Page 30 of From the Shadows

He huffs a laugh followed by a low whistle. “Anything you want to share with the class?”

My spine goes straight, and my shoulders flare as Jess leaves my line of sight. I merely tilt my chin to pin him with a glare. I don’t know if I can take him in a fight, the man is a professional killer, but I sure as fuck have no problem using my size as an advantage. I have Teague by a couple inches and probably fifty pounds. Is it all muscle? No. But I’m not stacked with doughy flab either. I train… just differently than he does. And properly motivated, all things being equal, I think I could give him a run for his money. Choke him out or at least get him to submit.

“Stop looking at me like you think you’d have a chance if we got into it, old man. You don’t want the first time Jess has complete dominion over your body to be when she’s cleaning up the pieces before disposing of them.”

“Fuck off,” I toss over my shoulder as I stalk away from the cocky asshole.

Jess is already in the foyer with Evie giggling in her arms by the time I get there.

“You don’t mind? Truly?” I ask.

“Not at all,” Jess says, her voice taking on the sweet, lilting tone I’ve only heard her use when she’s talking to Evie. “You going to follow me home with her or⁠—”

“Would you mind terribly if we just switched vehicles? Her car seat is in mine along with an extra diaper bag and I”—I pause, needing to catch my breath at just how perfect she looks holding my daughter. “There’s still a lot I need to take care of here.” I pull my key fob from my pocket and try to hand it to her, but she’s got my kid in one arm and the other is full of diapers and toys and books that look suspiciously like the ones from the nursery upstairs.

“You’re going to have to get creative with where you put that, Eddie. My hands are full here.” Jess gives me a flirty smirk.

“I’ll just walk you out.” I extend my hands to take something from her, but Evie clings to Jess, babbling a mile a minute. As I reach for the books and crap in her other hand, Teague pops his head out of the office.

“Stop fucking around and get your arse in here, Eddie. We got shit to sift through.” He fills the doorway, broad smile plastered on his face like he’s watching his favorite movie and knows what’s going to happen next.

I’m so over Teague’s shit. I heave out a heavy sigh and turn to address Jess, but all I see are glassy eyes and her mouth slightly agape. Pink stains the apples of her cheeks, and when she swallows, trying to compose herself, the strain in her neck has me thinking very bad things. Dirty thoughts about what that mouth might feel like, hot and slick around my cock.

“Yeah,” Jess says softly. “That’s what I need.”

My lids dip closed, and I concentrate harder than I have in a long fucking time, willing my dick to behave. Because those thoughts are going to bring me to my knees, and that’s not something I’m willing to do with an audience.

Jess turns, giving me her hip and juts it toward me. “Why don’t you help a girl out and slide that in for me.”

Fuck me. How I thought this whole thing would be anything other than a hard time is beyond me, but I’d be an absolute idiot to allow this moment to pass. I close the distance between us and slide my hand into the pocket of Jess’s coveralls, skimming her taut hip and muscular thigh as I make damn sure that key fob is safely tucked away.

I could be a gentleman, but in this case, it feels like that aligns closely with being an idiot, and far, far from what either Jess or I want. So I withdraw my hand slowly, deliberately grazing the dips and valleys of her. There’s no missing the shudder that goes through her body, and any thoughts—any doubts—at whether her flirting is backed by desire dissipate like smoke in a windstorm.

“Make sure you’re a good girl this afternoon, and I’ll bring you a treat.” I place a kiss to Evie’s temple and whisper low so only Jess can hear me, “Breathe.”

Her gasp is quiet, just for me.

“Your keys in the van?”

Jess nods slowly, panting softly but remaining still, so I give her a soft pat on the ass to get her moving.

I can’t walk into that meeting until I know they’re safe in my vehicle.

And I can’t walk in there with my dick tenting my trousers.

So I watch as Jess ambles down the front steps, stopping at the side of my SUV. With all the care in the world, she straps Evie into her seat and tucks the rest of her goodies into the footwell with the bag of Evie’s essentials.

I like the way Jess looks with my daughter, the way she looks behind the wheel of my car. As hard as I’ve tried to fight it, I’m sure I’d love the way she’d look naked and breathless, rosy and writhing, riding my cock until we both fell apart.

She pauses just before turning down the main drive and strips me bare with a single gaze. Strips me bare and caresses every inch of me. Like she knows the effect she has on me, she drops her gaze below my belt, and any progress I just made in calming my shit down, she undoes. My dick twitches, and my balls ache, desperate for more than a simple touch to her hip.

I count to ten, then fifteen, while breathing in a measured and deliberate cadence until I can walk without straining my dick. Then, I go to my fucking meeting.

We spend hours making lists and discussing the pros and cons of each name on it until clouds roll in, darkening the sky and making the air ripe with the threat of rain.

I push to standing and stalk across the room to the window overlooking the vast grounds. None of my calls to either Chantal or Amie have been answered, but failure is not an option. Maybe it’s a fool’s errand, but I type out a text to Chantal asking—no, demanding—she respond and tell me what the hell is going on.

Chantal: Mr. Yore, I’m so sorry. I didn’t give any notice and had to leave. Quickly. I brought Evie to you at the estate, and Mr. Robichieaux said she’d be well taken care of. I understand if you need to find someone to replace me, but, please, if there is any way I can keep my job… It’s wrong for me to ask, I know that, but I’ll be back as soon as I can. I promise. Please tell Evie I love her and miss her so, so much.