Chapter 12
DO I WANT TO KNOW
Rebel Pierce
Before my sister left, she asked me a shit ton of questions about J.D. before I got tired of dodging them and pushed her ass out the door. Now, I was running around my place like a chicken with my head cut off because I had no clue what time J.D. would be here.
I wasn’t a slob, but I wasn’t a neat freak either. Sometimes, I did my work on the couch in my living room or in the dining room. So, I had shit strewn everywhere including file folders, ink pens, post-it notes, and the pizza box from dinner last night.
When I negotiated my contract with the government, one of the things I splurged on was a one bedroom, two bath apartment. I wanted something spacious, and the Blue Ridge skyscraper checked all the boxes. The open floor plan of the apartment was enhanced by its high ceilings and large windows, providing a breathtaking view of the city, especially at night.
Although it had everything I’d been looking for, my sister and our parents tried to convince me to buy a house. That was way too much room for just me. I had no plans on ever getting married or having children, so I didn’t need a house. That dream belonged to my sister, not me. Buying a home would be a total waste of my money.
Standing in the middle of my living room, I spun around in a full circle, checking every corner to make sure I’d got all my shit out of the way.
The sudden sound of the doorbell made me startle, my heart racing.
Why the hell am I so nervous?
“He’s just a client,” I said. “He’s just coming to get information about his wife. Calm down.”
I took in a deep breath, then released it as I made my way to the front door of my apartment. Without looking through the peep hole, I opened the door. J.D. stood there with his hands buried deep in the pockets of his black jeans.
The man wore the hell out of a pair of jeans.
His gaze traveled down my body, lingering for a moment before returning to meet my eyes. I was in a tank top, shorts, and barefoot. I was wearing my usual attire when I worked from home, but perhaps I should have opted for a different outfit.
A look of concern crossed his face, his mouth twisting into a frown. “How did you know it was me?” he asked.
“Umm, I just assumed it was you. I wasn’t expecting anyone else.” I stepped to the side and pulled the door open wider. “Would you like to come in?”
He said nothing but walked inside and I shut the door behind him.
“You should start asking who it is before you open the door for strangers, Rebel,” he said as he looked around my place.
As I rolled my eyes in annoyance, I headed towards the kitchen, aware of his presence right behind me. He smelled so good. Like leather and spice.
“Would you like something to drink?” I asked, ignoring him.
I was a grown ass woman. The last thing I needed was someone trying to lecture me on how to take care of myself, especially when they had no clue about my life.
“You should still be more careful.”
“You sound like my father.”
He chuckled. “Could be because I am a father. I’m serious. There are a shit ton of assholes in this city.”
“Are you one of those assholes?”
He shrugged. “What do you have to drink?”
“Water, tea and beer.”
“What kind of beer?”
As I pulled open the fridge, a blast of cold air hit my face, and I peered inside to see what I had. I wasn’t much of a beer drinker, but I tried to keep some on hand for the guys when they came over to work on cases. They did better work when they were buzzed.
I could feel his intense gaze on me, causing me to glance over my shoulder. Fire simmered in his eyes, and I wouldn’t be against him making a move.
“Does it matter?” I asked, arching my brow.
He smirked. “Not really.”
I grabbed a bottle of beer and a bottle of water for myself before shutting the fridge door. I handed him his bottle of beer, then heard the hiss of the cap being twisted off.
As he sat at my bar, I positioned myself on the stool next to him. We sat so close our thighs brushed against each other, yet neither of us seemed to mind.
I might be playing a dangerous game because he still loved his dead wife, but I can’t help my attraction to him. I loved the bad boys and J.D. Stevens was the bad boy of every woman’s dreams.
I loosened the lid on my bottle of water and took a swig. He leaned on the marble countertop of my bar, his elbows firmly planted, as he held on to the bottle of beer. In this moment I wondered what was on his mind. Did he come here to find out if I had any more evidence or did he come here to see me?
Does it even matter why he was here?
After taking another sip of water, I glanced in his direction. He was such a beautiful man. Dark hair, beautiful brown eyes, chiseled jawline, muscular frame which was highlighted by the white t-shirt and leather vest he wore.
As he looked at me, a warm smile spread across his face. It was one of the most captivating smiles I’d ever seen. He should do it more often. It softened his appearance, making him seem less intimidating. Sexier, if that was even possible.
“You’re staring.”
“I can’t help it.” There was no point in lying. “You’re one beautiful man.”
His laughter echoed through the room. “Shouldn’t I be the one dishing out compliments?”
I shrugged. “Maybe. But I call it like I see it.”
He took another sip of beer before his eyes landed on me again. “You’re a very intriguing woman, Rebel Pierce.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“Most definitely.”
“I haven’t found anything since the last time we talked.”
It was time to change the subject. There was no point getting all hot and bothered by someone who was off limits. My eyes flicked to the wedding band around his finger then back to his eyes. Despite the desire staring back at me, I had no doubt he was not ready. If we fucked, the way he still tried to maintain that connection to his wife, he’d probably think he was cheating on her. And believe it or not, I didn’t want to be anyone’s mistake or regret.
“You said you were hitting firewalls?”
“Major firewalls. And I can’t find information that I should have easy access to like police reports, 911 call logs.”
“They’re covering that shit up.” He downed the rest of his beer, then sat the bottle on the countertop. “I got a name for you.”
My eyes widened. “Who?”
“Earl Daniels. He’s a cop, and he’s the one who gave the daycare owner the money to erase the tape from that day.”
“How the hell did you find that out?”
He arched his brow. “Do you really want to know?”
Did I want to know?
I was sure whatever he did to find out Earl Daniels name, it was illegal. I knew all about his club. I did some research into them, looked through their wrap sheets, and complaints from citizens. They dealt in some of the shadiest shit, but they also did good things for the community, especially for veterans.
“No, I don’t.” I rose from the barstool. “Let’s go to my office and see what we can find on Mr. Daniels.”
A smile stretched across his face, but it wasn’t the easy-going smile that made him seem like the boy next door. This smile I had no doubt he used to get his way. It was more sinister. I hated to be the one in his crosshairs because he was out for blood and to be honest, I didn’t blame him if all this shit was true.
The answers were out there, and I would not rest until I helped him find them.