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Authors: Jami Denise

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BOOK: Queen of Hearts
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And I decided it didn’t matter. Even if my ass spread an inch or a mile, I wasn’t giving up those damn daily rolls for anyone.

They were that good.

I got out of the car and pushed my sunglasses down on my nose. The hair on the back of my neck prickled. I spun around, making a full ninety-degree turn, and scanned the street around me. I’d had a weird vibe for a few weeks, a sense that someone was following me, watching me. I’d chalked it up to crazy paranoia, but I was beginning to think it was something more.

Shaking my head, I pushed the door open, smiling at Helen, the owner and creator of the devilishly delicious rolls I was craving, and laughed as she held up a white paper bag.

“It’s a sad day when you’re a regular at the bake shop, Helen.”

She smirked and gave the bag a shake. “I heard Jack took off to be with Connie in Tulsa. She went into labor last night, so I figured you’d be in a hurry to open up the diner.”

With a grateful smile, I grabbed the bag and coffee, thanked her, and headed off to work.

I’d been a little hurt by the short text Jack sent me the night before telling me he’d be gone a few days to visit his sister. I’d asked for the distance—wanted it—but I was beginning to hate it.

The loneliness set in again and started filling up that creepy space in my head just when it started to quiet down.

I wasn’t good with emotions, damn it, and the confusion was almost more than I could deal with. In an attempt to gain the upper edge and gain back some control, I’d shifted him right back into the driver’s seat.

It pissed me off.

I drove the short distance to the diner and headed in. I was late, as usual, so I was grateful when I saw Dannie, one of the waitresses, had beaten me there.

“Sorry I’m late,” I told her, grabbing a seat at the counter and tossing my bag down on top. “I had to stop and get some goodies.”

She smiled. “You’re never on time, Jayne. Jack called this morning and asked me to open up.”

I rolled my eyes and pulled my treat from the bag, tearing it in half, and offered her a piece. “He’s a smart man.”

She took the roll, leaned against the counter, and bit into it. “Mmm,” she moaned. “Helen’s buns are the best.”

I nodded, too busy shoving the rest of the roll in my mouth.

Licking her fingers, she stared at me, a curious look that made me nervous. Sandi and I got along pretty well, but we’d never really talked all that much. It was usually shop talk, or sometimes the weather, but nothing substantial. I was good with that. I didn’t need any more connections to the town.

“What?” I asked.

“There was a guy in here looking for you. Two days ago, and then again last night.”

I gulped down the chunk of dough and swallowed heavily. I didn’t like where the conversation was going. Every cell in my body was on high alert.
Run
. That was the only thing going through my head.

Rationally, I knew it was impossible that Flynn had found me. I’d left not one trace, and butt-fuck Oklahoma was barely on the map. No...
there was no way.

“What did he want?” I tried to sound as nonchalant as possible, but it wasn’t without difficulty. I was freaking out.

“I don’t know. He was strange, if you ask me. First, he asked about the cute brunette that worked here, and I kinda made a joke about it being me. I told him, ‘standing right in front of ya, handsome.’ He just stared at me like I was crazy, and then he left.”

She shrugged, brushing it off like it was no big deal, but me? Inside, I was trembling. Something was up, and my subconscious was ready to kick my own ass for being such a slacker. I knew it.
Knew it
. I freaking knew someone was following me. My instincts were right, and I’d chosen to ignore them.

“Look, Jayne. I know we don’t know each other real well and stuff, but I care about Jack. Don’t hurt him, okay?”

My eyes shot to hers, and I wasn’t sure what to say at that point. The look in her eye said it all. She was in love with him, and I’d taken that for granted. Looking at her, the way her eyes misted and her lips pressed together, tight and steady... I’d missed the signs. I’d been so wrapped up in my own selfish bullshit that I’d ignored this girl and her obvious affection for Jack.

“He’s known from the beginning this isn’t serious, Sandi. I would never hurt him on purpose.”

She gave me a sad smile and pushed away from the counter. “He’s just, well, he’s a good man, and that guy that was looking for you—I don’t think he is. He gave me a really bad feeling. I tried to throw him off your trail, you know? I know you’re running from something, and I thought it might be him. No one comes here because they want to.”

I couldn’t get into it with her. She was fishing for information, and I was in no way going to get her involved or give her ammunition to get between me and Jack

“I appreciate you looking out for me, Sandi, but it’s not necessary. I came here to start over. That’s all. You don’t need to worry, okay?”

She didn’t look convinced, but there was nothing I could do. I got up, wiping my hands on my napkin, and took a long gulp of my already cold coffee.

“Well, this tastes like crap. Let’s get busy and start a few fresh pots. The customers will be beating down the doors before we know it.”

Sure enough, by seven-thirty we were packed. I had to admit—it was impressive the amount of business Jack did. I attributed most of it to Ray, his brother and the cook. The guy was a short-order genius. He made the best damn biscuits and gravy I’d ever had.

The rush afforded me the opportunity to forget about the stranger and the gut feeling that things were about to get bad. We had every table full, to-go orders up the ass, and being short-handed didn’t help. But it was good having something to keep my mind off things.

Finally, we had a break after the breakfast rush, so I quickly tallied up the till and went back to the motel to rest, gather my bearings, and think about my next step.

FIVE

S
leep was hard to come by. I had a lot to think about, including Jack. We’d fallen into a routine of comfortable avoidance. He hadn’t pushed for me to move in with him again, or even mentioned it for that matter. He somehow understood that I needed time to figure out my issues.

I used that time without him. I dug deep and ticked off all the pros and cons, analyzed my reasons for running off after my dad and Vince died, and came to terms with my decision to stay with him as long as I had.

My conclusions weren’t easy to take.

I was a coward and a liar. Simple as that.

Jack had become my cushion; my tiny, dilapidated motel room became the fortress that held my demons on the outside. The small town was a Mecca for all the things I thought I was missing out on and wanted in my life.

But it wasn’t. It was as solid of a trap as my previous life had been. I’d fallen into the same pattern, only with a different outcome. I’d settled on a dismal job because it was easy, a hole-in-the-wall motel because it was cheap, and a false relationship because it fed my insecurities and my fear of being alone.

I still had no idea where I fit in. I still wondered where I belonged, what I wanted. That mask I’d donned for as long as I could remember was still strapped to my skull, embedded into my skin with a grip so tight I thought I’d suffocate.

Coming to terms with the cold, hard facts was a blow for sure. I knew I would eventually go back to Vegas. It was inevitable. I wasn’t sure I’d stay, but I had to return and deal with the aftermath of what had gone down: the death of my family, the deceit from Flynn, my business, and most importantly, to face the ghost that wouldn’t leave my mind.

Doyle Maguire.

That man had to pay, one way or another.

I could picture that rat bastard sitting on his throne with a big shit-eating grin on his face, satisfied that he’d taken us down.

He had, to an extent. My father withered and died at his hand, he’d chased me off, and taken everything Vince had, including his life.

He was in for a surprise. I still had some fight in me. The more I pulled back the curtains to look through the window of my mind, the stronger I was. I was tougher than I gave myself credit for, and running off with my tail between my legs wasn’t my style. I’d slithered away, snuck off with the excuse of starting over, but in reality, I’d never stood my ground the way I should have.

It was time to bolster the courage to take the jerk to war.

~~***~~

T
he paranoia I’d lived with made me hypersensitive to sounds, and the familiar click from my rickety door jarred me out of sleep.

I knew it was Jack, even though it was unexpected. He’d spent less and less time with me at the motel, choosing instead to go home instead of staying over. I understood. I missed him, but I got it. He needed to put some distance between us while I got my shit together.

Sleep addled and dizzy, I rolled over and reached for the lamp. The dinosaur of a clock radio read three a.m. What was he doing at three in the morning?

“What are you doing here this time of night? Everything okay?”

My hand had just reached the base of the lamp when someone shoved the lamp off the nightstand, where it crashed to the floor and shattered into a million pieces.

Immediately I was wide awake and scared to fucking death.

A tall figure stood at the side of my bed, and I scrambled to the other side. Yanking the blanket up to shield myself, I wracked my brain for a way to escape. It was futile. There was nowhere to go in that room. I was trapped.

“Stay away,” I cried. “Don’t come any closer.”

My instincts disappeared. Out the window. I couldn’t even find the urge to scream. My throat was clamped down tight, pinched closed. My eyes watered as I tried to squeak out the feeble threat.

Ignoring my warnings, the man moved toward me and grabbed my ankles, pulling me closer. His hand clamped down over my mouth, and then he lifted me up into a sitting position. My screams were muffled by his hand pressing down so tight. My throat stung.

“You gonna calm down now?”

Finally, he reached up and pulled at the hood from his sweater, and the urge to scream was replaced by soul-crushing sobs. Tears flooded my eyes and my body fell limp with shock.

Vince.

I couldn’t believe it. It defied reason to have him standing there in front of me in that room. Alive. I blinked several times, even pinched myself trying to gain some perspective. So many emotions flooded through me that I felt like I would drown. Anger, relief, fear... I was more confused than ever. I’d hardly come to terms with his death, and then to find him in my room in that tiny town of all places? Yeah, I was freaking out!

I nodded, barely moving my head as I stared at him in disbelief.

His eyes softened, and the concern and warmth I saw struck me in a way I couldn’t explain. I’d missed him more than words could express. It was clear in that moment that I needed him more than ever. He’d always been my rock, and without him, I’d been leaning on a soft wall.

“I’m gonna let you go, but you have to shut the fuck up. I don’t need some Barney Fife running in here to save the day.”

His lips quirked into a small smile, and the dam broke. He retracted his hand and I threw myself at him, wrapping myself around him like an octopus on attack and sobbed in his arms.

There were no words exchanged, no explanations or apologies. Nothing. He knew that I needed everything to sink in, to know it was real, so he let me cry and held me.

Finally, he released me, pulled back, and softly pushed me away so we were eye to eye.

“How?”

It was a simple question, but I knew the answer was much more difficult to explain.

I watched him get caught, saw his blood soak the floor, and felt his last gasp for breath. Having him stand in front of me was impossible.

“Hey, hey...” He grabbed me again, squeezing me almost too tight, and kissed the top of my head. “You think I’d let that fucker kill me, kid? Thought you knew me better than that. I wouldn’t leave you, Janie. Someone has to take care of you.”

I shook my head against his chest and pulled back, grabbing his face and digging the pads of my fingers into his skin.

“My heart broke. I watched you die!”

His eyes floated shut briefly as he took a deep breath. “You fucking disappeared, Janie. You up and ran.”

He was suddenly furious, and I was immediately on the defensive.

“What was I supposed to do, Vince? Wait around for someone to drag me into a dark alley and strangle me? He killed my dad! His thugs shot you and Flynn right in front of me—tried to kill me! Do you honestly think he’d just let me off the hook? Do you think Flynn would have left me alone? He sent me a note before I left, Vince... he’s alive.”

He sat back, scratching the back of his neck. “Yeah, about that...” He trailed off, and my stomach twisted. I didn’t like the sound of that at all.

“Vince?”

He looked up and shook his head. “Look, he’s got that guy Collins on your trail. He’s been following you awhile. Maybe from the beginning. I came because I didn’t want you getting spooked. The guy is harmless—he’s not going to hurt you, but I know you, and I didn’t want it to end up bad.”

I gulped. My throat was suddenly dry, making it impossible to swallow. “How did he know I was here? How did you find me?”

He smirked. “I’ve known you a long time, Jayne. When you weren’t in California, I hit up Pamela.”

I looked down, shaking my head. “Shit.” I should have known she would tell Vince where I was. After all, as far as I knew when I left, he was dead. She probably thought she was doing me a favor, and in a way, she had.

I was definitely relieved that he was alive, but there were still a lot of unanswered questions.

“How long have you been following me? That’s fucked up, in case you’re wondering. Sneaking into my room, Vince? That’s just stupid.”

“A week.”

“A week?” I yelled. “Why didn’t you come to me sooner? What’s going on? Why did you come now?”

“I was waiting on your boyfriend to leave.” He wagged his eyebrows and gave me a knowing look. He wanted details, and he wasn’t going to listen to any of my bullshit.

BOOK: Queen of Hearts
9.38Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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