Fever (Breathless #2)(118)

“Had shit to do, babe. Told you that.”

Anger whipped up her spine. “That’s bullshit! You had a nice place to stay. Jace did this for you. All of it. And you didn’t even stop to think that I was worried sick about you.”

Jack’s eyes grew hooded. “He didn’t do it for me, babe. He did it for you and we both know it.”

“Does it matter who he did it for?” she all but shouted.

“Yeah, it does.”

She turned in agitation and glanced over to where Kaden stood, his expression indecipherable. “Can you give us some privacy?”

Kaden didn’t look thrilled at that prospect.

“He’s not going to hurt me,” she said in exasperation. “You can stand just outside. No way for either of us to go anywhere as long as you’re guarding the door.”

Kaden’s shoulders heaved and then he reluctantly went to the door, walked out and then closed it behind him. Then she turned back to Jack.

“What the hell is going on with you, Jack? What about the drugs? What are you into?”

A bleak expression entered Jack’s eyes. “Let me make you a cup of hot chocolate. Already made me one. We can talk then. You’re cold and hate to say this, babe, but you look like shit. Crestwell not taking care of you like he promised?”

The accusation in Jack’s voice just pissed her off even more. He busied himself making another cup of cocoa and set it next to his to stir in the mix while she stood there and continued to stew.

“Jace is taking care of me just fine. This isn’t about me. This is about you. You have the chance to do something better with your life. Why are you so determined not to take it? He’s willing to let you stay here as long as you need to. You could get a real job. Get out of the life you’re in now.”

Jack finished stirring and then turned back to the sink to drop in the spoon and put away the milk. She grabbed one of the mugs from the counter and walked into the living room to sit on the couch. She was angry and she needed to get it under control. But it ate at her. This wasn’t the Jack she knew. He seemed like he didn’t give a shit about himself one way or another. It infuriated her that he had a chance to be better now and he was just pissing it away.

She sipped at the chocolate, allowing it to burn a warm trail into her belly.

Jack came in and sat across from her in the armchair, his own mug in his hands. But he didn’t drink. He just watched her with sad eyes.

“You can’t worry about me now, Bethy. You have a life. You have a man who cares about you. You need to focus on that and quit worrying about me.”

She made a sound of exasperation and downed half of the chocolate.

“I can’t just stop worrying about you, Jack. I’ve been worrying about you for too many years. That just doesn’t go away because my circumstances have changed. Why don’t you care more about yourself?”

“I came back because I’d planned to call you from the phone here,” he said quietly. “Wanted to say good-bye.”

Alarm raced down her spine. “Good-bye? Where are you going?”

“Away,” he said simply, not elaborating.

She finished off the cocoa and set the cup back down on the coffee table with a thud.

“Where?” she persisted. “What are your plans? Don’t do this, Jack. Please, I’m begging you. Stay here. I’ll help you find a job. You can have a good life. You can turn this around. Please, I love you.”

He gave her a tender look. “You don’t love me, Bethy. Not like you love him. I see the way he is about you. You deserve that. You deserve more than I could ever give you. You being happy is enough for me. That’s all I ever wanted.”

“Just because I love him doesn’t mean that what I feel for you is any less,” she said emphatically. “It’s a different kind of love. You’re my brother, Jack. Family.”

“I’m not your brother,” he said quietly.

It was then she realized. It hit her and she wondered how she could have been so blind. She sucked in a deep breath and the room went swimmy around her. She blinked to ward off the sudden dizziness but the room continued to sway around her. She frowned and shook her head to clear it.

“You have feelings for me,” she whispered. “You don’t see me as a sister.”

“Now you see it,” he said, an edge of bitterness to his voice.

She bowed her head and closed her eyes but then struggled to open them again. God, what was wrong with her? She suddenly couldn’t think clearly, couldn’t even summon the words she wanted to say.

“I’m so sorry, Jack.” Her words slurred and her tongue felt too thick in her mouth. “I never knew. Never realized . . . I love Jace. Completely and utterly love him. I love you absolutely, but not in that way. I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”

The room was starting to blank around her. She tried to stand but her legs wouldn’t cooperate. She staggered upward, pushing herself. She saw Jack’s look of alarm and then utter panic entered his eyes. He glanced down at his cup of hot chocolate and then reached over to grab hers, swearing when he found it empty.

“Jack?”

It came out as a whimper. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong with her.

“I don’t feel so well,” she whispered.