Page 22 of Traitor
“Thanks.” He took a sip. No one made coffee like Fabrice. “Perfect, as always. What have I missed this morning?”
Fabrice shrugged. “So far, everything has been quiet. Security says they chased off someone attempting to trespass last night. Jett said it looked like a couple of teens. No big deal.”
Jay kept his opinions to himself. He, too, had been a teen, and he had been extremely dangerous. That age range was an often-overlooked threat.
Tidy bumped shoulders with Jay. “Are you feeling neglected with Foster here yet?”
The question confused Jay. “Is that a thing? Am I supposed to be feeling some way I’m not?”
Tidy chuckled.
Jay didn’t know why. It had been a genuine question. He never knew how he was expected to feel beyond Crisp.
Tidy flashed him a bright smile and squeezed his shoulder. “You’re a good man, Jay. Most guys wouldn’t like their partner staying up all night with someone else.”
“That’s dumb.” Jay hadn’t taken the time to think. He simply said the first thing that had come to mind. “Foster is his brother. You all grew up together and stuck together. I am the interloper. Crisp should spend time with his family.”
Tidy’s smile wavered a hair. “Well,you and Iknow that.”
Sometimes Tidy said things that didn’t make sense to him and didn’t match his body language. He didn’t understand the nuance behind every word. Maybe one day he would.
Clay strolled in, looking sunny as always. He teased Fabrice into smiling the way he did every day. The only reason he understood their dynamic was from eavesdropping on Fabrice’s private conversations with Crisp. Clay and Fabrice had grown up together. They were friends. If he didn’t know their connection, he would think Scout should be the angry one here. A lightbulb moment hit. That was what Tidy meant. Tidy still had nothing to worry about. Jay knew Crisp was totally his. Jay made sure Crisp never needed anyone else. In that, he was confident. He still wanted to sneak a peek at the pool activity. Not that he was jealous or concerned or anything like that. Jay’s heart justneeded him to set eyes on Crisp, especially since it seemed Tidy believed Foster saw them as more… possibly. He didn’t know. Foster had talked about someone else nonstop. Surely a man looking to step over a friendship line wouldn’t do that.
He stood. “Thanks again for the coffee. I should probably get back to our room.”
Fabrice and Tidy said their goodbyes.
Clay stopped him. “Oh, by the way, Tracker just got here. I think he’s gotten caught up in fixing some security camera failings, but he’s here. You might want to keep an extra low profile.”
Jay nodded. “Thank you for the warning. I’ll keep an eye out.”
Without waiting to get held up again, Jay slipped out of the kitchen. He stuck close to the wall and made sure no one was around before stepping into the family room. There was a glass wall that would fold away, opening to the area by the pool. He moved closer to the wall where he could hide behind a window treatment. A bright smile exploded across his face as Foster sent Crisp flying through the air and into the pool. Loud laughter rang through the air, muffled by the glass.
“Who are you?”
Jay spun. A man with shaggy, unkempt hair and intense blue eyes was sprawled across the couch. He looked pale and unwell. Jay had no clue how to handle this.
“I’m no one.”
The guy cocked his head. “If you were no one, you wouldn’t be here.” He had a haughty voice that sounded weak. His inquisitor sighed when Jay didn’t respond. “If you’re that untrusting, I’m Atticus and you are…”
Jay’s eyebrows tried shooting to his hairline at the name. Even with the guy half dead, Jay saw what had stunned Crisp into silence. Foster hadn’t lied. He was gorgeous. The expensive kind of handsome.
“I see my reputation precedes me.”
Jay had no idea why he rushed to fix things. Maybe it was the defeat in Atticus’ voice. “No. I mean, yes. I’ve heard of you, but no, I don’t know enough about you to hold an opinion.”
“Damn. Now that’s a deep accent. Yet I know you’re not part of the family.”
Despite the situation, Jay smiled. “I am a secret part of the family that only a few know about. That number doesn’t include Foster. So, I would appreciate your discretion.”
Atticus’ gaze seemed to sharpen. “Now I’m extra curious. Am I allowed into this secret? I can assure you Foster has no desire to hear anything I say. You don’t have to worry I’ll spill your secret.”
Jay weighed the risks. In the end, it wasn’t about trusting Atticus. His decision came purely from needing to stake his claim. Atticus would not be charming his Crisp. “Crisp belongs to me.”
Atticus laughed and then winced. The pain obviously won. His smile made a swift exit.
“What’s wrong with you?”
