Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
I find Jackson in the kitchen. He’s made himself right at home. For as big as he is, he moves around my kitchen smoothly. A key sits on the kitchen counter.
“You didn’t have to do all this.” I pick up the key.
“It’s only temporary. I’m going to have one of my guys bring out one of the new keyless keypad locks. It’s too easy for these old-school locks to be picked, but it will do for the time being.”
“Did you change the frame on it too?”
“I reinforced it,” he says easily.
“Are you a handyman?”
He smiles over his shoulder at me from the stove. “I can be handy, but I mainly do security.”
“Did Nina call you?”
“Nina?” He grabs a plate, putting the bacon on it before setting it down on the kitchen island.
“Never mind.”
“Not never mind, but I’ve got a few other things I want to do around here. This place isn’t as locked up tight as it should be for a woman living alone.”
“I’ve been trying to find someone to put in a security system. Well, Nina has, but we haven’t had any luck. I had one at my old place, but it didn’t seem to really work.” I no longer felt safe there even with the security that was in place.
“That so?” He drops the pan into the sink with a loud bang, making me jump. “Sorry.” He grabs the back of his neck. The room goes quiet for a long moment. “What’s your real name, Bell?”
“Can we stick with just Bell?” I wring my hands together. His eyes drop to them. I’m starting to see that Jackson is rather good at reading people.
“When I knocked on your door, you were scared. So scared you shot me with a taser.” I guess he’s never gonna let me live that down.
“It was an accident!” He lifts his brows. “Okay, it wasn’t an accident, but it didn’t work so you really have nothing to complain about.”
“Oh, it did work in its own way. It proved that the front door is shit.”
“Why did you watch my house last night? Was it because of my door?”
“Something like that.”
“Something like that is not really an answer.”
“Bell doesn’t give me much either,” he fires back before he turns around to face the stove and fills a plate with some cheesy eggs.
He sets it on the island along with coffee and orange juice. As much as I don’t think I want to answer the questions he’s about to fire my way, it's nice to have someone to enjoy a meal with. A fresh, home-cooked one at that.
“You want to tell me what happened upstairs?”
“What do you mean?” Jackson grabs a plate, putting some of the eggs and bacon on it before snagging a piece of toast and buttering it for me. Why do I find it so adorably sweet that he went out of his way to butter my toast? Even when he’s being a bit bossy and pushy.
“You freaked out.”
“There was a man in my bed. I’m not used to that.”
“Thank fuck for that,” he mutters. I don’t get a chance to ask what that means because he keeps going. “You weren't scared. I know what scared or spooked looks like. You jump or let out a small scream. There was pure terror in your eyes. I’m shocked no one called the cops when you screamed.”
“Your sister probably just thinks I’m over here casting a spell and it was me chanting and screaming,” I tease. Jackson doesn’t even smirk at my attempt to make light of it.
“Who are you scared of?” I don’t answer him. “Is this person still a threat?” I just nod my head. “Has he ever touched you?”
“Me personally? Not yet.”
“Not ever,” Jackson rumbles. His words sound like a vow.
CHAPTER 7
JACKSON
She’s got man trouble. That much is obvious. Bell was terrified when she woke up with my body pressing her down. It wasn’t the response I’d expected or hoped for, and it leaves me wondering if there’s a connection between Marly’s chicken problems and seeing someone in all black in her backyard, and this woman’s mysterious past.
Whatever she’s running from, it’s recent. The nightmares are fresh. The boxes are still unpacked. The walls are bare.
“How about you give me a quick tour so I can see where I need to put all the sensors?” I suggest.
“Sensors?” She tilts her head.
“Yeah.” I walk over to the box I brought in and carry over a set of sensors to her. “I drill a hole in the door and ceiling, and then pop one of these into each of the spaces. When the contact is broken between the upper and lower sensor, the alarm goes off and places a call to our command center. Security personnel is dispatched within sixty seconds of an alert.”
I lay the two small cylinders on the table for her to inspect.