Page 24 of All Bets are Off
I wonder what Dex thinks of us after hearing Jase’s comment the night before. Possibly, he thought it was a joke. Even if he didn’t, does it really matter? If he turns out to be homophobic and wants to leave, so be it.
After the meal, the four of us retire to the office where we spend the next couple of hours filling Dex in on our basic daily schedule, rules, etcetera.
“You aren’t required to live here in the house if you don’t want to, although most of our employees do. I’m sure Slade has told you that you do need to live in Redding, though, as you’re specifically being hired for tech. Right now, Oxford Bradley is the only one of us who currently lives out of state,” Jase tells Dex.
“He and his boyfriend live in Denver,” I say, remembering Dex has family in Boulder. “You’ll meet him soon. He flies in every month unless he’s on a case.”
“Looking forward to meeting him,” Dex says. “Wait. His boyfriend? So, he’s gay?”
Jase stills. “Is that a problem?”
“No, no. It just took me by surprise, that’s all. How many bedrooms does this place have?”
Relaxing, Jase answers, “A dozen upstairs and a few on the lower floor. Some of the team double up. Andi lives on the other side of town with her wife, Tara, and Seo-jun has an apartment a few minutes from here.”
“Well, living here sounds good to me. Your uncle said this is your house, Jase?”
“Yeah.”
“Jase was a popular model when he was in his twenties, and that career financed this house,” I explain.
“That was before I got my head on straight and joined the Marines,” Jase says. “But I don’t regret purchasing this monstrosity. It makes a great headquarters for our business.”
We discuss a few more things, including the training Dex needs, then Jase says, “Dex, Kasey’s going to give you the in-depth tour of the house and grounds. You’ll find her in one of the computer rooms. West, Logan, I have a case for you two.”
After Dex leaves to meet Kasey, I look expectantly at Jase, who loses the bit of the formality he used with the new recruit and stretches out on the black leather couch, tossing a folder into West’s lap where he sits in the big matching leather armchair. Perching on the arm, I look over his shoulder.
“Parker Boring. Big shot attorney in Raleigh who’s defending a serial rapist with mob connections. Divorced, two teenage kids.”
“I’ve seen this on the news,” West says, studying the top sheet, which includes a photo of Boring, a sophisticated-looking middle-aged man wearing an expensive suit. “People are up in arms that Boring’s defending the slime ball. Can’t say that I blame them.”
Jase nods. “The amount of death threats he’s gotten this past week alone could paper the walls of this room. He’s worried about his kids, whose regular bodyguard was recently attacked on the street. He’s hired us to keep them safe both at home and at their fancy private school.”
I groan. My least favorite type of case: babysitting.
“When are we going?” I ask.
“This afternoon,” Jase says. “Sorry for the short notice. Do you think you two can work this one together?”
After that last case you almost fucked upgoes unsaid, but both West and I hear it loud and clear. By not checking in with me before running half-cocked after the assailant, he put his life in jeopardy. I almost put the clients life in danger by nearly running after West.
“Yeah, we’re good,” West says.
“We’ve talked it all out. No more lack of communication,” I assure Jase.
When we leave the office thirty minutes later, West sighs. “Well, we’d better get packed.”
Nothing about our interactions so far have reflected the new aspect of our relationship, and I still don’t know what West is thinking. I’d be lying if I said I’m not disappointed. I couldn’t admit to West what I really want from him: exclusivity. I’m pretty sure telling him that would send him running faster than a one-way ticket to Fort Sill for the winter. But I thought when he said we weren’t going to be friends with benefits that he meant we’ll bemore.
Cool it, Logan. He hasn’t had time to say anything yet.
Besides, we have a case, and I can’t be mooning over what may or may not be happening between us while we’re working. I just promised Jase we have our heads on straight.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
West
The Boring house is separated from its affluent neighborhood street by a long, cobblestone driveway and several acres of rich green lawn. The house itself isn’t as large as Jase’s mansion on the beach, but to someone like me—who spent my childhood being shuffled from one ratty place to another and most of my adulthood in a Marine barracks—it’s pretty impressive. Built in the classic colonial style, the three-story brick house has nine windows facing front, one of them over the arched roof of the front porch. Standing between two white columns, Logan and I are greeted at the door by a middle-aged woman in a navy suit.