Chapter 4 #2
“Charming,” I say, my eyes still fixed on Jeb, who’s giving me a scrutinizing look as if he’s deciding whether I’m worthy of being in his territory. “I take it I need to win him over?”
“Pretty much,” Briar chuckles, scratching Jeb’s head through the cage. “He’s a tough critic. But if you’re nice, he might say something nicer next time.”
“Noted,” I reply, shaking my head. This job just keeps getting more and more interesting.
I peer at the bird closer as Briar opens the cage, and Jeb climbs onto her finger. “Jeb here is one of the smartest talking birds in the world.”
“Jeb smart,” he repeats a few times.
“That’s very cool.” I glance around her apartment, taking in her eclectic style.
Her apartment is a cozy blend of mismatched charm.
The walls are painted in soft shades of lavender and cream, with vintage posters framed along one side.
A mix of mismatched furniture fills the space: a velvet armchair in deep emerald green, a weathered wooden coffee table, and a quirky, overstuffed couch covered in a colorful, patterned throw. “You should get packing.”
Briar goes into busy mode as she reaches under her sink. “I’ll need to get Jeb’s food. I’ll also need to pack a few of his medications to give him.”
I watch as she prances around the kitchen.
“I sometimes pack some music when we’re staying away from home. He gets nervous.”
Wait. “Huh?” I ask her. “He’s not coming with us, is he?”
Briar stops moving and just stares at me. “Well yeah, silly. I can’t leave him here to fend for himself.”
I shrug. “Why not? He’s a bird. Just toss enough food in his cage while we’re gone.”
Briar looks horrified at my words. “I know you’re joking.”
I wasn’t.
“The bird will come with us?” I can’t understand why I can’t wrap my head around this idea, but what do we do with a bird?
“Either he comes, or I stay. Take your pick.” She crosses her arms across her perky tits.
I growl under my breath a bit and finally agree to the bird. “I was not expecting on protecting a bird as well.”
The bird squawks loudly, like he’s offended at my words. “Jeb protect Briar.”
I smirk, crossing my arms over my chest. “I highly doubt that, bird.”
“Jeb protect Briar,” he screeches louder.
“You’re upsetting him.” Briar smiles and it nearly takes my breath away. “You should consider yourself lucky. Jeb’s a gem.”
I stare at the bird, looking right into his little eyes. “Are you going to pack any of your own things, or only the birds?”
“Of course, silly.” She flutters from room to room, packing things into a small suitcase.
Once she’s deemed herself and the bird ready, I pack them both into my SUV and head toward my house, driving a little extra around town to make sure I’m not being followed. You can never be too safe.
A little over an hour later I safely arrive at my place, and get Briar and the bird settled. “You’ll stay in the guest room close to my room.” I’d love to tell her how she’ll be staying in my bed with me, but I have to remain professional here.
“I’m going to put Jeb in here with me,” she says, unpacking a few things and sliding them into the dresser.
“Make yourself at home. What’s your work schedule like this weekend?”
“I have the next two days off, but then I’m in on Monday morning.”
“Perfect. Hopefully everything will be wrapped up by then.”
She smiles with determined eyes. “Jason wasn’t a bad guy when we first met.”
I lean against the door jamb to the guest room, crossing my arms over my chest. “They’re usually not at first. But there’s signs to watch for.”
Briar finishes getting the birdcage set up in her room. “Believe me, I know the warning signs to look for now. He used to never let me order my own food at restaurants. He liked having that control.”
“Yeah, you should be able to make your own choices.” There’s different types of control, and the kind of control Jason liked is never the good kind.
“There were other signs. Little things really. He would get angry over the smallest issue. I should have known.”
I step closer, dropping my hands. “Don’t beat yourself up about it. You got out of that relationship which proves how strong you are.”
She smiles at me, her green eyes shining. “Thank you, Orion.”
She’s close, very close and more than anything I want to kiss her. This would be the moment in the movies where the hero grabs the girl and kisses her deep, and my chest warms up.
Before I can talk myself out of kissing her, the bird speaks up, “Jeb just made a poo,” he says, killing the mood completely.
I roll my eyes.
This is gonna be a blast.
The next morning, I wake up to something red hovering above my head. My vision is still blurry, so I rub my eyes, trying to make sense of the sight. What the hell is that?
“Jeb is hungry. You feed Jeb now,” the familiar, grating voice of Briar’s feathered menace squawks.
Groaning, I roll over, burying my face in the pillow. “It’s way too early for this shit,” I mumble, hoping the bird will magically disappear.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” Briar’s voice filters through my sleepy haze, followed by the sound of her snapping her fingers. “Jeb, here.”
“Jeb is hungry!” the bird repeats, like some tiny, demanding dictator, and suddenly, with a flurry of feathers, he flies across the room. He lands gracefully on Briar’s outstretched hand like this is all totally normal.
I jolt upright. “Holy shit! That thing just flew in here!” I wasn’t expecting to wake up to a bird dive-bombing my bedroom.
Briar tries to stifle a laugh, though the amusement dances in her eyes. “I’m so sorry he got in here. I swear, he’s harmless... just dramatic.”
I shove the covers off, sitting up, trying to get a sense of time. It feels like dawn with how groggy I am, but the light streaming through the window says otherwise. “What time is it, anyway?”
Briar fumbles, her eyes wide as she stares at me. “Um…I, I…” She’s flustered.
I glance down, noticing I’m wearing nothing but my black boxer-briefs. “Oh shit,” I grunt out. “Sorry.” I spot my jeans on the chair by the bed, and slide them up my legs. “What time is it?” I ask again.
Briar leans against the doorframe, holding the bird, who looks annoyingly pleased with himself. Her eyes roam over my chest, and I know she’s taking in my tattoos. “Almost noon,” she says, breathless. “Are you planning on sleeping all day? Not that I mind, but we were about to make lunch.”
I stifle a yawn, rubbing my eyes again. “The bird cooks too? What a multi-talented bird you’ve got there.”
Briar giggles, shaking her head. “Sadly, no. He’s more into bossing people around than actually being useful.”
“Well, at least he’s consistent.” I tug on a t-shirt. "Guess I’ll join the lunch crowd, then. Unless the bird has more demands before we start?"
The bird lets out an indignant squawk, and I swear I catch a glint of mischief in his beady little eyes.
She laughs. “No silly, I was going to cook something up. I’ll need to look in your pantry to see what you have.”
I try to remember the last time I went to the store. “I’m sure there’s not a lot to choose from.”
Her pink lips turn into a sexy pout. “Oh, well then, we’ll need to go to the store.”
I find myself staring at those lips a beat too long before I spring into action. “Just let me get ready and we’ll head out.”
She smiles. “I’ll just get Jeb fed and put away while you get ready.” She leaves my room in a flash, closing the door behind her.
I move through the motions of getting ready, missing my sleep as I do. I was up late last night, working on a quick sleight of hand trick that I would love to test out on somebody soon. I wonder how Briar feels about magic.
After I throw on a baseball cap and get myself somewhat presentable, I head out to the living room. The moment I step into the space, I freeze.
What the hell happened here?
It’s not a disaster, per se, but it's certainly... chaotic.
This bird, I think, shaking my head.
The entire room looks like it’s been overtaken by a bird-themed carnival.
There are feathers scattered everywhere, like confetti after a parade.
Toys, bird perches, and what can only be described as a miniature jungle gym dominate the area.
Tiny swings, mirrors, and ropes dangle from various furniture pieces, and even a makeshift bird ladder leans against the couch.
This bird must have had one hell of a morning workout.
"Wow," I mutter, stepping cautiously around a brightly colored toy that looks suspiciously like a bird-sized seesaw. “What... happened in here?”
Briar’s in the kitchen, laughing sheepishly as she looks through my pantry. “Oh, that. Yeah, Jeb likes to keep himself entertained.”
“Entertained? It looks like he hosted a bird rave while I was asleep,” I say, lifting a small rubber ball with a bell inside and giving it a shake. The bird, perched proudly on his stand, squawks in response, like he’s proud of his handiwork.
Briar leans against the counter, a grin on her face. “He gets a little carried away sometimes. It’s... his version of fun.”
I raise an eyebrow, looking at the bird, who is now preening himself like the king of the castle. “I’m starting to think Jeb thinks he’s running this place.” Not on my watch, buddy.
Briar laughs. “Oh, he definitely thinks he does. But hey, it keeps him busy.”
I glance around at the chaotic mess. "Busy is one word for it. This is like a bird version of an amusement park in here.”
“Well,” Briar says with a wink, “it’s his world—we’re just living in it.”
I sigh, shaking my head. “Good to know I’ve got some stiff competition for attention around here.”
“Don’t worry,” Briar teases with a blush.
“I’m sure I can make room for one more." Her green eyes sparkle as I stare at her.
Her tight little body is tucked nicely into a pair of jean shorts and a yellow babydoll tee with a bird on it holding up two claws like a peace sign.
Underneath the bird are the words, ‘Free bird.’ Her sexy legs go all the way up, and I nearly drool as I stare at her a bit longer.
“Let’s get to the store,” I say, grabbing my keys by the door.
“Let me get Jeb put away,” she says, gathering a few of his toys and getting the bird into the cage in the living room.
“I thought he’d be staying in your room?” I ask her.
She shrugs. “He’d be more comfortable out here while we’re away. So he can protect me.”
“Jeb protect Briar,” the bird squawks, and I roll my eyes once more as Briar laughs.
I follow her out of the house, checking our surroundings to make sure her ex isn’t around.
I know he’s most likely not, but I’m always on high alert.
Any other job, I’d send someone else to the store, but I know I can take her scumbag of an ex in a fight if it comes down to it, so I’m not too worried having her on this side of town.
Saint Pierce is a big city, and we’re nowhere near her apartment or the zoo.
Chances are, he’s nowhere around.
“What does Jason normally do on his days off?” I ask Briar once we’re in my SUV and heading to the store.
I’ve read his file, knowing he works a nine-to-five job in some accounting firm.
Boring type financial shit job, but he makes okay money.
He works Monday through Friday, and since it’s a Saturday afternoon, it makes me wonder where the fucker is.
She fiddles with the air conditioning controls. “He liked going to the races, making bets.”
“Gambling?” Now that wasn’t in his file.
“Yeah, but never anything too crazy.”
I wonder if he owes money. It’s definitely something to take a look into. “Let’s be quick in and out at the store.” Wonder if he’s after Briar’s parents’ money. It’s definitely an angle to explore. I’ll have to text Dean to look into it.
She smiles, saluting me as she says, “Yes, sir.”
I roll my eyes at her sarcasm. “I’m serious.”
“I really can’t believe this has all escalated to this degree.”
“What do you mean?” I ask her as I turn into the parking lot of the closest grocery shopping store.
“I just never thought Jason could be capable of going to the extremes. Part of me wants to tell my mother to calm down and call off the watchdog.”
I back into a spot. “Me being the watchdog?” I pull out my phone and shoot off a quick text letting Dean know about the gambling with Jason.
“I’m sorry. I just feel like some of this has been blown out of proportion. I think if Jason could just see how it’s over, then he would move on.”
“How many times have you told him it’s over?”
She purses her lips. “Well, maybe ten times.”
I place my hand over hers, her tiny hand small compared to my big one.
“It’s not your fault. Okay? This is all on him.
And a man who won’t take no for an answer is someone you should be careful of.
” It’s one thing to fight for something you believe in.
It’s another to be told no over and over again, and not accepting that answer.
“Thank you.” Briar’s mesmerizing eyes gaze into mine and my heartbeat kicks up in tempo. We exit the vehicle, and she smiles at me as we walk toward the entrance.
“No funny business inside the store,” I tell her, making sure we can get in and out undetected. “You stay by me. At all times.” I’m already sizing everyone up, looking for the exits, and scanning the area. Always on guard.
“Sure thing, Mr. Bodyguard, sir.” She salutes me, and sashays away as I shake my head with a grin.
She’s so fucking cute.