“Then the leader starts yammering on about the gang, and how we’re overstaying our welcome, getting too big for our britches-whatever clichés he could come up with. It takes me a while, ’cause I’m still out of it, but finally it clicks: shit, these guys are from the Cortez Cabal.”

“Did they say so?”

He nodded. “They went on about how we were pissing off Mr. Cortez, and we needed to remember our place or he’d show it to us. Then they took our cut and left us there.”

“They robbed you?”

“Can you believe it? Shit, they probably pull in that much a week. I figure they were just being jerks, but Guy says they took the money to say that everything we earn, we owe to them. He says that sounds like Benicio.”

The message, yes. But the delivery? No.

I’d heard of other Cabals pulling stunts like this. The Cortezes were no less ruthless, but such thuggery wasn’t Benicio’s usual style. Maybe he thought that was the only language the gang would understand. But from what Benicio said about Guy, he knew he wasn’t a dumb brute. To maintain a level of respect, Benicio would approach him in a more civilized way. This sounded more like rogue elements in the Cabal.

I considered raising the possibility, but my position was too precarious to start defending Benicio Cortez. Brokering peace was a job best left to the professionals. For now, I’d gotten a little more information and could push duty aside, relax and enjoy lunch with Jaz.

HOPE: REBOUND

As we were leaving, Jaz grabbed my hand and ducked into a side hall. At the end was a locked door. A flick of a credit card and we were inside an intimate private lounge.

Only two security lights lit the room and we had to pause just beyond the door. After a minute, I could make out a few tables and a small bar.

Still holding my hand, Jaz led me into a darkened nook beside the bar. Then, without a word, he pulled me to him in a kiss. I could feel his heart hammering. From the thrill of the break-in, I presumed, but when he pulled back, there was trepidation in his eyes, lifting only when I leaned in for another kiss.

“Whew,” he breathed.

“Not so sure of your welcome?”

“I wanted to make sure last night was about being in a public place, not about me.”

“It definitely wasn’t you.”

Another kiss, starting slow. My head spun again as that delicious aura of chaos swirled from him. Soon we were on the floor, my legs wrapped around his hips, his hands in my hair, kissing me hard enough to bruise my lips, but I didn’t care.

We writhed against each other, his hands on my rear, then my breasts, but making no move to slide under my clothes, rough gropes mingled with tender caresses, making my head spin all the more. Frustrated lust coursed through me, the kind I hadn’t felt since I was a teenager, making out with a guy in his backseat, waiting for him to take the next step.

“Sure you’re not leaving?” he whispered, voice ragged.

“You’re teasing me, aren’t you? Payback time.”

An almost sheepish look. “Nah.”

“Oh, no?” I slid my hand down his shirt and rubbed his crotch. A soft moan as he shifted to make it easier. “I wouldn’t blame you if it was payback. Not a nice thing for me to do.”

“I survived.” He opened one eye. “But, yeah, I was pretty revved up. Ran outside after I got your message, hoping I could catch up with you before you left.”

“Can I make it up to you?”

He chuckled. “Pretty sure you could.”

“How?”

The chuckle turned to a laugh, then a groan as I slid my fingers under his waistband. “Better not leave it too open-ended for me.”

“It is open-ended. Anything you want.”

He entwined his fingers in my hair. “If I was a typical guy, I suppose I’d do this…” He tugged my hair, pulling me down his chest, then stopped. “Is that what you had in mind?”

“It would be…if you were a typical guy.”

A laugh loud enough that I glanced at the door.

“You’re right. No one’s ever mistaken me for a typical guy. Meaning, if you make that offer, I may ask for something a little atypical.”

“Go ahead.”

His gaze searched mine, as if considering how I might react. A quick grin, then he put his hands on my back, flipped us over, laid me on the ground and backed away.

“Undress for me.”

“You want me to…?”

“You heard me.”

I smiled. “Just checking.”

He’d backed up to a spot a few feet away, and sat there, eyes on me, waiting.

I stood and started with my sandals, taking a moment to get past that first blast of embarrassment and recapture the chaos vibes still circling around us.

“If you don’t want to…” he said.

I met his gaze. “No, I want to.”

I did want to. I wanted Jaz and everything he promised to be-a giddy, passionate affair that would remind me what such a thing could be, and help me move past Karl.

I reached for my skirt next, then stopped and, instead, pulled off my panties, tugging them down my thighs, aware of Jaz’s gaze following every move. I pulled them off one leg, then kicked them off the other. Not the most graceful kick, but Jaz didn’t seem to notice.

My halter top tied in the back, and my fumbling with that was also less graceful than I would have liked. Once untied, I let the shirt fall and Jaz let out a hiss, seeing I wasn’t wearing anything under it. He shifted, inching closer.

“Just one piece left,” I said, tugging at the skirt. “Sure you don’t want to do the honors?”

“Go ahead. Please.”

This time I did drag it out, slowly writhing out of the skirt until I stood there, naked. And he didn’t move. Just stared, which was better than any compliment he could have paid me. After a moment, though, as if realizing he should say something he said, “You’re gorgeous.” A blush darkened his cheeks. “I mean, you were gorgeous already, but now you’re…damn.”

I laid down, arms beneath my head, stretching languorously, his admiration making me bold.

“So now what do you want me to do?” I said.

A deep chuckle. “Oh, I could think of a few things, but if you do, this is going to end very quickly.” He slid his hand down to his crotch and stroked himself through his jeans, no hesitation, no embarrassment. His brazenness-and the sight-made a fresh wave of heat course through me.

“Your turn, then,” I said. “Take it off for me.”

He grinned. “An order I would love to obey, but…” He slid over to me. “I think I’d better leave them on awhile, to slow me down.”

He moved over me, clothes brushing my bare skin, light enough to send shivers through me. Then he lowered himself, mouth coming down to mine in a kiss so hard I gasped, as I wrapped my arms and legs around him, his clothes rough against my bare skin. I could feel him hard against me, his jeans chafing me in places I probably wouldn’t want to be chafed tomorrow, but right now, it felt amazing.

“Still want me undressed?” he whispered against my ear.

“Not necessary,” I said, and reached for his fly.

I was still getting the button undone when his cell phone rang. He grabbed it from his pocket and threw it across the room, where it gave one strangled ring before dying.

“What if it’s Guy?” I said.

“It is. Fuck him. I’ll deal with it.”

I undid his button. Then my cell phone started and Jaz let out a string of curses venomous enough to make me jump. He lifted off me and hovered there, then backed away.

“Better get it.”

In other words, he’d take his punishment from Guy, but wasn’t going to let me.

It was indeed Guy, and in a foul mood, demanding to know if Jaz was with me. Jaz must have overheard, and took the phone. After a minute, he hung up, scowling.

“Some Cabal bullshit. Wants us there in twenty minutes.”

Even the promise of more Cabal information wasn’t enough to keep me from thinking It’s a ten-minute cab ride, fifteen tops, so that leaves us five minutes… But it was too late. The mood was broken.