Page 47 of Jared's Redemption

“I got you Lulu.” Markus calls mockingly, using the nickname I hate from anyone but Amelia. Little Amelia runs from him, her tiny footsteps crunching the snow as he calls for her.

“Traitor!” He yells. Amelia giggles as she runs to me with her arms up.

“Aunt Lulu, get him.” She grins with a mischievous twinkle in her eye as I pick her up. The cold air has made her nose turn an adorable shade of pink and I know from the runny nose we shouldn’t stay out much longer.

“I gotta make this one count, huh?” I ask her, winking before setting Amelia down. She slaps together precarious little handfuls of snow, handing them to me to round off and lob at her father. It sails past his head, not even close to my target.

“Missed me.” He taunts, lights a cigarette and casually walks towards the house.

“Oh, no you don’t.” I mutter, scooping up Amelia and racing after him. Just before he gets to the door, I rear my arm back and throw it as hard as I can. The snowball hurtles towards the back of his head, but the door swings open. Markus ducks and the snowball explodes right on Jared’s face.

“Uh oh.” Amelia says softly, the two of us looking at each other with wide eyes. Markus grins at me over his shoulder, holding a hand out for his daughter.

“Let’s go get you some cocoa. Aunt Lulu is in trouble now.” He says. The only thing stopping me from giving him the finger is the obvious rage on Jared’s dripping face. He has a small duffel bag and motions for me to follow him as he swipes the melting snow off his face.

“You kind of deserved that.” I have to bite my lip to stop the laughter when he cuts me a sharp look. I hold my hands up innocently, shrugging as I scurry to keep up with his wide steps. Part of me is just happy he’s talking to me.

“What are we doing?” I ask.

“Just get in the car, Luna.” He grumbles, tossing the bag onto the backseat and opening the passenger door for me. Knowing how dangerous this is, I lean down and pick up a handful of snow. I pack it into a tight ball, slowly sidestepping Jared as he keeps his eyes locked on me, a soft shake of his head.

“Don’t do it, Luna.” He warns me, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. I snort, dropping my arms to my sides with a roll of my eyes. The moment Jared relaxes, I rear back and launch the packed snow at him. It hits his chest, bursting and covering him in the cold powder. He leans forward, tilting his head as he gives me a crooked grin. Shit.

I scramble, feet sliding over the snow as I try to run. It’s useless. His large body slams into me and sends us both rolling through the snow. I open my mouth to argue, only to have snow fill my mouth as he scoops it up and drops it onto my face. Rolling onto my stomache I sputter, trying to clear the cold wetness from my eyes and mouth while Jared laughs behind me.

“You jerk, I could have suffocated!” I shout, and it makes him laugh harder.

“Don’t be so dramatic.” He says, picking me up as he stands, dusting the snow from our bodies.

“Now quit fighting me and get your ass in the car.” He demands. I cross my arms, planting my feet and tilting my chin up stubbornly. Jared just rolls his eyes, picking me up and shoving me into the vehicle while I fight against him.

“I’m not going back to my father’s house.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Promise?” I hold my pinky out. Jared rolls his eyes but hooks his finger around mine.

“Can you just listen for once?” He huffs, snapping my seatbelt into pace and shutting the door in my face. Hurt stings from his words until I see the smile on his face as he rounds the car and climbs into the front seat. An eye mask dangles from his finger as he leans close to me. I take it, shooting him a nervous look.

“Do you trust me?” He asks. I bite my lip as I hesitate. My heart does, even after all we’ve been through. He knows my answer, giving a curt nod and waiting as I pull the mask over my eyes.

“If I get carsick, it’s all your fault.” I complain. Jared reaches over, gripping my thigh as his deep laughter fills the space.

“I’ve got you. It’s a short drive.” He comforts me as the vehicle moves. Uneasiness makes my stomach twist as I fight the urge to rip the blindfold off. He’s probably taking me back to my father, and I’m sitting here like an idiot going along with it. Nervousness fills me as I sit in the silence, my mind racing as the time drags on.

The car finally comes to a stop as I hear Jared shifting it into park and the vehicle bouncing slightly as he climbs out. I reach for the mask, but he whips my door open. Jared’s hand shoots out and grips my wrist.

“Be a good girl and keep this on a little longer.” His husky voice sends a tremor of need through my body. Jared wraps his arms around me, lifting me from the car as I cling to him with a squeal of surprise. He grips my thighs, his lips brushing my ear.

“Can’t risk you falling on your face and ruining my plans.” He says.

“You act like I’m clumsy.” I mutter. Jared’s laughter rumbles through me.

“You walked into a doorway and dumped coffee everywhere yesterday.” His voice is flat and I smack him on the back with a grin. The sound of gravel crunching turns to solid thumps as we step higher. Metal scraping is followed by the click of a lock turning. A warm draft of air rolled over us as a door swings open. The smell of fresh cut wood and paint makes me go silent as my ears strain.

There’s no sound, only footsteps as he carries me further into the space. The door shuts behind us and Jared stands me up. The blindfold stays firmly in place, making my irritation grow as my nervousness does. He steps away, humming under his breath.

“I’ll give you until the count of one hundred, Lunatic. You better run.” His voice is muffled as the blindfold is pulled away and I blink rapidly. The room I’m in is dark, the setting sunlight streaming through the massive windows that make up an entire wall. As my vision clears, I realize I’m in an enormous house, newly built from the sight of everything. The entry way is dark, gray paint in different shades cover the walls.

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