So, sorry for the late update. I intended to update a lot sooner, but forgot that I had an appointment (now almost two weeks ago) to get my wisdom teeth removed. So, I was recovering, and then (unfortunately) my college started back up. So, I'll be trying to get back on a regular updating schedule and do my best to get one update minimum a week for both the books I am currently writing.

Anyway, Enjoy!

Crystal's POV

"This is not what I was expecting," I said as I stepped out of the car.

"And what were you expecting?" Jackson asked as he brushed his hair-which he had dyed brown sometime yesterday-out of his eyes-which had also miraculously changed color yesterday to hazel-and strolled across the sidewalk toward the house in front of us. "Some kind of super-secret lair?"

"Actually yes," I replied as I stared at the house.

It was painted with different shades of brown and a door that was a really bright yellow. The lawn was well taken care of, there were bushes in the front instead of flowers, and a front porch with a couple of chairs set out on it. It was a single-story house, with a wooden fence blocking the view of the backyard, a small dark blue car parked at the curb, and a motorcycle parked in the driveway.

It was the motorcycle that caught my attention and ultimately, already had Jackson's. Because there was a woman who appeared to be working on it.

I studied the young woman bent over the motorcycle. I couldn't tell what she was doing and I didn't know the first thing about motorcycles to know what she was doing. From what I could tell of her she was wearing boots that looked like they belonged on a soldier, black pants that seemed to have more holes than actual fabric, and a white t-shirt covered in smudges, grease, and with just as many holes as her pants.

I couldn't see her face because her back was to us as we approached and she was still bent over the bike. The fact that neither Jackson nor I could see her face didn't seem to bother him, because his eyes were glued to her ass.

"You're disgusting," I muttered as I slid a pair of sunglasses over my eyes and grimaced.

Jackson just smiled.

I rolled my eyes as we finally reached the woman and I cleared my throat. "Excuse me," I started. "are you, Tessa Dixon?" I asked.

She stood up and turned toward us. Her hair fell down her back and was obviously dyed a bright, fiery shade of red. She wasn't wearing any makeup and had eyes a startling shade of blue and green, making her eyes look almost turquoise. And then there were the piercings. She had at least five in her right ear, another two in her left ear, one spiked one in her eyebrow, another one in her nose and from the holes in her shirt, I could see another in her belly button. As if the piercings weren't quite enough, she had tattoos that went all up and down her left arm, across her chest and back, and then went down to just before her elbow on her right arm. And, as far as I could tell, she had more going down her left leg.

She looked at me with caution and wariness. "Who wants to know?" She snapped. She started looking over me as if still trying to figure out who I was. "Who are . . ." She trailed off as she spotted Jackson.

I was expecting her to have the same reaction as every other girl who saw him. I was expecting her to all but throw herself at him. I wasn't entirely expecting her to study him from head to toe without any reaction.

But then her eyes widened as she stared at him. "Oh no," She said. "No. No, no, no. Not happening."

"I haven't even said anything," Jackson told her with a smile.

She glared at him. "You didn't have to. Whatever you want, Jackson, forget it. I'm not helping you."

"How do you know I want your help? I could just want to test drive the bed at my hotel." His eyes darkened and he took a step toward her, his hands reaching out to play with a strand of her hair.

I shot him a look of disgust and expected the same from Tessa, but she just shook her head and smiled at him. The smile was more of a smirk though. The kind of smile that basically said I know something you don't.

"If that were actually the case," She said. "this conversation wouldn't have started until tomorrow morning, your tongue would've already been in my mouth, and your hand would've been up my shirt to begin with."

"There's still time," Jackson replied.

Tessa shot him a wicked look. "Not enough."

Jackson reached a hand out and placed his finger on the exposed skin above her waistband, his fingers tracing over the tattoo that started on her hip and went down her leg.

"This is new," He said. He trailed his finger down her leg. "What if I wanted to find out where this leads?"

Tessa tilted her head and smirked at him. "As tempting as that sounds," She said as she reached out and trailed a finger down his chest. "I already have company for the day . . . and night."

She backed up a step and leaned back against the motorcycle.

"Of course, you do," Jackson said. "So tell me, who's the lucky victim you sunk your teeth into this time?"

"Teeth? I think you mean claws," She replied with a smirk.

I shook my head. "No wonder you like her," I muttered. "She's just like you," I said to Jackson. He ignored me. Surprise, surprise.

Suddenly she frowned and then her face darkened and she eyed Jackson like he was the enemy. "How did you find me?"

Jackson-seemingly oblivious to her change in mood-just rocked back on his heels and smiled at her. "Noah," He replied simply.

Her deadly expression dimmed but she still glared at Jackson. "Lose this address," She said firmly. "And tell Noah to lose it too."

Jackson raised his eyebrows at her. "Any particular reason why this address gets that reaction out of you?" He questioned. "I've never actually seen you look . . . worried."

She pushed up off the motorcycle she'd taken to leaning against and got right up in Jackson's face. "I have every reason to be worried. You're not exactly a saint Jackson, so I'm only going to warn you once." She leaned in even closer and the expression in her eyes only sharpened and turned murderous. "You breathe a word about this address to anyone or you ever turn up here again, I will kill you."

Jackson just stared back at her. Finally, he nodded slowly and she backed off. "You have my word," He said. "Though I find myself very curious as to why this place is supposed to be such a secret."

Tessa's focus was no longer on him, however, and was now focused on the big yellow school bus that had pulled to a stop at the curb a couple of houses down.

She turned back to Jackson as several kids started getting off the bus. "What do you want Jackson?" She asked bluntly.

"I'm looking for someone who apparently, happens to be a known associate of yours," He told her.

She raised an eyebrow at him before turning her attention back to the school bus. "I don't tend to hang out with the right sort of crowd, Jackson."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "No shit," I said.

Tessa's gaze snapped to me as if actually seeing me for the first time. She looked me up and down slowly, studying me.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "You're a domestic terrorist," I said flatly.

"And you're a prostitute," She replied simply.

I removed my sunglasses and glared at Jackson, who had conveniently turned to admire Tessa's motorcycle at that moment. This was, in its entirety, his fault.

"I'm not a prostitute," I growled.

She shrugged nonchalantly and picked up a beer bottle that had been on the floor at her feet. "And I'm not a domestic terrorist." She took a long drink from the bottle. "I'm on the right side of the law." She suddenly winked at Jackson. "When I want to be."

Jackson smiled recklessly. "I'm well aware."

Her gaze once again went back to the school bus, watching as kids got out one by one. She didn't turn back to look at either of us when she spoke again. "Who exactly are you looking for?"

"Kurt Branson," I told her.

She frowned but her focus stayed on the school bus. "Why are you looking for him?"

"Why does it matter?" I questioned.

She shrugged and then I noticed her expression had considerably softened. But again, her focus was not on either of us. It was on the little Asian girl in the yellow dress walking down the sidewalk.

She looked to be about five or six. Her dark hair was tied back into pigtails and she had a lunch box tucked under one small arm, a book under the other, and a colorful backpack on her back. She was smiling and staring at the ground as she skipped down the sidewalk.

Tessa suddenly let out a sharp, loud, whistle. The girl abruptly stopped, her head snapping up at lightning speed and when she saw Tessa, her smile got impossibly wider. She dropped her lunch box, book, and backpack and sprinted as fast as her little legs could carry her straight for Tessa.

Tessa pushed off her motorcycle she'd once again taken to leaning against and crouched down on the floor, so she was level with the girl.

"Mommy!" She screamed as she launched herself into Tessa's outstretched arms.

Tessa hugged her tightly. "Hey baby girl," She said as she stood with the little girl still in her arms.

Jackson was comically speechless. He was staring at Tessa and her little girl as if this was just his imagination. As if this was just about the wrongest thing to ever exist.

Tessa maneuvered the little girl so she was on her hip, her arms wrapped around the girl, keeping her in place. She turned back to us.

"I'm not exactly sure where to find Kurt," Tessa told us.

Jackson raised his eyebrows at her. "On a first name basis, are you?"

Tessa shrugged. The little girl wiggled in her arms until Tessa put her down.

She walked right up to Jackson, staring up at him with big eyes. Jackson stared down at her like he'd never before seen a child in his life.

"Hi!" She shouted as she continued to stare up at him, a wide smile on her face.

Jackson just looked at her like he was expecting her to bite him. "Hi . . ." He replied apprehensively.

"I'm Sophie," She chirped.

"Good for you," Jackson muttered.

She laughed and then threw her arms around his leg, still looking up at him curiously and like he was the best person ever. Like she was genuinely happy to see him.

He looked down at her briefly-something close to fear, flashing across his face-before looking to Tessa. "Do you mind controlling your offspring?"

Tessa was smirking, highly amused between the exchange and just shrugged. "I don't know Jackson," She said. "I live to keep her happy and right now, she looks pretty happy."

"I will pay you."

Tess threw her head back and laughed. "You never were very good with kids," She said. Sophie's attention went back to her mother, smiling widely, but she kept her arms around Jackson's leg. Tessa knelt down in front of her.

"Does Daddy know you're here?" Sophie asked.

Tessa shrugged and actually smiled at Sophie. "I don't know," She replied.

"I'll go tell him!" She shouted as she let go of Jackson and made a beeline for the front door. She threw open the door, not bothering to close it, and disappeared from sight.

Tessa shook her head, a frown on her face. Muttering something about how the door should have been locked. But she didn't look worried or concerned. She looked annoyed and angry. "I keep telling him," She muttered. She walked away from us to pick up Sophie's backpack, lunchbox, and book from where she'd dropped them in the middle of the sidewalk.

Jackson was studying her curiously.

"Out with it," Tessa snapped as she set Sophie's things down next to her motorcycle.

"I didn't know you had a daughter," Jackson finally said after a moment of thinking about what exactly he wanted to say. The tone of voice he said it in, suggested that this was not what he really wanted to say.

Tessa just shrugged. "No one does." She glared at him in a dangerous way. "And it's to stay that way, got it?"

Jackson nodded. "How old is she?" He asked.

Tessa let out a snort. "So you can do your judgmental math?"

Jackson smiled at her. "Judgmental math?" He questioned.

She just shrugged.

"She's at least five," Jackson said as he rocked back on his heels. "And you're how old exactly?"

She shrugged again. "None of your f-"

"Look! Mommy's here!" Sophie's audible voice as she walked back out the front door caused Tessa to cut off abruptly.

"-business," She finished, omitting a word . . . or two.

"I know," A man's voice replied. "She's just been sitting out front like a creep."

Tessa turned around and stuck her tongue out at the man who appeared in the doorway behind Sophie.

"Very mature," He told her as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorframe.

Jackson suddenly sucked in a sharp breath and for a split second I saw an identifiable expression cross over his face before it was once again gone, and his face was back to his cocky smile, his arrogant confidence.

I would have almost thought I imagined the whole thing, if it wasn't for what he said next. So lowly, I almost didn't hear it.

"Shit," He muttered, his eyes never leaving the man standing there, staring down at Sophie with a smile on his face she gestured wildly while telling him about her day.

And it was becoming clearer and clearer to me, that Jackson knew the man. And not in a good way.

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Enjoy!

And Thanks for Reading!

There will also be an update for Agent 34 soon. Either today or tomorrow, for those of you reading that story as well as this one.