Heartbreaker (Unbreakable #1)(71)
“I’m not going to jail. I did imagine smashing that pretty plate glass window and taking my sculptures back.”
“Totally blows they’re locked up in there.” Ben’s brows furrowed.
“The damn IRS is holding them hostage,” I snarled.
“Didn’t those pieces sell at the exhibit in December?” Mase asked.
I took a deep breath, then let out a heavy sigh. “No. Others did.”
The next seconds dragged by, silent. Like they’d all tucked deep into their minds, searching for the best way to tackle the problem. My thoughts swung back toward infiltration—Mission Impossible style. When images of me dropping from the ceiling in a ninja getup bordered on the ridiculous, I pinched my eyes shut.
“I’m just so—” Emotion clogged my throat. “Aaahhhrrr!” I strangled the steering wheel.
“That a technical term?” Mase leveled a stare at me in the rearview.
“I know it well.” A loud crinkle echoed in the car as Ben snagged the Cheetos bag. “Live it on a daily basis.”
“You need to lighten up, Mr. Live and Breathe My Bar.” Mase snatched the bag back.
The Cheetos dust swirled thicker in the air. A cheesy scent filled my nostrils.
“I know a great way to work out frustration.” Cade put a hand on my shoulder as he leaned forward and planted the other on Darren’s.
“Dude.” Mase’s tone dropped. “We are not talking about Kiki—baby sister Kiki—having sex with Darren.”
“What?” Ben blinked, stared at me, then at Darren. “You two are…”
“Softball, idiots.” Cade reached over and punched them both at the same time.
More crinkling ensued, followed by grunts and car rocking, as the three of them wrestled—as best as three grown men could in the backseat of a Prius. My dark thoughts began to fade as I watched the comical scene unfold.
“Well, what d’ya think?” Darren, calm as ever, glanced at me.
“Softball?”
“Yep. Loading Zone’s game is tomorrow afternoon. You know we always need more players.”
I nodded absentmindedly. “Yeah. I’ll go. It’s for charity, after all. And I really need to whack something. Hard.”
The ruckus settled down in the back.
The weight in the car shifted.
In the rearview, I caught Cade settling back into his seat, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Seriously, though. About the government-being-an-* issue. Let me make a few calls. Dad’s got high-powered financial friends.”
Ben turned toward him. “And our accountant used to work for the IRS.”
Darren put his hand on my knee and squeezed it gently. “We’re gonna keep you outta the slammer, Flash.”
Warmth spread through my chest. That I hadn’t asked for help, but my knights came to my rescue anyway. It all made me love these guys just a little bit more. One in particular.
I glanced at Darren and mouthed, “Thank you.”
He gave me a hard look. The kind filled with intensity and clear meaning. It said with its ground-shaking silence There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.
That warmth in my chest deepened, my heart melting for the man.
Then sudden fear settled in. What would happen if I cared too much, fell too hard?
The truth hit me like a bolt of lightning.
It’s already too late.
Darren…
The next morning, I balanced two coffee cups in a tray, gym bag hanging by a crooked finger, while I rapped on Kiki’s metal warehouse door.
My knock echoed.
Then silence.
Her Prius was tucked into its space. So I knew she’d made it home safely.
And I’d driven by the gallery on my way. No busted glass. Artwork all in their same places. No felony committed.
A sudden thump hit the side of my calf, and I startled, nearly dropping our coffees. Big hazel eyes stared up at me. Front paws were propped on my leg. A faint meow squeaked out.
“Hey, Chipmunky. Where’s Kiki?”
The kitten dropped down, threw his weight into a full-body rub against my jeans, then trotted off until he disappeared around the warehouse corner. I followed, passing under a rusted arbor that had steel vines snaking up and around through the arch.
Off in the far corner of a deep courtyard, Kiki sat on the edge of a raised planter with her back toward me. Sunlight glinted off her dark hair which fell in loose spirals over her shoulders. She hummed lightly, a thin white cord dangling from the ear I could see, while she snipped off the tops of plants with small scissors before dropping them into a napkin-lined basket.
A half dozen mismatched bistro sets were scattered over broken brick pavers along the perimeter, making the space look like a café graveyard. An old maple tree from a neighboring yard stretched its skeletal branches overhead, filtering the sun.
She turned slightly when she reached for another plant, showing her profile. Her lips were moving, and I could hear the faintest melody as she cradled various stems before selecting a few, then cutting them off.
A smile tugged at my lips. In the private time I’d stumbled into, she appeared peaceful. Happy, even.
No way in hell am I barging in on that. Didn’t want to ruin it. Felt lucky to witness it.
Instead, I sat in the sturdiest-looking chair. I slid the drink tray on a nearby table and dropped my duffel bag on another chair as I surveyed the patio I hadn’t realized existed.