Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
NIALL
Is it too soon to ask Jade to move in with me?
As her case winds down, I know it’s only a matter of time before she doesn’t need to stay here any more. Once everyone involved is in custody, Jade can go back to her apartment and her job and her regular life again. And it’s good for her to have that normalcy back.
But selfishly, I don’t want her to leave.
I want to wake up every morning with Jade cuddled against me, feeling her soft curves and her light breaths feathering across my chest.
I want to be there whenever she has a nightmare—they’re getting a little better, but she still has them regularly—holding her and whispering reassuring things until she falls back to sleep.
I just want Jade here . Doing everything with me. Attempting to cook. Working out together in the gym. Taking walks around the property. Watching those cheesy movies she loves so much.
It’s not that I won’t see her if she moves. Of course, I’ll see her as much as I can. But it won’t be the same.
Then there’s the part that makes me uneasy. Once we close Jade’s case, I’ll have to start traveling for Blade and Arrow jobs, so there’ll be days, even weeks when I won’t see Jade at all. We’ve talked about it—how a pro-bono case could take weeks to wrap up—and she’s okay with it. She understands.
But the idea of Jade alone for that long? I don’t like it. Even though I know she’s lived alone for years, it’s different now. Now Jade’s mine, and I want her protected.
If she lives at Blade and Arrow, she’ll always be safe. Not just because of all the security, but because we’ll always have one member of the team staying at headquarters to handle the business end of things—answering calls, helping with travel arrangements, making sure everything runs smoothly. So even if I have to be out of town, at least one of my teammates will always be around to watch out for Jade.
When I think about it, there really are a lot of good reasons for Jade to stay here.
I’m just not sure if it’s too soon to ask. Should I wait? Hope that she brings it up?
It’s the first time I’ve ever considered asking anyone to live with me before. In the Army, it was never an issue. I never dated anyone seriously enough to get to that point.
But with Jade… I can see everything with her. A future together stretching out for years. Decades. I’ve even thought about asking Shea how she’d feel about me giving Jade our mom’s engagement ring.
Well, once I tell Shea about Jade and I, and assuming Shea doesn’t kill me for keeping such a huge secret from her. Hopefully, the news that Jade and I are in love will overshadow the whole not telling Shea about Jade’s multiple abductions part.
“Hey.” Xavier whacks me on the shoulder. “You okay?”
“What?” I turn in my chair to look at him. “Yeah. Of course. Why?”
“You’re quiet. And you have a strange look on your face.” His brow creases. “Is everything alright with Jade?”
Since we’re waiting to start a meeting, the entire team is here, either chatting or checking their phones. But as soon as Xavier mentions Jade’s name, all their heads swivel toward me in unison.
Rhiannon looks at me in concern. “Is Jade okay?”
“Is something wrong with Jade?” Dante’s gaze darkens with worry. “Flashbacks? Nightmares? Should Rhiannon or I take a look at her?”
Before I can answer, Erik jumps in, asking in his deep, rumbly voice, “Is there anything I can do? Does she need anything?”
Matt’s hands are poised above his laptop keyboard and he’s watching me with an expectant expression, like whatever the problem is, he’ll find a way to solve it.
“She’s fine.” I’m met with obvious skepticism, so I add emphatically, “Really. Jade’s doing really well. I mean, she’s talking with Henley, and there are some nightmares, but overall, she’s good. Great.”
Xavier eyeballs me with suspicion. “Then what’s wrong? And don’t tell me nothing.”
Xavier. He’s like a dog with a bone. And he’s known me for so long, he never hesitates to call me out if he thinks something’s wrong.
“Nothing’s wrong.” I shake my head at him. “I’m just… Well. With Jade’s case almost done, she won’t have to stay here anymore. But…” My gaze sweeps around the table, meeting the eyes of all my friends. “What if I asked her to stay? Is it too soon?”
And now that I’m saying it out loud, I’m realizing I should probably ask them if they’re okay with it, too. “Would it be okay with you guys? I know at the East Coast B and A, all their partners live there. But I shouldn’t assume?—”
Rhiannon beams at me. “Of course. I love Jade. I’m more than okay with it.”
Matt lifts his chin at me. “I’m good with it.”
“That’s why you’ve got that constipated look on your face?” Xavier laughs. “Of course it’s fine. Jade’s great.”
“It’s fine with me,” Dante adds with a smile. “When are you going to ask?”
Erik gives me an approving nod. “It makes sense. She’ll be safe here, too.”
I answer Dante. “I’m not sure. With everything… She’s been cooped up here for weeks. Maybe she wants to live on her own again.”
“Nah.” Xavier’s tone is confident. “I think if you ask, she’ll say yes.”
“I think so, too,” Rhiannon adds, and she reaches across the table to pat my arm. Her smile softens. “I’m happy for you, Niall.”
Well. With that kind of response, maybe I should ask her sooner than later.
“I hate to interrupt,” Matt says while glancing at his laptop, “but Cruz is online. He’s ready to start the meeting if we are.”
“Yes.” Dante opens his folder again. “Of course.”
The conversation stops as we all straighten and turn toward the projection screen.
A few seconds later, a dark-haired man appears, unsmiling and serious. He has the look of law enforcement, but with a hint of danger in his eyes. Considering what I’ve heard about the FBI agent, and some of the things he’s had to do in the past, it makes sense.
But as soon as he sees us, his features relax into a smile. “Hey guys. How’s it going? Settling in okay?”
“We’re good, Cruz.” Dante lifts his chin. “Thanks for asking. HQ is basically done and we’ve got jobs lined up for the next six months already, so… it’s going really well.”
“Glad to hear that.” Cruz glances around at everyone. “And I’m looking forward to seeing the place myself, now that it’s done.”
Dante nods. “Anytime you want to stop by, you’re more than welcome.” He pauses. “And thanks for this meeting. We appreciate you taking the time to give us an update.”
“Of course.” Cruz smirks. “Now. Some of this is supposed to be kept in-house, but with what you guys did for the case… and we all know Blade and Arrow. We know what you do. We’re glad to have the new branch here in San Antonio.”
Cruz is one of the connections Cole talked about—Cole worked as a cop in San Antonio right after leaving the Army and became good friends with him then. We’re thankful to have an ally in the FBI, not just to get information about Jade’s case, but for a multitude of cases that could come up in the future.
“We’re glad to be here,” answers Dante. He glances over at me briefly. “And we’re very invested in the outcome of this case. We want to know that Jade is going to be safe.”
“Absolutely.” Cruz’s expression turns serious. “And I have to say, everyone is so impressed with what she did. Escaping on her own like that. Willingly using herself as bait. It’s really something.”
Pride fills my chest. “Jade’s special.”
Cruz meets my gaze. “I bet. My wife, Mickie; she really wants to meet her. In fact, I know a lot of people who do.”
“Maybe when things settle down,” I hedge, not wanting to volunteer Jade for anything she’s not ready for.
“Of course.” Understanding fills his eyes. “No rush. But sometime. If Jade’s up to it.” He pauses, then changes the subject. “Anyway. As for updates on the case, we have ten more clients in custody. Our computer experts have gone through all the files, so we believe we should have all the men who made a”—he scowls—“purchase tracked down within the next week or so.”
“Good.” Dante gives a brisk nod. “And what about the people within the organization?”
“Well, thanks to what we found, and the information we got from you, it’s looking like we have all the major players. It’s all white-collar guys—attorneys, executives, even some CEOs—that used their connections to create this sort of elite trafficking group. From what a few of them admitted, they saw it as a premium service. High-class women for their top-notch clients.”
That familiar anger bubbles up, but I take a deep breath and force it down. Jaw clenching, I ask, “And you think you have all of them?”
Cruz looks at me. “We think so. Many of the people involved have turned on each other, hoping for plea agreements. If they knew of someone who wasn’t caught yet, I think they’d throw them under the bus. But?—”
“I’m still going to be keeping a close eye on Jade.” My teammates all nod in agreement.
“I’d do the same thing.” The FBI agent gives me a solemn nod. “I believe she’s safe. The organization has been completely dismantled. We have over fifty people in custody. Twenty more women have been rescued. But if it were my Mickie, I’d want to keep her close for a while longer, too.”
Ah. Even Cruz agrees.
I should ask Jade to move in with me.
As I head back to my apartment, my mind is full of Jade.
First, how will she react to the news from the meeting? It’s mostly good, but I worry it could be triggering. Hearing about more clients being arrested, women found, the sheer magnitude of this organization…
If Jade hadn’t escaped, when would it have been discovered? How long would she have been there? Would she have been sold, like the dozens of other women?
I feel ill just thinking about it. And I’m so damn thankful Jade’s the person she is—so smart and stubborn and determined to get out of there.
I would have searched for her. No doubt Shea would have contacted me soon, worried when she didn’t hear from Jade. And I would have gotten my teammates to help. We would have used everything at our disposal to find Jade. But who knows what might have happened to her while she waited?
Fuck. It’s thoughts like those that give me nightmares.
But then I wake up and hold Jade and remind myself, she’s here. She’s safe. I won’t let anyone hurt her again.
Which brings me to the other thing. I’m almost certain I’m going to ask Jade to move in with me. Tonight.
Maybe I can run into town to pick up takeout from that new barbeque place Jade’s been wanting to try. Buy some flowers. And after dinner, I’ll rub Jade’s back while we watch a movie, and somewhere in there, I’ll ask if she wants to stay at B and A. With me.
Hopefully, the answer will be yes, and then I can carry Jade to bed to celebrate.
And now I’m thinking about making love to Jade.
How right it feels. How it’s so much more than just sex.
How she looks at me with so much love in her eyes. So much trust.
Jade looks at me like I’m her everything.
Man. I feel like I’m in one of the movies she makes me watch. The ones where there’s always a happy ending and the man will do anything to be with the woman he loves.
I’d do anything for Jade.
As I let myself into the apartment, I’m already smiling. Even though I’ve only been in meetings for a couple of hours, it feels like I’ve been away from Jade for hours.
Another reason why I need her to move in with me.
“Niall!” I’m barely through the door before Jade slams into me, hugging me tightly.
For a moment, fear constricts my chest. Is she scared? Did I leave for too long? Did she have a bad flashback?
But then she tilts her head back to look at me with sparkling eyes and a bright smile, and the band of fear releases. “Sweetheart.” I hug her with one arm and stroke her hair with the other. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” She goes up on her toes to kiss me. “But I was busy. So it was okay.”
“Oh? What were you doing?” I know Jade’s been a little antsy lately, wanting more to do now that everything at HQ is basically finished. She reads a lot, and she’s been keeping up on medical stuff for her job, plus there’s some craft stuff Georgia sent last week—knitting and little paint kits and stuff—but it’s still not enough for someone as intelligent and driven as Jade.
Her smile goes even bigger. “I have a surprise for you.”
I cup her cheek, stroking my thumb across those adorable freckles. “A surprise for me?”
“Yes. You do so much for me, and I want to do something for you. I’m kind of limited, since I can’t leave yet, but I’ve been planning, and?—”
“You don’t have to do things for me.” I don’t want Jade worrying about me on top of everything else.
Her eyebrows jump up and she gives me an are you serious look. “Niall. Of course I want to do things for you. I love you.”
Oh. How can I argue against that?
And I don’t remember the last time someone surprised me. Not counting Matt’s pranks, like the fake ants in my sheets, which isn’t exactly a fun kind of surprise.
“Okay. What’s the surprise?”
“Well, I’d hoped to have a few more minutes to get it all ready, but—” Jade actually bounces with excitement. “This will be okay, too.”
She grabs my hand and tows me into the living room, then tugs me down onto the couch. Once I’m seated, I realize what she’s wearing and ask with a chuckle, “Is that a Wolverine T-shirt you have on?”
“Yup.” Another grin. “It goes with the theme.” Leaning down, she gives me a quick kiss. “Now, stay here while I get everything.”
I love seeing this side of Jade. In the past, I’d get glimpses of it—when I’d visit Shea and the three of us would hang out together, there would be these moments when Jade would completely let her guard down. Like when we all went to the arcade and she gleefully beat me in Skee-Ball, complete with a little victory dance. Or that night when I took Shea and Jade out for dinner and Jade laughed so hard at one of Shea’s jokes, she snorted soda out of her nose.
After a few minutes of Jade rummaging through the kitchen, then another several trips into the bedroom, she calls out, “Okay. Close your eyes until I tell you to open them.”
Though my curiosity is growing by the second, I obediently keep my eyes shut as I listen to Jade moving around me. I can hear her setting things on the coffee table; soft clinks and soft rustling, and I tease her, “Can I open my eyes yet?”
“Not yet.” She frames my face with her hands and kisses me. “One more minute.”
Finally, after what feels like much more than a minute, Jade says, “Okay. You can open your eyes now.”
The first thing I see is her glowing face; so pretty and pleased as she watches me eagerly. “ Look .”
Dragging my eyes away from her, I do.
And it’s perfect.
The coffee table is covered with all my favorite snacks—Cool Ranch Doritos and peanut M how I loved collecting comics when I was young, that it was a special thing my dad and I would do together. And I told her I always wanted this comic.
“You said it was the most important one,” Jade says quietly. “That you loved how she turned into the Phoenix. I know it’s not the same as getting it with your dad. But I thought…” She swallows and looks at me with nervous eyes. “I wish I could have met your parents. But I was just thinking… giving you this, maybe it would be a little like having your dad here? With us?”
Ah, shit.
Tears I haven’t shed in years press behind my eyes. I suck in a deep breath.
“Did I mess up?” Her teeth worry her lower lip. “Was it a bad idea?”
I set the comic book aside carefully and draw Jade into my arms, settling her on my lap. “No, sweetheart. You didn’t mess up. I love it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” I brush my lips across hers. “I’m absolutely sure.” Holding her gaze, I continue, “My dad would love this. He’d love you. Both my parents would. So much.”
There’s a sheen of tears in Jade’s eyes as she gazes at me. “I’d love them, too. I do love them. Because they’re still here. They’re a part of you.”
Emotion swells up so fast, I’m breathless with it. Hugging Jade to my chest, I press kisses to the top of her head while I try to rein everything in. Finally, I manage, “I love you, Jade. With all my heart.”
She leans back to look at me, the same love in her eyes. “I love you, Niall. I think I always have.”
“Move in with me.” It just comes out.
“What?”
“I don’t want you to leave. After… I want you here. Living with me.”
“Niall.” Jade stares at me. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. More than anything.” My words come out in a rush. “I already talked to the team and they’re happy about it. If you agree to move here, I mean. And we can redecorate the apartment however you want. Put in a library. Get a bigger TV for your movies. Anything.”
Her chin wobbles, and I’m certain she’s about to say no.
“Yes.” A soft kiss to my cheek. “Yes, Niall. I’d love to move in with you.”
Yes .
Joy sweeps through me, and I pepper Jade’s face with kisses. “Thank you, hun. You’ll be happy here. I promise.”
“I know.” She gazes at me with a tender expression. “As long as I’m with you, I’ll be happy.”