Page 126 of Blue-Eyed Jacks
“Maine?”Wolf’s question had nuance.
“That’s right.I’m in Maine.With myfamily.”Jackson stressed the last word and hung up on his former VP.
“We’re going with,” I spoke my decree to the twilight.
“The hell you are.You and Zoe need to take the car to the border.I don’t know how you’ll get across without IDs, but I need you to do it.Get the hell away.”He dug into his jeans for his wallet.He pulled out a stack of money and tried to hand it over.I pushed it back at him.
“I’m not leaving you.And you’re not leaving Zoe.She needs you.Now more than ever.”
Yes, I was playing dirty, but this was my family…ourfamily at stake.
He pleaded with me, “I can’t protect you if I’m dead.”
“Then don’t die.”
He laughed abruptly.His brows twisted with anguish.“Yeah?You don’t either.And keep Zoe close.And no saving any hookers this time.Got it?”
“Got it.”The implications of this sunk in.“We’re doing this.”
“Yeah.I guesswe’redoing this.”
Chapter 35
Skilletsville—Jackson
When and why did I pick a junkyard to call home?
Sprout’s chartered flight offer also included a blacked-out SUV waiting for us at the local airport.Kate, Zoe, and I had no luggage.Not even a change of clothes since we fled Pittsburgh.I’d been too preoccupied to stop and see to their needs.Some fatherI was.
Kate’s jeans had little flecks of blood on them.I scratched at one.She glanced down, saw what I was picking at, and slapped her hand over mine.
“Cara’s.”She glanced to the front, where Zoe sat opposite the nameless guy doing his job.
“I should be in front,” I muttered for the fifth time.But Kate was determined in her quest to keep us together.I worried she was wrong.I worried about the meeting and the people involved.Big G was the one guy I did fear—for good reason.His word was law.
Kate squeezed my hand.“I love you.”
Zoe heard that.She turned to look over the seat.“I love you, too, Dad.”
My throat was too tight.The words came out hoarse.“I’ll love both of you with my dying breath.”And beyond.
“Shh.No dying talk.”Kate’s rebuke made Zoe smile.
“That’s right, Dad.We’ll kick their ass.”
These two.“I don’t deserve you two.”I truly didn’t.
“We know.”Kate’s quiet confidence was everything I’d ever wished for.I soaked it in by staring at Kate as the car came to a halt.
“You’d have been a great biker wife.You know that?”
“I hated being a biker wife.”Her eyes fixed forward, locked on the group of men who emerged from the building to usher us in.
“Marry me,” I uttered the words before I could think about them.But as I did, I knew they felt right.“Kate please marry me.Me, James.That’s all I am.Son of One-Eyed Jack and a prostitute.Marryme.”
The door on my side opened.Sprout’s grinning mug filled the gap.
“Welcome back, boss.”
