Rev It Up (Black Knights Inc. #3)(26)

He tucked his hands into the front pockets of his tattered jeans, and she closed her eyes as her heart, the one she’d sworn she’d hardened against him, shattered anew, along the same fault lines he’d made so long ago…

It wasn’t true. He might think it was because they’d never gotten the chance to finish what they’d started and he’d confused unrequited lust with love, but it wasn’t true. He didn’t love her. Men like him didn’t know the meaning of the word, yet they were oh so quick to whip it out when it suited them.

Hugging her son to her chest, she fought the urge to burst into tears, just dissolve into a puddle. This was why she hadn’t wanted to see him, why the mysterious “they” were obvious imbeciles. This moment right now. Because she wasn’t strong enough to resist him. She never had been.

But you have to be, Michelle. For Franklin’s sake…

“No, Jake,” she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to breathe past the iron vice of anguish crushing her chest, “you don’t—”

“Tell me there’s a chance,” he begged. She opened her eyes to search his face, her throat burning like the glowing embers of the fire at his back. “Tell me you still feel something for me.”

She swallowed and managed to choke, “You had your chance. You had many chances, but you blew them all. Now, it’s too late.” Too, too late…

“No,” he shook his head. “I refuse to believe it.”

“It’s true.” She beat back the ocean of tears gathering in her eyes and firmed her resolve, though everything inside her screamed at her to go into his arms, to believe him even though she’d heard all these same lies before. And then she told a lie of her own, “I don’t love you anymore.”

When he got very still, she figured she’d better deliver the coup de grace before she lost her nerve. “I’m not sure I ever loved you,” she whispered hoarsely.

Did he…? Were those tears in his eyes?

Dear God, they were. And just when she thought those tears might actually fall—and heaven help her if they did; she’d never survive it—everything hardened in his face.

The wetness in his eyes vanished so quickly it startled her, forcing her to retreat another step.

“I can change your mind,” he declared, lowering his chin so that he was glaring at her from under his furrowed brow.

And that was the arrogant man she knew so well, the mercenary man she knew so well. It gave her the courage to shake her head. “No. You won’t get the chance to—”

Her brother picked that moment to burst through the shop’s back door.

Jake spun, his hand automatically going to the weapon he’d returned to the small of his back, reminding her that, despite the ridiculousness of the debacle with Peanut, they’d been having this entire conversation, engaging in this foolhardy behavior, in the middle of a situation that was downright dangerous.

Her big brother had someone trying to kill him, and she and Jake were standing there kissing? Arguing about their feelings?

They should both have their heads examined.

“Snake,” her brother said, “I need you to go to Shell’s place and pack a couple of bags for her and Franklin. They’re staying here for the next few days.”

“What?” she yelped, Jake’s heart-wrenching words momentarily forgotten as she gaped at her brother. Her outburst caused Franklin to grumble sleepily and root around for his thumb. After shoving the chubby digit between his lips, he once more quieted. Only then did she hiss, “You’re insane. We’re not staying here!”

In response, Frank leveled her a glare so severe everything inside her shriveled to the size of a pea.

“Yes,” he insisted, “you are.”

***

If Boss hadn’t been so butt-ugly and likely to punch him smack in the face for the effort, Jake would’ve run over and kissed the guy.

He’d been losing the battle with Shell and had been clueless as to what to do to turn the tide in his favor. Enter Boss…

“B-but you can’t be serious!” Shell sputtered, absently patting Franklin’s bottom when he grunted quietly.

“Oh, I’m serious as a heart attack.” Boss ran a big square hand through his hair and settled into a lounge chair. “See, we’ve got ourselves a little situation here, and I’m afraid it might spill over onto you and Franklin. It’s not likely, but I wanna make sure to cover all my bases.”

“Little situation? Is that what you call having someone paint a giant bull’s eye on your back?” When Boss glanced over at Jake, she added, “Oh, yeah. He told me someone wants you dead.”

Boss lifted a shoulder, and Shell’s face filled with incredulity.

“Okay, so when did you know about this little situation?” she demanded.

“Yesterday evening was the first time we got credible evidence of the threat. I thought perhaps that might be the end of it, but apparently not. And then tonight the seriousness of the situation became clear.”

“Yesterday evening?” Jake watched her eyes narrow. He was glad he wasn’t the one on the other end of that death-ray stare—for once. “And when did you think you were going to tell me about all this?”

“I just did.”