by J. C. Reed
“No, not with you as my fiancée.” He tilted his head, and something tugged between my legs. Though his face was bathed in semi-darkness, I could feel his desire as strongly as before. “What do you think?”
“Will you ever get rid of your sex addiction?” I teased, surprised at how something as simple as an unspoken invitation to have him inside me could make my skin prickle and my heartbeat speed up.
“Can’t say that I harbor any plans, but you never know.” He leaned forward until his lips brushed my earlobe. “I’ve been told all good things are three,” he whispered. “I have a very good idea of what I want to do with you. It doesn’t even have to involve the sexy lingerie I got you.”
***
I’ve always known that life can both suck and surprise in the same instant. I just had no idea how much it could. When you’re lying in the arms of your lover, praying that the moment will never pass, you should never trust that everything will stay the same.
One wrong step.
That’s all that ever matters.
One look back, and I should have known it was my time to run.
But I had been too stupid to think beyond that special moment.
Or maybe I didn’t mind what lay beyond.
I was newly engaged with grand plans of a wedding and renewed hopes for the future. My heart had been revived, and my faith strengthened by recent events.
I was in love.
I was in lust.
And I was absolutely in no mood to talk to strangers, which is what I was sure I’d be forced to do at the charity event.
“God, the next few hours will be hard.” I let out a sigh, pushing up from my lying position. “How am I supposed to make it without this?” I pointed at Jett’s naked body, my eyes drinking him in, my mind marveling at how perfect he was.
“Yeah?” Jett’s brows shot up, amused. “And you call me a sex addict.”
I slapped his shoulder and let my fingers glide over his skin. “To Jupiter. That’s how far your confidence will grow if you don’t learn to rein it in.”
“That’s a good name,” he said, suddenly absentminded.
“Good name for what?”
Jett leaned back, resting against the pillows, his arms crossed behind his head, a thoughtful expression on his face.
“If we have another girl, it’ll be the perfect name for her.”
“What? No way.” I laughed out loud, then stopped when I saw his face. “Wait, you’re serious?” He nodded. “No way in hell, Jett. We’ll never name any child Jupiter. Besides, who says I want another one? I’m still carrying this one, huffing and puffing as we’re speaking, and you’re already thinking ahead.”
His laugh was interrupted by the ringtone of his phone.
“Excuse me.” I watched him as he straightened and grabbed his phone from the nightstand. His gaze briefly brushed me before locking on the caller ID.
Turning his back on me, he picked up.
There was only one call Jett would always accept.
“Sam.” For three minutes, Jett said nothing else, just listened, his shoulders slightly tense.
I held my breath as I tried to tune in, without much success.
Eventually, Jett’s voice cut through the silence.
“How?” He shook his head angrily. “How is that possible?” Whatever Sam had said, it must have made Jett pissed off because waves of anger were wafting from him. “No, I’ll deal with it. Just send it over as soon as you can…No, there’s no need. I’ll take care of it.”
With that, he snapped the phone shut, his back still turned to me as silence returned to the room. I watched him, seconds ticking by.
“So, what did Sam say?” I asked when it became obvious that Jett harbored no intention of sharing the news with me.
My heart thudded in my chest at the possibilities of what Sam could have said.
Had the tests shown that Gina had been drugged?
Of course, she had been drugged. If not, it meant I had been the only one targeted, which, in turn, would mean Gina had been involved.
“The same drug was found in Gina’s body,” Jett murmured and turned around. His beautiful face twisted into something I thought I’d never see.
Pain.
Anger.
Worry.
All at once.
He grew silent—the kind of silence that sent a chill up my spine.
“What?” I asked, somehow unable to grasp the meaning of his words.
Jett looked at me for one long, hard moment, and in that second I realized there was more.
I stared at him, the cold sensation inside my stomach turning to boiling heat only to change to ice again.
What could be so terrible that Jett was afraid to tell me?
I waited patiently.
When he began to speak again, the words were as chilling as death entering the room.
“Nate’s gone.” Jett’s voice lowered to a whisper. “Sam called to say that a police offer was shot during his escape.”
A scream built in my throat, but the sound remained trapped inside my mouth. To claim that I was shocked by something as simple as a few words was an understatement. I feared for my life, for my baby, for Jett, and that fear enclosed my mind and body, rendering me unable to form a coherent thought.
Waking up that morning, I thought I had experienced the worst. Then, after Jett’s proposal, my life and relationship would finally move on to a better place, that maybe we could leave the past behind once and for all and start preparing ourselves for something wonderful.
A life together.
A family.
But now, based on the recent events, all the facts led to one assumption.
One scary conclusion:
It wasn’t over.
It never had been—the past few hours of joy easily shattered by something as simple as words.
I thought with Nate being in prison and most of the club members exposed and arrested, the police had put a stop to the club’s activities. But that didn’t seem to be the case. Gina was dead; maybe even others. The nightmare seemed to continue. It always would.
Nate’s release might be the beginning of another nightmare, where the worst was still to come. I had no idea how to stop him, how to prepare myself for what I feared the most. In particular, the high-ranked club members had connections, people who knew how to appear in silence, doing their dirty jobs, and then disappear just as quickly and invisibly—like ghosts. Protecting myself and the people I loved sounded insane—a plan doomed for failure.
“Good Lord.” I stared at Jett, noticing the throbbing nerve visible beneath the soft skin around his eyes. He looked tired. At some point, dark circles had framed his beautiful green gaze. “How is that possible? I thought he was under surveillance.”
My body trembled; resignation was palpable in my voice. I hated weakness; I hated not having the strength to pretend. All of my energy was gone, dissipated, as if saying Nate’s name had the power to suck it out of my body.
“I don’t know,” Jett said quietly. “All Sam said was that he found a hole in their system and took advantage of it.”
“Good Lord,” I repeated and crossed my arms over my chest. The shivers running through me came hard, wave after wave, destroying any hope that we’d ever find peace. My muscles were tense, aching from the effort, as a cold sensation washed over me like an icy waterfall.
“The police officer…” I couldn’t even say the words.
“Sam said he might survive.”
Might.
I swallowed the lump lodged in my throat.
What if he wouldn’t? He could have been someone’s father, husband, brother, and lover. Someone who worked hard to protect innocents. Someone who loved and had been loved.
“Brooke.” Jett cleared his throat. His hands cupped my face, his gaze searching mine.
My tears began to pool at the corners of my eyes.
Stupid tears that just wouldn’t stop.
I closed my eye
s in the hope Jett wouldn’t catch them.
“This doesn’t change anything,” he whispered firmly. “I won’t let him hurt you. Nor will my friends. You know they stand behind us in every way.”
“I know,” I whispered. “But I’d rather have him locked up than roaming free and hurting more people.”
Jett’s arms engulfed me. But even in his soothing presence, my body continued to shiver.
“He’ll make a mistake, and they will catch him again.”
“How can you be so sure about that?” I looked up, more in search of his support than to express my anger. “He has so many connections.”
His shoulders slumped a little bit. Before he even said the words, I knew he was being optimistic. “Well, that’s the thing,” Jett said. “I hope I’m right. Knowing Nate and his tendency to avoid getting his hands dirty, he probably asked for help. The more people get involved, the greater the risk that someone will make a mistake. Sooner or later, the police will track him down. Just wait and see. The whole thing will be over before it even began.”
They were supposed to be words emitting strength and faith.
For a moment, I wanted to believe them.
If only my brain would stop telling me that it was a mediocre attempt. Jett didn’t have any superpowers. Like Gina, Jett was human.
Sexy and perfect—but still not invincible.
And he couldn’t predict the future.
Like the police officer, he could be shot. If they never found Nate, I’d never be safe from him. And neither would Jett. Knowing Nate and his wicked obsession with power and death, he might lay low for a while. But eventually, he’d come after Jett and me. It’d only be a matter of time until he reached his friends and found new ones who shared his sick fantasies.
I nodded, but the motion lacked conviction. Jett must have sensed my fears because he continued with more vengeance than I wanted him to have, “If he so much as steps in your way, I’ll shoot him. I’ll get Kenny to track him down.”
I frowned. “I’m not sure I want you to get involved.”
“It’s too late for that. I’m already too deep into this.” His glance locked on me. “If someone tries to scare you, that’s my God damn business. I swear the moment I see him, I’m going to kill him.”
My stomach twisted.
“He’s your brother,” I reminded him.
“No, he’s not.” He exhaled a sharp breath. “He lost that privilege a long time ago.”
Taking in his words, I shook my head slowly. “You’re not your brother, Jett. You’re not like Nate. Compared to him, you’re a good man.”
“No.” He shook his head, his mouth pressing into a tighter line. “That’s where you’re wrong. I’m only good when I’m with you.” He looked up, his eyes meeting mine. “Nate and I aren’t so different. The moment he messes with my personal life and threatens you, I can’t just stand there and do nothing. I can’t just wait for the cops to do their job, and I sure as fuck can’t wait for something to happen. I won’t let it be too late.” He placed one finger under my chin and forced me to meet his eyes. His stare was determined, his tone chilling. “You have absolutely no idea what I’d do to him. Someone needs to stop him. And that someone is me.”
My pulse began to pound against my temples.
No, I had absolutely no idea what Jett would do to him.
But judging from my earlier conversation with Brian, I had a good idea where it would land Nate. The possibility of Jett getting hurt or killed along the way was there.
“Jett, no!” I said. “Promise you won’t do anything stupid.”
“I can’t do that,” he said firmly. “I’d be lying if I told you I wanted to see him alive. He…” His words broke as anger consumed him. “He betrayed me; he betrayed my father. He went too far. It’s all my fault.”
I stared at him in shock. “It’s not your fault, Jett.”
“It is,” Jett retorted firmly. “I’m the one who grew up with him. I should have known him better, but…I underestimated him and that was a mistake.”
A muscle worked his jaw, but he said no more. And I knew then that even though he was wrong, there was nothing I could do to help ward off the demons consuming his soul. The very demons that had made him lose all faith in people. The demons that didn’t allow him to feel peace and trust and safety.
I wrapped my arms around him and placed my head against his chest, hoping that my presence would give him as much comfort as he did to me.
“You couldn’t have stopped him even if you’d wanted to, Jett,” I murmured under my breath.
“See, that’s where you’re wrong,” Jett said. “I could have done something before someone got killed. God knows it takes planning to execute what he’s done. And if what you say is true, and these were Gina’s things, then I believe he’d planned to frame me for a long time. He wanted to get rid of me, and now I might be paying the price.” He brushed a hand over his face, his voice oozing danger and frustration. “That son of a bitch wants me to miss the birth of our daughter and our wedding. He knows how much you mean to me, and he thinks he can get away with anything. But he forgets that I could have killed him right there and then, when you were alone with him, and I didn’t. That’s nobody’s fault but my own. If I could turn back time, I know what I’d do.”
I placed a hand on his shoulder and trailed my fingers down his arm, marveling at how smooth and taut his skin felt.
“Jett?” I said, infusing as much confidence as I could into my tone. “Someday he’ll get what he deserves. But it won’t be you who serves justice. Do you understand?” He remained silent, so I continued, “I don’t want you to get involved, Jett, because that’s exactly what he wants. Don’t give him the satisfaction. It’s not worth the trouble. Like you said, the cops will find him in no time. He’ll get caught. It’ll probably be over before it’s even begun.” I repeated his words, this time almost believing them.
Jett looked at me long and hard, his green eyes darkening. The aura he radiated was so strong I would have given anything to know his thoughts. Even though chaos was still surrounding us, his anger began to ebb, and eventually, peace settled in his gaze.
His face softened, and at last, his shoulders relaxed.
“You’re right,” he whispered. “He wants me to come after him. He might think he’s clever, but he should never have shot that cop. Now they’ll be after him. If they get him, they’ll probably put a bullet straight into his head and call it self-defense.”
“Yes,” I agreed. “You’re probably right.”
He lifted my fingers to his mouth. Goose bumps covered my skin as his lips brushed over me, kissing my knuckles then the inside of my palm. I felt relief that Jett and I were seeing eye-to-eye, but more than that, I was hopeful that, whatever differences in viewpoints we might encounter in the future, we could work through them.
“I’d never ever let anything come between us, Brooke,” he whispered in his sexy Southern voice. “If I can’t get him away from you, then I’ll find a way to get you away from him or else I’m forced to get rid of him. We’ll be taking a little vacation.”
His suggestion took me by surprise. For a few seconds, I thought it was over.
Going away…that was exactly what I wanted. But was it really that simple? Could we leave it all behind?
“You want to go away?” I asked, unsure what to make of it.
“Yes.” He nodded his head. “I’ve already booked a flight to Las Vegas. We’ll leave in two days.”
My lips curled into a smile.
I couldn’t help it.
“Why there?”
“No idea.” His smile matched mine. “Maybe because Las Vegas is sin city, and my obsession with you is kind of sinful. Besides, you said you’ve never been, and I thought it was about time you traveled a bit before our kid starts to demand all your attention.”
I swallowed hard. “Yes, makes sense.”
“After Vegas, we’ll head back to Italy,” he added casua
lly, his glance never leaving mine.
My smile vanished. I eyed him carefully.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Jett. It’d look like you’re on the run,” I said.
“I’m not, because as far as things stand, I don’t know anything about anyone.” He smiled knowingly. “Baby, I’m not letting you stay here. It isn’t even a question; it’s a demand. NY is not good for you—at least not as long as Nate’s investigation’s pending. We both need to head back to Bellagio, back to where things were simple.” He sat down, then took my hands, pulling me onto his lap. I wrapped my arms around his neck and settled as comfortably as my growing belly would allow.
“It’s a good time to take a vacation,” Jett continued. “A break from everything to focus on our engagement.” His hand rubbed my back, the motion comforting and soothing, easing some of the pressure that had built inside me. “I only want what is best for you, and right now, I want you to feel safe. I tried to protect you from the ugliness that’s been all around us, but my attempts got me nowhere. I don’t see a reason why we should be hiding.”
“It’s okay,” I whispered. “I’m used to ugliness. Particularly since it keeps popping up in my life, no matter what.”
I couldn’t pull the bitter tone out of my voice.
It was the truth. The ugly, bitter truth.
I bit my lip in a desperate attempt to stop the tears from welling up.
“That doesn’t make it okay,” he said an instant before his lips brushed my naked shoulders. His kiss relaxed me, if only for the time being. “Trust me. Taking an oversea’s trip is a good idea. Today, let’s forget all our problems. Let’s forget about Gina and focus only on us. It is as good a time as any to attend the NYC charity fashion show.”
My breath hitched.
Oh. My. God.
“Did you say the NYC charity fashion show?” I choked on my words. “But…I thought this was nothing special.”
“It must have slipped my mind.” Jett grinned.
“Oh my god.”
The NYC charity fashion show was swarming with journalists and celebrities. It was one of the most established and celebrated events of the year. I knew because Sylvie read about it in her magazines and then left those magazines lying around for me to dispose of.
