Wicked Release Read Free Page A

bedroom. She’d rather not have that memory hanging over her.
    One side of Elliot’s mouth lifted into an arrogant half smile. “I prefer Jessica.”
    â€œAnd yet, that’s not really your call.”
    His grin twitched higher. “And yet, I don’t care.”
    A breeze gusted through his open window and Jess shivered, resisting the urge to hug her arms to her chest. Just who did he think he was? And what the hell was it about men who were assholes being so damn magnetic? Jess hated herself for liking that quality in Sam, and she hated Cass for having liked it in this guy. Because at the end of the day, all it did was make them shitheads. Sexy shitheads, but still . . .
    â€œAre you going to help me or not?”
    â€œOf course. But only if we do this my way, Jessica .”
    Jess gave an inward curse. He knew exactly which buttons to push and relished her agitation.
    She opened her mouth to answer, when her cell phone rang from within her pocket. The sudden noise made her jump. It was a small action, but damn if Elliot didn’t notice it. Jess gnashed her teeth together, grabbing her phone from her pocket and checking the number. Sam .
    Emotion burned through her chest at the sight of his name.
    Jamming her finger onto the silence button, she slipped the phone into her back pocket, unanswered. Sam was no longer a player in this game. But this man in front of her? Her sister’s ex-lover and the man who ran the masquerade parties? He was her only hope. He was Cass’s only hope.
    â€œDeal.”

2
    â€œS on of a bitch,” Sam grumbled, tossing his phone on the bed beside him. Placing a damp palm against his forehead, he closed his eyes, willing away his pounding headache.
    â€œStill not answering, huh?” Matt, his longtime friend and partner on the force, nudged open Sam’s bedroom door, resting a bowl of soup and a glass of water on the nightstand.
    â€œThat better be vodka,” Sam said, eyeing the glass.
    â€œI don’t expect to earn my ‘naughty nurse’ title for nothin’,” Matt laughed. “C’mon, man. You gotta eat something. The doc told me I’d have to drag your ass back in if you’re not drinking enough fluids.”
    â€œJesus Christ,” Sam grumbled. “You’ve gone soft since you became a dad.”
    â€œShut up and eat your soup, asshole.”
    Sam leaned over the steaming bowl and took a sip of the salty broth. It felt good going down. But damn if he’d admit it to Matt that he was right.
    â€œIt’s good, isn’t it?” Matt grinned knowingly.
    â€œFuck . . . this isn’t any sort of canned shit.”
    Matt shook his head. “No way. Nothing but the best for my partner. Kelly made it. It’s some family recipe or something. But it’s damn good.”
    Holy hell. Sam lifted the bowl, resting it in his lap. After two days of hospital food, this was like a Thanksgiving feast.
    â€œShe left a full container of it in your fridge, as well as two casseroles. With your stomach? You should be good until breakfast, fatty.” Matt gave him a gentle slap on the back and Sam grunted in response.
    After another moment of silent eating, Sam dared another glance at his buddy. “How is she?”
    Matt tucked his hands into his pockets, a disingenuous smile crossing his face. “Kelly’s good. Busy with the baby and we’re both fucking exhausted—”
    â€œThat’s not who I’m asking about and you know it,” Sam interrupted.
    Matt’s smile faded. “Yeah, I know. We have uniforms driving by and checking in on Jess a few times a day. She seems fine.”
    â€œNo one shady hanging around?”
    â€œDude, we caught the guy—or girl, in this case. Zooey’s unconscious but handcuffed to her hospital bed. Jessie’s safe. You’re safe.”
    And yet, that uneasy feeling in the pit of Sam’s stomach wouldn’t go away.