Page 8 of Jaded Soul

“That explains it,” I say, my voice tight with pain.

“Rowan, holy shit, did it hit you?” Jett looks around, growling when he sees the rock in question.

“I’m fine,” comes my automatic response. I’m always fine. If I took time to process every injury I’ve received at the hands of my father and his associates, I’d lose my mind. Instead, I shove all those feelings way down deep, get the first aid kid, and patch myself up. I don’t know any other way to live.

“Jesus Christ,” he mutters again, his hands hovering over my body as if he doesn’t know where he can touch me without it hurting. “I’m so sorry, beautiful. I’m sorry I wasn’t here. Fuck, I should have been here. It should have been me.”

I give him a puzzled look. It should have been him…? What should have been him?

As if sensing my unspoken question, Jett leans down and presses a kiss to my forehead. “I should have been the one who was hit. I wish I was the one hurting, not you.”

I can’t comprehend his words, so I just blink up at him, trying to figure out this man.

“There’s a note,” Jett says, reaching for the large, jagged rock. No wonder it feels like I was punched in the back. He slips the piece of paper out from the rubber band securing it in place and unfolds it. A look of utter confusion takes over his features.

“He knows you’re here,” Jett reads out loud.

Ice runs through my veins, a violent shiver wracking my body at the ominous message.

“That doesn’t make sense,” Jett says to himself. “I’m here all the time with my MC brothers. That’s not new information.”

I don’t know what Jett’s connection is with Hell’s Scoundrels, but I can give him clarification on this one point.

“That note isn’t for you,” I whisper. His eyes snap up to meet mine and I can feel the intensity of his stare course through my body. “It’s meant for me.”

5

JETT

“It’s meant for me.”

What the hell is she talking about? How does Rowan know these fuckers? Are they the reason for the fear in her eyes?

So many questions race through my mind but I’ll have to wait for the answers. Right now, my focus is solely on getting Rowan to safety.

I look her over, assessing the damage. She has a few cuts and scrapes, particularly on her right hand where she was holding the coffee pot. The back of her shirt is torn where she was hit with the rock.

Jesus, my gut sinks and my vision goes red at the thought of Rowan in pain. If I stayed in my seat I could have shielded her or warned her to duck down. I hate that I wasn’t here. I vow to never leave her vulnerable again. Not with men like Hell’s Scoundrels chasing after her.

“Can you stand up?” I ask, holding out a hand to help her.

“I think so,” Rowan whispers, slipping her cold, trembling hand in mine. When her knees give out, I’m right there to scoop her up in my arms. “Sorry,” she whimpers, squeezing her eyes shut as if I’m going to be upset with her.

“You’re not in trouble, angel,” I reassure her as I step over the larger shards of glass on my way to the front of the diner. “I’ve got you. I’m here now. I won’t let them hurt you anymore,” I soothe.

“Wait,” she calls out just before I reach the door to the parking lot. “I still have half of my shift left.”

“Honey, we’re closed for the day,” her manager says as she stands from her crouched position behind the counter. “I gotta clean, patch up the window, file a police report, check in on the customers… and probably a bunch of other things I’m not thinking of at the moment.”

“I can help,” Rowan offers. While I love my woman’s big heart and solid work ethic, right now, she needs someone to take care of her for a change. She was assaulted for Christ’s sake.

“I’m taking you home,” I tell her firmly. “You need rest.”

She’s about to protest but I give her a stern look. Tears well up in her gorgeous eyes, nearly ripping my heart out. Everything in me softens as I cradle my precious girl closer to my chest.

“Do you trust me, Rowan?” I ask, holding my breath as I wait for her response.

Her eyes dart between mine, her violet gaze sinking deep into my soul and picking it apart, piece by piece. Finally, she nods. “I do,” she whispers. She silently pleads with me to be gentle with her and not break her heart. Rowan has no idea how far I would go to keep her fragile heart safe but I’ll show her day by day she can trust me.

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