“We will.” Falcon lets out a deep breath, then murmurs, “Somehow, we will.”
After a moment of silence, Falcon reaches over and places his hand on my arm. “As long as you know, I’m here for you.”
“Thank you.” A tired but grateful smile forms around my mouth. “I get a feeling I’m going to need you now more than ever.”
Falcon gives me a comforting smile, then he changes the subject. “Have you seen Dad lately?”
“No.” I take a deep breath before admitting, “I’ve been avoiding him because the second he finds out about what’s been happening, he will lose his shit, and I don’t want to be in the line of fire.”
“He’s going to find out sooner rather than later, and that will only make him angrier,” Falcon warns.
“You’re right, but I’m not going to worry about it now. I’ll deal with it once I know Jamie is safe.”
“Just give me a heads up before you tell him so I can flee the country,” Falcon jokes.
The moment Carter bursts through the door, I rise from the chair.
His features are tight with anger and worry, and he first walks over to Jamie, inspecting her sleeping face and pressing a kiss to her forehead before turning to me.
“What the hell is going on at Trinity?”
“We’ve brought in the police after we found hidden cameras in her old suite, but there’s no way of knowing for sure whether they were placed in the room before or after she moved in. I’m arranging private guards for Jamie. Right now, the hospital is running tests. The police have also sent what’s left of the smoothies Jamie drinks for testing.” I tell Carter everything I know.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he shakes his head as he looks down at Jamie again. “The minute she wakes up, I’m taking her home.”
His words shouldn’t surprise me, but they do.
Not liking the idea of being separated from Jamie, I say, “That might not solve the problem. If this person is serious about hurting Jamie, they might just follow her to New York.”
There’s a painful look of frustration on Carter’s face. “How many guards will she have?”
“As many as it takes to keep her safe,” I answer. All I want to do is lock her in a room until we’ve dealt with the bastard, but that would be insane.
Carter seems to think about something, then says, “Rhett’s father-in-law is a retired Navy Seal. I’m going to give him a call and ask for help because I don’t trust the police to catch this psycho in time. Hayden and his teammate, Max, have dealt with situations like this one before.”
I’m caught by surprise and feel a slither of relief. “That would help a hell of a lot.”
I watch as Carter pulls out his phone and dials a number, then he says, “Hey, Rhett. Sorry, I know it’s late. Jamie’s been drugged again. I’m at the hospital. Can you do me a favor and give Hayden a call? Ask whether he and Max can lend us a hand?”
Carter listens for a moment, then replies, “Thanks. I appreciate it. I’ll keep you up to date if anything happens here.”
As he cuts the call, movement from Jamie has us both stepping forward. When she opens her eyes, she blinks up at us a couple of times before glancing around the room.
Confusion masks her face for a moment before panic tightens her features. “What happened?” Pain flashes in her eyes as she slowly sits up.
“How are you feeling?” I ask, wanting to know if I should call a nurse.
“It feels like I have one hell of a hangover.” She looks from Carter to me, then asks, “It happened again, didn’t it?”
“What’s the last thing you remember from last night? I ask.
She thinks a little, and bringing her hand to her face, she rubs her eyes. “Ah… we were sitting in the living room.”
“You had a smoothie, and on the way to the studio for a piano lesson, you started to show symptoms of being drugged,” I bring her up to date. “I brought you to the hospital so they could test you immediately.”
I watch as fear darkens the blue of her eyes and not caring that Carter is here, I sit down on the bed and hug her to me, and wanting to offer her some sense of security, I say, “I didn’t leave you alone for a second. You were safe the entire night.”
Wrapping her arms around my neck, she holds me tightly and whispers, “Thank you.”
When I pull back, I lift my hands and frame her face. “I’m arranging private security for you. Until they arrive, I think you should stay in the hotel with me.”
Surprise flickers in her eyes before she glances up at Carter, who I momentarily forgot about.
“There are two rooms in the penthouse,” I quickly add when Carter glances between Jamie and me.
“Oh, good,” he states. “Then you won’t mind if I stay a couple of days.”
Fuck.
Carter locks eyes with me, and I see the warning clear as daylight, then his voice rumbles low, “You better not think of screwing my sister-in-law.”
“Carter!” Jamie exclaims.
Well, it’s a little late for that.
Getting up, I square my shoulders. “Carter, if something were to happen between Jamie and me, it wouldn’t be a mere fling.”
He lifts his chin, his eyes boring into mine. “Outside.”
“Carter, stop!” Jamie gasps.
I place my hand on her shoulder and give her a comforting squeeze. “Don’t worry. I’ll handle this. Get some more rest.”
“Like hell,” she snaps. “If you’re going to talk about me, you’re doing it right here.”
“Fine,” Carter growls and coming to stand in front of me, he asks, “Are you interested in Jamie?”
It’s a simple question for which I don’t have a clear answer. “With everything that’s happening right now, it’s hard to think of romance, Carter.” He clenches his jaw, and not wanting this to escalate, I answer honestly, “Jamie is amazing, beautiful, smart, and funny. Of course, I’m interested in her, but right now, it’s the last thing on my mind. Once she’s safe, we can talk again.”
Carter takes a deep breath, calming down a little.
Wanting to ease his mind some more, I add, “I take a relationship seriously, so if I were to ever start one with Jamie, it would be for the long haul.”
“Well, that’s good to know,” Jamie says drily. “Can we turn down the testosterone levels now? You’re both making my headache worse.”
Carter shakes his head, and a hopeless look flashes over his face. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to get aggressive. It’s just…”
“I understand. I feel frustrated, as well.” I give him an encouraging smile, then I offer, “If you’re sticking around for a couple of days, we could stay at my family home.”
“That would be great. Della and the kids can join us for the weekend.”
“Do I get a say?” Jamie asks, glaring at both of us.
“Of course,” Carter smiles at her. “Do you want to pack your things and come back to New York or…”
Before he can finish the sentence, Jamie interrupts with, “Nope. I’m good with visiting Julian’s family home.”
“Then it’s settled.” Grabbing my phone from next to the bed, I tuck it in my inner pocket.
“Where are you going?” Jamie asks, her eyes resting intensely on me.
“I’m just going to check in with Mason. I’ll be back in thirty minutes.” Leaning over her, I press a kiss to her forehead, then nod my head at Carter before I leave the room.
Well, that went better than I anticipated.
Chapter 19
Jamie
Standing by the window in the living room, I watch as Mr. Reyes, Julian, and Carter talk with the security guards Julian brought in for my protection.
“There are always two of you by her side, unless Mr. Hayes or myself is with her,” Julian instructs.
Mr. Reyes, Julian’s father, walks to where I’m standing. “Would you like to take a walk with me, Miss Truman?”
A smile stretches across my face. �
��I’d like that very much.”
Resting my arm in the crook of his, we walk out of the house. The grounds surrounding the mansion are gorgeous.
“You have a beautiful home,” I compliment him.
“Thank you, dear.” We walk toward a bench under an old oak tree, and once we’re seated, Mr. Reyes says, “I hope Julian has been treating you well.”
“He has. I’m extremely grateful for his support.”
Mr. Reyes turns his eyes to me, and for a while, he just stares. “How are you really doing?”
“I’d be lying if I said I’m not scared,” I admit.
“You’re welcome to stay here for as long as you like.” He gives me a warm smile, and hearing the kindness in his voice suddenly makes me want to cry. “Would it be preposterous of an old man to offer you a comforting hug?”
I shake my head as my chin starts to tremble.
Mr. Reyes opens his arms, and I don’t need a second invitation. Resting my head on his shoulder, his arms form bands of security around me. For a moment, I feel safe, and it seems as if nothing can harm me.
Having never known my father, I wonder if he would’ve been as caring as Mr. Reyes. He looks like an older version of his sons, his shoulders square with pride, and his eyes sharp with intelligence.
“All feels lost when we’re faced with the horrors hidden in the dark corners of life,” he murmurs. “But you’re not alone, Miss Truman. My family and I will raise an army and go to war on your behalf. You just stay here and rest your battle-weary heart.”
Feeling emotional because I’m getting a taste of what it’s like to have a father for the first time in my life, I struggle to hold the tears in.
Lifting my head, I press a kiss to his cheek before I wrap my arms around his neck and hug him tightly. “Thank you so much.”
Drawing back, I say, “Julian and Falcon are lucky to have you.”
Mr. Reyes lifts a hand to my cheek, wiping a tear away. “Since I’ve retired, I have a lot of idle time. Why don’t you do me a favor and tell me more about yourself?”
“You might regret asking,” I tease. “Once I start talking, it’s hard to make me stop.”
When Mr. Reyes crosses a leg over the other and leans back.
I settle in, as well. “I have an older sister, Della. She’s married to Carter. I helped raise my niece the first four years of her life,” I tell him with pride because Danny has turned into a beautiful little girl. “We grew up in Saluda, it’s a small town in North Carolina.”
When I pause for a moment, Mr. Reyes asks, “Do your parents still live there?”
Swallowing hard because I still feel overly emotional, I say, “My father passed away a couple of months before I was born, and my mother was taken by cancer when I was six.”
“Loss is a terrible thing,” Mr. Reyes whispers. “We never fully recover from the blow it deals us.”
“Yeah,” I agree, remembering I said something similar to Julian the other night at dinner.
“I understand you’re studying law?” he asks, changing the subject from my parents.
“Yes, I like arguing,” I joke.
Mr. Reyes lets out a deep chuckle, then his eyes rest on Julian, where he’s standing on the porch with Carter. Every now and then, Julian glances at us.
“My son takes after me, Miss Truman. He can be stubborn as a mule, but he’s loyal to a fault.”
“I won’t argue about that,” I laugh.
“He also loves deeply,” Mr. Reyes continues and realizing where this conversation is going, it wipes the smile from my face. “It broke his heart when his fiancée passed away, and you’re the first woman who’s company I’ve seen him enjoy since.”
My eyes drift to Julian, remembering what he said to Carter about if we were ever to start a relationship.
‘Jamie is amazing, beautiful, smart, and funny. Of course, I’m interested in her, but right now, it’s the last thing on my mind.’
“Be gentle with my son, Miss Truman. Even though he’s stronger than I ever was, I’m not sure he’ll survive heartbreak a second time.”
Turning my gaze back to Mr. Reyes, I see the worry on his face. “I’ll do everything in my power to not hurt him.” I take a deep breath as I let my gaze wander back to Julian and Carter.
If anything goes wrong and I’m faced with death, I’ll fight with everything I have.
The thought is a terrifying one, and it steals my breath for a moment. My heart begins to race at the mere notion of coming face to face with whoever’s been stalking me.
I’ll fight for Della because I know she can’t lose me as well.
Mr. Reyes places his hand on my back, and it makes tears blur my vision as I watch Julian and Carter walk our way.
I’m surrounded by the most powerful families in America, yet I feel utterly powerless.
How do you survive an onslaught from someone who doesn’t care about who you are and has no respect for human life?
I walk to the kitchen to get a glass of water and hear the footsteps right behind me. It’s going to take some getting used to being followed by guards all the time.
Opening the cupboard where the glasses are, I turn to the two guards, and ask, “Can I get y’all water?”
They both nod, and as I take three glasses from the shelf, Carter calls from deeper in the house, “Jamie!”
“In the kitchen,” I shout back.
He comes jogging into the room. “Miss Sebastian is on the line.”
Taking his phone, I bring it to my ear. “Hey, Miss Sebastian.”
“Angel-child.” Her voice is void of its usual cheerfulness. “The toxicology report we did on your hair strands came back. It tested positive for gamma-hydroxybutyrate. It’s a central nervous system depressant better known as GHB.” She takes a deep breath, then says, “Jamie, you were roofied.”
Shocked from the news, I stare at Carter.
“Are you there, Jamie?”
“Yeah, I’m just a little…” I thought I’d be relieved to hear I’m not losing my mind, but I’m not. I’m terrified.
Carter takes the phone from me, and I vaguely hear him talk with Miss Sebastian as I slowly walk out of the kitchen.
I reach the library, and my eyes land on Julian, where he’s working at a desk. Walking closer to him, his head snaps up. Rising from the chair, he asks, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“The test came back positive,” I whisper. Closing the distance between us, I wrap my arms around his waist and bury my face in his chest. “I was drugged.”
Julian doesn’t hesitate, and when I feel his arms around me, realization hits.
Julian’s arms were the ones I wanted to feel.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he says.
Julian’s words were the ones I wanted to hear.
Pulling back, I look up at the face of the man I’ve fallen for.
‘I’m not sure he’ll survive heartbreak a second time.’
Remembering Mr. Reyes' words, I take a step away from Julian, and then another.
“Ah… I should go talk to Carter.”
Turning around, I rush out of the room, and when I get to my bedroom, I slam the door shut before the guards can follow me inside.
I don’t know what scares me more, falling for Julian, or knowing there’s a person out there who can end my life before I’ve even had a chance to feel what it’s like to love a man.
Chapter 20
Julian
When both tests came back positive for GHB, the police came to interview Jamie again, this time asking about previous boyfriends, and whether she can think of anyone who would want to harm her.
I can see she’s shaken up by the interview because she’s been quieter since we got the results, and the police left.
I walk into the living room, where Jamie is sitting on the couch, lost in her thoughts. Taking a seat next to her, I place my hand on her leg. “Want to talk about it?”
She gets up
and gives me a forced, polite smile. “I’m tired of talking about it. I want to go back to Trinity. I’m missing too many classes.”
After dropping the bomb, she rushes out of the room, leaving me confused.
What’s going on?
I get up and go after her. “Jamie, hold up.”
She keeps walking, saying, “I need to talk to Carter.”
I follow her into Carter’s room and watch as she stares at him until he ends the call he’s on. “I want to go back to Trinity. I can’t stay here forever.”
“Jamie…” Carter begins.
“It’s not open for discussion,” she says, then rushing by me, she leaves the room.
Carter turns his eyes to me, looking as confused as I feel, “What happened?”
“I have no idea. This is news to me, as well.”
“We better stop her,” he says. We walk to Jamie’s room and see the two guards standing by her closed door.
“Take a break,” I say, wanting privacy for what’s sure to be an argument.
Carter knocks on the door before he enters. When I step inside, I watch as Jamie throws clothes into a bag.
“Can you stop for a moment?” Carter asks.
“Nope. I’m in a hurry. I have a lot of work to catch up on,” she says without looking at us.
“Della is coming tomorrow, Jamie. It’s Friday. Why would you want to go back right now?”
She closes the bag, then finally turns to look at Carter. “I’m done hiding, Carter. I’m no safer here than I’ll be at Trinity. Changing my address is not going to stop that creep from coming after me.”
“You are safer here,” I argue.
Jamie first glances down and takes a deep breath before she brings her eyes to me. “I’m not going to put my life on hold. If I do that, the creep wins.” She moves her gaze to Carter. “I’ll come to visit Della and the kids, but I’m going back to Trinity today. I also want my own suite. Now that I have guards, I don’t have to stay with Layla and Kingsley any longer.”
What the fuck?
Julian (Trinity Academy Book 4) Page 10