Free No Escape by Heather Lowell Page B

been used against him. He’d gotten his ass kicked, but only because the other guy hadn’t fought fair. It wasn’t right to use fancy tricks and holds in a parking lot brawl. Bastard.
    He reached over and punched a button that activated the hands-free mode on his cell phone. “Call Jerry,” he instructed the unit.
    A moment later, a voice answered the phone. “You didn’t tell me they were going to have a boyfriend along. That little bitch is causing problems, and you need to fix them,” Sledge said.
    The person on the other end sighed. “Which little bitch?”
    “Both of them. That prosecutor has been snooping around for days, and she’s starting to make things uncomfortable. She told me she has enough information to press charges and make them stick. If that happens, my sponsors will drop me like a sack of shit.”
    “I’ll take care of things,”
    “You do that. It’s why I went to you in the first place—to avoid any difficult situations. This is one mess you’re going to have to clean up, and fast,” Sledge said.
    “Have I ever let you down? I said I’d take care of it, and I will.”
    “You’d better. Otherwise, I’m going to take my business—and my friends—somewhere else. What would that do to your precious club?”
    “Look, the Kelly situation will be under control very soon. Haven’t I been keeping an eye on things? Didn’t I tell you where she was going to be tonight?”
    “That’s only because you got lucky and picked up on the lawyer stopping by her office before going to the pizza place. You still don’t know where Kelly is staying. What the hell are you going to do about that?”
    “You don’t need to know. I’m going to make the problem go away.”
    “Then stop talking about it and do it. I’m headed home. Don’t disturb me until you have good news.”

Chapter 10
    Los Angeles, California
    Late Saturday evening, February 27
    T essa pulled to a stop at the top of the long drive of Paul Jacobi’s exclusive Bel Air home. She popped the locks so Kevin could get out.
    “You’re not getting off that easy. I called to say we were on the way. Mom has coffee and dessert ready, so you may as well come in.”
    “Oh, bother. Do I have to?” Tessa asked. This new trend of peace overtures from Paul Jacobi and her stepmother was disturbing, to say the least. Frankly, she preferred the cool politesse that had marked their relationship since Tessa had graduated from college.
    “Quit whining. Besides, we need to plan the next time I get to see Kelly,” Kevin said.
    “Why?” Tessa asked baldly.
    “I like her. She seems really nice.”
    “Ah, Kev, it might be a good idea if you forgot ever meeting her. As you can see from tonight, she comes with a lot of baggage. Paul would kill me if anything happened to you.”
    “So put Sledge Aiken in prison, and the problem is solved,” her brother replied.
    After they’d dropped Kelly off, Tessa had explained to him the situation and what Sledge had done. She felt she owed it to her brother for coming to the rescue in the parking lot.
    “I’m not sure if that would do it,” Tessa said. “Kelly’s going to have emotional troubles to deal with for the rest of her life. Besides, putting someone with a Super Bowl ring in prison has turned out to be harder than I thought.”
    “So make a plan. You always have one, don’t you?” Kevin opened the door and stood up. “There’s Mom checking in the window—you’ve been spotted.”
    Tessa got out and locked the car, muttering. “I’ll have coffee, but no dessert. Not everyone has a turbojet metabolism like you guys.”
    “Puh-lease. Not everyone likes skinny toothpicks, either. Besides, your butt’s not that big,” he said with an evil grin.
    Tessa elbowed her brother in the side as they climbed the stairs. “Watch it, or you’ll use up the Prince Charming points you scored tonight helping me and Kelly.”
    Kevin laughed and held the door open for her with a bow. She led him through