Page 88 of Triggered By Love
“Jerk.” Avery whipped out her phone and walked halfway down the block away from Jason. Safire didn’t answer, so she texted her.
Hey, I know you’re busy, but I need to finish the accessories Ivanna was working on for the show. Think you can let me into her apartment?
The answer came back too quickly.No. Not unless Ivanna says it’s okay. What’s wrong with you? My sister might die, and all you care about is your work?
Jason’s low whistle bristled the hairs on the back of Avery’s neck. She snapped a dirty look at him for peeking.
“Looks like I’m your only chance,” he said, humming under his breath. “I’ll make you a deal.”
“No deal. Just get me in there.” She stomped her foot and put her phone away.
He made a show of looking at his watch and frowning. “I have a lot of work to catch up on. Lots of evidence to look over. Since you wanted me to drop you off at your place, let’s get going.”
Grrr… The man was infuriating and completely an ass. She didn’t come so close to Ivanna’s place only to be rebuffed. Swallowing her pride, she huffed. “Okay, what’s the deal?”
“I deputize you to help me with the investigation, and then we go in together.”
“I didn’t say I’m going to help you.”
“It’s the only legal way for me to get you in there. You’re on the case as my partner.” He grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the door. “Act like it.”
She jerked her arm from his grasp. “Fine. But it ends after I get what I want.”
“You’ll never get all you want,” he muttered under his breath as he pressed the supervisor’s intercom button.
As she expected, Jason’s authority was enough for the supervisor to not only buzz them in, but meet them in front of the door.
“I’m praying for Miss Chu,” the sweaty man said as he unlocked the door. “This place is safe. I’m having a gate put up. We have very good neighbors here. They watch out for each other.”
“In that case, my partner will be back to ask the neighbors what they saw.”
Avery was about to jut her lip and protest, when Jason guided her in and whispered, “Cool your hotcakes, babe. You’re not the only partner I’ve ever deputized.”
Ugh. The man was a complete ass. Fortunately, he’d forgotten what happened at the hunting cabin. Maybe he had a motto—whatever went on in a hunting cabin stayed inside the hunting cabin.
She could only hope.
The supervisor let them in but did not follow them around. Instead, he told Jason to lock up. No doubt the background noises of the fight on pay per view was more important than watching over a tenant’s apartment.
Avery instantly homed in on the half-finished work Ivanna left on the sewing machine.
“Is this what you expected?” Jason asked. “All of these scales, fur, and fins part of your show?”
“They will be this year, if no one stole my designs,” Avery said. “Last year, my professor told me to hold back. He said it was tacky and would ruin my reputation. That this bordered on bestiality.”
“That’s an awful thing to say,” Jason exclaimed as if he were a prim and prudish schoolmarm. “It’s not like you have sex with your models.”
Avery rolled her eyes. If this was his clumsy way of finding out if she’d slept with them, he was definitely losing his touch.
“Most of them are gay.” She picked up a plastic bag and arranged the half-finished work while looking for Ivanna’s notes. “You still have a chance to back out of the private showing.”
“Never.” He hovered over her, no doubt observing her every breath. “This modeling life sounds exciting. I’m serious. If I get a big break from the private showing, I’m thinking of asking Alida to represent me.”
“Oh, the arrogance.” Avery couldn’t help smirking. “First of all, you’re too old. You’re too built. You’re unforgettable.”
“I thought supermodels were unforgettable.”
She propped her hands on her hips and gaped at him. “They are, but the days of supermodels are over. The fashion pace is too fast and people want new, new, new, new, new. Who wants to look at Cindy Crawford’s mole all the time? The very thing that made a supermodel famous in the old days is the very thing that bores today.”
