Chapter 67
Flynn
I stopped in mid-stride and gave Jack a look of death.What the hell was he doing here?
And why was Anna staring at him like she liked what she saw?
From the open doorway, Jack looked to me and said, "So…should I get in the passenger's seat? Or am I driving?"
My jaw clenched. "What?"
"You said to get in the car." He made a show of looking confused. "Unless you were talking to someone else?"
He knew damn well who I'd been talking to. Obviously, I'd been talking to Anna, who until just a moment ago had looked nearly ready to cry. Now, she looked rattled like she didn't know whether to break down in tears or ask Jack for his fucking autograph.
Shit, maybe she would.
I stepped forward and told Jack, "Oh, fuck off. You know who I meant."
Jack looked to Anna and said, "So you'rereallyputting up with this guy?"
Her face colored like he'd just told her a dirty joke. "Uh, yeah," she stammered, "I mean, someone's gotta do it, right?"
As far as a comeback, it wasn't half bad. But even now, I could see the strain in her eyes and hear the tremor in her voice.She wasn't up for company.
I knew this just as surely as I knew there had to be some reason for Jack's surprise visit. And the sooner I found out the better.
I looked to Anna and said, "Do you want to go upstairs and take a nap or something?"
I was giving her an out. Whether she took it or not, that was up to her.
She bit her lip and looked from me to Jack and back again. "Uh, yeah," she finally said, turning back to Jack. "Well, anyway, it was nice meeting you."
After he returned the sentiment, she trudged past him and headed into the house, not pausing to look back.
When she disappeared from sight, Jack said, "You know you're gonna pay for that, right?"
"For what?"
"For sending her to her room." He laughed. "Don't tell me. Without supper?"
I gave him a look. "It's not like that."
"No?"
"No." I crossed my arms. "And why are you here?"
"Aside from your warm welcome?"
"Yeah. Aside from that." I didn't bother asking how he'd gotten in. Jack had a way with locks and security. In the back of my mind, I made a mental note to upgrade my system, even as I told him, "So cut the crap and tell me."
"All right," he said. "I wanted to see how it's going."
"Why?"
He shrugged. "Morbid curiosity."
Jack and I had known each other for years – long before either one of us had become famous. And okay, hewasa curious guy, but he lived hours away, by private jet, no less.
