‘You don’t have to worry about me taking an interest in your sister. I found out recently that brunettes are my thing.’
‘Rosie is a brunette, the blonde came from a bottle.’
‘Oh, then I’ll definitely consider banging her,’ he said and stole her mouth when her jaw fell loose.
Dax wasn’t an easy man to rile, but he sure knew how to press her buttons, and here now in his arms she licked the roof of his mouth and urged her body closer. Calling the realtor could wait until after she got her rocks off with her rock hard man. Just to be sure that he was as willing as she was, she skimmed her palm down his torso to fondle him through his jeans.
‘You should’ve joined me in the shower,’ he said, sliding down the straps of her dress.
She grabbed the bottom of his tee-shirt, but before she could raise it, his phone made a noise indicating that he had a message. Resting an arm around her hips, he elevated his own to pull his phone from his back pocket, after he read the text, he slunk off the stool onto his feet.
‘Who is that?’ she asked, eyeing his cell.
‘My mistress,’ he said, kissing her brow then easing her out of his embrace to put the device back into his rear jeans pocket.
‘Your mistress is hanging from the reinforced beam in the spare bedroom,’ she said, drumming her fingers on the kitchen hutch.
His curious frown became amusement, and she rolled her eyes. ‘You just exterminate any woman who looks at your man, do you? ‘Cause I don’t remember fucking any other women,’ he said. ‘You sure meant it when you said no second chances, didn’t you?’
‘I meant your punching bag. Fighting is the only thing you love as much as you love me. Though I guess it would be bad if I did mean another woman.’
‘You’re all the woman I need, and now I’ve found out that there are two of you, I fear that the apocalypse is coming.’
She didn’t laugh at his joke though he was pleased with himself. Dax left the room then came back a second later donning his leather jacket.
‘Will you be long?’ she asked.
‘Maybe,’ he said. ‘I’ll call the realtor while I’m out, you pack up whatever you want to keep or whatever you think we need from here.’
‘Ok,’ she said and went to him. Taking hold of the open edges of his jacket she pouted up at him. ‘Will you call Mauri about my things?’
‘Yes,’ he said, kissing her quickly. ‘I’ll take care of everything. You just stay here.’ She nodded, but he took hold of her chin. ‘I mean it, Minx. Don’t leave the state, don’t get on any planes or buses. Stay. Here.’
‘As long as you do what you’ve promised to then we have nothing to worry about.’
‘Good,’ he said and kissed her again, then he left the apartment.
This wasn’t her home, and she’d never lived here, but getting the chance to root around in Dax’s possessions wasn’t an opportunity that Ivy would flout. She’d call and request that his gym equipment be shipped to the opposite coast, but that would mean finding a storage unit because it wouldn’t fit in their one-bedroom apartment back east.
Heading for the phone, she sought out a pen and paper then sat down to make her calls before she started packing. Keeping busy was a good distraction for her, she still wanted to quiz her husband on what Trystan had said to her last night. Yet once again her questions were left unanswered while Dax took care of his mysterious business. He had left without much of an explanation and in her past experience that never spelled anything positive for her.
Dax had taken a cab to the storage unit so that he could pull out his bike. It had been a delight to uncover his bike and stand astride her again. After a few basic checks and a trip to the gas station, he was on his way to the bar where Serg had asked to meet him. The two of them couldn’t be called close friends, but they had been through some trying times together. Serg had always been available when Dax needed him, and he didn’t ask questions, which was a major plus as far as Dax was concerned.
Being that this might be the last time that he was in California, possibly for the rest of his life, Dax didn’t mind taking the time to talk to his old associate. He doubted that whatever Serg had to say would take long because the man was usually one of few words.
Parking in the alley next to the bar, Dax went through the chain link fence past a bunch of the guys who were barbequing beside the picnic bench. With a nod of acknowledgement, he strode past them and into the rear entrance of the hang out he and his men used between jobs. Pushing aside the metal link curtain, he strode onto the red tile of the private back room that was usually full of people, today Serg was the only one here.
‘What’s up?’ Dax asked.
Serg hadn’t even lifted his head from the books he was poring over when Dax came in, which was a stupid mistake. He should always be aware of his surroundings because in their line of work no one knew who was out looking for payback.
When Serg did raise his attention it didn’t stop on Dax, he stood up to get a better look behind him, which made Dax glance over his shoulder, but there was no one there.
‘Where’s Ivy?’ Serg asked.
‘Why would I bring Ivy here?’
‘You brought her here before.’
‘Once and she’s not with me this time,’ Dax asked, Serg wasn’t making any sense to him. Serg seemed agitated, which wasn’t at all like him. ‘Why would you want to see Ivy?’
‘You haven’t heard?’
‘Heard what?’ The conversation made him sigh, but his colleague’s sudden interest in Ivy, coupled with his odd conduct, was disconcerting.
‘Shit,’ Serg said, falling back down into his seat. ‘Maybe it’s just bullshit.’
‘What’s just bullshit?’ Dax asked, coming deeper into the space.
There were couches around the perimeter of the area, but it was the large metal table in the middle that dominated the room, and it was at the head of this table that Serg currently sat. The walls were a kind of yellowing brown that had probably once been white. The gradient of the grimy colour deepened the higher that it went, due to the slick layer of nicotine that had built up over the years.
Serg nodded him over, and Dax went to the seat at Serg’s side. Serg put a forearm to the table and leaned in close to Dax, closer than the two men had ever been before. ‘I could get my ass handed to me for telling you this, maybe, I think… I don’t know.’
‘Tell me already, I’ve got shit to do—‘
‘There’s a bounty out.’
‘A bounty on what?’ Dax asked.
They had never been the type to chase money, so he had no idea why this information was relevant. Serg was paid well for what he did and as far as Dax knew the guy had no vices that would eat up his income. So Dax already knew that he was going to refuse whatever offer Serg was about to make about hunting down this bounty.
‘Ivy.’
Her name changed his whole thought process, his whole demeanour. Sitting back, away from Serg, Dax tried to consider who may wish his wife harm. But it was Serg’s question on Dax’s entry that spiked his fury.
‘Is that why you were fucking asking about her?’ Dax asked, standing up so abruptly that his chair clattered onto its back.
‘No!’ Serg said, leaping up ready to defend himself and trying to calm Dax at the same time. ‘I was worried if you left her somewhere that she could be spotted.’
‘What’s the bounty?’
‘Half a mill for her dead.’
Dax could defend Ivy against anyone who came after her in person, but this was a different ballgame altogether. It might take a day or two for word to spread throughout the community, but when it did, Dax would have every lowlife scumbag from far and wide on their tail. That kind of money was appealing to even the most loyal or cowardly of men. It would make anyone believe that going after the bounty was a risk worth taking.
‘Who the fuck is on it?’
‘I don’t know,’ Serg said. ‘I got word this morning. I heard it, and I sent you that message to meet me. I thought you would want to know.’