Page 18 of Fight for You
Once I skidded around and oriented myself with the extravagant home, I hightailed it toward the door, only to stop on a dime?—
A Rottweiler, seated on its hind legs, blocked my path.
“Shoo.” Fear clawed my throat. “Get away!”
A masculine voice called from behind me. “She’s nicer than she looks.”
I spun around, hit a side table, and a black, glossy statue crashed to the floor. The dog struck up a chorus.
“Rebel, shhh!”
The dog stopped barking at my rear. I stared at a man who resembled Jamie—an older version of Jamie. My thick lips thinned into a line. Maybe not old enough to have saved me when they saved him. I remembered my age-old hatred of the MacKenzies. “Well, get him out of the way.”
“Rebel, c’mon, girl. Let’s go eat breakfast. It’s time for breakfast, lassie. Would you like to eat before you go, Jordyn? I’m Leith, by the way.”
Throat clamped tight, I shook my head.
“Before you go?—”
I huffed.
“Before you go,” Leith repeated, his hardened tone demanded my attention. Though guilt wanted me to keep my gaze cast to the floor, I firmed a hand around my briefcase, eyes on his. The same blue-green as Jamie’s. He continued, “Mybràthairgave you almost all the money he has.”
“He has this house.”What? I didn’t even like myself at this moment. And based on Leith’s expression, we stood united in that regard. “Listen, I just-just want to go my own way, without pleasing men. Is that too much to ask for? To breathe without a transactional request?”
The hard twitch of muscle beneath his jaw loosened. He nodded. “Stay safe. Whatever you do, you gotta survive. Jamie”—Leith’s accent became thick and throaty—“couldn’t take knowing that something happened to you. Not after he remem—finally found the guts to save you. Okay?”
“Okay,” I murmured, searching the large door for a knob.
Leith pressed a button on the wall, and the door slid outward. And I stepped out. All on my own.
8
SANTA BARBARA
Jamie
My breath camein rapid pants. How could I let her go? Surely, she saw something in me, something different from her traffickers. Couldn’t she see I wanted to help her? Hands trembling, I gripped the pillow and smothered my face. My insides burned at the thought of never seeing her again. Burned like I had tossed back more than a couple fingers of whisky with that silly medication I had consumed for the better part of my life.
I could use?—
No more medication. I slammed my fist into the pillow until feathers floated around me. Roughing a hand over my face, I climbed off the bed. “Okay, okay, you didn’t expect a parade of thank-yous the second you got her away from them … Sure as friggen hell didn’t expect this.”
At the approach of footsteps, I spun around. A smile softened everything about me, even the rampage of a heartbeat pounding in my chest. That heart darn near pitched to the floor when,instead of Jordyn, I spotted my brother. “You were supposed to return home last night, Leith.”
“After how late we got in? No way was I driving another three hours.”
“Would’ve been less traffic.”Then you wouldn’t have seen my mission walk out of that door.Or had he? I glanced him over.
Yeah, Leith must’ve seen Jordyn leave. As a result, his gaze rested slightly away from mine. Couldn’t look me in the eye. It was the same as childhood. Rarely did my family dare to look at me when, on those infrequent occasions, I peered from beneath my long hair. They never saw a human. What they saw was that creepy little thing that came after a child was born. A placenta.Yeah.That. Something to discard.
“Why’d you let the lass run off?”
“I’m not like you people.” I scrubbed a hand in my hair.
He sighed, leaning against the doorframe. “Knowing you, you gave that bitter girl all your money.”
“Yes! Now, shut your mouth. She didn’t have a solid foundation. Good parents who loved her.”
