Page 49 of Traitorous Lies
“You're here to give me a lesson in self-defense?” She stared at him with wide eyes, and seeing her in her natural habitat, with her shoulder length brown locks in two pigtails, and comfortable jeans and a sweater clothing her, worn boots in what he could still make out was a soft shade of pink, had him grinning at her despite the angry look she was shooting his way.
“No, princess, not to give you a lesson.” Although it wasn't a bad idea. She probably wouldn't go for him being her teacher, but he could have someone from Prey there before the end of the day to run through the basics with her.
“Don’t call me that,” she snapped.
The bite to her tone wasn't what he was used to hearing from her. She was so sweet and softly spoken, and yet she oozed passion and sincerity with every word that fell from her perfect lips. He’d heard fear and pain in her voice, but he’d only heard anger when she realized that there had been ulterior motives for his being at that charity ball.
“What are you even doing here? I thought you went home with your brothers after you dropped me off at the airfield.” She still gripped the handle of the rake, her hold so tight that her knuckles had blanched white, and if she wasn't such a sweetheart, he would likely have thought that it was his neck she was imagining her hands wrapped around.
“No way in hell I was leaving you alone and vulnerable,” he informed her. “And besides, my brothers didn't go home. They went back to where my family is hiding out until we can end this mess.”
Straightening her spine, Monique let the rake drop, then crossed her arms over her chest. A defense mechanism, he knew that. She wasn't ready to accept the truth yet, and that he got. There had been a lot of times over the years when he or one of his brothers had been struck down by moments of doubt. Moments where they wondered if believing their parents were innocent was just because they couldn’t handle the truth. Those doubts ate away at you over time, because deep down they all knew that neither his and Jake’s dad, or Cade, Cooper, Connor, Cole, and Cassandra’s mom would betray their country.
But those moments existed. And if it wasn't for the tangible proofthat they clung to in the knowledge that their parents hadn't been sharing a bed, which meant the marriage was nothing more than a sham, then he could see the doubts overtaking things until he believed what everybody else did.
“By end this mess I assume you mean destroying my father,” Monique said.
“If we don’t take him out, he’ll wipe out my entire family,” he told her. “I can't let that happen. We’ve done nothing wrong. All we ever wanted was to clear our parents’ names. They deserve that much. Now we just want to be free from the past, so we can focus on the future.”
Her stance softened slightly. “I understand that. I truly do. I told you, Jax, I don’t have a problem with you all protecting yourselves or wanting to find answers. All you had to do was ask me, and I would have helped in any way I could.”
“I wish I’d told you the truth from the beginning,” he told her honestly. If he had, there wouldn't be this gaping distance between them even as she stood three feet away.
“Me too. But you didn't. And because you didn't, you’ve just become another person who didn't seeme. I know it’s silly to be worrying about that when your family is in danger, but I can't help it. I've never been seen and … I thought you were different. I thought you liked me. Me. Just me. Not the rich, spoiled heiress everyone thinks I am.”
“Princess, I see you, I swear I do. I know you're not ready to talk, but I can't stay away. I'm sorry. I want more than anything to be able to respect your boundaries, but whether you’re ready to believe it or not, I think your dad is involved. If I'm right and he is, then you're in danger. You’ve gotten too close, and I believe that his sense of self-preservation will override everything else. Including the fact that you're his daughter.”
“I said I'd give you a DNA sample, then you can prove that you're wrong.”
The fact that she hadn't already provided said sample, told him everything he needed to know. She had doubts. However small, they were there. A part of her was worried that the DNA test would prove that Cassandra was her half-sister. That alone wasn't enough for hisfamily to prove that her father was a rapist, but it was something. Another step forward. Sooner or later, all these little steps would get them where they needed to be.
“I know you did, and I believe you will, but again, that’s not why I'm here. I'm here because I can't stay away from you. I think about you every second. Dream about you in what little sleep I get. You’re vulnerable out here, and the one thing I can do for you right now is protect you. I’ve already started putting up cameras around your property.”
The blurted confession had her eyebrows almost jumping off the top of her head. “You did what?”
“On the perimeter, but I'm worried it’s not enough. I want to put them around all the buildings and scattered throughout the trees.”
“You want to be able to watch my every move?”
“Yes,” he answered honestly. “I want to know without a shadow of a doubt that you're safe, and if you're not, I want to be able to get to you before anyone else lays a hand on you.”
Taking a big chance, Jax closed the distance between them, standing close enough that she had to tip her head back to maintain eye contact. As badly as he wanted to touch her, he didn't, just soaked in the fact that she was right there, alive, and healthy, and so beautiful it hurt.
“I messed up. I didn't know I was going to fall for you when I agreed to do this. I thought at worst I’d dent your ego a little, get close, get a location on your dad, and disappear. I never thought I would fall for you.”
“Fall for me?” she whispered, a delicate hope in her soft gray eyes.
“Fell so hard and so deep I won't ever be able to climb my way back out. Don’t want to either. I'm sorry, Monique. For hurting you, for betraying your trust, for making you feel unseen. I know it’s asking a lot for you to forgive me, and I understand maybe you won't be able to ever trust me again. But regardless of what the future holds, this world needs you in it, so I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.”
Lifting a hand, he reached out and brushed his fingertips along her jaw, his thumb feathering over her bottom lip.
Then because he knew if he didn't go now, he’d have her in his arms, kissing her senseless until she had no choice but to forgive him, Jaxturned and walked out of the barn, still clinging to the idea that he’d get his miracle and have his girl back soon.
November 9th
11:21 A.M.
Why did Jax have to say such sweet things?
