Chapter Fifteen #6
“And the day Dahlia got loose and you helped us?” Hallie nodded.
“Her stable block’s electrics were hacked so she could escape.
” Hallie swallowed. “And I’ve been getting letters,” I blurted.
Now I’d started speaking, I couldn’t stop.
It was like a tidal wave, all my pain pouring out of me in one devastating blow.
Hallie turned fully in my arms and sat between my legs.
Her hands landed on my chest, and all her concerned focus was on me.
“What kind of letters?” she asked, softly.
I followed a droplet of water as it ran down Hallie’s neck and over to her shoulder.
Leaning forward, I kissed the drop, her skin silky soft beneath it.
Hallie shuddered. I lay back, placing my hands over hers on my chest and said, “Threatening ones.” I inhaled deeply.
“Ones that vow to destroy me, my family, and . . . anyone I love.”
As those final words slipped through my lips, sympathy flooded Hallie’s face.
She shook her head, as though she couldn’t believe it.
But I wasn’t finished. “Whoever is threatening us claims responsibility for my father’s death.
They said he was an immoral man and needed to be punished.
” My heart ached at that thought. To me, my dad was anything but.
I had no idea why they claimed he was corrupt.
Phillip had never been able to find anything that my father had done wrong, but whoever was targeting us certainly felt they had reason to murder him.
“They claim they are targeting Genny and want her dead too.” I laughed a humorless laugh.
“Genny! My sweet little sister who doesn’t have a bad bone in her body.
” My voice wavered and I felt like my throat was closing in.
“They nearly killed her, Hallie. My little sister. When she went down that day, in front of me and my cousins . . .” I choked.
“I thought she was dead. In that moment, I thought I’d lost the last member of my nuclear family. ”
Hallie lurched forward and wrapped her arms around my neck. I held her to me, threading my hands through her hair. I clung to Hallie like if I didn’t, she would turn to vapor and slip away from me too. “Ssh,” Hallie soothed, stroking her hands down the back of my head. “It’s okay.”
I shook my head and pulled back. I met her eyes so she would know how serious I was.
“It’s not okay, Hallie. Don’t you see?” My breathing was choppy.
“We have no idea who is doing this. The police are good for fuck all. I hired the best private investigator money can buy, and even he can’t find a trace.
It’s dust in the fucking wind when it comes to the bastard who is after my family.
” I slammed my hand into the bath water, making it splash over the sides.
“I can’t defend all I love because I’m fighting a fucking ghost!
No trace, no trail. Just fucking stress and threats and the fear that someone else I love will be taken from me. Hurt, because of me.”
Hallie straddled my legs, pressing her chest against mine to rip me from my spiral.
She dropped her forehead to mine. Her hands cupped my cheeks as I fought for breath.
The minute she wrapped herself around me, my body lost its fight, and I was drained.
All the tension in my muscles evaporated, and I held on to Hallie so tightly I feared I’d hurt her.
But she stayed still, letting me breathe her vanilla scent in.
I didn’t know how many minutes passed before I pulled back and met Hallie’s sad and shocked gaze.
“I want you, Angel. Fuck, do I want you. But I couldn’t live with myself .
. .” I lowered my chin. “How the hell could I live with myself if I put you in harm’s way?
” Hallie’s eyes dropped. I cupped her face and said, “No, Angel. This is serious.” She met my gaze again.
“You are just at the start of greatness, Hallie. The way you ride, you and Huxley . . . the world is yours.” I pulled her closer.
“I couldn’t fucking live with myself if whoever is targeting my family found out about my feelings for you and turned their attention your way. ”
Hallie swallowed, and her eyes widened. “What feelings do you have for me?” Her voice was a whisper.
I stopped breathing, replaying what I’d just said.
I inhaled a stuttered breath as she waited on a precipice for me to speak.
Chest caving, and truth spilling out, I said, “I fucking adore you, Angel.” I laughed a humorless laugh.
“I spend my days wondering how to fucking see you without putting you in danger. I go to sleep thinking of you, and when I wake up, your face is the first thing I see in my mind.” Hallie’s chest rose and fell.
She licked along her lips with her tongue, and I said, “I’m falling for you, Hallie.
Hard. I tried not to. I tried to be cold, to push you away, but there you were, wherever I looked, and you broke through my shields day by day until all I could see and feel was you. ”
“Jasper,” she hushed out and pressed her lips to mine. But this kiss wasn’t hurried or hard. It was soft and . . . fuck. It was a kiss that told me things were changing between us.
Had changed.
Hallie broke from my mouth, then said, “I’m falling for you too.” The effect that had on my heart was all-consuming. I’d been lonely so fucking long, and in walks an angel from Texas to fill the void I believed would never close.
I lit up inside, but immediately a dark cloud rushed in to smother any light.
My shoulders sagged and I knew devastation shadowed my face.
“But it’s because of that I can’t see you in danger.
” Hallie tensed. “The letters . . . they mention everyone I’m close to.
Who I love.” My voice was rasped and exhausted. “Even Henry . . .” I sighed.
Understanding shone from Hallie’s pretty eyes. “That’s why you stopped competing,” Hallie said, knowingly. I nodded. “Jasper,” she said. “These people, or person, they’ve already taken everything from you.”