“No. I haven’t. But that’s who sent those men, isn’t it? I heard them speaking about him. Is that who Bishop was on the phone with? Is he the one who ordered Vera’s murder?”
DA Rivera paused, and glanced back toward Sheppard. A muscle in his jaw clenched, and he seemed to come to some sort of decision. “We can’t prove it yet, but yes. We think so. We are having him tailed, which is probably why he sent those two to scare you instead of coming himself. He’s a very dangerous man, Jaime. If he or anyone claiming any affiliation with him approaches you, you need to get away from them immediately. I don’t want you to be hurt because you’ve been caught up in all of this.”
Jaime’s breaths came faster, and he slowly counted backward from ten until he felt a bit steadier. “What does all of that have to do with me feeling safe with the security team?”
DA Rivera studied him. “I’m not sure. I was more wondering what your thoughts were on that.”
Is he trying to get me to spy on them or something?
Apparently that thought was written all over Jaime’s face, because DA Rivera waved his hands in a placating gesture. “I don’t believe they had anything to do with Vera’s murder, or that they would ever hurt you, Jaime. If I thought that, I would intervene immediately.”
The DA’s eyes were drawn back over to where Sheppard was standing, almost like he couldn’t help it. “I knew Cameron Sheppard a very long time ago. And while I’m not sure how they are involved in all of this, I am confident that he wouldn’t put someone like you in danger. I don’t believe him or his team to be bad people, Jaime. But I want you to know you can call me, anytime.”
DA Rivera focused back on him, and passed Jaime a business card with a scribbled phone number on the back. “That’s my personal phone. Please, if anything seems off to you, I’ll make sure you’re looked after. In the meantime, stay safe, yeah?”
Jaime didn’t know what to say, so he just nodded. DA Rivera clapped him on the shoulder and stepped off the porch, heading back to where Finn, Silas, and Sheppard were all gathered together, three pairs of sharp eyes all focused on the two of them.
He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t told the DA that he’d overheard Finn and Silas confirm that they knew Jeffrey Dugan. Well, yes he was. He wanted to confront Finn about it himself, first. Maybe that was the stupidest, most reckless thing he’d ever considered, but he wanted to give Finn the chance to tell him what was going on.
He wanted to hear Finn explain everything, and for it all to make sense, and then they could continue whatever they had started today at Andi’s—whatever had almost happened in the bookstore, and in the truck before Finn noticed the trespassers.
That all felt like a lifetime ago, already.
Detective Sutton was waiting in the cruiser with the two detained intruders inside, and after one last lingering look shared between them, DA Rivera and Sheppard each stepped into their own vehicles and departed one after the other, Silas piled into the passenger seat of the latter’s SUV.
He watched them go, standing shoulder to shoulder with Finn.
Jaime turned toward him, looking him in the eye for the first time since they’d arrived. He wasn’t sure what to make of what he saw. There was guilt and wariness in Finn’s eyes, yes, but also longing and want. And tenderness, too.
It settled him.
Yes, Jaime would confront him about what he’d overheard. And whatever that led to, whatever lies it exposed, he was certain about one thing.
Finn would never hurt him.
Chapter 12
Finn
Jaime knows that you know Jeffrey Dugan. He knows that you’ve kept things from him.
He knows.
He knows.
He didn’t know all of it, though. And all of a sudden, confronted with the very real possibility that Jaime would reject him if he knew the truth—that Bishop was a wolf shifter, and so was Finn, and Finn wasn’t that different from the man who’d hurt him so badly… fuck.
He’d thought that he wanted to be whole for Jaime, to be wholly wanted, but when it felt like everything between them was slipping through his fingers, he couldn’t help but think that he’d take what he could get.
Finn would take Jaime wanting only half of him, if that’s all he could ever have. It could be enough.
If their earlier almost-kiss had unraveled him, now he felt frayed—pulled in both directions by his desire to show Jaime everything, and the fear that howled at him to hide.
Finn followed Jaime into the house and prayed that wherever this conversation led, it wouldn’t end with him being thrown out of the house, forced to keep watch from the trees in his wolf shift.Silas may be just as comfortable, if not more so, as his wolf, but Finn very much appreciated hot showers, a bed, and eating food that had been cooked and seasoned.
He prayed it wouldn’t end in Jaime deciding he didn’t want Finn in his life, after all.
Jaime led them to the living room, mercifully taking the couch. Finn didn’t think he could have this conversation if the furniture stole what was left of his dignity. Taking a seat in the armchair across from him, Finn held his breath, and waited.
