30. Jackson
JACKSON
I'm pulled down the hall by Ryker, his grip iron-tight on my shoulder.
My mind stays locked on Aliyah lying in that hospital bed, her delicate frame looking even smaller against the stark white sheets.
The image of that car slamming into the guardrail keeps replaying in my head like a fucking nightmare.
"Let go of me," I growl, yanking my arm free. "I need to get back in there."
"No, you need to get your head straight." Ryker's steel-gray eyes bore into mine. His perfectly tailored suit contrasts sharply with the dried blood on my shirt - Aliyah's blood. "You're compromised."
"I'm not-"
"You are." He cuts me off, his voice dropping low. "I've never seen you like this."
My jaw clenches. He's right - I'm losing control. The rage that's consumed me... I've never felt anything like it.
"Those fuckers tried to take her." My fists clench at my sides. "So I made sure they never got the chance to try it again."
"And that's exactly my point." Ryker leans against the wall, studying me with that calculating gaze that's made him infamous. "You're acting on emotion, not logic. The Jackson I know doesn't do that."
"The Jackson you know wouldn't let someone hurt what's his." The words come out before I can stop them.
A knowing smirk crosses Ryker's face. "His? You ready to finally admit that?"
Yeah…no. Not when we still haven't talked about me admitting I love her and then she ran. Aliyah might be back, but I don't know if she's ready for this. For all of me.
That fucking stings, but I'll deal with it later.
I turn away, unable to face the truth in his words. The sound of monitors beeping from the medical wing pulls at me like a physical force. Every second I spend out here feels like torture.
"She's safe here," Ryker says, softer now. "My medical team is the best. But we need to figure out who's targeting her and why. You can't protect her if you're blinded by rage."
"I'm working on it," I grind out. It's like he forgets that even though I'm his little cousin, I also work for one of the most prominent weapons dealers in the area and have a deadly reputation on my own. I'm not just a kid.
"What did Aliyah mean about being threatened?" Ryker's voice cuts through my thoughts. "You never mentioned that to me."
My head snaps up, fury coursing through my veins. "You sent me that fucking footage. What did you think was happening?"
Ryker's expression shifts, brows drawing together. "I forwarded the security feed when I spotted her on camera. I didn't watch it."
"No?" I close the distance between us, getting in his face.
"Then you missed watching two guys corner her in the mailroom.
You missed seeing her fight them off while they tried to drag her away to God knows where.
" My voice drops to a dangerous whisper.
"You missed the moment when I could have lost her like I almost did today. "
Ryker goes completely still - that predatory stillness I recognize from years of working together. His steel-gray eyes darken. "Show me."
I pull out my phone, fingers stabbing at the screen until I find the footage. The grainy video plays, showing Aliyah checking her mail the day she left my house. He watches all of it just like I did, how they try to grab her and how she manages to fight them off.
"Someone's after her," I say, shoving my phone back in my pocket. "We just don't know who."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I needed to figure out who wanted her." I run a hand over my face, feeling the stubble scratch my palm. "Now she's lying in that bed because I failed to protect her."
"We'll find them," Ryker says, his voice carrying that quiet menace that makes even hardened criminals nervous. "And when we do, you'll get first shot at them. But until then, you should both stay here."
"No." I shake my head, pacing the sterile hospital hallway. "She stays with me. Anyone comes near my property, they die. Simple as that."
"You're being stubborn." Ryker's voice carries that edge of authority he uses in business meetings. "My security system-"
"Isn't the point." I stop, facing him. "This fuck needs to learn what happens when you touch what belongs to me. I want him to know exactly who's coming for him."
"And how do you plan to do that while protecting her?"
"By making an example so brutal no one will dare come near her again.
" The promise of violence steadies my pulse, gives me something to focus on besides the image of her broken body in that car.
"You didn't see her face when I pulled her from the car.
The fear she tried to hide. I'm going to find every person involved and take them apart piece by piece. "
Ryker studies me, his expression unreadable. The fluorescent lights cast harsh shadows across his face, highlighting the silver at his temples. "You're different with her."
"Don't start."
"I'm serious." He steps closer, lowering his voice. "I've never seen you like this. Not even when-"
"When what?" I snap. "When my mother walked out? When my father drank himself to death? Go ahead, remind me why caring about someone is a fucking weakness."
"That's not what I meant." His steel-gray eyes narrow. "I meant you finally found something worth fighting for besides the family."
The words hit harder than I expect. My hands clench at my sides, knuckles still raw and bloody from earlier. "She stays with me. End of discussion."
"Fine." Ryker straightens his suit jacket - a habit from childhood when he's conceding a point. "But I hope you have a plan."
I nod, jaw tight. I do.
"You need help?" Ryker's question hangs between us.
I crack my neck, rolling tension from my shoulders. "I've got this handled. You focus on keeping Naya safe."
"Like you're keeping Aliyah safe?" The jab hits its mark, but I notice the protective edge in his voice when he mentions Naya. My cousin's changed since finding her - gotten softer in ways he probably doesn't even realize.
"I'm not hiding behind security systems." I meet his gaze. "These fuckers want to play? Let's play. I'll draw them out, make them desperate enough to slip up."
"And use Aliyah as bait?" His steel-gray eyes narrow. "That's a dangerous game."
"No." My voice drops lower, colder. "And they won't see what's coming until it's too late."
Ryker goes quiet, studying me with that calculating stare that's made lesser men confess their sins. "You're planning something brutal."
"I'm planning something they'll never recover from." The promise tastes like blood on my tongue. "When I'm done, the story of what happened to them will keep anyone else from looking at her twice."
"And if she doesn't want that kind of violence in her life?"
A harsh laugh escapes me. "Angel's got her own darkness. You should see the way her eyes light up when she's plotting something wicked." The memory of her sharp smile when she outmaneuvers me sends heat through my veins. "She's not some innocent I'm corrupting."
"No." Ryker's lips quirk. "She's the devil that's corrupting you."
"Maybe." I glance toward her room, drawn by the steady beeping of monitors. "But at least I'll burn enjoying every second of it."
"Just try not to start a war." Ryker straightens his cuffs - another old habit. "Cole won't appreciate-"
"Cole can fuck off." The words come out as a growl. "Anyone gets in my way on this, they're collateral damage."
I stride back into the medical room, my boots silent against the polished floor. She looks fragile against those white sheets, and the sight of the cuts on her gorgeous dark skin makes my anger skyrocket.
Naya adjusts an IV line, her movements precise and practiced. "There's no internal bleeding or serious trauma." Her eyes size me up. "She'll be sore for a few days, but nothing's broken. She got lucky."
"Lucky." The word tastes bitter. Nothing about this situation is lucky except that I got there in time. "You think I can take her?"
She nods, taking the needle from Aliyah's arm as the IV finishes. "I gave her something for the pain. It seemed to knock out the last bit of adrenaline and she fell asleep." Naya's voice softens. "She'll be groggy but okay to move."
I nod, crossing to the bed. Aliyah's eyes flutter open as I approach, those gold flecks catching the light. Even beat to hell, she's still the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
"Hey tough guy." Her voice comes out raspy.
"Hey angel." I brush a strand of hair from her face. "We're going home."
She tries to sit up, wincing. "Antonio-"
"Is fine." I slide one arm under her knees, the other supporting her back. HOw can she be worried about someone else right now? "Everything's handled."
"I can walk." But she doesn't fight when I lift her, just curls into my chest.
"Thanks Naya." I adjust my grip, cradling Aliyah closer. "For everything."
"Take care of her." Naya's dark eyes hold mine. "And Jackson? Make them pay."
"That's the plan." I head for the door, Aliyah's breath warm against my neck. "No one touches what's mine and walks away."
"Possessive much?" Aliyah mumbles against my shirt.
"You have no idea, angel." I tighten my hold. "But first we're getting you home. Then I'm going to end this - permanently."