SWNOVELS Ryan Rule: Chapter 11
Eighteen days. That’s how long it’s been since Jessie came into our lives. Somehow, she has slipped into our world and our daily routine seamlessly and effortlessly, as though she has always been here. It’s a skill to both blend into the background while also making yourself indispensable. My brothers are calmer and more content when she is here. Mikey and Liam’s usually boundless energy and their constant trawling for trouble whenever and wherever they can find it, is lessened, dampened by their late-night talks with her, and her laughter. She loves to listen to their stories and they love to embellish for her entertainment. I see the biggest change in Conor. That haunted look in his eyes disappears when she’s around him. I’ve been worried about him since his ordeal last year. I was even coming around to Lisa’s idea about getting him some sort of therapy. Who knew all he needed was a curvy red-head with a smart mouth?
My brothers watch her. No matter what she is doing, they’re looking at her. And I watch them watching. There is a sexual energy that’s growing with each passing day, and something soon is going to have to give. It seems to vibrate through any room that she is in. I wish my brothers would go out and get laid just to diffuse the tension. Maybe then I could stop watching her as well.
I watch for other reasons too. I’m waiting for her to put a foot out of line. Although she hasn’t yet. Her two-week trial period passed without acknowledgement from any of us. I suspect that neither her nor my brothers wanted to bring my attention to the fact, and they have done their best to avoid any mention of how long our intruder will be staying with us.
The truth is, Jessie has proven herself repeatedly. She is skilled and efficient, leaving me with no doubt that she is one of the best at what she does. Since that first assignment I gave her when I asked her to look into my cousin’s fiancé back in Ireland, she’s asked no questions about anything I ask her to do.
If I were to bring her in to my office and review her two-week trial, I would have nothing but good things to say about her. I would have to tell her that she has made our lives easier, and she has proven herself an asset to our business. I would tell her that she seems to be the perfect addition to our team. She brings something to our close-knit unit that I didn’t even know was missing. She appears to be the perfect fit.
Except that she’s not. Because Jessie is a liar.
Jax has been looking into her for two weeks, and all he has found out so far is that she is a ghost. She is definitely not Jessie Heaton from Minnesota, although she covered those tracks well. The fact that Jax is still following the trail of dead ends and false leads tells me we are dealing with someone who has worked damn hard to cover up who she really is. I have no idea who I’ve allowed into our home. I don’t know who she’s really working for, or who or what she’s running from.
And that makes her the most dangerous person I know.