Chapter Twenty-Four

Vivi

“Do you know who shot me?” I asked the question at the same time Jag asked one of his own. Sort of.

“I want you to stay, Vivi. Here in Vegas. You and me. Together.”

Jag flashed that gorgeous irresistible smile and my heart leapt and twerked with happiness even though I knew it couldn’t last.

“Say something,” he urged from across the black and white checkered tablecloth of one of our favorite greasy spoon diners near Jag’s house.

I didn’t know what to say because telling him the truth would break his heart, but I couldn’t lie. Not to Jag. “I know, and I want that too.”

He frowned and sat back in his chair, his gaze searing a hole right through me. “Why does it sound like there’s a ‘but’ coming?”

My smile was bittersweet. “Because you’re a smart man.” I didn’t want to tell him this, not today. Not ever but I’d put it off for the past three days while I was in the hospital and now, well now I was out of time. “I do want to stay Jag, but I can’t.”

“Is it because of the guys? If so, I’ll talk to them and we can quash this shit, Vivi.” Anguish filled his brown eyes and my heart split right down the middle.

“No Jag. I don’t give a shit about them, I give a shit about you.” I placed my right hand on top of his because my left one was still in a sling thanks to the bullet that went straight through my shoulder. “This is killing me, Jag. I need you to know that and I don’t say it lightly.”

“I know.” And his slight smile told me he did.

“Bob stopped by while I was in the hospital,” I admitted.

“Shit. She’s still alive?”

“I know, right? But yeah, she’s a little battered but fine.” Bob was strong and a seasoned CIA agent. Very little left her shaken. “But I’m not.”

“What’s that mean?” He held my hand between his, thumb stroking the pulse racing on my wrist.

“It means that I can’t stay here. Not now and not for a while.”

I couldn’t believe my eyes were burning with unshed tears, but they were. It was a strange sensation, one that felt so out of place and totally fucking out of character for me that I didn’t recognize what it was at first. Tears. I was crying. Over Jag.

“I broke a lot of laws Jag. A lot.”

“You did it to stay alive because Slauson dropped the fucking ball!” He was upset, and I didn’t blame him. But…

“That doesn’t change anything, Jag. You know the shady shit the government can do when they want something.” And they wanted me.

“You’re not telling me something. Dammit, Vivi. What’s going on? Do you not want this?”

“Don’t be a crazy fucker. Of course, I do. I came here to find Jeremiah and to see if he was still the nicest boy I’d ever met and could help me. Instead I found you. Jag. Big and strong, but still the nicest person I’ve ever known. You went against your club, your brothers for me and no one has ever cared that much for me. Ever.”

“I’d do it all over again just to keep you safe.”

I believed him. “Good because that’s exactly why you’re not going to make this harder, Jag. You and the Reckless Bastards, you broke a lot of laws, too.”

He froze, and I could see the tension fill his body. It was finally sinking in, now that the danger was behind us, just how much shit we’d done in the name of survival.

“Shit. How much trouble are we in?”

“None. Because I’m taking care of it. Eighteen months of indentured servitude to the government and our slates are wiped clean. Unless of course they try to extend the time, which I fully anticipate.”

“I can’t let you do that, Vivi. I won’t take it so don’t fucking ask me to.”

I stood gingerly, nearly knocking into the waitress as she dropped the food on the table. After three days of hospital food, it all smelled so good but I wasn’t about the food right now.

I was pretty sure Jag was about to see a side of me he never thought he’d witness. Sliding in beside him, I turned to face him.

“I’m not asking, Jag. It’s done. If I don’t do this, we’re all getting charged. Let me do this. You have a life here. A family. A full life of people who give a damn about you. I know what that means, and I won’t let you give it up.”

“Not even for you?” He cupped my face and I blinked, the unfamiliar warmth of tears streaming down my cheeks.

“Especially not for me, Jag.” I took a deep breath to slow the pounding in my chest, but it didn’t work. “I love you,” I blurted out, inelegantly and unceremoniously.

His eyes flashed surprise and his beautiful lush lips pulled into a heart-stopping smile.

“Do you? That’s damn good to hear because I would’ve felt pretty fucking stupid telling you that I love you and I refuse to live without you, if you didn’t feel the same way.”

In that moment something clicked into place inside of me. A feeling of peace, of coming home. Rightness. Jag was all of those things for me. Everything I’d been avoiding and running from my whole life. It felt like I’d never belonged more in this moment.

“We’re a fine fucking mess, aren’t we?”

“No babe, we’re a beautiful fucking mess. The beautiful-est.” Jag cupped the back of my neck and slowly lowered his mouth to mine, teasing my lips with his before his tongue joined in, sliding and massaging my own. The kiss grew deeper in stages until it was all consuming. Jag ate at my mouth, devouring me like he just couldn’t help it. Like it was me, the orphan with mad computer skills, who was driving him to the point of insanity. He pulled back, smiling and out of breath.

“I’m not letting you go Vivi. Not ever.”

“Good, because as soon as I’m finished with the government, I’m comin’ for you Jag. You can count on that, babe.”

I kissed him, again. Harder this time because I knew Bob was waiting for me and I had to go. “While I’m gone, take care of those Roadkill fucktards because when I get back I’m going to need a lot of alone time with you. A lot.”

His grin came slow and seductive, his hand still cupping the back of my neck as he pressed our foreheads together.

“I love you, Jag.”

“I love you too, Vivi.”

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“I can’t fucking wait, babe.”

I slid out of the booth and stood. “I’m not going to say goodbye.” I turned toward the door and walked without looking back. I’d never met Jeremiah before now and I knew God, or my angels, or the universe were watching over us back then.

And I hoped like hell they were watching over us now.

Walking away from him was the hardest thing I’d ever have to do.

~ T H E ~ E N D ~

I hope you love Jag as much as I do!