Jet (Marked Men, #2)(70)

“I have to say I’m kind of surprised to hear that. As much as I wanted things to work out between us, I think it was always pretty clear that there was someone else you would rather be with. I just figured out it was him on Valentine’s Day, but I feel like I should have seen it sooner.”

“Unfortunately, things don’t always go the way we plan. But seriously, I really need to find Asa and he didn’t tell me where he was staying. I can’t get him on the phone.”

Adam was quiet again and I found myself holding my breath. Finally, he sighed so heavily that I could feel it hit me through the phone line.

“I met him at a hotel across the highway a few days ago for a drink. He’s staying at the one over by the stadium. I like your brother, Ayden. He seems like a really nice guy and he says he’s just worried about you being out here all alone, without any family to watch out for you.”

Oh, Asa was the nicest guy in the world all right, when he wanted something from you, and the only thing he was worried about was how I was going to help him out of his latest jam.

“Did he ask you for money?”

If Adam had already played the role Asa had scoped him out for, I was going to be screwed. There was no way he was going to stick around and barter with me if he already had cash in hand.

Adam sighed again and this time it annoyed me. Granted I would probably always feel bad for wasting his time for so long, but I had life-and-death matters at hand, and I needed him to be on board with things, and the sooner the better.

“No. He did ask how much you were working and a bunch a questions about what your days looked like. Like I said, I think he’s just concerned about you. He made it sound like you don’t make too much of an effort to stay in touch with your family back home.”

I could hear the disapproval in his tone, but I didn’t let it bother me. Adam had never even gotten close to the heart of me, so it was all right that he thought I was just a bad sister and a bad daughter. Things were beginning to be clear to me now. All the parts of me that I had hated, and had buried so far down, were the parts that were responsible for me being all the great things I was today. If wonderful people like Shaw and Cora and a guy like Jet could care about me, then both parts of me deserved a break, finally.

“Okay, thanks, Adam. You take care.”

“Hey, Ayd.” All I wanted to do was hang up and go find Asa, but I couldn’t do that to him, not when he had never done anything but care about me. “When you’re ready, when things with the rocker don’t seem as painful, maybe give me a call.”

My hand clenched reflexively on the phone. The idea of going back to Adam, that he still wanted me, should have made me giddy. He was the picture-perfect mate for my dream future, but the thought of being with anyone who didn’t have black-velvet eyes and a voice that made me quiver and shake, made my skin crawl. Jet was going to be it for me, and I was just going to have to learn to live with the fact that I had let him go.

“Thanks, Adam, but I don’t think I’m going to be ready for any kind of relationship anytime soon.”

“Well, even if you need a friend, I’m here.”

I ended the call and tossed the phone onto the passenger seat. I felt turned inside out but things were bright and clear, and the direction I had to go was sharp and defined. For the first time since I came to Denver, I felt like I wasn’t living a lie.

I drove across town to the other side of the interstate, where all the hotels and motels next to Sports Authority field were located. The entire way, I kept an eye on the rearview mirror to make sure Silas wasn’t following me. The hotels here weren’t as nice as the places downtown, but they were right up Asa’s alley. I found the hotel Adam had mentioned and went inside. I knew no one would just give me my brother’s room number, but luckily I had watched him enough to know that if there was a pretty girl behind the counter, she would undoubtedly have fallen victim to his charms by now.

There was a redhead who looked a couple years younger than me who fit the bill perfectly. She looked fresh-faced and sweet, the perfect victim for all of Asa’s machinations. I plastered a pleasant smile on my face and waited until she was alone at the desk. I crossed my arms on the counter and tried to look as innocent and unthreatening as possible. I made sure my accent was on in full force so that there would be no mistaking that Asa and I were related.

“Hey there. I’m supposed to be meeting my brother here. I just got into town and I forgot what room he’s staying in. Do ya think ya can help me out?”

I saw her look at me in surprise. The eyes were enough that anyone would know Asa and I were brother and sister, but the different hair color could be misleading. She bit her lip and looked from side to side.

“What’s your brother’s name?”

I smiled even bigger.

“Asa Cross. He’s a handsome devil, and I just know he would be so grateful if you helped me out. Denver is a lot bigger than the city we come from, and I’ve been feeling a little overwhelmed so any help would sure be appreciated.”

I made sure to layer on the yokel as thick as I could and batted my eyelashes at her. I should feel guilty for being another person who was manipulating her to get what she wanted, but my end game was more important than her feelings.

She fiddled with her hair and continued to look around, like she was afraid of getting caught doing something wrong.