It was past time she owned up to her part in that debacle. She’d been wrecked emotionally, true. Just going through the motions for years. But she should have been stronger. At least, strong enough to recognize a snake in the grass when she saw him.
She would never allow herself to be so weak again. And she sure as hell wouldn’t put herself in the position to get her heart stomped on by Jax again. Opening the door to the past, even to find answers, wasn’t something she was willing to do.
“I’m sorry, Grandma. I know you mean well. But this isn’t something I think I can do.”
The words echoed around the room as Piper dried her cheeks and put the letter back in the envelope. Feeling a wet nose press on her leg, she glanced down to see Snickers leaning against her. Bending down, she patted his head before standing.
“Come on, Snicks. Let’s go back downstairs. Don’t look so excited, either. The turkey sandwich is off the table now.”
Placing the letter where she found it, she followed Snickers out of the room, the sound of the closing door echoing like a gunshot in the quiet house.
Jax added another line to the last verse, and then strummed his guitar again. He should really be working on something to send to his agent, but this song was weighing on him. It was one he’d been writing for almost eight years now, and no one but him would ever hear it. He told himself a thousand times to throw it away, but he hadn’t been able to make himself do it.
A soft knock reached his ears, and he looked up to see Shelby peeking in. “Is that a new song? Could you play it for me? It sounds pretty.”
Waving Ian’s daughter in, he tried to think of something to say to distract her. He never played this song for anyone, ever. But he didn’t want to turn her away or tell her no. Shelby was just starting to come out of her shell with the fighters, and it was taking her even longer to come around to him, probably because he didn’t talk much. This was the first time she’d approached him, and he wanted to make her comfortable.
Shelby lived with her mother’s tribe until earlier this year, when Ian got custody of her. And she wasn’t treated well in the past, insulted and made to feel less than others her whole life. The tigers were prideful bastards who prized beauty, and Shelby had a birthmark down the side of her face. She’d been mocked and ridiculed since birth, and it made her shy and wary of people around her.
“How are you doing, short stuff?”
Shooting him a look, he caught a glimpse of her bright blue eyes through her curtain of light brown hair. “I’m not short.”
“You are compared to me.”
“Because you’re a grownup,” she told him seriously. “I’m just a kid. I’m still growing.”
“I understand now. Thank you for explaining it to me,” he replied, as seriously as she had.
“So can I hear the song? It sounded really nice.”
Squirming, he looked down for a moment in thought. But what the hell, why not? Someone should hear it at some point. Nodding to her, he started strumming the chords and opened his mouth to sing the words he’d lifted straight from his heart.
“When I saw you for the first time…“ he sang, closing his eyes to imagine Piper’s face as he let the words flow from his lips.
When he was finished, his fingers stilled as he said, “It’s not completely finished yet, but there you have it.”
“Oh, Jax. That was beautiful,” she told him, eyes wide and voice soft. “Have you played it for your mate yet?”
Jerking his head toward her, his mouth opened and closed a few times before he found his voice. “How did you know I have a mate?”
“I know lots of things. Everyone always forgets I’m in the room, probably because I’m small and quiet, and they talk. Her name is Piper, right? I know she’s back in town. You should play her the song. If she knew you felt those things, she wouldn’t be able to resist you anymore.”
“I don’t think she cares much about what’s in this song, Shelby.”
“I think you’re wrong. But don’t give up. If you give up, she’ll think you don’t want her, and every girl wants to know she’s wanted. And once she really starts to pay attention, play her that song. That would clinch the deal.”
Patting his hand, Shelby got up and walked out of the room. Jax watched her go with his mouth open, wondering how the hell so much grown up wisdom fit in that small, eight-year-old body.
Setting the guitar back in the stand, he reached in the container by the bed and grabbed the last of the cookies Piper made yesterday. Munching thoughtfully, he decided Shelby was right. Not about the song. He wasn’t going to play that for Piper. But he couldn’t slow up his pursuit, or she would talk herself out of whatever feelings she was developing for him again.
Standing up, he grabbed the container and jogged down the stairs, heading for the kitchen. He was sad that he’d eaten them already, but returning the container gave him an excuse to go back to her house. Quickly washing and drying it, he headed to his truck and drove to Piper’s. Relief filled him when he spotted her car, but he frowned when his knock went unanswered. Hearing music, he followed the noise around the house.
The side door was open, and he looked in to see Piper dancing around the kitchen to the music as she cleaned. Lips quirking as he watched her, he waited a few moments before knocking on the screen door, not speaking until she whirled around to see him.
“Are you still listening to this shit, Piper?”
Scowling, she put her hands on her hips as she watched him walk in. “It’s good music, St. James.”
“Nickelback is not music. Did I teach you nothing when we were younger?”
“Is, too. It’s not only music, but it’s good music, fuck you very much. Maybe it’s not what you write or enjoy, but that doesn’t mean it automatically sucks.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “You been following my career?”
“What—I—no,” she sputtered, cheeks turning pink. “I heard a song once on the radio that sounded like you, is all.”
Shifters could hear lies, and that was a complete and total falsehood, but he wasn’t going to call her on it. Just knowing she followed his career and knew his music was enough for him. “I hear you. At least turn that shit down a little. You’re gonna make everyone on this street want to move if they have to listen to it more than once a year.”
Shooting him a dirty look, she turned the volume down some. “What are you doing here anyway? You’re not exactly welcome at this house.”
“Thought you might want your bowl back,” he said, holding it up for her to see.
“Could have just thrown it in the trash. I’d have been more than okay with that,” she snapped.
Walking over to the counter to put it down, he turned and studied her. His eyes caught on the script tattooed on her arm, and he read it again, eyes shooting up to meet hers.
“And now that tattoo makes sense. Oh, Piper, tell me you didn’t.”
“What?” she asked in confusion, glancing down at her arms.
“The tat on you forearm, that says ‘If Today Was Your Last Day’. I thought it was just some motivational shit, but it’s the title of a Nickelback song. Please, tell me you don’t have fangirl ink.”
“Would it make you leave me alone if I said yes?” she asked with a smirk. “No, it’s not fangirl ink, per se. The song just speaks to me. Live every day like it’s your last. I wanted a tattoo so I could remember that.”
“Thank God,” he said, genuine relief washing over him. He was determined to win her over on this, and get her to realize that Nickelback was an embarrassment to music as a whole, and rock music in particular, and he told her the last part.
“Oh get over yourself,” she replied with an eye roll. Raising her arm, she showed him more script on the inside of her upper arm. “I have another one here. This is a Nickelback song title, too.”
Stepping closer, he read the script, ‘What Are You Waiting For?’, and the smartass remark on his tongue died as he glanced up and got caught
in her unusual violet eyes. They were eyes he’d known for years, eyes he saw in his dreams every night, but the violet color still had the power to take his breath.
“So tell me, Piper,” he said, walking closer and leaning in. “What are you waiting for? I’m right here in front of you.”
Her breathing hitched, eyes dropping to his lips as she licked her own. Nearly groaning, he held himself still, praying she’d kiss him, or let him kiss her. She leaned in just a tad, stilling when barking came from the back yard. Pulling back, she shook her head, the dazed look fading from her eyes as she stepped away and went to the back door.
“Snickers!” she called, frowning when the barking stopped but he didn’t come. She called the dog’s name again, sounding concerned, and then stepped outside.
Taking a deep breath and willing his body to calm, Jax followed behind her. He walked outside to see her walking around calling her dog’s name, and this time her voice sounded frantic. Frowning, he followed her, breaking out into a run at her cry. He found her by the fence behind the gazebo, staring at a hole under the fence.
“Shit! I didn’t even know this hole was back here. It’s not like Snickers to dig like this,” she said, looking at him with tears in her eyes that hit him right in the solar plexus.
“It’s okay. We’ll find him,” he replied, putting his arm around her shoulders.
“People will want to keep him if they find him. They never want to return him. I’ve had more people in Seattle try to steal him in the last few years than you would believe.”
“We’ll find him first,” he said firmly, guiding her back through the house, checking to make sure the doors were locked.
“He never stays put. Ever since I got him. If a door is open, he’ll run out, and he’s fast. I knew this. I did, so why the hell didn’t I check the fence more thoroughly? And why are we getting in your truck?”
“Because we can cover more ground if we’re in the truck. You said yourself, he’s fast. We have a better chance of finding him if we can cover more ground faster. And this isn’t your fault, Piper.”
He said the words firmly as he shut her door behind her. Because no, it definitely wasn’t her fault. That hole hadn’t been dug by her dog. It was man made, but he wasn’t going to tell her that right now. Once they found Snickers, he’d tell her the truth.
Piper stared out of the truck window, feeling like she was on the verge of a breakdown. They’d been looking for Snickers for forty-five minutes, and hadn’t found him yet. Cruising the neighborhood with their windows down, calling his name. Then they repeated the circuit, Jax going so slow a turtle could pass him. And nothing.
Checking her phone again to see if anyone had found Snickers and was trying to get ahold of her, she sighed when she saw there were no new texts or calls. She prayed they’d just missed him somewhere, and he’d find his way back home or someone would call and say they had him. She didn’t know what she’d do if they didn’t.
She liked to pretend she was a total badass and nothing could get to her, nothing could break her. But Snickers wasn’t just a dog to her. He was her best friend, her family. The only family she had left. Losing him would break her, and the thought didn’t feel like an exaggeration.
She was broken when Jax ended things with her, but she’d managed to glue the pieces back together. They were uneven, and there were places that couldn’t be patched, but she’d done it. Then she broke again when Grandpa died, and once again when Grandma passed last month. But this… losing Snickers would be the final straw, she knew as well as she knew her own name.
Jumping as she felt Jax take her hand and squeeze, she glanced at him to find him smiling reassuringly at her. “I swear to you, we’ll find him, Piper. I swear.”
She just nodded, unable to find the energy to speak or even take her hand out of his. The human contact felt nice, and she needed it. She didn’t care who it came from. She would just ignore the heat and awareness spreading through her.
They were nearing her house when she heard the sound of a dog barking. “That sounds like Snickers,” she said, straightening in her seat. “There he is! At the house,” she said, relief and excitement filling her when she saw him pawing at the front door. They parked, and she threw open the door, bolting out of the truck. “Snickers!”
Brow furrowing when he continued to paw at the door, she scowled as Jax put his hand on her arm. “Wait a second, Piper.”
“What? I need to go to him. Something is obviously wrong with him. He didn’t even come when I called.”
“That’s what I’m worried about. Something’s not right.”
“Oh screw that, St. James. Let me go get my dog.”
Shaking off his hand, she darted forward and knelt down, pulling Snickers back from the door. He turned into her and licked her face, something he rarely did, but when he looked back at the door, he stiffened and growled low in his throat.
Starting to get worried, she watched as Jax put his hand on the knob and it turned easily, opening up.
“Didn’t you lock that?” she asked softly.
“I did. Take Snickers and get in the truck. Keep your phone out just in case. I’ll go check out the house.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I should call the sheriff.”
“Piper. I can handle this, if it’s even anything at all. I’m a fighter, remember? That’s who I am. Now go back to the truck.”
Reluctantly nodding, she went back to the truck, cracking the window to hear better once she was inside. She absolutely hated the feeling of needing a man to take care of her, but what he said made sense.
It felt like hours passed before he came back out and waved her in, but in reality it was only a couple minutes. Shooting out of the car, she held Snickers tight to her chest as she ran up the steps.
“And?” she asked breathlessly.
“There’s no one inside, but someone was in there while we were gone,” he said grimly.
“What?” she screeched. Running inside, she skidded to a stop and gazed around in confusion. Nothing seemed touched in the entryway and hallway, the tables and knickknacks still in their places.
“The kitchen,” Jax said softly behind her.
Frowning and wondering why anyone would break in and go through a kitchen, she set Snickers down and walked swiftly to the kitchen. “What in the actual fuck?” she said incredulously.
The drawers and the cabinets were open, all the cookbooks and recipes strewn about the floor. She walked around, careful to make sure she didn’t ruin anything, frowning as she realized the mail, old coupons, and anything paper was thrown to the floor.
“This is weird,” she said softly.
“Your grandfather’s office was gone through, as well, and your and your grandmother’s bedrooms. It’s all the same, though. Nothing appears to be taken or broken, but you should probably double check.”
Nodding, she turned without a word and made her way to the office, looking around at the mess. Books were also pulled off the shelves and scattered throughout the room.
The bedrooms weren’t as bad, but she felt uncomfortable at the thought of someone upstairs. A slow burning fury moved through her as she thought about someone going through her grandparent’s things, touching them with so little care.
Making her way back downstairs, she found Jax frowning at the door latch. “Did they damage it badly?”
“That’s just the thing,” he said, standing to face her. “None of the doors are damaged in any way, no new scratches, nothing. All the windows on the first floor are shut and locked, too. I’m not sure how they got in.”
“Maybe the spare key? That’s the only thing that makes sense. I meant to take it yesterday after you left, but I forgot.”
Giving her a half-smile, he replied, “Wanting to make sure I don’t have access to the house, no doubt.”
“Yep. I definitely meant it when I said I didn’t want to see you again. Best laid plans, and all that.”
“You’re
not going to like what I have to say next then. I want you to come stay with me, at Rocky River.”
“You can’t be serious. You’re out of your fucking mind if you think I’m going home with you.”
“I really think it’s best, Pippy.”
“Ask me how many fucks I give about what you think is best? And stop calling me Pippy.”
Jax exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Look, this was deliberate.” She snorted and he held up a hand. “I know what you’re going to say. Of course the break in was deliberate. But Piper… Snickers didn’t dig that hole. Someone else did, probably with the intention of luring you away from the house long enough for them to get in here.”
She froze for a moment, blood cold, and then rushed outside. She’d only glanced at the hole earlier, but she studied it now. And she could see how he came to that conclusion. Plus, Snickers had never dug a hole in the six years since she adopted him.
“God knows what would have happened if you came home before they were finished,” Jax said softly behind her. “And if I hadn’t been here. Hate me all you want, but even you have to admit, I’m a good fighter. I can protect you now, Piper. I can.”
Frowning a little over the ‘now’ in that sentence, she shot a look at him. His eyes were intense, like he was trying to burn his declaration into her soul.
“I’ve never seen you fight, so I admit to nothing,” she retorted. But there was very little heat to the words. She was feeling a little shell-shocked from that look.
“I can,” he insisted.
“Maybe you can,” she admitted. “You’re big enough to scare intruders away as soon as they got a good look at you, at least. But I’m not coming to stay at your house.”
“Just for the night. Just long enough for you to get your locks changed. It’s after five on a Friday. All the businesses in Eagle Creek are closed for the night. If you won’t think of yourself, think of Snickers.”
“That was dirty, using Snicks as a bargaining chip,” she said, glaring. Exhaling, she relented, seeing the wisdom in his words. “Okay, fine. But only for the night, and only because you’re right about needing the locks changed. And I’m calling Frank, see if maybe he or someone from the sheriff’s office can cruise around the street tonight.”
Fight Song: A Paranormal Shifter Romance (Rocky River Fighters Book 3) Page 7
