Rory (Coded for Love 1)

“Okay, wait over there, I’ll finish up here and join you.”

“Good decision.” Jackson wandered off, just a few feet away, but it was enough.

Pulling her phone out of her pocket, she glanced down and opened text messaging. She could text with her eyes shut, which was just as well. Keeping it brief, she kept her eyes on Jackson, glancing down only occasionally, and sent Rory a message.

Jackson’s here. Told me u at his office. Said u asked for me. Don’t believe.

Bring the USB. Let’s finish this!

She didn’t stop to reconsider, she didn’t have time.

Jackson was hovering closer and watching her.

She pressed send and shoved her phone in her pocket. Grabbing her bag and jacket, she pulled off her apron.

As she joined him, she acted flustered. “I’ll go with you, but Rory better be there.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” He hustled her across the station concourse and out through the main entrance. Raising a hand he hailed a taxi.

Pushing her inside, he gave a street address to the driver and climbed in next to her. “You made the right decision. I thought you might try to do something stupid and make a break for it.”

“What’d be the point? You’d only be there on my next shift.”

Jackson laughed. “Yeah, it was thoughtful of you to give me your timetable.”

She glared at him, and then turned away and stared out the window. Pretty soon she could tell they were headed to the building Rory had gone to that night she waited for him.

“Phone Rory,” Jackson instructed, “tell him you’re with me and I want the kit.”

Of course, that’s why he needed her, because he didn’t have Rory’s phone number. And she’d left him a calling card with her timetable. She thought about ignoring him, or asking why, but she couldn’t be bothered pretending. Pulling out her phone she did as requested.

“Where are you?” Rory sounded as if he was talking through gritted teeth.

“I’m with Jackson. We’re going to his office. He told me to phone you.”

“Tell him I’m on my way.”

“With the kit?”

“With the bloody kit!” Anger vibrated in his voice.

She hung up quickly, so he didn’t have time to say anything else. “He’s on his way.”

Jackson stared at her with a kind of perplexed confusion. He’d finally realized she hadn’t believed him in the first place. Now he was wondering what she had planned.

Sky smiled at him and turned away.

There was satisfaction in the guy’s confusion, but Rory’s angry tone had her on edge. Had she done the wrong thing? She hoped not.

Moments later they pulled in alongside the building site surrounded in hoardings.

“Nice offices you have here,” she said, looking up at the gaunt structure.

Jackson ignored her. Paying the driver he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out of the taxi on his side.

“Watch the jacket, buddy.” She scanned the dark doorways opposite, where she’d waited for Rory a few nights earlier, but there was no sign of him.

Once he got her inside the hoardings, Jackson hurried her along a muddy path toward the building. The entrance was cast in shadows and she could hardly make out where he was leading her.