18. The Chessmaster #3
Deja felt a helpless, bridling rage. She knew Jax was right.
She also simply didn’t care. She was tired of cowering.
Tired of submitting. “I’m glad you got your revenge, baby,” Jax said, interrupting her thoughts.
“I know it must have felt good.” He approached her and perched himself on the table in front of her.
“But Jamie is playing Chess, and you are a pawn,” Jax said seriously. “He’s put you in the same position that he was in all those years ago. He knows The Society will come after you. He knows that I’ll be forced to choose… again.”
Caleb averted his gaze as his jaw clenched with angst. Deja caught Caleb’s abrupt change in demeanor before she looked back at Jax and exhaled her frustration. “This isn’t your fault,” Jax said before she could rebut. “It’s mine.”
He leaned forward, and she trembled slightly as his thumb affectionately brushed against the branding scar on her neck. A subtle smirk teased the corners of Jax’s mouth. “I leave you for 5 minutes, and you go off reaping… Such a naughty girl…”
Her face broke into a smile as she leaned into his palm. “Do you feel better?” Jax asked.
Deja shrugged as she pulled Ian’s arms tighter around her waist. “Kristin and Joseph are still dead. But now… so is he…”
Jax’s grin widened as he leaned forward until his lips were possessing hers. She eagerly opened for him until she felt his tongue aggressively claim hers. She could feel Ian’s bulge throbbing beneath her as his hand slipped further between her thighs and his teeth grazed the back of her shoulder.
Pressing her hand against Jax’s chest, she pushed him back. “I want to protect my family and friends,” she said, interrupting them. “Do I need to kill every Reaper to do that?”
Caleb snorted. “Listen to fucking Ripley over here,” Keith grinned.
“We’ve got a wild one on our hands,” Ian mused, kissing the bite marks he left on her skin.
“You’ve got a bullseye on you,” Jax said, pulling back. “If we truly want to keep your loved ones safe, you won’t like the resolution.”
“What is it?” she asked.
“We can’t stay here,” Jax said.
“In Atlanta?” she asked.
Jax shook his head. “In the country.”
Deja’s face fell. “Scotland?”
Jax shook his head again as he stared at her. “Caleb, are you willing to abandon your community for Deja?”
Caleb tilted his head in confusion. “If you’re asking if I’m going with her, the answer is ‘no shit.’”
“Why are you making this sound so ominous?” Deja asked. “Where do we need to go?”
“The only place where Society rules don’t apply,” Jax said. “The same place I sent Jamie.”
“Deja Louis is one of the most brilliant scientists I’ve had the pleasure of working with. What she’s been dealing with is absolutely terrible, and I only wish her the best.”
Francesca anxiously bit her lip as she scribbled in her notes before she looked back up at the older woman sitting on the opposite side of her desk.
Her long, gray hair framed her petite face.
“Both of her peers, Carmen and JP, were killed. Do you think she had anything to do with that?” Francesca asked.
Lacing her fingers together on her desk, Susan McIntosh tilted her head at the woman sitting across from her. “I think that’s a repulsive assumption.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you-” Francesca started quickly.
“Well, you did,” Susan said curtly. “If you don’t have any further questions-”
“I’m sorry, just- please,” Francesca apologized. “I just wanted to know if she’s still working with you.”
Susan sighed. “Yes. But as an independent contractor, so she can work on her own time. We check in with each other regarding the status of her project.”
“Do you check in frequently?”
“Ms. Louis is highly responsible. She checks in when she has an update on her progress,” Susan said.
“What about Jax Donovan?”
Susan looked at Francesca, startled. “What about him?”
“Have you heard of him?” Francesca probed.
“...yes…”
“That she killed him?” Francesca persisted.
“I think that’s enough questions for today,” Susan said, standing to her feet. “I’ll see you out.”
“Did you know he’s still alive?” Francesca said quickly. “Did she tell you that on your last update?”
“Please leave!” Susan snapped.
Francesa grumbled to herself as she was escorted out of the building by security. Her heels clacked against the pavement as she scrambled to find her ringing phone. “Please tell me you have something for me,” Francesca muttered.
“He’s gone.”
“Who?”
“The podcast guy! That Tucker dude! His phone was disconnected-”
“That is the most unacceptable thing you’ve ever said to me! Find him, Carter! I don’t give a shit whose dick you have to suck! Find him! I need to speak with him!” she snapped angrily.
Huffing in frustration, she headed towards her rental car when she screeched and nearly fell backward. With her face twisted in disgust, Francesca slowly approached the car where she saw a mutilated dead rat lying across her windshield. A bloody piece of paper was tucked underneath it.
She tried not to gag as she covered her mouth with one hand and plucked the paper with the other. Carefully avoiding contact with the blood, she unfolded the note.
Her stomach caved in at the message.
“Curiosity killed the rat.”
*?You are a goddess
*?Impossible