Healing Hearts 9: Adding up to Love Read online

  Kai chuckled. “I think it’s safe to say that there won’t be any babies being made any time soon. Too many things going on in our lives. Our relationship is fairly new, you know, and I’m still getting used to being in a relationship with three men like your cousins. Need I say more?” Kai added and raised her eyebrows.

  Afina laughed. “Nope, enough said. I could only imagine them when you are pregnant. I bet they will assign a bodyguard to you wherever you go so you aren’t alone.”

  “They wouldn’t do that,” Kai said and scrunched her eyes at Afina.

  Afina raised her eyebrows up at Kai this time.

  “No,” Kai said, and Afina and she started to laugh. Afina loved seeing Kai with her cousins, as well as Faith with her men and her other friends, too. It was hard trying to juggle seeing all of them but not being in the way of their time with their men. More recently she started to hang out with Melina more and then Jo, Amber, Frankie, and London who were single, too. She just hadn’t met any guys she really liked or wanted to date.

  “All done,” Afina told Kai.

  “Great. Oh, are you going to stop by Corporal’s Saturday night? Everyone is going to be there. It’s Ghost’s birthday.”

  “I wouldn’t miss that. I better get there early, too. I hear a lot of people are attending,” Afina said to her.

  “Yes, I heard the same thing, but we’ll have our nice corner in the back near the bar. Do you think Melina and them will come, too?”

  “I don’t know. They aren’t too crazy about Corporal’s. Plus Melina, Jo, and Amber kind of are avoiding certain men that tend to hang out there, including Ghost’s other nephews and their friends like Cavanaugh, Flynn, and Knight. Those guys and their other friends are nuts,” Afina said to her.

  “Oh yeah, they definitely are, and pretty intense-looking. They tend to stick to their own group though. My friends still think Corporal’s is a place women go to pick up soldiers or first responders, and the men know that so it’s risky just to go hang out. This is a special occasion, so it should be fine for them if they come.”

  “Same reasons we all used to not like it,” Afina said.

  “Ahh, yes, the guys there do tend to think the women who go there are looking for action. We all pretty much proved that wrong,” Kai added.

  “Most of you anyway.”

  Kai smiled at her. “Be careful tonight, okay?”

  Afina chuckled. “I’ll see you Saturday.”

  “No, you’ll call me to tell me about tonight before I see you Saturday.”

  Afina chuckled and gathered up her things and prepared to leave. “I know how much my cousins love you. They won’t let you up for air once you get home tonight, and you won’t even look at your phone until they let you out of bed Saturday and probably not until it’s almost time to leave for the party. I’ll talk to you then.”

  “Fine.” They hugged good-bye, and then Afina freshened up in the lady’s room, fixed her lip gloss and mascara, which was pretty much all she wore, then sprayed a little perfume and headed to meet her friends at Casting’s.

  As she headed out of the office and down the hallway, she waited for the elevator to arrive. The building housed some main government offices, some special branches of law enforcement, and other community programs. As the elevator opened, she stopped short. There stood Avery Armos. He smiled softly, eyed her over, and then held the door.

  “Afina, how are you?” he asked, in a deep, soft tone that did things to her body instantly.

  “I’m doing well, Avery. How are you?” she asked him as the door closed, and she turned away to face the number pad. She didn’t need to press the “Lobby” button. It was already lit up.

  “You look exceptional. What are you doing downtown?” he asked. She glanced at him in the dress suit, seeing his badge, gun, and handcuffs on his waist as he placed his hands on his hips.

  “I was just at Guardian’s Hope doing some bookkeeping for Kai.”

  He stepped closer, inhaled, and held her gaze. He reached up and caressed her hair. “I haven’t seen you around. Things are well?” he asked. She worried her bottom lip. She knew he liked her, and hell, she liked him, but the instant friction and problems with her brother, cousins, and Avery would cause nothing but problems. So she would have to ignore the desire she felt and be practical.

  “I’ve been working a lot, plus volunteering, as well.” The elevator stopped, and the doors opened.

  “It was good seeing you,” she said to him and began to walk when she felt him grab her hand. She turned toward him, staring way up at the six foot four sexual god, and he stepped closer, slid his palm to her hip, and whispered softly, “We should hang out again sometime soon.”

  She lowered her eyes and snorted a little. “I don’t think we should.”

  His hand came up from her wrist to her cheek, and she tilted her head up toward him.

  His eyes lingered on her lips and then into her eyes as his other hand squeezed her hip bone. “Oh, I think we should hang out again. It was a great night. Almost perfect.”

  “Almost?” she asked.

  He licked his lower lip. Those amazing blue eyes drew her in and his lips, firm, and commanding. She knew. He kissed her that night, and nothing compared to it.

  “I wanted to take you home. That would have been perfect.”

  “Avery.” She went to pull away, but his hold was firm on her hip. He looked around them and so did she. There were other people there, and she didn’t want to make a scene. He didn’t either.

  “We should get together. Dinner or something.”

  “It wouldn’t be smart. I need to go. You know it won’t work out, and you know why. Besides, I don’t date. Have a good night,” she said, and this time when she turned to leave, he let her. But as she walked out the door, she looked over her shoulder and he was staring at her body, and she felt it everywhere. In her breasts, in her pussy, in her gut, and in her heart. She had to clear her head. Michael and her cousins would be so angry. They would never want to hang out at a party together, and they would totally try to talk her out of dating him. Plus he had brothers, and they were scary, intimidating individuals.

  She headed to her car, and a guilty feeling hit her as she prepared to go to Casting’s. Why was she even bothering with this? She didn’t feel for Gains what she felt with Avery, but Avery would be a mistake. Gains would be more accepted by her brother and cousins. She was losing her mind. This is why she needed to not date. It was nothing but aggravation.

  As she drove there, she thought about Gains Fanders. He was very good-looking, pretty stocky, and tall, and she heard he was single for quite some time. A few of the women in the office there drooled over him. Then she thought about Avery Armos. Six feet three, jet-black hair, piercing blue eyes, clean shaven, and fierce. He worked for Internal Affairs, and about two years ago got into a fistfight with Mike over some woman. She never got the full story from Mike, but boy did he dislike Avery. She was pretty sure Avery wound up with the woman, or at least that was what the story was from that night. They exchanged shoves then fists, and their friends broke it up. There had also been some sort of beef with Avery’s partner, Coast, Ghost’s nephew, and he accused Mike of something. Whatever it was, they definitely didn’t like one another, and she sure wasn’t about to cause more friction between them. It was crazy though, because Coast, Avery’s partner, was Ghost’s nephew, and when he was killed in the line of duty, the whole area was affected. Afina had broken things off with Jake at the time after him cheating on her and being involved with drugs and other stuff. She lay low for a while and stayed by Mike and her cousins whenever they were home from some mission.

  Crazy how she thought of Avery right now when she was on her way to get to know Gains better. She didn’t think her cousins or brother had a problem with him, but who knew. She hadn’t brought a guy around them in forever. Not since Jake, and he wound up cheating on her, and being part of some drug operation. When she found out, she freaked, broke things off
with him, and then submerged herself in working and taking on freelance jobs so she wouldn’t see him or have to deal with anyone finding out about him. Thank God Mike and her cousins were all on a mission when the shit hit the fan. They found out anyway, but months later when Afina was at a club and Jake tried to hit on her and she resisted. She exhaled, thinking about that night and how she wound up with the bruised cheekbone and the middle of a drug bust right there in the club. She had just gotten smacked by Jake and went to retaliate when people started yelling and detectives and police raided the place. They were coming after Jake, and she wound up being taken in for questioning and pressing charges against him. It was a nightmare, and of course friends called Mike and the guys, and they all showed up. Thank God Kai had still been staying home and not interested in going out, or she could have been hurt, too.

  Afina’s interest in men was gone after that. She was too fearful to give dating a try, unsure about how to read a man and not certain she wanted the aggravation. Here most of her friends were getting involved in ménage relationships, and she hadn’t been on a date in two years. What a loser.

  She also remembered it was that time that Coast was killed and they had the funeral, and it was upsetting. His killer was never found, but the hunt for him continued. Afina felt badly because she had been caught up in a relationship with a man she hadn’t even known was involved with drugs and whatever. The whole situation made her hate him even more so. Then she was out one night at a fundraiser, and she met Avery. They started talking, hit it off, and she had a little too much to drink, so did he, and they nearly left together. Thank God she wasn’t so drunk that she slept with him. She wised up quickly, knew her brother and cousin disliked him, plus she still felt like an idiot for not knowing that Jake was a criminal. She had gotten struck by him, used by him, and her confidence in herself diminished for a while. She pushed Avery away and made excuses. Said that her brother and cousins would be pissed and also that she didn’t date. She was totally attracted to him, but it was lust and nothing more. She didn’t need that. Once a woman took sleeping with men as meaningless sex, she would be heading down a path of destruction. So she opted to be single. Two years and counting. Oh boy, what the hell was she thinking, going to Casting’s tonight?

  She parked her car, got out, and smoothed her hands along her dress. She looked good and felt good, too. This wasn’t a date. It was a meet, greet, and chill thing, and she was cool with that.

  “Afina.” She heard her name and turned to see London there with Francesca and Amber. She waved as they approached and hugged her.

  “You look awesome.”

  “You ladies do, as well. Are Jo and Melina here already?”

  “I think so. That’s Melina’s car over there.” Francesca pointed to the blue jeep.

  “Okay, let’s have some fun,” Jo said.

  “I hope these guys are hot. Hey, how much do you like this guy Gains?” Francesca asked as they walked through the front door of the place and were already getting looks from all the guys.

  “I don’t really know him. It isn’t a date or anything, just a get to know you thing with friends.”

  “Cool, just so we know what to do if you don’t like him and want to leave,” Jo said to her.

  “Ahhh, code word ‘pina colada,’” Amber said and smiled wide. Afina laughed and nodded. It was a code word rarely used, but when it was they all went into action and get whomever was in a jam with a man they weren’t interested in, out of it. Some funny times.

  As Afina and her friends walked toward the bar, a few guys they knew waved at them, but then Gains and his partner, Ray, came into sight with their friends.

  “That’s them over there. Blue button-down shirt, surrounded by some more eye candy,” Afina said to her friends.

  “Girl, there would be something seriously wrong with you if you use the code word. He is hot,” Francesca said to her, and Afina laughed. Gains eyed her over and smiled wide.

  “You look even more beautiful than when I saw you this morning.” He gave her a kiss on her cheek. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close as he made the introductions. The ladies started talking to the guys, Melina and Amber said hello, and Afina took the opportunity to pull away from Gains’s hold. She needed to establish some perimeters here. She didn’t want him to think that just because she showed up that she was easy or automatically involved with him. She really didn’t know if she liked him like that. She felt an attraction, but it wasn’t intense or immediate. It simmered very, very lightly, along with some odd feeling of tightness in her gut. It was like she didn’t trust her judgment after Jake and all that happened. Maybe she wasn’t so confident, and the martial arts training hadn’t built her up at all.

  As they ordered a round of drinks and started talking about the place and then general things, he was throwing around money and talking about his search for a new place and maybe a beach front property. She wondered how he could afford something like that on a cop’s salary. Even though he was a detective, the rank didn’t give that much more income to afford that, but what did she know? Maybe he made some wise investments over the years. He was forty or so.

  His arm went around her waist, and he whispered into her ear, “I’m so glad that you’re here. I’ve been trying to get the nerve up to ask you out for months,” he said to her, and she was surprised. Considering that he was older and came off as experienced with women, why would he sound unsure of himself? She turned to look at him, and her lips nearly hit his chin but she pulled back quick enough.

  “I don’t really date, Gains, and remember this isn’t a date.”

  He squinted at her and squeezed her closer to him. “I guess that means I need to work harder and gaining your interest in me. I can do that. You won’t stand a chance, you know.” He winked flirtatiously.

  She chuckled, and then took a sip of her drink. “Oh, you think so huh?” she asked him. He smiled wide, eyed her over.

  “I’m not a bad guy.”

  “No one said you were.”

  “Then you’ll have dinner with me?” he asked, and she looked into his dark blue eyes and felt a little interest. Would it be so bad to say yes to dinner and see what happened? Perhaps she just wasn’t meant to meet someone and instantly feel attracted to them.

  “I suppose the best way to get to know you would be to hang out and converse.”

  He nodded. “Exactly. Now, are you ready for another drink?”

  “Sure,” she said, but he didn’t release his hold on her. Instead, he pulled her with him, gave her a wink, and then held her gaze.

  “So how do you like working for the department?”

  “I like it. The people are great, and it works around my other job.” He squinted at her.

  “You have another job?”

  “Well, I volunteer to do the books for a couple of non-for-profit organizations. Which is why I really don’t date much. Not a lot of free time.”

  “That’s crazy. You’re too young and too beautiful to not enjoy single life, and accepting dates from great guys like me. I mean, you know I’m a detective. You’d be safe out on a date with me,” he told her and then looked at her chest, then back to her eyes, giving her a wink.

  She chuckled. “Yeah, like I haven’t heard that line before from a cop,” she replied. He squeezed her to him, his hand firm on her hip.

  “No lines, the truth. I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you in my presence, and by the way, my own friends keep checking you out. I’m feeling a bit protective.”

  “Gains.” She said his name and pressed her palm to his chest.

  “Just being honest.”

  Thank goodness Amber interrupted, as some other women they knew came over to say hello, and Afina used it as an excuse to put some space between her and Gains.

  * * * *

  “I got eyes on him. Gains is throwing around money and working on trying to get laid. Not sure he’ll have a chance though. The one woman he keeps grabbing onto is pre
tty fucking hot, but classy.”

  “Well, she might be important then. He doesn’t usually hit on women,” Avery said over the phone. He wondered who the woman was.

  “Make sure the guys take pictures. Especially of the crew he’s with. Anyone different, then let’s start digging into them, Connor.”

  “No problem, boss. Oh, shit.”

  “What? What is it?”

  “You aren’t going to believe who just walked in here.”

  “Who?”

  “Gordon Ferris, and he is heading straight toward that crowd.”

  “Well, isn’t that interesting.”

  “I’m watching him approach. Gains and Ray look a bit stunned. Oh boy. It appears he might know the brunette. She does not look happy at all.”

  “Get her name, and I’ll start digging.”

  “I think you might know her. Leo is talking into my earpiece. Oh…”

  “What? Who is it?”

  “Afina Stelling. Leo said she’s the hot accountant that works in the department in Sussex. Her cousins and brother are military. She’s friends with a lot of—”

  “I know who the fuck she’s friends with. I know her.”

  Avery was pissed off and had a thousand questions. “I’ll take care of her. I know the family and her close friends.”

  “Well, how the hell does she know a guy like Gordon?”

  “Not sure but I’ll find out.”

  “Hey, Leo said she doesn’t date anyone, and that she even volunteers for Guardian’s Hope.”

  “She does, and I know her. I’ll get Roman to assist me. Keep eyes on her, and make sure she’s safe. She could be innocent in all of this.”

  “Will do. Damn, I hope she isn’t involved. Hold up. Shit, she just gave Gordon a shove. She turned away, and he grabbed her arm and, oh shit, Gains is in the middle and Ray has his hands against Gordon. Gordon’s friends are involved now. Crap. Gordon just followed Afina through the crowd. I can’t see them.”

  “Shit, and where is Gains?”

  “Gordon’s friends are pointing in his face.”