Chapter 8

Ari walked ahead of Jackson to the car. There, she waited by the passenger side door for him to unlock the car. When he did, they both climbed in and Jackson took off almost immediately, never once driving slower than the given speed limit. He adjusted the seat when they hit a red light, having to move it a pinch closer.

"You always this quiet?" Jackson asked her finally. Ari looked over at him with a frown.

"You wanna talk?" She responded.

He shrugged. "Stuck with ya, any way."

"It's like an hour out of your life, and you didn't have to volunteer to come instead of Sid." She was kind of annoyed.

He chuckled. "Your boys work for me, which in turn means you do too. So, it's a little more than just an hour of my life."

Ari didn't realize Jackson had as much control over everything as Daniel did, making her consider being a little more careful of what she says around him.

"Am I going to stay... Working with Sid and Jonah?" Ari asked him.

"For now." He said nothing else.

He pulled into the parking lot of the club and parked beside the back door, turning off the car. Apparently he was coming in with Ari to go get Caitlin. She sighed as she got out of the car too.

Jackson tossed Sids keys over the car to Ari, after she tried to pull the door open with no success. When she used the keys to unlock the door, she let Jackson go in first, following him inside.

The back door led right to the back hall, where the lockers, kitchen and office were. Harris was standing in the hallway talking to one of the bouncers when he saw Ari and Jackson walk in. He looked surprised.

"Jackson?" He called.

"Hey, Harris." Jackson walked up and they shook hands. "I just got back a few hours ago."

"And you've got the little killer following you around already, huh?" Harris glanced back at Ari with a smirk and back to Jackson.

"Little killer?" Jackson turned and looked at Ari who shrugged innocently, like she was unaware of what he was talking about.

"She had half my customers in a tizzy tonight, asking she not be allowed back in. She makes them nervous." Harris chuckled.

"She really has been leaving her mark, I hear. Bit of a pain in the ass, if you ask me. " Jackson responded coolly.

"Jackson?"

They all turned to see Caitlin standing in the hall staring at him. He smiled warmly opening his arms, and she went running into them.

Ari frowned. This girl was petrified of Sid, but hugs this asshole? Ari was again, very confused by Caitlin, but it also wasn't her business, so she straightened her frown and looked up at Harris.

"6pm." Harris said already looking at her.

"6pm." She repeated, with a nod and followed the other two out the back door again.

Jackson had his arm around Caitlin as he whispered in her ear, walking out the back door. She was all smiles as she let herself to be lead to the car by him. Jackson opened the front passenger door for Caitlin, and told Ari she could sit in the back. Ari was honestly shocked he didn't just leave her there and drive off with Caitlin.

When they were driving her home, Jackson had one hand on Caitlin's leg rubbing it gently, and he drove with his other hand. They talked about how they spent their last few months, since they last saw one another. Ari stayed quiet in the back seat, dreading every moment of the conversation.

They got to Caitlin's apartment building and Jackson parked the car in the parking lot, and all three of them walked in. Jackson was holding Caitlin's hand as they went up the second floor by elevator, to her apartment. It was on the far left corner of the building, which means Emmett would be able to most likely see in at night if she didn't close her blinds. Of course, they walked in and Ari saw that she didn't have any blinds at all.

"Go shower, babe. Ari and I will make some food."

Jackson let her hand go, and she headed to the bedroom excitedly.

Ari continued on in her irritated silence as she headed for the kitchen to apparently now to go make food. She was in the kitchen only a few seconds, when Jackson suddenly had her pinned up against the counter from behind.

Jackson shifted her body to face him with no difficulty. She instantly put her hands on his hips, nails drigging in through his shirt, ready to push him off if he tried anything else. He leaned up against her, trying to get a further reaction out of her again. She stared into his eyes, glaring, not letting herself be intimated by him.

"I don't like you, Ari. I might have under different circumstances, but I don't now. You need to watch your fucking attitude, or I'll have to do something about it for you. You hear me?" Jackson threatened quietly, making sure Caitlin couldn't hear anything.

Ari didn't want to back down, but she did understand why he was making sure she knew that it wasn't just Daniel in charge. She sighed.

"I hear you."

She answered quietly, relaxing a little under him, trying to ignore her own irritability.

"Good. Now let's find something to eat in this stupid place." He released her, opening the freezer beside them.

After they finished cooking, they all sat down in Caitlins living room to eat. Ari sat on a separate chair, and when they were finished eating, Jackson was on top of Caitlin on the couch, kissing her all over while she giggled and moaned playfully until he tried to take her clothes off.

"Jackson... Not now.." Caitlin giggled, looking over at Ari, who was completely ignoring them and watching TV.

"She's paid to sit there, relax." Jackson responded trying to take off Caitlins shirt off again.

Caitlin shook him off and stood up, pulling her shirt off herself, and leaving a trail of her clothes leading into her bedroom. Jackson followed, closing the door behind him, thankfully.

Ari had turned the TV volume up a few times, but everytime she did, it was like Jackson was trying to make Caitlin louder to drown it out again.

It had been close to two hours, and Ari couldn't take listening to them anymore. Very quietly, she snuck out the door and snuck out the back of the apartment building. Maybe she'd find that Emmett guy skulking around.

She wandered behind the apartment, and the behind the one next to it. Rounding that building, she was able to cross the road and walk past the buildings across from Caitlins apartment.

She had to hop over a small fence to get behind the buildings, so she did as quietly as she could.

This side of the street were three businesses, two were attached. A pet store, a barber. The third, a small convenient store, had a small walkway between it leading to the next street over. But as Ari walked closer to look around the corner to see the other way, she saw someone standing there. They weren't facing Ari, but toward Caitlin's apartment. The outline in the dark looked masculine.

Ari backed up to head behind the two shops. When she was walking further away to think of a better plan, she heard a noise coming from behind her and she internally grumbled knowing what it was.

When Ari turned around, she saw a guy standing there, now staring at her. He had long, dark hair blending with his coat. It was still too dark for Ari to make him out completely from where she was. She realized that there was a huge chance that this was Emmett, she was almost positive he wouldn't know what Ari looks like, if he's heard of her, or her name yet.

"Hi. Sorry, I didn't realize someone was there." She said to him.

"It's okay. Did I scare you?" He asked .

"No, should I have been?" She felt a regretful twinge after asking that. .

"I don't think so.."

He came up closer to her.

"I was actually going to-"

Ari started backing up, but hesitated as he walked closer into the light. His had very pale blue eyes, and his long hair was actually a hood. He had short messy black hair to his chin, and a 5 o'clock shadow. He wore all black which just made him look more pale. He was over 6ft. and nicely built, but not huge.

"Going to what?" He stopped a few feet away.

"What are you doing back here?" Ari asked, instead of answering him.

He tilted his head at her, curiously.

"You smell like them." He said to her.

"What?" She took another step back.

"I can smell the Holland boys all over you. Who are you?"

He didn't move. He just watched her.

"You need to leave Caitlin alone, Emmett."

Emmett's eyes popped out, before he burst into an excited smile, helping Ari realize that she was talking to the right guy. She frowned as she watched him sniff the air a little. What was he doing?

"What if I don't?"

"I'm just here to talk. I'm trying to look out for a friend, that's all. I picked her up from work tonight because she's clearly afraid of you." Ari wasn't exactly truthful, but close enough.

"So little, you are just adorable, aren't you. Why aren't you afraid of me if she so clearly is?" He came closer.

"Don't. Will you leave her alone, Emmett?"

Emmett seemed surprised by her reaction to him, he almost seemed disappointed too. He kept moving closer to her to see what she would do. He was impressed to see that she stood her ground, even as he stood in front of her, and she had to look up to meet his gaze.

He watched her closely, with a strange grin.

"I'll think about it.."

And he walked away.