Page 112 of Second Chance for Mr. Alden

Jess

None of this seemedreal right now.

The beige walls of my new bedroom surrounded me almost as if the last six hours had never happened. After leaving the factory, Gage had secured us an apartment for the next few days. A buddy of his had gone out of town and my parents wouldn't be able to trace me here.

I really wanted to be home or even back in Rhode Island. Oddly enough, I missed the apartment we’d shared these past few weeks. It had given James and I another chance and for that alone the small space would hold a special place in my heart.

“Jess? You still there?” Lexi asked through the new burner phone I’d been given.

“Yeah, sorry. Just thinking.”

The anger that had consumed me at knowing my parents were the ones behind my kidnapping hurt more than I thought it would. I would always be their pretty little pawn except now I knew they’d use violence to get what they wanted.

“I’m here at the safe house,” I said to Lexi.

“I’m sorry for everything that went down tonight, Jess.” Her voice was hesitant. I’d given Lexi the abbreviated version while she and Gage drove Alden and I to his car.

I gave a curt laugh. “It’s not your fault my parents are assholes.”

“I know, but it’s a lot to deal with. Are you okay?”

“I don’t really know.” Before I left New York, Lexi let me check my voicemails with her phone. What I didn’t tell her about was the ten messages from my mother all demanding I call her back so we could plan my wedding to Jareth, her extolling Jareth’s virtues and how beneficial a marriage to him would be for me, and my favorite was how dare I go away without telling her. That was rich.

I even had a few from Jareth asking me to call him to discuss something important.

“Where’s Alden?” Lexi asked.

My phone buzzed. I ignored the text from Jax.

“In the living room. Every time I go out there he ignores me.” I sighed. “I think he’s still pissed at me.”

“Can you blame him? He’s freaked out that he could have lost you.”

“He could have lost you, too,” I protested. “I had a very good reason for what I did.”

“And I appreciate you had my safety in mind, but Alden is all emotion right now. And he’s probably running on adrenaline and anger. Give him time to cool off.”

My phone buzzed from another incoming text. Jax.

“You sound like you speak from experience,” I responded with a wry chuckle.

Lexi groaned. “Yeah, Gage isn’t speaking to me either.”

“I’m sorry, Lex.”

“It’s okay. I’m used to aggravating him.” She yawned loudly.

“Why don’t I let you go?” Lexi had been through an emotionally draining day too and I was pretty sure she was ready to crash at this point.

“Are you sure? I don’t mind keeping you company on the phone.” Her voice sounded slightly muffled. Probably from another yawn.

“I’m good. We can talk more tomorrow.”

“Okay. If you’re sure. Night, Jess.”

“Night, Lex.”

My phone immediately buzzed with a third text from Jax with pretty much the same message as the other two.

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