by Tigris Eden
Fabiano was in Bear’s fucking living room. He’d actually tried to break in and finish the job he’d started with Anna. It infuriated Jackson. As they pulled up to the house, he was out of the vehicle before the truck even had a chance to come to a complete stop. It was dark as hell. The power company was already on their way to return power back to the small community they were staying in.
“Jackson, man, wait up.”
Jackson wasn’t waiting for anyone. He needed to see Fabiano’s face.
There were candles lit in the room as he walked in. Wilson had Fabiano tied to a chair, and a towel shoved in his mouth.
“Take the gag out,” Jackson said tersely.
“Man, he’s just gonna spew his hate all around and try to irritate you.”
“I don’t give a fuck. Take it out.”
Wilson shrugged but took out the gag. Fabiano glared up at Jackson before turning his head to spit.
“You got something to say?” Jackson asked.
Fabiano raised a brow.
“What the fuck do you want me to say? You think I’ve been working on my apology all week?”
Jackson barely let him get the last word out before his fist landed in the other man’s face. Fabiano’s head snapped back, but he didn’t seem to care. He laughed as he moved his tongue over his lower lip where it was bleeding. This time, he spit on Jackson’s boot.
“Damn, that hurt. I guess I’d better apologize now before you do that again, huh?”
Another hit, and this time, Jackson broke his nose.
“You try and come here to kill my woman? Do you really think I give a shit what comes out of your mouth? I just wanted to see your face, tell you that Peretti’s entire operation is blown. You’ll be lucky if you even make it to jail alive. I can think of a couple of people off the top of my head—Peretti being one of them—that will want you dead.”
“I’m nobody’s rat, and Peretti knows that better than anyone,” Fabiano sneers.
“You think so? Well, Alma Melendez knows all about you, as did her lover. I think it was your other brother. Falcone, right? He took off with her when he was supposed to be delivering her to some idiot over in the desert. Isn’t that right, Treat?”
“Yeah, she was all too happy to give up the information on Peretti.”
“Where the fuck is my brother?”
“Sadly, dead.”
The informant was Falcone, Fabiano’s younger brother—well, half-brother—who had started calling himself Ignacio Bellini.
Jackson watched as the other man’s dark brow creased, and his eyes hardened. He may have cared for his brother, but he was trying his best to hide it. He definitely was feeling the loss. The breath from his lungs was taken from him at the knowledge of his sibling’s death. He feigned a cough to cover it.
“Which one of you killed him?” Fabiano asked, his voice slightly raised. He almost sounded like a wounded animal.
“Wasn’t us. It was Morales. You know, one of your inside informants. He’s dead, too. But we’ve got Alma, and there isn’t shit you can do about it. Peretti was picked up a few hours ago. No bail to be set, and now, we get to deliver you.”
After Jackson was finished roughing him up a bit. He needed to release all the pent-up tension in his body. He wasn’t going to kill the fucker, but at first, that was all he wanted. But it wasn’t right, and he knew it. He was human, and he’d wanted to mete out vengeance harshly. Anna may have approved at first. For maybe like five seconds, but when she found out that he’d killed for her, she wouldn’t be able to handle it. Neither would he. Not something so heinous as that. No matter what the other man had done. The only way someone’s death could be justified was if Jackson had no other choice but to protect himself and his family.
Could it be argued that killing Fabiano would, in fact, be protecting his family? Maybe, but in reality, there was another way. Guns had not been drawn, there was no immediate danger, and thus, if Jackson decided to end Fabiano’s life, it would make him no better than Fabiano. He’d be just as low. He would let the powers that be handle him. He knew Fabiano wasn’t going to be set free. He had too many people who would openly speak out against him now that he’d be behind bars.
Catcher and Oliver were in the process of taking down the entire Peretti family and would be doing so not only from the bottom but also from all the way at the top. By removing Peretti, the others would roll. They would be able to finally put all this shit behind them. There’d be a shit ton of paperwork, but Jackson didn’t care.
“You might as well kill me now, Jackson. If you don’t, someone else will come to finish what I started. You hear me! I don’t care where they lock me away, I’ll make sure that everything you love is taken from you.”
The man was trying to incite his rage, and for a few brief moments, Jackson entertained the idea of ending him. For about a full minute. It wasn’t hard to see the benefits of offing Fabiano, but it wasn’t going to happen. There was no justification for it.
Fabiano struggled against his bindings. His eyes were crazed. He wanted to die, and it wasn’t because he was insane, it was because he was scared. Scared shitless. Jackson had often heard other men talk about the smell and taste of fear, but had yet to experience it himself firsthand. It was a smell of desperation blended with a large dose of anticipation. Fearful anticipation. This man knew he was going to die, and probably not in the best of ways. It wouldn’t be quick or painless, but rather slow and gruesome.
Jackson looked down at the other man. He didn’t feel sorry for him.
“Fabiano, you deserve everything you get and more,” he whispered into the man’s face before standing and looking over to his brother-in-law, Treat.
“We need to go and see to the girls. I’m sure Anna isn’t at all excited about this development.”
“When is Dorian arriving?” Treat asked.
“He should be here in about ten minutes,” Wilson answered.
“Good, I want this piece of shit out of this house before I bring my family downstairs.”
“We can always put him out in that hot ass shed,” Thatcher said conversationally.
“Shut the fuck up, Thatch, we don’t have time for your cruelty.”
The other man smirked before heading towards the kitchen.
“He’s one sick fuck,” Treat said.
“How do you figure?” Riley asked.
“Dude, that’s Ryland Thatcher, everyone knows about him.”
“Everyone thinks they know him. They don’t know shit. He’s had it rough, man.”
“I can hear you, you sorry fucks. Keep my name out of your mouths.”
Ryland Thatcher was the adoptive brother of the Gaineses. Catch’s father had found him surviving on food out of garbage bins when he was sixteen. He was the same age as Catch, but half the time, you didn’t know if he was friend or foe. He didn’t like to be touched or handled in any way. He’d been given a dishonorable discharge in the military for going to town on a lieutenant who’d given him orders he didn’t agree with.
“Treat, you coming?” Jackson asked after a while.
“Yeah, I’m coming.”
One Week later.
“You’re fucking getting married in less than a week, man. How does that make you feel?” Oliver asked over the phone. Jackson wasn’t feeling one way or the other about the wedding. He’d been ready. Actually, he couldn’t wait to get that part over with so he could get to the part where they’d make a baby while on their honeymoon. He and Anna had talked about it almost every night before bed. Even managing to get in what Anna liked to call…practice.
“There is a lot of work that still needs to be done. How’s everything on your end?”
“Good, finishing things up here. Peretti is behind bars, as well as some of his lieutenants. Everything is falling into place. We’ve even started cleaning house from within. Turns out Tracey and one other person in your outfit were helping Peretti. But it wasn’t the new field boss.”
“
Well, there is that.”
“They wanted me to talk to you, see if you and Treat were willing to stay on in a consultant capacity. You guys have a lot of good connections.”
That was something that neither he nor his brother-in-law would entertain. But it wasn’t Oliver’s fault that they were trying to rope him in.
“Nah, man, it’s not going to happen. Treat and I have other plans. We’re starting our own security firm. There’s a place for you here when you’re ready.”
“Yeah, I just might take you up on the offer. How are my brothers doing on your house?”
The house was coming along. The foundation was being laid later in the week, there were still a few permits and adjustments that needed to be made, but the house wouldn’t be move-in-ready until around Christmas.
“Finn and Sawyer are doing a great job. Can’t complain. Their foreman’s pretty damn good, too. I’ll see you in Montego when?”
“Should be there in three days, more than enough time. My brothers said they’re flying in with India?”
“Yeah, that’s what I hear, too. We leave tonight. Wanted to spend some time on the island with Ava before the wedding and we leave for our honeymoon. She’s going to be staying with my sister and her husband while we’re gone.”
“All right, see you in a couple of days.”
The phone went dead, and Jackson walked out of his office at the station. He wasn’t going to be sheriff of Beauville anymore, nor was he going to be an agent for the NSA. His time of danger was over, not that Beauville had much in the way of danger to offer. But the security firm would be promising.
Invites for the wedding were all sent, only their closest friends and family would be in attendance. No chance of drama whatsoever. Not unless you counted Lola and Chantelle. Those two were drama with a capital D.
“We’re going to miss you around here, Sheriff,” Officer Maxey said as he pulled out one of his stinky cigars.
“Nah, things are just as they should be. Besides, I’ll be around, just not in the capacity of sheriff. I’ve already spoken to The Mayor. Treat and I will be opening up a security firm.”
It meant there would be some travel involved. They’d started putting out feelers, and there were already some jobs waiting for them when he returned from his honeymoon. Anna had been hesitant at first. She thought him doing the security thing meant it would take him away from home for long period of times. He’d be gone a few days max on each assignment. They’d be installing security systems and consulting with agencies on how best to protect not only themselves, but their information, as well.
“I hear that Willis is running for sheriff.”
“Yeah, I heard that, too. Think he’ll be okay for the job, unless you plan on running, Maxey?” Jackson asked.
“Nope. No aspirations whatsoever to be sheriff of Beauville. I like where I’m at just fine. Besides, I have a wife, don’t need all those single harpies offering to bake me cakes. Let Willis deal with that drama.”
Viola walked in at that moment. Big hat, revealing dress, and one of those come-and-get-me smiles. Jackson just shook his head. The woman was always trying to find ways to interact with him.
“Dear Lord Almighty, say it isn’t so. The Sheriff Storme is turning in his gun for good,” she said dramatically.
Another reason to be rid of this job.
Viola Winters was downright vicious in every way possible. It was one of the main reasons he never gave her the time of day.
“Miss Winters. Anything I can help you with?” Maxey asked.
“No, I came to see Jackson, someone’s been stealing from my front yard.”
“Stealing what, Viola?” Jackson asked.
“Well, my garden gnomes, of course. I think it’s those pesky Rousseau children.”
“Well, did you have a talk with their mother, Barbara?”
“No, I came straight here to you, Jackson, I can’t deal with Barbara. You know she gets so protective of her children. Why, just last week, she threatened me. Said she was going to throw shit on my lawn.”
That made Maxey laugh.
“Well, we can’t have someone throwing shit on your yard now can we?” Jackson said, trying to keep a straight face.
Barbara Rousseau was a widow. Her husband Aaron had been killed while serving his country. Two of her five children were his, the other three, well, no one knew for sure. But all five of them were a handful. They were good kids, just needed someone to pay better attention to them.
“No, we can’t have that. While you’re over there, you mind taking a look at my sink?”
Jackson walked over to Viola and grinned. She thought she was sneaky, but she wasn’t.
“I’m sorry, Viola, I don’t make house calls anymore, that would be Maxey or one of the other officers. I’m off to finish packing for my trip.”
She looked so lost that he did laugh this time.
“What’s so funny?”
“You are, Viola.”
“I don’t see what’s laughable. I have real problems here.”
“I’m sure they’re real for you. As for me, I’ve gotta run. Maxey here will take care of you.”
Jackson left before she could say another word.
“Sheriff.” He heard the word as he was walking towards his truck. When is this day going to be over? Jackson thought as he turned to greet whoever was calling his name. Damn, he just wanted to get home to Anna.
“What’s up?” Jackson asked Mel. Mel was a shop owner, who liked to call and constantly complain about the noise in the diner next to his shoe repair shop.
“Well, there’s a rumor going around town that you’re leaving us.”
“I’m not leaving, Mel, just won’t be sheriff anymore. I’m going to get married, and then I’ll be back.”
“I already knew about that. Spoke to Pearl Macon yesterday morning. I must say, I am shocked I didn’t get an invite to your wedding. I’ve fixed a shoe or two for you back in the day.”
He had, but that didn’t mean he was part of the nearest and dearest.
“I’m sorry, Mel, it’s a small, intimate wedding and we’re getting married in Montego.”
“I’ve always wanted to go to Jamaica. Hear it’s nice this time of year, too.”
“Yes, sir, it is.”
“Well, you be careful. That India is a Danvers, and I’ve seen her around town with two fellows carrying on like it’s the thing to do. Don’t she have the good sense to keep her affairs private?”
“It’s not my business, Mel, and shouldn’t be yours either. Now, if you’ll excuse me, trying to get home to my Anna.”
“Yeah, you go on ahead, and tell Anna I said hi.”
“Will do.”
Five citizens later, Jackson was finally able to get home. Anna was in the room they shared with Ava, braiding his daughter’s hair. She was putting it in cornrows and placing beads on the end.
“What in the world are you doing to our ladybug?” Jackson asked with a smile on his face.
“Mommy is making me look pretty for the plane ride. Said it will help when we get to Montigo. I can go play in the water.”
“Montigo?” Jackson looked to Anna, who was smiling wide.
“Yes, Daddy, Montigo, the place where you’re going to marry Mommy.”
He wasn’t going to correct her. If she wanted to say Montigo, then Montigo it was.
“Well, you definitely look pretty, Ladybug.” Her beads matched her dress. Red and black. It was a dress that went just below her knees. There were ladybugs resting on blades of grass on the lower half of her dress.
“I know, silly.” Ava giggled.
“All done,” Anna said, turning Ava’s face and kissing her on the tip of her nose. “You can go and help Auntie Joey with Xavier now.”
Ava didn’t have to be told twice, she jumped up from her seat and took off running, not giving Jackson a second look.
“Hey, baby.”
“Hey yourself,” Anna said, coming into his arms f
or a tight hug. She smelled like coconut and sugar. She always smelled good. He dragged his nose across the tip of hers before moving to her cheeks and the underside of her jaw. Jackson kissed the corner of her mouth before going in for the kill. Anna wasted no time reciprocating his fervor. He crushed her to him and took the kiss further. They were, after all, practicing for their baby’s big debut. He might as well make it count.
He started to slowly walk her towards the bed when she pushed back.
“Jackson, the door.”
Damn, she was right. The door was wide open. Anyone could walk by and see a whole lot of something going on in their room.
“Hold that look, don’t change a thing,” he said as he stepped back. Her eyes were heavy-lidded, and her lips were ripe and wet from his kisses. He couldn’t wait to bury himself deep.
She was already undressed by the time he made it back to the bed, which in reality, had to be some kind of record.
“Didn’t I say not to change a thing?”
“Is that what you said, Jackson?”
It was and she knew it.
“Well.”
“Well, what? You just gonna stand there, or are you going to take off your clothes and get in this bed and do bad things to me.”
“How bad?” he asked, pulling his shirt over his head.
“How bad can you be?”
“Oh, I can be awfully bad, Anna.”
“Well, then, do your worst.”
Jackson unbuttoned his jeans and toed off his shoes and socks before pulling his pants and boxers down in one move. He took one look at her and noticed the nice flush of her skin, she was warm and ready. Her breaths were deep and quick, as if the waiting was just too much for her to handle. He studied the delicate structure of her face and knew without a doubt that she was ready and not just their regular encounters they’d been having of late. He still hadn’t completely owned her the way he wanted. They’d yet to be adventurous. He could see it in her eyes, Anna wanted an adventure.
