Sweet Vengeance (16 page)

"Jase,"
a man hollered. 

Jase
pulled away, and she immediately felt the loss.  Couldn't they be left alone? 
Jase looked over her head and waved at someone before he refocused on her.  Her
heart thundered in her chest and her entire core was on fire.  She had no idea
how a person could know she was in love with someone, and then two days later,
find herself falling for someone else.  The only thing she could think was a
lot of stuff had happened during those two days.  Crazy stuff.  Ugly stuff. 
But one good thing.  Jase.

She
smiled at him.  "Sorry.  I didn't mean for that to happen."  But she
was so glad it had.

He
stared at her for a hard moment, his expression not mirroring hers.  It was as
though the second they broke apart aliens had snatched her sexy, warm Jase and
switched him with a stranger.  "That can't happen again."  His voice
wasn't as steady as his gaze, but his words still stung.  He took his
sunglasses from her hand and placed them over his eyes.

She
took a step back, confused.  "Okay."  She raised a hand to her lips where
his had been only moments before.  Had she completely misread his signals?  Had
she just thrown herself at him?  No, she might have initiated the first kiss,
but he'd been the one to push it further.  "You know, I wasn't the only
one involved in that kiss.  You—"

"Forget
it.  It's better for both of us if we don't go there."  He put another
step between them.

Forget
it?  He thought they could kiss and then act as though nothing happened?  She
tamped down her irritation.  That wasn't fair. 

Realization
hit home.  What had she been thinking?  She moved farther away, too.  "No,
I get it."  It made sense now.  He didn't want to kiss a woman who carried
another man's baby.  Who would?  Embarrassed, she turned and headed toward the
SUV.

"Allie—" 
Jase instinctively reached for her, but then he stopped and let her go.  She'd
totally misunderstood why he'd ended their kiss.  But it was better this way. 
A few hurt feelings now would save her a ton of grief later. 

For
him, there was no hope.  Holding her in his arms, tasting her lips had been
sweeter than he'd imagined.  The feel of her hand on his cheek had knocked out
his defense system.  By the look in her eyes, he'd known she wanted him, and he
hadn't been able to resist one small kiss.  He should have known he'd never be
able to take a tiny taste without wanting to gorge himself. 

He
clenched his jaw, watching her hips sway as she walked away with Boo at her
side.  He wanted her more than ever.  And he had to admit he was more than a
little jealous someone else had gotten her pregnant.  He'd begun to think of
her as his.  His to protect, his to want, his to love.  But, of course, she'd
had a life before him.  She hadn't invited him into her life.  He'd just jumped
right in and assumed she'd want him there.

Shit. 
He exhaled.  He'd really messed things up, hadn't he?  He headed back toward
his car and the airport manager waiting near the building.  One second, he'd
patched things up with Allie, and the next, he'd screwed them up again.  Could
he be a bigger jerk?

When
he reached his vehicle, Allie was leaning against it, looking down at Boo.  Her
arms were across her chest and her teeth clamped over her bottom lip.  The same
sensuous lip he'd owned only minutes before.

"I'm
sorry, Allie."

She
glanced past him into the distance.  "Can we please not talk about this
anymore?"

He
sighed.  "Fine."  He needed to get things settled with the airport. 
"I'm going to talk to Sam.  Our plane should be here any minute, and then
we can go."

Boo
tried to follow Jase as he walked away, but Allie held his leash.  "Don't
worry, he'll be back for you." 

She
was an entirely
different matter.  Jase might come back for her now, but before long, she'd be
on her own.  Going to a new college, living in a new city.  She put her hand on
her belly.  Her baby would be on to a new life as well.  With a mother and a
father, maybe a brother or a sister. 

She'd
always wished she'd had a sibling.  The closest thing was her three cousins who
never seemed too happy to have her taking a share when there wasn't enough to
go around.  What would her life have been like if her father hadn't taken off
and her mother hadn't died?  What would it be like to have doting parents?

She
sighed.  At least her baby would have the chance to know.  Jase would help her
take care of that. 

She
still loved Jase despite the fact he'd pushed her away.  It had hurt, but she
didn't blame him.  He'd given her so much, had been so good to her, what right
did she have to ask for more or get angry with him when he didn't give it to
her?  He was obviously attracted to her, but she didn't need to be told they
weren't meant to be together.  She was probably trying to fill the hole Joey
had left.

She
watched from the corner of her eye as he sauntered back across the parking lot toward
her.  It had felt so right to be in his arms, to kiss him.  She still felt the
sizzle of his lips on hers.  He might have pushed her away, but when they'd
kissed, he'd responded.  He'd held her so tight against him.  She shivered as
she remembered the feel of his hand on her neck, holding her, kissing her as
though he'd never let go.

He
took Boo's leash from her.  "Everything is set."

She
caught his gaze before quickly looking away.  She didn't dare hold it this
time, afraid of what she might or might not find there.  She'd do what he asked
and close off her feelings.  She had no right to them anyway.

The
SUV chirped as Jase engaged his locks, and they headed around the side of the
building.  Just as they did, an overhead engine grew louder, and Allie watched
in awe as a sleek white plane touched down on the runway before them.  Never in
her life had she been so close to an airplane.

Jase
held tightly to Boo as they watched the plane drive around and head back toward
the building.  She let Boo walk between them, now wanting the distance as much
as Jase did.

"Is
that ours?"  It didn't seem very big to her, but he'd said their plane was
on its way.

"Yeah." 
When the plane drew closer, he started walking toward it, and she followed
behind.

A
door on the side opened, and a thin man with graying hair and a worn leather
jacket descended the stairs.  Jase shook his hand.  "Hey, Rick.  How was
the flight?  You didn't have any trouble, did you?"

The
man smiled.  "Not a bit."

Allie
hoped not.  The last thing she needed was an airplane that wasn't safe to fly
in.  She smiled back at the pilot when he nodded to her.

Jase
turned.  "Ready?"

"Sure,
I guess."  She headed up the stairs, holding tight to the handrail.  She
had to admit she was more than a little excited for her first airplane trip. 
Nervous, too.  Planes did crash sometimes.  But she'd be safer in the air than
she was in Chicago.

She
ducked into the cabin, not prepared for what she found inside.  Instead of an
aisle dividing rows of seats like she'd seen on TV, it looked more like a
living room.  The front of the cabin held four luxurious white leather seats. 
Beyond them was a white leather couch opposite a large screen TV.  It was
spacious and lush, and even had a phone hanging on one of the walls.  Jase must
have paid a pretty penny to get them seats on this airplane.  He kept giving
more and more to her, and it suddenly felt stifling. 

Perhaps
she needed to strike out on her own.  She'd be okay.  She was tough.  When they
reached Oregon, she could thank him for his generosity.  She'd find a way to a
woman's shelter where she could stay until her baby was born.  Then she would
get a job and put herself through school.  She didn't need Jase.  Didn't need
the awkward strings that came attached to his gifts.  She'd wait until they
were in the air, and then she'd tell him.

She
found a spot next to a window and sank into the buttery leather.  Jase sat
across from her, releasing Boo from his leash to wander the cabin.  The pilot
came in and shut the outside door.  He sent her another quick smile before
disappearing into the cockpit and closing the door that separated them.

"Where's
everyone else?"  She raised her gaze expectantly.

"Who
do you mean?"

Was
she missing something here?  "The other passengers."

"There
are no other passengers."  He gave her a confused smile.

"Why
not?"

He
snorted.  "Allie, this is my plane.  It's just me, you and Boo."

She
swallowed as heat flooded her cheeks.  "Oh."  She paused. 
"Oh."  He had a plane, too.  She leaned back against her seat and
looked out the window.  There was obviously a lot about him she'd didn't know,
but this went a long way in explaining how much he had to fund his operation. 
It might also explain why someone like him wouldn't be interested in someone
like her. 

The
engine rumbled to life beneath them, sending her heart racing a little faster. 
Jase seemed completely relaxed as he opened a cubby next to him and pulled out
a can of cashews.  "Want some?"

Allie
grabbed a handful of salty nuts, still trying to grasp the fact Jase owned his
own airplane.  "You must have a lot of money."

He
shrugged.  "I suppose."

"You
suppose?"  How could he be so casual about it?  "You say that like it
means nothing to you."  She popped a nut in her mouth. 

"It's
just money."  He gestured to the cabin.  "Stuff.  It means nothing
without the people you love."

The
pilot interrupted her response by announcing they were ready for takeoff. 
Allie twisted her head toward the window, not wanting to admit how excited she
was for her first plane ride.  The small jet taxied down the runway and a few
moments later, they lifted smoothly away from the ground.  Butterflies
fluttered about in her stomach.  She released a breath.  Flying was better than
the Dark Knight Coaster at Six Flags.

"You
okay?"  Jase must have heard her sigh.

She
turned away from the window.  "I've made a decision.  Once we reach
Oregon, I'm going to take off on my own."

Jase
shook his head.  "I don't want you to do that.  We agreed I'd help you get
settled and get into school."

"Well,
it's not your choice, is it?"  She bit her bottom lip, trying to stop the
flow of emotion rushing inside her.  It hurt that Jase had pushed her away, and
now she wanted to complete the separation.

"What's
this about, Allie?"

"This
is about me needing to stand on my own two feet."

Jase
studied her with dark eyes.  "You're mad because I ended the kiss."

Tears
flooded to the surface.  Damn hormones.  "I'm not mad.  It's just too
confusing for me.  I like you, and I shouldn't.  I thought you liked me, too,
but..."  She raised her hands in frustration.  "You said it was
better if we don't go there, and I agree.  It's better if I leave now.  We
would be separating anyway before long, and I just want to be on my own and
take care of myself."

Jase
released a tired sigh.  "This is my fault."  He started to say
something, and then stopped.  He looked down as though contemplating what he
wanted to say and then caught her gaze.  "I'm going to be honest
here."  He nodded.  "I feel a connection to you, too."

Her
heart tripped.  She'd wanted so badly to know what she felt wasn't her
imagination.

"But
here's the deal.  You've got a price on your head."

"I
know."

"No,
you don't know.  The Trasattis have offered a hundred thousand if you're
brought in, preferably alive."

Her
throat constricted.  That much?  She forced a swallow.  "Wh-why?"

He
released a frustrated sigh.  "We're back to the same old question.  Why. 
I have no idea.  You have no idea.  But I know this, you can't stay in Chicago
and I need to be there.  You're pregnant.  You and your kid need some place
safe.  I can't offer you that.  You've already seen how deadly it is to hang
around me."

She
wanted to mention she'd been the target of all the recent violence, but he
continued on.  "If I dump you on the street, it's only going to be a
matter of time before they find you.  They have connections, government ties. 
They'll trace you through your social security number or something else. 
They'll find you."  He paused, and she could see his jaw working. 
"Then you'll disappear.  Forever."

Allie
curled into herself, folding her arms across her chest.

"So,
you see why this can never work?  Either way you look at it, we're dangerous to
each other."

He
was right.  He was absolutely right.  She nodded.  "I just don't want to
be a charity case any longer."

He
held his hand out to her across the aisle and she took it.  "Consider it a
down payment on my soul.  I've done some pretty bad things.  Yeah, it's been in
the name of justice.  But if you accept my gift, maybe God will have some mercy
on me."