The Freelancer – Chapter 89

Sunday, October 12

“I did something bad,” Jenna said as I approached.

I helped her up and got her inside my condo.  She was shaking so badly I had to practically carry her to the couch for her to sit down.  I sat next to her and tried to put my arms around her to comfort her, but she pushed me away.

“What happened to you, Jenna?”

“I heard about what happened at the airport on the news.”  Her voice was emotionless when she spoke.

I didn’t know how, but I’d been made.  This was not the way I wanted to explain things to her.  “Jenna, I…”

She cut me off.  “I think I’m to blame for it.”  She handed me the envelope containing pictures of Lana and a typed page.  Once I’d looked at it, she told me everything she had been through over the past week, including the letter she’d left with Trista for Collin.

So this was what Collin was talking about.  I felt stupid for ever believing Jenna could…I’d never seen anyone as upset as she was right now and I could only imagine how hard this weighed on her Monday – and every day since.  Fuck.  I knew something wasn’t right about the conversation we recorded between her and Blackstone.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?  I could have tried to help you.”

She met my eyes for a moment before looking away.  “I don’t think there’s a woman alive who’d want to dump this on her new boyfriend.  You have such a normal life…I couldn’t even imagine trying to tell you about this.  I couldn’t image what you would think of me.  If you knew…I wouldn’t blame you for breaking things off with me, but…I already knew I was in love with you.  I could almost handle having to keep what was going on a secret, but I couldn’t bear losing you on top of it.”  Her eyes met mine.  “I’m in this too deep with you.  I can’t lose you, Jackson.  I can’t.”

“You won’t lose me, Jenna.  I’m not going anywhere unless you tell me to go.  I’m also in this too deep.”

After she was done telling me, she finally let me put my arms around her.  She collapsed against me and my heart broke for her.  I kissed the top of her head and smoothed her hair down in an attempt to calm her.  She went through absolute hell and, all the while, I was pissed off she played me.  I felt lower than I ever imagined possible.

How could I ever have doubted her?

She sobbed for several more minutes before falling asleep.  I was about to doze off when my cell phone rang.  I glanced at her as I picked it up, but she didn’t stir.

“I found him, Jackson.  He’s at Blaine’s Rain,” Collin said wildly.

“Did you call for backup?”

“No.  I want to kill him myself.”

This was not what I needed right now.  We had the location of the man for whom we were searching, and my partner had flipped his lid.  I had to get there before he got himself killed.  “Okay, but at least wait until I get there.”

“You’d better hurry.  I can’t promise anything.”

After I hung up, I eased Jenna off of me and down onto the couch.  I found a blanket and laid it over her.  Giving her a kiss on the forehead, I went to stop Collin from making a huge mistake.

Continue reading…

…Go back