Explosive (The Black Opals) (24 page)

T w e n t y – s e v e n

J
ayce listened to Alyssa’s gentle, even breathing, drifting on the edge of sleep himself. His body would like nothing more than for him to drop off for a little while. He was achy in a gritty and satisfying way. But his head couldn’t let go of what Alyssa had been trying to say enough to let him completely relax.

My parents blamed me and sent me away.

Her parents had always been guttersnipe as far as Jayce was concerned, and her dad could give the fictional Mrs. Danvers a run for her money. When he wasn’t busy being a retired military man and running his household with Nazi-like control, he’d always done everything he could to undermine Alyssa’s confidence. He was the reason no one had known about their engagement, much less their relationship. Jayce had called her once at home, and when Col. Martin found out his daughter was talking to a guy from the poor side of town, he’d assured her he’d put Jayce in jail for statutory rape. Neither of them doubted for a minute he would.

Had that mean old man and his shrew-like wife found out she was pregnant?
Jayce had left to establish them in Chicago when Alyssa was only two months along. They’d both been so careful to keep things quiet. He supposed, still, one of her friends might have let something slip. But then, Alyssa hadn’t had many close girlfriends. Her best friend moved at the start of the year she and Jayce began dating. To Mississippi or someplace down that way.

Even if her parents had found out, that didn’t explain why she didn’t call him.
Why she didn’t just come join him in Chicago as they’d planned. They might have sent her away, but she could have hopped on a bus when she got to her aunt’s.

Jayce blew out a hard breath and pushed himself upright in the bed, taking care not to disturb Alyssa’s sleep.
He’d go crazy trying to puzzle it all out. Either that or the gaping hole inside him that still felt as raw as if she’d vanished yesterday would open up so far he couldn’t find his way out. He wanted Alyssa, he wanted her back, and damn it, he wanted his family.

Family.
Jordan.

His gaze crept to Alyssa, slumbering so peacefully at his side.
She’d been so torn up a little while ago. He’d be the worst kind of bastard for abandoning her now. But Jordan was fighting her own ghosts as well. His sister, his girl—no, Alyssa damn sure wasn’t his girlfriend.

Frowning, Jayce slid out of the bed and into his clothes.
Adding insult to injury, his cell phone went off as he fastened his jeans. He fished it out of his back pocket, and glanced at the incoming text message.

Hey.
Going to the movie solo. You stay with Alyssa.

If that wasn’t a sucker-punch, Jayce didn’t know what was.
He chewed on the inside of his cheek and studied Alyssa. Much as he hated the idea of McTavish taking care of her, Jayce didn’t have many options. He couldn’t let Jordan down. That had become too much of a pattern. He’d ask McTavish to keep an eye on Alyssa and come back as soon as the flick was over. Jayce left his gun in its holster on her nightstand. He’d grab it when he came up to tell her goodbye.

As he exited Alyssa’s room, he replied to his sister’s text.
I’m on my way. Hold tight.

Hurry up then.
It starts in forty minutes.

Forty minutes?
Jayce flipped to the time on his phone. Holy shit, he must have dropped off for a little while. It was fifteen after six. No wonder he felt groggy.

He trudged down the stairs in search of McTavish.
But the first level was empty. Thumping came from outside Alyssa’s office, and Jayce followed the sound, only to find Kane kneeling at the corner of the house near the window someone had used to enter her office.

“McTavish around?” Jayce asked as he rounded a small bush.

Kane glanced up from the loose dirt near the window. “Said he had some errands to run.” He tapped the black flecks in the ground. “This what you were talking about?”

“Yeah.”

Nodding, Kane stood and dusted his hands off on his jeans. “Definitely someone checking to see if the window is armed. What I can’t figure is how they got in without breaking the glass though. It’s locked up tight on the inside.”

Jayce shrugged.
“Maybe it wasn’t locked when they let themselves inside.”

Like a typical Opal, Kane rebutted Jayce’s suggestion with suspicion.
“Or maybe someone let them in.”

“What?”
Jayce frowned. “You think McTavish has something to do with this?” McTavish was currently on Jayce’s list of creeps he’d like to kick, but the reasons for his status there had nothing to do with his morals or character. McTavish genuinely cared for Alyssa—a man couldn’t fake the affection that registered in his eyes every time he looked at her.

“Or she’s a damned good actress.”

Alyssa part of this? Part of…
something
? Like hell. Jayce shook his head, adamant. “Find a different theory.”

Kane chuckled.
“Just looking at all angles.”

“Yeah, well, you’re not here to analyze anything but how to install the best security system.”
Though he told himself to keep his voice light and teasing, a hard edge of warning crept into his words. He didn’t bother with trying to justify it. Or excuse it. Instead, he changed the subject. “Did McTavish say when he was coming back?”

“No, why?” Striding off around the front of the house again, Kane answered over his shoulder.

“Shit,” Jayce muttered as he followed Kane. Now what? He’d just
told
Jordan he was on his way.

“Problems?” Kane kept his gaze focused on the eave above the front porch.
He indicated a cranny where the overhang tucked into the gable on the garage. “Camera there.”

Jayce nodded absently.

“What’s eatin’ at you?”

“I promised
Jordan I’d take her to a movie. But Alyssa’s so upset, I think I’m going to have to cancel.”

“I’ll take
Jordan.” Kane flashed Jayce a lazy grin.

Jayce snorted.
“Yeah, I bet you would.”

“Nah, seriously.” Kane’s wry amusement faded as he tucked a hand into his front pocket.
“Scout’s honor, I’ll be a total gentleman. No sense leaving her hanging.”

Jayce believed Kane’s “Scout’s honor” about as much as he believed the sun would suddenly turn green.
He couldn’t deny, however, Kane had a point. And the entire purpose of taking Jordan to the movies was to provide a distraction for her tonight, not necessarily to have some sibling bonding time. He eyed his partner, weighing his options.

No way in hell could he leave Alyssa alone, and leaving her with Kane, whom she didn’t know, was pretty much the same thing.
Still, he didn’t like the idea Kane fucking around with Jordan, and he wasn’t convinced his earlier warning would hold. He heaved a sigh and leveled his fellow Opal with a stern look. “Listen, I didn’t tell you this, and I’ll have my ass handed to me if Jordan learns I did. Deal?”

Kane leaned against one of the columns on Alyssa’s front porch, answering with a slow nod.

Oh, he would pay in blood if Jordan ever discovered what he was about to say. Pushing that uncomfortable thought aside, he lowered his voice. “Ten years ago tonight, Jordan was mixed up with a guy from the school I went to. She attended the ballet school and she didn’t want to listen to what I knew about this asshole.”

One dark eyebrow arched, and Kane’s mouth twitched with amusement.
“Okay, big brother. I’ll pat her on the head and send her to bed with warm milk like a good little girl.”

Jayce glowered.
“Shut up a minute.”

Still smirking, Kane held his hands up innocently.

“She went to the senior bonfire. She was a sophomore. Long story short, I guess another girl dragged her off to the woods to pee. As I heard things from my mom, they’d just met.” Jayce turned away, his stomach churning at the thought of what had happened to his baby sister that night. If he’d been there, instead of in Chicago…

He pushed the guilt aside.
He hadn’t been there, but he was here now.

“She and the other girl were attacked and raped, by two or three guys, including the asshole she was dating.
Jordan pressed charges. But my family…” He clenched a tight fist, old anger rising. With a deep breath, he forced himself to continue. “We were shit-poor. The school’s quarterback and offensive line?” He let out a harsh, repulsed laugh. “Not even close.”

“Shit, Jayce,” Kane muttered.

“Their parents hired some big shot lawyer team who spun everything against my sister and made her look like a whore during the trial. He and his asshole friends walked. And I’d kill the son of a bitch if I ever ran into him. But he disappeared before I got back here from Chicago.” Gritting his teeth, he turned back to Kane. “Don’t fuck with Jordan, man. It took her a long time to move beyond that shit.”

All traces of humor had fled Kane’s expression.
He shook his head. “Didn’t the other girl’s testimony back up Jordan’s? That piece of shit should have had his testicles handed to him.”

Jayce shrugged, no longer willing to discuss the details of
Jordan’s attack. “She never came forward and Jordan was too traumatized to remember her name.”

“Fuck.”
Kane pushed off the pillar with a shake of his head. “I won’t dick with your sister, but you didn’t need to tell me all that.”

“Just… keep it under the cuff.”

“Yeah.”

Turning toward the house, Jayce gestured at the corner Kane had indicated.
“Camera here?”

“Yeah.
Can’t be seen before it can see whoever’s on the stoop. Set it up with a monitor in her office, and she can check things out before ever coming to the door.” It was Kane’s turn to frown. “Speaking of. You see that house for sale four doors down?”

Jayce turned his head just enough that he could see the house without being obvious.
“Yes.”

“See that nice shiny clean grey car in the drive?”

Jayce furrowed his brow. “Yeah.”

“Tell me what’s wrong with that picture.”

“You tell me.”

“Check out the grass, Jayce.”

The instant Kane pointed it out, the oddity struck Jayce. Not so much that a car sat in the driveway, though that alone was unusual. The lawn hadn’t been mowed in several weeks. Tall dandelions swayed in the gentle breeze, white-capped heads bobbing as they released their spores. Several more had already shed seeds and were now just bare stalks poking over the long green carpet. If that car didn’t make it a habit to move, it should be covered in pollen dust. And if it were someone simply taking care of the property, the grass wouldn’t have been neglected.

“Seen anyone go inside?” Jayce asked.

“Nope. But I don’t like it.”

Neither did Jayce.
Apprehension slithered through his veins as he glanced around the neighborhood. The car engine he’d heard last night was close enough to have come from that driveway. Instinct said check the vehicle out. But an even greater instinct told him if he walked over there he’d be disappointed. Someone bold enough to observe within plain sight wouldn’t make the mistake of sitting in his car.

“I’ve got my gun on me,” he replied quietly.
“You better get a move on, if you’re going to take Jordan to the movies. Let me give you some cash for a cab.” Jayce reached for his wallet.

Once again, Kane chuckled.
“I don’t need the cash. Just give me her address.”

Nodding, Jayce ducked into his truck, scrawled
Jordan’s address on a crumpled up receipt, and handed it to Kane.

He pocketed it with a wink.
“I’ll bring her home safe and sound.”

Jayce found himself also chuckling as he let himself back inside.
He anticipated returning to Alyssa’s room and waking her up with an invitation to dinner. Instead, he found her sitting in her living room, staring blankly at the fireplace. A far-away look haunted her pretty face, and the shadows had returned to her expression.

Damn it.
He hated seeing her like this.

Moving behind her, he set his hands on her shoulders.
“Hey, baby doll.”

She startled so forcefully, she nearly jumped off the couch.
Then, as she swiveled and her gaze registered on him, she swore. “Jesus, Jayce. You scared the crap out of me.”

He eased around the side of the couch and sat down at her side.
“You okay?”

* * *

Okay? Not hardly. Alyssa shook her head and gave a derisive laugh. “Someone’s threatening me, I can’t sleep much, and you show up telling me your half in love with me. No, Jayce, I’m not okay.” Add in the fact that Michael had attacked her ten years ago tonight, and those damned memories refused to stay buried.

But then, every year it was the same.
Normally Brice kept her busy, kept her occupied. She suspected that wouldn’t be happening this year. He wasn’t home anyway. No doubt he’d left her and Jayce alone, hoping she’d come around to seeing things the way Brice did.