Jason (Kings of Guardian #4) (11 page)

The heavenly aroma of garlic, onions and spice greeted the trio as they walked into the foyer of Jason’s home. He’d had the house for a couple of years. Having originally purchased it as an income property, he’d restored the two-story brick colonial to its original grandeur. He liked the feel, and since he didn’t need the money, he’d maintained the home without renting it out. When he returned to D.C. to work at Guardian, moving in here was the only sensible choice. The home had three bedrooms upstairs and there was a detached guest house at the rear of the property. That’s where Christian could stay if he wanted to get away from the campus. Jason had given him the keys, but the kid had never made use of his offer. He got it. The kid was trying to stand on his own two feet. Good on him.

Faith’s expression when she walked through the fourteen-foot double doors had mirrored his when he’d first seen the restored woodwork after the contractor finished. Awe. Twenty-foot ceilings edged with at least a foot of ornate crown molding.

“I don’t have to ask you for permission to do a damn thing. Get out of my life, would you?” Christian’s angry voice carried out to the foyer, putting Jason instantly on alert. As his young ward’s voice rose, his thick, graveled timber turned harsh and sharp. He handed Reece to Faith and motioned for her to stay where she was as he strode toward the back of the house.

At the rumble of his brother Jared’s voice, he immediately understood the reason for Christian’s angst. Those two were water and oil. They didn’t mix, and from what Jason had seen, it was because Jared was usually being a dick.

“You don’t need a fucking job.” Jared’s threatening growl reached the hall.

“And you have absolutely no right sticking your nose in my business. I’m not one of your employees, and what I do and who I do it with does not concern you, you self-centered, egotistical asshat.” Christian didn’t back down. Good for the kid.

“Asshat?”

“So self-centered and egotistical works for you? Whatever. If the asshat fits.”

He turned in the hall, smiled, and motioned to Faith. She put Reece down and the boy raced to him. Jason caught him as he launched and lifted him high in the air. The little boy’s giggles resounded in the hall. Silence replaced the heated conversation from the kitchen. He perched Reece on his shoulders and grabbed Faith’s hand before he pulled her into the kitchen to meet his brother.

Christian was on one side of the massive granite-topped island and Jared was on the other. The hostility that rolled off Christian was quickly shed. He glanced up at Reece and a smile radiated across the man’s face. Jared… not so much. The man glared from Reece to Faith and back to Jason.

“Faith, I’d like you to meet Christian Koehler. Christian, Faith. And this big guy is Reece.”

Christian walked around the counter and extended his hand, shaking Faith’s as he spoke, “I’m so happy to meet you. Jason hasn’t stopped talking about you and Reece.”

Jason felt his brother’s glare but really didn’t give a shit. “Stop spilling my secrets, dude. I could lose my man card.”

Faith laughed and leaned into Jason when he threw his arm over her shoulders. “Don’t worry, Superman, nobody is going to tell.”

“Tell what, Momma? What’s a man card, Mr. Jason?” Reece’s question brought a roll of laughter from the two men.

“Nothing, little man.” He turned to Jared. His brother never came to his house, specifically so he wouldn’t run into Christian. Christian would never have come by had he known Jared would be here. Jason had denied Jared’s repeated requests for a meeting today. He didn’t have the time or the desire to deal with Jared’s shit. He’d even refused to meet with Jacob once he’d determined that the requested meeting had nothing to do with overseas operations. Obviously, at least one of his brothers couldn’t, or wouldn’t, take a hint.

“Jason?” His brother prompted him for an introduction but didn’t wait for Jason to speak.

Jared glanced at Faith. He cleared his throat and extended his hand. “Jared King.” Jared nodded toward Jason. “His brother.”

Faith shook his hand and stepped back immediately into Jason’s side. He pulled her close and lifted an eyebrow. “I’m Faith,” his woman introduced herself.

Jared glanced up at the little boy whose chin rested on top of Jason’s head. His hands hugged Jason’s muscled neck. “Hey, bud, do you think I could borrow your ride?”

Reece giggled. “Silly, you’re too big. Mr. Jason can’t carry you on his shoulders.”

That put a smile on Jared’s face, and he shook his head. “He can carry a lot on his shoulders, but you’re right, I might be too big. How about if I borrow Mr. Jason and your mommy for a minute. I bet Christian could get you some juice and a snack.”

Reece tipped to the side and turned Jason’s face toward him. “That’s okay, Mr. Jason?” He whispered so loud the neighbors next door might have heard him.

Jason knew right then he loved Reece as much as he loved his mom. “How about I stay and have a snack with Christian and you go have a talk with him?” Jason nodded toward Jared.

Reece looked from Jason to Jared and back. “I don’t think he likes us.”

“He doesn’t know you. Christian is a good guy. How about you guys get a snack and I promise we’ll be right back. We’ll just be in the next room.”

“Promise?”
“Cross my heart.” Jason trailed a finger across his chest as he spoke.

“Okay.” Reece leaned over his shoulder, trusting Jason to catch him as he dove toward the floor. Jason flipped him over in the air and landed the boy on his feet.

With a friendly smile, Christian held his hand out to the little boy, and Reece grabbed hold. “Why do you have long hair? Does your mommy know? It’s really cool. Longer than Thor’s.” He listened intently to Christian’s answers as the young man led him toward the refrigerator.

Jason and Faith watched as Christian crouched down to Reece’s level as they looked at the drink options. Content that Reece was okay, he turned to Jared and nodded his head toward his den. Jared walked out and Jason pulled Faith into a hug.

“I think he knows. Did you see the way he looked at me?” Faith’s eyes rivalled Reece’s as he eyed the juices.

Jason whispered in her ear, “What you told me stays with me. I won’t let him dig up your past. It’s none of his business.”

He could feel her tense body melt into his. “I’m sorry.” Her murmured words caressed his neck.

He pulled away and lifted her chin so he could see her eyes. “For what?”

“For being me?” Her question held a ton of emotion.

“I thought we agreed we were in ‘deep like’ with each other.” He smiled at her blush.

“Yeah, yeah we did.”

“Then you know I like you. All of you. Come on, let’s go put my brother in his place and then we can eat whatever Christian’s cooking.”

Faith smiled and squeezed his hand. “You lead and I’ll follow.”

***

Faith could feel how tense Jason had become when he found out his brother had stopped by. They were supposed to have a quiet night tonight. Best laid plans. Jared was cut from the same cloth as Jason—tall, dark hair and green eyes, but the man was leaner and had a scar on his face. Not a jagged, torn scar like the ones that covered Jason’s body; this scar was a clean cut, as if from a knife. She’d seen enough of those while she was held. They were almost a badge of honor for the Demon Bastards.

She pulled her thoughts from her past and stopped in the grand office Jason had led her into. Dark paneling and built-in shelves, holding expensive-looking books, flanked a massive fireplace. A desk made of the same color wood took up one side of the room, and a small couch and two chairs formed a conversation group in front of the marble-covered hearth. Jared stood in front of the fireplace with his hands in the pockets of his slacks.

Jason stopped at the couch and pulled her onto the cushions with him. Instinctively she leaned into his warmth and safety.

Jared turned and took the chair across from them. “You aren’t going to make this easy for me, are you?”

Jason’s glare held on Jared. He didn’t respond to his brother. Her focus bounced from her lover to his brother and back again. She squeezed Jason’s hand.

“Why should I?”

“Look, I fuc…” Jared glanced at the door and cleared his throat. “I owe you an apology.”

She appreciated the man correcting his language. Reece was a sponge at this age and he’d pick up on new words, but Jared’s actions and words did nothing to relieve the tension in her man. She blinked rapidly and felt a rush of heat to her cheeks. Good God, the man beside her, the one whose thumb circled the top of her hand, was, in fact,
hers
. It hit her, right then.

“Exactly what are you apologizing for? Inferring the deaths of my men were due to my negligence?”

“Fuck no! That wasn’t your fault!” Jared stood and ran his hands through his hair. “If I could take those words back I would. You are one of the strongest people I know. I had no right to pull up the past.”

“But you did. Obviously, you feel I am incapable of taking care of myself, of handling my own sobriety or, God forbid, of having a meaningful relationship without the need to search out my old suppliers and crawl back into the hole I had to be rescued from if it goes south?” Jason stood as his words grew louder. The last words echoed through the spacious room in a deafening shout.

Jared’s face grew pale and he shook his head. “No. Jace, I hurt you by saying that, but you got to understand, we worry about you. I mean, for God’s sake, I almost lost you! Three times! If I can protect you from situations that could hurt you, I’m going to do it, and if you hate me for it, then so be it.”

“Protect me from what exactly? The woman who I love, and her son, who I also happen to love?”

Oh… my… God… He loves us?
Was that real? Did he mean it?
Faith cupped her hands over her mouth and stood as tears welled in her eyes. Jason stopped short and turned to her. His face registered the surprise she felt, then that thousand-watt smile spread across his face as he reached for her and pulled her against his massive, hard, beautifully scarred body.

“I wanted to tell you this weekend.” His whisper against her hair sent a shiver through her soul, warming and pouring into spaces she never dreamed could be filled.

She tilted away from her personal mountain and cupped his cheek with her hand. “Did you mean it? Are you sure? Even with what happened?”

“I love you, Faith. With all my heart. Your past doesn’t concern me.”

“Oh Jason, I love you too.” She lost herself in the warmth of his embrace and the entirety of the kiss that transported her from one plane of existence to another. A gentle clearing of Jared’s throat pulled her back to reality, but not off the emotional high she rode. Her head tucked into the area between Jason’s neck and shoulder, and she held him as tightly as he held her.

“I take it that wasn’t a planned declaration.” Jared’s words pulled a chuff of air from her man.

“It was planned. Just not for tonight, and certainly not under these circumstances—asshole.”

“I’m sorry, Jason. Faith, I hope you understand what I’m going to say next is because I love my brother, and I’d do anything to protect him.”

Jason’s muscles tightened against her. She lifted off his chest and turned in his arms to face his brother.

“What are you going to tell him? That my father is Melvin Collins, also known as “Pipes”, and is the president of the Atlanta branch of the Demon Bastards Motorcycle Club? Or, that at the age of sixteen, I lived in Detroit for five months as the national president’s personal whore? My sperm donor is a bastard who would sell his soul if it kept him and his club in drugs. He chases that high at the expense of everything and everybody, including his daughter. By handing me over, dearest Daddy saw an opportunity to not only pay his debt, but earn a year’s worth of dope. He told me I better be good or he’d come back and beat the shit out of me. The man he gave me to was Horace Clement. He’s known on the street as “Hit”. He’s the Demon Bastards president. By the way, he isn’t a nice guy, and he shared me with a few of his officers. Should you also tell him that I don’t know who Reece’s father is? What else do you need to say to him? I haven’t cheated on my taxes. I pay my bills on time, and I work damn hard. I’m a good person. Everything Guardian settled on Theo went into a trust for Reece, so I have no idea what you think I’ve done that would require you to protect him from us. Please, by all means, what else could you tell Jason that
I haven’t already told him
?”

Jason’s arms belted her tight to his chest and his chin rested on her head. She blinked rapidly, keeping tears at bay. The strength and comfort his silent presence gave her touched her soul. With effort, she turned her attention from the man who held her to his brother. She stared at the shell-shocked expression on Jared’s face. He closed his eyes and shook his head.

“Can you understand why I needed to make sure he knew?” Jared’s laser-sharp stare opened to pin hers. Jason’s brother wasn’t backing down, and she’d be damned if she would either.

“Absolutely. You love your brother, but here’s some news for you. I do too. I would never do anything to hurt him. No matter the personal cost to myself, I would never hurt him and I will protect him and my son with my life.” She shook in Jason’s arms. The adrenaline spike from the confrontation with his brother and Jason’s declaration of love was wreaking havoc with her body. Only Jason’s strong arms kept her from falling to the floor.