Page 52 of Body of Trust

“I thought we weren’t wasting any more kisses?”

He’s right. I drop the sheet and throw my arms over his neck, kissing him as if Jesse Davenport is the only thing in the world worth believing in.

His lips are on my neck while my hands are in his hair. We’re making out, hot and heavy, me bare in the middle of my kitchen while his hands explore every curve.

My lips part, ready to tell him to take me right here on the floor, when the front door bursts open.

Jesse pushes me behind him, grabs a Glock from the cabinet—a gun that I had no idea was there, by the way—and aims it at the door.

Sienna’s dark hair comes into view, as do her arms, which go straight up in the air. Then, she crouches down, pulling the door closed in front of her for protection.

“Holy shit!” she shouts from the other side of the door.

I push Jesse’s arms down. “It’s Sienna.”

“I can see that. What are you doing, walking into Amelia’s apartment like that?” he asks her.

“What the fuck are you doing with a gun?” she shouts.

He puts the gun back into the kitchen cabinet. “It’s clear. You can come out now.”

I’m gathering the sheet from the floor and putting it around my body while Sienna slowly comes out from behind the door and into my apartment.

“Close it,” Jesse demands, making Sienna look at me for confirmation that it’s safe inside.

“You’re okay,” I tell her.

She shuts the door and then places a hand on her hip and the other on her chest, calming herself down. “So, again, why does the bartender have a gun?”

“I believe in the Second Amendment,” he answers nonchalantly.

“You’re lucky I told my shadows to wait in the lobby. If I’m not down in five minutes, they’re coming up.” She motions between Jesse and me. My current state of undress gives everything away. “So, when did this happen?”

“Last night,” I answer.

“We’d appreciate your discretion. Amelia’s father might not approve,” Jesse adds.

“No shit, Sherlock. You’re the staff, and she’s a princess. But no one is going to care because we have bigger issues going on right now.”

Jesse and I look at each other, wondering what she’s talking about.

“Your father’s in the hospital,” she states.

“What!” I gasp, feeling my heart pulsing under my skin and the dread shaking down my spine.

“You’d know if you checked your phone. I’ve been calling you all morning. He was shot, Amelia. Your father is in the hospital, and they don’t know if he’s going to live.”

* * *

Teeth are brushed, sweats are thrown on, and I even manage to grab matching sneakers that I tie in the elevator. Sienna and I leave in the back seat of her town car mere minutes after her announcement. Having her bodyguards coming up and seeing Jesse in my apartment was the last thing I needed right now. I can’t text him. I can’t call. I can just hope that he shows up at our meeting spot outside the hospital. I look in my bag and see he tossed in a phone charger and a banana. I can’t eat it though.

I’ve been so mad at my father the last few days. Between the revelation of his crimes, the secrecy, and his abandonment, I’ve cared little about him.

That’s all changed now.

“Any news?” I ask Sienna, who has her face buried in her phone. When I see the hesitation, I level my eyes with hers.

“He answered the door to accept a delivery when he was shot in the abdomen. I don’t know anything else.”