Jax had accepted, and almost immediately, Executive Suite 10B was put through a massive security upgrade. Since then, the luxurious space had remained unoccupied as it waited for the next client or asset in need.
The words his boss and friend had uttered to Ivan the day they’d completed the suite’s new security system install rang clearly through his head…
Here’s your key, and you already know the codes. I trust your judgement, so if you ever find a need to use the room, it’s yours. No questions asked.
Cera Davidson may not be an official Monroe Investigations client—yet—she was clearly in trouble and alone. Right or wrong, Ivan knew he wouldn’t get a wink’s worth of sleep if he left her standing in this godforsaken parking lot with no place to go or anyone else to turn to.
So yeah. He’d get her to the resort and check her in for the night. She’d have a warm meal and a safe roof over her head. As for Ivan…
I’ll have plenty of time to do some digging.
Because something in his gut told him the skittish beauty was keeping secrets. And he couldn’t wait to learn every single one.
“Techs are just about finished processing the scene,” Grady Thorne announced as he made his way from the base of the stairs to join them.
Tall, muscular, and bald as coot, Declan’s partner strolled to a stop on the other side of where Declan still stood. The man’s salt-and-pepper beard and dark tinted shades gave him more of a badass biker look rather than a decorated detective.
Thorne was the newest to join what Ivan privately thought of as Jax’s clan, but the six-two Chicago transplant had already proven his worth on more than one occasion.
“Cera Davidson, meet my partner, Detective Grady Thorne,” Declan introduced the other man.
“Nice to meet you, Miss Davidson.” Grady held out a hand. “Though I’m sorry it’s under these circumstances.”
“Nice meeting you, too.” Cera returned the gesture.
“We were just wrapping things up here,” Dec let his partner know. To Cera, he promised, “I’ll let you know what, if anything, forensics finds.” He held out a business card for her to take. “This is my work cell. Anything else happens or you remember something you think could be important—no matter how small it may be—give me a call.” Shifting his focus back to Ivan, he added, “We’ll keep you posted. You do the same, yeah?”
Ivan nodded and offered the other man his hand. “Thanks man. Appreciate it.”
“Any time.” Declan shook his hand. “By the way, you planning on calling my brother in on this, or are you gonna handle this one yourself?”
Careful of his words. Ivan added a cryptic, “Figured I’d wait to see what we’re working with before I interrupt their honeymoon.”
Translation: I need to run a deep background on the woman next to me to make sure we’re not getting played.
With a knowing look in his sharp eyes, Dec dipped his chin as a show of agreement. “Probably a good call.” He gave his watch a quick glance. “Especially since the honeymoon’s barely even started.”
No shit. Jax and Poppy were probably still waiting to board their plane. No way in hell was he going to call his boss back for something that could turn out to be nothing.
Her fear is real. You know it is.
Yes, he believed Cera truly was scared. Question was whether or not that fear was warranted or a byproduct of a threat that didn’t actually exist.
With a final, tight handshake, both men sealed the agreement between friends. Seconds later, Ivan watched and waited as Dec and Grady left, both men heading back up to Cera’s room to wrap up their initial investigation.
“I’ve heard of The Douglas.” Cera hugged herself a bit tighter as she watched them go. “It’s that super-fancy resort on the edge of town, right? The one that costs like four hundred a night?”
More like twelve hundred for the kind of room she’d be staying in tonight. Not that he planned to disclose that bit.
“We can figure the money piece later.”
“That’s the thing.” Her pale cheeks grew pink with embarrassment. “I don’t…I-I don’t have the money for a place like that.” A quick, nervous swipe of her tongue. “To be honest, I was actually hoping maybe your boss would let me work off my bill in another way.”
Ivan’s blinking, widening eyes must have alerted the woman to where his mind immediately went, because with her next breath, Cera began an impressive—and amusing—stumble over her words.
“Oh, I wasn’t…I’m not talking about…that’s not what I…I only meant that maybe…” Her shoulders fell with a forceful exhale.
Taking a moment to compose herself, she drew in a cleansing breath and tried again.