Authors: Chloe Lang
“With the mine or the guys?”
“Off the record, both.”
“What are you saying, Lee? There’s more to this than the photos.”
“I talked with everyone that had worked this mine over the past ten years. Wilde, Nevada is notorious for wild nights, if you know what I mean.”
She did. “What does that have to do with me and the Wilde brothers?”
“Don’t kid yourself, Jessica. These guys aren’t novices when it comes to seducing women, and I’m afraid you’re going to get hurt.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“What if they’re trying to get you into bed in order to influence your investigation of their family mine?”
The thought had crossed her mind in the beginning, but now, after all the time she’d spent with them, she knew better. “Lee, can we change the subject?”
Her boss shook his head. “I’ve overstepped.”
“Some, but you are the boss. I still have a job?”
“As long as I’m at the agency, you do. And I’m not going anywhere. Don’t ever worry about that.”
“Thank you. That’s good to know, but I’m a worrier by nature, Lee.”
He smiled. “I’ve seen that firsthand.”
Jessie didn’t like that he knew about the guys, but knowing her boss wasn’t here to fire her allowed her shoulders to sag and her jaw to unclench. She shoved the file back over to him.
“Keep the photos, Jessica. I don’t need them.” He pushed the folder to her.
“Thank you. How long are you here?”
“A couple of days. I want to see if I can help you get this one down the tracks. You still refusing to leave until the investigation is complete?”
“That’s right.”
“Okay, but I want you out of here as soon as possible.”
The idea of leaving Wilde wasn’t something she wanted to think about right now. “I’ll be done very soon, I’m sure.”
“That is what I want to hear.” Lee grinned. “I’m starving. Do they have anything good here to eat?”
“Let me introduce you to Wilde’s famous King Cakes.”
Chapter Six
“What are you thinking about, sugar?” Denver asked.
Jessie sat in his living room with her mind spinning. “Besides you being rude to my boss? I shouldn’t be surprised. You’re a Neanderthal cowboy, simple as that.”
She thought about listing his latest offenses, like making her leave her boss at Norma’s the instant she’d finished her meal. He’d claimed later that the cafe was too exposed to let her stay. She thought an ugly green-eyed monster had likely clawed its way free from Denver’s insides. He might’ve gotten confused by the affection she and her boss had for each other. Besides, he was double her age. Not boyfriend material. He was more like an older uncle to her.
Denver hadn’t taken the news about the photos well. In fact, he’d exploded. He’d called Jackson, who had no idea that his camera was missing, but it was. Denver had cussed a blue streak into his cell before ending the call with Jackson. Then he’d punched a hole in one of the walls of his living room.
“I promise you, we’ll get that camera back, sweetheart.”
“I hope so. I’d like to get rid of this file.”
“Hand it over. I’ll toss it in the fireplace.”
She did, and in no time, the file and its contents were ashes.
A text came in on her cell, capturing her full attention. It was from Michael, and the message had Jessie dialing his number instantly.
911. Call me.
“Jessica, thank God.” Michael’s voice was unusually shaken.
“What’s wrong?”
“Your dad is coming to Wilde.”
“What!”
“He called me about some pictures he got today.”
“Oh my God.” She squeezed her eyes shut, praying to wake up from this nightmare.
Denver wrapped his arms around her. “What’s wrong, Jessie?”
She cried, “My dad is coming here.”
* * * *
Jessie’s phone call with her ex had lasted only a few minutes, but her demeanor had changed abruptly. She went deep into herself, cutting herself off from not just the memory of some hurt but also from her emotions. She stared straight ahead, clearly not seeing anything in front of her.
Denver knew that such a mode wasn’t productive or good for her. So, he pressed, “Tell me what trouble you and your dad are having.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Her voice was totally flat and lifeless.
“Sweetheart, talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“I will. I promise.”
A part of him wanted to order her to strip and to force her to open up, but he knew that wasn’t what she needed right now. Denver pulled her in close and squeezed, giving her what she did need at this moment. She leaned into his chest, and her tears fell. Her pain was deep.
When she seemed cried out, he gently nudged, “Why is your dad coming here?”
“He got the same pictures as my boss.”
“Shit.”
She laughed weakly. “Nothing describes my situation better. I know it’s possible that the photos may have been sent from the man who wants me out of town. Well, he might be getting his wish. I can’t take this anymore. It’s too much.”
Denver lifted Jessie up in his arms as more sobs rolled out of her. She was overwhelmed and needed only tenderness. If it took all night, he would hold her this way until she was calm.
“My dad was my hero when I was young. He was fun and warm, not like he is now.”
“How is he now?”
“Distant. Cold. When he looks at me, I’m not even sure he loves me anymore.”
Asshole.
“When did he change?”
“Before my mother lost her battle to cancer, I saw the change. I was ten, I think. Mom was doing another round of chemo, and he was so wonderful to her and to me. Then one day, it was like he just shut down.”
“Tell me about that day, sweetheart.”
“Mom was having a really bad day. My room was across the hall from theirs. It was late. I heard their door open and Dad walk out. There wasn’t anything strange about that. It happened so many times. The chemo would get the best of her, and me and Dad would work together to help her. When I walked in the room, she held out her arms to me. She was crying. I went to her and accidentally knocked over some of the pain medications off her nightstand. One of the bottles that held the strongest was in liquid form. It broke. When Dad came back in the room he glared at me in a way I’d never seen before. It broke my heart.” A new round of tears fell. “He didn’t say a word, just picked up the phone and c–called the d–doctor. Told them Mom n–needed r–refills.”
Denver waited. His own heart broke for her, yet he could understand how a man could shut down when the woman of his dreams was dying before his eyes. He bet that night was when her dad had finally realized there was nothing he could do to save her mother—his wife.
Jessie’s voice was shaking, but she continued, “That night, he moved out of his and my mom’s bedroom and into a guest room. He was like night and day after that. He stopped talking to me, asking about my day, holding me…”
Her entire body shook violently as Denver continued to cradle her.
So many tears.
His chest was soaked with them.
Jessie was at the very core of her deep hurt, and he could feel the pain flooding out of her. Though everything inside him wanted to fix things and tell her to shut the suffering off, he knew she needed this. As much as it killed him to see her so distraught, he wouldn’t stop her from going through this.
“I felt all alone. My mother was so sick. I thought I was the one to blame, like I’d done something wrong. After my mother died, it was like I was an orphan. He wasn’t the same dad. He was someone else. Living with him was so difficult. If it hadn’t been for Michael, I think I would’ve died, too. I sure wanted to.”
And then, her body sagged into Denver’s, and he pulled her in tight.
She choked out, “It got worse when my dad found out that I wasn’t interested in going to law school. We’re almost strangers now.”
Denver knew she had gone the distance with her sharing. He hadn’t met Michael, though Dallas had, but if he ever did, he would thank the guy for being there for Jessie back then.
He nuzzled her neck. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
She looked up at him, her eyes glistening from her tears of pain. “For what?”
“For trusting me enough to tell me all of it.” He kissed her forehead.
“I do trust you, Denver. But I have to tell you, I’m so...”
“Shh. You’ve done enough work tonight.”
“No. Let me say this. Please.”
She was like a little kitten in his arms. “Sure.”
“I love you. I love your younger brothers, too. But what you’re asking me to do is hard for me to wrap my head around. I’m just not sure I’m up for Austin’s ways. And the way he acts around me, I don’t think I’m his type at all. And these photos… My God, they could’ve come from the killer.”
Though they’d not talked about it, that had been his first thought, too. “Or they might not even be connected. Like the email was signed, it might be some concerned citizen of Wilde, hoping to get you out of town.”
“I know.”
“Jessie, we’ve pushed you too hard. You’re strong, but you’re not from here. My family’s ways are not the norm in the outside world. I get it. But I can’t back off. I love you and I want you, not for a night or two. I want you forever.”
* * * *
Jessie’s heart danced in her chest when Denver told her he loved her. She ran her finger over Denver’s scar. She liked being held in his arms. “You say you want me forever, but for now, I just want to survive until my Dad leaves Wilde.”
“I’ll help you with that.” The cowboy pressed his mouth to her lips, delivering a toe-curling kiss.
When he released her, she was out of breath and feeling better. “Will you do something for me, Denver?”
“Anything.”
“I want another training session with you.”
He frowned. “At the club.”
“No. Here. Now. Just you and me.” If she had a chance at love with the brothers, she had to be ready for Austin. If he rejected her, it wouldn’t be because she hadn’t done all she could do. No way. And as much as it pained her, if Austin did turn her away, she would leave. She would not come between the brothers. Ever. They were family, and that meant something.
He cocked up one eyebrow. “Okay, sugar.”
This made sense. She needed to be ready for one of the public areas the next time she went to the club. Besides, when Denver turned into Sir, she was able to get out of her head and go to that wonderful, dreamy place where no memories of old hurts were. At least for a bit.
“I need to let my bratty sub out. Are you Dom enough to tame her?”
Denver stood, still holding Jessie in his arms with her feet dangling. He gently lowered her to the floor to a standing position, and then his whole demeanor changed. Like some superhero, he morphed from his former self into someone different.
Sir.