Scandal Never Sleeps (The Perfect Gentlemen 1)

minutes. He’s got to head back to DC tomorrow. I say we corner him and find out what the hell’s going on. Roman has always been an excellent liar, but we know his tells. If he’s hiding something, we’ll figure it out.”

“And do what?” The mystery man’s words haunted Everly. He’d said they would cut her loose to protect their own. How did she know they wouldn’t do that and leave her without knowing what had happened to her brother?

“We’ll figure it out,” Connor assured.

“Zack wouldn’t do anything criminal,” Dax insisted.

“But he might cover up for someone.” Gabriel stroked his chin.

“Who?” Connor asked.

Gabriel simply shrugged. “Maybe he thinks I’m guilty. I don’t know. And what about Roman? You know he would have done anything to get Zack elected, especially after Joy’s death.”

So maybe he’d cover up for another one of his dear friends, too?

A grimness settled around the room at the mention of the president’s late wife. Everly remembered the news coverage of her taking a bullet meant for Zack Hayes at a campaign rally days before the election. Zack had covered his wife’s body with his own in the ensuing chaos but it had been too late. An image of the young, handsome politician covered in blood had been in every newspaper, on every TV.

Of course, she’d never met the president, just seen images of a serious, even grim executive officer whose smiles were so rare they caused flashbulbs to burst. She didn’t know him or how ruthless he might be. But she had met Roman Calder and had a very good idea the lengths he’d go to for a cause he embraced.

Gabe sighed. “If Zack wanted something swept under the rug, Roman would cover for him. Hell, he’d arrange it.”

Connor paced. “We need to talk to him. I don’t see the connections. I’ve looked all damn day and I don’t see anything in this whole clusterfuck beyond the fact that Zack’s father was the ambassador to Russia for years and the Bratva seem to be involved. Zack hasn’t been back to Moscow in decades. Maybe Roman knows something.”

“And he’s not telling us?” Dax demanded.

Connor slammed his laptop shut and shrugged. “Maybe. And it gets worse because the only person we might have been able to talk to died in jail about an hour ago.”

The whole room seemed to still. “Valerie is dead?”

“Yep. The police found her unconscious in her cell, and she flatlined on the way to the hospital. They’re theorizing she had drugs in her system when she was arrested and it took that long for them to work. The officers said she seemed a little out of it when they brought her in,” Connor explained.

“Or someone dosed her in jail because they didn’t want her to talk,” Everly mused.

Connor’s eyes met hers over the table. “Or that. I wouldn’t be surprised if they found a needle mark somewhere on her body. It would be easy enough to do at any point in the process. God knows the Bratva owns a couple of cops.”

“So we’re right back where we started.” Something dangerous was still lurking out there and they were a step behind.

Gabriel approached, taking her hands in his. She didn’t pull away this time. “Everly, I know this is frustrating, but I swear I’ll do anything I can. For now, you can’t go home alone.”

As if she would do that. “I’m not fighting you on this, Gabriel. There’s a real threat. We have a whole bunch of dead bodies piling up. I didn’t tell you about Deep Throat because I didn’t want to scare him away and I knew you’d balk at me going to that meeting.”

“True enough,” he conceded. “If he calls again, I’ll let you manage it. You dealt well with him today, but you didn’t handle the car that nearly killed you. I’ll agree to let you meet with him if you agree to let me watch over you.”

He was trying. She could, too. “Okay.”

Maybe they could work out their differences after all.

Connor nodded. “All right, then. I’ve got to get dressed for a ten-thousand-dollar-a-plate dinner. Gabe, I grabbed your tux a little while ago. It’s upstairs.”

“How did you get in my place? You don’t have keys.”

The man simply smiled. “You need to come with me to this shindig. Everly is your cause, and you need to have this out with Roman. Dax can stay behind and guard her.”

“He doesn’t have to fight my battles,” Everly pointed out. “Let me go. I’ll do it.”

Gabriel squeezed her hand, then glanced at Connor. “She’s got a point. I’ll call a shopper and get a dress sent up here right away. It won’t take more than an hour.”

Of course. She couldn’t go dressed as she was. They weren’t trying to block her out, just get the ball rolling. At some point she had to decide if she trusted Gabriel Bond or not. If he loved her, as he said he did, she had to believe he would talk to Roman and wouldn’t screw her over.

“Go,” she assured him. “Dax and I will be fine here. I might do a little hacking of my own if someone will loan me a computer. Gabriel made me leave mine behind. I think it’s time I looked into the foundation.”

“Good. I’ve spent all day digging into Crawford. The foundation was my next stop,” Connor admitted. “I’ve got a system you can use.”

“Don’t believe him,” Dax said with a mischievous grin. “He’s spent a good portion of his day flirting with Lara Armstrong over the Internet.”

Connor actually flushed a bit. “It wasn’t flirting. I’m building a relationship with her so I can find out what she’s doing.”

Boy, did she have some scoop for him. “Lara Armstrong is the one person Deep Throat told me I can trust. He says she has information.”

“Really?” A predatory smile lit Connor’s face, and she suddenly felt bad for Lara Armstrong.

“He also said he sent me information and I haven’t found it. I need to comb through my e-mail again to look for it. I suppose he could be lying.” She didn’t think so, but she had to look at every angle.

“Not about Lara’s involvement. She’s up to her pretty blue eyes in this mess, and I’m going to find out what she knows. I’ll be ready in fifteen.” Connor stalked toward his bedroom.

“Someone needs to pray for that woman,” Dax said under his breath.

Everly agreed. Connor looked like a hungry wolf when he talked about Lara Armstrong.

“He’s either going to fuck her or kill her,” Gabriel murmured, staring after Connor. “I’m leaning toward the former.”

“I don’t think he’ll kill her.” Dax shrugged. “I hope.”

Gabriel smiled down at Everly. “You sure you’re okay staying? I really will take you with me.”

His earnest attempt at including her did wonders to settle her concerns. “It’s okay. And if you need Dax, I will promise not to leave this condo.”

“Neither of us will be leaving.” Dax had his arms crossed over his massive, hard chest.

“I could stay with her.” Gabriel looked reluctant to go.

“Gabe, you know Connor’s right. Get a move on. I’ll watch after your girl. How tight do you want the leash?” Dax asked, completely ignoring her.

Gabe looked down at her, reaching for her other hand. “I shouldn’t be gone too long, but if something happens, shadow her. She’s good. She knows what she’s doing. I want her to have backup.” He leaned over and brushed her lips with his. “I love you, Everly.”

Those words threatened to break her. And all she could manage was a breathy, “Thank you.”

He sighed, and his hands tightened on hers before he stepped away. “Be good.”

As Gabriel mounted the stairs, she felt more hollow with every step between them.

“Thank you? He says I love you and you thank him?” Dax shook his head, obviously disgusted. “I need a beer.”

He walked away, and she was pretty sure she’d lost him as an ally.

Rubbing at her forehead, Everly wandered back into the living room. The big bay windows showed the beauty of the Upper West Side and the Hudson in the dista

nce.

What was she going to do? She knew what she wanted—Gabriel. She merely wasn’t sure she should keep him. She’d made her decision to trust him. Despite what Deep Throat had told her, she’d given all her information up. She’d told Gabriel and his friends everything because she trusted him.

When he came back down, he was dressed in a tuxedo that made him look even more like a Hollywood star on his way to a red carpet premiere. Should she judge him on his looks? Should she be afraid because he was so beautiful? Or should she remember that he was a human being who needed the same things everyone did—love and affection? She could be the woman who provided them if she’d open herself up.