Chapter 7
“Now, the first thing we have to do,” Jude told her, “is call the police.”
In an about-face, May stopped being angry and instead looked desperate. “No. No police.”
“Be reasonable, May. Every villain everywhere always tells the victim not to call. But it’s dumb not to.”
“Normally, I’d agree, but this time is different.”
Understanding her worry, Jude gave her a promise. “I’ll pay for Tim’s debt, so don’t give it another thought. But since it’s going to cost me fifty thousand, I insist we go by my rules.”
She turned away from him. “No cops.”
“I’m not asking, honey.” And to soften that a little, he added, “You know it’s the right thing to do.”
She shook her head. “No.”
“I can keep him safe, May.”
“No.”
Her lack of faith in him rubbed him raw. Why come to him in the first place if she didn’t trust him to set things right? “This is ridiculous. I’m not going to let anyone hurt your brother.”
“Damn you, it’s not Tim I’m worried about!” Jude stared at her, blank. “Then what the hell are we talking about?”
“Oh God.” She shot out of the chair. “And you called me ridiculous.”
“No,” Jude said, “I did not. I said the situation was ridiculous.”
“The situation is that someone wants you dead.” Her hands landed against his chest. “You, Jude. Tim is just a pawn. I have a feeling that money was loaned to him just to get to this point—of getting to you.”
So she’d come to him, humbled herself, eaten her pride…for him?
“Don’t you see?” Her hand knotted in his shirt. “If you call the police, they’ll start poking around, probably scare off whoever wants you dead, and we’ll never find out who it is.”
Jude stiffened. “What do you mean, we? You’re not involved in any of this.”
“You’re kidding, right?” She tried to shake him, but Jude curled his hands around her wrists. “Tim is my brother. He’s being used to get to you.”
“So I’ll figure things out, but you’ll keep your nose out of it.” The thought of her poking around in dangerous business made his head pound. The only way to know she’d be uninvolved would be to keep an eye on her. “I mean it, May. Promise me you’ll stay here until I know it’s safe.”
She shrugged. “Impossible. I have to work.”
“You only open the gallery on the weekends.”
“And the rest of the week I work at the realty office.”
Damn. He’d forgotten about that. “So take a vacation.”
“Without notice?”
“Say you’re sick. Flu. I don’t know and I don’t care. But you’re staying here.”
More agitated by the second, she pulled her hands free. “I’m not a liar.”
“I know. It’s an admirable trait.” As he considered the situation, he shared his thoughts aloud, “I wish Tim hadn’t come to your apartment. If there was anyone following him, then they know where you live.”
“According to Tim, they already knew.”
Jude’s heart almost stopped. “What are you talking about?”
She eyed his rigid stance. “Well, don’t overreact, but they told Tim that if they didn’t get him, they’d get…” She winced. “Me.”
In an instant, everything changed. Jude changed. His perspective on the situation changed. This was no longer a mere threat to Tim, or even to himself. An eerie calm settled over him, the type of calm he felt before a fight, the calm that earned him a reputation of always being in control.
His tone and manner were civilized, but his mood bordered on savage. “You didn’t think to mention that before now?”
“I was too worried about…you. And then once I got here, I realized I couldn’t take money from you anyway.”
Since she damn well would take his money, Jude strode to the phone and dialed Denny’s number. As soon as Denny picked up, he said, “It seems you were right, after all. This suddenly stinks of Elton.”
“Told you so.”
Jude was so pissed he could barely get the words out. “He threatened May.”
“Bastard.”
Leave it to Denny to get right to the point. “Get them both out of there, and watch your ass.”
“No problem. My ass is a favorite part of my anatomy.”
After Denny hung up, Jude stared at May. By threatening her, someone had crossed the line. If it was Elton, God help him. Jude protected what was his—and whether May liked it or not, she fell into that category.
Yet until last night, he hadn’t even kissed her.
As if she sensed his mood, she came to him. “It wasn’t like that, Jude. He only threatened to hurt me to keep Tim in line.”
“That’s what Tim told you?” He’d already known Tim was a coward, and this proved it. “And you believe him?”
“I didn’t really think about it one way or another.”
“You better start thinking about it, because Elton doesn’t mind using women to get to me.”
“What Denny said is true? He hates you that much?”
Jude ran a hand through his hair, disgusted at himself. He’d let ego get in the way of his instincts. May had left herself exposed to come to him, and all he’d thought about was using the situation to get her into bed.
“Yeah, Elton hates me.”
“How do you know him? Is he someone in the movie business? I don’t recognize his name.”
“He owns a string of nightclubs popular with the Hollywood crowd. He’s rich, obnoxious, and foul as it is, I don’t doubt your brother would hand you over to him if he thought it’d keep his own hide safe.”
“Jude?”
“Hmm?”
“If I go along with any of this, and I’m not yet sure that I will, will you do me one favor?”
Surprised that she wasn’t fighting him tooth and nail, Jude paused, raising one eyebrow. “What’s that?”
“Quit insulting my brother.”
He didn’t want to give her a chance to change her mind. “Right. I’ll put that top of my list—right behind making sure that neither Elton nor Tim can lay a finger on you.”
Shaking her head, May said, “You’re looking at this all wrong. You’re the one—”
“Now let’s get you out of those clothes.”
She dug in her heels. “Jude Jamison!”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard. Now that he knew how she felt, he couldn’t help himself. Every kiss was sweet, and made him want more. “Will you always turn me upside down and inside out?”
“I don’t mean to.”
“I know.” He kissed her again, this time slicking his tongue along her lips until they parted so he could take a brief taste.
She didn’t object, but he had to keep it short or he’d forget himself. A taste of May affected him more than sex with other women.
When he ended the kiss, May’s eyes remained closed, her cheeks were flushed, and her glasses were crooked.
Jude smiled. God, he had it bad.
“Come on.” Deliberately distracting himself, he slid his arm around her and tugged her out of the library. “You can borrow a few things after I show you what room to use. Hey, know what? I can even show you my pool now. Maybe we can swim together later.” He moved his hand down her waist to the flare of her hips. “And since you don’t have a swimsuit with you, maybe I can talk you into skinny-dipping.”
“Not a chance.”
“Come on, May. Live a little.”
Disgruntled, she stomped along beside him. “I wish you wouldn’t treat this like an adventure.”
“I have the elusive May Price in my house.” Jude grinned. “Trust me. It’s an adventure.”
“I haven’t agreed to stay.”
But she would. He’d see to it. “You need to put in that call to Ashley before Denny shows up. I’d just as soon she didn’t start screaming, alerting the entire neighborhood to our plans.” He led her down the short hall to the second door on the left.
Sounding less than enthusiastic, May said, “I’ll have to call my parents, too.” As if trying to ease a headache, she rubbed her forehead. “I don’t think Tim will be able to make it into work for the next couple of days, and they’re bound to wonder about him. I don’t want to alarm them on top of everything else.”
Because if they got upset, she was the one they’d call. May had “caregiver” stamped all over her, and he’d be willing to bet everyone in her family unloaded on her with regularity. Would they blame her for Tim’s predicament? It seemed likely. Maybe he could talk to Ashley alone, get a little more information on May’s background. It’d help in dealing with her brother, and maybe even her mom and dad, too.
It unsettled Jude to realize that he’d just de cided to interfere in her entire life. But what else could he do? Much as he’d like to deny it, he cared, too. Probably a lot more than May did.
With a silent curse, he opened the bedroom door. “This is the room you can use.”
She peeked in. Her gaze swept the room, paused on the monitor, and frowned.
“You don’t like it?”
Full of suspicion, she considered him over her glasses. “It’s not your room, is it?”
Surely she knew he could be more subtle than that. “No.”
“Those monitors only see out?”
His brows came down. “They’re installed in every room, along with the intercom system. The house is big enough that we need the intercom so Denny can let me know when there are deliveries or phone calls. The monitor in here can be set to see anywhere outside the house, or for multiple views. The one in my room, the kitchen and library, and a few downstairs, can also be set for views inside the house.”
“Are any set to see in—”
“Damn it, that’s an insulting question. I wouldn’t spy on you, and I’m not a perverted Peeping Tom.”
She thought about it and nodded. “Okay. Sorry.”
Jude simmered. Never before had it been so difficult to keep his emotions in check. May pushed his buttons sexually, but she also nudged his temper with every other turn. Around her he couldn’t be distant or complacent about anything.
Unconcerned with his inner battles, she went back to examining the room. “It’s huge.”
If she thought the guest room spacious, what would she think of his decadent sleeping rooms and private bath? Watching her, he said, “I’m right next door.”
She glanced across the hall at the double doors. Before she could put too much thought into the proximity of their sleeping quarters, he prodded her into the room. “The bedding is clean. Feel free to use the computer and line three of the phone; it’s private for this room. You have your own bath, already stocked with everything you might need.”
“Really?” she murmured. “How convenient—for you.”
“Jealous?” He hoped so, but said, “Don’t be. My family visits sometimes, and I like to accommodate them.”
“I am not jealous. What you do with other women doesn’t—”
“Look around, make yourself at home. I’ll be back with a change of clothes in a minute.” He touched her cheek, and then forced himself to walk away. Having May so close to a bed, even while hostile, wreaked havoc on his touted control. But no way in hell would he blow it now by coming on too strong.
Head spinning, May sat on the edge of the queen-size bed made up with a lavish cream satin and chenille spread. The room Jude expected her to use was bigger than her whole apartment. The closet was as big as her bedroom.
It intimidated her and reinforced the differences in their lives.
The call to her parents would be less than pleasant, and Denny had already left, so she called Ashley first. She could only guess what Ashley might do if Denny knocked on the apartment door without warning.
She answered on the first ring, saying, “Hey, toots. How’s it going?”
“Hi, Ash. There’s been a change of plans.”
“An agreeable change?”
“Yes.” Sort of. “Jude wants you and Tim to come here until we figure out what to do.”
“Gee, that’s real nice of him, but I don’t think I can drag Tim out the door by myself. He’s awake now, and whining worse than an injured pup.”
“Jude sent Denny, a friend of his, to pick you both up.” She quickly described Denny so that Ashley wouldn’t be alarmed when meeting him.
“You make him sound like a real character.”
“He is that. Denny seems to think he can take on dragons or bullies or whatever, and still ensure your safety. But be careful, okay? I got you into this, and I’d never forgive myself if you got hurt.”
“Hey, careful is my middle name.”
A tap sounded on the open door, and May looked up to see Jude in the doorway, clothes in his arms. His warm gaze skimmed over her, then across the bed, and came back to lock on her face with unmistakable intimacy.
Very aware of her positioning, May stood and signaled Jude to come in. “No, Ash, your middle name is insanity, but I love you, anyway.”
“Not to be a drag, but should I point out that you’re the one who went off to visit a movie star at the crack of dawn wearing my clothes? That makes you way more insane than me any day.”
Actually, it made her desperate, but why split hairs? “Yeah, well, he’s here now. Um, waiting for me.” And looking far too appealing for her frame of mind. “So I should go. I just didn’t want Denny to scare you.”
“I don’t scare easy.” Ashley’s voice dropped to a hush. “Where are you?”
Feeling more conspicuous by the moment, May turned her back on Jude and matched Ashley’s low tone. “At his house.”
“Yeah, I know. But in what room?”
“Ash…”
“Ha! You don’t have to say a thing. I can already tell it’s a bedroom just by that scandalized whisper of yours. Good for you, hon. Give him a big ol’ sloppy one from me, okay? See you soon!”
Left with a dead phone, May smiled at Jude, put the phone in her purse, tossed the purse on the bed, and then…just felt awkward. “She’ll be ready when Denny gets there.”
“Good.” Jude came into the room and set his load on a massive dresser topped by an ornate mirror. “I brought you a T-shirt and drawstring shorts. They should be more comfortable.”
Shorts. Great. She cleared her throat. “Thank you. I’m fine for now.”
Jude surveyed her a moment, then let out a sigh. “Speaking of shorts…”
“Were we?” Because she didn’t want to. She hadn’t worn shorts since she was ten.
“Yeah. You see, we have a few more stipulations to cover, and it’d be better to get them out of the way now, while we’re here alone.” He kept glancing at her legs. “In case you want to yell again.”
Both insulted and embarrassed, May lifted her chin. “I don’t yell that much. In fact, I almost never do.”
“Huh. Can’t prove it by me.”
Jaw clenched, she said, “You have my word that I won’t lose my temper—that is, as long as you’re not trying to make another deal with me.” It still made her furious that he’d thought she’d sleep with him for Tim’s sake.
Jude didn’t reassure her. “Then take a breath, honey, because it’s another deal, and this one is nonnegotiable.”
Holding her head, May said, “Oh God.”
Jude gestured toward a chair situated beside the doors to the balcony. “Take a seat.”
After a sleepless night, she gratefully accepted any excuse to get off her feet. “This sounds serious.”
“Yeah.” He stood in front of her, hands clasped behind his back, expression stern. “First of all, I’ll find out from your brother where he was supposed to take the fifty thousand. Then I’ll deliver it.”
Awful scenarios blasted through May’s mind, leaving her shaken. Someone wanted Jude dead, and that made him the least appropriate person to meet with the men who’d attacked her brother. “Absolutely not.”
“If your brother is as bad off as you say, then he can’t go. And I sure as hell won’t let you go, so don’t even start arguing.”
May stiffened. “If I wanted to go, I’d go. You can’t allow me or disallow me one way or the other.” Jude’s expression darkened until she added, “But as it is, you’ll get no disagreements from me. I freely admit to being a coward. The idea of facing off with someone like that gives me the willies.”
“You’re not a coward,” he argued. “You’re sensible. It’s one of the things I love most about you.”
That “L” word shocked May silly. Her eyes widened, and she almost slid out of the chair, her bones felt so limp. Jude kept talking, but whatever he said, she missed. Her heart beat too loud for her to hear.
Luckily, Jude paid her reaction no mind. Hands behind his back, he stood at the balcony doors, staring out at nothing in particular.
Sounding pensive, he said, “Someone has to deliver the payoff. I won’t ask Denny to go. He’s like a live wire waiting to tear someone apart, especially if he thinks that person means to harm me. You might not know it about him, but he was one of the most respected trainers in the SBC. That brings a lot of confidence and—”
The pieces suddenly fell together. “Denny Zip,” May repeated. “He goes by DZ when he’s training.”
“That’s right. You’ve heard of him?”
She leaned forward in her chair. “Do you mean to tell me that the Denny who works for you is also DZ, the one the camps are all named after now?”
Jude lifted his brows. “You’re familiar with the DZ camps?”
“I’ve watched all the SBC fights.” And she owned all the fights on DVD that featured Jude. “I know that training from a DZ camp carries a lot of clout. I know anyone who was trained personally by DZ is almost revered.”
“True.”
“Oh, wow. He trained you, didn’t he?”
“Yeah.” Wearing a quirky smile, Jude asked, “You’re a fan of the SBC?”
She was a fan of Jude Jamison, but he didn’t need to know that. “It’s sort of grown on me.”
“How many competitions have you seen?”
All of them available for rent. “Enough to know the competitors and understand some of the different fighting techniques and the different sub missions. I know you’re both the middleweight and light heavyweight champion.”
“Only because I dropped out after the movie career got wings. There’ve been a lot of tough contenders since then.”
May snorted. “Who? That young guy they call Havoc? He has a glass jaw. Even Frost took him, and anyone can see that Frost is too slow for you. And Miltman, the egomaniac, doesn’t have your ground skills.”
A look of delight spread over Jude’s face. “Miltman might be an egomaniac, but he has the right to challenge me. I just don’t feel like accommodating him.”
“He hasn’t earned the right to challenge you! Let him fight at your level before he thinks he can come in and take a belt.”
“Miss Price, you never cease to amaze me.” Jude rubbed his chin. “So maybe this fascination of yours with the SBC is where you learned such a mean right jab.”
If she lived to be ninety, she would still feel guilty for hitting him. “No. That was pure reaction.”
Humor faded beneath understanding. “Because I compared you to your brother.”
What could she say? It was the worst of insults.
“It’s not easy to hit a target, you know. Lots of people swing without ever making contact.”
“I’m not proud of it, Jude.”
“You should be. Few trained fighters have ever managed to get me on the chin. And no other woman has slugged me.”
“Oh God.” She covered her face. “Let’s drop it, okay? It won’t happen again.”
“But I sort of liked all that fire.” He leaned down, putting himself eye level with her and grin ning like Satan. “I always knew you weren’t as reserved as you let on.”
Peeking through her fingers, May said, “I plan to be very reserved from now on.”
“And here I was,” he said, his voice low and sensual, “hoping to grapple a little.” He straightened again. “But back to business. Since your brother isn’t reliable, I’m not about to let a woman go, and I can’t send Denny, that leaves me to deliver the money.”
“We could hire someone—”
“Another reason for me to go is that it’ll give me a chance to see if Elton is involved. I know most of his cronies. I know how to ask the right questions.” His eyes glittered. “And I know how to get answers.”
“Meaning you intend to get physical?” She had faith in his abilities, but not if someone shot him in the back.
“That’s right. And there might be repercussions, so if it takes a day or a week or longer, I want you here with me until I know the problem is resolved. That’s part of the deal.”
The idea of Jude putting himself in that type of danger was bad enough, but the added possibility of a long visit in his home left her reeling.
Then the rest of what he said sank in. “ Part of the deal?”
“Yeah.” Jude stared down at her, smiled, and said in apology, “There’s more.”