Shattered (LOST #3)(35)

Ty nodded and backed away. The guy kept glancing curiously at Sarah, but Ty hadn’t asked Jax any specific questions about her. His lawyer knew better than to pry. Especially when a woman was involved. The sunlight glinted off his blond hair as Ty turned away.

Ty came from old Southern money. He’d been one of those silver-spoon types that Jax normally hated. He’d never wanted or needed anything, and the guy had just sailed his way through law school at Tulane.

Jax had fought his way through life, battling for every single thing he possessed.

But he and Ty . . . well, they were different, that was for sure. But he’d had Ty’s back over the years, and Ty had always been there for him. Though Jax was sure that hefty retainer fee figured into the equation . . .

Still, Ty was the best criminal defense attorney in New Orleans, and the guy had always kept quiet about the secrets Jax carried. He knows better than to share them.

Jax glanced across the street and saw Carlos waiting. Jax gave the fellow an almost imperceptible nod. He owed Carlos—more than he’d ever be able to repay. The man had been his right hand for years, and Carlos had been a good friend, even when Jax didn’t deserve it. There weren’t many people that Jax actually counted on in that world, but Carlos—the man was family to him.

Jax walked to the car. Slid behind the seat and started to crank the engine.

But Sarah’s fingers flew out and curled around his. “Wait.”

He glanced over at her.

“I need to . . . see the scene. Just a little longer.”

She leaned forward and stared at the building. It was just a shell now. Hollow. Black. Smoke rose in long, sweeping tendrils.

“It’s destruction. Death. That’s what you wanted to show me,” Sarah murmured. “You wanted us to see death.”

His back teeth clenched. “What the guy wanted was for you to die, Sarah. He wanted to hurt your father by hurting you.” He cranked that engine. Yeah, okay, Sarah wanted to stay there and get in the killer’s head. Too bad. The woman was covered with bruises and blood and maybe she was too stubborn to go to the ER, but he would be taking care of her.

“My father . . .” Now her voice was weary as she leaned back in the seat. “If you’re talking about his enemies, they’d fill the street.”

He glanced over at her. She’d turned her head away from him and was staring out of the window. “Buckle your seat belt, princess.”

Her hand moved and slowly clicked the seat belt into position. “I hate him.”

He pulled away from the scene. Maneuvered through the cars and the onlookers who’d gathered to watch shit burn. “The dick who did this? Don’t worry, I’m sure the LOST group will be taking him down. Isn’t that what you do?”

“No.” She was so quiet. So unlike Sarah. Sarah, who had drawn him from the beginning because he’d sensed the fire in her. “We don’t hunt killers. We look for the victims. We find them. We help them.”

He risked another quick look at her. Her left hand had risen and it pressed to the window. Sarah said, “I need to find Molly. If she wasn’t in that fire . . .” Her breath whispered out. “Then she’s still out there, and we still have a chance to help her.”

Did she seriously think she was just going to run out and hit the streets again? While she was still bleeding? “There are other team members in LOST, let them hunt.”

“I called Gabe. He’s going to meet Wade at the hospital. Dean is already at the police station.”

He kept driving.

“Are you taking me back to the station?”

“You’re still bleeding,” he gritted out.

“Back to my hotel room?”

“I want to take you back to my place.” Where he could lock her inside and keep her fucking safe.

“But I don’t have clothes at your place. All of my stuff is in my room at the hotel.

The bastard had already been inside her hotel once. “I can get you clothes in five minutes,” Jax told her. One phone call, that was all it would take. He’d snap his fingers, and the clothes would be there at his house, waiting for them, no problem.

“Jax.”

He liked the way she said his name. Liked the way it sighed from her ever so softly.

“Just take me to my hotel. The staff there gave me a new room, one on the concierge floor with better security. I’ll be safe.”

Yes, she would be—because he’d be with her.

“I’ll shower, change, and then I will be going back out to hunt for Molly. I will hunt until I find her.”

He braked at a red light. His hands were gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles had whitened. “Why?” He just didn’t understand that part. “Why are you so determined to find her? You’re risking your life for someone you don’t even know.” Sarah had almost died. Yet she was willing to run right back out into danger. Who the hell did that?

“I’m determined because Molly needs me. She’s scared and she’s hurting, and she needs to know that someone is looking for her.”

He glanced at her once more. Her words had just driven straight to his core, and Sarah didn’t even realize it.

“He told me . . . he told me that was one of the reasons his victims broke. They realized that no one was looking. No one cared that they’d vanished. No one would look . . .” Her head tilted down as her words trailed away.