A DANGEROUS INTEREST

CHAPTER 004

JAXON:

“Are you listening, Mr. Jaxon?”

I snapped into reality, staring at the private detective who seemed to be waiting for something. “Eh… what?”

He signed, covering the document that held the case. “You’ve been zoning out half of the investigation, Mr. Jaxon. Perhaps you’ll need more time. I do understand the dilemma you’ve experienced.”

I forced a smile, grateful for his understanding. “I just need my home secured.”

He nodded. “Yes. I’ve called the special forces you requested, and your home has been fullly secured. If you don’t mind me asking, did you receive any special training of some sort?”

My body stiffened instantly, and cold sweat broke out from my skin. “What do you mean, Detective Roger?”

“I mean to say,” He relaxed on his chair, staring intently at me. “These guys are wanted criminals. Skilled in combat and part of one of the most dangerous organisations in New York. We’ve been after them for years, but they always manage to slip right between our fingers. What I don't understand is how you were able to face off all three of them, managing to fatally wound one.”

I shrugged, trying to calm myself to prevent arousing any suspicion. “It was a life-and-death situation. Adrenaline did most of its job. I am only a supermodel, not skilled in combat.”

His stare remained piercing, like he was trying to piece together everything I’d said.

“So,” he finally asked, “do you know why they attacked you? Why they wanted you dead?”

“I thought we were done with the questions,” I snapped, jaw clenched. “I just need time to rest.”

“Hmm.” He stood and extended a hand. “Very well, Mr. Jaxon. I do hope you’ll cooperate with us as we wrap up this investigation. Here’s my card. Do call if you remember anything.”

I shook his hand, took the card, and left the office.

As I walked through the station, stares and whispers from other officers followed me.

“That’s him. The one who took down those guys we’ve been chasing for years.”

“Isn’t he that gay supermodel?”

I pushed through the doors, escaping the suffocating air of the precinct and stepping into the chaos of the street outside.

Tisha was already there.

She rushed forward and pulled me into a tight hug. “Oh God, Jax. Are you okay?” She pulled back, inspecting me head to toe like an overprotective mother. “You look like hell.”

“Just a few bruises, but I am fine,” I said, forcing a smile. “I just need rest.”

She’d flown back to New York the moment she heard. For that, I need not worry her any further.

She nodded and hurried to open the car door. We drove off in silence.

“Tell me everything—”

“Can we not?” I cut in, exhaustion creeping into my voice. “I don’t want to relive it. I just want to sleep.” I hesitated, then added, “Just take me to the hospital.”

She glanced at me, surprised, but didn’t argue. “Okay.”

We pulled up minutes later. I told her to wait in the car, earning a deep scowl.

Two officers stood guard outside a room.

“No visitors,” one said.

I held up a temporary pass offered by Detective Roger. After a brief check, they stepped aside.

The door clicked behind me as I stepped closer to the bed.

The man on the bed stirred as I stepped closer.

His dark eyes opened and locked to mine. A flicker of recognition flashed in his eyes before being replaced by fear.

“You. No…”

He was about to scream, but I rushed forward, my palm tightly closing around his mouth.

“Do. Not. Scream.”

He was silent before nodding.

I stood to full height, watching his pathetic form on the bed. He had managed to survive the bullets his leader shot at him when I used him as a human shield.

“Who’s this Don Vercetti, and why do you call me his lover?”

His lips pulled into a scowl, and he spat.

Disgusting.

I wiped the saliva off my face, meeting his now defiant eyes.

“I didn’t want to do this.” I dug my finger into the bandage whence I had sliced with the knife meant for my neck. His body jerked, jaw locking as he swallowed the scream whole.

“Don’t test me, or my next action is to add bubbles to your bag.” My gaze shifted to the blood bag hanging from the IV stand. “So, answer me.”

His body was slicked with sweat, and his face contorted in pain the more pressure I applied to his wounds.

“Everyone’s hunting Don Vercetti. It just so happens we got some info from our source that you mean something special to him.” He groaned in pain, trying to twist out of my hold. “Our boss wanted to use you as leverage. Your head, of course.”

The more he spoke, the more confused I got.

“Then you don’t know who I really am?” I asked myself rather than him. The next baffling thing was why everyone thinks I am a lover to a mafia boss.

I was about to force the answer out of him, but the sound of the door clicking open forced us apart.

“Mr. Jaxon, what are you doing here?”

My gaze narrowed as I glared at the injured man in warning. I straightened, forcing a smile, and turned to face Detective Roger. “Nothing, actually. I was just leaving.”

He didn’t press further as I left the hospital room and went back to the car. Tisha didn’t ask questions, thankfully, and drove to my apartment.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay with you?”

“You just came from a very long journey, Tisha. You need to rest and stop bothering me. By the way, I hired top agents around my house. Not even the best spy can get through them.” I reassured her, bidding her farewell as her car faded in the distance.

I sighed, walking into my apartment. Two agents stood at both sides of my door, their faces neutral.

Assured and feeling a sense of safety, I walked inside, shutting the door and locking it twice.

The moment I turned the lights on, a voice I thought I would never hear again froze me in my tracks.

“Quite a show you put on here. A single pretty boy against three top killers.”

I turned slowly, and there, by the farthest corner of my living room, just beside the kitchen, was the tattooed champion from the pit fight and the very man I had a one-night stand with.

He looked at me with a mischievous smile, his gray eyes shining with interest. “Seems like I made the right choice.”