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would be delivered by week’s end.
Unfortunately, the bedroom set would be several weeks, as it was not in stock.
She’d have to remain sleeping on the mattress on the floor for the time being.
    As they got into the car and closed the doors, Jackson
turned to her. “Rory, I didn’t mean to offend you back there. I was just
flirting. It’s what I do.” He smiled at her hopefully.
    She gazed into his eyes. Damn but he was beautiful. She
couldn’t deny the effect his handsome face had on her. She sighed in
resignation.
    “It’s fine, Dorn. To be honest, I usually keep to myself and
my tight group of friends and supporters. It’s just been easier that way since
the attack.” She caught herself off guard by mentioning it to him.
    She wasn’t being totally honest. It was her reaction to him .
Nobody had ever had this effect on her. Last night she had kissed and flirted
with him so freely. She liked it. She liked him, and she really liked his body
wrapped around hers. But it scared the shit out of her that he could make her
vulnerable. She couldn’t trust him.
    She stared straight ahead. It was just easier to avoid any
situation that required any level of trust.
    “I’m glad you’re not mad. I had a good time tonight.” It was
obvious he didn’t believe for a minute that she wasn’t a little upset.
    “Thanks, me too. Thanks for dinner. I really liked that
restaurant,” she offered as she finally met his eyes.
    Jackson started the car and they drove home in relative
silence. After saying good night, Rory let herself into her apartment, relieved
and anxious at the same time. She washed up and climbed onto her mattress,
sighing deeply as she lay back. As she relaxed and reflected on the day, she
vowed to herself she was going to stay away from Dorn. Jesus, if they got that
close and personal going to dinner and shopping for fucking furniture, what the
hell else would happen?

Chapter Three
     
    She was frantic. Aidan had called and said to be in front
of the building at two, that he had something to discuss with her. The way he
had spoken frightened her. He said her father was in trouble and needed her.
What the hell could that mean? She hit the speed dial on her phone assigned to
Special Agent Tagg. For the third time it went straight to voicemail. Fucking
FBI, just when she needed them they weren’t hovering. She stood in front of
City Hall and looked around. Traffic on Lakeside Avenue was very light at this
hour. What should she do? His voice had sounded strange and she felt
threatened. The FBI had warned her against going off with him alone, now that
it was getting near the end. But what could she do? Her father wasn’t picking up
his cell phone and the office phone went unanswered. That never happened at the
station.
    Should she refuse to go with him? He would be suspicious.
The investigation might be jeopardized if he was tipped off at this point. He
was already constantly questioning her on her day, where she had gone, whom she
had met with. She knew her time was limited before he became volatile. The FBI
was going to bust him any day. They were just busy building their evidence with
more taped phone conversations. They kept saying they just needed a few more.
They were taking their sweet fucking time.
    As she began to dial her father’s second in command, a
large black SUV with tinted windows pulled up. The back window lowered and
Aidan appeared.
    “Get in the fucking car or your father is a dead man.”
The door opened, and she didn’t hesitate to get in, panic rising in her chest.
The driver sped off toward the Shoreway. She looked out the window, wondering
frantically where they were going as a hard punch landed on the side of her
face and knocked her against the door. He grabbed her hair and yanked her back
to his side.
    “Now we’re going to go meet up with Daddy, sweetheart,
and we’re all going to have a little talk about why it’s not nice to side with
the FBI over the man you married. You