Rev (Jack 'Em Up #4) (21 page)

“Yes,” we answered in unison. Jewel waved me on and I told Tori the full story as I knew it.

I eyed Tori’s blond hair next to Jewel’s. “I’ll take you guys to lunch then drop you off wherever you need to be.”

“What about my car?” Tori shot me a wide-eyed stare like I was insane.

“Trace can bring you back for it later. My friend would kick my ass if I let you go out alone after this. Not now that we know this sick asshole knows who I am. He probably knows who we all are. He could hurt you. Hurt the baby. Not going to happen on my watch.”

Tori suddenly looked sick. “God. You’re right.”

I led them both out to the Jeep while Tori called Trace and explained. I could hear his loud exclamations from across the seat. She mollified him by explaining I had them both and was taking her home. After a moment, she rolled her eyes and moved the phone away from her mouth to talk to me. “He wants you to take me back to the shop with you. He’ll meet us there.”

I nodded. I understood his protective instincts totally.

Jewel didn’t say a word as we drove, just stared out the window in a daze.

“Do you need to go back to work?” I asked.

She seemed to snap out of it. “Uh . . . I’m not sure.” She pulled out her phone and called work. I couldn’t tell what was happening by her end of the conversation since it was mostly listening to whatever the other person was saying, but her face paled and I noticed the slight tremble of her hands.

She finally disconnected the call. “Detective Rawlins said he’s at the shop now. He asked me to go there so he could ask me some questions then he’s giving me the rest of the day off.”

“Good idea.”

I picked us all up some lunch at Subway then drove both girls to the shop. I settled them into Blake’s office with lunch and instructions to call whoever they thought needed to know what was going on. I closed the door and found the guys all huddled around the Corolla.

A CSU team was already busy working, dusting for prints and checking it over with a fine-toothed comb. Det. Rawlins was easy to identify. Tall and lanky, his ultra-gelled hair gave him a kinda throwback grandpa vibe.

He shook my hand and introduced himself anyway. “Thanks for calling. This son-of-a-bitch has been running me in circles.”

Yeah, my mind was running in circles, too.

We chatted for a while and I caught Trace throwing concerned glances toward the closed office door. I could only imagine how his protectiveness had ramped up with a pregnant wife. God, if that guy touched any of our women . . .

I snapped back to the group as they suddenly became quiet. The CSU team was working in the trunk and appeared to have come up with something. Det. Rawlins excused himself and stepped over, snapping on some latex gloves one of the techs gave him. He bent and studied the papers. As his eyes scanned, his face grew more and more serious. Angry.

After examining everything, he spoke to the tech quietly, took off his gloves and came back our way. “This is worse than I thought.”

“What is it?” Jesse asked, his shoulders tense.

The detective’s eyes flitted my way. “I really can’t give specifics, but I will say that Jewel was right about him and he’s obviously gunning for her. I need to go discuss it with her directly.” He excused himself and knocked on the office door. A moment later, Tori came out, her face ashen. She immediately ran to Trace’s arms. This was fucking bad.

I wanted nothing more than to rush the car and rip those papers out of the tech’s hands, but the officers milling about would probably have a problem with that, and if I landed in jail, I’d be no help to Jewel. My friends and I exchanged glances, no need for words.

I let the detective have exactly forty-five seconds, then I knocked on the office door and let myself in without waiting for a response. I avoided looking at the detective and instead found Jewel’s teary gaze.

“He has photos of all the other girls and he’s been taking pictures of me. Of us, Micah.”

“Shit.” I made my way around the desk and knelt down next to her. “He can’t hurt you with pictures, baby.”

“But he knows everything. Where we live. Where we work. Our schedules.” She wiped her face and faced the detective again. “You said he wrote on the photos?”

Det. Rawlins’ face gave nothing away. “Well, sort of. He cut your face out of some. He drew disgusting things on others or wrote vile threats. I believe he meant for you two to find this. It’s a warning. Until we catch him, we’re going to need to keep you safe.”

“She’s staying with me,” I said, using every ounce of my strength to fight my urge to rage against this whole fucked up situation. “I’m taking care of her.”

The detective’s eyes darted back and forth between us. “I’m sure you are, but he knows where you live, too.”

“So what do you suggest? She’s not leaving my sight. Not while that asshole is loose.”

Jewel offered me a grateful half-smile and reached for my hand.

“Do you have family or friends you can stay with?” the officer asked.

I knew any one of our friends would gladly offer us a place to stay, but it wasn’t right to put them at risk. Especially since growing families were in each home. I shook my head. “We’ll stay in a hotel or something. I’ll take care of it and get Jewel where she needs to be in the meantime.”

Det. Rawlins nodded. “Sounds good.” He offered Jewel a fatherly smile. “You know how to reach me if you need anything. Day or night.”

She smiled her thanks as he made his way out. I stood and drew her up into my arms. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

“Don’t be sorry. Just get me out of here.”

I did just that.

Jewel

I
found myself on lockdown, but in the best possible way, considering the circumstances. Micah stayed glued to my side everywhere but the bathroom, and even then, I think he was right outside the door. He’d become a protective madman. Over me.

I shivered in the cooling bathwater of the hotel he’d booked us into for the foreseeable future. It was a nice place with a huge tub, but that didn’t do much to quell my fears when I thought of all Nolan had done to get to me. He wasn’t going to stop. Not until he got his way.

I could only imagine what he had planned.

Images of Lori’s swollen and bloodied face ripped through my mind. I dunked my head underwater to drown the ugly thoughts that plagued me. I sat up and pushed my hair off my face.

Micah knocked. “You okay? You’ve been in there a long time.”

“I’m fine. Almost done.” I stood and stepped out. I wrapped myself into a towel and let the water drain as I brushed my teeth and lotioned up. I stared into my own eyes as I blow-dried my hair and suddenly realized there was only one bed behind that bathroom door.

I knew Micah would never force anything on me, but I couldn’t help my nerves. Somehow, all of this—the kisses, the sleeping together, the way he touched me—felt so much more serious now. If Nolan got ahold of me, he would kill me. That I knew for sure. Micah couldn’t protect me forever either. No matter how this played out, wasn’t it my right to live my life on my own terms? To try to cling to happiness for once?

Yes. It was.

I rinsed with mouthwash and pulled on my nightgown. Then, on second thought, I yanked the gown back off and pulled on Micah’s T-shirt he’d left behind after his own shower. I lifted the soft cotton and inhaled. More nerves, but the pleasant kind, assailed my heart.

I flipped off the light and clicked the door open. Micah was sitting at the small corner table, pajama pants in place, bare chested and bare footed, his attention on his phone. I stood in the doorway waiting for him to notice me.

His long fingers slid along the screen as he tapped out a quick text message. He glanced up, kept typing, then paused and quickly peered back up.

“Whatcha doin’?” I asked as I walked his way, hoping my hips were swaying seductively.

He dropped the phone on the table without giving it another glance and stood. “Not a thing.” His dark eyes raked me up and down and I’d swear I felt the heat left in their wake. He immediately pulled me to him once I was close enough.

I clung to his bare skin, letting my hands roam his sculpted back. God, he felt so good. So warm and alive.

He kissed my cheek tenderly as his hands ran down my waist and hips. “Love your shirt.”

I smiled against his shoulder. “Me, too.”

“You put it on for me?” His breath was hot on my neck.

“Yes,” I admitted in a breathy whisper, drawing back to meet his gaze. The heat there stunned me momentarily. I’d never had a man look at me like this before. It was a heady and scary thing.

He brushed the hair from my neck, leaving his fingers to linger at my throat. “Why?”

“Why?” Wasn’t it obvious? God, I couldn’t even seduce a man right.

Leaning in, he brushed his lips over mine. “Not that I’m complaining. I just thought we were taking things slow. I have a lot of willpower, but even I can’t fight this kind of temptation.”

I sighed and lolled my head as his mouth found my throat. “I don’t want you to fight it. I want you.”

He froze.

“Unless you don’t want me.” I straightened and steeled myself for disappointment.

“Oh, I want you . . .” he ripped the apology from my tongue. “More than anything in this world. I have for a long time.” His face grew tender as he brushed some hair behind my ear. “I’m just not sure this is the right time.”

“What does that mean?” I frowned as all of Nolan’s ugly words, every ugly thing I’d ever said to myself, came back in a painful rush.

Micah seemed to sense this. He took my hand and led me gently to the bed. He pressed me back and crawled up my body so we were face to face. “Can’t you feel how much I want you?” His hips pressed into mine and I automatically rose to meet him, seeking the pressure. “How much I need you?” He dropped his face to my neck and I could feel how he was holding himself back. “God, Jewel, you have no idea, do you?”

I said nothing, just wrapped myself around him, letting my body do my begging for me. I was desperate for his touch. To feel his goodness through and through, to know no one would ever hurt me again.

He let himself sink into my kiss and victory surged through me, urging me on. I gripped the elastic of his pants and shoved until I found hot skin. My fingernails skated over his taut ass.

His body was strung tight and I felt the power it took for him to roll off of me. On his back, he flung his arm over his eyes as his breath heaved in and out.

I said nothing, letting my heart slow to normal. I tentatively touched his stomach.

“Don’t.”

I recoiled. “I’m sorry.”

He moved his arm and rolled his head to face me. “Don’t be sorry. I just need a minute or I’m afraid I’ll rip that shirt off your body and ravage you three ways ‘til Sunday.”

I faced the ceiling, utterly confused. Did he want me or not? What the hell was the problem? What was I doing wrong?

His large hand enveloped mine. “Jewel. Look at me.”

I stuffed back my self-doubt and faced him.

“I meant it the other night when I said I was falling in love with you. I’ve never said that to another woman. And I want you in every single way it’s possible to want another person, sometimes so bad it physically hurts. You’ve gotta believe me, baby.”

“I’m not sure I can,” I admitted, my own weakness shaming me.

“Well, try, because it’s true.” He shifted until we were spooning, our bodies naturally adjusting to each other. “We’ve both been through a lot and you’ve still got this shit with your ex to sort out. I’ll be here every step of the way and I’ll protect you with my life. What I won’t do is take advantage of you when you’re vulnerable. When we come together, it’s going to be because we’re both ready and there won’t be anybody or anything else holding us back.” He kissed my nape. “I refuse to share you.”

I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. I wanted to believe him. I thought I was beginning to. But, he was right. We had some pretty hefty baggage between us. I twined my fingers with his and snuggled back into him. We melted into each other like we’d always been meant to be and I let that comfort my heart.