Page 45 of Disavowed

The call went right to voicemail. When he heard the beep, Dom said four words. “We’re still a go.”

Those words were code meant to inform Gray that his first hit was a success, and that they’d actually managed to trick the Pyramid into believing that Jimmy Gonzalez was dead. Un-fucking believable.

He maneuvered the Explorer back onto the street and headed for his apartment. Working for Daisy would be yet another complication. One he didn’t need but couldn’t avoid. Not only was it essential to the success of this operation, but no way in hell was he about to leave her unprotected with Jack in the picture.

Jack had made it clear he wanted Daisy in his future, which was a good thing, as it meant he wouldn’t hurt her. But Dom couldn’t, in good conscience, allow her to shack up with a homicidal killer. And he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something off about Jack’s interest in Daisy. Despite the bogus termination, he was still a New York City detective, and as such had a professional obligation to protect her from the Pyramid. And Daisy wasn’t just anyone. She was more than an obligation to him. How much more, he didn’t want to admit.

This part of the plan had worked out perfectly. He could further his UC role by working with Jack every day, with the added benefit of keeping an eye on Daisy.

It was a win-win. Although he seriously doubted she’d see it that way.

Chapter Twelve

Daisy’s heels clipped on the sidewalk as she walked the two blocks from her favorite pastry shop. The colorful orange print scarf she’d tied around her neck had come loose and fluttered in the breeze. She stopped in front of a store window, using her reflection to settle the scarf into a loose wrap style. The fabric played off the natural copper highlights in her hair and went perfectly with the pumpkin-colored slacks, silk blouse, and sweater she’d worn.

Pleased with the look, she was about to turn and be on her way again when another reflection caught her eye. A man was watching her from across the street. She wasn’t in a bad part of town, but this early—seven o’clock—the sidewalks weren’t crammed with people as they would be thirty minutes from now. She pretended to fiddle with the scarf again to buy some time. She couldn’t be positive, but he reminded her of that creepy guy who’d come to see Jack at the shop. The one who’d made her skin crawl.

With her heart beating just a little faster, she eased her hand into her pocketbook until her fingers closed comfortingly around the can of pepper spray. After making another show of readjusting her scarf with her free hand, she turned around and looked both ways along the street. But the man was gone.

She continued the remainder of the trek to her shop, feeling like a paranoid idiot. If that guy hadn’t creeped her out so much, she probably wouldn’t have thought twice about the reflection in the store window.

But I didn’t imagine it.

Someone had been watching her. But it was probably just a local guy waiting for one thing or another before starting his day.

Once inside the shop, she set her pocketbook, the bag of pastries, and the newspaper she’d purchased onto her desk. She sat and began flipping through her calendar. Two days to go until the opening, and the shop was swamped.

She set the pastries aside to wait for Alex. The two of them had agreed to meet early at the shop to catch up on things. They called it their “just-girls-pinkie-pact breakfast,” a monthly event. No boys allowed.

Glancing at the newspaper, she noticed the headline. Shooting on the West Side. She scanned the article that detailed how a man had been gunned down by an unknown assailant and died soon after. The shooter was still at large.

Another story on the front page detailed the Piazza’s grand reopening, including the prestigious program for the evening. The night would start out with a speech by Christopher Shane, followed by many of New York City’s upper social echelon and political circles. Daisy would be on the guest list, and she looked forward to wearing that brand-new, full-length beaded red gown she’d grabbed on sale at Nordstrom. And speaking of dresses, she still had to choose something pretty for her date with Jack tonight.

The bell on the shop door jangled. “Daisy, you here?” Alex’s voice filtered through to her office.

“Back here,” she yelled, then began clearing space on her desk. She took the chocolate croissants from the bag and set them on flowered paper plates with dainty flowered paper napkins.

“Good morning.” Alex smiled as she breezed in wearing an azure blue skirt and jacket outfit that made her eyes look even bluer. “Love the floral china.” She pulled out a thermos and two paper cups.

“Nothing but the best for my bestie.” She handed Alex a napkin and glanced at the clock, grateful they still had at least thirty minutes before Jack and Marjie arrived.

“So tell me what’s been going on.” Alex unscrewed the cap from the thermos, then poured them each a cup of steaming coffee. “How are the Piazza arrangements coming along?”

She watched Alex pour the coffee, thinking of how thoughtful Jack had been the other day bringing her coffee. The man really was a gem, he just wasn’t— Wasn’t someone else, she admitted on a sigh.

“Are you okay?” Alex stared at her from across the cup she blew on. “You seem preoccupied.”

“Huh?” She looked across the desk, only then realizing she hadn’t heard Alex’s question. “Sorry.”

Alex reached for one of the croissants. “I’m guessing you’ve got a lot on your mind. The only question is whether it’s because of the hotel opening, or something else. And since I know you better than you know yourself sometimes, I’d guess it’s something else. A man, perhaps? Which also poses another question.”

“What’s that?” She bit into a croissant, smiling as the rich dark chocolate filling hit her tongue.

The corners of Alex’s mouth lifted. “Why, which man, of course.”

Daisy groaned, dreading having to verbalize what was beginning to drive her insane.

“I’m right, aren’t I?” Alex set down her cup. “You and Dom clearly still have a connection. Both Gray and I saw the sparks between you two the other night. But you’re attracted to your new driver, and as much as you want to keep Dom in your past, you can’t.”