Deadly Ever After (Hardy Brothers Security Book 6) Read online

  “You didn’t forget,” Mandy countered. “You put it behind you. It’s not like you could fix it. What good does feeling guilty do?”

  “I know,” James said. “The guilt is still there. Jeff was a good guy. He was funny. He was always quick with a joke, and he was a great basketball player. Someone told me he got a scholarship to Notre Dame because he was so good, but he deferred because he wanted to serve his country.”

  “It’s sad,” Mandy said. “He sounds like an amazing guy. I still don’t understand how this Tony guy blames you. Maybe at first, when the loss was still fresh and he was feeling irrational, but now? I mean, how long has it been?”

  “About six years,” James said, his eyes thoughtful.

  “I know you feel bad for Tony,” Mandy said. “We’re fairly sure he’s trying to kill us, though, so I need you not to feel too bad for him.”

  James raised his head. “Meaning?”

  “Don’t be so off your game that you make yourself an easy mark,” Mandy said. “If you die on me, I’ll throw myself off a bridge to follow you.”

  James rolled his eyes.

  “I’m not joking,” Mandy warned. “If I don’t have you, I don’t want to live.”

  “Don’t ever say anything like that again,” James said.

  “Then don’t die.”

  “I promise not to die,” James said, leaning forward. “Now, strip.”

  “I thought you were going to do that for me,” Mandy said, yawning as she stretched out on the bed. “I’m awfully tired.”

  James grabbed the strap of the tank top with his teeth. “I can guarantee you won’t be tired for very long.”

  “HOW are we the ones who have to go on the road trip again?”

  Grady glanced over at Sophie. She was sitting in the passenger seat of his truck, her head resting against the window, her hands busily moving across her cellphone screen. “I volunteered us.”

  “Why?”

  “Because someone had to drive to Ohio and check out this guy’s house,” Grady said.

  “He’s not at his home, though,” Sophie pointed out. “He’s in Michigan. That’s how he keeps shooting at people – and accosting them in front of bridal shops.”

  “We don’t know for sure that he’s the one who did the shooting,” Grady cautioned.

  Sophie’s face contorted with exaggerated outrage. “What?”

  “Okay, the odds of it being someone else are pretty slim,” Grady conceded. “We still have to be sure.”

  “And that’s why we’re driving to Ohio?”

  “Yes.”

  Sophie’s phone dinged and she glanced down at the screen.

  “Who is it?” Grady asked.

  “Peter,” she said. “He says he will see what information he can find.”

  “Great.”

  “He’s doing us a favor,” Sophie reminded him.

  “I know.”

  “He doesn’t have to help us at all.”

  “I know.”

  “You need to be nice to him.”

  “I’m perfectly pleasant to him,” Grady said through gritted teeth.

  “Pleasant is not nice.”

  “It could be worse.”

  Sophie made a face. “Let’s talk about something else.”

  “Like what?”

  “What are we going to do in Ohio?”

  “I told you, we’re going to Tony’s house so we can look around,” Grady replied.

  “Are we going to break in?”

  “Are you opposed to that?”

  “No,” Sophie said. “I think it sounds fun. Are we going to kick in the door?”

  Grady smirked. “I thought we would do something a little less obvious,” he said.

  “Like what?”

  “You’re asking a lot of questions today,” Grady mused.

  “That’s my job.”

  “Speaking of, did your boss give you crap about taking the next few days off?”

  “I’ve got enough sick days banked to take the rest of the year off,” Sophie said. “He’s fine with it. He was curious, but he didn’t pry too much. I told him it could turn into a big story, so he encouraged me to go.”

  “You lied to him?”

  “Hey, this could turn into a big story if there’s an arrest,” Sophie said. “It’s not a lie.”

  “Ah.”

  “It’s not a lie,” Sophie repeated.

  “Fine, it’s not a lie.”

  Sophie blew a disgusted raspberry, causing Grady to laugh.

  “What else are we going to do?” Sophie asked. “I’m assuming we’ll question the neighbors.”

  “We might as well,” Grady said. “I reserved a hotel room.”

  Sophie’s eyes widened. “We’re staying the night?”

  “Why? Are you going to turn into a pumpkin at midnight?”

  “No,” Sophie said, shifting in her seat. “It’s just that … .”

  Grady waited.

  “I’ve never stayed at a hotel in another state before,” she said. “Actually, I’ve never stayed at a hotel in any state.”

  Grady, his eyes initially on the rearview mirror, shifted his attention to his girlfriend. “Are you kidding?”

  Sophie’s face colored. “No.”

  “How is that possible?”

  “I’ve never had the opportunity,” Sophie said.

  Grady’s mouth tipped up into a lazy grin. “You’re excited.”

  “I am not,” Sophie said.

  “You’re excited,” Grady said, pleasure rippling through his chest. It wasn’t very often that he caught her off guard, and the idea of romancing her in a way that no one else ever had made him practically giddy.

  “Fine,” Sophie said. “I’m excited. Are you happy?”

  “Not yet,” Grady said. “I will be later tonight, though.”

  “And why is that?” Sophie’s arms were crossed over her chest, her face pointed out the side window.

  “Because I reserved a room with a hot tub,” Grady said.

  Sophie’s mouth dropped open, her eyes sparkling. She was no longer interested in playing it cool. “Really?”

  “Really,” Grady said.

  Sophie caught herself before squealing. “Well, that sounds nice.”

  “Oh, sugar, it’s going to be nice,” Grady promised. “Now that I know this is a big deal for you, it’s going to be very nice.”

  “It’s not a big deal,” Sophie countered. “It’s … it’s just a night.”

  “Oh, baby doll, it’s going to be the best night of your life when I’m done,” Grady said. “Where do you want to eat?”

  “How should I know,” Sophie said. “We don’t even know what restaurants are there. Whatever we stumble across is fine.”

  “Nah,” Grady said, shaking his head. “I have a better idea.”

  “Are you going to tell me what it is?”

  “Nope.”

  “Why?”

  “Because then it wouldn’t be a surprise,” Grady said.

  “Surprises are highly overrated,” Sophie said, pouting.

  “This one won’t be,” Grady promised, his mind working overtime for ideas. Somehow, the thought of room service and a hot tub had turned this from an annoying task to an exciting adventure.

  “Oh, just tell me,” Sophie pleaded.

  “No.”

  “Please?”

  “No.”

  Sophie bit her bottom lip. “I’ll take my top off while you’re driving if you tell me.”

  Grady considered the option, almost giving in before his resolve strengthened. “No.”

  Sophie faced the window, her mind busy. Finally, another idea sprang to the forefront. She unfastened her seatbelt and slid over further in the seat, her hand creeping over the console and running across the front of Grady’s jeans.

  “What are you doing?” Grady asked, shifting as her hand rubbed against him.

  “Who says I’m doing anything?”

  “Um, that tent
growing in my pants.”

  “Hmm.”

  “I’m not telling you,” Grady said.

  “I didn’t say a thing.”

  “I’m not … oh … stop that right now.”

  “Do you really want me to stop?”

  Grady sighed. “No.”

  “So, do you want to tell me about the surprise?” Sophie pressed.

  “No.”

  Sophie tightened her hand. “Are you sure?”

  Grady groaned, but held strong. “I’m sure.”

  Sophie unzipped his pants and reached inside, finding him quivering in anticipation. “Are you absolutely sure? Hey, what are you doing?”

  “We’re stopping at this rest stop,” Grady said. “We’re going to finish what you started. I’m not going to tell you the surprise, and you’re still going to have the best night of your life.”

  Sophie sighed. “Fine.”

  “Oh, sugar, it’s going to be better than fine,” Grady said. “Take your pants off.”

  “You’re so romantic.”

  Sixteen

  “What are you looking at?”

  James glanced up from his computer screen, smiling when he caught sight of Mandy hovering in his office doorway. “What are you doing here? I thought you had work.”

  “Well, I have an early wedding gift for you,” she said.

  James glanced around the office. “Shut the door. Finn and Jake are around, but hopefully they won’t interrupt us.”

  Mandy rolled her eyes. “That’s not what I had in mind.”

  Disappointment rolled across James’ face. “I thought you got a gift for me?”

  “I did,” Mandy said. “I wasn’t thinking that sex on your desk when anyone could walk in off the street was much of a gift.”

  “We could go upstairs,” James offered. “Although, to be fair, sex on the desk would be a great gift.”

  Mandy sighed. “Do you want to know what your gift is?”

  “I’m not sure,” James said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Everything you offer me now is going to pale in comparison.”

  “Somehow I think you’re going to survive.”

  “Fine,” James said, holding out his hand expectantly. “What did you get me?”

  “You’re really ruining this,” Mandy complained.

  James forced a look of contrition across his face. “I’m sorry. What did you get me?”

  “Well, I talked to Judge MacIntosh today,” Mandy said. “I asked him how much of a problem taking the week off would be. I explained that I knew that a two-week honeymoon was already putting him out, and another week off would just be adding to the problem, but I asked him anyway.”

  James straightened in his chair, hope welling in his chest. “And?”

  “Oh, now you’re interested.”

  “You’re killing me, baby.”

  “He thought it was a good idea,” Mandy said. “He said he was going to suggest it himself, but he wasn’t sure how to broach it without pissing me off.”

  James heaved out a shaky and relieved sigh. “Thank you.”

  Mandy moved behind the desk, running her hand over the back of his head as she pressed closer to him. “You’re welcome. I thought one less thing to worry about – especially since you’re staring down the barrel of the marriage gun and, well, an actual gun – would make things easier for you.”

  James wrapped his arm around Mandy’s waist, tumbling her into his lap. “This is the best gift you could’ve ever given me.”

  Mandy smiled, pressing her lips to his chin. “I love you.”

  James kissed her deeply, crushing her body against his chest. “I love you. Now, do you think we can add dirty desk sex to the gift?”

  Mandy pulled back, taking in his sparkling eyes and wide smile, and couldn’t resist. “You’d better make it good.”

  James’ hand was already tangled in her hair as he shifted her, his mouth fused to hers. He pulled back suddenly, searching her face. “Do I ever make it bad?”

  “Shut up and kiss me.”

  James acquiesced, his tongue slipping into her mouth.

  “Shouldn’t you be saving that for the honeymoon?”

  James froze, shifting his gaze from Mandy’s rapidly coloring features to the two figures standing in the doorway. “Mom. Dad.”

  “James,” Rose Hardy said, her eyes twinkling as she took in her eldest son and the blonde on his lap. “Have we come at a bad time?”

  “No,” James said, pushing away from his desk so Mandy could stand on her own two feet.

  “Rose,” Mandy said, regaining her composure and racing across the room. “I’m so excited to see you. I didn’t know you were coming today. I thought you were coming with my mom.”

  Rose hugged Mandy, patting her back. “We wanted to spend more time with our offspring,” Rose said. “While your wedding is the main event, I still want to meet Jake and Emma.”

  Mandy smiled and turned her attention to the man standing a few feet away. “Louis,” Mandy said, throwing her arms around his neck. “I haven’t seen you in forever.”

  “That’s what happens when you’re lips are glued to someone else,” Louis said, winking as he gave her a hearty hug.

  James was on his feet and hugging his mom, who was small in stature, especially next to her swarthy son. The Hardy children had inherited their coloring from their mother, but their height and eyes came from their much fairer father. Louis gave his son an affectionate one-armed hug, never moving his other arm from Mandy’s shoulders.

  “You look good, son,” Louis said. “You look happy.”

  “He is happy,” Rose said, her hand clutching her son’s arm. “He’s so happy he’s practically floating.”

  “Oh, jeez,” James said.

  “You look happy, too,” Rose said, turning to Mandy. “Your skin is almost glowing.”

  “I think that’s because she and our son were about to dust the desk,” Louis supplied.

  Mandy’s mouth dropped open, while James’ cheeks flushed with color.

  “Louis,” Rose chided. “You’re embarrassing them.”

  “I’m not embarrassed,” James said. “I’m just excited to see you. Where are you staying?”

  “Grady’s house,” Louis said. “It’s small, but he says he spends most of his nights with Sophie.”

  “Where are they?” Rose asked. “I’d love to see Sophie again.”

  James faltered. He’d never been overly chatty about his job with his parents. The idea of telling them what was going on now filled him with dread.

  “They’re out of town,” Mandy answered. “James had a quick job, and Grady took Sophie to make an adventure out of it. They should be back tomorrow; the next day, at the latest.”

  James shot Mandy an appreciative look.

  “Oh, that’s too bad,” Rose said. “I was hoping to get to spend some time with her. She’s a nervous little thing.”

  Mandy furrowed her brow. “I’ve never thought of Sophie as nervous.”

  “She was fine,” Louis said. “I think she was just a little out of her element.”

  “She was nervous,” Rose corrected.

  “What about this Jake and Emma?” Louis asked. “Where are they?”

  “Well, Emma doesn’t usually hang around the office,” Mandy explained. “We can set up a dinner tonight, though, and you can meet them there.”

  “Is Emma as pretty in person as she is in photographs?” Rose asked.

  “She is,” Mandy said. “She makes me feel ugly whenever she’s in the room.”

  James made an exasperated sound in the back of his throat. “Will you stop it with that? You’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”

  “Good save, son,” Louis said.

  “It wasn’t a save,” James replied. “Emma is very pretty. She’s doesn’t hold a candle to Mandy.”

  “Oh, you two are so cute I could just cry,” Rose said, pinching a cheek on each of them. “So cute.”

  “Well,
if we can’t meet Emma, where is this Jake?” Louis asked.

  “Why do you keep calling him ‘this Jake’?” James asked.

  “No reason.”

  “Your father has convinced himself that Jake is wrong for Ally,” Rose said.

  “You haven’t even met him,” James said.

  “No one is good enough for my Ally,” Louis said.

  “He’s very nice,” Mandy said, shooting Louis a conciliatory smile.

  “He’s a good guy,” James agreed. “Be nice to him. He’s a good worker, too.”

  “You don’t have to fire him,” Louis said. “He had just better not paw my baby in front of me.”

  Mandy bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud. “You know, he’s very good for Ally.”

  “How?”

  Mandy was taken aback. “How what?”

  “How is he good for her?”

  “Well, he’s very calm,” Mandy said. “When Ally flies off the handle, he’s the one who reins her in.”

  “You do that, too,” Louis said. “She can date you.”

  Mandy looked to James for help.

  “Listen, I wasn’t sure about Jake and Ally at first either,” James said.

  “Because he’s … doing things with my daughter,” Louis said.

  “It’s not like that,” Mandy protested.

  “Oh, he’s not doing stuff with my daughter?”

  “Oh, he’s doing stuff with your daughter,” Mandy said. “The good news is, I’m pretty sure Ally likes it.”

  Mandy had never seen a dark look on Louis’ face where she was concerned. She took an inadvertent step back now, smacking into James’ chest when Louis shot an angry look in her direction. James wrapped an arm around her, securing her to him.

  “Dad, you can’t jump all over Jake,” James said. “He’s a really good guy, and I have a feeling he’s going to be around for a really long time.”

  Rose clapped her hands together. “They’re getting married, aren’t they?”

  “No,” James said hurriedly. “They’ve only been dating for like six weeks. What are you even thinking?”

  Mandy smirked. While James had accepted Jake as part of his sister’s life, he was nowhere near ready to face the prospect of the two of them marrying. “They’re not getting married,” Mandy said. “They are very close, though.”

  Louis narrowed his eyes. “How close?”