Page 88 of Jagger

There was something to be said about having family.

Annoyance.

At least I could smile. “I should get going.”

“Hold on,” Denise told me. “You need to commit to bringing Bella and Cally over for dinner. Then we can finish having our discussion that we started in the grocery store.”

“What discussion?” Shephard pushed.

I ignored it.

“I gave you my answer and they don’t go anywhere without Xena,” I said, hoping the fact she owned a huge Malinois would deter her thinking.

“Xena and Pepper will get along just great. I’ll consider that a formal yes to my invitation. And we will finish that discussion.” Denise gave me a pointed look.

Shephard was standing behind her and threw up his hands.

I managed to keep the slight smile on my face. “I’ll talk to Bella. I’m not promising anything.”

“Good. I will bug you until you make it happen.”

“We’ll talk in the next couple days. Okay?” Shephard nodded as I pulled out a twenty, dropping it on the table.

“Fair enough.”

“Think about what I suggested,” Hunter called before I got out of earshot.

I would. Then I’d toss it aside. My one goal was to help her with the situation. Then I’d help her find a place of her own.

It was best for both her and Cally.

CHAPTER 24

Bella

The phone had lit up twice during my drive. I was terrified to look at it.

But I had.

And regretted it.

It felt as if a noose had been wrapped around my neck, slowly stealing my life’s breath. Soon, I would be driven in a darkness that I’d never recover from. Either madness or death. Or maybe prison at this point.

I stood all by myself in front of Poppy’s Diner, still trying to make up my mind what to do. With life. With Joel. With Cally.

With Jagger. Sweet and damaged Jagger.

Up until this point in my life, I’d been determined and had a single path laid out ahead of me. I’d reveled in the organization and that had kept me from ending up on drugs or on the streets.I’d become so focused that no one had been able to break through my emotions. The plan had been perfect in my mind.

Graduate high school with honors with scholarships in hand.

Graduate college at the top of my class.

Head to medical school.

An internship on the East Coast at the best hospital.

After that it was all about working to become highly respected while buying a nice condominium that I could call my own.

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