Page 41 of Jake's Angel

I open the long slender box to find a silver bracelet with five sapphire blue daisies all connected in a line. My eyes well up with tears. When I look up to see her smiling face, she whispers, “It’s for you. A graduation gift. To remind you, you can plant yourself anywhere you want. You’re free to become whoever wherever you want now.” Her smile softens, her eyes glassy. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t hope you would plant yourself here with me.”

I slam into her, wrapping my arms so tight around her waist I’m sure I’m hurting her, but she doesn’t complain. She just holds me while I sob into her blouse.

A dinging sound from her computer snaps me out of my blubbering state. I pull out of her embrace, pulling the bottom of my T-shirt up to wipe my face. It’s not ladylike, but who cares? I already know I look a mess and couldn’t care less.

She goes over to her computer, removes the thumb drive, then puts in another one. She’s bent over at the waist, typing at a ridiculously rapid speed on the keyboard. I grab the ice cream and my spoon and stand behind her to see what she’s doing. When my eyes find the framed picture sitting on the desk near her computer. The same picture I was looking at before. A familiar face stands out. A heavy feeling settles in my stomach,causing my knees to buckle slightly. I catch myself on the back of the chair behind her.

She glances back over her shoulder, but she’s completely enthralled in whatever she’s doing, not noticing my current state of panic.

Oh, shit.

“Why don’t you go have a seat on the couch and find us something to watch? I need to finish downloading something onto my computer and change my clothes, then I’ll be right out.” She taps a few more keys, then turns the screens off again and makes her way down the hall to her bedroom.

As soon as she closes her door, I pick up the picture and study it.

It’s him. The guy from Magpie’s today. He’s Sadie’s father. Holy shit!

I put the picture back in its place, shocked and unable to move.

“I thought you were going to put something on the TV?” She eyes me curiously.

“I was, but your remote has too many damn buttons and I can’t figure it out, so I was eating away my frustration while I waited for you,” I lie, taking a huge bite into my mouth to stop myself from spewing any more untruths at her. I quickly realize my mistake when my head throbs so badly. I want to lie down in the fetal position and never get up again.

“Owww,” I groan, holding my hand to my head.

Sadie laughs hysterically at my motionless, painful state. “It’s called a brain freeze.” She’s still laughing when I stand back up, feeling the pain slowly subsiding. “You ate the ice cream too fast. It will stop in a second.”

“Ugh. People eat this stuff knowing it can cause this kind of pain? What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Oh, knock it off, Miss Priss,” she chides. “You’ll be just fine in a minute. Here. Give it to me. I’ll eat it since you’re obviously in too much pain to enjoy it anymore.”

I stand up, pulling the carton tight to my chest. “Don’t. Touch. My. Carbs.” She cracks up, laughing at my stubbornness.

“Welcome to the dark side of carbs, Aves,” she teases. We’re giggling like a couple of little girls. All seriousness and worry aside. I’m going to enjoy this night, especially since it’s our last one together.

Tomorrow, I’ll leave her a note and be on my way. I won’t bring any more of my trouble down on her.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

JAKE

The clubhouse isempty except for the officers who are gathered here awaiting instructions. Pop comes out of Gabe’s office, seemingly happier than he was yesterday. I’m not the only one who notices his relaxed demeanor, either.

“Well, looks like you offloaded a little stress last night, eh, Mack?” Hawk hollers from where he stands by his bike. “Was Lisa able to walk this morning, or did you leave her laid out to rest up for tonight?”

“Fuck off, Hawk!” Pop hollers back. He gives a slight chin lift, signaling Declan.

Hawk shouts, “Ow!” and a smirking Declan walks past him, not the least bit apologetic.

“Alright ladies!” Gabe calls, walking in behind Pop. “Jameson, Declan, Hawk, Jake, Caleb, and Mack will head out to meet Austin and Blake and bring the girls in for questioning. Ethan, Ghost, myself, and the other two prospects will remain here in case shit goes sideways.”

“It’s two little girls, Pres. You think they’ll be that much trouble?” Jameson jokes.

“You wouldn’t think two barely legal girls would be so much trouble, but where Sadie Jay is involved, we can’t be too careful,” Ghost says what we’re all thinking.

“Remember, not a word about Cusenza until we find out why the girl ran in the first place. You all got me?”

A collective, “Yes sir” echoes in the yard.

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