Sweet, Sweet Jewel : An AMBW Romance (Sweet Treats Book 4)

by Nia Arthurs

  Kross was matchless on the scale of evil.

  Jewel slid her hand up her throat, reliving the moment when he’d almost choked her to death. Her fingers slipped against a gold chain. She paused, letting her hand glaze over the tiny wires.

  She’d forgotten she was wearing this. What had Finn said when he gave it to her earlier? So much had happened that she had to shuffle through her mental cabinets for the answer.

  As Kross pointed the car into a dirt path that led further into the woods, the memory exploded in her mind.

  “Whenever you need me, you just need to hold this really tight. I’ll show up.”

  Why would he tell her to do that? It was such a childish request. Like a father telling his daughter to wish on a star. She grabbed the pendant and squeezed it tightly.

  Like anything would happen when I do this?

  Jewel adjusted her wrists so the handcuffs didn’t hurt as much and sighed. She was completely at Kross’s mercy. It would be a miracle if she saw her friends or Finn ever again.

  32

  His phone chirped.

  Finn tapped his Bluetooth earpiece as he scanned the buildings near Kross’s old hideout. “Nolan.”

  “She activated the tracker!” Nolan yelled.

  “What?”

  “We’ve got a location. We found Jewel.”

  Finn’s heart jumped. He ran to his car and climbed in. “Where is she?”

  “Somewhere on the northern highway. I’m sending you the coordinates now. She’s thirty minutes away from your location, but there’s a shortcut you can take to get there.”

  “Send it to me. Now.”

  Voices echoed in the background.

  “The others want to join you,” Nolan explained, his voice muffled and rushed as if he were trying to hide his words from the rest.

  “Tell them to stay put,” Finn said firmly. “I don’t need any dead weight.”

  “We heard that!” Joana screamed.

  Finn grimaced and turned his headpiece volume lower.

  “I’ll notify the police, guys. How about that?” Nolan murmured.

  He could only imagine the scathing looks Joana, Carrie and Sky were shooting his way.

  Finn heard the sound of wrestling and the whoosh of static.

  A moment passed.

  Suddenly, Carrie’s voice screeched over the line. “Remember that conversation we had in the car earlier when I wasn’t so sure about you killing Kross?”

  “Yes.” Finn sped into a quiet suburban street, his eyes on the bridge just ahead. “What about it.”

  “I take it back. Pop a cap up his—”

  “I think what Carrie’s trying to say,” Sky’s voice took over the line, “is do everything you can to get Jewel out of there. We’re not going to judge you.”

  “So… then maybe I shouldn’t call the police?” Nolan asked hesitantly.

  “Not until I say so.” Finn pressed his foot on the gas pedal.

  “Good luck.”

  He nodded and hung up.

  If his pulse wasn’t racing and his heart wasn’t beating in his ears and drowning out every other sound, he would have let out a whoop of victory.

  But he didn’t.

  They’d gotten a read on Jewel, but who knew what he’d meet when he got there? Things could still go south. He had to stay on top of his game to make sure both he and Jewel got out of there alive.

  33

  Kross stopped the car before a wooden shed deep in the heart of the Belizean brush.

  Well, he didn’t really ‘stop’ the car. They’d run out of gas a few moments ago and he’d let the vehicle roll along on its own inertia until the shed came into sight.

  Jewel felt strangely calm as she stared outside her window. Tonight had been a rollercoaster of emotions—fear, rage, regret, pain. She was totally spent. All she wanted to do was curl up into a ball and go to sleep.

  “We’re here,” Kross said.

  She glanced at the cabin. It looked shabby and broken down, quite similar to the shanty she called home. Except this cabin was two stories and had a small shed at the back.

  “Where is ‘here’?”

  Kross looked at her, white smile gleaming in the darkness. “It’s the Holding Zone. It’s where Dad used to hide the women he’d sell on the black market.” At Jewel’s gasp of horror, Kross’s smile widened. “I’m not looking so bad now, huh?”

  She chose not to comment.

  Kross’s eyes slid down to her neck and he made a disgusted face. “That’s a bad bruise. We’ll need to clean that up before we find our baby.”

  She wrapped a hand around her throat. “If that’s your version of an apology—”

  “Of course not.” He chuckled and moved to unbuckle her seatbelt. Jewel held her breath as he invaded her personal space, closing her eyes and counting down from five until it was over.

  Five.

  Four.

  Three.

  She cracked an eye open and saw Kross suspended above her. Disgusted, she raised her arms and pushed him back, ignoring the pain that flashed through her scarred wrists.

  “What are you doing?” she cried.

  Kross didn’t budge. His eyes were locked on her chest. Jewel lifted her hands to shade that area from view.

  Kross slapped her hands down and grabbed her. She screamed and rolled away from him, slamming her forehead into the windshield in her haste. The thud almost cracked the glass.

  Kross wrenched her back to face him and yanked her necklace off. The metal cut into her skin and caused another shriek to pour from her lips.

  He lifted the chain. “What the hell is this?”

  Jewel stared at the object, prepared to call him a nut-case when she saw a small, red light pulsing within the pendant.

  Kross gathered the stone in his fists and shook it in front of her face. “You played me.”

  “No. I swear. I have no idea…”

  The roar of an engine tearing through the woods grabbed both their attention. Jewel glanced up and saw a blue car careening toward them.

  She screamed and ducked her head, preparing for the collision.

  It never came.

  The adrenaline rushing through her veins was overwhelming. Every nerve was on edge. She slid her gaze up and glanced at the driver’s side.

  Empty.

  Kross was gone.

  Jewel looked ahead and her eyes fell on the car that had barreled into the small clearing. It was dark, but Kross’s beams highlighted the sleek blue paint.

  Isn’t that… Finn’s car?

  Hope ballooned in her heart. Before it had time to spread, her door tore open and Kross hauled her out. She saw the gun in his hands moments before he pressed it to her head.

  A lump formed in her throat.

  She could barely breathe.

  Finn popped his car door open and stepped out calmly. He wore the faded grey T-shirt and jeans from yesterday. His scruff was thicker now. Less of a five-o’clock shadow and more of a two-in-the-morning one.

  For some reason, tears sprang to her eyes when she saw him. Jewel had been so sure that they would never find her so seeing him now—in the flesh, after the night she’d had—was enough to weaken her knees.

  “Let her go, Kross.” Finn’s voice was firm and cold. “Enough.”

  Kross dragged her in front of him, shielding himself with her body while keeping the gun at her temple. The barrel was cold against her skin. It clashed with Kross’s hot breath on the back of her neck.

  “You just can’t give up, can you?”

  Finn strode toward them, unconcerned by the fact that Kross was threatening her life. She started to sweat. What if Finn’s thirst for revenge made her expendable?

  Her mind skittered for a solution.

  “Don’t come any closer!” Kross shrieked. His spit flew over her shoulder like a cold rain. “I’ll kill her.”

  “No, you won’t.”

  Yes, he kind of will. Jewel gritted her teeth. This cockiness of F
inn’s would become a problem for her. She could feel it.

  “You want your family, your baby?” Finn said, moving even closer. “We found her.”

  “What?” Jewel whispered. Her heartbeat thundered. So many emotions flitted through her chest she went numb.

  Had they really found the baby she’d given away?

  Finn kept staring at Kross. “Don’t you want to hold your child?”

  “Yes.” Kross curled his finger around the trigger. “But I’ll do it on my own.” At the last second, he swung the gun around and shot it at Finn.

  Jewel screamed when the bang echoed across the clearing, almost deafening her.

  Someone grabbed her from behind and lowered her head, shielding her as they urged her to run. Jewel’s breath thickened and she glanced over her shoulder, almost stumbling in shock when she saw Joon Gi’s face hovering over hers.

  “Joon?”

  “Sh.” He placed a finger to his lips and pointed. Just up ahead, Jewel saw the outline of five figures waiting for her. One by one, her friends stepped out of the darkness and gathered her up in a tight hug.

  “We were so worried,” Carrie moaned.

  Jewel’s eyes bugged. “Sky?”

  “Did you really think I wouldn’t come?”

  Benson and Sun Gi nodded welcomingly to her.

  The sound of grunts rang across the clearing. Jewel spun and saw Kross and Finn fighting in the shadows. Finn was getting pummeled. Even from the distance, Jewel could see the blood staining his face and clothes.

  Joon Gi exchanged looks with Benson and his brother. “Anybody up for a deadly fight?”

  “I’m in.” Benson shoved his T-shirt sleeves up.

  Sun Gi just strode ahead.

  Jewel winced. “Guys, be careful.”

  “They’ll be fine.” Joana lifted her chin. “Get ‘em, boys.”

  34

  Finn watched as Sun Gi went careening to the ground. The collective gasps of the women watching behind the trees rolled through the air like the hiss of the wind.

  Finn dug his fingers into the dirt and struggled to rise. Blood was leaking past his temple to his cheek and some of it was getting into his eyes. Everywhere throbbed.

  Hand-to-hand combat was Kross’s strength and in all his dreams of a showdown, he’d always imagined pointing a gun at Kross’s head and pulling the trigger. Very little fuss or pain.

  That hadn’t worked out the way he’d planned. Kross had overpowered him and tossed the gun into the woods, leaving him with no defense and no plan B.

  Nothing except his rage.

  Which wasn’t a great weapon given the fact that he was currently face-down in the dirt and struggling to move.

  A howl rang through the night a moment before another body landed next to his.

  Joon Gi’s.

  The man rolled over on his side, his pale face a mask of agony.

  Finn chuckled shakily. “Told you guys not to follow me.”

  “Shut up.”

  His lips twitched, but he had more important things to focus on right now.

  Kross was a better fighter, embarrassingly so, but he’d lost track of the gun sometime after Sun Gi, Joon and Benson converged.

  His gaze scanned the dark surroundings. The moon had slipped from behind a cloud and provided a scrawny beam. That, along with the beams from his and Kross’s car, lit the place up like a Christmas tree.

  Finn eyed the gun that had skittered to Kross’s left just as he defeated Benson. At least the bigger man hadn’t gone flying like his friends.

  Finn crawled toward the gun, hoping to get there while Kross was still occupied. His legs scraped against the dried leaves and twigs. He was pretty sure he’d bruised something important.

  None of that mattered.

  His blood rushed in his ears and adrenaline spiked his heartbeat, keeping him from breaking down. The fight wasn’t over yet.

  Not by a long shot.

  The gun glistened in his sights.

  He dove for it and caught his hands on the handle. Victory slipped through his veins, but before he could get a secure grip, a booted foot landed on his hand and pressed down.

  Finn bawled out from pain.

  Kross kicked him in the head.

  Light flashed and pinpricks of darkness flashed behind his eyes. Kross slowly knelt, picked up the gun and stood. His shoes thudded against the ground as Kross ambled closer to him.

  Finn glanced around for backup and found Benson, Sun Gi and Joon struggling to mobilize. For the first time, he tasted fear.

  Kross had the upper hand and they all knew it.

  I hope Jewel got away.

  Kross pointed the gun at his head. “You know. I do remember Courtney. She was blonde, right? Petite. She wanted to be a… dancer.”

  Finn gritted his teeth. “Go to hell.”

  “You first.” Kross settled his hands on the trigger. “Tell your sister hi for me when you get there.”

  Finn closed his eyes and prepared for the fatal shot.

  He heard a boom!

  His body froze.

  A thud sounded beside him.

  Finn glanced up and saw Kross lying on the ground. Eyes open, unseeing. Blood poured from his back. He sat up, groaning in pain and looked behind him.

  Jewel stood in the clearing, her feet spread apart and her hands shaking.

  She was still holding the gun.

  Finn scrambled up and ran to her. “Jewel!”

  She collapsed into his arms. Her eyes were wide, shocked. “I killed him.”

  Sky, Carrie and Joana ran to them.

  Sky took Jewel from him. “It’s okay. You were protecting Finn.”

  Jewel stared at Kross’s body in disbelief.

  Carrie glanced around. “We need a shovel.”

  “Babe?” Benson groaned and limped over to them, holding Sun Gi up with an arm. “You gonna bury him?”

  “No,” Joana argued, “we should cut his body into pieces and throw it into the water. I’ve seen them do that in movies.”

  “Really?” Sun Gi gave Joana the stink eye. “Who do you suggest should do the cutting?”

  “Good question.”

  Sky glared at all of them. “Could we not discuss disposing the body right in front of her?”

  “No, it’s fine.” Jewel straightened and sucked in a deep breath.

  Finn studied her. She looked tired, terrified, but she was safe.

  They all were.

  Nolan’s voice spoke through his earpiece. “I called the cops.”

  “What did you tell them?”

  “Self-defense. Everyone else is a citizen with alibis, but you’ll need to get out of there if you don’t want to get arrested and kicked out of Belize.”

  Finn nodded and glanced at Jewel again. “I have to go.”

  “Thank you.” She smiled bravely.

  “We’ll talk later.” He dipped his head at the girls and disappeared from the clearing.

  As he got into his car and drove back the way he’d come, Finn struggled and failed to wrap his brain around what had just happened.

  Kross was dead. By Jewel’s hands, which he hadn’t anticipated, but the end result was all that mattered. Courtney had received the justice he’d longed for.

  Now what?

  Strangely forlorn, Finn drove back to the bakery without settling on an answer.

  35

  Sleep. All Jewel wanted to do was sleep for days and days. She could barely keep her eyes open when the police came, asking questions and snapping pictures. Her head felt like it was about to explode.

  As the man who’d terrorized her for years was carried away on a gurney, Sky wrapped an arm around her shoulder and steered her from the sight.

  “Let’s get some rest,” she said gently. “Things will seem better in the morning.”

  But morning took forever to come.

  The more desperate she was to sleep, the more her body refused to give in. She spent hours tossing and turning. Every time
she closed her eyes, Jewel relived the moment when she picked up Kross’s loaded gun, pointed and shot.

  The weapon had bucked in her hands.

  She hadn’t expected it to be so loud.

  When Kross stuttered and fell, she’d hoped for him to be alive. Maybe critically injured or something, but alive.

  She’d killed a man.

  And even if that jerk deserved it, Jewel wasn’t sure what that meant for her, for who she was.

  She hadn’t realized she’d fallen asleep until she woke with a start. The alarm on the nightstand read four a.m. It was the usual time she got up in the morning to take a quick shower and head over to Sweet Treats.

  Jewel crept out of the guest room and slipped down the stairs so she didn’t wake Sky and Joon. The newlyweds had cut their honeymoon short for her and generously offered to let her stay with them for a few days.

  She was grateful, but she didn’t want to impose.

  Jewel had given into Sky for one night. Today, she’d head back to her place and make sense of her life.

  But first, there was someone she needed to see.

  Jewel scribbled a note to tell Sky where she’d gone and then headed out. The breeze was cool against her hot skin. The sun had yet to rise, but the edges of the world were tinged with a balmy purple shade.

  She strode freely, realizing after a couple blocks that she was in nothing but the tank top and shorts Sky had lent her to sleep in last night.

  Maybe killing a man had fundamentally changed her, made her braver. Or maybe this shift had been in the works since she started hanging out with Sky, Joana and Carrie.

  A few minutes later, Jewel spotted the guesthouse and stepped into the foyer. A man was snoring behind the desk. She snuck up the stairs and stopped in front of Finn’s room.

  It took a moment to gather her courage and knock.

  Finn had disappeared when the police arrived last night. She understood. He was a foreigner who shouldn’t be involved in the first place. Jewel kind of wished he’d stayed.

  Why?

  She wasn’t quite sure.

  Since meeting Finn, her life had been a rollercoaster. In a way, Jewel wanted to determine for herself what was real and what was fake.