She felt like she’d been slapped. Gone was the man who’d helped her with the boys with school. This wasn’t Jardin the man. It was Mr. Malone, the lawyer and her boss.
“Fuck,” he muttered.
Rae brought out their food, and she looked down at the salad, trying desperately not to cry.
“Thea, look at me. Look at me.” The command in his voice was unmistakable and impossible to ignore. She glanced up and he winced.
“I can be an asshole.”
He wasn’t going to get any objections from her.
Leaning toward her, he placed his hand just a few inches from hers. She wished he’d touch her. It would be nice to have someone touch her who wasn’t out to hurt her.
Carrick touched you. She couldn’t think about him right now. Had to forget him.
“A few years ago, a relationship I was in ended with a lot of bitterness and regret. Since then, I’ve kept myself from getting involved with anyone else on anything but a superficial level. I’ve been told more than once I’ve turned into an uptight prick.”
Her eyes widened. “Someone actually said that to you?” To his face?
“My cousins pretty much tell me that every time I see them.”
“Maddox?” She could see him saying that. He didn’t seem to care much what anyone thought of him.
“Yep. And Maddox has six brothers. He’s not even the worst of them. Wait until you meet Tanner. He has a penchant for taking pot-shots at people’s cars.”
Yikes. She kind of hoped she didn’t meet him. Not that she was ever likely to.
“Thing is, I don’t want you to think you can’t come to me about things. I know I’ve been acting like a cold asshole, but if you’re in trouble, Thea. I can help.”
It was tempting. God, it was tempting. To lay all of it on someone else’s shoulders would be amazing. But she knew she couldn’t do that. And, anyway, he didn’t know what the problem was. And if he did . . . he’d probably run a mile.
She licked her dry lips as she stared into those caramel-colored eyes. They were hypnotic. Jardin Malone was a potent man. One who would too easily pull her under his spell. He was the type of man who seemed capable of anything.
But he wasn’t prepared to deal with Derrick Silvers. And even if he wanted to help, he wouldn’t get involved in this. He had a family, a career, a life. He wouldn’t risk any of that for her. Someone who worked for him, who he’d only known a few months.
And then there was the threat to her brothers. No, she couldn’t tell him.
She didn’t want to reject the offer outright, though. Maybe she could tell him just enough so that . . . so if she disappeared, he might understand why. Even if she couldn’t risk him coming after her.
Reaching over, she took a sip of her iced tea. “It’s about my—”
“Well, now, isn’t this cozy? My ex-best friend with the woman who just conveniently fell into my lap, used me, then ghosted me? Something tells me this isn’t just a coincidence.”
11
Fury rode Carrick like a bull let out of the pen. It was a red haze covering his eyes. His heart beat so loudly it was all he could hear.
He glared down at Thea and Jardin. At first, he hadn’t believed his eyes when he’d walked into the restaurant that his accountant insisted had the best gumbo in the city. He’d been seated before he’d spotted them.
This couldn’t be a coincidence. He didn’t know their angle. Why Jardin would send her to him. To hurt him? It didn’t make sense.
But right then, he didn’t care about what made sense. He wasn’t thinking sensibly. He was acting on emotion.
And his emotion was pure anger. Hurt-fueled anger.
“Didn’t think you’d go this low, J,” he told his former best friend. The man he’d loved more than anyone. And not just platonically, although he’d never told Jardin that part. He wasn’t bi-sexual like Carrick. He hadn’t been interested in anything more. And Carrick had loved him enough to just be happy to be around him.
What an idiot he’d been. A naïve fool.