Free Nice and Naughty by Jayne Rylon Page A

trouble.
    “Don’t worry about it.” Alexa attempted to brush him off. “Lots of people say things in the heat of the moment they don’t mean.”
    Huh?
    He heard her fidgeting, fingers toying with the zipper on her purse as she removed something metallic from inside and fiddled around with it. He risked a glance in her direction and caught the uncertain expression she wore as she chewed on her moist bottom lip. He nearly groaned.
    Eyes forward, chief.
    Jason stood with his back to a brick wall, vigilant, awaiting his contact’s arrival.
    “You have it all wrong.” How could he do anything but love her? She was sweet, sexy, brave, smart, daring and a perfect fit for both him and his twin. “I want to apologize for the way I told you. I know you’re not ready to deal with it yet. I’m not going to rush you. I just wanted you to know I’m not fucking around here.”
    He paused for a moment, double checking their surroundings. Her unusual silence urged him to continue. Maybe she would actually listen.
    “Look, I don’t know what that jackass did to you…”
    She interrupted. “He promised to love me forever but he really meant until he got bored. I walked in on him with the next gullible woman he met.”
    Justin snuck a glimpse at their woman. Her curt explanation didn’t obscure the agony in her beautiful eyes but it did demonstrate how she had evolved to protect herself, by controlling her emotions and playing things safe. When a woman like Alexa loved, her whole soul would be exposed with nothing held in reserve. Giving that trust, and having it betrayed, had scarred her heart.
     
     
     
    He was determined to heal it.
    “Damn, honey. I can’t say I’m sorry ’cause if he wasn’t a supreme fool, you wouldn’t be here now. I’ll never let go of what we have but I’ll try to give you room to accept it. I’ll be right here waiting for you to tell me you’re ready. That’s a promise.”
    He cursed his timing when a lone figure in a black trench coat approached, preventing her from responding. The man’s innocuous appearance contradicted Justin’s expectations for the bearer of information that had already cost the life of one person. His average height, plain brown hair and nondescript form helped him avoid attracting attention as he made his way in front of the car.
    Justin’s fingers tightened on the grip of the S&W he held at the ready when the stranger’s hand dipped into the front pocket of his long coat. He relaxed marginally when the man retrieved a manila envelope instead of the weapon Justin feared. Maybe they’d get the info and get out of here quick and painlessly after all.
     
    Jason prepared himself to knock the newcomer over and bolt for the car if he so much as looked at Jason funny, confident that Justin would have him covered. He wanted to stay and force some answers from the man but he wouldn’t risk Alexa’s safety by keeping her out in the open any longer than necessary. The thought of losing her had already become unbearable. As crazy as it seemed, Justin’s bold declaration this morning had been the truth. A better partner for them didn’t exist. The man barely made it up to him before he dug inside his coat and flipped out a packet of papers. “Take them. Hurry, I’m being followed.” The strained words accompanied a paranoid glance behind him as though someone might be standing right over his shoulder.
    Jason held out a wad of money, the amount specified for the trade.
    “Keep it. I just want to get out of the game.” He spun on his heels and headed off. For one split second, Jason considered inviting the man to the sanctuary of their house but he couldn’t risk a trap. Not with Alexa involved.
    “Thank you,” Jason called to the retreating form.
     
     
     
    The brisk footsteps paused as he turned back, nodding stiffly, a moment before his face froze in a grimace of shocked pain and a red stain blossomed across his forehead.
    “Oh fuck!” Jason rushed to the