She woke up knowing something was very wrong. Fear seized her chest. Mostly hers but some of it came from Jay.
Her hand went to his side of the bed, but she already knew he wasn't there.
Hastily, she got to her feet even though he was telling her that everything was okay and that he'd be right back.
He was lying and everything inside of her knew it.
Let me handle this and then I'll explain.
No.
She didn't bother with lights or shoes. She rushed from her room and down the stairs.
Her fear growing the closer she got to him. She didn't even ask him what was wrong, right now the only thing she could think about is seeing that he was safe. What was so terrible that Jay would fear it?
He was coming through the back door. Dressed. He even had his shoes on, so it was clear that he'd gotten ready before he'd left her side. Once she looked him over, she glanced out the back door.
Jay shut it, then took a deep breath.
He was so flustered that he didn't even try to come up with any excuses. He stared at her as he chewed on the inside of his cheek.
The wall he was always trying to hide behind came up between them but not before she caught his anger at whoever was out there. Guilt. There was plenty of that too.
Getting angry herself, she tried to pass him, but he caught her hand.
"Let me explain."
"I don't hear you trying to explain. What I see is you hiding things from me. I thought we agreed that you would not do that anymore."
"You said I could have my secrets."
She growled. "From your past. Is it your past standing outside that door, Jay?"
Instead of answering, he tried to pull her from the kitchen.
Two could play this game. She let her mind go blank of everything but her anger.
He sighed, his shoulders drooping as he felt her withdrawal but right now the most important thing to him was getting her as far away from the backdoor as he could.
"I'll_____"
His grip loosened, so she pivoted and rushed for the back door. Ignoring his protests and dodging his hands as they reached for her.
She stopped in her tracks at the sight of the girl that was standing at the gate that led from her house to Jay's.
Wearing a smirk, Mack gave a little wave.
It's not what____
I swear to God, Jay, not another word.
She wore a long black skirt and black boots with spurs on them. Her top barely covered her breast and her stomach was bare to show off the spider tattoo.
Her hair was longer now but still purple and sat in waves about her shoulders.
It was clear that she'd dressed up for her midnight visit with Jay.
I didn't meet her....
She shut him up with a look. He hadn't met her, but he was on his way to her. There couldn't possibly be anything wrong with running off to meet her as long as it kept him from upsetting his weak girlfriend.
What I don't know can't hurt me, right? She made sure he could feel her pain.
When his head snapped up, she knew the other girl was talking to him too.
Feeling the unease that washed over her, he reached for her hand and pulled her closer to him.
"If I remember correctly, I told you to leave and to never come back."
She smiled and switched to speaking aloud as well. "Neat little trick you have there. It took me weeks to break free of that command." Her smile grew. "I guess I just wanted it badly enough. Do you realize that no one should be able to do that? AJ has been over and over it, and there's no one on record with the power like that. Unless_____."
"I don't want to hear it. Leave."
She turned to do just that, but she stopped before she'd gone too far. Her hands fisted as she tried to fight Jay's command. When she finally turned back towards them, she'd broken out in a sweat and her hands trembled.
"If you weren't always so fast to chase me off, you'd know that will not work on me anymore. Now that I know who you are, and since I'm your mate, I can break free of your orders. So, stop wasting your time, I'm not going anywhere. In fact, you better get used to seeing me."
"Leave and don't come back."
This time she winked as she did as she was told.