Under Pressure(37)

Jason couldn’t help the narrowing of his eyes. “No one should be leaving you roses. No one should be leaving you anything.”

Bella wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Outrage made her want to shriek, but instead she sighed. She knew that there wasn’t going to be a winner in this argument.

“We’ve got to talk about this. I needed to know what’s going on. You should have told me before going all soldier on me. Don’t just dismiss me…I needed to know.”

Jason pulled her to him and let out a loud sigh of resignation, his body relaxing against her.

“No, Bella, I’m sorry. I wasn’t dismissing you, sweetheart. It could have been a threat. It could have been something that could have hurt you. I reacted. I couldn’t bear it if you were hurt. I didn’t mean to upset you.” Understanding without her saying a word, he explained softly, “I know he took something away from you, but I’m not him. I’m not trying to control you. I just want to keep you safe.”

He forced himself to explain. She deserved that much. “It felt like a threat, sweetheart. I haven’t…It’s been a long time since I’ve cared for anyone like this. Not since my family was killed when I was but a lad. I just don’t want anything to happen to you. ”

Tony was standing there watching them somberly when a loud pounding on the door caught their attention. Jason checked and opened the door, and Sal burst in. Barely restrained violence hummed within him. Going straight to Bella, he yanked her into his arms and held her tight to him.

When she started to choke for air, Jason growled at Sal to let her go. As Sal pulled back, Jason snatched her away from him into his own arms, making Bella feel like a rag doll.

“The entire building’s on lockdown. What’s the goddamn sitrep?” Sal demanded.

Oddly calm, Bella suggested they move into the living room before talking. When they all sat down, Jason retained his grip on Bella’s hand and pulled her down next to him on the couch. He cornered her with his large frame, making her acutely aware that she was sitting on the very couch that she had been bent over the last time she had been in his apartment. Thinking about how Jason had taken her made her body react with a pulsing desire that left her breathless. She stroked her hand over the armrest. Glancing up, she was captured by Jason’s piercing gaze, his nostrils flaring. She knew he was remembering their passionate encounter as well. She could feel the color creeping up her neck and knew without a doubt that her face was flush at the memory.

Jason felt like an animal.

How the hell could he be thinking about sex when Bella was in danger? Saying his suspicions out loud, he knew it sounded ludicrous. But he couldn’t explain his gut reaction. The roses had been a threat. He knew the feeling he got when something wasn’t right, and seeing the roses splayed out on her car had given him that tingle of intuition that had saved his life too many time for him to ignore.

Fear had torn through him, and his one and only thought had been to get Bella to safety. Looking at her now sitting on the same couch where he had taken her, he had to admit that he had also been overcome with both possessive and protective instincts that had forced him to handle the situation with less tact then he should have.

Damn it, she made him feel all of these unfamiliar emotions, and it was making him crazy. His cock had turned into a steel spike in his pants, but he forced the primal urges down, trying to stay detached as he always had during times of crisis. Bloody hell, it just wasn’t working.

His large hand covered hers and she looked down at the contrast they made. Surrounded in security, Bella felt a strength she hadn’t felt in a long time, like everything was going to be okay.

Sal demanded to know what was going on again, and Jason hesitantly turned from Bella to tell them what had happened.

“Is this lockdown really necessary? I mean, we don’t even know who they were from,” Bella tried to point out.

His phone rang, but he didn’t look away from Bella. Placing her hand gently on his wrist, Bella spoke softly. “I know you won’t let anything happen to me.” Approval flashed in his eyes before he brought the phone up to his ear.

“Go.” Jason listened to whatever was being said to him. Bella started to get up, but Jason wouldn’t let her move.

“I need a cigarette.”

Jason reached into his back pocket and pulled out his case, handing her one. He lit it for her, and she inhaled deep, trying to calm her nerves. Jason reached out and lifted her hand, holding it up to his mouth, and took a drag.

Bella looked over at Sal to see the lethal rage still simmering in his eyes. Tony had been way too quiet. She cleared her throat and tried to be reasonable.