Jack shrugged.
“I called them.”
They both turned to find Jaime standing at the backdoor of the shop, twisting her hands together.
“I came into your office to get Mrs. Sherman’s order, and I saw that woman…” She pointed to Claire. They could hear Claire screaming from inside the police car. “…grab your arm, and I saw the knife in her hand. I called triple zero, and they told me to stay inside.” She looked at Lauren with tear-soaked eyes. “I wanted to come out and help you…” Her voice cracked.
Lauren rushed over and hugged her. “You did the right thing. The police came just in time. Thank you.”
The police officers had plenty of questions and asked Lauren, Jack, and Jaime to come down to the police station to give an official statement. Lauren agreed to go right away, saying she wanted to get it over with.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Later that day, Lauren sat curled up in Jack’s lap on his couch, enjoying his fingers running through her hair. The crazy events of the day ran through her mind. Finally standing up to Belinda was like having shackles removed from her wrists. She was now free from the blackmailing. The relief pouring through her made her light-headed.
Claire wanting to hurt her had been the scariest experience of her life. How she found the courage to stand up to her she’d never know. The police had informed them that Claire had been in and out of McMahon’s Mental Health Clinic for the past two years. During her recent stay she’d left without being discharged by doctors, and her family had been looking for her ever since. Lauren inwardly shook; she didn’t want to think about how close to getting hurt, or worse, she’d gotten. She hoped Claire’s family could get her the help she needed.
Lauren should’ve been exhausted from the adrenaline shock of the day’s events, but she didn’t want to sleep. She wanted to spend every moment she could with Jack. He’d really come through for her, in more ways than one.
“Belinda isn’t going to ask me for any more money.”
Jack’s fingers stilled for a beat then continued stroking her hair.
“I called her earlier today to tell her she wasn’t getting any more from me no matter what she threatened to do.”
Jack kissed the top of her head. “Good for you.” The vibrations from his deep voice rumbled through her body as she leaned against his chest.
“But you beat me to it.” She tilted her head back so she could see his face. He cupped her chin in his strong hands while his thumb caressed her jaw. “Why did you do it?”
Leaning forward, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “I did it because I hated seeing you treated that way.” Giving her lips another kiss, he added, “I also did it because I love you.”
Lauren’s breath hitched, and she sat up to get a better look at him. Jack must have thought she was going to pull away because he wrapped his arms around her, pulled her closer, and secured her on his lap.
“I know you have a hard time trusting. Your experience is enough to make anyone have major doubts, but please trust me when I tell you there’s nothing on this earth I want more than you. All the money and fame in the world could go tomorrow, dammit, I’d make it go away if that’s what you wanted just so I can have you. I never thought I’d ever feel this way. Never saw myself spending forever with anyone. Now all I see is you. There is no forever if I don’t have you.” His eyes pleaded with her to believe him. “Lauren, Iloveyou.”
Tears welled and blurred her vision. She blinked and hot rivers ran down her cheeks.
“Please tell me those are good tears,” Jack said, kissing them from her face.
Lauren nodded. The lump in her throat prevented her from speaking.
After a moment, she took a deep breath and hoped her voice didn’t waver. “When I ran into Claire I was on my way to see you.”
She gazed at his gorgeous face, seeing beyond the pretty façade to the man who truly loved her. A man who was generous and kind, someone who loved her enough to want to protect her from the madness she’d endured all these years.
“Before I called Belinda to tell her she wasn’t getting any more money, I finally woke up and saw the man you are. I kept judging you for something someone else did, and I know how unfair that was. Your heart is huge, and I can see you’re loyal and loving to those who are important to you. I finally sawyou. I realized people like Belinda and Claire didn’t matter as long as I had you. I’m one of those people in your life you want to love and protect and I see it now.” She picked up Jack’s hand and placed it on her racing heart. “I was coming to tell you how I felt. I wanted to tell you I loved you.”
Jack blew out a long breath, like he’d been waiting a long time to hear the words. He pushed her hair back from her face, brushed the tears from her cheeks, and met her gaze. His love for her and their future together shone from the emerald depths. How could she have run from this man? And then he kissed her so passionately it caused her toes to curl, and she knew there’d be no more running.
As he tunneled his fingers through her hair, his tongue swept inside her mouth, and she let out a soft sigh of pleasure. She could make out with the super-sexy sports star every day of her life. Life was good!
Jack scooped her off his lap and into his arms as he rose from the sofa. Linking her arms around his broad shoulders, Lauren nuzzled the warm, soft skin at his neck as he carried her into the bedroom.
He smacked a kiss on her lips and beamed, “I’m the luckiestMr. Prettyin the world!”
Epilogue
Colors exploded and danced in the sky above Lauren and Jack as they sat on a picnic blanket on top of a grassy hill. They laughed, kissed, and made ridiculous New Year promises they knew they would never keep as the summer breeze, still warm at midnight, whistled around them.
