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join the men. Busying herself with lining up the bowls, she bumped into someone on her left.
    "I'm sorry," she said automatically stepping back.
    She glanced up into Ted Tango's squinty eyes. Inside, her empty stomach squeezed her esophagus. Ted had hung around Ethan, and she'd witnessed him walking out of Guillermo's office on more than one occasion.
    She refused to look away from his disapproval or let him intimidate her. She was the president's woman.
    "Excuse me," She stepped to the right.
    Tango moved toward her, blocking her exit. His too long, dirty brown hair fell forward as he dipped his chin. "Ethan's a lifer now."
    His low tone kept their conversation secret from the others and the pungent smell rolling off him caused her throat to constrict. She shivered, steeling her stomach as bile left her mouth bitter. "I heard."
    Tango's gaze hardened. "Some are saying you had your hand in him going down."
    "W-what?" She glanced around before settling on his face. "Who said that?"
    He leaned back, shrugged, and sniffed hard, clearing his throat. "You left at the same time Ethan played right into the hands of the Feds. In that piece of shit apartment you stayed in together, Ethan was shot, goes down for life, and you're nowhere to be found. Now you're here."
    "I didn't—"
    "Crystal?" Raul placed his hands on the counter and leaned forward. "Problem?"
    She shook her head. "No, no, I just finished putting the food out."
    Raul motioned with his chin. She glanced at Tango, squeezed past him, and hurried to Raul's side. Her heart pounded and when Raul grabbed her hand, she squeezed onto him, not wanting him to let go.
    "Hey." He pulled her closer and spoke in her ear. "Did Tango say something to you? You're shaking."
    She kissed his neck. "I'm okay. It's the big day. You know, not every night I get abducted from my job, carted across the state  by a man I never thought to see again, and then have to face judgment with the club. You know, typical day in the life of Crystal."
    He studied her and let her slip into panic slide. "It'll be fine. Relax."
    "I hope you're right," she murmured, forcing a smile.
    She stuck by him as he plopped down on the green overused couch against the back wall. His arm went around her, and she inhaled deeply for the first time in the last ten minutes. She'd be okay. All she had to do was remain with Raul and nobody could hurt her.

 
    Chapter Six
    A loud string of angry Chinese conversations broke the quietness in Raul's room at the clubhouse. Crystal groaned, burying her head against Raul's chest and pulling the cover over her ears. Raul's chest rumbled underneath her, and she swatted at his bare stomach.
    "Stop laughing. I forgot how much I detest the location of the club," she said. "The restaurant doesn't even open until eleven o'clock, yet they're over there cooking and yelling at each other every morning."
    Raul tugged the blanket off them and pulled her up as he sat upright on the bed. "It's noon. We overslept. I'm riding out at one o'clock. I need to take a shower."
    She warmed, snuggling against him. "You smell like sex."
    "I smell like you." He pushed her back down on the bed and kissed her. "My woman."
    She sprawled her fingers on his chest, and scratched him lightly eliciting a growl from his mouth. Vibrations tingled her lips, still sensitive from their rather energetic tumble into bed at three o'clock this morning when the party downstairs broke up.
    Her nipples peaked and she kicked her leg out from under the blanket and hooked him around the waist, keeping him near. No matter where they were, if he was beside her, touching her, speaking to her, looking at her, she wanted more. Addictive and tantalizing, Raul created a maelstrom of desires within her. Already she needed him again.
    His tongue slid lazily against hers as if he had all the time in the world to kiss her thoroughly. She arched atop the mattress, skimming her breasts against the warmth of his skin. It scared her how mad and