The Ex Assignment (Rogue Protectors Book 1) Read online

  “Okay, suppose I bite. Where exactly are we going?”

  “Where else?” Theo chortled. “Rodeo Drive.”

  Gabby felt the blood drain from her face. Good thing Levi and Declan walked in from the pool area while she digested that info.

  “Been looking for you two,” Levi said.

  “I told you to leave your sister alone,” Declan said, but there was amusement on his face.

  Gabby narrowed her eyes. Were they in on this too? After finding out Theo was her son, somehow she’d reverted to being his sister and hadn’t overanalyzed how to treat him. Her situation was different from Declan’s. He had no prior relationship with Theo. Having to work from home while Division underwent a deep clean was a blessing in a way. She could figure things out in her personal life now that the Ortega case would be drawing to a close. He was probably already dead, but there was no news from the LAPD or the CDC. Gabby was sure they needed a formal death certificate to close the case. Meanwhile, Chen had been released from the hospital to home quarantine after the virus had shown inactive levels, but the captain had developed a fever. Gabby had been convincing herself that he was going to be okay, that he’d received the antiviral in time.

  There was still the question of the missing Claudette. The clinic doctor who’d helped her was found dead and buried in a shallow grave in a Nevada desert. At first, the Vegas PD thought it was a mob hit, but when Gabby followed up with the doctor’s last known address, they’d linked their cases together and had been sharing information on their investigation. Gabby had just shot off an email to the Vegas detective-in-charge, thanking them for their cooperation when she was interrupted by the teenager.

  “Theo informed me he needs to go shopping,” she told Levi. “Rodeo Drive.”

  “Yeah, I was making necessary arrangements.” Levi grinned. “We’re going on a field trip.”

  “We?” Gabby repeated, and then glanced at Declan who raised both his hands like he had nothing to do with it.

  “Weren’t you guys supposed to be practicing field stripping an M9 blindfolded?”

  The script of Hodgetown was quickly rewritten to give Theo a break from the action scenes. His character was stricken with temporary blindness, so the teen suggested that Levi teach him to disassemble and assemble a gun while blindfolded. They’d been rehearsing this for the past two days, even went to Revenant Ranch to practice shooting blind. It had been hilarious watching the guys time each other. Declan could field strip an M9 and put it back together in twenty seconds without looking at what he was doing.

  “I got it done in forty seconds this morning,” Theo said.

  “That’s really good,” Gabby said.

  “It’s still twice Roarke’s time.” The teen shrugged in disappointment.

  “You’ll get there,” Declan said.

  “It’ll look badass on film, baby,” Emma said, kissing his cheek.

  Theo slung his arm around her and pulled her closer. “What kind of kiss is that?” he chided before planting a big, sloppy one on her lips.

  “Ew, that’s disgusting,” the girl protested and pushed away from Theo who proceeded to tickle her. It ended up with Emma running away giggling and Theo chasing her.

  Gabby burst out laughing, but stopped short when her eyes landed on Declan. He was watching her with an intensity that made her squirm. They had not had sex since that night, but he’d been dragging her into corners for quick kisses or make-out sessions.

  They’d been behaving like a couple of teenagers themselves.

  A cough sounded beside them. “Annnnd, I know when I’m the fifth wheel,” Levi chuckled. “You think you can leave within the hour?”

  “Wait a minute, guys.” Gabby pointed at her screen. “I’m not exactly on vacation here.”

  “Call Kelso and tell him you need to spend some time with Theo,” Declan told her.

  “Are you managing me, Mr. Roarke?” She arched a brow.

  He sat beside her on the couch, reached for her laptop, and shut the lid.

  “Your bossiness is getting out of hand,” she informed him.

  “Don’t see you protesting too much.”

  “I’m saving all my energy for when you all drag me kicking and screaming onto Rodeo Drive.” Her mouth turned wry. “Besides, most of the SAs there probably know me.”

  “Oh, you worked Beverly Hills before?”

  “Patrol officer,” Gabby said and then she thought of the polished Claudette. “I guess I should just get it over with.” She looked around them before lowering her voice. “When the truth comes out that I’m Theo’s mom, I guess I need to at least try and look the part.”

  A pissed off look crossed Declan’s face. “If you think you have to change the way you dress to be accepted as Theo’s parent, then let’s not do this. Be who you are. I’ve known you and I like the person you are now, but I feel like you’re holding back that core of the girl you used to be.” His green eyes searched hers. “Let go, Angel. Set her free. That’s who Theo needs.”

  It was unnerving how Declan could see into the heart of her.

  That part of her chained to the remnants of buried pain.

  But between him and Theo, she had a feeling she was about to break free from those shackles.

  At least Theo didn’t lie about needing to be measured for a suit, but it took less than half an hour for him to get his stuff done. Gabby thought she could still get out of it, but apparently, they’d lassoed Emma to pull her into different designer shops.

  For most of the hour she indulged Theo’s girlfriend as she showed her the trouser suits of Chanel, Valentino, Armani, and other big-name designers. When she was about to pull her into another boutique, she put her foot down.

  “Honey,” Gabby said gently. “You know what I do, right?”

  Emma shot her a confused look. “Of course.”

  “Being a detective is not what you see on television. We don’t walk around a crime scene or simply sit behind a desk or meet the big cheeses in the war room and discuss a case that’s on a whiteboard.”

  “Hey, what’s going on?” Theo put a protective arm around Emma.

  “I told you it’s not what she likes,” his girlfriend said. “She’d look good in something sportier though.”

  “We need to do something about your gray suits.”

  God save her from teenagers who wanted to give her a makeover.

  “All right, then can we go someplace where the price tag is not ten grand a suit?” she sighed.

  “I’ll pay for it,” Theo said. “My credit is good in every store.” He slyly rubbed his forefinger beneath his chin as if saying his face was his credit card.

  “Well, good for you,” Gabby said, resisting the urge to snort. “But, I’m paying for these or we go home right now.”

  She wasn’t offended. She had her money too that came from her share of Revenant Films as the owner’s daughter. It wasn’t anywhere near Theo’s slice of the pie, but it was more than enough for emergency funds for a wardrobe change.

  “Consider it a gift,” Theo said darkly. “I want to do something for you.”

  People were starting to recognize the stars of Hodgetown despite Theo’s baseball cap. Both he and Emma were wearing sunglasses, but seeing them as a couple identified them easily. Maybe that was why Theo hung back with Declan when they first got to the shopping mecca in the Golden Triangle.

  “And you’re not going to feel bad if I take that ten-k Chanel suit and go crawling into a tunnel or into a sewer?”

  Theo and Emma’s faces both blanched with horror.

  Declan’s chuckle sounded behind her and she spun around and poked him in the chest. “Some help you are—” she stopped short when she spied the approaching paparazzi. “Let’s keep walking. Theo, stay with Levi. Declan and I have Emma.”

  The crowd of paparazzi seemed to grow exponentially.

  “Are you and Emma back together?”

  “Does Mr. Haller approve?”

  Emma’s father
was a popular criminal defense attorney, and a few of Gabby’s colleagues had squared up against the man in the courtroom—and hated him. Gabby had no issue with who Emma’s father was, but she found out from Theo that Mr. Haller was the main reason for their previous break up.

  “Is that your sister?” Another reporter asked.

  “Ms. Woodward, where is Ortega?”

  “Do you approve of Emma?”

  Fortunately, another big-name star was walking down the street and the herd of independent photographers moved toward him. Some remained and continued to snap pictures. When they entered the Michael Kors boutique, Emma tugged her to the row of suits. “I think you’ll like it here.”

  Gabby had a feeling she would too. It wasn’t as pricey as the other designer brands, but it was modern and sophisticated in its simplicity.

  Declan and Levi waited on the couches at the entrance, flipping through their phones, maybe catching up on emails. She quickly checked hers but there were no messages from Kelso.

  Theo and Emma were conferring on one of the suits and Gabby was secretly amused. She looked back at Declan who was watching them, and he gave her a two-thumbs up.

  Gabby shook her head and mimed strangling her neck. Declan smiled and she returned her attention to the teenagers before they got carried away trying to dress her up.

  It wasn’t all that bad, and if Gabby were honest, she liked each suit the sales associate brought to her to try as selected by her brother … son … shit, her brain did the double stutter, and she decided to refer to him as her brother for now so she wouldn’t slip before she was ready. This idea that Theo was making an effort to take care of her? She liked that and she got it.

  The price tags were as she expected as she went inside a fitting room. She found herself not minding dipping into her emergency fund to cover the purchase which would probably amount to twenty thousand by the time she was done. Still, she wasn’t wearing these suits to chase a suspect or when she knew she was doing field work. And it wasn’t because it would get dirty or ruined. She didn’t want people intimidated by what she wore when she had to interview a vic or a witness. She’d known a couple of homeless people who used to live in Beverly Hills. Drugs and gambling were a fast track to the soup kitchen. And, homeless or not, they’d never forget pawning off a prized Chanel bag to pay off an addiction.

  After several changes of suits and doing a mock fashion show for Theo and Emma, Gabby was relieved that the two were satisfied with her selections. Three trouser suits, four button-down shirts, and why wasn’t she surprised to see shoe boxes waiting for her to fit?

  “I’m not wearing heels,” she said before anyone could say anything.

  “Do these look like heels to you?” Theo smirked.

  Gabby peered into the box he was holding. Nestled inside was a pair of dark loafers. Her fingers couldn’t resist touching them.

  Lambskin.

  Soft.

  Her feet were begging to try them on. Not that she didn’t have sensible shoes.

  “You gotta have new shoes to go with your clothes.”

  Since they were black, they’d still work well with her gray suits, not the clashing color of her brown loafers, but she bought those because they were damned comfortable.

  “Oh, all right. But if I can’t run in these, I’m not buying them.”

  Theo burst out laughing.

  “What?”

  “Roarke was the one who brought these three pairs over. Said to get them all and don’t worry, you’ll be able to chase your suspects in them.”

  Gabby couldn’t name the emotion that came over her heart, but it made her smile. And to keep her face from pulling into a silly grin, she bit her bottom lip, and sat on the dressing room settee as the others encouraged the would-be-fitter to max out her credit card.

  She slipped on the first pair, a black one, and gave it a walk through. She didn’t want to take them off.

  The same thing happened with the other two, a chocolate pair, and another black that was shinier than the first, and a different style.

  “I don’t need three pairs,” she told the SA. “I’ll take the black one and the other black shiny one.” She could use them when she visited City Hall or had to go to court.

  “Are you sure, ma’am?” their shopping assistant asked. “We don’t have these often as they’re specially made in Italy.”

  Impeccably soled detectives were not unheard of, especially in LA, but Gabby noted she’d be giving Delgado a run for his money. He was the most snazzily dressed cop, not only in their Division but most of Hollywood.

  “I’m sure.” She glanced at Theo, daring him to object, but he simply shrugged as he slung an arm around Emma who was busy scrolling through her phone.

  Thank god their make-over project was over. She quickly checked the fitting room to make sure she didn’t forget anything. Then she and the kids exited the lounge area of the dressing room.

  Declan rose immediately when they emerged. A panty-melting grin she hadn’t seen in a long time broke through his face. His beard was the sole barrier from making it an exact replica of that memory, but it was as if the years peeled away, and she was seeing the boy she once loved.

  A pang of longing stabbed her chest and she couldn’t help returning the smile.

  “Shoes good?” he asked.

  “Perfect. I can’t believe you remembered my size.”

  Declan didn’t respond, but the thoughtful look on his face made her heart pound extra hard. She moved past him and walked up to the check-out counter where the lady assisting her was busy putting the purchases in shopping bags.

  “I don’t recall the last time I shopped this much. If one suit fits, I’d order five of the same color and size,” Gabby laughed, looking over her shoulder at Theo and her ex-husband.

  “Yeah, gray’s not a good color for you,” her brother said.

  “Okay, sport,” Declan chuckled. “Ease up on the tough love before she returns everything.”

  Shaking her head, she pulled out her credit card and handed it to the cashier.

  The lady smiled and looked over her shoulder. “Mr. Roarke has settled your purchases.”

  “What?” She turned on him accusingly. This time Declan’s eyes held a wary glint, while her brother and Emma hugged each other, looking mighty pleased.

  “It’s a gift,” Declan said.

  “You just can’t give me a twenty-thousand-dollar gift,” she sputtered. It was much more with the shoes. “That’s insane.”

  “I just did,” he muttered and stepped up to the counter to sign the receipt.

  “Wait a minute.” She looked at the cashier. “Refund his money.”

  The cashier winked at her. “Don’t fight it. Let him spoil you.”

  “I’m not—” Gabby protested but fingers gripped her upper arm and Declan ushered her away.

  “Come on, Angel.” He lowered his head and murmured by her ear. “Like the lady said. Don’t fight it.” He turned to Theo. “Grab the bags and load ‘em up in the car.”

  The teenager gave a mock-salute as Gabby was led, still bewildered, out of the store.

  “Declan,” she sighed, but the man’s purposeful strides told her he wasn’t backing down. “It’s not the same. You’re asking too much before I’m ready.”

  When they were outside by the entrance, he tugged her to the corner so they wouldn’t get mowed down by pedestrians. He put both hands on her shoulders. “I’m beginning to understand the new Gabby.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Oh, really? This I’ve got to hear.”

  “Not here,” he grinned. “But long and short of it? We’re not getting anywhere if I don’t knock down that wall you’ve erected around you with a sledgehammer.”

  “That’s a mighty expensive sledgehammer.”

  “I have money now,” he stated simply, but there was a hard set in his eyes and Gabby regretted sending him back to the past when he straddled a thin line with his pride.

  “I didn’t mea
n it that way.”

  “Hey.” His head lowered. “That insecure boy you knew doesn’t exist anymore. Doesn’t matter if you’re an heiress to a mansion in Beverly Hills. Money doesn’t faze me, Angel. It can be made. But our relationship needs all the help it can get, and I don’t mind a proper courtship.”

  “Well.” Gabby nodded to the bags that Levi and Theo were holding. “If that’s the way you want to put it.”

  “It is.”

  They were about to take a step to rejoin the others when she added, “Well, darn I should have gotten the third pair of shoes then since you’re being so generous—”

  Declan’s eyes twinkled. “You did.”

  “You didn’t—”

  He grinned that heartbreaking grin. “Just say ‘thank you, Declan.’”

  “Thank you, Declan,” she repeated.

  And then he kissed her—slow and deliberate.

  Gagging noises from the peanut gallery.

  “Seriously, dude,” Theo hollered. “That’s my sister.”

  Gabby blushed to the roots of her hair and immediately sprung back but he kept her close.

  A familiar black SUV pulled up to the curb and the lightness of the day sifted away, and her anxiety from this morning came rolling in.

  Declan stiffened beside her when the window lowered to reveal Kelso at the wheel with Delgado beside him.

  “What happened?” she twisted away from Declan and rushed to their side.

  “It’s the Cap,” Delgado said grimly. “Took a turn for the worse two hours ago.”

  “We need to head there now,” Kelso said.

  “I’m coming with you,” Declan said. He turned to Levi. “You got them?”

  His partner nodded, but Gabby was already pulling open the door to the SUV. She paused and turned back to Theo.

  “I have to go,” she said. “I know we planned—”

  “It’s okay,” Theo said with the most understanding look she’d seen on his face and her heart clenched.

  Her son.

  She reached out and squeezed his shoulder and then hurried into the vehicle, Declan following in closely behind her.

  Kelso snapped the police lights on, pulled into traffic, and sped away.