Her mom said, “For the record, I am not sanctioning my youngest running off and playing Nubia to Sam Wilson.”
Jas snorted at the Sam Wilson reference. Torr just looked confused.
Her mom continued, “But Torr’s right. Vernon may feel guilty knowing you’ve been dragged into this through no fault of your own and turn himself in to make things right.”
Her father added, “Like your mother, I’m not happy about you going along either. Makes me want to volunteer to take your place. I know him well too. We all do.”
Jas froze and sensed Torr doing the same.
“But,” he added, “Mr. Confidence probably doesn’t need me second-guessing his decisions every step of the way. I know I wouldn’t if it was my show. All I ask is that you stay strapped, Jas.”
Jas exhaled her relief. Ignoring the surprise that flashed from behind Torr’s stoic mask, she nodded. “I will, and if I wind up leaving town, I’ll let you know.”
He seemed satisfied with her response.
She reached into her purse for the thumb drive. “When you get the chance, check out the video on here. The Taylor guy’s on it. I wanted you to know what he looks like just in case.”
Her mom took the drive.
“We’re going to head out and let you two get back to what you were doing.” Jas gave them each a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
Torr shook hands with her dad and received a warning. “Anything happens to my daughter while she’s with you, it’ll be me and you, Mr. Air Force.”
“Understood, sir.”
Outside, they descended the steps, and Torr breathed a loud sigh of relief. “Your dad is tough.”
“No kidding, but he let you leave alive, so that’s a good thing.”
“Who are Nubia and Sam Wilson?”
She stopped. “You really don’t know?”
He shook his head.
“Nubia is Wonder Woman’s Black twin sister, and Sam Wilson is a Black guy who used to be the Falcon but is now Captain America.”
“Captain America is Black? Since when?”
“Since recently. The news has been all over everything since the ending of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Where have you been?”
“Out of the loop, apparently.”
She chuckled. “You sweet summer child.”
He dropped his head. When he met her eyes again, his sparkled. “The whole comic book thing is more Kel’s world. So, how does Wonder Woman have a Black twin sister?”
“I’ll get you some comics when I put your book collection together. They’ll answer all your questions.”
“Good.”
For a few moments they stood silently, taking each other in. Jas was so drawn to this man she didn’t know what to do. “Where to now?”
“I’m heading home. I need to run Gabriel through some law enforcement databases and find out what he’s been up to. What about you?”
“Home to do the same on Uncle Elliot. I want to try and figure out where he might be. Maybe where he was born, and if he has any living relatives he and Aunt Loretta may be hiding out with. Librarians love a good search.”
“How about working at my place? That way, we can share info and maybe dinner later.”
She admittedly did want to spend more time with him. “Okay, but I need to go by my place and pick up my other laptop.”
Only then did Jasmine realize they were still standing on the sidewalk in front of her parents’ front porch. Her mother was in the doorway, watching with amused interest. Behind her stood her dad, who looked like a disapproving father watching his daughter on her first date.
Jasmine said, “Let’s go. Mama’s going to be handing out wedding invites to the neighbors in a minute, and Daddy’s face is going to get grumpier and grumpier.”
She waved at them. He did the same. Laughing, he walked with her to the cars.
“I’ll follow you to your place,” he said as they opened their respective car doors.
Jas didn’t fight him on that. In her beloved romance novels, this would be the point in the story where the heroine would argue with the hero about being able to take care of herself. She’d then drive home alone and be promptly snatched up by the bad guys. With Taylor and his minions in the picture, that fictional plot could turn into real life, and Jasmine didn’t have time for that. There was too much to do. Too much at stake.
After they arrived at her condo, he waited in his vehicle while she ran in, traded her fancy sandals for a pair of comfortable flats, and picked up her laptop. For reasons she didn’t want to discuss with herself, she threw her toothbrush, her hair bonnet, and a clean pair of undies in her tote. She also dug out a few of the condoms Terri always insisted she have on hand. Smiling as she imagined Terri applauding the spur-of-the-moment decision, she exited and returned to the parking lot. Scanning the premises for Taylor’s town car and not seeing it, she pulled her Mustang in behind Torr’s black SUV and followed him out to the street.
On the drive to his place, she knew she should be contemplating where Mr. Vernon might be, but instead she kept hearing Torr saying in that sexy, smoky voice of his, Hear your sighs when I make love to you. The memory of the moment and how the heat hit her and pooled between her thighs made her sigh indeed. She’d never been verbally seduced before, but then she’d never met a man like Torr the Brave. She also suspected she’d only experienced the tip of the iceberg of who he really was, and she wasn’t sure if she should be scared of that realization or not. Time would tell if she’d get to see what lay beneath, but what she had seen was intriguing enough that she knew she wanted to see and learn more.
As she parked on the street in front of his place and got out, she was once again struck by how calm and quiet the area was. Being nestled on the banks of the Detroit River made his home and the others nearby seem unconnected to the city’s never-ending traffic, concrete, and noisy hustle and bustle. As she breathed in the water’s tangy scent and heard the waves gently lapping against the shoreline, she felt herself relax and her mood soften.
He ushered her inside, and she wondered if she’d ever not be moved by the beautiful interior or the watching gray wolf.
“Have a seat. Would you like something to drink? I have pop, water, juice.”
She sat on the velvety-soft gray couch. “Water, please.”
“Ice?”
“Yes.”
He disappeared down a hallway she assumed led to the kitchen she’d yet to see. Moments later he returned, carrying two glasses filled with ice and two frosty-looking plastic bottles of water. He handed her one set, then sat in one of the chairs opposite her position on the couch. He poured water into his glass while she did the same.
“I enjoyed meeting your parents.”
“My mom enjoyed meeting you. Daddy? He’s a harder nut to crack, or at least that’s how he acts around men his daughters bring home. He took an instant dislike to Ceylon’s husband.”
“Why?”
“Said he didn’t trust him. Daddy turned out to be right, though. Two years after the wedding, Ceylon caught him cheating and divorced him.”
“Your other sisters married?”
“India isn’t. Paris is married to an Episcopal priest.”