“My name is Ridley. Ridley Wells.”
He released her, reluctantly. “Wait, what?”
“I just wanted to tell you, that is…” She twisted the bottom of her shirt in her fist. “Raina Winters isn’t my real name. I changed it.”
It was silly, actually. Almost borderline neurotic that it bothered her to hear him call her by her sister’s name. This doesn’t absolve you, she told herself. After all, she was still lying to him. But this evening with Jackson was one of the best she’d had in a long time. As stupid as it was, she wanted him to know her. The real her.
She stepped closer and placed her hand on his chest right over his heart. “I like you, Jackson. I just want you to know the real me.”
“I want to know the real you, too. Ridley.” He whispered it as if testing out the sound. “I like it. It fits you. Beautiful, strong and as unique as you are.”
“Thank you.” She exhaled. Maybe she could just tell him the whole story? He actually seemed to understand.
“I’m glad you told me. Most of the women I meet are so fake. They just lie to get what they want but you are so different from what I expected.”
Oh, wow. Ridley cringed. So much for that. She wasn’t sure how to even respond to that. How was she ever going to explain what had happened? He’d probably just think she was a pathological liar and throw her out.
After a few moments of awkward silence he asked, “So, what happened after that?”
She pulled away and walked over to the window to look out into the night. It was dark, and she couldn’t see much other than the shapes of the trees in the backyard.
“When I called the FBI agent on the case today, he told me that David was involved with some pretty sketchy people.” She smiled weakly.
Jackson crouched down until she couldn’t avoid his eyes. “Hey, hey. It’s going to be okay.”
“But it’s not okay. That’s why I ran yesterday.” At Jackson’s puzzled look, she continued, “I didn’t tell them that David was killed because of my case. He’d found a lead on my father. The FBI saw David meeting with a member of the Moreno crime family. What if that was his lead? What if Alberto Moreno is my father?” Her voice broke and she covered her mouth with her hand.
He pulled her against his chest and rubbed a hand up and down her back. It was a completely platonic move but it warmed her, inside and out.
“We don’t know that. It could be completely unrelated.”
“But it makes sense. It explains why my mom didn’t want him to find us and why she was so bitter. It even explains why we moved so much. She spent her entire life on the run from him and because of what I did, he might know where we are now.”
She tried to hold herself rigid, not to lean too heavily into his unexpected embrace, but her willpower was no match against the warmth he offered. Her shoulders sagged and she leaned against him, boneless, as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Do you mind if I ask my brother, Elliott, to look into it? He owns a security firm up in D.C. and has contacts within the FBI. He’ll be able to find out what’s going on. Okay?”
“Okay,” she whispered. “I wish I knew what to do about this necklace. It must have been pretty valuable if David was worried about it being stolen.”
“Do you want me to put it in my safe?”
“You have a safe?” At his nod, she reached up and unhooked the clasp at the back of her neck. “Thank you, Jackson. I’ll have to get in contact with the FBI again and find out how to return it to his family.”
“Not tonight you don’t.” He put the necklace in his pocket and ran his hands up and down her arms. “Tonight you just need to relax.”
She wasn’t used to men being so attentive unless they wanted something. But his hands never strayed from her arms and he didn’t try to pull her any closer. As she turned to look up at him, Jackson’s lips brushed over her hair. She wasn’t entirely sure he’d meant to do it but the contact seared her straight down to her toes.
After the first rush of emotion passed, she covered her face with her hands, embarrassed to have gotten so emotional in front of him. Jackson had the perfect life. Why would he want to hear all about her problems? He was gorgeous, successful and seemed to know exactly what he wanted.
Which, of course, just made her feel even more pathetic in comparison.
“I’m just feeling sorry for myself. I feel like my life was finally starting to fall into place. But then this happened so, here I am. Hiding out.”
“You’re welcome to stay here as long as you need to. No one will think to look for you at my house, and you’ll have plenty of time to figure out your next move. Stay with me.”
“I don’t want to impose.”
“Do I look like I mind? It’ll be fun.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
“You are ridiculous.” She pulled a paper towel from the holder on the counter and dabbed at her eyes. "I didn't mean to dump all this emotional crap on you."
“You're not dumping. I asked for your story, didn't I?"
“That was probably more than you bargained for. I’m sure you don’t want to hear about my screwed-up life.”
“I think you’re being a little hard on yourself. Everyone makes mistakes, myself included.”
Ridley scoffed. “You don’t have to try to make me feel better.”