by Elle Boon
Kai lifted his right hand, middle finger extended. “Fuck and no, would be my answer. I’ll just tell him I’m on a diet or something.”
Jase shook his head. “You’ll hurt his feelings.”
“Ah come on. Peanut butter and bananas? How the hell did he? Never mind. It’s a genetic flaw or some shit. Fine, we can deal with it for a day.” Kai glared at Jase.
Coyle rubbed his stomach. “I don’t know what you all are bitching about. None of you tried it, but I did.” He looked at Jase. “After you went away, I had a hankering for it. I think it was like pregnancy sympathy shit, only you weren’t pregnant. Anyway, I got up at like four in the morning and made myself a plain ole PB sandwich. Just as I was getting ready to take a big ol’ bite, my eyes fell to a bundle of bananas. And BAM, I’ve been hooked ever since. I thought of going to counseling or BA, you know, Bananas Anonymous but then thought, nah, better not.”
He looked at Sully, who had started laughing about the time Coyle had mentioned pregnancy, then to Kai, who was rubbing his hand over his mouth, knowing his friend was trying to keep from smiling. “I love you man,” Jase said to Coyle.
His friends all stood at once, yelling ‘Group hug’ in unison. Jase felt like he finally came back to where he belonged, almost. They stayed locked in a five-man hug, laughing and swaying back and forth, until the sound of Tay whistling brought their head up. “Whoa, did I miss the kumbaya and shit?”
“Get your ugly ass over here, Tay. Jase’s kid likes PB&B. And now, Coyle has admitted to the weirdness, too.” Sully dodged Coyle’s hand as it shot through their circle.
Tay nodded as they made room for him. “I like it, too. It’s some good eating. I say we have it for breakfast.”
Jase laughed at the sound of several male groans. “Alright, you knuckleheads, I need to get to bed. I want to head out fairly early, so we can get back quicker. Jack’s an early riser too, but with our schedules, that won’t be an issue.”
When they all pulled away, he could see the emotion he felt written on each man’s face. After a few more minutes of talking, he left the room and walked back down the hallway to where Brooke and Jack slept. Tomorrow, they’d hopefully piece the last of the puzzle together, putting an end to the nightmare that had been his life for the last three years. What the fallout to it would be, he had no clue, but he’d be damned if he allowed it to cloud Jack’s or Brooke’s life the way it had his.
*****
Brooke cracked one eye open when Jase eased out of the bed. That slight movement had her waking up, knowing today they were heading back to her family home and possibly upending her world.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Jase whispered, looking over his shoulder.
She sat up, rubbed her eyes and looked at her watch. “It’s the asscrack of dawn. What time are we leaving?”
His lips tilted up in a grin. “Not yet. I was going to shower and check in with Erik and the team. You can sleep for a little longer if you want.” He stretched his arm across the short distance, brushing his fingers through her hair. “Damn, you’re beautiful in the morning even when you’re grumpy.”
Her cheek nuzzled into his warm palm. “I need coffee before I can do human,” she mumbled.
With his thumb he traced her jaw, then took his hand away. “I’ll see what I can do for you. Can’t have my girl not humaning.” He got up without causing the bed to jar Jack, amused at her incoherent speaking.
She sifted her fingers through their son’s hair, smiling at the fact they’d all three slept in the same bed all night. Poor Jase. He’d probably never thought he’d be hanging onto the edge of a mattress because a two year old liked to sleep sideways. “I’m not that bad. Well, I am sorta growly, but at least I’m not biting your head off. Before Jack was born, I could barely function. I’ve trained myself to be better. Thank you for last night.” Their son had woken up just hours after Jase had come in, and had asked if Jase would tell him a story. Instead of going over to the other bed after Jack had fallen back to sleep, Jase had stayed next to Jack. Never had she thought in a million years would Jase not only be in their son’s life but hers as well.
Jase paused in the process of buttoning his pants. He’d slept in a pair of boxer briefs, something she’d wondered if he did normally. “You don’t have to thank me for anything, especially not when it comes to Jack. I’ve missed out on so much.” He closed his eyes. When he opened them, they shone brightly. “If I can help it, I’ll never miss another milestone in his life,” he said, the words a promise.
The lump in her throat was hard to swallow, but she nodded, knowing nothing she could say would turn back time or ease the hurt from time lost. They could only move forward and concentrate on the here and now. Without disturbing Jack too much, she too got out of bed. “I’m just going to use the bathroom.”
As she went to walk past him, Jase caught her arm. “Don’t feel bad. Not for me or what’s done.” He kissed her forehead, pulling her into his arms. The gentle swaying back and forth was something Jase did all the time. She often wondered if it was a memory from when he was younger.
Wrapping her arms around his back, she breathed in his scent, hugging him to her. “I love how you hug. It’s one of the things I missed most.”
“There was so much I missed about you.” His voice rasped quietly.
Knowing they had a big day ahead of them, she took a step back. “I’ll just be a moment. Jack will be fine out here by himself, if you want to go do whatever you were gonna do.”
The sound of Jase’s beard scratching against his palm was the only sound in the room for long seconds. “Do you want me to bring you back a coffee?”
An image of him carrying a cup of the warm brew was almost enough to make her say yes, but it would only delay them. “No, I’ll go get me some. You go do what you gotta do. Go on, I’m fine.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek above the stubble.
“I need to shave. I’ll do that before tonight.” His words sent a thrill through her.
Before she could make a fool of herself, she walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. As she leaned her back against the hard wood, she reflected on how different her world was compared to a week ago. “If only my father were still alive, life would be almost perfect.” Shoving away from the door, she turned the light switch higher so it wasn’t quite so dark. Once she used the facilities, she washed her hands and face, then went back out to the bedroom. Jack slept on, blissfully unaware his world had changed so much. “I love you, Bugger Boo,” she whispered to him like she did every time.
The rest of the morning flew by while they got ready to leave. Jack woke up happy as always, ready to eat and play. Her worry about leaving him was quickly allayed as Oz and Tay, along with Jaqui and Alexa, played a game of ‘Catch the boy’ around the living area, much to Jack’s delight.
“Go on, this ain’t our first rodeo with a kid,” Kai assured her.
His words and Jack’s happy face allowed her to climb into Oz’s large truck. “Why aren’t we taking the SUV we came in?” she questioned after buckling up.
Jase waggled his brows at her then gunned the engine. The sound of gravel flew up as he drove around the cabin, bumping through the yard like he was enjoying the fact he was off-roading on his friend’s property. “Cause Oz’s truck is made for climbing and pushing through shit. Plus, nobody can see through the tint on these windows. Not to mention, ain’t nobody looking for us in something like this.”
She gripped the o-shit handle as he fishtailed it down the drive, the clang of rocks hitting the bed of the truck making her wince. Yeah, her mother wouldn’t be looking for such a truck. The big black thing looked like it belonged on one of those Monster Truck shows where it ran over other vehicles. “How big are these tires, anyhow?”
“I’d say they’re somewhere between thirty-six and thirty-eight inches, but I’m no expert.” He stopped talking as they reached the turnoff to the main road.
“You
realize, he’s probably going to kick your ass for messing up his vehicle.” The sound of rocks pinging off the shiny black of the truck’s exterior had her wincing.
“Nah, that’s what this truck is made for. He’s had it specially coated and shit, so it’s tough all around. If I know Oz, he’s even got the underbelly of this beast done with a special armor. Trust me, he takes his rigs seriously.” Jase reached over, taking her hand in his. “Relax, we have a long drive ahead of us.”
Instinctively, she looked around for her cell phone, but they’d had her leave it at the cabin in the weapons room. Their worry it could be traced or bugged bothered her, but she was trusting them with Jack, so trusting them with her cell was a small thing. “They’ll call if Jack needs us, right?”
He brought her fingers to his mouth and kissed them, taking his eyes off the road for a moment, giving her a reassuring smile. “Yes, mama bear.”
The teasing tone eased her worry, some. For the rest of the trip, she and Jase talked about anything and everything. By the time they passed the sign that told them they were entering Rapid City, her nerves were on edge.
“Want me to stop and get a latte for you?” Jase pointed at the big green sign with the mermaid logo of the famous coffee shop.
She almost said no, but the scent from the brewing goodness wafted through the window Jase had open. “I’d love one. There’s a drive-thru, but I’m not sure if this thing will make the clearance.” Luckily for them, there wasn’t a restriction, and he was able to pull up and order their drinks without issue.
At the window, the teenager took a second look as they pulled up to the window. Jase, ever the gentleman, handed her cash and told her to keep the change. Brooke took a sip of the hot drink, sighing in pleasure from the delicious taste. “Seriously, if they could just hook me up with a home delivery daily, I’d be in heaven.”
Jase’s eyes were watching her lips when she looked over the rim of her cup. “I love that sound,” he murmured. “I can’t wait ‘til this is over, and I can hear it when you’re naked.”
Her next drink was too large, making her cough. “Lord, Jase Tyler, you need to come with a warning label.”
He sat his cup in the holder then winked at her. “You should, too.”
They lapsed into silence while Jase drove them just outside of the city limits to her family home. The closer they got, the tighter the ball in her stomach was. The clock on the dash told her it was almost half past ten in the morning. If her memory was correct and her mother was back to her regular routine, Nancy Frazee wouldn’t be home. Being an active member of the Country Club, her mother went to the club to meet with other society wives for brunch every day like clockwork. However, since her dad…Brooke couldn’t think about why her mother would no longer be going. No, she hoped life was back to its regular programming in at least that small way.
“Try to relax. Remember, this was your home, too. Surely, your mother wouldn’t find it odd for you to drop in for a visit?” Jase’s voice broke into her thoughts, his deep timber reverberated through the quiet cab of the truck.
Brooke thought of her mother and how she’d changed since Mark, her older brother, had committed suicide. God, she hated all the terrible memories flooding her. Leaving home had been a no-brainer at the time. Nancy Frazee had been a wonderful mom to her and Mark Jr. She could still remember the laughter and picnics they’d go on during the summer. However, once they’d discovered Mark had killed himself, their world had stopped. At eleven, she was old enough to know what was going on. She’d loved her big brother. He was her best friend and confidant. But her mother took it the hardest. She became cold and distant. Nothing Brooke did was ever right or good. If it hadn’t been for her father, Brooke was sure she’d have been sent off to a boarding school. As it was, she’d been left alone except when her dad was home. Even then, he was busy a lot with work or soothing Nancy. It wasn’t until she’d had Jack that Nancy had warmed to her, or rather Jack. “I’m pathetic,” she muttered.
Jase glanced her way before turning down the road that would lead to her parents’ house. “Why do you say that?”
She shrugged. “My mother hates me. Like, she literally has zero tolerance for anything I say or do. The only time she ever calls is to ask me for something, which is usually if she can see Jack or borrow him to show off at one of her social things. I think, if I’m truly honest with myself, she only tolerated me before Mark died. He was her pride and joy. Makes me wonder how she’d have treated Jack if he’d been a girl. I think she hates me because she sees me as competition or something. I don’t know. It’s silly.”
Chapter Fourteen
Jase pulled to the side of the road about a mile before the Frazee’s home. Brooke had her head turned to where she was looking out the window, her elbow on the window sill, while she bit on one of her fingernails. He listened to her words and wanted to tell her she was wrong. Wanted to tell her Nancy Frazee loved her. Heck, who wouldn’t love her? But the words stuck in his throat. He didn’t know the dynamics of their family. He only knew that he’d make for damn sure she never questioned how much he cared for her and Jack, and god willing, any other children they were blessed with. “Brooke, I don’t know anything about your mother. The few times I was around her, she always seemed like an…ice queen to me. I thought she just thought I wasn’t good enough for her daughter. Maybe she does have issues with you because some women don’t get that maternal gene that comes so easily to others. That’s her loss. You’ve become so much more than she’ll ever be, if that’s the case.” He waited until she turned to look at him. “You’re not only a sweet and compassionate woman but you’re a terrific mother. I’m proud to know Jack had you to raise him. When this is all over, you, me, and Jack, we’re going to go on a family vacation.”
Her hand went up to her cheek, brushing away a stray tear. “Thank you. Now, let’s go do this and get the hell out of here.”
He put the truck back in gear and continued on toward their destination. The long driveway brought back his last memory of being there. His grip on the steering wheel make a squeak from him squeezing it too hard. One finger at a time, he eased the hold he had on the leather. “Everything looks the same as it did three years ago,” he remarked.
She nodded. “My mother has a landscaping service who takes care of the yard. She doesn’t like change. Or I should say didn’t, but that was before. I barely recognized my parents’ house the last time I was here. The only thing she hadn’t touched was my dad’s office, which I’m hoping that works in our favor when it comes to today.”
They didn’t say another word, while he drove around to the side of the house where the garages were located. The privacy fence to the backyard was locked, but Brooke hopped out of the truck as soon as he shut it off. He cursed that she hadn’t allowed him to make sure all was safe. Touching his ear, he turned the device on. “Erik, how’s things looking on your end?”
“All’s good here in the Boondocks. Mama Frazee is lunching with the old biddies at the club.” Erik’s tone was nonchalant, but an undercurrent of anger was there.
“Alright, what’s wrong?” he asked as he followed Brooke to the back patio. She looked over her shoulder when she heard him talking. He pointed to his ear, to which she nodded but didn’t say a word.
A loud sigh came through the ear piece. “I don’t know. I have this strange feeling you don’t trust me. What’s going on?”
“Nah, it’s not you or me. The other guys…they don’t know you and weren’t willing to trust their lives, or that of their wives for that matter, to someone they didn’t know. Since I was asking them for a favor, I had to respect their wishes. Erik, I trust you.” The man had gotten him out of a federal prison. He’d been instrumental in keeping Jase working on a team, of sorts, for the government, kept him from being killed on more than one occasion. Erik was a loyal friend. He just wasn’t one of the team members from before; therefore, they didn’t trust him like Jase did.
“Good to he
ar. Now that we got the girlie shit out of the way. If my timetable is correct, you and your little lady have approximately an hour and seventeen minutes before her mother returns. At that point, you’ll need to be prepared with a cover story, just in case.” Tapping could be heard, making Jase think of Tay and his hacking abilities.
“How do you know all this?” He followed Brooke as she entered the house, watching her push a code into the security system. The breath he held eased out as the flashing red turned green. “Should you reset it in case she monitors it while she’s away?” he asked Brooke.
Brooke shook her head. “She won’t, or at least, she never has before. I don’t think she’s become paranoid in the last couple weeks either. Come on, let’s get this over with. Do you have any idea about what you’re looking for?”
Following closely behind her, he kept his senses open, looking around for anything that might seem out of place. His inner alarm was going off. Something wasn’t right. “Erik, did Mrs. Frazee leave here alone today?”
“I don’t know. I’ve only been monitoring the movement of her vehicle. Want me to look into the security footage at the country club, see if I can find her?” Erik asked.
“Yes, and while you’re at it, see if you can’t watch her progress backwards. I want to know who she arrived with and who she talks to.” The admiral had smoked a cigar on occasion, but Jase didn’t think the man had regularly smoked in the house, nor did he think Nancy Frazee was a smoker. Yet, the faint scent of menthol lingered in the air. The memory just out of reach of who he knew smoked a similar smelling brand.
