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Jack

W hen I hear her door latch behind me, I select the contact I need.

Nate answers on the second ring. “Jack, what’s up?”

I rub my forehead as I explain, “I have a problem that I would like us to help with.” I pause. “And I’m going to cover the costs for it.”

A low whistle sounds through the speaker. “I’m intrigued.”

I give him the shortened version of what Gisella told me, ending with, “I’m not accepting a dime from her, but I also can’t walk away.”

Nate is silent for a beat before he says, “I agree. Let’s do it. Whatever she needs. And you aren’t paying for it. We always said we would start taking on cases pro bono once we were financially able. We have been for a while, and this seems like a great first one.”

I breathe out a sigh of relief that Nate doesn’t give me any pushback about helping Gisella. I still would have done it, but it makes it a hell of a lot easier to have him on my side.

“So she went to cops before, and they didn’t do anything?” Nate asks.

“Sounds like it. I’m guessing that’s why she didn’t want to try again.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Call Carlos and see what he has to say. Maybe he can help.”

I smile, glad my best friend and I are on the same page. “That was my next call after you.”

“Once you talk to him, we can regroup. It sounds like we might need to adjust some schedules, but that’s the easy part.”

I disconnect after confirming that I’ll contact him later, then scroll to find my next call.

After a couple of rings, he answers distractedly. “Detective Martinez.”

“Carlos, it’s Jack.”

“Jack, haven’t heard from you in a while. What do I owe the pleasure?”

“Sorry, I’ve been M.I.A. Things have been insane with work. You still owe me a few beers, which I’ll be cashing in at some point soon.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. What’s up?”

Carlos is a good friend and an even better cop. He’s become close with Nate and me over the years, and we have a lot of professional and personal respect for each other. He also sucks at fantasy baseball, which is why he owes me beers .

“I need you to look up a report for me.”

“Okay, what was the report for?”

“Stalking. Maybe harassment.”

“Hm, okay. Who was the person making the report?”

“Gisella Easton. It was maybe eight months or so ago.”

After a few beats, he says, “Found it. Looks like the report was taken, but it was never made an active case, based on lack of evidence.”

My jaw tightens as I grind my teeth in frustration. “I figured as much.”

“Let me guess, things have progressed and gotten worse?”

“Yes, you would be correct.”

“Client of yours?”

“Kind of.”

“Kind of… Got it. What can I do to help?”

I scratch my jaw in thought. “Can you come over tonight to her place and talk to her? I would like to make another official report and get the police involved this time. And I trust you to actually do something.”

“You got it. Does around 8:30 work?”

“That would be great. Thanks, Carlos. I’ll send you her address in a bit. And I need you to stop by my house for something. I’ll send you the code for the door lock and what I need you to grab.”

Hanging up with Carlos, I go back inside and find Gisella curled up on the couch, her fingers plucking at her lower lip, lost in thought. She jumps up when she hears me come into the room, and I incline my head to the couch. “Sit back down and get comfortable. We need to talk about what’s going to happen.”

She does as I request, pulling her legs under her so she’s sitting cross-legged. I don’t trust myself not to touch her, and we need to finish discussing this first, so I stand on the opposite side of the coffee table.

Disappointment fills me at the thought that while she may not be paying, she’s technically a client now. Or will be once she agrees to the terms I’m about to lay out for her. Having her safe is more important than following through on my attraction.

I extend my hand to her. “Can I please see the texts?”

Gisella nods hesitantly but picks up her phone off the end table. She unlocks it and opens the text chain, then hands it to me.

She told me the gist of what was in them but not the exact words.

I scroll back a few months and start reading. My blood boils. They get progressively more aggressive. Some are sexually suggestive in nature, others more mundane but no less unnerving. My fingers freeze as I scroll to the most recent. When my eyes rocket to Gisella, she knows exactly which one I’m on.

My stomach drops when a single tear tracks down her cheek. Now I know why she acted the way she did when we were out to dinner, why she tried to brush me off quickly and leave as soon as she could.

“Gisella…you should have told me that night.”

She sniffs and nods. “Looking back, I probably should have. I just didn’t know how.”

I don’t like her answer, but I understand it. Jaw clenched, I hand her back her phone. My hands go to my hips as I take a deep breath. “Here’s how this is going to go. Tonight, I have a detective who will actually do his job coming over here to talk to you about what’s happening. He’ll want to see those texts. And until we find who the fuck is doing this, you will not leave this condo without me or one of my men with you. Is that clear?”

Gisella sits up straighter and swipes her round cheeks. “Jack, no. That’s too much. I can’t let you do that. I can’t afford it.”

“I don’t care that you think it is too much. And you are letting me, because it’s happening. I already talked to my business partner about it.” I tell a small white lie to appease my case. “We take on clients for free from time to time when we feel it’s necessary.”

“You do?” Her sweet voice is hopeful, with a slight hint of skepticism.

I press my lips together and nod. We would have started this eventually, so it’s not a complete lie.

Her face pinches as she thinks, then she blows out a breath of acceptance. “Okay, I appreciate this. Maybe I can pay you guys in baked goods?”

My shoulders relax a fraction for the first time in an hour. But I narrow my eyes at her comment. “I’m the one who’s in charge of your safety, so you can pay me in baked goods.”

Now that some of the stress has abated, my attraction to her roars back. I feel her melodic laugh in my groin.

“Just you? Not anyone else?” she asks playfully.

I shake my head. “Nope, and I like chocolate chip muffins.”

She stands from the couch and laughs as she walks into the kitchen. “Noted. Do you want something to drink? I don’t have a lot, but I have water and a couple of different sodas.”

My eyes don’t leave her. “Water is fine.”

I track her steps back to me, and our fingers brush as she hands me the glass. I grip the glass, fighting the urge to pull her into me.

Gisella takes a quick step back and claps her hands together. “So, um, what do we do now?”

I shrug. “You can do whatever you normally do on a Saturday, and I will accompany you.”

She gives me a questioning look. “Whatever I normally do?”

Something in her tone makes me give a hesitant nod.

Her lips roll over her teeth, suppressing another laugh. “Great, let’s go.”