Page 40 of Disavowed

At first, Jack was nowhere to be found. Then she caught sight of him on the upper balcony, surveying the lobby. She waved to get his attention, but he didn’t notice. He seemed focused on something in the far corner. She followed his gaze and saw…nothing. At least, nothing that seemed noteworthy.

Hefting her bags over her shoulder, she mounted the gilded stairway to the balcony level and turned left in the direction where Jack was standing. Just as she called out to him someone kicked on a power saw, obliterating her words. When he turned his back to her and rounded a corner out of sight, she hustled after him. They really needed to get back to the shop.

“Ja—” Some other noisy power tool cut her off, so she followed in the direction he’d gone, determined to get back on the road.

Lighting in the partially renovated hallway was dim, with not all of the new sconces attached to the walls yet. A power saw buzzed as she passed an open doorway where contractors were putting the finishing touches on some baseboard molding. The rasping sound of the saw followed her down the hallway where she found Jack peering at a dumb waiter.

What’s the big attraction of a dumb waiter?

There was something about his body language and the way he was looking over the place that struck her as peculiar.

Angled away from her, he rested his hands on the balcony railing and again scanned the lobby below. The only thing of any interest that she could see was the painting Christopher Shane was inspecting.

With his back completely to her now, Jack tilted his face skyward, probably to admire the incredible stained-glass ceiling. Then he looked at the two far ceiling corners. Nothing of interest there. Just a couple of security cameras.

Since she already knew he couldn’t hear her over the saw’s loud screeching, she walked up behind him and touched his arm.

He whipped around and grabbed her wrist, jerking her up on her toes. His other hand clenched into a fist, then reared back. She cringed, certain he was about to slam it into her face. The look in his eyes was…deadly.

Pain shot to her shoulder, and she gasped. Her heart raced, and she struggled in his grip. The bags she’d hooked on her other shoulder began slipping down her arm, and the chop saw shut off just as her bags landed on the bare wood floor with a loud thud.

Jack released her. “Fuck. I’m sorry. Are you all right? I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Gone was the angry look in his eyes. Frown lines creased his forehead.

She backed away, her heart still pounding, readying to dig out the canister of pepper spray from her bag and empty it into his face. “What the hell was that about?”

His brow crinkled with even more concern, his expression one of regret. “You surprised me, that’s all.”

“I can see that.” She’d also seen the brief yet unexpected malevolence burning in his eyes. Until he realized it was only her standing behind him, he’d been about to mash her face in with his big fist.

He cursed again and reached for her arm. She took another step backward, still freaked out by his disturbingly violent reaction. Then again, with the chop saw buzzing, there was no way he would have heard her approach. She might very well have reacted the same way.

The memory of how she’d nearly pepper-sprayed Dom and Gray in Alex’s old apartment a year ago flashed before her eyes.

“Daisy, please don’t pull away.” He reached for her again, and this time she let him massage her wrist with his thumbs and forefingers.

“What are you doing up here?” Her heart rate began to slow.

“I was killing time waiting for you, so I came up here to take a look at the restoration that’s still in progress. I’m sorry if I hurt you.” The latent concern in his eyes and the sincerity of his words made her feel guilty.

“It’s okay.” She smiled, tugging her wrist away and holding it up for inspection. “See? Nothing broken.” Although her skin was dotted with pale red marks where his fingers had grabbed onto her wrist. “Let’s go downstairs. I really do need to get back to the shop.”

She leaned down to grab her bags, then turned to give him a reassuring smile. His face was tight with tension as he looked back at her. “I’m sorry if I overreacted,” she said, hoping to make him feel better.

Without uttering another word, he followed her back down the stairway. When they stepped into the lobby, he turned her gently.

“What can I do to make this up to you? I need to redeem myself so you won’t cancel our date tomorrow. I hope you’re still looking forward to it.” His brows raised in obvious question.

“Of course I am.” I think. “And you have nothing to make up for.”

“You’re not going to fire me?” He grinned sheepishly.

“Hardly. The shop has never been busier, and I need you now more than ever. With all your trips to the hotel you can barely keep up with the other local deliveries as it is.” Again she was struck with her desperate need for another driver.

“Then let me help you with that,” Jack said. “I have a friend who could use a little extra income right now. I’ll bring him around the shop.”

“Sure. Why not?” If Jack vouched for someone, she’d hire him.

They headed to the hotel exit and out into the fresh spring air. She felt downright hopeful. Tomorrow night she had her first date with Jack. That was what she needed to concentrate on. That, and what she should wear.