Chapter 14

Chapter

Fourteen

Nick keptDarcy in the circle of his arm as he received congratulations, talked to far too many people he didn't know, and cheered with everyone else as she was presented the million-dollar check from Mercedes.

He probably stunk to high heaven, but Darcy didn't seem to care. Finally, the crowd died off and Shawn insisted Mercedes needed to rest. The poor lady looked like a stiff wind would finish her off. Nick, Darcy, Hays, and Jagger were taken to a hotel suite where the men could shower off and a nice lunch waited.

It was great to shower, eat, and tease with Darcy, Jagger, and Hays one last time, but he was plummeting off the high he'd achieved when Darcy won the money and he'd kissed her in celebration.

Darcy's purse and his wallet, phone, gun, and knife were waiting on a side table for them. He needed to get a hold of Aiden and check in, but he wasn't ready for real life to intrude yet. He didn't have any idea how he'd let Darcy go. He'd work night and day to find the proof to have Trattori arrested.

After lunch, he knew it was time to say goodbye. He stood and shook hands with Hays first, clapping him on the shoulder.

"It's been great, man. Thanks for being there for Darcy," he said.

"Of course. It was fun to play good cop this week." Hays stepped over to hug Darcy, and Nick wasn't even jealous. He knew Darcy loved him. If only he could say it back, but love was a commitment, and he couldn't commit to her until he took out her ex.

Jagger shook his hand, then pounded him on the back. "The fight's judges must've been former Marines. That's the only explanation I can think of." The guy was still smiling. If somebody would've claimed Captain Jagger Lemuel would react this well to a tie in fight and an overall loss four days ago, Nick wouldn't have believed them.

"Honest truth, I think you may have had the upper hand, but I'm sure the judges wanted Darcy to win the money," Nick said.

"I don't know about that. One of the best fights I've been in. Besides when Aiden knocked me out." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm still ticked about that."

"I'll tell him you want another go."

"You do that." Jagger grinned.

"If you ever decide to retire from the SEALs …" Nick didn't know what offer Aiden would want him to make, but he wanted these two on their team someday.

"I know." Jagger nodded. "Aiden told Hays and me. Thank you."

Nick nodded to him.

Jagger turned to Darcy and hugged her. "I'm worried about you."

Nick frowned. He didn't know if worried was the right term, but he didn't want to leave Darcy's side. It felt every kind of wrong to not stay with her.

"I'm fine, big brother," she said.

Jagger chuckled. "Do you even have security?"

"I do at my Tecate house, and that's where I live." She glanced at Nick and then back to Jagger. "When I originally moved to Tecate, my ex-husband didn't like me being alone, so he sent his security guys to check on me. Now different guards rotate through all the time."

"Pardon me?" Nick blinked at her and hoped the pieces clicking in his head weren't what he feared. "Johnny Trattori's men stay at your Tecate house?" Did she even understand how terrifying that was? Trattori's drug-dealing, murdering, despicable men were around her and her innocent children? His stomach churned.

"To watch out for us. Yes." She nodded, but hurried to explain, as if she could sense his concern, "They don't interact with the children at all. Our basement wasn't finished and has a separate entrance. They fixed up a space down there, and that's where they stay when they're watching over us. Different men come and go, but there are always one or two around and the local criminals don't mess with us because of them."

Nick could bet the local criminals stayed far away. Johnny Trattori may be Italian, but he was feared throughout America and Mexico. The only thing a criminal was afraid of was a bigger criminal.

A basement. Johnny's men rotating through. This smelled like Johnny Trattori … rotten and hiding a lot of illegal drugs.

"Darcy," Nick said into the silence. "Can you wait for a moment while I make a phone call?"

"Sure." Her gaze was confused, yet hopeful. He could read her question—did the phone call mean a change of plans?

He knew exactly how she felt. Confused yet hopeful. Could he change his plans? Would going with her to Tecate be the break he needed with the case and, more importantly, the chance to be with her?

Hays and Jagger both nodded to him.

"We'll hang with her," Hays said.

He hadn't told either man he was after her ex, but they both had connected the dots pretty quick that her ex was a scum. They'd understand why Nick didn't want her ex's men around her. If only they knew how filthy of a scum Johnny was.

Nick tilted his chin, picked his phone up off the counter where his gun, wallet, and knife were waiting, and hurried into the larger bedroom of the suite, closing the door behind him.

He pushed the number at the top of his recent call list. Mama Marie was below Aiden. His call list showed how pathetic his social life was. It made him smile that Darcy had feared he was a playboy, but then it made his smile turn to a frown. Her husband had cheated on her and broken her trust and her heart. Nick was going to finish Johnny Trattori and pray he didn't destroy her trust in him when she knew the full story.

"My man," Aiden called into the phone. "We've all missed you. How was the week?"

"It was … incredible and a mess at the same time. Aiden … the woman I was matched with was Darcy Saint."

"What? Trattori's traitorous ex?" Aiden's voice was full of disbelief, not his usual charming tone. "Did you get any info from her that could help?"

Nick hated that question and the nickname. He didn't want to ‘get info' from Darcy. He wanted to protect her and love her.

"Darcy is innocent." His tone was firm, brooking no argument. "The most beautiful and saintly woman in the world."

"Nick…" Aiden's voice was cautious. "What are you thinking? Did Trattori's traitorous ex play you?"

"No. No way. And nobody better call her a traitor again." Nick had never questioned or talked back to Aiden. He would do a lot more than that if he kept saying Darcy was traitorous. "Darcy's a saint."

"You fell for Darcy Saint."

"Yes. Yes, I did. She's the real deal."

"Okay." Aiden still didn't seem convinced.

"There are a lot of issues," he admitted.

"Tell me about it."

The words were semi-sarcastic, but Nick had to give him the info Darcy had volunteered. He'd convince Aiden of her innocence. "Trattori has men rotating through the basement of her Tecate children's home, providing ‘security' for her."

"Then she is still in bed with him."

"No," Nick snapped.

"Nick?"

He took a breath and said, "Apologies, sir, but please don't say anything like that again. There is no possible way Darcy supports or is affiliated with Trattori. I swear to you that she is innocent. I'd stake my life and career on her innocence."

"Well … okay." Aiden's voice grew stronger. "If that's where you stand, I stand with you. Of course I do."

"Thank you." Nick relaxed slightly with Aiden's support. "We have to protect her. I'm going with her to Tecate. I'll make certain she's safe and figure out why Johnny's men are there. You and I both know it has nothing to do with her or the children's safety. If they're running drugs through there, maybe I can get a lead."

"Maybe you can draw Trattori out. He might have given her the divorce, but he's the type who will be territorial about his ex."

"Maybe."

"Okay, go. Let me know what you find out. I'll be on standby if you need us."

"Thank you, sir."

"Anything for you, Nick."

"Anything?" Nick had gotten Aiden's approval, and he wanted to jump in the air. He wasn't going to have to leave Darcy. Now to somehow take her ex down.

"Of course."

"I hear Miss Chalisa Anderson might be in love with my boss."

He didn't know what he expected, but the happy sigh from his ultra-tough, never drop his guard boss, wasn't it. "I love her far more than she loves me."

Nick was so stunned he had no response. His boss had fallen in love.

"Is Miss Darcy Saint in love with my top specialist?" Aiden teased back.

"I think so, sir." She'd told him she loved him twice, and he knew she meant it. There was no ‘think' about it. If he didn't have her ex standing between them, he'd be the luckiest man in the world. He swallowed and admitted, "I love her, Aiden."

"I trust you with everything, Nick. You know that. If you love and trust Darcy Saint, you've got my full support."

"Thank you." Aiden's support meant everything, and it also gave him unlimited money, manpower, and tech support to take Trattori down. He'd never been so grateful his boss was an independent billionaire and had formed his pro-bono arm.

"What are you going to do about this newfound love?" Aiden's voice was semi-teasing, like it usually was.

"What can I do until Trattori is dead or in a very secure prison?"

"You're right. You get to work keeping her safe and figuring out how to take him down. I'll send Paul your way, but you only have him until Sunday when he starts his reality TV stint. Tecate is only an hour away. We can assign different assets at any time. We'll keep watching Trattori in southern Cal and pushing to find a weakness, someone in his organization who will rat him out, something."

"Thank you."

"Of course. See you soon."

Nick hung up and rushed for the door. He burst out of it.

Darcy, Jagger, and Hays all spun to look at him.

Things were still up in the air. He wasn't anywhere close to exposing or locking up Johnny. Even when he did, he couldn't settle down and just be with Darcy. But he felt like he was bursting with happiness. Aiden was in love and approved of Nick being in love with Darcy. A woman who, five days ago, had still been a suspect in both of their minds. A lot had changed in two weeks.

He ran to her, picked her off her feet, and swung her around. Darcy laughed and stared down at him, putting her hands on his shoulders.

"What happened?"

Nick lowered her to her feet, keeping her tight to him. "Can I come stay with you in Tecate? Meet your little ones? Make sure you're safe? Go on a date or two?"

Her eyes widened, and she screamed, "Yes!"

Threading her fingers into his hair, she arched up and kissed him fiercely.

Nick returned the kiss and then some. He finally pulled away, but only out of compassion for their two buddies.

Jagger and Hays were both smiling, but he could see in their eyes that they suspected why he was going to Tecate, and sadly, it wasn't about how much he loved and wanted to be with Darcy.

Not yet.