Chapter 1 #4
Trixie popped the trunk of a Porsche Spyder to expose the rear-engine.
The lime green finish shone in the overhead fluorescents.
He looked down and noticed immediately what she wanted him to see.
Any thief could break through glass and into the key box to get to one of these cars, but it took an expert to know the missing sparkplugs were the true anti-theft protection.
The car wouldn’t start without those, key or no key.
She lowered the trunk. “My point exactly.”
He gave her a crooked smile. “Your babies are safe from me.” He held up his fingers in the Boy Scout salute. “I’m rehabilitated.”
Her unladylike snort increased his smile. She did not seem impressed in the least by his vow. “Forgive me if I don’t take your word for it.”
Cayden knew taking a step forward was a risk, and not just because of how close their bodies now were.
He saw Mr. Wynn’s eyes narrow warningly as he did it.
He dipped his head and said into her ear, “Your security is good, but it could be better. I know a guy who could take anything off of this floor in under ten minutes.”
He left off that the ‘guy’ was him.
Trixie stiffened but didn’t back away. “Is that a threat?”
He shook his head. “No, just an observation. If you want to protect your babies, you need to think like a thief.” He stepped back, noticing the hitch in her breath and the spark in her eyes as he did.
Good, she liked him being close to her as much as he’d enjoyed it.
She’d smelled of cars, and that was more erotic to him than the most expensive perfume.
“Give me a call some time if you want to better protect your merchandise.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I can protect my merchandise just fine without you, Mr. Russo.”
He loved her wit, almost as much as the double entendre. “I’m sure you do, Ms. Romero, but I can do it better.”
“Tìo Greg,” she said with her eyes still narrowed on Cayden, “it was really great to see you.” She turned to go, paused, and then said, “I just remembered I already had plans for Sunday. Raincheck.”
Mr. Wynn, who was now standing even with Cayden, nodded once. “Of course, sweetheart. I’ll let Peggy know.”
And then Trixie Romero was gone, escaping through a side door after inputting a four-digit code. Yeah, she definitely needed to increase her security.
Mr. Wynn grabbed his arm and practically dragged him out of the showroom. Cayden couldn’t help but feel disappointed as they exited. Surprisingly, it wasn’t because he hadn’t had a chance to look at all the beauties within.
His attention was more interested in their owner.
Mr. Wynn not-so-gently tossed him against the side of his Chevy truck.
The maroon paint was hot against his back.
Rather than pissed at his obvious flirting with Trixie, though, the halfway-house owner looked…
thoughtful. Cayden blinked in confusion and waited.
Mr. Wynn hadn’t told him to get in the truck, and he also hadn’t brought Cayden to the passenger side.
“Um, Mr. Wynn—” The man held up a hand to stop him.
That same hand went to his chin as he continued to think.
Cayden shifted on his feet uncomfortably.
What was Mr. Wynn thinking about? Was he trying to think of a way to send Cayden back in?
He hadn’t broken any rules, but if Mr. Wynn claimed he had, it was his word against Cayden’s.
That thought did not sit well with Cayden.
He couldn’t get sent back to jail. The disappointment alone would kill Gran.
“Were you serious?” Mr. Wynn asked, breaking his silence. “About helping her?”
Cayden blinked. “Um, yes.” He’d been more flirting than serious, but he certainly wouldn’t back out of the offer.
“Trix is smart, too smart sometimes for her own good, and she’s cocky.
I’ve never liked that she made one of the offices above the showroom into her apartment.
She’s here alone all night with all that temptation just sitting under her.
She might as well be sleeping in a bank vault.
” Cayden stiffened, his eyes flashing back to the showroom.
She slept here? Alone? That didn’t sit well with him either.
“Mind you, I wasn’t lying before. Peg and I have been busy helping you boys—”
“Fuck that,” Cayden snapped. He and his fellow housemates were grown men.
They were not single women living alone above a thieves’ treasure trove.
Completely forgetting the Wynns’ no-cursing rule, he continued hotly, “You say what you have to say to convince her to let me help. There’s no fucking way I’m leaving her in there with that piss-poor security system she’s got set up.
A four-digit code to enter the bay?” He snorted. “It’s easy pickings.”
None of his concern was for the cars and motorcycles within that store. Every fiber of his being was against the idea of Trixie living there so unprotected.
Mr. Wynn didn’t seem fazed or upset about his cursing.
In fact, he almost looked proud. “Don’t worry, son.
I’ll sic Peggy on her. Like you boys, Trixie won’t risk the wrath of the wooden spoon.
” He patted Cayden on the shoulder, seemingly pleased with himself.
“I’ll talk to Mr. Jones for you too. Maybe we can swing you a job as a security consultant.
” He opened the driver’s door of his truck as he added offhandedly, “It worked for Leo in that movie with Tom Hanks.”
Despite not wanting to leave Romero’s, Cayden got into the truck and slid across the bench seat to the passenger side.
He stared in the passenger side mirror as they pulled out of the parking lot.
He didn’t want to get his hopes up, but maybe Mr. Wynn could pull this off.
Either way, he knew one thing for sure: he was not ready to put Trixie Romero in his rearview mirror.
He wasn’t sure he ever would be.