Two of Hearts Read online

  Her words fanned the flames sparking inside me and I strode toward her desk, planting my palms firmly across it. “What the hell does that mean?”

  “Nothing,” she whispered. “Let’s not do this. Let’s leave whatever it is we thought we had in the past. If it was anything.”

  That made me want to pull her over the desk and show her exactly why we weren’t done. Instead, I stepped around the desk, spun the arms of her chair toward me and stood over her, narrowing the slice of air between us. The scent of her hair wafted up my nose. Fuck, it smelled so good.

  “If it was anything? What the hell, Dakota?” My face inched toward hers and she bent her head back, forced to look me in the eye. “Of course it was something.”

  “Shane,” she began, but I wouldn’t allow her to speak. She’d only cover her feelings with more excuses.

  “You’re still so goddamn gorgeous,” I said. Her eyes widened and held mine. “I always thought about those lips and eyes. How your body felt moving against mine.”

  “Shane—” she said, swallowing with some effort. She kept me roped with only the softness of her voice.

  “So don’t tell me that it wasn’t something,” I said, tilting my head and looming over her. “At one time, it was everything.”

  She closed her eyes on a sharp breath, looking soft and vulnerable.

  Because I couldn’t help myself, my fingers left her chair and glided up her arms to her neck. Her breaths released from her lips in short pants and I considered touching my mouth to hers.

  Would she let me? Would she want me to?

  “Yes,” she whispered, the heat of her breaths warming the tiny sliver of air still lingering between us. “But that’s in the past. We had our chance and I . . . I got over you. So let’s leave it there.”

  My stomach completely flipped over. “You got over me?”

  I studied her lips edge to edge, and they trembled in response. She was so not over me.

  I didn’t know what the hell was driving me. I just knew I didn’t like hearing those words. Not one damn bit.

  “You got over me?” I growled as my fingers gripped the nape of her neck.

  My lips brushed the line of her jaw and she shivered.

  “Shane, don’t. Please,” she mumbled, her hands at my chest. “You’ll just leave again and I can’t . . . I can’t . . .”

  She sounded so helpless and sad. For the first time she was allowing me to see exactly what she might have been feeling, might’ve gone through five years ago. She sounded wrecked—as wrecked as I had been.

  My lips trailed to her ear. “Angel.”

  There was a sharp rap on her door. She stiffened, grasped a fistful of my shirt and then pushed me away. The veil came crashing back down and I lost her again.

  She stood up and now we were nose to nose, breathing heavily.

  Another knock at the door. “I need you to go.”

  She stared into my eyes and I felt shattered.

  “Come in,” she said.

  Stuart entered the room. “Shane, you’re here,” he said, ignoring my close proximity to Dakota. His eyes fixed on her before he said, “Did you fill him in?”

  “I’m sure that’s not necessary,” she said, skirting around me. “Shane has a life to get back to.”

  Chapter Six

  DAKOTA

  I forced my shaking hands to remain at my sides and tried to get my brain back in working order. I was literally a mess—Shane had turned me to mush inside my own office, at my own desk.

  He had gotten so close, his mouth on my jaw. New muscles I had never felt before in his chest, hard and unyielding. The same full lips, blue eyes. I remembered exactly how it had felt to have him slide inside of me. How he’d filled me up. Never has anything—anyone—else ever felt better.

  “I’m not going anywhere,” Shane grunted, sounding more than a little annoyed. He folded his arms across his broad chest. “Tell me what’s going on. I’m waiting to hear back from the detective in charge of the investigation about whether they have any more good leads.”

  Shane’s dad must’ve hooked him up with the name of the detective, not that he didn’t have his own contacts by now. My father’s crime didn’t take place on reservation land, so we had to rely on local authorities to handle the case. Because Indian tribes are recognized by the Constitution as sovereign nations, reservations are still subject to all federal laws but not necessarily to state and local regulations.

  However, tribes may enter into an agreement that gives nearby ruling bodies some regulatory oversight of a casino’s operations. In our case, we’re friendly with the local authorities on cases that involve members of our tribe, but it always helps to have an insider. And right now, that insider was Shane.

  Shane’s mom and dad had come to the funeral. But Shane’s dad has always been closed off in a way that I hoped Shane would never be. He was a hard man to get to know because he wasn’t very expressive, and I knew that Shane struggled with that as a kid.

  I didn’t feel like fighting with Shane on the subject of the casino any longer. Besides, truth be told, I was grateful for any classified information I could get. “Ever since Dad died . . . things have been weird. Tense.”

  He spun toward me and then looked at Stuart, who nodded. “What does that mean?”

  Shane knew my father was strong-willed, that he didn’t allow anybody to walk all over him. I just hoped I could do the same. Stand up to the dissenters, even to Uncle Elan, who has always wanted this casino—all casinos—shut down. But my father and I felt differently. We were providing jobs and resources for our people, a legacy to carry on after so many years of being lost, after our land had been stripped from us.

  “Some members of the tribal nation have a problem with my mother and me being in charge,” I said. “And not because we’re female.”

  Shane nodded, because he knew that women were considered sacred in the tribe, revered as life-givers. Some held positions of power. Our tribal council, the ruling body of the tribal nation, consisted of one chief and one clan mother, along with other appointed members. The idea was that everyone had a job to do, and women shared the responsibility equally.

  “It’s because I’m only half Indian,” I said. “And as you know, Mom is one hundred percent Dutch.”

  “I don’t get it. What does that have to do with running this casino? You’ve both worked alongside your father for years,” Shane said, resting his weight on the arm of the chair. “They know your values, your work ethic, yeah?”

  “Their work ethic is not the problem,” Stuart chimed in. “People are worried that a Dutch woman now has sole ownership of a casino that is within the tribal nation. Rumors are rampant that Mrs. Nakos and her two half Indian children will take in all the profits, while the reservation will see no further improvement.”

  Shane’s mouth dropped open. He had to have seen a lot in his career as a United States Marshal, so for him to find this as upsetting as we did must’ve meant something.

  “You mean to tell me that the employees you’ve been working beside for years suddenly question your intentions?”

  Stuart stepped closer to him, folding his arms across his chest. “Not all of them. But some do, even though they won’t voice it out loud. Superstition and rumors are running rampant, enough that people are buying into the idea. Now I’m worried it’s spreading a culture of discontent.”

  “Plus, Uncle Elan is placing pressure on Mom to shut this place down, saying that it’s the perfect time,” I said, sinking back down in my office chair. “He keeps reminding her that she and my father were going to retire in a few years anyway.”

  Stuart looked at Shane, his eyes wide and sad. “Not only that, the Casino Association has called an emergency meeting today. Rumor has is that they’ll ask Mrs. Nakos to reconsider her options.”

  “What options, exactly? Your mom owns this casino outright, yeah?” Shane said. I could see his pulse pounding at his throat. He was as livid as we were. “It’
s not like they can take the title away from her.”

  “No, but they can place a great deal of pressure on her,” Stuart said. “Flint Thornfall wants this property, this land. In my opinion, he’s wanted it for years.”

  “Flint Thornfall?” Shane said. “That name rings a bell. Let me guess. The man at the funeral with the ill-fitting black suit and umbrella, standing next to the chief, looking self-important?”

  “He’s the one,” Stuart said, shaking his head.

  “Why?” Shane asked. “Why not just buy another casino or open a new one?”

  “Because land is scarce. Unless the Bureau of Indian Affairs makes an exception for a structure to be built outside of the nation’s property.”

  “That type of legislation has been on the table for years though, right?” Shane said. “So that’s not going to happen anytime soon.”

  “Plus there’s a huge startup cost to build from scratch,” Stuart said. “He’d probably need investors to help buy this place. Not only that, our casino is close to a major city, so our reservation has seen more revenue than other casinos in rural parts of the state.”

  “We’ve been successful, plain and simple,” I said. “My father commanded respect in the community. Flint’s casino is thriving, sure, but there have been rumors that he’s had his own struggles with his staff. Turnover, discontent. Taking over an already successful casino would help his image.”

  Shane understood our community well, so when he just nodded, I knew he got the significance of my words. Saving face was very important in my culture. It was a disgrace to be seen as anything less than honorable.

  “Maybe it’s time to have a conversation with Ridge and—” Stuart’s eyes shot to mine. I subtly shook my head, not wanting Shane to know my history with Flint’s son, Ridge. How we dated for a year, how I broke it off and how he still pined for me. I knew for a fact that Kai had never discussed it with him. Rachel had told me so.

  Shane looked back and forth between Stuart and me as we exchanged a hushed dialogue with our eyes. “Enough of this silent communication. Just lay it on me.”

  “Flint’s son, Ridge,” Stuart said, and I bit my lip.

  “Standing next to Flint at the cemetery, dark sunglasses, expensive navy suit?” I was stunned by the way Shane already had him pegged.

  “He sympathizes with us,” Stuart said, nodding.

  Shane stood up straight, almost like he caught his meaning. “And why is that?” He aimed his question directly at me, and Stuart remained silent.

  “We used to date,” I mumbled, and Shane’s jaw ticked almost imperceptibly.

  “For how long?” he asked, swallowing forcibly.

  “Long enough for him to get to know me and my family,” I said. “He understands the business, because he grew up in it, too.”

  He now avoided my gaze. “How do you know he sympathizes with you?”

  “Outside of him always going toe-to-toe with his own father? I mean, he doesn’t even work for him, that’s how different they are.” Again, Stuart and I shared a look. “The day after Dad passed away, he called me and he sounded . . .”

  “Sounded what?” Shane said, running his fingers through the top of his shorn hair.

  “Troubled and apologetic. Like he knew what was coming next.”

  “Knew what?” he asked but then ended up answering his own question. “That his father was going to weasel his way in and buy your mother out?”

  “Flint has never been known for his decorum,” I said. “He moved in while we were under duress. Like this was his opportunity and he was going to take it, no matter the timing.”

  Chapter Seven

  SHANE

  What the hell? I thought as I sank into an office chair. This family didn’t need any more on its plate. I wouldn’t share my concerns with Dakota and Stu, not yet. But my senses were on high alert. Something else was wrong, beyond what they were telling me. I could feel it in my gut; it was how I’d been trained.

  It was enough to hear that Mr. Nakos had been killed so senselessly in a robbery—for what, a few bucks? But I heard that kind of shit go down all the time over the years. Some stupid fuck strung out on crack, needing his next fix and next thing you know, his knife or bullet has penetrated the skin of another human being. A warrant’s out for his arrest, and he flees.

  That’s where I came in. Those assholes couldn’t hide from me, not for very long. Even though the job had taken its toll on me, I knew I needed to fight the good fight. I’d become a good hunter and I wished to hell right now that I had been around here long enough to protect the Nakos family.

  I could have read the warning signs, set up surveillance, done something. Fuck. I stood up so fast the chair tottered on two legs beneath me, practically crashing to the ground.

  This shit was far from over. I began pacing back and forth.

  “What gives, Shane?” Dakota’s voice broke me out of my thoughts. I could see the anxiety written all over her face. She was scared and was only trying to act brave and unaffected in front of me.

  “What time do you meet with the Casino Association today?”

  “In about an hour.” Her voice was strained, concerned.

  I turned and met her gaze. I needed to tone myself way down. She had too much pressure on her right now; she didn’t need to know what I was thinking, why I was so concerned.

  But I did need to make her understand that security was important—a priority, in fact. “Hear me out, Dee.”

  She immediately read the seriousness in my face, in my eyes. “Go ahead.”

  “Tensions are high around here. I could feel it before I even knew what was happening. At the funeral. In the casino,” I said, motioning with my hands. “You have to understand, given what could end up being a volatile atmosphere, that security needs to take precedence. I know you. I can tell how unnerved you are by all of this. So let me drive you to this meeting.”

  Her apprehensive eyes met Stuart’s, and he nodded in agreement.

  But then she tamped that worry down and fisted her hands, clenched her jaw. She was going to be stubborn about my help. “How dare you think you can march in here and—”

  “I’ve said similar things to your father in the past,” Stuart said. My shoulders relaxed. At least I had him in my corner. “Especially when he was fighting that sacred-ground injunction a couple of years ago.”

  Dakota braced the edge of the desk and seethed.

  “You’re just as stubborn as you always were,” I said, folding my arms across my chest. I was not budging on this one. She’d have to kick me out of the casino and file a restraining order to keep me away from her now.

  Besides, I could see how shaken up she was about all of this. She could be mad at me and how we left things all she wanted. But I knew better. She needed me right now.

  Stuart grinned. “As stubborn as her father.”

  Dakota glared at both of us.

  I turned to Stuart. “What sacred-ground injunction?”

  “Stuart!”

  “You can be angry with me later.” Stuart’s voice was almost scolding, like a parent’s would be with their child. “If we’re going to tell him what’s happening around here, let’s give him everything.”

  Dakota bit her tongue and sank to the edge of the desk in defeat.

  “One of the tribes outside of our jurisdiction had teamed up with this large corporation, who was funding their operation. They were attempting to build a new casino on sacred land,” he said, stabbing his finger into the desk to make his point. “Had even dug up the graves of some ancient chiefs when they broke ground.”

  “Unbelievable,” I said as Dakota looked beyond me and shook her head at the wall.

  “Mr. Nakos joined forces with Elan, fought it, and won.”

  I raised my eyebrows. Mr. Nakos was definitely badass, so that didn’t surprise me. It did, however, shock me that he had found common ground with his brother. I wondered if standing united for the same cause had helped them unders
tand one another better.

  “To my point, you need to tighten it up around here,” I said. Hearing that story had only added fuel to my fire. “Every member of your family needs to have security measures at home, especially you and your mom.”

  “What do you mean at home?” she sputtered, her eyebrows raised. “These people are our employees, our family.”

  “I understand. But in this kind of situation, it doesn’t matter,” I said. “People do crazy, stupid things in the heat of the moment. I’m going to accompany you to that meeting. And then I’m going to come back here and figure out a plan with Grayson on how to run a tighter ship.”

  “For Christ’s sake,” Dakota said, but the relief in her eyes didn’t match her words. “We own a casino not a . . . a . . . museum that contains million-dollar artifacts. No matter how much security you have, my father could still have been killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  I didn’t want to argue with her that had her father carried some security detail with him that may not have happened. I didn’t want her to hurt any worse. To plant any more doubts in her mind. She seemed fragile enough at the moment.

  “I get your point,” I said. “But this situation may become volatile. I don’t like this, Dakota. You should either get yourself a driver, or at the very least, have security escort you to your car.”

  Stuart leaned forward. “See, I told you, boss lady. It’s the exact reason I’ve been walking down with you every day.”

  “Don’t be heroic, Dee,” I said, and she gritted her teeth. “If someone wants to get their point across, they can follow you out to your car. I know you appreciate the seriousness of this situation.”

  “Of course I do,” she snapped. “Don’t come waltzing in here telling me what to do. Our garage is secure. I could call the boys for help. We need our security in place for other things.”

  I turned to her and softened my voice. “If a customer or employee is angry enough and needs to prove a point, then you become the target.”

  She sucked in a deep breath. Now she got it.

  “He’s right, you know,” Stuart said.