The Return of the Rebel

by Jennifer Faye

  Jax pulled up a barstool next to her. “How exactly did she do this?”

  “You don’t want to know.” And she didn’t want to hurt him by repeating her mother’s unkind words.

  The frustration churned inside Cleo. If only she didn’t have this cast, she’d go for a walk. But then again she couldn’t do that, either, because crazy ape man was out there somewhere. Her body tensed.

  Jax placed a reassuring hand on her leg. “Something tells me that you mentioned my name to her and that it didn’t go over so well—”

  “No, it didn’t. Then she tried hooking me up with the guy down the road who’s taking over his father’s ranch. And she thinks that you can’t change. She’s the one who hasn’t changed.”

  “Slow down. Take a breath.” He reached for her hand and held it. “I think she’s trying, but she’s still your mom. And she’ll always want what’s best for her little girl.”

  “But that’s just it. I’m an adult now. And she has to start trusting me to know what I want—right or wrong. I’ve got to learn these things for myself.”

  “Maybe it’s best if you avoid talking about me. I won’t come between you and your family.”

  “Speaking of which, Mom might tell Kurt about us. I didn’t even think to tell her to keep it to herself.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” But by the frown lines framing Jax’s face, he was worried. “I told you that I’m not going to come between you and your family and I meant it.”

  “Why?” She wasn’t going to let him off the hook until he answered her. “This thing between us is special. It’s worth fighting for.”

  He raked his fingers through his hair. “It isn’t that easy. There’s still so much we don’t know about each other.”

  “I’m willing to learn.”

  “And what if you don’t like everything you learn?”

  “Why are you making this so difficult?” She crossed her arms and stared at him. “Are you trying to tell me you’re having second thoughts about us?”

  “I just want you to slow down. Don’t rush things, Cleo. There’s a lot to take into consideration.”

  “I’m not rushing. But obviously we see things differently.”

  “Maybe. I don’t know.” His face was creased with frown lines. “I came in here to tell you that I have to go to the police station. They might have a lead. I’ll be back later.”

  This wasn’t the end. It was just the beginning. With time Jax would come to terms with that. She wasn’t about to let him walk out of her life again.

  * * *

  Cleo felt like a canary in a gilded cage. Only the saying didn’t quite fit. Though she loved to sing, her voice was best not heard.

  She was tired of being confined, even if it was in this luxurious mansion. She would do anything to get out. Today’s follow-up appointment with the doctor sounded like a vacation. She couldn’t wait to kick back and feel the sun on her face while the breeze rustled through the open car window.

  During the past few days, Jax had withdrawn from her. He was hiding behind a wall of indifference and acting as though they were nothing more than friends. When he said he didn’t want to rush into anything, he hadn’t been kidding. So how did she get through to him? How did she convince him to take a chance on them?

  Not even her drawings could hold her attention—they had no flash or flair. They were flat and boring. She tossed the pad aside. It didn’t help that she had no fabric to work with or sewing machine to stitch together her ideas. She missed bringing her art to life. And as luxurious as this house was, it didn’t come with the one place she liked to unwind and lose herself—her sewing room.

  The simple truth was she missed her life, even as mundane as it was compared to living here like royalty.

  The buzzer on the dryer went off. She glanced down at Charlie, who was curled up on her lap. His eyes opened but his head didn’t move. She ran her hand over his silky smooth coat. With Jax holed up in the office at the back of the house, working on the computer, she’d decided to do some laundry.

  “You’ve got to move, kitty.” She picked up Charlie and placed him on the couch cushion. “I might as well make myself useful since I don’t seem to be inspired to draw at the moment.”

  With the laundry room on the second floor, she headed up the steps. In no time, she had a load of Jax’s clothes folded and placed neatly in a basket. The next task was figuring how to get the clothes to the bedroom. She couldn’t imagine juggling a full basket while using her crutches, so she got creative. She shoved the basket along the floor with her foot. Granted it wasn’t exactly the fastest approach but it did the trick.

  She opened the dresser drawer to put away Jax’s T-shirts when she noticed the glint of a gold chain. She’d never seen Jax wear jewelry beyond a watch, not even as a teenager. She lifted a couple of T-shirts and froze.

  She blinked, but the pocket watch was still there.

  What in the world?

  Her fingers trembled as she picked it up. She moved to the bed and dropped down on it. When her grandfather had suddenly died, no one could figure out what had happened to the watch—her grandfather’s pride and joy.

  What did it mean that Jax had it?

  She clutched the watch as the past unfolded itself in her mind. Like an old projector, the scenes of yesteryear started to come into focus. Her thoughts swept back to the last time she was with Jax in Hope Springs.

  She’d been walking home from her best friend’s house after doing homework. She saw Jax hightailing it from her grandfather’s house. She’d rushed to catch up to him, wanting to show off her new outfit. It was the latest rage at the mall and she’d even put on some of her friend’s makeup, hoping to convince him that she was not just a little kid anymore... After all, she was going to be fourteen the following week. Looking back now, she realized how foolish she’d been. But at the time, no one could tell her that an eighteen-year-old was too old for her.

  So she’d stopped on the road and waited for him to catch up, but he just kept walking. No greeting. No teasing her. No nothing. She’d rushed to keep up to his long-legged pace.

  When he noticed that she was going to follow him wherever he went, he stopped and looked at her. “Hey, kid, can you keep a secret?”

  She’d nodded, reveling in the fact that he was going to take her into his confidence. She’d thought that it meant something special—that she was special. She hadn’t been expecting the next part.

  “Okay. But first pinkie swear you won’t tell anyone, not even Kurt.”

  Once she’d given her heartfelt pledge to keep his secret, he surprised her.

  “I’m leaving Hope Springs.”

  “When are you coming back?”

  “I’m not. That’s the point.”

  She remembered how she’d struggled to hold back the tears and failed miserably. Maybe that was why he’d broken down and kissed her...right on the cheek.

  And that was the last time anyone from Hope Springs had laid eyes on him...except for her brother. She stared at the pocket watch, wondering what it meant that Jax possessed it. She knew that he did errands for her grandfather, but was there more to their relationship than mucking stalls and fixing fence lines?

  She had to be sure to phrase her questions just so. She didn’t know want transpired between Jax and her grandfather so she didn’t want to accuse him of anything. But then again, she needed to know the truth.

  “Cleo, we’ve got to leave for the doctor’s or we’ll be late,” Jax called up the steps.

  She hastily put the watch back where she’d found it. They’d have plenty of time to discuss this later. Right now, she needed the doctor to assure Jax that he didn’t have to watch over her any longer—that she was perfectly fine to take care of herself.

  She didn’t need him.

&
nbsp; The bold lie settled front and center in her thoughts, weighing her down. The truth was she wanted him in her life so much it scared her.

  When had Jax come to mean so much to her? Her thoughts rolled back in time, unable to nail down a specific moment when things had dramatically changed between them. Her feelings for him had grown and changed gradually as they spent day after day together.

  And this was nothing like the schoolgirl crush she’d had on him all those years ago in Hope Springs. These feelings went far deeper and had a sharp edge when she thought of Jax leaving—and he would soon. He’d said more than once that his life wasn’t here in Las Vegas.

  This appointment was the beginning of the end for them. Her shoulders drooped. Once they got the all clear from the doctor, it’d be one less reason for Jax to stick around. And from the sounds of it the police were closing in on ape man. In no time at all, Jax would be on a plane for New York. And their time together would be nothing but another memory.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  JAX GLANCED OVER at Cleo, noticing that she’d had something on her mind during their trip into the city.

  “Is everything okay?” he asked.

  She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You heard the doctor. I’m healing up nicely.”

  “This isn’t about the doctor’s visit. Something has been bothering you since we left the house. I thought you’d be happy getting out of there for a while.”

  “I am.” Her tone was flat.

  She was lying, but why? He sure didn’t understand women. Give them what they want and they are still unhappy. Maybe she was hungry. He could whip them up an early dinner and perhaps that would lighten her spirits. She always liked his cooking.

  He eased the SUV onto the highway. “What sounds good for dinner?”

  “Didn’t you hear the doctor? I can take care of myself. You don’t have to keep hovering and doing things for me.”

  “But why should you have to cook when I’m around and I don’t mind?”

  “But that’s the thing, you aren’t always going to be around. As you keep reminding me, your life is in New York. Not here.”

  He glanced in her direction, noticing her crossed arms and the frown on her face. She’d been in an unusual mood ever since he told her that it was time to leave for her appointment. He sure wished he knew what had triggered it.

  But before he could probe further, he spotted a much larger problem. A big black pickup truck was quickly gaining ground on them. Jax picked up speed as he kept glancing in the mirror at the vehicle’s reinforced front bumper and the exhaust pipes trailing up each side of the cab.

  The truck had been tailing them since they’d pulled out of the parking lot at the doctor’s office. He did not have a good feeling about this. Not at all.

  “Maybe now is the time to talk,” Cleo said tentatively. “I found something earlier—”

  “Can this wait?” His gaze strayed to the rearview mirror. The pickup was closing in fast.

  “I think it’s waited long enough.”

  “Hold on!”

  He swerved over into the fast lane and accelerated. The pickup did the same. Definitely not a good sign.

  “What are you doing?” Cleo screeched. “Have you lost your mind?”

  “I think we’re being followed. Our exit is just ahead.”

  He didn’t bother with his turn signal. Instead he waited until the last moment then swerved over through the slow lane and onto the exit ramp. Horns blared. Jax kept going.

  The pickup followed.

  He just had to keep Cleo safe. He’d do anything for her. And in this particular moment, he didn’t have time to contemplate exactly how deep that feeling went.

  “Grab the phone from my pocket and call Detective Jones.”

  Any other time he might have gotten a cheap thrill out of Cleo fishing around in his pants pocket, but his attention was on more important matters. He had no idea what the thug behind him had in mind and he didn’t want to find out.

  Cleo quickly found the saved number on the phone and spoke with the detective. She disconnected the call. “He said to head for the house. He already has units in the area.”

  “Good.”

  A loud thump and they lunged forward, restrained by the safety belts. The SUV shuddered. The pickup had hit them from behind and Jax wasn’t giving the creep a chance to do it again. Jax tramped on the accelerator. The SUV rapidly gained speed, putting distance between them. He sure hoped Detective Jones was right about the nearby units.

  Cleo reached out and squeezed his leg. In that moment he acknowledged something that he’d been fighting for so long—he loved her. And he would do anything to keep her safe and happy.

  More determined than ever to get them to safety, he turned right toward their gated community. And that was when he spotted the nail strips on the road and was able to cut the wheel and avoid them. Fortunately the truck behind them didn’t have the luxury of time and hit the strips, blowing out the tires.

  Jax slowed to a stop and threw the SUV in Park. He glanced out the side window in time to see the police arrest the thug.

  Cleo took off her seat belt and shimmied over next to him to peer out the side window. “Is it really over?”

  “Let’s hope so.”

  Instead of throwing her arms around him and kissing him, she settled back in her seat. “It’s about time.”

  What a strange reaction. Ever since they left for the doctor’s office it was as if a wall had gone up between them. And he didn’t like it. Not one little bit. But until he knew what the problem was, he couldn’t fix it.

  * * *

  Jax entered the house smiling. It had certainly been a day for good news. First Cleo’s doctor’s appointment and now the police had made an arrest. At last, their problems were truly over.

  “Cleo.” He glanced around the living room. No sign of her.

  He moved to the family room. She wasn’t there, either, but he noticed her sketch pad on the coffee table and Charlie curled up on the couch. Something told him that she hadn’t been gone long, because where Cleo was, Charlie wasn’t far behind.

  Next he checked the kitchen. It was empty, too.

  “Cleo!”

  When she didn’t answer, he started to worry. Maybe she’d fallen. She’d been getting around with ease, but she did have a habit of pushing her limits. He took the steps two at a time.

  “Cleo, where are you?”

  He scanned her bedroom. Then he glanced in his room. She was sitting on the bed with her back to him.

  “Hey, didn’t you hear me calling you?”

  She shrugged but didn’t say a word.

  He stepped farther into the room. “Are you okay?”

  She shook her head this time. He sure wished she’d speak, it would make this so much easier. At least then he’d know what was wrong. He started around the bed and stopped in front of her. She was gazing down at something in her hands. It took him a second to recognize the familiar object in her hand.

  “Cleo, listen. I can explain this.”

  “I always wondered what happened to this watch. It was one of my grandfather’s most treasured possessions. I just never would have guessed that he’d given it to you.”

  Jax sat down on the bed next to her. “Your grandfather was a very special man. I’ve never known anyone with a bigger heart.”

  She smiled. “I’m so glad you got to know that part of him.”

  “He took me under his wing and showed me that a man could make his own happiness. He showed me how to work hard for my money. And he taught me respect. In all of the ways that count, your grandfather was more a father to me than my biological one.”

  “I’m glad he was able to be there for you, especially after your mom passed on. He l
iked you, too. But that doesn’t explain why he gave you this.” She dangled the pocket watch.

  Jax reached for it, but she jerked it out of his reach. He sighed. “It isn’t what you’re thinking.”

  “Really? And now you’re a mind reader—”

  “Obviously you think I came to have it by some underhanded way. But I didn’t.” He knelt down in front of her. “You’ve got to believe me. I wouldn’t have done anything to hurt your grandfather. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here today. I’d probably still be in Hope Springs, following in my father’s unhappy steps.”

  Her brow crinkled as her lips pursed together in thought. “For him to give you this, it had to be for some really important reason because this is a family heirloom. Did you know that it belonged to my great-grandfather? It was supposed to be passed down to my father. And then to my oldest brother, Kurt. So you’ll see why I’m confused about how you ended up with it.”

  “Your grandfather gave it to me the day I left Hope Springs.” Jax got to his feet and started to pace. “He told me to sell it when I got to where I was going.”

  She shook her head. “But why this? And what do you know about the money missing from his bank accounts?”

  “I don’t know anything about his bank accounts, but...” Jax wasn’t so sure how she would take this and he hated the thought of letting her down. “He took care of my college tuition as well as my room and board. I didn’t know how he arranged it and he wouldn’t say. But when you were dirt-poor like I was and someone drops you a rope to pull you out of poverty, you act first and think later. Can you understand that?”

  She continued to look at him. He could see the wheels in her mind spinning. But he hoped he was getting through to her. Finally she nodded. But he didn’t give her a chance to say anything, he kept going. He had to make sure she believed he wouldn’t hurt her family in any way. In secret, he’d always dreamed about what it would be like to be a Sinclair—to be a part of a loving, close-knit family.

  “By the time my brain caught up with everything, your grandfather had passed on and all I could do was make the most of the generous gift he’d given me.”