Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 67711 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 339(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 226(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67711 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 339(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 226(@300wpm)
“And that’s all that happened?” Miles’s tone made it clear he wasn’t buying my story.
“Nothing else matters.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You’re telling me absolutely nothing else significant happened when he was there in your house?”
I scowled, “What are you suggesting?”
“That Jay wants you, and you might not say no,” Carter said.
I scowled at him. “Jay was too drunk to know what he wanted.” Another true statement.
“Right,” Miles replied.
I glared at him. “Do you want someone else to represent you?”
“No.”
“Then can I get on with my work?”
“Ford, you know getting involved with Jasper is only going to cause trouble.”
“For which one of us?”
Carter interrupted before Miles could answer. “Do you remember your reaction when Miles started things with Ben?”
“I was just trying to protect—” I wished I could bite back the words. That was exactly what Miles was doing.
“We want to protect you,” Carter said.
I sighed. “I appreciate that you’re concerned, but I can handle this.”
Miles laid a hand on my arm. “He’s already hurt you once when he turned you down.”
“I wasn’t hurt. I was just annoyed.”
Miles narrowed his eyes. He didn’t believe me, and I wasn’t sure I believed myself. “You know what happened with the last straight guy you got involved with. It broke you.”
“And you had to pick up the pieces. I know.”
“Do you really think that’s what we’re worried about?” Miles asked.
I blew out a long breath “No, I guess not.”
“We will always be here for you, but wouldn’t it be better if you avoided getting hurt?”
“I know being involved with Jasper in any way is a bad idea. I’m not stupid.”
Carter raised his brows. “But?”
“I don’t know how to explain it.”
Miles sighed.
“Just hear me out.”
Carter nodded. “Explain what you can.”
“There’s something going on with Jay. He’s a mess.”
“Oh shit,” Miles said. “You want to put him back together.”
“No. Yes. I…his grandmother is really sick, and I think he hates his job, and—”
“Ford—” Miles started before I cut him off. Maybe I’d had a tendency in the past to want to take care of people who wouldn’t do the same for me.
“This case. It’s putting a lot of stress on him.”
Miles shook his head. “How can you be so cutthroat when it comes to casework, but such a softie for men who are assholes?”
I shrugged. “It’s a special talent.”
Carter shook his head. “You deserve better.”
“Probably, but—”
“You’re not going to listen to us, are you?” Miles asked.
“I don’t know, but I won’t let anything affect this case.”
“Even though Jasper is up for a promotion?” Carter said.
“How did you know that?”
Miles raised his brows.
“Why do you even need me? I know you could take care of this without me.”
“But you’ve memorized all those little nuances of law that I don’t want to learn,” Miles said.
I flipped him off, and he smiled.
“You. All of you.” I looked back and forth from Carter to Miles and they knew I was also including Worth. “You’re my priority. I’m going to do whatever is necessary to take care of you, but Jesus, could you just let me make a few mistakes?”
“When it comes to men,” Carter said, “you’ve made more than a few mistakes.”
“Fuck off.”
“I’m more worried about this one than most of them,” Miles said. I started to protest, but he held up his hand. “I don’t mean because of the trial. Because you’ve been….”
“Obsessed,” Carter offered.
I glared at him as Miles finished. “Obsessed with him for a long time. You honestly thought there might be something there, and then—”
“And then he made it very clear that there wasn’t.” Why did he have to bring that up? And why was I letting myself wonder—hope?—that I’d been right all along?
Carter looked at Miles. “No matter what else is going on, Jasper is being threatened. It’s time to tell Ford everything.”
I glared at Miles. “What the fuck have you done?”
“He hasn’t done anything to Jasper,” Carter said. “I would’ve put a stop to that, but he hasn’t told you everything about the reason for the lawsuit.”
“You don’t have to talk about me like I’m not here,” Miles snapped.
Anger made my face feel like it was one fire. “You better tell me what’s going on. Right now.”
“I don’t want the warehouse for myself. A friend asked me to make an offer on it. He got word that a group owing loyalty to a Colombian cartel wanted to use it for their own illegal imports.”
“What friend?”
“You know him.” I thought for a moment, then realized I did. This friend was involved in a lot of shady business, though it usually seemed to be for a good cause.
“You just took his word for it?”
“No. I respect him, but I also had Carter look into it.”
“And?”
“This group is not only pushing Lisa Jenkins to keep the warehouse. They’re buying up other properties nearby, and I’m going to make sure they don’t get a stronghold here.”