Page 53 of Jackson

Whatever Nina saw in my eyes had her slowly nodding her head at me, a thoughtful look crossing over her face while she placed her hand over the stack of papers.

“If you’re actually serious about this, ifheis, then I need to talk to him,” she said.

“I can set that up.”

She nodded again. “Let me know when. I’m going to take this with me and head back to the firm. I’m going to have some of my colleagues look it over. If there’s a possibility that we can get this overturned for wrongful conviction, then we’re going to need all the damn help we can get.”

I breathed out a slow breath, relief washing over me. “Thank you, Nina.”

“Don’t thank me just yet. Get your boy on board and then we’ll talk.”

Warmth curled in my belly.

My boy.

I loved the sound of that.

CHAPTER 21

Jackson

After parting ways with Nina,I climbed back into my truck and hit the road.

Being that it was only a little past one, the inmates and my coworkers would still be out on the trails training, it gave me very little to do back at the property without even my dog to keep me company.

I supposed I could pass the time going to the gym or even heading back to my cabin to get it cleaned and ready to sneak Ayen over later tonight. Hell, there was also probably a mound of paperwork that needed to be tackled back at the property office for the next batch of recruits coming in less than four weeks.

Plenty to do while I waited for the sun to set and the program to get back from their day adventure.

Something burned in my mind, though.

An address to a care facility only a few miles away from here.

Drumming my fingers along the steering wheel, I glanced back in my rearview to the traffic idling behind me. All I had to do was turn at this next light and I’d be on my way to CWI Generations. I could see for myself the one man who had gotten my baby bird thrown in prison.

The light shifted up ahead, the two cars in front of me slowly letting off the brakes and moving forward. I ghosted my finger over my turn signal, indecision freezing me.

Ayen didn’t want me to get involved, explicitly told me not to, in fact.

I wanted to behave, especially for him. Even though it was killing me not to know. Not to face his ex and look him in his dead eyes and curse him for what he’d done.

Behind me, a horn blared.

Fuck it.

I pushed down onto the turn signal.

CHAPTER 22

Ayen

“Doesanyone have any questions before we wrap up for the night?” The firefighter’s voice boomed over the group. When no one answered, he waved his hand. “Return your gear and head to the mess hall. Good work today, gentlemen.”

Shrugging off my heavy coat and letting it drop onto the ground behind me felt amazing, especially when a soft breeze trickled in through the trees and washed over my sweaty body.

Roxy let out a bark when I bent to pick up the coat again, her tail wagging happily. I brushed my hand over her head a few times, smoothing back her soft coat.

“Did you have fun today as my partner?” I smiled when she barked at me again. “Yeah, me too.”

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