Ready or Not (Ready #4)(76)

“You. I want you.”

“What?” I said, completely blindsided.

She took a step forward, her low-cut tight jeans accentuating every step. “I want you, Jackson. I’ve decided I was a bit too rushed with my disappearance. I hadn’t taken the time to properly say good-bye. I don’t believe in making the same mistake twice.”

My eyes went wide with shock as I backed away. “You’re f*cking insane.”

“No. You want to know what’s insane? During the years we spent together, you swore you loved me and that you’d take care of me, and then I found out you had done nothing but hide from me. When you love someone, you share, Jackson. Everything. You had us living like paupers when we could have been royalty. Why?” she yelled, backing me into a corner. “Why didn’t you give me everything I deserved?”

Her eyes were manically darting back and forth. I saw wildness and that same deceptive need to control I’d been confronted with when I first arrived.

Beyond that, I saw the girl I’d fallen in love with all those years ago.

Somewhere along the way, Natalie had been broken or abused. I wasn’t sure how much of it had occurred before I met her, but since leaving me, it had become irreparable. The woman now standing in front of me was nothing but the remnants and shards of the bubbly, vivacious girl I once knew. I’d never seen a greater tragedy.

“I tried,” I said. “There was nothing more important to me than you and Noah.”

“You lie.”

“I know you think I was hiding the money from you for some sneaky, underhanded reason, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I had nothing but the greatest intentions for us. I had such plans for our future, Nat. We would have had that house you always wanted with the wraparound porch and a Dalmatian running around in the backyard. You could have continued your art while I practiced law. It would have been a great life,” I said softly.

A tear trickled down her cheek. “Why can’t we have it now, Jackson?”

“Sometimes, life doesn’t give us second chances, but there is always time for healing.”

She nodded her head and collapsed in my arms. For the first time since arriving, I didn’t feel repugnant by the thought of her touch. Wrapping my arms around her, I held her as she wept—for her mistakes and grievances, the brokenness of her situation, and the life we would never have.

It was the closure we’d never been given and what she so desperately needed.

By the time her tears began to dry up, the room door was pushed open, and three officers made their way in.

Natalie’s wide eyes met mine.

“I’m sorry, Natalie, but I had to.” Turning to the police officer to my right, I said, “Noah’s downstairs.”

More tears flowed from her as she sobbed through the cuffing and reading of her rights. As the officers escorted her out of the room, she turned back toward me one last time.

“Tell him I’m sorry, Jackson. Tell him I’m so sorry.”

I nodded. “I will. Good-bye, Natalie.”

“Good-bye, Jackson.”

Then, she was gone—for good.

Rather than feeling relieved or happy, I just felt nothing.

~Liv~

I’d been instructed by the burly redheaded cop to stay in the squad car until they gave the all-clear. I had fully intended on following his directions to the letter of the law. He looked scary, and I didn’t want to screw up this plan we’d spent all night concocting.

After my father had arrived the night before, we’d made the hard decision to include the police. If Natalie got wind that we had double-crossed her, we would run the risk of possibly losing Noah forever, but it was one risk we had to take.

We were in over our heads.

Kidnapping wasn’t something to take lightly, and luckily, my father had been able to contact the proper authorities discreetly and without media attention. His untraceable phone had helped as well.

I didn’t even want to know how he’d gotten his hands on one of those.

The cops didn’t think Natalie had the ability to run surveillance or had anyone working with her, but with a child involved, they were taking extra precautions.

Everything had been planned carefully and with precise calculation. Every last penny had been withdrawn from my father’s bank account and placed in a briefcase for Jackson to use in the handoff. Even though we knew she’d never get farther than the hotel doorway, seeing him walk away from me with all that cash had still seemed like a dream—or rather a nightmare.

The plan was to wait ten minutes before following Jackson inside. We wanted Natalie completely occupied when the cops stormed the room.

When I’d been told to stay behind at the house, I had adamantly replied to the men in charge, “Hell no.”

Reluctantly, they’d allowed me to ride along in the back of one of the unmarked squad cars—as long as I agreed to behave.

Three minutes had turned into five…then eight as we stood by. I stared at the run-down motel as I waited for a sign that something, anything was happening.

As my mind lit off a hundred different scenarios, the men in the front seat prepared to go upstairs.

“You stay here, Ms. Prescott.” The burly cop said.

I nodded. “Please keep them safe.”

“That’s our job,” he said with little emotion.