Lexie looked across the waiting room to see Dane asleep with his feet up on the table, that deep line between his brows still prominent in his sleep. She wondered if she would ever get to know what was beneath all his layers. Those impossible blue eyes were always so haunted.

Teddy was captivated by his phone and he clicked away at whatever he was up to. He sipped on the cold coffee he had been nursing for the last hour. Lexie could barely stomach it while it was hot. He was a closed book as well, never letting anyone see deeper than what he presented them. They were both puzzles she hoped one day she would understand.

Both Giles and Nate were admitted when they arrived. Nate could barely walk by the time they arrived at the hospital. The doctor suspected he broke some bones in his foot and he was whisked away to be x-rayed.

Giles' skin was a few shades of grey when they placed him on a gurney. He had still been conscious and able to laugh at Teddy's ridiculous antics, but it was obvious he was in extreme pain. The doctor seemed to be optimistic when he updated them on his condition. They wanted to admit him for a few days but said they expected he would make a full recovery. They were lucky it was all the injuries that they sustained, considering what they had been through.

"Can we get out of here for a little bit?" Lexie asked. "I need some air."

"Sure," Jackson said before he stood up. "Call me with any updates," he called out to Teddy before he followed Lexie's lead. She needed to get out of the building, take a deep breath of fresh air, and calm her nerves.

"Where to?" Jackson asked when they stepped outside the front doors of the hospital. Lexie immediately felt some of the tension melt away.

"I need some caffeine that doesn't taste like it could kill me," Lexie admitted as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"I have an idea," Jackson said rea.s.suringly as he placed his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side.

"Good, 'cause I'm too exhausted to think."

Lexie wrapped her hands around her hot cup of tea as Jackson pulled off the road. She looked around, unsure of where they were. It was an old winding road that appeared to take them nowhere. She had fallen into a comfortable silence and hadn't asked where he was driving, but now that he pulled off the main road onto a narrow dirt drive, her curiosity couldn't be contained.

"Where are we?" Lexie sat up further in her seat to check out their surroundings.

Jackson turned his head and looked at her with a sly smile. "It's where I used to come when I still lived here. It was where I came to clear my head," Jackson said as the trees began to open up and Jackson pulled the car to a stop. Lexie opened her door to get a better look. She stepped out into the cool evening air. Taking a deep breath, she could smell the earth and foliage that surrounded them. It reminded her of home.

Lexie closed her door and spun around before stopping to see Jackson watching her.

"Come here." He held his hand out for her to take. "I want you to see something."

He led her to the edge where they could see the entire city below. The lights of Belhaven looked like a work of art from their vantage point.

"Wow, it's beautiful," Lexie said. "You can't see the ugly from here."

"No, you can't," Jackson agreed thoughtfully. "I spent a lot of time here after my mother died. I got on my bike one day and just kept peddling, further and further from the city until eventually it was too dark to see anymore and I was here. I don't even know how I found this place, but I did. I slept right here on the ground that night, under the stars, wondering why my life was so s.h.i.tty when the world looked so beautiful."

"It's all an illusion," Lexie said. They both looked at the lights below.

"I thought so too at first, for most of my life, actually, but all the darkness is what makes all the lights look so bright. That was when I found you. I've never seen a light so bright, and it made me want to crawl out of the darkness."

Lexie didn't know how to respond to that. His words plucked chords deep inside her and she thrummed with heat.

Jackson turned toward her. "Too cheesy?" He raised his brow.

Lexie laughed. "Maybe a little." She held her fingers to animate her answer.

"I'm trying my hardest to get in your pants," Jackson admitted lightly.

"All you had to do was ask, but I do appreciate the sweet talk." Lexie smiled, feeling elation wash away all the heavy emotions that had been weighing her down.

Jackson brought her hands up so they were around his neck and lifted her body against his. "You know what's better than a thinking place?" Jackson asked with a mischievous smile in between kisses along her jaw and grazing her lips. Her mind was losing the ability to process anything but his lips on her skin and the tingling heat they stirred.

"What's that?" She giggled as he nipped her neck.

"A make-out place," Jackson said against her skin. Gooseb.u.mps flashed over her sensitized flesh.

Lexie gasped in surprise when Jackson placed her on the hood of his car. He placed his hands on either side of her, flattening his palms on the car as he looked down at her. Their relationship had been a beautiful disaster since the moment it began. Jackson had found a way to wrap himself around her fragile heart and she embraced it. When she thought of her future, he was in every scenario.

"I love you, Jackson Finley," Lexie whispered. He stayed still, completely unmoving to the point where it started to scare her. She waited for his response but it didn't come. "Jackson?"

"I didn't hear you, what did you say?" he finally said.

Lexie slapped his arm playfully. "You heard me, you liar."

"Just say it again. Louder this time, so I know for sure," he asked, still leaning over her.

Lexie shook her head before she screamed as loud as she could. "I love you, Jackson Finley!" Her voice echoed in the distance. "Did you hear me that time?" Lexie laughed.

Jackson leaned down and took her lips in his, devouring her as he pressed his body against hers. Lexie pulled him closer to deepen their kiss. She noticed his cheeks felt wet to the touch.

"Jackson, what's wrong?"

He pulled back and rubbed his hands down his face. "Nothing, I'm good. I'm better than good." He pressed his lips against hers.

"Why the tears?" Lexie took his face in her hands and held him close.

"You noticed that, huh? Would you believe I had something in my eye?"

"Not a chance," Lexie said as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"You were the first person to ever tell me that. Those words coming from your lips sound too good to be true. You are too good to be true, Lexie Wilder," Jackson confessed.

Lexie grabbed his shirt and pulled it up until Jackson reached over his shoulder and pulled it over his head. He was just as quick to remove her shirt, pulling the material away so they would have no barriers. The feel of having his skin against hers was intoxicating, she felt completely drunk on l.u.s.t.

Lexie felt a sense of freedom now that she admitted her feelings to Jackson. She wanted to explore their connection in every way and discover all his secrets. For now, she would settle for the pleasure they could give each other as they connected on a primal level...one of the things they did very well together.

When Jackson tossed the rest of her clothes aside, Lexie pushed herself off the car. Placing her hand against his chest, she pushed him back a few steps before turning around. She rubbed the curve of her behind against him, eliciting a groan of approval. Jackson wrapped his arms around her, cupping her b.r.e.a.s.t.s as Lexie placed her knee on the car. His hand slid down her side and around the curve of her hip before his fingers began to tease her sensitive flesh. His lips grazed her shoulder as his erection throbbed against her backside.

The slight chill to the air was invigorating as it seemed to heighten her senses. Standing naked outdoors, with the breeze caressing her nipples and Jackson's expert touch had her delirious with want. Arching her back, she could feel his excitement dripping on her skin. He wanted inside her as much as she did.

Taking him in her hand, she guided him to her entrance. He slid in painfully slow while still milking her pleasure. His other hand grabbed her breast and squeezed as he filled her.

"Harder," Lexie demanded.

Jackson slid himself out slowly before thrusting back in hard enough that she had to brace herself on the car. "I thought gentle was for love. You just confessed your love for me. Shouldn't we take this slow?"

"G.o.d no, I'll go insane," Lexie gasped. "Now that we established our feelings, it's all in the name of love."

"Good," Jackson said as he thrust deep into her core. Grasping her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, he made sure to pay attention to all her pleasure points. His deep, hard thrusts were sparking intense bliss that was set to ignite. She lost sensation of the ground beneath her feet and the cool metal of the car, as her body became a slave to the desire of release that Jackson was leading her toward, fast and furiously.

The gasp of pleasure resonated from somewhere deep inside of her as her release spread like wildfire through her entire body. Lexie melted like hot wax as Jackson held her. He followed with a few more deep pushes before pulling her close. His entire body stiffened and he growled into the curve of her neck before his teeth grazed the flesh of she shoulder, making her shudder.

Jackson wrapped both arms around her and held her tight, placing a kiss on her head. "I love you, Lex."

"Me too."

CHAPTER.

THIRTY-THREE.

Jackson "How long has this pizza been sitting here?" Stephanie asked, looking down at the remains in the box.

"I wouldn't risk it. Let's just order a new one," Lexie said with a look of disgust.

"Why waste perfectly good food?" Dane leaned in, grabbed a cold slice, and took a big bite.

Stephanie shook her head and closed the box. "We are definitely getting a new one. Besides, it would probably do you guys some good to get one with vegetables on it."

"What are vegetables?" Dane asked as he took another bite.

Lexie and Stephanie both looked at each other and shook their heads. As soon as Nate was released they brought him back to the hotel where Jackson had been staying. They all managed a few hours of sleep before the sun rose. The short rest would be all they could manage because they needed to regroup after what happened. Stodden's men failed to get their hands on either of the things they had been sent for and that meant they would be seeing him again soon.

Jackson drained his gla.s.s of whiskey and set it down on the table. He pulled a few bills out of his wallet and held them toward Lexie.

"Why don't you go grab us some food?" Jackson suggested.

"Not a chance. I'll order in. I know what you're doing. You're trying to get me out of here so you can make plans without me. I'm in this, Jackson. I'm not gonna wait around until someone tries to kidnap me again. It's getting old." Lexie crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. Jackson tried not to notice how the position of her arms accentuated her cleavage. She looked so beautiful with her stern features and tousled hair. He knew he would never have enough of her to satisfy the need that continued to build in intensity. His gaze lingered on her full, pink lips that he could still feel against his. He couldn't help the smile that began to curve his lips.

She had changed so much since she first came into his life. She used to be nervous, terrified, and sad, but now she was strong and confident. She no longer twisted the edge of her shirt between her fingers or shook in the face of fear. She amazed him how she came to own what life had thrown at her. She was a survivor like him. He was thrilled that he was able to call her his. He wanted to shout it out to the world but first he needed to make sure he eliminated the one thing that threatened her, that threatened them, and could take it all away.

"You are so stubborn," Jackson said, shaking his head. He tucked the money in her pants and nipped her bottom lip.

"I'm already in enough pain, don't make me watch you two f.u.c.king make-out," Nate teased.

"Well, I'm super fine with sitting this one out. I've already had too much excitement." Stephanie raised her hands. "If I never see a gun again it will be too soon."

Lexie turned to her friend and wrapped her arms around her. "This will be behind us soon."

"I hope you're right, Lex. I missing boring," Stephanie confessed.

Lexie smiled. "Me too."

"Why don't you pour me a whiskey?" Nate was sitting on one of the two beds, his cast propped up with pillows.

"Doc said no drinking with your pain meds. Nice try, though," Jackson said before tossing him a bottle of water that was sitting on the table.

Nate caught it and looked at it with an unamused expression. "Since when do I start doing what I'm told?"

"Since now," Stephanie added. "No whiskey." She pointed at him in warning.

Nate sighed before setting the water on the nightstand.

Jackson pulled up a chair beside Teddy to see if he was making any progress. They knew the private opening for Bitter Sweet was this evening and Stodden's attendance was guaranteed. He was never one to miss the opportunity to flaunt himself to admirers. Now they just needed to figure out a plan to get inside the private function undetected and kill the man of the hour.

"Give me something, Teddy," Jackson said, running his hand through his hair.

"I'm in the computer of Brian Crothers. While you guys were sleeping, I looked into Stodden's partner. He's owned various successful bars in Belhaven in the last twelve years but this is the first time he's joined forces with a risky partner like Stodden. Looks like Stodden made him an offer he couldn't refuse."

"How'd you get in?" Jackson asked. He was trying to keep up with all the info Teddy was pulling up on the screen.

"His pa.s.sword was his f.u.c.king birthday, took me all of two seconds. People are as predictable as s.h.i.t."

"This is exactly why I stay off these things," Jackson replied. "What did you find?"

"He has a bit of a p.o.r.n addiction," Teddy dished.

"Don't we all?" Dane joked. He shoved the rest of the piece of pizza in his mouth and leaned back on the bed.

"They're pulling all the stops for security. I found some corresponding emails about taking no chances when it comes to securing the property."

"Are they using a legit company?" Jackson asked with a frown.

"f.u.c.k no, they're using their armed goons, but it looks like they tripled their numbers for tonight, seems they have a lot of high profile clients attending." Teddy pulled up a list of names on his screen.

"What the f.u.c.k? Some of these names..." Jackson said, scanning the list. Some of the names stood out as men in the public eye, politicians, there was even some business owners that were well known. "How does he expect some these men to show?"

"Apparently every one of them received a mask with their personal invite. The whole evening is to be anonymous. Even the staff and entertainment will be wearing masks to hide their ident.i.ty based on these invoices. They even have a car service picking up the invites at various locations. His plan is to win these men over, and apparently it's working."

Jackson rubbed his hand over his face thoughtfully. "Yeah, I guess the promise of s.e.x to old stuffy men will do that. I'm a.s.suming these men will be offered more than a little peep show."

"Yeah, with their invites they were sent blood tests of all the girls to confirm they were all clean. I imagine a lot of s.h.i.t will be going down."

"Where are the girls coming from?" Jackson asked.

"All over, some are local, though." Teddy pulled up the file with all the profiles of the women they were bringing in for tonight's entertainment.