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“It would be so easy to blame you and Abigail, but I can’t. Well, at least not today,” I say, tacking on the last part when he gives me a skeptical look.
“Last night I was out of my mind with worry. Today I realize this could have happened even if I’d been there. She pushed it too fast. Her therapist warned her to take it slow.” That little tidbit I picked up from eavesdropping on her earlier.
“Where do you think you two go from here? I saw the way you guys were with each other. I can’t believe she would throw that away because of one incident.” He raises a brow at me. “I also don’t believe for one second that you’re going to let her.”
He isn’t wrong. I’m determined to not let this be the end, but I can’t force her to see it my way. If I don’t play this smart, she’ll dig in her heels, then I really won’t have a shot at getting her back.
“I don’t know, but she says she needs some space. She’s stubborn as hell, man,” I reply.
“You don’t have to tell me that. That’s one of the things I admire about her, though. Even when she ends up getting herself in all kinds of trouble.” Jackson shakes his head with a small smile playing on his lips. Even though this whole thing started with Lindsey investigating Jackson for a story, he’s never held a grudge over it. During her research, she would follow him around, taking pictures of him at all the places he went, some of them not the safest to be at. That was how she ended up in the crosshairs of Jackson’s stalker.
“That stubbornness made her a brilliant reporter, though. If everything hadn’t gone down like it did, then all my proclivities, shall we say, would have been front-page news.” He shivers, probably thinking about how he would have had to explain that one to his parents and the voters.
“I don’t understand. If she’s so damn stubborn, why is she letting this shit get the better of her?” I ask the question out loud not expecting an answer.
“Your guess is as good as mine. Helen had her for a week. Who the hell knows what she went through that whole time? Kasey said she would go off on some crazy tangents. Having to listen to that for an entire week, not knowing if you were going to make it out of there alive, probably fucked her up a lot more than she’s ever really admitted to anyone. The thing with Lindsey is she puts on a brave face for the world, even if hers is falling apart. It was bound to catch up with her.” He takes a deep breath and a long sip from his drink before ordering another.
I continue sipping my beer and the shot, deciding that getting wasted isn’t the best way to handle this situation, so I decline his offer for another round. I would rather not wake up in the morning with a hangover and heartache. “I feel partially responsible for that, too. She was trying so hard to be her version of normal for me even though I never asked her to. I know as much of what she went through down there as you do. We both saw what Helen subjected them to. I never expected her to magically be fine. I just wanted her to give me the chance to help her through it.” The alcohol must be hitting me harder than I thought if I’m opening up to Jackson of all people.
“Maybe her version of normal meant sweeping things under the rug. I wish I could be of more help, but I’m at a loss with the inner workings of a woman’s mind. Just ask Abigail.” He lets out a sardonic laugh and takes another healthy swig of his whiskey.
“Speaking of Abigail, how much groveling do you think is going to be required of me to make things right with her?” That’s another conversation I’m not looking forward to.
Now he really laughs.
“Man, you got me. But if you figure it out, I would appreciate a heads-up. That girl has hated me from the get-go.” He shrugs his shoulders as though he can’t understand her disdain for him.
I don’t bother telling him it may have something to do with the night they met when he hit on her, then not thirty minutes later had his tongue down someone else’s throat, or how he constantly antagonizes her whenever they’re in the same room. I figured the feeling was mutual, but it seems Jackson may not be happy with the state of their relationship. Makes me wonder if this is a playground pigtail pulling situation.
Just then, I feel someone sit down next to me at the bar.
“Hiya, Aiden. Fancy meeting you here.”
I look over and see Liam, my old mate from the marines and the first call I made when Lindsey went missing, grinning slyly in my direction.
Liam leans around me to eye who’s sitting next to me. “And with Jackson Hayes, of all people. What’s changed in the last few months that has you two chumming it up?” he says, gesturing his hand between Jackson and me.
“Liam.” I nod at him. “What’s going on? Just in the neighborhood?” I’m confused about seeing him here. Liam isn’t the type who bar hops or goes out at all, from what I know about him. I’ve certainly never randomly run into him.
“I may have known you were here, and I may have something I need your help with.” He gestures to the bartender to bring him the same as what I’m drinking.
“How could you possibly have known I was here?” I shoot him a confused look.
“I’m not one to divulge my secrets, mate.” He nods at the bartender in thanks as his drinks are sat down in front of him.
It takes me a moment, then I remember he has one of the world’s best hackers working for him.
“Cell phone?” I ask. He just gives me a non-committal shrug. I shake my head and take another sip of my whiskey. Liam needing my help tends to mean something dangerous and probably in a country with loose interpretations of the law. Basically, the richest person in the room makes them.
“What’s going on that you couldn’t shoot me a text?” I ask.
“Text? Man, anyone can hack those phones nowadays,” he tells me with a smile. That’s as much of a confirmation as to how he found me as I’m ever going to get.
“What’s the deal, Liam?” He’s piqued my curiosity with this cloak and dagger routine.
“I have a client who has a daughter that was kidnapped. She’s being held at an undisclosed location, but I think it’s somewhere in South America. He’s paid the ransom, but now they’re asking for more. He’s willing to pay it, but he has no confidence they’re going to release her.”
“What has he gotten himself into that he would be in a position to have his daughter kidnapped?” That kind of thing doesn’t tend to happen to your average Joe, rich or not.
