Page 56 of Twisted Hearts

“So. What did Jaxon say?”

“Not a lot,” I admitted as I settled on the couch, placing one of my ankles on my other knee. “But he did have some good news he wanted me to pass on.”

Her thin fingers white-knuckle-gripped her coffee mug, and she blew over the rim, eyes peering at me beneath her lashes. Her lips tipped up at the corners in a small, hopeful expression. “What is it?”

“For one, and maybe most importantly to you, your dad is okay. At least right now.”

“Jaxon saw him?” Her eyes widened and she set down the mug.

“Yep. He’s found a money trail that’s sparked his interest, so he’s heading back up here to follow that.”

“I don’t understand. A money trail?”

“I don’t know much more than that, but I can tell you Daniel and Matthew are both still in town. So if they’re there, it means one of two things. Either they’re not that concerned about where you are, or they’re not the ones doing the looking.”

“That doesn’t sound great.”

“Considering Jaxon got a call from the older Johanssen wanting to find you, I’m assuming it’s not great, but at least you don’t have to worry about running into Daniel.”

She was quiet for a moment, the fear I usually saw in her eyes absent while she took another sip of her coffee. The strength in this woman was admirable. “So, if Jaxon is on his way here, how will we know if that changes?”

“Briggs, a man on his team, is headed down there. Jaxon had to get back for other business.”

I kicked my ankle off my knee, leaned forward, and set the coffee mug on the table in front of me. I’d dressed in jeans and a long-sleeve, tight black plain shirt, and I didn’t miss the way her gaze traveled down my arms to my hands as I moved.

“I need to meet with him later, when he gets back after lunch, and I know you don’t work today.”

“When are we going?”

Shit.Of course she’d want to be there. She had a right to know. She wouldn’t want to be kept in the dark any more than I wanted to be, but I also wanted to protect her, emotionally as well as physically.

“I’d prefer if you weren’t there.” She opened her mouth—to argue, I had no doubt—but I lifted a hand. “Not until I know more of what’s going on. You’re already going through so much, so let me find out what it is first. Can you do that? I swear I’ll tell you everything you need to know after.”

She shook her head. I wasn’t the least bit surprised. “No. I want to know.”

“Please, Addi. This is one way I can protect you. The money trail might be nothing, could lead us nowhere.” I doubted it, but what was the point of getting her worked up with worry if it was a dead end?

She slumped back in the couch. “I don’t like this.”

“I know, and I’m asking you to trust me. Do you think you could hang with Shannon downstairs? I really think you need to give her a heads-up on what’s going on. She should have some idea. Plus, she has security cameras, and if you promise not to go anywhere, you should be fine, especially now that we know they’re all in Charleston.”

She blew out a breath and gave in. The tension in my own chest eased as she finally nodded. “Fine. I get it, but I don’t like it.”

“Thank you.” I wanted to lean in then and kiss her, restart what we’d done that morning, at least the beginning part, but we’d have time for that later. Now I’d stressed her out and made her worry, and I didn’t want her to have problems between us when we did connect.

I just had to hope I could hold out that long.

I rose from the couch. “You call Shannon, and I’ll see if there’s anyone who can keep an eye on the building while I’m gone.”

After talking to Malcolm, I figured he’d have no problem stepping up and keeping an eye on the outside. It wasn’t his job, but he had protector stamped all over him.

For today, knowing the risk of something happening to her was low, I’d trust him.

I hurriedup the stairs to the office, too impatient to take the elevator. I’d been counting down the hours until I could meet with Jaxon, and now that I had dropped Addi off at Shannon’s, where she was toiling away in her workroom and had already pulled up a chair for Addi, I was more anxious to get back to her.

Charlie was at her desk when I burst through the door.

Her head whipped in my direction, long blonde hair wrapped in deadlocks flying in multiple directions.

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