AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The corner of his mouth tweaked. He reclined, his body looser. His plain black T-shirt stretched across his broad shoulders, and I had to fight my wandering gaze to keep it on his face.
“The feeling’s mutual,” he said.
I got under his skin? Was that flirting?
Jackson pressed on, taking advantage of how I’d momentarily lost my words. “Let’s talk protection protocol first. Our working assumption is that we know the would-be assailant but cannot locate him. That’s a temporary problem which means we’ll need to be more cautious until it’s resolved. This tower is a safe space. Leaving adds risk.”
“Are you saying I can’t go out?”
“Ye can, but take care not to be seen. Either leaving this building, in transit, or entering another around here. In addition to that, it would be better if you’re not alone at all, including overnight, and that we add additional security to your home, like cameras at the entrance, and for you personally.”
“Me personally? What does that mean?”
He took his phone from his pocket and held it up. “I’m in the process of setting up one of these for ye. It works anywhere regardless of signal and has an enhanced tracking system that can’t be disabled or hacked. Daisy uses one. We can also consider a tracking bracelet that’s welded in place so can’t easily be removed.”
I knew the purpose: so I could be found if someone had grabbed me, yet instead of feeling apprehensive like a normal person, I got stuck on how Jackson would always know where I was. He’d check in on me. I liked that.
What the hell was wrong with my brain?
“I’ll take the phone. We’ll talk about the jewellery later,” I replied.
His gaze touched mine. “What if I call it a late birthday gift?”
I was ready with a quip about expensive presents and making sure it was pretty, but Jackson’s phone rang on the coffee table, interrupting us.
I couldn’t help but see the name on the screen. His mother was calling.
Instead of answering it, he stared at the device, unmoving aside from a muscle ticking his jaw. The call rang out, and he exhaled in apparent relief.
“You could’ve taken that,” I said, a little too late to be useful.
“No, I couldn’t.”
“You don’t want to talk to your mom?”
A fleeting grimace crossed his features. “No.”
Well, that was intriguing. “I don’t talk to mine either, but she never calls.”
For a moment, we watched one another, but there was none of the hostility of last night. Instead, a more tentative consideration played out, like he was attempting to read me. But whatever questions he had didn’t materialise, as he cleared his throat and got back to business.
“Let’s go on to the motive for Larson. We haven’t yet had the passport trace come back, but the description is good enough for me. What do ye remember of him? Is there any way we can link this to your father?”
“That kiss was a mistake,” I blurted.
Jackson paused.
I hurried on, horrified by my mouth running away with itself but committed now. “First time I’ve ever done that, so I just wanted you to know I’m not insane.”
“First time you’ve ever made the first move?”
Hot energy rippled through me, waking up certain parts of my body. “Kissed anyone.”
His focus on me intensified. “Ever?”
I shrugged. “It’s no big deal. Like I said, I’m sorry for what I did. I know you aren’t interested, and it won’t happen again.”
He stared, trying and failing to start a sentence.
