Twisted (Rogues Shifter Series Book 3) (24 page)

Lady D stood and said a few words about me starting out fresh when I came to work with them next week. I looked at her in shock. Next week? I knew that this was supposed to clear the slate, but c’mon, a guy like Leander was going to be coming after me. I started to shake a little and so Lady D took me over to Jackie who wrapped her arms around me and transported us back to my room.

I wasn’t happy when Jackie told me that I had to spend one more night in Faerie and that Liam would bring me back to her house first thing in the morning, along with Samson. But she stayed with me and rubbed my back while I cried and
she hugged me like I’d always imagined a sister would, and finally I felt myself drifting off to sleep.

Chapter Forty-six

Jackie:
6:00 PM Saturday

We beamed into the kitchen, (I liked referring to it that way), and I instantly ran off to find Ethan, Kyle or Sinc. Bridgett was traveling home through the lines with Liam tomorrow. She’d been sound asleep when I left her and I wasn’t really strong enough right now to carry Garrett and Bridgett. First I ran upstairs, but no one wa
s there. Sasha and Sinc were sitting on the couch together in the basement watching a movie and Heinrich and William were playing pool.

“We’re back!” I yelled as I ran down the stairs. Sinc jumped up and ran to
give me a hug, although it was more reserved that I would have expected. As soon as we pulled apart I smelled Sasha’s sweet cherry scent all over her.

“Welcome home, Jackie. How are you? Is there anything I can get you?”
Sinc asked sweetly. Sasha had moved to stand next to Heinrich and William who were still standing quietly by the pool table. There was tension in the air as I looked from Sinc to Sasha and then back to Sinc.

“Where’s Ethan?”

“He left with Kyle.” Her expression was deadpan. I couldn’t believe what my nose was telling me.

“Well, are they coming back?”

“I don’t know.” I just kept staring at her in disbelief. “We had a—disagreement, so he’s at my house packing his things and moving in with Kyle and Peter.” She didn’t seem upset, just tense. Why wasn’t she more upset? Garrett had moved downstairs and was standing behind me.

“Rick, Will, please go upstairs for a few minutes. “ Garrett’s voice was very calm. How could he be so calm? I was fuming.

As soon as they left, I gave Sinc a slight shove, and yelled, “What the fuck did you do?”

Her eyes narrowed and she walked right back up to me speaking softly, “This is really none of your business. I realize that Ethan is your best friend and you don’t want him hurt, but this is going to hurt him less in the end.”

“You are such an idiot. He
adores
you. He just came back from searching for days for any sign of me or Kennet. He’s probably exhausted. This was cruel, Sinc. You could have just told him it was over.”

“You know I’ve
tried to do that. He won’t listen to me.”

“You told me you loved him...
”

“I do, that’s why I did what I did.”

I turned on Sasha. “You’re toast, asshole!”

He leaned back against the pool table and crossed his arms. “She came to me. I didn’t pursue her. I didn’t break any of Garrett’s rules.”  I looked at Garrett who just shook his head and shrugged.

Okay, so I like to think of myself as an adult, perhaps not in years but definitely in experience. I know that this stuff happens. People have affairs, couples break up and go their separate ways. Sinc had even warned me honestly about not wanting a serious long term relationship and that Ethan was pushing her too strongly in that direction. So why was I flipping out? Because it was Ethan who’d gotten hurt and he was family and also because the anger toward Kennet that I was holding onto with all my strength was floating on the surface like a burning battleship, ready to ram into the nearest pier. Of course that doesn’t excuse the way I behaved next but…well…you’ll see.

“It’s true, he didn’t come on to me, Jackie. It was all
my
idea.” Sinc looked at Sasha and smiled in her very sexy way and that’s what did it. Sinc’s nose became the pier.

I punched her. (I know, I know, I shouldn’t have.
) We all heard the crack and then blood was spurting everywhere and she was crying and cursing. After I did it, I felt good for about five seconds and then I felt like crap. Garrett grabbed me away from her, digging his nails into my arms and actually glaring at me. I couldn’t blame him. It was completely wrong. I shook off his hands and went to the fridge to get some ice and give it to Sasha, who was holding Sinc against him.

“Would you please give her some blood so she can heal quickly?”

“Yes,
healer
.” Sasha was really pissed at me too. I watched him pull her into his lap and bite his wrist to give her his blood. I was surprised to see how gently he held her and stroked her hair. As soon as she started drinking, the bleeding stopped and her nose stopped swelling.

I sat down across from them and tried to think of what I could say. “You can punch me back if you want, Sinc, because I was way out of line.” Sinc turned away fr
om me, but Sasha smiled. “You have every right to be angry, but when you get up tomorrow morning try to cut me a little slack. I’ve been out of main stream society for awhile and have obviously lost all of my social skills. I’m really sorry. I hope you can forgive me.”

I
walked upstairs feeling like a stranger in a house that I owned. For some strange reason, it didn't feel like home at the moment. In fact, nothing felt right. Who the hell was I? Why had I acted like that? It’s one thing to be angry, but punching someone out of the blue was off the charts crazy. As soon as I reached the top of the stairs Garrett was holding me gently. Wanting more privacy, he led me into the bedroom where I sat on the edge of the bed and started to shake.

He wrapped his arms around me more tightly and kissed my hair. “Jackie, sweetheart, talk to me.”

“I can’t talk about it. It was—I can’t.” I clutched at his shirt. “Please stay with me. I don't feel like I can be alone.”

"I'll stay for as long as you need me to."

“I can’t believe I hit her like that. I’m afraid. I’m losing control.”

“Do you trust me?”

“More than anyone else.”

“Then please talk to me.”

“I’m ashamed—and I’m scared.” I felt a sob choke up from my chest.

‘You’re not responsible for what happened. He had incredible mental powers. You know what he did to Aedus and Ethan. All that I care about is that you’re here, my sweet angel, and you’re alive and we have a long wonderful life ahead of us.”

“You won’t feel that way when I tell you.”

“Jackie look at me.” I did, although it was hard to meet his eyes.” You’re everything I ever dreamed about in a mate. I
f you went to him willingly, I would never think badly of you. I told you to give him what he wanted so you wouldn’t have to suffer.”

I was so confused about what had actua
lly happened. “I didn’t. I mean, I didn’t have sex with him. At least I don’t think I did. He whipped me and beat me and half the time I was unconscious so I don’t know if he…if he raped me.

"
He told you that he
had
me, remember? Before he fought Aedus in the woods? I don’t remember that happening. I keep trying to remember. I’m trying so hard.” I clutched at his wet shirt and whispered. “But there was one time, when he used his mind to make me
want
him.” I started to sob uncontrollably. “He made me kiss him and my body—my body was turned on.  My mind was begging for him to stop but—but I had no control.” I turned and crumpled face down onto the bed and wept, too ashamed to look him in the face.

He lay down next to me and rubbed my back, his face only inches from mine, wiping the tears off of my face with his shirt sleeve. He whispered, “Jacqueline, my love, you did nothing wrong.” I turned to look at him, my eyes full of fear and shame. “I will always adore you.” He moved my tear soaked hair out of my eyes. “You’ve been treated so horribly and hurt so badly. Let me care for
you tonight, my angel.”

I nodded my head, knowing that some tender care from Garrett might bring me back from the edge. He ran my bath and shampooed my hair, massaged my feet and rubbed my back. He made me soup and listened while I talked about my fear and my pain and my rage. Eventually, I fell asleep in his bed curled up in his arms, feeling more like myself than I had in a very long time.

Chapter Forty-seven

Garrett: 12:00 AM Sunday

“So are we off the team?” Sinc’s nose looked almost normal again, with just a little swelling. She and Sasha were on the basement couch together and his long fingers were playing distractedly with her dark hair.
William and Heinrich were back at the pool table trying to act inconspicuous.

“No,
of course not. I’m not angry with either of you. Sasha told me honestly that there was an attraction, and you’re both adults. Apparently, you also told Jackie what was going on with you and Ethan. I’m only disappointed in the way you handled it. I’m faced now with the fact that Ethan may not want to stay on the team, or may have trouble coping if he does. I know that Jackie will be seeing him tomorrow at Kyle’s, so I guess we’ll know then.

“Whatever the end result, I’m calling a team meeting for tomorrow at 10 PM, and that includes Rob i
f he’s around and even Bridgett. If Ethan is still with us, then I want you two to cut out any behavior that could be hurtful to him. You will act professionally at all times or I’ll come up with some really entertaining assignments for you. Entertaining for me, not you.” I looked at Sinc. “I think you should go home since Kyle and Ethan have left already.”

“I’m all packed up. I was just waiting until Ethan had finished at my house.”

I looked at Sasha. “Monday, Aaron’s weres will start building the Vamp Villa as Jackie calls it. Tomorrow night I’ll have a copy of the plans so you can look it over and pick out your rooms or suggest any ‘improvements’ you’d want to make. The entire house will be set up like my room, with metal shades that cover the windows during daylight hours. I’m making a couple of interrogation rooms in the basement. We’ll be able to keep any supes down there without a problem. Excluding the fae of course. Any fae problems are handed off to Lord Caelen, Aedus or Liam. As usual, torture is only allowed if we need to save innocent lives. I know that I haven’t always lived by that rule, but I think we should make a more determined effort.”

“Will you tell us what happened to Jackie, while she was a prisoner?” Sinc’s eyes only showed a deep concern. She didn’t seem to be holding any grudges.

“I can’t. She’ll have to tell you herself. It was bad, I can tell you that much. But she does have one very interesting bit of news to share with all of you at the meeting tomorrow night.”

“I’ll be going now, then. Thanks for everything, Garrett.” S
inc got up and when Sasha made a move to follow her she shook her head and turned away.

Sasha watched her walk up the stairs. “Looks like the honeymoon is over.” He only smiled and shrugged.

“Garrett, when will Bridgett be back?” William looked a little anxious. “She’s okay, isn’t she?”

“Yes, she’s
fine. She found the exact spot where Kennet was keeping Jackie. She even jumped him and tried to rip his throat out when she was in cheetah form.“ That information made got a laugh out of them. ”And she officially apologized to the fae prisoners for what happened with her father, so now that’s all behind her.”

“
Great, thanks.” He looked relieved.

I sent to Will
,
“You remember what I told you about taking it slow. She’s leaving in a week. She could be gone for two years.”

“
I understand. I’m not going to do anything stupid—Dad.”
He smiled as I laughed and nodded at him. The change in William was quite remarkable. He was filling out as he continued to exercise, no longer the pathetic creature Eleanor had kept all skin and bones. His confidence had grown, as well as his sense of fun. He’d actually made a joke. Not something I’d ever have imagined happening a few months ago.

I looked around the room. "N
ow that the Kennet crisis is averted, we’re going to get busy. There’s a stack of requests from people who need the team’s help so I’ll sort through them tomorrow afternoon and then we’ll discuss the ones with top priority at the meeting tomorrow night.”

“I can help with that.” Sasha stared at me intently, waiting for me to say, no thanks. But I’d chosen him as my second and he’d handled himself well while I was gone, with the exception of
agreeing to Sinc’s ridiculous let-me-hurt–Ethan-so-he-doesn’t-want-me-anymore plan.

“Great, thanks Sash.
I still want you to continue training Jackie, Will and even Bridgett, when she’s around. Then maybe at some point Kyle could come in and work with all of you on his modern inventions. They’re pretty cool actually.”

“Sure.” Sasha looked relieved and a little bit excited, although he’d never admit
to it.