The Return of the Rebel

by Jennifer Faye

  He hoped.

  “But you do know why he’s here and what he wants.” Her eyes grew round. “Jax, what did you do?”

  The fact she thought he might be on the wrong side of the law dug deep into his chest and pulled at the old scars on his heart. Years ago, when all of Hope Springs saw a delinquent kid, she’d looked at him as somebody worth befriending. Cleo always made him feel as though he mattered.

  But for the first time, the look in her eyes had changed. Was she now looking at him as her mother had done and seeing him as the no-good Monroe kid who could never amount to anything but trouble. Anger and hurt churned in his gut. He thought he was far past these old feelings—yet being here with Cleo had rolled back time.

  “I’m not a criminal,” he ground out.

  Color filled her cheeks. “I—I didn’t mean it like that. This whole thing has me on edge.”

  “I guess once you’re considered the bad boy, the reputation sticks.” His jaw tightened, holding back old resentments.

  “That’s not true. You’re forgetting all of the people who cared about you. People like Kurt and my grandfather.”

  “You’re right.” He sighed. “I shouldn’t have gone off on you. It’s just been a stressful day.”

  “And I deserve some answers.”

  “Yes, you do.” Although he was certain his words would not give her the peace of mind she was seeking, he owed her the truth. “I’m a key witness in a federal court case.”

  “A witness.” She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “I take it this isn’t a simple murder case.”

  He couldn’t help but smile at the way she classified murder as a simple case. “No, this isn’t about murder. It’s actually a white-collar crime.”

  The worry lines on her face smoothed. “Well, that doesn’t sound so bad.”

  Would it be so wrong to let her cling to the idea that this case was no big deal? Then she wouldn’t have to worry. But she also might decide to let down her guard, giving that thug a chance to get near her again. No, she definitely needed to know the whole truth.

  “It’s a money-laundering scam that involved my business partner. I blew the whistle on him before he could take us both down. I wore a wire and gave the government all the evidence they needed to make their case against him and his shady affiliates.”

  Cleo’s face grew ashen. “That sounds dangerous.”

  “Let’s just say these men aren’t the friendliest people to cross.”

  “That...that man... Does he want to—”

  “Scare me off? Yes, he does. But it won’t work. I will finish what I started.”

  “Oh, Jax. What if—”

  “There are no what-ifs. I just have a few more weeks until I return to New York for the trial and then this will all be over. Now it’s time to call it a night. I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted. It’s been a long day.”

  In truth, not only was he truly tired but he also needed some space. He was still smarting over the fact that Cleo thought he might be a criminal.

  Her fine brows gathered. “You can’t expect me to stay here with you until the trial.”

  “We’ll have to see how things go. But for now you’re staying where I can protect you.”

  He yawned. Maybe tonight he’d be able to fall asleep without the endless hours of staring into the dark. Or even worse, to drift off only to have that blasted recurring nightmare where he was chased down a dark alley. Stupid dream.

  “Come on.” He knelt down beside her and held out his arms. “Your chariot awaits.”

  * * *

  Cleo’s head felt fuzzy. She didn’t know if it was the painkillers or the information she’d just learned. Either way, it didn’t matter. She was tired of being treated as if she was helpless. And she didn’t need Jax making decisions for her.

  When Jax reached out to her, she pushed aside his offer. “Thanks, but I can get to the bedroom on my own.”

  His face creased with frown lines, but he didn’t argue. Instead he grabbed her crutches and held them out to her. “Are you sure?”

  She nodded and placed the crutches under her arms. A bump on the head hadn’t made her forget the way Jax had rejected her earlier that day. The memory still stung. Why should things change just because she got hurt?

  They weren’t a happy couple. They never would be.

  She paused at the bottom of the long line of steps. Suddenly, sleeping on the couch didn’t sound like such a bad idea.

  “Sure you haven’t changed your mind?” Jax prodded in a persuasive voice.

  “I can manage.” All she had to do was focus. Soon she’d be upstairs and then she could lie down.

  “You don’t look so good.”

  “Thanks. You sure know how to give a girl a compliment.”

  “That isn’t how I meant it and you know it. You’re just being difficult.”

  He was right. But tonight she didn’t care. Maybe it was the medicine or hitting her head, but she didn’t feel like acting as if everything was all right when it clearly wasn’t.

  He followed her into a spacious bedroom with a king-size bed done up in peaches and cream. She sat down on the edge, very aware of Jax’s presence. He knelt down in front of her to remove her shoe from her good leg. Why did he have to be so nice when she wanted to be angry with him?

  “I can do it.” She attempted to take over.

  He brushed aside her hand. “You don’t need to. That’s what I’m here for.”

  His gentle tone smoothed her agitation. “I’m not even sure how I’ll sleep tonight. Every time I close my eyes I see that ape man. You have to promise to be careful. He isn’t a nice guy. He totally gave me the creeps.”

  “I’ll be careful.”

  “You promise?”

  “I do. I brought us here, didn’t I? He won’t know where to find us.”

  She lay back against the bed and closed her eyes, willing away the image of that man. Jax’s warm fingers touched the bare skin of her calf, snapping her eyes open. What was he doing? Then she realized he was removing her sock. How could such a mundane task feel so amazing?

  Dropping the sock, his fingers continued to work their magic, kneading and pressing on the sole of her foot. One by one her muscles relaxed and she turned to putty in his hands. The most amazing sensations coursed through her body. If he could do this massaging just one foot, she couldn’t even imagine what other tricks he had up his sleeve.

  “This will help you relax.” His voice was soft and soothing.

  She hadn’t realized that she’d moaned out loud until he said, “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

  “What can I say? I’m a sucker for a foot massage.”

  “Scoot back on the bed.”

  She did as he said, wondering what he was up to next. He grabbed a couple of pillows and propped up her injured leg. Then he sat down and put her other foot in his lap. The pad of his thumb rubbed up and down over the arch of her foot. She watched him as he used both hands to stretch her foot and then run both thumbs in circular patterns.

  “Close your eyes,” he said, still working his magic fingers.

  She was in the midst of ecstasy and didn’t want it to stop so she complied. Tomorrow she would stand her ground—yes, tomorrow. Tonight she would let him feel as though he were taking care of her... Just so long as his fingers kept moving.

  Time slipped by and, at last, he stopped. She was lost somewhere between floating on a fluffy cloud and half-asleep. He got up and turned off the light.

  “Don’t go.” She reached out to grab his hand. “Not yet.”

  “Cleo...”

  All she knew was that she was in a happy place and she didn’t want it to end. Her body felt like mush. The darkness made her feel safe from his scrutinizing s
tare. She felt as though she could say anything to him. And in a sleepy haze she decided to throw caution to the wind.

  “Why don’t you find me attractive?”

  She heard a swift intake of his breath. Then an awkward silence hung there.

  The edge of the bed dipped as he sat down. The back of his hand glided over her cheek. “Who says I don’t find you attractive?”

  “When we kissed earlier, you pulled away. You didn’t like it.”

  His voice was soft. “Did you ever think that I liked it too much?”

  “Then kiss me now.” He groaned but she wasn’t giving up. “I’ve kissed you twice. You owe me.”

  Again there was an elongated silence. It had to be the medication because she’d never asked a man to kiss her. And it was so much easier to blame it on the painkillers than to admit how very much she wanted him. She’d never desired a man as she did Jax.

  Then without warning he leaned over. His lips were just a breath away from hers. “Cleo, you don’t know what you’re asking of me.”

  “Yes, I do. I want you to kiss me. I want to know what it’s like to be desired by Jax Monroe. Hope Springs’s bad boy. Now a Wall Street tycoon. Kiss me, Jax. Please.”

  With a moan, his mouth pressed to hers. His kiss was hungry and needy. And her heart swelled. Somewhere in the haze of her mind there was a warning voice, but it was garbled and she didn’t feel like heeding to caution. Here in the dark there was just the two of them.

  His lips moved hungrily over hers like a starved man. And she met him kiss for kiss. Her fingers worked their way over his muscular shoulders to his neck and then her nails raked through his short hair.

  The kiss went on and on and she never wanted it to end. She just floated along in the moment, enjoying having Jax so close. Because come the stark morning sun, she’d come to her senses. A relationship wasn’t in the cards for her. But a fleeting moment of ecstasy was too tempting to pass up. Tomorrow would come all too quickly.

  As though he could read her thoughts, he pulled back. His breathing was uneven and rapid. But as she reached out to him, he jumped to his feet.

  “Cleo, you couldn’t be more wrong. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone. But this, you and me, it can’t be.”

  “Of course it can’t be,” she spat out. No matter what he said, he didn’t find her attractive enough. She blinked back the tears swarming in her eyes.

  She’d miscalculated. Instead of the kiss making her feel better, she felt even worse knowing that he still thought that they were a mistake—that she was a mistake. She wanted to get as far away from him as she could, someplace where she could lick her wounds in private.

  “I want to go home. Charlie needs me.”

  She rolled over onto her side, craving the company of her tabby cat. Anytime she was upset, he was right there with a loving rub and a cheerful purr. Her wounded body ached but it was nothing compared to the great big bruise on her heart.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  JAX YAWNED AGAIN. At this rate he’d need to brew another pot of coffee before lunch. He’d done nothing but toss and turn for hours last night. He’d finally dozed off sometime after three.

  His mind had been crammed full with thoughts of the thug who had hurt Cleo. He’d even checked in with the police to see if the ape, as Cleo called him, had been arrested. So far, nothing. But the good news was they had his image from the resort’s tapes and were working on identifying him.

  Jax grabbed a spatula for the scrambled eggs. He wasn’t used to cooking for anyone, but he didn’t mind. What did bother him was having Cleo long for another man after he’d just got done kissing her. He snatched up a plate and placed it with a thunk on the counter.

  The fact that she had Charlie in her life was for the best. A man in his position needed to keep clear of romantic entanglements. And even if his latest set of tests came back clear there was no guarantee they’d stay that way.

  He drew his thoughts up short. None of it mattered because he had no intention of letting Cleo into his life—into his heart.

  After the thug was arrested, Jax’s plan was to return to his solitary life. With all of the money he’d made in the stock market, he could retire young. He didn’t want to be one of those people who died at their desk. He wanted to get out and experience the world for as long as he had... And just as soon as this court case was over he’d get started.

  No longer feeling so tired, he piled the scrambled eggs on the plate next to the buttered toast. When his friend said the housekeeper kept this place stocked, he hadn’t been kidding. Jax really need not have bothered stopping at the store last night after he’d picked up the rental vehicle.

  He placed the food and the orange juice on a tray, along with a red rose from the bouquet on the dining room table. Then on second thought, he returned the flower back to the vase. There was no reason to muddy the waters any further.

  He carried the tray to the bedroom and tapped on the door. “Cleo, are you up?”

  Silence greeted him.

  He knocked louder. “Cleo, I’ve got your breakfast.”

  Still nothing.

  Balancing the tray with one hand, he eased open the door and stepped inside. He came to a halt when he saw that the bed was already made up. His gaze flicked to the bathroom door. It was open and no sounds came from within.

  Erring on the side of caution, he called out, “Cleo, are you decent?”

  Again there was no response. He envisioned her passed out in the tub or worse. He set the tray on the end of the bed and rushed into the bathroom. The room was spacious, just like the rest of the house, but there was no sign of Cleo. He didn’t understand. Where could she have gotten to?

  The food long forgotten, he searched the other five bedrooms. She wasn’t anywhere in the upstairs. He rushed to the sweeping staircase, which faced the wall of glass overlooking the front lawn and the drive. That was when he noticed the SUV was gone.

  She’d run out on him!

  But why?

  Was she that upset about the kiss last night?

  Did she feel guilty for cheating on Charlie?

  His chest tightened. The doctor said she was supposed to be resting. What if she made her injuries worse? A knot formed in his gut. Or what if that thug caught up with her again?

  He had to find her, but where did he start?

  * * *

  Cleo wished she hadn’t been so spontaneous. Trying to get about with the aid of crutches was more work than she’d imagined. And now Jax had made her paranoid about the ape man staking out her place. She’d driven around the block three times looking for anyone or anything unusual, but nothing appeared to be out of place.

  She pulled to a stop in a handicap parking space in front of her unit. She figured due to her unusual circumstances, she could park there for ten minutes—long enough to grab a few essentials and scoop up Charlie.

  She’d just opened the driver’s-side door when Robyn came up the walk, pushing a pink polka-dotted stroller. “Hey, girl, where have you been?”

  Robyn was a good friend, but she was known for staying on top of the latest gossip in the complex. And this place was always rife with juicy stories. Cleo just hoped she wouldn’t make a big deal over her injury.

  Cleo reached over to the passenger seat and grabbed the crutches. With the crutches positioned outside the door, she carefully lowered herself to the ground. Her ankle pulsated with pain. It probably didn’t help that she didn’t take any of those pills the doctor prescribed for her. But she needed to be clearheaded for driving.

  Cleo swung the door shut, almost losing her balance. She really did have to get the hang of the crutches since she was going to be on them for a while. “Sorry I didn’t call again, but I didn’t have my phone.”

  “I was hoping you were off with some hot
guy, but by the looks of you, I guess that’s wishful thinking. Unless you had a McSteamy doc taking care of you.”

  At the mention of a hot guy, her thoughts immediately went to Jax. He was definitely sexy in anyone’s book. But she wasn’t about to open that can of worms with Robyn, who was far too eager to help her find a “forever” guy. No matter how many times Cleo told her she wasn’t interested, Robyn would still introduce her to any hot new tenants.

  “Sorry. No hot doctors.”

  “When you called yesterday, you didn’t say anything about it being this serious.” Robyn frowned at her injured leg.

  “I’m not that bad off.” Cleo forced a smile, wanting to ease her friend’s worry. “And the doctor said I was fine to go home.”

  It wasn’t exactly a lie. She just left out the part about needing to be supervised for forty-eight hours. Come to think of it that probably meant she shouldn’t be driving. But this was important.

  “I don’t know.” Robyn gave her a hesitant stare. “You look about as appealing right now as Stephie’s mashed peas. Definitely a bit green around the edges.”

  “Thanks. You really know how to cheer up a person,” Cleo teased.

  Robyn wasn’t the type to mince words. And right about now, Cleo did feel pretty rotten. She hoped she never saw that ape man ever again. If it wasn’t for him, she wouldn’t be in this mess. The memory of him had her glancing around.

  “You’ll be back to normal after you get some rest.” Robyn kept pace with her as they headed for their side-by-side apartments.

  “You haven’t seen any strangers lurking about, have you?”

  “No.” Robyn raised her brows. “Should I have?”

  How much should she say? Probably as little as possible. Robyn had a good heart, but she had a habit of saying too much.

  “There was just this creepy guy hitting on me at the casino. You know, the kind who won’t take no for an answer.”

  Robyn’s brunette bobbed hair swayed as she nodded. “Sometimes guys can be such jerks. And with you being so pretty, I’m surprised you don’t get hit on more often.”

  “So if you see some tall guy with dark hair lurking about, call the cops.”