Jenna let out a raspy breath. He loved listening to her breath catch and paid extra attention to the skin below her navel. Nudging her toward the bed, Jenna reclined back on her elbows, her hair a golden tussled halo as he licked a slow line along her delicate folds.
“You taste so good,” he said, draping her legs over his shoulders.
He brought his attention back to her center and tasted her sensitive bud. He could feel Jenna’s need growing as her hips bucked, her body becoming impatient, wanting more. Ben increased his pace, licking and sucking harder and faster, finding a rhythm that made Jenna gasp for air. She was wet and hot under his tongue, making his cock want to plunge deep inside her. But he kept going, wanting to taste each drop of her pleasure.
Jenna’s release came hard as she turned her head to the side, biting her fist to stifle the cries of pleasure. He held her hips as they rode out her orgasm, her soft gasps like a symphony to his cock.
His clothes were off in a few swift movements, and he was climbing over her, his hard length pressing against her thigh. He eased himself inside savoring the tight clench of her body, his gaze locked on her exquisite face. He wanted to memorize everything, the curve of her cheek, the way she parted her lips in a gasp of pleasure as he filled her completely.
“What is it?” Jenna whispered, searching his face.
His gaze locked with hers, and her eyes told him everything he needed to know.
She was his. But he needed to hear her say it. “Tell me you’re mine. Now and forever.” His words left him naked and raw.
Ben pulled out, then filled her again, the slow slide of friction causing her body to tremble beneath him. Their bodies continued this dance in perfect harmony, pleasure building, the quiet around them punctuated only by the sound of their breath and their bodies coming together in the darkness.
“I’m yours,” Jenna answered as Ben worked her body. Every gasp, every touch, every moan, solidifying the promise that they belonged to each other.
26
Kathy and Neil’s car pulled up the driveway, and Jenna walked down from the carriage house to greet them. It was Tuesday morning. Today, Kate would be leaving with her grandparents to visit Neil’s relatives in Maine.
Kate ran from the house and waved to Jenna and her grandparents. She studiously checked Jenna’s ring finger. “See,” she said, gesturing to Jenna’s hand. “Daddy and I asked Jenna to marry us, and she said yes.”
Kathy’s eyes sparkled with tears. “Welcome to the family. Neil and I couldn’t be more thrilled.”
“Thank you, Kathy. You and Neil have been so kind to me. I feel like I’ve found…”
“A home,” Kathy offered, supplying the word Jenna was too scared to say.
Jenna teared up and could only nod in agreement.
Ben emerged from the house carrying Kate’s suitcase and found Jenna and his mother in tears. “I hope you’re not crying because you’ve done something else to your ankle.”
“Benjamin! I’m all healed up,” Kathy added, wiping a tear from her cheek. “And for the record, these are happy tears.”
Neil shook Ben’s hand, and then he kissed Jenna on the cheek. “You chose.”
“I did. Thank you, Neil,” Jenna whispered, brushing another tear away.
Neil checked his watch. “We better get a move on if we want to make our flight.”
Ben and Jenna waved goodbye as the car made its way down Baneberry Drive.
“It feels so strange without her, doesn’t it?” she said, gazing down the empty street.
Ben wrapped his arms around her waist. “It does.”
“So, today,” Jenna began, steadying her breath. The last twenty-four hours seemed almost surreal, and now with Kate leaving, it felt as if a piece of her heart had been broken off. Trying to ward off the lump in her throat, she started again. “Today, I have family therapy with my mom at one. Maybe we could meet for a late lunch after?”
Ben pressed a kiss to her neck. “I’d love that. My afternoon should be wide open unless Michael starts harping on me for his stair design.”
“Speaking of Michael,” Jenna said, turning around and wrapping her arms around Ben’s neck. “He just sent me an email. It looks like he was able to take care of everything I’d asked him to do with the trust. How about I meet you at your office after family therapy? That would give me a chance to pop in next door and thank him.”
“Sounds perfect. You know, I think what you’re doing for your mom is very generous. I’m sure she’ll be touched. Are you going to tell her today?”
Jenna smiled. “Yes, I’m going to tell her first thing.”
Ben cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. Jenna melted into the kiss but tensed as the sound of voices got closer. A large group of retirees power walked past them, their conversations overlapping as they passed by the Tudor. But one distinct, cranky voice rose above the group.
“Harold never kissed me like that,” a woman remarked to the walkers.
Ben and Jenna pulled apart and chuckled. But Ben’s eyes darkened, making a chill run down her spine.
“I will always kiss you like this,” he said, dipping his head as his lips met hers for one last kiss.
When he pulled back, Jenna saw a playful glint flash in his blue eyes.
“And Jenna,” Ben continued.
“Hmm,” she replied.
“I’ll never be a Harold.”
Jenna laughed and buried her head in the crook of his neck. She was going to marry this man. Her forever was about to begin.
Jenna pulled into the parking lot of the Midwest Psychiatric Center. A giddy rush surged through her body. There were so many new beginnings happening. Her heart was bursting with pure joy. She slipped the plastic ring off her finger and into her purse. She wanted to share the news of her engagement with her mother but worried what Judith would think of a plastic ring.
“Look at you, all smiles,” Nurse Sally said, greeting Jenna in the lobby.
Jenna couldn’t help her enthusiasm. Dan and Elaine arrived, and she chatted easily. Eric met them in the lobby and walked them back to the group therapy room. The mood was festive as he showed them pictures of his new granddaughter on his cell phone.
Jenna entered the room and found her mother. “Mom, I have good news about the trust.”
Judith’s eyes lit up. “Go ahead, baby. I knew you’d come through for me.”
Jenna took a breath. “You know how you went to the Rose Brooks Women’s Shelter? It’s the place that helped you get away from Travis and also the place that brought us together.”
Judith’s high wattage smile dialed down a notch.
“They do amazing work there,” Jenna said, unable to contain her excitement. “Along with helping women escape abusive relationships, they also have programs to help abused children. I had my attorney check into the organization.”
“I don’t understand, JJ. Why would you need an attorney to look into Rose Brooks?”
Jenna held her mother’s hand. “That’s the exciting news! I’ve donated the entirety of my trust to Rose Brooks, and I’ve done it in your name.”
Judith paled. “You gave your whole trust fund to the shelter? For me?”
“Yes!” Jenna said, squeezing her mother’s limp hand.
“But, JJ, I told you I might need a little financial help gettin’ back on my feet.”
“Mom, I have enough money of my own to get you settled. It won’t be anything fancy, but it will be someplace safe that will let you figure out what you want to do. You could even go to college if you wanted. There are so many possibilities.”
Judith pulled her hand from Jenna’s grip. “This is quite a bit to take in.”
“I understand, Mom. I’m proud of you for leaving Travis and reaching out to me. We’ve got time to get to know each other now.” And be like a real mother and daughter, Jenna thought. But she held back those words.
Judith opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
Eric
addressed the group. “All right, folks. I think the pictures have made the rounds. Let’s all find a seat and begin.”
Judith’s posture went rigid, and she balled her hands into tiny fists.
Eric seemed to hone in on the change in Judith’s disposition. “Is everything all right, Judith?”
Judith looked from Eric to Jenna. “You know, Eric, I think I may be comin’ down with a migraine.”
The group turned their attention to Judith which seemed to, at least momentarily, lift her spirits.
“Do you think you’ll be able to make it through group?” Eric asked.
“I better not risk it. Without rest, it’ll only get worse.”
“Do you want me to walk you back to your room?” Jenna asked.
She knew she had shocked her mother with the news about the trust. She also knew the thought of starting a new life with so many unknowns had to be frightening for her mother.
“No, you know I just need a little rest, and then I’ll be as right as rain.”
“Mom, this is a new beginning for us. I have so much to tell you. We’ll talk when you feel better.”
Judith nodded to no one in particular and left the room.
At a quarter past two, Jenna parked in front of Ben’s office. She had stayed for the entire therapy session despite her mother leaving to tend to her headache.
She’d tried to focus on the group therapy conversation, but her thoughts kept going back to Judith. Had the news about her gift to the shelter been too overwhelming for her mother? Maybe all this change was too much for her to handle. In her excitement to start a life in Langley Park, perhaps she pushed her mother harder than she was able to go right now.
Jenna walked into Ben’s office only to find Michael standing at Mrs. G’s desk. She did a quick scan of the space. Ben wasn’t there.
Mrs. G and Michael glanced up. They were reading something from the newspaper. The older woman met Jenna’s gaze, but Mrs. G’s usual wide grin was replaced with a wobbly smile. “Let me give you a hug. Ben shared the big engagement news with us.”
Jenna returned the hug, but she could tell something was wrong. “Did something happen? Where’s Ben? We were going to have a late lunch.”
“Benjamin’s fine. There was an issue with the contractor and some permits on the Lawrence remodel. He had to head up there last minute. He asked me to tell you he’ll meet you at home. I think he texted you, too.”
Jenna nodded. She’d silenced her phone for the therapy session. Looking over Mrs. G’s shoulder, she noticed Michael. He was still absorbed in the newspaper.
“I’m glad you’re here, Michael. I wanted to thank you for all your help with the trust.”
The attorney nodded, but he didn’t stop reading.
“What’s going on?” Jenna asked.
Mrs. G glanced over to where Michael was still engrossed in the paper. “Ben told us about the situation with Aidan Hadley—how he’d been bothering you since you got into town.”
Jenna frowned. “We’re not sure it was him, but he’s the only person I’ve had any contact with in Langley Park that might be holding a grudge against me.”
Michael handed her the newspaper. “It looks like Aidan Hadley was arrested in Denver a few days ago. It just made the Kansas City paper.”
Jenna glanced down at the headline, ‘Prominent KC Attorney’s Son Arrested on Drug Charges in Denver.’
“At least we know that he’s not a threat to anyone,” Jenna said, still feeling as if she wasn’t getting the whole story.
Michael crossed his arms. “That’s the problem. The article says he’s been in Denver since the nineteenth of May. It looks like the Denver Police Department’s Narcotics Division had him under surveillance in order to catch his supplier. From the sound of it, this wasn’t the first time he’d been involved in the drug scene there.”
“That means Aidan Hadley left only a few days after I arrived,” she paused, her mind connecting the dots. “He couldn’t have slashed my tires, and he couldn’t have been the man I saw watching me through the window.”
“That’s what I was thinking,” Michael said grimly. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to put in a call to a guy I trust at the Langley Park PD.”
“We’ve been working with Officer Stevens, but he’s on his honeymoon.”
Michael jotted down Officer Steven’s name on a piece of paper.
“Does Ben know about this?” Jenna asked, her mind racing through what Hadley’s arrest meant for them.
Mrs. G shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. He left about an hour ago, and that’s when I finally got a chance to take a look at today’s paper. Michael came in a few minutes before you did to say hello when I showed him the article.”
Jenna nodded, trying to work out what to do next. “Thank you for letting me know about this. I think I’m going to head back to the house and wait for Ben. We’ll figure it out from there.”
“Do you want me to follow you home?” Michael asked, concern clouded his green eyes. “It wouldn’t be any trouble.”
“No, no, that won’t be necessary, Michael. I’ll be fine.”
She didn’t want to jump to any conclusions until she had more information. She needed some time to think. She’d go for a run. It would do her good to have a little time to herself to process things before Ben got home.
The drive back to the house felt off. Her mother’s strange reaction to the shelter donation and then learning about Aidan Hadley’s arrest had left Jenna feeling off balance.
Lost in her thoughts, she climbed the stairs to the carriage house apartment. She smelled something acrid. Cigarettes? After taking a few more steps, she heard something, a sort of tinny, buzzing sound.
As she entered the apartment, she saw a cell phone sitting in the middle of the large table. She picked up the phone and pressed the volume button. After a few taps, her stomach clenched.
Every Breath You Take.
Her breath caught in her throat, and she froze like a frightened rabbit cornered by a fox. The stink of tobacco and gaudy aftershave assaulted her sense of smell.
“JJ,” his voice was gruff and oozed cruelty. “I knew you’d remember this song. It’s my favorite. Even after all this time, it still makes me think of you.”
27
Travis Mayer.
Jenna told herself to breathe. She was facing away from him, gripping the cell phone in her hand. She pivoted, bringing the phone up, trying to make contact with his face. She wanted to stun him long enough to give her a second, maybe two, to make it to the door and out of the carriage house.
She almost had him, but he was able to anticipate her movements. Travis grabbed her wrist and slammed the phone into the side of her head, knocking her off balance and causing the phone to fall to the floor.
“Little bitch,” he growled, grabbing her by the hair.
He dragged her like a dog into the bedroom and pushed her onto the bed.
“Don’t move unless you want me to punish you.” A sadistic smirk spread across his face. “But we both know you do like a good whipping.”
Jenna didn’t move and kept her eyes pinched shut, trying to get her bearings.
“Now, Jenna Jo, I couldn’t just leave without us getting to finish what you started all those years ago.”
She remained silent. She knew Travis, in all his sick, twisted glory. He enjoyed watching her react, and she wasn’t about to feed into his perverted fantasy.
“Why so quiet?” he asked, voice dripping of mock concern.
She opened her eyes and met his gaze. Same dark hair greased back. Same stubbled beard, except now it was threaded with gray. And the same disgusting smirk plastered on his smug lips like he had just kicked a puppy and enjoyed it.
But when she looked closer, she saw lines etched deep around his eyes and how his shoulders, once broad and strong, were now slightly hunched.
He looked like the worn-out version of the bastard she remembered.
“You want me
to do all the talking? All right.” Travis grabbed her hair, forcing her face inches from his. “I’ve been watching you play house with your new boyfriend and his runt of a daughter. You’ll need to thank him for me for leaving a key to this place under the fucking flower pot.”
Jenna’s heart nearly stopped. In her daze, she hadn’t realized the carriage house door was unlocked when she’d arrived home.
“It’s been pretty damn entertaining watching you throw yourself at that architect. I wouldn’t have picked you as the type to fuck in the woods. But don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the show.”
Anger bloomed in her chest, and she blinked back angry tears.
“You always were a little whore, weren’t you, JJ,” he added, tightening his grip.
“It’s been you. You slashed my tires. You were the one out there looking in my window.”
A sick spark gleamed in Travis’ eyes. “You should have seen your face when I threw those rocks at you. Sweet Jesus, you nearly pissed yourself. It took everything I had not to bust out laughing.”
“What do you want?” she asked, scooting back on the bed. There was a coffee mug on the nightstand. If she could reach it, she could try and hit him with it.
“I think you know what I want. But that’s all gone now, isn’t it?” His words had lost the mocking tone and were now angry, agitated.
“Then why are you here? What do you want from me, you sick bastard?”
He struck her cheek. It was a sharp, quick jab that resonated and throbbed throughout her jaw. The blow sent her back, away from Travis and toward the coffee cup. It was almost within her reach.
“JJ, I wish I could take my time with you, but I’m sure your mama’s been missing me. We’ve been apart for far too long.”
Her mother. She had to warn her, had to tell someone at the hospital to be on the lookout for Travis.
He must have seen the fire ignite in her eyes. “No, no, no,” he said, producing a switchblade. He held the blade to her neck and pushed her onto her stomach. “Look at you, all wanting to protect your mommy.”
The Complete Langley Park Series (Books 1-5) Page 23
