Ace grins at Rook and stands too, ruffling Rook’s hair one more time and getting an annoyed smack on the hand for his trouble.
“Lead the way, Prez,” Ace says easily as he falls in alongside us when we round the table.
All too aware of the interested gazes on me, I try to swallow down my self-consciousness. I don’t dress like the other people here, and many of the women have big hair, teased and colored, whereas mine is simple and my natural shade. They have full faces of makeup, even at this time in the morning, and I’m still wearing last night’s.
My heels clicking against the floor don’t help me feel any less on display, and I try to focus on not falling over or wobbling around as I follow the men out of the room.
When we get outside, I shiver a little as the cool air hits. Although I’m mostly dreading returning to Verona Falls, a part of me is looking forward to getting changed and taking a shower.
“I have talked to the dean,” Jack says as soon as we are a few feet away from the building.
Oh, crap. My heart lurches up my throat. “You have?”
“Of course.”
“You told him what happened?” A sense of betrayalbites at me. It’s stupid, but I feel hurt that he talked to the dean without including me in the conversation.
“I had to. My daughter is at that college. Plus, I wanted to know what he’s going to do about that piece of shit who hurt you.”
We’ve reached an area where there are a couple of wooden benches facing some of the fields, and Jack indicates for me to take a seat.
I do, then wait until he sits on one side of me and Ace the other. Oh, wow, it feels weird being hemmed in on both sides by two such big men, and I kind of like it a little too much. I shiver again, but this time from something other than the slight chill I’m feeling.
Today is a little cooler than it was yesterday, and I wish I had a sweater with me.
“I can’t, in all conscience, let you go back there if I think you could be hurt.” Jack turns to me and scratches his cheek. “The dean assures me that Ledger isn’t back at the college, and he has his security on high alert looking out for him. The trouble is that even if he doesn’t turn up, he could still be lurking around, looking for an opportunity. It’s why I’d like you to stay here, for one more night at least.”
My stomach does an uneasy flip at his words, and I’m a little bit excited at the prospect but also nervous as hell.
“I’ve got some of my men looking to see if they can track the bastard who attacked you.” He glances past me to Ace. “Ghost is on it.”
Ace gives a small rumble of agreement. “Makes sense.”
“So, if you’ll agree, you can stay here, in the room you’re in, and we will make sure it’s always watched. It just gives us the chance to try to find him or at least track where he went.”
“How can you track him?” I ask.
“All sorts of ways. Ghost is good at it. He’ll trace his footsteps back, and I doubt the kid chasing you knew how to cover his tracks. Ghost can hopefully tell if he went back to his truck, and if he did, which direction the truck drove in. If he knows where he was headed, we can hack into the security and road cameras around the area, see which direction he took.”
“You can do that?” I feel my eyes widen.
“Yes, we can.” Jack nods once. “So, will you stay for tonight? I swear as Vani’s father that you’ll be safe.”
His words do give me comfort, but they only remind me how much I wish he wasn’t her father in so many ways. I bet he just sees me as his little girl’s friend and nothing more. I’m sitting here with a head full of fantasies, while he views me as a problem he must take care of.
What choice do I have, though? The thought of going back when Ledger might still be after me is scary. If I do as Jack says, it gives everyone some time to figure out where he went.
I nod. “I’ll stay, so long as I’m not in the way. I’d also appreciate it if I could maybe take a shower. Brush my teeth and the rest?” I feel gross. “Although I don’t have any clothes.”
“One of the ol’ ladies can get you some,” Ace suggests. “There will be someone who is a similar size.”
“Yeah, agreed.” Jack scratches his cheek again, and I wonder if he’s in some way uncomfortable with all this. Am I just a burden on him? “Give me twenty minutes. I’ll go grab some supplies then come find you, okay?”
I bite my lower lip. “Thanks,” I say softly.
His expression is hard to read, but he holds my gazefor a beat, and my insides turn liquid. Yep, not over my crush yet.
“Right.” Jack slaps his hands against his thighs then stands. “I’ll see you at your room in twenty, with some clothes and… other women’s shit.”
