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Slumping in his seat, Jack pinched the bridge of his nose as a headache began gathering behind his eyes. "You're not going back to your place, Lola."
"What?"
The ends of Lola's hair tickled his forearm as she leaned toward him. Her lush lips hovered so close to his, he almost took possession of them. Her nearness did crazy things to his addled mind.
He closed his eyes and welcomed the pain spearing his temples. "It's not safe. You mentioned your parents' former home, where Gabe stayed when he was in Miami. Sounds a helluva lot safer than your condo. Can you stay there?"
"Only if you stay with me."
Jack stifled a groan. He wanted to stay with Lola, wanted it more than anything in his stunted memory. But what if his desire for Lola meant cheating on someone else? Could he really be held accountable for his actions at this point?
He wiped a hand across his mouth. A man was always accountable for his actions. "I don't know if that's a good idea, Lola."
"Look." She plucked at his sleeve. "You want me to be safe, right? I'm telling you I feel safe when you're around. You might not remember sh...squat, but you have a lethal aura about you, and I want that on my side."
Covering her hand with his, he said, "Okay, I'll stay with you. Is there a computer at the house? If not, take your laptop with you."
"There's a computer there, but I prefer to use my own. Why?"
"I'm going to confiscate your computer and do some research on Prospero. It's obviously an important part of my identity if it's the one word Diaz could muster with his last breath."
Lola hunched her shoulders and shivered. "Let's hope Emilio is going to recover and he'll enjoy a lot more breaths...not that I think he'll talk to us again, even if his dragon-lady wife allows it."
"Let's swing by your place first and then my crappy motel so I can collect what few belongings I have."
"On to luxury and security." Lola withdrew her hand from his and pulled out of the parking space.
Jack stared out the window at the waving palm trees in the pale winter sunshine and hoped he wasn't fooling himself. Did he want to protect Lola or just stay by her side for purely selfish reasons?
In the end, did it matter?
LOLA PUNCHED IN THE security code to her parents' palatial estate and with a clenched jaw watched the gate slide open like the door to a prison cell. As much as she detested returning to the scene of her childhood, she trusted Jack's instincts. If he believed she'd be safer here than in her condo, which someone had already compromised, she believed him.
And she knew she could play on his protective nature to get him to stay with her.
Not that she had the slightest interest in him beyond what he could do to keep her safe. Sure, he had that dangerous edge, which despite herself she found attractive, but right now it was all about protection.
Jack whistled beside her as she swung the car around the circular driveway in front of the house, with its white columns and myriad windows staring out at them.
"Impressive."
"The rewards of a life of crime." She stomped on the parking brake and cut the engine.
She reached for the door, and Jack put a steadying hand on her arm. His slightest touch sent a wave of longing coursing through her body. She'd better get a grip or she'd be spending some long nights alone in her bed with him in another room. Last night had been torture enough.
"Is there any food in there?" He jerked his chin toward the house. "You didn't have much of a breakfast."
"A couple stays in the guesthouse as caretakers. Gabe told me to move in when he took off this last time, but I figured since Rosa and Roberto were holding down the fort, I could stay put in my condo."
Jack rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I could see why you wouldn't want to stay in this dump."
"Let's just say it has a bad vibe."
Lola slid from the car and popped the trunk. Jack hauled out a few bags while Lola slung her laptop over her shoulder. Jack dropped the suitcases on the porch, and Lola plucked a key from her key chain and inserted it in the dead bolt. She shoved it into the keyhole and twisted, hesitating on the threshold as a chill zigzagged up her spine.
Jack tensed beside her. "Everything okay?"
She shook her head. "Just got a little anxious wondering if our friends have been here."
