Billionaire Misery (9 page)

Morgan shook all over. His rage was so palpable Jessie felt the force of it. Craig stood close to her, but she didn’t dare go near him. Her emotions were too confused, and her thoughts too chaotic and wild. She loved him.

She loved him.

And she hated him too.

Her eyes went back to Katie.

She’d always liked Katie, and she had always known Katie had no idea about what was going on with her father. Looking at her now, Jessie could see the last vestiges of love and hope Katie had had for her father draining right out of her soul.

Her heart went out to her. This wasn’t what she’d wanted. She’d wanted revenge on Wilkes, but she’d never imagined how far he was willing to go to hurt everyone around him.

She took a long breath, gathered herself, and slipped her hand by the slit of her dress. Years of experience on the force kicked in. “We’re leaving, Wilkes. You try to stop us and you’ll die. I don’t care how that happens, but you will die. And Craig, if you try to keep me from killing him, I’ll fucking kill you too.”

Hurt and sorrow rose up in Craig’s face.

Jessie’s heart ached. She didn’t want this. She’d never wanted this, but this is where they were. Her whole body ached, and she said, “I mean it. If anyone wants to go with me, feel free. I’m leaving, though, and I am doing it now.”

Wilkes smiled a thin and vicious smile. “You won’t get five feet. Half the cops in the city are downstairs.”

Jessie hissed, “Yes, but I outrank them. I’m
their
fucking boss, and they have no right to interfere with my investigation. The DEA trumps all, Wilkes.”

It was Craig’s turn to look stunned. “You’re a cop?”

She was going to tell him; she just hadn’t wanted to tell him like this. “I’m sorry, Craig.”

Morgan spun around and glared at her. “You put some of my guys in the way of charges, and you did it while being part of us. That’s...”

“I grew up in a crew,” Jessie said. Tears hovered on the edge of her vision but she blinked them back. “I grew up riding, and Wilkes killed my father and wrecked my life. I was in foster, and it was all due to him. I’m taking him down, with or without an ounce of help. I’m sorry I lied to you, but that’s done and I can’t change it.” She pulled her gun out of its holster. “I’m walking out of here. I’ll shoot anyone who gets in my way.”

Craig stared at her with a look that hurt more than seeing her father on the floor. “Even me?”

Tears created rainbows in her vision. She couldn’t afford tears, not now. “One call, Wilkes, and everyone at this little soirée goes down. Maybe you want to explain to the cartel boss is downstairs that you didn’t set him up for a trap.”

Wilkes drew his lips away from his teeth. “Give me the files, or I’ll kill Craig.”

The gun in his hand was steady. He was serious. He was banking on her loving Craig. For all she knew, Craig was banking on it too.

“Kill him,” she said. “I couldn’t care less.”

Her words were the ultimate betrayal. She knew it. She had copies of the files, and even if she lost the ones in her hand she could use the copies. But Wilkes didn’t know that. Craig knew it, though, and she didn’t know if she could trust him.

Now that they knew she was an agent, she couldn’t trust any of them.

Wilkes’ finger tightened. The look on his face was lethal. Jessie pointed her gun right at his head. She’d pull the trigger, and she wouldn’t look back.

She had an idea and she moved swiftly, suddenly. The barrel of her gun pressed against Craig’s temple. She heard Katie drag in a long and pained breath. Jessie smirked. “I tell you what, Wilkes. Let’s just take your son out of the equation, what do you say?”

Craig didn’t move.

Katie shouted, “No! He’s... Don’t, Jessie... It’s Charlie...”

Morgan said, calmly, “If you kill him, Jessie, I won’t stop until I get that gun.”

Jessie smiled. “I know that, Morgan. In fact, I’m counting on it.”

Did he understand what she was trying to say with those words? She thought she saw a flicker in his eyes that might mean that he did, but she couldn’t be sure. She had to risk it, because there was nothing else she could do.

She stepped out in front of Craig and then she turned. Aiming the gun low on his chest, and hoping she wouldn’t hit anything vital, she fired.

Craig’s eyes went wide.

Then he fell.

C
raig fell to the floor, shock and pain rocketing through his body. The pain from the shot didn’t hurt nearly as badly as Jessie’s admission.

She’d lied to him!

He should have fucking known.
Son of a bitch!

Her determination to know everything. Her eagerness to go after Wilkes. She’d never told him that Wilkes had had her father killed, and now that he knew, he understood why she was so driven, but it didn’t change the fact that she had worked as a cop and there were plenty of people sitting behind bars right now.

Because of her.

Fuck, he’d be behind bars soon too. He had done far too much not to go to jail, and if she was really an agent, she had file on him thicker than anyone else’s. Then she’d fucking shot him!

The bullet lodged, and he felt his ribs thud and pound below the force of it.

She had shot him!

In a bulletproof vest, but did she know that? Still hurt like a son of a bitch. She’d done it on purpose, neatly taking him out of Wilkes’ line of fire. He gasped for air and as he did, Morgan moved, his hand coming up and chopping down on Wilkes.

Wilkes’ gun toppled to the floor and Morgan punched him, hard enough to send him flying backward.

Craig rolled over and managed to get a hand out and the gun in it. But even a disarmed Blake Wilkes was dangerous. He had to be shut up, at least long enough for them to get out of there.

He couldn’t stand. The vest had absorbed the bullet but not the shock, and his entire body ached. Morgan grabbed him and hauled him to his feet just as Jessie made her move.

Jessie’s lean body slid through the air, a study in beautiful power. Her foot connected with Wilkes’ neck, and he went down like a sack of stones.

She stood over him, her gun in hand, breathing hard, and murder in her eyes. She said in a low and lethal voice, “Stop resisting.” Craig had time to wonder who she was talking to—Blake or herself. The gun wavered and she choked out a swear word, “Asshole.”

Craig went to reach for the gun. “Don’t do it, Jessie. Don’t. Give me the gun.”

The pistol swung to his face. “You’re his kid.”

“Yes. But that’s not my fault. I never knew, not until recently.”

Her hands shook. “He took my whole family.” Tears streaked down her cheeks. “You knew he took my whole family and you didn’t tell me. You didn’t tell me, you fucking bastard! I should’ve shot you in the head. Damn vest!”

He stared at her, his heart breaking like it did with Lisa, all over again. “You didn’t tell me you’re a damn agent. A fucking cop.”

Katie began to sob. “Please don’t,” she whispered. “He deserves to go to jail, but please don’t make me watch you kill my family.”

Jessie’s eyes went from Katie to Craig. Her face was pale as a sheet, but there were two bright spots of color, one in each cheek. Murder was still written all over her face. “I should kill all of you and just be done with this forever. Shit! How can your family be so messed up?”

Katie scoffed. “Don’t ask me. I was so clueless and messed up, they dumped me.” The words came out on a whistling breath.

Morgan reached for her. “We can work all the rest of it out later. We need to get the hell out. Now.”

Katie stood. Her face was still gray and her eyes tear-filled, but she’d regained her considerable courage. “I don’t want to try to get out of here with
him
awake.” She nodded at her father lying knocked out, strapped between Jessie’s legs and gun. “Whatever you need to do to him, you can do once we get out of here.”

Jessie shook her head. “He’ll run if we leave.”

Katie sighed and went to the desk drawer. She opened it and took his passport out and put it in her pocket. Craig didn’t bother to point out that a man like Wilkes probably didn’t even need a passport. If he did, Jessie probably would shoot him dead. Then they were all screwed. He shook his head as he stepped out of the room. He turned back to Jessie. “You staying here? I need my jacket back if you are. It’s a rental.”

She stared at him before double-checking Wilkes and then tucking her gun in her leg garter. He tried to look away and ignore the fact that it was fucking sexy she had carried her gun there.

They headed out of the study, and Jessie locked the door behind them to keep anyone from going in.

The party was still in full swing, and Craig was glad to see it. He could barely walk; his ribs were killing him. Jessie was pissed behind him; he could hear it in her breathing. He didn’t know if she was angry that they had stopped her from killing Wilkes, at herself for not being able to pull the trigger, or for having to blow her damn cover.

He had no idea how, but they made it out.

The next part of their plan was screwed, and they all knew it. Driving out and taking off with the evidence... there was no riding off into the sunset here. Craig grimaced as he reached for the car door handle. “We have to get to the nearest police station.”

Jessie shook her head. “No, we can’t. The cops are on his payroll. We need to open these files and find out who we can trust.”

They got into the car, Morgan driving and Katie beside him. The backseat was small and the pressure of Jessie’s body against Craig was maddening and tempting. He was furious at her, but he felt fucking responsible at the same time. He reached for her, and she drew away, hard. “I’m sorry, Jessie.”

“Fuck you.” Her voice was hoarse.

Craig knew how her father had died. There were very few people who didn’t. He hadn’t known Blake Wilkes was mixed up in that death, though, and he doubted anyone who did was still alive. Except Jessie.

If Wilkes knew who she was, then he knew she had seen or heard her father die. Wilkes would have her killed. She hadn’t testified way back then, and Craig now had a good idea why.

Her mother had probably run as far and fast as possible, and told Jessie to stay quiet, hoping they could just lay low.

Had her mother died in an accident?

He knew Blake Wilkes, and he doubted it. He had every certainty that he had somehow managed to kill her mother too, and make it look like an accident.

Jessie could testify. But would anyone believe her?

He watched her rigid profile and spoke quietly, “I didn’t know until last year. I didn’t lie.”

“You never said he was your father.” Her words were bitter and angry.

Katie moaned in the front seat. “Holy shit, Charlie! They...they always said you were dead.” She turned around in the seat and Craig tried to smile, but nothing came.

He said, “I don’t remember my
family
. He said they moved me from place to place early on. I guess our mother...”

“Your mother,” Katie shot back. “I was born to a surrogate.”

Craig shook his head. “None of this is my fault, Katie. I mean being his kid. Not any more than it is that
you’re
his kid.”

She said, “I’m not blaming you. I just...” she fell silent.

Jessie moved away from him, squeezing her body into the corner the farthest from him. Hurt and anger welled up. Well, he had every right to be pissed as well. He moved to the far side of his seat and grimaced at his sore ribs. He had a feeling a couple of them might be broken, or at least bruised very badly.

Morgan asked, “Where can we go?”

“Hide in plain sight,” Jessie suggested. “A hotel.”

Morgan nodded. “Good idea. But don’t you think that they’ll check—?”

“I’ll check us in. I have other ID.” Her voice carried weariness.

A fresh burst of anger welled up inside of Craig. Was she kidding? Who was she, really? He wanted to ask, and he would. But first they had to go somewhere that he could get her alone.

J
essie stared out the window as the streets flashed past. She’d blown her cover, and there was no going back. Morgan was furious, and she had no idea how Craig felt about her being an agent. One moment he seemed furious, the next apologetic. And she’d shot him! The smartass had been wearing a bullet-proof vest; how had she not noticed that?

Everything had gone from complicated to convolutedly explosive. She didn’t know how she felt about him either. Everything in her screamed that she had to leave, and now. Take the files and run like hell. Try to get to Fields.

But the other part of her wanted, maybe even needed, to stay and find out why.

Why he hadn’t told her.

Why he hadn’t trusted her.

That last was almost laughable, and she knew it.

She hadn’t trusted him either.

She could have told him she was a cop. They’d been working toward the same goals. Or at least she thought that they were. But she’d had no real idea what he was doing. Or who he was doing it for. Or who he was.

Craig couldn’t be trusted, that was a fact. Neither could she. Her eyes squeezed shut and she tried to hold back the sobs rising in her chest. She’d come too far and she’d lost too much already to go back. It was too late for regrets, and too late to try to have something with Craig. Both of them were playing their own end game, and she had no idea how either of them would win at all.

They stopped at a very expensive hotel. Jessie shrugged. “Well, at least I’m dressed for the place.” She managed a smile and climbed out of the car. For one heart-pounding moment she was positive that they’d drive off and leave her there, alone, but when she walked back out of the lobby they were still there.

Then she’d heard Craig through the open window. “If they don’t let her in, she’ll probably just shoot them.

She’d lost Craig. Even if he still wanted her after finding out she was an agent, she couldn’t be with him. He was a Wilkes. She couldn’t betray her family, or forget that his had taken hers.

Jessie leaned in and said, “I rented the penthouse. Might as well go all out. It has a private elevator, security cameras everywhere, and a guard who’s a robot, literally. The elevator has a robotic guard and the only way to get in or out is to use the key, which, once keyed, can’t be changed without the person who rented the room physically returning the old key.”