Page 65 of Triple Power Play 3
His partner presses his lips together and shrugs.
Reece releases a heavy sigh. “Aurora overheard Charlietalking shitanddecided she was leaving.” He gestures toward the beach. “I picked her up and brought her back with her literally fighting me. I might have bruises. I nearly caught aknee to the chin foryourvideos.” He fixes Jax with a pointed stare. “I brought her to my bed to watch her. She started panicking, and I stayed with her until she fell asleep.”
Jax’s heart hammers against my chest. “My videos? You told her about the videos.”
“I…” Charlie falters. “I may have mentioned them…and said some things I was wrong about. Iadjustedthe security feed to make it up to Aurora.”
“For fuck’s sake.” Jax pushes away from me. “Were you two police academy dropouts? The feed stops at her standing outside his door and restarts when Reece leaves to go to the security room. That’s not at all suspicious.”
Reece pinches the bridge of his nose. “Charlie, get out.”
I sink onto the patio lounger, close my eyes, and breathe in the salty night air. Days like these put me in the mood for a stiff whiskey. “I’m getting too old for this shit,” I groan.
Charlie left with a mumbled apology. Reece was too agitated to let Jax talk to Aurora alone, so I convinced my hothead captain to take a break outside.
Nearly every room in the beach house flows into the outdoors. Some rooms, such as the bedroom suites and the living area, feature retractable glass doors that open to the backyard oasis. Jax and I are in a private corner of the terrace. Palm trees and lush greenery surround us, creating the illusion of privacy without compromising the ocean view.
Despite the breathtaking scenery and refreshing breeze, he persists in pacing.
I’ve become desensitized to him. It’s not right, but I’ve grown accustomed to his temper. We’re both rough around the edges. I can deal with his outbursts. Aurora, on the other hand…
With a sigh, I pick my head up. “What do you need, Jax? You can’t come charging in here, screaming and breaking shit. It can’thappen. Not with a baby. I won’t allow it.”
He pauses mid-stride. “She was going to leave.”
“But she didn’t. Reece was here. That’s his job, remember? I’ll talk to her. Right now, I’m talking to you.”
He plops his ass on the foot of the lounger. “He doesn’t have a job here, not while he’s still an agent.”
“Give him one or don’t.” I shrug. “Not if you’ll flip out every time he touches her.”
“I thought they were fucking behind our backs. I thought he screwed with the security to hide what they were doing. Why else would he?” He gestures, palms up. “Unless he wanted her for himself? You would’ve done the same. She was in his room, in his bed.”
Would I have been furious if I’d caught them fucking? Probably. Would I have screamed at Aurora? No. Punished her? Yeah. Gone after Reece? Maybe.
The only thing that’d make me irate is him taking her from us, and Reece knows that. I doubt he’d cross the line and have sex with her, but despite everything Reece has done for Jax, he still doesn’t trust him.
“They’re not fucking. Jesus, come here.” I reach out, grab his T-shirt, and pull him to me.
He obliges, his back pressed against my chest. “Haven’t you hugged me enough for one day?” As cocky as ever.
“Just shut up for once and listen.” I wrap my arms around his shoulders. “You don’t need to yell and break shit to be heard, okay? That’s in the past. I hear you. If you have a problem, tell me, and I’ll fix it.”
We stare at the inky-black sky, the rhythmic crashing of waves filling the silence between us.
Eventually, his taut muscles give way, and he relaxes completely, sinking into me. “Okay,” he exhales.
“You did an amazing job with this house.” I rest my head on his. “It’s perfect. I can’t imagine what I owe you.”
Every detail of this place is meticulous, from the gourmet kitchen to the luxury spa bathroom with a steam shower—which took me fifteen minutes to figure out how to turn on—to the eighteen-foot custom velvet couch in Tiffany blue that Aurora adores.
And you can’t tell me hedidn’t plan Reece’s apartment. He could’ve put him in the pool house but didn’t.
“Whatever,” he says under his breath. “I’m not worried about money; you shouldn’t be either.”
“Still—” I start.
He cuts me off, changing the subject. “Your office is downstairs, not next to the nursery, so you’ll have peace and quiet.”
