She was brought out of her thoughts when he took her nipple back into his mouth. He bit down lightly and Ryleigh was gone, the orgasm taking her out of her body. Jacks seemed to lose his control as well; he picked up speed, his movements erratic. That is when Ryleigh saw the most beautiful sight in the world, Jackson Thorp meeting completion. He looked pained at first, but then a peace settled over him that she hadn’t seen on his beautiful face. His eruption threw her over the edge once again. When she came back down to earth, it was to find Jacks holding her tightly
“You should have told me,” Jacks whispered in her ear.
When she tried to respond, all he said was, “No.” The man was pissed.
Damn, what have I done? Ryleigh never intended to lie to Jacks, but she was finding out even the little white lies could have horrible results. She’d needed him so badly, she hadn’t thought of anything else. She felt terrible, but she also felt wonderful.
Ryleigh fell asleep truly sated for the first time in her life. She knew it had little to do with the sex and more to do with the man who made her feel safe and cherished. She couldn’t help but feel sad though. She would explain, and Jacks would understand. They were meant to be, and she knew that now with every fiber of her being. She hoped he felt the same way. Ryleigh drifted off to a dreamless sleep, safe in the arms of the man she loved. Yes, she loved him, and for the first time, she wasn’t afraid to admit that fact to herself.
Chapter 38
Jacks was gone when Ryleigh woke up on the third day. She knew that they needed to talk; they had a mission that had to be completed that day. Getting up and dressed, Ryleigh made her way to Mrs. Franklins room, knowing she and Jacks would have time to discuss what happened when the mission was over. She hoped he understood.
Julianne was going to up her game today. She only had until 3 o’clock to make something happen. Otherwise, she was not getting her inheritance, and the woman was like a dog with a bone. No way was she letting a little thing like a natural death derail her plans. That woman would never settle for not getting what she wanted. Ryleigh knew it was now, or never. They needed to get into the safe, and she hoped that’s what Jacks was doing. She couldn’t be sure since he had been MIA this morning. She had to hope that they were on the same page. Dr. Todd finally made an appearance and ushered Dr. Paul right of the room and the bitch herself made an appearance shortly after that.
“Now listen here, you little cunt,” Julianne seethed, “you have about an hour before that meddling old fool comes back into this room, and I want this done. Follow the original doctor's order and hook my mother up to the TENs unit with the protocol that is outlined. I know you need the money, and you were aware of the contingency to your employment was that you would do anything asked of you. I don’t understand why you care. She is already more than half way dead, so do your fucking job and finish it. I’m going out, and when I get back, it had better be done, or you aren’t getting anything, you got me? Todd is here to call time of death. Keep in mind that it better be before 3 o’clock, because if it isn’t, money won’t be your only problem, got me?”
“Yes, ma’am, could you send Jon in on your way out? I need to position your mother correctly to apply the TENs unit.” No way in hell was Ryleigh killing Mrs. Franklin, but Julianne didn’t need to know that.
“No, I can’t send him in, he’s doing some work for me,” Julianne snapped. “Maybe you should take some lessons from your husband, Amy. That man will do anything for a buck. I’ll have lots of them. He might want to stay awhile after all; he told me how much you lacked in the bedroom. He seemed to respond to my skills in that area. Do your job, and maybe I’ll let him leave with you. I’ll miss him and that fabulous cock of his, but then again, I can get a cock anywhere. Men like your husband are a dime a dozen. Maybe next time you should try to pick a loyal one like my Todd. They aren’t that great to look at, but you only have to blow them a couple of times a month, and they think they have won the lottery.” With a little wave, she was gone.
God, the woman was such a bitch. Ryleigh was determined more than ever to make sure Mrs. Franklin lived until after 3 o’clock. With Dr. Todd already in the house, she would need witnesses. Hoping Jacks was already working the safe, Ryleigh went to the only untapped outside line in the house, the fax machine, and she called 911. She knew from their prep that it would take approximately eighteen minutes for the rescue workers and police to get to the Franklin Estate, and an additional five to get through the gates, but that would put the time after 3 o’clock, and Julianne’s hope of getting her inheritance right out the window. So, she started doing the therapeutic massage on Mrs. Franklin counting the minutes as she went along, hoping Jacks was getting the drive because their mission was over.
Then, the worst thing possible happened. Mrs. Franklin coded. Ryleigh started CPR, doing everything in her power to keep Mrs. Franklin alive. She no longer cared what time it was, but about doing her best for her patient. Dr. Paul and Dr. Todd came running into the room. Dr. Todd was trying to pull Ryleigh off of Mrs. Franklin, but the man was weak. Ryleigh yelled at Dr. Paul to take over. Taking the TENs and placing it like you would a defibrillator, Ryleigh managed to get Mrs. Franklin back right before the paramedics stormed in the door.
Getting out of the first responder's way, so they could do their jobs, Ryleigh looked up to see Julianne and Jacks standing at the door. Julianne’s face was purple with fury, but Jacks just had that sexy little smirk. Ryleigh hoped that meant he had the drive, but at this point Ryleigh didn’t care. They would find another way to get the drive if they had to, she just wanted out of that house. Ryleigh wanted away from these evil and vile people, and she wanted to talk openly with Jacks, so she could try to make him understand what she had done and why.
“Are any of you, family?” one of the paramedics asked as they were loading Mrs. Franklin up to take her to the hospital. Julianne just stood there, so Ryleigh gave the pompous bitch a push.
“Yes, sir that’s her daughter, Julianne Franklin,” Ryleigh said, pointing at Julianne.
“Yes, sorry. I'm just so shaken up.” The woman seemed to snap out of it, but if looks could kill, Ryleigh would be six feet under.
Her voice broke and cracked, and she started to cry, trying to get to her mother, probably to suffocate her. She put on a good show. Drs. Paul and Todd followed in her wake. Dr. Paul was visibly upset; he cared for Mrs. Franklin. Well, now maybe she would get the care she really needed. With everyone out of the Franklins’ house, it was surprisingly easy to get out of the estate. Jacks had made some friends on the security team, and they let them walk out with their stuff before Julianne could get back from the hospital and delay them any further.
Chapter 39
Once in the car and on their way back to base, Ryleigh broke, she couldn’t stand the silence.
“Listen, Jacks, I couldn’t wait any longer. She wanted me to hook her mom up to the TENs unit and kill her. I couldn’t do that, my only option was to get her the help she needed, so I called 911. That way, they could get Mrs. Franklin out of there. I know you're mad at me, but I didn’t have a choice.”
“Oh baby, you are right. I’m so damn pissed at you, but it has nothing to do with the mission or the Franklins. It has to do with the fact that you were a fucking virgin and didn’t feel it was necessary to share that information with me. What the hell, Ryleigh? I could have hurt you. I did hurt you, and you let it happen. I could have made it special, Ryleigh. You robbed me of that honor. I sure as shit wouldn’t have fucked you for the first time with people watching and cameras rolling. Are you really that selfish? You talk about trust and how you don’t trust people easily. How can I trust you, Ryleigh? You failed to tell me a crucial detail. We were going on a mission as a married couple. Sex in some way is kind of part of the cover. You took a moment that could have been special and flushed it down the fucking toilet. How am I going to trust you in the future when you wouldn’t share one of the most important things about you with me?”
“Jacks, it wasn’t like that. It was special. I didn’t give a shit who was watching because at that moment, it was just you and me, no one else existed. I needed you, and I’m sorry I didn’t say anything before, but I didn’t think we would be making love for the first time on a mission. But, Jacks, I don’t regret it. I love you.”
Just when she was sure Jacks would say the words back his phone rang. Taking a deep breath and turning away, he answered. Ryleigh was saddened by the interruption. She hadn’t realized how much she wanted to hear him say those three words back to her. Maybe he just needed time to get over what she had done. She guessed it didn’t matter if she loved him or not; Jacks was pissed, and nothing was going to change that at the moment. She needed to give him time to process what happened and get over being mad, or worse, get over being hurt by her actions. It was never her intention, she just couldn’t help herself.
She had needed him so badly, but he had a point, she had been incredibly selfish. This wasn’t just about her or what she needed or wanted. She needed to put Jacks first, like he had been putting her first since the beginning. It looked like she had a lot of growing up to do. Taking herself out of her thoughts, Ryleigh tried to focus on the conversation Jacks was having. She could only hear his part, and he wasn’t giving anything away. After he hung up, Jacks finally filled her in.
“That was Eli. He said that Cash wants to meet us before we get back to the temporary base at some diner about thirty miles away,” he said tersely.
He was still hurt, and Ryleigh decided she wasn’t going to try to explain her actions anymore. Grovel, yes, explain no. If he loved her, he would eventually understand, and if he didn’t, at least the mission was over. Ryleigh finally asked the question she had been dying to since they got into the car.
“Jacks did you get the drive?”
“Yeah, I got the drive. Julianne wanted me to move some files out of her dad’s office, so it gave me the perfect opportunity. It’s in my bag.”
“Cool beans. Do you mind if we make a stop before we meet with Cash? I’d like to do something really quick. I know it’s not SOP, but I think it’s important.”
“Sure.”
“Jacks, I know you are mad at me, and I understand, but I meant what I said, I know it's quick, and I don’t understand it myself, but I do love you.”
“I love you too, Baby. I’m just not ready to not be pissed at you yet. Give me a little time, I’ll get over it, but we definitely need to talk. Baby, you can’t keep stuff from me, mission or not. Let’s get your stop over with. We’ll meet with Cash and get back to base. Time to put this mission to bed. I think I’ll be having nightmares about skeletons for a while. You might have to hold me at night instead of me holding you,” he joked.
Jacks was upset with how things had played out with Ryleigh. He’d been just as caught up in the moment, but he would have never taken her that way, even if he had known she was a virgin. She deserved better, and so did he. He wanted the chance to worship her body, showing her by touch how much he cared for her. He was determined to have that time as soon as they got back to base. Ryleigh needed to know the difference between a quick fuck and making love, and Jacks was going to show her as soon as possible.
“No problem, Jacks. I’ll protect you from the evil skeletons of the world,” Ryleigh laughed. Ryleigh could tell that he was starting to forgive her, but she had hurt him, and that hurt her.
After making Ryleigh’s stop, they arrived a few minutes early at the diner where Eli had told them Cash wanted to meet.
“I’ll be right back. I need to use the restroom.” Ryleigh kissed Jacks on the cheek as they entered the diner. It had been a long day, and she needed a couple of minutes to process all that had happened. There was something that was bothering her and she needed to bring it up.
“I don’t see Cash,” she observed. “So, we must have beat him here. I keep on wondering why he wouldn’t have called you himself? Don’t you find it odd that Eli called for him?”
“Not really. He was probably busy with something.” Jacks answered, seemingly unfazed. He didn’t let Ryleigh know, but Jacks was confused over the situation. There was no need to make her worry if it was nothing. Cash never set up meetings using a go-between, and he was always early to every appointment he made without fail. The man even went to doctor’s appointments early, and everyone knew that was an exercise in futility because doctors were always late.
Jacks decided to see what the hell was going on, so he punched in Cash’s number as he watched Ryleigh walk down the hall to the bathroom. The call went to voicemail, so he texted Cash and then waited a few minutes. When he received nothing back, he tried to call him again.
“Come on, man, what the hell is going on?” he murmured. On the fifth ring, when Jacks was about to hang up, Cash picked up the phone.
“Are you and Ryleigh okay!” Cash screamed,
“Yeah man, we are at the diner waiting for you. Eli called and said that you wanted to meet before we got back to base,” Jacks said. Jacks could hear the panic in his best friend’s voice.
“Fuck man, you need to listen,” Cash yelled, “get Ryleigh out of there!”
Chapter 40
“Why Cash, what the hell is going on?” Jacks demanded.
“Eli attacked Wyatt and drugged the rest of us. He lit the place up and left us all in there,” Cash revealed. “Shit man, I don’t even know why I came out of it. Bas and Dalton are still out. He had to have put something in our food, it’s the only thing I can come up with. He has Wyatt’s tech to track Ryleigh. If he gets her, we have no way of finding her man. Jacks, he really did a number on Wyatt. The EMTs are working on him now. Fuck, they won’t even tell me what going on yet.”
“Why would he do this?” Stunned, Jacks wondered out loud. “He has been with us for years, we’re family.” Jacks was already getting up and walking towards the bathrooms, but he had a bad feeling he knew what he would find when he got there. Ryleigh was gone.
Ryleigh had walked out of the bathroom stall and was washing her hands when she noticed the shadow in the corner of the room. It took her all of two seconds to recognize the person. Eli was looking at her like she was the most disgusting person on the planet; she knew she was in serious trouble. Her first instinct was to scream. Jacks was in the diner he would hear her, but before she could, Eli had his hand over her mouth and was plunging a needle into her neck.
“You should have listened to me you fucking mutt,” Eli snapped. “If you would have just let me put the IUD in, it wouldn’t have come to this, and I wouldn’t have had to blow my fucking cover. For that, you are going to pay,” Eli hissed.
Lifting his hand off of her mouth, Ryleigh was unable to say or do anything. Whatever he had injected into her with was fast-acting. The maniac kept talking all the while running his hands all over Ryleigh’s body, groping her breast. “I know just how I am going to make you pay.” With those final words on her brain, Ryleigh was out.
“Cash, you’d better fucking wake Wyatt’s ass up and get him to find Ryleigh, right fucking now,” Jacks demanded. “I don’t care if he’s dying, Ryleigh’s gone, and I want her back, right fucking now!”
Jacks knew he was being irrational, but damn, Ryleigh was taken right out from under his nose. He also couldn’t get over the fact that one of his men had turned.
“Fuck man, the EMT’s have him right now, and he isn’t doing that well. He needs to go to the hospital,” Cash said. “Ethan, Dalton, and Bas are right behind him. They can’t help. I’m so sorry.”
Fuck this. Hanging up the phone, Jacks did the only thing he could think of, call the most dangerous man he knew.
“Senior, Ryleigh is gone,” Jacks said, “Eli took her and fucked up the rest of the Alpha Team.”
“What the hell do you mean my daughter is missing?” Senior shouted. “Why the fuck would Eli take her? He is a part of our team!”
“Senior. Fuck, Ryleigh is my mate. The mission wrapped up, but for so
me reason, Eli called me saying that Cash wanted to meet before we got to base. Eli screwed us. Senior, please, I need you to call the Holly Group’s tech person. She was working with Wyatt on the tracking device Ryleigh has. Eli took Wyatt’s equipment, and shit, Senior, Eli fucked him up bad and he can’t help. Please, Senior, I love her I need to find her.”
Jacks was shocked because he was pretty sure that Senior had hung up on him. He hadn’t expected that. Fuck, the man was supposed to love Ryleigh as much as he did. Why the fuck was the old man dismissing him? Jacks wanted to throw the fucking phone, he wanted to scream, and he definitely wanted to change, his bear was tearing him up. He wanted his mate. Jacks' hands were already transforming. The bear was taking over, and if that happened then Jacks wouldn’t be able to find their Ryleigh. With every bit of strength he had, Jacks pushed back the beast. When his phone rang, the caller ID said Unknown. With the hope of getting something, Jacks was able to calm the beast enough to answer. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to hold him for long, but he had to do everything in his power to find Ryleigh, and that meant staying human. Bears couldn’t talk on the phone.
He answered the phone with more of a growl than a human would have. Maybe he hadn’t calmed the beast as much as he thought. On the other end was a woman.
“Yeah, Jacks, this to Tory, Declan filled me in on what is going on, and I’m pulling up Wyatt’s program as we speak,” Tory said. “Once I get the tracking enabled, I’ll forward the coordinates to your cell. We have two operatives currently in the area I’m sending your way to assist. Declan is going to make sure your guys are okay. The program will run automatically, so get in your car and be ready. I’ll call you back in five minutes to make sure you are receiving the information. I’ll also hack your car's navigation unit so that the program can run on it. I can’t do that until you are in the car. Otherwise, I would have to hack every car in the vicinity with a Nav system. That will free up your cell for coordination.”
NAC & The Holly Group - Box set: Alpha Team Page 24