Fever (22 page)

after Jace bit her head off the last two times she’d come to see him.

“Hey, baby girl,” he said, allowing the affection he felt for her to shine through.

She relaxed, relief crossing her pretty features, and walked into his office.

“Thank God you’re in a better mood,” she said.

He chuckled but then quickly sobered as he rose and went around his desk to pull her into a

crushing hug.

“Ash told me what a dick I was to you. Sorry, sweetheart. It probably doesn’t make you feel any

better that I don’t even remember you coming in to see me. Ash swears it happened and he also

swears I was a complete asshole and that Gabe wanted to rearrange my face for upsetting you. I

deserved it.”

Mia’s brow crinkled with concern as Jace pulled away and motioned for her to sit down.

“Is everything all right, Jace? You haven’t been yourself. And you haven’t said anything about

Christmas, which is why I came to see you. Gabe and I want you and Ash to spend it with us. Gabe’s

parents are going to come over but for the most part it’s just going to be us. Like old times,” she

added softly.

He hadn’t given Christmas much thought. All his thoughts had been occupied by Bethany. He

glanced down at his desk calendar and realized it was just a few short days away.

His first Christmas with Bethany. Bethany, who had nothing. Who likely had never had a tree,

presents, had never been surrounded by family and good friends. Instead, Christmas had been just

another day on the streets. Cold, hungry. A time to feel even more lonely than usual.

Hell, he hadn’t put up a tree in his apartment. Hadn’t made certain she had one for her apartment.

Hadn’t taken her Christmas shopping. Hadn’t taken her down to Rockefeller Center, as he had with

Mia so many times in the past, to see the tree.

He blew out his breath and lifted his gaze to his sister, who sat staring at him, concern darkening

her rich brown eyes. Eyes that were a mirror of his.

“I met a woman,” he began.

Mia’s eyebrows shot up and she leaned forward in her chair. “Whoa, wait. You met a woman? As

in this isn’t someone you and Ash hooked up together with?”

Jace winced. “For God’s sake, Mia. I’m not discussing my sex life with you. What the hell do you

know about Ash, anyway?”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh please. It’s not exactly a secret that neither of you have gone solo in a

long time.”

Jace cringed. Well hell. The very last thing he wanted his baby sister to know about was his and

Ash’s propensity for threesomes.

“So this woman. I take it Ash isn’t involved?”

Jace sighed. “He’s not now.”

Mia’s lips formed an
O
. “So he was then. Awkward!”

“Well, it could be. At least at first. Look, Mia, she’s different.”

Mia nodded knowingly, a wide smile curving her lips. “Oh my. My big brother has finally fallen.

This is worth the price of admission.”

Jace shook his head. “Just listen, please?”

As if sensing the importance, she dropped the teasing air and her expression became more serious.

“What’s going on, Jace? Is everything okay?”

Jace ran a hand through his hair and leaned back in his chair. “As I said, she’s different, Mia. Way

different than you and me. Gabe or Ash. Bethany is—was—homeless.”

Sympathy immediately darkened Mia’s eyes. If nothing else, his younger sister had a heart as big as

the world.

“How did you meet her then?” Mia asked.

“She was working your engagement party. Of course, I didn’t know all of that then. To make a long

story short, Ash and I hooked up with her even though I knew I wanted her to myself from the very

start.”

“That’s pretty screwed up,” Mia muttered.

“Tell me about it. Anyway, she bailed the next morning and I spent two weeks turning the city

upside down looking for her. The shelter called me when she came in looking for a place to sleep,

and she’d been roughed up by assholes her brother owes money to.”

Mia’s expression was stricken. “Oh no! Jace, is she okay?”

He nodded. “Just scraped up. That was a week ago. She’s fine now.”

Her brow furrowed. “Why haven’t I met her? Why hasn’t anyone met her?”

“I plan for you to,” he said quietly. “I want her to spend Christmas with us. I don’t want her to be

alone and I damn sure don’t want to tell her that I’m going to spend Christmas with my family and

have her feel like she’s nothing to me by not inviting her too.”

“Of course not. Of course we’d love to have her,” Mia said in a rush. “I’m looking forward to it. Is

she staying with you? Surely you didn’t let her go back to the streets.”

Jace scowled. “Hell no. I’ve put her up—temporarily—in your old apartment.”

Her eyebrow rose. “Temporarily?”

“Very temporarily,” Jace muttered. “Just until I move her in with me.”

Mia’s mouth formed the same
O
of surprise it had earlier. “You’re serious about her.”

“Do you think I’d be bringing her to Christmas if I wasn’t? When have I ever risked what you and

me and Gabe and Ash have by bringing in an outsider? You’re my family, Mia. All of you. No way

I’d let just anyone enter that inner circle.”

“Then I really can’t wait to meet her,” Mia said softly. Then her expression grew thoughtful. “Does

she have any friends? It doesn’t sound like she has anyone at all. How old is she?”

Jace shook his head. “She’s your age. She’s had a hard life. Never had a chance, really. But she’s

smart. She’s sweet. She lights up the entire room. I can’t explain it, Mia.”

Mia’s smile broadened. “Oh, Jace, I’m so happy for you! And it definitely sounds as though she

could benefit from some girl time. Is it all right if I swing by the apartment sometime? She could go

out with me and my girls.”

Jace hesitated, hating what he had to say next. But Ash knew and it was likely by default Gabe

knew. Mia would have to know so she didn’t do anything to put her foot in her mouth later.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” he said slowly. “Bethany has had some . . . issues . . . in the past

with addiction. May not be a good idea to throw alcohol at her and I know you and your girls tie one

on when you go out.”

“She can drink water with me,” Mia said firmly. “Not like I have a good tolerance for alcohol

anyway. The important thing is that she get out with girls her own age and make friends. Unless you

have a problem with it?”

Jace found himself shaking his head. “No. No problem. I appreciate this, Mia. You’re an angel. I’m

sure Bethany will appreciate it. But a warning. She’s quiet and she’s definitely shy. It would be easy

to overwhelm her and I know your friends can be a little pushy.”

Mia shot him a glare. “They’re the best kind of friends and they won’t be mean to Bethany. I

wouldn’t let them, even if they were the type to do it.”

Jace smiled at her ferocious defense. And she didn’t even know Bethany yet.

“I have every faith you’ll take good care of her. But, Mia, there’s something else you need to know

and Gabe will be made aware too.”

She groaned. “You have to get Gabe involved?”

“When it comes to your safety, yeah, I do.”

Her brow furrowed up and her nose scrunched into an adorable line.

“I’ve assigned bodyguards to Bethany. As I told you already, some assholes who want money from

her brother roughed her up. I’m not taking any chances until that situation is resolved. Which means if

you’re going out with Bethany then those bodyguards go too and they look out for you and your girls.

We clear?”

She rolled her eyes but nodded.

“I’d like to see the poor fool who tries to take me and my girls on,” Mia muttered.

Jace chuckled because she likely had a point. But still, he wasn’t taking any chances.

Mia rose and then came around his desk to wrap her arms around his neck. She hugged tightly. “So

you and Bethany will come for Christmas?”

He kissed her cheek. “Yes, baby girl. You can count on it.”

As Mia headed for the door, she nearly collided with Ash on his way in. Ash put his hands out,

grasped her shoulders and then laughed.

“Whoa there, sweetheart.”

“Hey, Ash,” she said in a cheerful voice.

Ash dropped an affectionate kiss on top of her head. “I need to see Jace about something. I’ll see

you around later, okay?”

She held up her hands. “I know when I’m being dismissed. Guess I’ll go see if Gabe has time for

me.”

Ash snorted. “As if he wouldn’t. Ever.”

She grinned, waggled her fingers and then disappeared down the hallway.

Ash turned back to Jace and then closed the door. Jace lifted his eyebrows in question as Ash made

his way to the chair Mia had vacated. He tossed another folder onto Jace’s desk before sitting down.

Jace was really starting to hate those damn folders. They never contained anything good.

“Bethany’s brother’s debt is taken care of,” Ash said with no preamble. “Good news is the

assholes who roughed her up weren’t interested in anything but getting their money back. Plus

sizeable interest, of course.”

“Of course,” Jace said acidly.

“Bethany should be good now.”

Jace nodded. “Thanks, man.”

“But there’s something else you should know. Not sure what it means, but I figure you need all the

information you can get.”

Jace’s shoulders sloped downward and he leaned back in his chair. “What now?”

“Bethany’s brother? Jack Kingston. Not her brother at all. No blood whatsoever. But they’re tight.

Been on the streets together ever since they left their last foster home. Well, they weren’t even in the

same foster home. I should say since Bethany left her last foster home, since Jack’s older and he’d

been out of the system for a while. Apparently he busted her out or at least came for her and she ran

away. They’ve been together ever since.”

Jace frowned. “So what are you suggesting?”

Ash held up his hands. “I’m not suggesting anything, man. I’m giving you the facts so that you have

them all at your disposal. Bethany calls him her brother. Thought you should know he’s not. Now as

to what that means, I have no idea. But you should be aware of the fact that she could be running a

pretty slick scam. She milks you for what she can and Jack’s debts are paid.”

It pissed him off but he would have to be stupid not to at least consider what Ash was saying.

“Thanks,” Jace murmured.

“Sorry, man. Know it sucks. May not even be true, but you have to be aware of the possibilities.”

Jace nodded. “Yeah. I know.”

Jace’s cell rang and he glanced down to see Kaden’s number flashing on the LCD. He held up a

finger to Ash and then yanked the phone to his ear.

“Yeah?”

He listened a moment, his blood going cold. Anger surged in close behind as Kaden related his

report.

“Stay on it,” Jace barked. “You find her. I’m on my way.”

He put the phone down and glanced up at Ash, who was listening in confusion.

“Bethany ditched her security and disappeared.”

“Oh shit,” Ash murmured. “What are you going to do?”

“If she’s going to walk away, she’s damn well going to say it to my face,” Jace bit out. “She owes

me that damn much.”

chapter nineteen

Bethany pulled her coat tighter around her and walked through Madison Square Park—she’d lost

count of the city parks she’d searched—hoping this was where she’d find Jack. She’d searched all

their usual haunts but had come up empty. She’d even checked the shelters she and Jack frequented,

hoping that maybe he had a warm place to stay for the night.

She hadn’t intended to be this long. Jace would be angry. No, he’d be
furious
. She’d snuck away

from her security detail, Jace’s faithful watchdogs, because really, what could she have said? That

she planned to go searching the not-so-great parts of the city for her brother because she was

worried?

They’d have pulled the plug on that idea so fast her head would have spun.

“Bethy, what are you doing here?”

Jack’s voice cracked over her like a whip and she spun around, relieved to see him standing in the

lengthening shadows wrought by evening’s fall.

“Jack, thank God,” she breathed. “I was so worried.”

She went to him, intending to hug him, but he pulled back, putting his hands to her shoulders. His

gaze scraped up and down the length of her body, his eyes shrewd.

“You’re looking good,” he said quietly.

He didn’t ask where she’d been. Didn’t ask anything at all. He just stared at her and told her she

looked good like they were old acquaintances who’d bumped into each other on the street.

She hastily dug into her pocket for the piece of paper she’d written her address on. Then she

shoved the folded paper at him.

“I have a place, Jack. It’s a nice place. On the Upper West Side. You could come. Have a place to

stay. You’d be safe there.”

He stared at the paper for a long moment before finally taking it and shoving it into his pocket

without looking at it.

“Heard you got hurt,” he said, pain creeping into his voice. “You have to know I never intended

that to happen, Bethy.”