Page 65 of Jesse
I shrugged, letting the moment linger. “Just think about it.”
The doorbell rang, cutting through the tension in the room. Jesse shot me a look, his finger pointing toward the mess on the counter.
“This discussion isn’t over,” he said, his tone firm but not without a hint of amusement.
I waved him off, grinning.
Jesse headed to the door, and I turned back to the counter, looking through my notebook again. A familiar voice that came next stopped me cold.
“Beck.”
The voice was enough to send a shiver down my spine. Jackson stood in the doorway beside Jesse, a tense smile on his face.
Behind him, the imposing figure of my father filled the space.
My stomach twisted at the sight of him. His gaze swept over the room, landing briefly on the mess on the counter and then shifting to my bag slumped on the sofa.
“Water? Coffee?” Jesse asked, trying to break the silence as he gestured toward the kitchen.
Jackson gave a tight shake of his head. “We’re fine, thank you.”
Father didn’t bother answering. Instead, he took a slow, deliberate walk around the room.
I caught Jackson’s eye and mouthed,Did you call him?My brother shook his head firmly. I wasn’t sure whether to believe him or not.
Father gestured toward the counter, his lips curling in disdain. “Is this all you’ve been doing here? Playing house?”
I felt my face flush. “No,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady. “We’re preparing for the competition finals.”
Jesse stepped in. “Sorry about the mess. Beck just moved in a few days ago. It’s easier to keep an eye on him here than at the motel.”
Father ignored him entirely, his attention fixed on me. “Cooper allowed me entry to this territory on short notice. I came because updates on the case have been nonexistent.”
He crossed his arms. “I expected one of my sons to keep me informed, but the only news I’ve received is from Preston. He said there were still no leads.”
I cursed under my breath. I’d forgotten about Preston heading back to Silvercrest a few days ago.
It wasn’t his fault. Anyone who spent more than five minutes around my father knew how relentless he could be when he wanted information.
I just hoped Preston had managed to avoid the worst of it.
“I’ve been focused on the competition,” I admitted reluctantly, hating how weak the excuse sounded. “But we’re working on it. Jesse and I?—”
Father cut me off with a sharp wave of his hand. “Spare me the excuses, Beck. This goes far beyond that silly cooking contest.”
His words stung, even though I’d expected them. That was always the way with him. Every decision I made was wrong, every effort not enough.
I clenched my fists, forcing myself to meet Father’s gaze. “I know what’s at stake,” I said evenly. “I’m not just playing around here.”
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but he didn’t push further.
Instead, he turned to Jackson. “And you? What’s your plan for keeping him safe?”
Jackson squared his stance. “The pack’s working closely with local law enforcement,” he said.
Jesse added, “We’re also focusing on restoring the corrupted security tapes. Might get something useful from them.”
Father nodded, just barely acknowledging Jesse’s point.
