“Shit, I’m doing it again,” he muttered.
“Jackson,” she whispered breathlessly. “What are you doing? Why did you stop?” Boldly she wrapped her legs around his waist. The copper flecks in his eyes darkened before he cursed and let her go.
“I’m always pulling your clothes off like an animal.” His breath was still rough but he moved away slightly. “I just can’t seem to help myself. I’m supposed to be romancing you.”
She grabbed him by the lapels of his shirt and dragged him closer until their breaths mingled. When he groaned, she brushed her lips against his.
“Do you have to?”
This time when he kissed her, he didn’t stop.
* * *
Nick cursed under his breath as he watched the couple kissing on the blanket jump apart like guilty teenagers. He’d come over hoping he could catch Jackson alone. The manila folder he carried suddenly felt like a brick.
“Nick? What are you doing here?”
To Nick’s annoyance, his brother turned back to Ridley and kissed her soundly before getting up. He jogged over to where Nick waited by the back door. “What’s up, man? Is everything okay?”
“Not exactly.” Ignoring Ridley’s interested stare, he grabbed Jackson by the arm and pulled him into the house. Usually the floor was littered with toys and random items of clothing that Jase had removed and left in the middle of the room. Now the area was scrupulously clean. Ridley’s influence, he had to assume.
She’s already insinuated herself into their everyday lives.
“I hate to just barge in on you, but Elliott found some information that I thought you needed to have right away.”
He handed Jackson the manila folder. Call him a coward but he’d thought it would be easier if his brother saw the proof in black and white. He watched as Jackson opened the folder and pulled out the thick sheaf of papers Elliott had e-mailed to him. He’d been surprised by the length of Ridley’s boyfriend’s rap sheet.
Jackson narrowed his eyes as he read. “What the hell is all this? A background check? You did a background check on Ridley?”
“Yeah. And her boyfriend, David.”
Jackson’s fingers clenched on the stack of paper. “I already asked Eli to look into what David was doing.”
“Yeah, but I asked him to look into them both.” He continued ignoring Jackson’s scowl. “It’s a good thing I did, too. It’s all there, Jackson. Ridley is the middleman in whatever scheme they’ve got going. I’ve found several bank accounts in her name with wire transfers to overseas accounts. From his FBI file, it looks like Mr. Finemore has pulled this scam numerous times with his former girlfriend. But she’s in jail now, so of course he had to get a new partner.” He motioned outside with his head.
“Wait, you think Ridley was working with this guy? Nick, what the hell are you talking about?” Jackson threw the papers down on the kitchen table and glared at him. “You think she made up the whole story? You think she put those bruises on herself?”
“I think she really was scared the day we found her. Her partner got killed and maybe the people they scammed are looking for her.” At his murderous look, Nick held up his hands. “I’m just saying. It fits the pattern. Finemore always has a female accomplice to get close to the victim, then when they don’t suspect anything, he moves in.”
“I understand you’re just looking out for me, but I think you’ve got this all wrong.” He held up the pages. “Her record was clean up until she met this guy. I know she’s probably hiding something else. I’ve had the same thought myself. But I don’t think this is it. She’s not a criminal and I don’t think she’s done anything wrong other than trusting a guy with a rap sheet as long as the Constitution. She thought he was a private investigator; instead he just stole her money and her social security number. She’s a victim in this, too.”
“She’s gotten to you. I can tell. She’s already got you defending her.” Nick crossed his arms.
“Just leave, Nick, please. I’ll look at everything, I promise. I just need to think.”
“Okay. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Nick walked out without another word.
He’d accomplished what he’d come for.
* * *