“I sneak out,” she whispered, looking guilty.
Brook nodded understanding and placed a finger to her lips. It was all she needed to know. There was fight in Jaz. She kept it hidden but it was there. If Brook was right, she was going to need it.
Brook took a seat in the living room as she waited for Jaz to come out. She walked out wearing a teal gown that made her hair sparkle like fire.
“You look gorgeous.”
“Thank you, it’s the dress!”
“No Jaz, it’s all you. Hey, you may even find a hot man of your own tonight.”
Jaz gave her a sad look. “That’s not in my future.”
“Take it from me, no one really knows what their future will hold.” They walked out of the door together and took the lift to the floor for the party.
The room was brightly decorated but there were only two people there.
“Are we early?” Brook asked looking around.
“No, you’re right on time, no one else came,” one of the two men said.
Brook bit her lower lip trying to keep quiet so that Jaz could sort this out on her own.
“We’re her handlers, we had to be here. There’s cake and cookies on the table. This is your two-week notice, Jazlyn. Your job officially ends today. In two weeks we will collect you.”
Her face crumpled and tears swam in her eyes, but she didn’t shed one of them. Her shoulders straightened as she nodded her head in understanding.
“You’ve been given permission to leave the campus. Go do whatever you want as long as you’re back at the appointed time.”
She nodded again as the men turned and walked away.
“Jaz?”
“They got me cake.” Her throat worked around the words. “Do you want some? And there’s punch too.”
“What’s going on?” Brook took her arm and turned her so she could see her face.
“You’re the best friend I ever had, Brook. You should leave now.”
“Ash, I need you.”
“Coming.”
“Let’s go. I don’t know what’s happening, but you’re not staying here.”
“I have to stay here. I just want my two weeks to be peaceful…stare at pictures.”
“Perfect,” Brook said, leading her without resistance back to her apartment. “Ash has beautiful pictures on his walls. There’s a bedroom in his house you will love, I thought of you the minute I saw it. Is there anything here you want?”
Jaz looked around and shook her head. “Ok, but I am bringing the things you got at the gallery; that was some cute stuff.”
Brook packed for her and went to answer the door when Ash knocked.
“Jaz, you’re going to eventually have to tell me what’s going on.” She sighed. “But not tonight.”
Jaz followed her out the apartment and into Ash’s car. Brook looked at Ash and nodded her head as they drove in silence. Jaz was in trouble, but she wasn’t sure what kind.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Brook looked behind her to see Jaz slouched down in the back seat of the hover. She hadn’t said anything since Ash picked them up. Her glassy green eyes just stared straight ahead.
She turned around and sighed. There would be no helping Jaz tonight, she was simply glad she got her away from the medical facility. Hopefully, they would sort it all out in the morning.
“What happened?”
“I’m not sure. It sounded like they fired her, but there was so much meaning behind the words they told her. She has to be back in two weeks so they can collect her. There’s no way in hell I’m letting her go back there.”
“It’s her life.”
“Keep telling yourself that, Mate, but she’s not going back.”
“Jaz, we’re here.” Brook jumped out the hover that Ash parked in the garage. “Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour.”
She got out, holding the few possessions she cared enough about to bring with her. “Brook, would it be ok if I just go lie down? I’m tired.”
“Of course. Do you want anything to eat?”
She shook her head. Brook took her upstairs briefly pointing out the rooms as they passed until they hit the guest bedroom that was now hers. She gave Jaz a tight hug before turning and leaving.
Ash handed her a cup of tea and a sandwich. “Take this to Jaz.”
She gave him a smile before returning to Jaz’s new room. She knocked on the door waiting until she got the word to enter before going in. Jaz was sitting on the bed, silent tears flowing.
Brook put the food down and climbed on the bed pulling Jaz into her arms. She held her while Jaz cried.
“I got you all wet.”
“I’ll dry. Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not yet. I guess I just thought I might have more time or it would never happen. I was living in a dream world; I should have known better.”
They moved over to the two armchairs that sat in the corner with a small table between them. Brook gave her the tea and sandwich.
“Eat.”
“I am a little hungry. Thanks for making this for me.”
“Ash made it, he’s wonderful.”
“When I was younger, I dreamed of having someone like him. Sweet and kind with just enough darkness in him to save me.”
“I bet you were a cute kid with all that red hair.”
Jaz averted her eyes and focused on her sandwich. “Brook, can I just hang out here for a while?”
“You can stay here as long as you want.”
“Two weeks. It’s all I have.”
“We’re going to talk about that, Jaz. I know your different, but then again so am I, but I don’t understand. You can’t put me off forever and you won’t leave here until I understand what’s happening.”
“I know, just not now. All I want to do now is sleep.”
Brook nodded and stood up, giving Jaz a bone-squishing hug.
“Best friends, Jaz, we stand up for each other always.” She disappeared from the room leaving Jaz alone with her thoughts.
Brook descended the stairs slowly. Whatever was supposed to happen in two weeks, Jaz didn’t think she would survive it. That was unacceptable. This new world could be callous. Life here wasn’t sacred but really it hadn’t been all that sacred in her world.
“How is she?” Ash was in the kitchen. He made them both cups of tea along with sandwiches and a side she hadn’t tried before.
“I think she’s in some type of shock or disbelief.” Brook sat at the island next to him. “She worked hard at her job probably making herself indispensable. She’s good too. I bet they hate to lose her. I don’t understand what’s going on. I feel like there are clues in all the things she has told me, but I am to naïve to put them all together.”
“She’ll tell you when she is ready. Until then, just be her friend. I have a feeling you’re probably the first real one she’s ever had.”
Brook nodded, eating her food. “She’s down for the evening.”
Ash smiled and looked at her. “Did you know the walls to our room are sound proof?”
“They are? We can’t hear anything that happens in the house?”
“Not like that. We can hear anything in the house, but no one in the house can hear us.”
“How’s that possible?”
“Turns out all it takes is your son bursting into the room because he heard his mother cry out. Aran made sure he found a sound proofing that worked, or Rena wouldn’t stand for it. Once they found it and implemented it, each brother added it to their rooms. Funny enough Aran insisted I do it too.”
She ran her hand down his thigh. “So our room is sound proofed but we could still hear Jaz if she needed help.”
Ash slowly nodded before giving her a sensuous smile. Brook stood and cleaned the kitchen after giving Ash a kiss and pushing him back in the chair. She smiled at him after she was done basking in the glow of his pride in her. It had taken some time but she was learning, stretching, and growing. This new life worked
for her, it made her happy.
She tossed him a saucy wink and ran from the room. He gave a deep growl and followed, chasing her up the stairs. She ran into the bedroom, threw herself on the bed, and screamed safe as if she had just slid in for a homerun.
His laughter followed her. “You are definitely not safe on the bed.”
“Depends on how you interpret the word safe.”
She slid off the bed peeling her clothes off. Ash watched her with an intense hunger.
“I love your body.”
Brook stopped for a minute in the midst of taking off her bra. Every imperfection she saw when she looked in the mirror came back to plague her. Cryo hadn’t exactly helped her body. Her breast drooped just a little from standing in the Cryo bed all these years and her hips looked a tad bit wider to her, but more than anything she felt her skin was just a little different—not quite as brown and glowing as it had been. She didn’t look old by a long shot but she felt she looked older than when she went into it.
She convinced herself to believe that Ash didn’t see those things but looking at him now she knew he saw everything.
“I want you.” She looked into his gaze and saw nothing except sincerity. He was fine with who she was and what she looked like.
She gave him a come-hither look as she scooted past him and went into the bathroom. With quick movements, she started the water in the tub adding fragment bath salts.
“Smells good in here.” He placed his nose against her neck breathing deeply.
“Smells like honey, my favorite.” She kissed him allowing her tongue to slip into his mouth taking his taste in deep.
“I want to be filled with you, your taste, your scent. Everything about you.” She turned the water off and put one foot in to test it. With a sigh of satisfaction, she submerged her body in the water. “Coming in?”
He moved to the bottom of the tub and got in, making the water rise to a dangerous level. Taking his foot, he slipped it up and down her thigh. She gave him little growls of encouragement.
Sliding lower, his foot traveled up her stomach, stopping to play with her belly button. He slid his toe in and out making her catch her breath as she looked down and watched him. Slowly that talented foot slid up until it was even with her breasts. He reached out and pressed on a nipple. The slickness off the water combined with the silkiness of his skin made her shudder.
“Ash.” She watched as the caught her nipple between his toes and pulled. “What are you doing to me?”
“Loving you. I will always love you, Brook, and every part of my body will worship yours.”
He stood up water sluicing down over his skin. He looked like Neptune rising from the depths of the sea. His cock was hard and thick and standing up ready for her. She had to taste him.
She came to her knees and wrapped her mouth around him pulling him in deep. His legs shook before he spread them out steadying himself. A sound came from him as he wrapped his hand in her hair.
“Loving mate.” His thumb caressed down her cheek.
She licked and sucked on him making little noises in her throat that she felt vibrating through his body.
“You continue to surprise me.”
His voice in her head turned her on even more and she gave his cock a hard pull. His moan of pleasure increased the flood between her legs.
She looked up at him, her eyes glazed with desire.
“You’re so beautiful, Ash. Your outward beauty amazes me, but it’s your inward beauty that captured me.”
He reached down and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around him holding on tightly to the best thing she ever found. He took his time and sat them back in the tub. Lifting her up, he placed her over his thick cock.
“Ride me, Brook.”
She placed her hands on the sides of the tub looking for balance before she began to lower onto him. This time it was all her. She sunk down faster catching her breath as she felt him invade her depths.
One more solid pump and she was full to over flowing.
“Ash,” his name panted in her mind.
She could feel him opening to her letting her in. There was a red haze of pleasure in his mind as she lifted her hips and slammed back down on him. It matched the sultry yell that came from her mouth.
His breath hitched in his throat and she could feel it. There was a curling in his gut that passed on to her making her itchy and needy with want. The ridge of his cock hit her pleasure center sending eddies of desire through her. She felt it as it moved from her body to his. Their nerve endings were on fire as she rode him harder.
He wanted to clutch her and take over, instead his fingers clawed into the side of the tub as he let her direct their pleasure.
“Good mate,” she whispered.
The movement of her hips became choppy as her breath came out faster. Up, down she chanted to herself as she chased that elusive bliss that was just on the edge of her consciousness.
“Steady, Baby. It’s right there.” His hips bucked up a little harder setting the pace for her again.
She moved faster knowing where she was going, what she wanted. She saw it, a trail of red beckoning her closer. Unable to do anything else, she followed it. Ash was hitting her pleasure spot each time making her want to explode around him. The pressure kept building and building until…
Until she exploded coming apart once again. Her voice was hoarse as she told the world about what Ash did to her. He joined her in an explosive roar as jet after jet of his essence filled her. Moving deeply into her body, the warmth of it had her mewling like a cat looking for cream. There was never a time she dreamed her life could be this good. But it was and she had her mate to thank for it.
She sank down in his arms.
Chapter Twenty-four
Brook’s head rested on Ash’s chest. Her fingers played with his nipple as the corded muscle jumped under her hand. They spent the last two days in the house trying to get Jaz to talk and stop simply hiding away from the world. She loved the alone time but she didn’t like the looking over her shoulder part, afraid that someone from the Patron’s people would show up threatening Jaz.
Snuggling closer, she closed her eyes for a moment more of peace. He played with her hair. His fingers always seemed to find it when they were together like this.
“What are we going to do today?”
“We have some options, but they are up to you.”
“Tell me the options.” She leaned over and placed a kissed on his chest.
“Option one we can hide out. Option two we can leave the house make ourselves bait and deal with the Patron.”
She thought about it; she had been chomping at the bit the last two days to do something. Jaz was still tight lipped and the word they heard from Dante was that the Patron had increased his search for her. None of which made sense. Why wouldn’t he stop?
Staying home wasn’t a bad idea. As long as they were here, no one suffered the possibility of being hurt or killed. What to do? An image of Jaz’s face swan before her, trying to shut away her nightmare by refusing to acknowledge it. A picture of Brook’s other life swam before her as she tried to out run her nightmare. She never truly faced what was happening to her. Refused to accept or acknowledge it.
She turned her eyes to look at Ash, now she had everything she could ever want. In a blink of an eye could she could lose it all because she refused to try.
“I hear bait is tasty and I want to try everything.”
He laughed pulling her close. “I knew you would want to do this.”
“What exactly is this?”
“We need to go out and make targets of ourselves, then start to take out the Patron’s assassins. The more we takeout the more we will draw attention to ourselves and soon you won’t be worth the dead bodies.”
“Do we have to kill them?”
“They won’t stop if we don’t.”
“All right,” They would kill her if Ash didn’t kill them. She didn’t like it but she couldn�
��t think of an alternative.
She got up and put on a robe. She needed to talk to Jaz make sure she would be all right.
Sighing, she padded down the hallway. How had life become so complicated?
“Jaz?” She knocked on her door opening it when Jaz invited her in.
“How are you doing?”
Jaz shrugged, that was her usual answer now.
“I was just wondering how life got this hard. Do you ever wonder about that?”
Jaz nodded her head but stayed silent.
“I came in to tell you that you will have the run of the house. I don’t know how long. Ash and I are going to make ourselves bait. The juicy succulent kind.” Brook threw her a wide smile. “We’re tired of being hunted so we’ve decided to become the hunters.”
“I think I feel sorry for the Patron. Nope, I take it back, his kind deserve whatever they get.”
“Will you be ok?”
Jaz winked at her. “I will hold it together until you get back, no guarantees after that.”
“That works for me.”
One last tight hug and she walked out the door. It was time for a shower. Ash was already out of the room so she took a nice long hot shower knowing she had no idea of what tomorrow or even later today would bring.
She picked a pair of jeans with no cuts, just a solid pair of black jeans and paired them with a dark blue tank top and a black half jacket. She didn’t want to stand out. She grabbed a pair of running shoes while mentally planning a trip to the gallery when this was all over.
Ash was in the kitchen cooking them what she hoped wouldn’t be their last breakfast. He had cooked a few pieces of her favorite foods but not enough to weigh her down.
She looked at him admiring his rear in the pants he was wearing. They were form fitting and made from a black metallic material. There were straps in the pants for weapons. The shirt was the same material as the pants but it was a metallic gray. Instead of attracting light it seemed to defer it and her eyes wanted to slide away even as she wanted to take in his magnificent form.
“Do you think we will come through this all right?”
There was a knock at the door before Ash was able to reply then she heard footsteps of someone walking into the house. Brook stood stumbling to her feet she wouldn’t let them take Jaz.
Ash: Love Me Harder - Alien Paranormal Romance Page 15
