Born to Be Wilde

know that she's in good hands. You're the only one I trust to keep her safe from any harm.'

Joel absently rubbed a hand over his jean-clad thigh, right where a puckered scar resided-an ugly, glaring reminder of how Zach had once risked his own life to save Joel's during a covert mission. Joel owed him, and while Zach hadn't come right out and said as much, Joel was certain that his friend was counting on that return favor now.

Keeping an eye on Zach's sister was the least Joel could do. 'You have my word that I'll take care of her,' he promised, then reached for the pad of paper and pen on the counter in front of him. 'Now tell me why your sister's life is in danger.'

Zach exhaled a long, deep breath, obviously stalling a few extra seconds. 'The guy I owe the money to is demanding payment, which I don't have. Not yet anyways. I just need more time to get it.'

Joel highly doubted that extra time would help Zach's situation in any way. Most likely, he'd use any respite to chase good money after bad in hopes of striking it rich in a bet based more on luck than skill. And that rarely paid off. After all, gambling cities were built on losers, not winners.

'How much time?' he asked Zach.

'A few weeks at the most. And in the meantime, the reason why I need you to watch Lora is because I did something incredibly stupid.'

A noticeable pause ensued, and Joel waited not-so-patiently for his friend to continue, which Zach eventually did.

'Right before I enlisted in the Marines, my sister took out life insurance policies on both of us worth one hundred grand, just so we'd have something if anything should happen to either one of us, since we have no other family. It's a prepaid policy and it doesn't expire until we each turn thirty, and that's still another eight months away for Lora.'

Joel swore beneath his breath. Certain he knew just how Zach had used that life insurance policy, his stomach cramped with a sense of apprehension, followed by a swift kick of anger. 'Go on.'

'I used the life insurance policy on Lora as collateral against the loan I took from a guy named Lanny Mendoza,' Zach reluctantly explained, confirming Joel's suspicions. 'I was desperate, and I honestly never thought he'd need to use that policy, but after a streak of bad luck, I've discovered just how ruthless Mendoza and his gang of men can be. His thugs beat the shit out of me and broke my arm and nose, and now they're threatening to go after Lora if I don't pay up, and soon.'

Because with Lora dead, Zach could collect on that life insurance policy to pay back his loan, with interest. It was a chilling thought. While Joel was furious that his friend would drag his own sister into his sordid dealings, at least Zach was doing what he could to ensure that his sister was protected.

'I'm really afraid for Lora's safety,' Zach said, his anxious tone backing up his fears. 'You know I wouldn't ask you to do this if I had any other choice.'

'Yeah, I know.' Joel tapped the end of his pen on the notepad. 'Where can I find your sister?'

'About four years ago she moved from Springfield to Chicago. She's living in a small one-bedroom apartment by herself.'

Joel jotted down the name of the complex Zach gave to him, along with Lora's home phone number, surprised to learn that she'd moved clear across the state and lived so close to him. Especially since he distinctly remembered from one of the letters she'd written to Zach during their time in the service that her boyfriend had proposed, and she'd accepted. So why was she living alone?

Curious, Joel said, 'I thought she was engaged to get married.'

'She left the jerk two years ago.' Zach didn't offer details, and Joel didn't ask for them, since that personal information wasn't pertinent to the case. 'She works full time during the day at the St. Claire Hotel as a masseuse and part time at night at The Electric Blue. Her best friend, Sydney, owns the place, and it's relatively new. Have you heard of it?'

'Yeah. Actually, I've been there…' Joel's voice trailed off as a sense of recognition washed over him. It had been months ago that he and his friends had gone to The Electric Blue to check out Chicago's hottest new bar, but what he remembered most about that night was how distracted he'd been by one of the bar waitresses that had looked so familiar to him. Not to mention the awareness that had been evident between the two of them at first glance.

At the time, he couldn't place where he'd seen her before. Now, as Joel thought back to the pictures Zach had shared with him of his sister, he knew. The woman he'd been intrigued by and attracted to had been Lora Marshall.

What a small world it was.

'Hey, Joel. Are you okay?'

Zach's urgent tone pulled Joel back to the present. 'Yeah, I'm fine.'

'Look, I don't have much more time before I need to get off the phone,' Zach said. 'If I can't get the money, Mendoza's guys will probably come looking for Lora in about a week, which gives you plenty of time to insinuate yourself in her life in an inconspicuous way.'

'In an inconspicuous way?' Joel repeated, not bothering to hide his irritation over Zach's suggestion. 'What's wrong with the straightforward approach? Just tell her the truth and that I'll be around to protect her until you get your shit together?'

Silence reigned on the other end of the phone line, and Joel imagined that he'd made Zach cringe with his honest expression of the situation. Tough shit, he thought, and shoved his fingers once again through his hair in growing agitation. Zach had gotten himself into this mess, and Joel wasn't about to make any of this easy on him. His friend needed someone to give him a reality check about his addictions and how they were affecting not only his life, but now his sister's.

Finally, Zach spoke. 'I know I royally fucked up, and I'm the worst kind of bastard for doing what I did. But I love my sister, and if you tell her the truth…'

Zach's voice cracked with raw emotion, and he cleared his throat before continuing. 'This isn't the first time I've gotten myself into this kind of trouble, and if Lora finds out what I've done with her insurance policy, I'm afraid she'll never forgive me. Or worse, she'll disown me as her brother. She's the only family I've got, Joel.'

The other man's sincere appeal struck Joel right where he was most susceptible, because family was one of the most important things in his life. The support. The camaraderie. And knowing you could count on someone for anything. His brothers and sister were close, along with their cousins, so Joel could understand why his friend didn't want to risk his relationship with his sister.

'Whatever you do, please promise me you won't tell her what I've done,' Zach pleaded.

Blatantly deceiving someone went against Joel's character, yet there were many times when his profession as a security agent required him to take on a new or different persona in order to do his job. This case would have to be no different, because Joel knew he wouldn't, and couldn't, turn down his friend's request.

Resigned, Joel rubbed a hand along the stubble on his jaw. 'I'll do it,' he finally said.

'Thank you.' The relief and gratitude in Zach's voice was palpable. 'I owe you, buddy.'

'You don't owe me anything.' Especially since Zach had saved his ass in Baghdad. In comparison, this was a small favor to grant. 'But I do need a promise from you in return.'

'Anything,' Zach said willingly. 'Anything at all.'

Joel stated the one thing weighing heavily on his mind. 'You need professional help, Zach. You're out of control. When you start gambling with other people's lives, you've gone too far.'

'I know.' Zach turned somber. 'I swear I'll put myself into a rehab program once this is over.'

'I'm going to hold you to that.' If there was one good thing that came out of this disaster, it would be finally getting Zach's life straightened out.

'Hey, I heard you went into business with Jon, Kevin, and Ben,' Zach said, changing the subject for a moment. 'Some kind of security firm, right?'

'Yeah, Elite Security Specialists,' Joel said of the company he'd started with three of his fellow ex-marines and good friends. 'We're doing pretty well.'

'That's great to hear,' Zach replied sincerely. 'I know it's been years, but I've missed hanging out with you guys.'

The melancholy in Zach's voice was unmistakable, and Joel couldn't help but wonder how lonely the past years must have been for his friend. He wondered, too, if Zach was still desperately trying to escape the horrors they'd