Chapter 33
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Jesse “Jump” Boulton laughed with everyone and took a sip of his beer, hiding the disappointment sweeping through him. He’d been seeing someone, and though it wasn’t serious, he thought it might turn serious.
No matter what he said about relationships to the guys, and sometimes to himself, he wanted what Cy and Foster had.
He could tell that Pen was in love with Foster and that Foster felt the same about her. Willa and Cy were so in love, watching them was like eating a tray full of sweet chocolates.
He didn’t think he would ever find the right person. The night was winding down and he needed to leave. He finished his beer right when Wave stepped to the center of the room.
“Hey, so I wanted to tell you all that I’m taking a few weeks, maybe a month. I thought I was going to go before our last mission, but I talked it over with the commander then my mother and decided to stay. But things have taken a turn.”
“Oh man, I’m sorry to hear that,” Cy said.
Wave nodded. “Thanks. I’m going home, and when I come back my sister will be with me.”
“We’ve got your back,” Bang said.
T nodded. “I’m here for you.”
“We’re all here for you, man. We’ve got you,” Foster said.
“And we’ll be here for your sister,” Willa said. “We’ve all got your back.”
“Thank you. You may be called a lot.”
Jump hugged Wave as they both took off. Wave had a reason to be having a hard time. Jump just needed to get his shit together.
Blakely Masters hadn’t had a good day in months. She’d tried making it on her own, tried to get ahead, but people and things kept conspiring against her.
She pulled up at her apartment, seeing her door open. “Well shit.”
How had Grayson found her? Shit. This was going to get ugly.
She ran upstairs to her apartment, determined to kick the guy out. He’d caused her enough trouble.
When she was ten feet from her door, she squared her shoulders and yelled, “Get the fuck out of my place, Grayson! I don’t have it.”
She stood in the doorway, searching for the bastard. She didn’t have it, never did. But that bastard thought she did.
“Grayson, are you in there?”
Her breath came in gasps as she waited for Grayson to show his ugly mug. The bastard had been tracking her for years. Every time she got a handle on things, this bastard showed up.
She stepped into her apartment and that’s when the bastard came out of her bedroom. He hadn’t changed much. Except he looked even worse.
“Get out!”
“I don’t think so.”
“Get the fuck out of my apartment!”
Jump heard the woman yelling before he was even upstairs. This apartment complex wasn’t wild and crazy. It was a good neighborhood, not like his last place, and yet this was something he never heard before at any of the locations he’d ever lived.
The way she was yelling got his dander up. Whoever was in her apartment, she wanted him out.
Instead of turning toward his door, he headed toward the dust up. How bad could this be? The woman still had the door open. He hadn’t heard any gunfire, so at least no one had been shot.
He was close and could see a woman standing with her hands on her hips. He hadn’t seen her before. She had a great ass.
“I swear to God, Grayson, get the hell out of my apartment.”
“I’m not leaving until you give me what I came for.”
Jump stepped into the doorway. “I think you’re leaving now.”
“Who the fuck are you?”
Jump knew when to use his swagger and when to use his power. This required both. He stepped deeper into the apartment and crossed his arms over his chest, flexing his biceps, showing how large they were.
The guy’s eyes went wider, but he recovered quickly. “You should leave. This is above your pay grade.”
Jump chuckled. “You don’t know what my pay grade is.”
“Yeah, well, you don’t—”
“Shut up, Grayson. Get out, now. I’m calling the cops. I’m done with this bullshit. And don’t come back.”
Grayson snorted then took two large steps. For a moment he thought he was going to have to protect this woman from a rampaging idiot.
The guy moved aside as Jump moved closer to her. Grayson sneered then stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
Jump turned toward the woman. “Are you okay?”
She shrugged. “I’ve been worse. I can’t believe he got in.”
“Did he break in?”
She shook her head. “No clue. I haven’t looked at the door.”
Jump reached for the door and opened it. “It doesn’t look like it was tampered with.”
“Fuck. He must have gotten one of the girls in the office to give him a key. He’s smooth like that.”
Jump shook his head. There was no way the people in the office should have given that jerk a key. He would help her get to the bottom of this. “The apartment office is closed now. How long have you been gone?”
“A few hours.” The woman narrowed her eyes. “What’s your name?”
“My buddies call me Jump.”
“Okay, okay, that sounds interesting. So Jump, I’m Blakely.”
He shook her hand. “Blakely, it’s nice to meet you.” He glanced out into the parking lot and then turned to her. “That guy, Grayson, what’s up with him?”
“He’s an ass who has been following me for years. He wants something I don’t have.”
“He has a key to your place. You shouldn’t stay here.”
“Fuck. This sucks. I don’t have the money for this.”
Jump spoke before he could really think about what he was offering. “Stay at my place for the night. I have a two bedroom and an air mattress you can crash on. That guy has a key to your place. You can’t stay here. He could break back in and do something.”
Blakely closed her eyes and fought the tears that threatened.
He was right. She couldn’t sleep here until she figured out how Grayson got the keys to her place.
She would have to have a very serious talk with the office.
Hopefully they would spring for re-keying her door, or she would have to move out.
Her ability to judge people was questionable. Obviously, she’d misjudged Grayson, but that wasn’t entirely her fault. Could she trust Jump? Did she have any choice?
“Fine, I’ll stay in your spare room. But I swear to God—” She pointed her finger at him, shooting him a warning look.
He raised both hands to convince her he wouldn’t think of touching her. “Hands off. I understand. I won’t do more than offer you breakfast and coffee in the morning.”
She rolled her eyes. “I get it. I was wrong to assume that you’re like one hundred percent of the guys I’ve met before. I’m sure you aren’t.”
He chuckled. “I’m not totally innocent. But no, in this situation it wouldn’t be right to come on to you. You’re in a bad situation, and I’m only here to help.”
Was this guy for real? Could he actually be one of the good ones? Grayson showing up trying to ruin everything, and this guy saving the day. What the heck was going on?
The last time Grayson had walked into her life, she’d ended up with a broken orbital bone, a few broken ribs, and a broken arm. Maybe Jump could help her.