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  AN INDECENT ARRANGEMENT

  PART III

  Stephanie Julian

  Copyright

  Stephanie Julian

  Published by Stephanie Julian

  Copyright 2015. Stephanie Julian.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to a legitimate bookseller to purchase your own copy.

  Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at [email protected].

  All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination.

  Chapter One

  Mary Alice had expected the gunshot to be much louder.

  She’d turned away when Max had pulled the trigger, flinching even though the sound was a muted pop instead of a blast.

  “It’s okay. Trust him.”

  Her eyes opened as Jesse whispered in her ear. Jesse…who was bleeding and possibly dying on the floor in front of her.

  Swallowing hard, she pulled back to look down at him. Pain made tiny lines appear at the corners of his eyes but otherwise, he looked fine.

  Except for all that blood.

  Deep breath. And another. She focused on slowing her galloping heart and drawing in much-needed air as she stared into Jesse’s steady eyes. How could he be so calm? He’d been shot.

  “Gonna be okay. Trust him.”

  Who? Max? Who’d just shot the man who’d tried to kill Jesse.

  “…sent you?” Max said. “Just for curiosity’s sake because I already know the answer. I want to hear you say it.”

  Her gaze connected with Jesse’s, his expression calm. Much calmer than she felt.

  “Breathe.”

  She obeyed him immediately, realizing she’d been holding her breath. Her lungs burned and she blinked hard to clear sudden tears. Adrenaline burned through her body, fear and anger creating a toxic stew in her stomach.

  Behind her, she heard Max continue to question the intruder. She figured he was trying to get information before the guy died.

  “Jess—”

  “Have her call Haverstick.”

  Max’s voice stunned her like an electric shock. He sounded deadly calm. Unemotional. And so very cold.

  The urge to scream rose up in her throat. She wanted to turn on Max and tear into him but Jesse grabbed her arm and squeezed.

  “Phone. In my pocket.”

  Okay, now that seemed like a plan. Call for an ambulance. Get Jesse to a hospital.

  She reached for his pants but froze because the pocket where Jesse had his phone was right below the wound. The still-bleeding wound.

  Her gaze snapped back to Jesse’s. He watched her every move with laser focus.

  Probably because he was afraid she was going to pass out. And she hadn’t been shot.

  “I…”

  She swallowed the rest of her words because she’d been going to say she couldn’t do it. Couldn’t get his phone because she was weak. Jesse couldn’t afford for her to be weak now.

  Taking a deep breath, she stuck her hand in his pocket, and, as gently as she could, withdrew his phone. He didn’t move but she saw the way the skin around his eyes tightened.

  “Jesse.”

  Her voice was barely a whisper though he must have heard her.

  “I’m okay.” But his voice sounded just a tiny bit weaker. “I have to open it and then you need to make the call.”

  When she held out the phone to him, her hands shook so hard, she almost dropped it. After he used his thumb to unlock the screen, he handed it back. Carefully. Not moving more than he had to.

  “Contacts. Haverstick.”

  Vaguely, she realized Max continued to interrogate the intruder. But, even though she wanted to listen, she forced herself to make the call.

  “Just say the address,” Jesse said. “No names. Nothing else. They’ll recognize…the number.”

  Jesse had lost his breath by the end of his sentence and he had to stop to suck in air. Fear wrapped around her lungs. With a shaky finger, she found the name in his list and punched it.

  Taking a deep breath, she waited. One ring. Two. Three.

  “Yes.”

  The voice on the other end of the phone was female. And young. Mally hadn’t expected that.

  Then she remembered what Jesse had told her. She recited the address. The only response was the click to end the call.

  She looked back at Jesse and opened her mouth to speak but stopped when he shook his head. Just once and very slowly.

  She closed her mouth.

  “I need you to say that again. Slower this time.”

  Behind her, she plainly heard Max. No mistaking that hard tone.

  Swallowing down her fear, she turned, bracing herself for another gruesome sight.

  But…the intruder didn’t appear to have a gunshot wound anywhere on his body. At least none that she could see on his all-black clothing. No blood seeped from his body, except from the cuts on his face, probably caused by his fight with Jesse.

  Then she looked a little closer and realized there was a hole just to the left of his head in the wall.

  Max hadn’t shot him.

  Relief literally made her thighs shake. Good thing she wasn’t standing.

  And if he had shot the guy?

  She glanced at Jesse, bleeding onto the floor. If anything happened to him…

  I’d shoot him myself.

  She turned back just in time to see Max cock the gun and, instead of aiming at the guy’s head, he aimed directly between his legs.

  “You don’t have to talk but if you don’t,” Max said, “you’ll leave here with fewer body parts than when you arrived. Now…who sent you?”

  When the man didn’t answer, Max pulled the trigger. She flinched but didn’t look away this time.

  The bullet lodged in the floor between his legs.

  “Next one goes in your thigh and you’ll bleed out before the doctor gets here.”

  Max cocked the gun again.

  The intruder tilted his head back, a sneer on his lips. “No one sent me.”

  “Then no one will miss you when you disappear.”

  The guy was young, she realized. Probably younger than her. Short, dark hair. Huge, dark eyes. Wiry but not too tall. And the defiant look on his pale face made her wonder if he knew exactly who he was dealing with.

  Because she couldn’t believe anyone who saw Max now would believe he wouldn’t follow through on his threat.

  “Man,” the sneer in the guy’s voice made her want to smack him, “you’re not gonna shoot me. You would’ve already. You can’t afford to. You wanna be Mr. Perfect now. Mr. Executive. Never gonna happen. You’re always gonna be a lowlife hood rat. And everyone’s gonna know who took you down.”

  Max’s smile made Mally shiver. “Obviously, you’re not as smart as you think you are.”

  In the blink of an eye, Max shifted the gun and shot the intruder in the arm.

  This time, she didn’t even flinch.

  The bullet went through the fleshy part of his arm, making the man cry out in pain. “You motherfucker. I’m gonna kill—”

  Max cocked the gun once more and aimed at his leg. “Tell me who you’re working for.”

  “Jesus Christ.” Fear finally showed in the intruder’s voice. “You fucking know who I work for. But he didn’t send me. You two are fair game, asshole. You kn
ow that. You painted a huge bull’s-eye on your back the second Oleksy left town. Somebody’s gonna take you down. It’s just a matter of time.”

  “No one will come after us. Not when they hear what we do to you.”

  The total lack of emotion in Max’s voice made a chill run up her spine and she sucked in a sharp breath.

  “You’re not gonna do anything to me.” The guy’s voice really shook now. “You can’t. He’ll kill you and you know it.”

  “Your boss understands the way the game is played. He understands that some losses are acceptable. And some are out of his control. Now, I can make this quick or I can draw it out. Tell me who’s responsible for the sabotage in our buildings, because you’re not smart enough for it, and I’ll make it quick. Stay silent and…”

  Max turned the gun in his hand slightly and the intruder held up his good hand.

  “I don’t know who. Not exactly. But yeah, he’s been fucking with you. Just to see what you’d do.” Something on Max’s face must have warned the guy because he tried to cover his face with both arms. “No, wait—”

  With a practiced move, Max flipped the gun and slammed the butt against the guy’s temple. The dull thump as it made contact caused her stomach to flip but she forced herself to swallow down the queasiness.

  Max had already turned before the guy started to slump. He closed the distance between him and Jesse in a second and fell to his knees, putting his hands on Jesse’s. When he added pressure, Jesse groaned and Mary Alice felt a sob build in her chest. She quickly swallowed it down. None of them could afford for her to crumble now.

  “How bad is it?”

  She heard fear in Max’s voice, a low undertone that made her eyes well with tears. She’d never heard that level of emotion from him before. She wanted to throw her arms around his shoulders and hold him but she wasn’t sure he’d let her.

  Jesse shook his head. “Didn’t hit anything vital.”

  She hadn’t realized she’d started to shake again until Max took one hand from Jesse’s side and wrapped it around hers, still twined with Jesse’s fingers.

  He squeezed for a brief second then guided her hand down to Jesse’s wound. “Press hard. I’ve gotta tie that fucker up and let the doctor in when she gets here.” He stared into her eyes, his dark. And cold. Which didn’t match the tone of his voice. She wondered if he realized how much of his fear came through in his voice. “He’ll be okay, Mally.”

  She didn’t know if he was trying to convince her or himself.

  Then he got up and headed for the kitchen, where she heard him opening and closing drawers.

  She alternated between watching the doorway and watching Jesse until Max returned. Jesse didn’t move, just continued to breathe, slow and steady. When Max finally walked back into the room, he went straight to the intruder and zip-tied his hands and feet before coming back to them.

  “Do you want to leave?”

  She blinked at him, her brain taking a few seconds to work through what Max had said. And when she had, she couldn’t believe she’d heard him right.

  Her mouth opened and closed twice before she spoke. “Are you seriously asking me if I want to leave while Jesse’s bleeding on the damn floor?”

  Max’s expression remained stone cold but his eyes… The wildness in his voice had started to seep through.

  “Yes, I am. I’ll call Adam to pick you up. I don’t want you to leave by yourself. The doctor will be here in minutes and—”

  “Max. Shut up. I’m not going anywhere.”

  His mouth tightened and she thought he might argue with her. Prepared to put up a fight, she watched as he took a breath and held it for several seconds before releasing it.

  She could’ve sworn he was going to say something else, but he shook his head after a few seconds and turned to Jesse.

  “Haverstick will be here in minutes.”

  Jesse nodded. “I know. I told you, he didn’t hit anything vital. I’ll be fine.”

  Max nodded but it was jittery, and Mally realized he was barely holding it together. This man, who never seemed to get rattled, was about to lose it. And she had no idea how to make it better.

  She wanted to wrap her arms around him but didn’t want to take the pressure off Jesse’s wound.

  She’d started to regain her own equilibrium, though she wasn’t sure how long it would last. By focusing solely on Jesse, she’d been able to maintain, to hold off the terror.

  But if Max fell apart…

  “Max.”

  She kept her tone low and steady, as if he was one of her younger cousins having a tantrum. She’d done her share of babysitting and she’d learned how to calm a screaming toddler.

  Max wasn’t a toddler and he wasn’t screaming, but the theory was the same. She almost expected him to snarl at her. Instead, he took another breath and, in the blink of an eye, reined himself in.

  Steady, stable Max reappeared as he stood. And she breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Keep the pressure on that wound. I’ll be right back. Need to get a towel from the kitchen.”

  Then he stalked away again and she watched him until he disappeared.

  “Hey. Mally.”

  Jesse’s voice drew her attention back to him and she had to suck in air to stave off the tears that suddenly threatened. He looked pale, more now than he had earlier. And fear crept back in, threatening her composure.

  Not now. Can’t cry now.

  “What do you need?”

  Jesse’s lips curved in a slight smile. “A beer.”

  His joke took a second to sink in but when it did, she couldn’t even muster a smile. “You need to keep still.”

  “I’m not gonna bleed out. It hurts like a bitch, but it’s not gonna kill me. But you gotta listen. Max’ll think this is his fault. Hell, he thinks everything’s his fault. Don’t let him fall into that trap.”

  She shook her head. “You must’ve mistaken me for someone Max actually listens to.”

  “He does listen to you. He’s just—”

  Jesse cut off with a grimace and her heart stuttered in her chest, wondering why Jesse had stopped…until she realized Max had walked back into the room.

  He looked as if he’d taken a few seconds to pull himself together. His expression had leveled out. While he didn’t look like he was about to commit murder, he certainly looked as if he could.

  “Move your hands.” Squatting down beside them, Max waited for them to do what he’d said before putting a towel against the wound, which didn’t seem to be bleeding as much anymore.

  He didn’t say anything, didn’t look at either of them. Just watched as they pressed the white cloth into Jesse’s side then got up and contemplated the still-unconscious intruder.

  Max had his back to her but she sensed the stiffness in his body, saw the hands clenched at his sides.

  And had a moment of serious panic that he was going to do something he’d regret and could never take back.

  “Max.”

  She said his name so softly, she wasn’t sure he’d heard her. Then she heard him suck in an audible breath and his hands unclenched. He turned to look over his shoulder at her, that wild emotion still in his eyes. Her breath caught in her throat.

  A knock at the front door broke their connection. Max shot off to answer it and returned half a minute later with a woman who looked barely old enough to be a resident, much less a full-fledged doctor.

  With a body that wouldn’t look out of place on a runway and short blonde hair as flawless as if she’d just left the salon, the woman walked with an inbred confidence. And her expression when she saw Jesse told Mally the woman’s feelings for him went beyond traditional doctor-patient relationship.

  Mally had the uncharacteristic and completely ridiculous urge to bare her teeth and tell her to stay the fuck away from her men.

  Maybe Max isn’t the only one losing it.

  “You know,” the woman sank onto her haunches beside Mally, her entire attention focused on J
esse, “there’s a much easier way for us to spend time together. All you have to do is pick up the phone and call.”

  “Haven’t exactly had a lot of time lately, Dorrie.”

  “So I hear.” The woman peeled away the towel at his wound, her expression showing nothing as she began her examination.

  Mally would’ve stayed by his side but Max touched her shoulder, making her look up.

  “I have to take out the trash and I may be gone for a while. Don’t leave unless it’s with Adam or Tristan. I’m going to call someone to watch the house. I believe this one was working on his own but I’m not taking any chances. Are you sure you don’t want to leave?”

  Standing, Mally looked Max directly in the eyes, trying to see beyond the purposefully blank expression. Did he want her to go? Did he not want to have to deal with her? She wanted to ask, but she wouldn’t while the doctor was here. But if Max didn’t stop trying to push her away, all bets would be off.

  “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right here when you get back.”

  He looked like he wanted to say more, his jaw flexing as if he was biting back the words. Did he really want her to leave that badly?

  “I’m calling Adam anyway. He’ll be here to watch your back. And I’m calling in someone else, too. I’ll wait until they get here then I have to take care of this. But you should leave with Adam.”

  Guess she should’ve seen that one coming, though it didn’t change her mind in any way.

  “I’m. Not. Leaving.” She spoke slowly and clearly and loud enough that Jesse could hear her, too. She wanted him to know she wasn’t abandoning him.

  Frustration made Max’s mouth tighten. “Damn it, Mally—”

  “Max, maybe you could shut up for a few minutes while I make sure Jesse’s guts don’t spill out, okay? Thanks. And maybe you want to introduce me to your friend.”

  The doctor’s words felt like a slap but they served their purpose.

  Max’s jaw flexed like he was trying to grind his molars into dust but he flipped a quick glance at the doctor. “Dorrie, Mary Alice. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  Then he grabbed the intruder off the ground as if he weighed less than a bag of cat litter, threw him over his shoulder and headed for the kitchen and, she assumed, the garage.