Loving Jared - Nikita Slater Page 0,31

up, she said, "It was him, it had to be him. I don't know who else it could be."

Jared held her close as her eyes filled with tears and her shoulders shook with emotion.

"Mind telling me who you're talking about?" Kevin snapped.

Jared glared at the officer. "Her father is Michael Funk."

Kevin’s eyes widened as he recognized the name. Their city was not so big that a murder that high-profile wouldn't be remembered only a few years later. "Then that would mean her mother…" His words trailed off into nothing as he realized how insensitive he was being.

"Yeah, no parents," Jared said, his voice hard so the officers would understand that this was no joke and that the Funk siblings were vulnerable.

"Impossible. There's no way that man could've been released from prison that quickly," Kevin sneered. "Your sources are wrong."

Jared shrugged. "Look into it and get back to me when you find that I'm right. I’d like to know how he got out of prison too. If he’s responsible for this mess, you guys have a lot to answer for.” Jared tugged Amy closer against his side and said to the officers, "If that's all you have for now, we’ll be next-door. Let us know when you have her father back in custody."

Jared didn't give the officers a chance to stop them, pulling Amy toward the house and back inside. Millie and Sarah looked at them with concern, but Jared shook his head. "I'm gonna take your sister upstairs for a nice warm bath. You can watch some TV when you’re done eating. Don't answer the door. If anyone drops by, you come tell me."

"Okay," they both said in unison. They watched closely as Jared helped Amy up the stairs.

He filled the tub in his private bathroom with water. He'd splurged and had a big jet tub installed, one that was big enough to fit him and another person.

Amy seemed to be in shock as he helped her stand and gently pulled her clothes off her. She didn't protest that it was the first time he was seeing her naked. He wasn't even sure if she noticed. Her rigid, frozen state was beginning to worry him. He would try to warm her up and get her talking, but if that didn't work, he would have to take her to the hospital.

He picked her up in his arms and walked naked with her to the bathroom, stepping in the big tub and slowly lowering them both into the swirling heat. Amy began to thaw almost immediately, sighing deeply and wiggling on his lap until she’d snuggled into him with her head under his chin. Jared's cock immediately came to attention, but he told it to stand down. Now was not the time.

"Thank you," she whispered against his throat. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"You don't have to do anything without me," he murmured, smoothing her hair back with long tattooed fingers and pressing a kiss against her smooth forehead. "I'm here for you and I'm never gonna leave."

Fourteen

Jared kept the girls at his house for the night. He didn't want them spending the night at their own house, where their father could come back.

Amy tried a weak protest on him, but Jared had overridden her. He wasn't going to allow any nonsense, not when her life and those of her siblings might be in danger. Funk had already killed once; Jared wasn't going to give him the chance to do it again.

He made up the guest bed for Millie and Sarah, who were thrilled to have a sleepover. They went over to the house with Jared to collect a few things for the night, including Amy's overnight stuff.

Jared and Amy put the girls to bed together, assured them that they would be just fine and let them know that they would be down the hall.

Amy blushed as they made their way back to Jared's room together. "Where do I sleep?" she asked softly.

Jared curved his arm around her waist and squeezed her hip. "You're with me."

She didn't say anything but followed him back to his room. Jared gave her some privacy as she used the washroom to brush her teeth and get ready for bed. His heart about melted when she walked out of the bathroom, her bare curvy legs poking out from beneath a pink nighty that had a bear with glasses on it. It covered far more than it showed, but Jared liked it.

"Which side is mine?"