Jaded (5 page)

He had her between a rock and a hard place. Jade slid the chair back and slowly stood. In a slow unhurried gesture she flung her hair over her shoulder, straightening her shoulders. Disappointment lurked when Jase’s gaze didn’t drop to her chest. Instead he held her gaze in an unwavering stare.

“I’m sure Miguel would not take kindly to that.”

Jase cocked a brow. “Miguel?”

“Velasquez, your current chief of police. He stops by at least once a week.”

Not breaking his gaze, Jase laughed low and moved around the desk, stopping no more than a foot from her. His spicy manly scent tickled her nostrils. “I don’t back down from empty threats, Miss Devereaux.”

Jade played her hand. She stepped in closer to him, so close that if she took a deep breath her nipples would brush his chest. She didn’t dare. But he did. Jase’s blue eyes danced as he moved incrementally against her. Her body jerked at the contact. Her eyes widened, and heat flushed her skin.

“Be careful, Miss Jade. I bite.”

Jade didn’t flinch. “So do I, and I draw blood.”

Jase smirked and stepped back from her. “We’ll see about that.” Then he simply walked out of her office, softly closing the door behind him. Jade sank into her chair, her knees suddenly unsteady. What the hell had just happened?

And dear lord, why? She was the cat in the cat and mouse game.
Always,
she held the control. She used her body and the promise of it to lure men into opening their wallets wider. It’s what kept them coming back. But this man, Jase Vaughn, knocked her off her game as effortlessly as if he were flicking a piece of lint off his thousand-dollar suit.

She shook her head and composed herself. It was a fluke. She’d been too long without a man. Her body stiffened. Eleven years to be exact, and the reason why was as vivid in her brain today as it was all those years ago.

Shame engulfed her.

It would be another eleven years before she allowed a man to touch her again, and maybe another eleven after that.

J
ase made himself right at home in the club, despite Jade’s protests. Quietly he observed his surroundings, careful not to draw too much attention to himself than he already had. Ricco was seated in a discreet alcove with one of the servers. Always prepared, Jase turned on the envelope-thin minirecorder he always carried with him.

It became painfully apparent some time later that despite his skillful yet subtle interrogative tactics, the staff, while chatty, was just as tight-lipped with actual info to both Ricco and Jase as Jade had been. At first he thought they were just shy, but as he questioned one person after another, he observed every last one of them glance toward Jade’s office at least once during his questioning and usually several times.

Where they afraid of her or protecting her?

Jase needed a drink. He glanced across the lounge to Mac, and ambled over good-naturedly. He’d see what he could get out of the big man. His overprotectiveness intrigued Jase. Was he Jade’s lover? He acted like a possessive boyfriend. Had he killed Townsend out of anger? While Jade didn’t strike him as the type to mix relations with employees, anything was possible. He’d made bad reads before. And had learned from those few mistakes never to count anyone out of the equation.

And if he’d ever come up against a hard read, it was Jade Devereaux. Cool, calm, and collected on the surface, she burned hot under that mask of hers. He could see the heat in her eyes. Even if it was anger. He grinned. Where there was smoke, there was fire.

Jase made himself at home on a cushioned leather barstool. He made eye contact with Mac. The big man walked slowly toward him. “What can I do for you this evening, sir?”

“Coffee.”

Silently, Mac turned and went to the other end of the bar, where he poured coffee from a silver urn.

Mac set the steaming cup down and brought cream and sugar. Jase nodded his thanks and sipped it black. “Excellent. Blue Mountain?”

Mac nodded, his eyes suspicious, not sold on Jase. Jase set the cup down and leaned forward. “Look, I’m not here to break your balls. I’m investigating a murder. Help me out.”

Mac leaned into the bar. His scowl softened, but his dark eyes watched Jase with suspicion. Casually, he took a towel from behind the bar and began to rub the gleaming surface.

“What do you want to know?”

“What happened between Jade and Townsend last night?”

Mac quirked a brow at Jase and continued to wipe the bar in front of him. If he kept at it, he’d rub a hole in it. “Who told you she had a problem?”

Bingo. Jase smiled and leaned an arm on the bar. “Does it matter?”

Mac shrugged. “Jade runs a tight ship, she’s honest, and has a heart. If her and Townsend got into it, it’s because he was asking for it. She never loses her temper, and she always makes sure the guests are taken care of.”

“Just how taken care of?”

Mac snorted. “I can see why she keeps to herself. Men are pigs.”

“How does she keep to herself in this place?”

“She just does.”

“Does she socialize with the employees? Away from the club?”

Mac tossed the towel under the bar and, hands balled in fists, he placed them against the edge of the bar and glared at Jase. “Look, this place is run as clean and smooth as a naval station. If these ladies want to leave with a guest, then that’s their own private business. The members only pay for their time here, or for an escort to an event. Nothing more and nothing less. Stop trying to make them into whores.”

“How often does Jade leave with a guest?”

“Never.”

“How often does she ‘date’?”

“Rarely.”

“Miss Jade said you needed more cab?” The redheaded kid asked.

Mac nodded to Rusty. The kid gave Jase a quick glance, followed by a shy smile. Jase smiled back.

“Bring me up a case of the ’91 Opus.”

The kid nodded and started to turn, but Jase put his hand out and stopped him. “After you bring the case up, let’s talk.”

Rusty shrugged and said, “Okay.” Then he scampered away.

Jase turned questioning eyes back to Mac. “What is your full name?”

He scowled and refilled Jase’s cup. “William Trent MacDonald. Most people call me Mac, here they call me Mr. MacDonald.”

“Who’s the kid?”

“A stray. Rusty Daniels.”

“A stray?”

“Yeah, Jade has a penchant for them. He showed up one day looking for a handout. Jade gave him a job. So far he’s worked out.”

“So tell me what Jade and Townsend did last night.”

Mac shrugged again. “Dinner, I think, not here, though. But they came in around ten. Date over.”

“So she rarely dates but has dinner with that lowlife?”

“Probably a favor.”

“For who?”

“You’d have to ask Jade.”

“What was Townsend’s condition?”

“He’d had a few scotches.”

“In your opinion, was he under the influence?”

Mac nodded. “I’d say he shouldn’t have been driving.”

“When did he leave?”

“Not sure exactly, maybe around midnight.”

“Did he leave alone?”

Mac scowled again. “He left with Genevieve.”

“Genevieve?”

“Yeah, she’s new.”

“I thought he just came off a date with Jade.”

“Jade likes to keep things clean and separate.”

“So, Townsend was looking for some extracurricular action, Jade shot him down, he got pissed and settled for the new girl, Genevieve?”

Mac ignored the question and stepped to the end of the bar, taking the case from Rusty, who found the floor more interesting than his surroundings.

“Rusty, I’m Detective Vaughn, I’d like to ask you a few questions about last night.”

The kid looked to Mac, who nodded.

It was obvious to Jase the boy, or more accurately the young man, was a few lightbulbs shy of a full fixture. He wrung his hands and shuffled his feet under Jase’s scrutiny.

Jase reached out a hand and clasped the younger man’s shoulder. “I’d just like a few answers. So just take a deep breath and relax.”

Rusty took Jase at his word. He took a big deep breath and composed himself. He even smiled. Jase squeezed his shoulder, then released him.

“Did you see Mr. Townsend here last night?”

The kid nodded.

“Did you see him with Miss Jade?”

The kid made an odd sound similar to a cat’s meow. His right foot moved back and forth.

“It’s okay, Rusty, just tell the truth,” Mac offered.

Rusty looked up and his eyes narrowed. “Miss Jade had a drink with him.”

“Did they argue?”

Rusty’s eyes dropped to the floor. “I don’t know.”

“Did you see who Mr. Townsend left with?”

Rusty glanced up at Mac, then the floor, then finally back to Jase. “He left alone.”

Mac cleared his throat. “Don’t you remember he left with Genny?”

Rusty stepped back, shaking his head. “No, Genny left first.”

“Do you remember what time that was?” Jase asked.

Rusty nodded and closed his eyes, his brows furrowing. He looked to be in pain.

“He gets migraines when he gets confused or upset,” Mac explained.

“I’m sorry, Rusty, I didn’t mean to upset you. I just want to find out what happened to Mr. Townsend. What time did he leave?”

“It was late. I think after midnight.”

“Did you see him again?”

“No.”

“What time did Miss Jade leave last night?”

Rusty pursed his lips. “I don’t know. I left around one and she was still in her office.”

Jase took a card from his breast pocket and handed it to Rusty. “My number is on the back. Call me if you remember anything, okay?”

Rusty smiled and slipped the card into his back pocket. “Okay.” He scurried off and Jase looked up to find Mac watching him.

“He’s a good kid.”

Just as Jase was about to settle back into the barstool and pump Mac some more, Ricco came up behind him.

“Jase my man, we need to talk.”

Jase excused himself and the two moved over to a small table near the immense fireplace.

“I just got off the phone with Tawny,” Ricco began. “I had her run Townsend’s cell phone numbers. I have names, numbers, and times. It appears our boy Townsend was a playah, and a juggler to boot.”

“Let’s start with his calls yesterday and last night.”

Ricco flipped open his notepad. “Okay, of the three phones, two were active yesterday. One has only incoming calls, and voicemails, but the other one, I think this was his booty call. That phone has several voicemails, mostly from women looking for him. I have the list of names here. There was also an outgoing call at one this morning to a cell phone that called him at seven last night. The call at seven lasted three minutes. The one at one this a.m. was only seventeen seconds.”

“Who is the cell listed to?”

“A Jade Devereaux.”

Jase’s skin warmed. He
knew
she was hiding something.

“Did you get film on the phone booth?”

“Nope. Nada. The one camera at the Quick Stop was too far away. Dumb-ass owner said it hasn’t worked for months. I told him to take care of it or I’d come back and give him a ticket. On a more positive note, we dusted the booth for prints.”

Jase shook his head. “Damn, I was really hoping for a visual. The camera here has been disabled. We could’ve wrapped this case up nice and neat tonight. I’m positive the nine-one-one call was made by Miss Devereaux.”

“But do you think she did him?”

Jase’s gut told him no, but maybe his dick was doing some thinking for him. “I’d say right now she is definitely a person of interest, and if she whacked Townsend, she had help.” As Jase looked around the room, several employees avoided his gaze. “And I’ll lay odds that person is in this club tonight.”

Ricco smiled. “Well, this is one tight-lipped group. What did you manage to get?”

“Devereaux runs Callahan’s. Townsend was here last night, and they had dinner. Who he left with at the end of the night is debatable, but several accounts place him leaving around midnight. I have a feeling our Miss Devereaux had more than dinner with this guy.”

“You really don’t think the wife had anything to do with it? From what you told me, she had the MMO.”

Jase was quick to answer. “My hunch is Miss Devereaux has the answers. She had opportunity, she had means if she had help, now all we need is motive.”

“All right, brother, I’ll have Tawny get on these other numbers. The coroner said she’d have something for us by midweek.” Ricco flipped his notepad closed and stood. Jase followed him. As they walked to the bar, Ricco asked, “So when can I meet the mysterious Jade Devereaux?”

Jase opened his mouth to tell him to be patient, but his words jammed in his throat.

At that moment the door at the end of the short hallway near the bar opened. Jase settled his hip against the bar chair and watched in quiet fascination the way her body moved when she walked. It was poetry in motion. Long fluid strides, her hips swaying ever so slightly, her long hair following behind her like a gossamer veil.

“Santa Maria, Madre de Dios,”
Ricco breathed.

Jase’s blood warmed. His sentiments exactly. And for the third time that day Jase was struck dumb by Jade’s sensuality. He could honestly say, over all of the years and of all the women he’d known, not one of them was as naturally sensuous as the woman across the room. He knew full well she was very cognizant of her power, but he also knew, even if she didn’t accentuate it, her sex appeal would still slap a man in the face with its raw appeal. He’d hate to be the guy married to her.

As Jade’s gaze traced across the room, she passed over him as if he were nothing more than a stick of furniture. His pulse pounded against his veins. She was one long, cool drink of water, and if he weren’t careful he’d find himself drowning in her icy current. Her eyes rested on Ricco standing rigid beside Jase before they continued around the room.

“She could unseat a saint, Jase.”

No shit.

Jase asked himself why she hadn’t told him she was with Townsend last night. The answer was Detective 101: She had something to hide. And he very much looked forward to prying that information from her.

Dragging his gaze from her body, Jase did his own cursory recon of the intimate setting. His interest was instantly heightened.

Several women, each rivaling the next in beauty, had slipped in. They looked like Victoria’s Secret models. Beautiful girls next door. There were blondes, brunettes, a redhead, and two of the most gorgeous African American and Asian women he’d ever seen. They were clean, coiffed, and he bet they cost a fortune to maintain.

“Amigo, I hear my name being called,” Ricco said and took off toward the mass of feminine pulchritude.

Jase could easily understand how a man could lose his mind, and a lot of money, in this place. He was in playboy heaven! No wonder guys broke the bank to join. Jase grinned as several women lit up like Roman candles when Ricco swaggered into the flock.

Jase’s gaze swept back to Jade, whose eyes were riveted on him. She raised a dark brow in quiet question. He smiled slowly and raised his brow in return.

He watched her make her way toward him, stopping to chat with a few of the ladies. He had the impression from her light touches and earthly smiles that she made every person she chose to grace with her attention feel as if they were the only person on earth. But her haughty reserve didn’t fool him. She was a skilled actress. He wondered what it would be like to have her genuine attention.

And he wanted her attention. Her
undivided
attention.

“Well, Detective, did you dig up all of our dirty little secrets?”

Jase stood to his full height. In her strappy high heels, she stood almost nose to nose with him. She smiled and cocked her head to the side. In a fluid sweeping gesture she pushed her wave of black hair behind her shoulders. “What are you thinking, Detective?”

Jase grinned wider. “I was just thinking how good those heels would feel digging into my back.”

He had to hand it to her. She didn’t flinch. She was a cool one. Instead, she trailed a fingertip down the front of his fitted black shirt and pressed close to him. The tips of her breasts brushed ever so lightly against the linen of his shirt. The contact sent a shot of blood to his dick. He curbed the impulse to slip his arm around her waist and draw her closer to him. Not to ravish, but to savor. She smelled so damn hot, and her skin he knew was on the searing side of warm. He bet she would melt beneath him.