Page 26 of Ruthless Redemption

“Don’t try to bullshit me. You think I don’t see it? That I don’t understand it? I spent a lifetime loving a woman I could never make mine. If you don’t figure this out now, one, two or probably all three of you is going to end up miserable or worse.”

The thought of JD and his father being in the position of both loving his mother, tore through him, rearing the ugly head of his only partially buried grief.

He gritted his teeth against the memories of the night his mother died and tried to push them away. They were in a mess at the moment and they didn’t need him succumbing to the bullshit of his past. He needed to focus on the present.

“She’s right,” Axel offered. “Look, I—was interested. While you were gone, I entertained the idea, but neither of us did or said anything remotely inappropriate.”

Izzy rolled her eyes. “Stop talking like I’m some sort of prize between the two of you that you can fight over. There was never any doubt where my heart belonged from the very beginning.”

Izzy’s eyes met his for a moment before they slid away again. “This isn’t, wasn’t nor will it ever be some sort of love triangle. I don’t have the capacity for that kind of thing. I barely have it in me to deal with this at all. Is that understood?”

They both nodded. Although the level of seething inside him had not subsided. Izzy was, is and always would be his. He only had to get her onboard with that notion. She had feelings for him, that much was clear. But having the feelings might not equate to taking action on them if he didn’t find a better way to handle this all.

It was time for Axel to get the hell out of his way. “It’s time to end this, whatever it is.” He waved between him and Axel. “This animosity is going to get someone killed if we can’t find a way to work together.”

“Agreed,” said JD. “Stop acting like children. Houston left. He didn’t blame you for what happened to his mother, you idiot. He blamed himself for choosing to stay with you in the club that night. The fact you’d coaxed him into a threesome with that girl happened to be a case of the worst timing known to man. However, leaving was probably the best thing he could have done for himself. Not to mention it’s a clear trigger for him. As far as I can see, it kept him somewhat sane.” JD turned away from Axel and faced him. “And you. You are not to blame for her death either. That shit’s squarely on mine and your father’s shoulders. Stop trying to take that away from us. We were the makers of our own fate and we have to live with that. Our inability to set things right over the years took a toll. I only wish I’d realized sooner how bad it really was. I was living with blinders on. You can’t do that. So let this be the end of it. Maybe you’ll never be best friends again, but so what. Doesn’t mean you have to carry on like assholes.”

By the time JD finished with his tirade, Houston was getting a headache. Too much had happened in one day and they’d barely begun. They had a whole lot more to do tonight.

As if on cue, a knock sounded on the door.

Axel broke free first and went and checked it out, returning moments later. “Tel spotted Mazzeo at the valet. He’s on his way in. We’re done here, right?”

“For the most part.” JD fished an envelope out of his pocket and dumped the contents into his hand. Two gold rings. Wedding rings to be exact. “Funny how all of you leapt to the craziest idea without letting anyone finish telling you the real plan. You don’t actually have to get married. We just need Frank and Marco to believe you’re married. If they believe it, then that adds a layer of complication to whatever they are planning. Instead of grabbing Izzy, they’re going to need you both. I doubt either of them is prepared for that scenario.”

Izzy made a noise in her throat. “Never underestimate my father. That’s rule number one. If you don’t get that, I certainly do.” She picked up the smaller band and placed it on her finger. Something dark and needy twisted in his gut watching her.

He didn’t want to fake it. Not with her.

JD held up the other ring to him and he slowly plucked it from his hand.

“I highly doubt he’s going to buy into this story so easily. He’s too smart for that.”

JD nodded. “I would expect no less. That’s why Marvin here has already arranged for a legal filing. It may not be real for the two of you, but in the eyes of the State of Nevada it certainly is. Although before you get your panties in a twist, know that by this time tomorrow our guy can also have that paperwork pulled and it will be as if it never happened.”

“Because it didn’t,” Izzy whispered.

Houston felt that quiet slice go deep. Those three words said as much as they didn’t. As soon as this was over they needed to talk about their future. Extensively.

“Fine.” He took the ring and put it on his finger. His brain might have noted that it fit perfectly and felt incredibly right, but his heart refused to acknowledge that right now. “What’s next? Are we luring him somewhere so we can nab him?”

JD shook his head. “Nope. Those details are on us. You too are the necessary distraction. Just seeing the two of you together with wedding bands on should throw him for a loop. As for Marco, there’s no sign of him yet and that’s kind of what we expected. It might take Frank to lead us to him. Either way, I don’t think he’ll be staying for the main event. Not with the kind of money that is now at stake. In fact, if we’ve timed this right, he should get a call in less than an hour informing him that the money is gone from the original account.”

Izzy shook her head. “This isn’t how I thought tonight was going to go.”

JD chuckled. “Well, don’t count it out yet. Frank is a wild card. Especially when it comes to your appearance. We don’t yet know what he’s going to do when he sees you with Houston here. That’s one secret we managed to keep under wraps despite the two of you not following the rules by staying away from each other while Houston was working for Frank.”

Houston narrowed his eyes. Was JD saying what he thought he was saying? That from the beginning he’d been hedging his bets and keeping their circumstances fluid in the event he could use their relationship against Frank? His fists clenched at his sides. While he understood more than most about a case of need to know, that didn’t do shit to make him feel better.

He’d been through hell too many times to keep playing these fucking games. It was time he took charge of his life and stopped letting others call the shots. That didn’t bode well for his future with the club. Some things just weren’t going to fit no matter how much some might want that.

“Okay, it’s show time. We need to get you all out there asap before Frank gets his call. I expect things will move fast at that point and we need to be ready.”

JD walked them into the hall where some of the club still milled as well as the woman who’d been with Izzy.

“Nina,” JD greeted her. “I appreciate you helping us out tonight. You are, as always, amazing.”

The pretty brunette shook her head and smiled. “She made my job easy.”

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