I shivered.
“It’s over,” Jaxson said. His shoulders relaxed. The tension slipped out of him.
The warmth of the sun began to fade as it set. I wasn’t quite at ease. “Is it?” I whispered. The men from the resort, the thugs who attacked me earlier in the day, were expecting four million dollars, and I didn’t have a cent.
* * *
Jaxson held me tight. His hand latched around mine. We waited outside the front of the cabin, the one where I’d been dragged to and nearly raped, for the police to arrive. I wasn’t looking forward to giving my statement. I didn’t want to relive the trauma over again. All I wanted was to go home and soak in a warm bath.
Except I didn’t have a bath anymore. Hell, I didn’t have a house anymore either.
The police finally came along, taking their sweet time. The Eagle Tactical guys had to answer questions of their own about the incident, as did I. I didn’t like being separated from them, especially Jaxson, but we were outside and only a few yards away. I could see him, but not being safe in his warm arms made it difficult.
Just as the last statements were given, Declan strolled up in his truck offering us a ride. I climbed into the backseat sandwiched between Jaxson and Lincoln. Aiden grabbed the front seat.
Mason cleared his throat.
“Sorry, man, there’s no room,” Lincoln joked with Mason.
“Looks like Mason’s going to sit on Jaxson’s lap,” Aiden grinned.
Jaxson rolled his eyes.
“You’re groaning because you know it’s true,” Aiden said.
Jaxson’s gaze met mine. “You’re going to have to sit on my lap for the ride back to Eagle Tactical.”
“Okay,” I answered a little too quickly. They didn’t notice. Jaxson didn’t budge from his position on the side, and I scooted onto his lap.
Lincoln scooted over, making room for Mason. He jogged around the back of the truck, and Declan started to take off, the door open, messing with him.
“Don’t be an ass!” Mason chased after the truck before Declan softly came to a stroll, making Mason climb in while the vehicle was still moving. Albeit it wasn’t moving fast, I couldn’t hide the grin on my face. He deserved it, just a little.
Mason flung himself into the truck and slammed the door.
“Got everyone?” Aiden glanced in the rearview mirror, taking a brief mental headcount before hitting the gas and hightailing it out of there.
The backseat was a little too cozy. I shifted on Jaxson’s lap, my cheeks burned from the heat or his proximity. All the men of Eagle Tactical were eye candy. To be thrust in the backseat on Jaxson’s lap and practically sandwiched in with Lincoln wasn’t so bad. Mason was growing on me too. He saved my life, even after I’d been an ass to him. Whether it was well-deserved was still debatable.
“Thanks, you guys,” I whispered, my hands trembled. Jaxson’s warm, strong embrace wrapped around my waist, his fingers against my hips. Every part of me burned like I was on fire, but my heart ached, conflicted with doubt. He’d left after we’d been intimate without so much as a word goodbye. How could I forgive that transgression? Should I forgive him? He saved my life. I owed him my life, but did I owe him my heart?
“All in a day’s work,” Mason said. He gave me a faint smile. Did he no longer hate me? That had to be good news, especially if I saw Jaxson again.
Conflicted was the understatement of the century. Everything about Jaxson was perfect, but I was a mess. He deserved better, someone who made him happy. He had a daughter, and then there was Emma.
The guys laughed and joked on the rest of the ride back to Eagle Tactical. I sat quietly, lost in my thoughts and the heat of the moment between Jaxson and myself. His lap was warm, comfortable, his embrace even more magical.
I whimpered, disappointed when we arrived, and I needed to climb out of the truck. I had thought no one heard me, but Jaxson raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
I shut my lips fast and glanced away, humiliated.
The guys all piled out of the truck.
“I need a ride to my vehicle,” Lincoln said.
“Ariella and I need a ride back to my house,” Jaxson said, already deciding that I was going with him. I wasn’t sure where I was going or what would happen next. I didn’t have a house. Everything had burned in the disaster. I still had a date with thugs who wanted four million dollars that I’d missed and a cell phone that had been smashed in the fight at the resort. My life was a mess.
“Lincoln, I’ll give you a ride if you’re buying me dinner,” Aiden joked.