Page 113 of Hot for the Jerk

The utter disbelief in her eyes as she faced me, followed by the jaw drop, should have been more satisfying, but it wasn’t.It almost seemed like she was redirecting herpissapointmentat me, because I accurately guessed how Pickford would react.“How’d you know?”

I shrugged.“It’s Pickford.He’s a tool.A lazy fucking tool who just wants to teach scripture and take us back to the age of burning witches and sacrificing our firstborns.”

“He accused me ofcreatingthis mess.That maybe I should have thought twice about moving to the island if there was such a dangerous threat to my son.Because now I’ve gone and brought that threat to his school.He didn’t say the students.He saidhis school.”

“Well, you know he’s not right.Right?You escaped hell, fled to heaven, but hell just followed you.That’s not your fault.”

“Pickford didn’t see it that way.”

“Who the fuck cares what that washed up, pube in a potato salad thinks?Is he going to keep Marco safe?Or do we need to go back to the school and get him?”

A muscle ticked in the corner of her jaw she clenched her molars so tight.I reached across the seat and poked at the bulging muscle.“Stop clenching.You’ll get a headache.”

With a sigh, she relaxed her mouth a bit.“Pickford said he’d do his best.”

“Okay.Would you feel more comfortable if we came and picked him up after school?”

“Yes.But Marco would be so mad.”

“Better mad and safe, than the alternative.”

She nodded, exhaling another deep sigh.“Yeah, we’ll come get him.”

“We’ve checked all the other Elder’s houses that are vacant and none show signs of squatters,” Myla said over the speakerphone, a few hours later.“I think it’s safe to assume that Ozais isnoton San Camanez.”

I glanced at Raina, hoping to see some semblance of relief in her eyes after hearing that.There was none.She still wasn’t convinced he wasn’t here somewhere.Hiding, preparing to strike.

Ever since we arrived home from dropping off Marco, she’d been distant and quiet with me.When she did speak, her tone was snippy.I just let her roll through her emotions and didn’t push.Rather, I gave her some space and went down to the pub to help my brothers with a few things.

By happenstance, I was home when Myla called, just changing my shoes because I accidentally stepped in a massive fucking puddle and got a soaker.

“We’ve got eyes at the terminals on every island that has a connecting ferry to San Camanez.None of your brothers, or Soloman, will be able to get to San Camanez.”

“What happened to Soloman, Ezekiel, and Azriel once they were taken back to Seattle?”I asked.

“They were detained, but eventually released,” Myla replied, defeat in her tone.

“Free to strike again,” Raina said bitterly.

Myla sighed.“We’re doing everything we can.”

“We know you are, Myla,” I replied.“Thank you.Keep us posted.”

We disconnected the call and Raina plunked her elbows on the table, then buried her face in her hands.“He’s here.I can feel it.It’s like a choking gas, or cloud, or something follows him wherever he is.The man is pure poison.Draining the energy and joy out of anyone within a quarter-mile radius of him.”

I went behind her and rubbed her shoulders, my gaze drifting to her laptop screen, which had their land proposal open.The words “wedding, pavilion, cottages, south-facing slope, and events” caught my eye.

Just how similar was their land proposal to ours?Because we also wanted the land so we could expand our business ventures.We wanted to plant our own hops, start an herb garden and greenhouse for the restaurant, build a pavilion and venue center so we could host weddings and events, as well as build more cabins to increase our accommodation revenue.We even tossed around the idea of building a bunkhouse for seasonal employees.

“Are we going to pick up Marco?”I asked, using my right thumb to work out a knot in her shoulder.

“Yeah.”She craned her neck around to glance at me and unfortunately, at that very moment, like a fucking idiot, I was staring at her laptop screen.

She lost it.

“What the fuck are you doing?”she demanded, pushing me away and getting up from her seat.“Are you spying on the proposal over my shoulder?”Rage filled her green eyes.“Is that why you were acting all squirrely this morning?Did you go onto my computer?”

Holding my hands up, almost like an animal refuge worker suddenly getting trapped in the jungle cat sanctuary, I slowly backed away.“I will admit, I thought about it this morning, but I didn’t.Nor did I the time you left all your work information, binders, and laptop open the night I stayed on the futon at your house.And right now, I honestly just came behind you to massage your shoulders.”

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