Текст книги "In a Bad Way"

Автор книги: Karin Tabke

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Текущая страница: 11 (всего у книги 23 страниц)

He typed in notes, then looked back at Pink and smiled.  Flynn knew that smile.  The Trust-me-I’m-the-hero-I-won’t-lie-to-you-smile.  “But while you’re here, I’d like as much information as you’re willing to provide us.”

Pink nodded. “I’ll tell you what I know.”

Justin went straight to the heart of the matter. “How many times have you drugged a Surf’s Up patron and videoed them in a compromising position?”

Pink’s eyes popped open.  “That was my first time!” She glanced at Flynn, then back to Justin.  Then said under her breath, “I had a lot of firsts that night.”

Flynn wanted to pull her into his arms and assure her this was almost over.

“I’m assuming you’re going to be in trouble with Andre if you don’t deliver the goods?” Justin asked.

Pink shivered.  “Yes, he’s not the kind of man who gives you a pep talk and tells you to try again.”

“Is he under the impression you have a video?”

“I told him I had one, but that it was on my phone and the phone was stolen at my gym.”

“Is that true?”

“Which part?”

“All of it.”

“Um,” she looked at Flynn, who nodded, urging her to tell the truth, as much as it might embarrass them both.  “There was a video, but it was destroyed. The stolen phone part was a lie to buy time.”

“What was Andre’s reaction to your story?”

Biting her bottom lip, she looked at Flynn, then back at Justin.  “He told me to make another one and that if I didn’t he would hurt me.”

“Jesus Christ, Pink, why the hell am I just hearing about it now?” Flynn ejaculated.

“It’s been a pretty eventful day, it slipped my mind.”

“How would you like us to help you out of your jam, Miss Fuentes?” Justin asked, calmly bypassing the storm.

“I don’t know exactly,” Pink said.  “What did you have in mind?”

Justin’s eyes glittered with excitement.  He looked at Flynn, then to Pink.  Flynn had the distinct feeling he wasn’t going to like what Justin was about to propose.

“Using you and Flynn, we’ll create what appears to be a compromising video, which you can deliver to Andre.”

“Hold the fuck up,” Flynn said, standing.  “No sex video.”

Justin’s jaw tightened.  “We’re not in the porn business, Ryker.”

“Good, because that isn’t going to happen.”  Hell if he was he going to have Pink strip down and make it look like he was fucking her while the task force recorded it.

Flynn grasped Pink’s hand and pulled her up. The agreement when he’d called Justin this morning was for information trading.  Nothing more. Now they wanted her to make another video and in effect work as a UC in the club?  No fucking way. “It’s too dangerous for Miss Fuentes to go back to the club.  Find another way to get what you need.”

Yanking her hand from Flynn’s, she said to Justin, “I’m open to suggestions.”

“No, damn it,” Flynn said, seething.

When she turned and pressed her small hand to his chest, Flynn’s heart leapt against it.  “I appreciate your concern, Flynn, but I’m going to see this through, even if it means I go back to the club.”

Not if he had his way she wasn’t.

“Miss Fuentes,” Justin said. “Right now, this meeting is all we’ll require of you, and of course if you see any of those men in the photographs, you will notify us when you do.”

Chapter Nineteen

Izzy sat back thoughtfully in the seat of the Corvette and tried to put together exactly what just happened. She got the distinct impression that the crew at the Federal Building wanted more from her than they were willing to give in return.

“What if your people can’t find Alex?” she asked Flynn, who had said less than two words since they’d gotten back into the car.

“If there’s something to find, they’ll find it,” he said curtly.

“Even though she hasn’t been reported missing?”

He glanced over at her, then back to the road ahead.  “I gave you my promise I’d help you find her.  If you say she’s missing, then she’s missing.”

“What if your friends don’t want to give you information?”

“There’s no reason for them not to, Pink.”

“Maybe.”  Staring out the window, Izzy thought about Flynn and his interactions with the people he worked with.

He’d done everything except mark her in front of his coworkers. He’d been especially adversarial with Maddox and the blond sergeant.  His behavior confused her.  He didn’t want to associate with her because of what she did and had done.  But then he acted like he had some unspoken claim on her in front of the task force.

“When was the last time you and Sergeant Jackson had sex?”

“A year ago, and it was once,” he snapped.

Pink laughed bitterly.  “Keeping to that 'I don’t do mornings’ mantra.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“Tell me how it was, then?”

Flynn glanced at her like, really? Crossing her arms over her chest, she stared at him.  She wanted to know. The sergeant was pretty. Probably a knockout if she let her hair down and wore something soft and sexy instead of that ugly blue pantsuit.

“I was working violent crimes.  Bank robberies to be specific.  Sonia had just been promoted to sergeant and was on the SFPD arm of the team.  We were hot on the trail of a serial bank robber and had an idea when and where the next hit would be. Sure enough, as we pulled up in an unmarked, the bad guys were fleeing.  I was driving.  It was a high-speed pursuit through the streets of San Francisco.  They crashed, we got them. On our way back in, we made a pit stop. End of story.”

“Wow, cop love is so romantic.”

Flynn chuckled despite the topic.  “There was nothing romantic about what we did. It was a de-stress mechanism.  Nothing more.”

“I’d say it was a little bit more than a mechanism for Sergeant Jackson.  I saw the way she looked at you when we walked in.  She wanted another Special Agent treat.”

“Doubtful.”

“More like highly probable.”  But Izzy let it go.  She knew the look of a woman who wanted a man.  She’d seen it on her mother’s face every time her father walked into the room. “Your friends didn’t seem surprised in the least to learn Alex was my sister.  Why weren’t they?”

“In this business you learn not to be surprised by anything, and if you are, you don’t show it.”

“Is that why you hide the fact that you still want me?”  Izzy had never kept her mouth shut for decorum’s sake. Why start now?

Flynn’s knuckles whitened.  “I want to make sure you’re safe.”

“Your friends don’t seem to have a problem taking on the protector role, so why not step aside and let one of them step up, since I embarrass you.”

“You don’t embarrass me.”

“But you’re embarrassed by me.”

“I’m not embarrassed by you, Isadora!  Now leave it alone.”

A small tic erupted in his cheek.  Wisely, she sat back and stopped poking the tiger.

Without further conversation they continued to her house in Oakland. Instead of parking on the street this time, Flynn drove up into the empty driveway. Charlie was gone.  So much for that yummy lunch he’d promised. It was pushing four; she forgave him for not sticking around. Flynn put the car into park, Izzy opened her door and said, “Thanks for the lift.”

As she took her keys out to open the back door, she heard the driver side door slam shut.  “Let me go in first,” Flynn said, stepping up behind her and taking the key from her hand.  In his other hand was a gun. Suddenly shit got real.

Nudging the door open with his foot, his gun held up, he said, “Stay here until I clear the house.”

Izzy wasn’t too stupid to live; she nodded and stood back, allowing him to do what he had to.  Several moments later he was back and ushered her in.  He slid the gun back into the belt holster at the small of his back she just now noticed, shut the door behind them, and locked it.

“Thanks, you can go,” she said, dropping her purse onto the kitchen table.

A sheet of paper fluttered to the floor.  She picked it up. It was a note from Charlie:

Hey sweets, I figure by now that hunk of burning love has gotten down on his knees and begged for forgiveness.  I hope you gave it to him; he’s a once in-a-lifetime guy if he managed to take his pride out of his dick.  If none of the above occurred, color me the worst best friend in the world.  Steven called hysterical because I hadn’t come back last night.  I calmed him down, but you know what a drama queen he is.  Shoot me a text if you need me to pick up any pieces and I’ll drag my queen north and we can eat popcorn in bed and watch our fave movie, To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, together. 

Xoxoxo

C

Izzy was grinning when Flynn came up behind her.

“Everything all right?”

“Peachy,” she said, crumbling the paper and tossing it into the trash can near the sink.  She turned around and leaned against the counter, acutely aware that it was the same exact place where just the morning before Flynn had given her a most amazing orgasm.  Damn, how had it all gone to crap in less than twenty-four hours?

Life challenged her on so many different fronts.  It seemed like she could never catch a break.  But it only made her more determined to carve out her own path and live life on her terms, not the universe’s. Because the universe was a bitch.

Deciding to give Flynn some payback, Izzy hopped up onto the counter. Leaning back against her hands, she crossed her legs at the ankles, raised her brows at Flynn, who hadn’t moved, and said, “So you can leave now.”

“Where’s your roommate?”

“Santa Cruz.”

“I don’t feel comfortable leaving you here alone.”

“I’m a big girl, Special Agent.  I have dead bolts on each one of the doors and locks on each of the windows. I have a kubaton I know how to use and a few slick self-defense moves. ”

“That won’t stop anyone who wants to get in here.”

“Would it stop you?” she asked, cocking her head to the side.

“No.”

“What would stop you?” she asked, then quickly answered, “Oh, wait, your ego.” She laughed caustically.  The hurt still stung deep.  Damn him for lighting her up only to snuff her out.

Hopping off the counter, she strode to the door, unlocked it, and then opened it wide.  “We’re done here, Flynn, please leave.”

Flynn didn’t move.  He wasn’t leaving, but he didn’t have a good reason to stay, not one she would accept.  If he was officially assigned to the task force he could say he was watching out for her, but his SAC nixed that because of what he’d done to the arrogant CEO at the restaurant.  “You’re too close to the crack, Ryker. Your involvement could hinder the investigation,” Mills had told him earlier.  Flynn didn’t argue, because it was true.

His cell phone rang.  He took it from his pocket.  It was Justin.

“Ryker.”

“Where are you?”

“At Miss Fuentes’s place.  I just dropped her off.”

“Stay there, we’re en route.”

Flynn glanced at Pink, an unsettling feeling in his stomach.  He moved from the kitchen to the living room and onto the front porch.  “Who’s we?”

“Me and Price.”

“Why you and Price?”

“I want to discuss using Miss Fuentes as a UC at the club. If she agrees, Price will handle her.”

Anger flared.  “Bullshit!  You gave me your word you’d only tap her for information.”

“I need more information, information only she can get, and to get it, she needs to go back to the club and work it.”

“No.”

“What’s the problem here, Flynn?”

“The problem is she isn’t trained. The problem is if she’s turned loose in there, she’s going to get hurt.  And I have a big problem with that.”

“Are you involved?”

“That’s none of your damn business.”

“It is if it impacts this case.  We’ve spent years trying to get in there.  She’s in.  If she’s agreeable, we’re going to capitalize on that.”

Flynn swiped his hand across his face in frustration.  He was powerless to stop Justin from reaching out to Pink.  That wasn’t what scared the hell out of him. What scared him was knowing she would jump in feet first.

 “Look, man, you know how this works,” Justin said. “This is task force 101. We’ll protect her.  Now step back and let me do my job.”

“Got it,” Flynn snapped, then hung up.

“Is something wrong?” Pink asked from the door.

Flynn slowly turned to face her.  “No.  Justin and Maddox are on their way over.”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

“Do they have news about Alex?”

“No.” He wished they did; that way, Pink would have no more use for them.

When she stepped out onto the porch and stared up at him for a long thoughtful minute, Flynn fought the urge to touch her. Her full lips were slightly parted, her big eyes wide, and he noticed for the first time she had a few freckles on her nose.

“Why are you so angry?” she asked.

What was he supposed to tell her?  That Maddox Price, the biggest skirt chaser in the city, had his sights set on her and was going to be handling her while they used her to get to Sorlov?  That he wanted to make love to her, but couldn’t because he’d want to again. That he wasn’t capable of giving her what she wanted and deserved.  To be loved? Was he supposed to tell her that he hated himself for being such an ass for hurting her?  That it infuriated him that he was forced to be hands-off with this investigation, all because of what he did to Stiles?  That he was a bystander this time around?  Or should he tell her that he was scared to death for her and his hands were tied because he’d blown it and she wanted nothing to do with him. Hell, if he asked to sleep on her sofa to make sure she was safe, she’d tell him to hit the road.  Could he blame her?

“I’m angry because they want you to make another video and officially become their under cover, classified informant at the club. I’m angry because I know you’re going do it and there’s not a damn thing I can do to stop you.”

“I’m sorry you don’t understand how much it means to me to do this, despite the risks to my safety.”

“Why?” he shouted, losing his patience with her motive.  “To bring back a sister who has never stepped up for you? Who won’t even acknowledge your existence? Do you think by doing this, you’ll get them to welcome you back into the fold with open arms?”  Flynn shook his head and grasped her by the shoulders and shook her.  “They don’t give a fuck about you, Isa, and yet you’ve broken the law and compromised not only your dignity but your safety for them.”  When he realized he was physically hurting her, Flynn let her go.  “Are you so desperate for their approval that you’re willing to sacrifice your life?”

Tears filled her eyes, then spilled down her cheeks.

“At least I’m willing to take the shot, Flynn. Something you’ll never do.”

Turning, she walked back into the house, leaving him standing on the porch, never feeling more alone in his life.

Chapter Twenty

Decked out in her Surf’s Up uniform—pink string bikini, blue spike wig, full-blown makeup, and pink peek-a-boo heels—Izzy paced nervously in the small living room as Justin typed up a summary of what they had discussed and how it was all going down.

From the moment she strode into the room fifteen minutes ago, Flynn’s disposition had deteriorated from agitated to enraged. He’d taken one look at her, told Maddox and Justin to shut their fucking mouths, and asked her if she could spare them all some pain and cover herself until they were ready to roll.

“You didn’t have a problem with my attire Saturday night, Flynn, why now?”

She knew damn well what had changed, and damn if she was going to let him boss her around.  She wasn’t an exhibitionist, but she worked hard to stay in shape and had no inhibitions about her body.

Instead of arguing with her, Flynn shut up, but he didn’t take his eyes off her for a minute.

The other two men—Justin, who was still inputting information on his laptop and Maddox, who suddenly found the floor interesting—quickly assumed their poker faces when she put her hands on her hips and said, “I’d like to get this over with as soon as possible.”

“One more minute,” Justin said, not looking up.

Izzy found herself at the center of an elaborate sting operation. Once Justin had the paperwork written up, she would sign the document in which she was agreeing to become a classified informant and work undercover for the San Francisco Police Department.  Though they offered her compensation, she declined.  Her willingness to find Alex was not, despite what Flynn said, to get back into the family fold, but for Izzy’s own peace of mind.  If she was honest with herself, she wasn’t doing this for Alex.  She was doing it for herself.  Had she met her sister when Alex begged her to, she might have been able to help her.  But she hadn’t.  She loved her sister and didn’t bear her any ill will.  If there was a way to get her back, Izzy would do everything she could to that end.

What had started out a few months ago as a simple snooping around the club for info about Alex had turned into a full-blown federal task force operation she was now a key player in.  It scared her to death. She could back out. Instead, she put her trust in the three men in the room. Part of the trust entailed agreeing to re-create a video.

When Maddox, her “handler” as he’d been dubbed, along with his task force supervisor, Justin, asked her to make another video with Flynn, her initial reaction was no way.

“We want Boris to make contact with Agent Ryker,” Justin explained.  “Once he does, he’ll show him the video and name his price for not going public with it.  We’ll have what we need to bring him in on RICO charges.  We’ll offer him a deal if he agrees to talk. While I can’t guarantee he will give us information on your sister, Miss Fuentes, I guarantee you I will lean as hard on him as I can to get the information.”

“What if he doesn’t?” she asked.

“Then we find another way, but you need to understand, there is nothing you can do that will incite Sorlov to give you any information on the whereabouts of your sister.  Once he knows you suspect him of being responsible in some way for her disappearance, you’ll disappear next.  That I can guarantee you.”

When she glanced at Flynn, he looked even less inclined to recreate a video than she did.  It had pissed her off.  Did she repulse him that much? Out of spite she knew she’d agree to do it.

Heart pounding, she didn’t know if she could do it.  Despite Flynn’s hands-off approach with her, he affected her on such a deep level she was afraid that if they engaged in any type of physical act, staged or otherwise, she’d fall harder, deeper, and drown. And what if she, well, became so aroused she embarrassed them both?

Despite her monumental efforts to erase him from her heart, Izzy had made little progress getting him out of her head since the moment she’d laid eyes on him at the club Saturday night.  He’d touched something in her she didn’t know existed. An ache for him far more consuming than the need for recognition from her father. If she did this, she’d have to reboot the de-Flynning process.

She didn’t want to want him.  Need him.  Ache like she did for him.

Unease rolled through her.  Did she even have a choice? No. She didn’t. Not when her choice to give the task force whatever they needed her to do went beyond Alex now.  This was for all the other women out there who could fall prey to Boris’s exploitive business practices. An incriminating video was not only key to getting an audience with Boris, but now it was key to the sting operation stinging. Boris would use it to blackmail Flynn and then they’d have him.

“I’m all in.  What do you want me to do?”

Jaw tight, his blue eyes intense, Flynn said, “You don’t have to do this.”

She shook her head. He was wrong. “It’s not about my sister anymore, Flynn. If she’s gone I can’t save her, but maybe I can save someone else.”

Flynn shot his buddies a dirty look and stepped toward her.  “They have other ways to get the information.  Let them figure it out.”

“We’ll do everything we can to protect you, Miss Fuentes,” Maddox said.

“With no guarantees,” Flynn bit off.

“No, but it’ll be safer for her this way than her flying solo,” Maddox responded.

Maddox set down the thick file folder he’d been holding on to on the coffee table and stepped back as if his nearness distressed her. “It’s your call, Miss Fuentes,” he said.

“I said, I’ll do it.”

Flynn scrubbed his hand across his face, exhaling loudly.

Izzy hurried to reassure him and herself that she would be careful.  “I won’t do anything stupid, Flynn.”

Giving her a pointed look, he said,  “It’s not you I’m worried about.”

His words stung deep. Damn it, the hot rush of tears burned her eyes.  When had she become so vulnerable?

Realizing how harsh he sounded, Flynn quickly reassured her. “You misunderstood, Pink. I’d chop both my nuts off if would change your mind.” He traced the line of her cheek with his fingertip. “I’m worried about what Boris or Andre would do to you if they suspect something.”

“Ryker,” Justin intervened.  “We’ll have an army of UCs inside during the hours Miss Fuentes is on the job.”  He moved around the sofa, stepping closer.  “We’ll put the word out on the street at those times for all units to be on alert.  Have them pay particular attention to the area without giving anything away.”

Arms crossed over his chest, Flynn stared down Maddox, who wasn’t in the least bit intimidated. “This isn’t my first rodeo, Ryker,” Maddox said.  “I haven’t lost a CI yet.”

Izzy grasped Flynn’s forearm and looked up into his stormy eyes.  “I don’t need your permission to do this, but I’d like your blessing.”  Heat rose in her cheeks.  “I don’t want to make the video with anyone but you.”

Letting out a long breath, Flynn acquiesced.  “You don’t have a choice in that, Pink.  One, no one else is going to touch you and two, Andre has seen me and expects me to be your mark.  So you’re stuck with me.”

“So we’re all agreed then?” Justin asked. Everyone nodded, including Flynn, who Izzy desperately wanted to be in on this, if only because if he gave his seal of approval somehow she’d feel like she wasn’t in imminent danger. Secondly, she wanted him around.  He could say what he wanted, and act like he didn’t care about her, but she knew he had a higher stake in her safety than the other two.

Not that Justin and Maddox didn’t exude a supreme command presence that left her feeling dizzy. But in her eyes, they weren’t Special Agent Ryker.

“Let’s get the video wrapped up, and go from there,” Justin said.

Maddox nodded and said, “Miss Fuentes, your cell phone?”

Izzy retreated to her bedroom to get her cell phone and heard raised voices in the room behind her.  When she returned with the phone, the three men stood angrily glaring at each other.

“Okay, boys,” Izzy said.  “Play nice or I’m sending all three of you home.”

She handed Maddox the cell phone.

“Miss Fuentes, if you wouldn’t mind showing me the way to your bedroom.”

“Not going to happen, Price,” Flynn said stepping in front of him.

Maddox turned angry eyes on Flynn.  “Do I have to call your SAC and have you removed?”

“Make the call,” Flynn challenged.

“Ryker,” Justin said moving between them.  “We’re just going to establish the date, location, and players, and then let you two do what you need to do privately.”

Flynn stepped past them both, caught Izzy’s elbow, and proceeded to the bedroom.

Pulling her into him as they entered, he lowered his lips to her ear and said, “Relax, it’s not going to be like Saturday’s video, just follow my lead once we start rolling, okay?”

The warmth of his breath on her ear shot straight to her nipples and beyond. Not trusting her voice, she nodded.

Once they were all assembled, Maddox turned on the camera, and began to video himself. “This is Inspector Maddox Price, San Francisco PD.” He stated the date, time, and location before turning the camera on Justin.

“Lieutenant Justin Barbieri, SFPD, joint task force liaison.”

When the camera turned to Flynn, he briskly identified himself. “Special Agent Flynn Ryker, Federal Bureau of Investigation.”

Lastly the camera turned to Izzy. “Isadora Fuentes.” She looked at Flynn, then at the camera, and said, “Classified informant.”

Flynn shook his head, but Maddox grinned as he turned the camera back to himself.  “The purpose of documenting the date, location, time as well as involved parties preceding the bait video is to establish that the content is sanctioned by the joint task force of Operation Bullwinkle. All acts contained in this video are staged, but willfully consensual for the purposes of the operation. Any props used during the filming of this video are placebos.”

He handed the phone to Izzy.  “Miss Fuentes, to ensure fluidity and the validity of the video if it’s challenged in a court of law, please refrain from turning the camera off until such time as the act is complete.”

“Okay,” she said, gingerly taking the cell phone and placing it on her nightstand in the exact same position she had put her original phone Saturday night.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly exhaled as her eyes rested on Flynn, who stood silent at the foot of her bed.  She didn’t hear the door close when Maddox and Justin left them alone.  At Flynn’s continued stare, her skin warmed.  Her nipples tightened beneath the thin fabric of her top.  His jaw clenched as a curse slipped from his lips.

Swallowing hard, Izzy wasn’t sure how to proceed.  Flynn had been given the script.  He told her to follow his lead, but he just stood there.

Should she start the act that wasn’t really going to be an act on her part, because she craved Flynn’s hands on her again, or wait for him to come to her?  When he still didn’t move, her heart thudded with the intensity of a runaway freight train.  Fighting the tremor that threatened to go through her, it occurred to Izzy that maybe Flynn didn’t want her.

Maybe it was better that way. With a shaky breath, she sat down on the edge of the bed in view of the camera. Mustering up all of her bravado, Izzy moved back onto the mattress, and then slowly, rose up on her knees.  Crooking her finger at him, she said, “Come here, Special Agent Ryker.”

When he still didn’t move, her stomach did a slow, hard roll. Humiliation swept through her. She wasn’t going to beg him, damn it! Mentally she counted backward from ten.  When she got to one, if he hadn’t moved, she was going to go tap Justin or Maddox for the job!  Her belly did another slow roll.  As hot as those two were, she only wanted one man.  The one standing at the foot of her bed who didn’t want her.

Closing her eyes, she bit her bottom lip.  Ten. Nine. Eight. Heat flushed her cheeks. Seven. Six.  Her chest rose and fell sharply as emotion clenched her resolve.  Five. Four. Three.

Warm breath caressed her cheek.

A rush of heat flooded her veins. “I hate that I can’t stop wanting this,” he rasped inches from her.

Biting back the cry that struggled to escape, Izzy opened her eyes and this time the cry escaped.  His blue eyes glittered intensely.  His nostrils flared like the predator he was.  The way his features tightened with unleashed power stirred her soul.  Every inch of her cried out for succor.

A strong arm slipped around her bare waist and yanked her hard against his chest.  His lips hovered just above hers.  “I can’t get you out of my head,” he said, anger edging the words.

Swallowing hard, Izzy held his stare.  Despair swirled in the blue depths of his eyes. Desire she couldn’t ignore.  They had a cosmic connection.  Neither one of them wanted it, they’d both fought it and they’d both lost. He had been no more able to erase her from his mind than she had him. Still, they were where they had begun two nights ago. Nothing had changed except the date and time. Izzy had no hope that once this video was shot, he wouldn’t walk out the door again.

So let this charade play out, and when it was over she would double her efforts to put this man out of her mind.  Closing her eyes, she mentally prepared herself for this. Slowly she opened them, holding his intense gaze.  Sliding her shield firmly back in place, she smiled seductively.

“I’m so happy you came home with me,” Izzy breathed, running her hands up his hard chest. Damn, he felt good.  “I want to do bad things to you, Special Agent Ryker.”