Billionaire Wolf's MateDate - Serena Meadows Page 0,12
difference does it make to you anyway? You don’t even like me.”
He actually had the audacity to look hurt. “I was just trying to help,” he said, getting to his feet. “But I think I’ll call it a night.”
Janice watched him go, feeling a little bit guilty, but Reggie was the last person she wanted to take advice from. She watched him leave. Part of her wanting to apologize, but then she saw him give Jacob a long look as he walked by, as if he was trying to communicate something to him. Jacob pretended not to notice, but she saw his eyes following Reggie as he walked into the house.
“Janice, I have to insist that you take some time to think about this. Our father is a ruthless man who will use anyone he can to get what he wants,” Jacob said. “There was a reason I hid you and Mom from him.”
Janice was tired of feeling like her life was out of control. “I just need this to be over. I don’t want to run; I don’t want to hide.”
“At least take one of us with you,” Ryan said, looking more concerned than the rest of the group, which surprised her. “Janice, I know about clans like your father’s, so does Sam, I bet, and none of us want to see you go unprotected.”
“I can protect her if it comes to that,” Jacob said. “My father wouldn’t appreciate anyone else sticking their noses in our business.”
“So, we’re just supposed to let her go?” Derek asked. “Janice, you have to see that this is crazy. What if he’s not telling the truth?”
Janice looked over at Jacob. “He’s telling the truth,” she said.
Jacob sighed. “I’ll take you if that’s what you really want, but I really wish you’d chose another option.”
“I won’t run, and I won’t hide. I’m not the bad guy here,” Janice said, her voice stronger than she felt but determined to see it through.
It didn’t take long to clean up the mess from dinner, and before she knew it, her house was silent and empty again. Jacob promised to arrange for transportation and told her to pack for a long vacation, then disappeared into the night. Knowing she’d never sleep, she started packing right away, cleaned the house, and took care of a few arrangements. When she finally collapsed into bed, there were only a few hours until dawn, and she wondered what the morning would bring as she fell asleep.
She woke with the sun, more rested than she thought she would be, showered and made herself a big breakfast, then ate it, watching her phone, hoping that Jacob would call before she drove herself crazy. Staring at her phone, she suddenly remembered Molly and quickly called her, explaining that there’d been a family emergency, and she felt guilty when she hung up.
But when Jacob finally pulled up in front of her house a few hours later, she knew that she’d made the right decision and she only glanced back once into the house as she locked the door behind her. Sure, that she’d made the right decision, she pushed away the feeling that when she came back, nothing would be the same, and helped Jacob put her bags in the trunk.
It wasn’t until they got to the airport that she realized she had no idea where they were going and began to panic for a second. “I never thought to ask where we’re going,” she said, staring at the private plane waiting for them. “I mean, I probably should tell someone.”
“I gave Derek all the information this morning, but we’re headed to a little town in upstate New York,” Jacob said. “It up in the mountains and pretty secluded, but it reminds me of Stoney Bridge in some ways. I think you’ll like it.”
Janice didn’t say anything, wasn’t sure what to say. Instead, she asked, “Is this your airplane?”
Jacob shook his head. “It’s a friend’s,” he said, a strange look on his face. “He was nice enough to let us use it.”
Chapter Six
***Reggie***
Reggie brought the plane to a halt, unable to help the big grin that spread across his face. “Thanks for letting me set her down, Dirk. I was afraid I’d lost my touch,” he said.
“Any time, Mr. Stuart; this is your plane after all,” Dirk said. “If you want some flying time, just give me a call.”
“That’s okay, Dirk, I think your time is better spent working with the kids; they need you more