I was curious about where she’d gotten that scar, but my heart decided to skip a few beats as we continued to stare at one another. What the fuck was happening? No one had that effect on me since Savannah, but I couldn’t break away. Her hazel eyes had warm tones of browns and greens but mostly golds, and against that caramel hair, she was stunning.
Maybe I’d had too much to drink. I’d been nursing my flask of bourbon on the way here. Liquor made me want to do nothing but fuck sometimes, but this quivering feeling in my black heart wasn’t from the alcohol.
Shit! Today is not the day to be ogling a curvy, beautiful creature.
I shrugged off the instant connection, her long-ass legs, and every other dick-squeezing thing about her.
I silently apologized to my girl when my cell went off again—that time with Vince’s name unless Branski was using his phone to screw with me.
“I need to take this. We’ll settle things in a second,” I said as I strode off.
The only thing I needed to settle was my damn libido that was opening up like a Venus flytrap.
6
FALLYN
Istared at the backside of the criminal, my jaw slack, my stomach knotted tightly. What were the odds I would run into Duke Hart at a cemetery in Weston, Massachusetts? He lived in Boston, and to my knowledge, I hadn’t seen anything in his files to indicate he had loved ones buried here.
I texted Agent Howard, breathing in and out slowly in the hopes my nerves wouldn’t give me away. I might not wear my emotions on my sleeve, but like at the raid, my hands tended to shake when my heart was pumping adrenaline through me at warp speed.
Me:You’re not going to believe this, but I’m standing with Duke Hart at the Linwood Cemetery. Call me.
I inhaled the newly cut grass, examining my bumper. Not much damage.
I rested against the cold metal of the classic Ford that my dad had surprised me with for my sixteenth birthday.
As I watched Duke, I recalled the files I’d read on him. His two brothers and sister lived in Boston, as did his alcoholic father, who’d been in and out of jail for drunk and disorderly conduct. But there was little info about his mother. Maybe she was buried here.
Duke was shaking his head as he talked with his back to me about thirty yards away. He was at least six feet two with powerful thighs that showed through his suit pants. Fuck. A suit sans the tie was sexy as hell. The pictures of him didn’t do him justice.
Sandy-brown hair—thick with a slight curl on the edges. Reddish-brown eyes—sad yet cold. On top of that, there was no doubt Duke had a dangerous aura about him. The kind of guy you didn’t want to be caught with on a dark street late at night.
I would bet that small bulge in his lower back beneath his suit jacket was a gun.
Duke glanced in my direction.
I raised my hands in a “I don’t have all day” gesture, even though I did. This was my chance to seize the opportunity with Duke. This wasn’t just a random encounter. Destiny was giving me a sign, opening the door for me, and now all I had to do was walk through it.
Ask him to settle the accident over coffee.A laugh broke out in my head. He didn’t seem like the type to sit in a coffee shop and chat. However, he was emitting liquor like he’d doused himself in it. Maybe I could ask him to join me for an alcoholic beverage.
My phone vibrated with Howard’s name on it.
“Hey,” I said quietly.
“I got your text. Are you serious? Duke is with you?” Shock colored his tone.
I rubbed my lips together. “He hit my truck at Linwood Cemetery. He’s on the phone right now.”
“You’re visiting Jason?” His voice held a hint of sorrow.
“And my mom. It’s a ritual my dad and I have, but he didn’t come with me today. I think this encounter with Duke could play in our favor, but I can’t go into it right now. Duke is coming toward me. I’ll call you later.” Smiling at the criminal overlord, I lowered my phone.
“Are you calling the cops about this?” He stabbed a finger at our vehicles.
“Why are you so intense? It’s not like the cops will arrest you.”
“You said that I smell like alcohol. So they could bring me in for driving under the influence.”
