Page 67 of Jameson’s Salvation

They’d been back from being deputized for an hour and something was wrong with Kennedy. Jameson hadn’t asked her because he had a feeling she’d lie and say ‘nothing,’ which would irritate him. He knew she wasn’t tired because last night she’d slept like a rock.

And he’d know because while she snoozed on his chest, he’d laid awake. Every time he’d closed his eyes, he’d see her bleeding. So somewhere around midnight he’d given up sleep in exchange for listening to her breathe. But she’d never stirred in his arms. Her weight was comforting but not enough for Jameson to get some shuteye.

Kennedy had finished the searches she’d been working on and they’d split the list. Jameson and Weston took half, and Nix and Chasin the other. Holden was staying back in the office with McKenna and Kennedy.

He’d walked her back into his office and closed the door. Memories of the last time he’d had her pressed against the wall flooded his brain. He’d been a monumental dick. It was a miracle she’d forgiven him. He wasn’t going to dwell on the whys and wherefores she’d allowed him back into her life, he was simply going to take it and be grateful—and not squander the second chance. He knew he’d never get a third if he’d fucked this up.

Jameson’s hands went to the sides of her face and gently brushed the apples of her cheeks with his thumbs.

“You are so beautiful, Kennedy.”

Her face heated pink and she whispered, “Thank you.”

“I shouldn’t be gone that long. Please don’t leave the office.”

“I won’t.”

Jameson leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers, desperately wanting to kiss her but knowing it would lead to him wanting to touch her, and with her concussion she wasn’t near ready. He’d never do anything that would cause her pain or put her in harm’s way. And him roughly taking her against the wall would be the very definition of harm’s way.

“Be careful,” she murmured when he pulled back.

“I will.”

Jameson smiled and couldn’t remember anyone other than his team telling him to be careful. The concern settled in his chest and another piece of solace clicked into place. She was fitting one jagged fragment at a time back together. Though he wasn’t entirely sure he’d ever been whole, at least not after his father had abandoned him.

He took Kennedy by the hand and led her back to Nixon’s office where McKenna was listening to silence as she waited for Reggie to make a call, or pull his phone out of his pocket so she could listen in.

McKenna hadn’t allowed Jameson to hack Reggie’s phone. She’d waited until Jameson had taken Kennedy to bed and she’d done it herself. No one was actually concerned she’d get caught or that Reggie would know they could now listen to his calls and access his camera. McKenna was good at what she did.

After saying goodbye, the team left and Jameson waited until Weston was pulling away from the curb before he turned to look at his friend.

“What’d you say to Kennedy?”

Weston’s reaction was immediate. The corners of his eyes wrinkled and he scowled.

“Seriously? You think I’d go there with your woman?”

“Hell, no. But you said something to her. When I left, she was excited to track Coleman and when I got back, she looked like someone had kicked her puppy.”

“I didn’t tell her anything you wouldn’t’ve told her if you weren’t babying her.”

“Babying her? What the fuck does that mean?”

“It means, I’m not the one that loves her. I’m not the one who’s reliving finding my woman bloody. She needed to hear the truth, so I told her. Again, nothing you wouldn’t have said yourself if your head was on straight.”

Jameson was getting pissed with the round robin conversation and Weston’s evasion tactics.

“Which was?”

“I told her she needed to pull herself together and not quit.”

“What the fuck, Weston? She was hit over the goddamn head with a two-by-four.”

“She was. And if you let her, she’s gonna hold onto that thread—”

“Hold onto it? Are you fucking serious? She just got out of the hospital.”

“She did. And you know damn good and well the longer she has time to think on it the harder it will be for her to go back. Rip the scab off.”