Gray gave her a nod so slight it was almost disrespectful.
He didn’t speak.
Didn’t have to.
He walked the perimeter of the bullpen like he was measuring its pulse. He passed Remi without a word, but I saw it. The flick of his eyes. The tiniest hesitation.
He saw her.
He registered everything.
And he kept moving.
A moment later, the front doors buzzed again, this time louder.
Jack.
He stepped in like he owned the place. Looking slightly dishevelledbut no less impressive. The moment his eyes found Remi, they changed. Cold. Calculated. Dangerous.
Ava was with him.
She didn’t look at me.
Not once.
Not when she stepped inside.
Not when her eyes landed on Remi sitting behind Erin’s desk like she was being mounted on a fucking wall.
Not even when her hands curled into fists at her sides.
Erin stood, and Ava glared.
“Oh,” she said, syrupy. “Look what the cat dragged in. Jack fucking Callahan. You’re not DA here anymore, sweetheart. And last I checked, you’re not Remi Carter’s defence attorney either. So, unless you’re here to file a complaint, you don’t have standing. And Sinclair…” she smiled like she saw blood in the water. “You’re lucky you’re not being charged alongside her.”
Ava’s jaw clicked shut. Her spine straightened. But still, she wouldn’t look at me.
And that made me nauseous.
I needed to say something. Anything. Needed to explain.
But when I moved toward her, she walked right past me and stepped outside like the sight of me was too much.
Jack stayed.
He looked at me like we were the only two people in the room.
“This is what we’re doing now?” he asked. “Really?”
“I’m doing my job,” I said. My voice didn’t crack. But something inside me did.
He laughed, but he wasn’t amused. “Yeah. Sure, you are. I’ll be back tomorrow. With names, files, and a storm, you won’t be able to hold off with a badge and a smile.”
Erin stepped in. “Great. You want to be here for the perp walk to county? Bring the press. Let’s make it a show.”
Jack didn’t rise to the bait.
He just looked at Remi.
