LITMIR.BIZ

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phone rang three times before it was picked up.

      â€œForest Preserve, Officer Fox speaking,” a sexy voice recited.

      â€œHey Jason, it’s Tabby.” she smiled for the first time since walking in the front door.

      â€œTabby?” Jason cried and she heard something topple over, probably the chair because he was usually leaning it back in it at a dangerous angle on two legs. “Where the hell have you been?”

      â€œKriss kinda kidnapped me and Envy and took us to Florida for a few days.” Tabby answered. “I just got home and thought I’d call and see what I missed.”

      Jason sighed, “Other than the normal weird stuff, you didn’t miss a lot. The only exciting thing that happened is the other night we got a call from a real whack job.”

      Tabby smirked and sat down on her sofa. “Do tell!”

      â€œJacob and me were just sitting around, it was a slow night, and the phone rang. I picked it up and this guy was talking about seeing a jaguar chasing a cougar through downtown with a cell phone strapped to one of its legs.”

      Tabatha couldn’t help it and started laughing. If she’d been in Jason’s shoes a couple weeks ago, she would have thought the same thing. “Oh damn,” she exclaimed.

      â€œTell me about it,” Jason said with a chuckle. “Jacob and I are taking bets on whether or not there will be any text messages on it when they find the critter.”

      â€œAre you sure you’re not drinking any of Kat’s specialties?” she asked around her laughter.

      â€œI do not drink on the job!” Jason exclaimed and Tabatha heard Jacob’s laughter in the background. “So when are you coming back to work?”

      Tabatha shrugged, “I don’t know yet. I need a few more days and I got the vacation days to burn.”

      â€œThat’s cool, we miss you though. It’s just not the same without having a pretty face to brighten up the place. All I have now is Jacob, and he isn’t much to look at.”

      â€œI’ve missed you guys too,” Tabatha said, and she meant it. “We’ll get together in the next couple of days.”

      Jason was quiet for a moment and Tabatha instinctively knew what was coming. “How’s Envy?”

      â€œShe’s doing good too. Like me, she just needed a few days away.” She bit her lower lip when there were several seconds of silence.

      â€œIs it true?” Jason asked.

      â€œIs what true?” Tabatha inquired trying to sound clueless.

      â€œIs Envy really dating Devon Santos?” Jason’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the phone a little tighter.

      Tabatha sighed, she knew this was going to hurt Jason in a big way, but to a certain extent it was partially his fault. Someone that cute should never be so hung up on the one girl who thought of him as a best friend and brother.

      â€œYeah, it’s true.” Tabatha said softly. “I know she didn’t mean to hurt you. She does love you… ya know.”

      Jason exhaled softly and Tabatha felt sorry for him. He’d chased after Envy for so long that she was the only girl he’d ever looked at. Now she was beyond his reach but Tabatha wasn’t about to tell him. That was Envy’s job.

      â€œI know she didn’t,” Jason said after a minute. “I guess I should have gotten a clue when she didn’t even notice that I was flirting with her.”

      â€œShe noticed, Jason,” Tabatha said. “She just thought it would put a strain on your friendship.”

      Jason hummed, “Yeah, I guess it probably would have but you can’t blame a guy for dreaming, right?”

      â€œI can blame you for a lot of things,” Tabatha heard Jacob say in the background.

      â€œYou shut the hell up,” Jason growled playfully and Tabatha heard him slam the chair legs down in their right position. “Tabatha, I’ll call you later. The child here has decided to start throwing paper wads at me.”

      Tabatha giggled and nodded her head, “All right, I’ll talk to you later.”

      She hung up the phone and sat there for a moment before putting the phone back on the charger. Looking around the apartment again, it didn’t seem quite so lonely now. Jason would need her friendship now more than ever and being needed helped to make her feel more stable.

      Standing up and stretching her arms over her head, she walked down the hall to her room. She got undressed and slipped into a pair of boy shorts and a tank top before sinking down into the cool, familiar softness of her bed.

      This time she didn’t try to stop the scene from playing out in her mind as she drifted off to sleep. After all, she needed to decipher it and it wouldn’t go away until she did… so why fight it? She sank into the darkness of sleep still staring across the church and into Kane’s eyes.

      *****

      Jewel paced the expanse of Steven’s bedroom. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she had taken to biting her nails, something she hadn’t done since she was a child.

      â€œThis is my fault,” she said softly trying to blink away the image of her father crucified above the alter of the same church he'd attended for most of his life. How many times had he prayed right there below where he’d died? She’d known Anthony was twisted but that was sadistic.

      Steven watched the woman pace back and forth and could even see her lips moving soundlessly as she ranted within her mind. He reached out a hand and laid it on her arm soothingly in an attempt to calm her down. “Jewel, none of this is your fault.”

      She narrowed her eyes on his hand then glared up at him. “You’re partly right. It’s just as much your fault as it is mine. And now that Daddy is dead, I don’t have to marry Anthony anymore and I definitely don’t have to stay married to you.”

      Jewel turned away from him so his hand would fall. The last thing she needed right now was to be absolved of her sins… she was guilty as hell. She’d given Anthony the nails to crucify her own father.

      Steven wouldn’t admit it but her words stung him deeply. He responded the only way he knew how at this point since she obviously didn’t want to hear words of encouragement or kindness.

      â€œDo you honestly think Anthony will stop coming after you just because he killed your father?” Steven yelled. He knew he was right and that she wasn’t going to listen to a damn word of it.

      â€œHe killed my father… I was dancing with the devil because I wanted father safe and alive. If Anthony dares to come near me now, I’ll blow his damn head off.” Jewel felt so strange. It was like she was perfectly calm on the outside, but shaking like crazy on the inside.

      She’d cried for hours but the anger had finally sobered her up. She’d shed enough tears. Now it was time to take back her life. She had formed a plan to set a trap for Anthony and she prayed Steven was right… that Anthony would come for her, because she’d be ready for him.

      â€œI can’t let you leave,” Steven informed her. If she wasn’t going to protect herself, then as her mate… he would have to do it for her. He watched her red rimmed eyes turn and lock with his.

      â€œThen you’re no better than Anthony and I will hate you for the rest of my life,” she said stubbornly. She wanted Steven to get mad at her, to throw her

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