Nauti Intentions (13 page)

Every night after dark, Alex arrived. The four days a week that the restaurant was open, he would wait in her office until she was finished for the night.

Those nights weren’t so bad. Once Fat Cat ate, she and the cat retired to her bedroom, where they watched the news, often going to sleep while

watching.

Each morning she awoke and the television was off. Which meant Alex must have turned it off sometime in the night. And that only pissed her off more.

He hadn’t touched her again. He was quiet, often retreating to his own room, bringing his own food with him. He talked to her, very casual y. Hel ,

one night they even discussed politics. Stupid frickin’ politics. And she was dying. Tossing and turning at night, dreaming of his touch, waking wet and

hungry for him in a way she had never imagined being for a man.

A week. There were no more letters so far. Nothing had happened. She was throwing him out tonight. She’d already made that decision. When she

got back, she was kicking him right out the door.

“It looks like hel week doesn’t describe it,†Rogue drawled. “Sweetie, you forgot the makeup. And the skirt.â€

No kidding. She might have forgotten her brain in her rush to get away this evening.

“I was in a hurry.†Janey shrugged.

“You never get in too big a hurry for your makeup. Grab your beer. We’l run upstairs and fix you up, then come back down after the band gets

started.â€

Janey grabbed her beer, but she wasn’t so sure about this.

“Do I look like a hag?†she asked the bartender as Rogue dragged her away.

“Naw, you look sweet.†He grinned. “Sweet don’t do wel in here, sugar.â€

Great. Now she looked sweet.

“What does he mean by that?†she asked as Rogue dragged her behind the bar and through the Employees Only-marked door.

“He means you look like a fresh-faced virgin.†Rogue laughed. “Virgins scare men, Janey. Big boys get al kinds of messed up when it comes

to a virgin. So we’re going to liven you up some.â€

“That’s a scary thought.†She sighed as Rogue dragged her up the stairs. “Liven me up?â€

She didn’t want to look like a virgin. She didn’t want to act like a virgin. She wanted to have fun. To just be Janey. To let free al the bold, vibrant

dreams she had held trapped inside her so long.

“Make sure you have fun?†Rogue threw her a laughing glance as they entered the smal apartment upstairs. “Come on in. I think we even

have some decent clothes.â€

Janey looked down at her jeans and blouse. “What’s wrong with my clothes?†she exclaimed.

Rogue turned back, pursed her lips, and narrowed her eyes. “Janey, haven’t you ever wanted to be just a woman?†Rogue asked softly.

“Not Natches’s sister, or Dayle Mackay’s daughter.†She grinned. “Or Alex Jansen’s responsibility?â€

Janey stared back at Rogue suspiciously. “What do you mean by that?â€

“Deny Alex is babysitting you right now,†she dared Janey. “Now, I doubt many people know about it. But I just happenâ€â€”she looked her

nails smugly—“to be a little smarter than most people. Besides, I overheard a little comment Natches made to Dawg last week while I was out on the

docks at a friend’s boat. Something about murder, babysitters, Janey, and Alex. I’m good at the whole two-and-two-equals-four thing.â€

Janey hesitated.

Rogue smiled back at her. “I’m not asking questions. But a hundred bucks says we have three Mackays and one Jansen that walks in the bar

tonight. Now tel me. What do you want them to see? A little girl waiting to be col ected? Or a grown woman taking her life back?â€

She craved to take her life back. Or rather, to have the life she always dreamed of having. One where she made her own choices, decided her own

destiny.

Janey frowned back at her. “I’m not a little girl, Rogue.â€

“No, you’re not.†Rogue’s expression hardened a bit. “But that’s how they see you, isn’t it?â€

“How do you figure that?â€

Rogue crossed her arms over the snug leather vest she wore in lieu of a blouse or shirt. “I know Alex, Janey. And I now his habits. He comes in

wounded, finds himself a little plaything, and has hot and heavy fun while he’s home before he ships out again. Sometimes he finds a few women to

play with. He’s as hard and sexual as any Mackay male. And noâ€â€”she grinned—“I haven’t fucked him. But what I know is that this time no

one else has either. And I know he’s been staying in that apartment of yours with you,
babysitting
.†She rol ed her eyes. “Since when are you a

baby, honey?â€

Janey’s lips thinned. “What’s in this for you, Rogue?†She wasn’t the trusting sort, no matter how much of a baby people wanted to

think she was.

Rogue’s expression turned bitter for the slightest second before it smoothed out. “Because I’ve been where you are.†She turned and

moved to the closet on the far side of the room. “I was sweet and innocent and thought everyone was a potential friend.†Long red gold curls moved

across her back as she shook her head. “Someone taught me better.â€

She pul ed several hangers from the closet and turned back to her.

“Try these on.†She tossed the clothes to the bed. “You have a few more curves than I do. They’re loose on me, so they should fit. Daddy

didn’t check for the correct sizes when he bought them.â€

Janey tentatively touched the short leather skirt and bril iant red camisole. “Your daddy?†She looked at Rogue in shock.

“I do have a daddy.†Rogue laughed. “I wasn’t hatched, Janey.â€

“But he bought these?†She held up the silky stretch camisole. It would be snug. Scandalous.

“He knows what I like.†Rogue shrugged. “Get dressed. I have stockings here somewhere. And I know I have heels. Let me find them.â€

Rogue spoke fondly of her “daddy.†How odd would that be, Janey thought. To have a father who bought pretty clothes, provided affection and

support. Whatever shadows lingered in Rogue’s eyes, they weren’t because her father didn’t love her. Janey knew from the few

conversations she and Rogue had had that the other woman treasured her father.

As far as Janey was concerned, she herself hadn’t had a father. Or a mother real y. She may as wel have been hatched.

She stared at Rogue as the other woman moved into the closet, mumbling about her own clumsy habits.

Janey looked at the clothes again. The leather skirt was very short. To-her-thighs short at least. It would flash stockings. There would be no way to wear

a bra with that top. Could she do it?

She had dreamed of wearing clothes like this. Of being confident, feminine. A female force to be reckoned with.

And Rogue was right. Before the night was out, her brother, her cousins, and one irate babysitter would enter that bar. Did she want to look like a child

or a woman? Did she want to be herself, or the responsibility everyone else saw when they looked at her?

Hel no. For once, for one night, she was going to let al that wild freedom, al that need inside her, free. If Alex was going to come looking for her, then

she’d make damned sure he found the real her this time.

“Do you have red heels?†Janey cal ed out to Rogue.

Rogue popped her head out the closet, her eyes twinkling. “Honey, I have three different shades of red. But I thought you’d go for black.â€

Janey shook her head. “If I’m gonna be bad, Rogue, let’s go al the way.â€

Rogue’s eyes twinkled. “Now you’re talking. And you’ve come to the perfect source, sweetie. Rogue knows exactly how to be bad.â€

She winked, turned back into the closet, and, a second later, emerged with red shoes to match the top.

“Red stockings?†Rogue asked.

Janey shook her head. “Black. Net.â€

Rogue pursed her lips in a soundless whistle. “Oh man. Things are definitely going to get interesting tonight.â€

SEVEN

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When Alex arrived at the apartment, it was empty. He used his key to slip in. The place was as silent as a tomb. On the landing outside, the cat meowed

plaintively but wouldn’t come in.

Alex set the food bowl on the balcony, locked the apartment back up, then rushed to the office. He slipped in there. Checked the restaurant. It was stil

and silent. No sign anyone was there or had been there.

Moving back outside, he jerked his cel phone from his hip and punched the sheriff’s number.

“Yeah?†Zeke answered quickly.

“Janey’s missing.â€

There was silence for al of two seconds before Zeke let out a virulent curse. “You cal ed the Mackays yet?â€

“That’s my next cal . There’s no sign of struggle or trouble, but her car’s stil parked outside the office and her cat was waiting on her.

Does she have any friends?â€

“Not that I’ve heard of,†Zeke bit out. “Cal the Mackays. I’l get an APB out on her. Shit. Dammit al to hel .â€

The cal disconnected. Alex punched in Dawg’s number. He didn’t want to deal with Natches yet.

“What’s up?†Dawg answered, his voice a slow, easy drawl that almost had Alex wincing. He knew what that sound meant.

“Janey’s gone.â€

There was silence. “What do you mean, gone?†Dawg’s voice wasn’t lazy anymore.

“I mean I just checked the apartment and the restaurant. Her car is stil here and she isn’t,†Alex snapped, fury burning in his gut. “Get your

asses in gear.â€

He disconnected as he ran for his truck. God, where was she?

She didn’t have friends. He’d watched her in the past week; other than a few business cal s, she didn’t chitchat on the phone. No one

visited. She worked, she ate, slept, went to bed. She didn’t socialize and she didn’t just disappear.

Pul ing out of the driveway, he cal ed her restaurant manager, Hoyt Napier. The son of a deceased vet, Hoyt was quiet, steady. But he hadn’t seen

Janey since work the night before.

Where the hel could she be? He pul ed to a stop at the intersection to the main highway, his hands gripping the steering wheel, his teeth clenched.

The ring of the cel phone had him flipping it open quickly at the sight of Dawg’s number on the display.

“Did you find her?â€

“Are you fucking insane?†Dawg growled. “It’s been three fucking minutes. Uncle Ray and Rowdy are heading around the lake to look for

her. Natches is already in the parking lot gunning that fucking cycle of his. Someone tel him it’s cold. I’m about halfway down the dock stil trying

to pul my fucking boots on, goddammit.â€

“And you’re wasting my time why?†Alex pul ed into the traffic, his gaze canvassing the sides of the busy streets as he began weaving through

the traffic.

“Because Natches is losing his fucking mind, maybe? Chaya and Crista are heading to Kel y’s car with her. Dammit al to fucking hel . They

won’t stay home.â€

“Dawg, I’m not chitchatting with you, dammit,†Alex yel ed. “Tel me where to look for her. Son of a bitch, where would she have gone?â€

He could feel it building in him now. Fear. Complete, unadulterated fear. He should have known better. He should have stayed on her ass twenty-four-

seven. He knew better than to let her out of his sight.

“One nutcase at a time, Alex,†Dawg growled. “I already have Natches freaking out here. Don’t join the party.â€

“Get fucked!â€

“Not by you, asshole,†Dawg assured him. “Now, listen up. Janey wouldn’t have gone anywhere with anyone easy. She’d have left

something. Anything.â€

“Do you think I don’t know that?†Alex yel ed.

He was losing it. He could feel himself losing control. He hadn’t lost control since he was sixteen years old and nearly fucking kil ed his father when

he came home from school to find Crista running a 104 degree fever and dehydrated.

“Okay. She didn’t leave anything,†Dawg agreed. “We al said someone’s just trying to scare her. She could have left on her own.

Fuck, she’s a Mackay, man, whether you or Natches, either one, wants to admit it. And she’s a woman to boot. Expect the unexpected.â€

“She would have left a note.â€

Dawg snorted, but Alex heard the slam of his truck door and the squeal of tires.

“Janey hasn’t had to leave anyone a note in her life,†Dawg snarled. “Now, use your damned head. If Janey didn’t leave a light on,

she’s safe.â€

“How the fuck do you know?â€

“Because, that was our agreement with her when she moved out from Natches’s boat. She has rules to live by, Alex. Didn’t she tel you?â€

“She would have to talk to me first.†When he found her, he swore, he was going to make her understand
his
fucking rule.

“Okay, here are the rules. If she’s forced from the office or from the apartment, she’l leave a light on. Otherwise, al off. Were they off?â€

“They were al off. Completely. Not even the porch light was left on.â€

“So ninety percent chance she left on her own.â€

“Her car is there,†Alex argued. “She didn’t go on foot.â€

“And that’s why we’re al out running the roads like fucking jackasses right now,†Dawg retorted furiously. “You sure she didn’t

have a date?â€

“No. Fucking. Date.†The thought of it had red edging at the sides of his vision.

Janey, on a date? With another man? He’d have kil ed the son of a bitch.

Fuck. Fuck. What the hel was he doing here? What was he thinking?

“Check the movie theater. Bookstores,†Dawg ordered. “Grocery store. She likes to cook. Crista said she hasn’t been cooking while you

were there. She might have decided to. She likes to browse the mal . She could have taken a cab. Janey doesn’t like driving if she knows she’s