Page 19 of One More Chance

“Text with what you find.” Jax hung up the phone.

She shoved the trash can back under the sink and shut the cupboard door, turning to find him in front of her.

“Are you okay?” He hesitated, then slid his arms around her.

“No, not really. But at the same time, I feel better than I have in weeks.”

“I don’t like this.”

“Me, either. But I want answers. I’m not going to pretend nothing is happening to me.”

“But your test results showed nothing?”

She told him about the elevated calcium levels. “I’m not going to let this go, even if I don’t ever get answers. I’m going to investigate. They did something to me, and I want to know what it is.”

Jax didn’t say anything.

“Say it, whatever it is. Isn’t that the point? Whatever you’re thinking or feeling, we deal with it together. Right?”

Jax kissed her, lingering with his nose alongside hers before he pulled back. “They can do whatever they want, manipulate whatever they want, and it seems like there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“I know you didn’t sign up for this. It isn’t the start to a marriage that you thought you were going to have, but?—”

“Kenna, that’s not it.” His expression softened. “I knew things wouldn’t be normal with an enemy like ours.” He dipped his head for a second, then lifted his face so she could see the torn expression there. “How am I supposed to protect you if I’m at the office all day? Even with your team, our enemies still get far too close. They were in our house.” His arms tightened around her. “There’s nothing we can do to stop them.”

She lifted her chin. “We can try.”

As far as she was concerned, they were going to regret making her feel better.

Kenna might just have the energy to work this case.

Chapter Six

She muscled open the slider, holding two plates loaded with salad and potatoes. The last two things they needed to complete this meal.

Jax held a spatula in one hand, an open half-drunk bottle of beer on the side of the grill. “Thanks, Ramon. I appreciate it.”

She set the plates down on the table and pulled the forks out of her back pocket.

“Got it. Bye.” Jax hung up, setting the phone on the table next to the plates and her can of prebiotic soda. “Steaks are done.”

She nearly sat, realizing that had become her default for the past few weeks. Slumping into the closest chair because she was so drained she didn’t have the energy to do anything else.

Kenna reached above her head, stretching her arms, and bent both ways. The groan she let out felt good.

“You do seem like you’re moving better.” He set a six-ounce steak on her plate, then lifted his and deposited the ten-ounce on his. “I don’t want to assume you’re good, though.”

“So far, so good.” She sat then, and he said a prayer for their meal. “How’s Ramon?”

“He’s worried about you, so he’s gonna wrap up the case he’s working in Palm Springs and make his way here.”

Ramon seemed to have been purposely giving her and Jax space after they got married. Maybe he assumed that if she stayed with Jax at his house and only worked a local case, she’d stay out of trouble. Maybe have time to be newlyweds without all her coworkers hanging around. Possibly, figure out whatDominatushad done to her.

Then she’d seen him a few times, watching out for her.

Bruce said he’d gone and found the woman the lawyers lost.

The sun was just setting on the horizon, turning the sky pink and orange. That view, plus having a good meal and her husband beside her, made the evening about perfect. Nearly perfect enough she could forget everything else.

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