The Color of Jade (Jade Series Book 1) (25 page)

“Trey-”

“I hate how Damian has made you an object that he wants. Something he feels like he has to have. It’s personal, for me, for all of us. If he thinks he can get away with it, he has another thing coming… Damian isn’t going to know what hit him.”

***

The sleepless night moved slowly. I heard Kane up first thing in the morning in the kitchen, as he got ready to leave. The darkness faded as my door creaked open and the light from the kerosene lamp in the hall shone through.

“Are you awake?”

“Yeah.”

“I am sorry about yesterday, okay?”

“Me too.”

“We’ve got to stop doing this… Fighting with each other.”

“I know.”

“I should be gone about a week... Just lay low and I’ll be back... We’ll talk about it more…  I promise to include you in any decisions about where you'll go, but try to get used to the idea of leaving because you can't stay here much longer. It's quiet for now, but that won't last.”

“I already told you, I will go to Aunt Bev's if that is what you want.”

A hesitant look crossed his face through an unexpected brooding silence. His large stature leaned against the frame of the door shifting him into the shadows created by the golden glow of the lantern behind him. I couldn't see his face anymore but I heard a heavy sigh escape him through the darkness.

Kane reached for the lantern outside my bedroom door, then carried it into my room, set it on my bedside table and sat on my bed. He held something back, I wasn't sure what, but my constant worry about what lie ahead started to eat a hole in my stomach. I pulled myself out of my covers and sat next to him as I wondered where this sudden change in him came from, and more importantly, why.

“Jade, I wouldn't have you leave if I thought we had another option. You just need to be as far away from here as possible.”

“I don't want you to keep things from me. I can deal with it much better if you just talk to me about it. Is it too much to ask to be included, or at the very least informed, when you are making decisions? You include Trey. Why can't you include me?”

“There are just some things I don't want you to be involved with, and the more you know, the more it forces you to become involved. You are just going to have to trust me, you and Em influence every decision I make.”

“I do trust you.” I looked at him with heaviness in my heart to see his eyes, full of concern.

“Then trust me to figure this out, okay? I wish you could stay, but you can't, too much is at stake.”

“I'm not asking to stay! All I am asking is for you to understand how I'm feeling. I'm going, I will leave. I don't want to be the one who puts all of you guys at risk.”

“That has nothing to do with it! I am not sending you away to protect myself. I am sending you away because I'm putting you in danger, and I can't live with myself if you get hurt,” he said, with notable sense of duty laced through his voice. Then the worry and concern slipped from his face, replaced with steely resolve under hardened eyes as if to control the anger he harbored. Though he hadn't directed it at me, I stiffened under his stare just the same. “None of this will change with Morrison and Damian when you go. It will only get worse, but I promise you, he will get back everything he throws at me, and more.”

“What exactly are you saying? You’re scaring me, Kane. This is why I feel like I need to stay. Is something going to happen?”

“It's going to get ugly and when it does, you can't, and won't be here.”

An involuntary shiver stole through me as goose bumpy chills ran over my skin. The torment inflicted by Damian's relentless pursuit was overpowering and I knew I wasn't the only one affected by him.

“That's what I'm afraid of,” I said, as I swallowed hard at the knot in my throat and with furrowed brows, I pleaded with Kane to find another way. “I'm afraid I won't have any brothers to come home to if I leave.”

“Someday, this will end and I can't promise you I will still be here when it does, but he's going to wish he never crossed me, him and Morrison, both.”

I stood in the doorway of the storage room and wiped my sweaty forehead. Wisps of hair hung from my loose ponytail.  A weary smile grew on my face, proud of our accomplishment and relived at the same time. I turned to Gage. A look of contentment grew on his face as well at the shelves of preserved food that would get us through the winter.

“Well, after five days, it looks like we’re half way done.”

“Yeah,” I sighed wearily, “but no more tonight.”

To can food over a hot fireplace was to say the least, miserably scorching hot. The portable camp stove worked nicely outside the back doorway until the propane ran out. Then we had no choice but to use the wood burning stove. Propane was hard to come by, but it was out there if you looked hard enough. Kane would have to try to find some the next time he left.

The once bare shelves were now more than half way full and we put a small dent stockpiling the freezer. Brown paper bags hung from the shelves filled with herbs to dry. In spite of the accomplishments, we still had a long way to go to get ready for winter.

“It’s dark outside. Do you want to sit on the swing?” Gage asked, as he moved behind me and slipped his arms around my waist. I leaned my body into his.

“Yeah.”

He took my hand and led me outside. We sat on the old wooden swing that hung in the front right corner of the porch, hidden by a trellis against the side of the porch that stretched from the ground to the roof. Dark green, leafy vines with contrasting bright orange trumpet-looking flowers weaved gently through it and clung to the rain gutter.

I tucked my bare feet underneath me and curled up next to him. The chair swayed slowly. I glanced through the darkness at the stars that illuminated the sky as a cool breeze blew softly through wisps my hair and cooled my sticky, sweaty skin. I sensed Gage was just as exhausted and I felt comfortable with the quietness between us as my eyes drifted close.

“You going to tell me what's bothering you?”

“I'm just tired.”

“Yeah, I know, but you've been stuck in your head since Kane left. You're more than just tired.”

I should have known, Gage would see right through me. I hoped my tiredness would mask the distraction I felt over the last week as I worried about Kane's plans and I knew that was why he wanted me gone so badly. I couldn't get our last conversation out of my mind since he left.

“Kane will be home sometime tomorrow. Do you know what he's planning? ”

“He was working on a few things so his plans are still up in the air, but he was talking like he wants you to go to your Aunt's.”

“I mean with Morrison. He's planning a strike, isn't he. Are you going to be involved?”

Gage sighed deeply, and then pulled me into his arms. He didn't have to say a word, I knew he would be involved as he placed a kiss at the side of my cheek. My eyes grew moist and I blinked to force it away. I felt his warm breath on the back of my neck as he pressed his head against mine and as he buried his face in my hair, he drew in a deep breath.

“Yeah…” he sighed.

“And I'll be gone and won't know if anything happens to you.”

“Yeah, you'll be gone… But far enough away he won't find you if something goes wrong.”

“I guess it depends on how you look at it... What is Kane planning?”

“He wants to move them out of town… the other side of the tracks isn't far enough away.”

“When?”

“It could be as early as next week if everything falls into place.”

“And there's no possible way to come to a civil agreement without resorting to fighting?” I knew the answer to my question before I said anything, but I needed to ask. The waver in my voice gave away my fear for them and I swallowed angrily at the knot in my throat.

“I can honestly say, Jade, Kane has tried every way possible to find middle ground with Morrison, there is no reasoning with the man. He wants things his way and doesn't care who he takes down to get it. Morrison is coming after all of us, whether we’re prepared for it, or not.  So, we are going to start this on our terms and hopefully we can get the jump on him and stay on top.”

“And Kane's heading it?”

“Prescott is calling the shots with Mike's assistance, but Kane and Joel might as well be, they're making sure we have what we need to get things done right.”

All reservations that I held for some sort of peaceful resolve evaporated in an instant as I realized how much the hatred from the two sides grew and continued to grow, partly due to me. I let the subject go. I couldn't talk about it anymore without the tightness in my chest cutting off my air all together.

“I miss being at the cabin.”

“Me too,” he paused, to give me a closer look as I gave him a half-hearted smile, “I was looking forward to another swim in the hot springs.”

I laughed a little under my breath at the afterthought of our day at the hot springs. The day Gage made known how he felt about me, and the day I let my feelings take me where they would. With such uncertainty all around us, it was comforting to know, what we shared together was real.

“Do you think the house has cooled off?” I asked.

“I opened every window in the house… I hope so… Do you want to go in now?”

“Yeah…”

Gage stood and held out his hand. I smiled at his chivalrous manners as he pulled me up and we walked inside. The house didn't feel too hot but as I took the stairs, the temperature rose at least three degrees with each step until I found myself in the unbearable heat of my room.

I tossed restlessly in bed as I waited for sleep to find me but it never came. Exhaustion was evident, but it was too warm in my muggy room to fall asleep in spite of the open window and it didn't help that worry consumed my mind.

I crept down the stairs through the dark and quiet house and found Gage on the couch. I didn’t know if he was asleep but he was lying there so I crawled onto the soft cool leather under his arm next to him. I felt his breath on the back of my neck and smiled when he kissed it. I closed my eyes and hugged his arm closer to my chest. The leather creaked underneath me as I turned over to face him.

“What's going to happen? I'm…” I paused, unable to say what I felt deep in my heart. I didn't want to admit that it was possible to lose everything and everyone dear to me, all over again and it unnerved me.

“You're what, beautiful?”

“Nothing.”

“Are you scared?” I froze in his arms, angry with myself for feeling so weak and helpless and frustrated he could sense this from me.

“Yeah, I guess… I'm afraid that something will happen to you. I want you with me, not out fighting.”

“I want to be with you, I can’t think of any other place I would rather be than where you are, but I have to do this. As far as Damian is concerned, the problems he caused you became mine when I went to find him that day… I’m sorry, but Damian can’t have you. He's made his point that he won't give up and that's a battle no one's going to fight but me. You’re my girl and I want you all to myself.”

“I’m your girl?”

“Yeah.”

Gage pulled me to him and he kissed me gently as I reached my arms around his back and squeezed him closer. My heart skipped as his fingers brushed over the sensitive skin of my belly just under my shirt, leaving a trail of goose bumps where his fingers once caressed, then rested on my hip kneading it softly.  I felt the curves of his muscled shoulder as I grasped him tightly with an anxious need to feel all of him. He brought chills to my skin as he kissed my neck then took a deep breath and sighed as he rested his forehead on mine and closed his eyes.

He kissed my forehead and my nose as he made his way to my lips again then hesitated. The craving for self-indulgence and the need for restraint knit tightly together, polar opposites woven deeply in his soft blue eyes and tormented me. His level of self-control at the point of losing it all was exhausting.

“I’m sorry… I can’t… keep kissing you,” he said in between kisses. His voice trailed off as he continued to kiss me between each word. “Yeah… I definitely… Can’t.” His voice sounded torn. His heart and body said one thing and his mind said another as he took a deep breath.

“I want you bad, beautiful,” he whispered softly. The deep huskiness of his voice sent my heart racing all while he stole the air from my lungs. I gasped in torment as his breath tickled my ear, sending a heated rush through every inch of me. “I don't want to stop. It's taking everything I have to hold back.”

“I don't want you to stop.”

“I just want it to be right, everything perfect, not here on your couch,” he said. He protected me still, even from himself and I loved him for that. “You deserve more than this, much more.”

“I love you, Gage,” I kissed his cheek softly as I waited for his response. “I love everything about you.”

I wasn’t sure if I should say that but I wanted to. I felt like I’ve known him forever and waited my whole life for him to find me. Gage hadn’t actually said he loved me, but I wanted him to know that I loved him. Everything about him, his passion, his rugged gentleness, his strength and self-control, the way he held me and kissed me. He was so beautiful and I felt giddy inside knowing he made me feel whole when I had felt so lost.

“Being with you, in the mountains, has confirmed that what I’ve felt for you all this time was real
... Is
real now. I love you, Jade. I always have,” Gage said, he looked at me thoughtfully, almost relieved, as if he needed to hear me say it. He kissed me. “And some day when the time is right and you will have me… Someday.”

“How could it ever be more right than now?”

“Trust me, it will be,” he smiled and gave me one last kiss then I rolled to my side as he curled his body to match the contours of mine. I felt if there was ever anyone, I could trust in this time of such uncertainty it was Gage and my feelings for him.

My smile grew, warming my heart. He said he loved me, he always had. Somehow, I think I already knew. The tenderness he had in his eyes when he said it. The adoration, the affection, the love he had for me was there and had been there all along, I could see it in the deepness of his soft blue eyes.

“I trust you.”

“Someday, Jade Kennington,” he paused. The huskiness of his voice sent a shiver up my spine as he whispered softly in my ear. “I'll change your last name.”

I sunk into the cushions of the couch and allowed his arms to swallow me up. My smile grew, warming my insides.
Jade Michaels,
I liked the sound of that as I played it over in my mind.

“Is it wrong to feel this way, we’re so young?” I asked as I gave a sidelong glance over my shoulder and looked through the darkness to find his blue eyes in the glow of the stars.

“Our future has never been so uncertain,” he paused, “I think it would be wrong to ignore it.”

I wouldn’t ignore it. I didn’t want to move and knew that I wanted to stay this way, to sleep just as we were, in each other's arms forever. I closed my eyes to imagine our life together and we fell asleep next to each other as we used to at the cabin.

***

I woke suddenly, startled by loud popping sounds of machine guns. A spray of bullets spit through the air, hitting the front of the house. With a shattering shrill, glass crashed to the floor in jagged, razor sharp shards. I screamed and covered my head as Gage pushed me onto the floor and jumped over me. As the gunshots stopped, we moved over to the stairs. He grabbed the gun by the door, checked it for ammo and cocked it, ready to fire.

My heart sank, deep in my chest. I braced against the wall as I squeezed my eyes shut and clutched my knees. Somehow, Damian knew I was home. Trey ran upstairs from the basement, his gun ready.

“Don’t hesitate to shoot if they come in and get past us!” Trey said as he handed me a rifle. He ducked his head low and moved by Gage after I nodded in agreement.

Suddenly a spray of bullets, round after round fired, piercing through the air they crashed into the front of the house once more. I settled low to the floor and covered my head as glass, sheetrock dust and bits of splintered wood flurried chaotically through the air.

Gage and Trey returned fire. I covered my ears as the deafening shots cracked through the house. Suddenly, tires squealed against the road and an overpowering smell of rubber burned through the air as they fled.

Gage moved over to the stairs. His tense shoulders dropped as relief settled across both of our faces that we were all okay. He set his gun down and reached for mine then removed the bullet from the chamber and set it against the railing. I looked at Gage and then at Trey as he stood at his side. My elbows rested on my knees, my hands covered half my face to hide the fear.

“If he wants me arrested so badly, why didn’t he send the Militia?”

“Because he is toying with you… With all of us,” Gage said, and walked closer and put his arms around me, now visibly on the verge of tears.

“He’s not going to stop, Gage. How is going to my Aunt's any better? What if he finds me there?”

“He's not going to find you!”

“How do you know?”

“Because, I refuse to accept this, they aren't the law, Jade, and you didn’t
murder
Quinn! It's not going to happen… it’ll be over my dead body if it does!”