Burned

by Gabrielle Gibson

  BURNED

  Gabrielle Gibson

  Lauren Jones

  Wrecked Hearts Series #2

  Wrecked Hearts Series

  Lit (Wrecked Hearts #1)

  Burned (Wrecked Hearts #2)

  Coming Soon

  Consumed (Wrecked Hearts #3)

  Copyright ©2018 Gabrielle Gibson

  First Edition

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author.

  ISBN 9781729314692

  The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Names, characters, places, and plots are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, or actual events is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Chapter One

  “IT’S PROBABLY A MISTAKE,” JACK said confidently.

  “Probably? I figured you would be used to these kinds of calls by now,” Chris joked.

  “I have to drive over there and sort this out.”

  “Whoa, seriously? Is there really a chance the kid is yours?” Chris asked.

  Jack shrugged.

  “I doubt it. She said the kid’s mother’s name is Brandy. Only Brandy I remember is that stripper at Donnie’s bachelor party. Dark hair, unbelievable ass, went down on the blonde? You got a lap dance from her, too,” Jack reminded him.

  “You fucked her?” Chris asked.

  Jack nodded. “Couple of times.”

  “I figured you were just getting blown when you took her in that back room.”

  “Yeah, I was. I didn’t fuck her that night. It was later.”

  “Didn’t you wrap it up?” Chris was surprised. He knew Jack was usually really careful.

  Jack sighed. “Yeah, every time except once. I pulled out.”

  “Only takes once,” Chris said sarcastically.

  “Thanks, dickhead. That’s really helpful.”

  AT THE HOSPITAL, JACK AND Chris were directed to the critical care unit on the fifth floor.

  When they stepped off the elevator, Jessie turned the corner and stood in front of them.

  “Hey,” Chris spoke, surprised to see her.

  She looked at them, confused. Fear and worry raced through her.

  “Hey.” Her face flooded with concern. “What are you guys doing here? Is Zoey okay?”

  “She’s fine. What are you doing here?” Chris asked, equally confused. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m here with my dad. We came to bring dinner to my mom. She’s a doctor here, remember?” Jessie explained.

  Jack looked at Jessie and then at Chris. “Can you fill her in? I just… I can’t. I’ll go find out who I need to talk to.”

  Chris nodded.

  Jack glanced at Jessie, avoiding her eyes, and walked down the hall toward the reception desk.

  Chris quickly caught Jessie up on the phone call that Jack had received.

  “Wow,” Jessie said. “Just… wow.”

  Jack might have a four-year-old child that he never knew about it?

  An attractive blonde in a white doctor’s coat came around the corner toward the reception desk. Jack’s eyes automatically scanned her from head to toe and back up again.

  Wow. Nice body.

  He couldn’t help but notice how good she looked as he shook her hand. She was a little older than him, but definitely a hottie. There was something familiar about her.

  “Mr. Turner?” She held out her hand. “I’m Dr. Hayley Sparks.”

  Sparks.

  At that moment Jack put it together. Jessie had her mother’s brilliant blue eyes. That’s why the doctor seemed familiar. She looked far too young to have a daughter Jessie’s age. She could easily pass for Jessie’s older sister.

  Good genes.

  Chris appeared suddenly from around a corner, followed by Jessie and her dad.

  “Jessie, honey, and Bill, you’re still here?” Dr. Sparks looked confused.

  “Mom, Daddy, this is Jack Turner. From work. And this is Chris Peoples, Zoey’s boyfriend.”

  Jessie’s father shook both of their hands.

  “I’m Bill Sparks. Glad to meet you, Jack. Chris, I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. Zoey’s told us so much about you.”

  “Hi, Chris. So nice to finally meet you. Jack, I’m happy to meet you, too. I’m sorry it’s under such difficult circumstances,” Jessie’s mother said.

  Jack nodded.

  “Jessie, sweetie, I need to talk to Jack alone. You know the rules,” her mom said gently.

  Jessie nodded and took Chris by the arm to lead him away.

  “It’s okay,” Jack said. “They can stay. I don’t mind.”

  Jessie’s mom nodded and began speaking.

  “Jack, a young woman and her little girl were brought to the ER this morning after being involved in a serious car accident. The little girl suffered minor injuries, but her mother is unfortunately in critical condition. We have her on a ventilator. The little girl’s school bag was in the car and the paramedics were able to find the name of her preschool on some paperwork inside of it. The preschool had your name and phone number listed as the emergency contact for the child, Kennedy Turner.”

  Jack stared at her blankly, not sure how to respond.

  After a moment of uncomfortable silence, he spoke.

  “The kid has my last name? I don’t understand. Why doesn’t she have her mother’s last name?”

  “I do believe it’s customary for a child to carry the mother’s last name if she’s unmarried. The child’s birth certificate was issued in the state of Connecticut. The rules may vary state-to-state.”

  Jack nodded silently. He knew from his work on various cases that Connecticut was one of the few states in which a mother could give her child any name she liked, without needing to establish paternity.

  For all Jack knew, the girl could have been from Connecticut, or had family there or something. He really had never known much about her. Theirs had been a strictly sexual relationship.

  “Okay. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that she’s my kid, right? I mean, this girl could have just written any name down. I don’t know why she would list me as an emergency contact when I didn’t even know…” Jack’s voice was steady as he trailed off, but he looked like he was at a loss.

  Jessie’s mother nodded. “I understand how shocking this must be for you. Why don’t we run a DNA test and then we’ll know for sure? We can put a rush on it through a private lab we use and have the results back tomorrow. We want to keep Kennedy here overnight for observation anyway. She has a minor head injury and in a child so young we don’t like to take any chances.”

  Jack nodded reluctantly in agreement. “Okay.”

  “About Ms. Richards. How well do you know her?” Dr. Sparks asked, her tone professional and indifferent.

  Jack shook his head. “I’m not even sure I do.”

  “Will you please come with me and tell me if you recognize her?”

  He agreed and Dr. Sparks led him down a corridor.

  They returned just a few moments later.

  Jack had reluctantly confirmed that the woman in intensive care was the same Brandy he remembered, as best as he could tell, given her extensive injuries.

  “Do you know anything about her family? We haven’t been able to find anyone to call for her,” Jessie’s mom asked as they returned to the reception desk.

  Jack shook his head. He paused before answering. “To be honest, I didn’t really know her very well. We only hung out together a few times.”

  He made eye contact with Jessie but she looked away quickly.

  Jessie noticed a look of concern pass over her father’s f
ace as he glanced at her, then at Jack.

  “Where did you meet her? Really, anything you can remember might be helpful.” Dr. Sparks kept her expression neutral.

  Jack hesitated. He ran his hand through his hair, looking uncomfortable as he answered the doctor’s question.

  “Uh, well, when I knew her she was a… a dancer.”

  “A dancer?” Dr. Sparks asked.

  Jessie glanced at Chris and she could tell from the look on his face that he knew who this girl was, too.

  “At a club. Downtown. I met her at a party. A bachelor party.”

  Jack met Jessie’s eyes. Usually those sparkly blue eyes were so easy to read, an open window into her feelings, but in this rare moment he couldn’t tell what she was thinking at all.

  “Ah, I see.” Jessie’s mom finally understood.

  Jessie felt a bit awkward. Her parents were meeting Jack for the first time and he was telling them about a stripper he’d had sex with. An encounter that may or may not have resulted in a child that he’d never known about. Talk about memorable first impressions.

  “Well, if you think of anything that might help, please let us know. It’s such a shame that she doesn’t have anyone here with her.” Jessie’s mom put her hand on Jack’s arm. “Why don’t you come with me and we’ll do that test.”

  “What about the little girl… Kennedy?” Jessie asked. “Can we see her? She’s all alone. She must be so scared.”

  Jessie’s mom hesitated. “I suppose it can’t hurt. Why don’t you go sit with her and I’ll bring Jack to her room when we’re done with the blood test. Jessie volunteers here in the pediatric ward so she’ll be allowed to go into Kennedy’s room by herself.”

  “Is that okay with you?” Jessie asked Jack.

  He shrugged and nodded. “Yeah, I mean, why wouldn’t it be?”

  Jessie didn’t answer him.

  “Why don’t you go call Zoey and fill her in?” Jessie suggested to Chris. “I’ll go see the little girl. I don’t want us to overwhelm her.”

  JESSIE STOOD OUTSIDE THE ROOM with Turner, K. displayed on the door. The pediatric room had a large, glass window, so she could see the little girl as she approached the room. She looked so tiny, sitting all alone in that big bed.

  At the door, Jessie stopped.

  “Hi,” Jessie said, smiling sweetly. “Are you Kennedy?”

  She was a beautiful little girl, with long, blonde hair and big, blue eyes. She looked shyly at Jessie and nodded. She had a bruise on her left cheek and a bandage covering part of her forehead.

  “I’m Jessie. Can I come in and keep you company? You look kind of lonely.”

  The little girl nodded again and looked down at the bed.

  The child didn’t look like Jack at all, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything.

  Jessie sat in the chair next to the bed.

  The little girl held a book that a nurse had brought her. It was a book about a princess and her magic horse that Jessie recognized.

  “Can you read yet?” Jessie asked her.

  The little girl shook her head.

  “No.” Her voice was tiny whisper.

  “Do you want me to read this story to you?” Jessie asked.

  The little girl nodded and gave her a shy smile. She handed the book to her and scooted over a bit in the bed so Jessie could sit next to her.

  Jessie sat down on the bed and opened the book. She read as Kennedy looked at the pictures and turned each page when it was time.

  Jack approached the room from the corridor and saw Jessie sitting with a tiny blonde-haired girl, reading to her. He stood outside the window, his heart thumping in his chest. He took a deep breath.

  He didn’t need the results of any test to know that this was his daughter. This child looked almost exactly like his sister had at the same age.

  Chris walked up behind him and sucked in his breath.

  “Shit,” he whispered.

  Jack knew that Chris saw it too.

  He slapped his hand on Jack’s shoulder. There was nothing to say.

  Jessie looked up from the book and saw them. She smiled and motioned for them to come inside the room.

  Dr. Sparks showed up at that moment as well. They all walked in and stood around the bed.

  Kennedy looked up at them, her gaze settling on Jack. She stared at him, her eyes widening.

  “Kennedy,” Dr. Sparks spoke kindly to the timid little girl. “Do you know who this is?”

  Kennedy nodded.

  Jack’s face registered surprise.

  “Who is this, sweetie?” Dr. Sparks asked gently.

  “My daddy,” Kennedy whispered, her tiny, little girl voice barely audible.

  Jack let out a hard breath, his face a mask of utter confusion. How could this kid possibly know who he was?

  “How do you know he’s your daddy?” Dr. Sparks asked her.

  “My mommy showed me his picture,” Kennedy said, still whispering. Her expression was fearful, tears gathering in her sweet blue eyes.

  “Where did you see his picture, honey?”

  “On the computer. Mommy said he was too busy so he couldn’t come see me. She said he might come to see me someday if I was a good girl.”

  The little girl became shy and started to cry. She turned to Jessie, wrapping her arms around her and pressing her face into her side.

  Jessie rocked and soothed her.

  “Shhh… it’s okay, baby girl. Don’t cry. You’re okay.” She looked up at Jack and they locked eyes for a moment.

  Jack turned sharply away and stalked out of the room.

  Chris followed him.

  “Why didn’t she tell me?” Jack asked angrily when they were out in the hallway. “I mean, seriously, what the fuck?” He was so pissed off he felt like putting his fist through the fucking glass window. “Jesus Christ, if nothing else you’d think she’d have wanted some money!”

  Chris shrugged. “I don’t know, man. Who knows why women do shit? Maybe she didn’t think you’d want to be a part of it. Or maybe she had a boyfriend or something?”

  “You know she’s mine, don’t you? You can see it?” Jack asked him, shaking his head in disbelief.

  Chris nodded. “No doubt. She looks just like Sarah.”

  Jack shook his head. “A goddamn kid. Fuck! I don’t even know what to fucking think right now.”

  He ran his hand through his hair. Not much could shake Jack Turner, but right now he looked pretty shaken up.

  Jessie came out of the room and put a soothing hand on Jack’s arm.

  “You okay?” she asked, looking up at him with her pretty blue eyes.

  He shrugged and shook his head.

  “Do you want me to stay here with you? She seems comfortable with me. I can tell my dad to go on home and I can catch a ride with you later, if you need me.”

  He looked at her gratefully and nodded. “Yeah, that would be great. If you don’t mind.”

  “Of course I don’t mind. Whatever you need. I’ll be right back.”

  “Thanks, Jessie.”

  THEY STAYED ANOTHER TWO HOURS. Jessie refused to leave until Kennedy was asleep for the night.

  Jessie snagged a coloring book and some crayons from the pediatric ward’s playroom, and she and Chris colored with Kennedy, while Jack sat pensively in the corner, not saying a word.

  Kennedy kept stealing glances at Jack but would turn away, shy, when he looked back at her. He had never really been around kids before and he felt uncomfortable.

  Jessie was a natural, though. She seemed to instinctively know how to interact with the little girl. He was impressed actually.

  And grateful as hell.

  Chris and Jessie took turns reading stories to her until she drifted off to sleep.

  Jack sat and watched them in silence.

  Each time they tried to leave, Kennedy woke up again. She cried and asked for her mommy. Jessie held her and comforted her each time, and then picked up a book and read, or sang to her unt
il she fell asleep again.

  Finally, Kennedy fell into a deep sleep and they left.

  Jessie gave the nurse her cell phone number and asked her to call if Kennedy woke up and wasn’t able to fall back asleep.

  The drive to Chris’s house was silent.

  The tires of Jack’s Jeep crunched through the gravel on the driveway as he pulled up in front of Chris’s large home. Zoey’s car was parked outside.

  “Thanks for going with me tonight,” Jack said as Chris climbed out of his Jeep.

  “Sure, man. Let me know what’s going on tomorrow,” Chris replied, as he held the door open for Jessie. She moved from the backseat to ride up front with Jack.

  Jack glanced at her as she slid into the seat next to him and pulled on the seat belt. She was wearing a little black dress with knee-high black boots and a short, dark blue denim jacket. Her long, blonde hair was loose and wavy over her shoulders and down her back.

  He’d been so distracted tonight he hadn’t even noticed how great she looked. His cock jerked a little in his jeans as he looked at her. So damn pretty and tempting, but so incredibly off-limits.

  He took a deep, steadying breath as he remembered kissing those soft, pink lips at the beach, her hot, perfect skin pressed against him in his hot tub. Those incredible blue eyes looking at him adoringly as he’d toyed just a little with her body, not to mention that soft, soft heart that bruised too easily. How long ago had that been? A month? A little more?

  They hadn’t spoken about that intense make-out session since the morning after, but he’d definitely thought about it a lot. Especially when he was jerking off.

  She’d been so fucking hot that night. He remembered her grinding the front of her white bikini bottoms against the erection in his swim trunks as he’d licked and sucked her pretty nipples.

  Unfortunately the fucking boy scout in him had decided to stop things before they had gone any further.

  Since that night he’d been nailing as much premium pussy as he could find, trying to get her out of his goddamn head.

  “You okay?” Jessie asked softly.

  She shifted in her seat and reached over to put her hand on his shoulder, sliding it around so she could massage his neck as he drove.

  He tensed initially at the feel of her delicate hand against his skin, but he began to relax as she pressed the tips of her fingers into his tight muscles.