Zane: #7 (Allen Securities) Read online

  “Just remember, we’re here if you need us,” Reed said.

  Zane nodded. “Thanks.”

  He couldn’t retreat fast enough at those words.

  Chapter Seven

  Ellen frowned down at the edge of Zane’s sink. She grabbed a paper towel, wetted it, and scrubbed furiously at the small bit of grime that dared to deny her total victory in her cleaning war.

  She smiled. Victory was hers. Everything was so clean Zane could have a real estate agent hold an open house now if he wanted.

  Ellen had tried to relax in the small house but instead found herself falling on the old standby of cleaning everything in sight. It was something she’d always done as a child, and as the years progressed, the coping habit had only worsened.

  It wasn’t uncommon for her to rearrange the whole house until she collapsed from exhaustion at the end of the night.

  But the crazy cleaning sessions always helped. She burned off all her unnecessary worries and instead sunk them into something productive.

  Now every inch of Zane’s kitchen was sparkling clean as well as the large bathroom off the bedroom and his living room. She scrubbed around the base of the refrigerator and stove, along with the baseboards, plus made sure to run cleaning cycles on both the clothes washer and the dishwasher.

  She even took the time to rinse the dishwasher’s filter. There was a surprising amount of gunk on it.

  Still Ellen had to hand it to Zane. Even though she was running around like a demented super-maid, she didn’t collapse in a spent heap at the end of her session. The truth was the place was already pretty clean even without her help. It was just that he probably didn’t have free hours each day to clean his place.

  It was clear that Zane liked to keep his space tidy, and she could tell that he put a lot of effort into accomplishing that. It was something she could appreciate in a man, even if it gave her less to focus on during her current little attempt at relaxation.

  She only hoped that he wouldn’t be too annoyed that she’d invaded his space. It had taken everything in her not to head into his closet, even though it would have helped her probably burn off another half-hour or so.

  Color coding was sort of her thing, and his clothes were just begging for a good sort. She couldn’t even understand how he found anything efficiently with the disorganization in there. Everything was hung up neatly, but she just didn’t understand his system.

  Now that she was finished with the cleaning she thought Zane might tolerate, she didn’t really have anything to occupy her time. She was too distracted to try and watch anything on television or browse the internet.

  If anything, she was worried about seeing something else that would upset her. She couldn’t really take much more bad news.

  That left only waiting, which was almost worse.

  With a big sigh, she sat down on the couch and stared at her phone. Zane had to call soon, or at least she hoped he would.

  It had been nearly four hours and still no word from him. Ellen wasn’t really sure what to expect considering she’d never been in a situation like this, but not knowing was killing her. Both with Zane and her sister.

  The last thing she wanted was to bring all this trouble to him, but she really didn’t know where else to go. There was no one else to go to, and if he was right, the police were out of the question. She might not even have called him if she hadn’t heard that he was involved in security work.

  Guilt stabbed at her. Maybe she had no business getting him involved. If he ended up getting hurt, she could never forgive herself.

  Ellen had never imagined she could end up in this sort of trouble. She kept a low profile and didn’t put herself in dangerous situations, yet now she was on the run from the mob. Just bringing a box to her sister shouldn’t have led to all of this.

  Zane didn’t seem to mind helping her though. He was always hard to read, but that morning he seemed more like the boy she’d grown up with: stuffing his face with French toast and joking with her.

  It was strange after all this time she still felt that same pull she’d always felt with him, like the five years had only been five minutes. Ellen supposed that a crush like that always stayed with a person.

  Maybe it was something to do with first crushes. Whatever it was, she’d be glad when she could get back to her normal life and didn’t have to worry about the mob, Zane, or her sister.

  Zoe.

  Had she really gotten away?

  Ellen’s stomach knotted.

  The question echoed in her head over and over. The Russians might try and hurt Zoe, maybe they even blamed her for bringing a witness.

  Then again, Zane’s comments, no matter how disturbing, couldn’t be dismissed. Zoe had obviously known those men were hurting someone and was willing to ignore it. Ellen had to face the very real possibility that her sister wouldn’t be hurt by the gangsters because she was too close to them.

  She sighed. Maybe it was wrong to be so suspicious. Zoe might have just been trapped. At least, Ellen hoped so.

  There were so many things that could have happened, and she only prayed that Zoe had the good sense to escape before things got too bad.

  Of course, those thoughts only brought on a whole different set of irritations. If Zoe had bailed because she knew it was dangerous, that meant that she’d left Ellen’s stupid ass behind to be shot at. It sucked either way.

  Ellen turned the phone over in her hand.

  One call. Just to see if Zoe was okay. Surely that wouldn’t be a big deal.

  She slid her finger across the face and tapped her sister’s name.

  Ellen’s breath came in small puffs as she listened to the phone as it continued to ring. Just when she was about to hang up, the other line clicked, and she sucked in a deep breath.

  “El,” Zoe said, somewhat breathless.

  “Thank God,” Ellen said as she let out the breath she’d been holding.

  Her sister was an adult, but there was a part of Ellen that felt responsible for her. A duty to keep her safe in their mother’s stead.

  Not that she was doing all that great a job at it. Her sister was dating a mob wannabe and hooked on drugs. Yeah, real mother of the year results there.

  “It’s good to hear from you,” Zoe said.

  Ellen could hear the hollow sound in her voice, like she was going through the motions with the call. As if they hadn’t just talked yesterday before all hell broke loose.

  “I’d say so, considering your boyfriend’s associates tried to fill me with holes.” There was no hiding the anger in her voice now.

  Zoe sighed. “I’m sure you’re exaggerating. You can get so dramatic at times.”

  Ellen huffed loudly. “Exaggerating? My fucking car says otherwise,” she nearly shouted. “I can’t believe you. I called to check on you because I was worried, but you don’t even care that I was shot at. You don’t care that men tried to kill me.”

  The tears stung Ellen’s eyes as she spoke. All the anger and frustration she’d been holding onto welled up until she felt her chest tighten with all the tension.

  “Well,” Zoe said and breathed hard into the phone. “You’re fine now, so maybe you should just calm down.”

  Ellen froze. She knew the breathing and the tone. She’d heard both often at the hospital.

  “Are you high right now?” Her voice was low and barely held in check by the rage that bubbled just under the surface.

  Zoe gave a soft laugh on the other end of the line, and Ellen could feel the hold she had starting to slip. She’d nearly died yesterday, and her sister was off getting high like it was no big deal.

  “I can’t talk to you while you’re like this,” Ellen said over the line. “I just… can’t.”

  “Please, don’t be so high and mighty.” Zoe snorted loudly over the line. “Like we do when I’m not?”

  The question pierced Ellen square in the chest. Zoe wasn’t wrong. Ellen didn’t call, but what was there to say? They were never going to s
ee eye to eye on Zoe’s recreational choices and boyfriends. Dean was the only one that was able to bring them all together, and currently he was serving in the military on the other side of the world.

  “Whatever,” Zoe mumbled. “I’ve got a date with a designer. There’s a big party here tomorrow at the casino, and Billy wants me looking my best.”

  Ellen could feel herself gag, but managed to keep the sound to herself. Zoe only cared about her drugs, partying, and boyfriend in the end.

  “Bye, Ellen.”

  She opened her mouth to say goodbye, but the line was already dead.

  For a few moments, she just stared at the screen, not even sure how she should feel. She loved her sister but hated her choices.

  Ellen wished her mother were still around. No matter what, she always knew what to say to make things right. And then she was gone, and they were left trying to figure out things all on their own.

  Sometimes life really fucking sucked.

  Chapter Eight

  The day seemed to stretch forever, and Zane was grateful when he finally stepped into his house. The second he entered, an enticing smell hit his nose, the scent of tangy red sauce permeating the air.

  He picked up hints of garlic and basil, and his stomach rumbled in response. He couldn’t even remember the last thing he’d ate. As far as he could remember, that had been a protein bar several hours earlier.

  He’d been too busy trying to check some files and do some other research. Eating just wasn’t high on the agenda, making him all the more grateful for the food he smelled.

  Ellen popped her head around the corner of the kitchen and smiled. “Hope you’re hungry.”

  Zane stepped into the kitchen and was surprised to spot a tray of lasagna sitting on the stove. He didn’t eat at home all that much, and he was pretty darn sure he didn’t have any lasagna sitting around. Honestly, he couldn’t even remember the last time he’d had lasagna.

  Ellen picked up a kitchen towel and pulled a tray of bread out of the oven.

  “Where did all this come from?” Zane said, his mouth watering already.

  She shrugged. “I found some cash in my wallet and decided to order from a place nearby. Russo’s.”

  Concern swallowed Zane’s hunger. He frowned. “That could have been dangerous. What if the delivery guy recognized you?”

  Ellen crossed her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes. “You’re right. I’m sure the kid who delivered my food from the local Italian place is out to get me, and that all local Italian delivery places are deep in with the Russian mafia. I should have frisked him for an Uzi before getting my order.” She flicked her wrist at the lasagna. “Or they may have poisoned the food.”

  Zane sighed loudly and held up his hands. “Okay, okay, I’m just saying you need to be cautious.” His stomach growled again. “Well, let’s just eat for now. I’m damn hungry.”

  He walked into the kitchen and pulled out a couple plates as she placed the food on the table. When he walked back over, he found Ellen standing over the lasagna cutting it into steaming squares.

  “You think I don’t get it,” she said quietly.

  For a moment, he almost didn’t hear her words but stilled when she looked up to him.

  “But I do get it,” she continued. “I was shot at yesterday. I saw a man getting a bullet to the head and had to run for my life. I really do get it. I’m the one they’re trying to kill, but I also get these guys are the mob, not some spy agency watching me with satellites.” She sighed. “But I’ll be more careful. I promise. I do appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”

  Her small body trembled, and seeing that killed him inside. Zane placed the plates on the table and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He wanted to protect her, not make her feel more miserable than she must already feel having to hide away.

  “I know,” he murmured against her soft hair. “And you’re right. We can’t jump at every shadow. Russo’s isn’t in with the Russians.” He let go of her and turned her to look up at him. “I just need to keep you safe,” he said. “It would kill me if anything…”

  The words died on his lips. He couldn’t get into this. If he started down this road, there was no telling where he would draw the line. Not only was this the worst timing for anything like that, but more so he wasn’t sure there was ever a good time for it.

  They’d lived different lives for five years now, and they were probably both better for it. Just because he was attracted to her didn’t mean he should be with her. He was in a dangerous line of work, and it wasn’t right to make Ellen deal with that kind of stress. And he just wasn’t the right man for a woman like her.

  No. He needed to keep focus.

  Zane shook himself from the path he was headed down. His heart thumped hard in his chest, but it wasn’t anything he hadn’t dealt with before. Sometimes the best thing a man could do for the woman he loved was to sacrifice his own wants.

  He motioned to the lasagna. “Maybe we should eat while it’s still warm.”

  Ellen nodded and sat down in the chair next to her. Zane stepped to the other side of the table.

  She placed a square of lasagna on his plate and then her own. Zane watched her as covertly as he could. He was drawn in by the way she blew on her food and tucked a strand of dark blond hair behind her ear. It curled around the lobe.

  “Oh my God,” she groaned.

  Zane clenched his fist as she moaned erotically around the bite of food.

  “I didn’t expect much because it was pretty cheap, but this is so good.” Ellen glanced up from her plate to him. “Most I can get from my house is the crappy pizza place from around the corner serving the latest in cardboard-tasting bread and sauce.”

  Zane gave a little smile, realizing she still lived in her mother’s house. He always liked that her mother’s house was just at the edge of town, close enough to get anywhere, but far enough that they didn’t have to deal with idiot people going door to door.

  A siren blared outside. A police car raced down a nearby road. He glanced toward the front window.

  “There are tradeoffs to living where I do,” he said with a chuckle.

  Ellen nodded as she took another bite.

  He couldn’t help but quietly watch as she ate the food. The way she licked her lips as her eyes rolled back into her head was wreaking havoc on his resolve not to say anything about his attraction.

  “I called my sister,” she said between bites.

  His lust died. His eyes shot to hers. “You did what?”

  Ellen set down her fork. “I needed to know if she was okay.”

  Zane ran a hand over his face. He spent all day trying to figure out just what the Russians knew about her, which turned out to be pretty much everything, and she was just strolling right up to the gate for them, practically wrapped in a bow.

  “Did you tell her anything?”

  Ellen shook her head, and he let out a sigh. It could have been worse, but it still wasn’t ideal.

  “They have to know she’s your sister by now. We need to be careful,” he said. “As far as we know, they might be using her to get to you.”

  Ellen shook her head. “Doubt it,” she said. “She was high as a kite and had to run to get fitted for a dress for some party.” She frowned. “They can just kill a man like it’s no big deal, and then have some big party a few nights later.” She shook her head. “I don’t see how she thinks any of this is right.”

  Zane’s ears perked up. “Party?”

  Ellen nodded. “They are having some big thing at the casino. I don’t know any of the details.”

  Everything had been going the wrong way in this situation, but now he finally had a stroke of luck. The party might be the perfect opportunity for him to get in without being noticed. He’d planned on just going in as a customer, but this would be the better way.

  Zane clenched his jaw. There was really only one way the situation would work out. He didn’t like it, but it was the best long-term mov
e.

  “We’re going to that party,” he said reluctantly.

  Ellen’s eyes widened. “We’re what?”

  Zane took a couple gulps of water to wash down the bad taste that had developed in his mouth.

  She eyed him like he’d lost his damn mind. “You just gave me a big speech about being careful, and now you want me to go back there? Have you lost your fucking mind?”

  “I’ll be with you.” Zane sighed. “Believe me, this is the last thing I want to do, but this all needs to stay between us,” he said. “Getting anyone else involved will be messy. And I’ll need you to point out any trouble and the people who shot at you. Plus, it might give you the chance to convince Zoe to leave.”

  He could see his words being replayed in her head. Zane watched as her expression went from horrified to fearful and eventually settled on skeptical.

  “You’re forgetting, they’ve seen me,” she said. “I know they got a good look at me.”

  He shook his head. “In a dark parking lot with poor lighting,” he said. “You got the chance to watch them where they only had a few brief moments to see you.”

  “If they know where I work and all that, I’m guessing they’ve seen things like my driver’s license picture or my Facebook.” She sighed.

  She was still shaking her head in disbelief when he reached across the table to take her hand.

  “Yeah, but I know someone who can fix that,” Zane said. “Someone who can make you look like a new person.”

  He waited. This was risky. Zane knew it was, but at this moment they didn’t have shit to go on. If they could at least find out who the mobsters killed, that would be something. Nothing had come up in the news, and the missing persons reports didn’t seem to fit.

  “I promise that I won’t let anything happen to you,” Zane said.

  Ellen eventually squeezed his fingers. “Okay,” she said. “Let’s do this.”