by Misty Evans
He got serious again, moving the last of his eggs around with his fork. “I grew up training K9s. After college, I helped out the FBI on some cases, but never saw myself as an agent, so I went into the Navy. I continued to work with search and rescue dogs, became a SEAL, and then…ended up back here.”
There were a lot of blanks in that story, but she didn’t need to know the details. Not yet. If she had her way, there would be plenty more of these kinds of talks in their future. “Your folks trained K9s?”
“After Dad got out of the army, he was messed up. My mom runs a dog rescue in North Carolina and he tried helping her out, but his PTSD got the better of him and he had to get away from people. He started training dogs, but living in the woods. We barely saw him. He took the unadoptable ones Mom had and turned them into K9s. The next thing I knew, my parents separated for good. I didn’t see Dad much except for summers when I stayed at the cabin with him. The dogs became my best friends.”
“Do you see your mom and dad much?”
A stiff shake of his head. “Dad, never—long, ugly story there. My mom, once in awhile. She’s into her dogs, you know? And I get it. They need her more than I do, and I’ve got work.”
Jaya kept her face passive, knowing Jon didn’t like being pitied. This was more than he’d told her in the months they’d truly been a couple, and she didn’t want him to clam up on her again. “No siblings?”
“Nope. Maybe if I’d had some, it would have made family life easier, who knows? All I do know is that bringing a kid into the world is serious shit. You shouldn’t do it if you’re not a hundred percent on board with the responsibility. Not just when they’re babies. They’re your kids for life.”
Boy, didn’t that hit the nail on the head? Would he be one hundred percent on board with her pregnancy? She already knew that answer. He’d mentioned before he didn’t want to have kids and she understood why. Maybe the real question was, was she one hundred percent on board with having a child?
Her heart said definitely. Her mind said maybe. It was a huge responsibility and she might totally suck at it.
Before she could ask another question, he changed the subject, “So what brought you to DC? I mean, this thing with Finn didn’t happen until after you got here, right? You didn’t say anything about paying me a visit, and I know you didn’t come back to help Savanna with the wedding. You didn’t even know her before today, did you?”
“I, uh…” Was this the right time to tell him? She had the pregnancy test in her overnight bag. Which was in her van. The van she didn’t have at the moment.
A knock sounded at the door. Jon tensed and hopped off the stool. “Stay here.” The way he said it sounded ominous. Like he was expecting trouble.
That was par for the course with Jon. He always sounded like he was ready to take on any inconvenience, hassle, or POS that showed up on his doorstep. Came with the job, she imagined.
A check of the peephole and he opened the door. “Any problems?”
Colton shuffled in, his shit kickers scuffing across the beat-up hardwood floor. “No one followed us.”
And then, miracle of miracles, Shelby came hustling in behind him, wiping her boots on the tiny rug and setting down Jaya’s overnight bag. “Jaya! Colton told me everything. Are you okay?”
A second later, Jaya was caught up in a bear hug, and it felt so damn good, she accepted it, closing her eyes. This was Shelby, her best friend. They’d shared everything since they were five years old, on that first day of kindergarten. Shelby had asked Jaya to braid her hair at recess, just like the intricate one Mama had done for Jaya. Instantly, Jaya recognized a kindred soul and had declared them besties.
Her braid hadn’t been nearly as fine as Mama’s, but it wasn’t half bad for a five-year-old. It had been the start of what had become her passion—helping other women feel pretty and confident about themselves.
“I’m okay,” Jaya announced, not sure if she was trying to convince Shelby or herself. “Just…shook up over Finn.”
“Of course you are.” Shelby took her by the shoulders and moved Jaya back a step to look her over. “You look like death warmed over, girl. When was the last time you slept?”
“I can’t now. Finn’s in real trouble, thanks to Dad.”
“I’m heading to the office,” Shelby said. “I think you should let me open an official case on this.”
Jaya saw Jon and Colton both stiffen. Neither wanted the Feds involved, but Shelby felt like the voice of reason. Wasn’t it better to let the professionals handle it?
Her gut instinct tickled when she met Jon’s eyes. There was a longing there, a need for her trust. He was a professional, and if he believed Shadow Force was the answer to saving her brother, Jaya was sticking with him.
She grabbed Shelby’s hand, still cold from the outside conditions. “Thanks, Shel. I need all the help I can get, but I’m giving Shadow Force at least twenty-four hours before I go to the FBI. I hope you understand.”
“Rory doesn’t have anything yet,” Colton told her. “But he will. Nobody’s better at cyber-hunting. Beatrice sent someone to keep an eye on your mom, by the way, just in case.”
Could her mom be in danger? Jaya guessed it wasn’t a stretch to assume so at this point. “Tell her thanks, will you?”
Colton nodded, then glanced at Jon. “You need anything else, you holler, ya hear me? Shelby followed me in her car, so I’m going to have her drop me off at our place before she heads to work. I’ll grab a power nap and be ready to go. As soon as you get anything from Rory, hit me up. I’ll keep my phone on.”
They exchanged a manly backslap, hand-grasp thing, and Shelby hugged Jaya again. “I’m a phone call away,” she said. “Keep me posted and let me know when, and if, you want me to jump in with all the resources of the Bureau.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jaya said, returning the hug with full force. “And thank you.”
“You know I’ll do anything for you, J.”
Colton helped Shelby out the door, and then it was just Jon and Jaya again. The overnight bag rested on the floor between them. Jon reached for it. “Let’s get you unpacked.”
Jaya jumped and grabbed for the bag. “I’ll take it.”
He held it for a second, his brows quirking down, but then he let go. He went to the counter and snatched up her new phone. “Might be a good idea for you to get a nap too.”
“I don’t think I can sleep.” She was such a liar. The thought of lying down on Jon’s bed triggered a yawn, which made Jon smirk. “Maybe I could close my eyes for a minute?”
The smirk turned to a genuine smile. “I could use a chance to close my eyes for a minute too.”
And jeez, she hadn’t even thought about his night or whatever job—mission—he’d really been on. “You were nowhere near New York last night, were you?”
He motioned her toward the bedroom. “I little farther south.”
She followed, feet dragging. “Did it involve protecting someone or finding them?”
“Finding them.”
In the bedroom, she tugged off her jeans and watched him go into the bathroom to change into a T-shirt and shorts. Once she was sure he was occupied, she unzipped her bag.
There, on top, was the pregnancy kit.
Her world spun down from all the chaos to that one, singular thing. A baby. How in the hell was she going to handle this? Sure, she took pretty damn good care of herself and everyone else…but a baby?
The memory of Sloane in her arms, gurgling and patting her on the face, made Jaya smile. A baby was a shit-ton of work, and would require her to rearrange a lot of things in her life, and what kind of crappy mother would she be…
But maybe…
Staring at the unopened test, she dug around to find a pair of soft yoga pants. Was it wrong that she wanted to postpone finding out the answer for another few minutes while she curled up on the bed with Jon? Was it wrong to enjoy the fantasy of having a little family with this man?
He emerged
before her tired brain could answer. Quickly, she zipped up the bag and pulled on her pants.
“Come here,” he said, pulling her into bed with him.
There she snuggled against his warm, solid frame, listening to his breathing grow deeper. For the first time in nearly two days, she felt like she could rest. People were looking for Finn, and she was plain exhausted. A few minutes wouldn’t hurt. Through the bedroom window, she saw the glisten of snowflakes falling from the gray morning sky.
I don’t know what’s going to happen in the coming hours, she told the baby growing inside her, but what I do know is that you will be loved.
Jon woke with a warm body pressed against him and a boner tenting the sheet.
The smell of coffee and bacon filled his nose along with the delicious scent of tart, dark cherries. A peaceful sensation he hadn’t felt in days permeated every cell and he drew Jaya’s body closer, his own knowing what it wanted. He pushed his face into her soft hair, let his hands trail over her curves. Her favorite spot behind her ear beckoned to his mouth…
And then shouts arose from outside, interrupting his peaceful, although lusty, moment.
He ignored them when Jaya moaned and slipped a hand into his long hair, tugging him closer. Her lips found his and next thing he knew, she was under him and he was running his fingers in that sweet spot between her legs.
The shouts continued. Behind that, he heard a buzzbuzzbuzz.
He lifted his head. It wasn’t a buzz, it was an alarm in the distance.
A car alarm.
Some jackass’s car alarm was interrupting his morning sex.
Correction, afternoon. A glance at the clock on his nightstand showed it was after two.
He needed to check his phone, see if he’d missed a call from Beatrice, but even if he had, another couple minutes wouldn’t make much difference.
His cock got on board with that, pressing against Jaya’s leg.
Catching her bottom lip between his teeth, he sucked gently, then kissed her deeply. She arched her hips and made another noise deep in her throat that had him wiggling the stretchy yoga pants down her hips.
The shouting outside didn’t diminish as he accepted the invitation to snuggle down in-between Jaya’s now naked legs. He lifted the cotton shirt over her breasts, licking and sucking them. At the same time, her hands grasped his ass cheeks and guided him to the very spot he had in mind.
She was slick and ready for him and their bodies moved with a familiar rhythm, neither of them saying a word. The constant mind chatter always nagging him disappeared. His body felt whole again in her arms, not full of scars, aches, and pains that would never truly heal.
Her climax was swift, her nails cutting into his skin, her mouth open as she cried out her pleasure. Two more strokes into her tight heat and he followed her over, burying his face in her hair when the climax finally released him from its intense clutches.
Once his brain cells began firing again, the only thought in his mind was, damn, he wished he could have this every day with her.
Shifting his weight so he didn’t crush her, he nuzzled her neck and enjoyed the soft laughter that ensued. She was so ticklish, it didn’t take much to have her squealing and squirming under his lips.
In the distance, he heard a siren, then another. They were growing closer.
He rolled over, slowly getting to his feet, and looked out the window.
“Oh, shit.”
“What is it?” Jaya asked, rising up on one elbow, her hair a sexy mess.
“You better get dressed. We’ve got a problem.”
Her face blanched and she scrambled out of bed, naked from the waist down. She ran to the window and peered out next to him, and he heard her swift inhalation of surprise. “Is that what I think it is?”
Fuck, he should have stayed awake and kept an eye on everything. “’Fraid so.”
Flames licked from Jaya’s van, the car alarm long since silenced. Dozens of people stood around the parking lot, watching the display.
Jon cursed himself again. “If the fire reaches the gas tank—”
Kabooom. Too late.
They both ducked from the window as the van exploded into a dozen pieces.
Twenty minutes later, Jon had contacted Beatrice and watched as the smoking shell of the van received another dousing from the firefighters on the scene. He’d given a statement to the cops and B was handling the details from her end. They’d decided not to get the police involved other than to let them run with the idea it had been a prank.
Colton and Shelby arrived in his truck. Jon caught Shelby’s eye and cocked a head to the apartment. She nodded and took off up the stairs. In the bedroom window, he saw Jaya’s face for a split second before it disappeared into the shadows again.
Jaya was devastated. She hadn’t said as much but he could see it on her face. That van had been her baby, the only vehicle she had, and she used it for work. She’d painted the flowers and logo for her spa service on the side herself.
When this was over, he would get her a whole fleet of vans and she could paint every last one of them if she wanted to.
He’d told her to stay away from the windows and keep everything locked up. Whoever had done this had to be tied to her brother’s kidnapping. They’d tracked Jaya down and left her a different sort of message.
Message received. When Jon found whoever had done this, he was going to string them up.
Colton jogged to where Jon stood, watching the firefighters rolling up their hoses. “What the ever-lovin’ fuck?” Bells said.
Jon seconded that. “Maybe they did follow you, and that’s how they knew she was here.”
“No way, man.” He crossed his arms over his beefy chest. “I know how to spot a tail.”
They all did, and Jon doubted anyone could pull one over on his friend and colleague. “Either way, they found her.”
“You talk to B?”
“Yeah, Rory found a lead. I haven’t told Jaya yet. Guess I better. And the response to the text Rory sent, pretending to be Jaya and asking for an address to bring the cross, got no response. I can’t figure out if the kidnapper is being deliberately obtuse or just isn’t that savvy.”
“Beatrice told me about the lead. I can stay here and wrap this up.” Bells scuffed a boot on the pavement. “And just so you’re aware, Shelby found out some crap about Jaya’s dad neither of us knew. Jaya’s gonna lose her shit when she learns about it, so be prepared. If you don’t want to take this one on, we’ll all understand. I can pull a hunting group together and find Finn.”
Bells thought he was too close, and maybe he was. “I appreciate the offer, but I can handle it.”
“I know you can, but The Wicked Witch of Good Hope can be a handful. You haven’t seen all the sides of her that I have. She can be a total whack job, a draconian ball buster. I just need you to be cotton-pickin’ sure you want to head up this mission before you go all white knight on me. That metaphor about the thrill of a HALO jump? Remember, you always come down and hit the ground. Same with Jaya, and there’s no parachute to pull with her, Jon.”
“Draconian?” Jon chuckled. Only Bells could use a snooty term in the same sentence as deep South slang. “That’s a Beatrice word if I ever heard one. And don’t call Jaya that. She’s a good person and you know it.”
Bells ignore the jibe about Jaya. He threw his personal nickname for her around as a defense. He always used surliness to keep people at a distance, but Jon knew he really wanted everyone to love and accept him. “Draconian has a nice ring to it and it’s about the only word of B’s that I can pronounce. Shelby told me what it meant and I like sprinkling it into my vocabulary around Marcelo, so he doesn’t figure out I’m just a dumb hick from Oklahoma.”
That was Bells, always deriding his background and upbringing. He and Shelby were fostering a kid Bells was nuts about and planning their own family. Bells didn’t have a mom or dad. He’d grown up in the system and it had taken a toll on him. Jon tried to remem
ber that when his past rose up and gave him the blues. Even Jaya had had it worse than he did.
Which made him even more determined to fix this for her. She deserved to get her brother back in one piece, and screw Sean O’Sullivan, Jon was taking her to Ireland himself. “I can handle Jaya, but I want you on the team when I go after Finn. He knows you and you know a lot about the family, so that will help us.”
Bells slapped him on the back. “You got it. My go-bag is in the truck. I’m ready to leave whenever you are.”
Jon returned the back slap. “Hunter will kill us if we miss his wedding, and this kidnapper hasn’t given us much time, so we’ll have to make it quick.”
“Fuck, I was hoping to get out of the wedding. Why couldn’t he just go to the judge like Shel and I did?”
“One word: Savanna.”
Colton rolled his eyes but they both knew Jon was right. Savanna was a star and wanted the big wedding with all the bells and whistles.
For half a second, he wondered what kind of wedding Jaya might like. Did she see herself ever getting married? Did she imagine a fancy wedding or a quickie like Colton and Shelby?
Jon shook the thought from his head and took the stairs to the apartment. Either way, Jaya would never marry someone like him, always gone, never able to tell her about his work, and constantly struggling with the idea of normalcy. Depression could do that to you—leave you wanting to shut the world away. Maybe that was why his dad had gone off to live in the woods. Maybe that’s what Jon should do one of these days as well.
First, I have a job to do.
And it was possibly the most important one of his life.
5
If Jaya didn’t laugh, she was going to cry. Again.
Her hormones had to be doing a number on her, not to mention life in general. First the pregnancy, then Finn, now Kratos?
My poor, poor baby. That van had seen her through some major life events. When she’d started beauty school, she’d had to sleep in it for a while because she couldn’t afford rent anywhere and her mother was already in the home. She’d used it to start her original business, driving to client’s homes to do their hair. It still acted as her personal vehicle and she kept samples of all her products in it.