Jared (23 page)

Kneeling down in front of her
,
he placed both hand
s
on her face gently lifting it back to his. “Don’t shut me out.”

“But I sound like an idiot.” Tessa rolled her eyes. “Who in their right mind would think their father beating them wasn’t the worse part?”

“You finally had his attention.” Jared said out loud what she was afraid to admit.

“
And h
ow sick is that?” Tessa was totally mortified. “It just wasn’t the
kind of
attention I wanted.
I wanted him to care how I did at school, go to father and daughter stuff
…
go see Adam play in just one football game
. I didn’t want to be invisible to him. The only time after my mother died he knew I was alive was when I didn’t have dinner ready or I didn’t pay the bills on time. Then the only attention he gave was a backhand across the face or a kick with his work boots. There were days I couldn’t go to school because I had a black eye or bruises.
He hurt me so bad, but not just on the outside….here.” Tessa
put her hand over her heart.

Jared’s face was stone as he listened. He could easily find her father and once this was over and he had time he would do just that. The son of a bitch would pay for hurting her. “
Why did he leave?”

“He got in trouble with the law a lot.” Tessa shrugged her shoulders. “That’s how I met Otis. He was new to the county and had taken the job of sheriff. His visits to find my father were many and we started talking. The last night we s
aw
our dad he came in drunk and went after Adam. I hit him with a skillet, which only made him mad and
he
c
a
me after me. Adam called the police. By the time they got here I was unconscious and my dad was gone and we haven’t seen him since.”

“Do you still love him?” Jared still held her face
,
his thumbs raking softly back and forth against her cheeks.

“Who? Otis?” Tessa
frowned. “
I don’t know if I ever really loved him
.”

“
Why do you say that
?” Jared questioned, his eyes searching.

“Because you can’t love someone if you
r heart is broken and
mine
was broken way before I met Otis.
” Tessa held back her tears. She was not going to cry again in front of this man. “
I know that sounds so cliché, but it’s true. I’m broken.”

Leaning in slowly Jared whispered a kiss across her trembling lips. It was a kiss of comfort and it warmed her from the inside out. He pulled back slightly his eyes close to their golden hue. “You’re not broken Tessa.”

“I feel broken.” She mumbled
,
looking away embarrassed. “I have never told anyone this….
and have no clue why I’m telling you
?”

“Some call me the Dr. Phil of the warrior world.” Jared shrugged
,
his face a mask of seriousness.
“I’ll send you my bill.”

Still not looking at him Tessa tried not to giggle, but even with all the seriousness in the room she couldn’t help it.
“Do you take payments cause I’m tapped out.
I kind of lost my job when someone beat up my boss.
”

“I’m sure we can work something
out.” He winked before turning serious again. “I
don’t play games Tessa. I get that you’ve been hurt and if I could change that I would, but I can’t. I go after what I want without hesitation and I want you.”

“Why?” Tessa’s whisper reached his ears.

“The day you and your brother burst into the interrogation room I was drawn to you and it’s grown stronger. You’re a strong, beautiful woman Tessa and I respect the fighter you are.” Jared stood looking down at her. “I’ve been waiting a long time to meet someone like you.
I just ask one thing from you.
”

Meeting his gaze goose
bumps from his intense stare made her shiver. “What?”

“Trust me.” Those two words
lay
heavy in the room.

Tessa stood
,
not taking her eyes off his
hoping she wasn’t making the biggest mistake of her life
. Grasping his hand she flipped his palm up then placed the vial on his palm before closing his fingers around it. Reaching upon tiptoes she wrapped her arms around his neck. No words needed to be spoken, her actions said it all.

Tessa couldn’t believe the way the warriors were taking care of them. Not only were they taking
care
of
her,
but they were making room for
Adam and Jill along with the other
half-breed
s that had crossed to their side
and
her grandfather as well. Jared felt he
r grandfather
wasn’t safe at the nursing home and until this was over he would stay in the compound. She had been worried about her grandfather, but he seemed happy as he followed Sid to a room he would be staying in. They were also going to have one of their medical staff, who worked on site
,
take care of his needs. Jill had helped Tessa pack some things and then they were off. Every worry Tessa had Jared or Si
d had already taken care of it.

“You’re going to be staying in my room.” Jared carried her up the
stairs and down the hall.

Tessa felt warmth zing through her body. Glancing at him under lowered lashes she knew a night in his bed would be a night she’d never forget. “Ah, okay.”

“I don’t use it much, but with all the new occupants we’ve acquired
,
we’re giving up our rooms.” He stopped in front of a closed door.

Reaching down Tessa twisted the knob pushing the door open. It was a large plain room with a huge bed obviously for his long thick body, a recliner in the corner and a dresser.
“I don’t want to take you
r
room Jared. I can sleep in the recliner. I’ve slept in worse, believe me.”

He sat her on the bed tossing her bag beside her. “You will sleep in my bed.” His tone was final.

She wanted to ask if he’d be in it, but didn’t. She felt more comfortable with him after their talk, but not that comfortable. “But where are
you
going to sleep
?
”

He walked across the room pushing open another door. “I don’t sleep much and we usually do runs at night. I pretty much work around the clock.” He flicked on a light in the other room. “Here’s the bathroom. The phone is over there. I need to give you my cell number.”

Tessa handed him her phone and watched as he plugged his number in her contacts. She watched him closely. He was so handsome and seemed so in control over his surroundings. It made her heart beat fast and hard knowing that she could reach out and touch him. She took her phone back tossing it on her bag. “Thanks.” Was all she could think to say.

“Call me for anything.” Jared demanded walking toward the clos
et grabbing some clean clothes which reminded Tessa how filthy she was.

“Is there a shower in the bathroom?” Tessa looked that way, but couldn’t tell.

“Yeah.” He frowned
,
looking down at her feet he had cleaned and wrapped before leaving her house. “We’re going to have to figure something out. You really shouldn’t be walking around with your feet
un
wrapped until some of those cuts heal.
You don’t want to get infection.”

Tessa nodded. “I can just shower with the dressing on, then rewrap. It’s no big deal.” She rummaged through her bag grabbing clean clothes, toothbrush and comb. Standing
,
she grabbed her stuff limping to the bathroom
with shuffled steps
. Her immobility with Jared carrying
her
everywhere had made her feet stiff and walking now was torture, but she tr
ied
to hide it.

Watching her closely
Jared stood still, but ready if she needed his help
. “There’s towels under the sink.”

Making
it
to the bathroom without screaming in pain
was a great accomplishment until
Tessa tripped over the small rug she hadn’t seen
.
She
stumble
d
forward
slamming
her battered feet on the tile floor
to catch herself
. Before she fell face first Jared grabbed her around the stomach pulling her flush against his body.

“I’m sorry.” Tessa groaned in both embarrassment and pain. “
I’
ve been nothing but trouble for you since you met me.”

Tightening his arm around her stomach he leaned down
,
his breath tickling her ear. “I love trouble.”
His whisper made her shiver. “You need me to help you.” It wasn’t a question. He reached down grabbing the sweatshirt she had put on at her house
lifting it
over her head, but she stopped him.

“I can do it.” Tessa tugged as he pulled.

“Stop.” His tone was firm, but gentle. “Let me help you.
I don’t want you slipping in the shower.
”

Okay
,
she didn’t want him to see her naked in the light. Yeah, she had a serious issue with that. If she ever would be naked with him she hoped it would be dark, under covers with minimal touching on his part, only important area touching.
“Will you look?” She ask
ed
,
shyly looking away.

“Probably.” When her eyes shot back to his
,
he smiled. “Sorry, but honestly I’m not that much of a gentleman honey. You’re a beautiful woman and I would love to see that body you hide
under
oversized shirts.”

Tessa was so stunned by his words she let him slip the sweatshirt over her head. Snapping out of her ‘duh’ sta
te
she crossed one arm over her breast covered by a simple unsexy bra and the other crossed
over
her not so flat stomach. Her cheeks flared with heat as his eyes slid down her body.

“Never hide from me.” He frowned at her, his eyes
snaring hers in a stare so intense her heart beat a rapid tempo. His large hands cupped her shoulders then slowly ran down her arms to h
er
elbows. Gently he pulled her arms away from what his eyes sought.
When she bowed her head shyly, he tipped her chin up with his fingers. “You are breathtaking.”

Tessa searched his eyes and only saw truth. The look in his eyes said he wanted her
.
A
confident thrill
surged
through her body. His hand opened grasping her whole chin, his thumb running back and forth across her lower lip before sliding down her neck. His eyes never leaving hers as one finger continued the path down her neck, between her breast
s
to stop at the front clasp of her bra. The only sound in the small bathroom was her shallow breaths and the click of
the
clasp. Her eyes closed praying he wouldn’t be disappointed when he finally looked, finally saw in the light what she tried to hide. The sight of her body had never brought pleasure to the only other person who had ever seen her naked and she was terrified
….terrified that he would find her lacking.

“Open your eyes Tessa.” Jared ordered softly, his palm resting between her breasts. “I want you to see how much you and your body please me.”

Her eyes drifted open as if in a dream to see this handsome man looking at her with desire burning
i
n his darkening eyes. She felt his hands, feather light, push the straps of her bra down her arms, his eyes still on hers until her bra hit the ground. His hands swept back up her arms as his eyes lowered, a deep growl escaping his throat.
“I have never wanted anything more than I want you.”

Tessa swallowed hard
,
visibly shaken by his words. No man had ever looked at her this way. No other man had ever said things that he said to her. Never had any man affected her
the
way this man….this warrior did. Feeling a little more confident she reached up placing her
shaky
hand on the hardness of his cheek. He may be sprouting the biggest line she’d ever heard, but she was past caring. She just wanted to feel special one time in her life and right now she had never felt more special. “Then take me, Jared.”

His growl
bounced through the
room as he grasp
ed
the back of her head pulling her mouth roughly to his.
The kiss was fierce. Tessa wrapped her arms around his neck so tightly, it felt so good to be held…to be wanted.
His hands had moved to her jeans and out of habit she sucked in her stomach shying away from his touch. H
e
pulled his mouth from hers. “I am going to touch every inch of you Tessa.” His lips touched the curve of h
er
neck making their way down her shoulder, across her chest down between her breast
s
as h
is
hands cupped the sides of her full breast. He kissed his way down her stomach to the button on her jeans. “You
r
body was made for me.” He groaned
,
his eyes taking in every inch of her.