Secrets (The Secret Series Book 1)

by James, Jax

  “I guess you haven’t seen the end of me Larissa because there’s no way that I can leave you knowing that he is out there looking to exact his own vengeance. I can’t in good conscience leave any of you, so that means we’re all going to be stuck together for awhile.” I’d already resigned myself to knowing that my life was never going to be the same, but I thought after all this that there would be some kind of freedom as a reward. As it was, we had only taken one small step, when there remained a huge metaphorical boulder still standing in our way.

  I can’t say that I didn’t mind Jason sticking around, but it was a very high price to pay in order to keep this love alive.

  Acknowledgements

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  “Hey honey, want to bring those sweet cheeks over here and bring me a beer while you’re at it.” I didn’t like this type of work, but it was the only thing that I could find on such short notice, as we had just arrived a few days ago under the guise of a happily new married couple with a couple of friends that had decided to visit. Tony had done some amazing work with new identities and apparently my name was Linda and my husband was Jake. “I don’t have long, but I’ll make the time to see that ass wiggle in this direction. I may be married but I’m certainly not dead and as long as I come back to my wife, she doesn’t mind if I ogle the merchandise.”

  Jason had found some work as a mechanic’s apprentice and the only reason why we needed jobs in the first place was because all of our accounts had been frozen by this huge corporate organization that was making our lives a living hell. The voice had lived up to their claim and apparently what we had done had opened a Pandora’s Box that we just couldn’t close. “I’ll be with you in a minute, and just let me give this man his check and I’ll get you that beer.” This place was mostly frequented by truckers coming off the interstate, but it was good honest work and the tips were pretty good.

  The owner was a sweetheart and had even agreed to pay me underneath the table. Sam was a grizzled old veteran that had seen his time in the sun, but had now bought this diner from the previous owners a few years ago. “Jeez it’s not like I’m asking you to sit on my lap or anything. Then again, what do I have to do to get that kind of treatment, because I would pay extra for something like that?” This man was all talk and just bluster, but his attitude irked me and I was this close to dumping the cup of hot coffee in his lap.

  Thinking better of it, I realized that stooping to that kind of level would only attract unwanted attention. We were trying to stay out of the spotlight and away from anything that would get us caught on camera. We had specifically come to this small no nothing town because Tony had found that it was the least likely to have technological advances.

  Grabbing a beer, I brought it back to Tucker’s table and he did the exact same thing that he does every time, slapping my ass as I turned around and went back to wait on a young couple. Apparently they were just passing through and had decided to stop for a moment to stretch their legs and get something to eat.

  “You shouldn’t have to take something like that. Why don’t you say something to him.” This young woman seemed like she was from the city and wouldn’t take that kind of crap off of anybody. “I think somebody should put that man in his place and I’m just the person to do it.” She started to get up from the table, but I kicked her legs out from underneath her and made her land back on her chair.

  “That’s not necessary. I really don’t want to make a fuss, especially since I live here and you don’t. He’s harmless and if I thought he was anything more than that, I’d put a stop to it. In this profession you have to take some kindly teasing, but it’s all in good fun and besides he tips well.” I’d cut my hair really short and was now using colored contacts to hide the color of my eyes. We all knew that easiest way to be recognized was by the windows to the soul.

  “I understand what you’re saying, but if somebody doesn’t stand up to that kind of bullying, then where does it end?”

  “Honey, we are just visitors and we shouldn’t get involved. Linda seems like she has everything under control and for us to interfere would only jeopardize her working relationship with her clients.” He was talking like he had been to a highfalutin university and you could tell that his intellect was vastly different from those around here. “Let’s just finish our meal and get back on the road, because we still have a few hours before we reach Barbara and John’s place.” I could tell that his wife wasn’t very happy about any of this and underneath she was fuming mad and wanted to assert her authority.

  “Fine, but you’ll have to promise me that you’ll do something if he gets out of hand.” She was literally biting her tongue, but at least she wasn’t taking action into her own hands.

  “I’ve been doing this for some time and I think I can take care of myself. Thanks for your concern and I’ll take your advice to heart.” This seemed to appease her for the time being, and I could only hope that she wouldn’t be coming around any time soon. If her husband had anything to do with it, they wouldn’t be stopping here on the way back.

  Even as she was speaking, I was scanning the room as Jason had taught me to see if there’s was anything suspicious going on. So far, we had been blending in pretty well and we even started to pick up on the lingo around here. This was after all a southern community and to blend in you had to start acting the part.

  The couple soon left, but I got this eerie sensation that things weren’t right somehow. Maybe it was the way that he was looking at me over his shoulder, or maybe it was just my imagination getting the best of me. Convincing myself that it was nothing, I went back to work and continued with my shift until it was time to clock out.

  As I was coming out from the back, my new husband Jake was waiting for me with stained overalls and grease on his face from a long day’s work at the mechanic shop down the street. He was talking to Sam and they were laughing like they were old friends. I had to admit that Jason was able to immerse himself into any environment and make it look so effortless. “You know how it is, Sam and sometimes life serves you lemons and then you make lemonade.” Sam was laughing as ass off, his hand down on the knee that had been surgically replaced after the war.

  “I always like seeing you come in here Jake. You always make me laugh. Somebody that can do that on a regular basis is considered my friend and somebody that gets a piece of pie on the house.” He went around to the other side of the counter and cut him a huge slice of apple pie.” Being that we were supposed to be from the south, it would be rude for him to do anything but accept the gesture.

  “Thanks Sam. It’s not like my wife here cooks me anything.” He made him laugh again, pointing at him and almost falling onto the floor in hysterics. Tossing his apron over his shoulder, he went into the kitchen leaving him to finish off the pie.

  “I don’t know how you do this, but you should teach some kind of class.” I was talking low so that nobody else could hear me and the only one that needed to hear me was my new husband Jake. “You must have some very specific training for this type of work.”

  “Hey, I just listen for the queues and then follow along like I know what I’m talking about. It’s not that hard and most people are easy to read, present company excluded.” There was a time that he was going to kill me, but somehow things had gotten turned around and now we were on the run together.

  In the last few days, we hadn’t been intimate, but I think it had something to do with Miko being undertow every second of the day. She would be there when we got home at the end of the day and be up early in the morning to se
e us go off to work. I think that she was purposely trying to keep us from finding time to be together. Maybe her feelings for him hadn’t disappeared altogether. Being a man, I don’t think he had any clue of what was going on and I didn’t want to be seen as the jealous sort. My best course of action was to remain neutral and give her a lot of space.

  “It’s not that easy for me, but I think that I’m starting to get the hang of it.” I heard that distinct sound of a fork hitting the plate and looked to see that he had finished off the piece of pie. He was wiping his lips with a napkin and coming back with a combination of bits of apple and grease that was stained on his face. “We better get going, but let me pick up the leftovers and bring it with us.” It was one of the arrangements that I’d made with Sam and whatever was left at the end of the day was ours to take home. It was all going to go to the garbage anyway, so he didn’t exactly balk at the idea that we were trying to save some money.

  “I have an early morning, because the Jackson’s truck needs to be overhauled before the end of the day tomorrow. It’s an all day job and we’re shorthanded as it is.” He was actually sounding like a redneck mechanic and you wouldn’t know it to look at him, but he was a trained assassin able to kill somebody in more ways than I could count. “I think that our guests would love to have some of Sam’s meatloaf. They have been cooped up in the house all day and I imagine that they’re going a little stir crazy by now.” I could still hear Sam in the kitchen laughing as we walked out into the parking lot to Jake’s black pickup truck.

  It was old and still had a carburetor, but it got us from point A to point B and was the one thing that we had gotten on the road. Jason had told me that these types of vehicles were rare and they didn’t make them like this anymore. He also told us that there was no computer chip or navigation system that could be used against us. We didn’t even have a computer and Tony would use the wifi with his laptop.

  We stopped at the truck and he turned and grabbed me by the waist, pulling me in for a kiss that had the hairs on my arms rising to the occasion. “Let’s really sell this, because your boss Sam is looking at us as we speak.” I thought for sure that he was getting carried away, but he was just trying to put on airs for Sam. The kiss on the other hand was something memorable and at first I resisted but then the urge to kiss him back was too much of a temptation. I didn’t want him to think that I was just going through the motions, because with him it was something entirely different.

  Grabbing him tightly, I saw his eyes go wide with surprise, but then he played along and rolled with the punches. My tongue was moving sensuously against his lips and they parted just slightly and enough for me to slide in between. Our hands were playing down each other’s bodies and if it wasn’t for the fact that we were in a public place, I’m sure that we would have thrown caution to the wind.

  About the Author

  Jax James has been reading suspense and romance since she was a young girl. She has taken this passion to write fast paced novels featuring strong romantic heroes. Jax can be found sitting in a neighborhood cafe drinking a latte and eating a sweet while she conjures up new stories for her readers. Jax lives outside of New York with her cat and dog!

  Keep in touch with Jax at jaxjames.com or Facebook.

  For even more romance, check out Brazen Romance