Page 28 of Jack's Devotion

I swallow hard, peeking up at him. "I might know how that feels."

"Yeah? Then I guess you know how far I'm willing to go to keep you right here, don't you?"

"Maybe I do," I whisper, resting my head on his chest again. "Maybe I do."

Chapter Seven

Jack

"I've been thinking."

"Did it hurt?" Madison asks, tying her hair up in a quick bun.

"Smart ass."

She grins at me, laughing quietly. "Just thought I'd ask."

I swat her on the ass as I pass by on my way to the closet. "I think we need to loop Dillon in on the situation."

She wheels around to face me, anxiety written all over her face. "Why?"

"Because he can help us."

"Or he'll tell my dad that I'm back and my dad will try to finish what he started before I disappeared," she mutters, her tone black.

"Baby." I reverse course back to her, pulling her into my arms. "Dillon isn't going to tell your dad a damn thing. He can't stand him. And we need him on our side."

I've spent the last two days trying to help put the pieces in place. Asa Steele is watching her father. Leia Bayliss at the paper is spreading the word about the press conference. I've even asked Gerald for a meeting about a possible board position. The prick is supposed to meet me this morning to discuss it. He was falling all over himself when I called him yesterday.

But before I meet him, I'd really like for Dillon to know what the fuck is going on. Blindsiding him with all of this doesn't sit well with me. He's a damn good cop, and he actually gives a damn about Madison. He should know that she's safe. And he should know why he's spent the last seven years searching for her, putting up posters about her, and questioning people about her.

I know she's scared. She has every right to feel that way. Coming back here to face a man who wanted to have her killed? That's the bravest shit anyone can do. But she isn't doing it alone now. She has me and Drake and Asa Steele looking out for her. And we aren't going to let anything happen to her.

I won't fucking survive it if it does. I've been a hypocrite for a long damn time, trying to get Drake to live his life when I've only been living half of one myself. I never realized how true that was until she was in my bed the other night, sleeping in my arms. I felt alive in a way I hadn't in years. I wasn't bored and unsettled. I haven't felt that way once since I found her in the pool house. I feel…at peace finally. Like all the pieces are where they're supposed to be and I'm not going to crawl out of my skin if I stop moving for five minutes.

For once, I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. And so is she. I'll move heaven and hell to keep her right here. To keep loving her—and I do fucking love her. I knew that shit days ago. I'm even more certain of it now.

But to keep her safe, I need Dillon on our side. Because he's the one who can ensure her father spends the rest of his miserable life in prison where he belongs. And he can ensure whoever the prick tried to hire to kill her goes right down with him.

"What if he finds out?" she whispers, unable to hide the worry in her voice. "He knows people, Jack. He has a way of finding things out around here."

"And Dillon has a way of keeping things from being found out," I murmur. "Trust me, baby. I've seen that man move mountains to keep secrets that needed kept. This town functions because of him. He won't put you at risk."

She worries her bottom lip between her teeth, clearly torn.

"He never stopped looking for you, you know. All those posters all over town? He's the one who puts them up. Every few months, he's out there with a fresh stack, replacing the ones that have faded or torn." I tip her chin back. "He deserves to know you're alive."

Her shoulders slump, her expression crumbling. "Okay," she whispers. "We can talk to him."

I brush my lips across hers, tugging her closer to my body. "You're so damn brave, baby."

"Only because you're here."

"No, you were brave long before that, Madison."

An hour later, Dillon is shocked speechless when I let him into the house and he sees Madison standing in a shaft of sunlight in the living room, wringing her hands together.

"What the fuck?" he mutters, glancing between me and her, fury burning in his dark eyes.

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