Jackson (Mercy Ring Book 1)
Jackson: Chapter 6

Jackson’s fingers drummed on the car door, his eyes never leaving the road.

Where the hell was she? It was past one in the fucking morning.

He’d swung by to check on her hours ago, but she hadn’t been home. And when he’d called, not only had the woman hung up on him, but she’d also blocked his damn number!

Next, he’d texted Michele—and it was her response that had him waiting outside River’s house.

Michele: I can’t tell you, but she’s safe right now.

It was the “right now” that really got him. Why add that onto the end unless there was the possibility she wouldn’t be safe later? He was almost tempted to march right over to Michele’s house and demand the woman come clean on River’s location.

Dec and Cole had already done a drive-by of all the obvious spots in town—Michele’s house, River’s parents’ place…hell, even the bars.

For anyone else, he wouldn’t care this much. But this was River. Ryker’s little sister. The woman he’d spent so many of his teenage years with. The woman who never failed to replace trouble. At least that had been the case when she was younger.

Clearly, nothing had changed.

In the back of his mind, he knew there was the possibility she was dating someone, and that could be why she wasn’t home. He’d assumed she wasn’t because there’d been no guy with her at the funeral. But maybe there was a good reason he hadn’t been there. Or maybe she was dating casually.

The thought had his insides rebelling. She deserved better than casual hookups.

He’d rarely asked Ryker about her over the years. He hadn’t wanted to know if she was with anyone. He’d never felt good enough for her, but at the same time, was any guy?

The thought of someone else dating her…fuck, it was a blow to the chest.

He knew he had no business feeling that way. It was exactly why he’d stayed away from this goddamn town.

Regardless of whether she was dating, she was still up to something. And whatever that something was, it had to do with Ryker. He didn’t need to be told to know.

Jackson sucked in another breath, glancing into the rearview mirror again.

Where the hell are you, River?

Suddenly, headlights from a car coming down the street had him straightening in his seat.

When her yellow Beetle pulled into the driveway and she climbed out, Jackson didn’t hesitate. He was out and up the path in an instant. He wasn’t trying to be quiet—hell, he was pretty sure an old man with low hearing would have heard him coming. River didn’t.

The second he stopped beside her, she screeched, her hand going to her chest. “Jackson! What the actual hell?”

“Where have you been?” He probably shouldn’t have growled the words at her, but fuck, he was tired and sick of worrying.

Just as he expected, her lips thinned, her shoulders pushing back. “That’s none of your business.”

The woman liked saying that to him. She must like being wrong.

“Are you going to open the door?”

“No. Because I know the second I do you’ll just waltz inside like you own the place and then I’ll spend the next twenty minutes kicking your ass out.”

He almost laughed. She couldn’t be more right.

“Let’s just get this over with because I’m tired and ready for bed.” She crossed her arms over her chest. Her ample breasts pushed up and the silky-smooth skin above the neckline of the black T-shirt tempted his gaze.

Desire slammed into his gut but he forced his body to calm. “Where have you been tonight?”

“Out.”

Goddamn, this woman. He took a step forward. Her eyes widened a fraction, head tilting back to look at him.

“I’m tired and out of patience,” he said quietly. “So, know that I’m not messing around when I say I’m not leaving until I get the answers I want.”

A slow smile curved her lips. “How about I call the police on your overbearing ass.”

One of his brows lifted. “You’re going to call Fred?”

The smile fell from her lips. “Fred’s on?”

“He is.” Fred was good friends with her father. And Jackson knew for a fact that they told each other everything. “When he asks why I’m here—which we both know he will—I’ll tell him exactly what I think is going on with you.”

Her eyes narrowed. “And what do you think is going on with me?”

His tone gentled. “I think you’re getting yourself into trouble. You already have a black eye, meaning either someone hit you, or you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that place was probably a dangerous one. Somewhere you probably shouldn’t have been. How long until you put yourself in that situation again?”

The slight widening of her eyes told him he was right on the mark.

“We both know what will happen next, Rae.”

A gasp slipped from her lips at the use of her nickname. There was once a time Rae was all he called her. It was her middle name. And for some reason, he’d preferred it. Maybe because he was the only person who used it. Maybe because her expression had always softened at his use of it.

His hand twitched to reach out and touch her. “Just tell me.”

She briefly looked away, her chest rising and falling quickly. She knew he was right. That she was out of options. Still, instead of answering, she unfolded her arms and poked a finger into his chest. “You don’t get to show up and boss me around.”

“Incorrect. When it comes to you and your safety, I get to do whatever needs to be done.”

“Why? Because you care so much about me? Because you care about Ryker?”

He frowned. “Of course. I care about both of you.” Too damn much. Hadn’t that always been the problem?

Her humorless laugh caught him off guard. “Then where have you been, Jackson? Where the hell have you been?”

“I was an active operator in—”

“No. I’m not talking about the first fifteen years, although, yeah, a visit to town to see how me and my parents were doing would have been nice. I’m talking about for the last twelve months. Ryker needed you. He needed all three of you! He was home, but he never really came back. He was angry, all the time. Where the hell were you then?”

Guilt crashed through his thin veneer of indignation. It chilled his skin and tensed his muscles. “You’re right,” he said quietly. “I should have been here.”

Some of her anger faded, and for a moment, he almost thought her gaze softened. Then she blinked and the anger was back. As if she needed it to be there to protect herself. “Why weren’t you?”

Because of you. Because of my father. Because of this town and how I feel when I’m in it.

He swallowed the words. Words that made him a selfish bastard. Words that felt too heavy to admit. “I didn’t want to return.”

Those pretty dark eyes darted between his. Then he saw…sympathy? “They don’t see you the way you see you.”

Ah, she was talking about the locals and only the locals. But yeah, that was the third reason to stay the hell away from Lindeman.

A moment of silence passed. The urge to touch her intensified. To feel her soft skin beneath his fingers. Maybe it was because he’d been feeling so weak. Ever since hearing the news about Ryker, he’d felt like a part of his chest had been torn out. Maybe that’s why he reached out, curving his fingers around her neck. Because he couldn’t not.

Mistake. Big mistake. His blood began to roar at the mere contact. Awareness pulsed down his arm.

“Please tell me what’s going on, River.” The words came out raspier than he’d meant. Huskier.

Maybe his touch weakened her. Because her mouth cracked open—and words he was sure she didn’t mean to say slipped out. “I think there’s more to what happened on the bridge than we’ve been told. And I’m trying to replace out the whole story.”

He frowned, thumb caressing her skin almost of its own volition. He should remove his hand. He knew he should. But she wasn’t pulling away, so he just…couldn’t.

God, he was weak. Only with her, though.

He forced himself to focus on her words, tossing them around in his head. “What else could there be?”

“I can’t tell you.” Her words held less conviction this time.

She wet her lips. His gaze darted down. And something clicked in his chest. Something sharp and dangerous that he had absolutely no control over.

“Jackson—”

The word had barely left her lips when his head lowered and his mouth took hers. It was like an explosion of desire and need splintered inside his body, propelling him to claim her.

Beneath his hand, he felt the pulse in her neck. It was fast, pounding against his touch. The beat of her heart matched his own.

When she tried to take a breath, he took advantage, slipping his tongue between her lips and deepening the kiss.

Maybe it was the groan that came next, or maybe it was the way she tasted—like apples and maple syrup mixed together. Whatever it was, it had him lifting her body, tucking every part of her front against his, pushing her back against the door.

Her breasts pressed to his chest, her hands slipping into his hair.

He growled deep in his throat, devouring every inch of her mouth. Nipping. Sucking. Then his lips wrenched from hers, traveling down her neck, kissing and licking. “Rae…”

The moment the word was out, he felt her stiffen. A second later, her hands went to his chest, pushing. “Jackson, we have to stop.”

His lips left her skin, but he didn’t immediately put her down. He studied her face. “What’s wrong?”

Her eyes widened. “What’s wrong? We can’t…you and I shouldn’t…” She shook her head. “I need you to put me down. Now.”

She was right. Of course she was. But the sensible part of his brain had stopped functioning the moment he touched her.

Another beat passed before he slowly slid her down to the porch. Her softness grazed him, sending a new wave of electricity—torture—rippling through his system.

He watched as she swallowed, straightening her clothes. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

She was right. But the more time he spent around the woman, the harder it became to stay away.

“You need to leave,” she said quietly. She turned and took a half step forward, slotting her key into the lock.

His hand closed over hers, his front pressing to her back. “Tell me where you were tonight, and I will.”

There was a short exhale. “I was at Trinity Nightclub.”

His brows tugged together. “What were you doing there?”

Three breaths. And then her words. “Ryker was spending time there. I think the answers to what happened that night are in that club.”

His hand moved to her shoulder and he turned her to face him. “Why do you think that? And why do you think there’s more to the story?”

“Because I do, okay? Because I’ve been here, in Lindeman, for the last year with Ryker and I just…I know. There’s something going on at that club, something dangerous, and Ryker got involved.”

There was more she wasn’t telling him. So much more. But it was late, and he was twitching with the need to kiss her again. So he stepped back, determined that the next time he asked, he’d get more information.

“I don’t want you going there again.”

Her jaw tensed. “Jackson—”

He took a small step forward, returning to her again, and immediately her eyes widened. She took a quick step back, hitting the door, almost as if she was scared of him getting too close. Scared of his touch.

That was fair enough. Their connection scared him, too, and hardly anything scared Jackson. “Promise me.”

Her lips pressed together. “Fine. Is there anything else you would like?”

“Unblock my number.”

A ghost of a smile touched her lips. Yeah, she’d known that would piss him off. “And if I say no?”

“Then I watch you. And when I’m not watching you, one of the guys on my team will be watching.”

The smile dropped. She knew he wasn’t bluffing. He’d never taken her safety lightly.

He lifted a brow. “Deal?”

“Fine.”

“Good.” And then, because he was so damn weak, he bent down, pressing a kiss to her cheek, right beside her ear.

There was a small gasp from her before he spoke again. “Now, go inside and lock the door behind you.”