Read Online In Jack's Arms (Fighting Connollys) by Roxie Rivera - Free Book Online

rights now?"
    "I'm a lot of things, sweetheart. If you had taken me up on my invitations for dinner, you would know that."
    I pinned him in place with a look. "Not happening."
    He held up a hand. "Don't worry. I've heard that you're Jack Connolly's girl now."
    A thrill zinged through me at the way he described me as Jack's girl. Last night, after all the fuss had
    died down, we had slid into bed together. True to his gentlemanly nature, Jack hadn't tried to make even the tiniest move. Other than a sweet and tender good night kiss, nothing else had happened between us. Yet,
    somehow sleeping so tightly wrapped up in his arms felt more intimate than anything I had ever shared
    with another man.
    Considering how tight-lipped I was about my personal life, I asked, "Do I even want to know where
    you heard that?"
    He shrugged, the fabric of his stone-colored suit jacket stretching easily along his shoulders. Like the
    woman who had just hocked her jewelry, Besian dressed in exquisitely tailored suits from the best
    designers. How he afforded that type of wardrobe was another discussion altogether. "When I heard about the robbery, I decided to keep an eye on you. I was told that Jack stayed at your house last night."
    I was straight-up irked by the thought of a bunch of gangsters following me. "I don't need you and your guys creeping around my place, Besian."
    "Not even after that brick went through your front window?"
    I narrowed my eyes. "You know who it was, don't you?"
    "Of course, I know. I know everything that goes on in this town."
    I waited for him to give me the names of the punks who had vandalized my house. When he didn't
    volunteer the information, I held out my hands. "Well?"
    "Well what?" he asked in that maddeningly calm and cool way.
    "Are you going to tell me who it was?"
    "You know who it was." He threw up the gang sign of the 1-8-7 crew, and I noticed the fresh scrapes and bruises on his knuckles. As if noticing my stare, he nodded. "It's been taken care of, Abby. You won't have problems like that again."
    "Just like that, huh?"
    "Consider it a favor."
    "I'm not sure you're the sort of man I want to owe a favor."
    To his credit, he didn't take offense. Instead, he cracked a smile. "That's because you're a smart
    woman." With a wave of his hand, he dismissed my concerns. "It's about protecting my business interests. I can't have that crew running wild in my backyard. They have to learn to behave themselves—or else."
    It was the or else part that scared me. Besian wasn't the type of guy who would give someone a stern lecture. He was the type of guy who broke knees…or worse.
    "Listen," he stepped closer, close enough that I caught sight of the thin gold chain just barely peeking out from the unbuttoned top of his dress shirt, "I don't like getting involved in other people's business—"
    I couldn't help myself. I actually chortled. "Yeah. Sure you don't."
    "Ha-ha," he said drily. "What I was trying to say before you interrupted me is that you need to take a closer look at your night manager Dan."
    I frowned. "Why?"
    "Let's just say that he isn't as squeaky clean as he would like you to believe."
    "Bull," I replied forcefully. "That guy has been here forever. He and I don't always see eye-to-eye, but he's a good man."
    "I'm sure he is, but that son of his?"
    I didn't know much about Leonard. "He's working on a pharmacy degree. From what I know he's a
    good student."
    Besian's expression turned unreadable. "You should ask Dan about Flea."
    The mention of our resident crackhead concerned me. "Flea hasn't been allowed to come on the
    premises since he tried to sell me that leaf blower and weed eater he stole straight off a landscaping job happening down the street. The damned thing was literally hot when it landed on my counter!"
    Besian quirked a smile at my description of that run-in. "He's not allowed on the premises when you're here, but what about at night when Dan is in charge?"
    I shook my head. "I check the