Read Online Deadly Shadows by Jaycee Clark - Free Book Online Page A

looked down on the--what had Jesslyn called him? Oh yeah--sorry-assed, son of a bitch. Woman had a way with words.
    “Careful what you say, Roberts.”
    “Who the fuck are you to care?”
    Aiden only smiled, and he knew it held no amusement. “You don’t want to find out.”
    Fear shifted in the other man’s eyes. Good.
    Merrick grabbed Kirk’s arm, but the rumpled banker jerked it free and stormed off to his Lexus. Gravel and dust spit into the air as he spun away from the house.

    36
    Jesslyn sighed. “Well, that was sure fun. Wonder what’s next on the day’s agenda.”
    Aiden watched the car swerve onto the highway, barely missing another car. He looked to Merrick. “Wasn’t that a traffic violation?”
    Merrick smiled. A siren chirped, once, twice, and then an SUV with CBPD followed down the hill.
    “Yep,” Merrick said, “and now he gets to deal with the other one.”
    “Other one?”
    “Stephens. Don’t know which is worse. Black in a bad mood or Stephens. Would rather not deal with either one of them if I could help it.”
    No, Aiden would guess not. He turned around and saw Jesslyn gather her dumped cup, a mug and blanket up. The door squeaked as she opened it and stalked through it. He watched as she paused at the threshold, her hand fisted to her stomach.
    Aiden raked his hand through his hair. Nothing like the Rockies. Was it always like this? Working vacation his ass. If this was any indication of what the next several weeks were going to be like, he’d need a real vacation after this.
    He followed Jesslyn inside. Water ran in the kitchen. She turned from the sink and looked at him, her dark eyes shifting from anger to hurt to confusion. “Sorry about that.”
    Aiden shook his head and stood beside her at the sink. He reached out and took her hand, pushed the sleeve up. No bruise showed. Thank God. He really didn’t care for brute force against anyone. But in her case, with Mr. Roberts, he’d make an exception all the way around.
    He turned her wrist one way, then the other, his fingers grazing along her arm, the soft inside skin of her wrist. He traced one blue vein from the inside of her elbow to the pad of her thumb.
    Her breathing quickened.
    Aiden looked up at her, saw the shock in her eyes glazing over the anger. “You’re no damsel in distress. Remind me to never really piss you off.”
    Her half-grin warmed him and he let go of her hand as she eased it away. “I’d need a step stool to deck you.” Then her face contorted and she leaned forwards, holding her breath, her other hand pressed to her stomach.
    “Jesslyn?” Her shoulder felt small beneath his hand. “What’s wrong?”
    She took a deep breath and slowly straightened. “Nothing.” She blew her breath out.
    He bent his knees to look her in the eye. “Don’t give me that. What?”
    “Arrogant, pushy and bossy too.”
    “Fine CEO qualities. Since I’m renting the place, I’d like to know if I’m about to catch a stomach virus. Now what’s wrong?”
    She was pale. “I’m fine, really. Though the idea of giving you a stomach bug has merit.”
    Again she fisted a hand against her stomach and bit down.
    “Uh-huh. Tell me.”
    “It’s nothing.” She tried to pull away, but he didn’t take his hand off her shoulder.
    “Fine,” she huffed. “Sometimes when I get really stressed out, my stomach hurts.”
    Hurt looked as though it were an understatement.
    “Do you have an ulcer?” he demanded.
    “Depends who you ask,” she sassed with one of her half grins.
    “I’m asking you.”
    “Then, no, I don’t.”
    His eyes narrowed. “When was the last time you ate?”

    37
    All he’d seen her put into her system was coffee.
    She rolled her eyes to the ceiling as though she’d decipher the answer from there.
    Finally, she shrugged. “Sometime yesterday? Yeah, a muffin yesterday before my meeting. But it wasn’t very good and--“
    “A muffin?” He looked outside, checked his watch. There were perks to