He moved to Caycee’s side as soon as the elevator doors closed and Jordan was out of sight. He probably had fifteen minutes, and then Jordan would return, standing where Brian should be, would be soon. He wanted to kill him but knew he couldn’t, not now while Caycee needed him.
“Can you hear me, baby? I’m here. Everything is going to be okay. We can continue where we left off. I’ve changed, baby. I’m here, as I told you I’d be.” He stroked her hand. She was just as beautiful as she had always been. Why did he have to destroy everything? “I’ll protect you, Caycee. No one will ever hurt you again.”
“Sir, what are you doing? I don’t recognize you as immediate family.” The nurse’s voice broke through Brian’s thoughts. She glared at him, brows furrowed, ready to strike. He needed to put on his charisma.
“I’m not family,” he said, glancing at her badge. “Michelle,” he crooned, looking up at her from under his eyelashes, the look that worked on every woman he’d ever encountered. He hadn’t practiced in a while, so he hoped it would still work. After all, he was almost six years older than the boy he was before going to prison. He would have gotten out a year ago if it wasn’t for the fighting. “I’m an old friend. I’ve driven on my Harley for two days to get here as soon as I heard, didn’t even bother checking with anyone when I arrived just showed up and found her all alone.”
“Oh,” she proclaimed, swallowing hard.
Like a charm he thought. “I’d rather if you didn’t mention my being here. Her husband doesn’t like me, but me and Cay—Jaynee have remained friends for years, and I couldn’t stand not seeing her. You understand, don’t you?”
“Of course…it’s just that procedure—”
He cut her off. “Oh, I understand…I’ll just be a few minutes. I’m exhausted anyway from riding forty-eight hours straight.”
He stood up fluidly, approaching her. She was pretty, a little too tall and thin though, not his normal type. But appealing enough and it had been a long time.
“I don’t suppose there’s an empty room where I could lie down a little bit?” he asked, his eyes boring into hers. He knew how to get what he wanted. He was good looking and knew how to manipulate women. He had spent the last six years doing nothing but working out, so not only was he tall and handsome, he was buff, and the ladies liked that.
“I’m not sure,” she responded, her voice low and quiet, bemused.
“No one will know…you manage the floor, right?” he asked, keeping his voice low and seductive the way he knew women appreciated.
“Well, I guess,” she said hesitantly, her eyes darting around the room unable to maintain eye contact.
He still had it. “Show me,” he said, raising his voice a fraction higher, but still deep and domineering.
Michelle walked out of the room, leading him down the corridor. Several rooms on the end were unlit. She turned into the last one and Brian followed.
***
Jaynee could hear voices again. Though muffled and faraway, she thought she could discern most of them.
She recognized Jordan’s; his was the clearest. And then she heard his mother’s voice. Her mother-in-law pleaded with Jordan about something. She wasn’t sure what, but she sounded upset.
Then it was quiet. Just the incessant beeping noise, coupled with the darkness. She heard another voice, familiar, but not quite decipherable. He called her “baby”; Jordan never called her “baby”. She hated it. Why was he calling her baby? Only it wasn’t Jordan’s voice, and yet, it sounded familiar, though distant.
Jaynee struggled with her memory, realizing she recognized the voice. Baby…Oh, God, he called her baby. It wasn’t possible. What happened? Where was Jordan? Was he okay? Brian! He’d found her. What would he do to Jordan? Why couldn’t she remove this blanket? It smothered her, holding her back from Jordan. He needed her.
***
Jordan and Pat sat in the cafeteria eating wordlessly. A few minutes passed before his mother couldn’t tolerate it anymore. She wasn’t comfortable with silence.
“Do you think she did it purposely, Jordan?” his mother asked in her normal blunt manner. Subtlety was never his mother’s strong point either.
He grimaced at her candid words not wanting to have this conversation. Not now, not ever. “No, I don’t. Why would she?” His breath hitched in his throat at the remote possibility.
His mother picked at her sandwich without making eye contact with him. “Well, I noticed conversation has been strained—”
“But kill herself,” he interrupted her, suddenly angry. “You knew her almost as long as I did for Pete’s sake!” He glowered at his mother. “Do you think she was capable of committing suicide?”
Why was he having this discussion? He should be with Jaynee. He didn’t need fresh air or food. He needed Jaynee. Tomorrow they’d bring her up, and she could explain to everyone, to him, that she didn’t attempt suicide. She wouldn’t. She wasn’t selfish, and she wouldn’t hurt him.
A tiny voice reminded him her father had killed himself, and her mother had attempted suicide on several occasions. He shook his head. No…not Jaynee. She wouldn’t do this to him. He had to believe. “Mom, if she was trying to kill herself, she would have done it correctly. She’s a cop’s wife. She would know how to kill herself.”
All of the sudden, the words made sense. She hadn’t tried to commit suicide. Even the police said it had been an accidental shooting. That based on the entry point, the gun had been at a distance of about where her hip was. She didn’t try to shoot herself; she was afraid, but of what?
Jordan jumped up, shoving the chair against the table. It went underneath the lip and fell backward. He looked at it numbly then stormed off, ignoring his mother as she called after him. He had to hurry.
Jaynee was frightened, but why? She had never been afraid, as long as he had known her. Even when attacked by those hoodlums when they first met, the ones passing along information from her ex-loser, she hadn’t been scared. She had been more afraid for him. It had been over five years, and even though he had gotten her a gun for protection—because they lived so far out in the country—he had never seen her fearful of anything. The only thing she was ever fretful about was his safety as a cop, his construction work and back then that her ex would send his goons after him.
That was it! Jordan sprinted toward the opened elevator doors, anxious to return to Jaynee. He ignored the person running for the elevator as he hit the button to close the doors. There was no time. It had been over five years since his incarceration. Was Brian here? Had he been threatening his life, or worse, Jaynee’s?
Jordan would kill him. He’d destroy him, tear him apart limb from limb. They would never unearth him. One of the things a cop was proficient; they knew how to perpetrate a crime, any crime, even murder if necessary. Brian would never terrorize Jaynee again.
He paced the elevator in frantic movements. It was ridiculously slow; he should have taken the stairs.
***
It was the man Jaynee was with Friday standing inside her room.
It was just a matter of time before she left Jordan, but this was an even better opportunity. How much better it would be for her to die now, not uncommon in these types of situations, she had been in a coma for almost two days.
The man had followed a nurse down the hall and would be gone awhile by the look in his eyes. Jordan had left with Pat to get something to eat, so they would be gone about fifteen minutes.
It would only take a few seconds to inject an air bubble into her veins, a simple method that would cause an aneurism and go undetected if done carefully…50ccs was all it would take. Jordan’s death would be easy. Police officers ended up murdered all the time from wayward bullets, potential gang members attempting to prove their worth. Or, a construction job gone wrong could get him killed.
Simply a matter of time, and then everything would be right again. The elevator chimed, indicating its arrival. Not today, but soon, it was how it had to end.
***
Jordan waited for the elevator doors to open, practically climbing over an older couple entering.
He rushed down the hallway toward Jaynee’s room only stopping to breathe once he was in her doorway. She was all right, thank God. He wouldn’t leave again until she was out of this coma. His mother would just have to deliver food. He gently pulled loose the covers someone had tucked in again before he sat down next to her.
“I’m here, Jaynee,” he whispered in her ear. “I know why you were upset, but you don’t need to agonize anymore. I’ll protect you I swear. No one will ever come near you again. I failed the first time, but I won’t fail twice, I promise. I love you, Jaynee, forever.”
Jaynee could hear Jordan’s voice, soft and deep, sensual as always.
He loved her; he had always loved her. She had to tell him about Brian. Why couldn’t she open her eyes so she could see his face? Her mind launched back into pitch darkness unable to remain with him.
63
Carmen DeSousa
Chapter Sixteen
(September 2004)
The last two days of their honeymoon passed swiftly, and Jordan and Jaynee were now boarding a plane heading toward her new residence.
Jaynee felt comfortable with Jordan, as if she’d already known him for years, not days. She discovered some of his likes, anything outdoors. His dislikes, such as his passionate hatred for innocent tomatoes. And his quirks, the strange noise he made when he brushed his teeth. She thought it might annoy her at first, but she found herself laughing every time she heard him. And though they didn’t allow much time for television, several times when she was in the bathroom, he clicked it on. She could hear him from the other room laughing all by himself, with no one to share in the humor.
Jaynee loved to watch funny shows, movies and comedians but realized she rarely laughed aloud. Her father had made her laugh. He made everyone laugh. He’d be in a roomful of strangers and could have them laughing within minutes, forever the comedian. His wives never laughed at him though. She remembered telling his last wife, if you like him the way he is now, fishing, playing and humor you’ll succeed, if not your marriage will never last. The woman told Jaynee she loved all of those things. Afterward, Jaynee had learned otherwise. Not only did she despise fishing, she couldn’t even swim; she was terrified of the water. Her dad had longed for retirement, so he could move onto a houseboat and become a charter fishing boat captain. When he realized his dream would never come to fruition, shackled by this woman who didn’t love him, knowing if he divorced her, she’d take half his money and retirement, he decided to take his own life.
Jaynee found all the characteristics in Jordan that she’d loved about her father. He was funny, charming and above all, giving. Jordan was the kind of guy who would give the shirt off his back to a man on the street if needed. She was anxious to learn how to do all the things he enjoyed.
It had petrified her when her dad killed himself after growing up with the knowledge her mother had been suicidal.
She had questioned her aunt about her concerns. How did she stand a chance at being normal when both her parents were crazy? Her aunt chastised her lovingly, reminding her, Gram was her mentor and telling Jaynee she thought she was the sweetest and strongest young lady she had ever known, and that she was proud Jaynee hadn’t used her past as a crutch. Jaynee was thankful for her aunt and grandmother and even her three older cousins whom had all treated her like a daughter. But it would never be the same; she would always wonder what it would be like to have a real mother—a family. An alive father and a mother who wasn’t always one-step away from committing suicide anyway.
She felt reprehensible for not allowing them the opportunity to participate in her wedding. She just hadn’t wanted to burden them. Gram would have notified everyone. Jaynee would have to call them next week and explain her actions, but for now, she was with Jordan.
And on Jordan’s arm, Jaynee felt as if she was finally going home.
She wasn’t sure if she even knew what home was supposed to feel like. She had been unloved and abused most of her adolescence and never felt wanted.
Living on her own this past year had been as close to a home as she had ever known, but she was lonely. She did the same thing every day, ate the same foods, read the same things and went to the same places. It wasn’t a life; it was an existence.
Jordan was her home now. He was offering her love and a life. She wrapped her hands tighter around his arm as they stood at the front of the line to board the plane.
Jordan looked down into her eyes, kissed her on the forehead and draped his other arm across the front of her, pulling her closer. He didn’t say anything but seemed to comprehend.
Jaynee reached up on her tiptoes. He understood and tilted his head to kiss her gently on the lips. Not a long kiss, but it was warm and loving as his lips parted and melted into hers.
He pulled back to look at her face, searching her eyes, seemingly trying to discern her thoughts. “Are you nervous?” he asked.
“Not really. I was just thinking how much I love you,” she said, resting her head on his bicep.
“I love you too, truly I do.” He breathed in deep. The warmth of his love filled her senses. “We’ll be home soon. Are you ready to see your new house?”
“I am…” And the truth of the statement hit her hard. She was ready to begin her new life with Jordan. “Won’t you tell me anything about the house or the pets?”
“Nope,” he said, directing her to their seat on the plane. He stored their luggage in the overhead compartment before continuing. “You know how I like my surprises. And since I cannot make any alterations without consulting you first, I would sort of enjoy having this final opportunity to surprise you.”
She playfully slapped his arm. “Jordan, you know that is not what I meant, and you have managed to drop many surprises on me anyway.” She looked at him under her lashes, an attempt to be seductive, whispering, “Besides, I rather like your surprises.”
***
Melissa had arrived early to ready Jordan’s house for his return. Rachael too, but she hadn’t stopped moaning since they walked inside.
Jordan had asked Melissa to bring home Boomer, his boxer, who had been staying with her and Bobby while he was away. Melissa never minded. Boomer was like one of the family; everyone loved him. Melissa noticed Boomer looked despondent the last couple of days, even playing with the kids he looked depressed. He kept looking toward the front door, anticipating Jordan to walk in she suspected.
When she loaded him in the truck this morning, he was as happy as she had seen him in weeks.
Jordan had requested Melissa and Rachael freshen up his residence. And if it wasn’t too much trouble, to purchase two dozen red roses and have them sitting in the foyer so his new wife would see them when they arrived.
Rachael, as always, complained. She grumbled about everything. Melissa never understood why. Jordan was a fantastic brother. He was five years younger than Melissa and two younger than Rachael, but he had never been a nuisance as some of her girlfriends’ little brothers. She loved taking him places when he was little. Everyone loved Jordan, especially her husband Bobby.
Melissa had missed Jordan when he entered the Army. Times were difficult. They all had returned to their parents’ hometown when Daddy retired for medical reasons, but Daddy and Jordan always argued. It wasn’t Jordan’s fault; Daddy just never let up on him. He pushed him toward a career he never wanted. Jordan always wanted to be a cop and was extremely talented with his hands. He didn’t want the life Daddy made for their family. Jordan didn’t want to live in a different city every two years or be away from his family six months at a time. Even when he was young, Jordan wanted a real family. He wanted a wife and kids, something abnormal to hear from a teenage boy. And he was always affectionate with her children. So, Melissa wasn’t surprised when he called and said he was getting married and asked her to freshen up the house and prepare a cookout tomor
row.
She owed him big, and so did Rachael. If it wasn’t for him, neither of them would be enjoying their current lifestyle. Jordan had started his business modestly, doing odd jobs at night and on weekends, and then larger opportunities started pouring in, so he offered employment to both of their husbands. Next thing they knew, the three of them were building mansions on Lake Norman. Of course, Jordan was the sole proprietor of the company but both Bobby and Ronny did extremely well working with him. Ronny attempted venturing out on his own, but when that failed, Jordan welcomed him back no hard feelings. Rachael could just get over herself. She always wanted more than she had, always afraid she’d ruin that perfect manicure.
It wasn’t as if there was even anything to clean. Jordan never left junk around, always picked up after himself. More than she could say for Bobby, but Bobby was a wonderful husband. He worked hard, and when he finished, he was home with her in their children.
Melissa wondered what Jaynee would look like. Always one for surprises, Jordan refused to divulge anything. Bobby thought she’d look like a beach-bunny with long, platinum hair and dark tanned skin. But that didn’t sound like Jordan; he always preferred brunettes. She didn’t care what Jaynee looked like, providing she treated her baby brother well; that was all that mattered to Melissa.
While Rachael finished vacuuming, Melissa pulled out the chocolate-chip cookies she’d baked and prepared a pot of vanilla coffee. The weather was perfect, a beautiful autumn day, so she opened the windows to allow the aroma of the fallen leaves and cut grass to drift through the house. After flipping on the water-heater fuse, she locked Boomer in the garage with his stuffed animal. The toy was missing both of its eyes and nose, had only three legs and its tail was barely hanging on, but he lunged for it, happily throwing it in the air and then proceeded to pounce on it once it landed. He loved his lion, and every year Jordan purchased him a new one for Christmas. It was a good thing Christmas was close; Simba was looking rather ragged.
She Belongs to Me Page 16
