Huxley gave a bark when they entered and sprang at Hannah, making her give a watery laugh. Jett was grateful for the distraction and kneaded the dog’s furry head. “Hey, let’s finish off your birthday night right, Hannah. I want to make you something amazing.”
She straightened her shoulders, putting on a strained brave face. “I didn’t know the culinary arts were among your many talents.”
“It’s not,” he admitted sheepishly. “I just grill.”
She rested her head against his arm, breaking into a fragile smile as she wound her fingers into his. “I wouldn’t mind eating whatever you cook up.”
“Famous last words,” he said. Before she could change her mind, he took her out to the barbecue pit outside the kitchen, where she helped him set up the grill. One call to the chef and they had the makings for steak and Hawaiian chicken kabobs. Anything to cheer up Hannah. She was still shaken, and Jett wanted nothing more than to drive his fist through that man’s face. Was this her secret? There had been times she had fallen into this same kind of fear and sadness. It must be.
She pushed the meat and veggies through a kabob stick, trying to make small talk. “I know I should put more veggies on these, but hey, it’s my birthday. I just apologize in advance if I end up stealing all the meat.”
He did his best to play along. “You could use some protein … and I could do with a little less.”
She laughed and nudged him. “That is absolutely not true.”
He pulled out a kabob that was further along than the rest. “Try this.” He slipped off a piece of meat and slipped it into her mouth. “Happy birthday.”
She savored it with her truest laugh yet. “Oh wow, you are a master griller.”
His heart soared at managing to distract her from her troubles, even for a bit. He finished cooking up the food and brought it to a table, the creaking in his walking attachment the only sign that he’d lost his whole leg—thanks to this woman! She’d turned his life around.
The staff had strung sparkling lights around the table and trees around it. He only had to flip a switch and the whole garden was alight in a romantic glow. He should’ve just taken her here, but how could he have known what awaited them outside these walls? Hannah’s ex might’ve been most of the problem, but as he examined the situation, he saw a lot of holes. “Your aunt is in town?”
“Yes.” She was back to faking that brilliant smile of hers. “She’s really fun. You should meet her.”
Was Hannah afraid the aunt would’ve told Jett about her ex? He didn’t know how to bring up any of this without ruining the mood, but maybe that was too late. Her hand on the table shook. “Hannah, you’re safe here.”
She caught her breath, and her lips quivered. “You must think I’m so weak.”
“Why would I ever think that?”
“Because … why would I date a guy like that?” It came out in a strangled whisper. She was going to cry again.
His heart wrenched, and he scooted across the bench and brought her closer. Hannah was tall and athletic, but she was nothing to his size and almost disappeared in his arms. How could he convince her that he’d die before he let anything happen to her?
“I was in a really bad place,” she said. “My dad didn’t like … him, thought he kept tearing me down, but … I thought I was in love, that Ryan wanted me to be my best self.”
Ryan? His name ran effortlessly through her lips, as if she didn’t realize that she’d given that away. As soon as I have a last name, I’ll kill him.
“I—I didn’t see it,” she said. “I thought I was in love. Then …” She choked on her pain. “I lost my father. Ryan was really comforting … especially after our fights, for some reason. We’d argue about everything, but I really felt like I won something when he approved of me. He made me feel like he understood me. It was weird how lost I became, like I didn’t care about me, only what he thought, until one day, I figured it out.”
“Did he hurt you?”
She gulped. Her long lashes fluttered like hummingbird wings, and his stomach tensed with anger. Of course he had. Jett would never press her for painful information. Mostly, he wanted to drive back into town and mess this guy up.
“Before I met him, I felt like I was someone,” she whispered, “but after being with him … there was nothing left of me.”
His arms tightened around her, and he gently scooted her closer. “Hannah, you’re the maker of butterflies.” Not that he was a butterfly, exactly. The metaphor never quite worked with him. “Or at least really ugly moth-like things. You have to believe me when I tell you you’re everything.”
Chapter Eighteen
Hannah tried to shut down her emotions before they completely overcame her. Jett was so sweet. The guilt for not telling him everything tore her apart, but she’d been so afraid of Ryan’s threats and what he’d do if he found her with Jett that she still couldn’t let it go. She’d built up this power Ryan had over her, like he was some kind of immortal being that could drag her away from Jett’s underground fortress and force her to be with him.
She’d been so foolish. She snuggled closer to Jett, just wanting him to comfort her as he smoothed down her hair and showed her what a real man was. His thick fingers found the delicate butterfly pendant at her neck, and he lifted it, studying it. She watched in amazement as his strength was subdued. He was a man of such power, yet his greatest gift was his self-control.
“We both were broken,” he said. “We only needed each other to heal.”
He let it drop against the front of her dress and kissed her gently, his arms strong against her back. She’d never felt more cherished. How could she ever think that what she had with Ryan was love? Jett protected her. Despite being in such a dark place when they’d first met, he never turned his frustration against her. He defied his pain to become a man she could trust.
He rested his cheek against hers, playing with her hair. “You never have to be scared again. You are strong and good and vibrant. Nothing will change that.” He kissed her one last time, his eyes connecting with hers with such a look of love that she breathed easier than she had in a very long time.
She knew what he was doing—hadn’t she done this to him many times? He was giving her back her identity. I am strong. I am good.
He pressed her hand and eased away from the table. “It’s been a long day. We’ll talk more about this tomorrow.”
She nodded. He was right—everything would have to come out. She hoped he’d believe her about Ryan. It had been so long since she’d allowed herself to depend on anyone that it was hard to let go of her tight control, but she was beginning to believe that she could do it for him.
Jett walked her to her room and squeezed her hand outside the door. “You’re more important than sleep, okay? If you need anything, don’t hesitate to wake me up.”
She looked at the floor, smiling, though her sadness still broke through the love she felt for him. Would everything be okay tomorrow? She couldn’t bear it if he looked at her differently. “The HeatWave is in a week and a half,” she said. “Just promise me that nothing will get in the way of that.”
His mouth curved into a fond grin. “Okay, butterfly maker. That’s a deal.”
She laughed, despite the stress of the evening. She’d have to put a stop to that embarrassing nickname, but for now, she’d cling to his every kind word. She closed the door and flipped the light switch.
As soon as light flooded the room, a hand shot out of nowhere and threw her against the wall. She choked against the grip on her neck, seeing Ryan’s distorted face on the other end of it. He’d come! How was it possible? Somehow he’d gotten through the heavy security of the Mountain Cove. He was as powerful as she gave him credit for.
The fear stabbed her insides until she ached. Her body froze, and she couldn’t move. Even if his hand hadn’t been over her mouth, her panic had cut off her voice.
Ryan sneered at her, his freckles a light splatter over his pale face. “
I knew if you thought I was dead, you’d come out, Hannah.” His once-beautiful steel-blue eyes bored into hers, and he shook her as if his own words angered him. “What kind of love is that? Did I mean nothing to you? I give you everything, and you leave me? For what? Some self-absorbed billionaire. Did you think he actually loved you? How pathetic. You’re just his plaything. What a waste of time rescuing you from his little hideout … you’re coming home with me.” His hand tightened over her. “Till death do us part. Do you want that, Hannah?”
She fought free. “No!”
“You keep quiet,” he hissed. “I told you that I’d tell everyone what you did, but you didn’t listen. You thought you were smarter than me. You scream, and I’ll make you sorry you ever came to this place. I’ll kill them all.” His hand clamped over her arm, and she saw the handle of a gun when the ends of his button-up shirt flew back. He tried to take her with him. “Let’s go.”
The scream wrenched from her lungs, coming from the deepest part of her soul and ringing through the room in her agony. She had no doubt the whole household would hear that. But after what Ryan said, she didn’t want them to. The fearful sound had been completely involuntary.
Ryan tsked and pulled out the gun from the back of his jeans. “Ah, you shouldn’t have done that.”
Chapter Nineteen
Jett had just gotten his attachment off his leg and stared up at the ceiling from his bed, lost in thoughts of Hannah, when her scream sent him upright. He sprang out of bed in his panic and sprawled onto the hardwood floor, his chin knocking hard against the end of his dresser. He’d completely forgotten about his missing leg, he’d been so focused on getting to Hannah. Now he was wasting time! Huxley bounded around him, barking. His heart lurched as he fumbled for the attachment near the side of the bed. It took too long to get on.
The silence was killing him. Why hadn’t she screamed again? He groped for the service button near the lamp as he stumbled to his feet. “Veronica!” he shouted into the speaker. “I need security on Hannah.”
“Don’t go over there. Security’s already on it.”
For once, Veronica’s voice filled him with relief. That was all he needed to hear, though nothing could keep him away.
Jett ran down the hallway to find Hannah. Huxley charged ahead of him, letting out a caterwauler that echoed Jett’s worst fears. He could only think of that freak who’d hurt her, the man who’d caused the pain and fear and sadness to flutter across her face for who knew how long?
He turned the corner, and his heart settled when he saw Hannah standing at the door and talking to his security. Her white dress fluttered around her knees. Her face was strained, but the embarrassment from causing a commotion this late at night would explain that. Her tumultuous eyes lifted to his, and she gulped. “Jett, I’m sorry. I saw a … a spider.”
“A spider?” He laughed in relief. “Did you kill it?”
“Yeah. It’s dead.”
One of Jett’s security men rubbed at his chin, looking amused. “We could use you on the team. Sounds terrifying.”
Her cheeks reddened, and he felt a stirring of sympathy for her embarrassment. “Okay,” Jett said. “We’re good now. Thanks for checking up on her.”
Security left, laughing and nudging each other. Huxley wandered after them.
Jett leaned against the doorway. “Hey, you’ve got a powerful set of lungs on you. I thought …” He left unspoken what he thought. He didn’t want to worry her. And now that he was with her again, he didn’t want to let her go. “You need something after all this excitement? A midnight snack?”
Her eyes widened like she was considering it; then she slanted a glance into her room and bit her lip. She shook her head. Her thick dark hair flew around her shoulders. With difficulty, he stopped himself from touching her again.
Huxley bounded back to Jett’s side, and he rubbed the dog’s bobbing head instead. The animal wouldn’t hold still, growling at the door. Jett gave a light laugh. “I think you scared my dog.” He didn’t admit that he’d been even more terrified for her welfare. He leaned over her and kissed her cheek. “Good night, Hannah.”
She barely reacted. Her skin felt a little warm to the touch, but she seemed ready for bed, so he let it go. Her blue-eyed gaze haunted him as she closed the door.
Huxley pawed at the door and let out a bellow. Adrenaline shot through Jett’s spine. Something definitely was wrong.
He shoved the door open, and Hannah stepped back, her expression frozen in fear as she looked over his shoulder. “Jett!” she cried out in warning.
Something hard hit the back of his head and knocked him off-balance. He landed against the hardwood floor, hearing the attachment in his leg snap. He twisted to see that a man had been standing behind the door. He was tall and lanky with cold blue eyes and hair sticking out everywhere. His bony fingers clicked back the safety on the gun he held on Jett. “Oh no, big guy, don’t get up.”
Huxley sprang at the intruder. Hannah lunged for the gun. “Ryan, leave him alone!”
Rage filled Jett at the name, but when he saw Hannah stand between him and the gun, he held his hands up. “No!” She’d get shot.
Ryan viciously shoved Hannah to the floor and pointed the gun at her. She struggled to sit.
Jett grabbed Huxley’s collar to keep him back. “Okay, calm down. We’re not fighting you.”
Ryan reversed directions, pointing the gun at Jett instead. “Either of you make a sound and you’re both dead.” His watery eyes wandered over the part of Jett’s bionic leg that snapped off. He let out a snigger. “He’s a cripple, Hannah? You didn’t tell me that. You really were after his money.”
Hannah gasped out angrily.
Ryan sneered. “Oh, get off your high horse.” He glanced over at Jett, clearly not liking what he saw. “Oh, did you think she loved you? A broken man?” Jett winced as Ryan parroted his insecurities in a low, mocking voice. His eyes ran from Jett to the door while he inched closer to Hannah. “She likes to mess with people. I used to believe her, too, covered up for her. But things don’t quite add up in the end, do they? I’m sure you’ve noticed things missing, money, expensive trinkets, anything she could sell. Hey, can you blame her? Drugs turn nice girls stupid.”
Jett’s stomach twisted as he tried to figure out what was real. She’d been living a lie—she was running from a crazy man, maybe a few other things too, but Jett would sort through that later when her life wasn’t in danger.
Hannah met Jett’s eyes with a scared look.
“Oh, knock it off!” Ryan jeered at her. “Who’s he going to believe? The girl who’s been lying to him since the day you met, or our colleagues at the Montpelier Institute? Yeah, they figured it out, too, Hannah. They found the tampered opiate vials that you signed off on. We’re done playing.”
“So why take the law into your own hands?” Jett broke the “no talking” rule. If Ryan wanted to kill Hannah, he’d have done it by now. He decided to call all his bluffs at once. “Why don’t you just call the police on her?” he baited.
“Oh no, no,” Ryan spat. “She’s not getting off that easily.”
So the man was out for revenge. Why hadn’t Hannah contacted the law herself? At the most, theft of a controlled substance would give her less than a year in jail. Yes, her reputation would be in shambles, but it was better than letting this guy chase her all over the country.
Ryan stood over Hannah, his eyes running over her. She brought her legs in to make herself smaller. It took everything in Jett not to tackle him for daring to look at her that way.
Ryan gave him a cruel smile. “She’s abused your hospitality for far too long.” He leaned over her to grab her arm.
Jett let the whimpering Huxley go. “Get him, boy!”
Huxley growled and lunged, sinking his teeth into Ryan’s arm. Ryan let out a shrill yelp and scrambled away from the barking dog. Jett grabbed his broken leg attachment and dove onto his good knee, delivering a punishing blow against Ryan’s b
ack with the socket. The gun flew out of Ryan’s hand, and Jett scrambled for it, catching it by the trigger and scraping it off the floor. He rolled over and pointed it at Ryan.
The man growled out, spitting in his fury. “Oh, you have no idea what Hannah’s done, do you? You’d never defend her if you knew.”
Obviously, Ryan had something worse on her, or she’d have contacted the authorities by now.
“Get out,” Jett said, “before I shoot the intruder.”
Ryan backed up. Huxley barked while Ryan cast one more longing look at Hannah that sent a cold chill through Jett before the man fled the room.
Jett called Huxley back, pushing up on his knee, slamming down the button on the dresser that would reach Veronica. “There’s an intruder on the premises. Light-brown hair, slight build.” He swung around to gauge Hannah’s reaction. Her breaths came out rapidly, like she was in shock. “Make sure my security escorts him out of here,” Jett continued. “Don’t say anything to the Mountain Cove security, or they’ll go to the police.”
Hannah twisted her fingers and came to him. “No, we—we should call the police.”
“What’s he got against you?” he snarled, his panic for her safety coming out in his voice.
She paled. “But … but I didn’t do it! You’ve got to belie—”
His voice grew harder. “Does he have evidence?”
“Yes.”
“What else does he have on you?”
“He told me he’ll get me for drug trafficking and drug-induced homicide.”
This was bad. Really bad. Leaning heavily on the dresser, he lowered himself to the edge of Hannah’s bed.
She hesitated before touching him. “Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not okay. Who died, Hannah? How’s Ryan pinning a homicide on you?”
“My father.” She stuttered to a stop as he stared up at her, his heart lurching. Her eyes watered. “I didn’t do it. Ryan’s going to tell everyone I caused his car crash because I gave him pain meds. My dad ran into another car, too, and people got hurt. Nothing about it was pretty. This was eight months ago.”
Her Broken Hero Billionaire (Billionaire Bachelor Mountain Cove Book 8) Page 13