Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
All through the drive to Steff’s place, Jag picked up on the way she became tenser and tenser. She continually clenched her hands into fists. He had a fair idea why her nails had been long and pointy. He’d seen her do the exact same action at Angelica’s party as she was doing now.
He didn’t say anything, but he was proud of her for cutting them. If she wanted to tell him about why she had them the way she did, he would listen and make no judgment. If she didn’t then he was fine with that too.
Jag wanted to reassure her that everything would be okay when they got to her place. That nothing would be waiting for her. Or someone wouldn’t be there to deliver another parcel for her.
He couldn’t though, because he didn’t know if that would be the case or not. He hoped it would be. There was no reason to suggest otherwise.
A melodic tone filled the cab of his car. He waited for Steff to grab her phone because he knew that wasn’t his ring tone, but she remained still, staring out the window. He would bet his favorite Glock that she wasn’t seeing anything at all.
“Are you going to get that?” he asked when it appeared she wasn’t going to pick it up.
“What?”
“Your phone? It’s ringing.”
“Oh! Right.” She leaned forward and grabbed her bag, rummaging through it. The ringing persisted. Did she not have voicemail? His phone would’ve stopped ringing by now. “Hey Cynthia.”
Considering they’d only spoken to each other not long ago, he wondered why Cynthia was calling again.
“I’m almost home. I was out with Dalton today. I called you from his place earlier.” She paused, and he shouldn’t be listening, but it was kind of hard to tune it out considering they were in the car.
He pulled into a spot not far from the front of her building. He would’ve preferred to get one closer, but there were none available. Maybe he’d come down later and see if he could park closer.
“We’ve just arrived. Oh, I see you. We’ll be right there.” She disconnected the call. “Cynthia’s here. She brought takeout for dinner.”
“That’s good. I can disappear if you want to be alone tonight. I can go see one of the guys. Fox doesn’t live far from here.” That was the last thing he wanted to do, after all that had happened today, but if she wanted to spend time alone with her friend, he’d give her that.
She laid a hand on his arm. “Thank you for the offer, but I want you to stay, and I’m sure Cynthia will too.”
His relief was instant. “We’d better go then, don’t want the food getting cold.
” Jag was pleased to note that she didn’t make a move to get out of the car.
He liked opening the door for her. It was old-fashioned, but his dad always opened doors for his mom.
It was a habit Jag had had no problem picking up.
As they made their way to meeting Cynthia, Jag kept scanning the area. There wasn’t anything within him that was yelling out to be careful, that there was danger lurking in the bushes, but it paid to be on alert even when things seemed to be okay.
“Hi Jag,” Cynthia said as they walked up to her. Her smile was friendly, and when she hugged Steff, he was, once again glad that they’d reconnected. “I’m sorry for turning up unannounced, but after your call, I just had to see for myself that you’re okay.”
“You didn’t have to do that, but I’m glad you did,” Steff responded with a smile, and Jag could tell she was happy her friend had come to see her.
“Hey, let me take that bag for you.” He held out his hand, and Cynthia gave it to him.
“Thanks.” She hooked her arm through Steff’s. “Tell me, how are you really doing?”
He let them chat and walk ahead of him. He imagined this was how close they’d been before they’d been taken.
This was another step forward for Steff.
By the time they’d reached the apartment, Steff and Cynthia were oblivious to his presence. He had no idea what Steff had told Cynthia, but they’d laughed a couple of times, so maybe they’d moved on from her stressful visit to Alliez and were talking about other things.
“Why don’t I set everything out and you can continue catching up?” he suggested once they got inside.
“Oh sorry, we kind of forgot that you were here,” Steff said sheepishly as she came up to where he stood. Cynthia remained in the living room, but he was aware of her watching them with a twinkle in her eye. She was clearly happy that Steff was reclaiming her life back by letting him in.
“It’s fine. I totally understand.” He touched her cheek gently. “You need this time with your best friend.”
“I do.”
They gazed at each other for a few more seconds before she smiled and went back to Cynthia.
Jag blew out a breath, grateful that Steff was getting more and more comfortable with him. He also loved seeing her confidence grow. The way Cynthia had dropped everything to come over to try and take Steff’s mind off the box showed the depth of the friendship between them.
As much as he wished the danger was gone, he had a feeling they weren’t out of the woods yet. He had nothing to suggest this was going to be the case, but he believed things were going to escalate, and when they did, he’d be ready.
“Are you finished?” Steff asked as she stood with her own plate in hand.
“I am.” He handed his plate to her as his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket. “It’s Fox.”
Steff nodded as he got up and moved into the living room, not wanting to stop the girls from talking if they wanted to.
“Hey Fox, what’s up?” Jag was hoping he had some news about the delivery man. Or anything else related to the mysterious parcel.
“Are you at Steff’s?”
Jag immediately went on alert at Fox’s tone. “I am. What’s up?”
He was aware that Steff and Cynthia were watching him, and he didn’t want to do anything to stress Steff out, but Fox didn’t use that tone unless something serious was going down.
“Can I come over, if that’s okay with Steff? I need to show you something.”
“Let me check.” Jag covered the bottom of his phone. “Fox wants to drop by. You okay with that?” He watched for Steff’s reaction.
Even though Cynthia was with Steff, he was still reluctant to leave her alone, but if she was the slightest bit uncomfortable with the idea of Fox coming into her personal space, Jag would suggest that he’d go over to Fox’s place instead.
“Sure, that’s fine.” Steff agreed, and there was nothing in her demeanor to suggest she was uncomfortable with it.
“Great.” He lifted the phone back to his ear. “Steff’s good with you being here.”
“I’ll see you in ten.”
Jag disconnected the call, his mind going to what could be so important that it couldn’t wait until the morning when they were in the office.
“Everything okay?” Steff laid a hand on his arm. He covered it without thinking, liking the contact.
“I think so.” He spoke the truth because he didn’t know if it was.
“Oh.” Steff went to move away, but he tugged her back against him and wrapped his arms around her. She melted into his hold, and he rested his cheek on the top of her head. He was aware of Cynthia in the other room smiling as she watched them.
After a few moments, he pulled back and hooked a finger under her chin, lifting it so that their eyes met. A hint of fear lurked in her eyes, but there was also a spark of defiance, as well. “Whatever Fox tells us, we’ll face it together. Okay?”
“I know.” Her fingers fiddled with the buttons on his shirt. “It’s weird that all this is happening now. It doesn’t make sense.”
“I know. But we will get to the bottom of it all.”
The buzzer sounded around the apartment. Jag tensed. Ten minutes hadn’t passed, so it shouldn’t be Fox at the door, but it was possible that he’d been close by when he called. Or he made good time.
“Let me get that,” Jag said.
“Sounds good to me.” Steff rejoined Cynthia on the couch as Jag made his way over to the intercom.
“Hello?”
“Jag, it’s me Fox.”
The tension still remained as he buzzed his friend up. He didn’t need to ask Fox to ensure he was the only one who entered the building. He knew his friend would make sure that was the case.
He was by the door when the knock came, and he opened it up. “You made good time.”
“I was in my car when I called.”
Jag studied his friend, he wasn’t giving anything away, which didn’t surprise him. Out of all of the guys he’d served with, there had been a reason why Fox was their team leader. He was stoic and never let his emotions show. “Come in. Do you want something to drink?”
“I’m good.” Fox came in and stopped still when he spied Cynthia. “It’s good to see you again.”
“You too.” A light pink hue bloomed across her cheeks, and she ducked her head shyly.
“Do you have some news, Fox? Is that why you’re here?” Steff came to stand beside Jag, and he slung an arm around her shoulders.
“Sort of. May I sit?” Fox asked.
“Sure.” Steff indicated the couch where Cynthia was still sitting.
“I should go,” Cynthia stood.
“I think you should stay,” Fox uttered.
“Why? Is someone after me too?” Cynthia’s eyes widened with fear, and she looked ready to run out the front door. Beneath his fingers, Steff’s shoulders tensed.
“How about we all sit, and Fox can explain everything?” Jag rubbed his hand up and down Steff’s back.
He led Steff to the oversized lounge chair, where he sat and pulled her down so she was seated on his lap.
His body immediately responded to her close proximity, and he mentally questioned his actions.
The last thing he wanted to do was frighten her away because he couldn’t control his bodily reactions.
He pulled on the mental strength that had got him through BUD/S training to will his dick to settle down.
“I’m sorry for frightening you both,” Fox started. “I didn’t mean to, but I think it’s best that you both hear what we’ve found out so that you can be prepared.”
Everything Fox was saying suggested whoever had sent the parcel to Steff was related to her and Cynthia’s kidnapping. Even though Cynthia hadn’t received a package yet, didn’t mean she wouldn’t in the future.
Steff clutched his hand, her nails digging into his palm. Because of their shortness, they weren’t causing him any pain.
Did she know what she was doing?
It didn’t matter. He could take anything she dished out. He would take her pain so that she wouldn’t have to face it.
“What are you saying here Fox?” Jag prompted him to continue when it looked like he wasn’t going to.
“Cass was able to get a hit on the van that the courier got into. It’s registered to a shell company. One of the former directors was Gomez Ramirez.”
“But he’s dead,” Steff blurted. “Cass and Teresa told me that today. Cass also said that whoever is running the cartel now wants nothing to do with anything the previous drug lord did or was involved in.”
With being so close to her, he picked up on her increased heart rate and quickened breaths. He pulled her back against his chest, lowering his head to her ear and whispered, “You’re safe. I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
As if aware that Steff was spiraling, Fox didn’t say anything else, and after a few minutes, Steff’s breathing returned to normal.
Jag nodded slightly, enough for Fox to see that it was okay for him to continue.
“You’re right, Steff. Cass has been keeping an eye on things with the cartel.
She’s got her own personal reasons for doing so.
She still believes that her assumptions are correct, but there are always members loyal to the previous hierarchy who believe there should be some retribution for what they perceive as a slight against them. ”
“Why me, though? What’s so special about me that they’ve decided to make me their target?” Steff’s despair called to him, and Jag wished he could take it all away from her.
“I wish we knew, Steff. I really do,” Fox sympathized.
“What about the driver? Has Cass been able to get a hit on the image we got from the security camera?” Jag wasn’t holding his breath that anything positive would come out of Fox’s mouth.
“Nothing yet.” Fox didn’t need to add that Cass was continuing to work on it, Jag was well aware she wouldn’t stop until she got an answer.
“What do we do?” Cynthia questioned. “I’m not going to let them win. I’ve worked too hard and for too long to let some faceless person take my peace from me.”
Jag admired the hell out of her for her stance, and he didn’t miss the hint of admiration, or…interest in Fox’s eye either.
“We won’t let that happen,” Jag assured both women.