Julian (Trinity Academy Book 4)

by Michelle Heard

  “Okay.”

  Stepping into the elevator, I slam at the button as anger ripples through me again. I’m going to find whoever is doing this to Jamie and destroy them.

  As I walk out of the elevator, I pause to phone Preston.

  “Preston Culpepper speaking.”

  “It’s Julian. Come up to Jamie’s suite. I want to know everything about the cameras you found.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Cutting the call, I rush to the door, and I only have to knock once before it opens, and I’m met with Layla’s pale face. “Hey.”

  “Hi.”

  Walking into the suite, I see Jamie standing out on the balcony. When I reach her, she glances up at me before dropping her eyes to the floor.

  As I bring my hand to her chin so I can lift her face, her breaths begin to come faster. She pulls free, shaking her head, and it makes me close the distance between us so I can wrap my arms around her.

  “I’m going to cry,” she mumbles against my chest, trying to pull away from me.

  “No one will blame you,” I say, tightening my hold on her.

  “I don’t want to cry in front of the others,” she complains.

  I let her go, but only so I can take hold of her hand. I pull her to her room and close the door behind us for privacy.

  Drawing Jamie back against my chest, I whisper, “Now, no one will see. Cry.”

  “Julian.” Her voice catches, and instead of pushing me away again, she wraps her arms around me, grabbing hold of my jacket. Her body jerks, and she smothers a sob against my shirt.

  I move a hand to her hair, caressing the silky strands, and press a kiss to the top of her head. Not knowing what to say, I can only hold her until her tears fade, and she pulls back again.

  She first walks to the bedside and grabbing a tissue, she blows her nose. “Someone has been watching me.” Her voice sounds haunted, and it stabs at my heart. “There was even a camera in the bathroom.”

  “We’re going to report it to the police. Mason has called them already,” I say, hoping it will offer some comfort.

  Turning to face me, she lets out a burst of cynical laughter. “I wanted proof, but this…” shaking her head, she seems to get lost in a moment of despair.

  A knock at her door makes both of our eyes snap toward it, but I move first to open it.

  Kingsley tries to smile through her worry as she says, “Preston is here.”

  I immediately walk out to meet him and say, “Tell me everything.”

  “Yes, Sir.” Preston adjusts his glasses on his nose, then unlocks his phone’s screen, “I made a video in case we need it.” He comes to stand next to me, and I watch as Preston moves through the suite, pointing to a plug, then to the fire alarm. As he continues to point out two more cameras, a sickening feeling grows in my stomach. “There were four in total. I haven’t taken them down yet.”

  “So, they’re still active?” I ask.

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Give me the keycard to the suite.”

  Preston quickly hands the card over. I walk out of the suite and not having the patience to wait for the elevator, I rush down the stairs. Entering Jamie’s old suite, I move closer to the fire alarm.

  Staring at the object, rage begins to bubble in my chest.

  “I hope you can hear me,” I grind the words out. “You’re a coward for preying on women. I’m going to find you.”

  Glaring at the sensor, I wish I could strangle the psycho.

  “I’m going to fucking find you, and then I’ll destroy you. You chose the wrong girl.”

  Feeling blinded by rage, I wish I could yank the bastard right through the camera and kill him with my bare hands.

  “Julian?” Hearing Jamie behind me, I swing around and jogging over to where she’s standing in the doorway, I push her back before shutting the door behind me.

  “Don’t go in there until they’ve been taken down. I don’t want him seeing you.”

  “That makes two of us,” she mumbles. “Mason called. He’s on his way to meet me here. He’s called the police, and they should arrive at any moment now.”

  Just then, the elevator doors open, and two men step out. “Mason Chargill?” They ask as they near us, taking out their badges to identify themselves.

  “I’m Julian Reyes. Mason will be here shortly,” I explain.

  “I’m Detective Olsen, and this is my partner, Detective O’Neal. You reported an invasion of privacy?”

  “Yes, a student has found four hidden cameras in his room. Give me a moment to call him.”

  Taking hold of Jamie’s elbow, I pull her closer to me as I bring up Preston’s name on my phone. When he answers, I say, “The police are here. Please come down.”

  Ending the call, I place my phone inside the inner pocket of my jacket.

  “Is this the room?” Detective Olsen asks.

  “Yes.” Letting go of Jamie, I take the keycard from my pocket, and I swipe it, opening the door for them. Not wanting to leave Jamie and not wanting her in the room, I glance at the elevator and let out a sigh of relief when the doors open, and Preston rushes out. “Will you show the Detectives where the cameras are hidden?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  The moment he steps inside, I pull the door shut behind him, then turn back to Jamie. Seeing the distressed look on her face, I move closer and place my arm around her shoulders, drawing her into my side.

  “Thank you for being here,” she whispers, her voice tight with tension.

  I press another kiss to the top of her head, which has her looking up at me. “I didn’t take you for the protective kind.”

  “Oh?”

  She gives me a grateful smile. “I really appreciate it.”

  “I know.”

  She grows quiet and stares at the wall for a couple of minutes. “How long has this person been watching me?”

  The elevator doors open. Mason, Falcon, and Lake step out.

  Lake is the first one to reach us, pulling Jamie away from me and enveloping her in a hug. “How are you holding up?”

  Drawing back, she tries her best to smile. “I’m okay.”

  “Can you stay with her?” I ask Lake, so I can go into the suite with Mason and Falcon.

  “Sure, you go ahead.”

  “The Detectives are inside with Preston,” I tell Mason and Falcon, as I open the door.

  Stepping inside the room, my gut tells me this is only the beginning of our nightmare.

  I can only hope we find him in time before he does something worse.

  Chapter 17

  “The hunt just got more exciting.”

  Jamie

  Feeling utterly frustrated because the one lead I had is inconclusive, I begin to chew on my thumbnail.

  Kingsley reaches up for my finger, pulling my abused thumb away from my mouth. When I glance at her, she gives me a comforting smile while squeezing my hand.

  “So, they think the cameras could’ve been placed while Kingsley was staying in that suite?” Layla asks. “Do you think Serena or Clare would do that?”

  “I wouldn’t put it past them. They did try to kill us,” Kingsley says.

  “I wish there was a way to know when the cameras were planted in the room,” Falcon murmurs.

  “The security team will have to sweep every room on campus. We can’t risk assuming anything at this point,” Julian adds.

  “I’ll make the call.” Mason gets up and walks out onto the balcony as he pulls out his phone.

  “So, we’re back to square one,” I mutter. It feels like I’m stuck on a rollercoaster ride of terror and despair.

  “The police are still investigating it,” Julian tries to offer some hope. “Let’s wait to see what they come back with.”

  “Have you eaten today?” Layla asks.

  I shake my head, giving her a small smile. “I have zero appetite.”

  “You should eat, even if it’s something small. Want some candy?” Kingsley asks.

&nb
sp; “No, thanks. I’ll just have one of my smoothies.”

  Getting up, I go to grab a bottle from the mini-fridge in my room. I take a couple of sips when Julian comes to stand in the doorway.

  “Seeing as I’m here, do you want to go to the studio?”

  A smile slowly forms around my mouth. “I’ll probably suck tonight, but the distraction will be nice.”

  Not wanting to take the smoothie with me, I drink another huge gulp before I place it back in the fridge.

  “Let’s go.”

  I wave at our friends and get a wink from Kingsley and a chuckle from Lake as we walk out of the suite.

  “You do know giving me piano lessons is only making them all speculate,” I say as we get to the elevator.

  “Right now, I couldn’t care less.” Julian waits for me to step inside before he follows.

  Smiling at Julian, I take in the stubble on his jaw, and how tired he looks from the day’s events. He’s wearing a tan suit with a black dress shirt. “You look nice,” I offer a compliment. “Weird how the stubble makes you look even more like a CEO.”

  The corner of his mouth lifts in a sexy grin. “Not badass?”

  I shake my head, and as the doors slide open, I step out and tease, “Nah, you’re not badass at all. You’re more the dark and broody type.”

  My comment draws a chuckle from Julian, which has me adding, “You should definitely laugh more, though.”

  Feeling hot, I wave a hand in front of my face. “I don’t know how you can stand the heat with a jacket on.”

  “I feel fine. Are you hot?” he asks.

  “Of course, I’m hot,” I joke. “You should know.”

  It draws another chuckle from him, but then I stumble, and it wipes the smile from Julian’s face.

  Julian instantly stops walking, and grabbing hold of my shoulders, he leans a little down, inspecting my face with worried eyes. “How do you feel?”

  “Just hot.” I frown and take a deep breath. “A little dizzy.”

  I lock eyes with Julian as dread slithers up my spine. When his face becomes blurry, I mumble, “Crap. I think… it’s the smoothie.”

  My legs start to feel wobbly, and I grab hold of Julian’s arm.

  “I’m taking you to the hospital. I want them to test you right now while it’s still in your system,” he says, his voice sounding low and dark with concern.

  “Please.” Anxiety and terror send shockwaves through my body.

  I only manage a couple of steps when an intense wave of dizziness hits. Julian grabs hold of me, and when he picks me up to his chest, I don’t argue. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I bury my face against his cool skin and feeling scared like never before, I whisper, “Don’t leave me alone while I’m passed out.”

  “Not a chance of that happening.” When we reach the car, he helps me stand on my feet, and keeping me pressed to his chest, he quickly opens a door, then helps me into the seat.

  With blurring vision, I watch him jog around the car.

  My limbs begin to feel heavy as he slides in behind the steering wheel. Feeling horribly vulnerable, I can only manage to slur, “Don’t… leave… me… alone.”

  “I won’t.”

  My eyes drift shut, and it feels like I’m having an out of body experience. I can feel the car move. I can hear Julian’s breaths. But I can’t move a muscle.

  So weird. So scary.

  Losing control of my body makes panic crawl into every inch of my being. I’ve never felt so unsafe before, knowing I’m unable to protect myself from the danger closing in on me.

  I begin to drift in and out of consciousness, and at some point, I feel Julian’s breath on my forehead as he presses a kiss to my clammy skin. “I’m here. You’re safe, Jamie.”

  Chapter 18

  Julian

  After Jamie has been placed in the private room, a nurse draws blood, as per my request.

  The moment the nurse leaves, I take a seat on the chair next to the bed. I first pull my phone from my pocket before I take hold of Jamie’s hand.

  Even though she’s out cold, I say, “They’re going to test for drugs. Rest while we wait for the results.”

  Bringing up Mason’s number, I press dial.

  “Miss me already? He answers.

  “Are you still at the suite with Kingsley?” I ask.

  “Yeah, why?”

  “You need to call the police. Have them look at the smoothies Jamie keeps in the mini-fridge in her room. I’m at the hospital with her. She has definitely been drugged, and it can only be from the smoothies she’s been drinking.”

  “What the fuck?” I hear him move, and a second later, he says, “There are two smoothies and a couple of fruit cups inside the fridge.”

  “Have them clear out everything Jamie has in that fridge. I want it all tested.”

  “I’ll take care of it and then come over to the hospital.”

  Cutting the call, I go back to my contact list and scroll to Carter’s number.

  As he answers, I hear him clear his throat before he answers softly, “Carter speaking.”

  Checking the time and seeing it’s past ten here, which means it’s already one am in New York, I say, “Sorry for waking you. It’s Julian. I’m with Jamie. She’s been hospitalized again. I’ve already requested a drug screen.”

  “Hold on.” I hear him move, probably going to a room where he can talk. A moment later, he says, “What the fuck is going on at Trinity? You promised to keep Jamie safe.”

  Understanding his anger, I explain, “I was with her when she became drugged. Under the circumstances, I’m keeping her as safe as possible.”

  “I’ll be there in a couple of hours,” he bites out. “Don’t leave her side until I get there.”

  “I won’t.”

  The call cuts and I let out an exhausted sigh. I can’t blame Carter for being pissed off.

  Setting my phone down on the table beside the bed, I bring my hand to Jamie’s face and tuck a couple of wild curls behind her ear.

  I’m not used to feeling fear and struggle to deal with the emotion as it digs its claws into my heart.

  When Jennifer died, the shock knocked me from my feet. There was no fear, only utter desolation.

  With Jamie, it’s different. It feels like my hands are tied while I watch her slip through my fingers. Someone is trying to hurt her, and I don’t know where to begin to find him.

  My eyes drift over her face as my thoughts scramble to find a solution to this impossible nightmare.

  One thing’s for sure – I’ll do everything in my power to protect her from the bastard.

  He’ll have to come through me to get to her.

  Unable to tear my eyes away from her face, I finally admit the truth to myself.

  I care about Jamie.

  More than a one-night-stand.

  More than a friend.

  No matter how much I try to deny it and use our age gap as a barrier to hide behind, the simple truth is that I care a hell of a lot about this woman.

  Needing to express what I’m feeling, I whisper, “It meant something to me.” Caressing her features with my gaze, I admit, “The night we spent together meant more to me than you’ll ever know.”

  Minutes after my confession, the door opens, and Mason walks in, followed by Lake and Falcon.

  “How is she?” Lake asks, instantly moving to the other side of the bed. He gives her free hand a squeeze, concern etched deep on his face.

  The man has a heart the size of Texas, and I love him for it.

  “She’s sleeping. I think it will take a while before the drug works out of her system.” Looking at Mason, I ask, “Did the police take the smoothies?”

  “Yes, they said they would send it to a crime lab for testing,” Mason replies while shooting a worried glance at Jamie.

  Falcon comes to stand next to me, and placing his hand on my shoulder, he says, “She’ll be fine.”

  I shake my head. “How can she be with all
the shit happening to her?” I let out a harsh breath. “And the bastard is still out there. Who knows when he’ll strike again?” I glance up at Falcon. “Hire a team of guards. The best there is. I want them guarding Jamie twenty-four-seven.”

  “Yes, that would be best. We can’t leave her alone now, not with her in so much danger.”

  Falcon gives my shoulder a squeeze, which has me reaching up and placing my hand over his.

  “Thank you for being here,” I whisper.

  “Always.”

  After a moment, Lake asks, “Can I go get you some coffee?”

  “That would be nice.”

  “I need some too,” Mason says, then he glances at Falcon, “Do you want coffee?”

  Yes, please.” Falcon waits for Lake to leave, then he says, “You care about her.”

  I nod, not hiding the truth from my brother.

  “Do you know how she feels about you?”

  I let out a chuckle. “I’m not sure. It constantly changes from hating my guts to giving me a hard time.”

  My comment draws a burst of soft laughter from Falcon. “She cares then, or she’d just ignore your stubborn ass.”

  “Even if she does, it doesn’t mean we can be in a relationship,” I voice my concern.

  “Why not?” Falcon pulls another chair closer and takes a seat next to me.

  “She’s our biggest partner’s sister-in-law.” I take a deep breath and add, “Carter is on his way, and he’s pissed off.”

  “We’ll handle it when he gets here.” Falcon tilts his head to the side, his eyes locking with mine. “I would think with her being Carter’s family, it would actually solidify the partnership if you and Jamie got together.”

  “And if things don’t work out between us?”

  Falcon shrugs. “Then it doesn’t work out, but at least you would’ve tried, right?” Leaning a little forward, a serious look settles on his features. “Besides, you’re stable, and once you commit, there’s no stopping you. As long as Jamie is in one hundred percent, I can’t see why a relationship won’t work between the two of you.”

  My eyes drift back to Jamie’s face as I think over Falcon’s words.

  “It doesn’t matter right now. First, we need to eliminate the threat to her life.”