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“Three of us while Jake watches the door and plays on his phone…” Ty wisecracked.
“Way to defuse that tension, bro,” Drew said ruefully. “What we’re saying is that we don’t want to influence you or suggest anything you’re not comfortable with. You have to take the lead here, if you’re even interested.”
“I—I’m interested. I’m very interested. Definitely,” I laughed, surprised and happy. “I was so scared that you were firing me or you were making me choose one of you. Which I could never do. It’s—it’s all or nothing for me, I guess,” I gave a nervous laugh.
We all started talking at once and Drew opened a bottle of champagne from somewhere. He poured it into glasses, fizzing and overflowing the narrow flutes. We toasted and Jake grumbled.
“Somebody’s got to be the responsible one around here and run the business,” he muttered, but he was grinning. We drank a toast to him and settled down to share the lavish meal.
I was excited and had so many questions. Within minutes I’d found out that they were all on board with the idea, that there was no jealousy among them, and that they wanted me to feel safe and satisfied and pleasured. Their goal was a great experience for us all.
“I want to spell this out, even though it’s not fun to bring up,” Jake said, “We’re together, right. So none of us sees anyone else, we’re—I guess I can’t say monogamous, we’re exclusive.”
I nodded. “Do you really think with my pick of Burns brothers every night that I’m going to even look twice at anyone else?”
“Good, ‘cause we’re all in, Jas. We want you and only you. Nobody else. We take this seriously. You mean a lot to us. We’re not going to treat you badly or let you get hurt. It’s all too special to risk it,” Drew said.
I nodded, unable to find words to say.
Most girls couldn’t find one guy like them. I found four of my very own.
15
JAKE
We’d managed two new hires which would help with scheduling and the workload at the firm. You’d think I’d be a little less tense now that was taken care of. But no. Between needing another two employees to add to our roster and the situation with Jasmine’s ex, I was on edge.
All our software was up to date, and I’d fixed a security patch in our motion sensor camera system that morning. I’d taken Jasmine outside to practice aiming with the new pepper gel I got her. It was only illegal in twenty-six states. The fact that Virginia was one of them and the District of Columbia wouldn’t even let law enforcement carry it didn’t concern me.
It was the strongest one with proven results and an indelible dye to tag the perp. She could flick the safety tab and spray it smoothly and quickly, at a distance or close range and knew to duck her head and spray over her shoulder if the assailant was behind her.
When she balked at being taught how to shoot to kill, I told her that she needed to take the situation seriously.
“If you don’t think I know how bad this is, let me be the first to inform you, I’ve been strangled by this man until a blood vessel in my eye burst. I know what it feels like to know in my bones that I’m defeated and the last thing I’ll see this side of hell is those cold eyes that don’t even see me as human. I’m garbage to him. I have to be punished for daring to go against him, to argue or talk back or leave. It’s what I deserve and he’s just meting out justice, Jake. I know exactly how bad this is. Ever since I saw his name on the screen as an applicant I’ve felt it, like my blood congealed and it’s this viscous sludge in my body now, just waiting to spill out on the floor in a too-big pool once he gets a hold of me. So don’t you ever think for one second that I’m not taking this seriously.”
She’d been trembling by the time she quit talking. She bit her thumbnail and turned away. I wanted to fold her in my arms and promise her I’d keep her safe no matter what. A rush of compassion tangled up with my practical experience in security. I had to go get a drink of water and offered her one as well. “I’m sorry to have to quiz you about this, and I understand how hard it is to talk about. But any detail you can give us about his habits and interests will help us track him. This is the part where you’re the best weapon against him, because you have the knowledge that arms us. I hate to ask it of you, Jas.”
“You can ask me anything. Just, could we go in your office? It feels weird to talk about this out in the open where anyone can walk in.” She heaved a sigh, shoulders slumping. I nodded and touched her back as she preceded me into my office.
We took seats on the black leather couch across from my desk.
“What can you remember about him during your time together? Places he liked to eat, his hobbies, anything.”
“He drank Fireball and Jim Beam, Jack if he could get it. He had worked at a body shop for a while, but he got fired for not showing up. He knew how to charm you, how to make people feel seen. He would’ve been a terrific salesman in another life because he could manipulate you without you ever suspecting. He didn’t have any ambition. Everybody always screwed him over, took his opportunities. Never his fault.”
“I know the type,” I managed, trying to keep from giving in to the instinct to rip his limbs off.
“He only drank beer if somebody else was buying, and then it was Budweiser in a bottle, not draft. He likes meat and potatoes, not drive-thru food. So he’d be at some greasy spoon or diner. Country music, old stuff, Charlie Daniels Band and George Jones, or anything with a cute girl in a crop top shaking her ass. Fast and Furious movies were his favorite, Mob shows where ‘the men were men’, and the women were sexy and submissive or got slapped around if they weren’t.”
She leaned forward, elbows on her knees and held her face in her hands for a second. I rubbed Jasmine’s back in slow circles. “I’m okay,” she mumbled, and sat up, forcing herself through this ordeal, determined.
“Nike shoes and Columbia, any other brand was crap. Roll Tide all the way, no other sports teams except he sometimes watched the Braves baseball games or wrestling. Pepsi or Mountain Dew, sometimes an energy drink. The magazines with big trucks, and girls with big tits in bikinis on the trucks. Everything else had to be American made and southern if possible. He wanted to go to Texas and wanted to try drag-racing but he never talked about any goals or plans.”
“You’ve given me a lot to work with. That kind of information helps us track his movements. What kind of place would he want to stay if he went out of town?”
“Someplace cheap with a bar nearby. He had bad credit and I doubt he’s turned that around since I got away, so anyplace expensive is out,” she said.
“He still has bad credit. I ran a report when I did his background check. He doesn’t have a regular place of employment unless he’s paid in cash.”
