Black and Blue (Black and Blue Series) (24 page)

“I out
rank him, and sent him to do something for me.”

She really
didn’t like the idea of being alone with Ryan, and it worried her that he’d sent Matthew away, but she walked past him, knowing he would follow. When they reached the end of the hallway, she turned to face the man she had once loved.
No
, she thought,
I have never loved him, not like I love Henry
.

“Did you really think no one would find out about you and him? You are being watched all the time
, even when you think you aren’t,” he hissed.

Jamie felt her eye wide
n, she wondered what people have seen and who. “Wha sd wthatt are you talking about?” She tried to keep the panic out of her voice, but failed.

Ryan laughed, and walked closer to her, and
she backed up until her back hit the hard surface of the wall. “Jamie…Jamie…Jamie, you have hidden cameras everywhere. In your purse, on your phone, on your make-up lid, and even in your bedroom. But the best camera, well besides your bedroom of course, is the one in the basement.”

She wanted to pass out, she didn’t know about all of that. That seemed to be a little overboard.
Ryan grabbed her hand in his, and brought his other hand up to cup her cheek; she narrowed her eyes. “Get your hands off of me.” She had never wanted to hurt someone else like this before; she also had never been so pleased that her father had her trained.

He shook his head and winked at her. “We aren’t done talking. I am the one that can make sure no one else finds out about you and your dirty
,
Blue
boy…come back to me.”

That was when he made his mistake; he let go of her hand and she took that time to smack him as hard as she could across the face.

Ryan turned his angry eyes back to her, out of the corner of her eye she saw a red handprint forming on his left cheek. “You ungrateful little girl, I was trying to help you because you and I could rule this world together. We would make a great team like we used to.” He pressed his hard body against hers, and took each of her hands into his. “You will be mine again, even if I have to kill him.” He leaned down to kiss her, and as soon as his lips were on hers, she bit his lip. “Ahhgg.”

Jamie could taste his blood in her
mouth, she turned her head to the side to spit it out. Jamie wished her dress wasn’t so heavy so she could really hurt him.

“Ryan
, you better step away now from Miss Moore.”

Thank goodness
, Matthew had come!
she thought. She didn’t know what she was going to do next. Ryan’s eyes darkened as he looked at her and her eyes were drawn to the blood that was dripping down his chin. He brought up his hand to wipe away, and he slowly took one step to the side allowing her to walk pass him.

“Make the right choice, Jamie,” h
e growled at her as he held his wounded mouth.

Jamie nodded, she knew what the right choice was
, but she didn’t care. There was only one choice for her. She walked passed him and toward Matthew and to her surprise, Henry. “I am.” She looked over her shoulder at her ex-boyfriend.

Ryan looked sad at her, and shook his head.
“You really aren’t,” he said and looked down at his feet as he walked past her. She watched him walk away, and she knew she would have to tell Henry what he’d just told her.

Matthew smiled down at her sd dto . “I really don’t know why anyone thinks you need protection. You seem to be able
to handle yourself pretty well.”

Jamie rolled her eyes, she could take care of herself
, but no one let her. Her father’d had her trained as if she was part of the Black army, just in case she needed protection and no one was around.

Matthew handed her a dark
blue napkin, and she wiped her mouth off. Hmm…she was going to need another touch up. Emily wasn’t going to be too happy about that. “It would seem that the men in my life think I need all of this manly protection, but the truth is I can take care of myself. I was trained to do so.”

She looked at Henry, and he narrowed his eyes. “You bit him?”

Jamie had to bite her own lips to keep her smile back because she saw the fury on his handsome face. His dark blue eyes seem a little darker, and his beautiful white smile was nowhere to be found. “Hmm…yes it was the only thing I could think of. I didn’t want him to kiss me, so I bit his lip as he tried.” She smiled at him, and he just arched a dark brown eyebrow at her. “This damn dress is too heavy I couldn’t knee him and he had my hands in his, so I couldn’t punch him. At the time it seemed like my best option. Now if I had known you and Matthew were behind us I wouldn’t have bit him.” Now it was her turn to arch an eyebrow.

“We got up here as you bit him
,” Henry said, and only his eyes soften. Jamie wanted him to take her into him warm strong arms. But now she didn’t want to look at him too long in fear someone else would figure it out. She looked down at the floor away from his gorgeous dark blue eyes. “What is it?”

She didn’t
look up at him. “Ryan knows,” she whispered and heard his gasp.

“How?” Jamie looked back up at him, and smiled sadly at the man she loved with every fiber in her body.

“I am watched even when I don’t know it,” she said and turned to look at Matthew. “I need to get back to the ballroom before people start to wonder about me.”

Slowly he nodded
, but his eyes went to Henry. “Fine.”

“I am heading home now. Your father gave me early leave for today since I won’t be needed. I will be back after I get dress.” Henry stepped closer to her back side, and she felt the heat from the front of his body. He stuck out his hand so Matthew could shake it. “I love
you Jamie, I will see you later,” he whispered against her ear and she had to hold back her shiver that she felt.

When the heat vanished she wanted to run to him, but she just
stood there staring at Matthew as he smiled down at her. “Damn, you two really do have it bad for each other.”

Jamie didn’t trust her own voice
, so she nodded her head slowly.

“Ballroom?”

She took a steadying breath and turned to walk to the ballroom. Kickers were still on stage, and Cynthia was back working on the tables. This was her black and blue ball. She thought about why she’d chosen those colors. Blue had always been her favorite color, even if she wasn’t allowed to wear it. Momentarily she wondered what color she would wear after tonight. Maybe she would mix the two together since she would be technically both.

Jamie smiled at Cynthia, and that was when she noticed her red puffy eyes. She had been crying and she had a good feeling it was because of her father. Jamie walked over to the older woman and placed her hand on top of hers. Cynthia looked at her and dimly smiled at her.

* * *

Henry walked into his house and smiled; his little, fiery red-head was perfect. When he saw Ryan with his hands on her, he’d wanted to kill him, but Matthew held him back. He understood why he did, but it didn’t cool his temper. He just wanted to get dress so he could be with her again, and soon she would be his wife; he just didn’t know for how long.

Henry
walked toward his bedroom where Cameo had said she’d leave a black tux for him. He knew that he was putting himself and Jamie in danger tonight, but she wanted him there and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her.

A
fter he was dressed he held the royal blue mask in his hands. The fabric was soft. He would bet it was silk, along with the black string that would tie on the back of his head. Henry walked into the bathroom to pull his hair back. He smiled at himself in the mirror. He was getting married tonight, and he was marrying someone that was too good for him, but he didn’t care. He was selfish and wanted her and he didn’t care if it cost him his life.

“Henry?” his mother called
for him.

“In the bathr
oom.” He took a deep breath, turned to face the opened door and his mother appeared. Her long dark brown hair was up in a tight ponytail, and she smiled at him.

“You look
handsome,” she said and walked to him. His mother didn’t take any time in wrapping her arms around him, pulling him into a snug hug. “You know you don’t have to go through with the wedding, if you want, we can call it off,” she said as she pulled away from him.

Henry grinned at her, there was no way he would do that. “Mom
, I’m marrying Jamie Moore tonight. I love her more than I have ever loved anything in my life…besides you of course.” He winked at her and she laughed.

“Fine, I guess I am goin
g to have a Moore as a daughter-in-law.”

He
touched her cheek. “Mom you are going to fall in love with Jami soveg he just like I did. She will take your heart before you even know what she has done.” He felt his heart grow because that was what happened with him.

“You really do love her don’t you? Henry I just want you happy a
nd if she is the one that makes you happy, then I will love her,” she said and took a step back away from him, smiling with tears in her light sapphire eyes.

“Well
, Mom I need to get going so we can get back here. Thank you for doing this for me. I love you Mom.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek.

Chapter Fourteen

Midnight Wedding

Jamie and Emily were dancing to the music with Mike and Matthew closely behind them.
She kept looking for a royal blue mask with vivid light blue peeking through. He should have been there already and she was getting worried, what if he was in trouble or what if he was hurt? Jamie stopped dancing and looked around. Everyone was wearing a different colored mask and they seemed to be having a good time dancing.

She leaned into her best friend. “Em, I’ll be back
. I need a drink.”

Emily nodded and Mike took her place dancin
g with her.

Matthew moved up
next to her before she could say anything to him. Jamie pushed her way through the dancing couples to the tables. She had the phone Henry had given her in her little, sparkling green clutch purse. She’d run to her bedroom to get it just before the ball started. She pulled out the slim black phone and pressed the top button to see if there was a message from him. There wasn’t. So many thoughts ran though her head, but the one she kept settling on was ‘what was going too happened after the wedding?’ Jamie wanted to have forever with the man she loved, and she knew she wouldn’t. Ryan wouldn’t keep her relationship a secret for much longer and that meant Henry would be taken from her. She didn’t want to imagine what would happen to him in the tower. She knew what they did to Blues and she didn’t want that to happen to Henry.

Where are you?
she typed into the phone and pressed send. She stared at the screen. A few minutes later the phone vibrated in her hand.

Patience, Miss Moore.

Jamie grinned at the phone. S
he had no patience. Not when she wanted to be in his arms. She missed him and it was getting close to midnight.