Could she somehow make him understand without giving herself away?

“Ruby?”

“If you really want me, you need to be patient. I can’t change overnight.” She took a deep breath. “I know I’m a colossal pain in the ass, but try not to give up on me.”

He supported her face in his hands, promises and a touch of humor in his expression. “Hey. You’re my colossal pain in the ass. And I’m not going anywhere.”

A laugh bubbled from her throat. “Okay, Troy Bennett. Then I’m going to let you spend the night.

But you should know, I’m fresh out of peppers.”

The corners of his mouth edged up into a smile.

“Don’t worry. I can be creative.”

Ruby glanced down at the forgotten pool stick.

“Tell me about it.”

Chapter Eleven

Troy focused on the map of the Brooklyn Navy Yards spread out on the conference table in front of him, detailing the area surrounding the warehouse where they would hopefully be arresting Lenny Driscol within the hour. After days of around-the-clock stakeouts and working various informants, his lieutenant and a majority of the officers felt 100 percent certain that Driscol had been lying low in the basement of a decommissioned garment factory.

Troy didn’t share their conviction. Something about it didn’t feel right. They’d placed officers in the condo development across the street to survey the warehouse for the past two days. During that time, they had seen dozens of men come and go, practically jumping around and waving a red flag that Driscol was hiding out inside. It felt way too easy. Driscol couldn’t have survived this long by being stupid.

Two streets over sat another empty warehouse, the second location they’d been considering for a possible hideout. Not a single person had walked out the front door in days, so they’d made the call to rule it out. Yet the uneasiness in him remained.

He wanted it over and done with. Not only because Driscol deserved to be put away for meting out his own brand of justice and putting one of their own in a coma, but because he didn’t like Ruby being so close to the situation. As long as Driscol remained on the street, Ruby would be in danger by association.

Danger from Driscol. Danger from herself. Take your pick. She was hiding something from him. Troy knew it in his bones. The sooner they arrested the son of a bitch, the sooner he could breathe again.

Somehow, he’d gotten himself tangled up in the very predicament he’d faced with Grant. He’d formed an attachment, albeit a very different kind, to someone who played fast and loose with her own safety. Grant hadn’t known the meaning of the word caution and neither did Ruby. He’d left Chicago to escape the constant reminders of his partner, how he’d failed to have his back when he needed it most. He couldn’t fail with Ruby.

The simple act of being with Ruby placed her in jeopardy. She’d run with a crowd that wouldn’t take kindly to their secrets being shared with law enforcement. He’d turned her into a threat to dangerous people. A possible source. He knew he should leave her in peace. Protect her by staying away.

Yet he couldn’t. And after their night and morning together, he didn’t think he’d be capable of walking away even if he wanted to.

The multicolored map in front of him blurred together as he recalled waking up in Ruby’s apartment.

He’d risen early, intent on leaving before sunup so there would be no chance of being spotted at her building. But this time, the second time they’d woken up together in the same bed, she hadn’t pretended to be asleep. She’d pushed him down onto his back and ridden him so hard he’d been frantic with the need to come by the time she’d finished, shuddering and moaning on top of him like something out of his most erotic fantasies. It had been another hour before he’d managed to drag himself away, and even then, he’d wanted to go back for more. Ruby knocked his socks off in jeans and a coat. But hell, naked and rumpled, her voice husky from sleep, desperate to take him inside her? She’d made him burn like crazy.

In fact, he needed to stop thinking about it right now, in a room full of officers who would definitely notice if he got a hard-on, seemingly from studying a map.

“He’s in there. I know it,” his lieutenant said from across the table. “We’ve had round-the-clock surveillance on the building since Monday. They might not have been discreet, but then again, Driscol doesn’t have a discreet bone in his body. It’s hard to believe he’s even stayed out of sight this long. He must know he’s finally screwed the pooch.”

Next to him, Daniel pulled a face. “That phrase needs to be retired, like yesterday.”

Brent shrugged. “I kind of like it.” He held up his index finger. “Wait, did you say pooch or coo—”

The lieutenant let out a long-suffering sigh. “Can you two jackasses be serious for one minute?” They nodded. “Good. We’ve got to make this clean. Matt and Daniel, you’re coming through the south entrance.

Brent, you’re with Bennett.”

Troy massaged the back of his neck where a warning sensation had developed. “Lieutenant, something about this is off. We haven’t scouted for back entrances at the other location because we didn’t want to tip our hand, but it’s possible they’re entering in a different way. If we go ahead and bust the wrong warehouse and they get wind of it, Driscol will go so far underground that we’ll never find him.”

Brent considered him a moment before turning to the lieutenant. “He might be right, sir. It feels too easy.

Maybe we should hold off until we’re sure we can rule out the other location.”

Troy’s phone started vibrating in his pocket, disturbing his concentration. He tried to ignore the incessant buzzing because they were in the middle of a crucial discussion that he’d instigated, but when it didn’t stop after two unanswered calls, he pulled out his phone to check the screen. When he saw the caller’s name, his heart rate doubled. The officer he’d placed on Ruby had called three times, back-to-back.

“Lieutenant, I need to take this.” He hit the answer button. “Bennett. What’s going on?”

“I followed her as far as I could without getting out of the car and chasing her. The street leading to the warehouse is all blocked off for street repair,” came the officer’s booming voice, laced with frustration.

His mouth went dry. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“She hopped off the bus wearing a different jacket than when she’d left her apartment. Must have changed on the ride over. She turned the corner toward the warehouse before I even knew it was her.”

Troy pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to think clearly over the roaring in his head. Ruby in danger.

“Hold on. Which warehouse are you talking about?

The one we’re set to move on this morning doesn’t have construction outside.”

“I know. It’s the other one.” He snorted. “Just waltzed right in like she was taking a Sunday stroll.

Funny, I thought you guys ruled out that location.”

“We did rule it out.” Every officer in the room watched him, knowing something had gone terribly wrong. Troy felt like he was being strangled. He stood in a room full of armed men wearing bulletproof vests, discussing the safest entrance strategy for the arrest of a dangerous criminal, and she’d walked right in, completely defenseless.