Catching Fire: New Rules (Billionaire Romance Series Book 2) Read online

  “Which is it then?”

  “Well, I have a couple of jobs, where—well…”

  “Just tell.” Rex was losing patience.

  “Husbands who think their wives may be cheating.”

  “And I could help out how?”

  Jack grinned. “You’re a good looking guy and you could just sit pretty on a bar stool somewhere.”

  “Oh, man! You mean use me as bait?”

  “It would be the ultimate test all right. Actually,” he paused. “It wouldn’t be fair in some respects.” He looked thoughtful. “But if they pass you up?”He nodded his head. “They are faithful as fuck!”

  Rex just gaped at him. “You’re serious?”

  Nodding his head, he finished his beer. “Deadly.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “What else are you doing?”

  “Well, except for fuck lessons on Tuesdays? Nothing at all.”

  Jack looked stunned as he burst out with laughter. “It won’t be as fun as whatever the hell that is, and it doesn’t pay as well as your former work.” Jack winked at him. “But it might be interesting for a few jobs.”

  “Yeah, I guess and I’m not exactly in high demand at the moment.”

  Jack shook his head at him. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen this before.”

  “Seen what?”

  “A broken hearted gigolo.”

  “Now Jack, what did I tell you—?”

  His laughing friend smacked him on the back. “Yeah, yeah I know. You’re not a lowly gigolo!” He got off the stool. “So, can you start tomorrow night?”

  He couldn’t believe he was agreeing to this, but it may get his mind off Ava. “Sure, what do I do?”

  “Just come to this address and look pretty.”

  Rex rolled his eyes and took the card. “How do I know who the woman is?”

  The amused detective took out an envelope from his rumpled suit pocket. “Here is her name and description. You don’t have to really come on strong, just sit next to her. We gotta give her a fair chance somehow.” He was chuckling again as he made his way to the door. “Seven sharp, Stud!” He shut the front door behind him.

  Rex opened the envelope and read the scribbled notes by Jack. Man he couldn’t write worth shit. He sat the paper on the bar and went to get another bottle. I guess he started something. I may just get good and drunk today.

  * * * *

  It was one of the warehouse district bars; out of the way and dimly lit outside and inside. Rex strode through the small lounge and looked around. He wondered if the woman was already here or should he wait and just look for her? Dammit, why did he agree to this shit? He was the man some of these women went to in his previous work, now here he was trying to expose one of them. He just changed his mind about this entire thing as he turned and bumped into someone.

  “Oh,” a woman groaned stumbled back.

  He reached out and caught her arms to steady her.

  Blonde and pretty, she stared at him.

  Rex knew right away that this was Stephanie, the woman Jack was set to trap. “I’m so sorry, I almost ran you over!”

  She stepped back and looked around. “That’s okay. I was supposed to meet a friend here.”

  Rex didn’t know what he was supposed to do next, he wanted to laugh aloud though. He was not the kind who picked women up. It had always been the other way around. “Can I buy you a drink?’ Always fallback on the original pick up line. He thought as he gave her his dazzling smile.

  The woman stared at him for a full minute and she looked suddenly afraid. “Um—okay?” She stepped over to the bar and sat on a stool.

  Rex sat next to her. “What will you have?”

  She didn’t look directly at him. “Just a white wine.”

  He nodded and told the bartender to make it two. He peeked over and saw that she was avoiding his gaze. So, what? Polite conversation, pick up lines? What’s a woman like you doing in a—?

  “Do I know you?” She looked over at him now.

  Rex felt a nervous flutter in his stomach, as he flipped through his extensive memory of tricks. Oh man, it would be a huge streak of bad luck if this was one of his old clients. “No, I don’t think so.”

  “I think I,” she paused. “I saw a photo of you once.”

  Her voice was so light that he barely caught it. He looked closely at her while his stomach clenched. She was familiar, he couldn’t seem to place her, but he knew he’d seen her somewhere. “I don’t…I think I know you, but—?”

  “Oh!” she suddenly paled and stepped from the stool. “What is this?” She looked upset.

  Rex knew somehow that this jig was up, but he just couldn’t figure out how he had fucked it up.

  “She calls and wants to meet me here?” She stepped further away. “Then you show up?”

  Confused, Rex just shook his head. “I really don’t know what you’re talking about.” He stepped off the stool and remembered in just that instant. The tape! This was the other woman in the video that Mimi had, where Ava confessed. “Oh fuck!” He looked around and didn’t see Ava anywhere. He spotted another blonde woman with a similar build sitting at the bar. Oh man, he bumped into this one and he would bet his life’s savings that the woman sipping at a Daiquiri was none other than the real Stephanie.

  The frightened woman turned away and ran through the bar.

  “Wait!” he shouted, but of course, she didn’t stop as she disappeared through the door way. Rex wanted to know what she meant, was Ava here somewhere? He rushed out after her.

  A green car spun out of the lot and went up over the curb as it flipped out onto the street. Rex knew it was useless but he went out to the corner to see if he could maybe see her license plate, and he could get Jack to—

  A horn honked and he looked all around. He didn’t see anyone in the parking lot. How strange was this? Jack must be somewhere in the background, watching all of this. Maybe he had even seen her or Ava.

  Jack finally showed up. “What the hell, Rex?”

  Distracted, Rex was still searching the lot and the street. “Did you see her?”

  “Yeah, and she’s back inside.”

  “No, I mean…” He leaned out over the street and saw a red Mazzarati peeling out of the next parking garage. It sped out and disappeared into the next street. “Dammit!”

  Jack looked amused “I set you up with one woman and you always have to overachieve!”

  Rex was confused and frustrated. “It can’t be a coincidence. Did you know about this, Jack?”

  The detective shrugged “I don’t even know why you’re out here instead of at the bar with the blonde.”

  Rex sighed. “I would try to explain but it wouldn’t help.” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “I’m too rattled right now to do this job, sorry.”

  “What’s going on with you, Rex?”

  He shook his head. “I’m going crazy I think?”

  Jack laughed. “That’s nothing new!”

  “I do have a question though.” Rex knew somehow that Jack was the key to this whole mystery.

  His friend looked curious.

  “When Ava called you, what exactly did she say?”

  “Well, you sort of cut me off yesterday when I was trying to tell you about it.”

  “Okay, okay! Just tell me!”

  “She asked about you…” Jack looked thoughtful.

  “Yes, I know that and what else?”

  “Well, come to think of it, she did say something.”

  “Yeah?”

  “She told me to tell you that she hoped with all her heart that you would enjoy yourself?”

  “What?”

  “Yeah, something like that, only she used some old fashioned expression…”

  Rex moved closer. “Like what?”

  Jack seemed to try to remember.

  “I mean it Jack, come on!”

  Jack looked like it dawned on him. “Oh, I remember now, she said she hoped that you woul
d have,” he paused again, while he scratched his head.

  Rex grabbed his jacket lapels and nearly lifted him from the ground. “What?”

  Jack scowled at him and stared down at Rex’s grip. “A grand time.” He looked up at Rex. “Yeah! That was it. She said she hoped you would have—“

  “Shit!” Rex felt his chest tighten. “She’s at the Grande?”

  Jack shook his head at him. “No, that wasn’t what she—“

  Rex sprinted away and rushed over to his Jag.

  * * * *

  He sped across town and showed up in the lobby.

  “Mister Harris!” the desk clerk cheered. “We are so glad to see you!”

  Rex smiled at the clerk and at the young woman next to her who was batting her eyes at him. “Yes Laurie, um. Is my suite available?”

  Laurie smiled and looked at her computer screen as she typed. “Yes, it is.”

  Disappointment filled him. That was their suite, but maybe she didn’t—“

  “Um, there’s a note on here,” Laurie informed him.

  He looked up. “Yes?”

  “It’s says there is a message at your mail box.”

  Rex looked around. “Oh, you mean the mail boxes in the outer lobby?”

  Laurie nodded as the other girl stared avidly and she elbowed her assistant. “Put your tongue back into your head, Stacey!”

  Stacey looked surprised, and then she straightened her shoulders. “I can’t.” She giggled. “I mean just look at him!”

  Rex turned away, rushing to the far part of the lobby and pulled his keys from his pocket. “Dammit!” His hands shook as he popped the key in and turned,

  Stepping back a little, he was almost afraid of what might be in there. Just an apology and a farewell, probably. He reached in and took the envelope out. Rex was scrawled across the front. He took a deep breath and opened it.

  Dear Rex,

  I came to Los Angeles looking for you, after I sent you that message about where to meet me. I waited three days. I figured you hadn’t forgiven me and I can’t blame you for that.

  Tino said you had given up too easily and asked if I was sure that you really loved me. I know that you do. I know that you were just being honorable. I guess he still has qualities to learn about.

  You see, he isn’t dying, he went into remission and he let me go. He even handed me the papers. He said it was the only thing he could do to make all of it up to me.

  I guess it was a lot for me to expect that you would still want me. You had a glorious life going and why would you settle for chubby ole me?

  I will always love you,

  Ava Strombelli

  He had missed her? Rex was panicked. How the hell could this have happened? How could he find her? Maybe Jack could track her down. Rex was lost now as he wandered through the lobby and down the front steps. He stood rereading the letter.

  A taxi honked from the line of cars at the entrance as valets came and went,

  He paid no real attention because he didn’t care about anything at that moment. His glorious life? Without her? He sighed.

  The honking repeated and he looked up to see a car he remembered too well.

  The red Mazzarati drove up to where he stood at the curb. Ava was behind the wheel.

  He knew he must have looked shocked, as he stood frozen.

  The door flipped open.

  Rex leaned down.

  “Do you wanna make some cash?” she asked and gave him a huge wink.

  He almost felt like he couldn’t speak and in fact it took him a full minute to do so. “That depends.” He hopped in and the door shut.

  “It would be just for me and for the rest of my life, “she whispered shyly.

  “I don’t know—that sounds a little too kinky to me.” He grinned at her.

  Ava’s laughter rang through the interior. “Do you want me to just drive into the parking garage?” she asked.

  Rex looked up at the Grande sign above them. “No, I think my offices will stay closed now.” He looked over at her. “Do you like the beach?”

  “I would go anywhere with you, Sexy Rexxy,” she whispered with laughter in her voice.

  He straightened his shoulders. “Fine, but this time…?”

  Ava looked concerned as she stared over at him.

  “…I’m the one paying.”

  She looked surprised, and then laughed loudly.

  Her laughter always gave him goose bumps and he actually rubbed his arms. “And I expect no less than three climaxes a night!” he stated in a mock severe tone.

  Ava giggled and put the sports scar into gear. “You have my satisfaction guarantee!” She made her car swerving rush while burning rubber on the way out to the street.

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