Watching You: KJ Elite Inc. (41 page)

“I need to see Jamie.” I said, muffled by his neck.

“Later. Right now, we have her getting checked out by the Doc.”

“I want to be with her. Please.”

Tommy slowed his steps but continued for the bedrooms at the end of the hall.

“Tom.” I said, firmly.

He didn’t say anything as he knocked once and stepped into the bedroom across from ours.

“Tonight, we go home.” It wasn’t a question and I wasn’t arguing.

I nodded and kissed his mouth when someone cleared their throat. There wasn’t really anything that was going to get me out of Tommy’s arms until I turned my head and saw Jamie sitting on the bed with a gorgeous redhead hovering above her, checking her blood pressure. I couldn’t get out of his arms fast enough. Nearly knocking the Doctor over, I, as gently as possible, collided with Jamie and hugged her for a long time.

“I really need to check her out, hun.” The Doctor said to me, voice kind and gentle.

Really looking at her for the first time, I would have expected her to be a pediatrician or obstetrician, but not a regular ole’ physician.

“I’m sorry.” It came out like a pathetic squeal.

“It’s quite alright. I’m sure you friend is more than happy to have you here.”

She smiled and nearly melted my heart. I wasn’t in to girls, but damn this woman was gorgeous; she almost seemed like she belonged in a pin-up portrait.

I looked back to my best friend and lifted my chin in a testament to my steely resolve; I was not going to cry.

“I’m so sorry, Jamie. I didn’t know. I should have known.” 

She put a finger to my mouth and shushed me. Her fingers were almost non-existent.

“This is not your fault. I never once blamed you. Just give me some time to recoup, okay?” I nodded and she hugged me. It was so heart wrenching to see her in a shell of her former self. She was literally a bag of bones, her skin almost translucent as thin as it was.

The night proceeded in a whirl of lights and sounds, none having any meaning; Jamie was my sole focus. The Doctor told me that she was dehydrated, malnourished, and weak from beatings and lack of sunlight. It was a fucking miracle that was all that was wrong with her. I couldn’t keep myself from shaking my head and cringing whenever I thought of what she must have suffered this past six months.

Tommy left us shortly after he brought me to her, but came back just as Doc was preparing to leave. She prescribed a few medications to Jamie and told her that if she needed anything else for nightmares, panic attacks, depression, whatever to not hesitate to call. The brothers were paying her independently from the hospital and it was quite generous.

“Too damn generous” she had said with disdain.

“I’ll be back to check on you tomorrow, Jamie and even see your father, Taylor.” The Doc winked and gave a goofy wave before walking out.

“Let’s get you ladies home.” Tommy suggested.

“I can’t impose.” Jamie argued.

“You’re kidding, right? Don’t ever think or say that again.” I chided. It was the stupidest thing I’d ever heard her say.

“We’re going to Tommy’s house.” I told her, holding her hand and helping her up.

Tommy kept his distance, which was probably smart but snorted and corrected me. “Our house, Mrs. Kane.”

Jamie looked at me and attempted a smile. “It sounds like I’ve missed a lot.”

“Well, you didn’t miss that – I’ll explain later, trust me.”

“Oh, Taylor. I need to tell you – I’m sorry. Dillon held a gun to my head and told me to write some note. He made me sign it as you. I have no idea what he did to it, but I swear I didn’t do it willingly.” The sadness and regret drowning her.

I shook my head at her and hugged her close. “Don’t pay it a second thought.”

We walked out of the bedroom and down the hall to the private elevator. Only the brothers had access to it; the elevator was necessary because of how far underground they were. When the doors opened, Noah and Peyton greeted us.

Jamie shied back a foot or so when they approached and I pulled her in closer to me.

“It’s okay. They’re the good guys.” I assured her. “This is Noah, Tommy’s brother and that’s Peyton, my twin.” I pointed at them.

She only nodded and waited for them to pass.

Peyton gave her the space without making a scene and left her with his sweetest smile.

Noah stepped back into the elevator and held the doors for them. Tommy stepped in, in front of his brother and then I walked in, keeping Jamie at my side but kind of pushed into the corner. With her fear of small spaces I wasn’t sure how she’d react but I was hoping to convey that the corner kept her back protected.

I felt her shivering next to me and I shoved my thumb into the up button a few times, hard.

The doors slipped open and she practically barreled out, pulling me with her. It is how we would be for a while; attached at the hip like saran wrap.

* * *

Jamie woke with a start and sat up in bed, sweat practically raining down from her scalp. She figured it was a miracle she had fallen asleep and had no dreams whatsoever, but her body woke her up, almost like when you forget to do something. Giving the room another once over, the light still on, her mind went to ease a little noting that no one was in here with her. Jamie refused to let anyone see her cry but now, she could not help the tears that slid down her hollow cheeks. Lifting her scrawny hand to her throat, she winced and pulled back. So close she had to been to death when Matt swooped in and saved her like a fairy tale ending. But it wasn’t just Matt. That man, Noah was the one who took her away from that nightmare. He rocked her as she silently cried, thanking the Lord above that she would be able to live another day. Kissing her disgusting head and never once commenting on how she smelt or looked for that matter. It had been since the day she was kidnapped that she had last taken a shower.

Getting into Taylor’s house, Tommy treated her kindly and showed her around without crowding her.

“I know what it’s like. I get it. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call us. You can walk right into that room.” He pointed across the upstairs landing. “For absolutely anything.”

Taylor walked out of the room then, carrying piles of clothes and towels.

“You have a bathroom here, but the door to the next bedroom is also connected to it. You can lock your doors and no one has a key except you.” He had said, handing her two keys. Jamie appreciated what they were doing, but she wasn’t quite ready to talk yet.

All she could do was give a meager nod.

The bathroom was equipped with a separate shower stall and two person Jacuzzi tub; it was paradise to her. She vowed she would never take for granted the things she had ever again. Regardless of the size of her bank account; she certainly couldn’t model right now. Would the world even want her anymore? They probably suspected she was a diva who just up and left it all behind. Not like it hadn’t happened before.

Showering first in the stall, that had a built in stone bench she got clean and then moved herself over to the tub; she soaked for close to an hour. When she got out, her whole body was pruned and reddened; she had the water on scalding.

Giving another look around the room, she glanced at the bedside clock, noting it was only 3 in the morning. Jamie was still starving despite the gumbo, cornbread, sweet tea and corn they had fed her.

Slipping her feet off the edge of the bed and touching them down onto the cool of the hard wood, she found slippers. Taylor must have snuck in after she fell asleep. Jamie couldn’t help her small smile. Through it all, Taylor had been looking for her and truly cared that she was alive. She even said Matt was worried sick and they weren’t even that close. They’d never been biblical and it surely wasn’t in their future either. Nonetheless she felt lucky to have them. Even if she couldn’t tell them yet.

Jamie unlocked the bedroom door, slid out of the room quietly, wrapping a big plush robe on and turning to lock the door again from the outside.

Turning back around, Jamie almost screamed when she saw a body lying on the floor beside her door, up against the banister.

Noah.

He was snoring lightly and curled up without a pillow or blanket. Trying not to make a noise, she tip toed past him and headed for the rear staircase that led to the kitchen.

Hoping she’d find something strong, she was startled again when she turned back and saw Noah standing in the hallway behind her.

“Don’t scream. I’m sorry I scared you.” He held his hands out in surrender.

“I won’t scream.” She shook her head.

“Can I go with you? I’m starved.” Noah asked her politely, sliding his hands into his pockets and looking at her from under his lashes.

The smile on this man was … sexual. Things she hadn’t felt in her entire life, stirred in her belly, spreading warmth through her limbs.

What the actual heck?

“I don’t know, can you?” It just slipped out. Her least favorite foster mother had been a grammar nazi and was always correcting her speech. It unfortunately stuck.

Noah chuckled in the dimly lit hallway and corrected himself.

“May I?”

“It’s a free world.” She bit back her “Yes, Yes, YES!” and turned back around slowly.

Every other ten seconds she would turn her head to the side ever so slightly just to check where he was behind her. And he would give her a smile, maintaining a steady five foot distance between them.

“Did you get to take a shower?” Now he was making small talk. Could it be any more awkward?

“Yes, thank you for asking.”

“You’re very polite for someone who went to hell and back just hours ago.”

“I…” What could she said?

“Sit, please. I’ll get something for us to eat.” He asked, opening and closing cabinets when they got to the kitchen.

“I would rather do it. Please?” She had had enough of someone making her decisions and planning her food (what little of it she did get).

“Help yourself. Mind if I help?” His voice was strained while he remained completely confident on the outside.

“Um, I suppose.”

Side by side – far apart – they each collected and cooked food for each other. In silence.

As they were finished, Noah took their plates and loaded them into the dishwasher as he had done with the dishes they dirtied while making the food.

Jamie got a glass of water and began back upstairs, Noah behind her after too long.

“Are you going to sleep on the floor all night?” She asked, meekly.

“Yes.” Noah said, definitively. There was no room for questioning him, but she did anyway.

“Doesn’t that hurt?”

“I’ve slept in much worse.” He pursed his lips.

“Me, too.” She whispered.

“Why don’t you go home?”

“This is my home.” He answered, but she was certain she head him whisper, “Now.”

“Well, if you’re going to sleep here why don’t you take the spare room over there?” Jamie motioned towards the room beside hers.

“I’d rather be closer to you, not farther. In case you need anything.”

“So you’re taking on the task of bodyguard?”

He shrugged his shoulders in reply.

Jamie nibbled her lip and debated on inviting him to share the bed with her but she just couldn’t. The mere thought had her shaking. There was something different with this man, but she wasn’t ready to be that near any man right now. Maybe even never.

“Can I at least get you a blanket and a pillow?”

“Only if the pillow is yours. And I don’t need a blanket.”

“My pillow?” She furrowed her brows.

“Yes.” He did not elaborate.

Jamie just unlocked the door, retrieved the pillow and a blanket, and brought them to him.

Noah gave her a killer grin and then settled himself on the ground. “Thank you, Jamie Wright.”

Feeling her body morph into something completely alien, she turned tail and ran back into the bedroom. She allowed herself to weigh the options between leaving the door open, unlocked or relocking it. With Noah out there, making her blush and feel things she thought were dead, Jamie was more nervous than ever before.

Swinging the door shut, she locked it, unlocked it, locked it again and finally settled on unlocked.

Taylor trusted him. She trusted them all. Maybe it was worth a shot since she had never trusted anyone before and look what happened to her then. Baby steps.

* * *

Things had been pretty hectic the first week after getting Jamie settled into the house. She was afraid she’d be a bother to Tommy and Taylor but she had no idea that Taylor planned on relocating both of their lives to the quiet little town.

Devine had no idea what it was in for with these two. Matt was still here, but kept to the shadows since getting back. Taylor wanted to spend all of her time with Matt and Jamie, together, but knew she had to make time for Tommy, too. What she didn’t know was that Tommy was going to take her time whether she liked it or not. And he would do it with her friends present.