Keeping You: KJ Elite Inc.

KEEPING YOU

K.J. Elite Inc.

Book 2

L.K. KRACEK

For my mother.

I’m lost without you guiding me.

I miss you every day but know you’re here.

For my boys, always.

To Natalie, for never having too much to do that you can’t slap me back on track.

To those of you who make it all worth it.

∞

Preface

Laying night after night with faceless women was getting old. All of them were starting to blend together. Settling down had never even crossed my mind. Enjoying myself was never dull, though it was unfulfilling. The idea of actually being able to love, to be loved…that possibility was sprouting at the base of my mind and I couldn’t shake it. Not that I was looking to. Even the women inebriated had second thoughts after really seeing me, and it had nothing to do with my dick.

In the last six months, I hadn’t woken up next to some Jody, Jane or Sally. No, I was stuck in Betty – our command center – watching over our families and tracking down Dillon. Six months searching for the guy who was like a brother ever since we were all pre-teens; searching tirelessly for Jamie who we could only assume he had kidnapped. Jamie was a drop dead gorgeous model, Taylor’s roommate and only chick best friend. Disregarding our line of work, we had an obligation to rescue her solely because she was an extended part of our family. There wasn’t a moment spent thinking of anything other than her in what little spare time I did have. Her flawless chocolate skin was more of a brown sugar or dark caramel; one I had been dreaming of tasting - to see if it was as sweet as it looked.

The secure line I was sitting beside rang, jarring me. I picked it up to hear my oldest brother, Mike, running and talking to someone beside him.

“Noah.” I answered.

“Round em’ up. Candace and I got some intel that sounds like our guy. We’re headed that way to verify. Be ready.” He huffed just before hanging up.

And that was the phone call that led me to her.

Chapter 1

Taylor had been here, at home in Devine, Tennessee for about six and a half months. Ever since her dad was attacked and landed himself in a coma up at Brantley Regional - our local hospital. It turns out she had a deranged stalker and coincidentally, he and her father’s attacker were one in the same; more so, it was two separate stalkers. One had been an old boyfriend of Taylor’s, Leif, who was really fucking nuts. He thought that he was protecting her from the puppet master; a man who had been in their very own home since childhood. Dillon Harris had lost his parents when he was 12 and was Charlie, Taylor’s oldest brothers, best friend. Taylor’s parents, Nicholas and Victoria Jameson, had taken him in and raised him; he stuck around after graduating to help out on the farm while working in town as a volunteer firefighter and E.M.T.

To everyone’s total shock, he was the kind of insane that truly took the cake. He had been stalking Taylor since high school, which he managed to blame on Leif (until he was “put away”) and then through her time in L.A. and New York City. Things became aggressive after a celebrity hit on Taylor and cornered her into meeting with him. Dillon had trashed her place, then managed to fly home and inject Nic with drugs – in the hopes of killing him. Nic pulled through but spent a couple of weeks in a coma which ultimately caused Taylor to come home; she was supposed to be transported to a safe place via a private security firm which just so happened to be…us. KJ Elite Inc. was a firm we had created after Mike and I got out of the military. Mike was the oldest brother. We went in jointly, expanded and put it in all of our names: Mike, me, Tommy, Luke, Charlie, Peyton and even Taylor.

A week ago, Mike and Candace got a tip that led us to Dillon; he had been on the run and if the tip was right, he wasn’t alone. Leif was kind enough to squeal that Dillon had in fact kidnapped Taylor’s best friend/roommate, Jamie Wright. Jamie was a model with a very colorful past and a face made by the hand of God himself. If the rumors were true, she was completely and totally natural; no plastic or fakes on her body and she never wore makeup if she could help it.

The night we moved in and captured Dillon, rescuing Jamie, my entire world stopped on its head. Pictures had nothing on the stark, natural beauty that was this woman. Even through the broken psyche and cracked skin, she held hope and fight – that in itself was breathtaking. Jamie was brave and unyielding to Dillon, despite the knife at her throat, when we showed up guns drawn; the moment Matt (Taylor’s
agent-recently-turned-publisher slash best friend slash crazy ninja warrior) and Mike restrained him, she fell to her knees and sobbed out her relief – and fear. Mike, Candace, Tommy, Peyton, Charlie, Luke and I were complete strangers who had come to take her. It didn’t matter that we were coming to save her, she didn’t know us, just as she didn’t know Dillon when he kidnapped her. Only when Jamie spotted Matt, did she really know that she was safe. Unfortunately for her, I couldn’t let anyone else touch her and I didn’t know why. The very second I saw her, made eye contact with her, it was as if God had put a spotlight on her. A voice in my head resounded, “MINE!” and I knew she wouldn’t be out of my reach so long as I could help it.

The time it took for Doc aka Jessica, to check her out in the back bedroom (underground of Betty) was the longest hour of my life. I couldn’t wait any longer and hopped into the elevator cart with Peyton. As the doors opened, Peyton nearly ran head first into Tommy who was leading Taylor and Jamie into the elevator. Taylor reintroduced us to Jamie who had jumped back a foot. Peyton slipped away and I stepped back against the wall, giving them space to enter. If she was going up, so was I.

Tommy got Jamie settled in while I helped Taylor clean up after supper and pour a few

drinks.

“I just can’t imagine what she went through.” Taylor shook her head as a silent tear rolled down her cheek. “All because of me.”

I leaned over, crowding her space, and wiped the tear away. “This was not your fault. I mean, the last I recall, you didn’t actually ask Dumbass A or Psychotic Shit B to stalk you and then kidnap your best friend…did you?” I squinted my eyes at her with a silly look on my face, effectively making her laugh.

“Of course not.” She leaned into me for a hug.

This was our thing; we were close, always had been. Taylor and I flirt, Tommy growls, we laugh, he barks and then it’s over. He resembled a feral dog that way.

I engulfed her in a bear hug and laid my cheek on top of her head. I could kill Dillon all over again for everything he put Jamie and Taylor through. Hell, even what he did to Nic. But mostly, Jamie. That realization tickled me in a way I didn’t know what to do with.

“Listen, I know you guys are just getting back together, but I need to ask a favor.” I mumbled into her hair.

“Anything, No. Anything.” Taylor sighed.

“Do you think maybe I could hang around for a while? I want to keep an eye on her and make sure everything is alright.” Just saying the words out loud felt like a kick to the gut; I had never admitted that a woman held any power over me – aside from ma. Taylor would know exactly how I felt about Jamie.

“I was thinking that might be a good idea.” Tommy agreed, from the doorway. He strutted over and pulled Taylor into his own body.

“Me, too.” Tay agreed.

“I set you up in the room next to hers. Adjoining bathroom.”

“Good. Uh…” I wasn’t sure how to ask, after having just asked that big favor.

“There’s plenty of room for Diesel, too. Taylor made me buy him a fuckin’ bed.” Tommy laughed as he was already leaving the kitchen with Taylor draped across his body.

“Thanks, brother.” I said in a low tone.

I heard him chuckle in response.

Not ready to leave her yet, I text Peyton who was rooming with me while he built his house.

Me: Hey. Gonna be with her tonight, can you feed Diesel and let him out?

Pey: Yeah, no prob. Bacon and beer good?

Pey: LOL I’m jk

Me: If you give my dog beer, you better have a nice bitch for him later or he’ll piss in your shoes. And bacon… sure.

Pey: Deal.

I laughed and then headed up to the second floor, making myself comfortable outside of her door; getting down onto the floor was a bit of a struggle for me, even still, but I could do it. It wouldn’t take a genius to figure out she had the door locked and it wouldn’t surprise me if she had a chair pushed up against the knob. More than anything I wanted to be in there, holding her, running my fingers all over that delicate cinnamon skin. Considering how she still shakes when I’m within two feet of her, that probably wouldn’t be happening any time soon.

That didn’t mean if I thought her nightmares got too much or something sounded off, I wouldn’t break the damn door down. These feelings of possessiveness and the intense need to protect and nurture her are so inexplicable; so fresh and unexpected. There were only three women in this world I would lay my life down for, beyond a shadow of a doubt, with no rhyme or reason – My mother, Taylor and her mother.

Now to feel that way about Jamie was…electrifying. It felt as if all my molecules were zapped and shaken, then reformed in this new pattern that only matched her. I didn’t need any kind of proof to know that Jamie Wright, somewhere along the way, had ruined me for all other women without even touching me or acknowledging me in any other way than being fearful of my towering presence.

I was fully awakened by the light sounds of Jamie trying to sneak down the hallway. She was trying her hardest to be silent; the way she tip-toed was actually cute. I thought I had heard her stirring behind the door, but didn’t dare move too quickly when she tried to slide out of the bedroom undetected. Not that sneaking behind her was much better. She whirled around and the look upon her sweet, terrified face made me die just a little more on the inside.

“Don’t scream. I’m sorry I scared you.” I put my hands out in surrender.

“I won’t scream.” Jamie said as she shook her head. And I knew she wouldn’t.

“Can I go with you? I’m starved.” I asked, sliding my hands into the pockets of my jeans. Trying to seem harmless, I gave her my best smoldering look from under my lashes.

Jamie’s face pulled as she struggled with wanting to smile while wanting to scowl.

“I don’t know, can you?” She shrugged her bony shoulders and I couldn’t help it. I chuckled before giving her the response she was obviously looking for.

“May I?”

She might have been a victim, but she still had a little bite left.

“It’s a free world.”

Good for her. She turned away from me and continued on to the back staircase.

It was smart of her really; every few seconds, she would turn her chin to her shoulder and look back for my position. Pride hit me places I didn’t even know could feel anymore. To give her that sense of security she needed, I remained behind her at a fair five foot distance. Regardless of my selfish need to hold her, I wouldn’t push her. Not yet.

“Did you get to take a shower?” I sounded like some flustered fucking teenager who couldn’t handle silence.

“Yes, thank you for asking.”

I couldn’t help it.

“You’re very polite for someone who went to hell and back just hours ago.” I picked.

“I…” Jamie paused, searching for some kind of defense.

“Sit, please. I’ll get something for us to eat.” I asked, opening and closing cabinets.