Page 95 of Brandishing Betrayals

“Come back to bed,” I muttered.

Maya didn’t move; I could see her blinking at me though.

“It’s your bed. You were sleeping in it before I woke up. Come on.”

Maya

Istaredacrossmydimlylit bedroom at Jason wondering if he had lost his damn mind. Maybe the pain killers were getting to him. Was he high? Either way, I didn’t move.

“Maya!” He barked, that dominate tone immediately sending shivers rushing down my spine.

I jumped, startled and quickly sat up. Kicking off my blanket, I stood from the recliner and walked around the end of the bed. I climbed into the space next to him on the queen-sized bed, onthe other side of the throw pillows that he was resting his injured arm on.

It wasn’t until I was climbing into bed that I realized how easily and how fucking quickly I’d followed his order.

He chuckled softly when he saw the surprise flash across my face. “I’d call you a good girl, but we both know you’re not.”

I flushed a bright red and turned away. I wasn’t going to sit here and listen to his teasing. I went to walk away, but his hand shot out and grabbed my wrist.

He immediately groaned and let go. He grabbed the bullet wound with his good hand and slowly fell sideways in agony. “Fuuuck.” He panted.

“Shit, Jase,” I squeaked. I tucked his head against my chest and I held him loosely. That had to have hurt.

He straightened out his arm, still cradling his injury, but left his head resting against my chest. “I think you just wanted my face in your tits again.” His voice was hoarse, a rough gravel that sent a shiver down my spine.

I missed his voice.

“I uh—”

He chuckled softly, his breath fanning against my cleavage.

I held him, in disbelief that it was happening after everything that had happened. That I allowed it and that he did as well. I believed it was the magic of the darkness; things happened under cover of darkness that wouldn’t happen otherwise.

A moment later he groaned and pulled away, he leaned back against the wall, because there was no headboard on the bed, and tilted his back, sighing. His good hand came up to run over the bandage covering his stitches on his neck, and I bet they were being pulled while he was leaning forward.

Jason closed his eyes and took a couple deep breaths. “Why didn’t you come back?”

The question hit out of the blue that I was stunned speechless. I licked my lip and ran a hand through my hair as I thought about the answer. “I thought about it a couple times. I thought about telling Marcos about Luke sooner. I came down here a couple times, but somehow Hillcrest always knew… and the updates I’d hear from Slade… they weren’t good.” I took a deep breath to gather my thoughts. “About two years after I left, I decided it was time, that I needed to tell you guys. I went as far as to come down here and look at apartments…” I trailed off as emotion choked my voice.

“What happened?” Jason asked, not opening his eyes. His voice was rough.

Tears flooded my vision and I curled up against the wall, hugging my pillow to my chest. “I was in town for two days. I looked at three apartments and was going to put a deposit down on one. I was at the bank when a courier brought me a bouquet of orange carnations—did you know there’s a whole language to flowers?”

He raised an eyebrow, keeping his eyes closed.

“Yeah, I didn’t either, but I’ve learned a lot about the language of flowers in the last ten years.” I gave a shaky laugh before I continued. “There was a note in the bouquet. It said that what was about to happen, was my fault, and that I should have stayed away.” I took a gasping breath as tears fell down my face. “I was in the bank across the street from the clubhouse. I stood there and watched the clubhouse get raided.”

Jason’s eyes shot open and looked to mine, searching my gaze. “You were there?”

I nodded, tears falling down my face. “I saw you and Marcos getting arrested in front of the clubhouse.” I had to take a deep breath before I continued. “I stood in the entrance to the bank across the street, watching in horror as Marcos was slammed on the hood of the cop car and handcuffed. A moment later they ledyou out of the clubhouse, already in cuffs. You looked like you were cussing out the cop that was leading you.”

Jason frowned, a line forming between his eyebrows.

“I was terrified. I had no idea how he’d known I was even in town or thinking of moving back. I looked through the flowers again and found a second note stuck deep in the bouquet. It said if I left town, he’d make sure the sentences were low, but if I stayed, he would make sure you received ten years.”

“What the fuck?” Jason demanded.

I let out a soft sob as emotions rocked me. “I later heard from Slade that the two of you were sentenced to two years at Illinois State Prison. So I didn’t bother coming back.”

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