Page 118 of Nothing to Win

Jenna received an invitation at her workplace for a law enforcement event she’d never attended before?After there was a chance Gia had spoken to cops?

“Gia works with a lot of city personnel through her charity work, doesn’t she?”Julius asked, infused with his own renewed hope.“You think she’s trying to get a message to you?”

Jenna stepped forward to hold up a gold embossed card.“I have a plus one,” she said.“Would it hurt to check it out?”Brogan looked at Julius.“I mean, if you want, I’m not asking you out… I suppose I am, but…”

“I’ll pick you up at eight,” Brogan said.

“You were supposed to have the Excalibur—”

“Cancel it.If there’s even a chance Gia will be there, we’re going,” he said.“And Jenna, thank you.That was real good work.”

His assistant backed out and closed the door.

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Julius said.“It could be a setup.”

Invigorated, Brogan loved a plan.“Jenna has instructions, if any Sear wants to see me any time, they’re welcome.No appointment necessary.I’ll see her father, her mother, hell, I’ll see her brother.I’ll even let them talk their shit about me.I have to know she’s okay, that she’s not been made to do anything against her will.”

“And if she is there at this event and tells you to go to hell?”

She wouldn’t.If she said that, she wouldn’t mean it and he’d know.They’d both know.Still, Julius didn’t need any excuses to keep on at him.

Brogan opened his arms.“I’ll never mention her name again.”

“Good,” Julius said, moving to the front of his seat to lay a hand on the desk.“That seems fair.You answered that one quickly, let’s see if you’re as quick on the next.”

Suspicion pierced him.“Which is what?”

“If she’s there and tells you they have been holding her or she needs help to get out?”

Anger and determination filled him.“Then Sear better bring a fucking tank if he wants to take her from me again.”

“Being with Gia will make life here hell,” Julius said.“The Sears will make a war of this.It will take time and money and—”

“You know what stuck in my mind after Gia walked out of that hotel room?Other than the fact that my girl would do whatever it takes to protect me?”

“Still think of her as your girl?”

“She is my girl,” Brogan said, pulling out his chair to sit down.“Do you know what stuck?”

Julius settled back.“What?”

A smirk twitched the edge of his mouth.“As long as you bear that name,” he quoted.Julius squinted.“That’s what Conway Sear said to her.He said as long as Gia bears that name, he’s responsible for her… Gives us an easy way to fix this.”

Julius crooked a brow.“It does?”

Opening his top drawer a fraction, Brogan produced the small silk-covered cube from inside and slapped it onto the desk.“We have to give her a new name.”

THIRTY-EIGHT

THE LAWMAN’S GALA.Gia loathed holding her brother’s arm.She loathed being this close to him.Just as she’d loathed being under the Sear roof, and boot, all week.At least this was a change of scene.

They were late.Bram’s phone calls and traffic delayed them.Please let that mean the time they’d spend together would be limited.Not too limited, she needed opportunity.If her hint got through, she needed time to see it through.If it didn’t, she was ready to go home now.

Every new second brought new nerves.

Jenna was smart and Brogan shrewd.They’d get it.They would.That said, her tardiness could be a problem.What if they had given up?Maybe they’d come, schmoozed, and gone away again.

Brogan rejected his original invite to the gala.She remembered his conversation with Jenna about it weeks ago.That refusal made the opportunity perfect.Her brother’s guard would be down.He’d have heard—and probably checked—that Brogan declined and wouldn’t expect him to be there.