“Do you,” he waved toward the door, “want me to bring you food or something?”
What the hell was he doing? He needed to come up with other ways to free Hope. He didn’t have time to bring Portia food. She had thousands of people on her payroll. Any of them could help her out. But she looked so worn that he felt bad for her.
He felt bad for Portia Tremaine? Had the world gone crazy?
Her mouth dropped open and she looked startled for a moment. “No, thank you.” The note of finality in her voice said any other offers would not be appreciated.
“Have a good night.” He turned and exited her office. The lobby area was quiet and slightly eerie, her assistant’s desk empty. That was a surprise. He’d have expected her assistant to work as long as she did.
Not his problem. He pressed the button for the elevator. It had been a long, weird day.
He cracked his neck and rubbed his eyes. He was tired, but he had a lot more work of his own to do tonight. A beer sounded really good right now. As did seeing the Jack. Taryn. What would she do when he called her by her name? Did he dare?
Probably nothing good. He’d been banned from the bar. While that might not stop him at most places, even given the change in management, the Jack was not someone to fuck with.
Pissed that he’d screwed up the best avenue for getting Hope away from the Tremaine Corporation, when the elevator stopped, he strode out at a quick pace. And immediately barreled into someone, knocking them down.
“Shit, I’m sorry.” One of the Tremaine Security guards—the one who’d ridden the elevator up with him that first day—was sprawled on the floor. “Here, let me help.”
She grasped his extended hand and he pulled her upright in one quick movement. “Thanks.” The moment she released his hand, she continued down the hall.
He’d taken a few steps before he realized that she’d pressed a piece of paper into his hand. “What the?—”
Ignoring it until he was well away from the executive elevator and any cameras in its vicinity, Ash ducked around a corner and carefully opened the folded note.
Ban lifted.The bold, broad writing emphasized the order. And it was an order.The Jackwas scrawled beneath the command.
What did it mean? Was the Jack going to help? Ash’s heart skipped a beat, and he didn’t look too closely to determine if it was for the prospect of rescuing his sister or for the chance to see Taryn again.
Chapter19
“Whiskey neat, please.”
Taryn looked up into gray eyes that she hadn’t expected to see again. Warmth flared in her belly, but she was still pissed that he hadn’t shown up yesterday. “Look who finally showed up.” Dammit. That came out snippy. There was no reason for him to know that she’d missed him. No, she hadn’t missed him. She’d just expected he would answer the Jack’s summons.
She poured his drink—a top-shelf bottle because she wasn’t letting him off easy—and set it in front of him without further comment.
Her fingers brushed his when she took the credit chip he offered and her skin tingled where they touched. The Jack’s reputation was the only thing that kept her from jerking her hand away.
“I’m sorry, Taryn.”
He whispered her name softly and it was easy, so easy, to imagine him using it like that in a more intimate setting. Except...
She grabbed his wrist and leaned close over the bar. “How do you know my name?”
His gaze searched hers. “You’re not the only one who can find information.”
That was true. Her name wasn’t a secret, but she mostly went by “the Jack” these days. People respected the name—the title—and it served as a reminder of who they were dealing with. Her real name only came out in softer moments with friends or lovers.
Could she see Ash in either of those roles?
As a lover, yes. She suppressed a shiver, imagining all those delicious tingles everywhere.
As a friend? A man who dug up secrets? That required a level of trust she wasn’t sure she could manage.
“I need two beers and a tequila shot.”
The order broke the spell Taryn had been under. While she’d never admit it, she was grateful for the interruption. “Coming up.”
