnishings. He¡¯d gone with pale blue and chrome with black furniture, and the cool palette went remarkably well with the warmth of the gleaming hardwood floors. If she¡¯d had any sense at all, she would have stayed at the inn. Leaving had shattered her last time. What would she suffer through this time? What would Jake? Taking a deep breath, Ana pulled the much-loved scent of him deep into her lungs, her entire body tingling with awareness. Jake had been her first lover and her senses were trained to be attuned to his. He¡¯d trained them, first with his hands and mouth, and later with restraints and the delicious bite of pain. It was a lifestyle they¡¯d fallen into together, both of them realizing that she had a deep-seated need to surrender to his authority, and in the process, he¡¯d ruined her for other men. Sometimes, when she was lying in bed at night, she wondered if she¡¯d ruined him for other women. Ana dug out her laptop from her bag and carried it into the dining room. Jake had a square, high table and she kicked off her heels before climbing onto a barstool. As her laptop powered up, she pulled out her cell phone and his business card, and texted him. Password for your wi-fi? A moment later, he replied. [email protected] /* */ She stared at the code and smiled. ¡°Ana-mine-69, huh?¡± Wishful thinking or a hint? she texted back. He answered fast. An order. ¡°Well. Some things never change.¡± Ana flexed her fingers and rolled her shoulders back, focusing her mind on the work ahead. She was going to dig up information on Terence Parker and she was going to break the law doing it. She pushed aside her guilt, knowing it had to be done. ¡°I hope you pull through, Terence.¡± Page 3 Ana had decided to focus on his relatives. She could imagine how it would feel to go into the heist as the lone outsider in a family group¡ªa mother, her son and his best friend. Although Eric wasn¡¯t technically related to them, he was practically a brother to Frankie. Terence would understandably want someone similarly close to him on his side. God... Frankie. Her throat tightened with fear and her eyes stung. Her baby brother had never really had a chance to walk the straight and narrow. And if something happened to Eric, it would destroy Jake.Advertisement ¡°One step at a time,¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°Find the fourth.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making the rest of us look bad, Jake.¡± Jake looked up from the paperwork he was trying to clear so he could take the next day off. Luke Stiles¡ªone of his fellow deputies and a longtime friend¡ªstood in the doorway, grinning. ¡°I heard Ana¡¯s back in town and staying at your place.¡± ¡°Ah, Whisper Creek, where the whispering about other people¡¯s business never stops.¡± Leaning back in his chair, Jake gave himself permission to think about the woman who was as much a part of him as his badge. She¡¯d been the most important thing in his life since her family drove into town when she was sixteen. Together they¡¯d helped each other cross the threshold from adolescence to adulthood, and they¡¯d discovered what they needed from the person they loved. A lot of people never figured that out. And some never found their soul mates. He still didn¡¯t get why they weren¡¯t together. He understood that she¡¯d needed to get out of Whisper Creek to spread her wings, but he couldn¡¯t figure out why she hadn¡¯t let him go with her. He¡¯d cajoled and begged and threatened and teased, making her tell him a hundred times over that she¡¯d never leave him. But in his heart he¡¯d known she would go; he¡¯d seen the truth in her eyes. She loved him; he knew that and didn¡¯t doubt it. There would never be another man for her, not one who knew her as deeply and completely as he did. They¡¯d experienced so much together, raw and searingly intimate encounters that bound them tighter than gold rings and vows. But as the years passed and she didn¡¯t come back to him, he realized something was keeping her away and today proved it. The love was still there in her beautiful green eyes. She still wanted him and obeyed him, still craved his hunger for her. If she left again, he¡¯d have his answer¡ªit wasn¡¯t him; it was Whisper Creek. And if location was what was keeping them apart, he¡¯d paddle her ass for not saying so. Luke leaned against the front of Jake¡¯s desk. ¡°Is she back for good?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know yet.¡± ¡°Ah... okay. You two coming into town for dinner?¡± ¡°She¡¯s cooking.¡± ¡°Really? You should know I was in Home Ec with her for a semester. She couldn¡¯t crack an egg.¡± Jake smiled. ¡°Warning noted.¡± ¡°You sure about that?¡± Luke¡¯s smile faded. ¡°She did a number on you last time, Jake. I don¡¯t want to see you like that ever again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who got hurt. Guess Ana and I can¡¯t quit each other.¡± He waited until Luke left the room, then pulled out his cell to call Eric. His younger brother was supposed to check in twice a day, but he hadn¡¯t called since yesterday morning. Which, unfortunately, wasn¡¯t totally unexpected. ¡°Hey, Eric,¡± he said, when he reached voicemail. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be checking in. Yes, I know you¡¯re a grown man now, but this isn¡¯t about what¡¯s good for you, it¡¯s about doing something good for me. I worry.¡± He took a breath, thinking. ¡°Text me when you get a chance or leave me a message. Shit, send me a picture if you can¡¯t be bothered to type or talk. But don¡¯t send me a damn mug shot or I¡¯ll be kicking your ass all the way to jail.¡± Ana finished her report and emailed it to her contact at the insurance agency. It was difficult showing progress when she didn¡¯t want to give up any names. Even using the guard¡¯s name was tricky, because he might flip on Frankie or Eric if he felt the heat. So she¡¯d reported that she was researching the backgrounds of all the store¡¯s employees, which didn¡¯t make her look any more competent that the local cops, but she¡¯d dug up a couple dark spots that would¡¯ve been viable leads if she didn¡¯t already know who was responsible for the crime. The information should be enough to make it look like she was worth her fee... at least for today. As for her hunch, she¡¯d discovered that Terence had two brothers¡ªone was a tenured professor in Virginia and the other had a sealed record that she¡¯d hacked. Richard Parker had a previous armed robbery conviction when he was fifteen and a variety of petty larceny and drug charges. His record was clean as an adult, but her parents proved that not getting caught didn¡¯t mean you were straight. Shutting down her laptop, Ana slid off the barstool and went to check on dinner. She¡¯d done a quick check of Jake¡¯s fridge and pantry earlier and hadn¡¯t been surprised to find both well stocked. After debating her options, she¡¯d put a pot roast in the oven and a salad in the crisper. Then she¡¯d opened a bottle of red wine and left it to breathe on the counter. Because she¡¯d prepped in advance, she had time to take a shower before Jake got home. She grabbed her bag off the couch and headed to the guest bathroom, admiring the tile work in the shower that she knew was another of Jake¡¯s projects. When he¡¯d inherited the place from his parents, it hadn¡¯t had such upgrades. It had been a cookie-cutter house, one of the first homes built by a developer who¡¯d thought the town would grow much faster than it had. Now it had Jake¡¯s stamp over most of it, but the guest bathroom was clearly Eric¡¯s domain. The razor on the edge of the sink was a bright lime green and the men¡¯s body wash in the shower was the kind marketed to hormonal young men. Jake had assumed responsibility for his brother at the tender age of nineteen, when the Monroes had been killed by a collision with a drunk driver. Ana had supported him through that rough time and offered him what comfort she could, considering how young she herself was, but he¡¯d been good with Eric from the beginning. Jake was a born leader, firmly anchored by his moral compass and unshakeable confidence. She¡¯d needed his quiet strength as much as Eric had, having been raised by two of the flightiest people ever to be parents. And even after all these years, Jake was still her touchstone. Ana scrubbed, shaved, and perfumed herself like a woman bent on seduction, a mindset she hadn¡¯t adopted for a very long time. She hadn¡¯t packed anything sexy, so her simple cotton baby doll nightgown would have to do. ¡°Ten years,¡± she murmured to her reflection in the mirror, fluffing out her damp curls with her fingers. ¡°You¡¯re bound to be a little rusty.¡± When she opened the bathroom door, she knew immediately that Jake was home. There was a palpable energy in the air and it flowed over her, awakening her senses. She could hear the shower running in his bedroom and appreciated the time to finish prepping dinner. She smiled when she saw the white roses in a vase on the dining table and when she went to pull out the salad, she found one of Victoria¡¯s famous cheesecakes in the fridge. She was tossing the salad when she heard Jake pad into the kitchen behind her. A moment later, his arms were circling her and his lips were pressed to the side of her neck. ¡°Hi,¡± he murmured, his voice low and husky. ¡°Hi back.¡± Her head fell against his shoulder and she allowed herself the temporary luxury of leaning into him. His chest was bare, hard, and warm. ¡°I like the flowers.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The tip of his tongue touched the lobe of her ear; then he caught it between his teeth. ¡°I walked in the door and the smell of dinner made me hungry. Now I¡¯ve smelled you and I¡¯m starving.¡± He wasn¡¯t talking about food, she knew. That was proven when his hands slid down the flat plane of her stomach and gripped her thighs just beneath the hem of her baby doll. ¡°Did you get some work done?¡± he breathed, bending his knees to press his erection against the swell of her buttocks. Ana became so aroused the denim of his jeans and the cotton of her baby doll might as well have not been there. She dropped the salad servers into the bowl, shaken by the lust that burned through her. It felt as if she¡¯d been numb for ages and was suddenly reawakened to sensation, overwhelmed by the vibrancy of it after living through miserable loneliness. ¡°Yes, I did. How was your day?¡± ¡°I spent the last half of it thinking about you and cursing the paperwork I needed to clear so I could stay home tomorrow.¡± She sucked in a deep breath. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Before you leave my bed, Anastasia, you¡¯re going to explain to me why we¡¯re not together.¡± ¡°Jake¡ª¡± Her words cut off as his fingers pushed under the elastic edge of her lace thong. She was slick and hot, primed for him by deprivation and the depth of her love. His fingertip slid between the lips of her sex, stroking through the moisture to tease her clitoris. ¡°You still want me.¡± He pulled her back against him and rolled his hips, making sure she felt the steely hardness of his erection. ¡°And you know I¡¯ve never stopped wanting you. We should be in the same bed every night and the same house every day. We both know it.¡± He stepped back, removing his touch and leaving her bereft. ¡°Can I help with anything?¡± Ana shot a narrow-eyed glance at him over her shoulder and found him grinning unrepentantly. He wore a pair of soft, well-worn jeans that hung low on his hips and nothing else. His hair was longer than it had seemed with his hat on. Dark as night and glossy, his hair had always been a lure to her. She loved to run her fingers through it and clench it in her fists as he pleasured her. ¡°You can set the table,¡± she told him. He washed his hands at the sink and set to work, not surprising her in the least by having all the necessary components of a dinner setting¡ªcloth napkins, salad and dinner plates, silverware, and placemats. She could imagine him dishing up dinner for Eric every night, ensuring that his brother had as near to a traditional family life as possible. Page 4 How ironic that Jake had encouraged Eric to spend time with Frank. He¡¯d thought the Miller family was ideal¡ªthe yarn shop owner, the computer guru, and their two kids. Jake believed Frankie would be a good influence on his troubled, grieving brother. He had no idea that her dad had been a hacker, her mom a fence, and Frankie covered everything in between.Advertisement It¡¯d broken her heart not to clue him in. And now the heist was weighing heavily on her mind. So many secrets between them. Too many. They sat down for dinner and Jake sliced the pot roast with quick efficiency. ¡°How¡¯s Eric doing?¡± she asked him, as she poured the wine. ¡°Good. Although I wish he¡¯d go to graduate school or join the military. He¡¯s a smart kid and he works hard when he¡¯s motivated. When he¡¯s not, he doesn¡¯t apply himself.¡± ¡°Frankie¡¯s got the same problem. Lots of potential, too little drive. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s been a bad influence on your brother.¡± Jake slid a slice of pot roast off the end of the carving knife and onto her plate. ¡°Are you kidding? Before Frankie came along, Eric was in and out of trouble all the time¡ªshoplifting, vandalism, boosting cars. Frankie changed all that.¡± ¡°Frankie just taught Eric to be smarter about it, so he didn¡¯t get caught.¡± She sighed at the skeptical look he shot her. Like many cops, Jake couldn¡¯t believe anyone could pull the wool over his eyes, especially not his own brother. But there weren¡¯t many cops who ran across top-shelf grifters like her parents, and both she and Frankie had learned their lessons well. He took a drink of his wine and asked, ¡°So you¡¯re passing through on a job? You still doing investigative work for insurance companies?¡± ¡°Most of the time, yes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the job you¡¯re on now?¡± ¡°Chasing down jewels taken during a heist, including a valuable tiara set with pink diamonds.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± His blue eyes flared with interest. ¡°Big take?¡± ¡°Approximately forty million.¡± He whistled. ¡°How much do you get for the recovery?¡± ¡°Five percent.¡± She watched him do the math. ¡°Jesus, Ana. Up to two million?¡± He stared at her. ¡°And you¡¯ve been doing this a while.¡± ¡°Long enough. I guess it pays to think like a criminal.¡± Jake looked down at his plate. They ate quietly for a while, each of them lost in private thoughts. Then he said, ¡°You¡¯re a good cook, sweetheart.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She smiled. ¡°I took lessons after I got sick of eating take-out all the time.¡± ¡°Not having someone to share home-cooked meals with is a lonely life.¡± He took a bite and chewed, watching her thoughtfully. ¡°Is the money why you never came back?¡± She focused on cutting her meat. ¡°Not the money, no.¡± ¡°Were you that unhappy here?¡± ¡°Jake.¡± Ana set her fork and knife down and met his gaze. ¡°There are things you don¡¯t know about me.¡± ¡°Bullshit. There¡¯s nothing I don¡¯t know about you, Anastasia. And nothing you don¡¯t know about me.¡± ¡°Do you think someone¡¯s a criminal whether they get caught or not?¡± She knew what his answer would be already. Jake had fully supported the local authorities when Eric had been caught committing a crime. Eric suffered the same punishments as anyone else in town would. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Well, then I¡¯m a criminal, Jake. And a good, honest cop like you can¡¯t spend his life with a woman who skates the line and occasionally falls over it.¡± He picked up his wine and sat back then, studying her with those cool cop¡¯s eyes. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, but let me ask you this: What the hell do you expect me to do if you¡¯re the only woman I¡¯ll ever want? Be alone? You can¡¯t be that cruel, Ana.¡± ¡°And you can¡¯t compromise your principles for me. Eventually, it¡¯ll ruin what we have.¡± ¡°What do we have? Two lonely, miserable lives? I¡¯d love to fuckin¡¯ ruin that.¡± He took a drink and held her gaze over the rim of his glass. Her breath caught at the fiery look in his eyes. ¡°And by the way,¡± he went on, ¡°not a news flash that PI¡¯s don¡¯t toe the line. Cops switch to private investigative work because they find the line confining. I know that. At the end of the day, you¡¯re still doing the right thing.¡± ¡°What if I told you that I don¡¯t care if the perps get caught? I just want the take. In fact, there are times when I¡¯ve deliberately not pulled on a thread because I almost admire them for the guts it took to make the attempt and the brains to get away with it, if they do.¡± She sat back. ¡°I may let these jewel thieves I¡¯m chasing right now slip away, Jake, after I get the gems. What do you think about that? Think you can slide into bed at night with a woman who might be an accessory after the fact?¡± His gaze narrowed. ¡°Ana¡ª¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, Jake.¡± She hopped off the barstool and grabbed their plates. ¡°I decided years ago that it¡¯s a question you¡¯re never going to have to answer.¡± Ana took the dishes to the sink and willed herself to relax. There was no need for them to fight and she was determined that they wouldn¡¯t, not when they had so little time together. ¡°You don¡¯t get to make that decision by yourself, Anastasia,¡± Jake drawled dangerously, coming up behind her. She gripped the edge of the counter, knowing where the warning note in his voice would lead. ¡°You can¡¯t change my mind, Jake.¡± ¡°No. Never was able to do that.¡± His hands wrapped around her wrists. ¡°But I can remind you of what we¡¯ve both been missing.¡± Gently, he pulled her hands away from the counter and brought them behind her, pinning them to the small of her back. A moment later she felt the chill of steel as one handcuff clicked shut around her wrist, then another. An instant calm settled over her. He turned her around and cupped her face in his hands, his mouth sealing over hers. Ana gasped at the first press of his firm lips, opening herself to the slow, smooth glide of his tongue. He licked deep and slow, savoring her with an easy, unhurried eroticism. She moaned and wriggled against him, impatient and greedy. His hands moved down to her throat, wrapping lightly around it. The feeling of being collared soothed her further. ¡°You with me, baby?¡± he asked softly, the pads of his thumbs stroking over her fluttering pulse. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The first time is gonna be quick. I¡¯ve been waiting too long.¡± Ana nodded, feeling the same way. She was so wet and swollen already, she was certain the slightest pressure on her clit would set her off. Tenderly, as if she was fragile, he squeezed her breasts through the cotton of her baby doll, hefting them lightly to judge how heavy and tender they¡¯d become. He caught her nipples between his thumb and forefingers, rolling them, tugging with just the perfect amount of pressure. Her eyes closed, her body lost to him. Jake kissed her again, his tongue gliding over the curve of her lower lip. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so damn much, Ana.¡± ¡°I want to touch you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± He hooked his fingers beneath her straps and pushed them off her shoulders. ¡°If you¡¯re good, I might let you.¡± ¡°Jake...¡± She gasped as the scalloped edge of her bodice dragged over her hardened nipples. ¡°So beautiful,¡± he breathed, stroking his thumbs over the furled tips. Lowering his head, he took one into the drenched heat of his mouth, swirling his tongue around it before his cheeks hallowed on a drawing pull. She moaned, her head falling back as the sensation of his sucking echoed in the saturated flesh between her legs. The gentle tugging rippled through her, making her shiver in delight. When he paid the same service to her other nipple, her knees weakened and he caught her up, his arms banding around her waist to lift her. Holding her aloft, he ravished her swollen breasts, fluttering his tongue over the tight tips and scraping the edge of his teeth across them. ¡°Oh god, Jake...¡± ¡°Shh,¡± he murmured. ¡°I¡¯ll give you what you need, sweetheart. And I¡¯ll keep giving it to you until you can¡¯t imagine getting by for more than a few hours without my dick inside you.¡± Jake carried her into the living room and set her down, turning her away from him. He urged her over the armrest of the leather couch with a gentle, but unyielding, grip at her nape. She folded, her buttocks thrust upward to accept the hard drives of his big, beautiful cock. His hands stroked over her, rubbing down her sides and thighs in soothing circles. Cool air caressed her back as her gown was pushed up beneath the handcuffs. Her fingers flexed with the need to touch him in return, to feel the skin she knew became feverishly hot when he first pushed inside her. ¡°I love you, Anastasia,¡± Jake said gruffly, bending to press a kiss between her shoulder blades. ¡°You¡¯re the best thing that ever happened to me. I won¡¯t ever believe that we can¡¯t make it work, because we always do when we¡¯re together. You can¡¯t deny that.¡± ¡°Jake, please...¡± The smell and feel of the leather stirred blazing memories from their past, reminding her of the needs only Jake could appease. His thumbs slid beneath the elastic of her panties and pulled them over her hips and down her legs. His lips followed, skimming over the curve of her buttocks and suckling along the back of her thigh. She began to shake, her body overloaded by need and desire she hadn¡¯t felt in far too long. When he sank into a crouch behind her, her breath caught with expectation. ¡°So pretty,¡± he murmured, his breath hot against the lips of her sex. ¡°So soft and pink.¡± Leaving her panties around her knees, Jake parted her with his thumbs and paused. She could feel his gaze on her, the heat and hunger almost tangible. Page 5 ¡°And I know how sweet you taste, Ana mine.¡± Ana tensed in anticipation of the first lick, but when it came, she still wasn¡¯t prepared. She cried out, her entire body shaking violently.Advertisement ¡°Easy, sweetheart,¡± he said hoarsely, anchoring her with his palm pressed flat to the small of her back. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± The next stroke of his tongue was skillful, rubbing over the hard knot of her clit with the perfect amount of pressure. She came in a rush, her back bowing as the pleasure seared her senses and racked her over-sensitized body with shudders of delight. In the midst of an orgasm that darkened her vision, Jake¡¯s tongue darted inside her, thrusting furiously. The soft velvet of his licking against the tender tissues of her core was too much, yet not nearly enough. Her hips churned into the shallow plunges, her body seeking a deeper, stronger penetration. ¡°Now, Jake. Now. Now!¡± He stood in a rush. Ana heard the sound of his zipper lowering; then she felt the silky heat of his rigid erection brush against her. He teased her, gliding the plush head of his cock through the slick lips of her sex. She arched her spine, her fingers grasping at air, her cheeks flushed and damp from the strain of being bound and unable to reach out to him as she needed. Not just for the physical pleasure of touching him, but to satisfy the demands of her heart. ¡°I love you,¡± she gasped, unable to hold the words back. ¡°I love you, Jake.¡± With a low growl, his hips jerked and pushed him into her with one fierce, deep stroke. ¡°Yes!¡± Tears filled Ana¡¯s eyes and spilled over onto the cushion. She ached for this, the delicious burn of his possession and the sense of connection she¡¯d felt with no one else. ¡°I want to take you slow.¡± His voice was rough and raspy. ¡°Slow and deep. But I can¡¯t... It¡¯s been too long.¡± He hitched against her, shoved the last little bit inside her that crammed her all the way full. ¡°Damn, you¡¯re like a fist, Ana. Squeezing me tight... rippling around me. I¡¯m gonna come hard for you, baby.¡± Jake withdrew, then slid in to the root. He rolled his hips, screwing deep. The feel of his long, thick cock stroking inside her was perfect¡ªthe slight burn as he stretched her, the decadent feel of him rubbing and pushing, the maddening clenching in her core as her body tried to hold him deep... Gripping her hips, he pumped hard again, an expert stroke that lifted her to the tip of her toes. Ana panted with pleasure, spinning dizzily toward climax. ¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± she begged, desperate for the friction that would set her off again. ¡°Never, Ana mine,¡± he purred, lunging quick and hard, shafting her tender pussy. ¡°I¡¯ll never stop...¡± The erotic sound of flesh slapping mingled with the heated words that spilled from his lips¡ªtender promises and sensual threats, loving praise and coarsely-voiced hunger¡ªall of which made her crazy with lust. She was rocking back into his measured thrusts, moaning at the way they radiated through her, her mind fogged with the intensity of her pleasure. When Jake bent his knees and hit the perfect spot inside her, Ana unraveled with a muffled scream. She quaked with her release, struggling to breathe as her body seized in the throes of a powerful orgasm. Jake was right there with her, gasping as his body jerked with each scorching spurt of semen. He folded over her, clutching her close, the hard ridges of his abdomen slick with sweat against her palms. She sagged into the cushions as the tension left her, feeling wrung out and well-loved. ¡°I need you.¡± Jake¡¯s chest heaved against her and when he shifted slightly, Ana realized he was still hard and thick. ¡°I¡¯ll never stop needing you.¡± It took Ana the space of two heartbeats to figure out what had woken her. Her cell phone was vibrating beneath her pillow. She pulled it out and squinted against the bright light of the backlit screen. Seeing an East Coast area code, she hit the button to answer the call before it went to voicemail and slipped out of bed. She hurried out of Jake¡¯s bedroom and quietly shut the door, then ran to the living room while answering with, ¡°Miller.¡± ¡°Ana! My god.¡± Frankie gasped with relief. ¡°We¡¯re in trouble, Ana. Eric and me... And Mom. Ah, god, Mom...¡± ¡°Frankie.¡± Relief flowed through her, making her aware of just how worried she¡¯d been. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°Newark. Jesus... it all went wrong. Rick went in hot. Fuck¡ª You know how Mom had it planned. Like Cannes.¡± ¡°I remember.¡± She remembered the famous Carlton heist, just as she remembered that Terence Parker had a brother named Richard. ¡°Is Rick¡¯s name Richard Parker?¡± ¡°Yes. How did you know?¡± He barked out a laugh. ¡°What am I saying? Of course you know. He shot his own fucking brother, Ana. Lit him up like... Fuck. Oh fuck... Rick shot his own brother in cold blood.¡± ¡°Are you safe?¡± ¡°Yes, but¡ª¡± ¡°Is Eric with you?¡± She snatched up her duffel bag and dug out a pair of jeans and a top. ¡°Yes, yes¡ª¡± ¡°Do you have the take?¡± ¡°Yes. Fuck. Will you listen to me, goddammit! He¡¯s got Mom!¡± Ana froze, her heart thudding violently in her chest. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Rick knew Mom was the fence. Eric and I ditched him and took the stones, because he¡¯s fucking crazy. Shot his own goddamn brother. Who does that, Ana? We ditched him and made off with the take and he got to Mom.¡± She activated the phone¡¯s speaker and set it on the coffee table. ¡°How do you know he¡¯s got Mom?¡± ¡°He just called and said he had her. Said he¡¯d trade her for the stones. I tried calling the house but I keep getting the voicemail.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Think, Ana. Damn it. She yanked on a pair of panties. ¡°Where are you supposed to make the trade?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t say. He¡¯s supposed to call back.¡± ¡°Listen, I¡¯m here in Whisper Creek. I¡¯ll head over to Mom¡¯s now and make sure the bastard¡¯s not bluffing.¡± She hopped from one foot to the other as she tugged on her jeans, becoming aware of the deep soreness between her legs. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s got the ringer off or her sound machine turned up loud. You know how she needs white noise to sleep.¡± ¡°Ana... He¡¯ll kill her. Rick must¡¯ve planned all along to get rid of everyone who knew anything. He had to have looked her up before we ditched him. There¡¯s no reason for him to keep her alive for a trade. We won¡¯t know the difference until he¡¯s got us face-to-face, then he¡¯ll take us out, too.¡± ¡°Shut up, Frankie.¡± She pulled a sports bra over her head, then grabbed her top. ¡°You¡¯re not going to think about anything but keeping your head down and your mind sharp. I¡¯m gonna run by Mom¡¯s.¡± ¡°Okay but¡ª¡± ¡°You keep that burner phone on you at all times, you hear me? I want you and Eric to check in every thirty minutes. And find a safe place to hole up and stay there until I tell you otherwise. Don¡¯t make a move without me, got it?¡± ¡°Yes. I got it. Ana...¡± Frankie¡¯s voice broke. ¡°It¡¯s all fucked up. It all fell apart.¡± ¡°That¡¯s usually what happens when you break the law, Frankie. You¡¯ve just been really damned lucky so far.¡± She shoved her nightgown into her bag. ¡°Be careful. Love you.¡± Ana was straightening from grabbing her heels off the floor when Jake stepped into the room fully dressed with his gun on his hip and his badge clipped to the waistband of his jeans. ¡°You can¡¯t come with me,¡± she snapped. ¡°The hell I can¡¯t.¡± His gaze bored into hers. ¡°That¡¯s my brother out there with yours. Christ, Ana. You¡¯re here because you knew they¡¯d pulled off that heist and you didn¡¯t say a damn thing to me.¡± ¡°Because they¡¯re not going to jail, Jake!¡± She shoved her heels in her bag and slung it over her shoulder. ¡°I can take care of this and you can keep your hands clean.¡± ¡°Is that all you think I worry about?¡± He stared at her face, then cursed under his breath. ¡°I¡¯d break any law for you. Every law. There¡¯s nothing I won¡¯t do for you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± She went to him and put her palm over his heart. ¡°I know you would. I¡¯m just not sure you could live with yourself afterward and I don¡¯t want to put you in that position. I love you, Jake. Just the way you are.¡± Jake lifted her fingers to his mouth. ¡°I have something for you.¡± ¡°Not now!¡± He released her hand and shoved his own into his pocket. A moment later, he was sliding a diamond onto the ring finger of her left hand, a square cushion-cut that caught the light of the moon shining through the gap in the shutters on the windows. She swallowed hard, afraid to blink. ¡°Jake¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been holding on to that for years. Now it¡¯s your turn.¡± He tugged her bag off her shoulder and dropped it on the couch. ¡°Give me your keys. I want to drive the Jag.¡± Ana felt damn near giddy. Too much adrenaline, she told herself. Neither of them was thinking straight. It¡¯d never work... unless it did. But they had to make it through the next few hours first. ¡°You got a jacket?¡± he asked. ¡°In the car. Let¡¯s go.¡± Jake watched as Ana opened the trunk of her car and revealed body armor and a handgun safe. She selected one of three guns she had locked away and slid it into her shoulder holster, then shrugged on a windbreaker and relocked the box. Her movements were calm, practiced, and efficient. Jake marveled at the strong, sexy woman she¡¯d become. ¡°You okay?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°No.¡± Shutting the trunk quietly, she studied the two-story house tucked into the woods. ¡°But I¡¯m really glad you¡¯re here. Come on.¡± In the silver glow of moonlight, the old Victorian with its round, pointed rooftops and wraparound porch looked like something out of a fairytale¡ªthe kind where things went wrong. Page 6 Ana kept her cool even after they¡¯d searched the house and confirmed that Tilly had been taken. There were signs of a struggle in the master bedroom, but mercifully no blood.Advertisement ¡°Rick Parker could¡¯ve killed her here, if that was his plan,¡± she said flatly, picking up Tilly¡¯s cell phone from the nightstand and searching through it. ¡°Could¡¯ve made it look like a burglary gone bad. She talked him out of it, maybe gave him information that made her valuable. She conned him. It¡¯ll keep her alive for a while. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± He caught her by the shoulders before she moved past him and looked down at her face. Recognizing her fierce determination to keep her emotions at bay, he settled for a soft kiss to her brow. ¡°Jake¡ª¡± ¡°We both needed that. Now we can go.¡± They went downstairs and were almost out the front door, when Ana stepped on something that crunched beneath her black running shoes. Crouching, she examined the broken glass; then she found its source lying on the floor just inside the door. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± she said, straightening. ¡°Mom has kept this photo on her side of the bed forever.¡± Jake took it from her, looking at the yellowed image through the cracked glass. Her mouth curved in a smile. ¡°That photo was taken the day my dad proposed, after they left the bank and took a stroll on the boardwalk. It¡¯s a message she knew I would understand. Mom¡¯s leading Rick to Atlantic City.¡± His brows arched. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a big leap?¡± ¡°Trust me,¡± Ana insisted. ¡°The minute he went along with whatever story she sold him, it became her show. She¡¯s running it. We just need to catch up with them, before he figures that out.¡± As they drove east on 422, Ana pulled out her laptop and began typing furiously. Jake watched her out of the corner of his eye. Reaching over, he slid his hand beneath her hair and stroked her nape with his fingers. He was so damn glad to be able to touch her again. To be able to smell her and hear her, to have her nearby to look at. She was keeping him sane instead of frantic with worry over Eric. She looked at him, her face made stark by her grimness and the shadows of night. ¡°Frankie will take care of Eric. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just Eric I¡¯m worried about.¡± He tugged gently on her hair. ¡°I can¡¯t think about that. I can¡¯t lose it. Not now.¡± ¡°Okay, so we¡¯ll keep your mind off it. Do you travel a lot?¡± ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s because there was nothing to keep me home. I won¡¯t so much now.¡± She returned her attention to her laptop screen. ¡°The good citizens of Whisper Creek will have to get used to seeing me around again.¡± ¡°Is that where you want to live?¡± Her gaze shot to him again. ¡°The last time I checked that¡¯s where you lived, right?¡± ¡°I stayed because it kept me close to your family. I was afraid if I moved away, I might lose touch with you altogether.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t look so horrified. There wasn¡¯t any place I had a burning desire to get to and Eric needed the stability of staying in one place. But my job can take me anywhere¡ªyou know that.¡± ¡°You¡¯d do that?¡± she asked quietly. ¡°I¡¯d do anything for you, Anastasia. You make me a happy man.¡± Ana was quiet for a few moments, then, ¡°You know how my parents got engaged? They met in Atlantic City. My mom was running an insurance scam and my dad was hustling old stuff. She wanted to get her hands on his antiques and he wanted to get a fraudulent payout. They played each other for a few weeks, then they agreed to meet at a local bank where he was supposed to show the goods for appraisal¡ªhe pulled an engagement ring and a bottle of Dom Perignon out of the safe deposit box instead.¡± ¡°Your dad proposed in a bank?¡± ¡°Surrounded by other people¡¯s safeguarded valuables¡ªabsolutely the perfect venue for my parents. They¡¯d been onto each other almost from the first, but for them the game was their version of flirting and dating. That¡¯s what my family is like, Jake. And I don¡¯t see them ever changing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not running scared, Anastasia. If it takes a few decades or a lifetime, you¡¯ll eventually figure that out.¡± Shaking her head, Ana got back to work. The sky over the turnpike was lightening when Ana answered a check-in call from Frankie. ¡°Hey,¡± she said quietly, achingly aware of the block of ice in her gut. ¡°I got an email from Detective Samuels in New York¡ªTerence Parker passed away an hour ago.¡± ¡°Oh, shit. Shit, shit, shit. Terry. Jesus. He was a good guy, you know? He didn¡¯t deserve to go out like that.¡± ¡°Have you heard from Rick?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Frankie took a deep breath. ¡°And he let me talk to Mom. She sounded okay. Not scared at all. And you were right about Atlantic City¡ªthat¡¯s where he wants to do the swap. Eric¡¯s texting the address to Jake¡¯s cell now. I told Rick I¡¯d have to talk to Mom directly before the meet or I wouldn¡¯t show up, and I said we wanted to get out of town before nine.¡± ¡°Good. You¡¯re doing real good.¡± She shoved a hand through her hair and said what was weighing heavily on her mind. ¡°Frankie, you and Eric... You need to be working on a Plan B.¡± Jake cursed. ¡°Ana, damn it!¡± She glanced at him and kept talking. ¡°When we turn Rick in, he¡¯s going to turn state¡¯s evidence to get some leniency on the murder charge.¡± Frankie¡¯s voice was as serious as she¡¯d ever heard it. ¡°We¡¯re considering our options, Ana. Don¡¯t worry about us. Take care of Mom.¡± The moment she killed the call, Jake went off. ¡°What the fuck are you thinking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking I¡¯d like to salvage as much from this mess as I can. The store is going to get its gems back, Terence¡¯s killer is going to be apprehended, and I¡¯m not going to take the finder¡¯s fee from the insurance company for obvious reasons. Putting Eric and Frankie in jail isn¡¯t going to bring the injured parties any more justice or restitution than that.¡± She grabbed his phone from his lap and took the address of the meet from his text messages and typed it into the GPS. He glared at her. ¡°That¡¯s all you¡¯ve got to say?¡± ¡°Yes. Think about it, Jake. Think hard. When all¡¯s said and done, we¡¯ll go from there.¡± The meet was at a rundown motel in a depressed, forgotten corner of Atlantic City. It seemed worlds away from the boardwalk and tourist mecca. The signs and architecture of the buildings were decades past their prime. Time and the sun had faded what color might have distinguished features before. Ana wondered if her mother knew this place from its heyday. What had led Rick here? The convenience of exterior walkways and parking directly in front of the room doors? Was that enough to negate the fact that the bank was on the far side of town? Whatever the reason, she¡¯d valet parked her car at the Mondego Resort for safekeeping before picking up a rental to get to the dive motel. Then she and Jake had split up¡ªhe waited in the car down the street, while she holed up in a dingy room that smelled like an ashtray and old sweat. They waited for the call from Frankie that would put everything in motion. ¡°Room 105,¡± he said the second she answered her cell phone. ¡°All right,¡± Ana said. ¡°I¡¯m going to head out with the ice bucket. I¡¯ll be nearby as you approach the door. Go up alone and make him come outside. Tell him Eric¡¯s watching from a safe distance and has the diamonds. If Rick wants to prove his trustworthiness, he¡¯ll step out. He¡¯ll probably leave Mom in the room for safekeeping. Jake¡¯ll drive around back to the bathroom window and see if he can get to her. You with me so far?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ana appreciated hearing the quiet strength in her brother¡¯s voice. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in a minute.¡± She didn¡¯t have to tell him not to look at her too long or too often, or worse, not look at her at all¡ªanything that would point her out as suspicious. Frankie was a pro. Shoving her gun into the waistband of her jeans at the small of her back, Ana yanked her top over it and grabbed the ice bucket. She left the room, gratefully breathing in the fresh air outside. Texting Jake as she went, Ana walked across the crumbling parking lot of the U-shaped single-story motel. She felt her pulse steady when Frankie knocked on the motel room door¡ªshe was never calmer then when a game was in play. ¡°Jesus, Rick,¡± she heard Frankie say when the door opened. ¡°You look like shit.¡± ¡°Fucking bastard! You cut me out! Cut Terry out! Where the fuck is Monroe? Where¡¯re my fucking diamonds?¡± Ana slipped into an alcove that led to a maintenance/housekeeping door and pressed her back up against the wall. Rick was erratic; his breathing was heavy and his voice far too loud. It made Ana nuts to think of her mom having to spend the last few hours with him and as the conversation between Rick and her brother progressed, she grew more and more uneasy. ¡°Don¡¯t fuck with me, Miller, you slimy piece of shit,¡± Rick snapped. ¡°Do I look like an idiot? Do I? I¡¯m not going outside and swapping diamonds where anyone can shoot pictures! Tell Monroe to get his ass over here now!¡± ¡°What the hell do I need pictures for? If I had the heat out here, you¡¯d already be done. You¡¯ve got a kidnapped woman in your room and you¡¯re a murderer.¡± ¡°Bullshit. I never¡ª¡± ¡°Terry¡¯s dead,¡± Frank said flatly. The unmistakable thud of flesh hitting flesh got Ana¡¯s back up. She withdrew her gun. ¡°Goddammit, Terry¡ª¡± Frankie stumbled back from the door and into Ana¡¯s line of sight. His hand was pressed to his lip, blood trickling between his fingers. Staying where he was, he forced Rick to follow him out into the parking lot. ¡°Liar! You¡¯re a fucking liar, Miller.¡± Rick stumbled into daylight with bare feet and rumbled clothes. His blond hair was disheveled and he gestured wildly with his hands. ¡°You¡¯ve been lying from the beginning. Setting everything up. I told Terry you were going to jack us and you did! Who killed him? You or Monroe?¡± Page 7 ¡°Jesus Christ, you strung-out sonofabitch. You fucking shot your brother. What the hell did you expect was going to happen?¡±Advertisement Rick slammed his palms into Frankie¡¯s shoulders, sending him stumbling back ¡°What did you do? What did you do? I shot him up just enough to make him look innocent. And now he¡¯s dead? Dead?¡± ¡°Read the damn papers, man. Or watch the news. One of your bullets opened a vein. He nearly bled out. Never recovered. He had a heart attack.¡± Ana stepped away from the wall, taking advantage of the opportunity to intervene between Rick and her mom. She inched toward the open motel room door, her eyes never leaving Rick¡¯s back. She was ready when he spun with a scream and faced her. ¡°Cop bitch!¡± he yelled, before charging toward her. Ana fired low, hitting him in the shin, and watched as he fell to his knee. He reached behind him. She barely ducked the flung blade that stabbed through the stucco wall behind her. Rick lunged past her crouched position and through the open room doorway, tucking and rolling across the threshold, then kicking the door shut. Turning, she fired at the ancient doorknob and kicked out with her foot. The door held. She fired again just as Rick began to scream inside. ¡°Where is she? Where is she?¡± She stopped, holding out her arm when Frankie rushed the door. ¡°Wait. I think Jake¡¯s got her.¡± The rental sedan pulled into the parking lot to their left. Jake was at the wheel. Both Tilly and Eric were in the car with him. ¡°Oh god,¡± Frank choked out. ¡°Mom.¡± Ana kept her eye on the room door and the curtained window. ¡°Get in the car and go.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Rick continued to yell, followed by the firing of a gun and the shattering of glass. ¡°Nooooo! No! No!¡± More shots rang out, and more wailing. Then it fell eerily quiet. ¡°Take care of Mom,¡± she told him, pulling her phone out to call nine-one-one. ¡°Leave this to me.¡± Jake paid the street vendor for his coffee, then turned to face the Crossfire Building again. Foot traffic on the sidewalk swarmed around him, congesting the pavement the same way the cars clogged the street at his back. Car horns blared over the din at regular intervals, yet the residents of Manhattan seemed unaffected by the near frantic pulse of their city. Tilting his head back, he let his gaze travel up the length of the sapphire-hued spire of glass that pierced the sky along with the hundreds of other towering buildings in the city. The theft of the Crown of Roses was finally coming to a close, and his life with Ana was about to begin. With both of the Parker brothers dead, there was no one who knew the identity of the other two accomplices in the crime, and with all of the items recovered and returned, the cops on both sides of the Hudson River were likely to call the case closed. The gun Rick had used to end his own life had been a ballistics match to the bullet found in Terence¡¯s shoulder, putting that aspect of the crime to rest as well. There was one last thing to do... Ana came twirling out of the revolving doors of the Crossfire and her searching gaze found him on the corner. Dressed once again in head to toe black, she looked sleek and very sexy. Her mouth curved slightly as she approached him and deftly took the coffee from his hand. She took a drink and her nose wrinkled. ¡°Ugh. Black. I like a little cream and sugar.¡± He tapped her on the end of her nose with his fingertip. ¡°I¡¯m sure you like it hot, too, so I waited for you to come out before I ordered you one. How did it go?¡± ¡°Good. Gideon Cross agreed to give the reward to the Parker family. That¡¯s where it should go.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t question why you¡¯d give away a half million dollars like you would a five dollar bill?¡± Not to mention the two million dollar finder¡¯s fee for the return of the diamonds... ¡°No.¡± She smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure he thoroughly researched my portfolio before I ever stepped foot into his very impressive office.¡± Jake¡¯s brows rose. ¡°How rich are you?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m very good at my job.¡± Her smile turned into a grin. ¡°Damn. Got me a sugar mama. How¡¯d I get so lucky?¡± Ana licked her lower lip. ¡°Wanna get luckier?¡± ¡°Hell, yeah.¡± He caught her hand in his and they set off.