I hadn’t gotten Eddie to protect me. The dog gave me unconditional love and wanted nothing in return. As I stared down at that sweet face and thought about it, it was really fucking sad.

“Every guy wants a little attention from you.”

I whipped my head around and my heart skipped a beat. Jed was in my doorway, filling most of it. He took off his hat, tossed it onto my reading chair in the corner. It was beside a fireplace, now cold.

“How did you find your way up here?” I asked.

He pointed to the dog. “He follows you everywhere.”

“So do you,” I replied. I’d never been more vulnerable than when with Jed. Even Macon didn’t make me feel this way. I’d hidden my emotions well from my father, or he hadn’t wanted to really see them.

But Jed saw me. I had no idea how. Or why he’d want someone as fucked up as me.

I stood and Eddie loped over to his bed. “Why did you do that, in the kitchen?”

“What?”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Make me tell my brothers. It wasn’t your secret to tell.”

“You’re right, it was yours. They deserve to know, North. What their father did. What he was really like.”

I laughed. “They knew.”

He shook his head. “They had no idea.”

I threw my hands up in the air because he knew how to drive me crazy. Drive me wild. He infuriated me and intrigued me. When he came running around the house because he’d heard shots, a thrill had gone through me. To see the concern on his face.

He’d run toward gun shots for me.

Which only circled my thoughts back to what he wanted. Why would he run toward danger for a woman he hardly knew? Why was he still here, really? He’d already gotten sex and yet he was still around after that shit show in the kitchen. He wasn’t done with his mission.

Was he here for the deal? He didn’t know I’d signed the papers. Only Julian did. He’d fucked me and in the morning, he’d learn the deal was done.

Did I enjoy him tonight before he moved on? Marshall would have his money and Jed would be redirected to someone else to work over. I’d gained a nice parcel of land and a few steamy memories. I’d never be able to go into the telephone room again without thinking of wallbanging sex and Jed.

“Am I different?” I asked.

He came in the room, closed the door behind him.

“Different?” he repeated.

I stood from the desk, closed the lid on the laptop. The sky was now purple, bleeding toward black.

“You work for Marshall.”

“Yes.” He undid the cuff on one of his shirtsleeves.

“He sent you to the wake.”

“Yes.” He undid the other.