Page 11 of Stars and Scars

Grayson arches his brows, and I think I might detect amusement in his eyes. Or maybe not.

“I won’t be resentful, I promise. And I’m only actively aggressive.”

It takes me a few seconds to realize he’s making a joke, and then I laugh a little too loudly. Grayson just stares at me for a beat and then turns to Jax.

“I assume I have access to the stipend account?”

Jax nods. “Sure, just don’t buy a new convertible on the company card. You can, however, purchase anything that might make our client feel more comfortable.”

Grayson gives a nod, then turns to me.

“Let’s go and secure your apartment, Miss…I mean, Charlotte.”

I wonder if the impression I get of Grayson is right. He seems authentic, but he worked for the CIA for a long time. Could he possibly be for real underneath all of his spy layers?

Or is that perceived realness just another layer of smoke and mirrors, obscuring the truth?

4

GRAYSON

“Why don’t you wait out in the lobby, Charlotte?”

Jax gestures toward his office door.

“I just have a couple of things to go over with Grayson here and you guys can be on your way.”

“Okay.”

Charlotte gives me one last, apprehensive look before exiting the office. I watch her leave, then turn back to Jax. The second the door shuts, he turns up the dial on his stare.

“Grayson, are you taking the threat of the Order seriously?”

I cock an eyebrow at him.

“I take everything seriously. Why do you ask?”

“Your attitude is kind of, I don’t know, ‘to hell with it,’ I’d say.”

I narrow my gaze, fighting down a hot flash of anger.

“I know all too well what happens when you don’t take a threat seriously enough. The last time I made that mistake, my sister paid the price. I’ll never do it again.”

Jax is taken aback. He blinks several times before letting out a long sigh, visibly deflating before my eyes.

“I know exactly how you feel. I lost my sister, too. Madison.” Jax reaches up to touch the St. Michael medal hanging on a chain around his neck.

That’s right. I’d forgotten that Jax and I had that in common.

“It never really goes away, does it?” I ask softly.

“The pain? No, it doesn’t go away. It does get easier to deal with, though. You know what they say about time healing all wounds?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, it’s horseshit, because time never really heals anything. It does dull the pain, though.”

I lean back against the wall and cross my arms over my chest.

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