Page 110 of Jonas

“How about we dial back the torture talk and set up a meeting?” Theo suggested.

“Personally, I was enjoying the torture talk,” Cash interjected. “There’s something sexy about a woman debating the proper way to mutilate and relieve someone of their fingernails.”

“There’s something seriously wrong with you,” Nebraska pointed out.

Cash’s smile conveyed he took no offense.

“Don’t I know it,” he chortled. “Those people at CPS did a bang-up job raising me. If their goal was to create morally bankrupt and fucked-up kids, they certainly excelled in their creation.”

Derrika’s hand went to my thigh. Her fingers curled in to the point of pain. Before she could say something, I shook my head but my eyes were glued on Lore.

That was when I saw it. Not the desperation Derrika said she’d seen. But the real Stella came out for a fraction of a second—empathy and concern filled her eyes. Then it was gone.

Derrika squeezed my leg. When I glanced over at her, she had a brow raised and an ‘I told you so’ expression.

I shook my head.

Whatever Lore’s damage was, it had scarred her in a way that I didn’t think anyone could heal. My gaze slid to Cash. He, too, had internal demons that if he didn’t keep a tight hold on, would destroy him and anyone in his vicinity.

I hoped for his sake, that control never slipped.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

I should’ve been focused on Natalie, and coming up with a game plan, and what excuse I was going to give her for disappearing the way I had. But I couldn’t stop thinking about the look Lore had given Cash when he mentioned Child Protective Services. I couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe she had experience with them, too. Or maybe she hadn’t lost all her humanity after all and there was a part of her that could still feel sympathy for a man who’d very obviously had a shitty childhood.

“When you’re ready to make the call, let me know and I’ll clone your number so you can get in touch with Natalie,” Garrett said. “Until then, I got shit to do.”

The video call abruptly ended and the screen on the wall went black.

“Does no one say goodbye anymore?” I mock-complained.

I heard Jonas chuckle but I felt him press his lips against my temple. “Let it go.”

“This isn’t a Disney movie, Jonas,” I huffed. “It’s rude.”

“Disney movie?”

“Please don’t waste your time explaining Frozen or Elsa to him,” Kira said without looking up from her laptop. “If the movie doesn’t include explosives, rapid gunfire, or jumping off buildings, none of them will get it.”

“You forgot sex,” Cash joked. “Above all else we understand sex.”

“You’re gonna understand what my size nine boot feels like up your ass if you don’t get to work,” Zane threatened.

“Hard pass. I’m not fond of big things up my bootyhole.”

“But, he’s okay with small things,” Smith muttered.

“Good to know,” Lore joined in.

“You’re all fucking fired,” Zane grunted, then prowled across the room and jogged up the stairs.

I glanced around the room. No one seemed particularly worried about Zane’s outburst.

“I ran that address on Dunaway Court in McLean,” Kira began. “It’s a rental. Owners check out. They’ve owned the house for twenty-five years. Moved to Florida six years ago and it’s been a rental since. The current rental has been in the property for nine months. It’s rented to a Cherri Jackson. But Cherri Jackson lives in Kansas City, Missouri and according to her debit card transactions yesterday she was in Kansas City enjoying an Italian meal at Garozzo’s. Before that she dropped a whack at Ulta.”

“So the renter is guilty of identity theft,” Theo tossed out.

“Yep. Who wants to go sit on the house?”