Invisible (10 page)

Chapter 11

Jax

It had been two days since Lainie and I made love for the first time, and I still couldn’t believe that this wonderful woman loved me. The only thing that would have made me happier was for the danger to be over so I could concentrate on loving her instead of keeping her safe. This evening she spent some time out on the porch writing in her journal. She even mentioned earlier that she might try to write a book when all of this was behind us.

My iPod was on the dock and playing “God Gave Me You,” and I was singing along as I chopped tomatoes for the salad. On days like this, it would be easy to think of ourselves as an ordinary couple enjoying life instead of fugitives avoiding a vicious felon.
I’m so lucky to have her in my life again. She completes me.
I looked up and noticed her standing in the doorway, watching me with a smile on her face. She blushed and I smiled back, which made me think about what I wanted to do with her in bed later.

“Dinner should be ready in about ten minutes. You done writing for the day?” I asked as I poured the vinaigrette over the salad and started to toss it.

“Yes, and I’m starving. Those pork chops smell heavenly.” She walked over and stood behind me, putting her arms around me and resting her head against my back. Then she kissed my shoulder and let go, making her way to the cupboard to grab the plates and silverware to set the table.

While she was busy with that, I began to think about our day
.
It had been one of the best so far. Lainie had been upset with me earlier when I made her stay at the cabin while I drove into town for groceries and gas for the generator. While I was there, I called Matt to check on their progress. They should be here in a couple of days. I gave him the code to Jim’s Las Vegas house so they could use it tonight and relax. Before we hung up, I asked him to pick up a used laptop if he had a chance on their way up. Lainie could use it to start writing her book instead of the notebooks; she had already filled up two of them and was working on the third. I picked up three more and added them to the pile of groceries in case he couldn’t find one.

For a little Mom-and-Pop store, they sure had a good selection. I picked out a couple of pork chops to cook for dinner before choosing some fresh produce for a salad. I almost got a bottle of strawberry vinaigrette until I remembered that Lainie was allergic to strawberries. I ended up getting the raspberry flavor instead.

The timer dinged, bringing me back to the present and letting me know the stuffed pork chops were done. I pulled them out of the oven to let them rest as I took the salad over to the table.

“Do you mind if I start on my salad?” Lainie asked as she scooped the leafy greens out of the bowl onto her plate.

“Go ahead, the chops need to rest for a few minutes before we eat.”

I sat down and scooped some salad onto my plate and admired her as she took a bite.

“What? Do I have dressing on my chin?” she asked, clearing her throat.

“No, just enjoying the view,” I replied as I got up and went over to get the chops. I heard her start coughing and clearing her throat again. Then she dropped her fork on her plate and started gasping.

“Lainie? What’s wrong?”

“Must be,” (cough), “strawberries,” (cough), “in the dressing…”

Shit.
I grabbed the bottle and looked at the ingredients. My heart was in my throat when I saw strawberry extract on the list.

“No EpiPen.” She was gasping for air.

I grabbed the nearest cell phone and prayed the two bars of signal would last as I dialed Jordan’s cell number while lowering Lainie to the floor, praying she would pick up a call from an unknown number. Luck was on our side—she answered. “Lainie’s having an allergic reaction. Tell me what to do!”

“Jax? Get the first aid kit I sent with you. Elaine told me she left her EpiPen with her purse, so I put some epinephrine and syringes in there.”

After putting the phone on speaker mode, I tossed it down on the table and ran to the bathroom to pull the first aid kit out from underneath the sink. Running back to Lainie, I almost lost it when I saw her struggling to breathe, gasping and coughing, her lips starting to get tinged with blue.

“I’ve got it,” I said, opening the box looking for the vials.

“Jax, Elaine’s not going to be able to administer this to herself. You’re going to have to do it.”

Blood rushed out of my head at the thought of using a needle on her. My vision cleared when Jordan’s voice penetrated the fog in my brain. “Jackson. Focus. You have to do this or she will die.”

Lainie was barely moving any air, and her lips were blue. “God, Jordan. Tell me what to do.” My hands were shaking as I followed her instructions, willing myself not to pass out as I filled a syringe and tapped it to get the bubbles out.

“I have faith in you, Jax,” Jordan said as I turned to my precious love, seeing that she was barely breathing now. I swallowed hard, willing my hand to stab her with this needle. I hesitated.
God, I can’t do this.
I looked at Lainie and couldn’t see her breathing at all now. A lone tear dropped from my eye onto her hand, and I closed my eyes…

“Jackson! Jackson McKenna, you answer me.” I heard her voice as if from a distance.
What? How did Jordan get here?
I opened my eyes and saw the empty syringe in my hand. I dropped it fast.

Lainie’s chest was rising and falling as she gasped and coughed.

“I did it, Jordan,” I said as my brain processed what I had done. I stumbled to the door, almost puking right there on the rug. Once out on the porch, I leaned over the railing and dry heaved for what felt like an hour. My legs gave out from under me, and I slid down against the railing.

“Jax?” Lainie was calling me. Thinking that I’d almost lost her sent me over the edge again. I stumbled into the cabin and saw her sitting up talking on the phone with Jordan. She turned and looked at me. “You okay, Jax?”

I dropped down beside her and pulled her into a hug, tears streaming down my face.

“I almost lost you.”

Jordan’s voice cut in. “Jax? I need to talk to you.” I picked up the phone and turned off the speaker mode. “I knew you could do it. You need to get her to an ER. Promise me, Jax.”

“I’ll take her right now. Love you, Jordan.” I heard traffic in the background. “Where are you? You shouldn’t be driving while you’re on the phone.” I walked out on the porch and stared off into the distance, trying to hide my emotions from Lainie.

“Don’t worry, I’m not driving.” I heard her cover the phone and talk to whoever was driving. I couldn’t make out what they are saying.

“Who’s there with you, Jordan?” I heard a voice telling her she needed to get off the phone, that the call could be traced. “What are you doing with Brent? Put me on speaker so I can talk to him.”

“Jax, everything is fine,” Brent said, “but you need to be careful. He went after Jordan this morning.”

“What? What do you mean he went
after
Jordan? Dammit, Brent, did he touch her?”

“No, she’s fine. She locked herself in a closet and called me. Luckily, I was in town. He must have heard me pull up because he was gone by the time I got in the house.”

I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to keep Lainie from seeing them shake.

“God, will this ever end? I hope he comes after me. I really
need
to hurt him.”

“Be extra careful, he may be able to track the signal from the cell phone you’re using. We are headed out of town and will ditch Jordan’s phone. Stay safe, Jax. I’ll call you on the next cell tomorrow.”

I pulled Lainie up and sat her on the couch.

“We need to get you to the nearest ER. I’ve got to make sure you’re okay.”

“There’s something else, isn’t there? I can see it in your face. Tell me.”

“He went after Jordan.”

“Is she okay? Oh my God, this is all my fault.”

I pulled her into my arms again when I saw the look of horror on her face.

“She’s okay. She’s with Brent.” My voice cracked. “He got to her in time.” I grabbed her coat and put it over her shoulders before I picked her up and carried her out to the Chevy. While I drove, I worked on ideas for our next move.

Lainie

My mind was racing. Jax tried to hide it from me, but I could see how terrified he was for Jordan. I was so thankful that Brent was able to get to her before Keith could do anything. I would never be able to forgive myself if he had hurt her.

I coughed, and Jax looked over at me as if I were going to keel over right there in the seat. With his anxiety about needles, it was a miracle he was able to inject the epinephrine that saved my life. Something was starting to go our way because the cell phones didn’t always work in the cabin and he was able to get through to Jordan. I took that as a good sign of things to come.

There was so much I wanted to say to Jax while we rode to the hospital, but I didn’t know where to start. He seemed to be deep in thought as well, so I turned on the radio for distraction. A country station would fit the bill so I turned it up. When the song ended, the DJ came on with the news headlines. I couldn’t believe it when he said that Jim Bradley’s Las Vegas home had been burned to the ground this afternoon. “What’s wrong, Jax?” I asked when he started grinding his teeth. “You think it was Keith, don’t you?”

“I gave Matt the code to Jim’s house this morning while I was in town. They were going to stay there tonight. Call Matt, Lainie.”

I dialed the phone and prayed that he would answer. My eyes started to fill with tears just as he answered, “Johnson.”

“Thank God! We just heard about Jim’s house. Were you and Mom there?” My hands were shaking, so scared that he was going to tell me that Mom was hurt.

“Yes, but we’re okay. We were out shopping when Keith set the fire.”

“How did he get there so fast? He was in Indianapolis this morning…”

“You okay, Elaine?” Matt asked. “Your voice sounds funny.”

I didn’t want to tell him about what just happened. Everything turned out all right, so there was no reason to worry him. “I’m just freaked out hearing about Jim’s house. I’m fine.”

“Stay safe. We love you. We’ll see you tomorrow night.”

And then he was gone, hanging up before anyone could trace the call.

My entire body began to shake uncontrollably.
How can we get away from him? How can this be happening? We were so careful.
Now Jax’s sister and my Mom and Matt were in danger because of me. I would give myself up to Keith if I thought that it would end this.

By the time we arrived at the hospital, I was a mess and apparently in shock.

“I know you’re worried, baby, but Brent and Matt know what they’re doing.”

I managed to pull myself together long enough to walk into the ER. My mind raced as I watched Jax talk with the nurse at the window.
They’re going to ask for my insurance information. Oh God, he’s going to find us.

He must have seen the fear on my face. “What’s wrong? Is it getting worse?”

“No,” I whispered, “they’re going to need my name.”

“All covered, I used a driver’s license from an undercover assignment and told them I was so panicked we left without your purse. I promised to bring your information in later.”

After Benedryl and some tests, they sent us on our way. The thought of Keith going after Jordan was playing out over and over in my mind, and I needed to get to my notebooks so I could write. That was one of the few things that could take my mind off this whole situation. I stared out the window, lost in thought.

The moon was shining down on us when we got back to the cabin, and Jax made me stay in the car with the doors locked while he checked out the inside. I walked into the house when he gave me the all-clear, picking up my notebook. Before I got to the bedroom door, he handed me his revolver, insisting that I keep it with me at all times. Keith was getting closer, and Jax became more worried as each day passed. I made sure the safety was on and put it in the waistband of my jeans. I hated the feel of it against my skin but knew it made him feel better if I had it on me.

The tears appeared as soon as I closed the bedroom door, silently running down my face. I stifled the sobs, not wanting Jax to hear me cry. After putting the gun on the nightstand, I sat on the bed and leaned against the wall as I found the next blank page in the notebook and began to write. The words seemed to show up on the pages at the same time as my thoughts. My hand moved faster as the tears slowed, transferring my frustration and feelings to the paper. I wrote about almost dying and how Jax saved me, despite his fear of needles. I explored how it felt when I saw the look on his face when he heard about Keith going after Jordan and then when he heard about Jim’s house fire.