Slade (The Protectors #6)(55)

Before she could answer, someone pounded on the door. Fear of what happened the last time shadowed her face.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he promised, kissing her on the forehead. “But I’m seriously considering getting us an apartment.”

“Jill, is Slade in there?” Sid pounded again.

Slade jumped up, pulling on his jeans. “Cover up,” he warned her before walking over to open the door, enough to shield Jill from being seen. “This better be good and not you trying to be a f*cking hero,” Slade sneered at Sid.

“Someone took a shot at Jax.” There was no humor in his voice. Sid was in full Warrior mode. “We need you and Jill downstairs, now. Bring your sketch pad, Jill,” Sid called out before heading down the hall.

Jill was already up and getting dressed. Slade pulled his shirt over his head. Grabbing her sketchpad, Jill followed Slade out of the room, practically running to keep up. He reached back and grabbed her hand. One thing she knew, having a Warrior shot at was serious business for the VC Council. Dread and a tinge of fear crawled up her spine as she held tightly to Slade’s hand.

Chapter 16

Jill’s hand in his felt right. Even when they walked into Sloan’s office, he didn’t let go. Everyone stood, looking tense.

“Were you hit?” Slade looked Jax over as well as Caroline, who sat, looking pale.

“No,” Jax responded as Caroline shook her head.

“What the hell happened?” Slade asked, ignoring everyone staring at their hands. He held her tighter. He knew Jill kept shooting Sloan nervous glances.

“We stopped to grab something to eat and took it to a park,” Jax responded, his voice hard with anger. “We had just sat down and started to eat when Caroline flew across the picnic table tackling me to the ground. In the next second, I heard a gunshot, so I rolled over onto Caroline to protect her when the tree behind me exploded with splinters, right where my head had been.”

“His sister screamed in my head,” Caroline answered the unasked question. “I just reacted, not really knowing what was going on.”

“Guess you’re a believer now.” Sid’s eyes opened wide with a ‘holy shit’ look.

“I can describe the shooter.” Caroline looked toward Jill. “Can you draw him?”

“Yeah,” Jill replied, opening her sketchpad as Slade fetched her a chair.

“You saw the shooter?” Jared’s eyes narrowed, ready to go after the bastard now.

“No, I didn’t, but Jax’s sister did.” Caroline looked at Jax, then down to the floor.

“You didn’t go after him?” Steve asked Jax with a frown.

Jax looked his way. “I was not leaving Caroline unprotected,” he replied as if Steve should have known the answer to that.

Caroline looked at Lana. “Can you see her?” she asked Lana. “I’m still pretty shaken up and don’t want to miss anything.”

Lana nodded, walking up closer. “You sure you feel up to this right now?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Caroline answered, looking toward Jill, who nodded that she was ready to go.

Slade watched Jill work as Caroline and Lana threw descriptions at her. To many, this would seem strange, but to him and the other Warriors in the room, it was the norm. They had seen so many f*cked-up things; that two women talking to a dead woman and a half-breed vampire sketching a profile pic for them to go on was pretty much the norm.

“Was his moustache bushy or thin and did he have a beard with it?” Jill looked up from her sketch.

Caroline looked at Lana. “Like a porn ‘stash?”

Lana nodded and looked at Jill. “No beard.”

“Porn ‘stash?” Steve snorted. “You even know what a porn ‘stash is, Jill?”

Jill focused on her sketch a few more minutes before looking up at Steve. “Yeah.” She pointed at him with her pencil, moving it back and forth. “Kind of like what you’re trying to grow there.”

Steve’s hand flew to his mouth, covering his puny moustache. “That was cruel. This is not a porn ‘stash.”

Jared looked closer when Steve dropped his hand. “I had an aunt who had a fuller moustache than that.”

“Where is all the ‘stash hate coming from?” Steve frowned, using his finger to smooth it down while looking at Jared. “You’re just jealous you can’t grow one.”

Slade grinned at their back-and-forth bullshit. It actually broke the tension and had Caroline smiling, which seemed to put Jax more at ease. Everyone waited patiently for Jill to finish. Jill stood, walking toward Caroline and Lana.

“Is that him or at least a good resemblance?” Jill stood back, crossing her arms, waiting.

Caroline and Lana looked at each other. “Alisha said it’s identical to who she saw. She also said…you are very talented.”

Jill’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, well, tell her…”

Lana laughed. “We know it’s weird, but it is what it is.”

“Tell her thank you.” Jill smiled back.

Jax took the sketch from Caroline and examined it, memorizing it before passing it to Sid, who also looked and passed it around. After everyone had studied the sketch, Jill took it back and tore the page out, handing it back to Sloan.