Taryn shook in his arms, crying for all that she’d left behind and missed out on and for how hard her life had been. She couldn’t see her family, couldn’t see her friends. None of them knew where she’d run, and she wouldn’t ever drag them into this. She was completely on her own.
Jackson’s large hand ran over her hair, soothing her, and he ducked down. “Shhh,” he whispered. “No one can hurt you here.”
“I’m sorry,” she babbled. “I didn’t mean to cry all over you and—” She choked out another sob.
“Don’t ever be sorry for how you feel, sweetheart. I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere. I’ll never let anyone hurt you.”
She wasn’t sure how long they stood there in her kitchen, with Jackson’s arms wrapped around her and her tears soaking his shirt. Finally, she pulled back, clutching onto his hand as she looked up at him. Her tears had finally stopped, and she was certain she looked awful, but there was nothing but concern in his eyes.
“Are you okay?”
She sniffed again but nodded. “We should order the pizza. You’re hungry, and it’s getting late.”
“Sure thing. What kind do you like?”
“I already ate.”
“I know, but I’m leaving you the leftovers for tomorrow.”
Shakily, she took a step back from him. “Hawaiian is my favorite, but seriously, get whatever you want. I’ll be happy with anything.”
“Anchovies and onions?” he asked, his lips quirking.
She winced, and he chuckled. “I’m just teasing you. Hawaiian it is.” He pulled his cell phone out of his back pocket and looked up the phone number for the pizza place nearby. “What’s your house number? I know Raptor’s is 126. Are you 124 or 128?”
“One twenty-eight.”
He nodded and made the call, his deep voice making her stomach flip again. All he was doing was ordering a pizza. But no, it was more than that. He was taking control of the situation. Giving her a tiny bit of breathing room. He’d order food, and then they’d order groceries. She still felt guilty about that, but maybe he’d let her cook dinner for him sometime as a thank you. And for one week, she could relax just a fraction. Have a tiny amount of money in her bank account rather than only a couple of dollars. Go to bed without being hungry.
Maybe somehow, her life would eventually be okay after all.
Chapter 6
Jackson chuckled as he told Taryn some stories about his early days in the Navy. She’d seemed horrified by BUD/S, the grueling training men underwent to become SEALs. He loved seeing her smile though. Already, she was looking much more relaxed than yesterday.
She trusted him.
And that knowledge alone made him feel about ten feet tall.
Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes shining as she laughed and took another bite of the pizza. Even though she’d eaten earlier, she hadn’t been able to resist a slice. And hell if he didn’t enjoy providing for her. She wasn’t his girlfriend—not now, and maybe not ever. Not if her ex had turned her off to relationships altogether. But Jackson decided then and there he’d do whatever it took to provide and care for her.
Things were different with Taryn—easy. He wasn’t worried about what to say. He wasn’t thinking about how to get her into bed. He was attracted to her, but he knew absolutely nothing would happen tonight. And that made it easy to just have a normal conversation with her.
Was this what it felt like for Raptor and Ghost when they met their girlfriends? Both of his teammates had seemed to instantly click with their women. One moment they were single, and the next? Each was involved in a serious relationship. Raptor and Clarissa were already engaged. Ghost had convinced Hailey to move in with him. And he’d never seen his buddies happier.
His lips quirked as Taryn’s eyes met his, still sparkling in amusement. “I know you enjoy being a SEAL, but I have to be honest—that sounds awful.”
“It was,” he agreed. “They don’t call it hell week for nothing.”
“I’ll stick with graphic design, thank you very much.”
He chuckled. “Fair enough. So you have a few clients you do design work for?”
She nodded, looking a little nervous. “I do. I don’t have a regular nine-to-five job—not anymore. I get paid off the books for my work. I ran from my ex-husband when I came here. I left everything behind.”
“I know,” he said, trying to look reassuring.
“I had to use a new name—a new identity.” She paused a beat as she watched him. “Why don’t you look surprised?”
Jackson lifted a shoulder. “You hesitated yesterday when I asked your name.”
Her jaw dropped. “You knew I was lying?”
He shrugged. “Lying or nervous to tell me. I’ll admit I appeared out of nowhere when I showed up at Raptor’s house. I realize I’m a big guy.”
“You’re huge.”
He chuckled as she blushed prettily. He was indeed well-endowed, but he didn’t want her to worry about that. He knew she meant he was tall and muscular. He didn’t know exactly how her ex-husband had treated her. Had he hurt her physically? Raped her? Abused her in other ways with harsh words and controlling behavior?
Taryn was a good foot shorter than him, and slender at that. If their relationship ever progressed to where they were intimate, he’d have to be careful. He’d always go at her pace and let Taryn call all the shots. And they weren’t even in a relationship—they’d just met. And she’d already said she didn’t date, so he shouldn’t even be thinking about things like that.
“I know I can intimidate people,” he said in a low voice. “It works to my advantage in the field. When we’re taking down armed men or rescuing hostages, I can do what I need to do. I’ve got a huge advantage physically. I didn’t like that I frightened you yesterday though.”
She licked her lips, looking nervous. “My ex hurt me.”
He stiffened. “Did you go to the police?”
“He was the police. We lived in a small town, and he was the golden boy. Everyone thought Austin could do no wrong.” She gasped as her hands flew to her mouth. Apparently, she hadn’t meant to let his name slip. That didn’t mean Jackson wouldn’t be looking into him. Looking him up. Calling in a few favors. He had military friends all over the world. It wouldn’t end well for the asshole that had dared to harm Taryn. Even if she’d asked him to stay on the sidelines, Jackson knew he’d be tracking the motherfucker down. All he needed was a little more information.
“I didn’t mean to tell you his name,” she hastily said. “He can’t ever find me here. Ever. I managed to divorce him, but he’ll never let me go. He followed me back to where I’d attended college and threatened me again. He’ll spend his life looking for me. And when he does?” Her voice shook, and Jackson’s blood boiled.
“I can protect you.” His voice was gruff, with a hard edge to it, and he tried to keep his face passive. He was livid. Furious that a man had so much as laid a finger on her with ill intent. And he could see she was genuinely terrified. Her ex had no doubt done horrible things to her.
Her gaze darted to the sliding glass doors leading to her deck as she wrung her hands in her lap. “I’m always paranoid he’ll find me and break in somehow,” she admitted. “I changed my name and moved across the country. I change my routine every day in case I’m being watched, but if he ever comes? Nothing will stop him.”
Jackson’s gaze slid to the glass doors. “You keep your doors and windows locked. I can put a wooden dowel in the bottom track to prevent anyone from sliding that open. It’d be hard to get up onto your deck though—there’s no stairs leading to the ground.”
“Not on mine, but my neighbors have a bigger deck with stairs. The neighbors on the other side of the house—not Blake’s.”
Jackson nodded, clenching his jaw. “I think your neighbors would notice a man on their deck or prowling around their backyard. And it would be hard as hell for him to track you here if you changed your name and aren’t using your social secu
rity number for work.”
“I can’t. He’d find me—lie, steal information and files, whatever it took. I even dropped my old clients so I’d have a fresh start.”
“But you can’t get a decent job this way or save up any money. Sweetheart, you’re barely scraping by. Are you sure you don’t want to report him?”
“I can’t. I’ll just make do for now.”
“Hell, I’d support you if you’d let me.”
“No way,” she interrupted.
He resisted the urge to smile. “I figured as much. And I admire and respect that you’re taking classes online and working. Wouldn’t you feel better to put this behind you though? To have him arrested and live a life on your own terms? You could work where you want, go where you want, and not be scared all the time.”
“I can’t, Jackson. I just can’t. You don’t know what he’s capable of.”
“What did he do to you?” he asked, his voice hard.
Taryn pressed her lips together and shook her head. His stomach clenched as he saw her hands shaking.
“Shit. I didn’t mean to frighten you. It’s just that it kills me to know there’s a man out there that hurt you.”
“Maybe someday I’ll tell you, but not right now.”
He nodded. He didn’t like it, but he also wanted her to trust him. He’d only known her for twenty-four hours. It wouldn’t be fair for him to expect her to spill her entire life story to him. He wanted her to feel comfortable enough to tell him anything, but damn. He had the feeling that if he pushed too hard, she’d shut him out. She’d let him into her home, let him order her dinner and groceries. But letting him into her life and heart were entirely different things.
It was a miracle he was even sitting here with her right now.
“You moved into this neighborhood so he couldn’t find you,” Jackson ascertained.
She nodded. “He’d expect me to live in a cheap apartment or something. This is more than I can afford, but I’m hoping to get new clients so I’m not constantly struggling. If he ever tracks me to San Diego, he wouldn’t start in a relatively well-off neighborhood like this.”
“I’m guessing you wouldn’t want to move in with me? No expectations,” he quickly added. “I’ve got a two-bedroom apartment. You could have your own space and save up some money.”
“Jackson, you’re really sweet—”
“Sweet?” he asked, his eyebrows raising.
She flushed but smiled at him. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell your SEAL buddies.”
He laughed out loud then, the sound echoing around her kitchen. Hell no, his teammates would never believe that. They’d never expect him to go soft over a woman. Then again, Raptor and Ghost had fallen hard. They’d kill for Clarissa and Hailey. And damn. If Taryn’s ex ever showed up, he knew he’d do whatever was necessary to protect her, consequences be damned.
“So are you going to tell me your real name?” he asked gently.
She paused, and he could see the genuine fear in her eyes. She swallowed once and then surprised him by answering. “Tara. My real name is Tara. I didn’t want something unrecognizable, and Taryn sounds similar enough, but if he searches for me, he’d look under my real name. I changed my middle and last name, too, of course.”
“That’s smart. If you won’t go to the police, you’re doing the best you can to stay hidden. To survive. That doesn’t mean I don’t hope you’ll let me help you more though.”
The doorbell rang, and Jackson rose. “That’s probably the groceries. I’ll get them and then let you put everything away and get situated. It’s getting late, and I should head out soon. We’ve got PT bright and early in the morning.”
“Okay, I didn’t mean to keep you here so long,” she apologized.
“It’s no trouble,” he assured her.
Jackson crossed her kitchen and went down into the foyer. She had a regular lock and chain, but he’d feel better adding a deadbolt as well. It would be harder for someone to break in. Mentally, he was already tallying a list of what he’d need at the hardware store. Maybe he could swing by after work one day and then knock off a few projects here over the weekend.
He took the grocery bags and carried them up to Taryn’s kitchen. She was already putting away the leftover pizza, and his stomach clenched at how empty her fridge was. He’d already ordered more groceries than she’d needed, but he’d bring by a few more things, too—condiments, staples like butter and cooking oil. He’d ordered her plenty of food but hadn’t considered she literally had nothing here.
“Jackson,” she said in surprise, eyeing all the bags. “You ordered way too much.”
He set the bags on the table, careful of her laptop. “I know you’ll make good use of everything, and some of it is to stock your pantry. I thought maybe I could drop by this weekend—fix the wheel on the trashcan and then do a couple of things to make your home more secure.”
“I’d appreciate it,” she said gratefully. Jackson knew she wasn’t someone who liked accepting help, but if it would make her safer, she’d do it. “Maybe I could fix you dinner or something,” she added shyly.
His heart pounded. There was a faint flush across her cheeks, and male pride swelled in his chest. “I’d like that,” he admitted. “And while I’m pretty handy with home repairs, I’m not much of a cook.”
“Good. Well, Saturday then? Although I admit it’s tough for me to accept help, I do appreciate that you’re trying to make me feel safer here.”
“You will be safer,” he assured her. “And yep—Saturday works. There’s always a chance we’ll get called out on an op, but I expect to be here. If I had to leave for some reason, I’d make sure to let you know.”
“Of course,” she said. “I understand.”
He nailed her with a gaze. “If you’re ever in trouble though—serious trouble—I’d drop everything to get here for you.”
“You barely even know me,” she said softly.
“I want to get to know you. I can be patient, sweetheart. I’ll be your friend and won’t ever push you for anything. And even if we ever did get to the point where you’d let me date you, I still wouldn’t force you to do something you don’t want. Ever. You’re the one in control here.”
“I…I like you,” she whispered.
“I like you, too.”
She hesitated for a moment, looking innocent in the tank top and jeans she was wearing. Taryn was young, but she’d been through a hell of a lot. She crossed over and hugged him then, shocking the hell out of Jackson. He knew Taryn was weary, but her trust meant everything to him. “Be safe, Tara,” he whispered in her ear. She stiffened, clinging to him. “I won’t tell anyone your real name. That’s for me alone,” he said, his voice gravel.
“Okay,” she whispered, stepping back. She clung to his shirt though, and Jackson ducked down, brushing his lips across her forehead. It was tender, and she closed her eyes at his touch. He’d love to pull her closer and kiss her for real, but now wasn’t the time. She might never be ready for something like that. Taryn was scared and vulnerable, and he had to move slowly and be infinitely patient with her. He’d be her friend, and if anything else ever happened beyond that, he’d die a happy man.
“Do you have a cell phone?” he asked as he stepped back.
He frowned as she shook her head no. “Tell me your email address then. I need a way to reach you. And I’m getting you a phone for emergencies.”
“Jackson, you can’t do that!”
“I can, and I insist on it. You need it for your safety if nothing else. I’ll get a prepaid one with minutes already on it. You can save it for emergencies if you want, but this is something I can’t take no for an answer on.”
She hesitated but finally agreed. “I would feel safer with a phone. Now if I need help, I have to run next door to one of my neighbors’ houses. And when I go and run errands, I don’t have a way to call 911 in an emergency.”
“I’d feel better if you had one, too,” he admitted.
She gave him her email address, and he quickly sent her a message so she’d have his email as well. “Why don’t we plan on two Saturday afternoon? I can get a few things done here, and then we can eat dinner if you’re still up for it.”
“Absolutely.”
“All right then. Goodnight, Taryn. Stay safe for me, okay?”
“I’ll be careful.”
He nodded again then turned and crossed her kitchen. If he pulled her into his arms, he’d never want to leave. She followed him down the stairs to her foyer, and he looked back at her one last time. “Make sure you lock up. Use the chain, too.”
“I will. And thanks for everything, Jackson.”
He opened the front door and walked onto her porch, his chest clenching. The last thing he wanted to do was leave her. It was late though, and he’d been gone since this morning. He had his own things to attend to at his apartment, and he had to be up early for PT. He’d see her this weekend. He’d email her since she didn’t have a phone to call or text.
Leaving Taryn was harder than he wanted to admit to himself though.
Chapter 7
Taryn fluttered around her townhouse on Saturday morning, her nerves rattling. Jackson was coming over again today. Jackson. The man who’d inadvertently scared her only a week ago. What if she hadn’t been trying to lug her trashcan down the driveway right when he arrived at Blake’s house? Would she never have met him?
She had a feeling she’d have missed out on a lot if that were the case. It was an odd thought, because she still hardly knew him. They’d exchanged a few emails, and she’d asked Clarissa a bit about him when they’d had coffee one afternoon.
They were still practically strangers though. She didn’t know where he was originally from, or anything about his family, or what his favorite foods or drinks were.
She trusted him though. Unlike the uneasiness she’d always felt with Austin, Jackson made her feel safe. He was a large man who could easily overpower a woman, but she somehow knew he wouldn’t harm her.
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