by CORY CYR
I prayed, not that God would listen since I had now killed two people. The murders were justified, but I wasn’t sure if that mattered in the eyes of the almighty. After what I’d witnessed as a teenager, I’d firmly believed there was no God. Once I got my revenge, I prayed that if there was one, maybe he’d cut me a break since my victim had been an evil man. Because the pain of my losses never went away, I chose to be on the fence regarding a higher power. I figured with the type of man I’d become, he or she had looked the other way because I was a lost cause. But now I’d give my life to the devil himself to spare Daisy’s.
After Kai spoke to Reese, I staggered to the shower. I pressed my back against the tile, remembering the first time Daisy and I had ended up in here. I yelled curses at myself for not protecting the woman I loved.
The sorrow I felt had to be kept hidden or Verna would know I was responsible for this. If Daisy never recovered, it would be because I had failed to shelter her from harm.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Daisy
“Crap, it hurts.” I moaned as I woke. My eyes were blurry, adjusting to a bright light. I swatted at it, then gave up and shut them tightly.
I heard someone’s voice cut the silence.
“Ms. Jones, I need to check your pupil response. Please open your eyes.”
“Where am I? Where’s Jas—” I cut myself off as I recalled Maynard’s vicious attack. No matter what, the story was the fucker shot me and I killed him in self-defense.
I opened my eyes and gently fingered the bandage on my left side.
“We had to remove your spleen.”
“Won’t I be needing it?” I mumbled innocently.
“Well, that’s always been up for debate. In your case, we had no choice.”
“Get me a mirror, will you?” I whispered.
The doctor shook his head. “It’s only been forty-eight hours. You were beaten pretty badly.”
My hand went to the gauze covering my face. I was surprised I could breathe. My face was wrapped like a mummy, except for my eyes and mouth. “How bad is it? Don’t be keepin’ it a secret. Tell me.”
“Lots of bruising. Black eyes, split lip, broken nose, cracked bones in your jaw, and quite a few lacerations.”
Now I knew why my jaw hurt, it was hard to speak, and Jasper wasn’t here. He wouldn’t want to see me all broken and battered, even though I basically threw myself on a sword for him.
I swallowed my anguish.
“You have a lot of people in the waiting room, but only family is allowed in here.”
I protested. “But I have no family here. I need to talk to somebody. Please.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t make the rules, but I have to enforce them. However, the FBI is here, and I need to tell them you’re finally awake and quite talkative.”
I tried to flip him off, but my hand was tangled in tubes. No one could have kept Jasper away from me unless he was so scared he’d run for the hills.
“Well, Daisy, you made quite a mess of our case. Did you have to kill him?” one of the agents asked.
“You let this happen. He shot me in the stomach, you fuckin' pricks,” I angrily spit out, showing them my bandage.
“I’d say Maynard really did a number on you. He used the cover of the impending storm to his advantage, plus some information he received from persons unknown. He also killed some woman. We found her body on the beach. Your bosses are all out in the waiting room. We’ve taken statements from everyone except Jasper Kendrick. We can’t find him.”
“That’s enough of you talkin’ to my child with no lawyer,” I heard Mama say loudly.
“I’m sorry. You are…?” one of the agents asked.
“Are you hard of hearin’, boy? I’m her mama, and you best tuck tail and git now. If you had done your job, none of this would’ve happened. You used her as bait. Look at my poor baby.”
Jasper had done this. He had gone to Tennessee and gotten her. He hadn’t abandoned me.
“Mama, you’re here,” I said in a hushed voice as the agents retreated.
“Well, of course. Just lookin’ at you makes me want to kill him all over. It’s lucky you learned shootin’ from a young age. You gonna be all right. It’ll just take time, but you have some mighty good friends and a man who loves you.”
“Oh, Mama, is he gonna love me like this? I look like a busted-up piñata, and I’m black n’ blue all over.”
“Never you mind. That man loves you for more than purty looks. Besides, in a month’s time, you’ll be all healed and good as new.”
I held her hand tightly. “Can you stay? I mean, for a bit.”
My mama patted my hand. “I’m stayin’ for as long as it takes. Never you mind about anything. Your mama’s here now. I’ll sneak Jasper in tonight. Stupid rules about family only… I had a mind to tell them he’s your brother, but you two look nothin’ alike.” She cackled.
I didn’t want to see Jasper until my face looked better. I begged my mama not to allow him in the room. We argued back and forth until I finally got my way. I needed time to heal and to think about the fact that Fady had been murdered by my husband. I knew it was her body the FBI found, and she was the reason Maynard was able to locate me. I’d been such a threat to her that she’d rather see me dead than with Jasper.
* * *
Jasper
Eight Days Later…
I had given Verna and Daisy a large suite in the hotel. The Feds were still fine-tuning their investigation, and I didn’t want them knowing she and I were living together. I felt like I was reliving my past, barely a teenager, holding my breath and sobbing while hiding in the panic room, seeing everything play out in front of my eyes.
Daisy hadn’t wanted to see me, but I was able to speak to her on the phone. Verna tried to explain, but it was vanity, plain and simple.
Today, I finally would get to hold and kiss the woman I loved.
Kai had taken over for me because I was basically unfit to handle any business right now. Reliving what happened to Daisy had brought to the surface all the memories of watching my family slaughtered. I wasn’t even sure I could handle an interrogation by the Feds. So far, they had talked to Harriet, Kai, and Reese. They told the authorities I was under the weather due to the flu. During his conversation with the Feds, Reese told them nonchalantly that he had stayed at my home, playing cards during the brunt of the storm, giving me an alibi if I needed one. I was a loose end, and eventually, they’d force my hand. My records were sealed, but I didn’t need them finding out about my relationship with Daisy.
I stood at the door of the suite and knocked lightly. Verna answered it and invited me in. I prepared for the worst because I’d seen what that animal had done. Daisy was lying on the sofa. She had definitely lost weight. Her face was bruised, but it was fading. She still had bandages on her nose and jaw. It would take at least another two months for her to heal completely.
“Baby, I’ve missed you,” I cooed as I sat next to her.
Verna had gone into another room to give us privacy. On the flight over, I got the impression somehow she knew it was me that shot Maynard, but she seemed all right with that fact, more so after she saw her daughter.
“I missed you, too, but with the FBI and everything, I thought it was better if you weren’t around.”
“Fuck the Feds. I needed to see you to tell you I’ve never known anyone that would self-sacrifice in order to save me.”
“It’s because I love you. There is nothing I wouldn’t do. I’m just sorry about this entire mess.”
I took her hands. “You have nothing to apologize for. I promised to protect you, and I didn’t. You got shot because of me. All of this happened because I couldn’t keep you safe.”
Daisy loosened one hand and caressed my cheek. “This was always going to happen. It was just a matter of when. You saved my life. If you hadn’t stopped him, I’d be dead.”
“Can I kiss you? I’ll be gentle.”
She nodded, a
nd I pressed my lips to hers. It was life affirming. I had almost lost her, yet here she was. Forever mine.
“You went and got my mama… again. We’ll always take care of each other, if you still want me. I know I look a mess right now, but soon, I’ll be good as new.”
“You’re kidding, right? As if I care about your looks or any of that. I’m just so thankful you survived. None of that stuff matters.” I took out a velvet box from my pocket. “I already showed it to your mum. She totally approves. So here goes. You know how I feel about marriage, and that will probably never change. But if I ever decide to do it, Daisy August Jones, it would be with you. I want us to be together forever, so I’m giving you this ring as a promise of my unconditional love for you and my vow of loyalty.”
I flipped open the box and held it out for her to see. The ring held a five-karat round canary stone flanked by four karats of petal-shaped diamonds.
“Jasper. It looks like a daisy. You got this for me?”
“I’d do anything for you. Read the inscription.”
Inside the ring, it read: Forever and a Day.
Daisy wept as I slid the band onto her finger.
I’d had the ring made a month ago, and after we suffered the tragedy, I decided I couldn’t wait any longer.
Maybe it was fate that intervened and gave me new hope that I could be a better person. I wasn’t sure, but someone up there threw Daisy and me on a collision course, and I was eternally grateful.
Epilogue
Jasper
One Year Later…
“You’re positive you have everything?”
“Jasper, it hasn’t changed since the last twenty times you asked. Yes, both Mama and I got everything. Lord, we have enough luggage for the rest of our lives.”
I shrugged. “And you both have your passports?”
She waved two booklets in my face. “Now get out of here so I can get ready for a long-ass flight.”
I whistled as I drove to my office. The Feds had wrapped up their case two months ago. Those wankers had finally interviewed me, and everything was in place. They questioned me about Fady, knowing, through Reese, we’d had an affair. I blamed her hysterical jealousy of Daisy Jones as a possible motive for why she’d helped Maynard. I went on to explain that Fady was extremely possessive and envious of every new hire. It was difficult to be saddened by the news of her death when it was clear who killed her and why. She had been solely responsible for Maynard finding Daisy.
The FBI had concluded that Daisy shot her husband in self-defense and added the incident to the mounds of paperwork they already had against him. No autopsy. Just cremated. They couldn’t prosecute a dead body, but they did round up many of his accomplices. Besides, I think the authorities were ready to end the probe and not have it publicly known that they were culpable in the near murder of his estranged wife. After months of inquiry by the Feds, the attorney I hired for Daisy had her file a written affidavit to go along with countless hours of taped testimony.
It was now time to get on with our lives.
It took some convincing, but I ultimately got Verna to agree to travel to England with Daisy and me. My sister had finally kicked out her husband and was going through divorce proceedings. She was thrilled I was coming home and insisted on all of us staying with her until I decided if the move was permanent. In truth, I wished to be with the family I had left and to extend it with Daisy and Verna.
“So Britain, huh?” Kai stated as I walked in.
“Yes, that’s the plan. It’s not easy to get two women ready for anything, let alone a huge trip.”
“Preaching to the choir, brother. It’s an ordeal for us to go to the market.”
“Don’t you have housekeepers to do that?” I laughed.
“Tegan likes to do it herself, and where she goes, Aria goes. And where they go, I have to…” He paused. “Well, you get the picture.”
I cleared my desk and handed a few remaining files to Reese as he strolled in.
“In such a rush you weren’t even going to say good-bye? I just saw enough suitcases and trunks being loaded on the yacht for twenty people.”
“You both act as though this foray is sudden. It’s been planned for months, so don’t you two start acting all sad and shite. And, Reese, this might be more than just a leave of absence.”
“What? Wait. Huh? How long you planning to be away?” he asked, holding the folders against his chest.
“At least six months, but I need you to be prepared in case I decide not to return. I’ll become another silent partner. I haven’t made the decision yet, and of course it depends on what Daisy and Verna think about living in the UK.”
“What the hell? Everyone is leaving me high and dry. I’m going to be the last single man standing. Fuck,” Reese said, collapsing onto the sofa.
“I’ll still be very much a part of our business. I just won’t be here physically. Kai has offered to work more hours, and I hired someone new, whether I return or not. You’ll like Harper. He’s American. And I’m only a phone call away. We can even Skype. It’s time for you to have more responsibility and learn the ropes of corporate management.”
“You both suck. I’ll hardly ever see Kai once you’re gone. It’ll be just me,” Reese whined.
Kai and I looked at each other.
“That’s not exactly true. You have six months to prove you can handle the responsibility of running VIP. Harper, the new hire, will help you. He’s not only a formidable trainer, but has years of experience in office management.”
“Okay, but what if I can’t get my act together and prove myself? What happens in six months?”
“Harriet happens.”
The End
Acknowledgement
My Tribe:
Thank you, Cassie McCown, my editor, Sharon Kay, who formats my books, creative master, Robin Harper/Wicked By Design, who designs my book covers, and my amazing street team.
Also, a special thank-you to all of my proofreaders: Sherazad Kurwa, Lynne White, Tiffany Burnette-Busbey, Shannon Anderson, Suzanne Talkington, Marnie Jay, and Kathy Atwell.
And my best buds: Dianne Mandich, Dee Dee Armstrong, and Katrina Sosnowski.
***Thank you to Wander Aguiar for the gorgeous photo of Tyler Collins.***
About the Author
Cory began writing music and poetry at an early age. Her love of music became her sole focus and she spent quite a few years as the lead singer for local rock bands. In high school, she was fascinated with the macabre and started writing science fiction and horror stories so dark they earned her the nickname "Gory Cory."
After years of writing scary fiction, Cory never thought in a million years she would end up penning sensual tales of younger men/older women. She writes strictly adult material.
You can find her at: www.authorcorycyr.com
Other Books by Cory Cyr
Jacked Off
The Perfect 1
America’s Most Wanted
Wicked Steps
Acquiesce – Submit and Comply
Reviving Haven
Reviving Haven - Book 1
Rug Burns (Reviving Haven 2)
*Can be read as a standalone
Bite & Release
Bite & Release - Book 1
The Reason I Breathe - Book 2
Bite & Release-Riley – Book 3
The War & Pieces Chronicles
Kai – Book 1