Free Still The One (Family Stone #4 Jack) (Family Stone Romantic Suspense) by Lisa Hughey

occupants myself. We couldn’t find any connection between Fernandez and the businesses or tenants.”
    “GHR and Stone Consulting are actually under the umbrella of JSJ Enterprises. We have the top floor but we’re not listed as an occupant. And the building is owned by SAE.”
    “I know.” Bliss crossed her arms over her chest as if getting ready to argue with him. “What does that have to do with you and your company?”
    “JSJ is me. Jackson Stone, Junior and SAE stands for Stone Aeronautical Engineering.”
    “Okay.” But recognition was dawning in her gaze, and her eyes narrowed suspiciously. Because everyone had heard of SAE. The company was as ubiquitous to the plane industry as Boeing or Airbus or McDonnell Douglas. “And?”
    But he could tell by the way her mouth tightened that she already had a good idea what he was going to say next.
    “That’s my father.”
    “So....”
    “My family is loaded.” He’d never shared that with her. He rarely shared with any of his acquaintances who his father was or the name of his father’s company. Bliss had been much more than an acquaintance and he’d never shared intimate details about his family. About his father. About how freaking dysfunctional it all was.
    He tried not to have anything to do with dear old dad. Although he wasn’t going to deny that the trust fund money he’d inherited at twenty-five had made his life a whole hell of lot easier. And the next installment at thirty-three was how he’d been able to start JSJ Enterprises, Stone Consulting, and Global Humanitarian Relief.
    All three of his siblings had pitched in money when they had come on board. But still the bulk of the money had been Jack’s. But he’d never told her he was connected to the SAE empire.
    “And?”
    “And we pay rent and our customers know where we’re located but we are not listed as the official occupants. Unless you know us, and we know you, we’re...difficult to find.”
    “I take it that’s on purpose.”
    “Absolutely.” Jack bit off. They needed to focus on the real issue here. José Fernandez had singled out his building to watch. That was clear from the transcripts. Fuck.
    “And you’re upset because—”
    “I’m worried about my assistant, Ava.” Jack figured that a response to her statement wasn’t really necessary. He paced the cabin of the jet. “What if the veiled threat in this transmission was for Ava?”
    Bliss stiffened.
    Shit. Jack rubbed his hand over the back of his neck again. They were in midair. They weren’t going to land in California for several more hours. He needed to let Connor know he needed to protect Ava. But he had to be discreet.
    “It says observe and acquire target.” Jack’s stomach balled into a knot. Ava had been lucky the day that her friends went missing. She’d stayed home sick from school. Otherwise she might have been abducted too. He knew she lived with that guilt, still. Lived with the haunting question...Why had she been spared?
    “I know,” Bliss replied. “We’re monitoring the police scanners for any unusual activity.”
    Jack raised his scarred brow. That was pretty slick.
    “I told you that I have my brother looking into Fernandez.” Jack clarified. “He’s using the company computers.”
    “Your brother works with you?”
    Jack let his happiness spread over his face and his mouth curved in a smile. “Yeah. All three of my siblings work for the company now. It took a while but I finally convinced them to come work with me.”
    Something odd flashed over her face, gone before Jack could decipher what that look meant. Longing?
    “That’s...nice.” Her voice was soft, almost sweet.
    “Gives me the chance to look out for everyone.”
    “Really?”
    He knew what she was thinking. When they’d been together, he’d been loose and carefree. But that was after years of taking care of everyone. He shrugged. “They’re my responsibility.”
    “Okay.”
    And that responsibility spread to his