Forever Alexa (Book Four In The Bodyguards Of L.A. County Series) (42 page)

“I don’t want to hurt you, Jack.”

But she had. She’d crushed him. “I’ll see you when it’s time to go.” He walked downstairs without looking back.

The treadmill belt whipped around so fast Jackson had to sprint. Sweat flew from his arm as he punched the button and kicked the machine up another notch. He’d been hurtling his way to nowhere for several minutes, but it wasn’t fast enough to outdistance the pain. Even though Alex had tossed his necklace aside last night, nothing could have prepared him for her major step back—all the way back.

They’d fought—big time. They’d hurt each other even more, but that didn’t mean their relationship had to be over. Despite the odds, he and Alex had found each other again. They couldn’t just walk away. Did she really think he was living in the past? How could she not
feel
how much he loved her?

He’d let himself believe they had moved beyond the biggest mistake he’d ever made. He’d fully expected to bring Alex and Olivia to California and move on with a marriage and more babies. If it was possible for a man to have a biological clock, he did, and it was ticking loudly. He wanted to fill Alex with another child and watch him or her grow, to be a part of everything from the beginning. But it was time to start preparing himself for a different ending.

What would happen now? Was Alex going to get her own place in LA? Would he have to schedule appointments to visits his daughter? How would he live without waking up to Olivia’s voice every morning, or her smiles and hugs? He punched the motor up to the maximum as the thought tore at his heart. How could he not be there for every moment of Olivia’s life? Alex and Olivia
were
his life. After several panting breaths in the silent room, he knew he couldn’t be without his little girl. It would be like abandoning her all over again.

Completely spent, he hit the power button and stepped off the black tread. He paced the length of the room with his arms bent and his hands behind his head, sucking in gulp after gulp of air. Beads of perspiration dribbled down his face in torrents and fell from his chin.

Tucker stopped in the doorway of the small gym. “Jesus Christ, man, you’re going to sweat yourself to death.”

Jackson settled his hands at his naked waist as his pulse began to steady. “Just blowing off some steam.”

“Come blow off some steam in the office. I want you to show you something. I got a decent look at the house our informant thought we would find interesting.”

“Give me a second.” He picked up the liter of Gatorade and took several small sips; he’d overdone his workout. “Let me shower off.”

“I’m going to make a sandwich.” Tucker turned to leave.

“I think Alex and I are finished.” He had to say it out loud so he could start to believe it.

Tucker stopped and faced Jackson.

“Alex isn’t sure where things are going between us. I thought she was coming home with me for good, but that may not be happening after all.”

“I thought you two were okay.”

“We were until this week. We had a hell of an argument last night. We both said things… What if she decides to come back to Maryland after all of this blows over? I can’t leave Olivia. I’ll have to quit my job and move out here. I don’t see any other way.”

“This is coming out of nowhere, man. Think on it for a while. See where the cards fall in a few days. You’re too damn good at what you do to throw your career away.”

He laughed without humor. “I’m not doing a very good job right now. I’ve been tossed from tonight’s operation.”

“You’re too involved.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I am.”

“Let’s get through the sting and get everybody back to LA.”

He sighed and stared out the window. The emptiness that had consumed him for four years was back with a vengeance. “I thought we were going to make it work this time.”

“There’s nothing saying you can’t. Stress isn’t good for any relationship, and it doesn’t get any more stressful than this.”

He ran a hand through his sweat-soaked hair, desperately hoping Tucker was right. “I guess.”

The alarm beeped on Tucker’s watch.

“How much time do we have?”

“Couple hours.”

It was time to bury the ache of disillusionment for a while and deal with tonight. “Give me ten.” He passed Tucker on his way to the stairs.

“Oh, hey.”

Jackson stopped on the third step and turned.

“The Escalade was a false alarm. I spotted the vehicle at the bank on my way back through town. I stopped to check it out. The owner, a young woman with a toddler in a stroller and baby strapped to her front, was stapling lost dog flyers to telephone poles. I asked her if she’d been through the park earlier today. She said she had—several times.”

“Yeah. Ethan ran the plate. Guess I got a little paranoid.”

Tucker shrugged. “Can never be too careful. Would’ve done the same thing myself.”

“But now we know for sure we have one less thing to worry about.” He relaxed a fraction knowing everything would be all right here tonight. “Meet you in the office. We’ll look at some maps and you can fill me in on whatever you got today.” It felt good to have something to keep him busy. Studying details and formulating strategies were great methods of distraction. He didn’t want to think about the fact that he was on the verge of losing it all.

“What’s up?” Jackson shifted over a lane as a stream of traffic merged in from the right.

“The GPS device doesn’t want to cooperate tonight. The lab boys had wired up a pretty little piece of jewelry for Alexa to wear, but it’s a no-go.”

“Then so are we.”

“Terron and Canon are working on plan B.”

“They better work fast.” Dread settled in his stomach like a lead ball. They weren’t even there yet, and things were already going wrong.

“I have to go tonight,” Alex piped up.

Tucker turned in his seat. “You aren’t going in unless we know where you are at all times. We’re already at a huge disadvantage being stuck on the outside. A GPS is the only way to keep you even remotely safe.”

Jackson kept his mouth shut. He would let Tucker be the bad guy for a change.

“But my sister.”

“You’re safety comes first. This is a blind operation, and you’re untrained. No GPS equals no sting.” Tucker faced forward as if everything was settled. After a moment, his cell rang. “Campbell.”

Alex scooted up as far as her seatbelt would allow and rested her arms on the front seats. Her vanilla and wildflower scent instantly invaded Jackson’s senses, making him clench his jaw.

“That might work. I’ll have Alexa call him. We’ll let you know how we plan to proceed after she talks to him. I’ll get back to you.”

“What did he say?” Jackson and Alex said at the same time. Their eyes met in the mirror, but once again he quickly turned back to the traffic, trying to ignore her frown and pouty lips.

“The GPS is definitely out. They’re thinking we could send Officer Detrick in with Alexa.”

“No. We can’t.”

Ignoring Alex’s protest, Jackson stared at the endless break lights before him and digested the possible new plan, playing the angles through his mind. Alex would have an officer with her at all times. He nodded. “I like it. I like it a lot.”

“I don’t see how—”

“We could go with the same cover as last night.” Tucker interrupted Alex. “Old friend from high school.”

Jackson nodded again. “Perfect. She did say she had plans with a friend.” Ideas were rolling now that he could think past the God-awful fear. “How about we play it that the day got away from them? It’s getting late… She needs to bring Christina or cancel, because it doesn’t make sense to go to Baltimore only to turn around and head back to DC. By the time she would get through the traffic, there wouldn’t be much point in coming at all.” Jackson held up his fist, and Tucker bumped his knuckles and grinned.

“That’s fucking good stuff, man. Now we’ve got our person on the inside. If they stick together, which friends would do—”

“Do I get a say in this?” Temper heated Alex’s voice.

“No,” Jackson said, not bothering to take his eyes off the road. She was pissed, there was no doubt about that, but she would have to get over it. This was their opportunity to have a trained set of eyes on her. The odds of Alex coming home with him and Tucker were increasing with the prospects of Officer Detrick tagging along. “You should call Eric and let him know you’re bringing a friend.”

“This won’t work,” she huffed. “You don’t bring a friend on a
date
.”

“Make the call, Alex. I’ll let you decide if I take our exit in two miles.” He looked in the rearview mirror and held her gaze, daring her to call his bluff.

She yanked her phone from her purse, muttering.

“Don’t use yours.” Tucker handed her a prepaid cellphone.

“This is getting all messed up.” She glanced from the card Eric had given her to the cell as she punched in the number. Her eyes narrowed as she put the phone to her ear. “Eric?” she smoothed the temper from her voice. “It’s Jenny. Well, actually, I’m not sure I’m going to be able to make it.”

Jackson moved over two lanes and took their exit.

“Christina and I are running behind,” she went on. “By the time I drive her back to Baltimore and head to DC, it’ll be really late. The traffic’s… Maybe we should try to get together another time.” She clenched her fingers against the phone.

Jackson caught the hints of desperation in her voice. If this ended the sting, she wouldn’t forgive him. They would lose their only potential lead to Abby, but Alex would be safe.

“Are you sure?” Her voice brightened. “Okay, awesome. That sounds great. Thanks for understanding. We’ll see you.” She hung up, sighing as she sagged against her seat.

“So?”

“Eric invited Christina to join me.”

Relief and anxiety battled inside Jackson. Christina would be with Alex, but if Eric was willing to put up with Alex’s friend on their ‘date,’ he had little doubt the ring had any intention of letting her leave the party of her own free will. Christina was a beautiful woman. He could only speculate that the ring would be more than happy to take a two-for-one deal. Christina would have to watch her back as closely as Alex would have to watch her own. “See? It all worked out.”

Her nostrils flared as she looked away.

Alexa stared out her window as Jack took a left down another street lined with gorgeous, rambling homes. Zachary Hartwell was doing all right if this was his neighborhood.

“That’s the house there.” Tucker flicked his thumb at the enormous stone-and-glass structure beyond the beautiful iron security gates.

Alexa caught a glimpse of a spectacular fountain in the center of the circular drive. Water cascaded down several tiers and landed in the huge pool surrounded by lush shrubbery and vibrant purple flowers. Her spirits sank as she scrutinized the extravagant surroundings and the classy men and women stepping from their expensive vehicles along the well-manicured street. Surely the authorities made a mistake. How could a man who owned something so stunning have his hands in an establishment as trashy as Lady Pink? It didn’t make sense.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and fought back tears. Jack had been certain strippers would be at this party, but as she watched a pretty older woman in a chic cocktail dress lock arms with her husband and make their way to the entrance, she knew that couldn’t be true. Abby wouldn’t be here in a barely-there bikini offering lap dances to DC’s elite.

She glanced behind her as Jack continued past the residence on his way to the hotel. Minutes ticked by, and large, elegant homes gave way to dense trees as they approached the Northwest Parkway. Moments later, Jack turned into the EcoSuites parking lot and pulled up to their room on the first floor. The little red KIA she’d borrowed last night sat in the next spot over.