Page 70 of Triple Power Play 3
Fair enough. Between us, the roar of the ocean, the rustling palms in the breeze, and Aurora’s melodic laughter fill the silence.
A smile tugs at my lips—I love that sound.
“I don’t need your money.” My military pay is sufficient, and my living expenses are minimal. “Unless you’re expecting me to contribute to this extravagant mortgage.”
The last line is sarcasm, but he responds anyway. “This house is paid for by Jackson. I’m expecting you to contribute in other ways.”
My heart rate quickens, and my brows pinch in annoyance, mostly with myself for feeling an ounce of hope. “Like what?”
“Security. Stay here. Do what you’re doing. Just do not involve anyone else.”
“Not involve anyone else?” I scoff. “I removed his phone from a federal crime scene to protect him, and he still doesn’t trust me.”
“You know what I mean. No one at the house. I told you to keep that shit away from him.” He gestures with his hand. “Now, he wants to reinstall the security and change the codes. He’s…”
“Paranoid,” I finish for him.
He side-eyes me. “He has reason to be.”
“I get that, but he has no reason to scream at her. I don’t give a fuck what he does to me, but I’m not sitting here while he terrifies her.”
“Me neither,” he snaps. “He won’t do it again.”
“Doubtful.” I need another drink—a water, anything. My idle hands feel awkward, and I go to twist the diamond in my ear, only to remember it’s not there. Technically, I’m not at work. I could replace them.
“You think I’d let something happen to her?”
“I think your love for Jax blinds you to what he’s capable of.”
“I know what he’s capable of. Him and I aren’t much different. He lacks self-control. He needs guidance, not retribution.”
Is he serious?
“I’ll guide him right through a fucking wall if he ever screams at her again.”
His expression hardens. “You won’t touch him. You’ll go to your superiors, explain you’ve fallen in love with your client or whatever, and quit.”
Serious and delusional.
“And what will that get me? Arrested and imprisoned on multiple counts of tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice?”
“Jax’s trust. Aurora’s trust. The chance to be with her. Isn’t that what you want?”
An absurd grin spreads across my face, and, dammit, I can’t stop it. “Is that what you’re offering?”
He narrows his eyes. “That’s not up to me.”
“So it’s up to herhusband,then?”
“No, it’s up to Aurora. Jax knows I’m trying to convince you to stay. He knows she wants you here. About the only thing she’s upset about in this clusterfuck of a day is you leaving.”
Foolish male pride swells in my chest. “I’ll consider it. But Charlie would never betray me. He deleted the footage to protect me and Aurora. He thought you’d be against me hauling her back and lying down with her. He didn’t mean to set off your bestie.”
“He messed with the security, and now, Jax thinks it’s unsafe. He’ll most likely have the whole thing ripped out and reinstalled.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “If you really wanna help him, have Rocco send someone—anyone familiar to him. He trusts you and them by default. It’ll ease his mind.”
He slips his phone from his pocket. “Fuck, that’s brilliant.”
