Chapter Three
What the hell?
Jackson Stone stared at the woman pointing a gun at him, amazed by her audacity. As a former officer in the Army and current lieutenant with the Crescent Island Police Department, he knew a trained shooter when he saw one. It was in the way she held her body at a slight angle to present a smaller target, and the steady grip with which she held her weapon. But most of all, it was the hard gleam in her hazel eyes even though she was smiling.
It didn’t matter that the woman looked like a damned pin-up model.
She was dangerous.
Still, her provocative statement had its desired effect on him. Jackson felt a wave of lust shoot through him as he took her in at a glance. She had long brown hair that he wanted to wrap around his fist as he plundered those perfect pouty lips. Her full breasts strained against her shirt, and he imaged what it would feel like to have those long legs wrapped around his waist.
He wanted to curse as his traitorous dick twitched at her low, throaty demand. A hard, skilled operator himself, he’d never reacted to a woman under such strange circumstances.
But he guessed there was a first time for everything.
Scanning the scene with a trained eye, he saw the skid marks on the pavement and the damage to the back of her vehicle. Although it seemed like she was the victim in this scenario, he couldn’t be too careful. There was something about her that told him she was far from innocent and that put his guard up.
This was his island and it was his duty to protect it.
He kept his weapon trained on her as he reached into his back pocket and slowly pulled out his badge. He watched those captivating hazel eyes drift down to scan his badge, but the willful little witch kept her gun pointed at him. This was definitely not the reaction he was used to when he was trying to help someone.
“There, you saw it. Now, put your weapon down. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Hmm. Not just yet. See, I have this little problem. Someone just tried to run me off the road, and you just show up at the same time? Call me a cynic, but that seems like some timing you’ve got seeing as this road seems pretty empty and all.”
Not used to being questioned, his jaw clenched against the insult.
“I live up the road and was heading home. I saw your car had hit the rail and pulled over to see if you needed help. I’m a police officer. It’s my job to help you if you’re in trouble.”
“Did you pass a black jeep?”
“Yes. Was that the car that hit you?”
“Yep. Damn near pushed me over the edge. Would have, too, if he’d gotten a chance.”
Jackson blew out a breath. “Can we continue this conversation without the guns now?”
“You first, Lieutenant Stone.”
Taking a chance, Jackson lowered his gun, keeping it at his side. “You can call me Jackson.”
Mirroring his gesture, Trinity kept her gun in her hand, knowing that she could still take him out if he made a wrong move. He really was a good-looking man. During her perusal of him, she noticed he didn’t have a wedding ring on his finger. Hell, she was on vacation…or was supposed to be.
Why not mix a little pleasure with business?
She smiled. “I’m hungry. Want to get something to eat?”
“What?”
She wanted to laugh at his stunned expression but held it in, knowing instinctively this man wouldn’t appreciate being laughed at. He was so serious. Unlike her, he didn’t seem to find this situation the least bit amusing. She would have thought he was a machine if not for the flicker of bafflement in his eyes.
“I’m hungry. I was heading into town to get something to eat when that asshat tried to run me off the road. I haven’t eaten since I left Chicago this morning, except for some munchies on the plane.”
His brows furrowed. “You arrived on the island today?”
“Yep. Not exactly the welcome I was expecting, but what are you going to do? So, is that a yes to food or what?”
She could tell that she’d stirred his temper when his nostrils flared, and she got a perverse sense of pleasure at the show of emotion. She wasn’t sure why, but something about the man made her want to keep messing with him.
“Lady, the only place we’re going is to the station so we can report this. There are procedures to follow for a hit-and-run. You’re involved in something here, and I also need to see if you have a license for that weapon.”
Trinity sighed. He sure was pretty to look at, but she hated a tight ass who always followed the rules. That shit could get annoying fast.
“The name is Katrina Cross, but you can call me Trinity. And sorry, sugar. I can see where you’re coming from, but unfortunately, if you took me down to the station it would only take one phone call before I was released. Then, I would just be pissed off if I had to wait longer to get something to eat. It would be a better use of our time if I could tell you about it over lunch…or dinner.”
He stared at her with an incredulous look as if she were an alien speaking Swahili. When he spoke again, he did so slowly like he was speaking to someone mentally impaired.
“Someone just tried to kill you, and you want to go get something to eat?”
“ Well, yeah. Hungry here.”
“You’re…that’s…” he sputtered, then his attitude hardened again. “I don’t know who you think you are, Ms. Cross, but you’re coming with me.”
She ignored him and walked over to her car, keeping him in her peripheral vision while she did. She commended him silently when his gun hand didn’t even twitch, but sensed that deliciously buff body of his tightened, muscles coiled at the ready to move if he needed.
Reaching into her car, she lifted her cell phone slowly so he wouldn’t overreact. Dialing a number, she kept her gaze locked on his as she made her call, putting it on speaker.
“You’re calling to brag about sitting on the beach with a drink in your hand while I’m stuck here in the dungeon, aren’t you, you bitch?” Tara asked as soon as she answered the phone.
“Actually, no. I’m calling to tell you that your little favor is not so little anymore. You’re going to owe me big since I checked on your little problem at the resort today and someone just tried to run me off the road.”
“Son of a fucking bitch! Are you okay?”
“Yeah. He missed his chance and blew. I’ve got a Lieutenant Jackson Stone here with me of the CIPD,” she announced and heard the faint sound of rapid typing.
She knew her friend had gotten her message and was currently pulling up any data on the man to make sure he was someone trustworthy before she told him anything.
Jackson’s expression darkened. “Who are you—?”
Trinity held up a finger, cutting him off. She took a moment to admire his restraint as he visibly calmed himself down even as his eyes were narrowed with irritation.
“Jackson Stone, lieutenant in the Army before leaving the service to join CIPD. Shit load of commendations, seems like a good cop. He’s clean, Trinity.”
“Who the fuck are you talking to?” Jackson finally exploded. “What the hell is this?”
“Oh, he’s got a sexy voice,” Tara practically purred over the phone. “Is he cute?”
“Very,” Trinity answered, enjoying the fire that lit his eyes to green flames.
“That’s it. If you don’t tell me what the hell is going on, I’m going to arrest you!”
“No, you’re not,” Tara countered, her voice hard and devoid of the teasing tone from a few seconds ago. “Lieutenant Stone, you’re speaking to a director of IAD and you’re standing with one of my agents now.”
At the news of her employer, Jackson let out a vicious curse that Trinity ignored. Tara had recently been promoted to the director of a new division of IAD in Las Vegas and wore the mantel of authority with ease when she wanted to. It wasn’t surprising since Tara was a badass, just like all of the IAD agents were.
She was a kill first, ask questions later kind of woman.
Just like Trinity.
“You just have to rub in the director thing every chance you get, don’t you?” Trinity teased. “And I’m not officially an agent right now, remember?”
“Consider me being a director your get-out-of-jail-free-card, so don’t hate. And you’re on medical leave but consider yourself back on the roll. Now, give me the sitrep.”
She sighed. There really was no chance in hell her friend was ever going to let her retire. None of them were.
“I went to check out the expansion site after I got to the resort. I was just heading into town to get something to eat when a jeep came up on me and slammed me into the guardrail. He took off, then Jackson was on scene.”
“Plates?”
“Covered in mud. Same with the windows, so I didn’t get a good look at the driver. Could tell it was a man, but that’s about it.”
“Damn it, what the hell is going on?”
“Don’t know, but I’m going to find out.”
“Contact me and keep me updated. Oh, and sorry someone tried to kill you again.”
“Yeah, well, it happens,” she said with a laugh, then hung up the phone.
She’d watched Jackson’s face throughout the entire conversation. It wasn’t hard to do considering he was really hot. Even though he’d fought back showing any expression on his face, she could practically feel the tension radiating off him in waves.
Tucking her phone in her back pocket, she leaned back against the car and crossed her legs in a casual pose. She let the silence settle between them for a moment, then couldn’t help but poke at him again.
“So, are you going to play nice, or are we going to have to go through the dance?”
His nostrils flared and he clenched his teeth, but his voice came out calm when he spoke. “We get you something to eat, and you tell me what the hell is going on. Follow me into town.”
With that Jackson turned around, stalking back to his bike, giving her a spectacular view of his ass. It was obvious that he was pretty pissed, but at least he was past trying to arrest her.
At least, for now.