Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 73043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
James’ face went slack with relief. “Maybe your problem is that you’re trying to do it legal. Sometimes, legal isn’t always the way to go.”
“If it’s not done legal, if the root system isn’t dug up completely, then that leaves other people planted to continue with the work. And a new fucking tree takes root,” I pointed out.
James shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. But what you need to realize is that sometimes, the bad guy wins. Sometimes, what you need is another bad guy to fight for you.”
“And you have one of those bad guys?” I drawled.
James stood up and pulled his phone from the pocket of his jeans. “Let me text Jack to see where ol’ Joker is today. When I get his number, I’ll let you know.”
Joker was also known as Lynn, who happened to be a jack of all trades, and a man of many faces—or names, for that matter.
While we were on that subject. “You do know, correct, that your daughter has surpassed the master, right?”
James frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Janie learned everything that she knows from Jack and Winter…but she’s better than they’ll ever be. She has everything y’all need, yet you all aren’t utilizing her full potential. You set her to meaningless tasks involving paperwork, yet you don’t even know that she could do a whole lot fucking more than what you’re giving her,” I said.
James blinked. “She’s never said…”
“She’s never said because she knows that y’all won’t let her do it anyway.” I paused. “Which is stupid. She’s going to do what she wants, and then act like she’s coloring between the lines. But, I think it’s time y’all let her use what you gave her the power to use. Plus, she can get it done in about half the time as Jack—who, from what I have observed, would rather be doing stuff in the shop more anyway.”
James opened his mouth, then closed it. “Why wouldn’t she say something?”
“Would it have helped?” I asked. “Because from where I’m standing, watching through y’all’s windows, there’s no way in hell you’d let your own daughter get mixed up in what you work on—at least if you thought she wasn’t as good as she is. But honestly, James…she’s good.”
“Then why’d you kick her off of your stuff?”
I grinned. “Because I don’t want to lose her. I’m guilty of treating her exactly like you do…which is part of our problem, now isn’t it?”
James sighed. “I’ll try to figure out a way to let go of those strings a little.”
The nurse came in moments later, and we were out the door moments after that, James riding in a wheelchair since it was ‘hospital policy.’
I tried not to laugh the entire way.
The drive to his place wasn’t bad. After the specifics of me dating his daughter were over, they turned to the case that I was working on with Trace, and what we were doing to uncover Layton’s criminal workings.
I told him everything, not leaving a single thing out, and when I was done, I realized a few things.
I should’ve done this earlier.
Trace hadn’t been enough, and we both knew it. But since I had nobody I could trust to work this case—that I was willing to put in jeopardy with me—I hadn’t reached out for help. Having someone else know what was going on was quite comforting.
At least from a security standpoint.
Janie knew. Trace knew. And now James knew.
If something happened…
“What. The. Fuck.”
I looked up to focus on the man that was waiting in the driveway.
Tegan.
I narrowed my eyes.
“Remember, he’s a cop and we can’t kill him,” James said. “I might lose my job, and I like it. I get to retire in a few years.”
My lips twitched.
“Now’s probably a good time to go ahead and ask for…”
“You have my permission to marry my daughter.” He paused. “But just sayin’, you can pay for it. Right?”
I started to laugh. “Yeah.”
“Good, because she did all that bullshit with him to get you to pay attention to her, and by doing that, she used a lot of my savings. It seems only fair that you pay for it since she did it because of you.”
I could get down with that. “I have more money than God.”
He looked over at me. “You’re a prick.”
Then I stopped my truck and got out, waiting beside it while James made his way around to the front.
“Can I help you?”
I left the door in between me and Tegan. Maybe with it there, I would be able to control myself. A barrier for stupidity, so to speak.
“Your dogs have gotten disturbing the peace complaints,” Tegan said, gesturing to Glock and Kimber who were sitting quietly at the gate, looking for all they were worth like well-behaved pups that they weren’t. “I was in the neighborhood, so I chose to run the warning by.”