Rush (Breathless #1)(70)

Mia laughed. “Unfortunately, yes. If a guy so much as expresses interest, he launches a full investigation.”

“Wow. That’s heavy. I’m not sure how I’d feel about doing a check on Brandon.” She wavered a moment, clear indecision written on her features. “But if he’s married or otherwise attached I don’t want to get involved, you know?”

“Give me some more details,” Mia said. “I’ll speak to Jace about it tonight. No harm in doing a little digging. It’s not like we’re stealing his identity, although I’m sure Jace could manage it.”

“He’s a bouncer at the club we’re going to Friday night. You know, my in with the passes. His last name is Sullivan.”

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do,” Mia said. She reached over the counter to squeeze Caroline’s hand. “It’ll be fine.”

Caroline let out a long breath. “I hope so. I don’t want to be made a fool of again.”

“You weren’t a fool for loving someone, Caro. He was the fool. Not you. You went into the relationship in good faith.”

“I don’t like being the other woman,” Caroline said, cringing as she remembered.

The wife in question had confronted Caroline outside Mia’s apartment building. It hadn’t been pretty. Caroline had been completely blindsided and devastated by the revelation as well as the horror of facing an irate, jealous wife.

Mia’s cell phone rang with Jace’s ring tone. She reached for it and brought it to her ear.

“Hey you,” she said in greeting.

“We’re just pulling up. Are you ready or do you want us to come up?” Jace said.

“No need. I’ll be right down.”

“Okay, see you in a few.”

She hung up and then slid off the stool. “See you later, Caro. Can’t wait for that fudge!”

Caroline waved as Mia left the apartment and headed for the elevator.

A moment later, she walked out to see Jace’s car waiting at the curb. He drove a sleek, black BMW that still looked as it had on the showroom floor.

Ash got out and waved, smiling broadly as he opened the door to the backseat for her.

“Hey, beautiful,” he said, kissing her cheek just before she ducked inside.

“Hey, baby girl,” Jace greeted once she was inside.

Oh but this car just smelled of expensive male awesomeness.

Ash settled back into his seat and Jace pulled away.

“So how was Gabe after he hauled you out of my office after the incident with Lisa?” Ash asked. “My big mouth didn’t get you into trouble, did it?”

She worked hard to suppress the heat from flaring into her cheeks and even harder to sound casual.

“He was fine. Silent and brooding. We didn’t speak much before I left.”

Jace shook his head. “I hope he doesn’t let her get into his head. She’s bad news all the way around. I imagine the only reason she’s sniffing around him now is because she’s out of money.”

Mia arched an eyebrow. “You know this for sure? Didn’t she get a lot from him in the divorce?” Like a whole lot. Gabe had money. A lot of it. And from what she figured out from gossip and bits and pieces of overheard conversations was that Lisa got a very healthy divorce settlement. Nothing that would cripple Gabe, of course, but Lisa had walked away with enough to last someone a lifetime. Or at least a normal person.

“I have a pretty good idea after placing a few calls after she left the office.”

Whoa, that was interesting. First, that Lisa was having financial issues and second, that Jace had been so quick to check into the matter. Not that it should have surprised her. Gabe, Jace and Ash were tight. And they had each other’s backs. Always.

Jace and Ash had closed ranks around Gabe after the divorce and while it seemed ludicrous that Gabe would need any sort of support, she knew that an unbreakable bond existed among the men. She only hoped to hell it was unbreakable enough to survive the fallout if Jace ever found out about her relationship with Gabe.

And then she remembered Caro’s plight.

“Hey, speaking of,” Mia said, leaning up to stick her head between the front seats. “Can you do a background check on a guy named Brandon Sullivan? He’s a bouncer who works at a club called Vibe. Just general info. You know, like whether he’s married, shacked up with someone or has a criminal record.”

Jace braked for the red light and then both he and Ash turned to stare at her, deep frowns on their faces.

“Is this someone you’re seeing?” Jace demanded.

“A bouncer, Mia? You can do much better than that, sweetheart,” Ash chided.

Mia shook her head. “Not me. Caroline. I told her I’d ask you to check. She’s paranoid after what happened with the last guy she was involved with.”

Jace’s expression became thoughtful as he accelerated down the street. “Oh yeah, wasn’t she involved with a married guy a while back? I remember you saying something about that.”

“Yeah, that’s the one,” Mia said with a sigh. “It messed her up pretty bad. Caro’s not like that. I mean she would have never gotten involved with a married man. She’s so sweet and trusting and this guy screwed her over royally. I just don’t want to see that happen to her again.”