by Dee J. Adams
Bryant couldn’t have known who Jess was when he’d originally hurt her. Or had he?
“Jess…” How should he ask this? “Is it possible that Bryant was after you and not Juneau?”
Jess shook her head. “No way. He wanted Maurice. I heard them talking when we got into Maurice’s house. Tanner wanted him to suffer. He wanted justice.
Justice. The word stuck in Jay’s throat. Bryant sure hadn’t gotten any seven years ago.
“Did you know who Bryant was?” Jay asked.
“No. Not until he saw your picture at the house and brought it up,” Jess said. “Then I realized it was your case and both of us connected the dots.”
“Isn’t it possible, honey, that once he connected those dots, he changed his initial plan?”
The forlorn expression in his daughter’s eyes answered the question. She’d been had and they were all as good as dead.
____________
G every cell alive and screamen.t him etting onto the lot and into the office wasn’t a problem. Tanner had taken Jess’s keys and walked in like he owned the place. Grabbing Juneau’s computer was also not a problem. It sat in the top drawer of Jess’s desk. Figuring out how to get Jess and her family out of Facinetti’s hands was definitely a problem. Tanner had gambled with the only thing he had and that was knowledge and Juneau’s computer. Informing Facinetti of Juneau’s death did two things. It gave the man valuable info, and set Tanner up as the guy to help him with his problem. Jess’s reaction had been perfect, because it was real. Tanner had stolen her bargaining chip and made it his own. About the only thing keeping Facinetti from killing Jess and her family was the fact that if Tanner somehow failed to retrieve the computer, Jess remained the only other option. Therefore Facinetti shouldn’t be hasty in any actions regarding her family.
Tanner just hoped the man stuck to his word.
Even so, once he went back to the house with the computer and once Facinetti retrieved the information he wanted, the St. Johns were history. Not to mention the possibility of Facinetti taking Tanner out as well. If Tanner didn’t prove he was useful to have around, ">“This
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Killing” the St. Johns had been easier once Jess passed out. The room had grown deathly quiet as Tanner wrapped each body in a blue tarp. One by one, he released the cuffs and eased their arms forward, knowing how painful it would feel after being stuck in the same position for so long. They all looked pretty damn lifeless. What if he had killed them? What if he’d missed the blood packs or the blanks had been too close and he’d actually shot them?
A sick wave tightened Tanner’s gut and he tamped down the urge to vomit.
He tossed the last pair of cuffs to the mammoth, Kwami, standing next to Jess. With his broad forehead and bushy beard he definitely gave off a don’t-fuck-with-me attitude. “Put these on her,” Tanner said. “I don’t want her doing another Houdini before we get our alone time.”
Kwami eyed him, his thick brows nearly met. “You’re one cold motherfucker.”
Tanner forced a grin. “You have no idea.” His older sister had once told him the bigger the lie, the more people were inclined to believe. Tanner sure as hell hoped so.
Facinetti insisted they use Kwami’s truck for the job. Tanner wondered if the man trusted him after all. Maybe the truck had some kind of GPS so Facinetti could follow him at a distance. The idea didn’t sit well with Tanner, but he didn’t see a way out. Kwami backed into the two-car garage. It took time to load all the St. Johns. Tanner worked up a healthy sweat as he stacked the family three across and two high. He put the healthiest ones on the bottom and the most injured on top. Twice, he heard a groan,” she whispered brown eyesatlistened and a gasp and he huffed and puffed to cover the sound. The noise told him that at least two of the St. John’s were alive, but what about the others? Once everyone was loaded, he carried an unconscious—and handcuffed—Jess to the passenger seat and buckled her in. His heart pounded harder with each step he took to the driver’s side.
Almost there. Almost there.
All he had to do was start the truck and go.
Tanner stuck the key in the ignition and someone rapped on the window. He nearly jumped out of his skin and turned to see Facinetti. He cranked the engine and rolled down the window.
“I wasn’t sure about you,” Facinetti said. “But Kwami told me you really took care of everything. No hassle.” It was true. Kwami had watched him wrap up every member of the family in the tarps. Tanner hadn’t said a word as he’d done the job and Kwami hadn’t seemed intent on helping.
“That’s me. No hassle. You want something done, I’ll do it, but I expect compensation. The next time won’t be free.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Facinetti gestured toward Jess. “Your girlfriend is waking up.” He smiled. “I’m guessing she’s not going to be as cooperative as she was the first time.”
Tanner shrugged. “Not a problem. I don’t need cooperation.”
“Come back when you’re finished. We’ll talk about something permanent.” Facinetti’s eyes held a chilling sincerity. As if this were a routine business matter he dealt with on a regular basis. He punched a remote control and backed away from the truck as the garage door slowly opened.
“Stop him!” A voice called. “It was a set up! It’s not real blood! He’s—”
Tanner didn’t wait for the rest. Neither did he wait for the garage door to finish going up. Bright sunlight streamed in front of him screaming freedom, and Tanner slammed his foot on the gas as the garage door stopped and started going down again. Tires squealing, Tanner busted through the door, the sound of ripping metal and aluminum roaring in his ears along with gunshots behind him.
Jess came fully awake with a start just as a bullet zipped between them, ripping a hole in the front windshield.
“Get down!” Tanner shouted, yanking her down out of the line of fire. Shit, what if one of those bullets penetrated the truck and hit someone in back? Adrenaline zipped through his blood stream and his palms sweat fiercely.
“Don’t touch me!” she railed back. She struggled against him and Tanner couldn’t really blame her. She had no clue what had happened or what was currently happening.
“Jess, take it easy,” Tanner said, trying to control the truck and her at the same time, but she squirmed beneath him and turned, lashing out with her legs and nailing him hard in the thigh. “I didn’t—”
“I hate you. Go to hell, you heartless bastard!” Jess nearly sp,” she whispereduaatay bit the words, her voice a hoarse whisper after all the screaming she’d already done. “You’re a scum sucking maggot and you deserve to die a horrible death and live in hell the rest of your life.” She continued to lay into him with every vile word in her vocabulary, calling him every name she could come up with as she continued to literally kick the hell out of him.
“Dammit, Jess, listen to me. I didn’t—” Another bullet went through the windshield. “Get down before you get shot!”
“I don’t care!” she screamed. “It doesn’t matter! Nothing matters anymore!”
Bullets still riddled the truck as Tanner pushed it faster. He looked in the rearview mirror as he continued down the street. Two cars loaded with Facinetti’s men gave chase. He glanced forward again. “What the hell?” he muttered. Two police cruisers headed toward him. Their lights and sirens came on as he watched. Facinetti’s men or the real thing? Tanner didn’t know.
Jess wasn’t paying attention to anything but kicking his ass. “I’d rather die from one of their bullets than—”
“Don’t you wonder why they’re shooting at us?” he roared.
Under a hailstorm of bullets, a tire exploded. Tanner white knuckled the steering wheel as the police passed him. The truck spun, slamming Jess into her door as they skidded to a halt. They had front row seats as more police cars came out of the woodwork and surrounded Facinetti’s men in the first car. The second car pulled
a U-turn and the police began pursuit.
Tanner moved to pounce on Jess in case more bullets started flying, but Facinetti’s men dropped their guns out of the windows as a dozen officers swarmed both cars with weapons drawn.
Jess looked on, confusion in her eyes as she tried to get out of the truck, screaming for help with her hoarse voice.
“Jess, they’re okay,” Tanner said, opening his door. He’d spun out at the edge of the residential neighborhood. Another block or two would’ve put them in the heart of Santa Monica. “They’re okay. Let me do this.” Tanner didn’t waste time when three of the St. Johns were being crushed by three other family members. Not to mention the spinning halt he’d come to after the tire had been shot out. Jesus, what if one of those bullets had ricocheted in the bed of the truck. He bolted toward the back, opened the tailgate and raised the tarp covering the bodies as Jess watched him from inside the cab.
He lifted the lightest tarp on the edge—Jess’s mom—and unwrapped her. He looked over Terry’s shoulder and caught Jess’s wide-eyed unbelieving stare.
Two ambulances pulled up with lights and sirens blazing. Tanner reached for another tarp and unveiled Jess’s youngest brother.
Terry squirmed out of her plastic wrap, her shirt wet with fake blood, and ran around to the passenger seat. “Jess, honey, it’s okay. We’re okay.” She opened the door and threw her arms around Jess.
Tanner couldn’t look. Seeing that family bond, knowing he’d sever,” she whispereduaatay bed his own relationship with his family, he forced his gaze away. Hearing them cry was hard enough as it was. One by one, with help from paramedics, he unrolled tarps and released St. Johns.
“Can I get the keys to these cuffs?” Terry called.
Tanner tossed them then sliced the plastic covering the last man.
Jay St. John sat up. Tears brightened his light brown eyes. Jess’s eyes. “Thanks,” he said. “You didn’t have to do that, but I…I thank you for getting my family out of there. I owe you.”
Tanner knew what he wanted, but Jay couldn’t give it to him. Only Jess could. After what he’d put her through, the chances of her talking to him again were pretty fucking slim.
Tanner faded back as more paramedics stepped in. Another ambulance pulled up followed by more police cars. The eerie silence as police and EMTs worked to sort out the situation set Tanner on edge. It seemed like another calm before the storm. Jess reunited with every family member. The tears on her face were happy ones as she gave them her smile.
Leaning against the hood of a cruiser, Tanner turned his back on the scene and lifted his face to the warm sun. Once upon a time, he had a family. People who loved him, whom he loved back. But he’d disappointed them and he couldn’t undo history. He’d thought he’d found something with Jess, a connection. She hadn’t run from him or judged him. After a while, she’d trusted him. He liked that feeling. Liked knowing that someone counted on him. He’d forgotten what that felt like.
But his past showed that he was a fuck up. How could he have let his guard down with Jess? How could he let someone break down his walls without him even realizing it? Not that it mattered.
It was over. The whole fucking thing was over.
Maurice was dead. Tanner didn’t mourn him. But he hated that Jess would have to face the music. Unless he took the fall. God, the thought of prison made him sick. He’d wanted out of there so badly and he’d vowed to never go back. But Jess didn’t deserve to be there. Hell no. Just thinking about her being locked behind bars made his stomach turn. She deserved to be with her family. Happy. Look at the hell she’d gone through the past few days. She’d saved his life, so wasn’t it up to him to return the favor? Didn’t he owe her that much? His gut cramped just thinking about what he had to do. But he only saw one option. The least he could do was take the fall for Maurice. He hadn’t wanted to go back to prison, but for Jess… For Jess, he would.
A hard blow smacked into his bicep and Tanner turned. Jess stood beside him, her eyes red-rimmed.
“You bastard,” she croaked. Her bottom lip quivered and Tanner readied himself for the rest of her onslaught. He deserved it. Her tears ripped him apart and the fact that he’d made her feel this way chewed up his insides. Instead, she threw herself into his arms, held him tightly, squeezing the hell out of him.
Relief nearly knocked him to his knees. His breath stopped as he wrapped his arms around her. Holding her set him free. He pulled her closer, buried his face in her neck and took in her scent. Emotion long suppressed g experience in show businessM behind eysered up his chest and his eyes stung knowing how much pain he’d caused her. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I had no way to tell you. I wanted to.”
She didn’t say anything, just held him tighter. Her silent forgiveness meant everything to him. So did the woman herself. He could stay like this, holding her, for a very, very long time. The longer they held each other, the easier Tanner’s decision seemed. Jess had been through too much to face any more heartache in the future. He’d do whatever was necessary to make her happy.
Maybe this wasn’t the reaction he expected, but the whole thing was over. Facinetti was probably in custody by now and Jess had her family back and would go on with her life. A life he didn’t fit into. At all.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered in his ear. “I should’ve trusted you. I should’ve—”
“Shh. Stop. Don’t.” God, how could she be apologizing when he’d just shot her father?
Holding her only made life harder. She was everything he wanted and he had to let her go, so Tanner gently set her from him. Jess studied his face, held his gaze. He loved the soft brown caramel of her eyes. No doubt about it, he could fall for a slip of a girl like Jess. Hell, he already had. Everything about her attracted him and she was everything he’d ever fantasized about. Besides the great body, she had a brain. She also had spirit and unrelenting will. In just a few days, she’d slipped under his skin in a way he’d never expected.
“I realize what you did back there, but I don’t know how you did it.” She folded her arms across her chest. “You got to the office, got the computer and…”
“I ran into your prop man, Ron, from the last film. He brought in two boxes filled with squibs, blood packs, blanks and a couple of guns that Maurice planned to unload somewhere. He was nice enough to give me a lesson on the use of it all.”
“When that creep took me into the bathroom, you used that time to place the blood packs?”
Tanner nodded. “I didn’t want to waste time once Facinetti had his hands on the computer. I didn’t know if he’d get one of his own guys to do the job. I didn’t want to take the chance.”
“So you worked fast.”
“Real fast,” Tanner agreed.
“When did you call the police?” she asked.
“I didn’t. I wasn’t sure they were going to show up. I called your friend Troy Mills, but he didn’t answer. I left a message. I wasn’t sure he’d help me or not. When I saw the cruisers, I wasn’t sure if they were the good guys. Facinetti could’ve been setting me up, by having his cops arrest me. When they went after the guys with the guns, I realized they were reinforcements.” He spotted two officers talking and pointing in their direction. If he wanted to save Jess, she had to play along. Tanner pulled her close again, looked right into her eyes. “When the cops start asking questions, we tell them that I killed Maurice.”
Her brows pulled together in a soft pucker and she shook her head. “No…no.” She backed up a step. “We’ll tell them the truth. I did it.”
Tanner stood, loomed over her. “Let me do this, Jess. I don’t want you to take the fall. The guy is dead. Let me handle it.”
“You’re nuts! You’ve already served seven years in prison for a crime you didn’t commit. Why the hell would you go through that again?”
“Because…” Tanner stroked her soft cheek with his thumb. “Because I don’t want you to have go through it. I’ve been th
ere. I can handle it.”
“Well handle this, tough guy.” Jess put her hands on her hips. “We’re telling the truth.”
To hell with that. The truth had never gotten him anywhere. “My word against yours. I’ll tell them you’re protecting me.”
Jess shot a look to the ambulances surrounding the truck. “My whole family heard you say that I killed him.”
“I’ll tell them I was lying. Just like I lied to Facinetti about killing them. It was just a plan to get them out. I wiped down my gun. Only my prints are on it.”
“No.” Jess shook her head. “Get it out of your mind right now. I killed Maurice and I’ll face the music. It was an accident. You’ve done nothing wrong.” She smacked his arm hard. “Do you really think I could live with myself knowing you were in prison for something I did? Especially after everything you’ve already gone through?” Her eyes darkened, stormy and bright at the same time. “Let me answer that for you.” She barely took a breath. “No! Not for a second. I think you’re an honorable man. A man who deserves a break. You deserve a family and a life and all the things that were taken away from you seven years ago.”
Tanner felt an ache in his heart. He couldn’t remember a time when someone had stood up for him so fiercely. Jess had been there for him since the night at Juneau’s house. She’d saved his life more than once and the way she stood looking up at him with fire in her eyes made him want to hold onto her forever.
Yeah, he could see forever with this girl. She was that kind of girl. Dependable, smart and sexy as hell.
Do I deserve you? The question was on his tongue, but he didn’t ask. He knew better.