“Today with my brother was something that I needed, and now with you here in my childhood swimming hole, it’s made this day complete.” Jill cupped his cheek. “I’m going to enjoy whatever time I have left instead of living in fear and hope for whatever is to come. It is what it is.”
With each word she spoke Slade’s eyes turned dark with anger, but she only spoke the truth and he knew it.
“So, now”—she gave him a smile filled with mischief—“I double dog dare you to double back flip off the vine and if you fail, you owe me a full day of being my sex slave.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him.
“I’m not finding any of this funny, Jill.” Slade’s grip tightened on her. He even shook her a little. “You can talk all you want about dying, but I will do whatever it takes to make sure that doesn’t happen. First by getting you out of the water.”
Deep disappointment ravaged her, tears beat against her eyes, but she held them back. “Then we have a serious problem.” She pushed away from him with her weakening strength to swim back to shore, but he grabbed her foot, pulling her back to him.
“No, you have a serious problem.” Slade’s mouth slammed down on hers. He stopped suddenly as he pulled away. “Because even if you end up hating me, you will survive this, as will Pam.”
“I could never hate you.” Jill once again pushed away. “But I’ll never let you change me if it means you will lose everything, and that I will fight you about.”
A flicker of shock registered before his eyes narrowed. “You need to stop eavesdropping on other people’s conversations.”
Jill shrugged while she swam backwards. “Seems it’s the only way to find out the truth.”
“I’ve never lied to you.” Slade swam toward her with predatory ease.
“Keeping information is seen by most as lying.” Jill still swimming backwards swam a little faster.
“Seems someone didn’t wait around long enough for me to tell her the news.” He snatched hold of her feet, pulled her toward him, and wrapped her legs around his waist. “As a matter of fact, she was out breaking the law hotwiring cars.”
Jill held on tightly as he walked them out of the water and up the ledge. “Hotwiring that piece of junk isn’t breaking the law.” Jill rolled her eyes when she heard Adam in the distance still bitching about her taking his car. “But that still doesn’t excuse you from lying, Warrior.”
Slade didn’t set her down once they reached the top, but held her even tighter. “I’ve told you before I’m a very stubborn male. If I say you will not die, you will not die because no matter what I have to do, fuck the risks, I will do. Nothing will take you from me, Jillian ‘soon to be’ Buchanan, is that understood?” When she didn’t answer, he smacked her wet ass. “I asked you a question.”
“Hey!” Jill jerked with a glare.
“Do you understand?” His voice remained hard as he waited for her answer.
“Understood...” Slade always knew when she was lying, so she acted fast to throw him off. “...Master,” she added with a sexy twang to her voice.
“I don’t believe for a second you meant that.” Slade set her on her feet.
“I’ll make you a deal.” Jill crossed her arms, pushing her wet breasts up, drawing his attention which of course made her nipples hard as pebbles.
“I don’t make deals,” he replied without any give in his voice whatsoever, but his eyes skimmed her body.
“Okay, bet.” Jill sighed impatiently, but his eyes roaming her wet body was turning her on so badly, her weakness was completely forgotten. His eyes finally met hers with a cocked eyebrow. “If you complete a double backflip off the vine, I will listen to you.”
“You will listen to me anyway.” Crossing his arms across his massive chest, which was plastered against his wet shirt, he gave her a knowing smirk.
Snapping her eyes off his amazing body, Jill mentally reminded herself with a smack that she didn’t take to dominance well unless it was in the bedroom. At present, he was being a dominant ass with no sex promised. She gave him a growl of her own, then laughed. “It’s okay. Not many people can pull off a double back flip and I don’t want to peer pressure you into anything, but if you pull it off, I’ll not only listen to you, I’ll be your sex slave.”
Slade’s head actually fell back as he laughed, but when he snapped his head back, he was more than serious. “You are already my sex slave as I am yours and you will listen to me...do you understand?”
Jill actually thought she heard herself pant as she nodded. How in the hell could she deny this man anything? Swallowing hard, she leered at him. “Chicken,” she whispered, trying her best to ignore his sex slave talk.
Slade’s eyes narrowed as he looked out over the water then back to her. “I would do anything for you.” With no further words, he took off running, passing the vine, jumping straight up in the air off the ledge and seemed to hover before flipping into not two, but three perfect backflips and, of course, hitting the water in a perfect dive.
“Oh. My. God!” Jill laughed in awe. “That was awesome.” She clapped her hands as he swam back and climbed up the ledge.
Shaking the water off his face, he stared down at Jill. “You happy now?”
“Yes!” She laughed then hugged him. “Show me how you did that. I can barely do two and then I belly flop in the water almost every time.”
He shook his head taking her arm to lead her away from the water. “No.”
“Awe, come on!” she begged with a mischievous grin. “Just once. You said you’d do anything...”
Picking her up in his arms, Slade headed up the path. “You’re going to hold that over my head?”
“Absolutely.” Jill nodded before resting her head on his chest suddenly tired beyond belief. “Afraid I’ll do it better than you?”
Slade’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “You know it.”
******
When Jill didn’t answer, Slade looked down at her. She was fast asleep. Hearing the guys up the path, he slowed to a stop to stare at his life in his arms. She was his life and the fear of seeing her sick was killing him. He looked composed on the surface—he made damn sure of that—but inside, a fierce desperate panic threatened to consume him.
He had heard talk from other doctors, that they could feel death in their patients, knew when the time was close, and he did also. With Jill, he didn’t know if it was his being a doctor, a vampire or a man in love, but all he knew was he had to act fast.
A water drop from his wet hair hit her cheek making her flinch, but she didn’t wake. Her breathing was even and slow. She had fallen into a deep sleep fast and that worried him. Her pulse beat quickly on the side of her neck, another sign that sent his hidden panic in an uproar. Her coloring was off as well, but that could be due to the cool water. Though he knew that wasn’t it. It was just an excuse he could try to use to make it seem like she was okay, when he knew she wasn’t.
“What happened?” Trevor’s panicked voice broke into his thoughts. “Is she okay?”
Slade nodded, not trusting his voice, but when Trevor’s fear for his sister hit him full force, he sighed. “She’s just sleeping.” Slade walked past Trevor and headed toward Adam’s car. He needed to get her out of her wet clothes. Seeing Hunter had shifted back, he nodded toward his bike. “Can you get my bike back to the compound?”
“No problem,” Hunter replied, but his eyes stayed on Jill.
“Damn.” Adam’s face turned from irritation to a worried frown when he opened up the back door of his car. As soon as Slade slid in with Jill still in his arms, Adam closed the door and rushed to jump in.
“Back to the compound?” Adam glanced at Slade in the rearview mirror.
“Yeah and hurry.” Slade mumbled a curse when Jill shivered in his arms.
CHAPTER 10
Jax, Blaze and Hunter all stood near the bikes watching as Adam backed out of the path with Jill’s brother following.
Blaze glanced at Hunter. “You thinking wh
“If a big juicy steak and red head just as juicy is what you’re thinking, then yes.” Hunter slid on Slade’s bike.
Jax actually grinned at that.
“No, you asshole.” Blaze grunted. “Do you think old Mable could help Jill and the others?”
“Crazy-eyed Mable?” Hunter’s eyes widened. “Hell, dude, I don’t even think she’s still alive. The last time I saw her she about made me shit my pants, I’ll tell ya.”
Blaze laughed. “Garrett told me about that. You ended up having to take Emily Snodgrass to her prom.”
“And she told me if I didn’t my...and these were her exact words... ‘little wiener would shrivel up, turn black and fall off.’” Hunter actually adjusted his crotch. “Let me tell you, boys, when crazy-eyed Mable threatens your dick, you take Emily Snodgrass to the prom.”
“Who and what the hell is crazy-eyed Mable?” Jax had never met Hunter, but the guy was funny as hell and actually fit in well with the Warriors, at least with Sid and Jared.
“Some say she’s a witch,” Hunter replied with a shiver. “But she has this crazy eye that you never know if it’s looking at you or not. It just stares off in one direction one minute and the next it’s looking straight at you. Creepy as fuck.”
“She’s not a witch.” Blaze frowned, then sighed at Hunter’s look. “Okay, she might be a witch. Though she has helped a lot of people.”
“Dude, she threatened my dick and called it little. And do you seriously think Dr. Vampire is going to let his mate anywhere close to some crazy old lady with a crazy eye?” Hunter snorted, shaking his head. “Wait, let me answer that for you. Hell, no, he’s not.”
“Just a thought.” Blaze glanced at Jax who was grinning. “I seriously never expected Hunter Foster to be afraid of a little old lady.”
“Who threatened my dick. Did you not hear that part?” Hunter glared at him.
Jax, still grinning, climbed on the bike. “I just have to ask, why did she make you take this Emily Snodgrass to the prom?”
“Honestly, I was an asshole.” Hunter fessed up, actually looking a bit ashamed. “Emily was definitely not my type. She wore these big glasses, was a little on the heavy side, and just not my type. I made fun of Emily one day in town and old Mable heard it. Then she let go with the threats, which as I said scared the shit out of me, so I took Emily to the dance. Funny thing was after the initial embarrassment and after I stopped being a total jerk, Emily was pretty fucking awesome. She was funny and had such a kind heart. She was actually one person I trusted as much as my brothers until she took off to college.”
“So you made a great friend—” Jax started, but Hunter interrupted him.
“And saved my dick.” Hunter stopped to remind them all of that important information.
“Crazy Mable sounds like a pretty smart woman.” Jax nodded to Blaze who nodded back in agreement. “Okay, why don’t you guys head down to Tavern’s and see if you can find out anything on Mika then I’ll meet up with you later.”
“Sounds good.” Blaze slid on his bike.
“And where are you going?” Hunter grinned with a cocked eyebrow.
Jax’s gaze breezed right over Hunter as he started his bike, then kicked it in gear.
“Tell the pretty Caroline I said hello!” Hunter yelled after him, laughing loudly as Jax flipped him off.
******
Jax pulled into Caroline’s long gravel driveway. It was almost completely dark and he could see what looked like candle light coming from her front window. Parking, he swung off the bike and dug in his bag. Getting what he needed, he headed toward the house, but stopped at the music coming from inside. AC/DC played loudly and Jax grinned. Who knew the proper little school teacher was a heavy metal fan? Closer to the house, he heard her singing along, his grin growing.
Once at the door, he knocked loudly and waited, but the singing continued. Stepping toward the side of the porch, he peered through the window. She stood on a ladder wiping down a wall. His eyes moved down her body. She had changed into a pair of jean shorts, which outlined her heart-shaped ass perfectly. She wasn’t a big woman, but she had curves with thighs that could hold a man tight. He was an ass and leg man, no doubt, and what he saw, he wanted with a force that shocked him.
Cursing, he backed off to get himself in check. Leaning against the porch railing, he dropped his head back squeezing his eyes shut, but the vision of her on the ladder wouldn’t leave.
“Fuck!” he cursed. Wicked visions of her on the ladder, naked, consumed his thoughts. Caught up in the heat, he fell backward, the porch railing breaking against his weight. He tried to land on his feet, but that didn’t quite work out because he found himself looking up at the starlit sky. “Son of a bitch!” he cursed again, but this time for a whole different reason and started to stand.
“What do you want?” Caroline’s shaky voice and the click of a gun broke the now silent night. AC/DC was no longer playing.
Jax’s eyes narrowed as he stared up at Caroline, who was squinting in the darkness, the gun shaking visibly in her hand. “What do I want?” Jax’s voice boomed from the darkness. He quickly got up, closing the distance between them, and grabbed the gun before she shot him or herself. “What do I want? Are you kidding me?”
“Jax?” Caroline gasped, then slapped her hand over her heart. “You scared the crap out of me.”
“Good.” Jax checked the safety on her gun, then stuck it in his pants.
“What was that noise?” Caroline frowned, looking behind him. Her eyes widened. “What happened to my railing?”
Jax glanced back at the rail and then eyed Caroline. Maybe she didn’t see his embarrassing fall. “Not sure,” he replied, before stepping in front of her to block the broken railing.
Still frowning, she looked up at him. “What are you doing here?”
“I noticed your door locks are old and I wanted to replace them.” Jax welcomed the change in topic.
“Oh.” Caroline looked at the bag in his hand before looking at him, confused. “Why?”
“Because you shouldn’t be staying here alone without good locks on your doors,” Jax replied, irritated. “That’s why. And if you ever have to point a gun at a man again, you better have a steady hand and do not, under any circumstance, ask him what he wants.”
Caroline bit her lip, folding her arms. “Well, I wasn’t expecting anyone—”
“Always expect someone.” Jax frowned down at her. “If you plan on staying here alone, you need to expect and be ready for some asshole to come sniffing around.”
She rolled her eyes, her frown deepening. “No one is going to come sniffing around.” She held out her hand. “Can I have my gun back, please?”
Jax ignored her and headed over to a small kitchen table, which was the only furniture in the place. Glancing down at a plate, he picked it up, looking at it closely. “What the hell is this?”
Caroline walked over, snatching the plate from his hand. “Dinner.” She put the plate back on the table.
The burned-to-a-crisp hamburger was eaten on the edges only and the lonely hotdog was so black and deformed he felt sorry for it. “That’s food?” He couldn’t help but ask with a snort.
“Yeah, smartass.” Caroline slammed her hand on her hip. “I had a little trouble with the grill, but it was perfect.” The disgusted crinkle of her nose revealed her lie.
Cocking his eyebrow at the food, Jax pulled out his phone and shot off a text. “You have any tools?”
“You really don’t have to do this,” Caroline said, her face blushing beautifully.
Jax stared at her without saying a word, waiting for her answer.
With a huff, Caroline went to the corner, bent over to grab a tiny toolbox, making Jax groan, and then set it on the table with a glare. “Anything else?” Her tone was definitely not pleasant.
Now wasn’t that a loaded question. Jax watched her, appreciating how beautiful she looked in candlelight. Staying clear of her was sure going to hell, he cursed to himself. She had a vulnerability to her that drew him in, plus she was beautiful, smart and what the fuck was wrong with him? Next he’d be kneeling at her fucking feet spouting poetry. “Fuck!” He growled, grabbing the tiny toolbox and heading toward the front door.
Before long, he had fixed both locks and had tried them multiple times before handing her the keys.
“Thank you.” Caroline took the keys.
“You’re welcome.” Jax rolled his shoulders, becoming uncomfortable and was glad to hear the motorcycles coming up the road. “Make sure you have these doors locked, both of them.”
“Why are you doing this when you so adamantly stated you wanted nothing to do with me?” Caroline looked up from the keys in her hand, true confusion coloring her voice and shadowing her eyes.
Caroline’s question was fair and Jax knew it. He just didn’t know how to answer her. And he never said he wanted nothing to do with her. He had warned her to stay away from him, which to be fair, she had. He was the one having a hard time, and wasn’t that a kick in the balls. The knock on the door saved him from saying anything at all.
“Who in the world can that be?” The knock startled Caroline.
Jax knew she hadn’t heard the bikes because of the music playing, something else that bothered him. Anyone could sneak up without her even knowing it. He watched her walk to the door and followed her. She was about to open the door without asking who it was, but he slammed his hand against it, preventing her.
“Never open the door without knowing who’s on the other side, Caroline.” Jax dropped his gaze to hers, her scent enveloping him in warmth. “Wouldn’t you tell your kids the same thing?”
Caroline’s glare softened with understanding. “Who is it?” she asked loudly, but her eyes stayed on Jax. He could have sworn she inhaled his scent as well.
“Pizza and my friend, beer. Now open the door. Pizza is getting cold and beer is getting warm, plus you have the biggest fucking mosquitoes out here that I ever saw. Blaze is fighting one as I speak.” Hunter’s voice came through the door. “Shoot the bastard.”
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