THE FINAL
From the moment Jake left Josie’s side, he’d felt a sense of urgency to return to her. But he knew he had to take care of whomever was coming toward them. He had never waited for anyone to come and attack him, and he wasn’t about to start now. Running up several hundred yards, he didn’t see anyone at first. Then he morphed and hid behind a thick line of trees. They would have to pass by him to get to the clearing where he had just been.
Soon enough, he heard someone crunching through the dry grass before he saw a tall, thin man hurrying in his direction, about to pass him. He sat on his haunches and waited for him to get closer. The man had a gun, and unlike the last man he’d surprised in the alley, this one seemed far more experienced.
Leaping from his position, he took the man by surprise and knocked him to the ground. The gun flew into the air and landed behind them. They immediately began to roll around on the ground, and Jake quickly realized that the man’s weight belied his strength. He packed a punch, and he wasn’t afraid of Jake like that last man was.
“So,” the man panted after they both rose to their feet and began to circle one another. “You’re Jake.”
“I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage,” Jake said wryly. “I don’t know who you are.”
“I’m Josie’s fiancé, David.” The man seemed put out, as if he didn’t need to explain himself to anyone.
“David, the fiancé? Are you sure about that? I already met a guy on the other coast who told me the exact same thing not too long ago.”
“What? I assure you, I am her fiancé. Her only fiancé.” He paused. “You met another man named David, or you met another man who said he was her fiancé?”
“Both.” Jake said curtly. He sensed the man’s defenses begin to weaken as his thoughts shifted to what that could mean for him. “Did Caster promise Josie to two men? Maybe he plans to bilk the both of you.”
David looked cross at this and shook his head. “I know what deal I made with Caster. He wouldn’t back out of it. Not with me.” He didn’t look so sure anymore, though. Jake suppressed a smile.
“You do realize she never agreed to marry you?” Jake wanted the pompous man to admit that Josie had no feelings for him. He knew she didn’t have any for the man, but after hearing a second man declare himself Josie’s fiancé within the week, it was starting to grate on him. He felt, well, jealous. “And I never saw her wearing a ring on her finger.”
“First of all,” David said stiffly, “she didn’t need to agree. It was an agreement I and her father came to, and if she had any sense at all, she would have done the same if she knew it was in her best interest to do so. And second, I’m very wealthy. I could give her a dozen rings tomorrow if I wanted to. Can you?” He smirked. “You work with your hands. You don’t have the kind of lifestyle she’s accustomed to.”
Jake saw right through the other man’s attempts to make him feel unworthy of Josie’s love. First, he tried to make Josie sound too flighty or too foolish to know what was good for her, then he tried to make Jake feel like less of a man for working with his hands.
Jake had been drawn to Josie’s quiet sense of dignity and grace since the moment he’d met her. Later he’d come to appreciate her brilliant work and the dedication she poured into it. She was nobody’s fool, and the man in front of him didn’t know a thing about Josie if he was trying to paint her in such a poor light.
“I know that Josie is quiet, but don’t mistake that for her being foolish. She knows you can’t offer her anything except what she already ran away from,” Jake continued circling him, waiting for a chance to knock him back down to his feet. He had to get back to Josie and the baby. This man wasn’t going down easy. What he wouldn’t give to have the last “David” back.
“And I’d say working with my hands is a lot more honorable than whatever the hell it is you do. What is it—intimidate women into marrying you? Make your ill-gotten gains and call it a day?”
David took the bait and lunged for Jake’s legs. But Jake was too quick; he side-stepped him and watched as David nose-dived into the dirt. “Come on, David. Give me a show. The last David disappointed me. Looked like you, though, come to think of it.”
David looked at him sharply, “Looked like me?” He rubbed his nose, turning it red.
“Yeah, but much younger. Kind of a goof-ball.”
David looked furious. “You mean Sam?”
“He said David,” Jake shrugged.
“That’s my son!” David yelled.
“Well, take it up with him, then,” Jake said. “I’m just telling you what happened.”
“That son-of-a-bitch.” David wiped at some blood that was forming on his cheek from one of the blows he took and spit on the ground.
“Well, I didn’t want to be the one to say it….” Jake said in mock innocence.
With a roar, David charged at him again. Jake stepped to the side again, but he took a hit on his shoulder. He leapt backward and scanned the grass quickly for the gun. He didn’t want to use it, but he needed to find it before David did.
David did spot it before him and dove to get it. He grabbed it and tried to turn it on Jake. Jake was too quick and tried to wrestle it from him from behind. David twisted and turned to try to aim it at him, but Jake narrowly dodged him every time. Then he felt the barrel on his bare stomach and quickly pushed it toward David. But the gun went off anyway. Jake froze, and David slowly slipped from his grip and slumped to the ground.
Jake disengaged himself from David immediately. He normally had the utmost respect for the dead, but this time he decided to let someone else deal with the man. David had been out to harm him, Josie, and the baby. He didn’t feel sorry for the man at all. He deserved what he’d gotten.
Racing back to the clearing, Jake looked around and didn’t see Josie, Bill, or the baby. Panic began to well up inside of him. He knelt to the ground and was able to locate Bill holding the baby not far away from where they were before. “I heard a gunshot; are you alright?”
“Fine,” Jake said, looking around.
“We had to find a better place,” Bill explained. “It was too exposed.” He looked at Jake up and down. “That look really becomes you, by the way.”
“Where’s Josie?” Jake asked, looking around and ignoring Bill’s observations about his exposed werewolf body.
Bill didn’t answer right away, and Jake knew something had happened. “Tell me.”
Bill sighed. “It’s hard to stand up to you when you’re a werewolf. It’s my fault. I suggested to Josie that we try to record Caster saying that he put you up to all those missions that he’s now trying to pin on you. She agreed, but she insisted that she had to go back to the room and pretend she never left in order to do so.” Bill held up a hand when he saw Jake starting to speak. “I know, I know. I’m every terrible name in the book. But I have to say, I trust her on this one. She’s a smart gal. She knows what she’s doing. Reminds me of my Lucy.”
Jake steadied himself before answering. He reminded himself that he respected Bill and he valued most of his advice. But this had to be one of the stupidest things Bill had ever done—letting Josie leave to go back to the room she’d just escaped from. He must have lost his damn mind.
“You must have lost your damn mind,” Jake growled. “How could you let her go back in? She just had a baby, for God’s sakes!”
Bill glowered at him. “We’re trying to help you out, you stubborn ass. And how else do you think you’re going to be free of this mess? Do you want it to follow you the rest of your life? Do you like having to look over your shoulder? She knows what she’s doing. She’s wearing a wire; she’s going to come back with something damning, I just know it. And she has you to help her, doesn’t she? Or do you still not trust her?”
Jake felt silly for a moment. He had to decide if he trusted her or not. He could very well find reasons not to trust her. Like maybe she was still on Caster’s side and wanted to trap him right now. Maybe she had left the baby on purpose and was waiting for him to go to her so Caster could trap him. But he didn’t believe it. Maybe he was being blind, but after talking to Bill about Josie and seeing her in labor firsthand, Jake didn’t know how he could have ever believed that she was anything but sincere.
“You’re right,” he said, calming down somewhat. “I need to go to her. She needs me.”
“Go,” Bill urged. “I told you that you love her. Stubborn ass.”
Not wanting to waste any more time, Jake raced back into the tunnel. He could get as far as the door if they hadn’t discovered her sneaking back in. And then what? He didn’t have a plan. He raced through the tunnel, moving quicker than he had before and reaching the opening in under a few minutes. It was dark near the entrance, and even with his sharpened vision, he had to squint to see well. He felt something was off, and his senses went on high alert.
The barrel of a gun clicked near to his ear, and he stopped. He recognized his smell. David. No, Sam. David’s son. How had he gotten away from Lucy? He wanted to ask, but he knew Sam wasn’t going to give him any information unless he wasn’t feeling threatened. Judging by the erratic breathing and his beginning his interaction with Jake by the pulling his trigger, he figured the man wasn’t feeling especially patient.
“Sam,” he said, not wanting to move. They were directly under the trap door, and although sound didn’t travel all that well through it, he didn’t want him to start talking loudly to attract attention to them. “What happened?”
“What happened?” Sam repeated. His tone was icy. “You left me back there. I was supposed to bring you back. I was supposed to get credit for bringing you back. It was my chance to make Caster see me as a man. Not a boy like my father makes me out to be. Caster said if I bring you back, I can marry Josie.”
Jake’s eyes narrowed. “He told you that?” Another man who wanted to marry Josie. He shouldn’t be surprised. Her father likely had several men lined up for the job, desperate to somehow profit off of his daughter’s marriage. He should have known the man would play two sides against each other. Anytime he found a weakness in someone, he found a way to exploit it for his personal gain. It was disgusting. It made Jake furious. Not so much at the men, but at Caster.
“Look, Josie is in trouble right now. If you want to help her out with Caster, now’s your chance.” Jake fought the urge to overtake the man. He knew from their last encounter that his reflexes were definitely quicker than Sam’s, but experience had also taught him not to challenge a man that was either angrier than he was or crazier.
And Sam seemed like he was both. Jake was angry, but only at Caster. That wouldn’t help him with Sam. He actually felt sorry for the kid after having talked to David. With a father like that, it was no wonder he was the way he was.
“What kind of trouble?” Sam’s eyes glinted at Jake suspiciously.
“She’s being held in there,” he pointed up to the trap door. “How did you find this place if you didn’t already know she was up there?”
Sam cleared his throat, “I, uh, followed Josie around a lot. She was always with that architect, working. You know? And I thought if I knew more about her and what she liked, she’d like me too. But my father said she wouldn’t want to be with me because I didn’t have anything to offer her.” His voice changed whenever he mentioned his father. Jake wondered how he would react to David’s death.
“Well,” Jake said brusquely, “she’s being held up there. And we need to get up there. Can you help?” If he made the man feel like his ally rather than Caster’s, he had a good chance of getting Josie out safe. He didn’t care if she had Caster on tape admitting to anything. He needed her out of there and back with him.
He loved her. She was his sweet, innocent Josie. The mother of his child, a woman who had come into his life suddenly and quietly made herself at home with him in a way no one else could. Bill was right. He was a stubborn ass. He was a damn fool not to tell her he loved her. He was every name in the book for not asking her to marry him. Having to deal with all these men to get to her was a well-deserved punishment. He just hoped it wasn’t too late by the time he got to her.
Sam put the safety on his gun, and Jake felt some of the tension release from his body. “Who’s up there? My father?”
If David hadn’t already shot himself, Jake was sure that Sam would have done it if David was in the room with Josie. He was ready to pick a fight with someone. And only David or Caster would have the inflammatory words that would send him over the edge.
“I think it’s Caster, actually.” Now was not the time to mention his father. It would distract him from the task at hand.
“I’m ready,” Sam said, puffing out his chest slightly.
“Let’s do it then,” Jake was already tugging the door open, ready to face whatever lie in store. He eased it down and held a finger to his lips, wanting to gauge how many people were in the room before they entered. He heard faint voices, one was Josie’s. His heart swelled with relief. There was Caster and one more person; he couldn’t detect the voice. Three people -- two he had to get past to get to Josie.
“Three people,” he said barely above a whisper to Sam. “Josie and two men.”
Sam nodded, “Must be Caster and my father.”
Jake didn’t say anything. He gestured for Sam to follow him, and the two heaved themselves up and into the closet. Thankfully, Sam wasn’t as brash as he pretended to be. He easily followed Jake’s lead. Jake listened intently to the voice to find his way to the door leading out of it. He tried the knob. It was locked. He was confused. Looking around, he squinted to see if there were other doors out of the room. There were none. “How do you get out of here?” he finally whispered to Sam, who was now following him around like a puppy.
“Kick it,” Sam suggested with a shrug.
“Was that what you were going to do?” Jake asked, incredulous. The man had no game plan; he seemed to rush in and went with whatever his emotions were saying at the moment.
“I have the gun,” Sam said, pulling it out of his waistband. “We can shoot it open.”
Jake saw his point. There were no other options except the two he just offered. Kicking it open was the safer option. He motioned for Sam to move back, and he backed up as well before giving himself a slight running start, launching himself, and kicking the door open with such force that even the frame hung by mere splints.
“What the devil!” he heard Caster roar when he saw Jake come in, Sam flanking his side.
“No, not the devil,” Jake corrected him. “Just me. I heard you were looking for me. I’m here. You could have called, you know.” He gave Josie a quick look to make sure she was unharmed and saw her looking between him and her father, her eyes wide. She caught his gaze and mouthed the words, He has a gun. Jake gave a terse nod and willed himself to stay with her when every fiber of his being said to pick her up and carry her out of there forever.
“Sam! What are you doing here?” Another voice sounded from the corner. Jake looked over to see Walter. Of course. The snake was everywhere.
“I’m here to claim my bride,” Sam said, standing tall. He looked at Caster, “He’s here, and we had a deal.”
*
Josie was relieved to see Jake, but she was also confused. What deal was Sam talking about? She shivered and wrapped the blanket tighter around herself. She couldn’t stop worrying about the baby and worrying that Bill wouldn’t know how to help him if he was crying. She felt her chest feeling heavy and knew she had to feed the baby soon. Now that she had recorded her father admitting to using Jake to do his dirty work, she was anxious to get out.
While she felt relieved by Jake’s presence, she was also scared that Walter or her father would hurt him. Her father was about to find out about the trapdoor in the closet, which meant that he wouldn’t leave the room. She was prepared to do anything to get herself and Jake out of the room and to their baby, even if it meant losing her father in the process. The thought terrified her, and she felt guilty even thinking about it, but she knew her father would waste no time in eliminating her if he felt threatened. It wasn’t her first choice, obviously. But she knew where she, Jake, and now the baby stood with him.
Jake turned his head slowly toward Sam at his words and stared at him silently. Josie sensed some tension and tried to break it. “Sam, what are you doing here?”
Sam looked at her, adoration in his eyes. “I’m here for you. Your father said we can get engaged.”
Josie looked at her father, who was avoiding her gaze. “I didn’t say that, exactly,” he said stiffly. “I said if you brought Jake back, we could discuss it. And it seems he came willingly. Am I right, Jake?”
Jake didn’t say anything. Josie could see his fists clenched at his side and his chest rising and falling rapidly. He was inching toward Sam, who was walking away from him, toward Walter.
“No,” Sam insisted with a wavering voice. “You said I could. And I’m here to talk to Josie.”
Josie looked at him. He was just as immature and unsure of himself as he had been when they were in their teens. “Sam,” she said softly. “I don’t know why you listened to him. You know I’ve always had issues with my father trying to control me. Why would you think that I would be okay with being used like some bartering chip?”
Sam walked to her bravely and stood by the bed. “I’ve always wanted to marry you. I just never had the courage,” he confessed. “I went everywhere with you, and we did everything together.”
Josie closed her eyes briefly. This wasn’t going to be easy for him or for her, but it had to be said. “Sam,” she said again. “You followed me everywhere, and you did whatever I did, and sometimes it was good company. But you can’t think that it meant we were in a relationship. A relationship means we have our own interests and pursuits, and we both want to be together.” Her eyes met Jake’s, and she saw them darken at her words. His posture shifted slightly, and she wanted him to come to her so he could hold her.
“You liked me. I know you did. You said I was one of your only friends.”
“I did say that,” Josie admitted. “Because you were. And you’ve always been a good friend. You listened to me; you helped me when I was feeling down. And I’ve always appreciated that. But you have to realize that sometimes that’s not enough. I love you as a friend. But I’m not going to marry you. I can’t.” She wanted to say more, but she stopped short when she saw Sam’s face begin to turn white.
He whirled on Caster. “You did this. You made it seem like she wanted to marry me! You made it seem like my father was the one keeping us apart! You were just using both of us!”
“Oh stop,” Caster said, rounding on Sam. “I just told you both what you wanted to hear. That’s all. You really believed all of that stuff?” he scoffed. “You’re just as slow as your father.”
Sam whipped out his gun and took aim at Caster. “You’re not going to get away with this,” he said menacingly.
“No!” Josie cried out. Jake leapt into action and threw himself against Caster just in time. The gun rang out, and Caster was hit in his shoulder, narrowly missing his chest. He shot again, this time hitting Walter in the leg when he was coming toward him to disarm him.
“Son of a bitch!” Walter cursed more as he fell to the floor.
Sam was shaking, and the gun dropped to his feet. “Father will be so mad at me,” he said in a hollow voice.
Jake was looking over Caster, who had hit his head on the nightstand on his way down. “His shoulder was hit,” he said. “He’ll come to in a minute.” He looked at Sam. “What the hell happened?”
Sam shook his head, unable to speak. He sank to the floor.
Josie sat up and tried to steady herself. “Sam, Jake and I…we’re…” she searched for the right words. She had no idea what Jake felt about her, but she knew he had to feel something. But she couldn’t be sure. He’d never expressed as much. But she didn’t want to make any assumptions.
“We’re engaged. Josie’s my fiancé,” Jake said, staring at her. Her heart leaped with joy. Oh, she was a fool. He still hadn’t said how he felt about her. And likely, he was saying it to dissuade Sam from wanting to be with her.
Sam looked up at the two of them. “Well, I know you’re having a baby together. But Josie, you don’t have to marry him if you don’t want to. I have no problem with raising the baby as my own.”
“The hell you will,” Jake growled, striding over to grab Sam by his collar. “I’ve been pitying you since the first time I saw you, and now I’m seeing you for the conniving, little—”
“Jake!” Josie interrupted. Sam had been through enough. She had no desire to see what more condescending, belittling talk would do to him. Now was the time to speak to him gently. She’d always found that it was easy enough to talk to him if she used a little flattery. He was always looking for a kind word, and she knew that hadn’t changed.
“I love her, dammit. I love her, and I know I’ve been lousy about trusting her because of my history with Caster, but I do trust her. I trust you, Josie. I know I’ve been lousy about showing you that. I didn’t want to trust you; it was hard. But every time I don’t trust you, your innocence comes to me like a light, and I’m drawn to it every time. You deserve better, you really do. I just hope you will still have me.” A vein in Jake’s temple throbbed as he spoke.
Josie’s tears spilled out, and she got up from the bed and walked to him, heedless of his protests that she remain in bed. Wrapping her arms around him, she forgot about everyone else in the room and cried. “I love you too, Jake,” she said through her tears. “I love you for everything you’ve done for me. I love all the parts of you.”
“Shhh.” Jake rubbed her back and held her close.
Josie turned to Sam, who was still on the ground, observing both of them in awe. “Sam, I know you and I were good friends. But this just won’t work out. I love Jake.” She looked at Jake as she spoke. “I’ve never met anyone quite like him, and I’m drawn to him like no one else.”
“I can see that,” Sam muttered. “You could have just said you’re engaged.”
“Sorry,” Josie said with a sniffle. “I’m feeling a little extra emotional today. Jake gave her a knowing smile, and she smiled back, her eyes filling with tears once again.
Walter moaned from the ground, and Jake turned to look at him. “Josie, I’m going to call Bill and have the authorities called here. Can you show me to your father’s office? I’d like to collect some of his paperwork, if I can, to supplement the recording you have.”
Josie nodded. “It’s in the main house. I don’t know how we can get past all the guards, though.”
Jake looked at Sam. “You leave that to us. I know Sam wants to help, right?”
Sam looked pleased at the subtle praise and went to retrieve his gun. “I’m ready. If I can help you, Josie, I’ll do it. Whatever you need.”
Josie gave Sam a small smile. “Thank you, Sam. You’re nothing like your father.”
Sam smiled, losing the last of the venom that seemed to have taken over his character over the years. Josie knew not being like his father was the highest compliment he could have received. She hoped that he would redefine who he was over time.
She’d always felt he had a good heart and good intentions. Josie noticed that he seemed to take to Jake quite well and responded to his suggestions and orders easily, as if he’d finally found a figure he could look up to, despite the proximity in their ages.
The next several hours went by quickly. Josie found herself ushered into Bill’s care, and she didn’t complain once she had her baby back in her arms. He took them to a hotel and insisted that she stay in the room until Jake came. Josie thought to protest that she didn’t need to be confined to yet another room by someone, but she didn’t. This was different. Cradling the baby and getting the proper rest she needed, she trusted that Jake would take care of the situation at the house. Too exhausted to do anything else, she fell into a deep sleep.
***
“Hey, Cinderella,” Jake’s voice woke her up.
“Jake?” she murmured.
“Wake up, eat something. The baby is up too.”
She sat up. “You have the wrong princess,” she said. “It’s Sleeping Beauty.”
“Well, I could argue Rapunzel since I had to rescue you from the proverbial tower. Either way, you’re a princess.”
“I think a more apt one is Belle from Beauty and the Beast,” she said, eyeing his thickening chest hair.
Jake laughed, “You win.”
“Where is everyone?” Josie asked.
“Well, I had to get in contact with some higher up officials in the military because civilian police wouldn’t know how to handle this situation. So it took a while to sort out, but it was discreet. Your father is being held in a facility on a base nearby along with Walter. They have the recording and the files that they’re sorting through. Sam’s father shot himself when we were fighting, and I had to show them his body.” He shook his head. “I feel bad for Sam. What a life that guy had to live. He needs a lot of help.”
Josie was stunned. “David is dead?”
“Yes. When we were fighting over his gun, he tried to shoot me and wound up shooting himself after I moved. It’s sad that even his own son didn’t shed a tear after hearing the news.”
“I can’t say I blame him,” Josie murmured.
He looked toward the door. “Bill got a different room because he said we needed the privacy. But not before he threatened me bodily harm if I bothered you. So if you don’t mind, please don’t tell him I woke you up.”
Josie laughed. “He’s so sweet.”
“To you, maybe,” Jake grumbled.
Josie was pleased to note that Jake had bathed and clothed the baby in the baby clothes that Lucy had put in the diaper bag. Then it dawned on her. “Jake, what are we naming him?”
Jake sat next to her and looked thoughtful. “How about Bill? At least then he’ll get off my case.”
Josie laughed. “William?”
“Close enough,” Jake said. He moved closer to her on the bed and placed a kiss on the baby’s head and then on her lips. “I love you, Josie,” he said softly. “I know you think I rescued you, but really, you rescued me. You’re the light in my life.”
Josie’s eyes welled with tears. “I love you too, Jake. I don’t know where I would be without you. You showed me what it means to love and be loved, and I’ve never felt so at peace with anyone before.”
Jake smiled and kissed her again. “Get some rest, and then we can go home.”
Home. The word finally meant something to Josie. “I’m already home,” she said, snuggling into his arms.
{{**}}
Dear werewolf lover,
Thanks so much for reading this novel and I really hope you are enjoying this series.
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Ellie x x