Page 56 of Finding Us Again

I was amazed. The offer was too good to be true. Jackson’s eyebrow was twitching in the center of his forehead inquisitively. I stared at him momentarily, then said, “Let us talk it over with each other and the team, but yeah, I don’t think it will be a problem. I know I’d love to get away.”

Jackson’s face softened, and his mouth twitched as it turned upwards. He seemed to like the idea as well.

“Okay. Just let us know. We’re going to sneak out of here,” Morgan said.

Jackson laughed, “Not interested in a big send-off?”

Morgan smirked at Jackson, giving him a bit of a shove. “No asshole. I’m not. Especially not when the send-off is just up to the farmhouse.”

Once Morgan and Charlotte left, Morgan’s mom and Charlotte’s honorary uncle told everyone the newlyweds had departed but wanted everyone to continue partying. A DJ replaced the band, and snacks and drinks were brought out.

Jackson and I were on the dance floor, wrapped up in one another when his parents approached us. “Jackie boy, your mama and I are heading back to the hotel. We just wanted to let you know.”

Jackson kissed his mother on the cheek as he hugged her. His dad cupped my face and kissed my forehead. Lillian held her arms out to me, and I stepped into her embrace. She hugged me tightly, kissing me on the temple. When we separated, Jackson and his dad stepped out of a hug.

Jackson tucked me back into his side as he asked, “How’re y’all getting to the hotel?”

Walker chuckled. “Charlotte’s Uncle James said she arranged for a fleet of town cars to get people where they needed to go. I’m still shocked the girl, who was raised with more privilege and money than some princesses, is living on a farm and had a barn wedding, but she always did shy away from the glitz and glam.”

“She’s very down to earth,” I said honestly. Charlotte was sweet and loving and surprisingly humble, given her background.

Jackson shared, “They’re spending their honeymoon on her family’s yacht, and they’ve invited Katie and I to tag along.”

Walker and Lillian shared a glance, concern evident in both of their gazes. “What about security?” Lillian asked.

While Danny hadn’t survived the beating he’d received after helping Jackson and me escape—Hayden had gotten word aweek or so ago from Conrad of all people—Caleb and Michelle were still on the run.

Neil and Nina Weldon and Caleb Bradley.

I had the hardest time remembering to call Danny and Michelle by their legal names. I also had trouble reconciling myself to the fact they were my siblings, even if they were half-siblings.

And thanks to Danny, dammit, Neil, we now knew Caleb was Caleb Bradley. Danny had lived long enough to tell the police that Caleb was a dishonorably discharged Army vet who had been court-martialed for stalking, terroristic threatening, and sexual assault of a fellow soldier. He had a laundry list of mental health illnesses a mile long.

“Don’t worry, Mama. If we go, we will take some of the team with us. We won’t be unprotected,” Jackson reassured his mother. “I don’t think Katie or I will ever feel completely safe without security nearby.”

I nodded, as did Walker and Lillian. You could see the relief on their faces. Jackson had been very resistant to having a security detail of his own until we were abducted. Now, though, he took his and my safety as seriously as a heart attack.

“Where are the two of you staying tonight?” Walker asked.

I looked at Jackson, who was already looking down at me. “I don’t know. Wherever Jackson and the team feel is safest.”

Jackson smiled and kissed my temple. “Morgan and Charlotte gave Katie and me the carriage house that Charlie lived in before her grandparents passed. But there’s not a lot of space for the team. The guys and I made do with the sectional and some air mattresses over the last week, but that’s not gonna work tonight.I gave Kyle the key to the carriage house since Olivia and Evan wanted to stay in the hotel, so Katie and I will also be going to the hotel.”

After Jackson decided to go to the hotel, we rounded up the team and followed his parents into the city. There wasn’t a lot of privacy in the town car, so I snuggled up next to Jackson as much as possible and enjoyed being in his embrace.

Or I tried to.

I knew that when we got to the hotel, I would need to broach a subject that could change the course of our lives yet again. Emotion smacked me in the face, catching me unaware. My body began shaking, alerting Jackson that something was up with me.

“We’ll be at the hotel soon. I think we need to talk about some things,” he murmured, keeping his voice low enough that Hayden, who sat up front with the driver, didn’t overhear.

I nodded and accepted the handkerchief Jackson handed me. I dried my eyes. The movement caught Hayden’s attention, and he frowned over his shoulder. He’d been pissed that Jackson had left me in Seattle to help Morgan in Pittsburgh for the week.

At the hotel, Hayden instructed the driver to drop us off at the service entrance, and he, along with the rest of the team, escorted Jackson, Marcie, and me up to our bank of rooms via the service elevator. Once we were on our floor, Foster, Scott, Lucia, and Heidi stood guard with us in the hall while Celeste searched our room; Declan searched the one to the right, and Hayden the one to the left.

With three all-clears heard, Celeste held our door open for us. She explained, “There will be two of us posted outside the door and another two sweeping this floor’s hallway. If there’s a problem, don’t hesitate to call out to one of us. Otherwise, we’ll see you in the morning.”

I murmured my thanks as I walked past Celeste to enter the room. I continued to the windows that showed off the Golden Triangle of Pittsburgh. The glow of the city’s lights reflected warmly off the river below. I heard Jackson shut and lock the door after saying thank you and goodnight to the team.

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