Her other hand flew up to her mouth, pressing against it as though she was scared of what might spill out. Jack sat back a little in his seat, out of Roxy’s direct line of sight. It was a smart trick. She focused on me, still mute, but obviously worried.
“Rox,tellme,” I begged quietly, leaning in. “Whatisit?”
She hesitated, took a breath, and I could have sworn she was about to tell me everything. But then she looked past my shoulder and her face froze, while her hand closed painfully on mine. I winced and looked around, but there was nothing I could see except another semi-famous movie star over in the corner talking to her girlfriend.
But Jack had frozen just like Roxy, staring at a group of four men in the reception area, all dressed in expensive suits.
As I watched, the manager turned and pointed right at us.
CHAPTER26
MILLER
Jack kickedme under the table. Covered by the noise of shifting in his chair, he said under his breath, “Time to go.”
Roxy was still staring into the distance with a fixed expression, but this time when I followed her line of sight, I realized she was staring at that same group of men, observing them in the large mirror at the other end of the room. “Fuck,” she muttered.
“Roxy—”
“Annie’s been caught up in some bad shit recently,” she said quickly, her voice iron-hard. “She—she told me she was scared for her life.”
My mouth dropped open. “Scared for herlife? Who was she scared of?”
The men from reception were walking our way. Their eyes were on Jack, and one of them was smiling unpleasantly.
Roxy fished in her tiny gold clutch bag for a lipstick and compact mirror. All her visible fear had vanished as she dabbed at her generous mouth with velvety red lipstick, but I saw the way the compact shook in her hand.
In seconds, the men arrived at our table. Or rather, they surrounded it. I was next to the wall, and the way they all loomed over the three of us, I felt cornered. The leader was staring at Jack, who was staring back.
“Ms. Rochford,” the man said, transferring his eyes to her at last. “These guys bothering you?”
“We were just asking for an autograph,” Jack said. “We’re big fans.”
As for Roxy, she gave a little shrug and wouldn’t look anywhere except her own reflection. “They were just leaving.” She was playing a very passable “Woman with no concerns at all.” But itwasonly an act. Her hand was still shaking.
The man turned to Jack. “You. Let’s talk.”
Jack glanced at me, making sure I was okay. It was just the smallest look, but it chased away the icy fear in my gut. He wouldn’t let anything happen to me. I gave a nod.
“Excuse me, Ms. Rochford,” Jack said, with a gentlemanly ducking of his head to her. She waved a hand. The men, along with Jack, moved out into the reception area.
“Roxy, what were you about to say?” I asked urgently, but the moment had passed.
“This…JJ,” she said, flicking her head toward the reception. “He’s bad news. Cut him loose.” She snapped her compact shut and replaced it in her bag. “Dump him.” I scowled and was about to respond when her face morphed into amused contempt. “Oh, Miller. Tell me you’re notthatnaive.”
“What?”
“A good lay is one thing, but getting cock-struck by gutter trash is just dumb. How stupidareyou?”
Roxanne Rochford had always had a way of being nice right up until she wasn’t. How the hell had I forgotten that? “We’re not—he’s not—” I spluttered, but I couldn’t have sounded less convincing if I’d tried. Because the truth was, Iwashalfway to stuck on Jack already.
More than halfway.
And even worse, I already knew it was a dumb idea.
We had nothing in common. Johnny Jacopo was a mobster. He was almost ten years older than me. He drove aPinto, for Christ’s sake.
But it wasAnnie’svoice telling me all that. She was still in my head, after all these years.
