The UN Series Complete Box Set (128 page)

“I’m sorry.”

My head snaps over to the entrance of the kitchen as she stands there with tears running down her face, her hands on her growing belly. It reminds me of how I found out she was pregnant. By blood work done after rushing her to the hospital after finding her drugged. It brings back that anger full force. “Go back to bed,” I say dismissing her.

“I just want…”

“I don’t care what you want.” I turn back to face her, and she flinches at my harsh words. “How does it feel when someone doesn’t care what you want or how you feel?” I ask taking a step toward her. “All I want is for you to tell me when something important happens,” I snap. “He drugged you. Then he tried to drug your friend. Does that not mean anything to you?”

A sob comes out before she places a hand over her mouth.

“Jeremy is not in jail. Hell, he’s probably that other voice you hear when you have nightmares of what Jax did to you. Dallas was right all along.” Her eyes go wide, and I curse myself. She didn’t know that Dallas told us about a guy named J.

“You said that there wasn’t anyone else,” she cries. “You made me think I was crazy.”

“Slade?” Parker calls from behind me.

“No. She needs to know this,” I say staring down at her. “He’s been free since the day you called the police on him. Do you know how many others he has probably drugged since then?”

“I did it for you,” she screams fisting her hands down at her sides as tears continue to slide down her face. “I kept it from you because I know what you’re capable of. I don’t want you in jail or dead. He is messed up with the wrong people, Slade,” she says softer. “I didn’t want you to do something for me that you would one day regret,” she cries. “I was fine. Missy was fine.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “How was I supposed to know they were going to release him?”

I look down at her, and her eyes look hopeful that I might cave and take her in my arms and tell her it’s okay. That I understand why she did what she did. But that would just be another lie in our marriage.

I lean down and place my face in front of hers. “Don’t try to cover up your mistake with more lies. You didn’t do it for me. Quit playing me for an idiot.”

With that I walk around her and walk to the door that leads to the basement. Once through it, I slam it and lock it behind me. I make my way down to the old office that I turned into a bedroom.

Once I slam that door, I turn around and punch my fist through it. “Fuuuccckk,” I scream. I place my hands above me on the door frame and take in a few deep breaths. It was all right there. I could have prevented what Jax did to her. I could have saved her from the bruises, the scars, and the nightmares if she had just told me about Jeremy. I would have investigated him, found his connection to Jax, and taken them both down. Now, well, now I don’t know what the fuck to do besides be pissed off at her for not telling me. And the shitty part is that she probably never would have told me.

CHAPTER THIRTY

SAMANTHA

I stand in the kitchen looking down at the white tiled floor. I feel sick to my stomach, like I may vomit at any second. I should have known I could never keep this from him. I should have known he would go crazy when he found out.

“Are you okay?” Parker asks pulling me from my thoughts.

I nod my head not wanting to look at him. I go to turn around and walk to our room when he stops me.

“He just needs some time to calm down.”

I look up at him. “I’ve never seen him this mad,” I admit with a shaky voice.

He lets out a long sigh. “Honestly, I haven’t either.”

His confession makes my stomach drop.

“Just…let him cool down,” he says as he gathers up all the paperwork. “Will you be okay?” He looks from me to the door that leads down to the basement. Where we just heard Slade put his fist through something and then scream out his favorite word.

“I’ll be fine.” I’m not afraid of Slade doing any more than some yelling and making me feel like shit, but I know he wouldn’t lay his hands on me.

He nods his head satisfied with my answer. I don’t think he’s concerned about it either. I think he just offered to be nice.

“I’ll figure out what’s going on,” he promises before he walks out the front door.

I lock it up and then turn to go to bed.

*****

I wake up early the next morning and notice that Slade has already left for work. His clothes from last night are on the floor by the tall dresser, and the house is silent. I get out of bed slowly and walk into the bathroom. I look awful. My eyes are puffy, and my cheeks and nose are red. I pick up my phone and call Missy, reminding her I won’t be up at the bakery until later today because of my checkup.

I tell her what went down last night, and she informs me that Tate has been blowing up her phone, but she has no intentions of answering it. If I had any strength, I would have smiled at how strong she is being.

I feel like shit, my stomach is in knots, and my throat is raw from crying.

I take a hot shower, hoping to calm myself down, but it doesn’t help. The water just covers up the tears that fall from my eyes.

I fucked up.

I should have told him. Did it occur to me that he would drug other girls? No. I thought he was going to jail. At that point all I worried about was what Slade would do with that information.

I finish up in the shower and get out. Once I’m done drying my hair, I feel it. I get an awful taste in my mouth, and I find myself running to the toilet and falling to my knees.

Morning sickness or nerves? I guess either could be a factor.

I open my eyes and sit up as I hear someone yelling my name in the house. “In here,” I try yelling back, but it comes out scratchy.

I look up to see Parker walking into the bathroom. I groan at him seeing me like this. “Slade’s not here,” I say standing and walking over to the sink to wash my hands and wash out my mouth.

“I know,” he says with a frown. “How long have you been sick?” he asks with concern which surprises me.

“Just this morning. Morning sickness,” I sigh throwing water on my face. I thought I was going to get by without that part of pregnancy.

Once I dry off my face I look at him through the mirror. “What are you doing here?”

“I just came to check on you,” he says as if I should have already known that.

Maybe Slade sent him. I run my finger along the countertop and speak quietly. “Have you spoke with Slade today?”

“Yes. I told him I was going stop by the bakery and see how you were doing today. But when I got up there, Missy said you weren’t coming into later.” He pinches the bridge of his nose as if confused. “Do you need me to have him bring you something home? For, you know, being sick?”

I shake my head. “I’ll be fine. I’m going in later because I have a checkup.”

“Oh,” he whispers as he looks down at my belly. “Is Slade going with you?”

“He told me last week he was. Now I don’t know.”

He nods his head and releases a sigh. “I’ll let you go so you’re not late.” With that he turns away and walks out of our bathroom.

I take my ass back to bedroom and pull up Slade’s name on my cell.

Me:
My appointment is at ten thirty. Are you still wanting to go?

It’s a long shot to see if he will reply. If I know him, he won’t show, but a girl can hope.

*****

I leave the doctor appointment in tears. The baby is fine, but of course Slade didn’t show. I don’t know why I expected him to. I guess I figured he wouldn’t miss a chance at seeing our baby, even though he’s mad at me.

I sit in the driver’s seat of the Chevy and look down at the black and white picture of our baby as a sob escapes my lips.

I jump when I hear my phone notify me of a text message. I hold my breath as I open it up, hoping that it’s Slade. I shake my head when I see it’s from Vivian instead.

Vivian:
Dinner at our place tonight. 6pm

I throw my phone over into the passenger seat as I feel a lump form in my throat. How long can he ignore me? Would it make it better if I had answers to give him? Maybe. But where would I find what I need to know?

Jax! Jax could give me information. If Slade was right and the other person I remember was Jeremy, then maybe Jax will tell me what I need to know. He’s already in jail—what else does he have to lose?

Making up my mind, I start up the truck and back out of the doctor’s parking lot en route to where I know Jax is being held.

I make my way into the police station and find a lady sitting behind a desk. “I would like to see Jackson Reynolds, please?”

She looks up at me with her angry dark brown eyes and frown on her face. “Are you family?” Her deep and scratchy voice leads me to believe that she’s a smoker.

Am I family? Will they let me see him if I’m not?

“Yes, ma’am, I am,” I try to say with a smile.
Make her believe it.

She tilts her head at me, and her frown deepens. “What is your relation?”

Uh…I knot my hands together as an idea hits me. “I’m his wife.” I lift my left hand to show off my pink princess cut wedding ring.

Her eyebrows shoot up as if she’s generally surprised. She then nods and points to a door to my left. “Go down the long hall and turn right. An officer will be there waiting to give you a visitor’s pass and escort you to the visitation room.”

I swallow nervously but nod my head with as much as enthusiasm as I can. Maybe this will work. It has to, right?

I pat my name tag on to my chest and take in a deep breath as I walk into the visitation room. There are six chairs sitting in front of a wall of glass that runs from the ceiling down to the desk top for each cubicle.

“Third chair,” the man in uniform informs me.

I make my way over to it and sit down in the stiff blue plastic chair. I look down and continue to fiddle with my wedding ring. Slade is going to kill me when he finds out what I did.

Someone taps on the glass in front of me, and I yelp as I jump back. There sitting in front of me is Jax in an orange jumpsuit with a smirk on his face. He still looks awful but at least he seems to have color back in his face.

He reaches over and picks up the telephone and places it to his ear. I slowly do the same.

“That’s no way to greet your husband,” he smirks. “You should be jumping with joy to see me, not scared.”

I swallow and square my shoulders. “I need you to give me some answers, Jax.”

His lips turn up in the corners. “What would Slade say if he knew you were here?” He rubs his jaw with his free hand. “But then again he’s already mad at you.” My heart stops at him knowing Slade and I are fighting. “It is easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.” His smile grows. “And you love to beg don’t you? You were always holding out on me.”

“I…uh…” I try to clear my throat. “How do you know all of this?”

He leans back in his chair and gets a serious look on his face. “So naïve, Samantha.” He shakes his head. “Don’t you know there’s always someone watching? Someone listening?”

“What do you mean? How can that be possible?”

He ignores my question. “I’ll give you a piece of advice. Maybe you will believe it, since your stupid husband wouldn’t.” He rolls his eyes. “Someone wants your husband to suffer.”

“Why?” I ask as tears well up in my eyes.

He shrugs carelessly. “Just tell him he needs to watch out for what’s his. If he doesn’t open his eyes and see it, then it’s his loss.”

“What are you talking about?”
What am I missing?

He sighs as if getting bored. “Think about it. Your house got broken into. Nothing was stolen. Same thing with your truck. Why would someone do that?”

He goes to hang the phone up, but I continue to speak. “Jax, wait….”

He hangs up his phone and stands up as an officer ushers him out of the room.

I stand from my chair and fly out of the room. I come to a stop at the end of the hall when I see the restrooms. Running in, I find a stall and huddle over the toilet for the second time today.

Me.
Please call me. I need to talk to you. It’s important.

I type out a message as I make my way back to the truck. He may hang up on me—he may divorce me—but he needs to know what Jax said. Slade’s been right all along. Those events were not accidental. Someone wants to hurt him.

*****

SLADE

I try to ignore the sound of my phone vibrating on my office desk as I type on my computer.

“How long are you going to ignore her?” Parker asks looking down at my phone, of course he can see that it’s Angel sending me a text.

I flip my phone over face down and sit stiffly in my chair. “Until I can talk to her without yelling,” I say annoyed.

“She was sick this morning,” he says. “She said it was morning sickness but I think she’s terrified you’re going to leave her. Or maybe it has to do with Jeremy not being in jail.” He shrugs. “Either way she’s worried to death, and it’s making her sick.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I say brushing it off.

“Then what do you want to talk about?” he snaps. “How you missed her checkup today?”

Fuck, was that today?
I fist my right hand and my skin pulls from the scratches that I received from punching the door last night. I lean up and place my hands on my desk. “Why are you all of a sudden shoving your nose in my marriage?”

“You’re joking, right?” He snorts. “I’m trying to help you find out what the fuck is going on and all you seem to be doing is ignoring your wife.”

“Then do your job and stay out my marriage, Parker,” I retort.

He stands and then looks down at me. “What the fuck is you problem, man? I get it. She kept something important from you...”

“No, you don’t you don’t
get it
,” I interrupt him. “When you love someone more than life itself, then you can tell me you understand how I feel,” I snap. “Right now, I just want you to get out of my office so I can work.”

He looks at me with hard dark eyes for a few seconds before he stands, turns, and slams the door to my office.

I lean back in my chair and run a hand through my hair. My phone beeps again reminding me I have a message. I pick it up to read it.

Angel:
Please call me. I need to talk to you. It’s important.

I scowl as I exit out of it and reply to another message I have from my mother.

Me:
I’ll be there.

I would rather go to my parents’ for dinner than go home. Me going home would only cause more bad than good for us. I’d just blow up and make her cry. I know when I will go too far and say the wrong thing, and this is that time.