Redeeming (19 page)

“How can you say that?” S
he replied. “I’m not being…”

“He’s right, Daniella…” Millicent interrupted. “I, more than anyone, admire your courage for coming here but what’s about to happen here… the violence… and probably death… is not something you should be here to see.”

Daniella’s breath caught in her throat. Her eyes scanned every face in the room for signs of an ally but none existed. Least of all her friend Tricia who’d been through much more than she bargained for since she left Pine Hill on their ill-fated journey.

“But…” Daniella uttered. “I…”

The room remained silent as she struggled for words. It was clear that whether she liked it or not, everyone else agreed with Jett and she had to go for good this time.

***

“Hey…” Jett said as he stood and looked down at her. “Come with me.”

Daniella nodded and got up. They left the living room and walked down the hallway.

“In here…” Jett said while he pointed to a door on his right.

They walked inside the room and as they did, he gestured for her to
sit on a bed in the middle of the room. After he closed the door behind them, he came over and sat next to her. She brushed a stray tear off her cheek as he scooted close.

“What’s going on with you?” H
e said. “You’ve got to tell me. Your behavior isn’t making any sense at all.”

She groaned and replied,
“What do you want me to say, Jett? That I was a fool for coming here? That I am stupid for putting everything you and Owen and trying to do in jeopardy? I know all of that already…”

“Well, then if you know it, why did you come?” he asked as he leaned in close to her.

“What do you mean? Because I am in love with you and I don’t want you to get hurt or… worse.” She said as his hand came to rest upon her leg. The touch of it against her thigh was warm, reassuring and something she never wanted to be without. She closed her eyes and squinted in effort to keep the tears at bay.

“And I love you, Daniella, more than anything,” he replied. “And that’s why you cannot stay. I explained all of this to you in Pine Hill but you didn’t listen to me.”

She turned her head away from him as he continued to speak…

“What you didn’t know then but do now is that the futures of many more are
at-stake than just mine and yours.”

“Plus one more…” she mumbled under her breath.

“What was that?” He asked.

“Hmm?” S
he said.

“You said, there’s one more…” he replied. “One more what?”

Daniella shrugged. “What? I didn’t say that.”

“Yes, you did. I heard it.” He asserted. “What are you talking about?”

Daniella jumped to her feet.

“Nothing!” S
he exclaimed. “I told you I didn’t say anything. I’m through with this conversation, Jett.”

She turned to try
to walk away but he grabbed her by the arm and yanked her back towards him.

“Let… go!” S
he demanded.

“No, damn it!” H
e yelled as he pulled her back towards him. On the verge of a fall, she screamed, “Jett, the baby!”

He leapt to his feet, caught her and as the
y came to the ground, he fell between her and the floor, cushioning the blow. After the impact, they lay motionless for a moment with her flat on top of his chest. Daniella lifted her head and peeked through her hair only to see him glaring back at her.

“What the
hell
did you just say?” He asked. He’d never looked at her that way before. She couldn’t tell if he wanted to strangle her or embrace her. His eyes were round, focused and filled with intent.

“I…” she stammered as she tried to stand.

In an instant, he grabbed her by the forearms and pinned her in place.

“No, no way…” he scolded as he shook his head back and forth. “Tell me what you said. Right now.”

Daniella exhaled, her head dropped. “I… I’m pregnant, Jett.”

For a
moment, he remained still. Then she felt the touch of his hand against her cheek as he lifted her head up from his chest. As she drew her eyes upwards to meet his, Daniella wasn’t sure what to expect. As far as she knew, nothing good at all would come of such a union.

But for the moment, at least, Jett
’s expression conveyed the opposite. A huge smile came to his face as he opened his arms and motioned for her to come towards his face. Daniella crawled up and snuggled into the space between his neck and ear. As he started to speak, his voice vibrated in his throat and tickled the ear she pressed against it…

“Are you sure?” H
e said.

She nodded.
“Yes, I’m positive.”

He hugged her so tight she thought she might crumble under the force.

“Uh, Jett…” she grumbled. “Careful.”

“Oh,” he said he started to sit up. “Oh man, sorry. Are you okay?”

Daniella wrinkled her brow. “Yeah, just take it easy wouldya?”

“Um, what do you need?” H
e said as he rubbed his hands together. “I’ll get you anything. Do you need to lie down? Here…” he said as he started to pick her up. “Let’s get you on the bed. You need to take it easy.”

“Jett…” Daniella said as she swatted his hand away. “Would you just… wait… stop!”

Her admonitions appeared to snap him out of it for a moment.

“I said I was pregnant, not paralyzed.” She began. “I’m not going to break in half or something…”

“Right,” he said. “Sorry…”

Daniella shook her head and stifled a laugh. She
’d never seen him act like this before.

“What
?” He said. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing…” she giggled. “Just you. Big, strong, sexy man turned into a bowl of mush by the idea of his little baby boy.”

Jett dropped to his knees in front of her and put his hand on her tummy.

“A boy?” He
asked, as he looked first at her stomach and then up to her eyes. “How do you know?”

Daniella shrugged.
“I just do.”

“Wow,” Jett replied. “This is… just… holy shit this is incredible news. I don’t even know what to say.”

“That you’re happy?” Daniella replied.

In a flash, Jett straddled her and moved to within an inch of her lips. He smiled and said,
“This is the happiest moment of my life. I love you more than anything…”

Weak with need, Daniella crashed into his mouth. With his right hand, he guided her head gently to the groun
d and for several minutes, they kissed and caressed. When they at last broke free, Jett bolted upright.

“Daniella…” he said with a concerned tone. “Wait… what the hell am I thinking? This is…
awful.
”

“What?” S
he said. “Awful? How?”

“Well, I mean… what I am… and what you are…” he said. He staggered to his feet. “We shouldn’t be together… my mother.”

“Jett,” Daniella began. “It’s okay… Owen said there’s a chance it might be alright.”

“Wait,” he replied with a hint of anger in his voice. “Owen knows? Since when?”

Daniella got up and straightened her clothes. “Um,” she stammered. “Since right before you left to come here…”

“What!”
He yelled. “And he didn’t tell me!”

Enraged, Jett turned to head out of the room. As fast as she could, Daniella
inserted herself between Jett and the door.

“No… Jett… Jett… wait, you don’t understand.” She begged.

“Get out my way, Daniella.” He warned. “I’m about to give that son of a bitch a piece of my mind.”

“Jett!” Daniella exclaimed as she slapped him across the face. “Listen to me!”

The impact of her hand against his cheek snapped Jett out of his momentary fit of rage. He shook his head and looked at her.

“What the hell?” H
e said.

“Sorry…” she replied. “You just wer
en’t listening. Are you hurt?” She said as she reached up to touch his cheek.

“No,” he said as she grabbed her hand. “Now, tell me what you were going to say.”

Daniella exhaled. “I didn’t
tell
Owen anything.”

“What? That doesn’t make any sen
se.” He replied as he pointed in the direction of the closed bedroom door. “You just said he knew.”

“Uh, yes, he knows but
I
didn’t tell him.” She said as she threw her arms in the air. “He ‘sensed’ it or something. Hell, I don’t know.”

Jett shook his head.
“I don’t understand. Why didn’t you tell
me
, Daniella?”

“Because I thought it was
the right thing to do, Jett!” She exclaimed. “It’s not like this is easy for me or something you know? I have this… baby… inside of me that could very well kill me. You think this is a secret I want to keep? I’m scared to fucking death, Jett. Jesus!”

She fought back tears as she walked back over to the bed. From behind, she heard Jett let out a deep breath and then begin to walk in her direction. A moment later, he placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her hair to one side.

“Daniella,” he began. “I’m sorry. Please…”

Her shoulders slumped for a moment before she turned back to face him.
Wordless, she wrapped her arms around his waist, buried her face in his chest, and began to sob.

“Shhh…” he said as he rubbed her head.
“ Everything will be fine, Daniella. I promise. I’ll talk to Owen about what he thinks he knows. But, please, I am fucking begging you…
Please
leave this place.”

“Jett,” she began. “I…”

“No, Daniella,” he interrupted. “
Nothing
good can come of you being here. As soon as Owen and I get this sorted out, we will deal with the baby. I swear.”

Daniella swallowed hard.
“You didn’t let me finish,” she replied as she looked up at him through glassy eyes. “Okay.”

“Okay, what?” H
e replied.

“I’ll leave, I promise.”

Jett clasped his hands together in front of his lips. “Thank you, Daniella. Thank you.”

They embraced for several seconds and after a single kiss, he looked down at her.
“Okay,” he began. “Let’s get you the hell out of here.”

He grabbed he
r by the hand and they headed out of the bedroom.

***

Owen and Tucker stood as Jett and Daniella came back into the living room.

“Is everything okay?” Millicent asked. “It sounded like you were pretty upset in there, Daniella.”

“Yeah,” Daniella replied as she walked towards Tricia. “I’m fine…”

“I told him.” Daniella mouthed to her as she approached. Tricia’s eyes widened as she covered her mouth with her hand.

“Owen,” Jett began. “Daniella’s agreed to leave. I know we don’t have much time at all to get her out of here.”

“No, we don’t…” Owen began. “But that’s very good news indeed.”

“So…” Owen began. “You told him did you?”

Jett crossed his arms at his chest as Owen spoke. Tucker and Millicent looked at one another with looks of confusion on their faces.

“What is going on?” Tucker asked.

As Jett spoke up to provide the answer to their question, Daniella interrupted him.

“I’m pregnant…” she blurted out.

“What!” Millicent exclaimed. “Why that’s incredible…”

But almost as soon as she said the words, she realized how untrue they were. Millicent collapsed back down on the sofa and looked at Owen and Tucker.

“Oh no…” she gasped.

Daniella felt her stomach sink as the reality of the situation hit home for Millicent. No doubt, the memory of what happened to Jett’s mother was something none of them forgot.

“Well, now that we’re on the subject…” Jett said as he looked at Owen. “Daniella mentioned something about a ritual, something the clan might be able to do to help.”

“Yes,” Owen nodded. “But… there isn’t time for any of that right now. We need to get her to safety, deal with Kane and then the child. One thing at a time…”

“But Owen… that ritual…” Tucker began. “She could die, the baby could die… both of them. Does she realize that?”

“Yes,” Daniella replied. “Owen told me all about it.”

“Daniella…” Tricia said as she hugged her friend.

“Everyone…” Owen said. “If we are to get them out of here, we need to leave as soon as we can.”

“Agreed,” Tucker added. “How will you deal with Kane when he discovers they’ve been let free? What will you say? He’ll suspect you have allies. He’ll start with
Buck and since we’re his parents, we’ll be the next logical choice.”

“You’re right, Tucker…” Owen replied.