Chapter Thirty-One
AFTER HER SECOND shower of the night, Jane walked out of her bathroom and found Declan lying on her bed. She walked over and lay on the bed next to him. Jane felt herself shaking.
“Are you okay?”
She was falling apart. “No. He could have died.” A hot tear slipped down her cheek. And once she started she couldn’t seem to stop.
Declan took her in his arms and held her. “You would have never let that happen.”
“I can’t stop crying.”
His embrace tightened. “I got you. You just tell me what you need.”
Jane needed him.
She had no idea how long she bawled her eyes out, but he held her and let her get it all out of her system. When she was done, she wiped her eyes feeling like she could deal with the situation. She must feel safe with him, if she could cry in front of him. The last time she’d done it alone in the shower.
“Thank you.”
“Thank you for trusting me.” Declan scooted down until he was able to rest his head on her stomach. She sank her hand into his hair and closed her eyes. He rubbed his cheek on her belly, the lifted her West Point t-shirt revealing her bare skin.
He kissed her stomach.
It tickled. It thrilled her. She felt herself smile.
Then he started singing Bob Marley’s ‘Three Birds’. His voice was sweet and clear. For the first time in a few hours she felt herself relax and forgot all the crap that was swirling around them. Right now they were just a man and woman sharing a tender moment.
“What are we going to do?”
“I want you Jane. I want the baby. I want us.”
She laughed and took his face in her hands. “Declan Shaw that’s so ordinary.”
“Nothing with you will ever be ordinary. We made a miracle together.”
“People make babies every day. It’s biology, not a miracle.”
“The baby is our miracle.”
Then it dawned on her. This was meant to be. This man, this baby with her was supposed to be. Who was she to fight destiny. “Our miracle.”
“I love you. Marry me.”
Her heart raced. She wanted this. She wanted him. The entire package. “You want to be my husband? Really?”
“I want you with everything I have. Say yes Jane.”
She laughed. “Yes Jane.”
“Close enough.” Declan kissed her.
He slowly undressed her. And then himself. Carefully he entered her and loved her slowly and tenderly. Afterwards they fell asleep their bodies still entwined.
JANE’S EYES POPPED OPEN. Her head was on Declan’s chest. She eased out of his embrace. Then poked him in the arm. “Declan?”
His eyes opened and he looked at her with such love and heat she almost forgot what she had to say. “Again?”
“No. Yes, but I didn’t tell you I love you too.”
He smiled. “I already know you do.”
“How do you know?”
“Number one: I’m Declan Shaw of course you love me.”
She balled her fist and placed it under his chin. “I’m going to punch you.”
“Number two: You cried in front of me.”
“Maybe I cry all the time.”
“No you don’t. You love me. I got that. I’m good.”
“I love you.” It felt so good to say. It was like they got a little quiet in the middle of a storm. She knew this was just a moment, but right now she needed that moment with him.
MALCOLM HIT the punching bag with all of his rage. He almost lost his brother last night. Gavin was the perfect brother. Friend. Co-conspirator. He was harmless, the world was a better place with him in it. He couldn’t even think about what life would be like without him in it.
“Open your hip so you don’t over rotate.”
He turned to see Jane standing behind him. She looked pale and tired. He wasn’t sure what to say to her.
She jumped in and saved Gavin without a thought. She should have been concerned with her baby, her own life. He did as she suggested and found he hit the bag with more force and less energy. “Thanks. How are you doing?”
“I’ve had worse.” She waved his concerns away.
“You always this tough?”
“You gave a couple of pints yourself.” She picked up a towel and tossed it at him.
He felt tired, but he needed to hit something so he came down and did a boxing workout. “I’m not pregnant.”
“I still had a job to do, baby or no baby.”
He liked the idea which surprised him. He figured she’d keep the baby, but he didn’t think that she wanted the complete package. “So you’re keeping the baby?”
“Yeah, you ready to be an uncle?”
So, he was right and glad she wanted the baby, but mostly because she wanted him to be a part of her life. “You really want to be a family?”
She grinned. “You’re a cool guy. What kid wouldn’t want you as an uncle … or a brother.”
That made him feel good. “You think I’m cool?”
“I liked you about five minutes after I met you.”
Whoa he would have never known that. “Why did you like me?”
“You are loyal, brave and smart. You are kind. I like that in a man.”
“You could tell all that in five minutes?”
She nodded. “I’m that good.”
“So you and Declan are going to do the family thing?”
“I’m still having a hard time picturing him knee deep in domesticity and diapers, but yeah, he’s worth the risk.” She brought that out in him. He liked that his friend found a woman who could handle his life. Even with all the shit going on Declan was happy. A kind of happy he wasn’t sure his best friend would ever let himself have. “You bring out a side of him I haven’t seen in a long time.”
“I do?”
“Exposed.”
“How are you doing with all this?’
“Is it important how I feel?”
She nodded. “To him it is. To me too.”
“Why weren’t you honest from the start?”
She let out a long breath. “I didn’t think you’d want to know me. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know you.”
“Why?”
“I thought Fox was a dick, and you’d be the same. Glad I was wrong.”
“You’re not so bad yourself.”
“Thanks.”
“So we’re good?”
“Yeah. BTW Addy’s mad crushing on you. She wants you in her life.”
“I like her.”
She stood. “Well I’ll let you get back to punishing that punching bag. What time are you going to see Gavin?”
“In a couple of hours. You?”
“Declan’s brother is coming in so I’m going to have to do that. What’s he like?”
“Honestly?”
“You don’t like him?”
How could he be diplomatic about this? He didn’t trust Brody. But he was Declan’s brother and that meant he was in his life. “He’s got some shit, but he doesn’t seem to want to do anything about it. He’s been in and out of trouble for the last decade and Declan bails him out every time.”
“Not surprising given his circumstances.”
On that he could agree. “He’s been through some crap.”
He shouldn’t say anything now that they were going to officially be family.
“Your opinion is a factor, everyone gets a second chance. If anything that lesson has hit home pretty recently. I didn’t think I'd get to have the happy.”
“Because of being in the Army? What could you have done that was so bad?” Interesting, so she wasn’t the badass he suspected.
“I’m not ashamed of what I did. I did my job, I didn’t always like it. I didn’t always agree with it, but it did take its toll. It took some time to leave the war behind. Declan and the baby are like the universe saying I’m cool with you Jane.”
He laughed. He liked that she could joke with him. “The universe talks to you?”
“It doesn’t talk to you?”
“I got meds for that.”
She hit him in the arm. “Shut the fuck up.”
“Only cause you know we’re like family.”
“Thanks little brother.” She stood. “I have to change. Keep that hip open.”
“Thanks, and Jane?”
“I promise I will take good care of Declan.”
“I know.” He watched her go. He liked her. He liked her with Declan. She was strong enough to keep his friend safe. Emotionally as well as physically. She was going to love Declan forever. She understood him and still loved him. She was going to make him happy. She was going to give him a future Declan had no idea he wanted. For the first time in long time, he felt at peace about his friend’s future.
MAYBE IT WAS HIM, but Jane seemed off tonight. She was fine until they met Brody at the restaurant in the French Quarter. She didn’t seem to want to eat and kept checking her phone. She questioned Brody almost like he was a suspect. About half way through dinner, she excused herself to go to the bathroom. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed she talked to Glen and showed him her phone screen. Glen looked at Brody with a hard stare and then the big bodyguard moved closer to the table, but not hovering. But he could feel the tension coming off him.
Brody scowled. “Your girl is nosy. What do you see in her?”
Was his brother blind or stupid? “What’s not to see?”
He drained his drink. “She’s hot, but she’s not your type. She's got your dick in her hand.”
God love her for that because she knew what to do with it. “Point in her favor.”
He raised his glass and caught the waiter’s attention.
“Are you dating her?”
He might as well drop his news. “I’m marrying her.”
“What?”
Declan smiled. “Yeah, and that’s not all. She’s having a baby.”
“She trapped you?”
Brody was being a dick. This was not the reaction he expected. “Jane’s not like that.”
“They all want to be a rock star’s bitch.”
Declan jabbed a finger in his brother’s face. “You will never speak of Jane that way again.”
Brody held up his hands. “Sorry. I’m surprised is all.”
It’s not that he had thought that about the other women, but Jane changed all that. “I’m not? I didn’t think I’d get married or be a father. I have no clue what I’m doing.”
“You’ll do fine.” He felt Jane’s hand on his shoulder.
He stood and pulled out her chair and she sat down. “Someone has faith in me.”
She smiled. “When did you get into town, Brody?”
He thought about his answer a second too long. “As soon as I heard about Gavin. Is he going to be okay? Do they have the woman who tried to kill him?”
Shaking his head Declan couldn’t figure out what was bothering him. “She’s in custody, but from what I understand she’s not talking.”
Brody leaned forward. “Why did she attack Gavin?”
He opened his mouth to tell him about his stalker.
“They don’t know.” Jane grabbed his thigh under the table and not in a fun way.
He thought it was strange, but then they still wanted to keep the stalker info out of the papers. So he went along with it. “Are you coming to the hospital to see Gavin?”
Brody shook his head. “I’m going to the house and crash.”
Jane picked up her phone and shot off a quick text. “We’ll see you at home.”
Brody gave her quick smile. “I look forward to getting to know you better.”
Jane smiled. “Me too.”
As they drove to the hospital, Declan asked. “You okay?”
She smiled. “I’m good.”
Declan noticed the smile didn’t make it to her to her eyes.
“Why didn’t you want me to tell Brody about my stalker?”
“The less people who know the better. We don’t want to muddy the waters.”
Declan could understand that, but... “He’s my brother.”
She kissed his cheek. “I know.”
Declan let it go. Pregnant women he sighed. He was going to have to get a book on this so he’d be ready for her.
DAY fifty two of my captivity and Jane was anxious to spring her trap. She needed to get this done. She checked her watch again. Was Brody making a ten course dinner? She checked the clip in her Beretta in case things went sideways. Then she put the gun in her waistband behind her back. She didn’t want to shoot Brody but she would. No one was hurting Declan. The bedroom door opened and he walked through with a plate of leftovers.
Brody frowned. “What are you doing here?”
“I thought we’d get to know each other better.” She patted the spot on the bed next to her.
He smiled. He thought she wanted to jump him. God no he was a poor imitation of Declan.
He put his plate on the dresser next to the door. “I thought you were giving me the eye.”
Did the jerk not know what a hot plate would do the antique mahogany commode. Fucker had no respect. She had to force herself not to get up and remove it. “Not for the reasons you thought.”
“What do you mean?”
“Did you think if Declan died you would get all the money?”
His eyes widened. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Not bad, she thought, but she’d interviewed smarter guys than him. “Of course you do. Get some crazy woman to kill him and you’re home free. And as the poor grieving brother you would naturally get all the money.”
His blond eyebrows drew together. “What do you know bitch? You just spread your legs and get what you want.”
“Name calling? Is that the best you can do?”
He was getting agitated. “Fuck you. You think you and that brat will keep his attention?”
Jane shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not, but unlike you I don’t need his money.”
Brody hit his chest with his palm. “He owes me. He left me with that bastard and went on with his life. He left me with the beatings, the pervs, and the humiliation. We’ll never be even.”
She wondered if he was making an excuse or if he’d tricked himself into believing his tale of woe. “Didn’t you choose to stay with your dad? Jay and Cherry wanted you too, but according to the police records you denied everything saying Declan was lying. Did you think with Declan out of the way, you could have his career? Did you think your father’s magic got him all his roles and not his hard work?”
“I worked as hard as him. He just got all the breaks.”
She’d seen Brody’s crappy film. He couldn’t act his way out of wet paper bag. “Or maybe he had all the talent.”
“You can’t prove anything!”
She was enjoying this. “So there is something to prove?”
“He’ll never believe you over me.”
“Tell me how it went down. Maybe we can share.”
He started pacing. “Fucking Priscilla. She saw me at a club and thought I was Declan. I just wound her up, got her here and let her go. I promised if she got rid of him I’d be hers. She thought I was the real Declan.”
She’d already known all of this, she just had to get his version on tape. “That’s what I figured.”
“Like you have any proof.”
He was a way better criminal than he was an actor.
“Actually, you did a fairly good job about covering up your loose ends, but then I have a Paige.”
“From a book?”
Paige had a marathon session after Jane told her she’d gotten a bad vibe off of Brody when he showed up at the house practically in tears. “She’s a hacker friend of mine. She found all of your secrets. The burner phones, the passenger lists you weren’t on. Declan’s credit card that he had under his alias you used and the ATM machine you used to get cash at. You buying the burner phone. Paige tracked you through the city using her facial recognition software. I’ll bet that bulge in your pants is the gun used to blow some holes in the house.”
He pulled his gun out of his pants and aimed it at her.
Jane lifted her gun and trained it on him. “Really?”
“I’ll blow you to hell bitch.”
Good intentions, she thought didn’t do shit for him.
“Have you ever killed anyone?”
His hand was shaking. “I’ll kill you.”
Jane shook her head. “That will really piss Charlotte off. She’s nice, but I think she’ll beat the fuck out of you if you put another bullet hole in her house.”
He swiped his sweaty forehead. “Shut up.”
“Before I do you should consider your options.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
Oh save her from rank amateurs. “What’s your escape plan? How are you going to get me out of here or are you going to leave my body? If not, where do you to plan to get rid of me? These are not questions you can answer on the fly unless you know you’re a professional. On that note you are shaking like a leaf. You’re sweating, I’ll bet your heart is racing. That’s a big gun, and you are holding it with one hand. Glocks are great, but the recoil is a bitch. You could knock yourself out. You might get a shot off, you may even hit something, but it’s not going to be me. Look at me. Steady as rock. I’ve dropped more bodies than we have fingers and toes. I will hit you. The only question is if you will live or die.
I haven’t decided yet.”
His gun lowered an inch.
“Who the fuck are you?”
She stood up. “I’m Captain Jane Peterson. U.S. Army retired. I’m the mother of Declan Shaw’s child. His future wife. I’m his body guard who shoots at marksmen level. FYI.”
Stunned Brody stood there.
Jane walked over and took the gun out of his hand.
“You didn’t release the safety.” She sighed. “Did you get all of that guys?”
Detective Swan came through one of the secret passages they set the cops up in. “Yeah that was good.”
“My pleasure.”
He watched as one of the uniformed officers that was waiting in the secret passage way with him handcuffed Brody. “You sure you don’t want to work for your dad?” “I’m good.” Her smile faded when she saw the look on Declan’s face.
DECLAN DIDN’T EVEN bother with a glass as he took a sip of bourbon. Where the fuck was Jane, he had to talk to her and find out what the fuck just went down. He lifted the bottle to his mouth and took a sip. He wanted to get shitfaced and when he woke up from the hangover it would be all be over all he could get back to … Hell if he knew what he was going to do after this.
There was a knock at the door and then Malcolm stuck his head in. “May I come in?”
Declan raised the bottle. “Come get drunk with me.”
Malcolm walked in the room and sat down on the bed.
“You alright?”
“My brother wanted to kill me. What can I make alright about that?”
“He didn’t succeed.”
“I’ll give you that.” He shoved the bottle at him.
“Drink?”
Malcolm didn’t take the bottle. “I’m good.”
“How the fuck am I going to process this?”
“I have no idea.”
He didn’t know how to feel about what Jane just did. She saved his life but threw his brother to the wolves. They could have settled this another way. He didn’t know what could have been done. He just wished he'd been kept in the loop. “Have you seen Jane?”
“She’s talking to the cops and then her brother the D.A.”
“Brody fucking wanted me dead.”
“I know.”
Declan set the bottle on the night table and dropped his face in his hands. “Should I cry or be mad?”
“I’m cool with either.”
Declan laughed. Malcolm would never try to kill him.
“I can’t imagine what you are feeling, but I’m here for you.”
“At least you are.”
Before Malcolm could answer the door opened and Jane came in. “We have to talk.”
Declan glared at her. “Sure what the hell.”
Malcolm stood. “I’ll leave you two alone.” He walked to door and as he walked past Jane he touched her shoulder and she smiled at him.
Those two seemed to have settled their issues. Good for them. “Well?”
Jane stopped and put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips at him. “Are you going to give me shit?”
She was daring him to get in her face. “Depends on what you have to say.”
She sat on the bed. “Do you want to know why he did it or how we found out?”
The why was easy he wanted his money. “How?”
“When Priscilla’s meds kicked in she told us everything. Brody convinced her he was you and that you were trying to take his place in the band. She loved you so much she wanted to save you. Because she has so many mental issues we needed hard evidence which her lawyer was able to give us, if the D.A. cuts her a deal.”
He couldn’t believe this shit. “Is she going to do time?”
Jane nodded. “Ten years in a state mental facility.”
That was wrong. “Ten years in the loony bin? She could have killed Gavin. She could have killed you and the baby? Are you okay with that? Is Gavin?”
“My brother didn’t offer her this deal until he talked to Gavin.”
“What about Brody?”
“That’s going to be different.” She put her hand on his thigh. “He’s the brains behind this and it was pre-meditated. He's looking at hard time.”
Declan couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t have his brother in prison. He needed to call his lawyer. “He’s my brother. I love him. It’s all my fault. I should have fought harder for him. My fucking dad--”
She put her hand on his. “David will work with you. We can get him into a minimum security place anywhere you want. You can go see him. He can get help.”
They were willing to work with him. “They’d do that?”
“If he confesses it will save the state the cost of a trial. And it would be a media circus. You don’t need this kind of press. It’s already crazy.”
This was blowing up on the news outlets. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You needed to be as natural as possible.”
He raised a hand. “Yo actor.”
“He’s your brother, you would have protected him. What if I was wrong? I thought he was hinky from the get go, but I’ve been wrong before. I couldn’t take that chance.”
Even now he wanted to protect Brody. They could work this out. He loved him. “How did you know?”
“I negotiated with some bad people in my day. If I felt like they were stringing me along, they usually were. Until all the evidence was in, all we had was my gut and the confession of a crazy girl. I didn’t want to chance being wrong and you hating me. I was scared of losing you.” He was in.
No matter what, but it was good she was concerned. He wished she could trust him more. “You were?”
“Hey I think your brother’s trying to kill you. Ooops I’m wrong, my bad. How’s that going to play at Christmas dinner?” Okay he got that. “I would have given him the money.”
“I know.”
Declan leaned back on the headboard. “I tried to help him. I tried to get him away from my dad.”
She moved to sit next to him. “You were a boy. How could you save him, if you didn’t save yourself first.”
“I should have tried harder.” He knew she was right, but that didn’t make things better. He failed his mother, his brother. How could he be trusted with a wife and a baby?
Jane moved and straddled his legs and took his face in her hands and forced his eyes to meet hers. “Declan, he made choices that were fucked up. You had nothing to do with that. You helped him all you could. You have nothing to be ashamed of. You did your best, but he didn’t want to be saved. Your father beat the hell out of you and you got away. You survived and ended up being a decent human. Your brother had the same choices don’t blame yourself for climbing out of that hell hole. You reached back to help and he told to go screw yourself. Don’t let your guilt ruin your future. You can still help him, but he needs to help himself.”
Again she was on the money. A few seconds passed and his heartbeat slowed down. He was feeling some emotional relief. She understood. In that place he was afraid to go, he knew it was all on Brody. He tried his best it just wasn’t enough for his brother. But he swore to himself he would be more than enough for Jane and the baby. They were his second chance to get family right. He wouldn’t fail. And he knew she would be there at his side with him. All in. “Would you have shot him?”
“To save you, to save my baby, hell yeah, but since I’m an expert marksman, I would just wound him.”
“I would kill him, to save you.”
She leaned her head on his shoulder. “That’s why you’re my hero.”
He pushed her away to look at her face. “I’m your hero?”
“You are. Now if I could get you to dress up like Captain America? Perfect.” She bit his bottom lip.
“What am I going to do with you, Jane?”
“Love me, love the baby. Build a life together. The usual. We have an entire lifetime to figure it out.”
“I love you Layla.” He did, with everything he had until his last breath.
THREE WEEKS LATER.
Malcolm got out of the shower when he heard his cell phone ping. It was a message from his mom. Got a line on a bass player.
Interesting he thought. He thought his mom and Jocelyn were on some old broad road trip. He had no idea she was hunting for a bass player. Which was great, because the band was not having any luck in that department.
Cool. He answered back.
He dried his hair. This should be interesting. He would never admit it, but his mother always seems to know what the band needed more than they did.