CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Honey
I’m out of the car before Jaxon has put it into park. I race to the house, my mind playing out every possible scenario of what Dell could say to my sisters.
I can’t even let myself think he might be physically hurting them.
“Honey, wait,” Jaxon calls behind me.
I ignore him, pounding up the steps to the front door.
I have my hand on the knob when he wraps his arms around me and lifts me off my feet. “I know you’re scared,” he whispers. “But we need to go in there like we have no idea Dell’s here. Unless you want to blow the cover of the security agent and have to explain to your sisters why I hired her to watch out for them.”
I deflate as his logic sinks in. He’s right. “What if he’s already told them?” What if he’s already given them the worst possible version of me?
What if he’s hurt them?
“We’ll handle it. Together.”
He lowers me to my feet and I shake out my arms, trying to calm down and think clearly. “Maybe you should leave. You don’t want to blow your cover.”
He gives me a wry smile. “Do you want me to leave?”
My insides go ice cold at the thought. I cannot face whatever’s inside this house alone. “You could wait for me in the car.”
He cups my face and rubs my cheekbones gently with his thumbs. “I appreciate your willingness to protect me, but that diner video blew my cover. It’s only a matter of time before people figure out where I’ve been hiding.” His smirk widens to a smile. “Besides, I’m the perfect distraction to draw your sisters’ attention off Dell and whatever lies he’s telling them.”
He makes a fair point. I pop onto my tiptoes and kiss him. “Thank you.”
He nods. “Ready?”
I take a few deep breaths and push down my fear and worry.
I make my face go blank, the way my father taught me. My poker face.
My mask.
“Okay. Let’s go.”
My hand in Jaxon’s, we walk inside to the sound of laughter and wonderful smells. Of course, the one time all my sisters are home is when Dell shows up. I breathe out a sigh of relief that no one is yelling or being beaten up.
In the kitchen, my sisters and their significant others are all seated at the table playing a card game. Dell has shaved and washed his face and he’s wearing clean clothes, a t-shirt and jeans.
His hair is still a stringy mess, but it’s clear he tried to make himself look presentable.
Seated next to him is a woman, in a tank top and shorts, with cut muscles, her hair back in a tight French braid.
“Hey, Honey. You didn’t tell me you had such fun friends.” Goldy smiles over at us but freezes, her mouth dropping open. “Oh, my goodness. You look just like Jaxon Hayes.”
Jaxon lets go of my hand and crosses the room to offer it to Goldy. “I am Jaxon Hayes. Nice to meet you.”
Goldy opens and closes her mouth three times, clearly shocked. Henry reaches over and shakes Jaxon’s hand. “It’s great to meet you. She’s a big fan of your music.”
“Always happy to meet a fan,” Jaxon says.
Goldy doesn’t take her eyes off Jaxon, and I relax. If Dell had told her the truth about me, Goldy wouldn’t be so cheerful right now.
“It’s meet to nice you,” Goldy says. “I mean, it’s lovely to meet you. Can I get you anything? A drink? Dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes. If you’d like to stay. I know you’re a vegan. We have a veggie lasagna and—”
I link my arm through Jaxon’s and pull him gently away from my babbling sister. “Thanks, Goldy. We actually have plans with Dell and ….” I have no idea what alias the security agent might be using. I look over at Dell and grip Jaxon’s biceps tighter as Dell’s gaze meets mine. “Sorry we’re late.”
“No problem.” Dell’s friendly smile is beyond creepy. “We missed our reservations, but I’m having a great time with your sisters and their men. You didn’t tell me how much fun they are.”
Desperation claws at me like birds trapped in my belly. I need to get Dell out of here. “We can find somewhere else to eat. I was really hoping to have a night out to catch up.”
“We can catch up here. There’s nothing we have to say that your sisters can’t hear.”
My jaw clenches so tight, I’m worried for my teeth. Jaxon slides his hand into mine and squeezes. It doesn’t help, but I’m glad he’s here.
“I’ll get you two chairs.” Asher hops up and hurries out of the kitchen. “Want to help me, man?”
Asher grabs Jaxon’s arm and drags him out of the room. Jaxon gives me an apologetic look before letting go of my hand.
I’m torn between running after them to make sure Jaxon doesn’t say too much and staying in the kitchen to prevent whatever nonsense Dell is about to throw down.
“Are you and Jaxon dating?” Dani leans across the table toward me, her expression a bit too worried considering the excitement in her tone.
Jaxon and I discussed this on the way here and decided it would be best if we tell everyone we aren’t dating. He’s going back to LA soon and, no matter how much I’m beginning to wish for more, there’s no way I can go with him. Not that he’s asked. “We’re just good friends.”
“Didn’t you say you two have been searching the forest for something?” Dell goes way overboard with his innocent act, brows high, voice soft.
“Yep.” I don’t have a good cover story for this one, and I’d rather reveal the truth about my treasure hunt than talk about my past. “He’s been helping me search for grandpa’s treasure.”
Daisy gasps. “I thought we agreed there’s no point in looking for it. It’s either long gone or it never existed.”
Thankfully, Jaxon and Asher return with chairs, and I’m able to ignore the question as we sit. It’s a tight fit in the uncomfortable metal folding chairs we got for a sanctuary farm fundraiser, and I shift uncomfortably as I try to come up with an excuse to leave and take Dell with us.
“What treasure?” Grant asks. “I’ve been all over that forest and I’ve never seen any sign of a treasure.”
“Daisy might be right,” I say. “Jaxon and I haven’t found anything that matches our grandfather’s cryptic riddle. There’s probably not any treasure, but it’s been fun looking.” It’s better not to let them know how serious I am about this treasure yet. I don’t want them shutting the search down before we find anything.
“Aren’t you terrified of the woods?” Dani’s brow pinches in concern.
“What?” Goldy looks hurt. “When did that happen?”
Shit. Shit. Shit. “I’m just not an outdoorsy person.”
Dell laughs savagely. “Oh, shit. It’s because of that time you got lost in the woods, isn’t it? You were such a chicken back then.”
I bite my cheek hard enough to taste blood. “It was a long night and there were a lot of weird noises. It stuck with me.” Dell had been the one to suggest camping. Turns out, it was a meetup for Dell to get drugs to sell on the street. Dell sent me away so his contact wouldn’t know I was there and, when I got back to our campsite after the requisite time, Dell was gone, along with our tent and all our equipment. He claimed he’d had to go with the contact, who was paranoid about Dell’s trustworthiness, or be killed.
Dell had apologized profusely.
I’d believed he was sorry and believed his story, but once I’d gotten away from him and saw him in a different light, I remembered that the whole incident had happened two days after he’d accused me of flirting with one of his friends. I suspect leaving me in the woods was his version of reminding me how much I needed him.
Dell laughs. “Man, you were terrified. I can’t believe you haven’t gotten over it yet.”
He doesn’t seem to notice no one else at the table is laughing.
Jaxon rests his palm on my thigh and squeezes. “She’s been spending a ton of time in the woods. I’d say she’s definitely over it.”
Dell narrows his eyes and frowns, but he doesn’t say a word. His hand tightening on his glass of lemonade is communication enough of what he’s thinking.
I can’t believe I ever thought I loved him.
“So, Jaxon.” Daisy’s sitting next to me and leans forward to see Jaxon around me. “Have you ever thought of writing a memoir?”
Jaxon chuckles. “Not sure my life has been interesting enough for a memoir. All I’ve done is work since I was a kid.”
Daisy’s smile is full professional mode. “I’m sure a lot of people would be interested in knowing more about you.”
“You should write a memoir, Honey,” Dell says. “Your life has been a hell of a roller coaster ride, and I’m sure a lot of people would love to know more about it. Especially your sisters.”
And I’ve had enough. I push back my chair and step away from the table. “You know what, Dell? I just remembered, Lila and, um, Colson are waiting to meet up with us. Remember? It’s Lila’s, um, her celebration party for getting into law school.”
Dell hesitates, studying me, measuring up whether he’s got me where he wants me. Then he shrugs, pushes back his chair, and stands. “Thanks for a fun game of cards. I’m sorry I can’t stay for dinner. Maybe another time.”
My sisters are silent for a too long moment, but finally Goldy stands. “It’s always good to meet one of Honey’s friends.”
Thankfully, no one leaves the door open for him to come over again. My shoulders drop a centimeter.
Jaxon and the security agent follow us outside. The security agent turns off at the bottom of the steps with a curt nod to Jaxon and walks over to her big ass truck. She gets inside, but doesn’t leave.
She watches us with an intensity that triggers a primal instinct to run while I still can.
I don’t say a word until we’re several yards from the house and standing next to a rusted out junker I assume has to be Dell’s car. It’s a fair guess since, though I’m terrible at recognizing makes and models, I know none of my sisters or their partners drive anything this shitty.
“What the hell are you doing here, Dell?” I ask, my teeth still clenched, my shoulders up by my ears.
He scowls, the anger on his face more fierce than I’ve ever seen from him. “You needed a reminder of what I can do if you don’t get me my money. You think you’ve got some rich boyfriend now and you don’t need to worry about me, but I can destroy everything you have.”
“You won’t get near her or her sisters again.” Jaxon’s voice is rough and tight.
Dell rolls his eyes. “Oh, fuck you. What are you going to do? Send another one of your security guards after me? It’ll take one phone call and everyone will know exactly who your new girlfriend is. Not only will you be a cheater, but you’ll be the known associate of a criminal. How do you think that’s going to look to your fans?”
Jaxon glances at me, his brow creased. “You can’t prove anything. Honey was never arrested.”
Dell’s smile is triumphant. “Oh, so she told you all her dirty little secrets, did she? She must be really serious about you. But it’s not enough because there are too many people that will remember what she did to them. I’ll leak pics of her when she was eighteen, blond, and innocent looking, before she dyed her hair and got all the metal stuck in her pretty face. People with money and power will remember her.” He looks at me. “Don’t you think so, Honey?”
I wrap my arms around myself to fight off a chill I know is psychosomatic. He’s right. There’s a long list of people who’d love to get revenge on me. A long list of people who’d remember exactly what I did to them and want to tell the whole world what a terrible person I am. Maybe not all of them. Not the ones who were most embarrassed, those with the biggest egos, but enough will talk once Dell puts out the rumor about who I really am.
“I’ll pay.” Jaxon crosses his arms over his chest, rocking back on his heels. “The money you need from Honey and whatever else you need to be convinced to stay the hell out of our lives.”
“No.” The word bursts from me like a gunshot and feels just as deadly. If Jaxon pays Dell, he’ll be dragged into my mess and Dell will never stop causing him trouble, so he can get more and more money out of him. “This is between me and Dell.”
Dell’s tongue is practically hanging out of his mouth. He’s so eager to get his hands on Jaxon’s money. “If your boyfriend wants to pay, I’m willing to accept.”
“He’s not my boyfriend.” I don’t dare look at Jaxon. “He’s barely my friend. He’s just been helping me out for a few weeks and he’s going back to LA. He’s got nothing to do with this.”
“Honey.” Jaxon’s tone is so soft and pleading, I finally look over at him.
On his face, I see only kindness and memories of all the good moments we’ve had together. I love this man in a way I’ve never loved anyone before and I won’t let my filth tarnish him. “Dell’s right. You don’t want the vultures finding out about me. If you think you’ve got drama now…” I shake my head, praying he understands. I’m not worth him losing anything. So I give him what he needs. I fake a smile and sway toward him, using all my flirtatious charm. “We had fun and I’m grateful for all your help, but you should go home now.”
His expression hardens, and he glances over at Dell, his frown intensifying as he takes in what I’m saying. He looks back at me and his expression softens back to the one I’ve seen from him every morning when I’ve woken up in his bed. A fondness that makes me want to cry and hold on to him so hard I choke us both.
I have to push him away harder. It’s best for both of us. I trace my fingers over his forearm, giving him a teasing smile. “Call me if you’re ever back in Catalpa Creek. I’m always available for some fun.”
He jerks his arm away like my touch has burned him. My heart cracks, even as I’m glad my plan is working.
“You should bring friends with you next time. I’m dying to meet someone who can tell me if our band is any good. You can hook me up with the connections I need, right?”
Jaxon takes a step back. “I know what you’re doing, Honey.”
I cross my arms over my chest and straighten. Time to hammer the nail into the coffin. “I’m trying to make it easy on you, Jaxon. Isn’t that what you prefer? Easy girls who fall into your bed and an easy career without tabloid drama? The drama’s getting hot here, so it’s time for you to go back into hiding, right?”
He shakes his head, his expression carefully neutral. “Thanks for showing me a good time.”
“Same.” The word falls from my mouth sharp and hard, piercing my heart as it goes.
He walks backward for a few steps, eyes on me as he goes. Then, he turns and gets into his car. He gives me one last long look before he starts the engine and leaves.
My heart shatters and I wish he’d stayed and fought for me, even as I’m relieved he’s getting the hell away from me and my toxic life. I knew from the beginning he’d never stay, but I can’t help wishing I’d been wrong.
“You send him away because you want to be alone with me?” Dell asks, his leer exaggerated.
I face him. This is his fault. It’s because of him I had to send Jaxon away and, even if I know that’s not true, even if I know my sins will never let me go, it feels good to be able to blame Dell for all of this. Anger is the only way to deal with someone like him.
I will never let him see me afraid or hurt again. Any good feelings I had left for him are gone. “Get the fuck off my property or I’m calling the police.”
His handsome face twists. “You won’t do that, because I’ll tell your sisters all about what you did with your daddy in Vegas.”
The threat makes a distant part of me shiver, but the pain I feel at losing Jaxon overpowers it. “Tell them, Dell. They’re probably going to find out eventually, anyway. I’m done letting you push me around over secrets that can’t hurt me.” I tap a finger on my forearm. “You, on the other hand, are probably on parole. I imagine a call to the police could do a lot of damage to you.”
He opens his car door and glances over at the security agent, still watching us from her truck. “With lover boy gone, you won’t have anyone to protect you anymore.”
“Stay away from my sisters or I’ll be the only one you need to worry about. Or have you forgotten how convincing I can be?” I press a hand to my chest and let my face twist with the very real fear I feel. “Officer, he threatened to hurt me. He followed me and wouldn’t leave me alone.” I even force a tear from the corner of my eye. It’s easy to conjure. My chest is tight and my throat is thick with unshed tears for Jaxon. “I’m afraid he’s dangerous.”
He pales and takes a step back, but his car’s at his back, stopping him. “You’ve changed, Honey. You aren’t the sweet girl I used to love.”
My laugh feels as bitter as it sounds. “You of all people should know I’ve never been sweet.”
He scowls. “Just get me my money.” He gets into the car and peels out of there like he’s trying to impress someone.
I go straight to my pottery shed, turn up the music until my ears ache, and work until tears stop blurring my vision.