The Dom Who Loved Me (Masters and Mercenaries #1)(50)

It was stupid. She knew it as she followed him out to his truck. She had zero business playing the private eye, but the longer this thing with Parnell went on, the more she suspected he was blackmailing her boss. Matt was getting markedly worse, and he almost always went on a bender after meeting with Parnell. Logic told her Matt should have dumped him as an employee long before. So why was Parnell still around?

Grace tried to follow at a distance. She lost him twice, but caught sight of the black truck at the bank. Parnell parked in the parking lot and went in. He was in the bank for ten minutes. He came out holding an envelope and immediately crossed the street.

Grace checked the name of the street. Mount Dale Avenue.

Grace put the car in park and slipped out to follow Parnell into the Addison Mail and Storage Center. The storefront was new, and the center appeared to take up most of the small strip it was located on. From the street she could see that Parnell was talking to the clerk. They spoke for a moment and then Parnell was allowed behind the desk and led to the back of the store.

What did Evan Parnell need with a storage locker? He had a large storage facility for his janitorial supplies. She doubted he was keeping mops and brooms here. Now that she knew the name of this place, she remembered the check she had written out. Matt had told her to pay it. It was for a small locker here. She’d paid for the full security package for a year. She’d assumed it was for Matt. Why was Matt paying for Parnell’s storage with Wright Temp funds?

Grace glanced down at her watch. She would have to hurry to meet Adam and Jake. She briefly considered canceling on them, but decided not to. The thought of going home to her lonely little house and thinking about Sean all night was too much.

Besides, she had a mystery to solve. That alone could take her mind off her almost-lover. Whether Matt wanted it or not, she was going to save him from the clutches of one Evan Parnell. She was going to figure out just what kind of hold the man had over him.





It was late when Adam and Jake dropped her off at home. Adam parked her little hybrid in the driveway. Despite her protestations that she was more than capable of getting herself home, the boys had insisted. Adam had stolen her keys at some point and refused to give them back. Jake had followed her. He pulled his Jeep in next to her. Adam shut off the car and was out and opening her door before she could get her seatbelt off.

“Thanks.” She put her hand in Adam’s and let him help her out of the car.

The evening had been pleasant. She’d genuinely enjoyed the time she’d spent with them, but her heart still ached at the thought of Sean. Was he back in Chicago now? Did he already have a date? He probably had two or three. And she bet they weren’t gay.

“Keys?” Jake held out his hand. Adam passed them to his boyfriend and led her up the little walkway to her door. Jake had the door open. He frowned. “Don’t you have an alarm?”

Yes. It was obnoxious and emitted the nastiest sound when she couldn’t get to it in time. She set her briefcase down. “It’s a nice neighborhood. My sons insisted on having it installed when they went away to college. I try to remember to set it when they’re home, but otherwise, I’d just as soon not deal with it. Would you like some coffee?”

Sean had made her set the alarm. He’d been upset to discover she didn’t use it on a regular basis. She had agreed to be more thoughtful about it. Of course, he had his mouth over her * at the time. She would have agreed to just about anything.

“You should set the alarm, Grace. I don’t care how nice the neighborhood is, bad things still happen. If your sons love you enough to want to protect you, you should let them.” Jake stood over her. He was bigger than Adam and quieter. Adam was all light and fun. Jake was a broody hunk of man. He was the authoritative one in the relationship. His voice was dark and deep. Grace almost found herself nodding and agreeing with him simply because of his voice.

Nope. Not going there again. She managed to shrug. “I have a baseball bat, and I know how to use it. Don’t worry about me.” She strode into the kitchen. She was done with domineering men, even if they were just doling out good advice. She started the coffee pot. She had taken care of herself for a really long time. A couple of days as Sean Johansson’s sub didn’t change that. Besides, he had only wanted her for sex, so she had been on her own anyway. “Maybe I’ll get a dog. Or a gun.”

“Dear god, no.” Adam looked perfectly horrified. “To the gun, love, not the dog. We’ll find you a nice big Rottweiler.”

“Adam is right,” Jake agreed. “A gun would more than likely be turned against you, or you would shoot someone you didn’t want to shoot.”

She chose to ignore the big man. Jake towered over her. His dark eyes always seemed to be assessing his surroundings. It was easier to concentrate on Adam, who had a much sunnier nature. She passed him a mug. “I might take you up on the dog. I don’t want a Rottweiler, though. I’d greatly prefer a Lab.”

Adam snorted as he took his coffee. “Yes, a nice Lab would lick your intruders to death.”

Grace laughed it off and left the room to hang up her sweater. The rest of the evening was nice, but all too soon the boys were leaving. Grace walked them out, Adam lingering for a moment.

“Turn on the alarm, Grace.” Jake’s words were thrown over his shoulder as he walked toward his Jeep.