Shaw
“I’mtellingyouthe truth, Jackson. Do you think I’d make random stuff up?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. I told you to lay off the pills for a while.”
Cringing at the loud voices coming from the kitchen, I shuffled inside. Jackson was arguing with Tamryn across the island. They both swiveled their heads in my direction. What had I interrupted? This was awkward.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude.” I gestured to the coffee maker. “I’ll just get a cup of coffee and get out of your way. I hope I’m not the reason behind this quarrel.” I'd spent over a week with them now, and every day I felt like I wore out my welcome. Not that they ever said or acted in a way to put that idea in my head. I just wasn’t used to living off other people’s sympathy.
“Of course not,” Jackson said. “Just Tamryn here being paranoid today. Go on. Help yourself.”
“I am not being paranoid,” his wife said as I sidled by her and took up the new insulated mug I bought. Thank god too. I could pour the coffee and leave them with whatever argument they were having.
“You know how you sometimes get, Tam. That’s all I’m saying.”
Tamryn’s face turned red. “I am not being paranoid. Someone was in our house last night. They were here last week too.”
“Why didn’t you mention it, then?” Jackson asked.
“Because I-I wasn’t sure what it was the first time.”
I frowned at her. “Why do you think someone was here?”
“And that’s what you should have asked me before thinking I’m crazy.” She glared at her husband, then turned her attention back to me. “The first night, it was just a feeling. I always get up at night to-to use the restroom.”
“And have a drink,” Jackson murmured.
“Yes, Jackson, sometimes I have difficulty sleeping, and a drink helps.” She rolled her eyes. “Anyway, last night, I was returning upstairs and I swear someone slipped into your bedroom, Shaw.”
“Probably just Shaw going back to his bedroom from taking a piss.”
She shook her head. “No, it wasn’t. This person was smaller. Like a woman. Did you have a woman in your room?”
“For fuck’s sake, Tam. The man just lost everything. He’s allowed to have a whole harem if that’s what he wants.”
“I just don’t feel comfortable with it, since we never discussed it.”
“Actually, Tamryn, you’re mistaken,” I said. “That was, in fact, me going back to my bedroom after using the bathroom.”
Bullshit. I hadn’t woken up once during the night, but if what I suspected was true, Ari might have broken into the house last night. A shiver ran down my spine. He’d slipped into the bedroom without me knowing. If what Tamryn said was true, then it wasn’t the first time he had done it either. What did he do when I was asleep? I could easily imagine him crawling into bed with me and jerking off on top of the sheets while listening to me sleep.
My cock twitched, and I angled my body to hide my budding erection.
“See, I knew there was an explanation.” Jackson walked around the island, tugged his wife into his arms, and kissed her temple. “You worry too much. How about we spend the day together? Just you and me wherever you want to go?”
“I should go.” I backed out of the kitchen, coffee mug in hand. “I have a meeting with my insurance agent today, and hopefully, they’ll have some more information for me.” How long did they expect me to wait while they carried out their investigations? It could be months before they finally paid me out.
I’d looked for apartments, somewhere cheap for the time being; I wanted to save every penny. Starting over was going to cost me. Even if the insurance company matched what they considered the monetary value of the house, they wouldn’t cover the furniture and everything inside. Already, I’d spent quite a lot of money to buy new clothes that were presentable enough for work.
Things didn’t go smoothly at the insurance office. Nothing had changed. It was the same tired BS of having to wait for my place in their line for my claim to be processed. They couldn’t give me a specific time, but they would get to it as soon as possible, and in the meantime, they were sorry again for my loss. And, did I want a pen?
What a bunch of assholes. I’d gone from owning a home to relying on someone’s hospitality and now I had to find somewhere to rent. I couldn’t have Ari traipsing through other people’s houses at night, and as long as I was there, he would keep coming. He would never face me during the day. Not when he probably knew I would ask him to forget about everything and start over. He meant more to me than anything; and what if Judd hurt him?
I slipped into my car and buckled my seat belt. My phone rang, and I scrambled to fish it out of my pocket. Ari’s name flashed on the screen.
“Ari, where are you?”
“I miss you too, Daddy, but it won’t be long now.”