One More Day (37 page)

JACKSON HAD NEVER known how empty a house could seem despite being occupied by three people. The one thing he wanted to do was off limits
—
visit Ridley to see how she was doing. According to Eli, she’d been released from the hospital a week ago.
 

He’d called probably hundreds of times and she’d ignored every one. He was already in stalker territory. He had to keep his dignity if nothing else.

The house below seemed unnaturally quiet. The boys were starting to adjust to Ridley’s absence. He could hear it in the rare peal of laughter or the sound of commotion coming from the playroom. They were trying to be on their best behavior having sensed that Ridley’s “vacation” was especially trying for Jackson. He tried to put on a nonchalant face but as perceptive as they were, they could probably see right through it.

Pushing back from his desk he decided to call it quits for the day. He hadn’t gotten any work done anyway, so he might as well go down and spend some quality time with the boys. Since Ridley had come, he had seen a lot of positive changes in both boys but especially Jase. Normally quiet and introspective, Jase had said more in the last two weeks than he had in the prior two months. But ever since Ridley had left, Jase had barely said two words to him.

The sound of the doorbell stopped him in his tracks. He turned around and peered through the peephole. Shocked by what he saw, he immediately pulled the door open,

“What the… Eli? I thought you’d gone home?” The two brothers clasped hands and slapped each other on the back.
 

“I heard from a little birdie that you might need some comfort so I came to see you. Now that I’m here, I can see for myself they were right.” Shocked, Jackson didn’t speak until he noticed Chris’ head peeping around the corner. He had a feeling it had been two little birdies that had called their uncle Elliott to come and spy on him.

“Well I don’t know who your sources are, but I’m fine.
 
However, I’m always happy to see my big bro.”
 

Eli’s eyes lingered on Jackson’s face, taking in his unkempt hair and unshaven face. “So, how are things with the new group you’re producing?”
 

“Slow but it’s going. Anyway, come on in and make yourself comfortable. The boys are around here somewhere. I’m sure they’ll be happy to see you.”
 

Eli clamped a hand down on his shoulder. “Actually, the little birdie that called was named Nick. He wants to take you somewhere.”

Nick appeared in the doorway behind Eli. “Can I come in?”

It was funny how he’d been mainly fine for the past week. He still got choked up at random intervals and he hadn’t been able to sleep in his bed anymore. He’d taken to sleeping in the chair in his office. But more than anything, seeing his brother seemed to bring it all back. He took a deep breath.
 

“You’re my brother. You don’t need an invitation.”

His brother pulled him into a hug before cradling his face in his hands. “I wasn’t sure if you’d feel that way. I really screwed things up this time.”

Jackson closed the door behind them and walked to the living room. “You didn’t screw up, I did. I was the one she trusted. I’m the one who let her down.”

“But this whole thing started because of my feud with Raina. So, I want to fix it. At the source.”
 

“How do you plan to do that? Raina isn’t going to forgive you.”

 
“I’m not looking for forgiveness from her, little bro.” Nick slapped him on the cheeks lightly. “I just want the dragon to take a step back so you can get to the princess. After that, you’re on your own.”

Eli settled back on the couch and heaved a sigh. “I’m sorry to miss the groveling but I’m going to stay here with the boys. Just make sure you video it when Raina decks him. That’s so going on YouTube.”

Jackson followed Nick out of the house. He had no idea what his brother planned to do to get Raina to let them in but he knew he’d only have one shot at this.
 

He was miserable without Ridley. She might not give him another chance but at least he could tell her how he felt, and apologize. He owed her at least that.

He looked at his brother. “Tell me you have a plan.”

Nick smirked. “Of course, I do. Watch and learn.”

*
 
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“I DON'T NEED another magazine, Raina.”
 

Raina stood at the foot of the bed wringing her hands. “Maybe some water? Or some lunch?”

They’d left the hospital a week ago under the cover of night. It had seemed ridiculous to go through such measures to keep it secret but Raina had insisted it was necessary. The story of the Moreno family’s only son rising from the dead was too good for the media to ignore.
 

Sam, Raina’s chief of security, had arranged an elaborate ruse involving several models hired to impersonate them in order to get her out of the hospital undetected. She hadn’t had the energy to care back then. They’d gotten her home without microphones and cameras in her face and that was all she’d wanted.
 

Well, that wasn’t all she wanted. But the other thing she wanted hadn’t called in a week.
 

“What about a movie? Or we can see what’s on TV?”

It had been years since she’d seen her sister plain-faced but Raina hadn’t left her side for the past few days. It was kind of sweet, actually. In the beginning she’d been so tired she hadn’t been good for much else besides sleeping. But the last few days they’d talked. A lot. She’d had the chance to apologize for some of the things she’d said and Raina had apologized for trying to run her life. They were on the right track for the first time in months.

But now her sister’s hovering was getting on her nerves.

“I don’t want magazines or food or anything. I’m tired.” Ridley knew she was being rude but she couldn’t take it anymore.
 

“Okay. I’ll let you sleep.” Raina kissed her forehead and left, pulling the door closed behind her.
 

Ridley sighed and looked out the window, the late afternoon sunlight like a beacon drawing her attention outside. Since leaving the hospital she’d been pampered and coddled, slept what felt like a million hours and taken more pain medication than she was sure was safe.
 

What she hadn’t done was call Jackson.
 

Raina had told her about his visit when she’d been asleep at the hospital. It didn’t make her feel good to imagine him hurting but damn it, he’d hurt
her
. Tears welled in her eyes again and she gritted her teeth. Tears wouldn’t erase the humiliation of being pushed out the door. Of being accused of being a thief. As much as she’d tried to understand things from his perspective, part of her couldn’t let go of the fact that he simply hadn’t believed her. He’d honestly thought she’d just been after his money.

But now, a week had gone by and she had to wonder if her pride was worth this misery. He’d hurt her more than she knew it was possible to be hurt, but she couldn’t deny that she loved him. So, who was she really punishing? Jackson or herself?

“Maybe I should just go over there.”
 

She pushed the covers back and sat up gingerly. The doctors had said she was a lucky girl because the bullet hadn’t hit her lungs. Intellectually, she understood that she was fortunate not to be dead. But every move she made exhausted her, the skin around her wound still burned like crazy and she could barely shower without help. She didn’t feel lucky yet.
 

She just felt miserable.

“Raina,” she called. She cursed as her energy flagged and she sagged back against the pillows. How was she supposed to go track Jackson down and fuss at him when she could barely sit up without needing a nap?
 

A door slammed downstairs. Then she heard the sound of voices. They hadn’t had many visitors over the last week since Raina didn’t want anyone to know they were here. One of the voices was unmistakably male.

Who is that?
 

Maybe it was one of the security guys? The voices got louder. The louder they got, the more familiar they sounded.
 

“Is that Jackson?”

A rush of elation gave her the energy to sit up again. He was here. He’d finally come to see her. She was still kind of mad at him but every part of her was suddenly overjoyed, too. A week ago, she’d been standing in this very room with a gun to her head wondering if it would be the last time she saw his face. Now he was downstairs and she wasn’t waiting another minute. Ridley put her legs over the side of the bed and stood up gingerly.
 

Then she took her first shaky step.
 

“RAINA! OPEN THE door!”

Raina sat in her living room and blithely turned the pages of a magazine. The sound of yelling outside ceased for a few minutes before resuming.

“I’m not leaving until you talk to me. You know I’ll make a scene.”

“Ugh! He is so irritating.” Raina groaned and slammed the magazine down on the couch next to her. Sam had offered to delay his own vacation and stay if she needed him. She hadn’t wanted to ruin his fun when she didn’t plan on doing much other than keeping her sister company while she recuperated.

The guards he’d posted to watch her house from outside had seemed like more than enough but they were trained to prevent anyone from coming in. They couldn’t do anything about someone who was bothering her from the street.
 

It was petty but now she kind of wished she’d asked Sam to stay. He was creative. He’d have found a way to take care of the extremely annoying pest outside her window.

“Okay, Raina. If you don’t open the door I’m going to video this and put it online.”

She marched over to the front door and snatched it open. “What the hell do you want?”

“I just want to talk.” He motioned to the guards standing between them. “Can you call off the goon squad?”
 

She nodded. The guards moved aside. Nick shook his head as he walked by them. As soon as he crossed the threshold, she slammed the door. “I don’t know why you’re here. I have nothing to say to you.”

Nick stood in the middle of her living room and stared at her couch. They’d done some pretty inventive things on that couch. Raina blushed. It shouldn’t embarrass her but somehow it did. She’d been someone totally different that night, and as much trouble as it had caused her, she couldn’t find it in her to regret it.
 

“How is Ridley doing?” Nick asked. He looked faintly guilty.

“Better. Nothing that rest and a little peace and quiet won’t cure. Which is why I’d appreciate it if you’d go bother someone else.”

“She hasn’t returned any of Jackson’s calls.”

“Maybe she doesn’t want to talk to him.”

Nick ran his hands over his hair. “Is she even getting his calls?”

Raina thought about lying, but knowing him he’d already figured out what she’d done. Part of the reason they loved to hate each other so much was because they were so much alike.
 

“Not unless he knows her new number. I had it changed before she even left the hospital.”

Nick shook his head. “I figured it was something like that.”

“I am just trying to protect my sister. She’s been hurt enough.”

“You’re right. She’s been hurt and it’s mainly my fault.
My fault.
Not Jackson’s. I screwed this up because of what happened between us. But unlike us, Jackson and Ridley are good for each other. Let’s fix this.”

Raina squeezed her eyes shut against a sudden rush of emotion. She whipped around, horrified when tears welled in her eyes.

"All my life, I've worked so hard to make sure that we're safe and we're never vulnerable again. I thought if I had enough money, everything would be perfect. But everything I have wasn't enough to keep the only person who loves me safe."
 

The hand that settled on her shoulder was as unexpected as it was comforting.
 

“She's not the only person who loves you.”

She shivered and tried to pull the emotion back in, to lock it up before she became an inconsolable sobbing mess. It actually
hurt
to tamp it back down, a literal crushing pain in her chest, to ignore his offer of comfort. But if she ever made the mistake of allowing anyone in, she feared she’d simply break apart
—
all her insecurities and fears spreading her into a million tiny fragments.

“You’re right,” she admitted, “Jackson and Ridley do belong together. So, just tell him to come over and I’ll let him in. Someone deserves a happy ending.” She wiped her cheeks and faced him.

Nick went to the door and opened it. A second later, Jackson appeared.
 

He waved from the doorway, a sheepish smile on his face. “I was hoping you’d say yes.”

Raina shook her head, unable to resist smiling back. “Let me just go see if she’s awake.”

There was a loud crash right above them. Raina looked up, dread racing through her.
 

“What was that? Ridley!”

*
 
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RIDLEY FELL AGAINST the dresser and dropped her head down to the wood. Going to get her man was not supposed to be this hard.
 

The door flew open and she was scooped up into a pair of strong arms. She looked up into Jackson’s eyes. Everything that had happened over the past week fell away and suddenly all the pain, fear and heartache didn’t exist. There was just the pure, incandescent joy of being in the arms of the man she loved.