Targeting the Teacher

Part 17

Chapter 17

Various emotions flashed on Amy’s face as Jaxon watched.  Fear, nervousness, anger, all so quickly that none of them settled into place.  He knew that she was conflicted, but about what, he didn’t have a clue.  Around him, the air was thick with tension, another thing that Jaxon wasn’t sure of the cause.  He was tired of being out of the loop when it came to this family, but he had a feeling that he wasn’t the first person to feel this way.  They were a united front, more in tuned with one another than they realized.  Even now, as Amy’s eyes flashed with emotions, her brothers were beginning to tense.

“You don’t need that,” Spencer snapped.  Jaxon glanced at the man in shock.  Out of all the brothers, Spencer was the most laid back.  He was the one that made jokes while the others glared, but the harsh tone that had just left the man’s mouth was underlined with more danger than any of the other brothers had shown so far.

The others must have picked up on Spencer’s mood, because soon, Logan was pushing off the wall he was leaning against.  Eyes narrowed and arms crossed against his chest, the man looked ready to stare down an entire army. “What's in it?”

“Me,” Amy whispered, making them all look towards her.  “He researched me.”

Carson strolled across the room, which was only a few steps with how small the motel was, and snatched the file from Marshal’s hands.  When Marshal opened his mouth to protest, a look from Asher kept the man’s mouth tightly shut.  Carson flipped open the file, and the longer he read, the more annoyed he began to look, until finally, he tossed the file onto the bed in obvious frustration.  “How did you get all of that?”

“Background checks,” Marshal answered easily.

“You’re lying,” Asher accused without a single doubt in his voice.  “Amy’s files are sealed.  They have been for a while now.  How did you get your information?”

Marshal glanced away from them all, looking uncomfortable under all of their gazes.  Jaxon didn’t blame the man.  If he had the entire O’Neal family breathing down his neck, uncomfortable would be the best feeling he had.  “I have friends that can unseal files.”

“I don’t understand,” Amy snapped, interrupting their conversation.  “You said that you researched me to see the type of person that I am, to see if I was someone who you could trust, but what does any of that have to do with this?”  She stomped towards the bed and snatched the file off the comforter.  By the slight shock on her face, Jaxon knew that it was the first time she was seeing exactly what was inside that blue folder.  “How does knowing this about me pertain to your case at all?”  Her voice rose as she slammed the folder shut and waved it in the air.  “How does knowing about my life have anything to do with Jaxon?”

Marshal took a step towards Amy, and Jaxon had to admit that the man was brave.  If he could stand up to Amy’s anger, with her brothers close behind, the man was either stupid, or someone Jaxon wanted in his corner.  “I’m sorry,” Marshal whispered as he laid his hand on her arm.  Jaxon stared at his hand, wondering what they all would do if he just pushed the two of them apart, maybe just far enough to fit him between them.  “I didn’t plan to say anything that wasn’t important.”

Amy relaxed, shocking Jaxon a little by how easily her anger disappeared.  “I still don’t understand why you had to go so deep.  You didn’t need to know everything to learn what type of person I am.”

“I didn’t,” Marshal said with a half-smile.  “I didn’t need this file to tell me what type of woman you are.  I didn’t need a background check to tell me that you’re the most loyal, strong, trustworthy woman I have ever met.”