“Hi,” she chirped.
“AJ, can you help me grab something out of my car, please?” Ruby asked.
Jackson knew there was nothing for her to get out of the car. She planned to interrogate him about why there was a client living in his home when there were several safe houses he could have chosen to take Day to. But he honestly had no answers and the last thing he needed was for his sister to see him wavering. She’d have his mother and sisters there before nightfall and Day would run screaming. He was far too fragile to be exposed to the entire Avery clan on the second day of knowing Jackson. Nobody was that strong. He’d seen those women bring Linc to heel with a look. Of course, they loved Wyatt and Day had very Wyatt-like qualities… He was just far more wounded.
“Can it wait a few minutes? I’d like to eat my breakfast,” Jackson lied, ignoring the way Day’s gaze shot to his, a silent cry not to be left alone with a small child.
“No, actually. It can’t. I don’t want it to wilt.”
Wilt, his ass. Jackson had a black thumb. He couldn’t even keep a fake plant alive. There was no way his sister would bring one of her precious babies to Jackson for him to murder. He was lucky she trusted him with her kids. She said it was because the kids were old enough to ask for food and water. He shook his head. She wasn’t going to let this go.
Jackson sighed. “I’ll be right back. Ten minutes. Don’t open the door for anybody.”
“Duh,” Chloe said, her hand under her chin.
“Yeah, duh,” Day said, mimicking her gesture.
Jackson grabbed his keys and followed his sister out the door, locking it behind him. They weren’t even to the end of the hallway before she turned on him. “What’s going on with you and Wonder Bread in there?”
“Don’t call him that,” Jackson said, side-eyeing her as they waited for the elevator.
“What? I’m just saying. You never bring clients to the house. Ever. And he’s real pretty. Like flawless. I know you’re a sucker for those boys with big blue eyes and a sob story. I saw the way you looked at him. You like him. Like, you like him-like him.”
Jackson rolled his eyes as they stepped onto the elevator. “What are you, in middle school? You sound like Mom. I met him yesterday morning. He’s a client. He’s…prickly, and he witnessed something pretty traumatic, so I thought he’d be more comfortable here than in some bare bones safe house.”
Ruby narrowed her eyes at him. “So, you’re willing to risk the lives of the people in this building for his comfort? Sounds like he’s more than a client. Besides, when was the last time you actually took on a client? Ever? You’re the boss. You have tons of employees.”
Jackson huffed out a sigh through his nose. “Ruby. Stop. He’s not a client. Not officially. Jimmy asked me for a favor. As Dad’s old partner. What was I going to say? No?”
Ruby shook her head. “You could just tell Mom the truth, you know? It’s been a long time. She’s ready to hear it.”
The doors to the elevator opened just in time. Jackson headed towards the front desk where a young desk attendant with brown hair flopping over his right eye was now seated. Jackson stopped at the desk, leaning over it menacingly. “Where were you when my sister got here ten minutes ago?”
“Wh-what?” the boy stammered, looking up at Jackson like he might hurt him.
“I pay an obscene amount of money for a desk that’s guarded twenty-four-seven and that’s what I expect. This desk is never to be unmanned.”
“I just came on shift. J-Just now. I’ll tell my supervisor.”
“AJ! Stop scaring him. What is wrong with you?” his sister asked, her tone taking on a sharp edge.
Jackson tapped his hand on the desk. “I’m sorry. Please let your supervisor know I want to speak with him. Jackson Avery. Apartment 2501.”
The desk clerk nodded, scribbling the details on a message pad. Jackson stomped towards his sister’s Mercedes SUV that she’d parked illegally. “What is it you just had to give me?”
“Shit about having a stranger in your apartment. Seriously. Are my children safe here? Is somebody coming after him?”
“You think I’d let anything happen to those kids? He wasn’t the target, just a witness, but it's highly unlikely the killer even knows who Day is or where he lives. Jimmy is just being extra cautious because the victim was a high-level target.”
“High-level target? You’re not exactly making me feel better here,” Ruby said, crossing her arms over her chest and cocking her hip to the side.
“Do you want me to watch your kids or not?” Jackson asked, leveling a stare at his sister. She was the only person who could make him lose his patience. “Just go to your luncheon thing and watch your husband get his award and leave the kids to me.”
She snorted. “You can lie to yourself but you can’t lie to me. There’s something about that boy in there, and you and I both know it.”
“Please, get in your car and drive away, woman.”
“K, love you, bye,” she chirped, using the same voice as his nieces.
