I looked into his eyes. I knew Jackson was a dangerous man in his own right. I knew he’d tasted blood. He’d said he was bad to the bone. He was violent, strong, he could do what needed to be done. That didn’t make him bad in my book. That made him a man, a real man.
“Don’t leave me,” I said quietly.
“I’m going to kill Wolf,” he said. “It needs to be done. A man like that, he’ll hunt you as long as you live.”
“No,” I said, crying.
Jackson nodded. “I’m going to keep my promise to you Faith. I’m going to make you safe.”
“I never intended to get you hurt.”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “The truth is, I’ve been living on borrowed time my whole life.”
“Don’t say that.”
“I can make my peace with it, Faith. But you have to do what you promised.”
“I will, Jackson. I swear.”
“You have to keep your promise to me.”
“I swear by God I will.”
“You’ll keep it tonight.”
Chapter 11
Jackson
THE BROTHERHOOD HAD A SAFE HOUSE in the hills above the desert. We used it from time to time when we needed to hide out. It was completely off the grid, had it’s own well, it’s own solar power, it’s own everything.
I brought Faith there so she could keep her promise to me. Now that my death was near, that promise was the only thing that mattered.
“What is this place, Jackson?”
“Just somewhere we can be safe.”
“Why don’t we stay here forever?”
I laughed. “I already told you, Faith. I don’t run. Not from anyone.”
I showed her around the house, a quaint adobe villa overlooking miles of desert valley. A spring fed a natural stream and trees shaded the veranda and garden. I knew she’d want to stay there with me.
Hell, I wanted to stay too, but I couldn’t. If I was going to hold her to her part of the promise, I had to keep mine too. And my promise was to make her safe. That meant taking out Wolf Staten, the head of Los Lobos.
I showed her to the bathroom. “Freshen up,” I said. “Have a rest. I’ll be back in an hour.”
“Where are you going?”
“We need firewood. It gets cold up here at night. We’ll also need something for dinner.”
“I’ll come with you.”
She was scared I was going to leave her.
“Listen,” I said. “I’m not going to leave you, Faith. Not without holding you to your word.”
“Oh,” she said, embarrassed.
“You said you’d be mine. I meant that absolutely. Before I leave, you’re going to give me everything you have to offer. I want all of you.”
“How do you know it will work?” she said, uncertainly.
I smiled. “It will work. You’ll see. I’m going to put my come in your naked womb, and it will work.”
She covered her mouth with her hand.
“That’s what this is all about, Faith. That’s what it’s always been about. The moment I set eyes on you in that bar last night, I knew I was going to do it.”
She was stunned. I’d told her all of this in the diner already but it was still sinking in. She still didn’t fully believe what was happening. I didn’t blame her. It was a lot to comprehend. She sat down on the bed. I wanted to sit next to her, to tell her it was all going to work out, that we’d live a happy life together, but I couldn’t. The truth was more important. And the truth was that I was riding out to my death in the morning.
And before I did, I was going to exact my price from her. She would carry my child.
I’d told her she’d regret ever laying eyes on me. I’d told her I’d bring her nothing but pain and regret. I wasn’t kidding. I meant every word.
She was shaking her head.
“You said you had brothers.”
“We’re a brotherhood. I call them my brothers, but we’re not related.”
“Jackson,” she said, “we need to talk.”
I shook my head. “The time for talking’s done, Faith. The time for talking was last night, before I put a bullet in that Los Lobos thug.”
“I don’t want you to die, Jackson. I don’t want you to risk your life, even if it’s for my safety. I couldn’t bear it if you didn’t come back.”
I leaned down to her and took her face in my hands. “Listen to me very carefully, Faith. The truth is, I’m happy to do this. If I can give my life to help someone as beautiful as you, it will be worth the sacrifice. And if I can go to my grave knowing that there’s even a chance that you’re carrying my child, that’s a death I can face with courage and honor.”