Unveil Me (The Jaded Series Book 3) (16 page)

Several gasps are heard throughout the room, all of us secretly wondering if we should dare hope this was some sort of premonition. I pray silently for all I’m worth that this isn’t just a child’s cry for help. That someway, somehow, God’s looking down on Ally and has mercy for her. I haven’t been to church since I was a kid, but I’ve always held faith that there is a God.

Becky bends and places a soft kiss on Ally’s cheek. Pulling back, she says quietly, but loud enough for us to hear, “You are going to get better. I know you will.”

I introduce Bailey and Jaxon next. Ally, being a child and not afraid to voice her thoughts, immediately notices Bailey’s scar and says, “It looks like God was looking after you, too. Did an angel visit you?”

Bailey gives her a watery smile and replies, “No, I wasn’t lucky enough to have an angel visit me, but I do believe God was watching down on me.”

Ally looks from Bailey to Jaxon, who has his arm around her waist, and then back to Bailey, before saying softly, “I think maybe God did send you an angel.”

Bailey looks up at Jaxon, smiles, and then brings her eyes back to Ally. “I think you’re right.

Ally beams her brilliant smile and turns to Jaxon. “You and Bailey have a baby, right?” Jaxon nods. “Can I meet her? I love babies.”

“The next time we visit we’ll make sure to bring her,” Jaxon answers.

Ally’s grin gets bigger. She turns toward Chris. “You’re Chris, aren’t you?”

Chris steps up to the bed beside me. “Yes, ma’am. I’m so happy to meet you, Ally.”

“You’re Jase’s sister. Why do you have a boy’s name?” Ally asks.

Chuckles are heard around the room. The stuff that comes out of kids’ mouths is funny as shit.

Still smiling, Chris replies, “It’s just a nickname. My name is Christabelle. That’s a lot to say, so my family decided to cut my name short to Chris.”

Ally scrunches up her nose and says, “I like Christabelle better than Chris. Can I call you that?”

“Sweetie, you can call me anything you’d like.”

The last in the room to be introduced is Mac. He steps forward and extents his hand. Ally puts her little one in it.

“Hey, Miss Ally. I’m Mac.”

“Hello, Sheriff Mac,” Ally says with a serious tone. “Can you come closer?”

Mac bends down and puts his ear close to Ally’s lips. She whispers something to him that has him standing back up laughing.

Chuckling, Mac says, “I don’t know, you let me know if he’s still doing it when you go back to school and I’ll see what I can do.”

We glance from one to the other, curious at what she told him.

Mac enlightens us all.

“Seems Miss Ally here has a boy at school that likes to pull her hair. She wants me to arrest him and throw him in jail.”

We all laugh, glad the mood in the room is turning lighter. Kids do that. They make dire situations seem not-so-serious.

That is, until Ally asks, “Where’s Nick? I want to meet him too.”

We’re all quiet for a moment, sadness etching our faces again. Becky and Brent know what happened with Anna and the effect it had, and still has, on him. It’s been a couple of weeks since any of us has seen or heard from him. We’re all starting to worry.

“Nick is out of town for work right now. Maybe you can meet him next time we visit.” I tell her.

“Oh.” Her face drops.

We stay in Ally’s room for a bit and talk about anything and everything. Ally has always been very animated and talkative. Being sick and in the hospital has drained a little life from her, but her personality hasn’t changed. In any setting, she can come up with the funniest things to say, keeping us all on our toes and laughing.

She already has everyone wrapped around her little finger, just as I knew she would. A sense of pride settles in me. I may not be her dad, but she’s still half me, and I am so damn proud that I had a part in creating such a wonderful girl.

A couple hours later, everyone says goodbye to Ally, Becky, and Brent. I tell them Jase and I are heading to the hotel and we’ll be back after dinner.

When we walk out into the parking garage, I stop everyone. It’s time they tell Jase and me what happened. I understand them not wanting to tell us before we went into Ally’s room, but we’re done here and it needs to get out into the open.

“Alright, what the hell happened that had everyone acting strange earlier?” I ask.

Before answering, Mac and Jaxon share a look. I grind my teeth to keep from growling at them. Whatever it is, it’s obviously important or they wouldn’t be so hesitant to say anything. A thought crosses my mind, and I wonder if this has anything to do with Damien or Emilio.

Just as I’m about to open my mouth to demand answers, Jaxon turns to Jase and starts talking.

“When we got to mine and Bailey’s place last night, Chris had a surprise waiting for her. Her bedroom was trashed and there was a message on her mirror. It said, ‘Tick tock. Are you ready?’”

“What the fuck?” Jase explodes. “Why in the hell didn’t anyone call me?”

“Because,” Chris says, walking up to Jase and laying her hand on his arm to calm him, “I made him promise not to. We called in Mac, but I begged them to wait to tell you. You and Andrew had other things to worry about.”

Jase scowls down at Chris before yanking her in to his chest. She smashes her body to his and wraps her arm around him. I hear him murmur against her hair, “Next time, you call me. No matter what. You don’t keep shit like this from me. I deserve to know. Promise me.”

She nods against his chest. “Promise. I’m sorry.”

I ball my hands into fists, ready and needing to hit something. This Damien asshole is fucking with the wrong people. You don’t come into my town and threaten my family or friends. He wants to play that game, then he needs to grow some balls and show himself. He’s going to learn real fucking quick how much he’s underestimated the situation.

I walk over to Chris and run my shaky hand up and down her back, not hiding from Jase the venom I know is spewing from my eyes.

With a tight voice, I tell Chris, “I appreciate you not wanting to say anything because of the current situation, but don’t ever keep anything like that from Jase or me again. This fucker is dangerous and we need to know everything that’s going on if we want to catch the asshole.”

She pulls back from Jase’s chest and looks at me. “I’m sorry,” she says, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. “I just didn’t want to add any more stress. You were already dealing with so much.”

I nod stiffly. “I get that, but your safety is important, too.” I turn to look at Jaxon. “Next time, don’t fucking keep this shit from us. Jase has a right to know.”

Jaxon’s eyes turn hard at my tone, but he nods. I know he was in a tough position. On one hand, he feels like he owes a debt to Chris for helping Bailey when she had nowhere else to turn. But his loyalties also lie with me due to a childhood friendship.

In his deep rumbling voice, he says, “You know I’d never let anything harm her. She was safe at the house with me there. You think I would have let my family stay if I felt otherwise? The fucker was in my house, where my family sleeps. I told her I would give her one night, but after that, she had to tell you or I would.”

I accept his words for what they are. I know Jaxon would protect Chris with his life, just like he would his family. Chris is more than just a friend to him, she’s a sister. I have no doubt he felt it safe enough for them to stay. If Jaxon is one thing, it’s protective of the people he cares about. And he’s damn capable of protecting them.

“Did you find anything?” I ask Mac.

He shakes his head. “No. No prints. He busted out the window in the utility room and came in that way. As far as I could tell, he only went to Chris’s room. No other rooms were disturbed.”

“And no one’s seen anyone in town that shouldn’t be there?” Jase asks.

“I had a couple of people say they saw an unknown man around town, but thought it was just someone passing through. The description fits Damien. Unfortunately, he was on foot so they didn’t get a look at what he was driving.”

“Fuck!” I snarl, and grip my hair, frustrated that we aren’t getting anywhere.

“When we get back to the hotel, I’m calling Emilio. We need to know if he’s involved with this. If he is, at least we’ll know what kind of man power he’ll have backing him up.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell Jase he’s not calling Emilio. I don’t want him to talk to, see, or associate in any way with that bastard, but I know we need to find out what we’re dealing with.

“I think that’s a good idea. I’ll come along. Jaxon, you mind taking Mia to your house until I get back? The threat isn’t to her, but I’d feel better knowing she’s with you.”

“Don’t even need to ask,” is Jaxon’s instant reply.

Mac bends and gives Mia a brief kiss on the lips. “Stay safe. Love you,” he murmurs.

“Love you, too.”

She walks to me and wraps her arms around my waist. She’s so tiny that her head comes to mid chest on me.

“She’s one of the most precious things I’ve ever seen, Andrew. I’m so proud of you,” she says after pulling back.

I smile down at her and joke, “Did you expect anything less? After all, she’s got my blood running through her, so she’s bound to be perfect.”

Rolling her eyes and laughing, she takes a step back and hugs Jase as well.

“You stay with Jaxon, okay? Or with Mac once he gets back. Don’t go anywhere without either of them until I get there. Understand?” Jase tells Chris, his expression stern.

He looks at Jaxon to make sure he’s fine with that. Jaxon, of course, nods in understanding. “You have my word she’ll be safe.”

“Thank you.” Turning back to Chris, he says, “I’ll be home in a couple of days. You need me or if anything else happens, call me or Andrew.” The look he gives her says she better do as he says.

After the rest of us say good-bye, Jase and I get in my car, with Mac following us in his, and head to the hotel. Although it wouldn’t make a difference, because no matter the outcome, these fuckers are going to pay, I hope Jase’s phone call to this Emilio guy proves Damien is working of his own accord. I know Jase can take care of himself, but damn if I’m going to let him.

Damien is going down, and I’m the man who’s going to take him there.

Jase

I’m sitting on the couch in our hotel room with my elbows resting on my knees. My head is bent, my loose hair falling around my face. I have my phone gripped in my hand. I really don’t want to make this phone call. It’s not that I’m scared, it’s just that when I left Georgia, I had no intention of ever going back or associating with anyone I left behind, except maybe my parents, if they ever came around and accepted that I am the way I am. I knew Damien would never let it slide that I killed his brother; Damien is very protective of his family. But I had hoped he wouldn’t find me. It was a foolish hope.

I look over at Andrew, who is leaning against the dresser with his arms crossed over his chest, showing off muscle and tattoos. He’s angry, and I can’t say I blame him, but he understands the importance of finding out what we’re dealing with. Even if Emilio says Damien is working of his own accord, we still need to be careful and vigilant. Emilio isn’t normally the type to lie, unless he has something to gain. I don’t really see him gaining anything from taking me out, but I still wouldn’t put it past him.

Mac is sitting across from me in another chair. He runs his hands through his hair, something I noticed he does when he’s agitated. I know the feeling. This shit is getting old, and I’m ready for it to be done with.

A small part of me wishes Damien would just go ahead and come for me. I wouldn’t give in easily, and at least Chris would be out of danger. If Damien is alone, I’m not really worried—we’re evenly matched—but if he has the help of Emilio and his men, then I’m pretty much screwed.

I release the tight grip I have on my phone. Another shattered one is the last thing I need. I scroll through the contacts I had to retrieve from the hard drive of my old phone, and find Emilio’s number. It rings four times before he picks up.

“Well, hello, Jase, it’s been too long,” Emilio says smoothly, his Spanish accent barely distinguishable.

I’m not surprised he knew it was me. Emilio is the type of gang leader who keeps tabs on all his men, including the people they associate with. I’m sure he logged my number the first week Damien and I started seeing each other.

“Emilio,” I mutter into the receiver.

“I must admit, I’m a bit surprised you called me after the way you left town. Bad business there.”

I find that hard to believe. Emilio isn’t easily taken off guard. He expects the unexpected and looks at shit from all angles. Nothing surprises him.

Not willing to pussy foot around, I get straight to the point. “We both know you’re smarter than that, Emilio. I know you’re smarter than that, and you know I’m smarter than that. I’m sure you’ve been waiting on my call. What I want to know is, are you behind Damien and his vengeance to take me down?”

There’s silence for a few seconds, before I hear Emilio laughing on the other end of the line. I grit my teeth, and choke back my retort. It’s best to not piss him off too much. I need information only he can give me. We
need
to find out where he stands.

“Boy, you’ve got big balls calling me and demanding shit. Fortunately for you, I’ve always liked you. Damien has gone off the fucking deep end. I never agreed with what that bratty little brother of his was doing, but I kept my mouth shut because it didn’t affect me. Now though, I have no idea what that bastard will do next, and that’s something that
can
affect me. You know I don’t like being left in the dark.”

I breathe a sigh of relief. I have no doubt Emilio would lie, but through his tone and words, I don’t believe he is. The last several months of my and Damien’s relationship, I noticed Damien acting strangely. He seemed to be more secretive. There were several times he came home angry with Emilio. He never showed his anger to him directly; he wasn’t stupid and knew that shit would land him in a world of pain. But he’d stomp around the house, and I’d hear him cursing him under his breath. I never asked what the problem was; I didn’t want to be involved.

“Did you know he’s looking for me?” I ask.

Emilio releases a breath and it whooshes across the line. “I do. He came to me wanting my help. When I told him no, he stormed out, and I haven’t seen him since. Good riddance to the little shit. I was about to cut him loose anyway. Too much drama. I don’t need attention drawn to me and he was becoming reckless.”

“Fuck!” I hiss over the receiver. “No one on the street has seen him? Do you know what man power he has?”

“No, Jase, I don’t. All I know is he came to me wanting to use some of my men. He’s lost his mind if he thought I was going to allow him to use me or what’s mine for his own gain. My men are loyal to me and many others out on the street don’t much care for Damien, so whatever he has can’t be much.”

Well, that’s good at least. Knowing Emilio isn’t part of this sends relief through me. But then again, Damien is unpredictable and there’s no telling what he might do.

“Thanks, Emilio,” I grind out between my teeth. It bites my balls to be grateful to the man, but he’s actually made this situation a tiny bit better by answering my questions. Emilio is a hard-ass and rules his streets with an iron fist, but I’ve never had any personal beef with him. It still doesn’t make me like him any more, though. I’ve heard some shit about him that’s made me cringe. If I never hear from or see him again, it’ll be too soon.

“Don’t sound so enthusiastic in your gratefulness,” he chuckles, but then sobers. “I’ve never had any problems with you, Jase. You always stayed out of my business. That’s the only reason I’ve left you alone. A bit of advice: watch your back. You know how crazy Damien is when it comes to his family. He’s out for blood and it won’t be pretty.”

His words ring true. Damien is extremely protective of his family, willing to do anything to protect them, even taking things to the extreme. There was a time his little sister, Marie, was having problems with a boy in school. They were in tenth grade. He’d pick on her, nothing excessive, just name calling and other stupid shit kids do at school. Damien found out and beat the shit out of the kid. He ended up with a broken jaw and arm. I didn’t find out about it until weeks later, when his punk little brother was bragging to some guys at a party.

We hang up a few minutes later, after Emilio tells me to contact him if I’m ever in town. Yeah, like that shit will ever happen.

I get up and pocket my phone, only then bringing my eyes to Mac and Andrew.

“He says he has no idea where Damien is. Damien came to him asking for some men, but he refused,” I tell them.

“Thank fuck for that,” Andrew mutters.

“Do you believe him?” asks Mac.

“Normally I wouldn’t trust Emilio, but this time I think he’s telling the truth. He’s got nothing to gain by putting himself and his men in the middle of this. Emilio only does shit if he gets something out of it. There’s nothing Damien can offer him that he wants or doesn’t already have. So, yes, I believe him.”

“Well, at least we have a better picture of what we’re dealing with,” Mac says, and stands. “I need to get home. There’s not much more we can do until Damien shows us his next move.”

I understand his words, but they still piss me off. With us not having a clue where Damien is or what he’s planning next, we have no idea what to plan for. It just feels wrong sitting around doing nothing. Damien could show his face at any moment and this time he could actually hurt Chris, not just scare her. My body vibrates with anger at the thought.

“We’ll be home day after tomorrow,” Andrew tells Mac, then looks at me. “I just want one more day here while Ally has the transplant done.”

I nod, letting him know I understand the importance of him being here. His kid was on the verge of dying, no way would I let him leave before he deems it safe enough. This is where he needs to be at the moment, and I need to be with him. I honestly believe Chris is safe where she is. I may not know Jaxon well, but he’s a brick house, and I realize he knows how to keep her safe. If I thought for one second Jaxon wasn’t capable of watching out for Chris, I’d be back in Jaded Hollow in a heartbeat.

Even so, I still turn to Mac. “You keep my sister safe.” It comes out more as a demand than a request, but I know Mac will do what I said. He’s another person I trust with Chris’s life.

“Alright, you two stay safe. And you take care of that little girl of yours, Andrew.” With a nod, he leaves me and Andrew standing in the hotel room.

“If you need to head back now, I’ll understand,” Andrew says, coming toward me.

I watch as he crosses the room, his strong legs eating up the space between us. He’s wearing a pair of gray sweats, recommended by the doctor because they’re soft and won’t press against the site where the bone marrow was drawn, and a black shirt with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. His dark hair is a mess and the scruff on his jaw brings my body to life. This man gets my blood pumping like no other.

When he’s standing in front of me, he lays one arm on my shoulder, and I feel him fiddle with my hair. He’s watching me, waiting for my answer.

“No, I’m staying. I know Jaxon and Mac will keep Chris safe until I get back. You need me here.”

I know it’s not the others’ responsibility to watch after Chris and make sure nothing happens to her, but I also know Jaxon and Mac are friends and they understand the need for me to be here. It doesn’t mean I care for Chris less than Andrew, it just means Chris doesn’t need me as much as Andrew does because she has people there for her who can protect her.

As selfless as Andrew’s offer was, I still see relief flicker in his eyes. He’s torn between the shit that’s going down with Damien and being here for Ally. I know Andrew loves Chris, but his love for Ally is stronger. She’s a child and she needs all the support and love she can get right now.

“You sure?” At my nod, he grips my hair and pulls my head back for a bruising kiss. I noticed he likes doing that; controlling me for his kiss by my hair. I have no problem with it; it’s hot as fuck.

Our tongues plunder each other’s mouths. The grip he has on my hair tightens when I nip his bottom lip, which only spurs me on more. I like rough sex and Andrew gives just the amount of roughness I need.

He pulls my head back and attacks my neck. I feel him sucking, and I know there will be a mark left behind.

Grabbing the hip that didn’t have a needle poked in it, I grind my rock-hard dick into his. He growls against my throat and takes a bite, causing me to hiss in pleasure.

He releases my hair and takes a small step back. Planting his hand on my chest and looking at me with scorching heat in his eyes, he shoves me backward, until my back hits the wall. He stalks forward, taking his shirt off as he goes, and doesn’t stop until we’re lined up, touching from head to toe. He grips the bottom of my shirt, yanks the material over my head, and slams his mouth back on mine.

I run my fingers through his hair and yank him closer. Our chests meet, and I feel the rapid beat of his heart, just like mine.

Andrew palms my ass through my jeans, making me wish the damn material wasn’t there.

He must sense my need because he pulls back and growls, “Take those fucking things off.”

Not needing to be told twice, I reach down, unsnap, unzip, and yank down my jeans, leaving me standing there with my hard dick swaying. I palm it and give it a few strokes. Andrew follows my movement as he tears off his own pants. When he’s standing in front of me in all his glory, I want to drop to my knees and worship the ground he walks on, after I worship his body, of course. I’ve had plenty of lovers in my life, but none of them compare to Andrew.

“Turn around,” Andrew says in a gravelly voice. I again do what he says, wanting and
needing
whatever Andrew is about to give me.

I feel his chest hit my back and the bristly hair has my hips grinding back against him. My ass meets his cock, and I groan deep in my throat. I want it in me now.

“No fucking around, Andrew. Fucking fuck me,” I snarl over my shoulder at him.

Instead of answering me right away, he reaches around my chest, puts his hand on my throat, applying light pressure, and brings my head back. He assaults my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

Once he releases his lips and teeth from my neck, he whispers in my ear, “I’m in control here, Jase. You do what I say, and I’ll give you what you need. You don’t tell me to do jack shit, you hear me?”