* * * *
She wasn’t even healed completely from the wreck and her grandfather was already shipping her off. Jada sat next to the door of the limo, staring out at the scenery going by, feeling numb inside.
James Leonard sat next to her, his cane between his knees, hands clasped on top of it, and his mouth set in a stern line like always.
He picked her up right from the hospital, demanding they let her out. Everything she owned was packed up, in the back of the limo and her destination was unknown. She didn’t even want to know or talk to him. She just didn’t care where she was going this time. Without Chris, things just didn’t matter to her.
The limo stopped in front of a private plane. Her grandfather said nothing to her, just opened the door and got out. Like a trained dog, Jada did the same. Her things were taken from the back, handed over to others as she stood there staring at the plane.
“Get in girl,” her grandfather said to her.
“So this is my punishment.” She turned, faced the man who treated her no better than dirt under his shoe. Her ribs hurt, but she held the pain at bay. “For Chris.”
“You have been nothing but a burden to me,” he spit out, the hate no longer held in by his cold eyes. “Why in the hell your mother had to go out and have you is beyond me!”
“Maybe to show the world just how much of a bastard you really are.”
She didn’t get a chance to brace herself from the slap that landed across her face. Chris had always put himself between her and their grandfather’s wrath. For the simple fact of not upsetting Chris, James didn’t beat Jada. Now Chris was gone, leaving her completely alone.
“You are dead to me,” he hissed out in hate.
“When was I ever alive?”
Jada woke with a jolt. Between her legs, she was tender and felt a heavy arm draped over her waist and deep breathing at her neck. She was breathing hard, sweat covered her forehead, and a reminder gripped her ribs. Each time she had one of those dreams her ribs would ache slightly. And as much as she would love to forget it, this time every damn year, she had the same dream. The one where her grandfather shipped her off, never to see her again. He paid for her to finish school, but college she got all on her own. The day she graduated she was gone, never to look back at the old cold life she used to have.
Slow as she could, she turned to look at Kane. He was sleeping deeply. Carefully she moved his arm and slipped from the bed. Biting her lower lip she looked around for something to wear, finding only one of his large shirts. It sucked, but she put it on and left the bedroom for the bathroom to do a quick clean up before heading to the fireplace.
She tossed two thick logs onto the dying fire and watched it come back to life before curling up on the sofa. She couldn’t sleep with him, couldn’t act as if everything was all right when it wasn’t and couldn’t shake off the depression of the dream. God I miss you Chris!
She was tired and sore. Kane wore her out pretty good with his heat crap. She yawned and leaned to the left, laying down, staring at the fire. She didn’t have a clue as to what she was going to do now.
She knew what needed to be done, but didn’t know how to do it. She had to get away from Kane, plain and simple, before she hurt him to a point that he would never recover from it. Everyone who was around her for too long got hurt. Look at Chase! He came looking for her that one time and got shot.
“Anything you ever touch or love will die, just like Chris,” Her grandfather yelled before he backhanded her so hard she fell to the ground. “You disgust me!”
“Can’t sleep?”
She didn’t jump or move when he spoke, only closed her eyes and tried to act as if she was sleeping. He crawled onto the sofa, lying right down behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist. Jada wanted to lean back against him, but didn’t. Instead, she sat back up, keeping her back to him, staring at the fire.
“I can’t love you, Kane,” she said softly, breaking the silence in the room. “Don’t ask or expect it, because it won’t happen.”
He reached for her and she quickly stood up, moving away from him. “Why do I get this nagging feeling like you’re about to start another fight,” he sighed.
“There wouldn’t be any fights if you’d leave me the hell alone,” she snapped back, rubbing her forehead. “You’re reaching out for something that can never be. Don’t you understand that? I can’t give you what you want. I can’t give anyone what they want!”
“What I see right now is a girl who is used to running away from anything and anyone that gets close to her. Always running.” He stood up also to face her. “When does that stop?”
“It keeps me alive.”
“It keeps you lonely,” he stated.
“What do you know about it? You’ve spent your whole life in a cage.”
“Yeah, and I was very alone,” he stated. “I don’t want that loneliness again,” he thumbed his chest.
“I like being alone, don’t you understand that?” She faced him and frowned. Kane had a look in his eyes, a look that told her he was holding out some kind of hope for them. “Why are you staring at me like that?”
Kane frowned too, “I’m trying to figure you out. Figure out what you’re so afraid of.”
“There isn’t anything to figure out,” she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest and stood her ground. “And I’m not afraid of anything, so mind your own damn business.”
“Come on, Jada,” he sighed. “Don’t you think it’s time we be honest with each other by now?”
“I’m honest with you, Kane.” She met his eyes, chin raised. “You just don’t like it.”
“No. What I don’t like is the lying and your secrets.” He crossed his arms over his massive chest. It was hard having a conversation with someone who stood before you naked. “I’ve had to deal with that shit all my life. Not anymore.”
“Well, get used to it with me, because I never change. Everyone has secrets.” He growled at her before going over to the small fridge.
He yanked a beer out and twisted the cap. Then he took a long drink right before tossing the cap across the room. “Bullshit.”
“I don’t need this shit.” She shook her head and moved to pass him. She was going to the bathroom, but he stopped her.
Kane grabbed hold of her arm and said, “Chris Leonard isn’t the only one who cares about you.” She slowly turned and stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “I care.”
“H—how?
“I saw the scrap book,” he said.
She jerked her arm free. “How could you read that after I told you to mind your own damn business?” Her voice broke as she backed away from him. She shook her head fighting the tears that quickly came. “My life has nothing to do with you!” she yelled, the tears falling. “Or my past.”
Kane shook his head also. “Sorry, Princess, but you’re wrong there. Your life is my life.” She opened her mouth to argue with him but stopped when his phone went off. “Saved before you could start another fight.”
“Oh I’m going to start a fight, you can count on it.” She brushed past him and went back into the bathroom, slamming the door.
* * * *
Kane grabbed his phone, but his eyes were on Jada all the way into the bathroom. "Yeah,” he answered harshly.
“Kane, are you alright?” It was Sasha.
“Hey, Pumpkin!” Kane had to close his eyes and bite his lower lip. He brought himself under control, not wanting to upset his sister.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, I wanted to check on you,” she said. “Drake told me that you found Jada and this storm is going to last for another night. I know you and Jada have been at each other’s throats so it kind of worries me that you’re going to be there alone. Was your heat okay?”
A vision of Jada standing under the spray in the shower with water trailing down her body hit Kane. His cock grew thick and the hunger to have her under him, his tongue tasting her as she came, made him groan inside. �
�Don’t worry about us. I promise I won’t kill her when she gets too lippy, and yeah it went okay.”
She giggled. “I like her. I’m glad it went okay for you. Did you, um, you know with her?”
Kane smiled. “Isn’t that a bit personal?”
“You’ve never kept anything from me before.”
Kane rubbed his face. He was tired, still horny as hell, but he needed answers also. Jada had too much built up inside and if she didn’t let some of it come out soon she was going to blow.
“I know I do,” he sighed. “But maybe I should keep this to myself.”
“What’s wrong?”
He heard the concern in her voice, just like he heard how much she’d grown up in the few years they had been free. Sasha wasn’t a baby any longer. At least not the kind of baby who needed him. No, Drake was right and he just now saw it. One day someone was going to come into her life and do all the things he was doing to Jada.
Someone was going to love her and he wasn’t sure if he could handle it.
“I guess I haven’t seen how much you’ve grown up until I heard your voice just now,” he answered.
Sasha chuckled, “I’m not that grown up. I’m only eighteen.”
“Hey, you’re not eighteen for another two months.” He held up his finger, even though she couldn’t see it. “Don’t rush it.”
“Do you think I’ll have someone like you?”
The question had him closing his eyes and slumping down in the chair. He jumped at the coldness, which reminded him that he was still naked.
“Sasha, please!”
“I’m only asking,” she said and laughed.
“I can’t believe you’re messing with me like this! Of all the times to have this conversation.” He never heard her talk like this and didn’t have a clue as to where it was coming from. “What the hell are you guys talking about over there?”
“I’ve just been asking some questions is all. No big deal.”
Kane snorted. “Sounds like a major deal to me.”
“Kane? I’m afraid to be with anyone.” Her voice lowered and once more, he heard that fear that she always had when she first started to talk more. “I’ve read that it hurts so badly the first time, and, and, and...”
“Shh,” he quickly soothed her, standing back up. “Sasha don’t think about that okay. No one is going to hurt you. I promised you then, and I’m promising you now. I won’t let anyone touch you or cause you pain.”
“But if I’m someone’s mate, like Jada is yours, how are you going to stop it?”
Now he heard the tears coming and wished like hell he was with her, holding her. “Sasha you’re too young to be thinking about any of that crap right now. I’ll say it again. No one will hurt you, or I’ll hurt them.”
“Big bad brother,” Jada snorted, causing Kane to jump. He didn’t hear the shower turn off or her come out. “Too bad I didn’t have one when you came into my life.”
“Sasha, I need to let you go,” Kane said into the phone, his eyes on Jada. He didn’t wait for her to answer, only hung the phone up, and put it down on the table. “I know that look all too well.”
“Do you now?” She cocked her head to the side, long wet hair falling over her shoulders. “And what look is that?”
“The kind that tells me the shit is about to hit the fan.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, leaned to one side and one eyebrow went up. Yep, she was starting it right off with a nice little defiant stance. Bad move.
“You do remember the last time you stood like that with me, don’t you?” He tapped a finger on his lips before pointing at her.
“You ended up on your back.”
“No, I was pushed up against the wall,” she said. “And a repeat of that isn’t going to happen.”
“If we’re going to fight, I’m going to get something on.” He flashed her a quick smile when he walked past her to go into the bedroom. “Like to have some protection in case you try to kick me or something.”
He grabbed a pair of sweats put them on and when he came back out of the bedroom Jada was standing in front of the window, hugging herself, staring at the snow. He just watched her. There was something about Jada, something he felt he had to find out, no matter how much she might hate him or fight it.
“So who was he?” he asked, causing her to jump. “Your brother?”
“I don’t have any brothers or sisters, Kane,” she sighed, sounding like she didn’t want to be bothered. Tough!
“Then who’s Chris?”
She turned around fast, “Listen, it’s none of your damn business who he is or what he was to me. So mind your own damn business.”
“You are my business, Princess.”
“That’s where you have it very wrong, wolf boy.”
They had a short stare off. Neither, it seemed wanted to back down or give that one inch.
“We can do this all night long, Jada, but you know you’ll lose,” he told her, crossing his arms over his bare chest. “Who is he?”
“Careful, Kane, you almost sound like you’re jealous.” She turned her back on him, which had that inner alpha inside growl.
He snapped a little, rushed up to her, grabbed her arm, and forced her back around to face him. “Don’t turn your back on me,” he told her through his teeth, his voice vibrating with a growl. “Who is he?”
“You’re hurting me!” That damn chin of hers went up and he shook her. “Kane, stop it!”
“Then answer my damn question.”
“My cousin!” she yelled. He stilled and she twisted out of his hold. “Happy now?”
Kane let her go, and Jada brushed past him, going right back to the window. He took several deep breaths before he turned around.
He felt guilty at how he just treated her and yet he was still angry with her. She loved Chris, but couldn’t love him. He didn’t know it until right now that he wanted her to love him, because he knew for a fact what he felt towards her was a hell of a lot stronger than what he felt for Sasha.
But she made it very clear that she wouldn’t love him, and that hurt.
“Jada, I’m—”
“He died in a car crash taking me out for my birthday,” she said, her voice sounding detached. “He wasn’t supposed to. Our grandfather wanted him to stay away from me, but Chris didn’t listen.”
Kane was shocked that she was opening up to him. He also held his breath with the fear that she was going to stop and didn’t move a muscle because of that fear.
“I’m the bastard of the family,” she went on. “My mother got pregnant just to get his attention. My grandfather only valued his son, not his daughter, and then his grandson. When my mother died and he was forced to take me in, he made damn sure that I knew my place in the family. Chris was the only one who treated me like I was a person, not a disgrace,” her voice softened as if she was remembering her past. Kane could tell that it hurt her lot to talk about it.
“I was in a coma for a week.” She took a deep breath and turned around. Not one tear was in her eye. It almost seemed as if she forgot how to cry or something. “The day I woke up he died and that bastard who called himself my grandfather blamed it all on me and shipped me off to a boarding school the moment I was out of the hospital. So there you have it.” She extended her arms out and quickly brought them back down to her sides. “My dirty little quick history. Now can you drop it?”
Kane cocked his head to the side and frowned, “You’ve never cried for him?”
Jada snorted and gave him her back again. “Don’t try to act like you give a shit or know anything Kane.”
Kane came up to her, took her arm, and swung her back around.
He didn’t let her go, not even when she tried to twist away again. “I know by looking into your eyes that you’ve never cried for him or anyone. It’s still eating away at you. His death.”
“Stop it.”
“I can see it.”
“I said stop it.”
“What are you afraid of?” He grabbed her by both arms, giving her a shake.
“Let me go!” For the first time he heard her voice shake.
“Haven’t you figured it out by now? I’m never letting you go.”
She stilled in his arms, relaxed enough that he let his guard down long enough for her to slap him across the face so hard and unexpectedly he took a step to the side. She didn’t say anything, only began to hit him and slap at him until he turned her around and wrapped his arms around her body, restraining her.
Out of nowhere, she broke down and started to cry. “Damn you!”
she sobbed. “Why can’t you just let me go like the rest?”
She cried hard and slumped against him. Together they lowered to the floor, him holding her as she cried, what he was guessing was for the first time in many years.
“Because whether you want to believe it or hear it, I care about you,” he said with his face pressed against her head. “Maybe even love you.” He sighed.
“No, no, no, no,” she cried, shaking her head. She tried to get out of his hold, but he only tightened it. “You do that, and you’re dead.
I’m toxic.”
“Shh.” He was able to hold her with one arm, and with a free hand brushed hair from her face. “You’re not toxic, only lonely like me. One day you’ll realize we’re perfect for each other. No matter what you say or do, Jada, my heart belongs to you and only you.”
A fresh wave of tears started and he held her through them, rocking her gently. Kane didn’t know much, but his gut was telling him that she needed this cry. He didn’t know how long it had been since this Chris held her or gave her the comfort that she so needed.
What he did know was that he was going to take the man’s place. Jada was his now, and he was going to do everything he could to fix what was broken inside. What ever her grandfather did, he was going to pay for it. No one should ever treat a child who lost everything, like she was dirt. And no one was going to treat his Jada like that ever again. If they did, they were going to die.
What Drake had given him, and Sasha, in the short three years ended up making up for most of his life. What Jada had now, could seal the rest of his bad past.
The New Breed Page 14