“I’m flattered.” Remmy moved on quickly. “Listen, Jodi, instead of hanging out with some other guy, why not come stay with me? I’ll give you a repeat. You’d like that, right?”
Jodi’s expression turned shrewd, but her tone didn’t change. “I have to figure out everything with my house. You could come over and help me.”
“Not right now, but I don’t want you there alone.” He read off an address. “It’s an isolated place.” He added, voice low, “With a bed. C’mon, baby. We’ll go back to your place later and I’ll help you sort things out.”
Jodi made an “Mmm” sound, as if deciding. “You were pretty good at helping me shake off tension.”
Even knowing she said it all for King’s benefit, hearing her discuss sex with another man sent a slow burn through Hunter’s gut. Hitting Remmy twice wasn’t enough. He wanted to pound him into the ground—but he wouldn’t.
“The firemen are still at my house, and I don’t think I can just leave. How about I’ll call you as soon as they’re done?”
There was another stretch of silence, and Jodi closed her eyes. Hunter could see her concern—an emotion she might deny, but felt it more keenly than many others did, because she understood exactly what could happen to Remmy.
She didn’t want the other man hurt, but neither would she take chances.
“Just meet me here in two hours.”
“Remmy,” she complained, sounding pressured, but also giving in. “All right, fine. I’ll try. If I’m going to be late, I’ll call. You better make it worth my while.” She made kissing sounds into the phone. “Later, gator.”
She disconnected with Remmy rushing to say something. Pushing back her chair, she stated, “They definitely have him.”
“I know.” Hunter, too, stood. He drew her back against his chest and crossed his arms around her middle. “You know you can’t go to him.”
“Not without a plan.” She turned in his arms, went on tiptoe to kiss him and said, “I need to call Madison.”
Her phone rang again before she could.
“Right on cue,” Memphis said.
Yet when Jodi turned for her phone, she frowned. “That’s not Madison.”
“Then who?” Hunter asked, seeing the unfamiliar number. “That’s not Remmy calling back.” If it was King ready to pressure her, he’d go after the bastard himself.
“Eh, it’s Parrish.” Jodi lifted the phone and looked at him in apology. “Sorry, but this call I need to take on my own.”
Hunter narrowed his eyes. “You’re sure it’s him?”
“Suspicious, much?” Probably to reassure him, she answered the call on speaker and said, “Hey.”
The eloquent voice of a man said, “I know what you’re thinking, because I know you, but you will hear me out, young lady. Is that understood?”
Hunter’s mouth twitched, especially at the way Jodi rolled her eyes. Definitely Parrish, and he liked that the man himself had called to check on her.
Jodi said, “Yeah, so, before you start lecturing me, would you mind stating your name so my hunky guy isn’t looking at me with doubt?”
A rough laugh sounded. “Hunky guy, huh?”
“Oh, dude, he really is.” Jodi gave Hunter a very sweet smile. “Given everything that happened today, he’s hovering big-time.”
“The fire, I know. It’s why I’m calling.”
“Still waiting on a name.”
“I take it I’m on speaker?”
“Yup. Until you reassure him.”
“Hello, Hunter. I’m Parrish, and Jodi is like a daughter to me.”
“Granddaughter,” she corrected. “At least, that’s what I already told him.”
“Brat. I’m not as old as all that.” In a less formal voice, he asked, “Did that satisfy him?”
“Judging by his grin, yeah.”
Parrish laughed. “I need to talk to you.”
“Give me a sec.” She took the phone off speaker, went on tiptoe to kiss Hunter again and whispered, “Something to eat would be amazing.” With an apologetic glance at Memphis, who sat there taking it all in, she darted into the living room.
Memphis waited until she was gone, then whispered, “Should we listen in?”
“No.” Trust had to start somewhere. Hunter moved to the stove and got out a pan. The day had begun as a total clusterfuck, and he figured it was going to get worse very soon. Jodi was right—they all needed to eat. “If you hear her making a move for the door, let me know. I’m afraid she feels responsible, or indebted or something, to Remmy.”
“She’s loyal.”
“And she wants to protect everyone.” Him included. That burned his ass, but he’d known who she was before he fell in love with her. He couldn’t see her changing anytime soon—and God love her, he didn’t want her to. “I’m making scrambled eggs and bacon.”
Memphis sat back and ran both hands over his face. “Whatever is in her house is key.”
“And getting to it won’t be easy with a fire inspector poking around.” Hunter cracked eggs in a bowl, then glanced at Memphis. “She has a closet full of weapons, too. It’s locked, but if anyone starts rummaging inside, it’s going to be a problem.”
“She’s a problem,” Memphis said with a smile. “A unique, fresh, beautiful, caring problem. I suggest you get used to it.”
Hunter paused at the fridge. He could see through the dining room to the living room, where Jodi sat curled on the couch, the phone to her ear, Turbo tucked up close to her side. Lazily, she stroked the dog while talking. “I love her.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” Memphis stood and stretched. “She loves you, too. It’s obvious, in case you didn’t realize.”
“I know. I’m just not sure she does.” Jodi thought she was falling in love, and it scared her, he got that. He needed to be patient, but damn it, there was so much going on, every day a new issue. He wanted to hear her tell him, and soon.
Memphis grinned. “Want me to clue her in?”
“No.” Hunter got out the bacon and laid it in the hot pan. “I’ll make it all real clear to her soon, but first, we have to deal with the trouble.”
“Got any ideas?”
Going on a rampage and killing King and his cohorts, that’s what he wanted to do. “None that are viable.” He nodded toward the doorway. “Pretty sure they’re working it out, though.”