Dangerous Pursuit (The Pursuit #3)

7 Catching Feelings

CATCHING FEELINGS

Mia

W alker wakes me up at noon. “Hey, sleepyhead, it’s time to get up. You’re late for work.”

Grabbing my phone in a panic, I look at the time before noticing laughter spewing from Walker’s mouth and remember what day it is.

“You jerk, it’s Sunday!” I flop back down on the pillow.

“That was priceless. You should’ve seen the look on your face. God, I wish I was filming that shit.” He’s still laughing. Meanwhile, my heart is racing.

“That was not nice. You know I got in after two in the morning. Geez, cut me some slack, would you?”

“How’d it go? Did you rake the table?” he asks.

“I split for first. It was late, and we were evenly stacked. Ready for the crazy part?”

“Shoot.” He climbs on the bed beside me, eager for the story.

“Jackson was there.” I pause for effect.

“No fucking way. What the hell? How?”

“I don’t know, it was random. He was as surprised to see me as I was him.”

“So, how was it?”

“Condescending, as usual. Then he dragged me upstairs away from the others and said I was too young to be there and blah, blah, blah. He finished fourth, stayed to watch, and insisted on giving me a ride. He drives me crazy.”

“He dragged you? Was he rough with you, Mia?” Protective Walker is in the house. I love that he cares and would probably do anything for me, making me wish more than ever that I could confide in him about my shitty situation.

“No, he wasn’t rough. He… God, Walker… I shouldn’t feel this way, but dang it, I was so turned on by him. He caged me up against the wall, and when he pressed his body into me, I almost combusted. I practically eye fucked him, begging him to kiss me. He’s a total dick, Walker. How am I attracted to him?” I drop my head and cover my face with my hands in embarrassment.

“Because he’s hot as shit. I have a boyfriend, and I’m attracted to the man. So, he didn’t kiss you, then?”

“No. He pushed away, stuck on the fact that I’m still seventeen. He won’t touch me with a ten-foot pole.” I close my eyes and blow out a breath of frustration at myself for being upset. “For a minute, when we pulled up to the house, it looked like he was going to. He was staring at my mouth and rubbed my lip with his thumb, but then he just dropped his hand and turned forward again.” Ugh! I remember the feel of his hand on my face, the soft caress of his thumb, and how I wanted nothing more than his lips on mine.

“He’s a lot older than you, so you can’t blame him for holding back. But look at the bright side.” I open my eyes and see the smile plastered on his face as he wags his eyebrows. “You’re eighteen in a couple of weeks, and then what is there to stop him?”

“My dislike for him, that’s what. I don’t even want him to kiss me,” I huff, hoping I sound believable.

“Riiiight. You’re saying you would’ve stopped him if he tried last night?” He looks at me knowingly.

“Shut up. It was a moment of weakness. Now that I’ve experienced it once, I can control myself next time.”

“Sure you can, honey. I can’t wait to hear how that goes. In the meantime, what about Mason? Did he ever text back?”

Another crappy situation I don’t need reminding of. “He definitely ghosted me. I texted him again, like you said, and got nothing. I don’t like this dating thing,” I say disparagingly.

“Don’t give up yet. At least not until we get you some action.” He winks.

“Ugh, whatever. I need to get home. Want to be my chauffeur?” I say, giving him my best puppy dog eyes.

“Your chariot awaits.” He hops to his feet and holds his hand out to help me up.

During the drive, I recap what it was like playing against Jackson and meeting his friend Eli, finishing as he pulls up to the curb outside my house. Opening the front door, I spot my mom in the kitchen preparing dinner. She loves cooking but is usually too tired during the week after a full day of cleaning. Her meals are my favorite, and my stomach growls from the smell.

“Mmmm. What are you making?” I ask as I kiss her cheek in greeting.

“Hi, sweetie. We’re having asopao de pollo for dinner. Did you have fun last night? You look tired.”

“I did, and yeah, I’m exhausted.”

“Why don’t you go rest, and I’ll wake you up in a bit.”

“Thanks, Mom, I think I will.”

Alone in my room, I can finally check for a response to the text I sent from Walker’s last night. I didn’t want to look in front of anyone in case my reaction gave something away, raising questions that are best avoided. Sure enough, there’s a message waiting.

Unknown: Looks like Daddy was right about you. That’s too bad. I was looking forward to a different form of payment. See you soon, sweet cheeks. And don’t forget about the savings. Unless you want to work some off, we’ll expect more than the winnings.

That’s all there is. Nothing about when or where. They’re just fucking with me. Are they going to be waiting inside one night after work again? The last thing I want is for them to show up when my mom is here.

I hate this. I’m so mad at my dad. How could he put us in this position if he cared about us? Obviously, he doesn’t, and the hope I’ve been holding on to the last few years has truly died. It’s best to just get this debt paid off and move on.

Calculating how long it’ll take to pay them off is impossible. The problem is that not all games have that large a payout. Two thousand dollars was a steep buy-in, plus there were thirty players. Most games aren’t so big, not to mention smaller dollars. If these guys keep sending me to high-dollar tournaments, I’ll need to keep a bigger cushion.

I’m also not guaranteed to pull off a top finish every time. The minute you start thinking that highly of yourself, you get in trouble like my dad did. You start losing, getting in your head, and it’s a downhill battle from there. I should know because I watched it happen firsthand. Now, here I am, paying the price for his demise.

Jackson

“So, that’s the girl you’re hung up on. I mean, I can see why. She’s gorgeous. Then add in those mad poker skills, and man, she’d be a catch if she wasn’t so damn young. I’d ask if she’s legal, but we all know she isn’t.” Eli laughs as he takes a swig of his beer.

We’re meeting at the club on Sunday night after dinner with my parents, who were happy to hear that I was settling in with Mia and not obsessing about getting rid of her. Little do they know I’m forming a much more inappropriate obsession with her. I’m sure they wouldn’t be so happy about that.

The only information I garnered was the same I’d already heard—except while paying closer attention, it clicked why her dad was out of the picture. He left them because of his gambling addiction, which would explain where Mia more than likely learned to play. The only other beneficial tidbit was what restaurant Mia’s mom decided on for her birthday dinner, which I’ll use to my benefit. Everyone loves a birthday surprise, right?

“Seriously, enough already. I’ve got blue balls like you wouldn’t believe. I don’t need you rubbing it in.” I’m never going to hear the end of this.

“By the way, what happened during the first break when you two disappeared upstairs?” I knew it was killing him to find out.

“I just questioned why she was there. There’s no way she should be spending two thousand dollars on a poker game. Although seeing how good she is, I’m curious why she isn’t doing it full-time instead of putting up with my bullshit. She gave me some lame excuse, but I don’t buy it. She’s hiding something.”

“It didn’t look like all you did was talk. You were sporting quite the boner when you came back down, and her face was flushed as hell. Did you do something you shouldn’t have? You know she’s a dangerous pursuit for you,” Eli warns me.

“I’d think it was right up your alley with your adrenaline-chasing tendencies.” I retort, his accusation irritating.

“I’ve got your back, Jackson. We’ll handle it if shit comes back to bite you. It’s not ideal, but you’ll be okay with her being so close to eighteen,” states Braden, who’s in full attorney mode now.

“Fuck, I didn’t do anything, all right? I won’t touch her until she’s legal, and even then, I’m not sure I will. I haven’t told you what’s happening, but there’s more to the story.” I fill them in on the last couple of days, including the marks I noticed, the private investigator I hired, and my new stalker status.

“Dude, are you the same guy who tormented this girl a few weeks ago? You sound like there’s a little more going on than just concern if you’re scaring her dates away. Did you catch feelings for this chick?” Braden hasn’t had an interest in anything but a good lay since he was dumped by the woman he almost proposed to and decided love was overrated. He also saw what I went through with Lily, further proving it’s not worth it.

“I don’t know. One minute, I want to strangle her. The next, I want to learn everything there is about her, and during both of those, I want to fuck her brains out. If that sounds like catching feelings, then maybe I have. Shit.” I take a long drink of my beer and slam it down.

“From what I saw, you already have it bad, man. You weren’t focused on anything but her the entire night. Your eyes were glued, and everyone there could see it.” Eli chuckles. “So, when will the PI have a report back? Are you putting protection on her until you figure this shit out? You saw what happened to Lily. You can’t be too careful these days—there are way too many psychos out there.” Lily, Eli’s future sister-in-law, was kidnapped by an all-too-eager admirer last year, and if it wasn’t for her security, it could’ve been worse.

“I know, I just haven’t thought that far out. I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing. That’s why I’m talking to you guys. Wouldn’t I be overstepping by having her followed?” I’m so out of my league here. It’s okay if I follow her like a creeper, but don’t hire someone to protect her. What the fuck am I thinking?

“Not if it’s for her safety. Look, if she was someone I cared about, and I saw marks like the ones you described, and you’re sure they’re not consensual, then fuck yeah, I’d put security on her. Especially since she’s not coming clean and won’t tell you what’s going on. She might be in some deep shit. Though that begs the question, do you want to get caught up in something for a girl you know nothing about and aren’t involved with beyond an eye-contact orgasm?” I know Eli means well, but Christ, way to put it out there.

“Fuck you. She doesn’t have anyone else. I think I’m the only one who knows there’s a problem, and yeah, I do fucking care about her. I don’t know why or when it happened, but it did, and it’s too late to turn back, so tell me what to do.”

“I agree with Eli.” Braden cuts in. “Fuck overstepping and hire someone to watch her. If something worse happens, you’ll never forgive yourself. Second, you’ve gone this long, so keep your dick to yourself until she’s of age. Take a two-week vacation if that’s what it takes. It’ll make my job a lot easier if shit hits the fan.”

“Jesus, Braden, I can keep it in my pants for two weeks. But you did just give me a great idea. Eli, will you send me the contact for the security company Sebastian used for Lily?” At that, I call it a night and head home to start planning.

First, I followed their advice to set up protection for Mia. Although, they said it would be impossible to cover her adequately without her knowing since she uses public transportation. They suggested putting a device in the battery compartment of her phone to make it doable. It gives me creeper vibes, but as Eli said, it’s this or risk something worse happening until she comes clean about what she’s involved in. With security tailing her, I’ll find out what shit she’s gotten herself into one way or another.

The second part of my plan is a little more complicated and conniving. It also means involving someone else as an unwitting accomplice. Picking up the phone, I dial, hoping the idea Braden unknowingly gave me turns out to be a good one.

She answers on the first ring. “Jackson?”

“Hey, sis.”

“What are you doing calling me on a Sunday night? I’m surprised you’re not too busy with your flavor of the week.”

“If that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black, I don’t know what is.” My sister made it clear long ago there was no room for the tough big brother act in her life. She likes her men the same way I like my women: horizontal, perpetual, and varietal.

“Yeah, yeah. So, what’s up? Last we talked, you were pissed about some new assistant the parentals made you keep. Has the big bad wolf scared her away yet?”

“Nah, she turned out to be okay and managed to suffer through my bullshit to come out the other side. We’re making it work. Anyway, there’s a reason I’m calling. You keep hounding me to visit and check out all the great opportunities there, so I figured I’d take you up on it.” She’s screeching in excitement while I’m still talking.

Cici chose real estate as her career path after college and decided Bozeman, Montana, was the city to do it in. They were experiencing a growth influx, and it’s far enough away from here to escape our parents without being on the opposite side of the country. That she chose a profession so closely linked to what she was running away from did not escape me.

“ What? Seriously? I’m so excited! Oh my gosh, Jackson, I can’t wait to show you everything.” Shit, if I’d known it would make her this happy, I might have visited sooner.

“Don’t get too excited yet. I want you to find some deals to look at first. Give me a few to consider, and let’s narrow it down before I come out. I’m making it a business trip.”

If I go under the guise of looking at properties, it makes sense to bring an assistant—to take notes, of course. When Braden suggested I take a vacation, the idea came to me. The difference is that he was trying to keep me away from temptation, and here I am, planning to bring it with me.

“There are so many, Jackson. I’m going to flood your inbox. But you better come out here to have some fun, too. Oh my gosh, I’m so excited. We don’t have clubs like San Diego, but there are some great restaurants and bars. You’re going to love it.”

“I’m sure I will with you as my guide. I’ll start making arrangements if you get me some stuff to look at this week. Let me know what hotel to book that’s close to you.” I hope she doesn’t balk at that, but I know better.

“You’re not staying in a hotel. I have plenty of room,” she argues.

“I’m bringing Mia along. I’d like her there to keep track of my questions and the documentation needed for each property. I’m sure she’d be more comfortable in a hotel. It’s a small town, right? It can’t be that far from you.” I’m hoping this explanation puts any suspicion to rest.

“Jackson…” she says suspiciously. “Why would you bring your assistant? You’ve never brought Cindy on a business trip. Is there something going on between you two? Wait. Isn’t she still in high school? What the actual?” I should have known better, but I forgot how perceptive my sister is.

“No, nothing is going on. She’s hot, but I’m not stupid. I wouldn’t jeopardize jail time for a sweet piece of ass. I get plenty, thank you very much. I just think it would do her good to get out of town.”

“Why? What’s in it for you?” I can hear in her voice that she knows there’s more. I might as well come clean enough to satisfy her curiosity.

I sigh. “Look, I think something’s going on with her, and I’m trying to earn her trust because I think she needs help. Maybe if she’s forced to spend time with me, she’ll let her guard down and open up.” I didn’t want to get into this with Cici, but I know her, and she wouldn’t have let it go. But I’m not spilling anything about my deeper attraction to Mia. She’s not ready for that. Or maybe it’s me who’s not ready.

“You seem to be taking a big interest in her. Are you sure it’s only out of concern and not something more? Not that you’d tell me if it was, and since I’m so glad you’re coming, I’ll let you off the hook for now. You’ll have an email with prospective properties by tomorrow afternoon.” I’m sure she’ll see that it’s more while we’re there—if Eli’s observations from last night are correct.

“Thanks, sis. I’ll let you know which ones I’m interested in and send you my itinerary so you can make appointments. Don’t forget to let me know which hotel.”

“I won’t. Bye, Jackson.” She hangs up, and her excitement brings a smile to my face—but also makes me think that maybe she’s lonelier than I thought.