The Closer You Come

“Half the world can vouch for Beck.” Kenna ran her finger over the rim of her glass. “He’ll never commit. Go for West.”

“No, West would be a mistake,” Jessie Kay said quickly, shifting in her seat. “He’s obviously going through something. He’s so not in the right place to start a relationship.”

Oh, oh, oh. What was this? Brook Lynn detected a warning in her sister’s tone. To stay away from the guy?

“How long have you been infatuated with West?” Daphne asked.

Well, well. Brook Lynn hadn’t been the only one to notice.

“I’m not infatuated with West,” Jessie Kay insisted.

The waiter arrived with a new bottle, and instead of doing a taste test, Jessie Kay drained what he poured and tapped the rim of her glass for more.

The second he left, she said, “West was clearly an experiment in Artificial Stupidity. Truth be told, all of my problems end with West—lowest paid, slowest on the road to success, fewest good times.”

“I think the lady protests too much.” Proper manners be damned. Brook Lynn propped her elbows on the table. “I don’t know how I missed the fact that you want to marry him and have a million babies.”

Jessie Kay threw a buttered roll at her. Kenna snatched the bread bowl before Brook Lynn could retaliate and cuddled it to her chest, muttering, “My precious.”

Daphne snickered. “I wish you could have met him before Tessa died. I wish you’d met all of them. Cocky as hell, but unbelievably kind. Hotheaded, but protective. Each of them would have sold their organs on the black market if I’d asked.”

Brook Lynn leaned back in her chair. “Actually, not much has changed.”

Daphne focused on her. “I’ve been wondering. Are you still working for Jase? I keep hearing about your amazing food but you haven’t come over to cook.”

“No, I’m not working for him,” she said. “We have a rule. There’s only one place I will take orders from him, and it’s not his kitchen.”

“First, if you want our food,” Jessie Kay said to Daphne, “you’ll have to pay for it like everyone else. Second...” She faced Brook Lynn. “I didn’t know you’d gotten the kinky gene. Good going, little sis.”

Her cheeks heated. Movement from the corner of her eye drew her attention, and she welcomed the distraction. She expected it to be the waiter. Instead, she met the narrowed gaze of...Stan?

He stared at her for several prolonged seconds then said, “Tell Jase it’s almost time for a reckoning. I’m going to make sure he pays for what he did.”

She jumped to her feet, her chair skidding backward. Stan pivoted and soared out of the private room, through the restaurant toward the exit.

“Dude. Who was that guy?” Jessie Kay asked.

“I think I’m being followed.” No way this was mere coincidence. She was thirty miles outside town. And had he just threatened Jase?

As the girls rapid-fired questions at her, she dialed his number. He answered after the second ring, and she wasted no time. “I saw him,” she said. “That guy. Stan. He’s here and he’s looking for you, said there would be a reckoning. That you would pay for what you did.”

“Are your eyes on him now?” he demanded.

“No. He took off.”

He cursed. “Stay there. Do not go after him. I’m on my way.” He hung up.

The manager came inside the room a few minutes later, taking a stand at the doors—standing guard. Jase must have called Dane, who must have called him.

“What’s going on?” Kenna asked, the color drained from her cheeks.

Brook Lynn wrapped her arms around her middle. “I don’t know.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

JASE CALLED DANE from the road. They arrived at the restaurant within seconds of each other and rushed inside. The manager had known they were coming—Dane must have phoned—and had instructed a member of the staff to wait for them.

Of course, it helped that Dane was one of the richest men in the world.

“This way,” the hostess said, motoring forward. But she didn’t move fast enough.

Jase shot in front of her, scanning the faces in the restaurant—finding no one familiar. “Brook Lynn,” he called.

“Back here.”

He followed the sound of her voice. Relief washed through him as he stepped into the private room and drew her into his arms. Her little body trembled against him. He hated that he’d brought this to her door.

“Kenna. Sweetheart. Are you okay?” Dane cupped the redhead’s face, looked her over.

“I’m fine. Really. Nothing happened. The guy creeped us out, that’s all.”

Another tremor from Brook Lynn.

“Yeah, I’m okay, too,” Jessie Kay muttered.

“What she said.” Daphne hiked her thumb in the girl’s direction.

Jase kissed Brook Lynn’s temple. “I will find this guy. I won’t let him near you again.”

She trembled against him. “I don’t want you to go after him. I don’t want you in trouble.”

He’d once thought he would rather die than go back to prison, but the truth was, he’d rather go back to prison than see Brook Lynn hurt. But he kept the thought to himself, not wanting to worry her further.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get out of here.”

Dane took Kenna with him. Jase took the others.