Chapter Three

      Nikki sighed heavily behind him.

      “Your car trouble is graffiti,” Jackson deadpanned.

      “Yes. Now can we go?” Nikki placed her hands on her hips.

      “Is there anything on the other side?”

      He could tell she was holding back an eye roll when she answered.

      “Yes. It says the same thing.”

      Jackson raised his brow, but the woman was already retreating. He followed without a word to the temporary roadside parking. She didn’t have to ask what car was his. Nikki walked up to his Ford and waited for him to unlock it, quickly opening the door herself.

      She was definitely a fan of control.

      “So I guess you really did do your research on me,” Jackson said when he settled in. “You didn’t have to ask which car was mine.”

      “We’re very thorough with our vetting process. We like to have all the facts.”

      “We? But aren’t you the boss? Aren’t you the one who makes all the final decisions?”

      Nikki smiled; the look wasn’t particularly kind.

      “That may be true, but I’m a team player,” she said. “I never make big decisions without the input of my employees.”

      Jackson pulled out into traffic and started on their way.

      Did that mean she’d gotten consensus about him? He’d been hired so quickly she wouldn’t have had the time, would she? And did that mean that everyone within Orion knew about him? About his past? Instead of asking any of these questions, he asked a more pressing one.

      “Do you know who did that to your car?”

      Nikki tensed further. He didn’t miss her hand half fist before she caught herself and went about smoothing the wrinkle in her jeans. She did know who did it.

      “No,” she lied. “Probably someone who just wanted to cause some trouble.”

      “But it was oddly specific. Whoever did it knows you.”

      Nikki shrugged.

      “I’m sure it’s nothing. I’ll have it taken care of later,” she said, eyes following the cars outside the windshield. “Not a big deal. Jackson—” she started, then stopped. She seemed to be rethinking what she had been about to say. “There’s no need to tell Kelli or the others,” she said. “They’d worry for no reason.”

      Jackson gave her a knowing smirk. “So you do know who did it, then.”

      Nikki gave a smile, but it was mocking. One that burned bright and then was doused. It was a telltale sign of annoyance. Nikki didn’t like him. Yet she had hired him. Before he could stop himself, he had to ask why.

      “You’ve read all my files, and I’m betting you didn’t just stop at my criminal record,” he started. “Not trying to sound ungrateful, but why did you hire me? Not many people who know what happened give me the time of day.”

      He didn’t look at her as he asked, keeping his eyes on the traffic, but from his peripheral he could almost see her harden. This time it wasn’t from tension.

      It was something else.

      “Because everyone deserves a second chance.”

      They didn’t talk the rest of the way to Orion. Nikki brought out her phone and seemingly answered emails until he stopped the car outside the brick building. In large metal letters, ORION SECURITY GROUP hung like a beacon above the double front doors, sunlight reflecting from it onto the asphalt. The name meant little to him, but he hadn’t missed the reverence Jonathan had displayed while talking beneath it the day before. This place was a job, but Jackson was starting to see it meant more to a few of them than just that.

      “Thank you for the ride,” Nikki said before opening her door. “If you want to use the gym during the call, feel free.”

      Jackson raised his brow at her before glancing in the backseat at his duffel bag. He’d already planned on hitting the gym after he dropped her off. She opened the door and turned back, throwing out a wink. “What I lack in passion I make up for in keen observation skills.”

      The way she said it, voice dipping low, coupled with her playful wink and matching smirk, momentarily kept Jackson still in his seat. He was starting to think that maybe having Nikki Waters as his boss might be harder than any client or case they threw his way.

      Jackson grabbed his bag, taking her up on her offer, and followed her in. He wasn’t about to touch the jab about his jab about passion and how she might need more of it in her life. Somehow he thought it might be a harder task to apologize to the woman. If he didn’t do it the right way, then he’d do more damage than good.

      A woman with short blond hair and a small baby bump met them in the lobby. When she saw Jackson, she gave him a big smile with a fun laugh tacked on.

      “Jonathan wasn’t sure you’d get here in one piece,” she greeted, confirming it was Kelli. “Glad you survived.”

      Nikki let out a particularly loud sigh.

      “Of course it was Jonathan,” she muttered. “Where is he?”

      “Already in the conference room, talking to Oliver on the phone. He said he has everything set up for the meeting.”

      “Good.” Nikki turned to Jackson and motioned to Kelli. “Jackson, this is Kelli Tranton. Word to the wise, if you leave any food in the break room refrigerator, this one right here will most likely eat it.”

      The two women laughed together while Kelli pointed to her stomach in defense.

      “Blame Mark Tranton for that,” she said, motioning to her pregnant belly. “Just be grateful I’m not eating your chocolates.”

      “My what?” Nikki asked, playful mood on pause.

      Kelli’s face lit up and she moved behind the secretary’s desk.

      “I almost forgot! These were on the doorstep in a box this morning with your name on them.” Kelli produced a heart-shaped box of chocolates with a ribbon tied around it. “There’s no name aside from yours on it. Must be a secret admirer. Just be thankful I got it before the heat did.”

      Jealousy, swift and pungent, moved through Jackson. It caught him by surprise. Why should he care that his boss had an admirer? He’d only met the woman yesterday afternoon.

      “Oh, and it came with this, too. I didn’t open it.” Kelli handed over what looked like a blank white envelope. It wasn’t even sealed. Jackson watched as Nikki uncertainly took out an equally plain sheet of printer paper and unfolded it.

      And just like that, Nikki’s body language completely changed. Her good mood evaporated. The shift was so quick that it put Jackson on alert.

      “What is it?” Kelli asked, not missing the change, either.

      Nikki rescanned whatever was written on it before answering.

      “It’s nothing,” she said, voice a little too harsh. She readjusted her mood, adding a smile to her lips and folding the paper back up. “Just some nonsense of a man trying too hard.”

      Jackson might not have known the beautiful woman next to him, but he knew in that moment, without