Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
KINSLEY
This is so not the time to melt into a girl crush over what Jax is telling me. I so badly want to believe it, but I could be a sucker right now, buying up everything he is selling.
Still, his words about having a stigma on him sit with me. I fiddle with the end of my skirt. I truly never thought of it from his point of view.
“Just tell me you’re not scared of me, Bunny.”
“I’m not scared of you.” I should be, but I’m not. I see out of the corner of my eye his shoulders relax.
If not for the dead body, I might be a touch smitten with the whole letter thing.
It’s not a terrible way to get my attention.
In fact, it’s kind of outside the box and different.
He would have had to put thought into it.
The same way he’d done with getting me the key to the media room and Alice’s and Celia’s schedules.
“I’m going to fix this.” I can feel his sincerity, or maybe I’m being na?ve and trying to cling to anything.
“And I get to be a part of that?” He wasn't wrong when he pointed out that there was going to be a missing girl tomorrow. We can’t save her, but maybe we can find out what happened and be able to tell her story.
“If you want, you can forget it altogether and know I’ll handle it.” I chew on my bottom lip, pondering it. Is that what I want? Hell no.
“I’m guessing either way that girl would have died. We didn’t take her there.” We were merely in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“Likely.”
“No one might have ever known about it, but we do. If it is a high school girl, she’ll be tagged a runaway.
” I sit up straighter. Which means I have to see this through with him.
“This might not be so bad, actually.” I keep thinking this over.
“I mean, it’s bad for the dead girl, obviously, but for us, we merely want to find out who did this to her, right? ”
“If you think that’s the best plan of action,” he agrees. I eye him.
“Are you pretending I’m in charge when I’m really not?”
“There are things you can be in charge of and things you can’t be.” Why does that sound dirty in my head? “You’re in this now.”
“I am,” I quickly agree. “This could be a big story or mystery.” I cringe. “Is it terrible I’m starting to maybe get a little excited, and someone died?” Again, maybe the parents were right about me needing a head doctor.
I can do a level of disassociating. I didn’t see the girl’s face and had no clue who it was. It’s almost as though it was a dream. A flash so quick you start to wonder if you saw what you thought you did.
“No.” He smirks. Right, Jax is the perfect person that I can say those things to without any judgment. “I can find a few more dead bodies for you if you like.”
That offer should not be sweet, but it oddly is. I’m a weirdo for sure.
“Because you make them dead?” I let out a small laugh. Jax doesn’t join me. I smack his shoulder. “It was a joke.”
“Right.” He gives a curt nod.
“I don’t know if you’re serious or we’re using dark humor.”
“Whichever makes you feel better.” I almost suppress a laugh, but I decide to let it out because I know he won’t judge me. “But I do need to warn you,” Jax adds when we pull up to two giant iron gates.
A large letter M is positioned in the center.
The gates swing open as if they know it is Jax, or perhaps he pressed a button.
I don’t know. Either way, this is pretty badass.
I have heard of the Marino estate, but I’m only at the gate, and it’s screaming old money wrapped in an iron fist encased in barbed wire.
I’m not sure if I should be in awe of it or scared to pass through them.
Obviously, my nosy ass is going. I have already come this far, and I don’t think Jax is letting me go anywhere yet. I’ll have to sweet-talk my way out if he really does have a crush on me. When the time comes, after I get a good look around. Obviously.
"You’re warning me as we are already passing through the gates?" I glance behind us to watch them closely.
"I only want you to be prepared is all."
"Okay, now you're freaking me out." I mean, I witnessed a crime on one of the other Marino properties, and now I’m basically walking into the lion's den.
"You know I won't let anything happen to you, right?" His hand comes down on my bare knee.
"Can you protect me from your family?" Jax’s brows rise, his eyes on the long driveway up a hill that is lined with perfectly square bushes with pink flowers sprouting from them. I can see part of the house ahead. It’s a beautiful white stone with giant columns and an archway over the front. "Jax!" I snap, wanting a response.
"I can and I will, but my mom…"
"Your mom?" That is not what I thought he was going to say. "The bubbly blonde that has lungs you can hear across an entire football field?"
"That's her, Cosima, and when she sees you—" he gives a slight shake of his head.
"You're starting to worry me. Maybe I want to go back to the warehouse instead."
"Just don't let her freak you out is all."
"You're freaking me out! Will I be tortured?”
"I mean, maybe with questions, but she's harmless."
"You're so full of it. I don't think any Marino is harmless."
"That's not true. My Aunt Tova is harmless."
"She's married to War, right?" The head of the Marino family's wife is harmless. Interesting. I'm not sure this family is what I think it is. I'll be getting a front-row seat to that shortly.
"Married, kidnapped." He gives me a teasing smirk as he rolls to a stop.
"You're teasing me, trying to lighten the mood."
"Shit, here she comes." I turn my head to see the blonde flying out the front door.
"Jax! Who do you have here? You didn't tell me you were bringing someone home." Cosima pulls at the passenger door handle, but it’s locked. “What the hell?” she huffs.
“She means well,” Jax says, “but it’s easier if we rip the Band-Aid off.”
“What—” I’m cut off by the sound of the locks opening. Cosima jerks the door open; her bright blue eyes lock right on me. A giant smile overtakes her whole face. She’s even more stunning up close.
“The reporter!” she squeals. Is she talking about me? “You brought home not only a beautiful girl but a smart one!” Okay, that’s really sweet and nice. But I kind of love that she considers me a reporter.
“Mom, pump the brakes and step back so she can get out.”
“Right,” Cosima takes a breath, stepping back. “Are you hungry? Are you two dating? What’s happening?” Okay. This is not how I expected this to go.
“Mom,” Jax mutters. “I meant to pump the brakes and give her some space.”
“Oh my God, I’m being good.” Cosima throws her hands up.
Jax unclips my seat belt. I’m kind of frozen, not sure what to make of her; this isn’t what I thought I would be getting with her after those warnings.
“You can’t fault me. I’m with all these boys.
I get excited for girls. It took me four tries to get a girl.
” She holds up four fingers, wiggling them, showing off her shiny pink nail polish and a very impressive wedding ring you’d never miss. She is very girly from head to toe.
“Mom,” Jax pleads again with her. It’s actually quite adorable.
“I don’t really have much of an appetite right now, but thanks for the offer, Mrs. Marino.” I only answered her first question, skipping over the other two.
“Call me Cosima. We’re practically family.” She pulls me into a hug. Before I even know what’s happening, I find myself wrapping my arms around her.
“She’s never going to come back,” Jax murmurs.
“Oh, you hush,” Cosima says, releasing me from the hug. Her hands come to my face, cupping my cheeks. “You’re so tall and beautiful.”
“Ah, thanks.” Heat rushes to my cheeks. This woman has given me more affection and compliments in the last five minutes than my parents have all year.
“All this hair, did you braid it yourself?” She grabs one of my two braids.
“The braids help control it.”
“Do you mind, Mom?” Jax takes hold of my wrist and gives a small tug, so I step back.
“Maybe I do mind.” Cosima puts her hands on her hips.
“If I give you something, will you let us breathe?”
“What are you going to give me?” Curiosity glimmers from her. I, too, want to know what he’s about to offer up. Jax really is about his deals.
“She’s my girl.” Oh shit. Did he really say that?
“I knew it.” Cosima clasps her hands together, giving a small bounce on her heels. She has to be in her forties, but she doesn’t look it.
“All right, sweetness.” Z steps outside behind his wife, wrapping an arm around her.
I have seen him at the football games, too.
Z and Cosima oddly fit. She has that whole cheerleader vibe, and he’s the bad boy.
“I need your attention.” He gives me a half smile in acknowledgement, and I return it. “Let them be.”
“But she only just got here and—” Z scoops her up into his arms. “Hey,” Cosima huffs as he carries her back into the house. “I’ll see you later,” she shouts over his shoulder.
“Sorry.” Jax shakes her head. “My mom is…”
“Sweet,” I tell him. The term "sweetness" works for her. I can’t help but smile even if it makes my chest ache. I tell myself that how my parents are doesn’t bother me, but when I see a mom who adores her kids, it hits me hard.
“Come on.” Jax still has a hold of my wrist as he tugs for me to come with him. I don’t really have much of a choice as he leads me into his home.
I’m not sure I really want to. My own curiosity is always getting the best of me.