The color fled from her cheeks as he spoke.
"Whoever did that to your arm did it as a reminder, which makes me think they're in a hurry to get whatever it is."
A thick silence fell. She cleared her throat.
"I gotta feed the cat," she whispered. She rose and fled the porch.
For the first time since meeting her, Xander felt like he had the upper hand. Surprisingly, he wasn't satisfied by it. She was there to fuck him over, and he was no closer to knowing when and how. Or why.
*****
Jessi was shaken by the interaction. Was it that obvious? What was he going to do about it, now that he knew? Tell the police? Fire her? She drew a few deep breaths. It was like dealing with the teens: she had to pretend like he wasn't getting to her.
It was bad enough that Jonny was threatening some kind of penalty. She wasn't sure she'd keep sane, if she considered all the bad things that might happen. Last night's penalty hadn't been that bad. Bruises and a threat. She could handle that every night.
She went to the iPad and tried to focus on reading her rules. Her mind kept drifting between Xander and the marks on her arm from one of Jonny's goons. He was waiting for her when she got home last night, standing outside her apartment door. Jonny sent another note, this one detailing the activities of Ashley's day down to the license plate number of the friend Ashley ditched school to meet.
Jessi said nothing to the cousins and only took the note after the goon at her door hurt her arm. That was after half a day of work. What was going to happen tonight when she went home?
If Jonny wouldn't find out, she'd send the kids to her parents. Jessi was starting to feel … trapped. Like she did in the orderly condo.
A calendar reminder popped up.
"Your guests will arrive soon," she called to Xander. "Should you get dressed?" She smiled as the words left her mouth. It was like talking to the kids.
She looked towards the porch and jumped. He was standing a few feet from her, outside the kitchen. She met his strange red gaze. It was hard to keep her eyes from drifting downward, to the body that was nothing but muscle under taut bronze skin. He moved silently and with smoothness and purpose. Thick shoulders and arms, chiseled chest and abs. The kind of body that was strong enough to hold and protect her from the freaky dream she'd stumbled into this week. The judo pants rode low enough on his hips to tease her imagination of what lay just a couple inches below the seam. Dangerously sexy, his shoulder length dark hair tousled and his heavy, clean-cut jaw shaded by several days of growth. His direct gaze left her unsettled once more.