Page 54 of Dirty Gambit

“Where are we?” The groggy question was followed by the stiff shuffling of Lena’s thin weight pushing higher in her seat. Her dark eyes, heavy with sleep and yet puffy from lack of a proper rest squinted through the passenger side window.

Jaxon tried to see the sprawling estate from her eyes, tried to take in the miles of manicured lawns, gleaming columns of ivory, and neatly paved drive from the perspective of someone who hadn’t seen it a million times before, who hadn’t disturbed the military straight blades of grass with filthy sneakers and a soccer ball. But the house was as warm and familiar to him as his parent’s. The very aura of it beckoned him forward, urging him to burst through the glass and iron doors, knowing he’d be immediately welcomed by the couple inside. It had only been two weeks since he’d seen them, but even that had been too long.

“What is this?” Lena was demanding, fully awake now and as rigid as a cat who sensed a bath coming.

“Relax,” he told her, rounding the smooth bend of the driveway and parking beneath the marble stairway. “It’s not a filthy motel room, but trust me.”

That probably wasn’t the wisest statement to make. She proved it by narrowing her eyes and darting another glance at the house.

Maybethe housewasn’t the proper word for it. The four stories of glass and stone loomed against a landscape of lush green. It homed more than fifty rooms, a ballroom, and a full staff of fifteen to run and maintain the place. But if its luxury and spacious view was meant to comfort her, Lena only appeared tenser, as if she were expecting the full force of the military to be waiting for her inside.

“Seriously.” He couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped him. “Breathe.”

Not waiting for her to snip off some venomous retort, Jaxon threw open his door and hopped out. He rounded towards the backseat and went through the process of unbuckling Jessie from her seat.

“What are you doing?” Lena was out of the car and rounding the hood at a near run. “Where are you taking her?”

He ignored her as he scooped the child up, kissed her warm cheek, and stood. He kicked the door shut and started in the opposite direction from the one she now blocked with her tiny frame.

“So paranoid,” Jaxon cooed to Jessie, nuzzling his nose in the ticklish spot between her jaw and neck.

The girl squealed and flapped little hands against his face, struggling to shove him away.

“Hey!” Lena was after him at a run. “Where are you—?”

The door to the manor swung open with the force of a gale storm. Each end hit the wall with enough strength to no doubt leave marks, if not a few cracks in the glass. In their place, a tower of a woman in black slacks and a cream colored blouse beamed at them. Red lips pulled up over two extended front teeth in a brilliant smile of unimaginable joy.

“My babies!” Aunt Frankie exclaimed, thin arms flinging open wide even as she sprinted forward. They closed around Jaxon and Jessie with the power and love of a python. “I’ve missed you both so much!.”

Jaxon chuckled, attempting and failing to return the embrace with both his arms full and now trapped between them. Jessie had no trouble at all flinging herself at the woman, tiny arms banding around Aunt Frankie’s neck like a vice. In seconds, she was liberated from Jaxon and squeezed against the woman’s chest.

“Oh, my perfect, precious, little girl!” she cooed, spinning on her three-inch heels and starting into the foyer. “I was devastated I couldn’t make it to your birthday party, but Auntie has a special surprise for her girl!”

“Who is this woman?” Lena demanded, hovering at Jaxon’s elbow, a look of absolute annoyance twisting her features.

“Aunt Frankie. Close the door,” he said when she scrambled over the threshold after him, leaving the barricade open to the dimming sunset.

“You close it,” she snapped, strides never faltering as she stalked after Aunt Frankie and Jessie.

Amused by her confusion and suspicion, Jaxon did so without complaint, his grin wisely smothered behind the hand he rubbed over his prickly jaw.

They were in the informal sitting area, the one reserved for visiting family when Jaxon joined the group. Aunt Frankie was already perched in her favorite armchair with Jessie perched on her bony knees. The girl squealed excitedly with every bounce. The two cackled wildly, oblivious to the other two in the room. Jaxon wasn’t. He watched Lena hover just out of the way, eyebrows drawn down over narrowed eyes. Her arms were folded over her hideous dress. She reminded him of someone not sure how to assess the situation.

“You’re safe here,” Jaxon told her quietly, moving to stand next to her.

Lena’s wary eyes touched on him for the briefest of seconds before jumping back to the two across the room. “I don’t care about me.”

Of course, she didn’t. She’d made that clear more than once.

“Lena.” Against his better judgment, he reached for her arm. The warm skin tingled under his gliding touch to her wrist. His fingers curled around hers. “Do you think I would ever take Jessie anywhere she would be put in danger?”

That must have struck a chord with her because he watched her visibly exhale her apprehension and look up at him. There was still uncertainty there, but she no longer looked on the verge of attacking.

“Where are we?” she asked instead. “Why did you bring me here?”

He risked a glance in Frankie’s direction. She was still busy entertaining Jessie, but Jaxon lowered his voice regardless. “We need to talk. Lena,” he stressed when she opened her mouth, “stop. We need to talk,” he repeated softly. “This is the only safe place I could think of.”

“It’s not safe,” she whispered. “Not for them. Not for me. You just put everyone here in danger.”

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