"That's all I'm asking," I said. I sat quietly, staring out the side window and paying attention to the route. I did not know where anything was located, and as Jaxson drove us down from the direction we came, he turned off the road a few miles down. If I remembered correctly, we traveled in the restaurant's opposite direction, but it was nearby.
Jaxson pulled up outside a large brick complex. Smoke billowed in waves from the chimney. He put the truck in park and glanced back at his daughter. "Daddy will be right back." He left the engine running and locked the doors, shoving his keys into his pocket.
I was envious of his keyless entry and remote start. My vehicle was crap compared to the massive truck that he drove. "Okay. Let's go," I said as I stalked up the stairs of the small building. A sign just outside the door read Eagle Tactical. So, this was where Jaxson worked.
I opened the door and stepped inside the building. A young woman sat at a desk near the front of the entryway. "Can I help you?" she asked, her tone bubbly and wearing a plastered smile. She looked every bit fake.
"I'm here to speak with Mason," I said. I didn't elaborate on the reason for my visit.
She frowned, flipping open her scheduling calendar. She glanced over the individual slots and pages. I hadn't given her my name. Was she looking for a name she didn't recognize on the calendar?
Jaxson came up from behind. She mustn't have seen him when he first entered the building.
"Mr. Monroe, I didn't see you come in," Lucy said. "How is little Isabella doing?"
"She's good. Thank you. Is Mason in his office? Ariella would like a word with him."
Lucy stood up and sauntered off down the hallway. She knocked before opening a door and poking her head in, presumably giving him the message.
I shifted on my feet; the snow dripping down and making a mess on the wood floor. I didn't wipe my feet very well when I came inside.
She cleared her throat and gestured us to follow her down the hall.
I went first, my feet clicking hard against the wooden floor with each step. Jaxson was just a few feet behind me on my heel. The hallway was freshly painted toasted oatmeal, but the boards beneath were wood. The building looked updated recently.
"Can I help you?" Mason asked. He sat behind his desk, buried behind a mess of paperwork, his attention on his computer and not the least bit on me.
"I'm Ariella Cole. You sold me the cabin just up the road." I assumed he knew the address and that he wasn't making it a habit of buying and selling shady properties.
"That's right, a real gem." His brow furrowed, and he glanced past me. "Good morning, Jaxson." He pushed the chair back from the desk and stood.
"The property you sold me was misrepresented. It doesn't have electricity, and you failed to make that apparent before signing the papers." I stepped further into the small, overcrowded office. An ugly green dented file cabinet sat nestled beneath the window. Above it was another stack of manila folders waiting to be filed.
"Jaxson, do you want to give me a hand?" Mason asked, gesturing at me.
"Excuse me?" I didn't need to be handled. "I'm not the problem," I said, my hands in fists at my side. I needed to control the anger raging inside of me before I did something I’d regret. "Your listing neglected to point out that there was no electricity and no heat on the property."
Mason took a step closer toward me. "Now hold on right there, Missy. The cabin has heat. If you don't know how to chop firewood or bring in logs, and need a man to do it for you, that’s not my problem."
I pulled back my fist to land a blow to Mason's cheek, but Jaxson grabbed my arm and guided it back down to my side forcefully. "Get off me," I said, shrugging out of his grasp. I didn’t need to be man-handled.
"You need to take your girlfriend and go," Mason said. He pointed at the door.
How dare he! "I'm not his girlfriend." I didn't need to explain to Mason how we met. Besides, they were colleagues and military brothers. He'd probably find out soon enough. Weren't small towns full of gossip? "You owe me for misrepresenting the cabin." I stood my ground, my feet planted in front of him. I wasn't leaving.
"I don't owe you a damned thing, lady," Mason said. "The listing called the place 'quiet, rustic living'. There's no lie in that phrase, and the fact you neglected to see if it had electricity is not my fault. Many cabins in the woods out here are used as a second property for a weekend getaway. Besides, if anyone is to blame, Jaxson dealt with the listing. I only approved it."
"Excuse me?" That caught me off guard. What did he mean Jaxson dealt with the listing? Was he a realtor too? Didn't he work here, at Eagle Tactical?
"You always did like to throw me to the wolves," Jaxson said. He folded his arms across his chest, his eyes narrow as he glared at Mason.
I scoffed and spun around on my heel, mouth agape as I stared up at Jaxson. "Are you calling me a wolf?"
"If the shoe fits, honey," Mason said from behind me.
I wanted to kill that smug bastard. I ignored Mason for a second and tried to regain my composure. Jaxson towered above me. His eyes locked on mine, and I realized he never answered the question. He was avoiding it. Hell, I probably would be too, if I were standing in his shoes. "Are you responsible for the listing?"
He cleared his throat, but he didn't answer me, only stared into my eyes. I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat.