"Ash," Jackson gently tapped my shoulder. " We're here"

I yawned and grabbed onto my leather jacket for dear life. Wait... I don't have a leather jacket, and if I did it definitely wouldn't smell like...

" Why do I have your jacket?" I turned my head, facing Jackson.

" You fell asleep and you looked cold so..." He scratched the back of his head.

"Thank you" I smile shyly.

" Don't thank me yet" He muttered and opened the car door before getting out and helping me out also.

I decided to respond by rolling my eyes at him. Bad mistake.

He grabbed my waist from behind and pulled me firmly against his chest before whispering, " Do that again and I will tie you to the hood of my car and—"

" Jackson my bitch!" The garage door in front of us began to rise up and Jackson casually moved away for me like he wasn't just about to send tingles down my spine with just a few words. Part of me wanted him to finish that sentence and part of my was glad he couldn't.

A guy about the same height as Jackson walked out grinning. He locked eyes with me and a gasp escaped my lips. There is something so familiar about him but I can't seem to remember. He was wearing a black button up shirt —which wasn't buttoned all the way up— and black suit pants with —you guessed it— black dress shoes. If I wasn't wearing Jackson's jacket right now I feel like he would look like darth vader too.

" What's she doing here?" He snapped, his cheerful attitude long gone.

" You tell me," Jackson walked up and shoved him, he stumbled a bit. " You're the one who was spying on us. Tell me, how exactly did you beat us back here, huh?"

He held his hands up in the air. " Busted," He smirked and looked me up and down. " Whoo! Ashley you glowed up didn't you?... I'm mean you've always been beautiful but now you're just...hot damn"

" Do I...know you?" I blushed, not being able to help it.

He fake gasped. " You mean you forgot me? already?," he shook his head and held out his hands. " Where is my manners i'm—"

Jackson slapped his hand away from me. " Maybe you should wait until..." They shared a look.

The guy in all black scoffed. " He dosen't care"

" Oh i'm sorry," Jackson forced a laugh then grabbed him by the collar. " I wasn't asking your permission. That's an order"

" I don't give a—"

" I hope you weren't planning on cursing at your superior leader" A deep voice spoke from the shadows of the opened garage and out walked an older man maybe in his late forties.

"N-No sir" The —let's just call him— man in black, shook his head.

" Now listen to me Roberts, Jackson Miller is second in command to me, meaning, when I step down he will be in charge and I need you to show him the same respect you show me, got it?" —man in black nodded— " To teach you a lesson, you'll do whatever he wants until further notice, now go...both of you"

" Who's the bitch now?" I heard Jackson mutter as him and man in black walk past me. He turned and met my eyes with some kind of hidden emotion before disappearing in the garage.

The older man smiled at me with warm eyes. " Hello darling, you must have so many questions, for me especially and I promise to try and answer as much as I can with the little time we have together, but first answer me this, how has Jackson been treating you?"

Is this it? Is this why Jackson's been acting weird all morning? because of some stupid evaluation? " um good I guess"

" Do you need a change of protector? We need my wingman back here anyway," He chuckled. There is something about this man that is extremely familiar to me too. His voice, his laugh, how he sounds when he's scolding someone. " How about Andrew? I didn't assign him to you first because I knew he would try to make a move on you and—"

" Andrew?" I closed my eyes, willing my brain to work. Do I know an Andrew... Andrew...Andrew. Earlier he was called 'Roberts..'

Andrew Roberts.

" Ah you don't remember him do you?" The man smiled understandingly and slipped his arm through mine, leading me to the entrance of his mansion. " Well it's been awhile since highschool I guess"

I froze.

" Andrew? as in my ex-boyfriend Andrew?" I stared at the now closed garage door as if I could see through it.

" Well I doubt he hardly acted like a boyfriend," We began walking again. " But yes, your ex-boyfriend Andrew —and if you haven't figured it out yet— he was your protector too"

My mind buzzed with information as I stepped through the giant double doors in the entrance. " And let me guess, he was assigned by you?" I tried to sound mad as I took in the incredible beauty of this place.

The walls were covered in a fresh coat of white paint meanwhile a golden chandelier hung above in the ceiling. I looked up in awe because I was faced with a reflection of myself, the upper wall was a mirror. He led me to his office and a servant hustled out quickly offering me a batch of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. I grabbed the entire tray.

" Sweetie everything that has or hasn't happened throughout your life is because of me, some good and unfortunately some bad..." He poured a glass of scotch and watched me with a small loving smile as I ate —and sniffed— the cookie I was holding.

" Look sir," I spoke before grabbing the glass of milk the friendly servant offered me. " You're nice and all, and these nicknames are really sweet but there are only two people in my life that give me nicknames —and i'm okay with it— one's a complicated jerk, slash badboy, slash idiot and the other one is —"

" Your dad?," He rose an eyebrow. " I'm sorry it took eight years for this but —hi Ashley i'm Jeffrey Sunshine, your father"

The milk I just took a mouthful of came shooting of my mouth in a giant spit take, missing Jeffery by milliseconds, which caused the maid who was dusting the shelf to jump in shock, breaking an expensive looking vause, which made the door fly open revealing two guys pointing handguns around the room, looking for the intruder.

" You're my what?!"

Jackson and Andrew looked at each other, then at the same time, looked at me before lowering their weapons and standing around awkwardly.

I just lost my appetite

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------