“Trouble, Jinx…” Ramsey was saying.
“Sorry,” Jinx muttered. “Got lost in my own memories.” Not like it was the first time that happened. “Could you say everything to me again? All the bits that came after me telling you that memories can make you long for things.”
Ramsey gave a long sigh. “I said…your friend is in trouble. You want to help someone, you want to play hero? Go play with her and leave me the hell alone.” Then he turned his back and walked away.
Jinx climbed onto his motorcycle. Curled his hands over the handlebars. Ramsey didn’t quite understand him. That was okay. Most people didn’t. Not even those blood related to him.
But the thing was…when it came to Ali, he wasn’t playing.
He drove away from the bar. The road was pitch black, only his headlight cutting through the night. Wind blew against him, and the motorcycle roared as he sped forward. He didn’t need Ramsey to tell him that Ali was in trouble. Jinx knew that for himself. He also knew that she had to be damn scared if she’d come to Ramsey for help.
He hugged the curve. Heard the distant crash of the waves into the shore. He zipped forward again and—
Lights flashed on behind him as a powerful engine snarled. The lights were bright—too bright, blinding—but Jinx didn’t waver with his hold on the motorcycle. Some prick wanted to pop out of the dark and give chase?
Fucking fine with him.
He shot the bike forward, racing faster.
The engine behind him rumbled louder and gave chase. Seriously? Jinx had to deal with some wanna be Fast and—
The truck hit the back of his bike. Tipped it and had Jinx surging forward. For just a moment, the motorcycle started to careen out of control. The blinding lights behind him kept burning, and the truck’s engine was snarling for all it was worth.
A swift glance back showed Jinx that the guy was coming at him again. This prick was looking to do damage.
But he’d picked the wrong prey.
Jinx took his motorcycle off-road. Revved it and cleared the shoulder, then he spun back toward the road, kicking up dirt and rocks as he whirled to catch sight of the truck that had blasted past him. Jinx could see the rear taillights. No license plate.
The truck screeched to a stop. Then it began to reverse. The driver had seen Jinx go off the road, and he was coming back for him.
Come on, asshole. Come at me. Jinx didn’t know who the hell this creep was but figured he was probably an enemy of Ramsey’s who’d seen them talking in the lot. Jinx had been sure that lot was empty. Apparently, he’d been wrong. If this piece of shit thought he’d hurt Ramsey by coming at Jinx, then he needed to think again.
Jinx saw the flash of more headlights in the distance. Other cars were edging around the curve and would be on them soon. The driver of the truck must have spotted those lights, too, because it stopped reversing. Instead, it leapt forward and burned rubber as it screeched its way from the scene.
Jinx considered giving chase until he saw that one of the cars rounding the curve? It was a cop car. So Jinx just kept sitting his ass right there and pulled out his phone. If he zoomed up and gave chase, he’d wind up having a long chat with the cops. Not something he needed right now. Not when the situation involved Ramsey.
He dialed his brother.
“Are you fucking kidding—” Ramsey began.
“Someone in a big-ass, souped-up truck just tried to run me off the road.” Flat. “Consider this a warning that one of your enemies may know who I am to you.”
Silence. Then… “You hurt?”
“Takes more than a sloppy bit of driving to hurt me, but I’m touched by your concern. Deeply, deeply touched.”
“Fuck off.”
“I assume that means you’ll find out who the jerk is? Because he wasn’t sporting tags which tells me he thought he was being clever.” The cop car had passed him.
“I’ll take care of him.”
“Good to know. Because I take someone hitting my bike very personally.” He had killed the engine, and now he walked around to inspect his precious wheels. “Jackass left a dent. He’ll pay for that.”
“Told you…I’ll take care of him.” Then Ramsey hung up.
“Well, good freaking night to you, too,” Jinx muttered. Talk about some shitty luck.
***
She wasn’t a quitter, so Ali didn’t stop drinking her milkshake until she’d drained every single drop of chocolate goodness from that baby. She’d lucked up and found a small, twenty-four-hour diner on her way back to the condo, and to her utter delight, the place had served the best shake she’d had in ages. She’d hunched in her booth and drank away her sorrows and tried not to think about just how great—and tempting—Jinx had looked when she’d first spotted him inside of Ramsey’s.
Now isn’t the time to get involved again. You have enough to deal with as it is. Stuff she knew, sure, but…
This was Jinx. And she’d always had a bit of a weak spot for Jinx.
And that’s why he’s off-limits.
Ali left some cash on the table near her empty shake and made her way to the door. As she stepped outside, some joker in a souped-up truck turned on his brights. They blinded her and whoever else in the restaurant had the unfortunate luck of glancing that way. Automatically, she lifted her hand to shield her eyes—and then she heard the vehicle lurching away.
Jerk. Shaking her head—and lowering her arm—she hurried to her rental car. It waited for her under a flickering light in the parking lot and—
The light flickered. Came on. Went off. Came on…
Something was wrong with the driver’s side door of her sensible ride.
Ali’s steps slowed.
The parking lot light flashed on. Hummed. Went off again.
She inched closer to the vehicle.
Then she was swearing and pulling out her phone. She turned on the flashlight and shone the light at the door as she crouched forward.
Slut.
Someone had keyed her car and left a very distinct message. Instantly, she shot upright and swung around.
The truck…the truck with the bright lights.
Lights that had only turned on when she’d exited the diner. As if…as if the driver had been waiting for her.
Sonofabitch.
He was in the area. He’d found her. And if his message was anything to go by, he was about to start his same sick games again.
Jinx had been right. She had been in Ramsey’s bar because she was looking for a very specific brand of trouble. The kind of trouble she could hire for a dangerous job.
But Jinx had shut down that option for her.
She looked back at the ugly taunt that had been carved into her vehicle.
Looked like it was definitely plan B time.
And plan B meant turning to some old friends for help. Considering that those friends owed her, they had darn well better take the job…and promise not to mention a word about it to a certain too handsome, too wild, good luck addict named Jinx…
Chapter Three
At 8 a.m. sharp, Ali lifted her hand and rapped against the office door for Trouble for Hire. She’d texted War, the owner of the PI office, earlier that morning and told him that she needed to meet. She’d left out the part about it being a life-or-death situation. She figured they’d get around to that bit in person.