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He shrugs and presses his lips together. “It’s money he thinks he’s losing.”
“But to ruin his son’s entire career over a percentage of his paycheck? That seems extreme.”
“Jackson said Kyle wanted to maintain the trust by depicting him as mentally unstable.” He drums his fingers on the steering wheel. “Still, he could’ve done that without jeopardizing Jackson’s substantial income. He’s losing more money in the long run.”
“Exactly.” The puzzle pieces come together, and my exhaustion fades into eagerness. “A few things are clear—Kyle wants Aurora and the baby out of the picture, and he wants to retain control of the trust.”
Charlie gasps, and his eyes widen comically. “I bet if Jackson gets married or has a kid, he’ll gain access to his inheritance… Although Kyle’s primary focus seems to be the baby.”
“It won’t happen, but say Aurora goes to court for child support…”
My partner grins, and he rubs his palms together. “They’ll dig into Jackson’s financial records.”
“Bingo. Kyle risks losing his capital while also being exposed for mismanaging his son’s funds.”
“At the very least.” Charlie slaps the dashboard in victory. “Fuck yeah! What’d I tell you? The money trail!” He grabs his phone from the cup holder. “I’m on it.”
My gaze wanders to her bedroom. “The gas isn’t making her sick,” I voice my thoughts. “It’s either a cold from being out with Ethan or the pregnancy.”
“If it were possible to get someone pregnant twice, that big fucker could do it. Jesus, that man can fuuu— Ow!”
“Shut your trap and work.”
He massages his bicep, where I landed a solid punch. “What the hell was that for?”
I shoot him a piercing glare, not an ounce of fatigue in me after remembering their fuckfest. “This is an undercover mission, not porn.”
“It’s not pornography! We’re unable to see anything. It’s ASMR, and you’re just jealous. Go get laid, you oversized bear. Stop thinking with your dick. They should’ve put me on Aurora. I, for one, don’t find her attractive. She’s needy and pouty.” He puckers his bottom lip in mocking. “Great to look at, but damn, she can’t even walk the street without having a panic attack.”
His tirade is so over-the-top, I burst into laughter. “Oversized bear? Really? Is that the best you could come up with? This is New York City. Any woman would be scared to walk the street. Plus, she’s sensitive to sound, something I’d expect you to empathize with.”
“Whatever.” He rolls his eyes and returns to his phone. “She plays on your hero complex, and you love it. You’d pick her up and carry her around like a fucking child if you could.”
“You need to stop listening while I’m in there.” I reach behind the seat, grab two waters, and hand him one. “Maybe it’s you who needs to get laid.”
“Anyhow,” he drawls. “Don’t let Daddy Dom move them to a new apartment—I’m tired of installing mics—and seriously,” he stares at me intently, “since protecting women and childrenisour job, that baby is Kyle’s biggest threat. He doesn’t know it’s not Jackson’s, and he thinks it’ll cost him everything, maybe even a prison sentence. It’s concerning he’d go to such lengths to keep anyone from his son’s trust and financial records.”
23
JACKSON
Before I even open myeyes, I’m assaulted by the sounds of the city and the same unnatural glow we fell asleep to.
“Fucking New York,” I groan and pull the pillow over my face.
No sun to warm your soul and no ocean to get lost in. Who could possibly enjoy this shithole?
Despite the unrelenting lights and the constant noise, I slept—actually slept—without nightmares or waking in panic. My head no longer throbs in pain, and I no longer have the urge to tear the skin from my bones.
Just lingering depression, but that bitch never leaves. Her claws are embedded deep, poised to drag me back into a dark abyss at any moment.
I sense Aurora’s absence. The space beside me is cold; if she were here, she’d be curled up next to me, head on my shoulder, leg between mine.
I can’t remember if we fell asleep that way, or if she gravitated to me during the night, but I vividly recall the weight of her body upon me, her fingers in my hair.
That’s how she is. When she loves, she loves with every fiber of her being.
Whenever we argued, I’d still find her on my chest in the morning. If I hadn’t abandoned her at the height of my addiction, she would’ve never left, never achieved her dreams.