Jackson’s Destiny(7)

When Ryan stopped the car, I pushed open the door and slammed it behind me as I stalked to the Jeep. After I found the keys under the floor mat, I started it up and did a U-turn in the road, then headed back toward the gravel road that led to my cabin and Noah’s. I took the left turn on the Y-shaped fork in the road which separated our homes, and drove up the hill to Noah’s place.

My father had given each of us a piece of land to build a house on, and Noah and I chose the property near Owen Lake. It was the second biggest lake on the ranch and the perfect location for a home. When we both wanted that spot, Dad insisted we divide the property in half, using the lake as the barrier. Noah went simple—a two-bedroom cabin with an open floor plan. I had to outdo him, of course, and went more extravagant.

I skidded to a stop next to his cruiser and placed the Jeep in park. I left it running because I had no intention of staying long. I was here to get the girl. My boots clicked against the wood porch as I climbed the steps. The front door was slightly ajar, and I entered without as much as a knock to announce my presence.

I found Noah in the kitchen drinking a can of Pepsi, and Bailey was nowhere in sight.

“Where is she?” I growled.

He spun on his heel to face me, and a knowing grin pulled at his lips. “Hey, brother.”

“I asked where Bailey was.”

He nodded toward the door just off his kitchen, which led to the bathroom. I leaned my hip against the edge of the counter and crossed my arms over my chest.

“She’s fine to stay here. I think she just needs a little cooldown time,” Noah said.

“She ain’t staying here,” I said, not taking my eyes off the closed door. “She needs someplace to crash, she can do that at my place.”

“What if she would rather stay with me?” Noah taunted.

I knew he was baiting me, but I didn’t bite. Instead, I focused on the door and waited. The moment the handle rattled, I pushed off the counter and walked toward Bailey as she stepped out of the bathroom. She turned and looked up as I approached, and her reddened eyes widened in surprise. She’d clearly been crying, which pulled at my heart, and she immediately looked at the floor to hide her face from me.

I cupped her chin and turned her head so she had no choice but to look up at me. “You ready?” I asked.

She looked back at me in confusion. “Ready for what?” My chest tightened again at the shakiness of her voice.

“I’m taking you with me to my place.” It was an order, not an offer. The moment she started to shake her head, I smiled. Like she had a choice. “You can come willingly, or I can just pick your ass up and carry you to the Jeep. You choose, sweetheart, but those two are your only options.”

She glared at me and went into her “I am Bailey, and you have no control over me” stance by putting her hand on her hip and cocking it out. She narrowed her eyes and wrinkled her nose in defiance. “You can’t force me.”

“You wanna bet?” I fired back.

“I’ll call the cops.” She looked over at Noah like he was gonna help.

“Darlin’, we’re standing in the home of one of the town’s police officers, and that sure as shit ain’t gonna stop me from loading you up and taking you to my place.”

I chuckled as she swallowed hard, making her throat bob. When she didn’t move, I knelt, grabbed her around the waist, and then tossed her up over my shoulder.

“Noah,” she squealed as she pounded her fists against my back. “Help me, dammit.”

I turned around and found Noah hiding his laughter behind his closed fist. He made no move to come to her rescue, which was in his best interest. I walked right past him with a kicking, squealing Bailey and carried her outside to the Jeep, where I yanked open the passenger door and dropped her inside, then closed the door just as she opened her mouth to argue with me. She tried to climb out, but I shut the door the second she opened it, then glared at her through the window.

I almost laughed when she huffed in irritation and crossed her arms over her chest before turning away from me. As I walked around the front of the Jeep and crawled in the driver’s side, she looked at me with a scowl, as if that would somehow intimidate me. Yeah, Bailey had always been feisty like that, and I couldn’t help but smile. This reminded me of the first time I hit on her and she sassed me, even though I could tell she was interested. She tried to hide it but always failed miserably. For the first time in four days, I felt a little lighter. Like a bit of the tremendous weight that had been bringing me down was lifted. I started the Jeep and cocked an eyebrow at the still-scowling blonde bombshell at my side. “You done pitching a fit?”