The Next Play: Part Four: the play series | book 1 | part 4 Page 9

  Davey laughed. “No.”

  “Well, next year we’ll all dress up and go trick-or-treating together.”

  “You’d really do that?” she asked, unable to hide her surprise.

  He leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to her temple. “Of course I would. I haven’t been trick-or-treating since I was a kid, and even then it was only if I got invited to a friend’s house. It’ll be awesome.”

  Her heart twisted in her chest at the thought of Jonah as a little boy, hoping he’d be able to go out on Halloween night and have fun with his friends, but knowing it might not happen.

  “We’re all dressing up?” Davey asked, looking like he was giving the idea some serious thought.

  Jonah smiled. “You bet. So who do you think you’ll want to be?”

  “Iron Man!” Davey shouted, his green eyes bright with excitement.

  “That’s a good choice,” Jonah told him. “And if your mom’s Black Widow, then I’ll be Captain America.”

  “No way,” she laughed. “I’ll have to go as someone else. Spandex isn’t really my thing.”

  “What’s spandex?” Davey asked, scrunching up his little nose.

  “It’s what most superheroes’ clothes are made of,” Jonah explained, before giving her a knowing look. “And despite what she thinks, your mom is going to look gorgeous in it.”

  “And you’ll be wearing it too?” Davey asked, clearly wanting to nail down all the details now, even though Halloween was nearly a year away.

  “I sure will.”

  “Yay!” Davey shouted. “You’re gonna be the best Captain America ever!”

  “And I think you’re gonna be the coolest Iron Man ever,” Jonah replied, his voice sounding a bit gruff.

  Her son beamed, then turned his attention back to her. “Mommy, can I watch some cartoons before breakfast?”

  “Sure thing, butterbean,” she answered with a smile. “Just be super careful going down the stairs.”

  “I will!” he called out, already heading back into the hallway, and she shot Jonah a wry look. “I clearly need to talk to him about feeding your ego.”

  He gave a low laugh. “And I’m gonna have to learn to watch my mouth.”

  “Only sometimes.” She gave him a little smile. “’Cause I happen to love your dirty mouth.”

  “Don’t,” he husked with a low note of warning, his gaze all heavy-lidded and hot. “You know how worked up it makes me when you say sweet things like that.”

  She stroked her fingers over the stubble on his rugged jaw again, loving its silky texture. “Then I guess you’d better toughen up, because I plan on saying all kinds of sweet things about you. And to you.” She placed a soft kiss against the corner of his mouth, her fingertips stroking the faint mark on his neck that’d been made when she bit him on Saturday night. “You hungry?”

  “I am.” His deep voice was guttural with need, his arms like steel bands as they tightened around her. “I’m hungry for you. You’ve created a monster, Miss Brenna, and now you’ve got to feed him. Constantly,” he whispered, kissing his way down the side of her throat. “It’s going to be a full-time job.”

  “Well, before you start sexing me up again and fry the rest of my brain cells—”

  “Sexing you up?” he laughed, the sound all sexy and rough as he lifted his head and looked at her.

  She bit her lip as she smirked. “I think we should eat.”

  “Good idea.” He moved to his feet with her still in his arms and started walking.

  “You do know that I’m talking about real food, don’t you?”

  He tried to look innocent as he carried her through the doorway. “So am I.”

  “Sure you are,” she laughed, suspecting he was always going to be a handful.

  But Jocelyn had a feeling she was going to love every amazing second of it.

  * * *

  Two hours later, Jonah was keeping Davey company on the sofa while Jocelyn finished getting ready upstairs. The little guy was telling him all about the upcoming field trip his pre-school class was taking to the city’s aquarium, and his heart nearly melted when Davey asked if he wanted to come too. According to Davey, Jocelyn had volunteered to chaperone the trip, and Jonah planned on talking to her about it the next time they were alone. Because if she was okay with it, then he was going to go. If Davey wanted him there, then Jonah damn well planned on doing whatever it took to make sure he could be.

  “Sounds like your mom’s ready,” he said, looking over the back of the sofa when he heard her light footsteps on the stairs, the sight of her making his breath give a little hitch. She looked unbelievably beautiful in her gray dress and cardigan, the black ankle boots on her feet doing amazing things to her legs. But he already thought her legs were fantastic, along with every other inch of her, so it wasn’t like she needed them. But he was sure as hell appreciating the view, and the shy half-smile she gave him when she caught him staring was something he wanted to see every morning of his life.

  And now that she’d told Davey about their relationship, he was hoping that want could be a reality. Hoped he and Jocelyn could spend every night together, wrapped up in each other, and since he didn’t want to disrupt Davey’s routine, that meant he’d be spending a lot of nights at her apartment.

  The smile on his lips got a little wider as he thought about how Jocelyn would have to snuggle up against him in her smaller bed, after he fucked her hard enough to knock all those knickknacks off the shelf on her bedroom wall.

  “Davey, sweetie, go upstairs and grab your shoes,” she said, lifting her purse strap over her shoulder.

  “Okay, Mommy,” he replied, zipping off the sofa and hurtling toward the stairs.

  “And don’t run,” she cautioned, watching to make sure Davey was listening to her, before turning back to Jonah.

  As he came around the far end of the sofa and walked over to her, he drew in a deep breath, loving the way her warm, feminine scent affected him, his body buzzing and his mouth watering for a taste of her. It didn’t seem to matter how many times he got his mouth on her, he was always left wanting more. Needing it. Craving her like a beast. But instead of raging against the feeling, like he had in the beginning, he now embraced it and all that it meant.

  Because he was in love with her.

  “You look beautiful,” he told her, reaching up to brush his thumb against the delicate edge of her jaw, her green eyes warm with emotion as she stared up at him.

  “So do you,” she said with a smile, curling her hand around his thick wrist, the charms on her bracelet making a soft metallic sound as they clanged together.

  Cradling her hand in his, Jonah lifted her wrist so that he could study the various charms. “I want you to have one that reminds you of me,” he murmured, lowering his head so he could press a tender kiss against the center of her palm, her soft intake of breath telling him she was as affected by the sensual electricity they generated every bit as much as he was. Flashing her a wry grin, he added, “Maybe a bull, since you know how stubborn I can be.”

  A spark of humor glittered in her eyes as she arched one golden brow. “Or a horse?”

  He snickered under his breath, loving it when she was playful. “That would definitely be appropriate, given that I’m hung like one.”

  “Or we could go another route,” she teased, “and get a conceited peacock.”

  “Now you’re just being mean,” he rumbled, reaching around and pinching her sweet ass.

  She laughed as she gripped his shoulders and lifted up onto her tiptoes, pressing a small kiss to the side of his throat. “I’ll happily wear whatever you decide on, because I would love to have a charm that stands for you.” She nipped at his chin. “That makes me think of you.” She lifted up higher and kissed his lips. “Because I want you with me. Always.”

  Undone by her words, Jonah wrapped his arms around her and crushed her against him, his mouth taking hers with the visceral hunger and need of an addict seeking his fix. B
ut he knew this wasn’t the time or the place, and even though it was difficult as hell, he somehow found the strength to gentle the kiss, running his lips along the smooth curve of her cheek, before nuzzling the soft skin beneath her ear. When he finally lifted his head, he forced himself to take a step back, since she had somewhere important to be, and all he wanted to do was keep on kissing her. “Here, you’ll need these,” he said, taking his backup set of keys from his pocket and handing them to her. “The key fob to the Mercedes is on there, as well as the key to the penthouse.”

  She looked down at the keys in her hand, then back up at him. “Why are you giving me your keys? Aren’t you driving us over to my place, so I can get my car?”

  “I’d rather you drive the SUV today.” Stepping around her, he walked over and grabbed his other set of keys off the small table that stood beside the front door. “And before you ask why, I’ll tell you. Because the SUV is safer than that relic you’ve been driving.”

  “A cab would be safe too,” she argued, getting that stubborn look in her eyes that turned him on every bit as much as it made him want to spank her gorgeous little backside.

  “Yeah, well, you’re not getting in a fucking cab.”

  “Jonah.”

  “Do it for me,” he said, pushing his hands into his front pockets as he walked back over to her. “Please. I need to know that the two of you are safe.”

  Softly, she asked, “And what about you?”

  His lips twitched with a crooked smile. “I’ve never driven the Audi as safely as I have this past week.”

  “Good.” She lifted her free hand to his face, cupping his jaw. “Because I feel just as strongly about protecting you as you do about me and Davey.”

  Davey came back down then, and after Jonah grabbed his briefcase, the three of them headed down to the parking level. And while he didn’t believe that Valerie was capable of actual violence, he was vigilant all the same. No way in hell was he going to allow the bitch to get close to Jocelyn and Davey, causing a scene and saying God only knew what. Thankfully, he was throwing so much money at the problem, it was only a matter of time before Phil’s team found the rock she was hiding under and turned the fucker over.

  And when they did, Jonah planned on being there, so he could ask her himself just what it was that she was trying to accomplish.

  Davey’s car seat was still in the SUV, so he used the key fob on his set of keys to unlock the doors, then lifted the little dude up into his seat. As he was buckling him in, his phone started vibrating in his pocket to signal a new text message. He told Davey to be thinking about what kind of castle he wanted to build that night with his new LEGO sets, then shut the door and checked his phone.

  “Everything okay?” Jocelyn asked, opening the driver’s side door and tossing her purse into the passenger’s seat.

  “Yeah,” he murmured, holding the phone up for her so that she could see the message he’d received. It was from one of his fellow members at Vane, telling him they wished him the best in his relationship and were happy for him.

  Jocelyn hadn’t asked to see the message, but Jonah showed her anyway. And instead of ending up in another argument, she just smirked at him, before lifting onto her toes and pressing a brief, sweet kiss to his lips.

  After making her promise again to be careful, he shut the door for her and watched them drive away, feeling like they were taking a part of him with them. A part he hadn’t even realized was inside him until this thing had started between him and Jocelyn, and now… Now it was the best part of him. The part he was not only the proudest of, but that he hoped defined him. That set the precedence for all the days and nights still to come in his lifetime, the past be damned.

  He squeezed his hand around his phone, wanting to just toss it, as if that could wipe away his mistakes and all the shit that was happening with Valerie. But he slid it back into his pocket instead, knowing it wouldn’t work, and he needed the damn phone so that he could stay in touch with Jocelyn. He didn’t even give a shit that there was a security team looking at everything she received; he still planned on sending her dirty little texts throughout the day, so she’d know he was missing her.

  Jonah got to his office just after eleven and did his best to stay mellow during the meeting with Fillmore’s lawyers, even though it was an annoying waste of his time. When it was finally over, he checked his phone to see if Jocelyn had tried to get in touch. She’d promised to call him as soon as they were done meeting with the doctor, so he didn’t want to bug her with a call. Figuring it was a good time to check in with Nic, he headed that way, only to have Julie tell him that Nic was at an offsite meeting. He made a mental note to call him later, not liking the vibe he’d been getting lately from the most-troubled member of their group. Nic had demons that made the rest of their hang-ups look like a walk in the park, and he didn’t plan on being a shitty friend by losing sight of how the guy was doing.

  After he spent a few minutes catching up with Julie, Jonah headed over to Lucas’s office. But he could hear Lucas talking to someone on the phone, so he didn’t interrupt him. It turned out that both Gabe and Jack were out as well, so he finally said to hell with it and did what he’d been wanting to do since he arrived, which was grab his briefcase and get out of there.

  When he got to the Audi and was starting the engine, Jocelyn finally phoned him, and he put the car back into neutral as he answered the call. “Hey baby. How’d it go?”

  “Amazing,” she said, the excitement in her voice making him smile. “Dr. Ellis is incredible and we both loved her. She’s running a whole new panel of tests on Davey that should give her some definitive answers about what’s causing the infections, but she gave him the all-clear for the moment and said the meds have done a wonderful job this time.”

  “That’s great. I just wish I could have been there.”

  “Me too. How was the meeting?”

  “A waste of my fu—uh, time. Just time.”

  She laughed at his near miss. “Don’t worry, you’re not on speakerphone.”

  “Aren’t you heading back to my place?” he asked, wondering why she wasn’t already on the road as he put the Audi into reverse and pulled out of his parking space.

  “I’m still getting used to driving this beast,” she replied with another soft laugh, “so I didn’t want to use the hands-free. We haven’t even left the hospital parking lot yet. But I promised Davey I’d take him for an ice cream, and then I want to stop by my apartment to grab a few more things before we head over.”

  “You want me to meet you at your place and help you pack?”

  “It’s just a few things, so we’ll be fine,” she assured him. “But thanks for offering.”

  “It could be more than a few,” he murmured.

  He could hear the smile in her voice as she said, “And you’re getting ahead of yourself, Mr. Cartwright.”

  “I just want you and Davey where you belong, Miss Brenna.” He turned right into the midday traffic, the golden sunshine breaking through the heavy cloud cover reflecting his good mood. “And the two of you belong with me.”

  When she didn’t respond right away, he thought he might be pushing too hard. But then she tenderly said, “We’ll hurry, I promise.”

  She hadn’t come right out and said that she agreed with him, but her tone gave him hope. “Be careful, sweetheart. And just call me if you need anything.”

  They said their goodbyes, and as she disconnected the call, Jonah took the next left-hand turn, heading in the direction of his favorite coffee house. He was thinking about what he could say to convince Jocelyn that moving in with him wasn’t the rash decision it would look like to her friends and family, when his phone rang again. He started to smile, thinking she was already calling him back—but the smile fell when he glanced at the illuminated screen in his dashboard and saw that it was James.

  “Hey,” he said, answering the call. “You find out anything?”

  “Get over here. Quick,” James told
him, some kind of physical commotion happening in the background. “We’ve caught the bastard who stole the footage from the Diamond. And we’re expecting company. Soon.”

  “Val?” he clipped, while his hands gripped the steering wheel so tight he was surprised it didn’t snap in half.

  “Yeah,” James drawled with a thick note of satisfaction. “I set a trap and the psychotic bitch is about to walk right into it.”

  “I’m on my way,” he growled, turning the car around so fast he nearly burned the rubber off the Audi’s tires. “Whatever the fuck you do, don’t let her leave.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  A half hour later, Jonah pulled into the underground parking garage at Vane, the Audi fitting in nicely with the various other sports cars, from R8s to Ferraris. He parked beside James’s black Range Rover Autobiography, knifed out of his car, and took the members’ elevator up to the fifth floor, where James’s private office was located.

  The ride up seemed to take twice as long as it ever had before, and Jonah couldn’t shake the strange feeling that had crawled through him the moment he’d turned into the club’s garage, his skin itching like he had a rash. It felt wrong, and all he wanted was to get the hell out of there.

  But not until he’d dealt with the bitch trying to ruin his life.

  Eager to tell Jocelyn the news about Valerie, Jonah had been only seconds away from phoning her after James had ended their call, when he changed his mind. The last thing he wanted to do was worry her, and he had no idea how the confrontation was going to go, other than that he was mad as hell and looking for answers.

  When a soft ping sounded above his head, the elevator doors slid open, and as he stepped out onto the hardwood floor of the long hallway, Jonah found himself coming face-to-face with not only James, but Gabriel as well. Both men were tall, dark, and dressed in suits that cost more than most peoples’ monthly rent, their expressions a mix of anger and concern.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked Gabe. “I thought you were with Denny.”