“That’s exactly what I’m talking about. How do you manage to stay up so late?”
Lacey laughed. “I sleep all day.”
“This isn’t the kind of life you used to lead.”
Lacey sighed and leaned against the headboard of the bed. “Ava, we’ve been over this. I know it isn’t. But it’s who I am now. Why can’t you just let it go?”
Ava got up and sat on the edge of the bed next to Lacey, picked up Lacey’s hand. “Lace, I’ve known you since kindergarten. We’re like sisters. I love you like you’re family. That’s why I have to be honest and tell you . . .”
“Surprise!”
The door flew open and Bo walked in.
Rick stood. Lacey squealed in delight, leaped off the bed and into Bo’s arms, planting kisses all over his face.
“Baby! What are you doing here?”
“My business was finished early so I thought I’d surprise you.”
“Oh my God, you so did.”
Ava shot a look over her shoulder at Rick, who held up his hand, signaling now was not the time for a come-to-Jesus discussion with Lacey.
Because given the hard edge to Bo’s gaze as he looked at Rick, he had a feeling the come-to-Jesus meeting was about to happen between the two of them.
Bo was not happy to find Rick here.
Which was okay, because now that Bo was here, Rick’s plan was working out perfectly.
ELEVEN
Ava looked from Rick to Bo, watching the tense exchange between the two men. Bo wasn’t happy to see Rick. She wondered why.
“Bo.”
“Rick. Weren’t you supposed to be somewhere else, doing something else?”
Rick didn’t seem at all concerned. “Already got it done. So I thought I’d pop down here and see Ava.”
“Yeah?” Bo set Lacey on her feet and moved toward Rick. “Why?”
“I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
Uh oh. The tension grew thicker.
“I’m making it my business.”
Ava stood and moved next to Bo. “We had a fight. He came down here to make up with me.” She tilted her head back and shined a brilliant smile up at him. “And, oh, did we ever make up.”
Rick slanted a grin down at her. “Yeah, we did.”
“Can I see you on the balcony for a second?”
Rick nodded at Bo. Ava grabbed his hand.
“It’ll be fine.”
At least Rick hoped it would be fine. It was finesse time. Bo slid the door closed so Ava and Lacey couldn’t hear what was being said.
“What the f**k are you doing here?”
“What are you doing here?” Rick figured turning the tables on Bo would give him some time to think.
“Following you. Did you make the drop?”
“On my way down here. Money’s in my bag.”
“This is messed up.”
Rick leaned against the wall and let a smile slip out. “Why? I don’t see what the problem is.”
“You don’t?”
“No.”
“You know what’s happening here, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then tell me again why you’re here.”
“To see Ava. I didn’t like what happened between us in Vegas.”
“So she means more to you than you told me earlier.”
Rick turned away, hoping Bo would think he was embarrassed about revealing his emotions. “I guess she does. I didn’t know that until she was gone. I missed her. Maybe I care about her more than I let on to you that day. I don’t know. Anyway, after I made the drop I decided to head on down and talk things over with her.”
Bo didn’t say anything, just paced the balcony. Rick turned to face him again.
“Bo, this isn’t going to change anything. I have my bike, Lacey and Ava have their car. I’m not traveling with them. The operation will still go as planned.”
Bo dragged his fingers through his hair. “I guess you’re right.” He lifted his gaze to Rick’s. “Next time let me know what you’re doing so I don’t think you’re up to something.”
Rick clapped Bo on the back. “The only thing I’ve got going on is getting back in the good graces of that woman in there.”
Bo looked inside the room. “Can’t say I blame you. She’s prime.”
“That’s what I thought. Nice piece of pu**y like that doesn’t come around all that often. I figured she was worth the trip.”
“Just stay away from the other part of the business that’s going on down here.”
“That’s not why I’m here.”
He just intended to stop it from happening. Or at least prevent it from happening the way Bo had it planned.
Because despite his cousin being family, Bo was a scum-sucking bastard for setting up his girlfriend this way. The man had no honor. And once you lacked honor, there was nothing left. Rick felt no loyalty to his cousin anymore.
Bo was going down. Which meant Rick was going to be his shadow until they left Mexico.
Fortunately, Rick was very good at that. It was his job.
“So, now what?” Rick asked, trying to act nonchalant.
Bo visibly relaxed. He threw his arm around Rick’s shoulder and reached for the door. “Since we’re both in Mexico with our ladies and it’s not time to leave yet . . . we might as well party.”
Bo knew how to put a party together in a hurry. After they’d gone back inside the room, Bo had grabbed Lacey and said he was going to get a suite, then invite some people in for a small get-together that night.
Apparently Rick’s idea of a small get-together was different than Bo’s. By nine that night there were over fifty people in Bo’s suite, an ostentatious, oversized, top-of-the-hotel apartment that must have cost Bo a small fortune.
The drug business must be lucrative for his cousin.
And keeping Ava in the dark about everything was getting more difficult. One look at this suite and she arched a brow, wrinkled her nose, and turned to Rick.
“What does your cousin do for a living again?”
Rick shrugged. “No idea. I think he’s in sales. That’s why he travels so much.”
She cast him a dubious look. “Uh huh. I think you know more than you’re telling me.”
“No, I just don’t make it my business to pry into what my cousin does for a living. He’s got his life and I’ve got mine. I’d like to leave it that way for now.”