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“Why? Why is my personal life so important to you? Is it all about winning, taking a possession? Is it because you feel obligated to me? Well, I’m going to let you off the hook. The time we shared was very nice, but I can’t and won’t be made a possession ever again.”
“You’re not my possession. I care about you, Jessie. Whether or not you believe it.”
This time her laugh was bitter. “I don’t know what to believe any longer, but I need to get to work. Just let me go. Okay? I’m not going to allow anyone to rule my life. Not him and not you. My daughter is far too important to me. Please, just understand. Fuck you if you don’t.”
She wasn’t taking no for an answer and at this point, I wasn’t going to strong arm her. However, the situation needed to be brought under control. When I said nothing, she backed away, disappearing down the hallway.
“Look, I don’t know you at all and I have no clue what’s going on here, but I do know my friend and I care about her deeply. If you really do have any feelings for her, just give her some space. Okay?” Megan said from behind me. “She’s been through a lot in the last couple of years. She deserves someone who will give her all the love and support she needs. I don’t know you, but my guess is you’re just going to leave. That’s not fair to her or to Britta.”
I listened to what she had to say and nodded. “Understood but you need to know I do care about her and I’m not the monster she believes me to be.” What I understood was that I would need to find the right way to make amends. There was only one way in my mind to do that. I’d ensure she had a safe place to live, food on the table, and the fucking asshole out of her life permanently. Then…
Yeah, what then, asshole?
Then I’d get out of her life.
She eyed me with as much scrutiny as Jessie had done before. “She’s a damn good judge of character, Mr. Cawthorne. But I’ll make certain she knows your feelings.”
I nodded, still uncertain what the fuck I was going to do. “I don’t want to lose her.”
There was such passion in her eyes, the girl obviously very protective over her friend. “She promised herself she’d never allow anyone to hurt her again. You have no idea what that bastard put her through, the emotional toll it took. When I met her, she was a shell of a person, terrified of everything. If it hadn’t been for her love of her daughter, I don’t think she would have made it. Have you ever loved anyone that much, then found out they couldn’t care less about you?”
I shifted my thoughts to Elizabeth, the old ache returning for only one moment. “I have, Megan. I once loved someone who I lost because I was a fool. She did care about me, yet I couldn’t return the same care to her. I allowed her to slip through my fingers. While she betrayed me and I blamed her, it was all my fault. She deserved better than what I could give or the person I was at that point in my life. I’m not that person any longer.” When she didn’t say anything, I glanced in her direction. I could tell she either didn’t believe me, or it wasn’t enough. “I’m in love with her. I know that’s hard to believe given the timing and the difference in the two of us, but it’s how I feel. But I’ll walk away if that’s what she really needs.”
Megan gave me another hard look before walking out onto the front porch. I debated trying to talk with Jessie again but thought better of it, heading into the kitchen instead.
Maybe the best choice really was to walk away. For both of us. Seconds later, I pounded my fist on the counter. “Damn it.”
Ten minutes later they walked out the door, but not before I got a hug from Britta and a hateful look from Jessie once again.
What I’d said to Jackson was the truth. I did care about her, maybe too much. Okay, I was falling in love with her. Even my hands were sweaty. Maybe a small part of me had thought of her as nothing more than a possession at first, but everything was different now. Just a couple of days and I was lost without her. For all the years I’d ignored giving a damn about anyone, to finally find a woman that I could care about with everything inside of me meant more than every fucking penny I owned.
The realization was freeing and cathartic.
It was also not what she wanted.
That didn’t mean I couldn’t protect her.
Or that I wouldn’t try to garner at least her forgiveness. Not that I deserved it.
I paced the floor before returning to the kitchen, furious with the way things had gone. Unable to control my rage, I slammed my fists on the counter. No one tried to take advantage of someone I cared about. No one. Taking long strides, I headed into the bedroom, yanking my cell phone off the dresser.
It was just past six-thirty in Florida, which meant Parker wouldn’t be in his office. I’d keep some level of decorum and leave a message on his office phone. However, I’d need answers by the end of the week.
“Parker, it’s Sebastian. I need you to find out everything about James Jenson, including anything and everything about his marriage. I’m certain you remember the name since my father dealt with his father, Ernest. James happens to be the ex of the woman housed on my grandfather’s property. To say I don’t believe in coincidences is putting it mildly. This Jenson asshole is violent and dangerous, and I want a way to stop him legally. If you can’t find anything, I’ll do what it takes my way. Whatever you can dig up on him to use will be helpful. Call me as soon as you can. This is important. Don’t fuck with me on this. I also need the name of the best family law attorney in the state of Colorado. The price is no object. See what the filing is on James attempting to get custody of Britta Logan. His daughter. And last but not least, I’m going to send you some names of people who work at the ranch. From what I understand, most of them have prison records. I need to know if anyone of them is somebody I should worry about. Call me as soon as you can.”
While I had every intention of shutting James down myself, it would be good to have a legal team ready in case he tried to circumvent the warning I’d soon issue.
I tossed the phone onto the bed, but almost immediately it rang. Snarling, I glared at the screen, half laughing when I saw an unknown number. Oh, this should be fun.
“Sebastian Cawthorne.”
“Get out of town.” The voice had obviously been disguised.
“I don’t think so. In fact, I think I’m going to stay an extended period of time.”
“Then you will pay the price. You’ll learn soon enough.”
They hung up.
