Page 14 of Jonas

That might be true, but more than that, he was watching for a reaction. Something to give him more insight.

Moving along…

“How long do you think Cash will be?”

That earned me a scorching look. If I’d been on the receiving end of it while, say, at a bar, I would’ve suggested leaving that bar immediately and going somewhere private so I could fully experience the look that sent fire licking up my back.

Jumpin’ Jack flash, the man could smolder.

Whatever had caused that mischievous look that stated clearly he had a fast and ready retort that would undoubtedly make me blush cleared so fast I blinked at the swiftness of it, then wondered if I’d imagined it.

But I hadn’t.

Like Jonas, I could read people.

“No way to know. He’ll follow for as long as he needs to.”

“The way you described his driving—is it possible for him to follow without being made?”

Another smile, this one not megawatt but the potency remained.

“I said his default was Route Irish, but he can drive like a grandma when needed. Which makes the combat maneuvers all the more frustrating. He can drive like a normal person, but I think he gets a thrill knowing he scares the fuck out of us.”

That surprised me.

“His driving scares you? Like actual fear or just a little pucker factor to get the ole heart jumping?”

His laughter filled the apartment, rich and deep, and suddenly I had the urge to run to my ereader and download a plethora of joke books so I could make him laugh over and over.

“Pucker factor,” he snickered, and damn but I liked the way that sounded, too. “Maybe a little of both.”

I took time to bask in the steady current flowing through me before I announced, “Just so I’m on record and you can pass this onto Cash, not only do I get car sick but I have a rule that includes inflicting bodily harm to those who scare me. It would be in his best interest to allow me to drive if we ever find ourselves in a car together.”

Obviously, my joke missed its mark seeing as Jonas didn’t smile as I’d intended.

“Who scares you?”

My father. My brother. My uncle.

“No one.”

That fear was also something I’d worked hard to get over, yet there had been a time when I was scared of my own shadow. I would never again be the kind of woman who cowed to a man’s demands. I’d never again be a second-class citizen. And I’d never again allow a man to intimidate me and make me afraid.

I lived my life on my terms.

I’d learned the hard way that people let you down, especially the people who were supposed to love you the most, and I was never going to put myself in that position again.

I did what I did, how I wanted to do it, and I didn’t give a damn what that said about me or how people perceived me. For the most part people were rude, disingenuous, and unkind, so not giving a shit if people judged me was easy.

“You look like you’re thinking awfully hard over there.”

“Just thinking about how long we’re gonna have to wait for Cash to get back,” I lied. “I still need to show you your apartment and we should get down to forming a game plan.”

Jonas looked like he was going to call me on my bullshit but changed his mind.

“That eager to get rid of me?”

I appreciated his attempt at a joke but it hit too close to the bone. Yes, I was eager to get away from the all-seeing Jonas. Yet there was a part of me—the stupid part—that didn’t want him to leave.