“No,” Kylie said on a sigh. “Of course not. It just usually is when we actually get together, that’s all.”

“Maybe a daughter should try harder to see her mama.”

Kylie took her mom’s hand. “Maybe she should. Tell me what’s up.”

“Nothing, honestly. I just wanted to see my baby for lunch, is all. Vinnie, darling, come over here and love me since my daughter won’t.”

Vinnie raced over there, butt wriggling, eyes warm and happy to see anyone who wanted to see him. Her mom scooped him up and loved up on him, her mouth curved in a glossy pout.

Kylie sighed. “Well, I’m not going to compete by licking your face or wriggling my ass in happiness,” she warned.

“How about just a hug then?”

“I’m dirty,” Kylie warned.

“I can wash up.”

So they hugged hello, her mom smelling really great of some fancy perfume, Kylie all too well aware that she smelled like wood chips and probably lacquer.

They sat in the courtyard with Vinnie at their feet, eating the deli sandwiches and chips her mom had brought. When they were finished, Kylie looked at her.

“What?” her mom said.

“I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop,” Kylie said. “For the real reason you’re here today.”

“Maybe I missed you.”

“I missed you too, Mom.”

They smiled at each other and Kylie realized she had missed her mom. “It’s nice to see you.”

“It’s been a few months,” her mom said. “We tend to like each other better with a few months’ distance between visits.”

Kylie opened her mouth to deny that, but it was true and her mom laughed at the look on her face. “I’m right.”

“Maybe,” Kylie admitted.

“But I’m happy to hear you missed me.”

“I did. But I’m sensing there’s more to this lunch than I-miss-yous.”

Her mom sighed. “I’m just in a little bind right now, that’s all.”

“What kind of a bind?”

“I’m in between bartending gigs, but I’ve got some irons in the fire. It’s just that I could use a little help with my rent this month until they pan out. I’ll pay you back with my next paycheck, I promise.” She paused and sighed. “It’s that or I’m moving in with you.”

The horror of that thought had Kylie seriously considering the loan. Mentally calculating the balance in her bank account, she figured that even though she couldn’t afford it, it was the only way to ensure neither of them killed the other. “I’ll help you.”

“Thanks, honey.” Her mom lifted her soda in a toast. “To us never having to be roommates.”

Kylie toasted her iced tea to that.

Chapter 15

#GonnaNeedABiggerBoat

Two days later, Joe woke up after a night of shitty sleep. The cause could be attributed to a lot of reasons, but the biggest probability was a light-brown-eyed vixen he couldn’t get out of his head.

The night before, he and Kylie had eliminated another apprentice. He’d tried to go alone, but true to form, she’d insisted on going with him. She’d also insisted on once again disguising herself, a black wig this time, short and straight, with moody emo makeup that made it hard to concentrate, but she hadn’t wanted to jeopardize his efforts if it came down to them needing her to be unrecognizable.

It’d have been a lot easier if she’d just agreed to stay in the truck.

Or better yet, at home.

But Kylie wasn’t much of a pacifist. Not in this and not in life, as he’d learned by just watching her go at everything that was thrown at her with all she had. If he hadn’t already learned it by watching her at work or with her friends, he’d have learned it by kissing her.

Kylie gave everything her all, especially passion.

It made him want her in his bed. And as explosive as he knew they’d be together, it wasn’t all sexual. He’d known almost since that first kiss that she was someone worth going after. He’d been doing his damnedest to keep his emotions out of it, but he’d failed.

Spectacularly.

At this point, he was starting to realize that he was incapable of denying himself her. Or resisting her, proven by how she was the only one who could shake his legendary control. He was getting tired of fighting it.

But at the moment he had a job to do and nothing came before a job, which he said to anyone who asked how things were going. And people asked. Archer. Lucas. Molly. Everyone asked.

They were curious as hell about his feelings for Kylie. “It’s business,” he kept saying until he was blue in the face.

A lie, as nothing regarding his feelings for her was businesslike. This wasn’t good, as he’d promised himself she was only a distraction, an amusing, fun, sexy distraction, but nothing more. But even if that had been true, he couldn’t go there with her. She wasn’t exactly the type to hook up with him for one night and release some of this undeniable tension. And even if she was, they wouldn’t act on it because things would eventually go bad—they always did—and that meant Archer would kill him. Assuming, of course, that Elle didn’t get to him first.

Besides, he was busy cleaning up the streets of asshats and hopefully also cleaning up his karma while he was at it. He didn’t have time for this.

He finally fell asleep just before dawn and then overslept. He hit the office at a run to find Molly in the staff room, making coffee. She handed him a mug along with a sympathetic look. “You’re late. Again.”

“I know,” he said, willing the caffeine to kick in fast and give him grown-up manners.

“You must like having your ass chewed out.”

“Yeah, I live for it,” he said dryly and then turned and found Archer standing there, arms crossed, expression dialed to pissed off.

“Should I be rethinking you as my number two guy?” he asked. “Because if you can’t program a fucking alarm, then we have problems.”

Joe resisted rolling his eyes. “Sorry. Bad night.”

Archer dropped his arms and his bad ‘tude. “Your dad?”

“No.”

Archer looked at Molly, who went palms up. “Not me,” she said. “I’m good.” She paused and then got a worried expression. “Is it Kylie?” she asked Joe. “Did she get another pic from that asswipe?”

“What asswipe?” Archer wanted to know. “And why don’t I know about said asswipe?”

“She wanted it kept quiet,” Molly said. “She had a family heirloom stolen. And now the guy who stole it is toying with her, sending her pictures of the thing in peril. Joe’s on the case for her.”

Shit. Joe sent his sister a thanks a lot glare because Archer hated it when his guys took side jobs without informing him.

“You need help?” Archer asked him.

Joe looked at him in surprise.

“It’s Kylie,” Archer said simply.

All of them cared deeply for Kylie. Well, maybe some of them more than others, Joe thought.

“She need anything from us?” Archer asked.

“I have some research to do, was going to do that after work here.”

“Do it now.” Archer turned to Molly. “Mark him as busy this morning and not to be interrupted.”

Joe nodded at him. “Thanks.”

“Help our girl. You know where to find me if you need anything.”