Page 47 of Steel & Jenna
“All accusations against you have been dropped. Mr. Scanlon’s lawyer was able to convince Mrs. Scanlon that it was not worth pursuing without raising certain of her own actions to light.”
“Can we still press charges against her?” Mr. Zarin asked.
“You can,” the Chief hedged, “but she’s holding to her story of her bodyguards acting in defense of her. At this point,” he gave Jack an apologetic look, “it’s a he-said, she-said situation. I’m not sure it’s worth the battle.”
Jenna’s grip on Jack’s hand tightened. “I’ll testify.”
“You didn’t witness that actual altercation, Ms. Scanlon,” the Chiefsaid gently. “In fact, what you did witness might harm Jack.” Jack assumed the man was referring to Jack tackling the first bodyguard. “In my professional opinion, and I have informed Mrs. Scanlon of the same, I am suggesting both sides drop the entire affair. Neither of you press charges against either and both of you get to walk away.”
Mr. Zarin spoke up again. “That is Jack’s choice, but I suggest only doing so if the Scanlons agree to pay Jack’s hospital bills.”
“That will be between the two of you,” Cunningham said sternly, “but, off the record, I agree.”
Jack sagged in relief against his pillow. Opening his eye, he shifted carefully to look at Jenna. Her hazel eyes were already on him. “Are you okay with that?”
She nodded. “My parents have more lawyers than you can imagine, Jack. If you can walk away from this, make the deal.”
Jack moved his head slowly back to Cunningham. “I’ll drop the charges if she will.”
“Good.” The Chief looked relieved by the news. Then he straightened. “Now, the two of you,” he pointed between Jack and Jenna. “I need the two of you to understand that I sympathize with your plight. I was young and in love once too, but these types of relationships rarely last. I know it might hurt now, and that sucks, but I need both of you to think about your futures.”
“Jenna is my future,” Jack announced without hesitation.
“I admire your determination, son, but I’m not sure it’s wise. The Scanlons can bring down a lot of hurt on you—and I’m not talking about the physical kind. You are in a precarious living situation. If the wrong people are informed, I’ll be forced to remove you from the Zarins. I won’t be happy about it, but that’s the law. You can’t change who your parents are any more than Ms. Scanlon can.”
Fear spiked Jack’s heart rate. Was he risking Lilly’s safety and the chance to have a good home to be with Jenna?
Two years, three months, and three days. That was how many days until he was eighteen. But Jenna was three months and five days younger than him. He knew time would not change his feelings.
Jenna was his.
Was it better for them to wait until they could legally be together no matter what her parents said?
As if sensing where Jack’s thoughts were, Jenna leaned down so her face was right next to his on the pillow. “You know that songAin’t No Mountain High Enough?” Jack nodded. “I don’t think I understood the lyrics before I met you. I thought it was about the distance between the two lovers. But it’s not. At least, for me it’s not. For me, it’s about being so entirely connected to your person’s soul that there is no distance.” She carefully moved his hair at his temples. “You’re my person, Jack Duncan. Be it now or in fifty years. So if you need me to walk out that door,” she nodded her head towards the door to his hospital room without looking at it, “to protect your sister, then I will. And I will count the days until my parents can no longer tell me who I can or cannot love so that I can walk back into your arms and we can spend eternity together.
“But,” she added swiftly, “if you choose to hold my hand, to stand with me, I swear to you the battle will be worth it. I will fightevery dayto be with you—and that’s a vow that extends well past our eighteenth birthdays.”
The entire world faded away. There was no pain, no morphine drip, no hospital or audience. There was just her and him. Jenna and Jack.
He wanted so badly to pull her against himself. To be able to hold her and kiss her. More than that, he wanted to be able to have a legal claim on her that superseded everyone else’s, not just a verbal declaration.
“Marry me.”
Jenna’s breath caught. “We’re fifteen, Jack. Wecan’tget married.”
“I’m not asking you to marry me right now. I’m asking you to marry me on May 4, 1987.” Her eighteenth birthday. It would add to his countdown, but it would be worth it.
Her chin trembled. “It’s a Tuesday.”
“We can skip school. Will you marry me?”
She nodded, gently leaning her forehead against his. “Yes, Jack, I will.”
He pressed his head against hers as much as he dared. “I’d rather fight this battle with you than know a day without you, Jenna. Two years isn’t that long when compared with forever, and that’s how long I want with you.”
He felt her lips twitch against his cheek. “I want that too.”
“We’ll figure the rest out. It might not be easy, but I swear to you, Jenna, I won’t stop fighting for you.”
