JACE-1(Lane Brothers, Book 3)(42)

Thank God I never have to see her again after this, because as it stands, I am not sure I won’t be having nightmares about this creature for weeks to come.

She scares me, she really does, and I want nothing more than to get as far from her as possible, as soon as possible. But first…

I turn and smile kindly, shaking my head regretfully.

“Wyatt says hi.”

She’s still screaming and banging at the door as I meet Jace and take his hand in mine.

“You are diabolical, lady,” he says, grinning so hard, his smile blinds me.

“Thank Sally Kerns and her nastiness the year I turned sixteen and my boobs didn’t come in. I learned early on how to get others to follow my line of conversation so I didn’t die of boredom or kill anyone for their insults. This was a piece a cake.”

I don’t let on that my palms are almost bleeding because I clenched my fists so tightly in there, but I do feel really good right now, especially considering that I taped that bitch for one and all to understand just how cool I really am.

The minute I see Jared, I’m ramming this tape recorder down his throat for ever doubting my skill as a ninja assassin, kickass mind bender.

Take that, Jar. And take that, Cleo Conrad, because we’re coming for your ass and I don’t even care at this point that you’re old, paralyzed, and defenceless.

She’ll spill the beans or I’ll break her legs so bad, she’ll never regain feeling in her limbs.





Chapter Thirteen


Jace

My heart is still pounding hours later when we disembark and meet Miah at the car. Trace is fast asleep and cuddled into me as I slide into the back seat and settle her more snuggly against my chest.

My shoulder hurts like an open root on a rotten tooth, but I ignore it and just enjoy the heat and scent of her sleep-warmed body as Miah starts the car and pulls back onto the road just as the late afternoon sun start dipping towards the horizon.

“She okay?” Miah asks, meeting my eyes in the rearview mirror when Trace makes a sound in her sleep and clutches at my shirt before relaxing against me again.

“She’ll be fine, Miah, she’s not weak.”

No, she’s strong and so brilliant that I’m still riding high off the rush of seeing her expertly lead Lynn to her grave. I am the weak one here, because as great as that was to witness I will never forget the fear in her eyes in that split second before she turned to meet Lynn and the craziness that I knew the woman wears like a mantle.

I’d stood at the mirror, practically glued to the thing with my piece in my fist the whole time, despite the doc glaring at me and insisting I put my weapon away before he called security.

I do not hate Lynn, and I don’t want her physically harmed, but I’d been ready and more than willing to end her if she so much as made a move for Trace.

It’s hours and an entire flight later—with a good glass of booze, too—and I am still so shaky and upset about this whole thing that I feel like a wuss for it when Trace seems just fine.

Well not fine since she’s clinging to me like a lifeline, but she hasn’t so much as tremored since we left that God forsaken hole in hell and made it back to the jet.

A quick stopover to grab Case and here we are and I’m still not okay.

“I know she’s strong, Jace. I just know exactly what Lynn is like now that her crazy is out of the bag, and I do not envy Trace those nightmares, man. But I will say that I am eternally grateful she went there. We now know a lot, and while it will help, we need to track down that safety-deposit box she spoke about.”

“Cleo is still in that coma?” I growl, clenching my fists to keep from hitting something and waking Trace.

“Yeah. The doctors don’t think she’ll wake up anytime soon, if at all. She lost too much oxygen to the brain before she got resuscitated, and they aren’t hopeful.”

Well shit. Here I was hoping to get to that box right now and just end this all. With that box in hand we’ll have not only the proof we need, but every key player to boot. We could shut this all down right now and walk away without a backward glance.

I want that so badly, I can taste it and yet it’s out of reach. Again. It seems that every step we take forward causes three steps right on back.

“We need that box, Miah.”

He sighs as he takes the turn and speeds up, wanting to get home to Clari, no doubt, as badly as I want to get my own girl home and safe behind the walls and security that awaits us there.

“You think I don’t know that already? My crazy-assed twin started going nuts the minute you put the phone down, and he’s about ready to raid and rob every fucking bank within city limits to get to it. We will find it. We just need time, Jace,” he says tiredly and I wince to see the strain and fatigue on his face.