by L A Cotton
“I’ve got to make a call,” I rushed out, fumbling in my pocket for my cell phone. Braiden’s eyes followed me as I walked away, probably wondering who I was calling.
Our past and present were about to collide once more.
~
“Anything?” I said again, doubling back around the house.
“Nothing. I really don’t think he came up to the house.”
I shot Braiden a warning glare. This was my house. My home. The place I intended to raise a family. If whoever was after Braiden so much as stepped foot inside, then I wouldn’t be held responsible for my actions. Everyone had a line—and mine was Ana and my unborn daughter. Circling the house again, I checked every door, every window. Nothing seemed out of place, no lock or latch tampered with. No signs of forced entry. Nothing.
“Ana can’t come back here,” I said. It wasn’t directed at Braiden, but he answered anyway. “Don’t you think that’s a little bit—”
I ran at him, throwing him against the wall with my body, my arm pinning him across the throat. “I’m trying, really fucking trying, to stay calm, Donohue, but I swear to god if you play down this shit one more time, I will—”
He shirked me off, pushing me away. “I got it, okay? No need to go all schizoid on me.”
Jamming my hand into my hair, I tugged the ends in frustration. That was the thing—he didn’t get it. He couldn’t. I met his eyes and sighed. “If anything happens to Ana or my daughter, I will hold you personally responsible. Are we clear?”
“Crystal,” he said.
~ BRAIDEN ~
I held up my hands in surrender. Jackson had every right to lose it with me because I was the reason this was happening. Me and my fucked up past.
“I’ll leave,” I said calmly. It was the only solution I had right now. Hopefully, whoever was out there would take the bait and follow.
Jackson’s eyes shuttered as he shook his head. “It’s too late for that. Whoever’s doing this won’t stop until they catch up with you. We handle this together.”
Well, shit me. I didn’t deserve his alliance or his friendship. What I’d done to him and Ana back in Chastity Falls was unforgivable, but Jackson’s loyalty was unwavering.
Maybe it shouldn’t have been.
“I’ll call O’Connor. It’s time I faced my mess head-on.” I stared at the man I’d once called my best friend … my brother. “I give you my word that I’ll do everything to keep Ana out of this. I promise.”
My word wasn’t worth much, but it was all I had.
“Call him. I need to take care of some stuff. And pack Cara a bag.”
“What?” I asked, unsure if I liked where this was going.
“Well, we can’t stay here.”
So where the fuck were we going?
~
“You’ve got to be shitting me,” I said under my breath as I watched Dennis Hayes push off Jackson’s truck and make his way over to us, his eyes set firmly on me. He pulled Jackson in for a hug and then turned. “Donohue, long time, no see.”
I looked at him and Jackson, wanting some answers, but I knew I had no right to ask. Jackson had called in someone he trusted to protect Ana. To protect his family.
And fuck, if it didn’t sting.
“Well, this is great and all, but is anyone going to introduce us?”
My head whipped around to Cara. “I thought I told you to stay in the car.” It came out more of a growl than I’d intended, and Cara rolled her eyes dramatically. She hadn’t appreciated us hanging around campus all day, trying to look inconspicuous. But now it made sense; Jackson was waiting for backup to arrive.
With a heavy sigh, she barged past me and extended her hand out to Dennis. “Cara O’Connor.”
“Dennis Hayes. I got to say you are nothing like I expected.”
“Should I be offended or flattered?”
He had the balls to look my girl up and down. A deep growl formed in my throat, but Jackson moved his hand to my stomach and shoved me hard. Dennis chuckled, and Cara turned around, her eyes landing on mine. I narrowed them at her, and she rolled her eyes again. “Seriously? We’re hiding from some psycho, and you’re going all caveman on me?”
“I—” My voice trailed off. She might as well have ripped off my balls and handed them to me.
“Oh, she’s exactly as you described. Gotta say, Donohue, never thought I’d see the day when you got put in your place by a woman.”
“Fuck off,” I grumbled. “Don’t we have somewhere to be?”
Cara came nestling into my side. The storm inside ebbed away, but it didn’t disappear. I wouldn’t let it. I had a feeling I would need it.
~ JACKSON ~
“I did not see that one coming,” Dennis mused as we drove to the motel. Braiden and Cara were following in their car.
“He’s changed. I know you don’t want to hear it, but it’s the truth.”
“And Ana’s okay with this?”
My lips pressed into a flat line, and Dennis let out a low whistle. “She doesn’t know, and it needs to stay that way.” For now.
“Jackson, I don’t thi—”
My hand gripped the wheel tighter, turning my knuckles white. “Don’t, okay. I know it’s a shitty thing to do, but she’s already stressed out. This would push her over the edge, and I don’t want to risk her or the baby. We need to get this handled before the hospital releases her.”
It was the only option, wasn’t it?
“You know if he’d never come here, then this wouldn’t be happening, right? Bad shit follows him.”
“I know. Believe me, I know. But he’s changed.”
“So you keep saying,” he murmured.
We rode in thick silence for the rest of the short drive to the edge of town, and when we pulled into the motel, Braiden, Cara, and I waited while Dennis checked into using the fake ID I had him bring. I didn’t ask questions. He was still bound to a life I had been lucky enough to escape.
“Is this really necessary?” Cara piped up as we entered the room, and the three of us glared at her as she blew annoying bubbles with her bubblegum.
“Babe,” Braiden said, earning him an eye roll. “It’s only until we figure this out.”
“Fine.” She waved him off, moving to the bed. “Fine. Lips sealed.”
I grumbled under my breath. Most of the time, Cara was old beyond her years, and it was easy to forget that she was just a kid still. But sometimes, you got a glimpse into that side of her—like right now.
“So we’re good?” I looked at Braiden. “No heroics until I’m back.”
“Cross my heart.” He smirked, but when I narrowed my eyes, he nodded stiffly.
“We’ll see you later.”
“I’m sure you’ll find some way to keep yourselves entertained.” Dennis’s laughter followed me out of the room.
“I heard that, fucker,” Braiden’s growl permeated the door as it clicked shut behind us.
“So what’s the plan? Are you going to tell her?” Dennis rustled in his pocket for his keys as we walked to his truck.
Reaching for the door handle, I gulped over the lump in my throat. “I have no idea.”
~
Cutting the engine, I let out a heavy sigh. “Wait here,” I said. “I need to talk to her first.”
He tipped his chin and leaned back against his head rest. I climbed out of the truck, my eyes sweeping the drop-off zone. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. We had nothing to go on; any of the guys I passed on my way through the hospital could have been him. And I was powerless to do anything about it. A shiver worked its way up my spine. I couldn’t think like that. I had to believe that Ana was safe here. Besides, it was the reason I’d asked Dennis to make the trip out here. If anyone could protect her, Dennis could.
“I hope you brought flowers, son, because you’re in trouble,” one nurse said as I approached Ana’s room.
“How long has she been awake?” I had a good idea since the first call cam
e about two hours ago. But I’d ignored it, still unsure how much I would tell her. My preference was nothing, but Dennis was right—Ana had a right to know.
“Long enough.” The nurse shot me an amused smile, and I pinched the bridge of my nose.
“I’m heading in.” I sighed. If she intended to make me feel guiltier than I already did, she succeeded.
“Good luck.”
Ana’s eyes met mine the second I slipped into the room, and I halted, the flash of anger in her glare pinning me to the spot. “Where the hell have you been? And why aren’t you answering any of my calls? What is going on, Jackson, and don’t tell me nothing because I know—”
“Breathe,” I said calmly. Moving to her side, I sat down, taking her hand in mine. Her steely gaze stabbed at my heart like hot pokers.
“I’ll breathe when you tell me what the hell is going on. Talk, Jackson ...”
“I lied.”
“I know.”
Of course, she did. Ana knew me too well.
“You know I would never lie unless it was absolutely necessary, right?”
She nodded.
“Something came up.”
“Jackson,” she warned.
“I need you to trust me, okay? You need to focus on our baby.” I placed my hand on her stomach. “And you need to let me handle this.”
She considered my words. “How bad is it?”
“Honestly, we don’t know.”
“We?” Her eyes widened with realization. “You mean Braiden is—”
“We always knew this was a risk.”
“I swear to god if anything happens to you, I will kill him myself.”
“Ana ...”
Her grip on my hand tightened. “No, Jackson, listen to me and listen good. You go out there, and you deal with whatever shit he’s caused this time. End it for good. I do not want to bring our baby into a world where we are constantly looking over our shoulders. I won’t do it. She deserves more. We deserve more. Promise me, Jackson. Promise me this ends here. Promise me.”
Tears flowed down her cheeks, each droplet another crack to my chest. I didn’t know how this would all play out. The odds were stacked high against us, but it didn’t stop me from wrapping my arms around the woman I loved more than anything and making her a silent promise that I would end it. That, after this, we would be free of the past. Free to raise our daughter without looking over our shoulders, wondering when the next threat would come. Because as my hand smoothed over Ana’s rounded stomach, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I would do whatever was needed to keep my girls safe.
Whatever.
Chapter 8
~ DENNIS ~
“Can I get you anything?”
Ana refused to meet my eyes. I couldn’t blame her; fuck knows where her mind must have gone when I walked into the room. Maybe Jackson was right; maybe keeping her in the dark was the right way to go. But secrets always got out in the end, and by then, it was usually too late. I’d learned that the hard way.
“I’m fine,” she whispered.
“You know he wouldn’t do this unless it was absolutely necessary.”
That garnered her attention, and Ana’s gaze landed on me. “I know, but it doesn’t make it any easier. All I keep thinking is what if something happens to him.” She laid her hands on her stomach and dropped her eyes there. “What if he’s not around to meet her?”
“Hey, hey.” I moved to the chair beside her bed. “Nothing’s going to happen to Jackson.”
Her head lifted, tears pooling in her eyes. “How do you know that?”
“I—hmm …” I didn’t, but Ana didn’t need to know that. “Look, they have a handle on it. Jackson is doing this for you, Ana. Everything he’s done for the last six years has been for you.”
A small smile broke across her lips. “I know. I just thought we’d found peace, you know. And then …” Ana’s voice trailed off.
“And then Braiden rolled into town and screwed everything up?”
“Bingo.”
“Jackson said he’s changed.”
She clucked her tongue in irritation. “We both know Jackson is too forgiving.”
Ana was right. It was both his strength and his weakness. Always had been. Jackson wanted to believe there was good in everyone—and perhaps there was, but some people kept it buried deep. So deep that sometimes, it couldn’t be reached.
“That’s one battle you won’t win.”
Ana nodded. She knew what I meant. No matter what had gone down between Jackson and Braiden—regardless of the fact he’d chosen to walk away for Ana—Jackson would never give up on his friend. He’d sold out Marcus, Braiden’s father—the man who had raised him for most of his life—and I knew, as did Ana, that he felt guilty about that. He didn’t talk about it, but it lived inside him every second of every day.
Shit, he probably thought this was a chance for redemption.
“I know. And I’m not sure I want too. It’s just …” Her gaze dropped. “I just thought we had put Chastity Falls behind us.”
“And he’s a reminder.”
“Every single day.”
I nodded slowly. Braiden was a mean fucker back then, and his hatred for Ana ran deep, but it wasn’t really about Ana. It was Jackson. From the second Ana came onto the scene, Braiden was jealous—and he was scared. Scared that the quiet girl from Florida would drive a bigger wedge between him and Jackson.
And he was right.
Jackson wanted Ana from the first time he laid eyes on her. He never told me, but I’d caught him watching her around school. And although I was just as surprised as the rest of the guys when it finally came out that they’d been seeing each other secretly, I can’t say I didn’t see it coming.
“You’re his world, Ana. Don’t forget what he sacrificed for you. What he gave up.” I rose from the chair. “I’ll be right outside if you need anything.”
I needed air. I needed to clear my head. I needed to forget.
~
“Everything okay?” Ana asked when I walked back into the room.
“Yeah. Jackson said to tell you he’s fine.”
“You spoke to him?” She sat upright, and I nodded. “I suppose if I ask, you’ll tell me you’re sworn to secrecy?”
“Will it change anything if you know?”
Ana’s mouth turned down at the corners. “No. I just—god, this is hard. I hate it.”
“So let’s talk about something else. We’re both stuck here for a while.”
Her eyes widened, her mouth falling open. “Well, geez, thanks.”
I chuckled. “Just don’t go into labor on me. I am a guy of many talents, but I don’t plan to add midwife to my skillset anytime soon.”
Ana smiled. “It’s good to see you, Dennis, truly. You know, I never got much out of Cass, but whatever happened with you guys?”
She went there. Of course, she fucking went there because that was what chicks did—they talked and asked questions and kept asking until you were forced to surrender answers you knew they wouldn’t like. Answers that would change the way they saw you. Answers that would change everything.
“Not going there,” I said coolly. More coolly than I had intended, but Cass was off-limits. A place I rarely allowed myself to go.
“Humor me. Did you love her?”
“Fuck, Ana. Just come straight out with it, why don’t you?”
“I’m hormonal. It’s my excuse for everything.” She let out a strained laugh, and it cracked the hard shell I’d built around myself the last couple of years. I’d let someone in once; I didn’t intend to do it again.
“Yes, I loved her.”
“But it wasn’t enough?”
“Look,” I said, running a brisk hand over my head and tilting my face up to focus on the ceiling tiles. “Cass and I, we weren’t like you and Jackson. There was never a happy ending for us.”
“But—”
“You don’t quit, do you?” My eyebrow cocked. “Cassie an
d I are from different worlds.”
“Are?”
“Excuse me?”
“You said are,” she stated as if I should know what in the hell she was talking about.
“So?”
“So if she was in your past, you would have said were.”
“Ana …” I warned, irritation heavy in my voice.
“Answer one question for me, and I’ll shut up.”
I let out an exasperated breath, thinking that maybe I should have stayed outside in the main hallway. “One question, fine.”
“Do you still think about her?”
I stared at her, unable to speak over the lump in my throat.
Did I still think about Cassie?
Every second of every minute of every single fucking day.
A heavy silence settled over us. It was awkward as fuck, but then Ana said something that drove the guilt further into my heart.
“You made the wrong choice, Dennis.”
~ ANA ~
He still loved her. I could see it in his eyes. Even after all this time, Dennis loved Cassie. And something in me refused to stay quiet. It was silly really. We weren’t in college anymore. We all had our own lives. Families, business, responsibilities. I hadn’t heard from Cassie in a couple of years, but I heard from Elena that she was teaching in California. Their breakup had been rough on her, that I did know. But Cassie never turned to me the way I thought she might—I guess I was too much of a reminder of what she lost. Of what she couldn’t have.
“What?”
My head shot up, meeting his steely glare. I’d forgotten how cool Dennis could be.
“It’s nothing,” I said.
“No, come on. You might as well say whatever is on your mind.”
“She came to me one night, you know.” Dennis shifted uncomfortably on the chair, but he didn’t stop me, so I continued. “She wanted to know how I did it. How I stayed with Jackson … after everything. During everything.”
“Let me guess. You told her to walk away and never look back.”
I sucked in a sharp breath. “I did no such thing. I told her that if she loved you, if it was real, then it was worth fighting for.”
