“Oh, hey sis. Since when do you stay up past ten thirty?”
Ridley lay down and crossed her legs on top of the fluffy comforter. “I’m not as boring as you seem to think. Now answer the question. Have you and Jackson ever dated? Because I’m catching some vibes that he kind of likes you. Which is a little weird, to be honest. Since, you know, I’m not you.”
“Relax. Jackson and I are just friends. We’re probably better described as acquaintances. His boys come over and play in my yard and we talk about the weather. The usual neighborly talk, I guess.”
“Oh, well, good.”
“Why?” Raina drawled. “Did he do something?”
“No.” Ridley mentally crossed her fingers, “I just wanted to make sure. This whole thing is stressful enough. The last thing I need is to find out that he’s one of your boyfriends.”
“He’s a nice guy and always invites me over when he’s having a party. I’ve never gone, but I have to say that family parties like it’s 1999. They have some kind of shindig for every holiday. Even the ones that no one has ever heard of, like ‘Grandparent’s Day’ and ‘Save a Hedgehog Day’. It’s weird.”
“I think it’s nice. A family that actually enjoys spending time together is kind of refreshing.”
“Well, whatever. That much family time is enough to give me an itch. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself, though. Once I’m back, we can figure out what kind of mess you’re in.”
“Hopefully, the police will have more information about what’s going on soon. So far, all I know is that David found out something about our father that got him killed. The FBI saw him talking to a guy who’s a member of a well-known crime family. So, it turns out you were right.”
“I didn’t want to be,” Raina whispered.
“I know. I’m sorry about the way I reacted before. You were just trying to warn me, and I bit your head off. Said terrible things. And the whole time you were right. Some things are better left in the past.”
“I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have been so judgmental. Just because I don’t want to meet our father doesn’t mean I should expect you to feel the same way. After all this is over, I’ll have Sam look into it for you. He’s got crazy connections.”
It was a tempting offer, but it felt a little like poking the lid on Pandora’s box. What if Sam found proof that Moreno was their father? Did she really want to know? Could she live with that knowledge the rest of her life, or was it better just to wonder?
Or what if what he found was even worse?
“Thanks, Raina. But I think maybe I’m finally ready to let this one go.”
The thought made her inexplicably sad. Raina must have sensed it because she was quiet for a minute, then said brightly “Anyway, I’ll be back this weekend. If this shoot was anything other than Sports Illustrated, you know I’d come home immediately, right?”
“I know. I don’t want you to miss this, either. I’ve been here this long, so I can hang out for a few more days. I don’t suppose it’ll make much difference at this point.”
But as she hung up with her sister she wondered if the next few days wouldn’t be the hardest she’d ever been through.
* * * * *
“NO! NO, PLEASE! Leave me alone!”
Jackson bolted straight up in bed, his heart racing. The clock on his bedside table blinked 2:02 am. He was surprised he’d fallen asleep at all. After leaving Ridley standing alone in the hallway, he’d been too riled up, okay, too damn aroused, to relax.
He’d paced the floor for a while. He’d taken a cold shower. He’d done pushups until he was too exhausted to continue. None of it had made a damn bit of difference.
Normally he’d go downstairs and watch a movie or something but he didn’t want to take the chance of running into Ridley. He wasn’t a saint, and if confronted with her sweet, little body again while his blood was still high, he couldn’t guarantee that he’d be honorable enough to walk away this time. She’d end up bent over the couch with her little shorts around her ankles as he took her from behind.
And damn if that wasn’t a mental image. He swore as he hardened again beneath the sheets.
Then he heard a soft moan.
“I don’t know anything! Just leave me alone.” There was silence, then the soft sound of crying.
“What the hell? Ridley?” He threw off his covers and sprinted through his open door and down the hall. He’d deliberately given her a room that was as far away from his as possible so she could have her privacy. Now he was cursing the decision as a million scenarios raced through his mind. What if the people she was running from had followed her here? Broken into the house?
He crashed through the door and then blinked in the bright light. Ridley lay on the top of the bed, thrashing back and forth. Every light in the room was blazing including the lights in the adjoining bathroom. He approached the bed carefully. He’d always heard you shouldn’t wake people in the midst of a nightmare, but for the life of him couldn’t remember what you should do. Surely, he wasn’t supposed to just leave her in terror?
“Just let me go,” she sobbed.
“Forget this.” Jackson climbed on the bed next to her and pulled her into his arms. She immediately clung to his bare chest and pressed her wet cheeks against his skin.