“I’m strong like you?”
“Uh …” For some reason, that stabbed at Jett like a knife. This whole conversation was tearing him up, but Jett would put himself through anything for Harry’s family. “Yeah, I do what I can, but you know what? You’re strong, Charlie. You’ve got this.”
Jett listened to Charlie’s heavy breathing on the other end before the kid let out a sigh. “I can be brave.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Now why don’t you give your mom a hug for me? You’re both really brave, okay?” Braver than I could ever be. “I mean it.”
“Yes.”
Charlie hung up before Ellie could take the phone again. It was for the best. Jett could only take so much.
He held the phone limply in his hand as he stared up at that stupid rock that Harry had made him take off the mountain. His eyes ran over the unusual color that veined the granite that gave it its nickname, the heart of the mountain. He’d been too much of a coward to give it to Charlie.
He groaned, his head falling forward. What had he become?
Chapter Six
Hannah shifted under the incredibly soft blankets, her spine tingling at the danger she was in. The enormity of what she was doing caught up to her again and again, and her body shook at the memory of Ryan throwing her in his truck. How had she gotten away? It was God’s doing. Nothing else. She’d parked Ryan’s pickup back at Eureka Springs Healthcare and left the keys in it. He’d already taken off with hers, but no way did she want to add grand theft auto to his growing threats against her.
Afterwards, Julie Ward drove her here, not even questioning her strange behavior. Hannah must’ve been in pure shock to be able to function like everything was normal—maybe it was survival mode—but now nothing felt right, not the way the bed felt under her stiff body, not the shadows falling haphazardly into the room.
Hannah picked up her cell phone and stared at it, wondering if she should text Aunt Lily. She just wanted a hug, but no. She set the phone far from her to avoid the temptation. It was one o’clock in the morning. Was Jett still partying with his night owl friends, or had they gone to sleep? He’d told her not to bother him until after noon tomorrow. He might stay up all night.
She needed something to calm her brain, and her thoughts shot to Jett’s library in the belly of the house. Surely, his guests wouldn’t notice if she crept past their loud party to pick up a book?
She sighed and crawled out of bed, tugging at her pajama shorts so they’d be longer on her thighs and throwing on a silky bathrobe before she tiptoed outside of her room into the warmly lit hallway. There was always something about sneaking around the outskirts of a party where she wasn’t invited that made her feel like Cinderella. She smiled, covering a hysterical giggle with her hand. Here she was, comparing herself to a princess again. What was it about this place? Maybe it was the towers or the long and winding cavernous halls.
She followed the circular hallways, trying to remember the way she’d come, until she miraculously found that elaborate library again … right before stepping into a puddle. She jumped, muffling a squeal with her hand. Someone had been walking around here wet. Could they possibly have a pool inside this mansion?
Touching the half-opened door, she peered inside. Most of the lights were off besides a glow lining the walls of the enormous room. It was just bright enough to see the titles of the books if she stepped close enough. There were so many of them. She stared around her, enjoying the musty smell of books. Jett didn’t seem the reading type … but then again, he was also a prodigy. How else had he earned the money to live here in this fortress? Sure, he might’ve been the most muscular man she’d ever seen, but he’d won numerous awards for his inventions. A few books in this library could have actually been written by him.
She perused the books, finding classics mixed with contemporary bestsellers, with a few nonfiction books tucked here and there. Counting the shelves, she found at least five towards the back, and was going to explore down those aisles when she spied a man with jet-black hair. He had a towel draped over his shoulder, the ends of his hair dripping. He must’ve been the one who’d left the puddle in the hallway.
Her face went hot as she realized how she must look in her bathrobe. Even though she was in a house, it felt like a public library in here. Stepping back, she tried to retreat, but not fast enough.
The man caught sight of her too. “Why, helllooo!”
She swung around, shoving her hair back from her face.
“Well, this place holds all ssorts of wondersss.” His words were slurred, and he slammed the book he’d been holding shut in his hands. “Come here, beautiful. I need your … your help.”
This man was horribly drunk. Her mind went to the party, and she realized this must be one of Jett’s guests. Her heart skidded to a halt before leaping against her rib cage. Her fingers curled into fists. “You need help?” she asked.
“I can’t reachhh …”
Why would a man who was sloshed out of his mind need a book? But she stepped closer anyway. This was Jett’s friend. She’d help him, then leave. “Where?”
He patted her shoulder, his hands sliding down the silky fabric of her bathrobe to find her waist. “Darshy?”
Her back arched. Was he serious? “Darcy?” she asked. “No, I’m not Darcy.” If she was the type to laugh at irony, which she usually was, she’d howl at the turn this night had gone, but Ryan’s vicious attack was too recent. Every unwelcome touch was too much. When she tried to step back, this man came with her. Sudden alarm prickled over her skin. “You’ve got the wrong girl.”
“Hmm, not Darshy …” His fingers brushed across her cheek. “Your skin is sssofter.”
She gasped, her skin crawling as the night exploded from bad to worse. She didn’t get paid enough to put up with this mistreatment. No, she didn’t get paid at all! “Let go of me right now!” She hadn’t run from one abusive man to fall into the arms of another.
“Be good.” He squinted at her. “You one of Jett’ss friendss?”
“No, I work here!”
“Dominic!” A rough voice hailed him on the other side of the shelf. Through the spaces between the books, she saw Jett struggle onto his crutch. He’d been sitting near his desk, his phone near his hand. “You heard her—she wants you to let her go.”
“Go away. I’m having fffun.”
“Is that so?” Leaning heavily on his crutch, Jett pulled out some books to glare at Dominic with those startling green eyes. They softened on Hannah. “Why don’t I think that’s true?”
“Because it’s not,” she answered tightly. Revulsion streaked through her.
“I don’t care how drunk you are. If you don’t let her go, you’re going to bleed.”
Hannah gasped out, scarcely believing what she was hearing. She could’ve used Jett when Ryan had attacked earlier. Hannah twisted to free herself, even while Dominic hovered drunkenly near the cracks in the shelf to stare through them at Jett. “As iff,” he slurred. “You’re too far away … you can’t get over here … you’re misssing a leg.”
A nerve ticked in Jett’s cheek. “Hannah, step back.” She did. He guided her with his hands. “A little more.”
She pulled back even more and jumped when Jett grasped either side of a book and rammed it straight into Dominic’s face. The drunken man fell back with a grunt, holding his nose. She let out a strangled breath. Where was that fighting spirit when it came to defending himself?
Jett moved around the corner, and she noticed he still had on the bionic leg, though he put most of his weight on his crutch. His swagger reminded her of a pirate’s. “What’s wrong, Dominic?” he asked. “Did you hit your head?”
“Yeah! That book. Where’d it go?”
Jett still had it in his hand. “Right here.” He glanced distractedly at the title. “Children’s Big Gardening Adventure.” He took on a philosophical tone. “Ah yes, big ideas are painful for idiots.” He tossed the book aside. “You know I can’t
have you treating my staff like that.”
Dominic growled out. “She’s yourss?” He got in her face, his breath foul. “How muchh do you pay her?” His hand ran down her arm. “How muchh?”
Jett’s crutch stamped the top of Dominic’s bare foot, and the man squealed and jumped.
His eyes narrowed on Jett. “Watchh where you step, cripple!” He swung.
Jett sprang forward, knocking him into a shelf that sprayed out with books. Hannah’s mouth fell open. Some of those were antiques. But Jett wasn’t through with Dominic. One-handed, he picked up the man by the collar and glared into his face, sobering Dominic in an instant. “You still want to bother the lady?”
“Whoa, whoa.” Aaron ran around a shelf, catching sight of them. Huxley barked near his feet, letting out a wretched sound. “What are you doing?”
“Your cousin doesn’t know how to act around ladies.”
Aaron flushed, turning on Dominic too. “Are you kidding me? What did you do?”
Jett’s hands loosened on his collar. “Why don’t you get him out of here … seeing as I can’t walk him to the door?”
That sarcastic comment was directed at the man in question, and Dominic wriggled away, looking more annoyed than ashamed. He glared at Hannah as if she were the one who’d caused his humiliation. It was just like Ryan had done, and it shot tremors through her as the memories of his abuse washed over her. What was it about her that attracted these bullies? Would she never be free? Tears pricked at her eyes, and she tried to brush them quickly away.
“Everybody needs to go,” Jett said.
Aaron dragged out Huxley with one hand and his cousin with the other, while Hannah tried to duck away or chance turning into a sobbing mess in front of the employer she’d tried to impress. But as she tried to leave, Jett touched her back. “Not you. You stay.”
Oh no. She was going to lose it. She hugged herself and tried to soothe her broken nerves, but nothing she did made her feel better. She couldn’t stop shaking, and he’d feel it under his hand. Though his warm touch on her back was meant to be comforting, now she couldn’t hide how terrified she’d been.
Sure enough, he glanced down at her just as a tear betrayed her and slid down her cheek. His face changed in an instant, and he muttered a rough oath under his breath before immediately apologizing. “This is my fault! Hannah, you probably do want to leave.” His whole manner turned gentle, like she’d turned into a porcelain doll. “I understand.”
“No,” she whispered. He didn’t get it at all, neither had she until he tried to let her go, but she finally felt safe. Even in his weakened state, he’d taken out Dominic like he weighed less than a feather. It had been so long since anyone had protected her like this. His caring eyes probed into hers with a kindness that he’d tried to hide from her earlier, and it almost undid her. Finally, she had someone else’s strength on her side. “No.” She shook her head. “I can’t leave … I’m not going. I said I’d help you … and I will.”
“Okay …” He watched her closely, as if devouring the air between them, until she was almost afraid he could see right through her flimsy excuses and find the fear coursing through her at every heartbeat. “I want you to always feel like you’re safe here,” he said. “I’ve got your back.”
She was more grateful than he’d ever know. She noticed the blood on his knuckles. “You’re hurt.”
He grimaced and stared down at his hands. “I don’t feel alive if I can’t feel pain.” He laughed like he was telling her the punchline of a joke. “Besides, I really don’t think it’s mine.”
“Jett! Hannah!” Aaron poked his head back around a shelf of books. “I’m sorry about my cousin. He’s an idiot, even when he’s not drunk, but, uh … I’m glad you’re staying.” He flushed when it became obvious that he’d eavesdropped. “It’s just …” He waved over at Jett. “This guy needs you. We need you. He’s so stir-crazy, he’s driving us all insane.”
Jett stiffened, then rolled his eyes. “Maybe.” The admission came out a little gruff, and his shoulders relaxed. “I hope you can put up with us after this. Either way, you’re always welcome here.”
His hand went over hers, sending warmth shooting through her body. It had been so long since she’d been able to trust a man again, and it felt good. She lowered her head. “Thank you.”
Chapter Seven
Jett wiped down the prosthetic leg in his indoor gym, where he’d agreed to meet Hannah. He hadn’t been able to get her out of his thoughts after she’d left him last night. He’d been furious that Dominic had manhandled her, but it was more than that. Something about her haunted him—the way she acted when he protected her, like she’d been hurt before.
Her dark hair had been down from that floppy bun in a long sheet around those tantalizing shoulders, and it made her seem more mysterious, like she tried to hide behind all that hair, watching him closely with those huge blue eyes. It was all he could do not to kiss her hands and make it all better.
She was like a wounded cat. It gave him a connection with her that he bitterly tried to fight. He had to remember that Hannah was here to make a fool of him with her lofty ambitions.
As if thinking about her made her materialize, Hannah walked in. That long glorious hair was up in a ponytail this time, and it swung behind her back as she checked out the equipment in his gym. “Oh, wow,” she breathed.
He could say the same thing about her, but he ignored the tightening in his chest and turned from her. He’d had everything installed to help him walk again, including parallel bars, bikes, weights, harnesses, stairs, and something extra. To the side of them was a wall for rock climbing. That had come about because of Aaron’s insistence. Jett was almost embarrassed to have her see it, like he’d been caught dreaming. He couldn’t explain it, but climbing again felt wrong on so many levels.
“Impressive.” Sand covered the base of the climbing wall, and she pushed it around with the toe of her worn sneakers. She turned to him with a determined glint in those magnificent eyes. The walls that had crumbled down last night were back up with a vengeance. She smiled more, but he could tell it was part of her defenses to keep him back. From what? He didn’t know. “You’ve got it all!” she said.
Jett had no excuse not to be walking again, but besides the weights, he’d hardly used any of it.
She left the sand and took a turn around the room, stopping at a shelf where his knickknacks seemed to have built up. She tugged out the Spiider Sleeve to inspect it closer. “What’s this?”
Whoa! If his leg was attached, he’d quickly jump up and hide his last disastrous invention from her. The mere sight of the wretched thing drowned him in his own failures. “Just something I made.” He tried to keep his voice casual as she played with the buckle that would attach the sleeve to the back of the shoulder. The prototype wasn’t the one he’d worn at the accident—that had been torn to smithereens—this was the one Harry had refused to take. Now that Jett was “broken,” he hadn’t found much use for it.
“Oh.” She tucked it back on the shelf. “You should show me how it works someday.”
He nodded, embarrassed, as she came back to him. He grabbed his prosthetic to hurriedly put it on.
She shook her head. “I want to see what you can do without the socket.”
Was this a joke? Well, he certainly couldn’t move like he used to. His injuries had done a number on him, but he let her run him through some weights, followed by some hip- and glute-strengthening exercises. He lay on his side, working the quad muscle that was left with a few hip extensions and abductions; then he turned on his stomach and stretched out his hip flexors as he lifted his leg to the ceiling. The whole time, she freely gave her encouragement, correcting his form like he was getting ready for a marathon.
His missing leg itched and screamed out in pain like it was actually there. He sighed, looking up at her through his hair. “You think you can get that itch?”
“Where?”
He pointed to the
spot where his leg used to be.
She bit her lip. “Phantom itch, huh?”
“Something terrible.”
She leaned over him, her hand landing against his arm to use it as an anchor, and she mimicked a scratching motion with her fingers over an invisible leg, before whipping her head back up to him. “How’s that?”
He just laughed and pulled back.
Her smile turned tender as her eyes ran over his face and then traveled over his arms. “You’ve got a strong upper body, Jett.” She lowered her voice, like she was almost saying it to herself. “The strongest I’ve ever seen.”
“Wait, what?” His lips turned up, and he felt warmth spread through him at the flattery. Of course, she hadn’t meant it that way, but this was a perfect moment for teasing.
She gave a shy laugh. “Powerful upper body strength is a good thing. I’ve heard that other climbers without legs do thousands of pull-ups to get to the top of mountains.”
“Oh, is that all? Thousands?”
“You could do it … but let’s get that leg working first. Maybe we can avoid making you into an American Gladiator.” Her hair had loosened from her ponytail, and a few wispy strands had escaped to fall over her face. He stopped himself from pushing them back. The last thing she wanted was for someone like him to touch her, especially after last night.
He tried to pull himself together and sat up. She waited patiently while he put on his prosthetic. Then she attached a harness onto him and had him walk another straight line.
She steadied him with a hand on his back. “So, you’re compensating for what you don’t have.”
Her gaze went back to the muscles flexing on his arms, and he tried not to laugh. “You’re obsessed with my arms!”
Hannah’s shoulders bent with a giggle, and she swatted his arm lightly. “The problem is that you’re so strong. Another guy would’ve just given up by now and just used the prosthetic like it was meant to be used, but you’re more than happy to do thousands of pull-ups to make up for the loss, aren’t you?” She studied the prosthetic, then him, like he was a complicated math equation. “Do you feel pain in the stump? How’s the fit on that leg?”
Her Broken Hero Billionaire (Billionaire Bachelor Mountain Cove Book 8) Page 6
