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“Yup. I know.” He’s deliberately acting vaguely. “So, what are we looking at, apart from the back of this commercial block of businesses?” Deflecting away from my curious mind.
“You there when Phoenix got shot?” Phoenix is family to me. I got nothing out of Slade or my business partner on the how or why it happened.
“Yeah, Sweetness scared the shit out of me.” It’s the first time since Tucker’s ass has landed on my passenger seat that he’s sounded less than his upbeat self. “Nearly gave Slade a coronary when he saw her—” And then he abruptly clams up.
I glare at him, wanting him to finish off that sentence and more.
He holds his palms up to me. “Sorry. No can do. Not my story to tell. Not Slade’s or Phoenix’s either.”
“Slade should have been watching her. Damn female is too stubborn for her own good sometimes,” I mutter. I know it’s not Slade’s fault, and God knows he will be punishing himself for it happening to the woman he obviously loves.
“Phoenix knew what she was walking into. It was a complicated ending to the job, but she’s going to be fighting fit soon enough.”
“Anybody else get shot or hurt?”
“Well, that’s a complicated question to answer. What I will tell you is I sailed through a glass window, so don’t be getting all touchy-feely with my forearms and shins. They took a pile of stitches to zip up.”
“Jesus. It sounds like you lot were in danger and a battle to the end.”
“Something like that. Speaking of danger. Is Ophelia in any danger today?” Tucker asks while staring out the front window, not making eye contact, but I see the frown etched into his forehead. He’s worried, and a man doesn’t show that on his face unless he cares about Ophelia.
“Tucker.” I snap my fingers in his peripheral vision. “You got a thing going with Ophelia?” I would put a bet down on it.
He turns his head and puts a finger to his lips. “Ssh.Let me be the one to tell Phoenix.” His eyes crinkle with humor. And there’s Tucker again, the one I got to know at the charity fundraiser night. “She’s my work-in-progress. By the end of today, I should know if I am living in Redondo Beach or renting a home indefinitely in Temecula until I win her over.”
“You got it that bad, son?”
“Worse.” Tucker puts his elbow up on the door and rubs the back of his neck. “I’m screwed if she doesn’t let me in after we—”
“Okay. I get the picture—no need to spell it out. So, did you at least ask Phoenix for permission to commandeer The Duke?” I scratch the stubble on my chin, figuring I know the answer already from the shit-eating grin he’s producing with a twinkle in his eyes.
“It’s a sweet ride.” He shrugs like he doesn’t care that he took Phoenix’s pride and joy. “She’s let me use it a dozen times at least since I’ve been under Slade’s roof without any drama. I’ve got a few hours before she wakes up from nap-nap time before she gets on the war-path with me.”
“How do you figure that?”
“I might have sedated her.” More shit-eating toothy grinning.
“You what?!” I shake my head. “Boy, you like to play with fire.”
“Doc’s orders. I just followed through—with great pleasure. She’s a handful for Slade, and she tore her stitches open earlier, acting stubborn. I had to call the doctor to come by. Phoenix is mad with me because I wouldn’t help her escape from Slade’s house. I’m assisting Slade by taking away her wheels for a few hours. It was his idea. He’s got her personal belongings hidden away in the kitchen, so she can’t pay for a cab. I won’t put a scratch on the Ducati, and she knows that. If Slade was doing his job properly—”
“And that is?”
“Telling her his feelings and locking that female down and kissing the hell out of her until she can’t breathe.”
I sigh, knowing full well the game those two play. “I couldn’t think of a better man to take care of Phoen—”
“Mack… testing 1,2,3.” Ophelia’s voice interrupts our conversation, coming through my micro earpiece. I snap to attention.
I slide my seat as far back as it can go giving me more legroom and working space. I take the laptop from the dashboard, place it on my knees, and touch a few keys.
“I’ve got your back. Remember code words ‘mac and cheese’ if you need me to intervene,” I remind her. “Cameras are working, and I can hear you clearly inside 4B. Make sure your earpiece stays hidden under the wig.”
“Roger that, Mack.”
I mute the microphone. I don’t need Ophelia hearing Tucker and getting distracted.
“Where is she?” Tucker is trying to look over at the laptop screen.
