Page 23 of Known By You
“You need to talk to her. We need to make sure she feels safe with Jack.”
I blinked, not entirely shocked by his vehemence, but a little surprised he’d suspect Jack. I’d gotten the impression everyone at Saint knew and loved the man. They’d even hugged when Jack greeted him. Still, Kenny didn’t assume it meant everything was okay.
This raised him several degrees in my esteem, and it’d been rising consistently since the first time I’d seen him again. He wouldn’t trust that Jack wasn’t the one who’d hurt Evie, even if he was a wealthy, powerful celebrity millions of people adored.
“Of course. As soon as I can.” Not that she’d feel safe being honest with me after knowing me for approximately thirty seconds, but I had to ask.
Jack exited then, Evie following behind.
“Elizabeth will take you down first, Evie, and then I’ll follow behind with Jack.”
Kenny met my gaze, and I nodded.
Normally, we would’ve all gone together, but this would give me a chance to check in.
“That okay with you?” Jack asked Evie, his voice softened.
She nodded. I moved, wheeling her bag and holding the duffle I’d seen by the door into the elevator, thenwatching as she stepped in. She nestled into the farthest corner, shifting on her feet and hands pressed to her belly.
“Evie, I need to ask you something.” Maybe not the smoothest entrance to this conversation, but there was no time for easing in.
“Okay.” She looked over at me, head still ducked slightly.
I hesitated for a second, wondering how best to put it. Ultimately, because we had seconds before someone joined us or we reached the bottom of the elevator’s route to the lobby, I went for point blank. “Did Jack hurt you?”
Her mouth dropped open. “No. Oh, gosh, no. He’s done nothing but help me.”
I waited, knowing that denying someone was being abusive unfortunately often came with the territory. If it was Jack, someone with his status wielded incredible power and resources. She might feel trapped or?—
“Really. It was my fiancé or, uh, my ex-fiancé. I work for Jack, and he’s been trying to help and when he saw me two days ago…” She exhaled, her lips trembling before she spoke again. “Well, I know it’s hard to believe, but it actually looks a little better today.”
She tucked her hair behind her ear and met my eyes.
“I’m so sorry that happened to you. You can tell me if anyone at any point makes you feel unsafe while we’re traveling, okay? We’re here to get you to Silverton, but we’re also here for you.I’mhere for you. And not even Sexiest Man Alive out there is going to stop me from doing whatever I can to help you.”
Her lips pressed together before an amused smile hit. “I’m okay with Jack. And the guy seems nice but I don’t feel super comfortable with men I don’t know…”
“No problem. If we need to divide and conquer, we’lldo it like this, as long as you feel okay with me.” It wasn’t a given despite my being a woman, though she’d opened up enough to make me hope she felt okay.
“I’m okay. And… thank you. For asking.” She swallowed hard and blinked rapidly before continuing. “I know it’s awful to ask but honestly, it’s so much worse when I think about how many times someone didn’t.”
I nodded, heart twisting for her and a strange satisfaction flashing through me. “You’re safe now, Evie, and soon enough, we’ll get you home.”
While Jack and Evie got settled in the car, I had a moment to reassure Kenny Jack wasn’t the one who’d hurt her. I couldn’t imagine how tense their elevator ride was, but the way Kenny’s shoulders sagged told a story.
Also, why did this whole interaction make me like him a little more than I already did? Maybe it was his willingness to ascertain a woman he didn’t even know was safe, even in the shadow of a man he already knew and who had so much fame? I’d navigated many ethically murky situations in my years in the agency and maybe I’d grown cynical—maybe part of the drag I felt when thinking about returning to work was exactly the absence of this.
Kenny was a good man. It appeared most of the Saint Security staff were upstanding, but I wasn’t someone who could just take that as a given. It was why Adam was still working on gaining my approval, even though I’d mentally given it to him the minute I saw how he threw himself in front of Jo when her stalker had her at gunpoint. A manwho would sacrifice his body for someone else, what could’ve been his life… that was someone I’d consider being good enough for my little Jojo.
Kenny would be like that. He was ready to deck Jack and swaddle Evie in a warm embrace if he’d sensed it was welcome. He might’ve played up the sweet, optimistic guy angle, but he was incredibly observant and cautious.
He had a clear sense of justice in there, too, I suspected.
And I liked that so much, it scared me.
Not really, of course. Not much could get a rise of actual fear out of me anymore, but if I were the kind of woman to get scared by things, then this might’ve done it. Attraction plus this… affinity?
But it wasn’t a real danger because the clock was ticking. In a matter of time, I’d be back to the world I knew where my feet felt fully planted on the ground instead of like I was hovering just above it.
