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She smiled. That was how she got the antique coffee table that was last seen covered in cocaine. Notoneof her friends or family members had offered her home security.
It was probably about as sweet as Jaxon Lawson got, so she’d take it.
Chapter Two
Pushing the trolley while Jaxon tossed this item and that into the back gave her the opportunity to breathe. Something she hadn’t done in nearly two weeks. Not since she’d first been set up on that blind date with Eric.
Nothing happened on the date. But apparently, that didn’t matter. He’d gotten his hooks in, and even though he scared her, she still did whatever he asked. Like a weak little nothing, not like the woman her father raised.
The memories were painful, so she pushed them into the darkest corners of her mind and concentrated on something else.
Namely, the way Jaxon’s jeans were slung low on his hips and how, when he reached up for something on a higher shelf, his t-shirt rose and revealed about an inch of bare skin.
Teagan didn’t have feelings for Jaxon. She hadn’t for quite some time, and when she had, it had been a stupid crush that she hadn’t entertained since she was sixteen. Nearly six years ago. But she had eyes. And Jaxon was handsome in a rakish, bad-for-you sort of way.
He only thought of her as a little sister, anyway. Hence this entire escapade.
“I think that’s everything,” he stated, brow knit as he surveyed everything in the cart. “Come on, let’s get you home.”
He paid, and they went back out to Dave’s car. It was the slowest drive ever back to her apartment. Mostly because people kept recognizing the car as a police cruiser, even if it was unmarked, and driving the meticulous speed limit.
They pulled into the parking lot and Jaxon grasped her wrist to keep her from getting out right away. Once he was satisfied that no one was waiting there to ambush her, he allowed her to exit the car.
Her apartment was on the second floor, so they had to go up a flight of stairs and walk along a short balcony breezeway to get to her door.
She was surprised to see most of the coke still there on her coffee table when they opened the door.
Jaxon groaned audibly and dropped the bags by the door. “Do you have an all-purpose cleaner? Like, a spray to clean things?”
“I think so, yeah?”
“Go get it, spray that shit and wipe it into a pile. I’ll get rid of it after I’m finished with this. Wash your hands well, okay?”
“I can dosomethingother than that,” she whispered.
“I know you can, but I’ve dealt with this before. You want every trace gone, okay?”
He stripped off his coat and rolled up his shirtsleeves, taking a screwdriver first to her doorknob and then to her deadbolt, replacing both in so quick a manner that she had to wonder just how many of these he’d done before. Likely every single one in every single house he’d worked on.
“Come over here, close and lock the door so I can test it.”
She did as he directed and opened back up when he knocked. “You’re good.” He came inside, this time closing and locking the door himself. “Teags, I hate to ask, but… he didn’t… you know… did he?”
“What?” she frowned at him, confused.
“You said he was here… he’s not your… You weren’tdatinghim, were you? You know…dating…”
Realization dawned on her, and she shook her head. “Oh, no. No, nothing like that. It never. I got set up on a blind date with him, didn’t realize it was him until I was already on the date… and he was so charming that first night… but no. It never went further than dinner. And you know… lending him money. He showed up where I worked. And then where I lived. I mean…”
The more she spoke, the more befuddled she became as to why exactly she was in this predicament. She’d hadn’t slept with the guy. Hadn’t done more than eat dinner with him. Never even kissed him. Why was this happening?
She must have been going through a hell of a journey because Jaxon reached over and squeezed her shoulder tightly. “Hey, you still there?”
Looking up into his eyes, she nodded. “Yep. Still here.”
“He fixates on people. He’s a psycho. It’s what he does,” Jaxon replied. “He did the same thing to me. He’s… he’s a shithole, and he wants to get in your head and live there. You can’t let him, Teags.”
“Okay,” she said.
