Deadly Dealings (Hardy Brothers Security Book 13) (7 page)

“This is the dumbest thing ever,” Grady complained, leaning back in the booth and fixing his eyes on the bar where Ally and Sophie chatted away with Winona.

After leaving the spa, Sophie was reluctant to tell the men what occurred. After hemming and hawing for twenty minutes, Ally blurted out her machinations. Jake was beside himself as he ranted and raved for an hour, threatening to call James to force him to put the kibosh on Ally’s plan. Grady stepped in and stopped him, reminding the furious man that James had his own set of problems and needed to spend time alone with Mandy without something this big hanging over his head.

After what felt like forever, and a few harsh words exchanged between siblings, Finn, Grady, and Jake agreed to go to the bar to watch Sophie and Ally. It wasn’t an ideal plan, but it was the best they could come up with.

The men entered the bar first and slipped the hostess a hefty tip to give them a prime spot to watch the bar. Ally and Sophie met Winona there a half hour later. Now, an hour into their spying detail, the men were starting to get antsy.

“I can’t believe Ally did this,” Jake said, shaking his head as he watched the woman he loved entertain Winona with some dramatic retelling of a story. “I just … I want to kill her.”

“That’s because you love her,” Finn teased.

“I love your sister more than anything, but … .”

“She’s work,” Grady finished. “They’re all work.”

“Emma is work in a different way,” Finn said. “She’s hormonal right now, and she’s always insecure, but she’s not work like this. I will be forever grateful that doing something like this would never enter her mind.”

“You’re lucky with Emma in that respect,” Jake agreed.

“You have more to deal with in a lot of other respects,” Grady said, referring to Emma’s history of sexual abuse without directly speaking about it. “How is Emma dealing with the pregnancy?”

“It’s better now that the morning sickness is gone,” Finn said. “She’s happy in the new apartment, too. She likes being above the security office. She feels safe there. I think it’s going to be good once the baby comes.”

“You’ll be able to be close, too,” Grady said. “I’m sure James will give you a couple weeks off so you two can get settled.”

“We’ve already talked about it,” Finn said. “He offered a month off.”

“Our brother is generous when he wants to be.”

“He has a good heart,” Jake agreed. “I just hope things are going better with Mandy. They seem to be … having a rough time of it.”

“James was much better this morning when Mandy kept her breakfast down,” Grady said. “It was like he was holding all this tension in and the second she managed to eat something he got a little better.”

“He’s still on edge about what almost happened,” Jake said. “Now that she’s feeling better his anger is going to get the better of him.”

“When Mandy tries to go back to work tomorrow his anger is going to get the better of him,” Grady corrected.

Jake furrowed his brow. “Tomorrow? I thought Judge MacIntosh gave her some time off.”

“He did,” Grady replied. “Mandy is chafing under James’ watchful eye, though. She’s going to try and return to work tomorrow to put some space between him. I don’t know Mandy the same way James does, but I do know that.”

“James is going to freak,” Finn muttered.

“He is. They’re going to fight and then they’re going to make up and then things are officially going to be better,” Grady said. “He’s going to take her to and from work until this is solved, though.”

“Why can’t she just stay home for a week?” Finn asked. “It would be better for James if she did.”

“I’m not sure how good it would be for their marriage,” Grady countered. “Mandy is independent. Those two are codependent in a lot of ways, but she can’t stand it when he hovers. They’re due to have a throwdown.”

“It will probably be better to get that out of the way sooner rather than later,” Jake said. “Once James is free to scream to the high heavens he’s going to feel a lot better. Bottling everything up like this is not good for him.”

“He’ll be okay,” Grady said. “You should’ve seen him in that hospital room when Mandy was … thrashing around. It was hard to look at her and yet he kind of steeled himself and pulled her to him. He hugged her and pressed her face to his chest and held her there. He talked to her for hours. He told her how much he loved her and how he would never leave her. He told her stories. He made plans for vacations and Christmas. He never stopped. The doctor was … amazed.”

“James and Mandy are amazing to a lot of people,” Finn said. “I’m still amazed by them.”

“I never worry their marriage won’t survive,” Grady said. “I do worry Mandy won’t survive sometimes, but their marriage is built for forever. I have no doubt about that.”

“Me either,” Jake said. “I … .” He narrowed his eyes as two men sidled up to the grouping of women at the bar and made a face. “They’re hitting on our women.”

Grady followed his gaze with his own and scowled. “I’m going to beat some asses.”

“You can’t go over there,” Finn chided. “Ally and Sophie are supposed to be getting to know that … piece of filth. If you tip your hand too early we’re going to have everyone scrambling and we might never find out who drugged Mandy.”

“I know,” Grady muttered. “It’s just … Winona seems to know them.”

“She does,” Jake agreed, nodding. “One of us needs to get closer to them to see if we can hear what’s going on.”

“I’ll go,” Finn instantly volunteered.

“I’ll go,” Grady said, scorching him with a look. “That’s my girlfriend … and sister.”

“That’s my sister, too,” Finn pointed out. “I’m the one who should go, though. You two might … do something bad if you hear those dudes hitting on your women. I’ll be close enough to protect them and less likely to freak out.”

“But … .”

“He’s right,” Jake said, sighing. “He should go.”

“Since when did you become such a wuss?” Grady asked.

“Since I fell in love with your whole family,” Jake replied, guileless. “We need to do what’s best for everyone here. That means Finn should eavesdrop.”

“Fine,” Grady said, crossing his arms over his chest. “If one of them touches my woman I’m kicking an ass, though.”

“Well, that will be fun, too,” Finn deadpanned.

“THIS
is Robert and Tommy,” Winona said, introducing Ally and Sophie to the new arrivals with a mischievous smile. “They’re … associates of mine.”

“I don’t even know what you do,” Ally said, faux innocence playing at the corners of her mouth. “I’m horrible for not asking. I told you all about my tool of a boyfriend and never once asked you about your life.”

“I’m in sales,” Winona said, her tone breezy while her eyes were serious.

Sophie didn’t like the look Winona was edging in Ally’s direction. “I bet you’re good at sales,” she said. “I keep picturing you schmoozing men into buying really expensive cars that are really nothing more than extensions of what they think they have between their legs.”

Winona burst out into hysterical laughter while Robert and Tommy frowned. While they were interested in Winona’s new friends – Ally more than Sophie – the two men appeared to be suspicious by nature.

“Oh, I love that you think like that, Sophie,” Winona said, grinning.

“I’ve known quite a few men in my time,” Sophie replied, nonplussed. “Men are different, and men are the same. All men look at cars as if they were extensions of their penises, though. It has to be something with the testosterone. That’s all I can figure.”

“That is priceless,” Winona said, slapping Robert on the arm. “Don’t you think that’s priceless?”

“I think that’s a horrible way to look at men,” Robert countered. “Some of us are … good guys. I, for example, am a generous lover.”

The comment was pointed and Sophie didn’t miss the predatory look on his face as he looked her up and down. After her comments, he was seeing her as a challenge. If it was one thing a man loved more than a car shaped like a penis, it was a challenge of the female persuasion. She opened her mouth, a hot retort on her lips, when she saw a hint of movement out of the corner of her eye.

Finn was at the bar, a fresh beer in his hand, and he was watching Sophie and Ally without trying to appear obvious. Unfortunately for him – like all the Hardy men – Finn’s good looks were starting to draw a crowd. Three interested women were trying to shuffle down the bar, and they were about to encroach on the area Ally and Sophie were standing.

“I’m willing to give you a chance to find out how generous of a lover I am,” Robert offered, forcing Sophie’s attention back to him.

“I’m good,” Sophie said.

“I think you’re scared of a real man,” Robert teased.

“I think if there was a real man at this bar I would be able to see him from a mile away,” Sophie replied, her gaze landing on Grady for a split second before bouncing back to Robert. “No offense, but you’re not my type.”

“Are you into women?” Robert pressed.

“I’m sorry, are you insinuating that any woman who doesn’t fall for your alpha act is a lesbian?” Sophie knew she was supposed to be making friends, but Robert’s implication was too much for her to bear.

“I’m sorry, will you excuse us for a second?” Ally interrupted before the argument could get out of hand. She grabbed Sophie’s drink and placed it on top of the bar next to her martini. “I’m going to have a quick talk with Sophie and we’ll be right back.” Ally shot an apologetic look in Winona’s direction.

“Take your time,” Winona said. “I kind of liked watching her take Robert down a peg or two. He’s not used to women telling him no.”

“Then he’s not hanging around the right type of women,” Sophie shot back.

“Okay, crabby,” Ally said, tugging on Sophie’s arm. “You and I need to have a talk.”

“WHAT’S
going on?” Grady asked, fighting to crane his neck so he could watch Ally drag Sophie away from the dark haired man by the bar. Whatever he had said to Sophie had set her off, and Grady loved the look of fury on her face. “That’s my girl, by the way. I have a feeling she just told that guy where to stick it.”

“I have a feeling she did, too,” Jake said. “Whatever she said was enough to piss him off. Look at his face.”

“He definitely didn’t like it,” Grady agreed. “I’m glad Finn is over there.”

“Have you watched Winona at all?” Jake asked.

“I’ve been watching Sophie more.”

“I’ve been watching Ally, too, but I get the feeling that Winona is playing a game,” Jake said. “She’s testing Ally and Sophie to see if she can trust them.”

“I would think that’s standard operating procedure for a drug dealer.”

“It’s more than that,” Jake said. “It’s almost as if … she’s playing with them. She’s introducing scenarios to see how they’ll react.”

“Meaning?”

“I don’t think those two guys showing up was a coincidence,” Jake said. “I … look.”

Grady snapped his head back to the bar. “What am I looking at?”

“The blond guy just put something in Ally’s drink,” Jake said, shifting in his seat.

“Are you sure?”

“I … pretty sure,” Jake said. “Watch him a second. There he goes. He’s going for Sophie’s drink now.”

“Sonovabitch!” Grady was angry now, all amusement at the situation draining from his face. “What do you want to do?”

“We don’t have a choice,” Jake said. “We can’t let them drink from those cups. I’m going to go up there and collect Ally and Sophie. You and Finn meet me outside.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to be Ally’s really angry boyfriend.”

“Oh, well, that will go over well,” Grady deadpanned.

“We don’t have a choice.”

Grady wanted to argue, but he couldn’t come up with an alternative scenario in time to stop Ally and Sophie from sipping the drinks. “I’ll hang in that back hallway in case things get out of hand.”

“If things get out of hand I’m going to start busting heads,” Jake seethed. “No one tries drugging my girl.”

“You’re terrifying when you want to be.”

“You have no idea.”

“Why did you drag me away?” Sophie hissed, her brown eyes flashing. “That guy needs me to put my foot up his ass.”

“You’re so mellow most of the time I forget who raised you,” Ally said, her own brown eyes wide as she surveyed Sophie’s flushed face. “You need to chill.”

“I am chill.”

“You’re pretty far from chill,” Ally said. “What is your deal?”

“That guy is an ass.”

“He’s a total ass,” Ally agreed. “He’s still no worse than any other douche at a bar. Why are you so angry about his antics tonight?”

“I … .” Sophie broke off, shaking her head in frustration. “I keep picturing these people being the ones who went after Mandy. It makes me … so mad.”

“It makes me mad, too,” Ally said, clucking sympathetically. “It also makes me focused. You were the one who told me that we couldn’t make a scene and draw attention to ourselves.”

“When did I say that?”

“On the way into the spa.”

“Ugh,” Sophie grumbled, running a hand through her long hair. “Now you decide to remember the things I say to you?”

Ally smirked. “James says I have selective hearing,” she said. “He says I only hear what I want to hear and then I pick and choose what will benefit me.”

“James is looking smarter by the second.”

“You need to calm down,” Ally warned. “Winona is already suspicious of us.”

“You figured that out, too, huh?” Sophie shot Ally a wry smile.

“She doesn’t look at us as friends,” Ally said. “She looks at us as a way to make money. That’s all she cares about. I don’t know her and yet I can see that. She wants us for … something else.”

“Probably the same something whoever drugged Mandy wanted her for,” Sophie said, sucking in a breath to calm herself. “This is more than a drug ring.”

“It’s human trafficking, too,” Ally said. “I know. We need to be careful.”

“I don’t want to hang around Winona any longer than we have to,” Sophie said. “Let’s use my meltdown as a reason to get out of here.”

“What are you thinking?”

“Peter always told me that if I don’t trust people I should never show them my back,” Sophie said. “I feel these people want to see my back.”

“Because they want to put a knife in it?”

“Because they want to put a needle in it,” Sophie corrected. “We need to come up with a realistic reason to leave without making Winona too suspicious in case we need to set up a meeting with her later.”

“I can tell her my boyfriend is demanding that I come home,” Ally offered. “I already told her I lived with a jerkwad.”

“Okay,” Sophie said. “Don’t lay it on too thick, though.”

“Just give me a second to pretend to get a text,” Ally said. “We won’t be with them for more than another five minutes. You need to try not to kill that Robert guy in the meantime.”

“No promises.”

JAKE
watched Ally and Sophie shuffle back toward Winona, only waiting for a few seconds before striding across the bar. He didn’t want to give either woman the chance to reach for her drink.

“There you are!”

Ally jumped when she heard Jake’s voice, turning in his direction with wide eyes and a confused look on her face.
What’s going on here?

“Who is that?” Winona asked, looking Jake up and down with an appreciative smile.

“Um … .” Ally had no idea how to answer.

“Woman, I thought you were going to be at home,” Jake bellowed.

Ally realized he was putting on a show, but she had no idea why he was breaking cover. She knew she had to play along. “I thought you had a job.” She’d informed Jake about her cover story for his whereabouts earlier in the evening. He hadn’t been happy about being demoted to a limo driver, but now he was embracing the role.

“I got cut loose early because he got so hammered he passed out,” Jake snapped, grabbing Ally’s arm and pulling her away from the bar. “What are you doing here?”

“I … .” Ally licked her lips. “How did you know I was even here?”

“I tracked the GPS on your phone,” Jake shot back. “You didn’t know I did that, did you?”

“No,” Ally said, planting her hands on her hips. “That’s an invasion of my privacy.”

“I’m going to invade your privacy,” Jake warned, tugging her away from Winona. When he realized Sophie was standing there with her mouth hanging open instead of moving, he reached over and grabbed her arm so he could drag her along, too. “You’re going to be in trouble when you get home. I placed a call to your boyfriend to see if he knew where you were. He’s pissed.”

“Hey, man, you need to lay off,” Robert said, stepping forward. “We’re hanging out with them tonight.”

Jake shot Robert a withering look and it was enough to make the man take an involuntary step back. “You were trying to hang out with my woman?”

Ally made a face. She didn’t like Jake referring to her as property. She wisely kept her mouth shut, though.

“I … no, man,” Robert said, holding up his hands. “It’s just a misunderstanding.”

“That’s good,” Jake said, extending a finger in Robert’s direction. “Don’t ever think about looking at my woman again.”

With those words, Jake fixed his hands on Sophie and Ally’s elbows and directed them toward the door.

“Don’t say a word until we’re out of here,” Jake hissed.

“I’m really turned on right now despite the fact that you kept calling me ‘your woman,’” Ally said, giggling.

“You’re not going to think that’s so funny when you find out that dark-haired guy dropped something in your drinks while you were over arguing in the corner,” Jake snapped.

“What?” Ally’s eyes widened, fear washing over her face.

Jake hated the look of terror and he softened his eyes. “It’s okay, angel. I’m here. We’re leaving. We need to discuss how we’re going to approach this next – and I think we need a better plan next time.”

“You’ve got that right,” Sophie said. “Is my man waiting for me outside?”

“Yeah, and he’s ticked off, too.”

MANDY
was feeling markedly better after three meals and two naps. When she approached James in his office later that night she was ready for a fight. She just hoped he was.

“Hey, baby,” James said, lifting his eyes from the computer screen he was studying and taking in her damp hair and rosy cheeks. She looked better. She didn’t look one hundred percent yet, but she looked like his wife again. “I thought you would be in the bathtub longer. I’m almost done here.”

“What are you doing?” Mandy asked, circling his desk so she could move closer to him.

“I’m just balancing the books. What are you doing?”

“What makes you think I’m doing anything?”

“I know you,” James said. “You usually only come to my office when you want to dust the desk.” He shot her a cheeky smile and then let it fade. “You can’t do that for another day at least, so I figure you’re coming to my turf to fight.”

Mandy stilled, stunned he knew what she had in mind. “How did you know?”

“You’ve been biting your tongue for hours,” James said. “I figured when I cut up the turkey before giving you the plate that I had pretty much overstepped my bounds.”

“That wasn’t a highlight of my day,” Mandy conceded. “I … I love you.”

“I know,” James said. “I love you, too. Is this the part where you soften me up so you can start screaming? I might need a drink if we’re going to really go at it.”

“I don’t want to scream at you,” Mandy said, choosing her words carefully. “I love you so much it hurts sometimes. I know you feel the same way about me. I am so sorry for what I did. You’ll never know how sorry I am. You need to back off a little, though.”

James furrowed his brow, confused. “What did you do?”

“I shouldn’t have wandered away at Hell House,” Mandy said. “It was asinine. I wanted to see the aquarium. I didn’t think anything of it. I’m so sorry.”

“Do you think I’m angry with you about that?” James had no idea where she was going with this, but he was willing to play it out.

“I think part of you is,” Mandy replied. “I think part of you wants to yell at me because I separated from you and you’re scared to do it because I almost died. I want you to yell at me.”

“I’m not going to yell at you.”

“James, when you love someone you have to be honest with them,” Mandy said. “You’re angry that I wandered away and that’s making you angry with yourself for letting me. You didn’t do anything wrong. You saved me.”

James pursed his lips, his heart flopping as he decided how to deal with his morose wife. “Okay,” he conceded. “I am angry. I am not angry that you wanted to see the aquarium. I’m angry you didn’t take me with you. Why?”

“I don’t know,” Mandy said. “I … honestly, I thought I was going to look at it for two minutes. I swear it wasn’t something I planned.”

“And that’s what makes me angry, baby,” James said, leaning back in his chair. “You never plan to get in these situations where you almost leave me and yet it continues to happen. I will die without you.”

“I’m sorry.” Hot tears flooded Mandy’s eyes. “You can’t treat me like an invalid, though.”

“That’s not what I’m doing.”

“You drew my bath.”

“I … .”

“You cut up the food on my plate at dinner.”

“That was a terrible mistake,” James said. “I don’t know what possessed me to do it.”

“You’re thinking of me as a child right now instead of your wife,” Mandy said. “That’s what possessed you to do it.”

“That’s not true,” James argued.

“It is,” Mandy countered. “It’s okay. When you got shot before the wedding, I did it to you, too. It’s human nature to dote on the person you love when they’re hurt. I’m okay, though.”

“You whimpered through half the night last night,” James said. “Don’t deny having nightmares.”

“I’m not denying it. They’re not going to kill me, though.”

“They’re not going to kill you,” James agreed. “Every whimper hurts me, though. You’re my wife. I don’t want you in pain.”

“It won’t last forever.”

“I know it won’t,” James said. “That doesn’t mean I’m not going to hold and soothe you through every nightmare, wife. The fact that I get to hold you at all is a miracle to me. I’m not going to change who I am because you’re feeling smothered.”

“James, I always want you to hold me.”

“Then why did you come in here to pick a fight?” James pressed.

“I’m going back to work.”

James stilled, anger coursing through him as he tried to get a handle on her words. “No. You’re still sick.”

“I’m not sick,” Mandy said. “I’m okay. I was planning on coming in here and telling you I was going back to work tomorrow, but I’m not going to do that.”

“You’re not?”

“No,” Mandy said, shaking her head. “I’m going to go back Tuesday.”

“Mandy … .”

Mandy held up her hand, her eyes weary as she regarded the only man she’d ever loved. “Tomorrow, you and I are going to spend the day together without any distractions – including our family,” she said. “We’re going to do what I want to do because I need to feel a little … control … right now.”

“What do you want to do?” James was suspicious.

Mandy shot him a rueful smile. “We’re going to the mall.”

“Oh, well, great.” James hated the mall.

“We’re going to shop and have a nice dinner,” Mandy said, her tone forceful. “If you’re still upset at the end of the day I promise to rethink going back to work.”

James lifted his chin, surprised by the offer. “You’re negotiating so we both feel like we have power, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“What if I don’t want you to go back to work Tuesday?”

“Then I won’t go.”

James sighed, leaning forward so he could rub the back of his neck. He’d expected her to announce she was returning to work. He’d expected a screaming match. Instead they’d discussed their issues in a rational manner. That should be considered growth, although he was still uneasy.

“If we go shopping tomorrow you have to promise to stick close to me,” James said. “I’m not ready to have you out of my sight in a public setting yet.”

“That’s going to make trying on lingerie at Victoria’s Secret kinky, but okay.”

James snorted. “You’re also going to let me hold you all night and watch you sleep.”

“That’s the best way to sleep.”

James pushed himself up from his chair and closed the distance between them so he could pull Mandy into his arms. She hugged him tightly, and James could feel the tension vacating her body as she relaxed. She’d been expecting a huge fight, too.

“I love you, baby. I want you to always be happy.”

“Oh, I’ll be happy,” Mandy said, briefly pressing her lips to his neck. “Just wait until you see how much money you’re going to spend tomorrow to make sure of it.”

James chuckled. “I would buy you the moon if I could figure out a way to get it delivered.”