School of Fish (Fish Out of Water #6) - Amy Lane Page 0,125
and went to where Burton and Ace stood, most of Constance’s weight supported between them. “Guys, Henry’s going to take him to safety. I, uh, know where he’s going to be, I think, but if we could, I don’t know, keep watch over the place? There are some really innocent dumbass kids in that building, and I’d love for them not to get hurt.”
Burton let out a sigh. “Me and Jai can do it,” he muttered, and Ace made a hurt sound. Burton shot him a glare. “Ace, I love you, and I love Sonny, but if you don’t drive something back to Victoriana in the next ten minutes, Sonny is going to lose his shit. How many times has he texted you in the last three days?”
Ace’s high cheekbones went dull red. “Not so many as you’d notice.”
Burton blew him a raspberry, which was so far out of character that Jackson stared. “Bullshit,” he said, to follow up the rude sound. “You probably used up your entire data plan telling him to hold tight. Jai can follow what’s going down on the street, so we know who to worry about. You need to go back to Sonny.”
Jackson watched as a part of Ace seemed to shore itself up to accept his fate and another part lit the man up from the inside. Obviously he was missing Sonny as much as Sonny missed him.
“Well, fine. If either of you two get your asses shot off without me, just remember, I know where your boyfriends live, and I can sic them on you with one goddamned phone call.”
Burton looked like he’d swallowed a bug. “You would not—”
“Hell I wouldn’t. I would drive Ernie and George up here and kick them out of the SHO, aiming them at you two like a tank gun.” Ace scowled. “No fun without me, hear?”
“Zero fun, sir,” Burton intoned levelly, and only Ace’s cocky grin showed that he recognized the movie reference.
“That’s a good friend right there,” Ace said, and they both moved forward as Henry finished his business with the towel and the back of the car. “Here you go, Colonel. We’ll keep you safe, right?”
Jason gave Ace a weak smile. “Thanks, soldier.”
Ace and Burton helped him into the car, and Burton squatted down by the curb to speak earnestly to his boss for a moment. Jackson took that as his cue to go talk to Mira and her bosses.
Eleanor Sodhi wore another black suit, this one accented with a gloriously threaded gold-and-scarlet scarf. Her hair and outfit were impeccable, but her expression was haunted.
“Fourteen children?” she asked, voice rough. “You’ve done an amazing thing, Mr. Rivers.”
Jackson scowled, gesturing with his chin. “Those folks over there did this,” he said, meaning Jason Constance, Ace, Burton, and Jai—who was still in the school bus, getting names from the children. “I just poked a hornets’ nest and tried not to get stung.”
“You failed,” Mira said dryly.
“You are seeking medical aid, aren’t you?” Ethan Pasternak asked. He did not look like he’d just stepped off a magazine cover. His thinning hair was sticking out in all directions, and his shirt was haphazardly shoved into his slacks. No jacket or tie either. Jackson realized he sort of liked his lawyers rumpled, and he gave Pasternak a sober nod.
“I need to get Ellery to the ambulance first,” he said, nodding to the three busses that had parked up the street as he’d been talking. “One more minute. I need to make sure you can process all the children,” Jackson told them. “Get the kids to their homes?”
“We need an interpreter,” Eleanor began, but Jackson shook his head.
“You have one, and here he is now.”
Jai emerged from the bus, his face set into its usual implacable lines, and Eleanor Sodhi and Ethan Pasternak both took a terrified step back.
“Guys, you do not need to know this man’s name, but he’s got—”
Jai held up his phone and nodded briefly to Jackson. “Forwarded,” he said.
Jackson grimaced. “Jai, my phone is toast. I can’t forward it to them.”
Jai huffed. “Cramer?”
“Yeah. Do that.”
“Done.” And then he turned away to stride toward where Burton and Ace stood after Henry had pulled away from the curb.
“Give me a moment,” Jackson told them. “You can go talk to the kids. I need to get Ellery’s phone.”
“Jackson,” Mira whispered, eyes on Jai’s enormous retreating back. “What was that guy’s name?”
Jackson gave her a half smile. “I told you, honey, you don’t need to know.”