Jacked Up (Bowen Boys #4)(12)

“Don’t call me pet.” Elle held his stare defiantly but in the end gave up. “Marlene’s sister was getting married. Their relationship had always been rocky. She didn’t want to miss the wedding and her jackass boss wouldn’t give her the day off. This was an emergency.”

Her eyes went somber at the mention of her friend. Her lips trembled as she spoke. “I need to call her family. Find out when’s the funeral. I need to—”

“Family’s been notified and you’re not going to the funeral. Too risky. We have to leave Florida ASAP.”

She lifted her eyebrows. “We? What do you mean we?”

“It’s me or protective custody. You choose.” Although there wasn’t much choice to make, because if she went the protective-custody route, which he doubted very much, he would be supervising that too.

His behavior sure as hell hadn’t ingratiated him with Hensen, but he hoped he’d made his position clear. Anything to do with Elle would have to go through him first.

And God help Hensen if he tried to intimidate her again or upset her in any way.

His words must have sunk in, for she was shaking her head. “No, no, no, no,” she chanted, trying to stand up. He grabbed her by her arms. “There must be another—”

“This is f*cking serious, pet. And f*cking dangerous. Hensen is an *, but he’s right about one thing: you’re in a world of trouble, and the only way you’re walking out of here and going back to Boston to something resembling a normal life is with me watching your back. Mullen and his team will try to build a case and get solid evidence. In the meantime, I will make sure nothing happens to you.” And would pull her into hiding the second he thought she was in danger or if the investigation had been compromised. Not that he was going to tell her this last part. She would freak out.

“You watching my back is a very bad idea,” she said. “We’ll drive each other crazy.”

No shit. He couldn’t agree more.

She’d been driving him crazy since the first day they met. Close proximity was only going to make matters worse.

“And what are we going to say about why you’re with me? I don’t want anyone in Boston to find out about this.”

“Good luck with that, pet. By now the whole Eternal Sun knows you’ve been at the police station for over twenty-four hours.” As a matter of fact, there were two grandmothers in the lobby being very vocal about getting to see Elle. “That means everyone close to you in Boston knows. The Bowens too.” He hadn’t gotten any phone calls yet, but those were coming, he was sure.

Elle grimaced. “They will get overprotective. I can’t handle that.”

“I’ll take care of them. I’ll get them off your back.”

Her snort was dry. “And who’s going to get you off my back?”

“Until this situation is resolved, no one. And I do not have the patience all the males around you have. I won’t treat you with kid gloves. You will do what I say when I say it. Stay where I put you.”

“Or?”

“You don’t want to find out.”

“You don’t intimidate me,” she said, looking him straight in face.

“Good. I hate when women start trembling and sobbing. Too messy. Let’s go pack your things and get moving. Now.” He stood up, waiting for her to follow suit.

She sighed. “That tone is not going to go down well with me, Borg.”

“Which tone?”

“The obey-me-or-else tone, the one that demands servitude. Doing things on command is not a skill I’ve acquired or have any interest in acquiring,” she explained, but nevertheless she got up and headed for the door.

He trailed her, surprised as all f*ck that she was actually obeying. Obviously, she was still in shock. It wouldn’t last, he knew, but he’d take any reprieve he could get.





Chapter Four


One of the advantages of having Jack shadowing her was the wide berth that everyone gave them, even at the Eternal Sun. She hadn’t seen that rambunctious bunch that restrained since…ever, really.

“What’s taking so long?” Jack asked, barging into her bedroom after inspecting the whole apartment, bodyguard-style. He scanned the bags scattered all around, the vein at his temple pulsing. “How the f*ck can you have so much shit? You only came for a couple of days.”

“It’s not for me,” Elle said, piling the bags into several already overstuffed suitcases and then sitting on one to attempt to zip it. “They are filled with things for Jonah and Lizzie. We should be grateful that this crowd watches shopping channels and bought vacuum bags. Otherwise, we would have three times this much.”

Getting out of the police station had done a world of good for her. She was still freaked out, but at least now she could breathe and think more clearly. And she had things to do. She did much better with things to do.

Marcel, one of the Eternal Sun instructors, knocked on the door. “Sweetheart, they’re waiting for you. You coming?”

Elle smiled. “I’ll be there in five.” At Jack’s fulminating glare, Elle explained after Marcel left, “Zumba class for seniors. Just half an hour and we’ll be done.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “We do not have time for Zumba classes.”