Page 24 of Please Remember

"I know it's the first time she'll be out of your sight for more than a few minutes since she returned home, but I promise we'll take good care of her."

The idea makes me nervous. I know it has to be done, but I don't trust Detective Parsons. Shields seems nice enough, and she seems competent, but he just rubs me the wrong way. The only way for me to ensure Allie's truly safe is to find who did this to her, but it's hard to trust the people who spent more time investigating me than anyone else.

I know we have to find where she was held, and I also know it's probably best if I don't go with. The hell I imagine in my mind makes me itch. If she happens to find the house she ran from, I'd be pounding on the door, breaking it down, and killing whoever was on the other side of it. It still doesn't make it comfortable for me to let her leave.

Allie walks out in loose fitting jeans, a gray sweatshirt, and sneakers. "At some point, I'm hoping these clothes start fitting again. My closet looks fantastic, but nothing fits. It doesn't even look remotely good hanging on me like it does on the hanger."

"The doctors say you lost almost forty pounds," Shields says. "And from what I saw of you before you were taken, you didn't have forty pounds to lose."

"I'll be fine, Jax," she says, clearly sensing my warring emotions. Warmth floods me as she reaches out to take my hand and squeezes it. "They're cops. What's the worst that can happen?"

"All the terrible things that keep running through my mind, but you're right. They're cops. Just... come back soon, okay?" I say and squeeze her hand the same way she did mine. "I love you."

She gives me a gentle smile before following the detectives outside to their car. Watching her leave makes me feel like I'm about to jump outof my skin. What am I going to do while she's gone? How the hell do I pass the time without scratching my skin off?

My phone chimes from the bedroom, and I walk over to see who texted me. I've had quite a few people reaching out to check up on Allie, and I've responded to everyone with the same message.She's adjusting.

Picking it up, I see Laura's name and a feeling of guilt washes over me. At the hospital, I kind of just blew her off. I didn't really care about how upset she would be at the change of events with Allie being back, and I feel like a jackass about it. She really was there for me while I wanted to jump off a cliff. And she never once tried to tell me that I needed to let go of Allie. In fact, she made it known she understood that my feelings for her would never go away. That she appreciated them.

Can you come over? We need to talk.

I do owe her a conversation. I kind of disappeared on her at the hospital. Plus, it'll help pass the time while Allie's with the cops. I just hope she isn't too upset with me. We were friends before anything more happened.

Chapter Eleven

Laura

Iwatch Jax's green pickup pull into the driveway, and I adjust the peekaboo playset lingerie I bought and had overnighted the moment I found it online. It's barely lace, and my tits and ass hang out of it. Exactly what I need Jax to see to remind him what he's missing. What I'm willing to give him.

Hurrying into the bedroom, I stand in front of the full-length mirror and pretend I don't hear him knock. I know he'll walk inside eventually, and I want to give the illusion I wasn't expecting him. That it'll be a surprise for both of us.

His footsteps make my heart race, and I lift my tits with my hands as I tilt my head as though undecided if I like this or not.

"Laura, oh!" Jax says and turns his back as I see him in the mirror.

"Jax!" I gasp and grab for my robe, loosely pulling it onto my arms. "I didn't hear you come in. I thought you'd be longer."

"What are you doing?" he asks, chancing a peek to make sure I'm covered.

I pretend to feel bashful and drop my head. "I ordered something for our wedding night, and I tried it on just to see what I looked like. I can't decide if I like it or not."

"Oh," he says and swallows as I let the robe fall off my shoulder to expose my left breast. "The detectives came to take Allie to see if they can find where she escaped from."

The obvious attraction to Jax seeing my body has my stomach fluttering with excitement. If I can get him into bed, I know he'll remember how good we are together. "That has to be scary."

"Yeah, it is. I can wait while you change, Laura."

The robe falls off my right shoulder to expose my full chest. "It's not like you haven't already seen all of my body a million times before, Jax."

"I don't know if I'd say a million times," he says, and his eyes stay fixated on my hard nipples.

"What... uh... What did you want to talk about?"

The small little strangle of his voice makes me happy, and I straighten, walking over to him as I let the robe fall to the ground and showcase all of me for him. "I wanted to confirm it’s okay to start canceling everything for the wedding. We're going to lose our deposits."

He tears his eyes away and looks at the wall. "Yes, you should. I can cover your half of the deposits, if you want. I can help cancel things, too, if you need help. You shouldn't have to do everything by yourself."

No, keep your eyes on me. I know you want me. I see it. The lust and arousal. Look at me.

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