Take a Breath (Take #1) - Jaimie Roberts Page 0,91

only a fucking drink.”

“What’s only a fucking drink?” I jump at the sound of a voice. “You’re not going behind Jake’s back with someone else, are you?”

I turn around to find Michael hovering over me. “Not you as well? All I’m doing is going for a quick drink with Jessie after work, but Jake forbids it. At the moment, it seems I have a target over my head.”

Michael winces at my choice of words, but he offers me a sympathetic smile. It’s only then that I see just how good-looking Michael really is.

He’s in his late twenties with dark blond, wavy hair, and dark blue eyes. His face has chiseled features just like my Jake, but they’re not quite as roguish. He’s very tall—like most of the cops here. Unlike his partner, though, he doesn’t seem to have a chip on his shoulder.

“Would it help if I came along? I could be your bodyguard for the duration.”

I look towards Jessie and back at Michael. “I think we’ll be fine. I don’t want to keep you from your work, but thanks anyway.”

Michael pulls a pouty face. “I can take a hint. I know when I’m not wanted.”

“Oh, come on. I didn’t mean it like that.” He starts laughing, and I immediately know he’s winding me up. “You’re a little shit, Michael.” I get up and whack him one across the arm. He’s laughing harder, but then suddenly stops once he turns in the direction of Jake’s office. I spin myself around to find Jake staring over at us with blind fury written across his face.

“Maybe it’s really not a good idea. I’m going back to work. See you later, Ana, Jessie,” he blurts, quickly running off.

Jake’s still staring at me with those piercing eyes of his. I decide to quickly sit back in my seat and get back to doing some work. Man, I have really pissed him off today.

Another ten minutes into work, my phone buzzes with a text message.

Jake: I’m seriously thinking of either moving you in here or handcuffing you to my bed at home so all the hawks around you will stop circling. Stop fucking flirting!

Oh, dear, he is pissed. Maybe I should cancel that drink if he’s going to react like this. I quickly chastise myself. No, I have to show him that I will not bow down to his demands. I put my phone down on the desk, choosing to ignore his text message and instead try to get back to doing some work. It’s really hard with everything flowing through my head—what with Jake and this killer out there doing God only knows what. Concentration seems to be my weakest point at the moment. My mind is everywhere but at work. Maybe I should have taken more time off, but Jake wouldn’t allow that. With me here, he can watch me any time he wishes.

20

Time at work seems to drag on. When it gets to lunchtime, I’m about to head out and grab something when Tom comes running over with some salad for me.

“I’ve been given orders from the highest authority, so please don’t leave the building, or I’m going to get into a lot of trouble for letting you go.”

I sigh in exasperation but take the salad from him. Despite being annoyed, I’m going to do as I’m told since it would cause Tom some heartache if I don’t. Jake’s a smart-arse, douchebag using other people to enforce his will on me. He thinks he’s being a clever dick, but I’m going to show him later. The little imp inside me is fisting the air. I’m suddenly feeling a little turned on by Jake’s possible reaction once he finds out that I’m gone.

Damn that Jessie! She really is a terrible influence on me.

Later on in the afternoon, the forensic report comes back from the scene of the crime. It concludes that the victim had been stabbed twenty-seven times with a kitchen knife. The knife found at the scene had been wiped clean, and unfortunately, so had the room. This means no fingerprint evidence again. The upside to all this is that during his frenzied attack, a hair came loose on the victim. It has been confirmed that it isn’t hers. This will hopefully give them a new direction. Until now, we have had nothing to go on. The bad news is that Marcos is ordering that everyone in the station be tested. People at the party have to go first to eliminate them