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  He leaned against the wall. Going off her side of the conversation, he couldn’t tell what kind of relationship she had with the other person on the phone.

  “Hopefully it’ll end soon, and things will go back to normal.” She inhaled loudly and blew out her breath. “I know. I miss you too. Don’t worry if you don’t hear from me for a while. I got lucky and found a phone I can use, but now I have to go back to work, okay?”

  His head came up and he peeked into the room. Rocki’s back was to him and she rubbed the spot where her neck met her shoulder.

  “I will,” she whispered. “I love you too.”

  She disconnected the call and sank into the chair by the table. He studied the long line of her spine, the forward tilt of her head. Her shoulders shook, and his body tensed. She was crying.

  He could handle an irate woman and enjoyed a good debate, but the soft sniffles of a woman’s heart breaking left him incompetent and desperate. With no sister of his own, women were a mystery he loved discovering. Tears were his undoing. He wanted to fix whatever was bothering her, promise to get rid of whatever or whoever caused her pain, but if she was this upset over coming home with him, something else was going on.

  His head went back and hit the wall. Shit.

  The last thing he needed to do was emotionally tie himself to a woman in need. All he’d thought about since spotting her at the academy was how much he wanted her. Her quiet strength around the other officers set her apart from other women. Women who’d relied on him to make the simplest of choices…it never resulted in anything good. He needed fire and backbone in a woman.

  He never expected to find someone like that so soon. When he wasn’t doing investigative work, he spent hours at the garage fixing up classic cars. If he was honest, he liked being single.

  He looked in on her again. She was hurting, and damned if he could hold himself back from helping her.

  His plans for tonight fizzled like a shaken pop can opened too soon. He gave her a few moments, and when she failed to pull herself together, he walked into the kitchen. She sniffled, wiping her cheeks and hiding her face.

  “Rocki?” He laid his hand on the back of her neck. “Everything okay?”

  She cleared her throat. “I’m fine. Just give me a second.”

  Fine. He’d heard that word before. It definitely meant the complete opposite. Women had their own definition and, unfortunately, they kept the meaning secret from him.

  “You’re not fine.” He squatted beside her chair, making her face him. “You know who I am. If you’re in trouble or someone is upsetting you, I can make sure you stay safe and get the help you need.”

  She shook her head. “Don’t…please.”

  “Sweetheart…” He cupped her face. “Trust me. I will protect you. All you have to do is say the word, and no one will touch you.”

  Her chin wobbled, and her eyes filled with tears. She shook her head, clamping her lips together. The pleading gaze was his undoing. He could no more force her to talk than turn her away when she cried.

  “Shh, sweetheart. I’ve got you.” He picked her up and cradled her in his arms.

  Her face went to his neck, and she let the tears win. He simply held her as he walked to the bedroom.

  He flipped the light switch off with his elbow, deposited her on the bed without letting go, and curled his body around hers. Her back to his front, he soothed her while absorbing her sobs.

  Every time she gasped for more air and her body stiffened, he wanted to demand she tell him the truth. He could fix whatever problem she had. She only had to tell him, and he’d do anything to make her smile at him again.

  He had no idea what the fuck was going on with her, and his first instinct was to call her superior and demand answers. There was a chance she was working double, playing both sides, with her badge on one side, Darrell on the other.

  He questioned why he still found himself attracted to her, because someone who used people for their own good was someone he wouldn’t want in his life. He ran his hand down the back of her head, murmuring words he’d had no idea he knew. His gut told him that she needed him and he wouldn’t turn away from her yet.

  A long time later, she quieted and fell asleep. He continued to lie with her, holding her, and keeping her safe. Whatever trouble she’d gotten herself into, he was going to make sure she sought help in the morning. Then he was going to find out why she’d lied to him.

  Chapter Four

  A soft snore startled Rocki awake. Her pulse raced and she blinked into the dark, trying to gain her bearings. She was at Tony’s house, in his bed, and—she wiggled her toes inside her shoes—fully dressed. She laid her head back on the pillow, her heart pounding.

  She peered at the nightstand. Four forty-five in the morning.

  Tony snored lightly behind her. His arm thrown around her waist, holding her tight against his chest, seemed intimate and surprisingly wonderful. His legs bent in the crook of hers, cradling her body. She lifted his wrist, rolled, and slid out from his embrace. A shiver crawled along her spine at the loss of his body heat. She paused, kneeling on the floor, and counted to sixty.

  Coming home with Tony last night was a huge mistake. Once she found out he was a private investigator and best friend to Kage, she should’ve called off her job. She could’ve lied to Darrell and kept Tony clean. Instead, she was helping bring Darrell’s attention to a man she’d instantly respected for his career of choice and the way he stood up for her around Janie.

  He’d gone out of his way twice to make sure she was okay. Then, instead of forcing himself on her, he’d taken her to bed to cuddle. No one needed to tell her that Tony was not a man who spent time in bed just holding a woman.

  The soft snortles from Tony continued with every third inhale, and she closed her eyes briefly in relief. Then she crawled out of his room until she was halfway down the hall, and finally stood when there was no sign of Tony following her.

  She paused, listening. A soft whine came from behind the closed door on her right. She laid her hand on the door and whispered, “It’s okay, Brute. It’s me.”

  When the dog stopped, she tiptoed the rest of the way. She had to get out of here before Tony found her missing from the bed and called her on the bet they’d made. It was unfair of her to play him for a fool. He was too smart, and Darrell had set her up. Using Tony and having sex with him crossed her personal line; undercover or not, she wasn’t that type of woman.

  She found her purse in the foyer. Being careful not to make any unnecessary noises, she slipped out the front door and walked away from Tony Weston. Half a block later, she slowed her pace and retrieved her cell from her purse. She bit the inside of her lip, debating whether to keep walking and bide herself more time or call Darrell right away.

  She’d spent the night and fulfilled her job. If he asked, she could explain how Tony had to go to work and she left early. She thumped the phone against her forehead. Unless it was Kage who Darrell wanted her to sleep with, and in that case, Darrell was out of luck and she’d failed the orders. No woman would ever get between Janie and Kage.

  If only she had a way home, and could spend a few hours with her mom without Darrell finding out. She stopped near the street corner. Using the phone to call her mom earlier at Tony’s house had been a huge risk, but the chances of Darrell or one of his men tapping Tony’s home phone were slim. She’d played it safe.

  The emotional fallout from hearing her mom’s voice hit her hard. They’d survived together after her dad left, and the years of scraping to put food on their table and a roof over their heads. Together, they’d both gone on to reach their goals.

  Mary Bangli worked at Macy’s as a supervisor in charge of displaying the women’s clothing line while helping put Rocki through the academy. The only time she regretted her choice of career was last night. She gained no pleasure lying to Tony. Yet bringing Darrell to justice would earn her a solid seat among the male detectives and their respect if she succeeded in
bringing down the infamous drug lord.

  She couldn’t screw up. Her life wasn’t the only one on the line and depended on her succeeding on the case, and bringing Darrell to justice. She’d do whatever it took to keep her mom safe and out of line of Darrell’s wrath if things turned ugly. Her mom meant the world to her.

  Now Tony was involved indirectly because she’d failed to accomplish her orders to sleep with him. She gathered her hair to one side and rubbed the back of her neck. She’d gotten the best night’s sleep she’d had in four months, but Darrell wasn’t concerned about her stress level.

  She glanced down the road toward Tony’s house. She’d walked far enough. No longer in view of his place, she slowed down. Guilt forced her to look away. She’d expected him to act very differently.

  He’d told her clearly they were going to have sex. She’d all but agreed, and then teased the man.

  When he took her to bed and held her, letting her cry, she jumped at the comfort he offered. For a few short hours, all the stress from the last several months eased. The only thing she wanted was his big, strong arms holding her. He never questioned the reason behind her tears or belittled her for being weak.

  He was the nicest guy she’d ever encountered. Ever.

  What kind of man sent signals of wanting sex, yet supported her when she needed him most and ignored his own needs?

  She already regretted meeting him. The timing was all wrong. Another place and a different situation, and she’d be all over him like cocoa butter.

  A black Lexus pulled around the corner, crossed the lane, and slowed down. Rocki slipped the phone into her back pocket. Dread filled her.

  The car stopped at the curb and the window came down. Darrell leaned toward the passenger seat. “Get in.”

  Panic seized. He knew. That was the only reason he’d known to find her out on the street this early in the morning, hours before her deadline.

  Instead of running, fast and far away, or walking toward the car to hold on to the charade she played, her mind went to Tony. He was the kind of man she’d love to hang out with and get to know better. He’d never use his authority to make her witness beatings, drug deals, or, God help her, the blood of poor Joe without a last name.

  “Camilla,” Darrell said. “Get in the car.”

  She lifted her chin. As Camilla, she was trained to do her job. She moved toward the back door, but Darrell stopped her and told her to get in the front. She opened the door and slid into the passenger seat.

  She remained silent, waiting, fearing what he would say to her. Did he know she’d never slept with Tony? Was Tony the intended hit or had she screwed up? God, she should’ve stayed at Tony’s house until she had more time to come up with a different plan or at least time to call Gino.

  Darrell gave her the forty-minute drive back to his house to contemplate her options, and she used his silence to her advantage. Asking Tony for help was out of the question and calling Gino and having him pull her off the undercover job would ruin all chances of her getting the lead detective’s position when Gino retired, not to mention, make her take time off to lie low until they were sure Darrell wasn’t coming back for her. The most she could do was continue her charade and hope he was lenient on her.

  The sun peeked over the horizon as he pulled into the beach cottage along the pacific coastline. No one would suspect anything from the light blue shingles and white picket fence in a community of retirees and rental places. Even Darrell’s men came during the daytime to keep suspicions to a minimum.

  Darrell drove straight into the garage. He closed the door with the remote and waited until they were out of view of the neighbors before exiting the car. She hurried and followed him into the house.

  He headed straight to his office, waiting for her to come inside, and then closed the door behind her. She stood until he motioned to the chair. He demanded obedience, and she’d learned her place months ago. Still, he forced her to wait to find out why he’d sought her out before her noon deadline.

  She kept her gaze on the floor in front of his desk. Using her time, she blanked her mind, but the picture of Tony waking up and finding her gone plagued her. She dug her nails into the palm of her hand. She shouldn’t care.

  She had a night of flirting, played pool, and told lies. So many lies, she couldn’t remember what she’d told him. Something about doing nails. She opened her hands and glanced down at her nails. No polish adorned the tips of her fingers. Tony knew, yet he let her believe in her babblings.

  “Rocki?”

  Her gaze lifted. She met Darrell’s eyes and realized her mistake. She’d blown her cover.

  Months of preparations and learning every aspect of the underground tossed in her face, because she forgot herself. She’d failed. Caught in the turmoil of what she’d done last night cost her everything. Tony made her remember, for a short time, she was still Rocki Bangli and not Camilla.

  She straightened, hoping to cover her blunder. “Who?”

  “Do you realize what I do to those who’ve broken my trust?” he whispered.

  She shook her head slowly, opening her eyes wide. “I’m not sure I understand what—”

  “Stop the bullshit.” He stood and walked to the door. “You’ve put me in the position of doing damage control. In the meantime, you’ll stay here. There are guards watching, and trust me, you do not want to try to escape. One phone call, one attempt at making contact with your superiors, one step outside the door, and my men will be on you before you can call for help.”

  She jumped out of the chair. “Wait!”

  He paused with his hand on the doorknob. “I’d advise you to keep quiet, Ms. Bangli. From what I understand, your mother, Mary, has had a hard enough time in life. You do not want to cause more problems for her now that’s she’s on her feet, earning a nice living, and comfortable in the house you two share.”

  She clamped her lips together. Shit. Shit. Shit.

  She slipped past him into the hallway and waited for him to lock his office door. He’d always forbidden her entry, unless he was inside. The rest of the house she knew was bugged with cameras, and his men would be notified immediately if she went outside. She’d tried before, claiming not to have known there were sensors at each door and window. She’d made it to the end of the driveway before two men had returned her to the house.

  Exactly where his men stayed or how they watched her, she never found out.

  In the living room, Darrell paused and faced her. He grabbed her chin and pressed her head back. “So disappointing, but you’ve served your purpose. I do believe my nephew will find you irresistible. I’m sure he won’t let you suffer for long.”

  “Y-your nephew?” she said, fighting the urge to rip away from his touch.

  He laughed. The sound, demonic and controlled, sent chills down her spine. “You don’t think I knew who you were from the beginning? Tsk. Tsk. You for my nephew…It’s a fair trade, I believe.”

  “You want Kage?” she whispered.

  He let go of her and straightened his sleeves as if the act of touching her was distasteful and he wanted to brush her from his skin. “It’s not a question of wanting him. I have him. He’s blood.”

  Her gig was over. She stepped back. “You won’t get away with this.”

  “I believe I already have.” His mouth curved and she saw the enjoyment he got from having power over others.

  “Someone will know I’m missing. My boss will—”

  “Gino?” He smirked, but his eyes were cold and calculating. “Detective Gino Marcelli isn’t the man you think he is. You were a toy in his game. This isn’t the first time Gino has decided to go after his competition. We’ve been at war before. You think I’m scary, my dear?” He shook his head. “Deal with a man who hides behind a badge. With me, you know what you’re up against, and I’m not going to play any games. I’m right here in the open.”

  She gasped, struggling to fill her depleted lungs with air. No. No fricking way. Gino was one of
the good guys, a senior detective, and two years from retirement. “What are you saying?”

  “I’m sure you can come up with your own conclusions, Ms. Bangli. A promising detective with your whole career in front of you, you’ll figure out the truth eventually. So, you see, you have nowhere you can run to for help. You’re mine, sweetheart…That’s what Weston called you, isn’t it?” He didn’t wait for an answer, but strode away from her.

  At the other end of the house, she heard a door close. She bent at the waist and braced herself on her knees. Her stomach spasmed. She was going to throw up. Gino, dirty? Frick.

  Chapter Five

  Tony pushed through the doors into the agency’s control center at the body shop. He barely glanced at Lance and went directly to the back corner.

  “Yo.” Lance’s feet came off the desk and landed on the floor as he ripped his earbuds out. “What’s up?”

  “Pull up whatever you can find on a woman named Rocki.” He swung around his desk, hitting the power button on his computer, and sat. “Link her to Darrell and the police academy…She’s a shield.”

  “The chick from last night at the bar?” Lance’s fingers flew over the keyboard. “Personal or business?”

  He scowled. “Business.”

  “Just checking,” Lance mumbled, staring at the screen. “No one by the name of Rocki, with an I or Y, who has gone through the academy in the last ten years, is listed on the roster. I don’t think she’s older than thirty—”

  “Twenty-eight,” Tony said.

  “Doesn’t matter, I can’t pull info out of my ass by age, but I’ve found a Rachel, Regina, Rochelle, and, bingo, a Raquel. Let me pull her up.” Lance clicked the mouse. He pushed off the desk, and rolled his chair toward Tony. “Skip the deets, I want a picture.”

  Tony’s hands suspended above the keys. “Bro…”

  “Just do it.”

  An official photograph popped on screen. All Rocki’s glorious, black hair pulled into a severe bun, her blue uniform buttoned to the neck, and a gold badge over her left pocket. He cussed under his breath. She was in deep shit.