Chapter Nine

The dancers’ voices came at me all at once, Selma’s the loudest. “You know them?”

I forced a smile onto my lips. “Kind of.”

Antonio’s grin grew wider, if that was possible. “She better know me. I’m her brother.”

Zac gave a wave. “I’m her cousin.”

All the women turned their attention to Jack. Cassie hung her arm over the back of her chair. “And I guess you know her.”

“Why yes, yes I do.” He flashed a beguiling grin. “I’m her boyfriend.”

I poked my finger in my ear. ¿Qué dice?

I laughed but quickly whipped my head around so the dancers couldn’t see my face and mouthed, I’m undercover!

He made a face at me, making it clear he already knew that. I’d wondered if Antonio had known back at the restaurant. Then I remembered Selma saying our faces were shown on the huge screens at the arena. Which meant they were probably seen at home on people’s television sets, too. Oh, Lord.

Finally, I thought about the phone call with Jack earlier. He’d asked me to go with him somewhere and had started to say he had tickets—to the game, I now realized. He’d known and was giving me the chance to tell him.

I squinched my eye and flicked my chin so he’d follow me as I walked outside. I felt the weight of someone’s stare on my back and glanced back at the table, keeping my smile intact. No wonder. Everyone was watching us like we were some part of a dinner theater. Oh, bueno. I was going to be the prime gossip tonight.

Antonio and Zac slipped into chairs at the table. We locked eyes and I shot daggers at them. God, I hoped they had sense enough to keep quiet about my being a detective.

“Hey, you,” Jack said once we were outside.

I gulped down the anxiety bubbling up inside me, feeling like a big, fat liar. I hated not telling him what I was up to, but it was a toss-up if I hated that more than being caught red-handed keeping secrets. “Hey, yourself. What’re you doing here?”

“Just what I was going to ask you.”

“I’m working a case.”

Jack shoved his hands in his pockets, his body tense. “I figured.”

“I would have told you, but—”

He leaned against a brick pillar, staring off over my shoulder for a second. “But what? You don’t trust me? Jesus, Lola, we’re supposed to be a team.”

I wanted to be, but I’d been keeping my distance, protecting my heart. “You’re still dealing with Sarah—”

“I told her I’m done, that she isn’t going to interfere with my life anymore.” He lifted his hands and sliced his palms through the air. “She’s gone.”

My eyes got glassy. “¿Verdad?”

His eyes darkened. He’d told me that my Spanish drove him wild…in the best possible way. I could see how the one word slipped under his skin. He drew me to him. With my heels on and my head tilted back a touch, my lips met his perfectly.

“I didn’t want to make a fool of myself in front of you,” I said quietly.

“In front of the whole world, but not me?”

My lungs felt short of air. It sounded ridiculous when he put it that way, and I’d never been one to back away from a challenge. Hello, I was Xena, Warrior Princess. “You saw the outfits.”

He spoke slowly, suddenly looking pained and frustrated. “Yes, I did.” He bent, moved his mouth to my ear. “I liked what I saw. I’ve always liked it.” And then his lips brushed my neck and a wave of goose bumps swept over my skin.

He took a deep breath and pulled back, something else simmering behind his eyes. “Your friend in there,” he said. “She cornered us at the arena when I was looking for you. Finally she invited us here and promised us a real good time.”

Indignance flared inside of me. “And you wanted that good time? Nice, Callaghan.”

“I had a feeling you’d be here—”

“Working—”

“Uh-huh. And how far are you willing to go for your job, Cruz?”

Ah. Now I understood the brewing question. I’d spent months being jealous of Sarah and whatever hold she had on Jack. Now the tables had turned.

“Not that far. She might make good on that, if you’re interested,” I said, “but me?” I batted my eyelashes at him, my hand pressed to my chest. “I have a boyfriend.”

One side of his mouth lifted. “Good to know you have limits, Lola.”

…

Jack, Antonio, and Zac finally left, my cover was intact, and I settled back into the conversation. But Jack’s statement stuck with me. How far was I willing to go for my job? That was the million-dollar question. I’d bared more of myself on the Royals’ court than I was comfortable with. Especially given the duct-taped breasts.

I was willing to go pretty far, but I wouldn’t sacrifice my relationship with Jack if it came right down to it.

Cassie had drowned her disappointment over the gorgeous guys leaving by drinking down two Long Island iced teas. “Jennifer has all the luck. Freaking guys fall all over her, you know? Anyone I meet is taken.” She glared at me like it was my fault Zac was married, Antonio was smitten with Sylvia, and Jack was with me. “Why do I have all the crap luck?”

“Shut up, Cassie,” Nicole snapped. “Victoria’s going to be pissed if you start shooting off your mouth in public. You’ve had enough to drink.”

Cassie flung her arms out to the side. “She’s not here, is she?”

Selma picked up a chicken wing. “Yeah. Where is she? She’s never this late—”

As if on cue, Victoria, pale and drawn, stumbled through the door.

I gaped. Manny was on her heels.

I jumped up, the alarms in my head going off in double-time. Something wasn’t right.

Nicole was already on her feet, rushing to the dance director. “Victoria? What’s wrong?”

Manny steered Victoria to the nearest chair, where she collapsed. She threw a vacant, scared gaze around the table and gave a low moan. “J-Jennifer,” she finally said. “Jennifer’s dead.”