Page 47 of Impossible Thrills

“I do at my Tecate house, and that’s where I live.” She glanced at Nick and then back to Jagger. “When I originally moved to Tecate, my ex-husband didn’t like me being alone, so he sent his security guys to check on me. Now different guards rotate through all the time.”

“Pardon me?” Nick blinked at her and hoped the pieces clicking in his head weren’t what he feared. “Johnny Trattori’s men stay at your Tecate house?” Did she even understand how terrifying that was? Trattori’s drug-dealing, murdering, despicable men were around her and her innocent children? His stomach churned.

“To watch out for us. Yes.” She nodded, but hurried to explain, as if she could sense his concern, “They don’t interact with the children at all. Our basement wasn’t finished and has a separate entrance. They fixed up a space down there, and that’s where they stay when they’re watching over us. Different men come and go, but there are always one or two around and the local criminals don’t mess with us because of them.”

Nick could bet the local criminals stayed far away. Johnny Trattori may be Italian, but he was feared throughout America and Mexico. The only thing a criminal was afraid of was a bigger criminal.

A basement. Johnny’s men rotating through. This smelled like Johnny Trattori … rotten and hiding a lot of illegal drugs.

“Darcy,” Nick said into the silence. “Can you wait for a moment while I make a phone call?”

“Sure.” Her gaze was confused, yet hopeful. He could read her question—did the phone call mean a change of plans?

He knew exactly how she felt. Confused yet hopeful. Could he change his plans? Would going with her to Tecate be the break he needed with the case and, more importantly, the chance to be with her?

Hays and Jagger both nodded to him.

“We’ll hang with her,” Hays said.

He hadn’t told either man he was after her ex, but they both had connected the dots pretty quick that her ex was a scum. They’d understand why Nick didn’t want her ex’s men around her. If only they knew how filthy of a scum Johnny was.

Nick tilted his chin, picked his phone up off the counter where his gun, wallet, and knife were waiting, and hurried into the larger bedroom of the suite, closing the door behind him.

He pushed the number at the top of his recent call list. Mama Marie was below Aiden. His call list showed how pathetic his social life was. It made him smile that Darcy had feared he was a playboy, but then it made his smile turn to a frown. Her husband had cheated on her and broken her trust and her heart. Nick was going to finish Johnny Trattori and pray he didn’t destroy her trust in him when she knew the full story.

“My man,” Aiden called into the phone. “We’ve all missed you. How was the week?”

“It was … incredible and a mess at the same time. Aiden … the woman I was matched with was Darcy Saint.”

“What? Trattori’s traitorous ex?” Aiden’s voice was full of disbelief, not his usual charming tone. “Did you get any info from her that could help?”

Nick hated that question and the nickname. He didn’t want to ‘get info’ from Darcy. He wanted to protect her and love her.

“Darcy is innocent.” His tone was firm, brooking no argument. “The most beautiful and saintly woman in the world.”

“Nick…” Aiden’s voice was cautious. “What are you thinking? Did Trattori’s traitorous ex play you?”

“No. No way. And nobody better call her a traitor again.” Nick had never questioned or talked back to Aiden. He would do a lot more than that if he kept saying Darcy was traitorous. “Darcy’s a saint.”

“You fell for Darcy Saint.”

“Yes. Yes, I did. She’s the real deal.”

“Okay.” Aiden still didn’t seem convinced.

“There are a lot of issues,” he admitted.

“Tell me about it.”

The words were semi-sarcastic, but Nick had to give him the info Darcy had volunteered. He’d convince Aiden of her innocence. “Trattori has men rotating through the basement of her Tecate children’s home, providing ‘security’ for her.”

“Then she is still in bed with him.”

“No,” Nick snapped.

“Nick?”

He took a breath and said, “Apologies, sir, but please don’t say anything like that again. There is no possible way Darcy supports or is affiliated with Trattori. I swear to you that she is innocent. I’d stake my life and career on her innocence.”

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