Ramsey dipped his head. Regardless of what she’d done, Sarah was still his daughter. As long as he accepted that Sarah’s death had been necessary, Ramsey wouldn’t begrudge him access to the body.
***
Jezebel turned away from the TV when the door opened. Instantly, warmth swept through her body.
Ramsey stood in the doorway, a huge bouquet of flowers in one hand, and a little smile on his face. As usual, he was dressed professionally. His navy blue, knee-length wool coat did little to obscure the suit he wore underneath. He didn’t speak as he approached, handing her the roses as he tossed out the old flowers and replaced them with the fresh ones.
Delilah, who was curled up on the reclining chair in a light sleep, suddenly sat up, stretched and sighed. “I need something to eat.” She eyed Ramsey as she usually did, with suspicion, before turning to Jezebel. “Want anything?”
“Can you sneak me some chips?” Jezebel whispered. She’d been in the hospital for three days, under observation for a concussion due to head trauma and potential pre-term labor. Except for the headache due to the bullet grazing her temple, and the drowsiness of the medication, Jezebel felt fine. Neither Ramsey nor any of the doctors seemed willing to allow her to leave just yet.
“No, she can’t,” Ramsey murmured, giving Delilah a stern look.
“Of course not,” Delilah agreed but as soon as she was behind Ramsey, she smiled conspiratorially and nodded. She’d snuck her some cookies already. What were a few chips?
When they were alone, Ramsey moved closer and stared down at her. “You look good.”
Jezebel snorted. Sure she did, sitting here in a hospital gown with her hair uncombed, a white bandage at her left temple, and possible eye-snot. “You don’t have to lie to start a conversation.”
He smirked. “I’m being honest. You do look good, very rested, and the glow is back.”
“The glow?” She batted her lashes at him.
“That maternal glow,” he answered. “The one happy pregnant women have.”
Happy pregnant women? Ramsey Stone sure had a way with words. “Sure.”
He grinned. “How are you feeling?”
“Good enough to leave this hospital.”
“Patience, Jez. A few more days and you’ll be out of here.” He smiled. “Are you bored already with this little suite?”
The “little” suite was quite massive. It was almost its own apartment, with couches that transitioned into beds, recliners, and everything necessary for the comfort of the patient and her family. Vince or Ramsey usually slept on the couches and Delilah either took the recliner or the other couch. She was never alone.
“How’s Bastian?” she asked after a long pause.
Ramsey nodded. “As good as he can be given the circumstances.”
“And you?”
She’d noticed a change in him. It was very subtle but as closely as she watched Ramsey, she’d picked up on it immediately. His eyes had grown haunted. No matter how much he smiled or laughed, his eyes remained unchanged.
He took her hand, turned it over and laced his fingers with hers, palm to palm. He smiled and she watched his eyes, saw that it didn’t quite reach them and gripped him tight. “I’m good. Thank you for―”
“Are you really?” she interrupted.
His smile faded a bit but he leaned down and brushed his lips against her forehead. She sighed. He always did that when he was ready to change the subject.
As he lifted away, she used her free hand to cup his cheek. He seemed surprised and she used it to her advantage. “Are the dreams back?”
Instantly, his face closed up. Jezebel knew it. She’d suspected, but his reaction confirmed it. Of course they were back. He’d found the person responsible for Lily’s death and she’d been right under his nose all along. He was probably beating himself up about it, thinking he could have prevented it had he done more. Her anger at Sarah spiked yet again. She’d caused such damage, so much pain and heartbreak.
“Ramsey, you couldn’t have known,” Jezebel began softly, feeling her heart break as she stared into cool, unreadable eyes. “And you couldn’t have prevented it. Lily loved you so much. She wouldn’t have blamed you for this.”
He didn’t say anything for long moments and Jezebel released him. She expected him to move away, to pretend he didn’t know what she was talking about, to leave, but he remained still, staring at her with that unreadable expression.
“Ramsey?” she queried softly after close to a minute passed with them like that.
He blinked, blinked again, and again.
“Where did you go?”
His lips brushed hers, a slight press that wasn’t in the least erotic. As he pulled back, his lips lifted in something close to a smile. “Nowhere. I was right here.”
She nodded. “Are you staying?”
“Would you like me to stay?” Ramsey returned, his lips lifting in a knowing smirk.
“As you said, I’m bored.” Once he removed his coat and jacket and made himself comfortable in the recliner, she began pestering him with questions. What day were they releasing her? Did they even have one? Was she going back to Gwangju? Had Dr. Chen revoked her travelling pass?
Ramsey sat there, listened, and answered, all with a smile on his face. By the time she was finished, Delilah returned with the contraband barbecue flavored potato chips. Ramsey took one look at her, returned his attention to Jezebel, and shook his head.
“They’re not for me.” She feigned being offended. “They’re for Delilah.”
“Oh,” Ramsey muttered. “Well, I guess I’ll sit here and watch her eat them.”
“Don’t you have something to do, Ramsey?” Delilah asked with a lifted brow.
Ramsey grinned. “It can wait.”
“You’re a businessman, aren’t you?” her sister continued, earning a glare from Jezebel. “Your clients must hate waiting.”
“This client doesn’t mind,” Ramsey assured. “Are you going to eat those or do you need help?”
Delilah glared but opened the bag and began to dig into the chips. Jezebel looked on hungrily, glaring at Ramsey, who was watching her with a smirk. Her sister suddenly approached the other side of her bed, reached into the bag and withdrew a handful of the chips.
“Delilah…” Ramsey warned.
“Be quiet, Ramsey,” her sister threw back with hard eyes. “You’re not pregnant and it’s not your birthday.”
Jezebel took the offering eagerly, slipping one into her mouth as he sat there in shock.
“I didn’t know it was your birthday.”
“ ‘course you didn’t,” Delilah muttered. “It’s the same day every year, December 15, but you were too busy handling your business.” Her sister glared at him as she walked over to the couch and tossed herself onto it.
“Jezebel, I don’t think this is a good…” She moaned at the salty goodness and nodded for him to continue.
Dark brows lifted. “…idea. I think that’s enough.”
Another chip slid into her mouth and she sighed and crunched happily, nodding all the while. By the time the third one slid past her lips, he was clearly amused. As she ate the last, taking her time to soak up the tangy-sweet deliciousness and licking her lips when she was finished, he simply watched her.
“Delicious,” she murmured with a smile and sigh. She stroked her belly like the happy pregnant woman he’d called her. “And I feel great.”
Ramsey was suddenly leaning over her, his lips claiming hers in a kiss that was nothing like that last one. His tongue stroked into her mouth, playing with her tongue, before retreating to trace her lips.
Jezebel could have sworn she heard a groan that was neither hers nor his.
When he pulled away, she blinked at him, shocked and more than a little excited. “You’re right. You are delicious.” His eyes lowered to her lips and she licked them in anticipation. “Happy birthday, baby. I’m going to find out when I can take you home so we can celebrate properly.�
�� With a smile, he pulled away and shrugged into his jacket, followed by his coat. “I have a meeting but I’ll be back in a few hours.” As she stared at him, still in shock, Ramsey headed for the lounge area and Delilah. “Don’t give her anymore of that stuff.”
“Wasn’t going to,” Delilah returned, shaking her head as if Ramsey was a strange creature she didn’t quite understand. “She’s my sister. I love her. I wouldn’t give her anything that would make her sick.”
“Not intentionally,” Ramsey agreed. “No more snacks.”
As soon as he left, Delilah moved back to her chair, kicked off her winter boots and made herself comfortable, raising a brow at Jezebel. “What do you see in him except a pretty face and a nicely sculpted body?”
Jezebel focused on the TV. It was simple. She saw the man behind The Dragon, the businessman, and the masseuse. He was loyal, smart, funny, sweet, gentle, loving, caring, protective, and honorable. She was in love with him.
“So just the pretty face and the body, huh, sis?” Delilah muttered with a smirk. “Never thought you’d fall for that.”
Although she snorted in answer, Jezebel chose to keep her reasons to herself. Delilah wouldn’t like her answer, and she wasn’t very comfortable with it either.
***
“Are you here to kill me, goja?” Chang asked in a bored voice.
“Possibly,” Ramsey answered. “And if you keep calling me goja, I’ll have further incentive to do it.”
Chang snorted and pushed up from the hard mattress he’d been given. He wore a large t-shirt and sweats, the change of clothes Ramsey had given him when he realized he couldn’t kill the man without finding out more details. “Did you kill my daughter?”
“No.”
At his lifted brow, Ramsey continued, “She was treated in a private clinic weeks ago. She’s alive.”
“My grandsons?”
“No.”
“Will you kill them?”
Ramsey shook his head. “No.”
Chang nodded. “I have your word on your woman and unborn child?”
“Yes.”
“So this is it?” The old man nodded. “I’m ready.”
“Are you?” The door opened again. Ramsey didn’t bother to turn around. He knew who entered. Chang’s eyes widened at the newcomer before they grew hard.
“Kwan, you’ve come to witness my death, old friend?”
“No. I’m here to try to prevent it.” He sighed. “If Ramsey releases you from this cell, will you seek revenge?”
“What is this?” Chang demanded.
It was necessary.
“Were you aware of Kim and Bye’s plans concerning Lily and Jezebel?” When he opened his mouth, Ramsey halted him. “You either go to your grave with a lie on your soul or go free.”
Chang snorted. “I knew nothing.” He looked at Kwan. “We abide by a code and for years, none of us broke that code. The wives and children of allies are off limits.”
“You swear on your grandsons?”
“I swear I knew nothing of it.”
Ramsey nodded. He wasn’t satisfied but for now, this would have to do.
“I buried my daughter yesterday,” Kwan murmured.
Chang’s brows shot up. “Sarah?”
Kwan nodded. “She killed my granddaughter, attempted to kill her husband, Ramsey’s woman…” He sighed. “She was working with your son-in-law and your nephew.”
“What?”
“It’s true. She set us all up.”
“She’s the reason we’re all here,” Kwan continued. “I buried my daughter and I want to bury this feud.”
“I attacked your family because I believed you’d attacked mine.” Ramsey spoke clearly, firmly. “I would have never touched your daughter or grandsons were I not convinced that you were responsible for my niece’s death.”
“I wasn’t.”
Ramsey nodded. “I’ll accept that and in return, you’ll swear on the lives of you grandsons that you won’t retaliate against me or any member of my family for my actions.”
“What does it matter if I’m going to die?”
Kwan released a frustrated breath. “You won’t die. You’ll be released. This feud will end and we’ll all go back to our respective corners.”
“You’d let me go?” Chang asked low.
“I would,” Ramsey confirmed. “If you swear on the lives of your grandsons that you won’t retaliate against my family.”
Kwan’s gaze was direct. He arched a brow. “You’d believe me?”
“I’d like to,” Ramsey stated. “But if you break your word, I will come after you, your daughters, your grandsons, your nephews, your son-in-laws.” He smiled. “I’ll wipe every trace of your bloodline from Suwon and Gunsan and that’s just me getting started.”
At Chang’s snarl, Kwan interrupted, “We go back to our separate provinces, we hold no grudges for what we were forced to do, we live as we’ve lived for decades, separate but in peace.” He turned to Ramsey. “Do you agree, Kang Jae Ramsey Stone?”
Ramsey kept his eyes on Chang. “He has to swear.”
Chang nodded. “I swear on my grandsons that I will not retaliate for the measures taken by young Kang Jae Ramsey Stone.”
Ignoring the dig in the face of peace, Ramsey nodded. “I agree.”
“Do you agree, Chang Chul-Moo?”
The older man nodded once. “I agree.”
Kwan held out a hand to Ramsey, who shook it, then to Chang, who did the same. Next, Ramsey and Chang shook hands.
When that was over, Kwan sighed and nodded. “Let’s be done with this.”
***
She’d never thought she’d be happy to go back to Ramsey’s Gwangju estate, but Jezebel couldn’t stop smiling when Ramsey helped her from the SUV and she began her trek to the front doors. Snow was everywhere, piled a few inches off the ground, so she leaned on Ramsey for support.
As soon as she stepped into the house, Hannah was fussing over her. In the five days she’d spent in the hospital, she’d seen Hannah daily, and each time, the woman had hovered over her. Today, she helped Jezebel remove her shoes and put on comfortable home slippers. Between Hannah and Delilah, Ramsey was brushed out of the way and reduced to coat-holder as they escorted her up the spiral staircase, past her bedroom, and into Ramsey’s.
Shock made her speechless at first, but Jezebel soon realized it was intentional. Even her clothes had been moved to his closet. Of course. Sarah had been shot in her room. It was probably still being cleaned, fumigated and whatever else they had to do in there. She barely resisted the urge to shudder. It was a good thing. She didn’t want to be in that room, not after what had happened there.
“Are you hungry?” Hannah asked as soon as she was dressed in comfortable clothes and under the covers.
That question had become rhetorical as of late. As her seventh month seemed to race up on her, Jezebel was always hungry. Even if she didn’t want a full on meal, she wanted a snack. Chips, cookies, M&Ms, anything that she could put in her mouth once it was both sweet and tart, were welcomed.
“She is,” Delilah answered, earning a scowl then a reluctant smile from her sister.
“What do you want?” Hannah asked.
“Barbeque chips?” Despite Ramsey telling Delilah not to give her chips, Delilah was her sister, and their blood ran thick. Of course she’d had a handful of the chips, always when Ramsey wasn’t there, but still.
Hannah lifted a brow. “I’m not sure we have those right now but one of the girls can go to the supermarket…”
“Pickles and peanut butter?”
The woman chuckled. “We definitely have that.” She stared at Jezebel for long moments and Jezebel suspected there was something she wanted to tell her, before she smiled and said, “I’ll get it for you.”
“Thank you, Hannah.”
“You’re very welcome, Jezebel.”
With that, she left the sisters alone.
Delilah approached her bed and sat
on the edge. “I need a shower. My skin is crawling with how much I need a shower.”
“So take one.”
“I can shower in here if you don’t want to be alone,” Delilah offered, looking around. “I’m sure Ramsey won’t mind and even if he does―”
“I’m fine,” Jezebel assured, taking her sister’s hand. “Thank you for being my sister.”
“Aww,” Delilah murmured. “I don’t really have a choice.” She smirked.
“Oh, you’re hilarious, you know that?” Jezebel snorted and tossed her hand away. “Go shower, stinky.”
“The abuse I suffer for my sister,” Delilah sighed. “I’ll be back in twenty minutes.”
“Take your time.” Jezebel sighed and lowered her voice. “She’s gone. We’re safe.”
Delilah nodded. “I know, but if you get lonely or anything, I’m just next door.”
“Go already!” She chuckled.
At her sister’s departure, she slid down into the massive bed and waited for Hannah. In that time, she thought about her new room: Ramsey’s room. She shouldn’t be shocked as Ramsey had spent every night of the last few weeks in her room, but she was still a bit frazzled. It wasn’t a guestroom. This was his room. His mother had escorted her into it… Was Ramsey’s family religious? Hannah? She briefly remembered a Catholic priest at Lily’s funeral. That memory led to her remembering Sarah, crying pitifully next to Bastian and Ramsey, knowing in the back of her head that she was responsible. Jezebel snarled. What a bitch. Her own daughter. As she grew angrier and angrier, Jezebel forced herself to think of other things. Baby names for example. She had no idea what she was going to name the little human inside of her. Maybe she should have one of those baby showers, have people give her ideas. First, she’d have to get back to America and be safe. Jezebel sighed.
Minutes later, Hannah returned with her snack, laid it on the bed next to her and pulled a chair close.
“I’m sorry.” Jezebel was on her second pickle when Hannah spoke.
“For what?”
“I always suspected…” Hannah broke off. “I knew there was something wrong with Sarah but I thought it was post-partum. I just thought she needed the attention, the validation because of that. I never thought it was this bad.” She shook her head. “I’m so sorry, Jezebel.”
The Dragon (G.O.N.Y. - Double Dragon) Page 26
