Saints and Sinners: The Complete Series Read online

  Gia stopped, staring at Reese, her gaze flicking to Cat as she typed out a text on her cell next to Kenya Wilson. The man looked at her, then did a double take, like he knew he recognized her but couldn’t quite place her.

  “I knew I could do it, si?” Reese said, nodding to Wilkens when he tapped her shoulder. “I’ve made that distance a thousand times.”

  “Not on this field,” Gia said, turned to stand in front of Reese. “Not in these conditions.” She could make out the concern bubbling behind Noble’s eyes. The way she pushed her eyebrows together, how she pulled her top lip under her teeth. Gia reminded herself to school the woman on controlling her expressions in order to maintain control. But really, it made her smile. She couldn’t help the laugh form leaving her mouth when it rose up in her and Reese’s reaction was instantaneous. Her lips twitched and she returned Gia’s smile, making the woman laugh even harder. “Ballsy. I like it. Keep that shit up.”

  Then she turned, the laughter warming her chest, keeping her expression open as she moved off of the field and came to a group of players, a couple she was sure she recalled seeing that night at Summerland’s. The recall of her stupid mistake dimmed some of her humor and she frowned, shooting a glance at Wilson, who nodded at her and Baker who jerked his attention forward. She felt them watching, but ignored them, moving to join Cat, taking her phone from her when she offered.

  “She’s amazing,” her assistant said.

  “Utterly.”

  She looked behind the players, head shaking before they both moved through the row of tables holding team towels, coolers, and bottles of water that sported the Steamers logo. The stadium was massive with rows and rows of seating that housed well over 70,000. Within each row were entry tunnels leading out of the stadium and into the building underneath. This was where Gia and Cat disappeared, moving through the corridors, past the concession crew and custodians as they pushed trays and buggies of equipment back into closets and storage areas. Then, as Gia thumbed through her email and Cat pulled up one of her scheduling apps, they came to a set of double doors.

  “You’ve got that two-thirty with McAddams.”

  “Downtown?” Gia asked, nodding to a security guard who held open one of the doors that led to a secured entry from the stadium to the business offices. Standing next to him was a group of three or four fans, all with make-shift Ryder Glenn and Kai Pukui T-shirts they’d bought and restructured—the collars had been cut and the seams frayed so that their cleavage was on display.

  “In your office.”

  “He wants to drink all my good whiskey, the cheap bastard.”

  They walked through another corridor, this one more lavish, lusher than the stadium and came to a row of glass doors with the Steamers logo—a cartoon locomotive, a menacing face snarling, wearing a conductor’s hat, as steam billowed from an over-large stack—etched onto the surface. Gia waved at the main reception secretaries, listening to Cat as she continued to run through her schedule and then pushed the button to call the elevator.

  “And Pukui?” she asked her assistant when they finally made it into the car.

  “Ah…about that,” Cat said, hurrying to scrolling through something on her phone. “He left a message this morning, just before we went down to the field…something about his flight…”

  “I swear to God, if you tell me that asshole is claiming another canceled flight…”

  Cat glanced up from her phone, shaking her head. “Priscilla, Ricks’ assistant told me Coach was on the phone with Pukui at six yesterday last night, cutting up about something. She didn’t know what.” She tilted her head, following Gia when the doors opened, and they moved down the hallway and into Gia’s office. Cat closed the door before she continued. “She didn’t tell me everything she heard Ricks say, but she knows for a fact he gave Pukui the all clear to stay through next week if he needs to.”

  “Next week…” Cat nodded and Gia twisted her mouth, moving her lips together as she turned, issuing a low, soft grunt of I swear to…Topanga under her breath before rounded to her desk and sat down. “Cat, would you please get Mr. Pukui on the phone for me?”

  Her assistant stared at her, those black eyes rounding like she wasn’t sure if she move or ignore her boss’s request completely. Gia tapped her pinky nail against her desk, unable to keep another low noise from lifting out of her throat. “Is there a problem, Miss Phillips?”

  “No…Gia…” She sat in the chair in front of Gia, leaning forward, all vestiges of professionalism gone. “Are you gonna go over Ricks’ head?”

  “What?”

  “You have that meeting with McAddams.”

  “My meeting with the team owner has nothing to do with Kai Pukui or Coach Ricks’ leniency toward him.”

  “But you want to yell at Kai.”

  Gia lifted her eyebrow but didn’t speak. She had no intention of revealing all her secrets to Cat no matter if they were friends or not. She had to keep some for herself.

  Chewing her bottom lip, the woman continued to stare, her patience seeming to deplete the longer Gia remained silent, then finally, Cat sighed, blurting out a rushed, “How are you going to handle him?”

  Gia leaned back in her chair, taking her time to adjust her skirt and brush it smooth. “I’m going to do what any man in my position would do when they want someone to fall in line and not step on any toes or crush egos in the process.”

  It took Cat several seconds to catch up. There was a curious glint in her eyes, and her features wrinkled into confusion as she watched Gia and the slow-moving grin that came across her face. Then, things seemed to click in place.

  “Oh,” Cat said, mimicking the smile Gia gave her. “You are so going to lie your ass off.”

  “It would appear to be necessary.” She straightened, fixing the small flying pig figurine in the center of her desk, facing him forward as Cat watched her. Gia’s assistant let that smile lower as she looked down, her gaze glancing at the desk, likely remembering her boss’s drunken confession Mardi Gras night about what that pig meant and who’d given it to her, but then quickly returned her smile to its full measure. “Go get him,” Gia told Cat, pulling her phone closer, ready to hit the green button when Cat engaged the call. She glanced at the screen, grinning at the time, realizing that bastard probably wouldn’t appreciate her call this late. “I have a few things to say to him.”

  “Lying already and it’s not even lunchtime.”

  “Oh, I’m gonna lie,” she told Cat, stretching her arms over her head. “But first, I’m gonna scare the shit out of him.”

  2.

  KAI

  THE PHONE HADN’T RUNG that early for Kai since his daughter Keola was an infant and he was staying up with her while his ex, Keeana, went off for her cousin’s bachelorette weekend to the Big Island. The lolo woman called at least four times inside six hours that first day, all before five a.m. He’d been fine about answering then. After all, there was nothing like a new mother leaving her baby for the first time. Kai had understood.

  But Keola was nearly nine now and she had a place of her own with her mom, was sleeping there now with her and probably Keeana’s man. So, Kai didn’t appreciate whoever the hell it was blowing up his phone this damn early. Unless it was a half-naked woman eager for him to open the door and let her inside, everyone else could go to hell.

  “What?” he answered, not bothering to open his eyes for longer than it took to answer the call.

  “Mister. Pukui.”

  Not a half-naked woman, but Gia Jilani. Close enough.

  Kai sat up, smiling when he recognized the forced sweetness in her voice. It was damn early for a lecture and he knew she was going to give him hell, but God how he loved their verbal sparring.

  “Gia…”

  Trap one laid. He knew she’d take it.

  She released a low, irritated breath, and Kai could almost see her chest moving as she exhaled. He lay back against his pillow, head on his bent arm, picturing that beautiful woman b
ehind his half-closed eyes.

  “How many times do I have to repeat myself?” she asked him. That soft, sweet tone had a bite, but Kai liked it. He hoped one day she’d go barking at him again. “You’re very unprofessional, you know that?”

  “Because I call you by your name?”

  “Because,” she started, and he heard the squeak of a chair, as though she’d moved too fast then caught herself, trying to rein in her control before she lost it. “Because it’s inappropriate.”

  “Oh…that.” He laughed, knowing his voice was deeper when he was on his back, knowing that he likely sounded sleepy and rough. Some women liked that. Kai was betting Gia was one of them. “Well, nani,” he laughed again when she cleared her throat, “I think we flew past inappropriate when we—”

  “I called for a reason,” she interrupted and that had him smiling even wider. He loved that she did that—blatantly ignored Mardi Gras night like it never happened. Kai never understood how that was possible. How she could touch him like that, kiss him like that and just…stop, pumping the brakes because she’d only just realized who he was.

  That killed him more than anything. He had known exactly who she was the second he’d spotted her trying to shake the asshole kid who wouldn’t leave her be.

  “And I think you know what that reason is,” she continued.

  “Hmm. I…don’t think I do. Is it, because you miss me?”

  He knew he was being an asshole. She was his general manager. She was a ball breaker. She was a professional, and everyone on the team respected her—when they weren’t trying to see who could catch her eye. As far as any of his teammates knew, they were 0 for 55.

  But none of them knew what Kai did.

  None of them knew what Gia Jilani tasted like, and God, he couldn’t help himself.

  He hadn’t seen her since that night…the night at Summerland’s, but Kai had plans, if he made it back to New Orleans. He’d be a professional, guarding how he looked at her, watching what he said and his reaction when the other players made comments about her. But when he managed to see her off field, all bets would be off.

  “Is it because you want to come see me?”

  “Mr. Pukui, you missed the start of spring training, and you know it. You were due back weeks ago.”

  “Yeah, that’s what my manager said.” The reminder made Kai uncomfortable. He didn’t want her bringing this up. He knew he’d gone back on the promise he’d made to Gia, something he’d never meant to do. He hated not being able to honor that. “I…um…spoke to Ricks about it last night. There’s been a complication with my daughter’s grandmother’s care…and then the weather was bad and they grounded the flights…”

  “Did they?” she asked, her tone suspicious. Gia wasn’t a stupid woman. In fact, Kai thought she was far smarter than he was. She would figure out why he was avoiding her and this conversation, why he’d made assurances to Ricks that he’d get back as soon as he could and that his absence had nothing to do with the limbo of his contract negotiations. He was loyal.

  But Kai was also damn broke.

  “You know,” she started and the noises sounded again. Kai could make out the clipped clamor of her heals as she walked, how they sounded sharp, determined when she moved, then the pause in everything but her breath and the clink of glass and liquid being poured. “My friend Ano lives in Keahole and he has a helicopter charter. I know for a fact he can get you to Kona International, which told Cat they have clear skies for the next week and we’ll get you on a flight tonight if you need help with that.”

  “I don’t,” he said, knowing he’d turned her down too quickly.

  “Hmm,” Gia said, releasing a low sound Kai didn’t like. He thought she might be drinking, that maybe she was schooling her temper behind something sharp. It wouldn’t surprise him. The woman was cooler than anyone he’d ever met. Despite her clear embarrassment that night at Summerland’s over making out with him, Gia had always maintained control.

  The first time he’d met her, in her office, she’d been composed, watching him with her expression impassive, but curious, staring with open interest at the black pendant Kai always wore when he wanted a little extra bravado. He’d seen her again at her office, this time in the elevator on his way up to Ricks’ office and once again, that pendant had caught her attention. But there’d been more of a slip in her cool that day.

  “Where did you get that?” she’d asked him, reaching for the pendant, focusing on it, her face inches from him as she held it between her fingers.

  She only backed away when Kai covered her hand with his, cocking an eyebrow at her for getting in his space. “Miss Jilani,” he started, torn a little between surprise at her forwardness and that hot lick of desire that ran through him when she looked up at him. “There something I can help you with?” He stared boldly at her mouth, remembering too late where he was and with whom before she stepped back. “I’m…sure if there’s something you need…I’d be happy to get it for you.”

  Gia composed herself, glancing one last time at the pendant, then back at Kai’s face. “How very…unnecessary, Mr. Pukui.” And then she left him in the elevator thinking things about his general manager that were an intensely bad idea.

  He was still thinking those things.

  “I…don’t need help getting home,” he told her, hating himself for lying. “Coach Ricks…”

  “Coach Ricks,” she started, releasing a long sigh. “Poor Coach Ricks.”

  Something twisted in his chest and Kai sat up, resting his arms against his knees. “What’s wrong with Ricks?”

  “Nothing that a priest couldn’t cure.”

  “I…what do you mean?” Kai didn’t like the tone in her voice or how she lowered it. “Is something…is he sick?”

  “I think he’s being…reckless, if you want to know the truth. But, well, maybe I should just keep this to myself.”

  “No, I’m…he’s been good to me,” Kai continued, sliding out of his bed to move to his window, the tension in his chest making everything feel tight.

  “Les McAddams is not a forgiving man. And he’s not very understanding.” Kai had heard the rumors, sure enough. The team owner had fired two Marketing bigwigs for getting drunk at the office Christmas party. The asshole hadn’t bothered to check Mills’ or Hanson’s cups or seen how lit they’d been when they left. Hell, by McAddams’ moral code half the defensive line should have been cut.

  “Anyway, Ricks and his wife, well, they been having problems and Les has been monitoring the situation. Ricks is fine for now, because he’s got a contract, but I just don’t know about next season and if anyone owes Ricks or is up in the air because of commitments Ricks has made to them…if they don’t have anything concrete or long-lasting finalized before the season gets rolling, well, I just don’t know how everything will play out.”

  Kai fell on his bed, leaning forward to grip his hair. It had all been careless. Stupid. This was a mess he hadn’t planned. But when you’re a poor kid growing up in the foster system with your equally poor foster kid sister and no one knows you, no one loves you, you tend to look for your ohana where you can find it.

  Kai had finally found his on the football field. He’d been fifteen.

  They’d noticed him. Noticed his talent. And once he’d protected his first QB, once they realized no tackle would ever get near his quarterback, then Kai became someone they cared about. His school mates, his teachers, his administrators, his last foster family, friends, then, eventually, the family who’d never known that he and his sister Nalani had existed. They all found him and loved him.

  But when you find that love so late, it comes to mean so much to you.

  You don’t see when it comes to be too much.

  “My auntie is sick, Kai” or “my keiki needs tuition for school” or “I’m starting a brand-new business. We’ll be millionaires” all started coming his way the second he got noticed from the league, the moment agents and managers came calling. He helped them
because they’d loved him when no one else had. He’d helped them because they’d needed his money more than he did. And now, nearly all of it was gone and Kai was too damn proud to tell his GM that he had very few options to get back to New Orleans and earn back a significant contract.

  “That…uh…sounds bad…” he told Gia, knowing she noticed that all the tease had left his tone, “for all the people who owe Ricks and…you know, for Ricks.”

  Gia had a tendency to speak under her breath, mutter small curses and low whispers, sometimes things that he was pretty sure was related to that show Boy Meets World his sister used to watch. Ridiculous, he knew, but Kai was sure Gia didn’t realize anyone heard. She did that now, groaning a little when she said, smart as Plays with Squirrels. “Listen to me, Pukui and hear what I have to say.” She moved again, but this time, there was no hard heals clipping along the floor sounding sharp and menacing. “You’re a great player. You’re a good man when you’re not being inappropriate and playing like you’re some kind of pimp.” He shook his head, unable to keep the smile from his face. “But you broke your word to me. And that’s not something I take likely.”

  “I…it’s not that simple. There was an issue.”

  “Okay.” She sounded convinced, but not angry. “I get that. Shit happens, and we have to deal with it.” The sound of nails tapping hit Kai’s ears, and then Gia cleared her throat again. “You won’t let me get you home?”

  “No,” he said, knowing he was being stubborn, but still determined to sort out his own messes.

  “Fine. Can you get here on your own?”

  “Yeah,” he told her, thinking of one of the only people he’d trust to help him out of this mess. He hated to ask, but he needed to man up. “Yeah, I can get there.”

  “Good,” Gia said, her tone relaxed. “When?”

  “I’ll leave tonight.”

  Kai watched the ocean slap against the surf outside his window and closed his eyes, wondering if there was a place in New Orleans that would ever give him the same kind of peace that Oahu did.