Page 1 of Securing the Odds

Chapter 1

“Carter.”Jake answered the phone distractedly as he scanned security footage of an office building he had under surveillance. Some fucker was dipping his fingers into the proverbial cookie jar, and the guy who hired Jake wanted him to ferret the asshole out.

“Jake?”

His fingers stilled on the keyboard, his heartbeat stopping and then picking up tempo as he recognized the voice that came over the line.

“This is, um, Tammy. Tammy Reed. I’m not sure if you remember helping—”

“I remember,” Jake interjected. How could he fucking forget? Only she’d still been Tammy Williams the last time he’d spoken to her when he’d helped her get back the money her piece of shit ex-husband had stolen.

“Right, well, um...” There was a moment’s pause in which he held his breath, waiting. “I wasn’t sure who to call. I didn’t want to call Nate and worry him and figured he’d just end up calling you anyway.”

It had to be bad if she didn’t want to tell her brother. He waited a beat, then asked, “Call about what?”

“Oh, right, sorry. I’m not usually so scatterbrained but with everything that’s happened… I’m scared, Jake.”

That had him sitting up in his chair. “Talk to me.”

“I had a package delivered today at work. I don’t usually have things delivered there, but I thought maybe I forgot, so I opened it anyway. Inside was a cell phone. An old-fashioned kind. You know, the kind that flips open.”

Burner phone, Jake thought, not liking the sudden tingle he got on the back of his neck, warning him he wouldn’t like where her story was heading.

Tammy continued, confirming his suspicions. “The phone was on, and a red light was blinking, alerting me there was a waiting text. Jake, the message threatened me, and it’s something Kevin’s involved in.”

Her fucking douche of an ex-husband. “What did it say?”

“Hang on, let me get the phone, so I can tell you exactly.”

“Wait. Where are you now?”

“Home.”

“Your doors locked?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Stay put. Don’t open the door to anyone but me. I’ll be there in ten.” He hung up without giving her a chance to protest and when she didn’t call back, figured she was okay with him showing up at her place. Not that her minding would have stopped him.

After shutting down his computer, Jake opened his bottom desk drawer and pulled out his SIG, slipping it into its holster tucked behind the waistband of his jeans at his right hip then grabbed up his keys.

Margaret, his receptionist… secretary… assistant—the woman did everything—was busy at her desk as he passed.

“I’ll be out the rest of the afternoon. Hold all my calls unless it’s an emergency.” He didn’t wait for her response as he hurried out the door.

He broke nearly every traffic law in his rush from his office in downtown San Diego to Tammy’s place in Golden Hill. She lived in a small, two-bedroom townhouse that she’d purchased after her divorce with the money he’d retrieved from her scumbag ex who had stolen it from their account.

He shouldn’t know so much about her personal life. Like that she was a middle school teacher and her favorite subject to teach was math. That her favorite food was macaroni and cheese, but she only ate it when she was upset since it had too many calories. That she had a gym membership—not so coincidentally at the same gym he belonged to—that she never used. That her favorite thing to do at the end of a long day was sit outside with a glass of wine—something stronger if she’d had a bad day—and watch the sun set. Or that since her divorce, he’d watched her go from a woman beaten down by life to one with confidence, knowing she could stand on her own.

Should he know all that shit? Fuck no. And if Tammy knew that he knew, she’d probably run for the hills. She definitely wouldn’t have called him for help.

He pulled his Mustang GT into a visitor’s spot close to Tammy’s unit and got out, clicking the alarm as he made his way around the hood before pocketing his keys.

Taking out his cell when he reached her front door, he hit the call-back button on the last call he’d received and waited through two rings before Tammy picked up. “I’m here.”

A moment later, the door swung wide and he was face to face with Tammy Reed. Fuck, she was beautiful—even after a long day at work. With dark chestnut hair falling in waves around her face and over her shoulders, big, brown eyes surrounded by long, thick lashes, a small, pert nose, and full, red, kissable lips, she was his kryptonite. One look at her had his dick standing at attention.

“You made good time.” She had a great voice. Not grating or shrill but melodic and soothing, like a warm breeze wrapped in the softest silk and one-hundred percent pleasant to his ears.

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