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  “Look, Mate, I understand your stress, but we will get her back. We have already laid the groundwork and made this place safer for her return. If I know Sully, he won’t take her anywhere else. He is a man full of pride and will bring Serenity back here, if for nothing else, just to teach her a lesson. She started the domino effect and crippled his operation with her escape and survival. He will stop at nothing to get revenge on you both.” I can tell that he hasn’t put the connection together yet. “From the people in Hartford, he knows you are a P.I. and that you were with her. I think that is why he went to her father posing as one. He was hoping to flush you out, and if not you, Serenity. It seems like it worked.”

  Our nice little conversation seems to have satisfied his curiosity for a while, and he walks away, probably still pissed. I think I have a few hours before the goons get here with Serenity, so I lay back down to rest for a while.

  “It’s go time, Jax.” Boomer nudges me all too soon.

  On my way up the stairs, Derek asks me about the other women, so I tell him that Savage took them into protective custody. I don’t have a lot of info on that, so I say nothing else. I move to the bedroom that overlooks the front yard and has a view of the driveway. Derek positions himself in the closet of the master bedroom.

  We don’t have long to wait as I see the SUV pulling in. Out steps Jones from the driver’s seat and he moves to the back door to open it. “SUV pulled in.” Sully gets out the passenger side. “Two guards and Sully.” Mac slides out carrying the limp body of Serenity James. “Oh, Shit!” Damn, did I just say that out loud? Derek will come running, guns blazing. “Hold your position, Mate.”

  It takes everything I have to stay in this room when I want nothing more than to get revenge for Tori. I want to look that bastard in the eye and have him know who ended him and his operation. Derek gets the first shot though and if he doesn’t finish the job, I will. The wait for these assholes to get from the car to the house and heading to their destinations has me bouncing with excitement. There is no calm before the storm once you’ve been a Seal. I finally hear Sully talking but can’t make out what he is saying, and then I hear choking, a loud crash, then pop-pop, followed by breaking glass echoing through the house. Derek screams NO! So I rush into the master bedroom to see Derek giving Serenity mouth to mouth. His movements are jerky and uncontrolled I’m afraid he is going to hurt her before he helps her so I take her wrist to feel for a pulse.

  “Mate, she’s good. She’s breathing and has a strong pulse. Not sure about you Americans but we Aussie’s consider that a win.” Before I see it coming, Derek nails me in the jaw, and I stumble a little. I guess he doesn’t think I’m funny. “I’ll letcha have that one, Mate.”

  Five minutes later, Boomer and I go into the room and drag a still breathing Sully out of there. Derek is cooing and whispering sweet nothings to his woman trying to bring her around, and he doesn’t even see us come in. We are not gentle on the stairs, and we laugh as his head slams down on every step. Boomer props him in a chair and securely ties him down. We take turns slapping him around to wake him up, and he comes to, swearing revenge. I had the pleasure of stuffing his mouth full of someone’s dirty sock that was peeking out from under the couch. Derek comes down with Serenity, trying to get her the hell out of this house. He moves out the front door and we all file out behind him, leaving a squirming, grunting Sully, who knows this is his end. Once they are loaded up, I pound on the hood give them thumbs up and head for my truck parked down by the water. During our escape a week ago, I had to leave it behind, and I almost forgot it was here. I would’ve welcomed the walk back to the airport, knowing I needed the time to clear my head, but now I don’t have to walk.

  The explosion of the house glows on the water, and I wish I could take a picture for Tori as proof.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Comfort:

  *a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint. *the easing or alleviation of a person’s feelings of grief or distress

  What does someone like Jax do to find closure? Is he going to find closure from me? He has mentioned a place called The X Club where he goes to blow off steam and help Subs work through their issues. Is that where he went? I’m sure he had sex at this club before I came along, would he go there to have sex now? Even though he was my first, I’m sure he has had plenty of partners. It makes me a little sick to think that I mean so little to him. It has taken a lot of convincing from the village people to assure me that Jax is not who I thought he was. They tell me he goes undercover on many missions but has never brought a woman here afterward. Does that mean something significant?

  “Amor, Amor, ¿me escuchas (love, love, did you hear me)

  Tito is tugging on my sleeve, trying to bring me out of my daydream. “I’m sorry Tito, I’m lost today.”

  “Què”

  “Olvidalo, Tito” (Never mind Tito)

  I have been teaching the kids for two hours, and my mind keeps wandering to Jax. He has been my one constant for the last week. The spooning every night and feeding me, literally, to the gentle touches and soft whispers when he thinks I’m not listening, are all things I don’t want to live without. Unfortunately for me, I may be too late to let him in.

  I can’t concentrate so I tell the children we will play again tomorrow. They look at me funny, so I’m sure I said it wrong. I stand and slowly walk back to the house.

  Savage pretends that he didn’t see me climb down the balcony this morning and with Jax gone, I don’t know why I even did it, routine probably. When I first got here, I left that way to prove a point to myself. That no matter how much of a prisoner I was, I could still make my own choices. That is not something I ever did in The House. I was too afraid of being beaten and raped. I lost so much of myself with that faulty thought process. Jax came in and tried to prove to me that I had choices, very little, but he gave me as many as he could. He tried to prepare me for everything that was happening and would happen, even though I refused to believe him.

  Savage is waiting for me on the porch and watches me trudge up the steps not saying a word. Walking into the house, I notice things that I haven’t in the last week. Even though this bungalow looks the same on the outside as all the ones in the village, Jax has made this place home. This is his retreat from life’s chaos, his personal space, and he chose to bring me here. The floors are a light grayish brown wood, almost like old barn wood. There is a black leather sofa and love seat that face each other with a coffee table in between. There is not a T.V. in this room, and the only décor are pictures of an older couple with two blonde children, which I assume are Jax and his sister. There are pictures of Jax with two small children that I hope are not his. What if they are and he has a wife in the states, and this is his double life? Before I can panic and think the worst of a man who has done nothing but care for me, I decide to ask Savage later. Continuing with my exploration, I notice the kitchen has all white cabinets that are made to look worn with built-in stainless steel appliances. A small dining table sits between the kitchen and family room and looking at it reminds me of the last moment I spent with Jax. He had to show me proof that my sister was alive because I didn’t believe him and regret washes over me. I move to the double French doors that lead out onto a larger balcony than the one in the bedroom. Rattan chairs, surrounding a fire basin, occupy the deck along with a large barbecue grill. I sit outside trying to come to terms with my own choices and actions and start to cry.

  “Hey, Sugar, why the water works? If he comes back and sees you crying, he’s going to assume I did something to make you cry and kick my ass.”

  I giggle through my tears. I can’t imagine Jax kicking Savage’s ass for anything because they are like brothers. I can tell that Savage respects Jax, and they have a bond that will never break. Troy probably knows more about Jax than anyone.

  “Is Jax Married? Does he have a wife and children I should know about?” He bursts out laughing, and his light blue eyes light up like the s
un.

  “Is that why you’re crying? Jesus! I have no idea what he had to tell you in that house or what you might’ve overheard, but that man is not married. He definitely doesn’t have any kids that he knows of. Why would you ask?”

  “The pictures on the wall.”

  “Oh Yeah, no! That’s his sister Jana and her two kids Alissa and Taylor. They live in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Did he tell you he was married and had kids?”

  “No.” Now I feel stupid because I am always thinking the worst of this man who saved me from a fate worse than death. “It’s what he hasn’t told me. He is so cryptic, telling me a little but not enough to understand the meaning.”

  “Sugar, you need to understand one thing about Jax. His feelings are in his actions. He doesn’t say much but means a lot. He does things when he thinks no one is paying attention that affects people in monumental ways. He is my brother in all ways. When I lost someone..............”

  He is silent for about thirty seconds as if remembering something and his face turns somber.

  ”He helped me to get past it as much as he could. I’m not going to go into details but just know that there is no better man.”

  We stay on the deck talking about our childhood and families until late. Ina brought us tamales, so we eat out there too. I think I fell asleep outside by the fire pit and only wake up a little as Savage is carrying me to bed. “Thank you,” I mumble as he tucks me in.

  “No problem, Sugar.”

  As he walks out, he mumbles something about don’t let him let you get away.

  I don’t plan on going anywhere, so that is not a problem.

  ∞∞∞

  I decide to fly to Fort Walton Beach and visit my sister before heading back to Costa Rica. I know I’m just delaying the inevitable, but I need to pretend that she is mine for just a little while longer. Savage is there and will protect her with his life; I know she is in good hands.

  Jana and the two rug rats pick me up at the FBO near their house. Jana’s husband, Rick, is Special Forces and is away in Afghanistan for another month, so she is ecstatic to have adult company.

  “Jaxson Levi, it’s been too long.”

  Jana races up to embrace me with her two little ducks in tow.

  “Unci Jax, Unci Jax, we misses you.”

  “Hey, Squirt, I misses you too.” I rub Alissa’s head and pull her to my side, then scoop up Taylor for the best neck hug in the world. “Well hello, little guy.” He giggles, and I know why my sister decided to have kids.

  “Uh oh, that look on your face tells me you’re having girl trouble and need some sisterly advice.”

  Having older parents with a bigger than average generation gap proved difficult at times to talk to our parents about teen issues. We learned at an early age how to be each other’s sounding board when it came to relationships. We load up in her Land Rover and drive back to her house on the beach. The whole family surfs so this is a perfect location for their family to settle down. Her deck looks out on the ocean, and we settle in for a long talk, with a whiskey and coke for me, and white wine for her.

  “Spill it; I haven’t seen you this tied up since what’s her face in high school.”

  Little does she know, that was just pride and infatuation for Kari, my high school sweetheart. I thought it was love back then, but it definitely doesn’t compare to what I feel for Tori now. I tell her all the sordid details about the undercover operation and stumbling across information on Tori before going into The House. Jana doesn’t laugh at me when I tell her that I think I fell in love with Tori just from her picture. She sits quietly, listening to my reasons, lies, and excuses of my actions until I am exhausted. Not until I have emptied my soul onto her deck does she finally speak.

  “Momma used to say that the truth sometimes hurts, but lies destroy. I understand that you had to put up a ruse, and there are things you had to do to keep her safe, but how much truth have you told her since you got away.”

  “I’ve tried, she just doesn’t want to hear me. I whisper everything to her at night while she’s sleeping because she avoids me during the day playing with the village children.”

  “Then you haven’t tried hard enough. Remember when Rick decided he wanted to date other girls and how devastated I was? Well, your advice was to let him see how happy I was without him. When he saw what he was missing, he would come crawling back, but under no circumstance was I to give in too soon. You said, make him prove to me how much he really loves me and make him fight for what he wants. He married me three months later and fights for me every day. Why are you giving up on what your heart wants? Why aren’t you fighting for her? Maybe she just needs to know the lies are over, and you will fight for her for the rest of her life.

  Damn, my sister is smart. Feeling much lighter about my dilemma, and the three whiskey and cokes help too, I stand up and head to the guest room. I planned on flying back tonight, but my sister wouldn’t let me drink and fly. “Har har har,” I replied.

  At 9:00 am, two rug rats jump on my head, screaming and bouncing all over. I haven’t seen them in six months, so I figure they need a little lovin’. Grabbing Alissa by her ribs and tickling until she squeals has Taylor pulling on her legs to save his big sister. I see so much of Jana and me in these two kids; it makes my heart swell.

  “Let’s go surfing Unci Jax, come on, come on.”

  “Okay, okay, kids, only for a little bit. I have to fly back to Costa Rica today.” We run out the back door and into their backyard that is the beach and ocean. Alissa is really good on a surfboard. However, Taylor is just learning, and shares mine with me. Jana just sits on the beach laughing her ass off as Alissa keeps passing us up, damn showoff. We finish up around noon, so I call the FBO to have them fuel the plane and get it ready. I kiss my family goodbye and promise to bring Tori home to meet them soon. I will see Tori again in four and a half hours and for the first time, I feel hopeful about our future.

  “We will call her Auntie Tori.”

  They scream at me from the car. Gotta love those hopeful, naïve, little shits.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Satisfy:

  *meet the expectations, needs, or desires of someone. *provide someone with adequate or convincing information or proof about something. *fulfill a desire or need

  For two nights I haven’t slept worth a damn. Jax said he was coming back last night, but he never showed. Is staying away from me helping him to find closure from me? He rushed out after showing me the articles about my sister and me so I didn’t have a chance to tell him that I’m sorry for not believing him. How many other things did I misunderstand or not believe? I start second guessing my choices and actions even though they were made with self-preservation in mind. Questioning every thought and action has been my life for the last four weeks, and I’m having a hard time changing that. Do I want to make my heart vulnerable to this man? Should I tell him how I feel and risk being humiliated if he doesn’t return the sentiment?

  Needing to get my mind off things I can’t change; I go to the village to play with the children. They don’t want to do lessons, so we settle on playing football/soccer for most of the afternoon. As the sun goes down and the children are called in for dinner, I call it a night and head home. Home? On the dirt road back to Jax’s house, I meet up with Savage, and he walks me the rest of the way, teasing me about the mouth-watering steaks he has on the grill for us. We sit on the deck, as we have for the last two nights, eating and talking until only stars light the sky. I wish Jax were here with me. Not that I mind Savage’s company, but I just want Jax to hold me again and whisper in my ear.

  Troy Savage is a completely different guy once you strip away that tough exterior and crude humor. He has hinted that he lost his one true love and I can’t tell if he blames himself or her for that loss. He has a soft side and has done everything he can to help me really understand Jax. They have only known each other for three years, but Savage trusts no one more than Jax. “Have you heard from
Jax?”

  “No, sorry Sugar. He’ll be back, I swear.”

  Just then, my neck tingles and chills race down my spine. I turn around just as he walks through the front door and drops his bag. I don’t even remember standing and walking or running because in the blink of an eye my body was wrapped around his and our lips were fused together. Savage told me that Jax speaks with actions, so I’m just going to show him how I feel.

  “That’s my cue. I’ll just let myself out.”

  As the door clicks shut, Jax instantly presses me hard to the wall. His hands on my ass pull me closer. We have on too many clothes, so I release his neck and start to pull his shirt open just as he sets me on my feet to push my shorts down. Why the hell did I wait so long to enjoy this? Oh right, I was waiting for this man, this moment and this feeling of being complete.

  ∞∞∞

  I knew the moment I saw her she was mine. I tried to convince myself that I could let her go if that’s what she really wanted. I thought I could walk away if that would make her happy. I know now I was telling myself lies. She was made for me. Her body was made for mine. I will own her heart, body, and soul if I have to fight the rest of my life for it. The last two days away from her made me ache all over and the plane could not fly fast enough to get me back here to her. I couldn’t be more pleased with her reaction to me coming home and at this point, we still haven’t said a word to each other.

  As I stand here catching my breath, I realize that I still have her crushed to the wall just inside the front door. Her legs are still pinned in the crook of my arm and are probably going numb. How will she react when I tell her I won’t let her go? That I plan on owning every inch of her delectable body, generous heart and passionate soul? Will she run again thinking I’m just like the other bastards who wanted to own her? Grabbing her hand, I walk her into the bedroom and help her into our bed, still completely naked. I slide in next and pull her flush to my body that has craved hers since the moment I walked into her room at The House.