Page 16 of Blue-Eyed Jacks
“Normally, I’m not.I love autumn and the smell of burning leaves.But I alsohatebeing cold.”
Jackson glanced at the door.The day had disappeared, and with the twilight, snow began to fall.“We should find a hotel.”
My fork clattered against the plate.
He wiped his face with a napkin, ran his fingers down his mustache, and twisted the beard at his chin into a point.“You trusted Gina, and through proxy, me.I take that seriously.”His gaze bored into mine.
“Why?”
“Trust is therarestgift.”
I got snared in his sincerity.The simplicity and monumental importance of it shimmered in the air.If I could reach out and wrap my hand around it, I’d never be scared again.But words and concepts were intangible things.Spoken and forgotten.Lost in the blink of an eye.
“Did you want another hot chocolate?”The server’s words snapped me out of the fantasy I’d fallen into.
“I’m good.”
Jackson added another twenty to the pile.“Can you box up some of that cake to go?”He pointed at the counter.I hadn’t noticed the desserts in the glass case.But he had.A fancy chocolate ganache with cherries and cream held court in the center, between pieces of pie and assorted cupcakes.
“I should’ve never told you I liked chocolate.”I had a feeling he’d stuff me with sweets until I hated the flavor.
His eyes dipped to my chest.
I checked for spilled food.There was none.Nor was there much for him to see.The sweater was doing an excellent job of coverage.“What are you staring at?”
Busted, he smiled and looked away.“What is your second favorite flavor?”
“Strawberries.”
“That is a food.”
“It’s a flavor,” I argued.
He laughed.I’d made him laugh.Moreover, I’d contradicted him and didn’t pay a price for it.It gave me hope there wasn’t one.But time would prove me wrong.Dead wrong.
Chapter 5
Danville, Pennsylvania—Jackson
The motel room was about as typical as you can get.Two full-size beds, a shared nightstand in the middle, a TV with porn twenty-four-seven if you could afford it, and an anemic coffee machine that spat out one cup at a time.Kate stiffened when I led her in, but relaxed a little at seeing the two beds.
I got busy, first tossing all but one of the pillows on the bed near the window.“That one’s yours.”
“I don’t need all these pillows.”
“Make a pillow fort with them.”I had calls to make and not a huge timeframe to make them in.In my haste to get to Pittsburgh, I couldn’t find my most recent burner phone.And I didn’t have time to waste with the salesperson at the discount store to discuss features and options and that shit.I’d pushed speed limits as much as I dared with one of the club’s “Sheila’s.”That was code for a car with no registration or license plates, and nondescript enough to blend in.We swapped out stolen plates from various cars we collected in our repossession and junk business, and the two plates I nabbed didn’t match the vehicle.
That’s why it got backed into the parking space—and for good measure, I made sure all of our shit was out of it before getting inside.If I had to, I’d hot-wire a car.
Kate was a lot of trouble for a girl with almost zero reason to be in the sights of the MC.Then again, she was also feisty.During the meal and the ride I caught glimmers of the girl she’d been before Shock got his ugly mitts on her.And each time I saw that fire, I liked what I saw.Someday, she’d get that back.And it was my job to make sure she was safe enough to get there.
Which meant I had a plan.But first, I needed an alibi.
“I seriously don’t need these.”She tossed two back on my bed.
“You’re team no-touch then.”
“What?”
