She Does Know Jack (30 page)

Things had taken
an interesting turn between her and that Jack. She’d just better not get any
ideas about Matthew.
He is off limits.
She had been awfully brave—or
stupid—making that dare. The verdict was still up in the air as to what to do
about her.

Suddenly, as if
she could sense the scrutiny, the dancer turned and peered straight up at the
hiding spot. The figure stilled, slowly pulling back into the shadows. She
stared a moment longer, then shook her head and twisted back to Matthew. The
figure heaved a sigh.

Clever, that
one.

It was a good
thing she didn’t like Matthew, or she’d be nothing but trouble. The figure’s
gaze snapped back to the sunbathers.

As for them,
well…elimination time was just around the corner.

T
hat afternoon, Brielle floated in the
ocean, bobbing in the waves, striving to appear blissful and carefree while
part of her wished the ocean would swallow her up. Numbness was setting in, but
not fast enough to mask the pain squeezing her heart, making it an effort to
breathe.

“Brielle? What’s
gotten into Jack?” Matthew’s question forced her to open her eyes and reenter
reality. Dammit.

They were alone,
the other two contestants were back on the sundeck, lazing in the sun, having
already had their fill of the water. A movement on the yacht caught her
attention. She stiffened, looking at the deck, trying to figure out what had moved
and glinted.

“What’s wrong?”
Matthew followed her gaze.

“I just felt…like
we were being watched.” She placed a hand to her forehead to shield the sun
while she surveyed the decks. Several beats later, she shrugged. Nothing. She
was off her game. Cripes, Jack had her all out of whack.

Matthew laughed.
“Of course we’re being watched. We’re on national television.” He pointed to
the array of cameramen shooting down at them.

Maybe he was
right. Maybe it had been their equipment she’d seen glinting.

“Don’t remind
me,” she muttered, swimming away, wishing she could tread water to Hawaii. Or Japan. Yeah, the further the better.

“Hey, don’t
think I didn’t notice you never answered my question about Jack.” Matthew
followed her like a barracuda. A perfect smile, dimpled barracuda. “Now, tell
me what’s going on with you two. This morning, you couldn’t keep your hands off
each other, and now you can’t stand to be on the same ship together. What
gives?”

She stopped and
twisted around to face him. Best to get the explanation over with. “Jack found
out my real reason for being on the show. Funny thing is…he wasn’t too happy.
But hey, who could’ve predicted that? Oh, wait a minute.” She slapped the
water, then raised her hand. “I did!”

“Brielle—”

“But did I
listen to my instincts? Noooo! I listened to several very well meaning, but
misguided people. It’s official—” She lay back in the water, resisting the urge
to cry. “I’m an idiot!”

“You’re not an
idiot, and neither is my brother. Just give him some space,” Matthew said,
quietly. “Jack hasn’t had an easy time where love is concerned.”

She opened an
eye, then the other followed. “Go on.”

“Well, eleven
years ago, Jack was engaged.”

She
straightened, her attention now riveted to the artist. “He was?”

“Yes, then his
unit was deployed, but Holly wasn’t cut out to be an army wife. She sent him a
Dear John.” Matthew shook his head, his expression as sour as Brielle’s
stomach.

“That bitch.”
Her heart squeezed for the young soldier. Poor Jack. She tried to picture the
green recruit, no doubt only a year or two out of high school. The last thing
he’d needed while fighting for his country and his life was a rejection from
the home front.

“It gets worse.”
Matthew’s words brought her gaze to his unsmiling face.

Her heart took a
dive. Worse? She swallowed. “How?”

“About three and
a half years ago, Caroline came along, headstrong, ambitious—completely
different from Holly—so Jack took a chance and lost. She used him and his
company to try to make a big score from one of his client’s estates.”

Oh God. The knot
in Brielle’s stomach tightened. She knew how it felt to be lied to and used
because of her job. No wonder he had trust issues.

“Luckily, Jack
found out. He had Caroline and her brother arrested, and thankfully his client
didn’t press charges.”

Brielle sucked
in a breath, dove under, then opened her mouth and released the scream burning
inside.
Stupid! Stupid!
Following the bubbles to the surface, she wiped
the sea from her eyes, then punched Matthew, hard.

“You took that
well,” he said, rubbing his shoulder

Her body shook
uncontrollably. “How could you allow this to happen?” She clenched her fists
under the water and talked herself out of hitting him again. “The last thing
Jack needed was another betrayal. Jeez, Matthew! I just poured salt on his
wounds. He’ll never forgive me.” She hiccupped, swiping away fresh tears.

Matthew grabbed
her upper arms, his features softening. “Brielle, he just needs time. You’ll
see. It’ll be okay. He just needs time. Can you give him that?”

“I’d give him
forever, but I don’t think it’s enough.” Tears rolled off her face into the
Pacific. She glanced at the water. Even if she cried that much, he’d still
never forgive her. She was doomed.

A gentle finger
lifted her chin. “He won’t need forever. Jack loves you. Just—”

“He does?” She
cut him off, shock making her tremble.

“Yes, he loves
you. I’ve never seen him as happy as he was this morning, or as upset as he was
in the gym an hour ago. He punched the heavy bag right off the hook. If that
isn’t love, I don’t know what is.” Matthew winked at her. “Just give him a few
days. I promise, he’ll come around.”

Hope filtered
into her darkened heart, and some of the cold eased from her limbs. She really
would wait forever.

Heaving a sigh
that rippled the water, she nodded toward the yacht. “We’d better get back on
board. I think the captain’s supposed to weigh anchor soon.”

As they
completed their swim to the ship in silence, Brielle prayed for the strength to
survive…and to keep her mouth shut while Jack
came around
. That
stubbornness of hers tended to sharpen her tongue and right now, it really,
really needed to be dull.

Matthew helped
her onto the deck where they proceeded to dry off. “I’m sorry I’ve caused all
these problems. I just want you to know I’d understand if you left the show.”

“I’m not going
anywhere, Matthew.” She removed the towel from her face and smiled. “I gave you
my word, and I’ll stick to—”

“Help!”

Danni's cry cut
her off and stopped her heart. The fear in the woman’s voice hit Brielle like a
heavyweight’s fist.

“Help! Help us!”
Mandy’s voice followed.

Brielle dropped
the towel and raced up the stairs to the top deck to find both women hanging
over the side. Danni clutched onto Mandy’s ankle while the blonde clung to the
top rail. How the hell…? Adrenaline rushed through Brielle, and she thrived on
the surge, channeling it into useful energy.

“Hold on!”
Brielle grabbed Mandy’s wrist and turned to the approaching Matthew. “Get Jack
and his men. Hurry,” she added when he hesitated.

“My hand’s slipping,
Brielle,” the blonde squeaked. “I can’t grab Danni.”

“It’s okay.
She’s got you,” Brielle told her calmly. “You just hold on.” From the corner of
her eye, Brielle spied Matthew, Jack and Rodriguez rushing toward them.

Mandy’s grip
slackened. “Brielle…I’m falling!”

No time to wait
for the men, she sprang into action. Hooking her right elbow around the rail,
Brielle hopped over the side and strengthened her grasp on Mandy just as the
woman’s gripped slipped.

“Don’t drop us,”
Mandy cried, now clinging to Brielle like a wet T-shirt.

From above her,
she heard Jack order his men to the deck below to see if they could grab Danni.

Brielle’s gaze
remained on the terrified woman, and although pain already radiated down her
arm, she kept all signs of it from showing. “Mandy, look at me,” she ordered,
her voice calm and clear. When the blonde looked up and their gazes locked, she
continued. “I won’t drop you. I promise.”

 “Okay.” The
hand model nodded, some of the fear leaving her gaze.

“You okay,
Danni?” Brielle glanced past the clinging contestant to see Danni nod and give
a weak smile.

 “Can you lower
her down at all? We can barely reach her ankles,” one of his men called up a
minute later.

“Mandy, Brielle
has long legs. Can you slide down them a few inches?” Jack asked from above.

“I…I…don’t know.
What if I slip off?” The blonde peeked down, then immediately burrowed into
Brielle’s side.

“It’s just a few
inches, Mandy. I know you can do this,” Brielle said. “I’ll keep a grip on your
wrist the whole time. You’re at my waist now. If you shimmy down to my knees
that should be more than enough, and I can still bend down with you to keep a
hold of your wrist. See?” Brielle showed Mandy how she was able to reach down
to her knee without a problem.

Fear apparent in
her eyes, Mandy nodded. “Okay. Just don’t let go of me.”

“I won’t,”
Brielle promised again.

Gripping the
blonde’s wrist, Brielle carefully helped lower Mandy as far as possible, never
slacking her hold while the woman slowly shimmied down Brielle’s body.

“Okay, that’s
good. We’ve got Danni,” the men called.

Brielle could
feel Mandy’s other arm grasp around her legs while a big pulling weight
disappeared. “You did it, Mandy. Good job,” she called down to the woman still
clinging to Brielle’s thighs with one hand, and her arm with the other. A small
smile crossed the blonde’s lips as she looked up. Brielle winked. “Now it’s
your turn.”

Using strength
she hadn’t known she possessed, Brielle lifted Mandy straight up into Jack’s
waiting hands. He pulled the blonde to safety as Danni and his men appeared.

“Give me your
hand,” Rodriguez told Brielle, helping Matthew to unhook her numb arm from the
rail before hoisting her onto the deck.

Brielle’s feet
had barely touched the yacht when Mandy barreled into her. “Thank you, Brielle.
Thank you, thank you.” The blonde hugged her tight and was soon joined by
Danni.

Ignoring her
throbbing muscles, she did her best to hug them back, and didn’t even forget to
smile.

“We would’ve
ended up in the ocean if you hadn’t come along.” Danni closed her eyes, then
shivered.

Jack stepped
forward, bringing an end to the grateful hugs. “What exactly happened?”

“We were
pushed!” Mandy’s whole face puckered as she pointed to the rail while Danni
nodded.

“What?” Matthew
charged forward and gathered the two women close. “It’s all right. You’re okay,
now. I’ve got you.”

“Did you see who
did it?” Jack pressed.

 Danni shook her
head against Matthew’s chest. “No. We were lying down on those chairs right
there.” She pointed at two towel-laden chaises in the corner. “And I thought I
heard something, so I got up to check, the next thing I know, I’m hanging over
the side!”

“That’s when I
opened my eyes and rushed to help, but before I could call anyone, I was pushed
over, too.” Mandy shuddered, burying her face in Matthew’s shoulder. “Thank
goodness you and Brielle came when you did.”

Jack’s hard gaze
narrowed on her and his brother. “Where were you?”

“In the water.
Hey…wait a minute.” Matthew glanced at Brielle. “Didn’t you say you thought you
saw someone?”

 Jack’s gaze
snapped to hers, disgust crossing his face. “You saw something, but stayed in
the water?”

“Calm down, bro.
We both looked, but no one was around.” Matthew shook his head, still holding
onto the girls’ shoulders. “Don’t even go there.”

“Yeah, Brielle
came and saved us, and she’s not even in the military.” Mandy harrumphed.

A small smile
twitched Brielle’s lips.

Jack glared
before turning to Rodriguez and his men. “Tell the captain to head back to
port. I want Matthew and these ladies escorted to their rooms to pack, then
escort them all to the salon. Rodriguez, you will stay with my brother and the
contestants while the rest of you search this ship from top to bottom—again.”

“Yes, sir,” his
men chorused, following Danni and Mandy down the stairs.

Matthew put his
arm across Brielle to keep her from leaving, then shot a look at his brother.
“Aren’t you going to ask Brielle if she’s okay?”

Her heart
flipped, and she had to fight to keep in the curse fluttering across her
tongue. She could’ve choked Matthew as she had no choice but to slowly meet
Jack’s gaze.

“Why should I?”
The stone-faced man shrugged. “She was just doing her job.” Pivoting on his
heel, he strode away.

“Jackass,”
Matthew called after him, hugging her close. “I’m sorry. Guess he needs more
time. Can I interest you in Rodriguez? He’s a good guy.”

Jack’s second in
command cracked a small smile and stood aside to let them pass.

A
few days later, Jack sat behind his
desk in the study at the bachelor mansion, no closer to any answers, but the
questions were sure piling up. Just once, he’d be happy to cross something off
the ever-growing list instead of adding on.

“What am I
missing?” he muttered, slamming his pen on the stack of evidence covering the
blotter, then rubbed his eyes. Brielle’s haunting image flashed through his
mind. He groaned and leaned back in his chair.
I do not miss her.