Chapter 48
Jared watched her worriedly.
He had several things he needed to do, but he knew that he couldn’t leave her like this. He couldn’t bear to think of her being upset and right now, she needed him.
She seemed to be moving really slowly and sadly.
Fuck.
He couldn’t believe that Beltran had gotten to Rex. It was the only explanation he could think of.
That fucking bastard was going to pay. He wasn’t sure how he’d managed to grab Rex, but North was trying to figure that out.
The cameras showed that the box was delivered by a FedEx driver. The head was fresh and had been kept in a tight bag, so that’s why it didn’t smell or leak.
Fuck.
He hated that one of his people had been killed. That he had failed once again.
His gaze shot to her. He wouldn’t fail her. Nothing could happen to Angie or North.
North gathered up all the food and then paused by them. “I can stay with her. You need to go to work.”
“No one has to stay with me,” she whispered.
Shit. Jared should have kept this conversation away from her.
“Baby girl.”
“You know I’ve never played with Lego,” North said, putting everything down and sitting next to her.
“Never?” She gaped at him.
“Never. Show me what to do.”
She swallowed heavily, then nodded. “Okay, Northie, it’s about time you learned. No, no, you don’t do it like that. See? This bit goes into this piece and then we can slowly build up walls.”
“Shouldn’t you follow the instructions?” North asked, looking through the booklet.
“Pfft. Instructions are for wimps. We’re brave soldiers. We got this. Where is the fun in following instructions?”
“Umm.” North gazed up at Jared as he grabbed everything and backed away. “Perhaps you should stay.”
“No, no, you got this.” Jared walked away. “I’ll check up on the two of you later.”
He could have sworn that North gave him a betrayed look. But he was certain that he imagined that.
“Have fun!”
“Time for bed,” Jared announced as he walked into the living room later on that evening.
He wasn’t any further ahead in figuring out Rex’s death, but he knew that he couldn’t do much more tonight. His brain was fried and he needed some sleep.
Angie glanced up from where she was lying on the sofa.
North had helped her make some creations with her Lego. Then after lunch, they’d come downstairs so that Angie could read while the two of them worked.
It had been a quiet, sad day.
She shook her head.
Jared raised his eyebrows. “Yes. Sleep. It’s past your bedtime.”
“Pfft, that’s silly, Daddy. I don’t have a bedtime.”
“Ahh, yes, you do. It’s ten and it’s close to that. So, bed.” He gave her a stern look.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “That feels like it’s illegal.”
“Illegal?” North asked. “What does that mean?”
“It means that it’s against Angie’s Laws. Those laws state that Angie can go to bed whenever she wants. And eat as much cake as she likes. Oh, and if she wants to slide down the banister, then she can.”
“Ahh, there is no such thing as Angie’s Laws, I’m afraid,” Jared told her, feeling amused. “They got abolished.”
“What? When?” she asked, her eyes wide.
She really was adorable. But she also looked far too tired. And fragile. He was glad that North was able to look after her today. But right now, Jared needed to hold her. To know that she was safe from Beltran.
Thank God she was here, with them.
She was here for better or worse.
And he was going to keep her safe.
“About, oh,” he checked his watch, “three minutes ago.”
“Well, that sucks,” she grumbled.
“Come here, baby. I will carry you up to bed. I want you with me tonight.” He glanced over at North. He wanted him close as well, but he knew the other man wouldn’t sleep with them.
He always slept on his own.
The other night he’d stayed with them for a while, though.
But he followed them up to the door to Jared’s bedroom.
“Want Northie, too,” Angie said.
“Sweetheart, North doesn’t like to sleep with others. He has insomnia most nights and he’s worried about waking us up.”
“Don’t care! I need you both. Please. Please,” she begged.
Jared turned to North, prepared to order him into bed. He knew it wasn’t the right thing to do, but in that moment, he just knew that he had to give her whatever she needed.
To his shock, though, he didn’t have to say anything. North simply nodded.
“I’ll get ready and come back.” Turning, he walked down the hallway to his room.
“Come on, baby girl. Let’s get you settled.” He helped her brush her teeth. Then he got her dressed in one of his T-shirts. It looked enormous on her but he thought she was adorable.
He placed her in the middle of the bed and then got in on his side.
“Do you think North is coming?” she asked quietly.
“He said he would. And he always does what he says.”
She nodded. “Do you know who hurt Rex?”
“Not yet. But I will. And I will take care of them.” He cupped her chin and tilted her head back. “What you need to remember is that this is not for you to worry about. All you need to do is follow what we tell you. We will protect you.”
“But will you be safe?” she whispered. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I know, baby. Nothing is going to happen to us. I promise.”
The door opened and North walked in wearing a button-up pajama shirt and long pants. They were navy-and-white pinstriped.
Fuck, he looked incredible. He was always put-together. Always composed.
Except during sex.
North got in on the other side of their girl and lay on his side, facing away from them.
Shit. Was this too hard for him? Were they asking too much?
“You came,” she said as she cuddled in behind him.
Jared stiffened and waited to see if North would reject her. He didn’t like to be held. Although he had touched and held her other times.
“I did. I’ll stay as long as I can,” North replied.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Are you going to turn the light off and sleep, Jared?” North asked.
Right. Yeah.
He’d do that. Turning off the light, he curled in behind Angie and wrapped an arm around her waist.
“I just want the two of you to be safe,” she said. “The idea of you being hurt . . . it scares me.”
“We’re fine, baby girl. And that’s just the way we’re going to stay.”
She shifted around in his arms, restless and clearly unable to sleep. After five minutes, North rolled over to face her.
“Are you always this fidgety?” North drawled.
“No,” she grumbled. “I just can’t sleep.”
“Why is that, baby girl?” Jared asked.
“Because every time I close my eyes, I think about Rex.”
Fuck.
He should have guessed.
“What can we do?” Jared asked. “Do you need a distraction?”
“I don’t . . . I don’t know,” she said.
“I could give you the punishment I owe you,” North told her.
“What? Nooo. You wouldn’t do that right now. That would be mean.”
“I thought you’d want to get it over and done with,” North said to her.
“What do you need, baby?” Jared asked. “Hmm? Maybe North could do some teasing.”
She let out a small moan.
“Would you like that?” North asked her.
“I’m not sure how much more teasing I can take before I explode,” she told them.
“Hmm, let’s see,” Jared said as North cupped her breast with his hand before leaning in to kiss her.
She melted against Jared.
His cock hardened as she wiggled against him.
“That’s it, baby girl,” he whispered. “Just relax.”
The kisses continued on as North teased her. Jared could feel her breathing growing faster, her body tensing.
Then North drew back. “How was that for a distraction?”
“Don’t stop!” she cried.
“You need to get some sleep,” Jared told her firmly.
“I need to come!”
“Soon,” Jared promised her as he rubbed her back gently, then massaged her scalp. “Go to sleep, baby. We’ve got you. You’re safe.”