Hopelessly Broken (4 page)

Jenn sighed. “I guess I might as well tell you the whole story. Our parents died. You knew that part, I think. What you didn’t know is that I’m not old enough to be Logan’s legal guardian. After our parents’ death the state tracked down an aunt we’d never met before. She showed up, stayed for a little while and then disappeared. It was actually a good thing, her leaving. She was weird. And I didn’t like her.”

“Wow.” Aeron grimaced.

“Anyway, a worker from Human Services just showed up at our house today, asking to speak to my aunt’s fictitious son. I made him up. You know. To buy some time?”

His lips twitched. It wasn’t a smile. It wasn’t a frown. “Yeah?”

Jenn couldn’t read Aeron’s expression. She had no idea what he was thinking. She blurted, “What do you think about pretending to be my older cousin?”

He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her.

He couldn’t have planned this better. Here he had been struggling to gain Logan’s trust
because of Logan’s sister, and now the opportunity of a lifetime had just fallen into his lap.

It was perfect.

But…

Logan
’s sister hadn’t stopped talking since she’d asked him to pose as her cousin.

“You’ll have to lie and say you’re living with us. But it won’t be for long, only a couple of weeks until I’m eighteen. Then I can petition the court to become
Logan’s legal guardian. I have a steady source of income. So there won’t be a problem.”

Her eyes were so wide, so pleading.

So beautiful.

Her gorgeous face was creased with tiny lines of worry and fear, dark shadows staining the fine skin under her eyes.

He’d done well up to this point, finding a way to gain his clients’ trust while avoiding getting too close to other family members. Up till now.

There was something about Jennifer, something special.
She wasn’t like the other girls, the ones he screwed for fun. Party girls. Easy girls. Fun girls. It wasn’t just how she looked; she was the most beautiful girl he’d ever met. She gave off this strange combination of strength and vulnerability. He didn’t just want to hook up with her for sex. He wanted to…know her. What would happen if he were forced to spend time with her? Alone?

No, he couldn’t do it. He was only human.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d talked to someone his age, had a real conversation with a girl. Sure, he’d had sex. Plenty of it. He could always find girls willing to sleep with him. But sex was sex. It took care of some needs. But not all of them. He liked Jennifer. What if she liked him too?

“I’m sorry,” he said.
“I can’t.”

Her lip started quivering, and his gut twisted.

Oh damn. Oh damn.
His gaze locked on her mouth. She didn’t know what she was asking. But there was no use trying to explain it. Soon he would be leaving again, his next case taking him to God-only-knew where. Personal relationships weren’t possible. Not for him. Only physical ones. Brief. No-strings.

But that did
n’t mean he didn’t feel lonely. That didn’t mean he didn’t long to spend hours and hours talking to someone who truly knew him.

Never before had
that aching been so powerful. So overwhelming.

She did it to him.
Jennifer. It was those eyes of hers. They pulled him in like a strong tide dragging a boat toward the reef. In the end, if he surrendered, they would both be destroyed. And then what?

“Please,” she said.
“I realize you don’t know us very well. But if they take Logan away from me, I won’t have anything, anyone. They’ll all be gone. Everyone who mattered.”

He knew that pain. He had been there
before.

“And Logan
, she continued. “God only knows where they’ll take him. They could send him far away, to another state.”

That possibility hadn’t entered his mind. Until now. If
Logan was moved suddenly, and he couldn’t find out where he was in time, that could put his whole case at risk.

But…

She added, “For some reason, Logan trusts you. I’m too scared to trust you, or anyone for that matter. But I’m desperate enough to put aside my fears and ask you for his sake. For Logan.”

She was trembling all over now. Aeron’s arms burned. He wanted to hold her until she wasn’t afraid anymore.

Where the hell was this coming from? He’d been lonely for years. Never before had he felt such an overwhelming urge to get close to someone. As luck would have it, that someone now needed his help. If he agreed to help her, he would have to keep his distance. Somehow.

How?

She crossed her arms over her body, basically enveloping herself in an embrace. It should be him holding her, his instincts told him. It should be him comforting her, telling her everything would be okay. And then, somehow, he should make it so.

If only that were possible.

“Aeron!” Logan shouted as he trotted through the house like a little wild colt. Cradling Cojack in his arms, he stopped in the center of the living room. His wide-eyed gaze jumped from him to Jennifer and back again. “What’s wrong? Why is Jenny crying?”

“It’s okay,
Logan.” Jenn dragged her hand under her red, watery eyes and sniffled. “I was just…I’m allergic to something in the house. It’s making my eyes water.”

Logan
wasn’t buying his sister’s explanation; Aeron could see that plainly on the boy’s face. “Hmmm.” His gaze found Aeron’s again. “Cojack is tired. He wants to rest.”

“That’s fine
,” Aeron told him. “You know where his bed is.”

Jenn stood. “We
should get going. Thank you for talking to me about…the situation. I hope you’ll…” She paused, tracked Logan’s movement as he scampered back down the hall toward the spare bedroom where Cojack’s dog bed was kept. Quietly she said, “I hope you’ll keep this discussion to yourself.”

“Of course I will.
Logan is a great kid. I don’t want to see him unhappy. I wish…”
I wasn’t such a sissy ass.
“I wish there was something I could do to help.”

“That’s okay. We’ll find another way. It’s just for a couple of weeks.”

Logan came back empty handed. “Cojack’s sleeping like a baby.”

“Thanks, buddy.”

“Jenny, now that you know I walk Cojack, can I come back tomorrow?” Logan asked as he slid his little hand into his sister’s. Together they walked toward the front door.

Her gaze flicked to
Aeron’s, and something inside him snapped.

God help me.

“No,” Aeron said. “You can’t come back, Logan.”

Logan
whirled around, his eyes full of confusion. “Why, Aeron? Why can’t I come over and walk Cojack? Jenny? Is this your fault?”

“Because we’re coming to stay
with you for a couple of weeks,” Aeron blurted. “Me and Cojack.”

Logan
’s face beamed. “You are?”

Jennifer.
Her face. No angel shined brighter than she did.

His heart twisted.
God help him, he was going to need all the strength he could get.

He cleared his throat.
“We are. We’re coming to stay with you and your sister for a while. I’m going to pack up some things, and we’ll be there in a few.”

At the door, Jenn mouthed, with those perfect lips he could only dream of tasting, “Thank you.”

Jenn was fighting tears all the way back to the house. She had never been so relieved.

Aeron was going to help her. He was really going to do it!

She’d been absolutely terrified asking him. And when he had told her no, she’d been even more petrified, thinking he might report her to the authorities.
Aeron had been so firm, so resolved in his refusal. Something had changed his mind. What had it been?

“Why is Aeron coming to stay with us, Jenny?”
her brother asked again and again as they slipped and slid down the quiet, empty sidewalk.

Their footsteps crunched
in the crispy snow, the sound echoing off the shabby little 1920’s bungalows lining the narrow street. The air was bitter cold, cutting through her coat like a blade. She hunched her shoulders against the wind and tightened her grip on Logan’s hand. “Because…he’s having some repairs done on his house, and he can’t live there until the workers are finished.”

“Oh. I’m glad. So does this mean you like him now, Jenny? You wouldn’t let a stranger live with us, no matter what. So he must be your friend now, right?”

Friend? After what he’d just agreed to do for her and Logan?
Best
friend was more like it.

“Yes,
Logan. He’s my friend now.”

He gave a whoop of joy, accompanied by a series of hops and bounces. “I knew you’d like him if you gave him a chance. He’s really nice. And funny. W
hen I’m with him I kind of forget about everything, about all the sad stuff. I…feel a little bad--”

“
Oh, Logan.” Jenn stopped to squat before her little brother. Sometimes it shocked her how sensitive and intuitive her little brother could be at such a young age. She knew it was the grief that had forced him to grow up so quickly. A part of her burned, deep inside, every time she saw that side of him, the man that was emerging far too soon.

It was her fault. All of it. Which was why she was fighting so hard to keep him in his home, the only one he’d ever known.

She took his little hands in hers. “You’re just a kid. Kids should be happy. All the time. They should have fun, running and playing and laughing all day. If there was any way, I would make sure you never felt sad again. Never.”

“But if I didn’t feel sad, would I know how good it is to feel happy?” he asked.

She had no answer to his question.

* * * * *

The knock came at a little after ten o’clock. It was dark outside, frigid cold. A typical Michigan January night. The porch light flickered, illuminating the tiny snowflakes blowing around Aeron’s head, the glow making him look almost inhuman. Angelic.

She opened the door, inviting him, his dog, and a breath-stealing gust of arctic wind inside. “Hi.” She stepped aside to push the door closed behind him.

His arms were loaded with a huge laundry basket, heaped to the top with clothes. The little bug-eyed Chihuahua sat on top, giving her some slant-eyes. He said, “Sorry it took so long. I had a few things to take care of first.”

“It’s okay.” Her gaze hopping back and forth from the basket to his face, she jerked her head toward the staircase. “I have a spare bedroom for you to use.”

“Great.”

The entire climb up the steps, she felt his gaze on her, warming her skin and making it tingle. At the top, she waved an arm, twisting to press her index finger to her lips. “
Logan’s sleeping. Your room is this way,” she whispered.

He nodded.

The dog made a little yap sound and leapt from the basket.

“Cojack!” Aeron whisper-shouted.

Cojack dove through the crack between Logan’s ajar door and the frame.

“That’s
Logan’s room.” She waved again, motioning him toward the spare bedroom. “I’ll get him in a second.”

“Sorry. He’s very fond of your brother. I think Cojack likes Logan
more than me.”

“That’s fine. But, no offense, when this is done, Cojack must go back home with you.” She stepped into the spare room and flipped on the light.

“Deal.” Aeron followed her in, glanced around the room then brushed past her to drop the basket onto the bed.

“There’s only one bathroom up here. Sorry. We’re going to have to share.”

“No problem.” He indicated the basket with a thumb over his shoulder. “I brought my own towels and toiletries.”

“Thanks again for agreeing to do this. I…” She swallowed the little sob that had bubbled up from her belly. “Things have been so hard for us both, but especially for
Logan. If the state took him away from me…I…I don’t know how he would deal with it.”

Aeron’s smile was soft, gentle, utterly charming
—and dangerous. “It’s okay. I’m glad to help.” He stepped forward once, twice, moving within reach. Jenn’s heart started hopping around in her chest like a caged rabbit. His hands lifted from his sides. He jerked around and started pulling clothes from the basket. “I…I’d better get unpacked, in case, you know.” His voice was chilly, clipped.

It was such a quick
change in mood, she stood stunned for a handful of seconds. “Sssure.” She backed out of the room, doorknob in her hand. Before she shut the door, she said, “If you’re hungry, there’s plenty of food in the kitchen. Help yourself.”

“Thanks,” he said to the wall. Or maybe it was the bed. Either way, he didn’t say it to her.

Bewildered and unsettled, she went down to the living room. Had it been her imagination, or had he intentionally been kind of cold toward her all of a sudden? Why?

She grabbed her book, checked all the doors and windows to make sure everything was locked then headed upstairs. Remembering Cojack, she pushed
Logan’s door open enough to squeeze through and tiptoed to his bed. Cojack had made himself comfy in Logan’s bed, his little dog body curled up against Logan’s little boy one. She reached for him, but Logan rolled over, flopped an arm over the dog and smiled.

“Can he sleep with me tonight? Please?”
he begged.

“You’re supposed to be asleep.”

“I will be. I promise. I sleep better with Cojack.”

“Of course you do,” she said on a chuckle. As his wide little-boy eyes blinked in the darkness, she shook her head. Who could tell this kid no? Who? “Fine. But you’d better get to sleep pronto. If I come back and find you awake, I’ll take him away.”