Chapter 8
JAMISON
I may be sitting here at Hunter’s dining room table, trying to remain calm, but my heart couldn’t pound any harder than it is now. Dori’s out there in the clutches of sex traffickers. It’s the worst possible scenario.
I think I may be sick.
She must be terrified. My chest squeezes so hard it hurts, so I stand and toss my chair to the side.
“I can’t stay here and do nothing. She needs me.” I march toward Hunter’s front door.
“Jami, don’t leave.” Melanie runs after me. “If you go and we hear something, you won’t get the information, and then what?”
I get to the foyer and spin toward her. “What am I supposed to do? She’s out there alone because we kept her in the dark. Despite Hunter’s deranged mother and Aiden’s sick fucking father, this lands on me. If I had told her Hunter and Aiden were planning something, she wouldn’t have left my place.”
“Jami, you can’t do this now. She needs you to keep your head on straight.” Melanie inches away from me. “You can take on as much guilt as you want after we find her. But if you walk out that door, our chances go down.”
“How do you figure?”
“If one of us gets contacted by her, we need to let the FBI know so they can find her. If we’re all going in different directions, then our efforts aren’t as effective.”
I huff heavy breaths as I take in her words. “I’m going crazy in here, Mel. This entire situation is so twisted, and I’m so far out of control, I can barely see straight.”
“I get it, big guy. I really do, but I need you to stay with me. Please, for me. Don’t leave. I’m about to crumble, and I need you.” Her big brown eyes burn into mine.
Melanie’s never shown me any weakness, so her admitting she needs me strikes me hard.
“Jesus Christ. Here I am, acting like this only affects me.” I avert my eyes and shake my head. “I’ll stay, but I don’t know what good it will do.”
“Thank you.” She softens. “I’m glad it was you who hit Aiden because I was about to do it myself. I don’t think the impact would’ve been as strong.”
“Mel, I could kill him for this.” My blood boils just thinking about it. “Dori will never forgive him for working with her father.”
“Should she?”
“Not if I have my way.”
“Jami, she’s going to be upset with all of you.” Melanie glances over her shoulder and then gazes back at me. “The three men Dori loves betrayed her trust in the worst way possible. It’s going to devastate her.”
My ribs cave in. “I can’t believe how much I’ve let her down. It’s like I’m doomed when it comes to her. Every time we get close to being happy together, I inevitably fuck it up. Every single time, Mel. What the fuck is wrong with me?”
“You haven’t let her in all the way.”
“What does that mean? ”
“It means if you want to be happy with each other, you can’t hide things from her. She’s your partner, yet you purposely left her clueless. How could you do that to her after everything you’ve been through?” Melanie pushes my shoulder. “I could kill you for this.”
I'd think she was serious if she weren’t smirking at me. Who am I kidding? She is serious, but this is Mel’s way of dealing with her fear.
There’s nothing I can do. Hopelessness gets loose in my bloodstream and overtakes my strength.
I shrink into Melanie's arms. “Let’s just pray we get her back so she can lay into me.”
“Well, I’ve been sending her telepathic messages about what you did, so I’m sure she’s fuming by now. She must be well on her way back to you just so she can let you have it.”
Mel gives me a minute to be vulnerable as my heart aches for Dori. How could I not see how much danger she was in by keeping her in the dark? I could kick my own ass for doing this to her.
Hunter rounds the corner and peeks at us.
I step out of Mel’s embrace. “I just needed a second.”
“Don’t worry about it. I was just checking on you two to make sure you were still here.” He motions to the bar. “Can I offer anyone a drink?”
I shake my head as Mel takes my hand and leads me away from the door. “We haven’t eaten. Would you mind if we order takeout while we wait? I know Jami’s weightlifting diet, and he’s got to be withering away.”
Hunter veers off to the kitchen. “Let’s see what I have in here. I know I have something we can munch on.”
We gather around the center island, and I glance into the formal dining room. Aiden’s sitting in the same spot with his head buried in his hands. His back bounces as if he’s crying in silence.
As pissed as I am, I hate seeing him hurting. There’s no way he could’ve seen this coming. And there’s no way he would’ve put Dori in harm's way.
I take a minute to go back through our childhood. There’s nothing I can pinpoint that even made me suspicious about Aiden being abused.
Is that part even true?
Is he saying that to minimize what he’s done?
The only time I saw anything remotely like that was when his dad was standing in his office watching me with Dori in the backyard. Aiden pointed him out to me to make sure I saw his reaction to me.
Was that what was going on?
Was Aiden being abused back then?
A part of me doesn’t believe it. He would’ve had marks on his body.
I should talk to him to get the facts, but I can’t bring myself to go there yet. I’m too upset about the situation to remain calm and collected.
Hunter pulls out a cheese tray with various fruits and meats on it as well. “My assistant put this together yesterday when this all started. I thought she was going to extremes, but it was smart thinking on her part.”
Melanie slides onto a stool. “I love Katy. She always knows what we need.”
I glance at Melanie. It lands hard that she knows Hunter’s assistant by name. It’s a reminder that Dori had a life here that I wasn’t a part of, and now I wonder if she would’ve been better off without me.
The thought gets stuck in my throat as my eyes begin to sting. I’m about to lose my shit and become an emotional asshole.
I turn away and clear my throat. “Do you mind if I use your restroom to wash up?”
“Sure. It’s down the hall on the right-hand side,” Hunter says to my back .
I stride away, holding in my pain. “Thanks.”
I get inside and lock myself away as stinging zaps reverberate against my ribs. Thoughts of Dori flood my thoughts.
Every photo of her I’ve stared at over the years takes form on the screen of my mind. I sit on the lid of the toilet and cup my face in my hands while I picture Dori in all her beauty.
Her soulful green eyes stare back at me. Her larger-than-life smile shines my way. Her sweet laughter fills my ears.
She dances around without a care of who’s watching, shaking her luscious hips from side to side. She skips through Chuck’s yard to the Mammoth Sunflower field as her thick auburn hair floats in the wind around her gorgeous face.
“If I get another chance to be with you, Dori, I’ll never let you down again.
” I tilt my head to the ceiling. “Please bring her back to me. I promise I’ll take the best care of her and never put her at risk again.
I’ll keep her safe for good. Please give me another chance. Give us one more shot to get it right.”
Hopefully, my prayers will be answered because I can’t imagine a life without her. Being with her these last couple of months has been the best time of my life.
I close my eyes and reach for her. I need to feel our connection. She needs to feel our love.
“You told me to fight so we could be together. Now it’s your turn. Do whatever you can and find your way back to me.” I send her all my love from the depths of my soul.
“Temptress, I need you. I promise never to do you wrong again. Let me show you how much I love you. Come home.”
I sit in silence with my heart beating wildly in my chest, trying with all my might to will her back to safety. I send her messages of love and adoration, begging her to fight as hard as she can.
This can’t be the end. I hand my faith over to God and trust Dori and I will be together again .
As I wait for a sign my prayers will be answered, my mom’s voice breaks through my thoughts. Don’t give up, my beautiful son. Don’t give up on love. Stop the hate and lean into love.
A soothing warmth blankets me as my dreams from when I was unconscious after the shooting race to the forefront of my memories.
I remember playing soccer with my sons. Dori was there watching, holding her hand out to stop me from going to her so I could spend some time with my boys. After I had played with them for a minute, she appeared again.
She was in a wedding dress and disappeared through a ripple in the backdrop. I had a choice. Stay with my sons or follow her. There wasn’t a question in my mind. I knew I had to be with her.
I open my eyes and gather all that hope and determination. “You said to feel our connection, and I would find you. Now it’s time you do the same.”
There’s a knock on the door. “Jami, are you okay?”
I stand, get myself together, and open the door.
Mel peeks around me. “Who were you talking to?”
“God.”
She pulls back and stares up at me with wide eyes. “Did he answer?”
“I hope so.” I take in a cleansing breath and force away all my negative thoughts.
Please let Dori be safe.
“I didn’t know you were religious.” Mel steps into the hallway.
I follow her out and down the hall. “I’m not. But if we get Dori back, I might have to convert, or whatever it is you do when you owe the big guy upstairs your entire life.”
“Well, you were given a second chance to live. I have to believe it wasn’t so you could lose her and spend the rest of your life in unrelenting agony. ”
“Dori needs my strength right now, so I’m not even going to consider that as an option.”
“There’s the Jami I know and love.” She joins Hunter in the kitchen. “I found him in the bathroom talking to himself. I told you he needed to eat.”
Hunter gives me a once-over. For a split second, my old friend appears. He sends me a supportive smile. I tip my head in acknowledgment. If we hadn’t been such dicks to each other, we could’ve been friends.
I slide onto a stool. “I could use a nice shot of that scotch you have.”
He huffs a fake laugh. “We all could use a drink.”
He rounds the island and practically jogs into his bar.
Mel turns to me and runs a hand over my back. “She’ll be back soon. I know it. Now let’s eat because you’re getting irritable.”
I nod and pick at the appetizers Hunter has laid out. “Where’s Aiden?”
“He went upstairs to clean up.” She peeks over her shoulder and up at the loft area. “He’s a mess.”
“Yeah, I probably shouldn’t have hit him.” My wound throbs, reminding me I’m in no shape to fight. I dig into my pants pockets and take out my pain medicine. “They say you’re not supposed to drink alcohol while taking these.”
“But you’re going to anyway?” Hunter joins us with a bottle of scotch and four glasses.
I shrug. “I shouldn’t, but fuck it. How much harm can it do?”
Melanie cuts in. “Who knows, but let's not tempt fate. Take your painkillers and have one shot.”
“Yes, Mother.” I roll my eyes, but she’s right. Dori needs me clear-headed, so I slide my medication back into my pocket. “Do you have anything to drink other than scotch?”
“Dorothy always had iced tea in the fridge. Check in there.” Hunter pours four shots of the amber liquid into the crystal glasses.
I get up and rummage through his refrigerator. What would Dori think of us hanging out in Hunter’s apartment? She’d probably be happy.
I find an iced tea shoved in the back. “Thank God.”
“Are you still talking to him?” Mel pokes her head around Hunter.
I face her and twist the top off the bottle. “No. I was just thankful I found something to drink.”
“Hunter, what do you think about God?” She studies him as she stuffs her face with cheese.
“What’s there to think about?” He slides a shot to her.
I round the island and take a seat next to Mel. “She’s asking you if you believe in God.”
Hunter pushes a glass my way. “I believe in a higher power. I don’t know if I call that God.”
“Hmm.” She swallows her food. “What would you call it, then?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never thought about it much.” He takes a sip of his drink then places it down. “Maybe I should. It can only help.”
Mel nods but looks away like she’s trying to hide her face.
I hook on to it and study her. “What are you trying to get out of saying?”
She shrugs. “It’s nothing.”
Hunter dials in on her. “Then why did you turn away?”
Her gaze slides between us, then she sighs heavily. “It’s just God, or whatever you want to call it… I don’t think he likes me much. So if you’re praying or anything like that, you might want to keep my name out of it.”
Aiden steals our attention from the catwalk of the loft. “I just heard from my contact at the agency.”
We face Aiden as he hops down the stairs .
Hunter steps around the island. “And?”
Aiden’s ghostly expression says it all. “I’ve got terrible news.”