Finding Ever After (37 page)

           
“It’s not that. I just . . . I’m not used to wanting this. My first reaction
when things start to look like a relationship is to bail. But I do. Want you,
and want this.” I smiled and melted into his arms. His lips brushed over my
forehead and I let the contentment wash over me and settle in.

           
Snuggled in close to him, my worries and doubts faded. I enjoyed the moment and
didn’t think about anything except the
aliens
invasion
on the screen and the sound of his heartbeat beneath my head. Those were the
sounds that I fell asleep to.

           
I turned the hot water handle and stood under the hot spray. I sighed as the
heat soothed my aching body and washed away the layer of sweat that covered my
skin. My muscles were so sore. I thought I was in pretty good shape but Kyden
had really worn me out. His stamina was unbelievable, and he left me panting
and so exhausted I would need a week to recover.

           
I was never going running with him again. It was bad enough that he woke me up
before nine on a Sunday morning, but then he made me run eight miles. I hadn’t
run more than four since moving back. My legs felt like Jell-O and I was sure
at any moment I would collapse, simply because Kyden woke up with extra energy
to burn. He was incredibly lucky that I found it difficult to protest when he
shirtless and using that penetrating gaze and those lips against me. He
basically kissed me into submission, and I let him.

           
When I finally emerged from the bathroom after what was probably the longest
shower of my life, and I saw him leaning against the wall staring at me I just
glared.

           
“Oh come on, you know you had fun.” I hardened my face even more and he just
laughed.

           
“
Fun?
You and I have very different
understandings of what that word means.” I mumbled as I brushed past him.

           
“
Aww
.
Do you need a
massage?” I stopped, and he moved over to the bed.
A massage?
I liked the sound of that.

           
“Well my muscles are a little sore.”

           
“Then get over here. I’ll make it all better.” I took a step toward him, but
then halted.

           
“Wait. Massage isn’t code for something else is it?” I raised an eyebrow at
him. He just chuckled.

           
“Not unless you want it to be.” That grin of his was lethal, and for half a
second I wanted it to be. Then I came to my senses and frowned again. “Yeah
that’s what I thought, but you can’t blame a guy for trying.”

           
I peeled off my shirt so that I was in my sports bra and stretched out on my
stomach He kneeled over me, a leg on either side of my hips so that he was
straddling me. His hands started at my shoulders and I closed my eyes on a
sigh.

           
“Tell me about the tat.” He said as his hands moved over the piece on my back.
It was a bird cage, the door hanging open with a broken padlock and a little
bird flying free.

           
“I got it in Tennessee, the day after I left Massachusetts. That was the first
place I stopped. I stayed there for about five months.” He continued to
question me about my time away and I told him about the places I had seen. I
discovered as he worked his way down my back and to my calves that his fingers
weren’t just skilled on the guitar. At some point during the massage I relaxed
so completely that I wasn’t able to answer any more of his questions and I
drifted off to sleep.

           
When I woke back up I was alone in his bed. I found him in the living with Ace
and Danny.
Surprise.
They were trying to slaughter
each other on the Xbox. I turned around and went to get my book. The rest of
the day was spent lounging on the couch, reading and then watching one of those
tattoo reality shows, but that’s what Sundays are for.

           
When Monday morning came, I woke up with an inexplicable worried feeling. My
thoughts went to Shane. I still hadn’t heard anything so I assumed that meant
he hadn’t acted yet. I just had this bad feeling in the pit of my stomach that
it wasn‘t going to end well. I sent him a text to find out what was happening
but he didn’t respond right away. I jumped in the shower so I could get ready
to leave.

           
I’d taken the morning off work so I could meet the construction crew at my
house to let them in. Hopefully they would get started on the repairs right
away. The band had their third meeting with the recording label reps, so
Vi
was my official escort for the day. I was given strict
orders from
Ky
not to go
anywhere but to the house and back.

           
Vi
showed up at eight, her usual perky, caffeinated
self. If a doctor ever had to draw her blood, I was sure he would end up with a
pint of coffee instead. The stuff ran through her veins. I threw my keys into
my purse and followed her out to the Beamer.

           
“So how long are the repairs supposed to take, and the bigger question, will
your boy even let you go back once they’re finished?”
Vi
asked as she took the exit for Needham.

           
“I’m not sure. The insurance company took care of it and hired the
crew,
I only talked to the contractor for a minute on the
phone to set up the time for this morning. Today we’re just going over the
damage and exactly what I want done. They might start tearing stuff out as
well. I’m not sure.” I explained.

           
“As for the other question, yes at some point I will be going home, I just
don’t know when. We haven’t really talked about it yet. I didn’t see much point
when it will probably take a couple of weeks for it to be ready anyway.
Everything with Connor could be resolved by then.” I said, still unable to
shake the uneasy feeling in my gut.

           
“By resolved you mean? . . . Shane will. . .” I sighed. This wasn’t a
conversation I wanted to be having.

           
“I don’t really want to talk about it, or even think about it right now.” I
told her.

           
“I understand. I’m sorry for bringing it up.”
Neither one of
spoke the last few minutes of the ride until we were pulling up outside my
house behind the truck that said T.D. Construction.

           
“That’s
weird,
I could have sworn the guy I talked to
was from Miller Construction.”

           
“Are you sure it was Miller?” She questioned as we hopped out of the car and
walked toward the guys waiting around the truck.

           
“Is one of you Miss Zane?” A tall well-built guy who appeared to be in his late
thirties asked as we approached.

           
“I am.” I answered.

           
“I’m Mark Harris.” He looked at me and stuck out his hand and I shook it, still
somewhat confused because the guy I spoke to on the phone wasn’t named Mark.
“This is Tony and Luke. We’re ready to take a look and get started whenever you
are.”

           
“I’m a little confused,” I explained. “The insurance company said Miller
Construction would be handling the repairs, and the guy I spoke to last week
said his name was Jim. I was expecting to be meeting with him this morning, so
I’m just not sure what’s going on, or why the insurance company couldn’t have
contacted me if they switched companies.”

           
“I’m not sure either. All I know is our boss sent us out here for a job. From
my understanding though, it isn’t an insurance company footing the bill. Our
instructions were to use only the best materials and to special order
everything you wanted. That’s not usually how the insurance companies operate.
They want things done quickly and want to pay as little as possible. You’re
welcome to call our office and find out though.” He handed me a card with their
phone number. I pulled out my cell and placed the call.

           
Five minutes later, after speaking with the secretary at T.D. I hung up my
phone and it took everything I had not to throw it, I was so angry. Who did he
think he was? What was he playing at?

           
“I’m really sorry Mark but there has been a huge misunderstanding that I need
to go take care of. I appreciate you guys coming out here this morning but this
isn’t going to work.” He looked a little surprised but didn’t argue. They
loaded up in the truck and drove off. I was still fuming.

           
“What’s going on Jax?”

           
“
Vi
, I need you to give me ride somewhere.”

           
“Are you sure about this Jax? Because I think it’s a very, very bad idea. In
fact I think it might be the worst idea you’ve ever had.” She insisted after I
told her where I wanted to go and why. “Really, I think we just need to turn
around and go back to the guys’ place. You can call Kyden, or Shane or Sebastian,
anyone and we can get this figured out, but please don’t do this.”

           
“I’m sorry
Vi
, but I have to, and you can’t call
either of them. I need to deal with this myself. I want to know what is going
on.”

           
“I get that, I really do. But I think maybe you’re letting your emotions
control you right now. I understand how mad you are-”

           
“No. I don’t think you do,” I cut her off. “And I’m not changing my mind, so
you can either take me yourself or I’ll get there on my own.” I knew she wasn’t
happy with my choice, but I also knew she wouldn’t abandon me. I needed to do
this.

           
I didn’t bother checking in at reception, and security must have recognized me
because they didn’t try to stop me from getting on the elevator. Good, that
meant he knew I was coming.

           
When the doors opened up on the top floor I stormed right past the main
secretary’s desk, through his personal secretary’s office, ignoring each of
their protests. Once again none of the security guard’s on the floor tried to
stop me as I flung the door to his private office open and charged right in. He
was on the phone, but looked up when I burst into the room. He ended the call
and stood up.

           
“I was wondering when you would grace me with your presence. After all you’ve
been back for what? Almost two months now.” He remarked out snidely, as if he
had the right to be offended. He hadn’t changed a bit. My father was just as
callous and arrogant as ever. I however was not the same. I would not allow him
to intimidate me or try to bulldoze me.

           
“What possessed you to hire that construction company? Why would you think I’d
ever want anything from you? I have insurance and they’re taking care of it. I
don’t need your help.” I fumed.

           
“Yes, I’m aware that your insurance had contracted another company to do the
repairs. I also know that your insurance company would hire a kindergarten
class to fix your house with
Legos
and
popsicle
sticks if they could get away with it.”

           
“What’s it to you?” I snapped.

           
“I was simply ensuring that the job would be done well.”

           
“Again, I ask, what’s it to you?”

           
“You’re my daughter.”
I let out a bitter laugh but he didn’t stop.
“Since when is it wrong for a father to help his daughter out and make sure she
isn’t taken advantage of by her insurance company?”

           
“Since it’s never mattered to you before, or how about since I wouldn’t have to
repair my kitchen in the first place if it weren’t for you.” I yelled.

           
“What makes you think that the fire had anything to do with me?” His calm and
cool exterior never lifted. He was completely unaffected by what I was saying.

           
“I know you had
everything
to do with the fire. Your men set it!” I
shouted.

           
“Enough with the dramatics Jaxyn.”
He barked out.
Finally.
I got a reaction. “I didn’t have anything to do
with it. What reason could I possibly have to set your house on fire?” His
condescending tone only infuriated me further. Before I could scream at him and
bring his entire security team in here to drag me out, my phone rang.

           
It was Lucy. She was crying. Shane was in the hospital. He was shot.
Oh God.

           
“Jaxyn.
What is it?” Jack took a step toward me and I
retreated.

           
“What did you do?” It came out barely a whisper as I ended the call.

           
“Jaxyn, tell me what’s going on.”

           
“Just stop.” I screamed. “Stop pretending you don’t know what’s going on. How
could you do it?” I cried and then turned and ran from the room before he could
answer.

           
I had to get to the hospital; I needed out of this building and away from that
man. I needed to get to my brother. My brother, who was lying in the hospital,
bleeding out, because of our
father
.
Him and Connor.

           
I’d known something awful was going to happen, and now it had. Now I might lose
my brother. He couldn’t die, he couldn’t’ leave me too. I finally had him in my
life,
I couldn’t lose him so soon. Lucy and Izzy
couldn’t lose him.

           
I was beyond hysterical when I got to the car, where
Vi
was waiting for me. I could barely speak to tell her I needed to get to the
hospital. The drive seemed to take forever. She tried calm me down so I could
tell her what happened, but I couldn’t put together more than two words at a
time and I didn’t know if she was even able to understand them between my sobs.