"Fuck off, Walker, or I'll come after you next."
I couldn't move. I was alarmed at the fact that he knew Jackson's last name.
"That sounds like a threat, Garrick. Are you threatening me?"
"Nope."
"I didn't think so. Take yourself and get out of here now. Malone won't be happy to know you are around these parts again."
"Perhaps I'll solve that problem like I did the last one," Garrick gritted.
Alarm bells ran through me at his threat. I strained to hear, but the outside door was shut, and I could no longer hear what was going on. Panic filled me as the seconds turned to minutes. Finally, the door opened and Jackson stepped inside, closing the door behind him, and my eyes filled with tears at the sight of him.
"Are you all right?" he questioned as I leaned against the wall and covered my mouth in an attempt to keep from seeing the food I'd eaten come back in reverse. I nodded my head and closed my eyes.
"I am," I answered, taking a deep breath and wiping the tears that had fallen from my cheek. "What are you doing here?"
"Dan called. A fight broke out, then he realized that you were missing. Are you sure you're okay? He didn't put his hands on you did he?" Jackson questioned, gripping me by the arms and looking me over.
I shook my head. "No, he didn't. Just scared me. How does he know your name?" I questioned, meeting Jackson’s eyes.
"Small town troublemakers. It's not like these guys don't deal with most of us on a weekly basis or anything," he said, pulling me in for a hug.
"You sure that is all it is? Like, he isn't going to come after you is he?"
"No, he won't. What time are you finished?"
"I close tonight."
Jackson looked at me as if he wanted to ask me to come to his place, but instead he nodded. "Be careful driving home, okay."
"I will."
Jackson turned and left me standing alone in the back room. I wanted to call to him, tell him to come back, but instead I just stood and watched as he made his way back out to the bar.
16
Jackson
"Not eating?"Asher asked, sitting down across from me and placing a cold bottle of water in front of me.
I looked over at Ryan and Grant, who were manning the barbeque, and shook my head. "No, I'm not hungry."
I looked out at the crowded park, scanning the scene for one person who I still hadn't seen today. I'd hoped to have had a minute to talk to her now that some time had passed, but the more time passed, the more I was convinced she wouldn't be coming.
"So how's things with Bailey?" Asher asked, taking a bite of the burger that sat in front of him. "I saw she spent the night."
"How the hell you know that?"
"I saw her car in your driveway. I was gonna come and knock on the door but figured you might just kick my ass, especially if you were...you know," Asher said with a shit-eating grin on his face.
"Well, at least you were smart enough not to find out."
"So how are things with her?"
"Same as always," I bit out, wishing I could give him a different answer.
"Here I thought you two might be back together."