Chapter Eight
Eneko slowly woke. His mind and body were so rested that he was reluctant to go back to the stress and worry of the day. He let out a soft sigh as he reached for Jasmine, only to find the bed next to him empty. He lifted his head, blinking blearily as he checked his bed. It was empty. Had he just been dreaming the previous night? He sat up and rubbed his eyes before inhaling deeply through his nose.
A lazy smile crossed his face. His room was full of the clean, fresh scent of Jasmine. He flopped back into bed. His eyes started to close again. They opened again as a frown crossed his face. Why had she left? When had she left? Was she ashamed of what they had done?
Did she regret it?
He didn’t. He loved what had passed between them and he was already craving more. His bear still snoozed, content and rested like it hadn’t been for ages. But if Jasmine regretted what had passed between them…
There was a knock on his door and Luken’s voice came through it. “Da, Jasmine says that breakfast is almost ready.”
Right. Of course. The children. “I’ll be there soon,” he called.
Footsteps pattered away from his door and he quickly got out of bed. Of course, she had slipped out before the children got up. She knew that he didn’t want to confuse them with this situation. But now that it had happened… well, was it going to continue? Eneko frowned as he quickly washed the scent of Jasmine off him, mourning her loss already. Maybe they should have talked more the previous night before making love. Or afterwards, to figure out what their lives would be now.
On the other hand, if they had talked, he would have quickly and easily talked himself out of it. And whatever confusing things might happen from here on out, it felt worse to think that he and Jasmine would never have shared that glorious moment together.
After he dressed, he went out to the kitchen, where Jasmine was cooking pancakes and sausages for the children. His stomach grumbled as he helped Maite finish setting the table and Luken set out the jams, butter, ketchup and syrup. Jasmine beamed at him and he beamed back. A knot he hadn’t realized was twisting his stomach eased. Well, it was a good enough sign that she was still happy that they had decided to take that step last night.
Now it was just a matter of figuring out where to go from here. He wanted the kids to be away from this mess, but where could they go that the reporters and police wouldn’t follow?
He noticed that Maite wasn’t eating, just pushing her food around on her plate. Eneko ruffled her hair. “What’s the matter, sweetheart?”
“Nothing.”
That was clearly a lie. “Do you have something you want to tell me?”
Maite shrugged, then poked at her food. She must really be upset. Usually she had the biggest appetite of all of them. “I dreamed last night that you went to jail and it was a place where they go to shoot bears. You were getting shot and they laughed.”
Eneko froze in horror. Jasmine, too, became very still. Luken looked between them, his eyes wide. Eventually Eneko made himself smile and moved to hug his daughter. His stomach twisted as he considered the fear that his children must be in right now. He wanted more than anything to protect them against it as much as everything else.
And in an instant, he knew what he had to do. No matter where he went, this circus would follow. So as much as it pained him, he couldn’t stay with them.
“There are no prisons like that.” He kissed Maite’s head. “Don’t worry. Nobody is going to hurt me. But I’m going to call Grandma and Grandpa today.” Their mother’s parents, who lived several counties away. “I’m going to ask them for you two to go visit them for a while. Okay? You can be out on the farm and have fun chasing chickens.”
“I don’t wanna go.” Maite’s lip trembled. “What if the bad guys come?”
Jasmine hugged her on her other side. “Nobody is going to hurt your father.”
Luken looked less than happy but he forced a smile on his face. “We can see the kitties, Maite. Maybe Da will let us bring one home…”
Eneko hesitated. He didn’t want a cat… He glanced at Jasmine as she finished serving out the food and took her spot. But then again, maybe he did.
“Maybe,” he said slowly. “A cat might be just what this house needs.”
Jasmine smiled at him, blushing. “Eat your breakfast, Maite. Then we’ll all go to the park before your grandparents come.”
***
Sadie’s parents had both aged terribly since Sadie had run off. Their hair had turned to shocking white and her father, once a huge, muscular bear, had thinned to the point where he almost looked scrawny. Nevertheless, both of them beamed at their grandchildren when they pulled up to the house. Maite and Luken ran to greet them, and Eneko wasn’t far behind. They had been hurt just as bad as he had been when Sadie left. She had called them a few times since leaving, enough to let them all know she was still alive, but she had abandoned them as much as her children.
Sadie’s dad, Bobby, embraced Eneko. “How are you holding up, son?”
“As well as can be expected. Thank you for doing this. I don’t want them around… everything.”
Bobby glanced at the children, who were now both clambering over their grandma to get candy. “Just know that we support you. We know that you couldn’t have done this and we’re certain that it’s going to work out just fine. Have faith, Eneko.”
He nodded, his throat so thick that it felt like he couldn’t breathe. His own parents had long since passed, and it was good to have some older figures to give him support. Even though he had been looking after himself for a long, long time, having them there to help look after things that needed to be protected took such a weight off his shoulders.
“Thank you,” he said again.
Bobby gripped his shoulder. “We’ll call you when we get back home.”
“I’m sorry that you had to take such a long drive.” Eneko’s eyes flashed. “The police…”
He glanced at his children and let the thought die. He had been ordered not to leave the city, and with what was happening, he wanted his children away from here. Bobby’s grip tightened, showing without words that he understood.
Jasmine came out of the house, carrying the lunches that he had prepared for the kids. “Don’t forget these.”
“Thank you, Jazz,” Maite said with a wide smile.
Sadie’s mom, Sam, rose her brows as she looked at Jasmine. “Hello. Eneko didn’t tell us he had a…?”
Heat rushed to Eneko’s face as both Sam and Bobby looked at him with pointed looks. “Nanny,” he blurted. “Jasmine, this is Bobby and Sam, the kids’ grandparents.”
“Pleased to meet you.” Jasmine smiled, looking a little awkward, and glanced at Eneko.
He smiled back. “I guess it’s time for you two to leave, then…”
It was a long drive for Sadie’s parents to just turn around and go home again, but in his gut he knew it was the right choice for everybody involved. That didn’t stop a lump from rising in his throat when he hugged his children. Tears burned his eyes as he whispered for them to be good and that he’d call them every night.
And then they loaded up into the car and were gone. He suddenly felt very, very alone. Jasmine stepped up beside him and he smiled thankfully at her.
“Everything is going to be okay.” She hugged him, and then turned back to the house. They walked up the driveway together. “Do you need me to do anything for you?”
Eneko thought about the night before last, and the passion that they had shared. He knew what he wanted, but wasn’t certain if that night would make her think he was asking for more than what he was thinking. Not that wild, loud sex would be unappreciated. It was just… the night that they had been together, it had been something that they both needed, something to instill a feeling of connection as well as distracting them from what was happening around them. If they had sex now, all it would be was animal sex, nothing but a distraction. He didn’t want that to be their connection.
Jasmine arched a brow at him, waiting.
“I could use some company.”
They entered the house and she shut the door behind them. “Company?” she pressed with a saucy little smile.
“Just company,” he said softly. “As much as I want you, I don’t know what this between us is. I want it to be for the right reasons. Until we can figure it out… and if I’m honest, I’m not certain that we can do that while this murder is hanging over my head. I’m sorry.”
Jasmine ducked her head. A pink flush stained her wintery cheeks. “Oh, God. No. Don’t be sorry. That was just me and my… You’re right. We don’t know what this is yet and it’s a good idea to take things at a more cautious pace. I can stick around and talk though.”
“If you have to go somewhere, I understand.”
She shook her head. “No. I’m… I’m good.”
They went to the kitchen, where the mess from Eneko frantically making food that his children would enjoy was still all over the place. The weight entered his chest again and his eyes burned. He cleared his throat and started to clean up. The house already felt quiet and empty, and when Jasmine started humming he couldn’t help but be grateful for her presence.
“You’re a good father,” she said abruptly. “Getting your kids away from this circus.”
“Thank you. I just hope it works.”
Jasmine nodded. She snuck a peek at him under her lashes. “As we were coming in I thought I saw another news van coming up.”
Eneko closed his eyes briefly before shaking his head. “They’re like sharks, aren’t they? Even if someone else is arrested they’ve already convinced everybody that I’m a murderer. I don’t know if I’m going to be able to continue to practice here. If I can’t help people…”
Jasmine put her hand in his. “Don’t. It’s going to be okay. You didn’t hurt anybody and once those stupid police figure it out, everything is going to be—”
The doorbell rang. Jasmine fell silent. Her face went white and somehow, he knew. Eneko looked at her and she looked at him and they both knew exactly what was going to happen. He moved as he was in a dream. The only thought that went through his mind was that at least this had happened after the children were gone. He fished his cellphone from his pocket and handed it to Jasmine.
“You’ll have to call Bobby and Sam.”
Tears glistened in her eyes as she nodded. Eneko pulled her in for one hard kiss before he turned. The doorbell rang again, this time coupled with a pounding on the door. He answered it to find the detectives just outside his door. Cameras flashed as they gestured for him to step outside.
“Eneko Alava, you are under arrest for the murder of Jana Adler.”