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She hugged him in return. ‘We’ll see each other soon.”
“Thursday at two at The Coffee Cup?”
Joy radiated from her smile, a welcome contrast to her initial nervousness. “I’ll be there.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Seyla forced her reluctant body to exit her rental car and did her best to quell the fluttering in her stomach at the sight of Jax’s truck in the sanctuary parking lot. It had been a week since she’d seen him, since she’d awakened after surgery to him holding her hand. Since he’d left her in Jessa’s care and walked out of the hospital room.
And didn’t come back.
Oh, he’d come to her parents’ house to visit after she left the hospital, but only when Matt came. She’d even played some board games with him, shared some superficial banter, and watched a movie…along with Matt and Vanessa. Any time they ended up alone for a few seconds, he’d acted hesitant and awkward. He’d glance at the doorway repeatedly and start to talk, only to stop partway through a word and rub his palms on his shorts when another person entered the room.
At least she had her answer now. He’d done what he promised Matt he’d do. He’d protected her. Now it was over.
How would she face him again, knowing he didn’t love her? Knowing that she loved him?
Seyla trudged into the lobby, where Ada sat, struggling to answer several lines ringing simultaneously. The calls must be from their last few supporters offering their condolences. She trudged over to the director’s office, but Ada stopped her. “You can’t go in there. The director and the founders are having an emergency meeting in his office.”
Seyla stopped, one hand frozen on the door. The entire group together in a meeting? A sick feeling settled in her gut. Was Jaxbuying out the sanctuary right now? The realization of all she’d gone through, only to lose this place anyway, pummeled her with grief. Hot tears threatened to spill from her eyes. She focused on the ceiling and blinked them away before Ada saw them. “Why?”
“Don’t you know?” Two more lines joined in the incessant ringing. She waved Seyla away.
Seyla slogged the remaining distance to her desk, wondering how many more times she’d pass through this hall, sit at the desk, and watch the beautiful creatures that considered this land their home. Where would they be shipped off to? How would it affect them? The door shut behind her. She turned to see Jessa, wearing a nervous smile. “Hey, girl! How are you feeling?”
Seyla plastered a wooden smile on her face. She had to keep up the morale, no matter how bad things got. “I’ll be alright. Thanks.” The ache in her heart intensified with the knowledge of what this meant for Jessa and her son. She must be devastated, yet here she stood, faking positivity for Seyla’s sake.
Jessa fidgeted a bit. “We need some help over by Sada’s enclosure. Do you have a second?”
“Sure.” With lead feet, Seyla followed her, sure her heart would break when she locked eyes with the massive black jaguar. She’d let him down. She’d let all of them down.
They rounded the corner and ran into a group of four men, along with Jax’s uncle. They were unrolling wiring from a giant spool. Irritation flicked through her. Were these guys from Jax’s company? Were they already setting up before the staff and animals had even vacated the place? Seyla struggled with what to say until a voice she’d never forget rumbled over her.
“Welcome back.”
A mix of comfort, confusion and hurt swirled through her. She spun around. “Jax? What are you doing here?”
He stood, arms crossed, leaning on a fence post. Seyla’s pulse jumped when he strode over to stand in front of her, his warm,sigh-worthy smile and attention fully on her. She curled her fingers into her hands to keep from throwing both arms around him and never letting go.
“A great therapist told me I needed…desensitization therapy.” His uncle slapped him on the back. Jax laughed before continuing. “I decided to follow his advice.”
“I-I thought…I thought you were in the meeting inside.” Seyla shifted, as if moving her weight would somehow make sense of the situation. “So you’re not buying out the sanctuary?”
Jax handed her the day’s paper. The front page read, “Wildlife Sanctuary Rescued from Violent Predator.” When she read the author’s name, she looked at Jax. “Victor Soros wrote this?”
He laughed. “Yeah. Apparently, under duress. His boss directed him to write a glowing article detailing the sanctuary’s rise from the ashes after being stalked by a killer. It came complete with an interview from the corporation who has generously donated equipment, money, and”—he glanced at the men unrolling the wire—“manpower to make the sanctuary one of the most secure facilities in the United States.” Jax winked at her.
Jessa broke in. “Donations have been pouring in since this morning. The phone hasn’t stopped ringing. Even better, the Wellington Group rescheduled their visit.”
Seyla’s mouth slackened, her lips drifting apart in question. She turned back to Jax. “I don’t understand. What about your training facility?”
He exhaled on a sigh. “After some negotiations…and harassment,” he added, “my partners agreed with my plan.”
“What plan?”
“I proposed that the site where a psychopathic killer attacked a woman is the perfect place to build a training facility wherepeople learn how to defend themselves against those meaning to harm them.”
“But that’s here.”
