Rock Reclaimed (Rock Revenge Trilogy 2)

She ignored me. “But that isn’t what’s screaming at me this morning. I think a more urban tough look would suit you well. Especially with those colorful bruises. Why not use them?”

I really needed to look at myself in a mirror without the glasses on and in full light. My arms were pink and bore their share of bruises, but what in God’s name did my face look like?

“Urban tough? Why do we need a designer for that?” Whatever that even meant. This woman spoke a whole new language.

“Roman is a master. We’ll work with what you have going for you right now, then we’ll try the classier route. See how he feels about it.” She hit a button on her phone. Waited. “Yes, put me through to Roman, please. Tell him it’s Rina.”

Rina? There

was a name I could not associate with this pit bull of a woman. A ridiculously attractive pit bull, but still.

She wasn’t on her call long. I heard snippets of “bring your heavy artillery” and “full revamp from head to toe.” I frowned at that as I stood and made my way to the windows, taking a moment to look out and pretend I was Donovan Lewis surveying a world all too eager to do my bidding.

The suit didn’t fit me comfortably yet, but it would. I just had to remember the end goal. Couldn’t let myself get distracted by anything. Not long-buried crap from my past, not unneeded sentiment.

Definitely not an unforgettable blond with eyes like slivers of amber, shrewd and so very intelligent that I yearned to find out what made her tick.

The most dangerous thing of all.

A beautiful pair of tits, a gorgeous ass, a sexy face. She had all of those things too. But they weren’t what drew me to her, at least not at the core. She had a smart mouth and a strong sense of self, with that layer of vulnerability that peeked out at rare moments and made me want to shelter her. I’d never been anyone’s port in a storm. Had never wanted to be. She brought out things in me I didn’t understand, as she had from the very first moment I’d heard her voice in the hallway of this very building.

She was in tight with the people I needed to be ingratiated with. Yet when I was with her, I didn’t think about the plan. About the ticking clock that should’ve been booming in my head with every moment.

I was just thinking about her. About us. How it could be.

If I still believed in such fairy tales. Pity that I did not.

“Okay, he’s on his way. Keep in mind that Roman is a very busy man, so he won’t tolerate anything less than utmost professionalism. Ian?” As she swiveled her chair toward me, I took one last glance at the dark gleam of the Pacific Ocean in the distance.

Soon, sun would fill the sky and the water would glitter like jewels. Just like everything that would finally be mine.

I was on the cusp of something huge. I could feel it with every beat of my heart.

“Ian? Are you okay?”

Reluctantly, I drew my gaze away from the array of lights twinkling outside the window. So many people were up now, even this early. Prepared to meet the day and whatever it would hold.

I turned toward Sabrina and smiled. “I’m just fine. I’m ready for anything you throw at me.”

Nine

“Come to bed.”

“Not yet. I’m still working.”

“Working on what?” Her voice was wan. She’d taken some concoction of pills. They seemed to be necessary for her to sleep lately.

He wasn’t about to dull his faculties with that junk. Prescribed or not, he needed to be on his game if he was going to pull this off.

Someone needed to be.

“He’s in California now, isn’t he? That’s good. He’s where he needs to be.”

“Yeah.” Letting her believe that was easier than showing her the pieces he’d been putting together of what Ian’s activities had consisted of so far in Los Angeles.

Jerry clicked through the photos on his laptop. Wandering the streets of Carson, a dump if he’d ever seen one. Retracing his family roots, if Jerry had to guess. Not much left to see there.

There never had been. Just losers and more losers, all crammed in like sardines.