A Warrior Wedding (The Protectors #7)(38)

Caroline slapped her hand over her mouth with excitement. “Oh, Jill, that is...” This time, it was Caroline’s voice cracking as her eyes filled with happy tears. “Lana and Sid are getting married. I’ve got to call her.”

“You can’t.” Jill shook her head. “Lana doesn’t know. None of them know.”

“What?” everyone in the room said at the same time.

“It’s something I want to do for them because of how they’ve treated me. They’re my sisters,” Jill replied, leaving out the other reason...for now. “And I need your help to pull this off.”

All four of them were looking at her as if she’d lost her mind. Caroline was the first to speak. “You know I’ll help. So when’s the wedding?” Caroline laughed, almost bouncing up and down. “Weddings?” she corrected herself.

“A week from today.” Jill stood when everyone started talking at once, except for Jax who just stared at her as if he saw right through her.

“A week!” Caroline gasped. “Jill, how in the world is that going to happen?”

“Adam’s sick now.” Just saying those words made her stomach twist painfully. “It will happen and in a week.”

“Fuck!” Understanding flashed across Jax’s face.

******

Caroline stared out the window, so many emotions swirling through her body. She peeked in the backseat where Jill sat, her head tilted back, eyes closed. Her eyes met Jax’s, but they remained silent. The whole time Jill had been inside her house, the little dead boy had been by Jill’s side, his small face staring up at her, and Caroline knew what that meant. She and Lana had learned that when a spirit attached itself to someone who was sick, they were waiting to guide them into the afterlife. Jill’s time was limited and it broke her heart.

Caroline now understood Jill’s haste in pushing the wedding forward. Jill had given them all orders any leader would be proud of. She was precise in what needed to be done, down to what each woman would wear, including their dress sizes, shocking Caroline that Jill had done so much research. A sneaky smile had spread across Jill’s lips before she explained that the women had already been sized for their bridesmaid dresses. Instead of bridesmaid dresses, Caroline was to pick out simple wedding dresses for each.

A dog barking brought Caroline out of her thoughts. A huge black German shepherd stood outside Jax’s window.

“Sable,” Jill said, her voice groggy with sleep.

Another smaller dog joined in, barking excitedly as Jill opened the door. Jax climbed out as did Caroline, hoping to God the huge black dog didn’t attack her. Walking around the car, she knew her fear was unfounded when both dogs excitedly welcomed Jill home.

“Hey!” Jill laughed, giving each dog attention. “I’ve missed you, too.” Jill accepted the licks each dog happily gave.

When the large dog became too excited jumping up on Jill and bumping her into the car, Jax whistled loudly, snapped his fingers, and pointed to the ground. Both dogs stopped immediately. Their eyes traveled to Jax, but their tails still went a hundred miles an hour.

“That was impressive.” Caroline looked up at Jax in surprise. “Would that work with Hunter?”

Jax glanced over at her with a huge grin. “I don’t know.” He chuckled. “I’ll have to try it.”

Caroline laughed. “I want to see that.”

“Jilly!” A young boy slammed open the front door and ran at breakneck speed down the steps. Throwing himself into Jill’s arms, he knocked her on her ass from her kneeling position near the dogs.

The dogs wanted to join, but Jax growled and they remained sitting, panting with their tails wagging in excitement.

“Oh, my God.” Jill held the little boy out from her. “You can’t be Seth.”

“I am,” he said proudly, puffing his little chest out.

“You can’t be,” Jill continued to tease. “You’re too big to be my little Seth.”

“Jilly, it’s me,” Seth said, his tone turning worried.

Jill laughed, hugging her brother tightly. “I know that silly.” She tickled his stomach. “I was just teasing you. Is Mom and Dad here?”

Caroline grinned as she watched Jill and her little brother, but her heart also ached.

“What do you want, Jillian?” A woman’s voice came out of nowhere. Caroline looked around Jax to see a beautiful woman walking their way.

Jill stood, helping Seth up. “I needed to talk to you and Dad,” Jill replied, and then glanced uncomfortably at Jax and Caroline. “These are my friends, Jax and Caroline. This is my mom.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Nichols.” Caroline smiled, feeling uncomfortable when Jill’s mom seemed to study her and found her lacking. Jax didn’t say a word. He remained standing with arms crossed, staring ahead.

Trevor picked that moment to come flying down the driveway breaking the uncomfortable situation.

“Can you give a guy some warning, Jill?” Trevor hopped out of the car. “I had a hot date waiting for me, but you threatening me with bodily harm if I didn’t show up here ruined the mood.”

“I’ve seen some of your dates, Trevor. And believe me their not as hot as you think they are.” Jill shot back with a roll of her eyes, Caroline snorted, Jax grinned, while Seth climbed up on Trevor’s back, and their mom narrowed her eyes in disapproval.