Page 91 of Hart of Vengeance
Travers had picked a hole-in-the-wall breakfast joint four blocks from Duke’s place, so I had no problem getting there in time.
“I’m meeting Travers,” I said to Jade. “Rain check?”
Her phone rang, and she scrunched her pretty nose. “Sure. I guess someone is trying to tell us something.” She collected her phone from her nightstand.
I kissed her quickly before bolting into the bathroom. Within ten minutes, I was showered and dressed.
I found Jade in the kitchen, making coffee. I wrapped one arm around her from behind, and with the other, I moved her long hair to the side. “I’ll call you later.” I peppered kisses on her neck.
She leaned into me. “No rush. Mallory is on her way. She’s going to work from here and keep me company.”
I didn’t know what time I would be back, but I was glad Mallory would be there with her.
After one long, tongue-twisting kiss, I said, “Don’t go out, please. Until I can get Tito off our backs, I don’t trust him.”
She turned in my arms and tucked my wet hair behind my ear. “Is that why you’re meeting with Agent Travers? Do you guys have a plan?” She sounded relaxed, happy, and content.
I brushed her nose with mine, inhaling her. She was sweet, and she was all mine. “We do.” Or I did. I wasn’t sure yet if Travers would jump on board or not. “I love you.”
She tensed.
I edged back, studying her. That smile she’d had a moment ago was gone, and in its place was pure fear. “What’s wrong?” I’d expected her to shower me with kisses when I told her I loved her, not freak out.
“That tone in your voice.” She shuddered. “That’s the same tone you used when you broke up with me. I love you, but…” She looked away.
With my fingers on her chin, I gently guided her to look at me. “Hey, never again. What you’re hearing in my tone is concern and hope that we can take Tito down once and for all.” I cupped her face with both of my hands.
Her eyes were wide, intense, and insanely green. “I’m serious, Denim Hart. I will hunt you down this time and kill you.” Her tone was rock-hard. “My heart can’t take losing you again.”
I understood her trepidation. I understood we were diving in too fast. But I didn’t want to waste another minute, day, or year without her. I’d been a fuckup at eighteen, and I would like to think that I’d matured and reformed, even though I hadn’t killed anyone. Prison had taught me maturity and had given me ample time to dissect my wants and needs, and I needed Jade like I needed water to survive.
“I understand it will take time for you to trust me again, to trust that I won’t walk away. I know words are just words, but I’ll show you.” I started by pressing a kiss to her jawline, her chin, her nose, her ears, and even that sensitive spot behind her ear. I repeated those steps until she became putty in my arms. Then I nipped at her bottom lip, tugging with my teeth. If we kept going, I would miss my meeting with Travers, but I needed to show her I was serious.
She smiled. “You should go before I strip you naked.”
“Baby doll, I do love you.”
“I know,” she said. “Now go before the FBI shows up here and arrests you.”
After one last quick kiss, I headed out.
Travers was sitting in a booth when I walked into the restaurant fifteen minutes later. As usual, he was dressed in a suit and shiny loafers, with his hair slicked back.
I slid into the seat across from him. “Where’s your partner?” I hadn’t seen Brock since I’d met him in prison.
He deadpanned. “We’re not here to talk like buddies, and I don’t have time. What do you have for me?”
The waitress sashayed up, blowing strands of her brown hair out of her eyes. “What are you having?” She poised a pen over her pad, ready to take my order.
“Coffee. Nothing else,” I said. When she glided to the next table, I regarded Travers. “I’m meeting with Tito Alvarez later. I want you to wire me up.”
He reared back. “You’re mighty zealous.”
“I believe he murdered his own brother, and I’m going to get him to talk.”
Travers held up a hand. “You’re going to get him to talk about a gun shipment, not a murder. Right? I’m FBI. A local murder isn’t my jurisdiction. Talk to the Boston PD.”
I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t a complete idiot. I knew he couldn’t arrest Tito for a local murder. “I’ll get you a time and place of a gun shipment. But I need to have his confession of the murder on tape legally. And do you really want the local cops in on this?”
