Page 17

CHAPTER 17

"Wouldn't this be more comfortable at your apartment? I know you don't like the place but I wouldn't judge you."

They sat on the bare floor with a blanket under them that Kennedy found in the trunk of her car. Containers of shrimp lo mein and General Tso's chicken was spread out between them. Jayce might claim he doesn't do sweet but this was pretty damn romantic.

"No way in hell. I'm not worried about you judging me. I'm worried about your safety. I put my own life at risk living there. I would never subject anyone else to that."

That was just sad. But considering he was moving out of there soon, she wasn't going to keep harping on it.

They ate in comfortable silence until Jayce's phone ringing cut through the quiet.

"It's Caden," he told her before answering.

"I'm here with Kennedy. I'm going to put you on speaker." He set the phone on the blanket and Caden's booming voice filled the otherwise silent room.

"I asked Luke to speak with his contact at the FBI. They had nothing on Jasmine Davis but had a whole lot to say on Jasmine Pierce."

"Wait." Jayce held up his hand. "The FBI was looking into Jasmine while we were married? There's no way. I would've known."

"Not while you were married."

Jayce genuinely looked confused, but Kennedy was starting to put the pieces together. "That's the name she was using while transporting drugs." The words tumbled out of her mouth in disbelief.

"That would be correct." Caden was quick to confirm her suspicions.

"That lying manipulative bitch," Jayce seethed. "She couldn't wait to change her name after the divorce but she didn't mind using it to break the law. Why does nothing surprise me anymore?"

"Because Jasmine was selfish and only cared about herself. It was obvious while you were married to her, but you were too blinded by love to see it."

Caden didn't bother to mince words, and she supported the hell out of it. Jayce needed those kinds of friends in his life.

"What else did the FBI tell you?"

"A lot actually. Jasmine got involved with the Diego Cartel, transporting cocaine across the border. She got greedy though and stole about two hundred thousand dollars. That's when she split and escaped to Seattle."

"If the FBI had all this information, why the hell didn't they pull her in?"

She could see Jayce was ready to explode but she didn't have the slightest clue how to help him. This was out of her wheelhouse.

"You know how bureaucracy works. They always want the bigger shark. They were keeping their eyes on Jasmine in Seattle in hopes the Diego Cartel would come after her but no such luck. Then she passed away and they backed off since there was no sign the cartel knew her true identity."

"And you all wonder why I hate federal agencies so fucking much. They sit on their asses waiting for a big fucking payday rather than doing their jobs. Does the DEA have anything more useful?"

"Not all agents are that way, and yes, I asked Nash to reach out to his former partner."

"Fine. You, Luke, and Nash are the exception, but considering the three of you all left your agencies because of the red-tape bullshit, I stand by my thoughts."

Caden sighed and Kennedy could understand his frustration. Broody Jayce was back even though just an hour ago he had been happy while inside her.

"I'll let you know what Nash finds out about the Diego Cartel and the drugs they're smuggling. In the meantime, leave the federal agencies to me. You telling them how much they suck helps no one."

Jayce didn't look the least bit offended by his friend’s remark. She would be sure to ask him about that just as soon as he was off the phone.

Jayce promised not to call anyone and then hung up. He went straight back to eating his food but Kennedy was no longer hungry. Her curiosity got the better of her.

"Your friends seem to know a lot of people in federal agencies."

Jayce sucked up some of his lo mein and chewed before answering. "Luke is former FBI. Caden was CIA and Nash DEA. We all served in the Army together but went our separate ways when we got out. Ryker was NYPD. Austin went to the marshals and Dom actually stayed in the Army."

"And you?"

"I joined the Secret Service. I hated watching over politicians who thought they were better than me simply because they had a lot of money and power. When Luke approached me about starting Kringle Security, I was happy for the change."

"Wait, Kringle Security?"

Jayce huffed out a small laugh. "Let's just say it's not smart to pick a name while drinking but a promise is a promise and Kringle Security was born."

Interesting name, but from the little she had seen, Jayce's friends were an interesting bunch of guys.

"Got it. So you all worked for different agencies and now have contacts when you need information."

He shrugged. "I guess that's a good way of putting it. As you heard, I don't play well with others, so Luke usually prefers if I don't talk to the agents. My specialty is protection detail and I much prefer to do that."

"I think you underestimate yourself."

Jayce laughed. "And I think you give me more credit than I'm due. My mouth has no filter. I say exactly what's on my mind and most of the time it's not appropriate. The two times I was forced to speak to an agent, I called them a lazy bastard. Needless to say, Luke wasn't happy."

“Well, never mind. I take it back."

They both chuckled at the way she said those seven little words. Then they fell into another comfortable silence.

It was several minutes later before she asked, "Do you plan on living here while the work is being done?"

Jayce looked around the first floor. "I don't see why not. The bedrooms upstairs are mostly cosmetic work. They’re a decent size, and I've certainly lived in worse. I would think it would be easy enough to crash in one of the rooms. Why, what are your plans for the design?"

She bit her lip and wondered if she was about to say too much or overstep.

"The bedrooms are decent but the master bath needs major updating and a bigger closet. You could either keep the fourth bedroom, or convert it for the upgrades to the master."

"I have no arguments about redoing the master bath but the clothes I own wouldn't even fill up half of the current closet."

Kennedy didn't let him dissuade her. "You never know where the future might lead." She didn't say what she really wanted to; that one day, maybe she would be sharing that closet with him.

Jayce might not be ready to admit where things were going between them but she didn't have the same hangup. She was a romantic and a dreamer. It was a necessity for her career and right now she saw a future with him.

"You're right," he said, as her comment sunk in and realization appeared on his face. One side of his lips turned up in a half smile. She would take it. One slow step at a time.