The Next Play: Part Four: the play series | book 1 | part 4 Page 5

  “I don’t know,” he said with another sigh, sitting back in the chair. “I’ve been asking myself that same question ever since he told me, and I still don’t have a clue. But I’ve got people working on it.”

  With her head tilted a bit to the side, she studied his strained expression. “Do you really think it’s her?”

  “I don’t know what to think,” he muttered, reaching up to rub at the tight muscles at the back of his neck. “You haven’t gotten another text, have you?”

  “No. I’d tell you if I had, I promise. Everything that’s happening—it’s all too unsettling for us to be keeping things from each other.”

  He leaned over and took her face in his hands. “I’m not ever keeping anything from you again, you understand? I’m all in, Jocelyn.”

  “Me too,” she whispered, gazing back at him.

  With his brow drawn tight, he said, “There are some things I need to tell you, but not here. We’ll talk tonight, okay? When it’s just the two of us.”

  He could see that she was worried, but she still managed to give him one of her soft, shy smiles. “Okay.”

  She leaned forward, pressing her forehead to his, and they stayed that way until two nurses came into the room a few minutes later and started getting Davey ready to go home, removing his IV and checking his vitals one last time. With everything in the clear, they wheeled him downstairs, per hospital rules, and then Jonah picked him up and carried him out to the SUV.

  They made good time back to the penthouse, and as he carried Davey up from the parking garage, his heart melted at the way the kid snuggled into his shoulder, his little arms thrown around his neck. As soon as they reached the lobby, Jonah headed over to the front desk and spoke to the doorman who was on duty. “If you see the brunette who David posted a security alert on for the building, or if anyone comes in asking for anything that wasn’t previously booked, call me.”

  “Yes sir.”

  With that covered, they headed over to the bank of elevators, and he and Jocelyn shared a smile when they caught the way Davey’s eyes had gone as big as saucers as he took in the luxurious surroundings.

  “It’s pretty, isn’t it?” Jocelyn murmured to her son, as they stepped onto the elevator.

  His little head bobbed up and down as he watched Jonah reach over and hit the button for the penthouse level, his boyish laughter filling the elevator when Jonah started to tickle him under his arm.

  “Silly Jonah!” he squealed, as Jocelyn’s laughter joined her son’s.

  “Saved by the bell,” she said with a smile, when they reached the top floor and the elevator doors slid open.

  They’d told Davey the plans for the weekend as they made the drive over from the hospital, and it’d been heartwarming to see how excited the kid was to see where he lived. But Jonah hadn’t been fully prepared for how good it would feel to shut his front door behind them, as if they were all finally where they belonged.

  As if they were finally home.

  He changed a few of the security settings using the keypad on the wall, then carried Davey over to the glass doors to show him the pool, explaining in a firm but gentle tone that he was only to ever go outside when he had Jonah or his mom with him. Then he carried him over to the sofa and sat him down. “If it’s okay with your mom,” he said, “I can put some cartoons on for you to watch until we have lunch.”

  “Can I, Mommy?” Davey asked with an adorable, sleepy smile.

  “It’s fine with me,” she told him, leaning over the back of the sofa to kiss the top of his curls. “Just come and get me if you need me.”

  He made a noncommittal sound, his attention already on the TV as Jonah scrolled through the channels until he found the one he knew Davey was allowed to watch at home. Then he set the remote on the coffee table and grabbed the chenille blanket off the back of the sofa, laying it over Davey’s legs as the little boy snuggled back into the throw pillows Jonah’s interior designer had picked out.

  “Thanks, Jonah.”

  “No problem, kiddo,” he murmured, thinking Davey would probably be sound asleep before the first commercial.

  Sliding his arm around Jocelyn’s waist, Jonah steered her toward the kitchen. “Why don’t you hop up on one of the stools while I put on some coffee for us.”

  “Coffee sounds incredible,” she said with a low moan, settling on the first stool. “I honestly can’t remember the last time I was this exhausted.”

  He slid her a commiserating look as he turned on the tap to fill the coffee pot with water. “I think we’ll all probably crash early tonight.”

  “Do you have the doors to the pool locked?” she asked, casting a worried look back toward the living room.

  “Yeah. And I’ve got the door chimes on too,” he assured her. “They’re linked into the security system, so he won’t be able to get out by the pool or open the front door without us knowing about it.”

  “You’ve thought of everything,” she said with a grateful smile.

  “I want him to be safe here. And I want you to be able to relax, knowing that I won’t let anything happen to either one of you.”

  “You’re worried about Valerie, aren’t you?” she asked, catching her lower lip in her teeth.

  Jonah frowned. “I think it would be stupid not to be, since I have no idea what her endgame is. But she’s not getting anywhere near us.”

  “I know you—Ohmygod! What’s all that?” she asked, her attention completely diverted when she’d looked over to her left and spotted the boxes of toys that were stacked up high on the breakfast table at the far end of the kitchen. She stared in shock at the five boxes of LEGOs, a few more of building blocks, and the gaming console that sat next to a pile of games.

  Her reaction had his lips twitching with another grin. “Those are just some things I had delivered for Davey.”

  She walked over to the array of toys, then looked back at him over her shoulder. “You bought an Xbox One X and a bunch of games for kids?”

  “Well, yeah. The little man’s gotta have something fun to do while he’s here and we’re not in the pool.”

  “But an Xbox One X? Those things are freaking expensive.”

  “Jace, it’s not a big deal, okay? I can’t think of anything better to spend money on than making that little boy happy.”

  “Okay,” she said in a soft voice, quickly looking away from him.

  “Hey, are you crying?” He crossed his arms over his chest as he braced his hip against the counter. “Jesus, babe, don’t cry. You’re making me feel like a dick.”

  “No! God, that’s the last thing that you are. I’m just an emotional wreck,” she murmured, swiping at the tears on her cheeks as she turned back around to face him. “And this,” she added, gesturing toward the table, “was super sweet, so thank you. He’s wanted an Xbox for ages, but I was still saving up for one.”

  “My personal shopper said it was the best console for kids his age because it has lots of educational games.” He started the coffee, then walked over to her, a frown pulling at his mouth as he thought about what she’d just said. “And if you’re having to save up for things like that, then you need a fucking raise. What the hell are we paying you?”

  “Don’t,” she warned, giving him a stern look. “My salary is not up for debate. Not now. Not ever.”

  “Fine,” he muttered, hating her independent streak just as much as he admired it. What was the point of having all this money if he couldn’t spend it on the people he cared about? But they were both exhausted, so he knew it was an argument to save for a later date.

  Deliberately trying to lighten the mood, he held up his hands and shot her a lopsided smile. “Just don’t hurt me, okay? You’ve got that badass ‘mom’ look going on right now that’s hot as fuck, but also kinda intimidating.”

  She gave a delicate snort as she shook her head at him. “You’re so full of it.”

  He lunged for her, lifting her off her feet as he pulled her against him. “I can�
��t wait till you’re full of me again,” he whispered against her ear, his warm breath making her shiver in his arms.

  “You’re incorrigible.”

  He laughed as he kissed his way down the side of her throat. “I’m yours.”

  Her breath caught at his huskily spoken words, and then her soft lips were on his, and Jonah kissed the hell out of her until the coffee maker chimed to signal it was finished brewing.

  She climbed back up onto the stool she’d been sitting on while he filled two mugs. “By the way, Lucas wanted me to tell you that he’s going to buy tickets for next week’s Niners’ game, so let him know if you want one.”

  His eyebrows lifted with surprise. “You talked to Lucas?”

  “Yeah,” she replied, wrapping her hands around the warm mug he’d just set down for her. “He came by the hospital while you were gone.”

  “Wait, what?”

  Her head cocked a bit to the side as she held his stare. “He called not long after you left this morning, just as I was getting off the phone with my parents.”

  “Why?” he asked, his gut getting tight at the thought of her and Lucas together.

  “Um, because he was being nice. He’d heard from Denny that Davey was admitted last night and wanted to make sure everything was okay. He was already close to the hospital when he called, so he dropped by the Starbucks on Lassiter and brought me a coffee.”

  “Huh.”

  Her brows drew together in a frown. “He’s just trying to be my friend. Do you honestly have a problem with that?”

  “No. I want you to be friends with my friends. I just…”

  “You just what?” she prompted, when his voice trailed off.

  “Nothing,” he muttered. “I’m being a jackass, because I’m a jealous jackass.”

  He couldn’t help but smile at the soft sound of her laughter. “You know, you might have all that sexy red hair,” she murmured, “but green is so not a good color on you.”

  “Very funny,” he grumbled.

  “Honestly, there’s nothing to be jealous of,” she told him, bracing one arm on the countertop and propping her head up with her hand against her cheek. “He spent most of the time telling me how awesome you are.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Scout’s honor,” she quipped, lifting two fingers.

  “Well, he’s a good man. The best. You should talk to him more often.”

  She gave another soft laugh, shaking her head again.

  “God, that laugh,” he groaned. “It makes me so fucking hard.”

  Her lips curved in one of those sweet smiles that always floored him. “You’re so easy, Mr. Cartwright.”

  Leaning toward her from his side of the breakfast bar, he murmured, “With you, baby. Only with you.”

  “Speaking of, well, monogamy,” she said, looking at him from under her lashes after taking a sip of her coffee, “I need to tell you that Lucas shared something kind of personal about you.”

  He straightened, bracing himself for whatever she was about to say. “Okay.”

  Reaching up to tuck a golden curl behind her ear, she kept her gaze on his. “He said that in the past, you’ve dated some women outside of the club.”

  “That’s true,” he agreed uncomfortably, still frowning. “Though there were only a few.”

  She pulled in a deep breath, then slowly let it out. “He also said that you, um, shared each one of those women with him.”

  “Shit,” he cursed, setting his coffee down so hard it nearly sloshed over the rim of the mug. “That miserable bastard.”

  “Don’t get pissed at him,” she said in a rush. “He wasn’t being creepy about it or anything. He just wanted me to know how…different I am to you, because he said you’d made it clear that something like that was never going to happen again.”

  “Damn straight I did,” he muttered. “I’d fucking kill the motherfucker if he tried to fucking touch you.”

  Her eyes sparkled with the laughter she was obviously trying to hold back as she bit her lip again, though he didn’t have a clue what she found so funny.

  “What?” he asked, coming around the end of the breakfast bar.

  She swiveled his way on the stool and tilted her head back as he drew near. “You just used ‘fuck’ three times in one sentence. That takes talent.”

  He was surprised when a rough laugh burst past his own lips.

  “See? Everything’s going to be okay,” she told him as she patted his chest. “No need to go thermonuclear on anyone, including Lucas.”

  “Thermonuclear?” he repeated, loving the way her mind worked.

  She grinned up at him. “Yep.”

  “Kiss me, you little witch,” he growled, his big hands settling possessively around her waist as he leaned down and claimed her smiling lips.

  “What’s so funny?” Davey asked from behind him, the kid’s sudden appearance reminding Jonah that he’d need to be on his best behavior at all times, since Davey clearly had some mad ninja skills.

  “Jonah’s just being silly,” Jocelyn replied, leaning to the side so she could smile at her son. “You need anything, sugar bear?”

  “I’m thirsty.”

  “Well,” Jonah said, turning around, “your choices are apple juice, milk, or water.”

  Davey grinned. “Apple juice, please.”

  “Good choice.” Jonah ruffled the kid’s hair as he walked past him, then listened to Davey tell his mom all about the show he was watching while he poured him a small glass of apple juice.

  “Here ya go, kiddo,” he said, coming back around the breakfast bar and handing the glass to him.

  “Thanks, Jonah.” Looking at his mom, Davey asked, “Will you watch some cartoons with me?”

  “Of course I will. But let me carry the juice for you.” She took the glass from Davey’s little hands, then looked over at Jonah. “Wanna join us?”

  “I do. I just need to check a few things on my laptop first.” He could see the concern that swept through her gaze, but she didn’t ask for details, no doubt assuming that it had to do with Valerie and the texts. “Will you be okay if I head upstairs for a bit?”

  “We’ll be fine,” she told him, giving him a reassuring smile before heading back into the living room with Davey.

  Jonah rubbed at the back of his neck as he headed up to his home office, trying to wrap his head around how the woman was able to take him from jealous ass to laughing, lovesick idiot within the blink of an eye. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he shot Lucas a quick message to let him know that he’d pass on the game, then sat down behind his desk and pulled up his email on his laptop. Phil had sent him a brief message, along with a preliminary file on Valerie Johnson, and there was a knot in Jonah’s stomach as he opened the file and started reading.

  The first thing he noticed was that Phil had listed her name as Valerie Johnson, as well as Valerie Hamilton. According to the file, Val had married a few years after leaving San Francisco, only to get divorced last year. But there were no known social media accounts or society page listings, which made Phil think she must have someone removing any traces of her from the internet, and Jonah had to agree. It wouldn’t be easy, but if someone were tech savvy enough, they could probably do it. At least at the general search engine level. And she clearly had someone working with her who knew their way around technology, considering she’d been able to avoid detection so far, despite sending three texts and that fucking photo to Jocelyn, as well as calling the employees at Vane.

  Closing down the file, he shot an email back to Phil, then snapped his laptop shut. With a frustrated curse on his lips, he scrubbed his hands down his face, then moved back to his feet, just wanting this shit over and done with so that he could focus on what mattered.

  And what mattered was becoming clearer with every moment he spent with the two incredible people downstairs. They made him smile. Made him laugh. Made him look forward to every day in a way that he never had before.

  They made him
whole, and there was no way in hell Jonah was going to let Valerie—or whoever else out there who might have it in for him—come between him and the people he loved.

  The people he cherished.

  The people he intended to honor and protect until he drew his final breath.

  And God help anyone who tried to stand in his way.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  A half hour after Jonah had headed up to his office, Jocelyn caught the sound of him moving around in the kitchen. A few minutes later, her eyes went wide when he walked into the living room carrying three enormous bowls of ice cream on a tray.

  “Okay, you two,” he said with a smile. “Who’s ready for a massive sugar rush?”

  “Me!” Davey squealed, bouncing up onto his knees as Jonah handed out the treats.

  She watched to make sure Davey was being careful not to spill, then dug in. The ice cream was chilly and delicious on her tongue, and as she shivered with pleasure, Jocelyn couldn’t help but remember how Jonah had made her shiver the night before. Even after so many hours, she could still feel the echoes of his possession in every part of her.

  And that’s exactly what it’d been. A possession.

  One that had laid claim to her completely—body, heart and soul—and despite the nightmare going on with his psychotic blast-from-the-past, she felt as if they were on the precipice of something amazing, if they could just make their way through to the other side.

  Finishing off his ice cream, Jonah set his bowl down on the coffee table, then leaned back and slid his arm around her shoulders.

  “Mommy, is Jonah your boyfriend?” Davey asked.

  Jonah sat up a bit straighter beside her, and Jocelyn knew it was time. Giving Davey a gentle smile, she asked, “How would you feel if he was, love bug?”

  Davey looked thoughtful for a moment, as if working the question over in his head, and then he gave her a beaming smile. “I’d be happy, ‘cause I want Mommy to be happy. And I want Jonah to be happy too.”

  “You sweet boy,” she said, setting her bowl down so that she could reach over and pull him onto her lap. “Mommy loves you so much,” she told him, careful not to knock his bowl out of his hands as she gave him a tight hug. “And the answer is yes, Jonah’s my boyfriend.”