Page 34 of The Rookie's Second Chance

I shook my head, though the normalcy did sound tempting. "No, thanks. I think we should discuss our next steps."

But before we could delve into the investigation, Jake was back at Mandy's side, handing her the cup. "Drink this. It'll help."

Mandy took a tentative sip, her hands trembling slightly. "Thanks, Jake," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. The vulnerability in her eyes was a far cry from the strong, independent Mandy I knew.

After a few moments, she spoke again, her voice stronger. "I think I should head to bed. Need to... to clear my head."

Jake nodded, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Get some rest. Holler if you need anything."

As Mandy retreated, I watched Jake, noticing the weight on his shoulders. He was hurting, conflicted. This was his home, his sanctuary. And someone had dared to breach it.

"Jake," I began, stepping closer. "Are you—"

He cut me off, the pain evident in his eyes. "I can't believe this shit, Kayla. This was supposed to be safe. Now... now I don't even know who the hell I can trust."

I reached out, placing my hand on his arm. The contact was electric. "Hey," I whispered. "I've got your back. Always."

He looked at me, the raw emotion in his eyes making my heart skip a beat. "Let's go to my room. We need to talk."

His room was untouched. He sat down on the edge of the bed, patting the space next to him. I sat down, our thighs brushing, the intimacy of the gesture sending shivers down my spine.

He sighed deeply, running his fingers through his hair. "I just... I can't wrap my head around this. My home, Kayla. My goddamn home. If they can get here, where the fuck can't they?"

I placed a reassuring hand on his knee. "We'll figure this out, Jake. Together."

He looked up, and for a moment, it was just us—united against a common enemy. The distance between our lips closed rapidly, our kiss deep, desperate—a reassurance, a promise.

Pulling away, I rested my forehead against his, our ragged breaths syncing. "We've got this, Jake."

He nodded, his resolve evident. "Yeah, we do."

Chapter Fifteen

JAKE

The smell of coffee pulled me from my sleep, and as I groggily rolled over, my first thought wasn't of the broken glass or the violation of my home but rather the events of last night. Kayla's touch, our kiss. Pushing those thoughts aside, I slowly got up and headed to the kitchen.

There, I found Mandy moving frantically, a pan sizzling on the stove and a pot of coffee brewing. Her movements were erratic, a clear sign of her distress from last night's events. It struck me then how much she had been thrown by the break-in. She came here to visit Lexi, not to get involved in this mess.

"Morning," I mumbled, rubbing my eyes.

Mandy nearly jumped out of her skin, clutching the spatula like a weapon. "Shit, Jake! You scared me."

I held my hands up in surrender. "Sorry, wasn't my intention."

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. "It's okay, just... everything's got me on edge."

I approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder, feeling the tension under my fingers. "I know, Mandy. I'm so sorry you got dragged into this."

She gave a weak chuckle. "It's not like you planned a break-in for my entertainment."

There was a pause as I studied her, the bags under her eyes and the weariness of her posture. "You know," I began, "you don't have to make breakfast."

She sighed, looking down. "I just... needed to do something. Keep my mind busy."

I moved closer, enveloping her in a hug. She clung to me, her body trembling slightly. I realized, in that moment, how deeply the invasion had impacted her. Mandy had always been this firecracker, bursting with life and energy. Now, she felt vulnerable, lost.

"It's gonna be okay," I murmured, rubbing her back gently. "I won't let anything happen to you."

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