Page 98 of Done Waiting

Jagger turns up his volume, all of us sitting there silently, anxiously waiting. Putting it on speaker phone, he presses play and we hear Ben’s malicious voice.

“It’s a beautiful night for a stroll… and a hunt.” Ben’s laugh is menacing. “This time, neither you nor Madison will interrupt me.” We hear his breathing, steady and methodical, not even a hint of the excitement he must be feeling. “Soon, I’ll have the one I want the most.Maddie.” His voice is gleeful as he adds, “I’ve perfected my methods of torture, Jagger.” He pauses, and I can hear the smug smile in Ben’s voice when he adds, “Don’t worry. I’ll be sure to record it and send it to you, so you know exactly what I’m going to do to the woman you love.”

Ben’s evil laugh echoes inside my head, the terror filling every cell in my body causing my body to tremor. My eyes bulge as Ben’s voice is on repeat inside my head, his words so flippant, as though he’s reading from a damned dinner menu. I can’t look at Jagger as my pulse races, black spots dancing in my vision.

He wants to torture me.My skin is clammy as images of what he might do if he were to get his hands on me rush through my head.

My attention is brought back to Jagger’s living room when I hear a loud bang. Jagger has flipped the coffee table over, a guttural roar leaving his lips. I jump, staring at him fearfully as his hands shake, his face magenta. He paces to the dining room table, his muscles taut and veins straining against his skin. “He’snot fucking laying a hand onmywoman,” he screams, spittle in the corner of his mouth. His eyes are wild, a fire-breathing monster poised to take him over like a man possessed as he pushes the chair to the ground.

“I won’t let him fucking near you.” His Vantablack eyes lock onto mine, and for the first time since I’ve met Jagger, I fear him. I know he’d never hurt me, but his temper has my lips trembling and my heart racing.

“Jagger, stop.” Bryce’s calm voice slices through the room as he calmly walks over to him. Laying his hand on his shoulder, he leans in, saying things I cannot hear.

Feeling Abby’s eyes on me, I turn to her, meeting her concerned gaze. She reaches over, squeezing my hand. “It’ll be okay, Maddie. Jagger’s just a… little emotional right now.”

A little emotional? The man is so enraged he’s about ready to destroy the cabin!

Jagger avoids my gaze as Bryce walks beside him, leading him to the patio doors. Bryce glances over, meeting Abby’s gaze and she gives a subtle nod.

Giving my hand another squeeze that draws my attention to her, she says, “I’m going to go outside and talk with them. Jason will stay here with you, okay?”

I nod, feeling somewhat… relieved. Concern wells through me as I look out the door, Jagger’s tense back filling my vision. I’m not sure how to handle him right now.

Abby releases my hand and gets up, heading toward the doors that her husband and Jagger exited a short time ago.

The couch shifts as Jason’s large mass settles beside me. His hand grabs mine, holding it in his. “I know what you saw scared the hell out of you. Jagger normally doesn’t lose his shit like that.” My head turns to Jason’s, taking in his serious face. “He loves you so damn much, Maddie. What you witnessed is his fear that he could lose you to Ben.”

I open my mouth, but Jason holds up his hand, so I shut it.

“Jagger knows you love him. He’s scared shitless that he’ll fail at keeping you safe. But it’s coming out as rage to hide that he’s feeling powerless.”

Newfound respect fills me for Jason, who clearly knows Jagger very well. “I understand that. He’s taken on so much by keeping me here, protecting me.”

Jason smiles at me. “Yeah, but he wouldn’t want it any other way. He knows no one cares for you more than he does, and his possessiveness toward you makes him the best one to protect you.” Jason shifts, glancing out the window. His voice lowers as he meets my eyes again. “I talked to Jagger that night that you witnessed…” Jason’s voice trails off and he clears his throat before continuing. “That night, when Jagger brought you here, he called me. I’d been blowing up his phone, worried sick about him because he wasn’t answering my calls or texts.” He squeezes my hand. “I didn’t think it was a good idea at all to keep you here, but I knew better than to argue with him. Jagger can be quite stubborn.”

A snort escapes my lips, as a small smile spreads over my face. “You think?”

He chuckles. “He called me the other night while he was outside smoking. Told me that he finally told you he was your ‘dark hero’ from the park.” Jason’s blue eyes soften as he says, “He talked about you for years. That one brief moment in the park had such an impact on him. Gave him hope during the darkest period of his life. He looked for you every time we went there since his dad…”

My muscles tense. “His dad is an asshole,” I spit out, anger filling me as I glance out the window, picturing those scars on Jagger’s back.

“Yes, he was. That whole fucking situation changed Jagger, stole his innocence. He survived on nothing except vengeanceuntil he met a little blonde girl, who showed him kindness and made him feel like a kid again.”

Tears fill my eyes as they lock with Jason’s blue eyes. “I love him, Jason.”

Jason squeezes my hand. “I know you do, Maddie. You’re the only one who can truly calm him. Bryce and Abby will get his emotions to a simmer… but you’ll douse the flames, taking his anger away.” Releasing my hand, he says, “His temper tantrum didn’t change how you view him, did it?”

“Yes, it did.”

Jason’s face darkens and I hold up my hand.

I smile. “It showed me he would burn down the entire fucking world for me.”

He barks out a laugh, shaking his head. “Well played, Mads.” Nodding his head, he grows serious again. “Yes, he sure as hell would.”

The door opens and my gaze lifts, meeting Jagger’s dark eyes. I’m off the couch and dodging around the flipped-over coffee table, running to him. Throwing myself into his arms, I hug him like I haven’t seen him in a year.

A long sigh escapes him as he buries his face in my hair, his embrace like a steel cage, locking me against him. “I love you, baby girl.”

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