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He got to his phone, and half an hour later, Miguel was there, driving a Hummer, traveling with the same security team from Vegas. Two of the men were dispatched to our room to pack and gather bags, and two were sent to find Jaden while Aaron spoke to Miguel.
“What must that kind of money be like?” Agent Summers asked me, shaking her head.
“I think I’m gonna find out.”
She chuckled. “I think you are, Detective. I will see you on Tuesday morning in my office in Chicago.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll be there.”
“Duncan!”
Aaron put me into the back seat of the Hummer and said until I was checked out, I probably shouldn’t eat. It was fine with me. I was freezing, lightheaded, and nauseous, none of which were conducive to food.
“So, is there a hospital in Sedona?” I asked as I reclined in the seat, looking over at him.
He was scowling as he brushed my hair back from my face. “Probably, but you’re going to Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t have enough time to fly my own doctor out.”
Which wasn’t really an answer, but I took it and stopped talking. I was really sleepy, and when Aaron moved over next to me, I leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes.
“Thanks for worrying about me and taking care of me.”
“It’s my pleasure,” he said, rubbing his cheek in my hair. “I can’t wait to do it full-time.”
I wasn’t awake when Jaden Cobb was added to our party, but woke up when we finally drove away. He sat quietly between the two men who had rousted him from his room, looking uncomfortable as he clutched his backpack to his chest. I waited to see how Aaron was going to handle the situation.
“So, let’s recap. You got scared, talked to my father, decided to sell me out, let me bail you out of that mess, and finally decided cooking school was too much for you and sold your ass to Clay Wells.”
“Aaron—”
“Did I miss anything?”
“Please,” he snapped. “The Wells part was all for show. He didn’t even fuck me. He just wanted to rattle your cage.”
“And you let him?”
Jaden’s eyes filled fast.
“Have you always hated me, or is it new?”
“I don’t hate you,” he rasped, his voice heavy with tears.
“Then I don’t get it. What was your intent?”
His gaze flicked to me and then returned to Aaron. “I wanted you to see me again, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.”
“No,” he agreed. “We’re done, except …”
“Except what?”
“Do you want to be a sous chef at Cabo, as you professed you wanted to, or not?”
His eyes were riveted on Aaron. “You would still let me work at your restaurant in Vegas?”
“It’s not mine. It’s Madeline’s,” he replied smoothly. “It’s her restaurant.”
