by Jaycee Clark
“I didn’t expect to see you here.” Tim gave her a hug, pulled back. “How you doing?” His gaze looked over her shoulder. “Who’s that?”
Without looking she knew. “John Nolastname. Aiden hired him.”
“For?”
“He’s my bodyguard. Got a gun and everything.”
“Only you could find the humor in this. How are you?” he asked.
“Fine,” she absently answered, and scanned the street and sidewalk again. Nothing pulled at her. Just her damn nerves. The coffeehouse probably hadn’t been a good idea, but at least it was over. Jesslyn shook off her wayward fears, and looked up at Tim. What was with him? Tim normally didn’t hug.
“What has you in such good spirits?” she asked as she saw his gray eyes narrow on the multicolor bruise on the side of her head. His mouth firmed. “Tim. I’m fine, quit frowning.”
His gaze returned to hers. “I heard they arrested Kirk. I could have knocked his teeth down his throat last night when the sonofabitch showed up at The Dime.”
“Kirk was at The Dime? What did he want? What did he do?”
Tim was clearly agitated. The scrunch of his nose made his mustache twitch. “Are you here alone? With the bodyguard?”
Jesslyn quirked a brow. “No, I came shopping with Kaitlyn, Christian and Tori. Gavin and Jock tagged along. So, what did Kirk do?”
He shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. “Started in on how you were any form and variation of a loose and amoral woman. He made some nasty comments and then stated he wished you had done him a favor and died up at Emerald. Or maybe you got jealous of both Maddy and Tammy and . . .” His gray eyes hardened. “Never mind. I shut him up and threw him out.”
Jesslyn sighed and grinned. “My knight. Aiden is going to be pissed. He so wanted to have a go at Kirk. The fact he didn’t, especially if he learns what the jerk said last night, is going to drive him nuts.” Jesslyn leaned up and pulled his face down to hers, kissed his whiskered cheek. “Thanks, Tim. You need to shave.” She ran her hand over the rough skin as she dropped back down to the flat of her feet.
Tim straightened and his eyes twinkled. “T.J. doesn’t complain.”
Jesslyn shook her head, she was glad those two were together. Two of her dearest friends. “I’m glad she’s with you and not Chief Tight Ass.”
“Chief Tight Ass?”
She returned his smile. “Yeah, Garrison. I thought those two would get together, and you two just sorta happened. I’m glad. Are y’all coming to the party tomorrow night?”
His rueful look made his mustache crooked. “Yeah, we’ll be there. I won’t be able to stay long. But I was planning on dropping in and grabbing a bite before heading back to The Dime.” Jesslyn started to say more, but Tim hurried on, “Here comes Mrs. K. and the entourage.”
She turned and saw Kaitlyn making her way across the street as the others filed out of the coffee shop.
“Hello, Tim dear. Come on, where’s my hug and kiss? I know Jesslyn got one.” Her impish grin made her look younger.
Tim smiled, grabbed her up in a bear hug and kissed her cheek. “Your boys treating you right? If not, I’ll come take care of them for you,” he offered as he pulled away from Kaitlyn.
Kaitlyn laid her hand on his cheek. “You always were a darling boy.”
“You’re the only one that thinks so, Mrs. K., I assure you.” Tim let Kaitlyn go, crossed his arms over his chest.
Kaitlyn shook her head at him, “No, I’m not. Now, we’re going to go grab some lunch. Care to join us?”
“No, but thank you.”
Kaitlyn headed towards the rest of her family. Jesslyn didn’t feel like eating. In fact, she was sick to her stomach. Her headache grew.
“You want me to take you home?” Tim asked her, concern clear in his voice. “You don’t look so good.”
“Geez, you sure know how to make a girl feel good.”
“I will,” Gavin said, coming up behind them. “I already told Mom and Dad to go on to the restaurant. You okay?” he asked her. “I’ll take you home if you want, or we can catch up with the others.”
She wanted Aiden. “Home. Take me home, please,” she whispered.
Chapter 25
The kitchen was alive with activity. Everyone was helping with dinner. A giant fiesta. In Aiden’s opinion, there would be more food than any of them could eat.
The women were drinking margaritas Jesslyn made and he and his brothers were downing beer. The fajitas were grilling and Jessie was teaching Gavin how to make pico de gallo. Whatever the hell that was.
“Ah, damn, my eyes burn,” Gavin complained, wiping them with the backs of his hands.
“I told you not to rub them until you’d washed your hands. Jalapeños will do that,” Jessie said.
“Is that an I-told-you-so?” Gavin asked.
“Quit whining,” he told his brother.
“Well for God’s sake, son, she did warn you. Lord forbid any of my children do so great a task as heed advice,” Jock said.
Aiden leveled a look at his father.
“When is all this food going to be ready?” Tori asked. “I’m ready to play games again.”
“Later, honey,” Bray told his daughter.
“I like that acting game,” Jock admitted.
“You just want to try to beat us,” his mother said, snatching a chip from the bowl and dipping it in hot sauce. “You’ll lose again.”
“Kaitie lass.”
Aiden laughed. The game was fun. Classical music played low on speakers. Some various classic CD his mother had put on.
The plans for the party tomorrow night were in place, an arrest had been made, a well-equipped body guard watched over things just in case, and he’d heard Jessie’s laugh more today than he had since he met her. All in all it was a wonderful day.
He walked up and nuzzled the side of Jessie’s neck. “What are you cutting up?”
“The tomatoes. Want one?”
“Sure.” When she popped the cut fruit into his mouth, he held her hand and sucked the juice off her finger.
“You are bad,” she whispered.
“You know it.” He kissed her quick on the lips, then popped her with the towel he was holding.
Her look told him he would pay for it later.
“Why am I cutting up all this again?” Gavin asked.
“Because I said to,” Jessie answered.
“Children, children,” his mother waved at them.
Another symphony started on the stereo. Berlioz. Aiden sat at the table and dipped a chip in the chili con queso. He’d never really cared for this piece of music, it was heavy, dark. Jessie’s laugh pulled his attention back to her as she dumped her pile of tomatoes into the bowl with Gavin’s jalapeños and the onion he was cutting.
“It’s for making fun of your twang, isn’t it?” his brother tried.
“I have a twang?” Jessie drawled.
Aiden sighed. Those two were worse than a brother and sister constantly picking on each other. He was amazed they were still sharing the same chopping board.
Enharmonic notes of music filled and swirled in the air.
The two kept up their bantering. She walked to the sink and tossed over her shoulder, “And here I thought it was my good looks and sunny personality.”
“Sunny?” Gavin waved his knife in her direction. “You aren’t sunny. Good looks I’ll give you, but not sunny. I’d even stretch it and say you were pretty.”
“That coming from you could either be an insult or a compliment,” she sassed, her hand on her hip.
Again Gavin waved his knife absently. The movement made Aiden nervous. He noticed John, standing in the corner, straighten.
His brother rolled his eyes. “Compliment, Jess. Pretty, pretty Jesslyn.”
Jessie looked at Gavin, head cocked to the side and a look of confusion on her face. The music slowed. Bells began to chime. Her eyes were riveted to the knife Gavin held. The blood drained from her face.
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“Pretty, pretty Jesslyn,” she whispered.
“Jessie?” he asked and sat up straight. Deep full notes reverberated through the air.
Gavin started towards her, but she jerked back, her own knife clattering to the floor.
The kitchen stilled in silence.
She opened her mouth, as if to speak. Aiden could see her trembling from here. He stood and reached her in three strides.
“Don’t,” Gavin whispered. “Let her see it.”
Aiden didn’t know what the hell she saw, but it was bad. Her hands shook. Her chest pitched up and down in short quick pants. She was terrified, utterly and completely terrified. Then, her breath hitched. Her mouth moved, but no air came in or out.
To hell with this.
Aiden grabbed her face between his palms. “Jessie. Jessie. Look at me. Look at me.” And still she didn’t breathe. Her skin was pale as death. “Jesslyn. Breathe, damn it. Breathe.”
Aiden’s voice drifted to her as if down a tunnel.
The knife caught the light. Pretty, pretty Jesslyn. Water, water. She wasn’t going to make it. It was too far to the top. Death. Cold. Water. So cold. Blood. Darkness. A brush on her face. Pretty, pretty Jesslyn. A whisper soft kiss. Humming. Someone humming this song. Dark thoughts swirled on the music as they did within her.
“Breathe!” Aiden shouted in her face. And the jumbled thoughts and feelings fell into place.
Jesslyn blinked, gasped for precious air as her head broke the surface of her watered memory.
The shaking started deep within her, worked its way out.
Aiden started to pick her up, but she struggled out of his hold and raced to the sink. Pretty, pretty Jesslyn. A whisper of a kiss. God.
Her stomach heaved. And heaved.
Oh, God. Tammy. Oh, sweet Jesus, forgive her for leaving her there. Down there. Tears stung her eyes.
Someone gave her some water.
She couldn’t stop trembling. Aiden’s arms wrapped around her and cradled her against him. His words, soft against her ear, were lost in the tide of dark images and feelings.
But the meaning behind them came through loud and clear. She curled into the warmth and comfort of his protective arms.
Someone tucked a blanket around her. They sat down, and Aiden held her still. This was safe. Right here, nothing could hurt her. No icy dark grave, no monsters, no fear. So many images and forms collided together and then slid so seamlessly into place. All but one. The monster had no face.
Tammy in the car. Oh, God. Oh, God. A sob grabbed her, and she burrowed deeper into Aiden’s strength. She could handle this, she could. Yes. Breathe. In. Out. In. Out.
Jesslyn shoved past what she had seen, what she knew had been more than a close call, and tried to go back even further. She remembered the rain, the storm. Running from the monster was there, though blurred and jagged. His darkened silhouette above her was imprinted on her mind both awake and asleep. Had she seen him? Jesslyn couldn’t remember. She did remember the pain in her head. The whispered words against her lips, a stolen soft kiss.
Her stomach rolled again.
Keep on. Think. Fit it all together.
The sinking car, Tammy, and the water. The terror and realization that someone tried to kill her sank home. For the first time, it no longer seemed like it happened to someone else. Now the bruise on the side of her head took on a new meaning. The fact she was held against Aiden was such a blessing.
Her mind kept coming back to Death, poised above her. Who was it? Jesslyn closed her eyes, tried to concentrate, to pull the edges of the pieces together. It was important, so important. Remember. But the harder she tried, the more futile it became. Dammit, she was so close. If only . . .
She heard the words, tea and shock. Then, Aiden said something about hospital and her head came up.
Jesslyn licked her lips. “No—no, I’m o-okay. I-I’ll b-be okay.”
“The hell you are.” His blue eyes burned in anger and fear.
Rage roared through him. Uselessness and helplessness were not feelings Aiden particularly liked. Just like the other day in the damn police station when she’d had a flashback. “The hell you are. You’re white as a damn ghost. You’re cold and trembling.”
“She’s probably in shock.” Gavin picked up Jesslyn’s hand, his fingers at her wrist. She tried to jerk it away. Aiden almost told her to be still but saw Gavin give her a narrowed look as his brother held firm, checking his watch.
“I’m fine,” Jesslyn repeated.
Her dark eyes were ebony pools of pain, tears glistened on the precipice of her lashes. A shudder racked though her. Aiden tightened his arms and tried to give her some of his warmth.
“Your pulse is a little rapid, but the hyperventilation could have caused that. Follow my finger.” Aiden watched as her mouth twitched and opened to undoubtedly sass something back.
“Where’s it supposed to go?” Her voice was soft, amused.
Gavin ignored her and held his finger aloft. Aiden watched as her eyes followed his brother’s finger.
“Well, you’re more alert now than you were a few minutes ago. You’re still a bit cold and rather on the pale side.” To him, Gavin said, “Keep the blanket on her. She needs warm liquids. Or some sort of sweet drink would work too.”
“She needs some of that smelly herbal stuff tea,” this from his father who stood by the fireplace glaring at them.
Jesslyn chuckled softly. The sound was so unexpected they all looked at her. “Chamomile. I told you the nasty stuff is called chamomile.” Her head shook back and forth. “I really don’t like it.”
Aiden started to tell her . . .
“Well, Missy, that’s just too damn bad.” His father’s finger pointed at her, waggled in what they all knew as one of his no-nonsense actions. “You’ll drink what we give you.”
The fact he and his father thought alike was not lost on him.
“Scare us like that,” Jock continued to mumble.
Jesslyn’s shoulders rose and fell as she released a sigh. Aiden snuggled her closer to him and she laid her head on his shoulder.
“I am fine. I’m sorry for blitzing out on y’all.”
Aiden rolled his eyes. Jock just stared at her. Aiden had no idea where the others were, probably still in the kitchen staying out of the way.
Gavin shook his head. “Man, that’s the last time I give a girl a compliment,” he said, standing.
She stiffened in his arms.
“What?” he asked her.
“He said that to me. I couldn’t see him, he’d already hit my head and things were really fuzzy. But—but he said that,” her words were warm against his neck.
“What did he say?” he asked.
“P-pretty, pretty Jesslyn.” Her sigh was ragged.
He took a deep breath through his nose. Another sigh tickled and warmed the skin on his neck. Silence stretched, then stretched some more. He wondered if she’d say anything else.
“It was so cold, so incredibly cold,” she whispered. Aiden froze, as did everyone else.
“And so very dark.”
Aiden didn’t know if he should say something else, move her back to see her face, or just hold her. He decided on the latter. She was opening up and he wasn’t about to stop her.
The click of his mother’s heels, followed by Brayden’s low voice, came from the kitchen. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Gavin shush them with a pat of his hand on empty air.
“But I can’t see him. I try and try but it won’t come. My head hurt so bad. It took me a while to realize what was happening.” Her voice faded.
“He hummed that song that was on a minute ago. I remember someone humming that part where the bells chime.” Her breath heated the side of his neck. She tensed against him. Aiden didn’t move, afraid to close the portal she’d opened.
Her fingers fidgeted in the weave of the blanket. He saw the material bunch as she fisted her hands. “The cold woke me up. I didn’t know where I w
as and it was so damn cold. I couldn’t feel my toes, and my fingers were fumbly. I could hear water, lapping, gushing.”
Aiden wanted to stop this, shield her from it, but was impotent to do so.
“I thought maybe I was in a boat, then I focused and made out the dashboard.”
She’d been in the car. The car they’d pulled from the bottom of the damn lake. Christ. Chills lightninged through him.
“I realized I was in water up to my waist, and it was rising. Tammy. Tammy was in the driver’s seat, slumped against the harness of her seat belt. The water—the water rose so fast. I could see—I could see her blood cloud in the water. Her eyes. I’ll never forget her eyes.” Jesslyn’s low voice flattened as though she were speaking of nothing more than the weather.
She’d been in the car. Aiden couldn’t get past that.
“I finally realized the car was sinking. It took me forever to get the seat belt unlatched and when I did, I fell against the dashboard. The water was so murky, I couldn’t see past the windshield.” Her fist beat a slow steady movement on her thigh.
Her breaths started to shorten, to hitch. He could feel the rapid rise and fall of her chest against him. This time he did pull back, looking into her haunted eyes. “He can’t hurt you. Nothing will ever hurt you again. You’re safe now. Come on, out with the rest. It’ll help.” He knew she needed to voice the rest, though what she said chilled his blood.
Her eyes locked on his, but he knew they didn’t see him. No, they reflected something else, another time, a horrifying place.
“I got one gulp of air, before—before the water closed over. I tried to find the door handle and managed to get the window mostly down before the battery went dead and the blackness closed in. It was so dark. I didn’t want to die there, not down there. It kept trying to pull me back into the car. The surface.” Something in her eyes flickered. “The lightning lit the entire roof of the lake. Or surface or whatever. It was almost beautiful, but so deadly. I didn’t think I would make it, so far away. But I did. I remember swimming, but it was so cold and I was clumsy. I don’t remember making it to the shore, or up to the knoll. I just—I just remember swimming in that icy water, trying not to drown.”
