Page 96 of Next Level
“Jane Cherry Blossom Jones.”
He states my full name, adding ‘Cherry,’ which makes me laugh.
“I do promise you. You’re mine now. I protect what’s mine.” Ray leans down to kiss me.
I swoon. “Okay.”
Iamhis!
THE FUTURE
Officer Wilkerson asks, “You sure about this?”
I’m standing in a room looking through a one-sided mirror into an adjoining room, and I see Jared Thompson sitting there, looking lost.
“Yeah, I need to talk to him alone,” I say, moving toward the door that leads to the other room.
“Okay, I’ll be here listening,” the officer says.
I retort, “You always are.”
The officer and I have been chatting back and forth for a few weeks. I needed to see Jared in person before I made my final decision.
The club and I went over all the information, and we decided to give the kid a chance. But at the end of the day, it was my decision, and they would back me in whatever I wanted to do. So here I am.
Entering the room, Jared looks up and sees it’s me. Not appearing too shocked since they told him I was meeting with them today, but he does look scared when he says, “Mr. Amato.”
I pull out the chair opposite him. Once I’m seated, I say, “Jared, do you know why I’m here? I know they told you I was coming, but did they tell you why?”
Jared shakes his head. “No, sir.”
“Well, I want to discuss some stuff with you, and depending on whether you’re honest with me, it will determine how your future will be.”
Jared doesn’t say anything, just nods his head.
“Okay, I want to talk about Sammie.”
Jared nods his head again.
“Okay, first things first, was there any talk about killing Samantha or getting rid of her?”
Jared’s body tenses.
“I need you to be completely honest with me.”
“Garrett said she was more of a problem and we needed to take care of her, but I flipped out and said no. I told him I would run away with her before anyone would touch her.”
“Okay, at any time during your chatting online and taking my daughter, did you have any ill intent to hurt her?”
Jared replies immediately, “No, never.”
“If given the chance, would you do anything you could to make up for what you’ve done?”
Jared sat up straighter. “Yes, I would.”
“Even if it meant you could never be with Samantha again?”
When he doesn’t say anything, I continue, “See, Jared, I’m willing to get your time cut in half, even welcome you into our brotherhood, our family of Bastards, if you give up my kid.”
