Chapter 14

chapter

fourteen

Gage placed his hand on Nia’s back, sensing her panic.

He knew he needed to step in. Darius wasn’t fully buying her cover story, and Gage didn’t want things to turn ugly.

“The truth is that Rob Lesner was found dead in his apartment this morning,” Gage told Darius. “We’re friends of his, and we’re trying to retrace his steps, see if anyone knows something.”

He watched Darius’s face carefully for any sign of deceit. But the surprise that flashed through the man’s eyes looked genuine.

“Is that right?” Darius leaned back and steepled his hands in front of him as if taking time to process that statement. “I’m sorry to hear that, I guess.”

“You guess?” Gage gave the man the opportunity to explain his statement.

He shrugged. “I was never a big fan of the guy. ”

“Because of Brittany?” Gage clarified.

Darius offered another half shrug. “The two of us were dating when Rob swooped in and stole her away from me. You don’t intrude on another man’s woman. He didn’t play by the rules.”

Did this guy have a set of unwritten “gentlemanly” rules? Because Darius didn’t seem like a gentleman, that was for sure.

“I can imagine that upset you,” Gage said.

He tilted his head analytically. “Are you saying something like that wouldn’t upset you?”

“Not at all. I wouldn’t want any other guy trying to steal my girl. The question is, would it make me mad enough to commit murder?” Gage’s words were risky.

They could put the man into fight mode.

Or they could lead Darius to answer some questions.

“You think I murdered that man? That’s really why you’re both here?” Darius let out a long, deep chuckle. “I’ll tell you this—Brittany was nothing but trouble. Drama follows her like ducklings following their mom. Sure, she was eye candy and something nice to have on my arm. But she was too much trouble. I was glad Rob took her off my hands.”

“So you weren’t mad?” Nia narrowed her gaze as she studied the man.

Gage understood her surprise. Brittany had made it sound like Darius was still in love with her. Their stories didn’t match up.

“I didn’t say that. But the man wasn’t worth my time, and he certainly wasn’t worth going away for life. Now, do you have any other questions?” Darius raised his eyebrows as he glanced at them.

Gage knew they were done here. “That will be all.”

As they turned to walk away, Gage felt the shudder ripple through Nia.

Whatever she’d gotten herself involved with, she was in way over her head.

Nia paused, trying to catch her breath after she stepped outside Avenue 12.

Darius Miller was dangerous. She’d felt the tension in the air as soon as she walked into his establishment.

Gage looked equally bothered.

He led her away from the bouncer before pausing and rubbing his jaw. His gaze hardened as he said, “Rob wasn’t the type to steal another man’s girlfriend.”

That was an interesting statement. But that was the sense Nia had gotten about Rob. He seemed like a stand-up guy.

“You think Darius was lying?” she asked.

Gage rubbed his jaw as he stared down the street. “I don’t know. But something’s not adding up.”

“What do we do now?”

He did a double take at the question.

Nia had said we .

How would Gage react? Would he try to send her away ?

The truth was, neither of them were investigators. Both were in over their heads.

But both of them wanted answers and wouldn’t have any peace in their lives until they knew the truth.

Because Nia hadn’t told Gage everything yet, her involvement might seem unusual. But she hoped she could sell her cover story.

Gage placed his hand on Nia’s back again—something that was quickly becoming familiar—and began to walk down the sidewalk. The scent of the ocean wafted toward them, along with the aromas of a nearby food truck. Grilled chicken and onions, she would guess. Reggae music played from somewhere in the distance.

Her thoughts drifted as she tried to sort out her feelings.

Maybe she should come clean with Gage. He seemed like a decent enough guy. And he seemed truly concerned for his friend.

Maybe if the two of them worked together . . . if she could really trust him . . .

As they joined a small crowd at a crosswalk, she licked her lips.

There wasn’t an easy way to say this, so she might as well get it over with.

She quickly glanced at him as she tried to gather her courage. “Gage, I just feel like I should tell you?—”

But before she could finish the statement, a bullet sliced the air.

People around her screamed and ran for cover.

The next second, another bullet flew.

Someone was shooting at them, she realized.

Her head spun at the thought.

She needed to move.

To do something.

Instead, she felt frozen and confused.

What if the next bullet hit its target . . . ?

What if it hit her?