Honestly, it didn’t make sense.
Jacob abruptly stopped wiping at his face, tugging his shirt down before he turned to me, his dark eyebrows drawn together, hazel eyes narrowed as if he wordlessly told me I wasn’t welcome here, in this room, or even in his apartment. To which I’d only say, I was here because of him.
As much as I didn’t like to admit it, I owed him. Who knew what would’ve happened if I’d have been alone tonight?
He sent me a frown, tilting his head slightly. His light brown hair looked so much darker drenched in sweat. It wasn’t a bad look. He didn’t leave his punching bag, but he did say, “Where?” As if he didn’t know, as if he’d forgotten tonight’s events.
Playing dumb didn’t suit him.
Maybe it was because I’d had enough shit for the night, but I left my position at the door frame, my feet dragging across the floor as I moved closer to him. My head hurt like a bitch, but I ignored it, just like I ignored how my legs felt like jelly. I watched his posture straighten at my approach, and said, “At Brittany’s. Were you working for someone else?” Couldn’t say why, but I didn’t like that thought. I mean, I knew he wasn’t my private investigator, that other people could hire him, but I couldn’t change the envy inside me at the thought of him being at Brittany’s for someone else.
Selfish and stupid, but I kind of wanted him to have been there for me.
“What I do when I’m not working on your case is none of your business,” he told me, sending me a frown—his usual expression when he talked to me. I was pretty sure Jacob hated me on principle, since I was a kid in his eyes.
That…that really bugged me.
“You don’t have a monopoly on my life,” he added, scowl darkening.
I took another step closer to him, folding my arms across my chest. Felt weird to be standing there in his clothes, but at this point I could not back down. I couldn’t help the fact that I had an attitude. “I think I have the right to know what you were doing there,” I said, standing my ground as best I could, given the fact that I wanted to curl up and sleep.
“You don’t intimidate me, Jaz,” Jacob muttered. “You don’t have a right to know. You should be thanking me, though, because from where I stand, it looks like you would’ve had a really shitty night if it wasn’t for me.”
I already had a shitty night, but he was right. Other, worse things could’ve happened, and then where would I be?
His attitude, however, made me not want to thank him for any of it. His tone, his posture, everything about him was standoffish. Just plain rude. If he thought I’d do a curtsy and fall at his feet for helping me tonight, he was dead wrong.
“I don’t thank jackasses,” I hissed. This guy…no wonder why he was a loner, why he didn’t have a girlfriend. He was infuriatingly annoying.
“I bet you don’t thank anyone.”
“You don’t know anything about me,” I stated, huffing.
“You’re right, I don’t,” he admitted, taking a step towards me. There was less than two feet in between us now, and I could smell his sweat. It was not the worst smell in the world, I hated to admit. “For example, I don’t know why you want me to look into Oliver Fitzpatrick when you fucking live with the guy. So tell me, Jaz, what the fuck is up with that?”
I blinked. How did he…
Well, I did tell him to investigate Ollie, so I supposed it was only a matter of time until he found out I was living under the same roof as him. I just didn’t think it would happen so soon. I didn’t know what to say without telling him the whole story.
I…I didn’t want him to judge me like everyone else in Midpark did. Just because my mom and I didn’t come from money didn’t automatically mean we were stupid or hoes just sleeping around trying to land a good husband. It didn’t make us less than those who lived in Midpark, but that’s how all those other people at the party saw it, I bet. That’s how Brittany viewed me, how Archer did. You didn’t do what they did if you liked the person on the receiving end of the ridicule.
My eyes closed. “I guess you and I have some things to talk about.” When I opened my eyes, I found Jacob stared at me with a level expression. He no longer radiated anger. He looked…almost too intent on me.
He was slow to nod. “Yeah, we do.”
We ended up leaving the workout room. Jacob took off the white wrapping on his knuckles before following me down the hall. We sat on the couch in his living room, and I had to work to keep my sigh to myself. It was nice to sit down on a cushioned seat and not feel the weight of a dozen eyes on you, all waiting for the show.
Tonight…I would never forget what happened tonight, and I would never forgive, either. I wasn’t that sort of girl.
Jacob leaned his forearms on his knees, his head turned and his eyes on me. A cushion sat between us, putting space where there should be. It wasn’t like I wanted to feel his leg brushing against mine or anything. Tonight was the night to get everything in the open, I guessed.
I did my best not to stare at him. It was supremely difficult to look at him and not get lost in how pretty his eyes were, or how he looked damn good sweaty. Who cared about the brusque attitude or the eternal five o’clock shadow or the bags hanging under his eyes? He was an attractive man all the same…and I’d thrown up on his shoes and begged him to help me take off my dress.
Oh, God. If I wasn’t fuming inwardly at how shitty tonight was, I’d be totally embarrassed about all of that.
“My mom and I live with Oliver,” I broke the silence of the apartment, unable to take the heaviness in his stare. I instead watched the coffee table before the couch, wishing it would sprout legs and run away; at least then the attention would be off me. “My mom got a job as his maid. He’s always at work, doesn’t have time to cook or clean or even do his own laundry.”
Jacob listened to me, reclining back on the couch with his knees spread. “Go on. I assume there’s more.”
I wasn’t sure what more he wanted me to say. Sighing, I added, “I know he was married to Astrid Chambers, and I know all about Celeste. But his sons, Celeste, Astrid…they’re all gone. And even his first wife, I couldn’t look back and see an obituary, even though he has her ashes—”
“Astrid’s not there anymore?” Jacob cut in, interrupting me. He wore a curious, concerned expression.
“No. She’s just…gone. I was wondering if maybe she and Celeste went away to avoid the public eye, but then what about his sons? What about his first wife? I just feel like he’s hiding something, and I want to make sure my mom is safe.”
“And you,” he said.
“Right,” I said. “Me, too.” In actuality, I was more concerned with my mom, but I supposed that was neither here nor there. He didn’t need to know that.
Jacob ran a hand over his cheek, rubbing his chin in thought. He almost looked like he knew something, like there was something he wanted to tell me—or maybe that was just me hoping he’d have all the answers for me right now. It would mean I wouldn’t have to pay him more. The other extra cash that I’d tucked away under my bed I’d saved for…something. A rainy day. A time when Mom and I needed it. I really didn’t want to spend it all on Jacob.