Jersey Six - Jewel E Ann Page 0,87
he will remember everything, and he will find his family. But for now, he is the only truth in my life because, even if it’s not much, he’s giving me everything he has to give.”
She closed her eyes, jaw clenched, and took a slow breath. “Someone ran them over. They killed them. They drove off. They got away with murder. They put three young kids back on the fucking market, probably destined to land in a shitty home. And they evicted me from my home, my whole goddamn life!”
After her echo evaporated and a cloud of silence filled the room, Ian stood, meeting her hard gaze. “I’m sorry.”
Her nose twitched with anger. “I don’t want an apology.” Each word teetered on the edge of control, grating past her throat to find her lips.
Ian grabbed the back of his neck and just kept his hand there, soothing some physical pain or holding himself together. She wasn’t sure.
“What do you want?” he asked.
“A confession.” Her chin tipped up a fraction, eyes narrowed.
“From whom?”
“You.”
“What is my confession?”
If she said it, there would be no going back. Her access to Ian Cooper could end in a matter of seconds. And maybe that was okay. The time had come to end it. To end him.
“For the record,” Jersey whispered, glancing down at the mess on the table. What was left of her heart crumbled, disintegrating into dust, into nothing. “I think I could have loved you.”
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Jersey jumped as they turned toward the door.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
“Ian!”
He brushed past Jersey, opening the door. Max charged inside. “Why haven’t you answered your phone?”
Ian nodded toward the bathroom. “I left it on the vanity after my shower. What the hell is going on?”
Max held up her phone and the video playing on the news app. Ian narrowed his eyes at the screen, slowly taking the phone from her hand, lips parted. The volume wasn’t turned up enough for Jersey to hear it well.
“I’m sorry,” Max whispered.
Jersey remained statuesque in the corner of the room. She confessed to him something that was only meant for him to hear right before he died. But he didn’t die.
“Cancel the rest of the tour,” he said with no emotion to his voice.
“Ian—”
“Cancel it!” He shoved the phone back into her hand. Eyes pinched shut, jaw muscles flexing.
“Jeanine said the neighbors were out of town. Had he not been there—”
“We’re going home. Now.”
Max nodded slowly. It was a rare moment when she let her vulnerability surface—at a loss for words, at a loss for control.
“Jersey—” Max took a step toward her.
“I’ll tell her.” Ian interrupted Max again.
She backed up to the door, giving Jersey a sad smile before leaving them alone.
Whatever he watched on her screen should not have changed the course of their fate, but it did. Ian silenced Max and unarmed Jersey with a look, a tone, a new side she had not seen before. It made her feel like someone pummeling her into the ropes, the way Racer did to her so many years earlier.
After several minutes, Ian turned, meeting Jersey’s gaze. “My house is on fire.”
Jersey flinched. “Chris …”
“He’s fine. Saved my dogs. A real fucking hero on the news right now.”
Fire. The man who survived a horrific accident and lost everything but his actual heartbeat had to escape the jaws of twisted fate again.
Jersey despised the contempt on Ian’s face. Only a monster would show so much anger toward a hero. Ian’s life was spared, but only temporarily. Jersey knew what needed to be done. As soon as they returned to L.A., she planned on digging his grave amongst the rubble of his house.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Jersey: We’re on our way home. What happened?
She shot off a text to Chris on their way to the airport.
Chris: Gas explosion at the neighbor’s house. The wind carried the flames to Ian’s house. So tragic.
Jersey stared at his message, trying to decipher the meaning and the context of his words.
Jersey: Where are you?
Chris: Another neighbor’s house. The Blevins. I’m a hero at the moment. On every news channel. Saved the dogs. Called 9-1-1. Warned the other neighbors to evacuate. I’ve already had people offer to adopt me, feed me, house me. Better late than never, right?”
Jersey: He did it.
She stared at the three pulsing dots on the screen. Did Chris understand what she meant?
Chris: Not news to me. But I’m glad you’ve seen Jesus.
Jersey: ?
Chris: The truth. Why haven’t you done your thing?
Jersey: Because you had to be a hero.
Chris: Sorry. I