Page 220 of Cross the Line
“What?” No. We would’ve heard about it already. Cavanaugh is a popular guy. Everybody loves Clover…
“Last we heard, he was in critical condition,” Jayden says.
“His family turned off life support this morning,” Finley states while Salem clings to her.
“Umm…” Jayden pauses, blowing out a long breath.
God, I know I’m going to regret my decision before I make it. Salem is Presley’s wife. Her father is an Elder…
There is no way or how this is going to end well for her. From the look of her, Presley’s already knocked her about. Which means he knows about her and Casey, and now that I’m really taking her in, it’s noticeable that she’s pregnant.
How can I send her away? A pregnant woman with nowhere else to go?
“Can we talk inside?” Jayden asks, opening the apartment door behind me.
Blanca rushes out, circling us a few times before she jumps up at me. Her long neck craned, and her paw clawing at my shirt to bring me down to her level for kisses.
“Hey, baby girl,” I coo, giving her the fuss she’s after while Finley takes Salem into the apartment.
She pauses on the threshold, looking back at me with a pinched expression. Her mouth opens, and while I wait for her to speak, she simply shakes her head down at the floor while Jayden ushers Salem through the door. Then, without a word, Fin follows, leaving me with Bee.
“Did you enjoy your walkies?” I ask, putting all my focus on her so I can center myself and catch my breath.
Her excitable whimper says she had the best time with Samson. I’m guessing Finley’s already taken him up to Bruce’s apartment because he would be out here competing with Bee for attention.
We’re heading inside when Jayden stops me. Concern is etched all over his face when he asks me, “How’re you doing?”
“Shocked,” is all I can reply.
My brain isn’t braining to compose a coherent response. The conflicting feelings running errant are making it impossible to form a clear thought on the situation, aside fromfuck me.
“Do you think she’s telling the truth about Cavanaugh, the baby… Why she’s here?”
There’s a bleakness to his stare that says he’s as unsure about having Salem here as I am.
“I don’t know Salem that well. I mean, her father is an Elder and she’s Presley’s wife.”
“She’s beat up pretty good,” he says, taking off his suit jacket.
“Suppose that’s something we can see she’s not lying about, and I don’t doubt that sack of shit did it.” An overwhelming sense of anger bubbles up my gut. “We’ll know whether she’s telling the truth about Cavanaugh soon enough.”
“Yeah,” JJ sighs, his finger tips my face to his as he comes closer. “She doesn’t have to stay. She’s not our problem. Neither you nor Finley owes her a thing.”
“But she’s pregnant, and if she’s telling the truth about her and Cavanaugh… Sheisalone.”
“No, he has family. They’ll want to take care of his child,” Jayden tells me. “They’re not our responsibility, and I am not going to have you uncomfortable in our home. It’s?—”
“Finley wants to help her. She knows Salem more than me. If Fin trusts her, then I think we should give Salem the benefit of the doubt. The same way you gave our girl grace when I brought her to you.”
A long, exasperated huff pushes past his clenched teeth.
“Okay. Fine.” Jayden nods, but his narrowed stare holds mine for a beat before he adds, “But Salem Tomes is not our girl, and at the first sign of trouble, she’s gone.”
Lacing his hand with mine, he starts inside.
I don’t know what happens now or what to do. But as always, with Jayden at my side, I know it’s going to be alright.
***
