Page 62 of Sinning for Santa

I guess news about my run in with Bruno at the front gate has made its way around now and my best mate doesn’t want to be next.

Sometimes he forgets he has the ability to sit me on my arse in the blink of an eye if he really wanted to. We may bea similar height and build, but his skills out throw mine by a long shot given his military special ops training.

I got my skills from a brutal father that liked to use me and my family as a punching bag, and from serving my Uncle Ewan, making sure the crims of Melbourne know which family rules over them.

“Tell him to come over,” I advise Ronnie, and turn back to see Jaxcen watching Finn as he approaches.

She likes him. It’s not just in the way her face softens, but by the way I feel her tense frame relax as Finn pulls up a seat and nods a hello to her.

“What’s happened?” I snap, and Finn gives me his attention.

“The cameras we planted picked up a visitor.” He glances at Jaxcen again, so I keep my words vague, realising he’s talking about the cameras we planted in her apartment.

“Friend or foe?”

“Definitely foe. He planted his own cameras, but he didn’t find any of ours.”

I nod, considering my words, so as to not alert Jaxcen.

“Did we get an ID?”

Finn shakes his head. “Nope. He wore a ski mask. Wore all black. Came in armed and ready to kill, but when he found no one there, he installed the cameras.”

This Mr V fucker isn’t messing around, and he certainly wasn’t bluffing. He said he’d come after Jaxcen, and he’s now tried, planting cameras when he didn’t find her there.

Fuck.

“So we still have nothing?” I snap, and Jaxcen stiffens next to me at my savage tone.

“Not nothing. We were able to follow his path from CCTV. We got a partial number plate, so Dom is working on that. He’s also finished with the laptop.”

I shoot a sideways glance at Jaxcen, and see her watching the women singing in my peripheral.

She really has no idea we are talking about her apartment and her laptop.

“Also, this is ready.” He hands me a black pouch, and I take it, removing my arm from around Jaxcen to peer inside.

It’s her phone.

Nodding, I glance back at Finn, handing it back. “Put it in the safe in my office. I’ll look at it after.”

He nods back, accepting the pouch and standing. “We have another meeting at seven to discuss the other intel.” Finn reminds me of the fact they forced Father Peters to give up everything he knows about Jaxcen and her fiancé, Eddie.

All in the name of keeping her safe of course.

“Enjoy your afternoon.” Finn nods to Jaxcen who smiles back, and fuck, I want her to smile at me like that.

Leaving us alone, I return to holding Jaxcen close, and eventually she relaxes again, leaning forward every now and then to have a sip of the lemonade I ordered her, or to scoop up a small handful of pretzels.

For a little while, I relax too. Coming out here and listening to the talent in this town is often a way I like to unwind. Usually Finn sits with me and we have a couple of beers, but it’s nice spending it with my guest, even if she’s probably quietly plotting my death as she watches on.

My peace doesn’t last long though, as Allegra sweeps into the beer garden with her best friend Eden, and their sights immediately zero in on me, and my guest.

Fucking hell.

I shift uncomfortably as they come our way, Jaxcen not noticing them until they are upon us, blocking our view of the singers, their smiles huge.

“What do you two want?” I snap, and Allegra rolls her eyes before her expression morphs into puppy dog eyes and a fucking pout.

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