Book 22 Rescue After Dark #11
“Nik knocked him over the head with my grandmother’s cast-iron frying pan,” Jordan tells Gigi.
“Of course she did. I love it. The douche nugget had it coming.”
“He sure did,” Jordan says.
Mason takes Jordan and Gigi directly to the police station to meet up with Nikki and Evelyn. After Jordan gives the police background information, Evelyn makes a proposal. Her granddaughters give her their full attention.
“Charge Brendan with a misdemeanor of your choice,” Evelyn says to the officers, “and make him reimburse the town and the state for the expenses incurred by his stunt today.”
“In exchange for what?” Nikki asks.
“I want several things,” Evelyn says. “First, he signs the divorce papers. Second, he makes a public statement on his social media, taking responsibility for his own mistakes and making it clear to his lunatic supporters that Jordan was an innocent party in everything that happened. He needs to tell them, in no uncertain terms, to leave her alone. And third,” she says, looking to Jordan, “he agrees never again to contact my granddaughter or come anywhere near her or her family.”
Jack Downing, the state police officer in charge, looks at Nikki and Jordan. “What do you think?”
“It’s up to Nik,” Jordan says. “She’s the one who was held hostage by him.”
“I’d take that deal in a hot second,” Nik says, “if it meant we’d seen the last of him.”
“In that case, I’m willing to offer him the deal,” Jack says. “From what I’m told, he’s awake at the clinic and asking to see Jordan.” Jordan and Mason head to the clinic to outline the offer to Brendan.
They’re escorted into his room, where Brendan is handcuffed to the bed. His eyes go wide at the sight of her. “They said you weren’t here.”
“I wasn’t. I flew back here after I heard you’d taken my family hostage.”
“I didn’t take them hostage.”
“You showed up uninvited at our home with a gun and wouldn’t let them leave until you got to see me. That’s the definition of taking someone hostage.”
“Your sister gave me a skull fracture.”
“That’s the least of what you deserve.” Standing before him, she realizes two things. One, she doesn’t love him anymore, and two, she’s no longer afraid of him. “You and I were done long before you pulled this stunt.”
“You wouldn’t talk to me! I got clean for you, and then you wouldn’t even see me!”
“Oh, please, you’ve never done anything in your life unless it benefited you. Don’t waste my time telling me how you got sober for me. Here’s the deal. We’re over. You may as well sign the papers and be done with it, because after today, you’ll never see me again.”
“I have things I want to tell you.”
“I don’t care. There’s nothing you have to say that I want to hear. I gave you every chance. I gave you chances you didn’t deserve, like after you taped us having sex and posted the video? Remember that?”
“I didn’t mean for that to happen! I told you that!”
“I don’t believe you. And frankly, I don’t care anymore.
I’ve moved on, and my life no longer includes you.
As to the shit you pulled today, you’re lucky my grandmother and sister are in a forgiving mood.
Otherwise, you would’ve been charged with multiple felonies.
” She outlines the deal the state police have agreed to and puts the papers that Gigi has printed on the table next to his bed.
“Do everyone a favor, take the deal, sign the divorce papers, take responsibility for your own shit and tell your fans to leave me the hell alone. Go back to rehab, and don’t leave until you’re well.
Get your life together and stay the fuck out of mine. That’s all I’ve got to say.”
“Jordan!” The cuffs clank against the metal rail when he tries to get up to give chase. “You have to listen to me!”
“Go fuck yourself, Brendan.” Jordan hooks her hand through Mason’s arm. “Let’s go.”
Two weeks after she returned to the island, Jordan and Mason attend a party at Mac and Maddie McCarthy’s.
It seems half the town is present. Brendan signed the divorce papers and went live on Instagram a week ago to come clean to his fans, telling them to leave Jordan alone, that she’d been a loving and faithful wife and that she deserved better than what she’d gotten from him.
On that, Mason and the man known as Zane are in complete agreement, and Mason plans to make sure she has what she deserves every day for the rest of her life.
The day before, Jordan had received a call from Matilda with the official green light for filming on Gansett for the summer. Mason and Jordan had celebrated the good news all night long.
“I’ve learned a valuable lesson over the last few weeks,” she says to him in the dark of night, which is when they seem to have their best conversations.
“What’s that?”
“I’m in charge of my life, and if I want something—or someone—I have to go after it—or him—with everything I’ve got.”
“He is very glad you came after him.” He’s never known the kind of happiness he’s found with her and can’t wait to see what comes next for them. Whatever it is, he has no doubt it’ll be fun and funny and sexy and full of love.