She had no history of drugs or violence or hanging out with gangs.
So what the f**k was she doing here with this gang?
He supposed he could just ask her. But what if for some reason she was embedded in the Hellraisers for a reason? Hell, for all he knew she’d been paired up with him to test him, since he’d asked Bo to get back in the gang.
Her whole innocent act could be just that—an act. She could be lying to him about everything—including the four guys she’d f**ked.
Which meant he was going to have to keep doing what he was doing. He’d have to stay close to her to figure out her angle, without revealing his own.
Dammit, he hated being in the dark.
“You’re quiet over there.”
He lifted his head to look over at her. God, she was beautiful. He really couldn’t get over her. Today she wore a burgundy turtleneck sweater that clung to those gorgeous br**sts of hers, tight jeans that molded to her full hips and thighs and outlined her sweet ass just perfectly. He’d enjoyed walking behind her as they were led to the table. She’d left her hair loose, and it hung like a waterfall of raven silk over her br**sts.
He could stare at her all day and not say a damn word. But that wasn’t what he was supposed to do, so instead, he grinned. “Sorry. I really was hungry.”
“I can see that. I was afraid you were going to lick your plate.”
He looked down at his empty plate, then over at her partially finished one. “I thought about grabbing that last piece of bacon.”
She picked it up and offered it to him. “Be my guest.”
He took it from her. “Thanks.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know where you put it all. There isn’t an ounce of fat on you. Do you work out or run or something?”
“I work out when I can.”
“I thought you rode a lot.”
“I do. But you can’t ride twenty-four hours a day. And wherever I go I make sure there’s a gym where I can go a few rounds in the ring.”
“You box?”
He nodded and pushed his plate to the edge of the table. “It’s great exercise.”
“I’ll bet.”
“What about you? What do you do for fun?”
“Yoga.”
“That figures. You look like the spiritual guru, get-into-the-head kind of person.”
She laughed. “It’s not at all like that. Well, it can be. But it’s a great muscle workout, too. And it relaxes me.”
“If you say so.”
“You should try it with me sometime.”
“Can we do it naked?”
She looked at him, then burst out laughing. “Only you would suggest that.”
“That’s why you like me.”
She quirked her lips. “Probably.”
“Hey, you two snuck out of our room last night and missed all the partying.”
Ava looked up to find Lacey leaning over her shoulder. “You and Bo were kind of busy.”
Lacey fell into the chair next to her and grinned. “Yeah, we were. We just got up. Oh my God, what a fun night.” She grabbed Ava’s hand. “You should have stayed. We could have had a . . . sixsome.” Then she laughed so loud that the customers in the restaurant began to look their way.
Ava shifted and leaned over the table, whispering. “Probably not something you want broadcast to the entire place.”
Lacey waved her hand and sniffed. “Oh, who cares. Bunch of prudes, anyway. So, did you and Rick get it on?”
Who was this person?
“I don’t think Ava’s interested in giving you the details of her sex life,” Rick said, saving Ava from having to tell her best friend that she was being too intrusive.
“Why not? Oh, I know, because Ava rarely even has a sex life.” Lacey snorted.
Ava’s face flamed, and she fought hard to retain her concern for her friend. “Lace, have you eaten yet?”
Lacey’s gaze flitted around the room, as if she’d just now discovered she was in a restaurant. “Oh. No. I’m not even hungry.” She laughed again. “What time is it?”
“Ten.”
“That early? What the hell am I doing up? I thought it was like . . . afternoon or something. I think I’ll go back to bed.” She pushed back from her chair and stood, then walked away without saying good-bye.
Ava watched her go, concerned more than ever about Lacey’s increasingly bizarre behavior.
“She always that disjointed?” Rick asked.
“No.”
Rick leaned back and leveled his gaze at her.
“What?”
“You’re worried about her.”
“Yes, I am.”
“Why?”
“Because who you just saw is not the Lacey I’ve always known.”
“Yeah. Who is she?”
Ava watched Lacey disappear, then blew out a breath of frustration.
“I wish I knew, Rick. I really wish I knew.”
Because the way things looked now, it was much worse than Ava had originally thought. She had thought it was just love that had changed Lacey from studious to flighty.
Now she feared it was more than that.
And a lot worse.
NINE
Rick studied the concern on Ava’s face, and wondered if her friend Lacey was the primary reason for Ava being with the Hellraisers.
Not to irritate her father, not because she was involved in drug distribution.
But because she was concerned about her friend.
He’d have to walk a fine line here, but he intended to find out. And he hoped that Ava was in the mood to talk.
“Let’s head on out of here.” He pushed his chair back and stood. Ava followed.
“So tell me, what’s different about her?” he asked as they headed toward the elevator.
She stepped inside, waited while Rick pushed the button and the doors swooshed closed, then turned to him, seemingly eager to unload her concerns on someone. He was glad to be that person.
“She’s frenetic. All over the place. Lacey used to be calm, organized. And shy. Oh so shy. Does she seem shy to you now?”
Rick laughed. “Uh, no. Not from what I saw in their room last night.”
“Exactly. Everything about her changed after she . . .”
“After she what?”
She hesitated. “I don’t want to make you mad.”